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Matthew 15

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1 τοτε G5119 ADV προσερχονται G4334 G5736 V-PNI-3P τω G3588 T-DSM ιησου G2424 N-DSM οι G3588 T-NPM απο G575 P EP ιεροσολυμων G2414 N-GPN γραμματεις G1122 N-NPM και G2532 CONJ φαρισαιοι G5330 N-NPM λεγοντες G3004 G5723 V-PAP-NPM

2 δια G1223 P EP τι G5101 I-ASN οι G3588 T-NPM μαθηται G3101 N-NPM σου G4675 P-2GS παραβαινουσιν G3845 G5719 V-PAI-3P την G3588 T-ASF παραδοσιν G3862 N-ASF των G3588 T-GPM πρεσβυτερων G4245 A-GPM ου G3756 P T-N γαρ G1063 CONJ νιπτονται G3538 G5731 V-PMI-3P τας G3588 T-APF χειρας G5495 N-APF αυτων G846 P-GPM οταν G3752 CONJ αρτον G740 N-ASM εσθιωσιν G2068 G5725 V-PAS-3P

3 ο G3588 T-NSM δε G1161 CONJ αποκριθεις G611 G5679 V-AOP-NSM ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S αυτοις G846 P-DPM δια G1223 P EP τι G5101 I-ASN και G2532 CONJ υμεις G5210 P-2NP παραβαινετε G3845 G5719 V-PAI-2P την G3588 T-ASF εντολην G1785 N-ASF του G3588 T-GSM θεου G2316 N-GSM δια G1223 P EP την G3588 T-ASF παραδοσιν G3862 N-ASF υμων G5216 P-2GP

4 ο G3588 T-NSM γαρ G1063 CONJ θεος G2316 N-NSM ενετειλατο G1781 G5662 V-ADI-3S λεγων G3004 G5723 V-PAP-NSM τιμα G5091 G5720 V-PAM-2S τον G3588 T-ASM πατερα G3962 N-ASM και G2532 CONJ την G3588 T-ASF μητερα G3384 N-ASF και G2532 CONJ ο G3588 T-NSM κακολογων G2551 G5723 V-PAP-NSM πατερα G3962 N-ASM η G2228 P T μητερα G3384 N-ASF θανατω G2288 N-DSM τελευτατω G5053 G5720 V-PAM-3S

5 υμεις G5210 P-2NP δε G1161 CONJ λεγετε G3004 G5719 V-PAI-2P ος G3739 -NSM αν G302 P T ειπη G2036 G5632 V-2AAS-3S τω G3588 T-DSM πατρι G3962 N-DSM η G2228 P T τη G3588 T-DSF μητρι G3384 N-DSF δωρον G1435 N-NSN ο G3739 -ASN εαν G1437 COND εξ G1537 P EP εμου G1700 P-1GS ωφεληθης G5623 G5686 V-APS-2S και G2532 CONJ ου G3756 P T-N μη G3361 P T-N τιμηση G5091 G5661 V-AAS-3S τον G3588 T-ASM πατερα G3962 N-ASM αυτου G846 P-GSM η G2228 P T την G3588 T-ASF μητερα G3384 N-ASF αυτου G846 P-GSM

6 και G2532 CONJ ηκυρωσατε G208 G5656 V-AAI-2P την G3588 T-ASF εντολην G1785 N-ASF του G3588 T-GSM θεου G2316 N-GSM δια G1223 P EP την G3588 T-ASF παραδοσιν G3862 N-ASF υμων G5216 P-2GP

7 υποκριται G5273 N-VPM καλως G2573 ADV προεφητευσεν G4395 G5656 V-AAI-3S περι G4012 P EP υμων G5216 P-2GP ησαιας G2268 N-NSM λεγων G3004 G5723 V-PAP-NSM

8 εγγιζει G1448 G5719 V-PAI-3S μοι G3427 P-1DS ο G3588 T-NSM λαος G2992 N-NSM ουτος G3778 D-NSM τω G3588 T-DSN στοματι G4750 N-DSN αυτων G846 P-GPM και G2532 CONJ τοις G3588 T-DPN χειλεσιν G5491 N-DPN με G3165 P-1AS τιμα G5091 G5719 V-PAI-3S η G3588 T-NSF δε G1161 CONJ καρδια G2588 N-NSF αυτων G846 P-GPM πορρω G4206 ADV απεχει G568 G5719 V-PAI-3S απ G575 P EP εμου G1700 P-1GS

