Arcana Coelestia # 8409
8409. As regards 'flesh' and its meaning the proprium in both the genuine and contrary senses, in the highest sense it is the Lord's Divine proprium, which is His Divine Human, and so is the good of His love towards the entire human race. From this in the sense that relates to man 'flesh' means a proprium made alive by the Lord's Proprium; that is, it is the Lord's Proprium present with the person, and so is the good of love to Him. Regarding the meaning of 'flesh' in this sense, see 3813, 7850. But in the contrary sense 'flesh' is the proprium that is man's own, thus the evil of self-love, and consequently the desires of that love, which are cravings, 999, 3813. The proprium that is man's own is nothing but evil, see 210, 215, 694, 874-876, 987, 1023, 1044, 1047, 3812 (end), 5660, 5786. The fact that 'flesh' means the proprium that is man's own, thus evil of every kind, is in addition clear from the following places: In Isaiah,
I will feed your oppressors with their flesh, and they will be drunk with their blood as with new wine. Isaiah 49:26.
'Feeding with flesh' stands for filling with their own evil.
[2] In Jeremiah,
Cursed is the man (vir) who trusts in man (homo), and makes flesh his arm, but his heart departs from Jehovah. Jeremiah 17:5.
'Making flesh his arm' stands for trusting in power that is one's own; therefore eating the flesh of one's arm stands for trusting in self, Isaiah 9:20. In Isaiah,
Egypt is man (homo) and not God, and his horses are flesh and not spirit. Isaiah 31:3.
'Horses of Egypt' stands for factual knowledge belonging to a perverted understanding, 6125; 'flesh' stands for what is dead, and 'spirit' for what is living. This is why the Egyptians 1 are called great in flesh, Ezekiel 16:26. The expression 'what is dead' is applied to evil, since evil leads to spiritual death, and 'what is living' is applied to good, since good leads to spiritual life.
[3] This explains why 'flesh' and 'spirit' are set in contrast to each other in the Word, as in John,
That which has been born of flesh is flesh, and that which has been born from the spirit is spirit. John 3:6.
In the same gospel,
It is the Spirit who bestows life, the flesh does not profit anything. The words which I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life. John 6:63.
In the Book of Genesis,
Jehovah said, My spirit will not reprove man forever, in that he is flesh. Genesis 6:3.
'Flesh' here stands for the proprium that is man's own. Similarly in Matthew,
Jesus said, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this, but My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 16:17.
And in John,
As many as received Him, to them He gave power to be sons of God, to those believing in His name, who were born, not of blood, 2 nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man (vir), but of God. John 1:12-13.
'The will of the flesh' stands for the proprium, the will part, 'the will of man' for the proprium, the understanding part; and 'sons of God' stands for those who have been regenerated. And those undergoing regeneration all receive life from the Lord's Proprium, which is the Lord's Flesh and body and is Divine Goodness itself.
[4] Since 'flesh' in the contrary sense means the proprium that is man's own, and so means evil, it also means craving, for the life of the flesh, which belongs properly to the body, consists of nothing else than the desires of the senses, the delights of the bodily appetites, and cravings. The fact that 'flesh' means craving is clear from the following verses in Moses,
The rabble who were in the midst of the people had a strong craving, and so the children of Israel wept repeatedly and said, Who will feed us with flesh? But now our soul is dry; there is nothing at all except the man[na] for our eyes [to look] at. And Jehovah said to Moses, You shall say to the people, Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, in order that you may eat flesh; for you have wept in the ears of Jehovah, saying, Who will feed us with flesh, for it was better for us in Egypt? Jehovah will give you flesh to eat - for a whole month, 3 until it comes out of your nose and is loathsome to you. The flesh was still between their teeth, before it could be swallowed when Jehovah's anger flared up against the people, and Jehovah struck the people with an extremely great plague. So he called the name of that place The Craves of Craving, because there they buried the people having the craving. Numbers 11:4, 6, 16, 18, 20, 33-34.
From all this one may now see what 'sitting by a pot of flesh in the land of Egypt' means, namely a life according to their own pleasure and such as they craved for, which is the life of the proprium.
Poznámky pod čarou:
Matthew 16
1
The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
2
But he answered them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.'
3
In the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but you can't discern the signs of the times!
4
An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there will be no sign given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah." He left them, and departed.
5
The disciples came to the other side and had forgotten to take bread.
6
Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
7
They reasoned among themselves, saying, "We brought no bread."
8
Jesus, perceiving it, said, "Why do you reason among yourselves, you of little faith, 'because you have brought no bread?'
9
Don't you yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up?
10
Nor the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up?
11
How is it that you don't perceive that I didn't speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
12
Then they understood that he didn't tell them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
13
Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"
14
They said, "Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets."
15
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16
Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17
Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
18
I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
19
I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in Heaven; and whatever you release on earth will have been released in Heaven."
20
Then he commanded the disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ.
21
From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.
22
Peter took him aside, and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This will never be done to you."
23
But he turned, and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men."
24
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.
26
For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?
27
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will render to everyone according to his deeds.
28
Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste of death, until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom."
