Chapitre 1.

Le livre de la naissance de Jésus-Christ

1. Le livre de la naissance de Jésus-Christ, le fils de David, le fils d'Abraham.

Les premiers mots dits dans Matthieu sont "Le livre de la naissance de Jésus-Christ". ¹ Dans le grec original, le tout premier mot du Nouveau Testament est Βίβλος (Biblos), ce qui signifie " livre ". Faisons une pause pour nous demander : " Que signifie le terme " livre " ? Quel est le sens universel ou "interne" de ce mot ?"

Au sens propre, un livre est un recueil de pages imprimées, reliées entre elles et enfermées entre des couvertures qui servent à protéger le contenu. De manière plus figurée, nous parlons parfois de notre "livre de vie" ; c'est le registre de notre vie, contenant tout ce que nous avons fait, pensé, ressenti, aimé et voulu. En bref, c'est vraiment notre moi essentiel, notre nature fondamentale. Dans les Écritures, le terme "livre" représente donc bien plus qu'un livre physique ; il représente chaque moment de notre vie, ce que nous avons pensé, ce que nous avons ressenti, et surtout ce qu'ont été nos véritables motivations - en bref, le contenu intégral et intérieur de notre vie. En d'autres termes, "le livre de notre vie" est notre véritable nature. ²

Nous sommes donc sur le point de lire un livre - pas n'importe quel livre - mais un livre sur les états les plus intimes de la vie d'une personne ; c'est un livre sur les motivations et les intentions ; c'est un livre sur le vrai caractère de quelqu'un. Et dans ce cas, comme l'indique clairement le premier verset, il s'agit d'un livre sur Jésus-Christ.

Pris au pied de la lettre, ce livre nous raconte les faits extérieurs de la vie de Jésus : son ascendance, sa naissance, sa vie, sa mort et sa résurrection. En lisant à un niveau plus spirituel, nous constatons que ce livre traite de la vie intérieure de Jésus - la révélation de son véritable caractère. C'est le sens interne ; c'est le sens au-delà et à l'intérieur de la lettre des Écritures. Il ne s'agit pas seulement de paroles et d'actes extérieurs, mais des pensées et des sentiments que renferment ces paroles et ces actes - les intentions d'amour qui ont donné naissance à tout ce que Jésus a dit et fait.

En étudiant le sens interne des événements qui entourent la vie de Jésus, nous commençons à réaliser que l'histoire de la vie de Jésus est parallèle à la nôtre. Nous voyons que l'Évangile n'est pas seulement l'histoire de la venue de Dieu sur terre sous le nom et la forme de Jésus-Christ ; c'est aussi l'histoire de la façon dont Dieu est "né" en chacun de nous, "crucifié" en chacun de nous et "ressuscité" en chacun de nous. En d'autres termes, les évangiles ne parlent pas seulement de Jésus - bien que son histoire soit d'une importance cruciale - mais de la manière dont Dieu s'incarne en chacun de nous, dont l'amour et la sagesse peuvent prendre chair et sang en chacun de nous, et dont chacun de nous peut faire l'expérience d'une nouvelle naissance dans la vie spirituelle. C'est une histoire merveilleuse et complexe, non seulement sur les tentations que nous devons affronter, mais aussi sur la possibilité de ressusciter à une vie nouvelle à chaque instant.

En d'autres termes, la merveilleuse histoire de la façon dont Dieu est venu sur terre en tant que Jésus-Christ, est né à Bethléem, a grandi à Nazareth, a accompli des miracles en Galilée, a été crucifié à Jérusalem et est ressuscité, est aussi notre histoire. Elle révèle la manière dont Dieu façonne secrètement une nouvelle nature en chacun de nous, en fonction de notre volonté de vivre selon sa volonté.

Il convient toutefois de noter que le développement spirituel ne se produit pas soudainement. Il s'agit d'un processus graduel qui se déroule en chaque individu dans la mesure où une personne s'efforce de surmonter les tendances à la volonté propre et à l'égocentrisme. Plutôt que de "renaître" en un instant, les personnes qui se régénèrent naissent et renaissent encore à mesure qu'elles accèdent à des niveaux de conscience spirituelle toujours plus élevés. Ces "naissances" successives sont merveilleusement illustrées dans les premiers versets de Matthieu où il est question de la "naissance" ou, comme on le traduit aussi, de la "génération" de Jésus-Christ.

Le terme "génération", vu spirituellement, fait référence aux naissances successives de tout ce qui est amour et foi. À mesure que nous grandissons dans notre capacité à recevoir l'amour de Dieu, "Jésus" naît successivement en nous ; à mesure que nous grandissons dans notre capacité à recevoir la sagesse de Dieu, "Christ" naît successivement en nous. En bref, "le livre de la génération de Jésus-Christ" fait référence à la manière miraculeuse dont Dieu génère une nouvelle vie spirituelle en chacun de nous. C'est un livre qui ne parle pas seulement de Jésus et de sa croissance progressive, mais aussi de nous. C'est un livre sur notre croissance spirituelle graduelle, séquentielle et parfaitement ordonnée - un processus appelé régénération. ³

À première vue, la phrase d'ouverture, "Le livre de la naissance de Jésus-Christ", semble n'être qu'une introduction à une énumération plutôt banale des ancêtres de Jésus dans le temps. Mais, vu plus en profondeur, il s'agit d'un résumé de l'histoire spirituelle de l'humanité - l'histoire spirituelle de la race humaine jusqu'au moment de l'avènement de Jésus dans le monde. Et à un niveau plus profond, plus personnel, c'est notre propre histoire, l'histoire de notre développement spirituel. C'est surtout l'histoire de notre ouverture progressive à l'avènement de l'amour divin et de la sagesse divine dans notre vie, à partir de la naissance de Jésus en nous, et comment sa vraie nature devient progressivement notre vraie nature jusqu'à ce que l'on puisse vraiment dire que nous sommes "faits à l'image et à la ressemblance de Dieu" (Genèse 1:26).