9 ματην G3155 ADV δε G1161 CONJ σεβονται G4576 G5736 V-PNI-3P με G3165 P-1AS διδασκοντες G1321 G5723 V-PAP-NPM διδασκαλιας G1319 N-APF ενταλματα G1778 N-APN ανθρωπων G444 N-GPM

10 και G2532 CONJ προσκαλεσαμενος G4341 G5666 V-ADP-NSM τον G3588 T-ASM οχλον G3793 N-ASM ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S αυτοις G846 P-DPM ακουετε G191 G5720 V-PAM-2P και G2532 CONJ συνιετε G4920 G5720 V-PAM-2P

11 ου G3756 P T-N το G3588 T-NSN εισερχομενον G1525 G5740 V-PNP-NSN εις G1519 P EP το G3588 T-ASN στομα G4750 N-ASN κοινοι G2840 G5719 V-PAI-3S τον G3588 T-ASM ανθρωπον G444 N-ASM αλλα G235 CONJ το G3588 T-NSN εκπορευομενον G1607 G5740 V-PNP-NSN εκ G1537 P EP του G3588 T-GSN στοματος G4750 N-GSN τουτο G5124 D-NSN κοινοι G2840 G5719 V-PAI-3S τον G3588 T-ASM ανθρωπον G444 N-ASM

12 τοτε G5119 ADV προσελθοντες G4334 G5631 V-2AAP-NPM οι G3588 T-NPM μαθηται G3101 N-NPM αυτου G846 P-GSM ειπον G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3P αυτω G846 P-DSM οιδας G1492 G5758 V- AI-2S οτι G3754 CONJ οι G3588 T-NPM φαρισαιοι G5330 N-NPM ακουσαντες G191 G5660 V-AAP-NPM τον G3588 T-ASM λογον G3056 N-ASM εσκανδαλισθησαν G4624 G5681 V-API-3P

13 ο G3588 T-NSM δε G1161 CONJ αποκριθεις G611 G5679 V-AOP-NSM ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S πασα G3956 A-NSF φυτεια G5451 N-NSF ην G3739 -ASF ουκ G3756 P T-N εφυτευσεν G5452 G5656 V-AAI-3S ο G3588 T-NSM πατηρ G3962 N-NSM μου G3450 P-1GS ο G3588 T-NSM ουρανιος G3770 A-NSM εκριζωθησεται G1610 G5701 V-FPI-3S

14 αφετε G863 G5628 V-2AAM-2P αυτους G846 P-APM οδηγοι G3595 N-NPM εισιν G1526 G5748 V-PXI-3P τυφλοι G5185 A-NPM τυφλων G5185 A-GPM τυφλος G5185 A-NSM δε G1161 CONJ τυφλον G5185 A-ASM εαν G1437 COND οδηγη G3594 G5725 V-PAS-3S αμφοτεροι G297 A-NPM εις G1519 P EP βοθυνον G999 N-ASM πεσουνται G4098 G5699 V-FNI-3P

15 αποκριθεις G611 G5679 V-AOP-NSM δε G1161 CONJ ο G3588 T-NSM πετρος G4074 N-NSM ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S αυτω G846 P-DSM φρασον G5419 G5657 V-AAM-2S ημιν G2254 P-1DP την G3588 T-ASF παραβολην G3850 N-ASF ταυτην G3778 D-ASF

16 ο G3588 T-NSM δε G1161 CONJ ιησους G2424 N-NSM ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S ακμην G188 N-ASF και G2532 CONJ υμεις G5210 P-2NP ασυνετοι G801 A-NPM εστε G2075 G5748 V-PXI-2P

17 ουπω G3768 ADV νοειτε G3539 G5719 V-PAI-2P οτι G3754 CONJ παν G3956 A-NSN το G3588 T-NSN εισπορευομενον G1531 G5740 V-PNP-NSN εις G1519 P EP το G3588 T-ASN στομα G4750 N-ASN εις G1519 P EP την G3588 T-ASF κοιλιαν G2836 N-ASF χωρει G5562 G5719 V-PAI-3S και G2532 CONJ εις G1519 P EP αφεδρωνα G856 N-ASM εκβαλλεται G1544 G5743 V-PPI-3S

18 τα G3588 T-NPN δε G1161 CONJ εκπορευομενα G1607 G5740 V-PNP-NPN εκ G1537 P EP του G3588 T-GSN στοματος G4750 N-GSN εκ G1537 P EP της G3588 T-GSF καρδιας G2588 N-GSF εξερχεται G1831 G5736 V-PNI-3S κακεινα G2548 D-NPN-C κοινοι G2840 G5719 V-PAI-3S τον G3588 T-ASM ανθρωπον G444 N-ASM

