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Matthew 11

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1 και G2532 CONJ εγενετο G1096 G5633 V-2ADI-3S οτε G3753 ADV ετελεσεν G5055 G5656 V-AAI-3S ο G3588 T-NSM ιησους G2424 N-NSM διατασσων G1299 G5723 V-PAP-NSM τοις G3588 T-DPM δωδεκα G1427 A-NUI μαθηταις G3101 N-DPM αυτου G846 P-GSM μετεβη G3327 G5627 V-2AAI-3S εκειθεν G1564 ADV του G3588 T-GSM διδασκειν G1321 G5721 V-PAN και G2532 CONJ κηρυσσειν G2784 G5721 V-PAN εν G1722 P EP ταις G3588 T-DPF πολεσιν G4172 N-DPF αυτων G846 P-GPM

2 ο G3588 T-NSM δε G1161 CONJ ιωαννης G2491 N-NSM ακουσας G191 G5660 V-AAP-NSM εν G1722 P EP τω G3588 T-DSN δεσμωτηριω G1201 N-DSN τα G3588 T-APN εργα G2041 N-APN του G3588 T-GSM χριστου G5547 N-GSM πεμψας G3992 G5660 V-AAP-NSM δυο G1417 A-NUI των G3588 T-GPM μαθητων G3101 N-GPM αυτου G846 P-GSM

3 ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S αυτω G846 P-DSM συ G4771 P-2NS ει G1488 G5748 V-PXI-2S ο G3588 T-NSM ερχομενος G2064 G5740 V-PNP-NSM η G2228 P T ετερον G2087 A-ASM προσδοκωμεν G4328 G5719 V-PAI-1P

4 και G2532 CONJ αποκριθεις G611 G5679 V-AOP-NSM ο G3588 T-NSM ιησους G2424 N-NSM ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S αυτοις G846 P-DPM πορευθεντες G4198 G5679 V-AOP-NPM απαγγειλατε G518 G5657 V-AAM-2P ιωαννη G2491 N-DSM α G3739 -APN ακουετε G191 G5719 V-PAI-2P και G2532 CONJ βλεπετε G991 G5719 V-PAI-2P

5 τυφλοι G5185 A-NPM αναβλεπουσιν G308 G5719 V-PAI-3P και G2532 CONJ χωλοι G5560 A-NPM περιπατουσιν G4043 G5719 V-PAI-3P λεπροι G3015 A-NPM καθαριζονται G2511 G5743 V-PPI-3P και G2532 CONJ κωφοι G2974 A-NPM ακουουσιν G191 G5719 V-PAI-3P νεκροι G3498 A-NPM εγειρονται G1453 G5743 V-PPI-3P και G2532 CONJ πτωχοι G4434 A-NPM ευαγγελιζονται G2097 G5743 V-PPI-3P

6 και G2532 CONJ μακαριος G3107 A-NSM εστιν G2076 G5748 V-PXI-3S ος G3739 -NSM εαν G1437 COND μη G3361 P T-N σκανδαλισθη G4624 G5686 V-APS-3S εν G1722 P EP εμοι G1698 P-1DS

7 τουτων G5130 D-GPM δε G1161 CONJ πορευομενων G4198 G5740 V-PNP-GPM ηρξατο G756 G5662 V-ADI-3S ο G3588 T-NSM ιησους G2424 N-NSM λεγειν G3004 G5721 V-PAN τοις G3588 T-DPM οχλοις G3793 N-DPM περι G4012 P EP ιωαννου G2491 N-GSM τι G5101 I-ASN εξηλθετε G1831 G5627 V-2AAI-2P εις G1519 P EP την G3588 T-ASF ερημον G2048 A-ASF θεασασθαι G2300 G5664 V-ADN καλαμον G2563 N-ASM υπο G5259 P EP ανεμου G417 N-GSM σαλευομενον G4531 G5746 V-PPP-ASM

8 αλλα G235 CONJ τι G5101 I-ASN εξηλθετε G1831 G5627 V-2AAI-2P ιδειν G1492 G5629 V-2AAN ανθρωπον G444 N-ASM εν G1722 P EP μαλακοις G3120 A-DPN ιματιοις G2440 N-DPN ημφιεσμενον G294 G5772 V- PP-ASM ιδου G2400 G5628 V-2AAM-2S οι G3588 T-NPM τα G3588 T-APN μαλακα G3120 A-APN φορουντες G5409 G5723 V-PAP-NPM εν G1722 P EP τοις G3588 T-DPM οικοις G3624 N-DPM των G3588 T-GPM βασιλειων G934 N-GPM εισιν G1526 G5748 V-PXI-3P