Fils de David, fils d'Abraham

Dans un premier temps, Jésus-Christ n'est pas considéré comme le Dieu incarné. Il est vu comme toute autre personne née sur terre - un homme parmi les hommes, descendant d'êtres humains, et ayant une ascendance spécifique. Nous lisons qu'Il descend de David, qui à son tour descend d'Abraham (υἱοῦ Δαυὶδ υἱοῦ Ἀβραάμ). Mais, comme nous le verrons, un examen plus approfondi de cette généalogie révèle qu'il s'agit d'un compte rendu de la manière dont l'âme humaine est progressivement préparée à la naissance du Seigneur.

Le tableau généalogique de Matthieu comprend quatorze générations, d'Abraham à David. Cela représente une succession de naissances spirituelles au cours desquelles nous passons d'un état initial de simple confiance et d'amour obéissant (Abraham) à un état plus développé de compréhension et de vérité (le roi David). Mais la compréhension et la vérité s'accompagnent de l'oubli de nos états antérieurs, plus simples et plus enfantins, de confiance et d'obéissance. C'est ainsi qu'il y a quatorze autres générations depuis David jusqu'à la captivité à Babylone - une succession de naissances enregistrant notre déclin spirituel progressif à mesure que l'accumulation de maux héréditaires nous rattrape et nous retient captifs.

C'est la "Babylone" spirituelle, un état dans lequel notre préoccupation première est de nous-mêmes, sans guère penser à aimer les autres ou à servir Dieu. Dans sa pire forme, Babylone représente le désir de dominer les autres, de les contrôler. En bref, c'est refuser aux autres le droit de faire leurs propres choix ou de jouir de leur propre liberté. Au lieu de cela, croyant savoir ce qui est bon pour les autres, nous nous faisons (soit par une domination directe, soit plus subtilement par une manipulation habile) leur seigneur et maître. Bien qu'il soit difficile de l'admettre, chaque fois que nous agissons ainsi, nous nous mettons à la place de Dieu. ⁴

Notre descente dans l'esclavage total du mal ne se produit pas du jour au lendemain ; elle s'opère plutôt progressivement, à mesure que nous nous fions de plus en plus à nous-mêmes et de moins en moins à Dieu. Enfin, quatorze autres générations sont enregistrées, au cours desquelles nous tombons dans l'obscurité spirituelle la plus totale. Nous commençons à croire que nous sommes les seuls à connaître la vérité et, ce faisant, nous oublions Dieu ; nous pouvons même croire que Dieu n'existe pas du tout.

Tout serait perdu s'il n'y avait pas une chose. Au début, nous pouvons à peine la remarquer, car elle se produit aussi discrètement que la naissance d'un enfant dans une étable. C'est un événement tranquille, sans grandeur particulière, et pourtant c'est le moment le plus grand, le plus significatif de notre vie. C'est la naissance de Dieu en nous ; elle commence par une faible conscience qu'il y a quelque chose de saint, de pur et de juste dans la vie, quelque chose qui est à la fois en nous et au-delà de nous. C'est une aube dans les ténèbres ; celui qui s'est appelé "la lumière du monde" est sur le point de naître en nous. C'est comme si Dieu disait : "Que la lumière soit" (Genèse 1:3).

La Généalogie

2. Abraham engendra Isaac, Isaac engendra Jacob, et Jacob engendra Juda et ses frères ;

3. Juda engendra Pérez et Zara de Tamar ; Pérez engendra Hesrom ; Hesrom engendra Aram ;

4. Aram engendra Aminadab ; Aminadab engendra Naasson ; Naasson engendra Salmon ;

5. Salmon engendra Boaz de Rahab, Boaz engendra Obed de Ruth, Obed engendra Jesse ;

6. Isaï engendra le roi David ; et le roi David engendra Salomon d'elle [qui avait été la femme] d'Urie ;

7. Salomon engendra Roboam ; Roboam engendra Abija ; Abija engendra Asa ;

8. Asa engendre Josaphat, Josaphat engendre Joram, Joram engendre Ozias ;

9. Ozias engendre Jotham ; Jotham engendre Achaz ; Achaz engendre Ézéchias ;

10. Ézéchias engendre Manassé, Manassé engendre Amon, Amon engendre Josias ;

11. Josias engendra Jéchonias et ses frères, à l'époque de la déportation à Babylone ;

12. Après la déportation à Babylone, Jéchonias engendra Salathiel, et Salathiel engendra Zorobabel ;

13. Zorobabel engendra Abiud ; Abiud engendra Eliakim ; Eliakim engendra Azor ;

14. Azor engendra Zadok ; Zadok engendra Achim ; Achim engendra Eliud ;

15. Éliud engendra Éléazar ; Éléazar engendra Matthan ; Matthan engendra Jacob ;

16. Et Jacob engendra Joseph, époux de Marie, de laquelle naquit Jésus, qui est appelé Christ.

17. C'est pourquoi toutes les générations depuis Abraham jusqu'à David [sont] quatorze générations ; et depuis David jusqu'à la déportation à Babylone [sont] quatorze générations ; et depuis la déportation à Babylone jusqu'au Christ [sont] quatorze générations.

