Arcana Coelestia # 4903
4903. 'Saying, Tamar your daughter-in-law has committed whoredom' means a perception at this point that to say anything of marriage exists between them is a falsity. This is clear from the meaning of 'saying' in the historical descriptions of the Word as perception, dealt with above in 4892; from the meaning of 'committing whoredom' as falsity, dealt with in 2466, 2729, 3399, 4865; from the representation of 'Tamar' as the internal aspect of the representative Church, also dealt with above, in 4864; and from the meaning of 'a daughter-in-law' as the truth of the Church, dealt with in 4843, 4869. Consequently the words 'saying, Tamar your daughter-in-law has committed whoredom' means a perception at this point that to say anything of marriage exists between them is a falsity. The implications of all this may be seen above in 4864-4866; with its semblance of religion the Jewish nation perceived the internal aspect of the Church to be nothing else than a harlot, and its preaching and life based on this to be nothing else than whoredom. For those people who are confined to what is external devoid of anything internal do not look on the internal aspect of the Church in any other way. They give the name falsity to that which is true, and the name truth to that which is false. They do so for the reason that being confined to what is external does not enable anyone to see whether a thing is false or true; only what is internal makes this possible internal sight is a necessary ability which can make judgements about things seen by external sight; and to make such judgements internal sight must be fully in the light of heaven. But it is not in the light of heaven unless the person has faith in the Lord and this faith leads him to read the Word.
[2] The fact that the Jewish nation were confined to what was external devoid of anything internal, so that it believed what was true to be falsity, and conversely what was false to be the truth, is quite evident from their teaching that one was allowed to hate an enemy and also from their life of hating all who did not belong to their semblance of religion. Indeed it is quite evident from their belief that they pleased and served Jehovah when they treated gentile nations in a savage and cruel fashion, that is to say, when they exposed the bodies of those whom they had slaughtered to be devoured by wild animals or birds, cut up those who were still alive, hacked them to pieces with iron picks and axes, or made them pass through the brickkiln, 2 Samuel 12:31. Indeed their teachings asserted that even an ally who for some reason had been declared an enemy was to be treated in much the same way. From these considerations it becomes quite clear that nothing internal at all lay within their semblance of religion. If anyone at that time had told them that such actions were contrary to the inner spirit of the Church they would have replied that this was a falsity. The fact that they were confined to what was external, having no knowledge at all of anything internal and leading lives contrary to what was internal, is also evident from what the Lord teaches in Matthew 5:21-48.
Matthew 5:21-48
21
"You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, 'You shall not murder;' and 'Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the judgment.'
22
But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council; and whoever shall say, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.
23
"If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you,
24
leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25
Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him in the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison.
26
Most certainly I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there, until you have paid the last penny.
27
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery;'
28
but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
29
If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.
30
If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.
31
"It was also said, 'Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,'
32
but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery.
33
"Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,'
34
but I tell you, don't swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God;
35
nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
36
Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can't make one hair white or black.
37
But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' be 'No.' Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.
38
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'
39
But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40
If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also.
41
Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
42
Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you.
43
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.'
44
But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,
45
that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
46
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same?
47
If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don't even the tax collectors do the same?
48
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
