CHAPTER XII.-

1. THEN JESUS, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom He raised from the dead.

2. Then they made for Him a supper there, and Mary served, but Lazarus was one of them that lay at the table with Him.

3. Then Mary, taking a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, anointed the feet of JESUS, and wiped His feet with her hair; but the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

4. Then saith one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Si mon's [son], which was about to betray Him,

5. Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

6. But he said this, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare the things that were put therein.

7. Then said JESUS, Let her alone; for the day of my burial hath she kept this.

8. For ye have the poor al

THE INTERNAL SENSE.

THAT the LORD, during His spiritual conflicts previous to the full glorification of His humanity, derives consolation from those in the church amongst the Gentiles, who are principled in the good of life derived from himself, v. 1, 2.

On which occasion His bu manity is admitted to closer union with His divinity in divine good and truth, through the affection of good, and the church is made sensible of that union, v. 3.

Nevertheless they, who are in infernal love, seek to alienate divine good from the LORD, and appropriate it to themselves, and this under specious pretences of imparting knowledge to those who are in ig norance, v. 4, 5, 6.

But they are instructed by the divine truth, to desist from such alienation, since the glorification of the LORD's hu

ways with you, but me ye have not always.

9. Much people of the Jews therefore knew that He was there; and they came, not for the sake of JESUS only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom He had raised from the dead.

10. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;

11. Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed in JESUS.

12. On the morrow, much multitude coming to the feast, hearing that JESUS was coming to Jerusalem,

13. Took branches of palm: trees, and went forth to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna, blessed is the King of Israel, that cometh in the name of the LORD.

14. But Jesus finding a young ass, sat upon it, as it is written,

15. Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, thy King cometh, sitting on the colt of an

ass.

16. But these things His disciples knew not at first; but when JESUS was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they did these things unto Him.

manity requires that it be made. the all of divine good, and since ignorant objects would remain in the world when that humapity was taken out of it, v. 7, 8. 7

That on this occasion many, who were of the perverted church, are influenced with love, not only to the LORD's DIVINE HUMANITY, but also to that good of life which is derived from Him, v. 9.

Nevertheless they, who are principled in the love of spiritual dominion, seek to destroy that good of life, because many are led by it to acknow ledge the LORD in His DiVINE HUMANITY, v. 10, 11.

1

Who under such acknow ledgment, perceiving that the LORD was about to esta? blish His new church, adore Him as the source of every good affection and pure delight, confessing Him from the heart to be also the source of every truth in the church, by reason of His union with the supreme good, v. 12, 13.

Wherefore, as had been predicted, the LORD in His D11 VINE HUMANITY is exalted to dominion over all rational good and truth in the church, although it was not known, until this dominion was effected, what was meant by the representatives by which it had been predicted, v. 14, 15, 16.

17. Then the multitude bare record which was with Him when He called Lazarus out of the sepulchre, and raised him from the dead.

18. For this also the multitude met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.

19. The Pharisees therefore said amongst themselves, Ye see that ye prevail nothing; behold, the world is gone after Him.

20. But there were certain Hellenists among them that came up to worship at the feast.

21. These therefore came to Philip, which was of Beth saida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, Lord, we are desirous to see JESUS.

22.. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew, and again Andrew and Philip tell JESUS.

23. But JESUS answered them, saying, The hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified.

24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Unless a corn of wheat falling into the ground dieth, it abideth alone; but if it dieth, it beareth much fruit.

25. He that loveth his soul shall lose it, and he that hateth his soul in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

26. If any one minister to me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my minister be; and if any one minister to me, him will the Father honour,

This dominion too is confirmed by those, who witnessed the restoration of the good of life in the church, and who are thus led to seek conjunction of life with the LORD in His DIVINE HUMANITY, v. 17, 18.

But they, who are in hypocritical worship, see in that dominion the downfall of their own dominion, and the establishment of a new church, v. 19.

That some of the Gentiles, who are skilled in the doctrine of correspondence, seek acquaintance with the LORD, through intelligence, and the good of faith, v. 20, 21, 22,

And are instructed concern ing the union of the human [principle] with the divine, which was to be effected through temptation combats, for the salvation of mankind, v. 23, 24.

And also concerning the necessity of man's renouncing selfwill, or self-love, before he can be made partaker of heavenly love, and concerning the further necessity of believing in the LORD'S DIVINE HUMANITY, and keeping His precepts, since these are the only means of admission into the

divine presence, and of attaining conjunction with the divine good, v. 25, 26.

Therefore the LORD, as to His humanity, underwent the most grievous temptations, even to the passion of the cross, and this voluntarily, with a view to His final glorification, or the full union of His humanity with His divinity, which glorification is announced from heaven, v. 27, 28.

But this annunciation is regarded by some as a mere natural effect, and by others as supernatural, whilst divine instruction is given, that it's object is, not so much to comfort and support the LORD's hu manity, as to comfort and support His church under the process of suffering, through which that humanity was about to pass, v. 29, 30.

By which process a work of judgment was to be accomplished, and the powers of darkness were to be subjugated, whilst at the same time the LORD's humanity was to be exalted to complete union with His divinity, and from that humanity was to proceed divine truth united with divine good, which, influencing the minds of men, would lead them to conjunction of life with itself, v. 31, 32, 33.

But this doctrine is regarded in the perverted church as contradictory to the Word, and therefore enquiry is made coneerning the union of the divi

concerning what is meant by the Son of Man, v. 34.

And instruction is given, that by the Son of Man is meant the divine truth, manifested in the LORD's humanity, and

which for a time made it's abode here below, and therefore all ought to live according to that truth, lest they should be blinded by false persuasions, in which case they will not know to what end, whether of happiness or misery, their lives tend, v. 35.

They ought also to elevate that truth, or suffer it to be elevated, out of the memory into the understanding, and from the understanding into the will and life, v. 36, former part.

Nevertheless, this instruction is hid in obscurity from the men of the perverted church, and they cannot receive it, notwithstanding the miraculous testimony which attends it, v. 36, latter part,