9 αλλα G235 CONJ τι G5101 I-ASN εξηλθετε G1831 G5627 V-2AAI-2P ιδειν G1492 G5629 V-2AAN προφητην G4396 N-ASM ναι G3483 P T λεγω G3004 G5719 V-PAI-1S υμιν G5213 P-2DP και G2532 CONJ περισσοτερον G4053 A-NSN-C προφητου G4396 N-GSM

10 ουτος G3778 D-NSM γαρ G1063 CONJ εστιν G2076 G5748 V-PXI-3S περι G4012 P EP ου G3739 -GSM γεγραπται G1125 G5769 V- PI-3S ιδου G2400 G5628 V-2AAM-2S εγω G1473 P-1NS αποστελλω G649 G5719 V-PAI-1S τον G3588 T-ASM αγγελον G32 N-ASM μου G3450 P-1GS προ G4253 P EP προσωπου G4383 N-GSN σου G4675 P-2GS ος G3739 -NSM κατασκευασει G2680 G5692 V-FAI-3S την G3588 T-ASF οδον G3598 N-ASF σου G4675 P-2GS εμπροσθεν G1715 P EP σου G4675 P-2GS

11 αμην G281 HEB λεγω G3004 G5719 V-PAI-1S υμιν G5213 P-2DP ουκ G3756 P T-N εγηγερται G1453 G5769 V- PI-3S εν G1722 P EP γεννητοις G1084 A-DPM γυναικων G1135 N-GPF μειζων G3187 A-NSM-C ιωαννου G2491 N-GSM του G3588 T-GSM βαπτιστου G910 N-GSM ο G3588 T-NSM δε G1161 CONJ μικροτερος G3398 A-NSM-C εν G1722 P EP τη G3588 T-DSF βασιλεια G932 N-DSF των G3588 T-GPM ουρανων G3772 N-GPM μειζων G3187 A-NSM-C αυτου G846 P-GSM εστιν G2076 G5748 V-PXI-3S

12 απο G575 P EP δε G1161 CONJ των G3588 T-GPF ημερων G2250 N-GPF ιωαννου G2491 N-GSM του G3588 T-GSM βαπτιστου G910 N-GSM εως G2193 CONJ αρτι G737 ADV η G3588 T-NSF βασιλεια G932 N-NSF των G3588 T-GPM ουρανων G3772 N-GPM βιαζεται G971 G5743 V-PPI-3S και G2532 CONJ βιασται G973 N-NPM αρπαζουσιν G726 G5719 V-PAI-3P αυτην G846 P-ASF

13 παντες G3956 A-NPM γαρ G1063 CONJ οι G3588 T-NPM προφηται G4396 N-NPM και G2532 CONJ ο G3588 T-NSM νομος G3551 N-NSM εως G2193 CONJ ιωαννου G2491 N-GSM προεφητευσαν G4395 G5656 V-AAI-3P

14 και G2532 CONJ ει G1487 COND θελετε G2309 G5719 V-PAI-2P δεξασθαι G1209 G5664 V-ADN αυτος G846 P-NSM εστιν G2076 G5748 V-PXI-3S ηλιας G2243 N-NSM ο G3588 T-NSM μελλων G3195 G5723 V-PAP-NSM ερχεσθαι G2064 G5738 V-PNN

15 ο G3588 T-NSM εχων G2192 G5723 V-PAP-NSM ωτα G3775 N-APN ακουειν G191 G5721 V-PAN ακουετω G191 G5720 V-PAM-3S

16 τινι G5101 I-DSN δε G1161 CONJ ομοιωσω G3666 G5692 V-FAI-1S την G3588 T-ASF γενεαν G1074 N-ASF ταυτην G3778 D-ASF ομοια G3664 A-NPN εστιν G2076 G5748 V-PXI-3S παιδιοις G3813 N-DPN εν G1722 P EP αγοραις G58 N-DPF καθημενοις G2521 G5740 V-PNP-DPM και G2532 CONJ προσφωνουσιν G4377 G5723 V-PAP-DPM τοις G3588 T-DPM εταιροις G2083 N-DPM αυτων G846 P-GPN

