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Matthew 12

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1 AT that time Jesus went through the corn on the sabbath: and his disciples being hungry, began to pluck the ears, and to eat.

2 And the Pharisees seeing them, said to him: Behold thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days.

3 But he said to them: Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him:

4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the loaves of proposition, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for them that were with him, but for the priests only?

5 Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath, and are without blame?

6 But I tell you that there is here a greater than the temple.

7 And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: you would never have condemned the innocent.

8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.

9 And when he has passed from thence, he came into their synagogues.

10 And behold there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

11 But he said to them: What man shall there be among you, that hath one sheep: and if the same fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not take hold on it and lift it up?

12 How much better is a man than a sheep? Therefore it it lawful to do a good deed on the sabbath days.

13 Then he saith to the man: Stretch forth thy hand; and he stretched it forth, and it was restored to health even as the other.

14 And the Pharisees going out made a consultation against him, how they might destroy him.

15 But Jesus knowing it, retired from thence: and many followed him, and he healed them all.

16 And he charged them that they should not make him known.

17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaias the prophet, saying:

18 Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul hath been well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

19 He shall not contend, nor cry out, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

20 The bruised reed he shall not break: and smoking flax he shall not extinguish: till he send forth judgment unto victory.

21 And in his name the Gentiles shall hope.

22 Then was offered to him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb: and he healed him, so that he spoke and saw.

23 And all the multitudes were amazed, and said: Is not this the son of David?

24 But the Pharisees hearing it, said: This man casteth not out the devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

25 And Jesus knowing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself shall be made desolate: and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.

26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself: how then shall his kingdom stand?

27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.

28 But if I by the Spirit of God cast out devils, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.

29 Or how can any one enter into the house of the strong, and rifle his goods, unless he first bind the strong? and then he will rifle his house.

30 He that is not with me, is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.

31 Therefore I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

32 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.

33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good: or make the tree evil, and its fruit evil. For by the fruit the tree is known.

34 O generation of vipers, how can you speak good things, whereas you are evil? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

35 A good man out of a good treasure bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of an evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

36 But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment.

37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying: Master we would see a sign from thee.

39 Who answering said to them: An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

40 For as Jonas was in the whale's belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

41 The men of Ninive shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas. And behold a greater than Jonas here.

42 The queen of the south shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater than Solomon here.

43 And when an unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest, and findeth none.

44 Then he saith: I will return into my house from whence I came out. And coming he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

45 Then he goeth, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man in made worse than the first. So shall it be also to this wicked generation.

46 As he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him.

47 And one said unto him: Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking thee.

48 But he answering him that told him, said: Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?

49 And stretching forth his hand towards his disciples, he said: Behold my mother and my brethren.

50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father, that is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.

   

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Apocalypse Explained # 206

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206. He that openeth and no one shutteth, and shutteth and no one openeth, signifies power to admit into heaven all who are in the faith of charity, and to remove from heaven all who are not. This is evident from the signification of "that openeth and no one shutteth," as being, in reference to the Lord, to admit into heaven (of which presently); and from the signification of "and shutteth and no one openeth," as being to remove from heaven. The former means to admit into heaven, and the latter to remove from heaven, because the Lord alone opens heaven to those who are admitted. This no man, spirit, or angel can do from himself. How this is shall be explained in a few words. When a man after death is in such a state that he can be admitted into heaven, there appears to him a way that leads to the heavenly society in which he is to be; until he is in this state the way thither does not appear to him; this way is opened to him by the Lord only. Such is each one's introduction and admission into heaven. The same is true of the evil man after death. When he is in the state for passing into hell, a way appears to him that leads to the infernal society in which he is to be; until he is in this state the way thither does not appear to him. The reason of this is that ways in the spiritual world appear to each one according to the intention of his thought, thus according to the affection of his love. When, therefore, a spirit has been brought into his reigning love (for everyone after death is brought into that love), then ways to the society where his love reigns appear. From this it is clear that it is love itself that opens; and as all the love of good and truth is from the Lord, it follows that the Lord alone opens the ways for those who are admitted into heaven. On the other hand, as all the love of evil and of falsity is from the man or spirit only, it follows that the spirit himself opens for himself the way to hell. (These things may be seen more clearly in the work on Heaven and Hell 545-550, where it is shown that the Lord casts no one into hell, but that it is the spirit who casts himself thither. That ways in the spiritual world appear to everyone according to the intention of his thought, thus according to the affection of his love, see in the same work, n. 479, 590.)

