Apocalypse Explained # 420
420. On the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.- That this signifies everywhere in the spiritual world, even to its ultimates, with those in whom there is any perception, is evident from the signification of "the earth," as denoting the whole spiritual world, and therefore, all the angels and spirits there; for earth in its general and most evident meaning, has this signification, because in the spiritual world just as in the natural, there are lands (terroe), mountains, hills, plains, valleys, and also seas; concerning which see above (n. 304:3, 342:3, 413:4), and from the signification of "the sea," as denoting the ultimates of the land (terra) in the spiritual world, because the ultimate boundaries there are seas, concerning which see above (n. 342), and from the signification of a tree, as denoting perception and also knowledge, of which we shall speak presently. Because the earth, the sea, and a tree, signify such things, therefore all three, embraced under one meaning, signify everything in the spiritual world, even to its ultimates, with those in whom there is any perception. A tree signifies in general, perception and cognition, because a garden signifies intelligence, and all intelligence is proportionate to cognitions and the perception of them, and therefore each distinct species of trees signifies something pertaining to knowledge (scientia) and intelligence. Since a tree in general signifies perception and cognition, it therefore also signifies the interiors of man's mind, and also the whole man, for a man's quality is such as the interiors of his mind are, and these are according to his perception from cognitions. That a tree signifies the interiors of man's mind, and also the man himself, may be seen above (n. 109, 110); that a tree signifies perception and cognition, see, Arcana Coelestia 103, 2163, 2682, 2722, 2972, 7692). That the ancients had divine worship in groves under trees, according to their significations (n. 2722, 4552); that this was not allowed to the Jewish nation, and the reasons (n. 2722); that paradises and gardens signify intelligence (n. 100, 108, 3220); also in Heaven and Hell (n. 176), and above (n. 110).
Arcana Coelestia # 108
108. Whenever the most ancient people compared man to a garden they would also compare wisdom and everything connected with it to rivers. Yet they did not merely compare but actually called them such since it was characteristic of their speech to do so. At a later time the Prophets in a similar way sometimes compared them, and sometimes actually called them, by these names, as in Isaiah,
Your light will rise in the darkness, and your thick darkness will be as the daylight; and you will be like a watered garden and like a spring of waters whose waters fail not. Isaiah 58:10-11.
This refers to people who receive love and faith. Also,
Like valleys that are planted, like gardens beside a river, like aloes 1 Jehovah has planted, like cedars beside the waters. Numbers 24:6.
This refers to people who are regenerate. In Jeremiah,
Blessed is the man who trusts in Jehovah. He will be like a tree planted beside the waters, which will send out its roots above the stream. Jeremiah 17:7-8.
An instance of regenerate people not being compared to, but actually being called, a garden and a tree beside the rivers occurs in Ezekiel,
The waters caused it to grow, the depth of the waters made it grow tall, the river leading around the place of its planting, and he sent out his lines of water to all the trees of the field. It became beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches, for its root was towards many waters. The cedars did not overshadow it in the garden of God, the fir trees were not equal to its branches, and the plane trees were not like its boughs. No tree in the garden of God was equal to it in its beauty. I made it beautiful in the mass of its branches, and all the trees of Eden which are in the garden of God envied it. Ezekiel 31:4, 7-9.
From these quotations it is clear that when the most ancient people likened man, or what is the same, the things that are in man, to a garden, they also added the waters and rivers by which it was watered, and that by 'waters and rivers' they understood the things which would cause growth.
Poznámky pod čarou:
1. The word used in 1st Latin edition means tents, but in other places where Swedenborg quotes this text a word meaning aloes occurs. In Hebrew the spelling, though not the pronunciation, of the two words is identical.