17 και G2532 CONJ λεγουσιν G3004 G5723 V-PAP-DPM ηυλησαμεν G832 G5656 V-AAI-1P υμιν G5213 P-2DP και G2532 CONJ ουκ G3756 P T-N ωρχησασθε G3738 G5662 V-ADI-2P εθρηνησαμεν G2354 G5656 V-AAI-1P υμιν G5213 P-2DP και G2532 CONJ ουκ G3756 P T-N εκοψασθε G2875 G5668 V-AMI-2P

18 ηλθεν G2064 G5627 V-2AAI-3S γαρ G1063 CONJ ιωαννης G2491 N-NSM μητε G3383 CONJ εσθιων G2068 G5723 V-PAP-NSM μητε G3383 CONJ πινων G4095 G5723 V-PAP-NSM και G2532 CONJ λεγουσιν G3004 G5719 V-PAI-3P δαιμονιον G1140 N-ASN εχει G2192 G5719 V-PAI-3S

19 ηλθεν G2064 G5627 V-2AAI-3S ο G3588 T-NSM υιος G5207 N-NSM του G3588 T-GSM ανθρωπου G444 N-GSM εσθιων G2068 G5723 V-PAP-NSM και G2532 CONJ πινων G4095 G5723 V-PAP-NSM και G2532 CONJ λεγουσιν G3004 G5719 V-PAI-3P ιδου G2400 G5628 V-2AAM-2S ανθρωπος G444 N-NSM φαγος G5314 N-NSM και G2532 CONJ οινοποτης G3630 N-NSM τελωνων G5057 N-GPM φιλος G5384 A-NSM και G2532 CONJ αμαρτωλων G268 A-GPM και G2532 CONJ εδικαιωθη G1344 G5681 V-API-3S η G3588 T-NSF σοφια G4678 N-NSF απο G575 P EP των G3588 T-GPN τεκνων G5043 N-GPN αυτης G846 P-GSF

20 τοτε G5119 ADV ηρξατο G756 G5662 V-ADI-3S ονειδιζειν G3679 G5721 V-PAN τας G3588 T-APF πολεις G4172 N-APF εν G1722 P EP αις G3739 -DPF εγενοντο G1096 G5633 V-2ADI-3P αι G3588 T-NPF πλεισται G4118 A-NPF δυναμεις G1411 N-NPF αυτου G846 P-GSM οτι G3754 CONJ ου G3756 P T-N μετενοησαν G3340 G5656 V-AAI-3P

21 ουαι G3759 INJ σοι G4671 P-2DS χοραζιν G5523 N-P I ουαι G3759 INJ σοι G4671 P-2DS βηθσαιδα G966 N-P I οτι G3754 CONJ ει G1487 COND εν G1722 P EP τυρω G5184 N-DSF και G2532 CONJ σιδωνι G4605 N-DSF εγενοντο G1096 G5633 V-2ADI-3P αι G3588 T-NPF δυναμεις G1411 N-NPF αι G3588 T-NPF γενομεναι G1096 G5637 V-2ADP-NPF εν G1722 P EP υμιν G5213 P-2DP παλαι G3819 ADV αν G302 P T εν G1722 P EP σακκω G4526 N-DSM και G2532 CONJ σποδω G4700 N-DSM μετενοησαν G3340 G5656 V-AAI-3P

22 πλην G4133 ADV λεγω G3004 G5719 V-PAI-1S υμιν G5213 P-2DP τυρω G5184 N-DSF και G2532 CONJ σιδωνι G4605 N-DSF ανεκτοτερον G414 A-NSN-C εσται G2071 G5704 V-FXI-3S εν G1722 P EP ημερα G2250 N-DSF κρισεως G2920 N-GSF η G2228 P T υμιν G5213 P-2DP

