Arcana Coelestia # 147
147. Verse 21 And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he fell asleep; and He took one of his ribs, and He closed up the flesh in its place.
'A rib', which is a breast bone, is used to mean man's proprium when it contains very little life, a proprium indeed that he cherishes. 'The flesh in place of the rib' is used to mean the proprium when it does contain some life. 'A deep sleep' is used to mean that state into which he was brought so that he might seem to himself to have a proprium. This state resembles sleep because a person in that state is conscious only of living, thinking, speaking, and acting from himself. But when he starts to realize that this is false, he is aroused from sleep so to speak and wakes up.
Matthew 22:2-9
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"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son,
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and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast, but they would not come.
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Again he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My cattle and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast!"'
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But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise,
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and the rest grabbed his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.
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When the king heard that, he was angry, and sent his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
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"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited weren't worthy.
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Go therefore to the intersections of the highways, and as many as you may find, invite to the marriage feast.'