19 εκ G1537 P EP γαρ G1063 CONJ της G3588 T-GSF καρδιας G2588 N-GSF εξερχονται G1831 G5736 V-PNI-3P διαλογισμοι G1261 N-NPM πονηροι G4190 A-NPM φονοι G5408 N-NPM μοιχειαι G3430 N-NPF πορνειαι G4202 N-NPF κλοπαι G2829 N-NPF ψευδομαρτυριαι G5577 N-NPF βλασφημιαι G988 N-NPF

20 ταυτα G5023 D-NPN εστιν G2076 G5748 V-PXI-3S τα G3588 T-NPN κοινουντα G2840 G5723 V-PAP-NPN τον G3588 T-ASM ανθρωπον G444 N-ASM το G3588 T-NSN δε G1161 CONJ ανιπτοις G449 A-DPM χερσιν G5495 N-DPF φαγειν G5315 G5629 V-2AAN ου G3756 P T-N κοινοι G2840 G5719 V-PAI-3S τον G3588 T-ASM ανθρωπον G444 N-ASM

21 και G2532 CONJ εξελθων G1831 G5631 V-2AAP-NSM εκειθεν G1564 ADV ο G3588 T-NSM ιησους G2424 N-NSM ανεχωρησεν G402 G5656 V-AAI-3S εις G1519 P EP τα G3588 T-APN μερη G3313 N-APN τυρου G5184 N-GSF και G2532 CONJ σιδωνος G4605 N-GSF

22 και G2532 CONJ ιδου G2400 G5628 V-2AAM-2S γυνη G1135 N-NSF χαναναια G5478 A-NSF απο G575 P EP των G3588 T-GPN οριων G3725 N-GPN εκεινων G1565 D-GPN εξελθουσα G1831 G5631 V-2AAP-NSF εκραυγασεν G2905 G5656 V-AAI-3S αυτω G846 P-DSM λεγουσα G3004 G5723 V-PAP-NSF ελεησον G1653 G5657 V-AAM-2S με G3165 P-1AS κυριε G2962 N-VSM υιε G5207 N-VSM δαυιδ G1138 N-P I η G3588 T-NSF θυγατηρ G2364 N-NSF μου G3450 P-1GS κακως G2560 ADV δαιμονιζεται G1139 G5736 V-PNI-3S

23 ο G3588 T-NSM δε G1161 CONJ ουκ G3756 P T-N απεκριθη G611 G5662 V-ADI-3S αυτη G846 P-DSF λογον G3056 N-ASM και G2532 CONJ προσελθοντες G4334 G5631 V-2AAP-NPM οι G3588 T-NPM μαθηται G3101 N-NPM αυτου G846 P-GSM ηρωτων G2065 G5707 V-IAI-3P αυτον G846 P-ASM λεγοντες G3004 G5723 V-PAP-NPM απολυσον G630 G5657 V-AAM-2S αυτην G846 P-ASF οτι G3754 CONJ κραζει G2896 G5719 V-PAI-3S οπισθεν G3693 ADV ημων G2257 P-1GP

24 ο G3588 T-NSM δε G1161 CONJ αποκριθεις G611 G5679 V-AOP-NSM ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S ουκ G3756 P T-N απεσταλην G649 G5648 V-2API-1S ει G1487 COND μη G3361 P T-N εις G1519 P EP τα G3588 T-APN προβατα G4263 N-APN τα G3588 T-APN απολωλοτα G622 G5756 V-2 AP-APN οικου G3624 N-GSM ισραηλ G2474 N-P I

25 η G3588 T-NSF δε G1161 CONJ ελθουσα G2064 G5631 V-2AAP-NSF προσεκυνησεν G4352 G5656 V-AAI-3S αυτω G846 P-DSM λεγουσα G3004 G5723 V-PAP-NSF κυριε G2962 N-VSM βοηθει G997 G5720 V-PAM-2S μοι G3427 P-1DS

26 ο G3588 T-NSM δε G1161 CONJ αποκριθεις G611 G5679 V-AOP-NSM ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S ουκ G3756 P T-N εστιν G2076 G5748 V-PXI-3S καλον G2570 A-NSN λαβειν G2983 G5629 V-2AAN τον G3588 T-ASM αρτον G740 N-ASM των G3588 T-GPN τεκνων G5043 N-GPN και G2532 CONJ βαλειν G906 G5629 V-2AAN τοις G3588 T-DPN κυναριοις G2952 N-DPN