23 και G2532 CONJ συ G4771 P-2NS καπερναουμ G2584 N-P I η G3588 T-NSF εως G2193 CONJ του G3588 T-GSM ουρανου G3772 N-GSM υψωθεισα G5312 G5685 V-APP-NSF εως G2193 CONJ αδου G86 N-GSM καταβιβασθηση G2601 G5701 V-FPI-2S οτι G3754 CONJ ει G1487 COND εν G1722 P EP σοδομοις G4670 N-DPN εγενοντο G1096 G5633 V-2ADI-3P αι G3588 T-NPF δυναμεις G1411 N-NPF αι G3588 T-NPF γενομεναι G1096 G5637 V-2ADP-NPF εν G1722 P EP σοι G4671 P-2DS εμειναν G3306 G5656 V-AAI-3P αν G302 P T μεχρι G3360 ADV της G3588 T-GSF σημερον G4594 ADV

24 πλην G4133 ADV λεγω G3004 G5719 V-PAI-1S υμιν G5213 P-2DP οτι G3754 CONJ γη G1093 N-DSF σοδομων G4670 N-GPN ανεκτοτερον G414 A-NSN-C εσται G2071 G5704 V-FXI-3S εν G1722 P EP ημερα G2250 N-DSF κρισεως G2920 N-GSF η G2228 P T σοι G4671 P-2DS

25 εν G1722 P EP εκεινω G1565 D-DSM τω G3588 T-DSM καιρω G2540 N-DSM αποκριθεις G611 G5679 V-AOP-NSM ο G3588 T-NSM ιησους G2424 N-NSM ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S εξομολογουμαι G1843 G5731 V-PMI-1S σοι G4671 P-2DS πατερ G3962 N-VSM κυριε G2962 N-VSM του G3588 T-GSM ουρανου G3772 N-GSM και G2532 CONJ της G3588 T-GSF γης G1093 N-GSF οτι G3754 CONJ απεκρυψας G613 G5656 V-AAI-2S ταυτα G5023 D-APN απο G575 P EP σοφων G4680 A-GPM και G2532 CONJ συνετων G4908 A-GPM και G2532 CONJ απεκαλυψας G601 G5656 V-AAI-2S αυτα G846 P-APN νηπιοις G3516 A-DPM

26 ναι G3483 P T ο G3588 T-NSM πατηρ G3962 N-NSM οτι G3754 CONJ ουτως G3779 ADV εγενετο G1096 G5633 V-2ADI-3S ευδοκια G2107 N-NSF εμπροσθεν G1715 P EP σου G4675 P-2GS

27 παντα G3956 A-NPN μοι G3427 P-1DS παρεδοθη G3860 G5681 V-API-3S υπο G5259 P EP του G3588 T-GSM πατρος G3962 N-GSM μου G3450 P-1GS και G2532 CONJ ουδεις G3762 A-NSM επιγινωσκει G1921 G5719 V-PAI-3S τον G3588 T-ASM υιον G5207 N-ASM ει G1487 COND μη G3361 P T-N ο G3588 T-NSM πατηρ G3962 N-NSM ουδε G3761 ADV τον G3588 T-ASM πατερα G3962 N-ASM τις G5100 X-NSM επιγινωσκει G1921 G5719 V-PAI-3S ει G1487 COND μη G3361 P T-N ο G3588 T-NSM υιος G5207 N-NSM και G2532 CONJ ω G3739 -DSM εαν G1437 COND βουληται G1014 G5741 V-PNS-3S ο G3588 T-NSM υιος G5207 N-NSM αποκαλυψαι G601 G5658 V-AAN

28 δευτε G1205 G5773 V-XXM-2P προς G4314 P EP με G3165 P-1AS παντες G3956 A-NPM οι G3588 T-NPM κοπιωντες G2872 G5723 V-PAP-NPM και G2532 CONJ πεφορτισμενοι G5412 G5772 V- PP-NPM καγω G2504 P-1NS-C αναπαυσω G373 G5692 V-FAI-1S υμας G5209 P-2AP

29 αρατε G142 G5657 V-AAM-2P τον G3588 T-ASM ζυγον G2218 N-ASM μου G3450 P-1GS εφ G1909 P EP υμας G5209 P-2AP και G2532 CONJ μαθετε G3129 G5628 V-2AAM-2P απ G575 P EP εμου G1700 P-1GS οτι G3754 CONJ πραος G4235 N-NSM ειμι G1510 G5748 V-PXI-1S και G2532 CONJ ταπεινος G5011 A-NSM τη G3588 T-DSF καρδια G2588 N-DSF και G2532 CONJ ευρησετε G2147 G5692 V-FAI-2P αναπαυσιν G372 N-ASF ταις G3588 T-DPF ψυχαις G5590 N-DPF υμων G5216 P-2GP

