45. (v. 9) I John. That this signifies doctrine concerning the Lord, is evident from the representation of John, because in the highest sense, by him is meant the Lord as to doctrine (see above, n. 19), therefore by him is also signified doctrine concerning the Lord. For to know the Lord is the chief of all things of doctrine, or the first and last thereof, the principal thing of the church being to know and, acknowledge the Lord's Divine; for it is conjoined with His Divine by acknowledgment and faith, and apart; from such conjunction nothing of doctrine is of any account. This is the reason why the Divine has been revealed. The Divine which has been revealed is the Divine Human: and without the acknowledgment of the Divine in the Lord's Human there is no salvation (as may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n. 280-310). It is for this reason that John representing the Lord as to doctrine, also represents doctrine concerning the Lord.