27 η G3588 T-NSF δε G1161 CONJ ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S ναι G3483 P T κυριε G2962 N-VSM και G2532 CONJ γαρ G1063 CONJ τα G3588 T-NPN κυναρια G2952 N-NPN εσθιει G2068 G5719 V-PAI-3S απο G575 P EP των G3588 T-GPN ψιχιων G5589 N-GPN των G3588 T-GPN πιπτοντων G4098 G5723 V-PAP-GPN απο G575 P EP της G3588 T-GSF τραπεζης G5132 N-GSF των G3588 T-GPM κυριων G2962 N-GPM αυτων G846 P-GPN

28 τοτε G5119 ADV αποκριθεις G611 G5679 V-AOP-NSM ο G3588 T-NSM ιησους G2424 N-NSM ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S αυτη G846 P-DSF ω G5599 INJ γυναι G1135 N-VSF μεγαλη G3173 A-NSF σου G4675 P-2GS η G3588 T-NSF πιστις G4102 N-NSF γενηθητω G1096 G5676 V-AOM-3S σοι G4671 P-2DS ως G5613 ADV θελεις G2309 G5719 V-PAI-2S και G2532 CONJ ιαθη G2390 G5681 V-API-3S η G3588 T-NSF θυγατηρ G2364 N-NSF αυτης G846 P-GSF απο G575 P EP της G3588 T-GSF ωρας G5610 N-GSF εκεινης G1565 D-GSF

29 και G2532 CONJ μεταβας G3327 G5631 V-2AAP-NSM εκειθεν G1564 ADV ο G3588 T-NSM ιησους G2424 N-NSM ηλθεν G2064 G5627 V-2AAI-3S παρα G3844 P EP την G3588 T-ASF θαλασσαν G2281 N-ASF της G3588 T-GSF γαλιλαιας G1056 N-GSF και G2532 CONJ αναβας G305 G5631 V-2AAP-NSM εις G1519 P EP το G3588 T-ASN ορος G3735 N-ASN εκαθητο G2521 G5711 V-INI-3S εκει G1563 ADV

30 και G2532 CONJ προσηλθον G4334 G5656 V-AAI-3P αυτω G846 P-DSM οχλοι G3793 N-NPM πολλοι G4183 A-NPM εχοντες G2192 G5723 V-PAP-NPM μεθ G3326 P EP εαυτων G1438 F-3GPM χωλους G5560 A-APM τυφλους G5185 A-APM κωφους G2974 A-APM κυλλους G2948 A-APM και G2532 CONJ ετερους G2087 A-APM πολλους G4183 A-APM και G2532 CONJ ερριψαν G4496 G5656 V-AAI-3P αυτους G846 P-APM παρα G3844 P EP τους G3588 T-APM ποδας G4228 N-APM του G3588 T-GSM ιησου G2424 N-GSM και G2532 CONJ εθεραπευσεν G2323 G5656 V-AAI-3S αυτους G846 P-APM

31 ωστε G5620 CONJ τους G3588 T-APM οχλους G3793 N-APM θαυμασαι G2296 G5658 V-AAN βλεποντας G991 G5723 V-PAP-APM κωφους G2974 A-APM λαλουντας G2980 G5723 V-PAP-APM κυλλους G2948 A-APM υγιεις G5199 A-APM χωλους G5560 A-APM περιπατουντας G4043 G5723 V-PAP-APM και G2532 CONJ τυφλους G5185 A-APM βλεποντας G991 G5723 V-PAP-APM και G2532 CONJ εδοξασαν G1392 G5656 V-AAI-3P τον G3588 T-ASM θεον G2316 N-ASM ισραηλ G2474 N-P I

32 ο G3588 T-NSM δε G1161 CONJ ιησους G2424 N-NSM προσκαλεσαμενος G4341 G5666 V-ADP-NSM τους G3588 T-APM μαθητας G3101 N-APM αυτου G846 P-GSM ειπεν G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3S σπλαγχνιζομαι G4697 G5736 V-PNI-1S επι G1909 P EP τον G3588 T-ASM οχλον G3793 N-ASM οτι G3754 CONJ ηδη G2235 ADV ημεραι G2250 N-NPF τρεις G5140 A-APF προσμενουσιν G4357 G5719 V-PAI-3P μοι G3427 P-1DS και G2532 CONJ ουκ G3756 P T-N εχουσιν G2192 G5719 V-PAI-3P τι G5101 I-ASN φαγωσιν G5315 G5632 V-2AAS-3P και G2532 CONJ απολυσαι G630 G5658 V-AAN αυτους G846 P-APM νηστεις G3523 A-APM ου G3756 P T-N θελω G2309 G5719 V-PAI-1S μηποτε G3379 ADV εκλυθωσιν G1590 G5686 V-APS-3P εν G1722 P EP τη G3588 T-DSF οδω G3598 N-DSF