30 ο G3588 T-NSM γαρ G1063 CONJ ζυγος G2218 N-NSM μου G3450 P-1GS χρηστος G5543 A-NSM και G2532 CONJ το G3588 T-NSN φορτιον G5413 N-NSN μου G3450 P-1GS ελαφρον G1645 A-NSN εστιν G2076 G5748 V-PXI-3S

   

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Arcana Coelestia # 9372

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9372. 'And He said to Moses' means something concerning the Word in general. This is clear from the representation of 'Moses' as the Word, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'He said', which includes all that follows in the present chapter, thus things concerning the Word in general, 9370. The fact that Moses represents the Word may be recognized from what has often been shown already regarding Moses, for instance in the Preface to Genesis 18, and in 4859 (end), 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8601, 8760, 8787, 8805, which please see. At present Moses represents the Word in general, because what follows says in reference to him, that he alone was to come near Jehovah, verse 2, and also that he was called from the middle of the cloud, went into it, and went up the mountain, verses 16, 18.

[2] In the Word there are many who represent the Lord in respect of God's truth or the Word; but the chief among them are Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist. The fact that Moses does so may be seen in the explanations referred to just above; the fact that Elijah and Elisha do so may be seen in the Preface to Genesis 18, and in 2762, 5247 (end); and the fact that John the Baptist does so is clear from His being 'the Elijah who is to come'. Anyone who does not know that John the Baptist represented the Lord in respect of the Word cannot know what it is that all the things said about him in the New Testament imply and mean. Therefore to lay bare this arcanum and at the same time the truth that Elijah as well as Moses, who were seen when the Lord was transfigured, meant the Word, let some of the things recorded regarding John the Baptist be introduced here, such as these words in Matthew,

After John's messengers went away Jesus began to speak about John, saying, What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A person clothed in soft garments? Behold, those who wear soft garments are in kings' houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one of whom it has been written, Behold, I send My angel before your face, who will prepare your way before you. Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not been raised up one greater than John the Baptist; but one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. All the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to believe it, he is the Elijah who is to come. He who has an ear to hear, let him hear. Matthew 11:7-15; Luke 7:24-28.

No one can know how to understand these things unless he knows that this John represented the Lord in respect of the Word, and unless he knows from the internal sense what is meant by 'the wilderness' in which he lived, also what is meant by 'a reed shaken by the wind' and by 'soft garments in kings' houses'; then what is meant by the statement that he was 'more than a prophet', and that 'among those born of women' there was none greater than he, and yet 'one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he'; and finally the announcement that he was 'the Elijah'. For without some deeper meaning all this sounds like a mere comparison and not anything more profound.

[3] It sounds altogether different however when the Lord in respect of the Word, or one representing the Word, is understood by John. Then 'the wilderness of Judea' in which John lived means the state in which the Word resided at the time when the Lord came into the world, namely in the wilderness, that is, in obscurity so great that the Lord was not acknowledged at all and nothing whatever was known about His heavenly kingdom, even though all the prophets prophesied about Him and about His kingdom which would last forever. The fact that 'the wilderness' means such obscurity, see 2708, 4736, 7313. The Word is therefore compared to 'a reed shaken by the wind' when it is explained at will; for 'a reed' in the internal sense is truth on its last and lowest level, which is what the Word is in the letter.

[4] The Word on the lowest level or in the letter looks to human sight to be rough and dull, but in the internal sense it is soft and shining. This is meant by the words that they did not see 'a person clothed in soft garments. Behold, those who wear soft garments are in kings' houses'. The fact that such things are meant by these words is evident from the meaning of 'garments' or clothes as truths, see 2132, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 6914, 6918, 9093, as a result of which angels appear clothed in garments soft and shining, in keeping with the truths springing from good that reside with them, 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216; and also from the meaning of 'kings' houses' as the places where angels dwell, and in the universal sense as the heavens. For 'houses' are so called by virtue of good, 2233, 2234, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4622, 4982, 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997, and the word 'kings' is used in regard to truth, 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148. Therefore angels are called the children of the kingdom, the king's children, and also kings, by virtue of their reception of truth from the Lord.

