minds. It is truth that is the life of the understanding, and that gives it all its power and usefulness; and just in proportion to the degree of truth possessed by the understanding, will its teachings be sound, and its guidance be safe. Thus it is truth in the understanding, which orders and governs, and thus is Truth a king.
It is, moreover, from his character as Divine Truth, that the Lord is called, and called himself, a King. "Pilate said unto him. Art thou a king, then?" "Jesus answered. Thou sayest, that I am a king.[1] To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I might bear witness unto the truth."[2] Thus it was in his character as a witness of the truth, that he was a king: and the witness of truth is truth. Thus the Lord was "King," as being himself Divine Truth; as he said, I am "the way, the truth, and the life." For the same reason he was called "King of the Jews;" "the Jews" signifying in the spiritual sense the Church—for this was represented by the Jews: and the "King of the Jews" means the Divine Truth that guides and governs the Church; and the Lord himself was and is that Truth, and it is in this sense that he was called "King of the Jews." So, wherever in the Divine Word, he is called King, or "King of kings," he is so called in reference to his character as Divine Truth.
It is in the same sense, that men of the Lord's
- ↑ Or, as it might be rendered, "Thou sayest [that is, sayest truly]; for I am a king.'
- ↑ John xviii. 37.
