5117. And the clusters thereof ripened grapes. That this signifies the conjunction of spiritual truth with celestial good, is evident from the signification of “ripening,” as being the progress of rebirth or regeneration even to the conjunction of truth with good, and thus conjunction; and from the signification of “clusters,” as being the truth of spiritual good; and from the signification of “grapes,” as being the good of celestial truth; here both of these in that sensuous which is represented by the butler. The conjunction of these in the sensuous is similar to the ripening of clusters into grapes; for in the rebirth, or regeneration, all truth tends to conjunction with good, truth not receiving life previously to such conjunction, consequently not being made fruitful. This is represented in the fruits of trees when they are ripening. In unripe fruits, which here are the “clusters,” is represented the state when truth still predominates; but in the ripe fruits, which are the “grapes,” is represented the state when good has the predominance, the predominance of good being represented also in the flavor and sweetness which are perceived in ripe grapes. But concerning the conjunction of truth with good in the sensuous which is subject to the intellectual part, further particulars cannot be given, for they are secrets too deep for apprehension, and it is necessary for knowledges about the state of the celestial of the spiritual, and about this sensuous, to come first, and also about the state of the natural in which this conjunction comes into existence.

[2] That “grapes” signify the good of the spiritual man, thus charity, is evident from many passages in the Word; as in Isaiah:

My well beloved had a vineyard in a horn of the son of oil; he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes (Isaiah 5:1-2, 4); where a “vineyard” denotes the spiritual church; his “looking that it should bring forth grapes” denotes the goods of charity; and its “bringing forth wild grapes” the evils of hatred and revenge.

[3] Again:

Thus hath said Jehovah, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it (Isaiah 65:8).

The “new wine in the cluster” denotes truth from good in the natural.

[4] In Jeremiah:

Gathering I will gather them, saith Jehovah; no grapes in the vine, nor figs in the fig tree (Jeremiah 8:13).

There being “no grapes in the vine” denotes that there is no interior or rational good, and “no figs in the fig tree” that there is no exterior or natural good; for a “vine” is the intellectual part (as shown just above, n. 5113); and when the conjunction of truth and good is therein, a “vine” is the rational, for the rational is thence. (That a “fig tree” is the good of the natural or exterior man may be seen above, n. 217)

[5] In Hosea:

I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the first-ripe in the fig tree in its beginning (Hos. 9:10);

“grapes in the wilderness” denote rational good not yet made spiritual; the “first-ripe in the fig tree” denotes natural good in like manner; “Israel” denotes the ancient spiritual church in its beginning (“fathers” in this and other passages not being the sons of Jacob, but those with whom the Ancient Church was first set up).

[6] In Micah:

There is no cluster to eat; my soul desired the first-ripe. The holy is perished out of the earth, and there is none upright among men (Micah 12:1-2 [NCBSP: 7:1-2]).

The “cluster to eat” denotes the good of charity in its beginning; “the first-ripe” the truth of faith also at that time.

[7] In Amos:

Behold the days come that the ploughman shall reach the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that draweth the seed; and the mountains shall drop new wine, and all the hills shall melt. And I will bring back the captivity of My people, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and shall settle and plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; and they shall make clusters, and eat the fruit of them (Amos 9:13-14);

it treats here of the setting up of a spiritual church, which is thus described-the conjunction of spiritual good with its truth by the “ploughman reaching the reaper”; and the conjunction of spiritual truth with its good by the “treader of grapes reaching him that draweth the seed”; the goods of love and charity therefrom are signified by the “mountains dropping new wine and the hills melting”; “bringing back the captivity of the people” denotes deliverance from falsities; “building the waste cities” denotes rectifying the falsified doctrinals of truth; “inhabiting them and planting vineyards” denotes cultivating those things which are of the spiritual church; “drinking the wine thereof” appropriating the truths of that church which are of charity; and “making clusters and eating the fruit of them” appropriating the goods thence derived. Everyone can see that “building cities,” “planting vineyards,” “drinking wine,” “making clusters,” and “eating the fruit of them” are merely natural things, in which there would be nothing Divine unless they contained a spiritual sense.

[8] In Moses:

He hath washed his clothing in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes (Genesis 49:11);

speaking of the Lord; “wine” denotes spiritual good from the Divine love; the “blood of grapes” celestial good therefrom.

[9] Again:

Butter of the herd, and milk of the flock, with the fat of lambs and of rams the sons of Bashan, and of he-goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and the blood of the grape thou drinkest unmixed (Deuteronomy 32:14);

speaking of the Ancient Church, whose goods of love and charity are thus described, and each expression signifies some specific good: the “blood of the grape” spiritual celestial good, the Divine in heaven proceeding from the Lord being so called. Wine is called the “blood of grapes” because both expressions signify holy truth proceeding from the Lord; but “wine” is predicated of the spiritual church, and “blood” of the celestial church, and for this reason wine was enjoined in the Holy Supper.

[10] Again:

Their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah; the grapes thereof are grapes of gall, they have clusters of bitternesses (Deuteronomy 32:32);

speaking of the Jewish Church, their “vine being of the vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah” denotes the intellectual part beset by falsities from infernal love; “the grapes thereof grapes of gall” and “their having clusters of bitternesses” denotes that it was similar with the will part therein. For as in a good sense a “grape” signifies charity, it is predicated of the will part, but of the will part within the intellectual part; and similarly in the opposite sense, because all truth is of the understanding and all good is of the will.

[11] In Revelation:

The angel said, Put forth thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe (Revelation 14:18);

“to gather the clusters of the earth” denotes to destroy all things of charity.

[12] In Matthew:

By their fruits ye shall know them. Do they gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? (Matthew 7:16).

And in Luke:

Every tree is known by its own fruit. For of thorns they do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush do they gather the grape (Luke 6:44).

As charity toward the neighbor is treated of in these passages, it is said that they should be “known by their fruits” which are the goods of charity; the internal goods of charity being “grapes” and the external “figs.”

[13] The law enacted in the Jewish Church:

When thou comest into thy companion’s vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes according to thy soul, to thy fill; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel (Deuteronomy 23:24);

involves that everyone associating with others who are in a different doctrine and religion may learn and accept their goods of charity, but may not become imbued with them and conjoin them with his own truths. As a “vineyard” denotes the church, it denotes where there is doctrine or religion; “grapes” are the goods of charity; and a “vessel” is the truth of the church.