[5] The Word is greater than any doctrinal teachings in the world and greater than any truth in the world. This is meant by the words, 'What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet' and 'among those born of women there has not been raised up one greater than John the Baptist'. For 'a prophet' in the internal sense means doctrinal teachings, 2534, 7269, and 'those born of women' are truths, 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3704, 4257.

[6] The Word in its inward sense or as it exists in heaven is in a degree above the Word in its outward sense or as it exists in the world and as John the Baptist taught it. This is meant by the statement that 'the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he'; for the Word perceived in heaven possesses wisdom so great that it surpasses all human understanding. Prophecies concerning the Lord and His Coming, and things representative of the Lord and His kingdom were brought to an end when the Lord came into the world. This is meant by the words that 'all the prophets and the law prophesied until John'.

[7] The Word was represented by John as it had been by Elijah. This is meant by the statement that he is 'the Elijah who is to come', and also by the following in Matthew,

The disciples asked Jesus, Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? He answering said, Elijah will indeed come first and restore all things. I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not acknowledge him but did to him whatever they wished. In the same way too will the Son of Man suffer at their hands 1 . And they understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist. Matthew 17:10-13.

'Elijah has come, and they did not acknowledge him but did to him whatever they wished' means that the Word indeed taught them that the Lord was going to come, but that they were nevertheless unwilling to have a right understanding of this; they interpreted it as support for their own dominion and in so doing eliminated what was of God within it. The fact that much the same would happen to God's truth itself is meant by the words 'In the same way too will the Son of Man suffer at their hands', 'the Son of Man' being the Lord in respect of God's truth, see 2803, 2813, 3704.

[8] All this now shows how to understand the prophecy regarding John in Malachi,

Behold, I send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrifying day of Jehovah comes. Malachi 4:5.

The Word on the lowest level or as it is in the outward form seen by people in the world is also described by 'the garments' John the Baptist wore and by 'the food' he ate, in Matthew,

John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea had a garment of camel hair and a skin girdle around his waist; his food was locusts and field honey. 2 Matthew 3:1, 3, 4.

Much the same is said of Elijah in 2 Kings 1:8, that he was a hairy man, and wore a girdle of skin around his loins. When it has reference to the Word 'a garment' or piece of clothing means God's truth there in its lowest form; 'camel hair' means true factual knowledge such as is seen there by people in the world; 'a skin girdle' means the outward connecting bond, holding all the interiors in order; 'food' means spiritual nourishment derived from cognitions or knowledge of truth and good obtained from the Word; 'locusts' means the lowest or most general truths, and 'field honey' the pleasantness of them.

[9] The origin of these meanings of 'garments' and 'food' lies in representatives in the next life. There all are seen wearing clothes in accord with their truths derived from good; and also food there is represented in accord with their desires to have knowledge and wisdom. So it is that 'a garment' or piece of clothing means truth, see the places referred to above in this paragraph, while 'food' means spiritual nourishment, 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5579, 5915, 8562, 9003; 'a girdle' means a bond gathering the interiors together and holding them within itself, 9341 (end), 'skin' means what is external, 3540, so that 'a skin girdle' means an external bond; 'hair' means the lowest or most general truths, 3301, 5569-5573, 'camel' means factual knowledge in general, 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, 4156, consequently 'camel hair' means true factual knowledge obtained from the Word; 'locust' means truth nourishing the outermost levels, 3301(end), 3 and 'honey' its pleasantness, 5620, 6857, 8056, the words 'field honey' being used because 'the field' means the Church, 2971, 3317, 3766, 7502, 7571, 9139, 9295. A person who does not know that such things are meant cannot possibly know why Elijah and John were clothed in that manner; yet anyone with correct ideas about the Word can think that such clothing was a sign of something peculiar to those prophets.

[10] Since John the Baptist represented the Lord in respect of the Word, he also said of himself - when he spoke about the Lord, who was the Word itself - that he was not Elijah, nor the Prophet, and that he was not worthy to untie the latchet of the Lord's shoe, in John,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory. Jews from Jerusalem, priests and Levites, asked John who he was. He confessed, and did not deny, I am not the Christ. They therefore asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? But he said, I am not. Are you the Prophet? He answered, No. Therefore they said to him, Who are you? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said. They said therefore, Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet? He answered, I baptize with water; among you stands One whom you do not know. It is He who will come after me, who was before me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to untie. When he saw Jesus he said, Behold, the Lamb of God who bears away the sin of the world. This is He of whom I said, After me comes a Man (Vir) who was before me; for He was prior to me. John 1:1, 14, 19-30.

