8494. A rest. That this signifies a state of peace when there is no temptation, is evident from the signification of “a rest,” such as there was on the days of the Sabbath, as being a representative of a state of peace, in which is effected the conjunction of good and truth. But the six preceding days represented the combat and labor, consequently the temptations, which precede a state of peace; for after temptations comes a state of peace, and then there is the conjunction of good and truth. (That the six days which precede the seventh or the Sabbath signified combat and labor, see n. 720, 737, 900; and that after temptations there are tranquility and peace, n. 3696, 4572, 5246, 6829, 8367, 8370.) That the Sabbath denotes the conjunction of good and truth, will be seen in what now follows.

4976. And he ministered unto him. That this signifies that the memory-knowledge was appropriated to its good, is evident from the signification of “ministering,” as being to be of service by supplying that which another needs, here to be appropriated, because the subject treated of is natural good to which memory-knowledge was to be appropriated. Moreover, “to minister” is predicated of memory-knowledges; for in the Word by a “minister” and by a “servant” is signified memory-knowledge or natural truth, because this is subordinate to good, as to its lord. Memory-knowledge relatively to the delight of the natural man, or what is the same thing, natural truth relatively to its good, is circumstanced exactly as is water to bread, or drink to food. Water or drink causes bread and food to be diluted, so that they may be conveyed into the blood, and thence into all parts of the body, to nourish them; for without water or drink, bread or food is not resolved into its minute particles, nor is it distributed for use.

[2] The same is true of memory-knowledge relatively to delight, or of truth relatively to good; and therefore good has an appetite for and desires truth, and this for the sake of its use in ministering to and being of service to itself. Moreover, they correspond in a similar way, for in the other life man is not nourished by any natural food and drink, but by spiritual food and drink. Spiritual food is good, and spiritual drink is truth; and therefore when “bread” or “food” is mentioned in the Word, the angels understand spiritual bread or food, that is, the good of love and of charity; and when “water” or “drink” is mentioned, they understand spiritual water or drink, that is, the truth of faith. From this we can see what the truth of faith is without the good of charity, and also in what way the former without the latter can nourish the internal man, that is to say in the same way as water or drink alone can nourish without bread and food, for it is known that the result of this is emaciation and death.