December
9

Heavenly Qualities

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent out from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. And the angel coming in to her said, Hail, thou who art graced! The Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women. But when she saw him, she was disturbed at his word, and reasoned within herself what manner of a greeting this should be. And the angel said to her, Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found grace with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give to Him the throne of His father David. And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:26-33)

The expression “this shall be thy name,” when used in the Word, signifies the quality, that is, that the person will be of such a quality… And as the “name” signifies the quality, the name comprehends in one complex whatever is in the man. For in heaven no attention is paid to anyone’s name; but when anyone is named, or when the word “name” is spoken, there is presented the idea of the person’s quality, that is, of all things that are his, that are connected with him, and that are in him. Hence in the Word “name” signifies quality. (Arcana Coelestia 2009)

In the spiritual world no one knows another from his name only, but from the idea of his quality. This idea causes that the other becomes present and is known…. From this, then, it appears, that no one has the Lord present with himself, unless he knows His quality. (Invitation to the New Church 41)

[The name] “Jesus” in the internal sense is Divine good, and “Christ” is Divine truth…. That “Jesus” is Divine good comes from the fact that “Jesus” means “safety,” “salvation,” and “Savior;” and because it means these, it signifies the Divine good; for all salvation is from the Divine good which is of the Lord’s love and mercy; and thus salvation is brought about by the reception of that good. (Arcana Coelestia 3005)

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