From these words it is evident that when John spoke about the Lord Himself, who was God's truth or the Word itself, he said that he himself was not anything; for when the light itself makes its appearance the shadow disappears, that is, the representative disappears when the image itself makes its appearance. Representatives had regard only to what they represented, namely holy things and the Lord Himself, and no regard whatever to the person who represented them, see 665, 1097 (end), 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806. The person who does not know that representatives vanish as shadows do at the presence of the light cannot know why John said that he was not Elijah or the Prophet.

[11] All this now makes plain what was meant by Moses and Elijah, who were seen in glory, and who spoke to the Lord, when He was transfigured, about His departure which He was about to complete in Jerusalem, Luke 9:29-31. That is to say, the Word was meant by them - the historical section of the Word by 'Moses' and the prophetical part by 'Elijah' - the subject of which everywhere in the internal sense is the Lord, His Coming into the world, and His Departure from the world. This explains why it says that Moses and Elijah 'were seen in glory', for 'the glory' is the inward sense of the Word, and 'the cloud' the outward sense, see Preface to Genesis 18, and 5922, 8427.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. literally, from them

2. i.e. wild honey, honey found in the field

3. This reference is incorrect; possibly 7643 (end) is intended, or 9331 (end).

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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Arcana Coelestia # 5247

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5247. 'And he clipped [his hair and beard]' means a casting aside and the change made so far as the coverings of the exterior natural were concerned. This is clear from the meaning of 'clipping' - that is, clipping the head and beard - as casting aside the coverings of the exterior natural. For 'hair' which was clipped means the exterior natural, see 3301. Also, both hair on the head and that composing the beard correspond in the Grand Man to the exterior natural. This explains why in the light of heaven sensory-minded people - that is, those who have had no belief in anything apart from that which is natural, and have had no desire to understand how anything more internal or purer can exist apart from that which they can perceive with their senses - have a hairy appearance in the next life. They look so hairy that their faces are scarcely anything else than hairy beards. I have seen faces covered with hair like these on many occasions. But rationally-minded people, that is, spiritually-minded ones, with whom the natural has played a correctly subordinate role, are seen with tidy hair. Indeed from the state of people's hair in the next life one can tell what the natural with them is like. The reason spirits appear with hair on their heads is that in the next life spirits look exactly like people on earth. This too is why the Word sometimes includes a description of the hair of the angels people have seen.

[2] From all this one may now see what is meant by 'clipping', as in Ezekiel,

The priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, shall put off their garments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments, and they shall not sanctify the people in their own garments. And they shall not shave their head and shall not let their hair grow long; they shall surely clip their heads. Ezekiel 44:15, 19-20.

This refers to a new Temple and a new priesthood, that is, to a new Church. 'Putting on other garments' means holy truths; 'not shaving their head, and not letting their hair grow long, but surely clipping their heads' means not casting aside the natural but taking measures to make it conformable, and so to make it subordinate. Anyone who believes that the Word is indeed holy can see that these and all the other details mentioned by the prophet which describe a new land, a new city, and a new Temple and priesthood must not be taken literally. The statement, for example, that the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, will minister there, at which time they will put off their ministerial garments and put on new ones, and will also clip their heads, is not meant literally; rather, each and all the details given by the prophet have as their meaning such things as are aspects of a new Church.

[3] The following rules were laid down for the high priest, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, in Moses,

The priest who is chief among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured and who has been consecrated 1 to wear the garments, shall not shave his head or rend his garments. Leviticus 21:10.

The sons of Aaron shall not introduce any baldness on their head or shave the corner of their beard. They shall be holy to their God, and they shall not profane the name of their God. Leviticus 21:5-6.

You shall purify the Levites like this: Sprinkle over them the water of expiation, and they shall pass a razor over their flesh and wash their garments, and they shall be pure. Numbers 8:7.