Les dix-sept premiers versets de Matthieu relatent une succession de naissances spirituelles. D'un certain point de vue, ces naissances spirituelles constituent la chronique du développement de la race humaine depuis la première conception - la création elle-même - jusqu'à la première venue du Seigneur.

Mais d'un autre point de vue, ces dix-sept premiers versets révèlent la descente du Divin à travers les cieux - le Dieu infini de l'univers prenant une forme humaine finie. Cette "finition" du Divin était absolument nécessaire, car si Dieu devait effectivement venir sur terre, il devait le faire d'une manière que nous puissions saisir et comprendre. S'il devait se manifester dans toute sa gloire, personne ne pourrait supporter sa présence, pas plus qu'on ne peut supporter la chaleur et la lumière du soleil sur la terre. Sa Gloire et sa divinité devraient être revêtues d'humilité et d'humanité. Le feu brûlant de l'amour divin et la gloire aveuglante de la vérité divine doivent être adaptés à notre capacité de recevoir. ⁵

Le meilleur exemple en est la manière dont les récits littéraux des Écritures - bien qu'ils soient adaptés à une compréhension humaine finie - contiennent des niveaux infinis de vérité. Ainsi, la Parole de Dieu sert de contenant extérieur à la vérité intérieure, tout comme le corps sert de contenant à l'âme. On peut dire la même chose de Jésus-Christ, né de Marie. Son corps humain, conçu dans le sein de Marie, a servi d'enveloppe extérieure à l'Amour et à la Sagesse infinis qui constituaient son essence même - son âme divine.

C'était la seule façon pour Jéhovah Dieu de venir sur terre et d'être avec nous. Il était nécessaire qu'Il prenne un corps humain, avec son hérédité corrompue - l'hérédité qu'Il a reçue dans le ventre de Marie. Ceci est très différent de l'idée que Jésus est né "sans péché", ou que sa mère, Marie, était "exempte du péché originel". ⁶

C'est tout le contraire. En fait, Dieu avait besoin de naître dans le sein d'une femme ordinaire - une femme avec des fautes et des défauts ordinaires. Et Il devait le faire d'une manière ordinaire - tout comme Il naît en chacun de nous lorsque nous sommes prêts à Le recevoir. En fait, il était absolument nécessaire que Marie soit une personne normale, encline aux maux de toutes sortes, comme tout le monde. De cette façon, Jésus pouvait revêtir, à travers Marie, une hérédité humaine corrompue. Par cette enveloppe extérieure, Il pouvait être comme l'un de nous, se rendant à la fois abordable et accessible.

Mais se rendre accessible aux êtres humains n'était qu'une partie du plan. En assumant la faillibilité humaine par Marie, Il s'est également rendu accessible aux esprits mauvais. Revêtu d'un corps humain, avec toutes ses limites et ses corruptions héritées, Il pouvait être approché et attaqué par des influences infernales - des esprits mauvais venus de l'enfer qui ne désiraient rien d'autre que de Le détruire, corps et âme. ⁷

Ce processus pourrait être comparé à une "opération de piqûre" dans laquelle Jésus s'est rendu potentiellement susceptible de faire le mal - ce qui aurait été impossible s'il était resté pleinement divin. En prenant un corps de Marie, avec ses inclinations au mal, Jésus a pu "attirer" les esprits mauvais qui l'attaquaient ouvertement. Par des combats successifs de cette nature, Il a progressivement subjugué les enfers et glorifié son humanité.

Lorsque nous lisons la vie de Jésus sur terre dans le récit littéral, nous voyons peu cette lutte intérieure, ou ce que Swedenborg appelle ses "combats contre les enfers". Mais une lecture attentive du sens interne nous montrera de quelle manière, et à quel degré, Dieu a combattu pour nous (en Jésus) - pas seulement sur la croix, mais tout au long de sa vie sur terre.

La puissance de l'adoption

18. Et la naissance de Jésus-Christ s'est faite de cette manière : Sa mère Marie, étant fiancée à Joseph, avant qu'ils ne s'unissent, fut trouvée enceinte par l'Esprit Saint.

19. Et Joseph, son mari, étant juste, et ne voulant pas l'exposer à l'infamie publique, voulut la renvoyer en privé.

20. Et comme il pensait à ces choses, voici que l'ange du Seigneur lui apparut en songe, disant : "Joseph, fils de David, ne crains pas de prendre avec toi Marie, ta femme, car ce qui est engendré en elle vient de l'Esprit Saint.