[2] As regards the hells, they are all shut, and can in no wise be opened except by the Lord's permission; they are shut because of the evils and falsities that are continually striving to break out from them and do harm to those who are in goods and truths from the Lord (about which see also in the work on Heaven and Hell 584-592). From this then it is clear how it is and thence how it is to be understood that, "He that hath the key of David openeth and no one shutteth, and shutteth and no one openeth." Heaven is opened to those who are in the faith of charity, and is shut to those who are not, for those who are in the faith of charity are here treated of (See above, n. 203), and those who are in the faith of charity are in Divine truth from the Lord, and Divine truth from the Lord has all power, as was shown in the articles that immediately precede.

[3] Similar to what is here meant by the "key of David" is the signification of the "key of Peter," thus referred to in Matthew:

I say unto thee, Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail over it. And unto thee will I give the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in the heavens; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in the heavens (Matthew 16:18-19).

"Peter" here, in like manner as "David," signifies in the highest sense, Divine truth proceeding from the Lord's Divine good, and in the internal sense, every truth from good that is from the Lord. The "rock" [petra] that is spoken of in the Word where Peter is mentioned, and from which Peter's name is derived, has a like signification. The Lord's twelve disciples represented all the truths and goods of the church in the complex; Peter represented truth or faith, James charity, and John the works of charity. But here Peter represented faith from charity, or truth from good which is from the Lord, because Peter here acknowledged the Lord in heart, saying:

Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering, said, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah; 1 for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father, who is in the heavens. I say unto thee, Thou art Peter, etc. (Matthew 16:16-18, and the following).

(This may be seen illustrated in The small work on The Last Judgment 57.)

[4] There is a like meaning in the Lord's words to the rest of the disciples, in Matthew:

Jesus said to His disciples, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Matthew 18:18).

These things are said to the disciples because they represented all the truths and goods in the complex that are from the Lord. (That those things were represented by the twelve disciples, as also by the twelve tribes of Israel, see Arcana Coelestia 2129, 3354, 3488, 3858, 6397) The like is meant by the disciples where it is said, that:

They shall sit upon twelve thrones, and shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30);

(See Arcana Coelestia 2129, 6397). And the like is meant by "Eliakim," who was to succeed Shebna over the house of the king, in Isaiah:

I will give dominion into his hands, that he may be for a father to the inhabitant of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah; and the key of the house of David I will lay upon his shoulder, that he may open and none shut, and that he may shut and none open (Isaiah 22:21-22).

By "the house of the king" over which he was to be, is signified the church that is in truth out of good from the Lord; "opening and shutting," and "binding and loosing," mean in general to save (See above, n. 86).

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. The Latin has "Jonah"; the Greek "Bar-jonah," as found in Apocalypse Explained 209.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.

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Apocalypse Explained # 200

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200. And I will confess his name before My father and before His angels, signifies that they will be in Divine good and in Divine truth therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "I will confess his name," as being that things are to be in agreement with the quality of their state of life; for "I will confess," when said by the Lord, means to grant that things may be; for what the Lord says or confesses respecting a man or angel who is in the good of love and faith, He grants and provides, since all the good of love and of faith is from Him. Therefore in the Word, "to speak," when predicated of the Lord, signifies to instruct, to illustrate, and to provide (See Arcana Coelestia 5361, 6946, 6951, 7019, 8095, 10234, 10290). That "name" means the quality of the state of life, see above n. 148. This is evident also from the signification of "Father," when it is said by the Lord, as being the Divine good, which is in the Lord and from Him (of which in what follows); and from the signification of "angels," as being Divine truth, which is also from the Lord (of which above, n. 130. From this it is clear that "I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels," signifies that they will be in Divine good and in Divine truth.

[2] "Father," when it is said by the Lord, means the Divine good, which is in the Lord and from the Lord, because the Divine, which was in the Lord from conception, and which was the Esse of His life, to which Divine He united His Human when He was in the world; this He called "His Father." That the Divine that was in Him from conception was what the Lord called "Father," can be clearly seen from His teaching that He is one with the Father. As in John:

I and the Father are one (John 10:30).

In the same:

Believe that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father (John 10:38).

In the same:

He that beholdeth Me beholdeth Him that sent Me (John 12:45).

In the same:

If ye had known Me ye would have known My Father also; and from henceforth ye have known Him, and have seen Him. Philip said unto Him, Lord, show us the Father. Jesus saith, Am I so long time with you, and thou dost not know Me, Philip? he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The Father that abideth in Me doeth the works. Believe Me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me (John 14:7-11).