33 και G2532 CONJ λεγουσιν G3004 G5719 V-PAI-3P αυτω G846 P-DSM οι G3588 T-NPM μαθηται G3101 N-NPM αυτου G846 P-GSM ποθεν G4159 ADV-I ημιν G2254 P-1DP εν G1722 P EP ερημια G2047 N-DSF αρτοι G740 N-NPM τοσουτοι G5118 D-NPM ωστε G5620 CONJ χορτασαι G5526 G5658 V-AAN οχλον G3793 N-ASM τοσουτον G5118 D-ASM

34 και G2532 CONJ λεγει G3004 G5719 V-PAI-3S αυτοις G846 P-DPM ο G3588 T-NSM ιησους G2424 N-NSM ποσους G4214 Q-APM αρτους G740 N-APM εχετε G2192 G5719 V-PAI-2P οι G3588 T-NPM δε G1161 CONJ ειπον G2036 G5627 V-2AAI-3P επτα G2033 A-NUI και G2532 CONJ ολιγα G3641 A-APN ιχθυδια G2485 N-APN

35 και G2532 CONJ εκελευσεν G2753 G5656 V-AAI-3S τοις G3588 T-DPM οχλοις G3793 N-DPM αναπεσειν G377 G5629 V-2AAN επι G1909 P EP την G3588 T-ASF γην G1093 N-ASF

36 και G2532 CONJ λαβων G2983 G5631 V-2AAP-NSM τους G3588 T-APM επτα G2033 A-NUI αρτους G740 N-APM και G2532 CONJ τους G3588 T-APM ιχθυας G2486 N-APM ευχαριστησας G2168 G5660 V-AAP-NSM εκλασεν G2806 G5656 V-AAI-3S και G2532 CONJ εδωκεν G1325 G5656 V-AAI-3S τοις G3588 T-DPM μαθηταις G3101 N-DPM αυτου G846 P-GSM οι G3588 T-NPM δε G1161 CONJ μαθηται G3101 N-NPM τω G3588 T-DSM οχλω G3793 N-DSM

37 και G2532 CONJ εφαγον G5315 G5627 V-2AAI-3P παντες G3956 A-NPM και G2532 CONJ εχορτασθησαν G5526 G5681 V-API-3P και G2532 CONJ ηραν G142 G5656 V-AAI-3P το G3588 T-ASN περισσευον G4052 G5723 V-PAP-ASN των G3588 T-GPN κλασματων G2801 N-GPN επτα G2033 A-NUI σπυριδας G4711 N-APF πληρεις G4134 A-APF

38 οι G3588 T-NPM δε G1161 CONJ εσθιοντες G2068 G5723 V-PAP-NPM ησαν G2258 G5713 V-IXI-3P τετρακισχιλιοι G5070 A-NPM ανδρες G435 N-NPM χωρις G5565 ADV γυναικων G1135 N-GPF και G2532 CONJ παιδιων G3813 N-GPN

39 και G2532 CONJ απολυσας G630 G5660 V-AAP-NSM τους G3588 T-APM οχλους G3793 N-APM ενεβη G1684 G5627 V-2AAI-3S εις G1519 P EP το G3588 T-ASN πλοιον G4143 N-ASN και G2532 CONJ ηλθεν G2064 G5627 V-2AAI-3S εις G1519 P EP τα G3588 T-APN ορια G3725 N-APN μαγδαλα G3093 N-P I

   

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Arcana Coelestia # 3147

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3147. 'And water to wash his feet' means purification there. This is clear from the meaning of 'water to wash' or 'washing with water' as purifying, dealt with below, and from the meaning of 'feet' as natural things, or what amounts to the same, those things that are in the natural man, dealt with in 2162. In the representative Church washing feet with water was a ceremonial act which meant washing away the filth of the natural man. The filth of the natural man is composed of all the things that belong to self-love and love of the world, and when such filth has been washed away goods and truths flow in, for that filth alone is what hinders the influx of good and truth from the Lord.