21. Elle enfantera un Fils, et tu lui donneras le nom de Jésus, car il sauvera son peuple de ses péchés."

22. Et tout cela a été fait, afin que s'accomplisse ce que le Seigneur a déclaré par le prophète, en disant ,

23. "Voici que la vierge sera enceinte, elle enfantera un Fils, et on lui donnera le nom d'Emmanuel, qui est, en traduction, Dieu avec nous."

24. Et Joseph, s'étant réveillé de son sommeil, fit ce que l'ange du Seigneur lui avait ordonné, et prit auprès de lui sa femme,

25. Et il ne la connut point, jusqu'à ce qu'elle eût enfanté son Fils premier-né, et il lui donna le nom de Jésus.

Comme nous l'avons vu, les versets un à dix-sept relatent le processus de développement par lequel l'âme humaine est préparée à la naissance de Jésus-Christ. Ensuite, dans les versets dix-huit à vingt-cinq, le processus de naissance lui-même est enregistré, de la conception à l'accouchement. Le langage de la lettre ne pourrait être plus précis : "La naissance de Jésus-Christ s'est déroulée de la manière suivante". Puis vient cette déclaration clé : "Après que Marie, sa mère, eut été fiancée à Joseph, avant qu'ils ne s'unissent, elle fut trouvée enceinte de l'Esprit Saint" (1:18)

Il est merveilleux de voir avec quelle clarté cela est énoncé dans le sens littéral de la Parole. Celui qui est né de Marie n'a pas de père mortel ; au contraire, cet Enfant est né de l'Esprit Saint. Au départ, Joseph a "l'intention de la répudier en secret". C'est parce que Joseph sait qu'il n'est pas le père de cet enfant. En d'autres termes, Jésus n'a pas de père humain - et il n'en a pas besoin. C'est parce que le Père est en Lui comme son âme même. ⁸ Il est donc tout à fait clair que Jésus n'est pas le fils de Joseph". Jésus est né de "l'Esprit Saint" - l'Esprit de Dieu descendant sur terre pour prendre une forme humaine. ⁹

L'enfant conçu dans le ventre de Marie n'est pas l'enfant de Joseph, et Joseph le sait. Et pourtant, alors même que Joseph se débat en lui-même, il est réconforté par un ange qui lui dit : "Joseph, fils de David, ne crains pas de prendre pour toi Marie, ta femme, car ce qui a été conçu en elle vient du Saint-Esprit. Elle enfantera un Fils, et tu lui donneras le nom de Jésus, car il sauvera son peuple de ses péchés" (1:20-21).

Comme tous les êtres humains, Joseph est naturellement enclin à aimer le plus sa propre progéniture, tout comme nous avons tendance à aimer nos propres idées plus que celles qui sont générées par d'autres. Dans le monde de l'entreprise, l'expression "pas inventé ici" fait référence à l'idée que nous préférons acheter les produits de notre propre entreprise plutôt que ceux d'un concurrent. De même, l'ego a tendance à être fier de ses propres idées, tout comme les parents sont plus fiers des réalisations de leur propre progéniture que de celles des autres enfants.

Mais Joseph, qui est un homme juste, se rend compte qu'il y a plus que les préoccupations de son propre ego. À ce stade, il représente une qualité en nous qui peut s'éveiller à la réalité spirituelle : "S'étant réveillé de son sommeil, Joseph fait exactement ce que l'ange du Seigneur lui ordonne (1:24). C'est une image de la façon dont nous arrivons progressivement à voir que nos pensées les plus élevées et nos sentiments les plus tendres ne sont pas de nous ("pas inventés ici"), qu'ils ne sont pas le résultat de notre intelligence intelligente, ni le produit de notre nature sympathique. En d'autres termes, nos pensées les plus élevées et nos sentiments les plus tendres ne sont pas notre progéniture ; ce sont plutôt des dons et des bénédictions qui nous viennent, et nous sont donnés, afin que nous puissions les adopter comme nôtres. C'est ce qu'on appelle parfois la "grâce", un don qui nous est accordé gratuitement sans que nous fassions quoi que ce soit pour le gagner ou le mériter.

Chaque fois que nous sommes "réveillés du sommeil", comme Joseph, nous commençons à voir que la vérité qui nous a été donnée et la compassion que nous ressentons sont toujours des naissances miraculeuses - et que Dieu est le vrai Père. L'"Esprit Saint" est venu sur nous ; tout ce que nous avons à faire est d'adopter ces nobles pensées et ces émotions bienveillantes - comme Joseph l'a fait - comme si elles étaient les nôtres. ¹⁰

Poznámky pod čarou:

2588. 'Abraham's wife' means, in order that spiritual truth might be joined to celestial good. This is clear from the representation of 'Sarah when a wife' as spiritual truth joined to celestial good, dealt with in 1468, 1901, 2063, 2065, 2172, 2173, 2198, 2507, and from the representation of 'Abraham' as celestial good joined to spiritual truth, dealt with in 2010, 2172, 2198, 2501. Whether you say spiritual truth and celestial good, or whether you say the Lord, it amounts to the same, for the Lord is truth itself and good itself, and also the marriage itself of truth and good and of good and truth. These matters may indeed be seen from the explanation given, yet as they belong among those things that are obscure at the present day, let them be illustrated so far as possible. The subject here is the doctrine of faith, about which doctrine the Lord thought when He was a boy; that is to say, He gave thought to whether it was permissible to enter into that doctrine by means of rational conceptions and in that way form ideas for Himself regarding it. This way of thinking was a product of His love and concern for the human race, who are such that they do not believe anything which is not grasped in a rational manner by them. But He perceived from the Divine that one ought not to enter into doctrine that way, and therefore He revealed such doctrine to Himself from the Divine and at the same time also all things in the universe that are subordinate to it, that is, all things of a rational kind, and all those of a natural kind.

