953. [verse 16] 'I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify unto you these things in the Churches' signifies a testification by the Lord before the whole of Christendom, that it is true that the Only Lord has made manifest the things that have been described in this book, as also those that have now been opened. The reason why the Lord here names Himself 'Jesus' is so that all in Christendom may know that the Lord Himself Who was in the world, has made manifest the things that have been described in this book, as also those that have now been opened. By 'to send an angel to testify' is signified a testification by the Lord that it is true. In fact the angel testified this, yet not from himself but from the Lord, which is clearly evident in verse 20 following, from these words:-
The One testifying these things says, Indeed I am coming quickly.
The reason why it is a testification that it is true is because 'to testify' is said concerning the truth (veritas), since the truth (veritas) testifies of itself (ex se), and the Lord is the Truth (veritas) (n. 6, 16, 490). 'To testify' signifies not only to make a testification that it is true that the Lord has made manifest to John the things that have been described in this book, but also that He has now made manifest what all the things there collectively and separately signify. This is properly understood by 'to testify', for it is said that He testifies these things in the Churches, that is, that the things are true that are contained in the things seen and described by John; for 'to testify' is said of the truth (veritas), as was said. By 'unto you these things in the Churches' is signified before the whole of Christendom, because there are the Churches that are understood here.
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