At face value, the Ten Commandments can seem intense and unforgiving. But Emanuel Swedenborg’s understanding of the internal sense of the Bible—spiritual meanings that lie beneath the literal words—can give us a new perspective on these familiar rules.

In this episode of their Swedenborg and Life web series, hosts Curtis Childs and Jonathan Rose study the inner meaning of the first commandment.

(References: Apocalypse Revealed 950; Arcana Coelestia 8864, 8865, 8868, 8869, 8875, 8878, 8879, 8880, 8881)

203. (Verse 7) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write. That this signifies those of the church who are in the faith of charity is evident from the things written to the angel of this church, understood in the internal sense. For, as said above (n. 20), by the seven churches are not meant seven churches, but all who belong to the church, or all things pertaining to man which constitute the church; for by seven in the Word are meant all persons, and all things, because by each number mentioned in the Word is signified something either of thing or state, as is very evident in this prophetic book, in which numbers are so frequently mentioned. The same is evident from Ezekiel (chap. 40-48), where the new temple and the new earth are described, which is done by measures given in numbers. By the new temple and the new earth is there meant the New Church, and by each number or each measure is signified something belonging to the church. (That all numbers in the Word signify things and states, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 263.)