799. "For your great men were the merchants of the earth." This symbolically means that those higher in the Roman Catholic hierarchy are of such a character because they use their various prerogatives, including ones left to their discretion in the regulations of their order, to buy and sell and make material gains.

The great men mean those higher in the Roman Catholic hierarchy, those called cardinals, bishops and primates. They are called merchants because they use the sanctities of the church as merchandise by which to make material gains (nos. 771, 783) - here those who use their various prerogatives, including ones left to their discretion in the regulations of their order, to buy and sell and make material gains.

The reason we say this is apparent from the foregoing declarations, for this follows as a consequence of them. In the foregoing declarations we are told that the sound of harpists and musicians, flutists and trumpeters, shall not be heard in Babylon anymore, that no craftsman of any craft shall be found there, that the sound of a mill shall not be heard there, that the light of a lamp shall not shine there, and that the sound of a bridegroom and bride shall not be heard there; and these symbolically mean, as may be seen above, that in Babylon there will be no affection for spiritual truth (no. 792), no understanding of spiritual truth and so no thought of spiritual truth (no. 793), neither any inquiry or investigation into it (no. 794), nor any enlightenment or perception of it, and so no conjunction of goodness and truth, which is what forms the church (no. 797). The Roman Catholics described lack these things because those higher in rank also buy and sell and make material gains, and thus furnish those lower in rank with their examples. This then is why we are told, "For your great men were the merchants of the earth."

[2] But perhaps someone will say, "What are those additional discretionary prerogatives which can be used as merchandise?"

They are not their annual incomes and stipends, but the dispensations they make by the power the keys give them, namely, their forgiving of sins, even heinous ones, and using this to liberate from temporal punishments; their interceding with the Pope to be able to marry people within degrees of relationship prohibited by law, and to put an end to marriages within degrees of relationship not prohibited, and allowing these themselves without interceding by acts of toleration; their granting special privileges that lie within their power to grant; their use of the power to ordain ministers and confirm them; their use of the gifts they receive in general and in particular from monasteries; their appropriation of revenues from other sources which belong by right to others; and many other things.

These, and not their annual incomes, if they are content with them, cause them not to have any affection for or thought of spiritual truth, any investigation into or perception of spiritual truth, or any conjunction of truth and goodness, because they are the quests of unrighteous mammon, and an unrighteous person continually lusts for natural riches and turns away from spiritual riches, which are Divine truths drawn from the Word.

[3] It can now be seen from this that the declaration, "For your great men were the merchants of the earth," symbolically means that those higher in the Roman Catholic hierarchy are of such a character because they use their various prerogatives, including ones left to their discretion in the regulations of their order, to buy and sell and make material gains.

To this we will add here something more about using the power of the keys to grant dispensations over the commission of crimes, even heinous ones, by which to liberate the guilty not only from eternal punishment, but also from temporal ones, and if they are not liberated, still to protect them by giving them asylum.

Who does not see that this does not fall within ecclesiastical authority, but rather civil authority? That it is to extend ecclesiastical government over everything secular? That it serves to destroy public trust? And that by this power still reserved for them they have the power to bring back their earlier despotic dominion over all the law courts established by kings, thus over the judges, even the highest of them - something they would also do, if they did not fear people's leaving the church.

This is what is meant in Daniel by the fourth beast that came up from the sea and its thinking to change the times and the law (Daniel 7:25).

793. "No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore." This symbolically means that those caught up in the Roman Catholic religion because of its doctrine and a life in accordance with it are without any understanding of spiritual truth, and so are without any thought of spiritual truth, to the extent that they are left to themselves.

In the spiritual sense of the Word, a craftsman symbolizes an intelligent person and a thinking one by virtue of his intellect - in a good sense, someone who uses his intellect to think thoughts that are true, which are heavenly, and in a bad sense, someone who uses his intellect to think thoughts that are false, which are infernal. Moreover, because all of these thoughts are of many kinds, and each kind consists of many varieties, and each variety again of many kinds and varieties, but which we call particulars and specifics, therefore the text says, "no craftsman of any craft."

By virtue of their arts and crafts, too, and the correspondence of these, craftsmen symbolize such things as have to do with wisdom, intelligence and knowledge. We say, by virtue of their correspondence, because a person's every work, likewise his every undertaking, corresponds to such things as have to do with the intelligence of angels, provided it is of some use. But the works of craftsmen in gold, silver and precious stones correspond to some matters or objects of angelic intelligence, the works of craftsmen in bronze, iron, wood and stone to others, and the works of craftsmen in other valuable endeavors, such as the making of cloth, linens, garments and clothing of various kinds, to still others. All of these arts and crafts have, as we said, a correspondence, because they are works.

It can be seen from this that no craftsman of any art being found in Babylon does not mean that there will be no craftsman there, but that there will be no understanding of spiritual truth and so no thought of spiritual truth. But this is the case only with those who are caught up in the Roman Catholic religion because of its doctrine and a life in accordance with it, and this to the extent that they are left to themselves.

[2] That a craftsman symbolizes people who have an understanding of truth and so think thoughts that are true can be seen from this, that Bezaleel and Aholiab were to make the Tabernacle, because they were filled with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge (Exodus 31:3; 36:1-2). Also from the following:

All the wise-hearted among those doing the work made (the dwelling place) with the work of a craftsman... (Exodus 36:8)

You shall make the dwelling place... of fine woven linen and blue, purple, and double-dyed scarlet...(and) cherubim; with the work of a craftsman you shall make them. (Exodus 26:1)

You shall make a veil (in the same manner) with the work of a craftsman. (Exodus 26:31; 36:35)

So, too, the ephod with the work of a craftsman, and also the breastpiece (Exodus 28:6; 39:8). The word for craftsman there is one that also means a thinker.

With the work of a craftsman in gems..., you shall engrave the two stones... which you shall put... on the shoulders of the ephod... (Exodus 28:11, 12)

[3] In an opposite sense, the work of a craftsman symbolizes the kind of work that is the product of one's own intelligence, from which comes only falsity. This is meant by the work of a craftsman in the following passages:

In their intelligence they will make... a molten image... of their silver..., all of it the work of craftsmen. (Hosea 13:2)

A craftsman pours the image, and the founder covers it with gold and forges chains of silver... He seeks... a wise craftsman... (Isaiah 40:19-20)

...one cuts wood from a forest, the work of the hands of the workman... Silver... is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of a craftsman...; blue and purple their clothing, all the work of wise men. (Jeremiah 10:3, 9)

See also Deuteronomy 27:15.

That idols symbolize falsities in worship and religion originating from people's own intelligence may be seen in no. 459, 460 above.