Day 35: Saturday, April 11

And saying this, He says to him [that is, to John], Follow Me. But Peter, turning, looks at the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also reclined on His chest at supper and said, Lord, who is it who betrays Thee? Peter, seeing him, says to Jesus, Lord, and what is this? Jesus says to him, If I will that he remain till I come, what is it to thee? Follow thou Me. Then went forth this word to the brothers, that that disciple should not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he should not die, but, If I will that he remain till I come, what is it to thee?

This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and writes these things; and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if every one of them should be written, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. John 21:19-25

By “John following the Lord” was signified that they who are in the goods of charity follow the Lord and are loved by the Lord, neither do they draw back; while they who are in faith separated [from charity] not only do not follow the Lord, but are also indignant about it, like Peter at that time. Arcana Coelestia 10087:4

The Most High or the Inmost is the Celestial of Love, or Love itself. Jehovah, or the Lord’s internal man, was the very Celestial of Love, that is, Love itself, to which no other attributes are fitting than those of pure Love, thus of pure mercy toward the whole human race, which is such that it wills to save all and make them happy to eternity, and to bestow on them all that it has; thus out of pure mercy to draw all who are willing to follow to heaven, that is, to itself, by the strong force of love. This Love itself is Jehovah. Arcana Coelestia 1735

previous		next