[2] People's attitudes to matters of doctrine regarding faith have been spoken of above in 2568. There it was stated that there are two basic attitudes of mind from which people think, the negative and the affirmative; also that they think from a negative attitude who believe nothing unless they are convinced by rational considerations and by facts, and indeed by sensory evidence, whereas those people think from an affirmative attitude who believe that things are true because the Lord has said so in the Word and who thus have faith in the Lord. People who adopt the negative attitude towards the truth of anything in the Word say in their hearts that they are willing to believe when persuaded on rational grounds and by facts. But these are such as never believe, not even indeed if they were convinced by means of the evidence of their own physical senses of seeing, hearing, and touch; for they would always be producing new reasonings against such things, and in so doing they would at length completely destroy all faith and at the same time would turn the light of the rational into darkness, because they would turn it into falsities. People however who adopt the affirmative attitude, that is, who believe that things are true because the Lord has said so, are being confirmed all the time by rational considerations and by facts, and even by sensory evidence, and their ideas are being enlightened and are strengthened by these; for light comes to man through no other channel than the rational ideas and the factual knowledge which he possesses. This is so with everyone. With those who have the affirmative attitude of mind doctrine is certainly living, and of them it is said that they are healed and give birth. But with those who have the negative attitude doctrine certainly dies, and of them it is said that the womb is completely closed. All this shows what it is to enter the doctrine of faith by means of rational ideas, and what it is to enter into rational ideas from the doctrine of faith.

[3] Let these differences be illustrated by examples: The Word teaches that the first and foremost matter of doctrine is love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour. People with the affirmative attitude towards this are able to enter into whatever things of a rational, factual, and indeed sensory kind they please, each according to his ability, knowledge, and experience. Indeed the more they do so the more they are confirmed, for the whole natural order is full of what is confirmatory. But people who deny this first and foremost teaching, and who wish first of all to be convinced by means of factual and rational considerations that a thing is true, never allow themselves to be convinced because they deny in their hearts and are all the time taking their stand on some other basic idea which they believe to be essential. In the end through confirmations of that idea these people so blind themselves that they cannot even know what love to the Lord is and what love towards the neighbour is. And because they confirm themselves in notions contrary to such love they at length also confirm themselves in the idea that no other kind of love can exist that has any delight in it except self-love and love of the world. And this they do to such an extent - if not in doctrine yet in the lives they lead - that they embrace hellish love in place of heavenly love.

[4] But with those who as yet have adopted neither a negative attitude nor an affirmative one but are in a state of doubt that precedes either of these, the position has been stated above in 2568. There it was shown that those who incline towards a life of evil fall into the negative attitude, whereas those who incline towards a life good are brought into the affirmative one. Take a different example: One of the leading ideas of the doctrine of faith is that all good comes from the Lord and all evil from man or self. People with the affirmative attitude that this is so are able to confirm themselves by many rational ideas, and by facts, such as that no good can possibly flow in except from Good itself, that is, from the fountain of good, and so from the Lord, and that good cannot have its first beginnings anywhere else. Such people find these ideas enlightened for them by all things which are truly good within themselves, within others, within society in general, and indeed within the whole of creation. But people with the negative attitude confirm themselves by everything they can possibly think of in ideas to the contrary, so much so that at length they do not know what good is. And disputing among themselves as to what the highest good is, they are profoundly ignorant of the fact that it is by means of celestial and spiritual good from the Lord that every type of good beneath it is made living, and that the delight flowing from it is truly delight. Some also imagine that if good does not come from themselves it cannot possibly come from any other source.

[5] Take another example: Those who are governed by love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour are able to receive the truths of doctrine and to have faith in the Word, but not so those leading a life of self-love and love of the world. Or what amounts to the same, those governed by good are able to believe but not those governed by evil. People with the affirmative attitude of mind are able to confirm this in countless ways - with rational ideas and factual knowledge. With rational ideas they are able to confirm that truth is compatible with good but not with evil, and that as all falsity resides in evil it is also the product of evil, and that if any people governed by evil nevertheless possess any truth, this is on their lips, not in their heart. And with factual knowledge they are able to confirm from many points of view that truths put evils to flight and that evils detest truths. But people with the negative attitude confirm themselves in the idea that everyone, irrespective of what he is like in character - even if he leads a life for ever hating, taking delight in revenge, and practicing deceit - is able to believe as others are able to do so. Yet while holding to this idea they themselves totally reject goodness of life from doctrine, and having rejected it believe nothing whatever.

[6] To make the matter plainer still, take yet another example: Those who adopt the affirmative attitude that the Word has been written in such a way as to have an internal sense that is not apparent in the letter are also able in many ways to confirm themselves through rational considerations, such as the following,

By means of the Word man has a link with heaven.

