Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 218[2] “Antipas the faithful martyr” signifies those who are hatedbecause of their acknowledgment of the Lord’s Divine human, forthe reason that at that time one Antipas was slain on that account;by “Antipas,” therefore, all who are hated on that account aremeant; just as by “Lazarus,” who lay at the rich man’s gate andlonged to be fed with the crumbs that fell from his table, are meantall whom the Lord loves because they long for truths from spiritualaffection (see above, n. 118). That the Lord loved a certain onenamed Lazarus, whom also he raised from the dead, is manifest inJohn (chap. 11:3, 5, 36) and that he reclined with the Lord at table,(chap. 12), on which account he was called “Lazarus,” by the Lord,who longed to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’stable, whereby is signified a longing for truths from spiritualaffection (as shown above, n. 118). As “Lazarus” was so named onthat account, so was “Antipas” because he was made a martyr forthe name of the Lord, that is, for the acknowledgment of hisDivine human.[3] That such as he are hated by all who do not think of theLord’s Divine and of his human at the same time, cannot beknown from those who are in the world; but it can be known fromthe same in the other life, where they all burn with such hatredagainst those who approach the Lord alone as cannot be describedin a few words; they desire nothing more eagerly than to murderthem. The reason is, that all who are in the hells are against theLord, and all who are in the heavens are with the Lord; and thosewho are of the church and who do not acknowledge the Lord’sDivine in his human act as one with the hells, and it is from thehells that they have such hatred. They have frequently been toldthat they are doing wrong, since they know from the Word:That the Lord has all power in the heavens and on earth (Matt.28:18);thus that he is the God of heaven and earth; likewise:That he is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comethunto the Father but by him (John 14:6);