960.启22:20.“证明这些事的说,是了,我必快来!阿们!主耶稣啊,愿你来”表揭开启示录,如今已打开它的主见证以下福音:祂将以其在世时所取并荣耀的神性人身到来,如同新郎和丈夫;而教会则渴慕祂,如同新妇和妻子。主先前说“我耶稣差遣我的使者在众教会将这些事向你们证明”(启示录22:16);从前面(953节)可以看出,这句话表示主在整个基督教界面前证明:唯独主显明本书所写、现在所披露的事,这是千真万确的。因此,很明显,“证明这些事的”是指揭开启示录、如今将它披露出来的主证明。之所以说见证这福音,是因为祂在此宣告祂的到来,祂的国度,以及祂与教会的属灵婚姻;祂说:“是了,我必快来!阿们!主耶稣啊,愿你来”;“福音”表示主来到祂的国(478,553,626,664节)。主的到来之所以是指步入与教会的属灵婚姻,是因为这个新教会被称为新妇和妻子,而主是新教会的新郎和丈夫,如前所述(启示录19:7-9;20:2,9,10;21:17);在此处启示录的末尾,主说话和教会说话,如同新郎和新妇说话;主说了这些话:“是了,我必快来。阿们”;新教会则说了这些:“主耶稣啊,愿你来”,对属灵婚姻来说,它们都是些订婚的话。主将以其在世所取并荣耀的神性人身到来,这一点从以下事实明显可知:祂自称“耶稣”,并且说祂是“大卫的根和后裔”({22:16),教会则在此说:“主耶稣啊,我愿你来”(参看953,954节)。
960. 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! This symbolizes the Lord, who presented the visions in the book of Revelation and has now laid the book open, testifying to the gospel that He is coming as a bridegroom and husband in His Divine humanity which He assumed in the world and glorified, and that the church longs for Him as His bride and wife.
The Lord says before this, "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches" (verse 16 in this chapter), which symbolizes a testification by the Lord before the whole Christian world of the truth that the Lord alone has presented the visions described in this book, and that their meaning is now disclosed (see no. 953 above). It is apparent from this that He who testifies to these things, saying, symbolizes the Lord testifying, who has presented the visions in the book of Revelation and has now laid the book open. He is testifying to the gospel stated because He here announces His coming, His kingdom, and His spiritual marriage with the church; for the verse says, "'Surely I am coming quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" and the gospel symbolizes the Lord's coming to His kingdom. See nos. 478, 553, 626, 664. It includes here His coming to a spiritual marriage with the church, because this New Church is called His bride and wife, and the Lord its bridegroom and husband (see chapters 19:7-9; 21:2, 9-10, and 22:17). And here, at the end of the book, the Lord speaks and the church speaks, like a bridegroom and bride. The Lord says, "Surely I am coming quickly. Amen." And the church says, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" These are the words of a betrothal looking to a spiritual marriage.
That the Lord will come in His Divine humanity which He assumed in the world and glorified is clear from the fact that He calls Himself Jesus and says that He is the Root and the Offspring of David (verse 16), while the church here says, "Come, Lord Jesus!" See nos. 953 and 954 above.
960. [verse 20] 'The One testifying these things says, Indeed I am coming quickly, Amen. Come indeed, Lord Jesus' signifies the Lord Who has revealed the Apocalypse, and has now opened it, testifying the glad tidings that in His Own Divine Human, which He took upon Himself in the world and glorified, He is coming as the Bridegroom and Husband, and that the Church as the Bride and Wife will long for Him. Above at verse 16 of this chapter the Lord said 'I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify unto you these things in the Churches,' by which is signified, as may be seen above (953), a testification by the Lord before the whole of Christendom that it is true that the Only Lord has made manifest the things that have been written in this book, and which have now been opened. From this it is plain that by 'the One testifying these things says' is understood the Lord, Who has revealed the Apocalypse and now opened it, testifying. The reason why He is testifying the glad tidings is because here He announces His coming, His kingdom, and His spiritual marriage with the Church, for He says 'Indeed I am coming quickly, Amen. Come indeed, Lord Jesus,' and by 'glad tidings' is signified the Lord's coming to His kingdom, as may be seen (478, 553, 626, 664). The reason why this coming is to a spiritual marriage with the Church is because this New Church is called the Bride and Wife, and the Lord her Bridegroom and Husband (chapters 19:7-9; 21:2, 9-10; 22:17; above). Also here at the end of the book the Lord speaks and the Church speaks, as a bridegroom and a bride. The Lord speaks these words, 'Indeed I am coming quickly, Amen'; and the Church speaks these, 'Come indeed, Lord Jesus,' which are the words of a betrothal for a spiritual marriage. That the Lord is going to come in the Divine Human that He took upon Himself in the world and glorified, is established from this, that He names Himself 'Jesus' and says that He is 'the Root and the Offspring of David' (verse 16), and that the Church says, 'Come, Lord Jesus,' as may be seen above (953-954).