Correspondences exist of natural things with spiritual, though the spiritual are not very apparent.

The ideas which belong to interior thought are completely different from the material ideas which fall into the words of spoken language. While man is in the world he is able to be in heaven (for he has been born for life in both places) through the Word which is intended for both places.

With some people a certain Divine light flows into the things of the understanding and into the affections when the Word is being read.

It is necessary that something be written which has come down from heaven and thus that the nature of its existence in its origins cannot be the same as its existence in the letter.

It cannot be holy except from a certain holiness which it has within it.

A person with the affirmative attitude is also able to confirm himself by means of certain facts, such as the following,

In former times people were living in an age of representatives. The writings of the Ancient Church contained such representatives, and those of many authors among the gentiles were composed of them, so that in the Churches that style of writing was regarded as being holy, and among the gentiles as being learned (books by many of those authors could also be mentioned).

But people who adopt the negative attitude, though they do not deny all these considerations and facts, nevertheless do not believe them. They persuade themselves that the Word is such as it exists in the letter, where indeed it presents a worldly appearance, but is nevertheless spiritual. They do not have any interest however in where that spiritual element lies, but for a multitude of reasons still want it. And that of which they are persuaded they are able to confirm in many ways.

[7] To present this matter in a way that can be grasped by ordinary people, let the following known fact serve as an example: Those with the affirmative attitude that sight does not belong to the eye but to the spirit which sees objects in the world by means of the eye as an organ of its own body can find confirmation of this fact in many ways. For instance, those people may find confirmation of it in their hearing of words spoken by another, in that these spoken words ally themselves to a certain interior sight, into which those words are converted - something that could not possibly occur but for the existence of that interior sight. These people may also find confirmation of the same in the consideration that whatever they think about is seen with an interior sight, by some more clearly and by others more obscurely, as well as in the consideration that the things produced by their imagination are not unlike actual objects of sight. They may find a further confirmation in the consideration that unless it were the spirit within the body that saw the things taken in by the eye as the organ of sight, the spirit would be unable to see anything in the next life, when in fact it is destined to behold countless and astonishing sights which the eye of the body cannot possibly see. In addition confirmation may be found by these people by reflecting on how in dreams, especially those of the prophets, many things have likewise been seen, yet not with the eyes. Finally, if trained in philosophy, a person may find confirmation in the consideration that things which are more exterior cannot enter into those that are more interior, just as that which is compound cannot enter into that which is simple, so that things of the body cannot enter into those of the spirit; only the reverse is possible. Besides these many other confirmations might be introduced, till at length a person is persuaded that sight belongs to the spirit, and not to the eye except from the spirit. But people with the negative attitude either speak of everything of this kind as that which is natural and physical, or else they speak of it as that which is imaginary. And when they are told that a spirit possesses and enjoys far more perfect sight than man does in the body, they laugh at the idea and dismiss it as nonsense, for they believe that they will be living in darkness when they are deprived of the sight of the eye. But in fact quite the reverse is the case in that they then dwell in the light.

[8] These examples show what it is to enter into things of a rational and factual nature from truths, and what it is to enter into truths from things of a factual and rational nature. The first method of approach is according to order, but the second is contrary to it; and when a person acts according to order he is enlightened, but when he acts contrary to order he is made blind. This makes plain how important it is for people to know and believe truths, for truths enlighten man, but falsities make him blind. Truths open up to the rational a vast and practically unlimited field, whereas falsities provide scarcely any such opening up at all, though this is not very evident. The reason why angels have so much wisdom is that they are enveloped in truths, truth being the light itself of heaven.

[9] Those who have made themselves blind through refusing to believe anything which they do not perceive with the physical senses, till at length they have no belief at all, were in former times called 'serpents belonging to the tree of knowledge'. For they reasoned much from things as perceived by the senses and from the resulting illusions which man accepts and believes all too easily, and by such reasoning they led very many astray, see 195, 196. In the next life they are easily distinguished from other spirits by the fact that in everything which is a matter of faith they reason whether it is so. And if it is demonstrated to them a thousand times, and then another thousand, that it is so they still advance doubts of a negative kind against every confirmation that is offered, and this they would go on doing for ever. They are so blinded therefore that they are lacking in common sense, that is, they are unable to grasp what good and truth are. Yet every one of them imagines that he is wiser than anyone else in the whole universe, making wisdom consist in being able to dispose of what is Divine and to derive the origin of things from what is natural. Many who have been considered wise men in the world are pre-eminently such as these; for the more anyone with the negative attitude of mind possesses talent and knowledge, the more insane he is, more so than all others. But the more anyone with the affirmative attitude possesses talent and knowledge the wiser he is able to become. One is not by any means forbidden to develop the rational by means of factual knowledge, but one is not allowed to use it to harden oneself against the truths of faith which belong to the Word.

[10] Much concerning these matters occurs in the internal sense of the Word, especially in prophetical sections, where the subject is Asshur and Egypt, for 'Asshur' means reasoning, 119, 1186, and 'Egypt' knowledge, 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462.

