80. Every Single Constituent of the Word Contains a Marriage of the Lord and the Church, and So a Marriage of Goodness and Truth

The idea that every single constituent of the Word contains a marriage of the Lord and the church, and so a marriage of goodness and truth, is something not seen previously, nor could it have been seen, because the Word’s spiritual sense was not disclosed before, and the marriage can only be seen by means of that sense. For lying concealed within the Word’s literal sense are two other senses, a spiritual one and a celestial one. In the spiritual sense expressions in the Word relate mainly to the church, and in the celestial sense, mainly to the Lord. In the spiritual sense they relate also to Divine truth, and in the celestial sense to Divine goodness. Hence the aforesaid marriage in the Word’s literal sense.

But this marriage is not apparent to anyone unless he knows from the Word’s spiritual and celestial senses the symbolic meanings of the words and names. For some words and names refer to goodness, and some to truth, and some encompass both. Without that knowledge, therefore, the aforesaid marriage in every constituent of the Word cannot be seen.

It is for this reason that this arcanum has not been disclosed previously.

98. The Lord Came into the World to Fulfill Everything in the Word, and to Become as a Consequence Divine Truth, or the Word, Also in Outmost Expressions

That the Lord came into the world to fulfill everything in the Word may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord 8-11. That He became as a consequence Divine truth, or the Word, also in outmost expressions — this is what is meant by these words in John:

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as though of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

To become flesh is to become the Word in outmost expressions.

What the Lord was like as the Word in outmost expressions — this He showed His disciples when He was transfigured (Matthew 17:2ff., Mark 9:2ff., Luke 9:28ff.). And we are told in Luke that Moses and Elijah appeared in glory. Moses and Elijah mean the Word, as may be seen in no. 48 above.

The Lord is also described as the Word in outmost expressions by John in the book of Revelation, in chapter one, verses 13-16, where everything in the description of Him symbolizes the outmost expressions of Divine truth or of the Word.

The Lord, indeed, had embodied the Word before, but in its first origins. For we read:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. It was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1-3)

But when the Word became flesh, then the Lord became also the Word in outmost expressions. It is because of this that the Lord is called the First and the Last (Revelation 1:8, 11, 17, 2:8, 21:6, 22:13).