These rules would never have been given unless they had held holy ideas within them. Can there be anything holy or anything of the Church in the actual rule forbidding the high priest to shave his head or rend his garments, or in the actual rule forbidding the sons of Levi to introduce any baldness on their head or shave the corner of their beard, or in that commanding the Levites to shave their flesh with a razor when they underwent purification? Rather, the possession of an external or natural man made subordinate to the internal or spiritual man, both of which have thereby been made subordinate to the Divine, is the holy idea within those rules; and it is also what angels perceive when man reads about them in the Word.

[4] The same goes for what is said about a Nazirite who was holy to Jehovah. If someone next to him happened to die suddenly and so defile his consecrated head, the Nazirite was required to clip his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he had to clip it. On the day that the days of his Naziriteship were completed he had to clip his consecrated head at the door of the Tent of Meeting and to take the hair from his head and put it on the fire which was under the sacrifice of peace offerings, Numbers 6:8, 9, 13, 18. For the meaning of a Nazirite and what aspect of holiness he represented, see 3301. No one can possibly understand why anything holy existed within the Nazirite's hair unless he knows from correspondence what is meant by 'the hair' and from this what aspect of holiness a Nazirite's hair corresponded to. Nor can anyone likewise understand how the source of Samson's strength lay in his hair, which he told Delilah about in the following description,

No razor has come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite of God from my mother's womb. If I am shaved, my strength will depart from me, and I shall become weak and be like anyone else. And Delilah called a man who shaved off the seven locks of his hair; and his strength departed from him. After that, when the hair on his head began to grow, even as it had been shaved off, his strength returned to him. Judges 16:17, 19, 22.

Without any knowledge of correspondence who can see that the Lord's Divine Natural was represented by 'a Nazirite', or that 'Naziriteship' had no other meaning than this, or that Samson's strength was due to that representation?

[5] Anyone who does not know, and more so one who does not believe that the Word has an internal sense, and that the sense of the letter serves to represent the real things contained in the internal sense, will recognize scarcely anything holy at all in these matters, when in fact the greatest holiness lies within them. Anyone who does not know, and more so one who does not believe that the Word has an internal sense that is intrinsically holy cannot know what the following texts enfold within them: In Jeremiah,

Truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouth. Cut off the hair of your Naziriteship and throw it away. Jeremiah 7:28-29.

In Isaiah,

On that day the Lord will shave by means of a razor hired at the crossing-places of the River - by means of the king of Asshur - the head and the hair of the feet; and it will consume the beard also. Isaiah 7:20.

In Micah,

Make yourself bald, and shave your head for the children of your delight; extend your baldness like an eagle, for they have departed from you. Micah 1:16.

Nor will anyone know the aspect of holiness contained in the reference to Elijah's being a man covered with hair, who wore a skin girdle around his loins, 2 Kings 1:8. Nor will he know why the children who called Elisha baldhead were torn apart by the bears out of the forest, 2 Kings 2:23-24.

[6] Both Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord as to the Word, and so represented the Word itself, specifically the prophetical part, see Preface to Genesis 18, and 2762. Being covered with hair and having a skin girdle meant the literal sense, 'a man covered with hair' meaning that sense so far as truths were concerned, 'wearing a skin girdle around his loins' so far as forms of good were concerned. For the literal sense is the natural sense of the Word since it employs ideas formed from things that exist in the world, whereas the internal sense is the spiritual sense because it employs ideas formed from things existing in heaven. These two senses are related to each other in the way that the internal and the external are related in the human being. But because the internal can have no existence without the external, the external being the last and lowest degree of order within which the internal is held in being, the calling of Elisha 'baldhead' therefore meant the shameful accusation made against the Word that it lacked so to speak an external and so lacked a sense suited to man's capacity to understand it.

[7] From all this one may see that every particular detail in the Word is holy. However, this holiness within the Word is discerned by no one unless he is acquainted with the internal sense; yet an inkling of it flows from heaven into someone who believes that the Word is holy. The internal sense known to the angels is the channel through which that influx comes; and even if the person has no understanding of that sense it nevertheless stimulates an affection in him, because the affection felt by the angels who know that sense is communicated to him. From this it is also evident that the Word was given to man so that he might have a means of communication with heaven and so that by flowing into him Divine Truth in heaven might stimulate affection in him.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. literally, whose hand has been filled

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.