People who wish to enter into matters of doctrine regarding faith and into Divine things by means of things of a factual and of a rational nature, and who are consequently of unsound mind, are referred to in Isaiah as follows,

I will confound Egypt within Egypt, and they will fight every one against his brother, and every one against his companion, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. And the spirit of Egypt will be emptied out in the midst of it, and I will swallow up his plans. The waters from the sea will fail, and the river will be parched and dry; and the streams will depart, and the rivers of Egypt will diminish and become parched. Reed and rush will wither away. Every seed of the river will be dry. Jehovah has mingled in the midst of her a spirit of perversity, and they have made Egypt err in all its work, as a drunken man errs in his vomit. Isaiah 19:2-3, 5-7, 14.

In the same prophet,

Woe to the rebellious children, who depart to go down into Egypt but have not asked at My mouth, to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt. And the strength of Pharaoh will be shame for you, and trust in the shadow of Egypt ignominy. Isaiah 30:1-3.

In the same prophet,

Woe to those who go down into Egypt for help and rely on horses and trust in chariots because they are many, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel and do not seek Jehovah. And Jehovah will stretch out His hand; he who gives help will stumble, and he who is helped will fall, and they will all be destroyed together. And Asshur will fall by a sword, not of man; and a sword, not of man, will devour him. Isaiah 31:1, 3, 8.

In Jeremiah,

My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hollow out pits for themselves, broken pits which do not hold water. Is not Israel a slave? If he is a home-born [servant], why has he become a prey? Are you not bringing this on yourself by forsaking Jehovah your God at a time when He is leading you in the way? And now, what have you to do with the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor, or what have you to do with the way to Asshur, to drink the waters of the River? O generation, see the Word of Jehovah! Have I been a wilderness for Israel? or a land of darkness? For what reason have My people said, We will be our own masters, we will not come to You any more? Why do you go off so forcefully to change your way? You will also be put to shame by Egypt, as you were put to shame by Asshur. Jeremiah 2:13-14, 17-18, 31, 36.

In the same prophet,

Hear the word of Jehovah, O remnants of Judah, Thus said Jehovah Zebaoth, the God of Israel, If you surely set your faces to come into Egypt, and you enter to sojourn there, then it will be, that the sword of which you are afraid will overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are terrified will cleave to you there in Egypt, so that you die there. And all the men (vir) who have set their faces to come into Egypt to sojourn there will die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, and none of them will survive or escape from before the evil which I am bringing over you. Jeremiah 42:15-17, and following verses.

In Ezekiel,

And let all the inhabitants of Egypt know that I am Jehovah, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. When they grasp you with the hand, you will be broken, and you will tear for them every shoulder; and when they lean on you you will be broken, and you will make all their loins to be at a stand. Therefore thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold, I am bringing a sword over you, and I will cause man and beast to be cut off from you; and the land of Egypt will be a desolation and a waste, and they will know that I am Jehovah, for [Egypt] has said, The river is mine, and I made it. Ezekiel 29:6-9, and following verses.

In Hosea,

Ephraim was like a silly dove. They called on Egypt, they went away to Asshur. When they go I will stretch My net over them. Woe to them, for they have strayed away from Me! Hosea 7:11-13.

In the same prophet,

Ephraim feeds the wind, and pursues the east wind. All the day long he multiplies lies and devastation and they make a covenant with Asshur, and oil is carried down into Egypt. Hosea 12:1.

In the same prophet,

Israel has committed whoredom beneath its God. You have taken delight in hiring yourself out on every threshing-floor. Ephraim will return to Egypt, and in Asshur they will eat what is unclean. For behold, they have gone away on account of the devastation, Egypt will gather them, Moph ¹ will bury them; the nettle will possess their precious things of silver, the thorn will be in their tents. Ephraim has been stricken, their root has dried up, they will bear no fruit. Even when they bring forth I will slay the beloved fruits of their womb. My God will cast them away because they have not hearkened to Him, and they will be wanderers among the nations. Hosea 9:1, 3, 6, 16-17.

In Isaiah,

Woe to Asshur, the rod of My anger, and he is the staff, in their hand, of My indignation! He does not think what is right and his heart does not consider what is right, for it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few, for he says, Are not my princes at the same time kings? I will visit upon the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Asshur, for he has said, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have intelligence, and I will remove the boundaries of peoples and will plunder their treasures, and as a powerful man will cast down the inhabitants. Therefore the Lord, the Lord Zebaoth, will send leanness among his fat ones, and instead of his glory a burning of fire will be kindled. Isaiah 10:5, 7-8, 12-13, 16.

[11] In all these places 'Asshur' means reasoning, as has been shown, 'Egypt' and 'pharaoh' mean knowledge, and 'Ephraim' the understanding part of the mind. These and many other places elsewhere describe what man's rational comes to be like when he reasons about the truths of faith from the negative attitude of mind. Similar teaching is embodied in the incidents recorded in Isaiah 36, 37, when the Rabshakeh was sent from the king of Asshur and spoke out against Jerusalem and king Hezekiah, and the angel of Jehovah at that time struck down in the camp of the king of Asshur one hundred and eighty-five thousands. Those descriptions mean the disarray into which all that constitutes man's rationality is thrown when he reasons against Divine things, however much he may seem to himself at that time to be wise.

