46. Who also am your brother. That this signifies, and concerning the good of love to Him, is evident from the signification of brother, as denoting the good of love. The reason why a brother signifies the good of love is, because in heaven there are only spiritual affinities and fraternities. For brotherhood, there, is not the result of birth, nor do those who were brothers in the world know each other there as such, but each one is known to another from the good of love; those who are most nearly conjoined in that good, as brethren, and others, according to the conjunction by good, as kindred and as friends. Hence it is that by brother in the Word is signified the good of love. This also the Lord teaches where it is said:
"One said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee; but he answered, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? My mother and my brethren are they who hear the Word of God and do it" (Matt. xii. 47-50; Luke viii. 19-21).
And in another place:
"One is your master, Christ, but all ye are brethren" (Matt. xxiii. 8);
hence it is evident what it is to be a brother to the Lord. (But concerning this it has been shown, above, that all are associated in heaven according to spiritual affinities, which pertain to the good of love and faith. And that such know each other as kindred, see the work, Heaven and Hell, n. 205. See also what is said in Arcana Coelestia, n. 685, 917, 2739, 3612, 3815, 4121; that therefore, by brethren in the Word, are meant those who are conjoined by good, see n. 2360, 3303, 3803, 3815, 4121, 4191, 4267, 5409, 6756, 10,490. That they are called brethren by the Lord, who are in the good of love and of faith from Him, see n. 4191, 5686, 5692, 6756; that people are also called brethren from spiritual affinity, n. 6756; that charity and faith, thus good and truth, are brethren, and in what respect, n. 367, 3160, 9806; that good and truth are also brother and sister, and in what respect, n. 2508, 2524, 3160; that good and truth are also married partners, and in what respect, n. 3160; that man with brother denotes truth with good, n. 3459, 4725.)
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