32. [verse 9] 'I John who also* am your brother and companion' signifies those who are in the good of charity and thence in the truths of faith. It was said above (n. 5) that the apostle John represented those who are in the good of charity; and since charity is the soul and life of faith, those who are in the good of charity are also in the truths of faith. It is in consequence of this that John calls himself a brother and companion of those in the Church to whom he writes, for he wrote to the seven Churches. By 'a brother' in the spiritual sense of the Word is understood one who is in the good of charity, and by 'a companion' one who is thereby in the truths of faith. Indeed, all are, as it were, blood-relations through charity, but relations-in-law through faith; for charity joins together, whereas faith does not unless it is from charity. Provided that faith is derived from charity, then charity joins together and faith brings about association, and since they make one, the Lord therefore commanded that all should be brothers, for He says:-
One is your Teacher Christ, but all you are brothers Matt. xxiii 8.
[2] The Lord also calls those 'brothers' who are in the good of charity or in the good of life. He said:-
My mother and My brothers are they who hear the Word of God and do it Luke viii 21; Matt. xii 49; Mark iii 33-35.
By 'mother' is understood the Church, and by 'brothers' those who are in charity. Again, since the good of charity is 'a brother', the Lord therefore addresses those who are in it as 'brothers', as indeed in Matt. xxv 40, and therefore He also so addresses the disciples (Matt. xxviii 10; John xx 17). We do not, however, read that the disciples addressed the Lord as brother, because 'brother' is good that is from the Lord. This is comparatively as it is with a king, a prince, and a great man, who call their blood-relations and relations-in-law brothers, but yet these do not do so in return, for the Lord says:-
One is your Teacher, Christ, but you are all brothers Matt. xxiii 8.
Also:-
You call Me Master and Lord, and you say well, for so I am John xiii 13.
[3] The sons of Israel used to call all those brothers who were from their father Jacob, and in a wider sense those also who were from Esau, but those who were not [descended] from them [they called] companions. Since, however, the Word in the spiritual sense treats only of those who are in the Lord's Church, therefore in that sense by 'brothers' are understood those who are in the good of charity from the Lord, and by 'companions' those who are in the truths of faith. So in the following:-
Thus shall you say every one to his companion, and every one to his brother, What has Jehovah answered? Jer. xxiii 35.
You have not proclaimed liberty, every one to his brother, and every one to his companion Jer. xxxiv 17.
Let not [the creditor] urge his companion or his brother Deut. xv 1, 2.
For the sake of my brothers and my companions I will say Ps. cxxii 8.
Every one helps his companion, and says to his brother, Be strong Isa. xli 6.
And in the opposite sense:-
Beware you every one of his companion, and trust not in any brother;
every brother supplants, and every companion slanders Jer. ix 4 [H.B. 3].
I will mix Egypt with Egypt, that one may fight against his brother, and against his companion Isa. xix 2,
and elsewhere. These [quotations] have been adduced that it may be known why John terms himself 'brother and companion', and that by 'a brother' in the Word is understood one who is in charity or good, and by 'a companion' one who is in faith or truth. Since however it is charity from which faith is derived, therefore none are called companions by the Lord, but brothers or neighbour. Every one also is a neighbour in accordance with the quality of his good (Luke x 36, 37). * Reading et (also) instead of est (is).
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