[12] Such reasoning is also referred to in various places as 'whoredom committed with the sons of Egypt and with the sons of Asshur', as in Ezekiel,

You committed whoredom with the sons of Egypt, your neighbours, great in flesh, and multiplied your whoredom. And you committed whoredom with the sons of Asshur, and were still not satisfied. Ezekiel 16:26, 28; 23:3, 5-21.

See 2466.

[13] People however who enter into things of a rational and factual kind from the doctrine of faith and by so doing are made wise are referred to in Isaiah as follows,

On that day there will be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Jehovah at its border; and it will be for a sign and a witness to Jehovah Zebaoth in the land of Egypt, for they will cry out to Jehovah because of the oppressors, and He will send a saviour and prince to them, and He will deliver them. And Jehovah will make Himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know Jehovah on that day and will offer sacrifice and minchah, and will make a vow to Jehovah and perform it. Isaiah 19:18-21.

In the same chapter,

On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Asshur, and Asshur will come into Egypt, and the Egyptians will serve Asshur. ² On that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Asshur, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom Jehovah Zebaoth will bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Asshur the work of My hands, and Israel My heritage. Isaiah 19:23-25.

This is referring to the spiritual Church, of which Israel is the spiritual element, Asshur the rational, and Egypt the factual. These three constitute all the intellectual powers of that Church, which come in that order one after another. This explains why it is said, 'On that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Asshur', and 'blessed be Egypt My people, Asshur the work of My hands, and Israel My heritage'.

[14] In the same prophet,

It will be on that day, that a great trumpet will be blown, and they will come - those who are perishing in the land of Asshur, and those who are outcasts in the land of Egypt - and they will bow themselves down to Jehovah on the holy mountain, in Jerusalem. Isaiah 27:13.

In the same prophet,

Thus said Jehovah, The labour of Egypt, and the wares of Cush and of the Sabaeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours. They will follow after you and bow down to you. To you they will make the supplication, God is with you only; and there is no other besides God. Isaiah 45:14.

'Cush and the Sabaeans' are cognitions, 117, 1171. In Zechariah,

Egypt will go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Jehovah Zebaoth. Zechariah 14:17-18.

In Micah,

As for me, I look to Jehovah, I wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. The day for building your walls, this is the day; and they will come even to you from Asshur and the cities of Egypt even to the River. Micah 7:7, 11-12.

[15] In Ezekiel,

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, At the end of forty years I will gather Egypt from the peoples among whom they were scattered, and I will bring back the captivity of Egypt. Ezekiel 29:13-14.

In the same prophet,

Behold, Asshur was a cedar in Lebanon, beautiful in its branches, and a shady forest, and lofty in height, and its trunk among entangled boughs. The waters caused it to grow, with its streams going around the place of its planting, and he sent out his lines of water to all the trees of the field. Therefore its height was made higher than all the trees of the field, and its branches were multiplied, and its branches were made long by many waters. In its branches all the birds of the air made their nests, and under its branches every wild animal of the field gave birth, and in its shadow dwelt all great nations. And it became beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches, for its root was in many waters. The cedars did not hide it in the garden of God, the fir trees were not equal to its branches. No tree in the garden of God was equal to it in its beauty. I made it beautiful in the mass of its branches, and all the trees of Eden which are in the garden of God envied it. Ezekiel 31:3-9.

Here the Most Ancient Church, which was celestial, is described as to the nature of its rational and so of its wisdom and intelligence, for that Church used to look at things below from those which were Divine. Thus it looked at truths from goods themselves, and then from truths at what was subsidiary to these. By 'Asshur' and 'a cedar' are meant the rational, by 'entangled boughs among which were its branches' is meant factual knowledge, by 'streams' and 'waters' are meant spiritual goods, among which was its 'root', by 'the height and the length of the branches' the extent of it, by 'the garden of God' the spiritual Church, and by 'the trees of Eden' perceptions. This and the other places quoted above show what man's rational is like and what his factual knowledge is like when they are subordinate to Divine truths and serve these by confirming them.

[16] The fact that things of a rational and factual kind serve people who have the affirmative attitude of mind as a means for making them wise was represented and meant by the command to the children of Israel to seek from the Egyptians the loan of vessels of gold and vessels of silver, and clothing, Exodus 3:22; 11:2; 12:35-36. Something similar is meant by what is said in various places in the Word about their possessing the goods, houses, vineyards, and olive-groves, and many other things, of the nations, and also by references to the very gold and silver itself seized from the nations becoming holy, as in Isaiah,

Jehovah will visit Tyre, and she will return to hiring herself out as a harlot, and will commit whoredom with all the kingdoms of the earth on the face of the ground. And its merchandise and its harlot's hire will become holy to Jehovah; it will not be stored or hoarded, for its merchandise will be for them that dwell before Jehovah to eat to satisfaction and for ancient clothing. Isaiah 23:17-18.

'The merchandise of Tyre' stands for cognitions, 1201, which to those with the negative attitude of mind are like 'a harlot's hire' but to those with the affirmative attitude are like that which is holy. Something similar is also meant by the Lord's words,

Make friends for yourselves out of the mammon of unrighteousness, so that when you fail they may receive you into eternal habitations. If then you have not appeared faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true? Luke 16:9, 11.

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