960. Verse 20. He who testifieth these things saith, Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Yea, come, Lord Jesus, signifies the Lord, who revealed Revelation, and has now opened it, testifying this gospel, that He comes in His Divine Human, which He took upon Him in the world and glorified, as the Bridegroom and Husband, and that the church desires Him, as the Bride and Wife. The Lord said above, "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify unto you these things in the churches" (verse 16 of this chapter); it may be seen above, (953) that this signifies a testification by the Lord before the whole Christian world, that it is true that the Lord alone manifested the things which are written in this book, and which are now laid open. Thence i, (953) t is plain, that by "He who testifieth these things," is meant the Lord, who revealed Revelation and has now laid it open, testifying. The reason why it means testifying this gospel, is, because He here declares His coming, His kingdom, and His spiritual marriage with the church; for He says, "Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Yea, come, Lord Jesus;" and by "the gospel," is signified the Lord's coming to His kingdom, (478, 553, 626, 664). The reason why He here comes to a spiritual marriage with the church, is, because this New Church is called the Bride and Wife, and the Lord its Lord its Bridegroom and Husband, above, (19:7-9; 20:2, 9-10; 21:17); and here at the end of the book, the Lord speaks and the church speaks, as the Bridegroom and the Bride; the Lord speaks these words, "Surely, I come quickly. Amen;" and the church speaks these, "Yea, come, Lord Jesus," which are words of betrothing to the spiritual marriage. That the Lord will come in His Divine Human which He assumed and glorified in the world, is plain from this, that He names Himself "Jesus," and says that He is "the Root and the Offspring of David" (verse 16), and that the church here says, "Come, Lord Jesus," see above, (953, 954).
960. (Vers. 20.) "Dicit 1Testans haec, Etiam venio cito; amen. Etiam veni, Domine Jesu," significat Dominum, Qui revelavit Apocalypsin et nunc aperuit illam, testificantem hoc Evangelium, quod in Divino Humano Suo quod suscepit in mundo et glorificavit, veniat ut Sponsus et Maritus, et quod Ecclesia Ipsum desideret ut Sponsa et Uxor. -Supra dicit Dominus "Ego Jesus misi angelum Meum testari vobis haec in Ecclesiis," (vers. 16 hujus capitis); per quae quod significetur testificatio a Domino coram toto Christiano orbe quod verum sit quod solus Dominus manifestaverit illa quae in hoc Libro scripta sunt, et quae nunc aperta sunt, videatur supra (953). Inde patet, quod per "Dicit 2Testans haec" intelligatur Dominus, Qui revelavit Apocalypsin et nunc aperuit illam, testificans. Quod sit testificans hoc Evangelium, est quia hic declarat Adventum Suum, Regnum Suum, et spirituale Conjugium Suum cum Ecclesia; dicit enim, "Etiam venio cito; amen. Etiam veni, Domine Jesu," et per Evangelium significatur Adventus Domini ad Regnum Ipsius (videatur 478, 553, 626, 664); 3quod hic ad Conjugium spirituale cum Ecclesia, est quia nova haec Ecclesia vocatur Sponsa et Uxor, et Dominus Sponsus et Maritus ejus (supra 19:7-9; 21:2, 9-10; 22:17); 4et hic in fine Libri, loquitur Dominus et loquitur Ecclesia, sicut Sponsus et Sponsa; loquitur Dominus haec, "Etiam venio cito; amen," et loquitur Ecclesia haec, "Etiam veni, Domine Jesu," quae sunt verba Desponsationis ad Conjugium spirituale. Quod Dominus venturus sit in Divino Humano, quod suscepit in mundo et glorificavit, constat ex eo, quod Se nominet Jesum, et dicat quod sit "Radix et Genus Davidis," (vers. 16); et quod Ecclesia hic dicat, "Veni, Domine Jesu," videatur supra (953, 954).
Footnotes:
1. Dicit pro "Dixit"
2. Dicit pro "Dixit"
3. 626 pro "625"
4. xxi. pro "xx." et xxii. pro "xxi."