In the same:

If ye had known Me ye would have known My Father also (John 8:19).

In the same:

I am not alone, became the Father is with Me (John 16:32).

[3] Because the Lord is one with the Father He also declares:

That all things of the Father are His, and His are the Father's (John 17:10);

That all things whatsoever that the Father hath are His (John 16:15);

That the Father hath given all things into the hands of the Son (John 3:35; 13:3);

And that all things have been delivered unto Him by the Father; that no one knoweth the Son save the Father, neither doth any one know the Father save the Son (Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22).

That no one hath seen the Father except the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18; 6:46).

That the Word was with God, and God was the Word, and the Word became flesh (John 1:1, 14).

From this last passage also it is clear that they are one, for it is said, "The Word was with God, and God was the Word." It is plain, too, that the Human of the Lord is also God, for it is said, "And the Word became flesh." Because all things of the Father are also the Lord's, and because He and the Father are one, the Lord when He ascended into heaven said to His disciples:

All power hath been given unto Me in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18);

by which He taught that men should approach Him alone, because He alone can do all things; as He also said to them before:

Without Me ye can do nothing (John 15:5).

This makes clear how these words are to be understood:

I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one cometh unto the Father but through Me (John 14:6);

namely, that the Father is approached when the Lord is approached.

[4] The Lord so often spoke of the Father as another than Himself, for this, among many reasons, that by "Father," in the internal or spiritual sense, is meant the Divine good, and by "Son," the Divine truth, each in the Lord and from the Lord; for the Word is written by correspondences, and is thus as well for men as for angels. The "Father" therefore is mentioned, that the Lord's Divine good may be perceived by the angels who are in the spiritual sense of the Word; and "Son of God" and "Son of man" are mentioned, that the Divine truth may be perceived (as can be seen from what has been shown in the Arcana Coelestia, namely, that "Father" in the Word signifies good, n. 3703, 5902, 6050, 7833, 7834; that "father" signifies the church in respect to good, thus the good of the church, and "mother" the church in respect to truth, thus the truth of the church, n. 2691, 2717, 3703, 5581, 8897. That the Divine good that was in Him from conception, and which was the Esse of life, from which was His Human, the Lord called "Father," n. 2803, 3704, 7499, 8328, 8897; that the Lord is acknowledged as the Father in heaven because they are one, n. 15, 1729, 3690; that the Lord is also called "Father" in the Word, n. 2005; that the Lord also is a Father to those who are being regenerated, since they are receiving new life from Him, and His life, n. 2293, 3690, 6492; that the "Son of God," and the "Son of man," are the Lord in respect to the Divine Human and the proceeding Divine truth, see above, n. 63, 151, 166). Since, then, all who come into heaven must be in good as well as in truth (for no one can be in the one unless he is at the same time in the other, since good is the esse of truth, and truth is the existere of good); and since "the Father" signifies the Divine good, and "angels" the Divine truth, both from the Lord, therefore it is said, "I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." So, too, in the Evangelists:

Everyone who shall confess Me before men, him will I confess before My Father who is in the heavens (Matthew 10:32).

Everyone who shall have confessed Me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God (Luke 12:8).

[5] Since "Father" signifies Divine good, and "angels" Divine truth, the Lord also says:

When the Son of man shall come in His glory and that of the Father and of the holy angels (Luke 9:26; Matthew 16:27).

Here the Lord calls His glory "the glory of the Father and of the angels," for He says, "in His glory and that of the Father and of the holy angels;" but in another place, "in the glory of the Father with the angels;" and elsewhere, "in His glory with the angels." As in Mark:

When He shall come in the glory of His Father with the holy angels (Mark 8:38).

And in Matthew:

When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him (Matthew 25:31).

It should be added further that if it is accepted as a doctrine and acknowledged, that the Lord is one with the Father, and that His Human is Divine from the Divine in Himself, light will be seen in every particular of the Word; for that which is assumed as doctrine and acknowledged from doctrine is in light when the Word is read; moreover, the Lord, from whom is all light and who has all power, will enlighten those who acknowledge this. But on the other hand, if it is assumed and acknowledged as a doctrine that the Divine of the Father is another Divine than the Lord's, nothing will be seen in light in the Word; since the man who is in that doctrine turns himself from one Divine to the other, and away from the Divine of the Lord which he can see (which is done by thought and faith), to a Divine that he cannot see; for the Lord says:

Ye have neither heard the Father's voice at any time, nor seen His form (John 5:37; also John 1:18);

and to believe in a Divine and love a Divine that cannot be thought of under any form is impossible.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.