[2] For good is flowing in constantly from the Lord, but when by way of the internal or spiritual man it reaches the external or natural man it is either perverted there, or turned away, or stifled. But when indeed the things that belong to self-love and love of the world are removed, good is received there, and bears fruit there, since the person now performs the works of charity. This may become clear from many considerations, such as this: When the things that belong to the external or natural man are quiescent - as they are in times of ill-fortune, wretchedness, and sickness - a person instantly starts to become spiritually-minded and to will what is good, and also to perform acts of devotion insofar as he is able. But when that state alters, these things are altered too.

[3] In the Ancient Church 'washings' were signs meaning these things, and in the Jewish Church the same were representations. The reason why in the Ancient Church they were meaningful signs but in the Jewish Church representations was that members of the Ancient Church regarded that custom as some external act of worship. Nor did they believe that they were purified by that kind of washing but by a washing away of the filth of the natural man, which, as has been stated, is composed of the things that belong to self-love and love of the world. But the member of the Jewish Church did believe that he was purified by such washing, for he did not know, and did not wish to know, that the purifying of a person's interior self was meant.

[4] That 'washing' means the washing away of that filth is clear in Isaiah,

Wash yourselves; purify yourselves; remove the evil of your doings from before My eyes; cease to do evil. Isaiah 1:16.

Here it is evident that 'washing themselves' means purifying themselves and removing evils. In the same prophet,

When the Lord will have washed the excrement of the daughters of Zion and washed away the blood of Jerusalem from its midst in a spirit of judgement and in a spirit of purging. Isaiah 4:4.

Here 'washing the excrement of the daughters of Zion and washing away the blood of Jerusalem' stands for purifying from evils and falsities. In Jeremiah,

Wash your heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem, that you may be saved. How long will your iniquitous thoughts lodge within you? Jeremiah 4:14.

[5] In Ezekiel,

I washed you with water, and washed away the blood from upon you, and anointed you with oil. Ezekiel 16:9.

This refers to Jerusalem, which is used here to mean the Ancient Church. 'Washing with water' stands for purifying from falsities, 'washing away the blood' for purging from evils, 'anointing with oil' for filling with good at that time. In David,

Wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. You will purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; You will wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalms 51:2, 7.

'Being washed' plainly stands for being purified from evils and derivative falsities.

[6] These were the things that were meant by 'washing' in the Representative Church. For the sake of the representation, when they had been made unclean and needed to be cleansed, people were commanded in that Church to wash the skin, hands, feet, and also their garments. All these meant things that belong to the natural man. Also for the sake of the representation, lavers made of bronze were placed outside the Temple - that is to say, 'the bronze sea and the ten bronze lavers' mentioned in 1 Kings 7:23-29; there was also the bronze laver from which Aaron and his sons were to wash themselves, placed between the Tent of Meeting and the Altar, and so outside the Tent of Meeting, Exodus 30:18-19, 21 - the meaning of which was that only external or natural things needed to be purified. And unless they have been purified, that is, unless things belonging to self-love and love of the world have been removed from them, internal things which belong to love to the Lord and towards the neighbour cannot possibly flow in, as stated above.

[7] To enable these matters to be understood more easily, that is to say, regarding the need for external things to be purified, let good works - or what amounts to the same, the goods of charity, which are at the present day called the fruits of faith, and which, since they are actions, are external - serve to exemplify and illustrate the point: Good works are bad works unless the things belonging to self-love and love of the world are removed. For until these have been removed works, when performed, are good to outward appearance but are inwardly bad. They are inwardly bad because they are done either for the sake of reputation, or for financial gain, or for improvement of one's position, or for reward. They are accordingly either merit-seeking or hypocritical, for the things that belong to self-love and love of the world cause those works to be such. But when indeed these evils are removed, works become good, and are the goods of charity. That is to say, they are done regardless of self, the world, reputation, or reward, and so are not merit-seeking or hypocritical, because in that case celestial love and spiritual love flow from the Lord into those works and cause them to be love and charity in action. And at the same time the Lord also purifies the natural or external man by means of those things and orders it so that that man receives correspondingly the celestial and spiritual things that flow in.

[8] This becomes quite clear from what the Lord taught when He washed the disciples' feet: In John,

He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, Lord, do You wash my feet? Jesus answered and said to him, What I am doing you do not know now, but you will know afterwards. Peter said to Him, You will never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me. Simon Peter said to Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and head! Jesus said to him, He who is washed has no need except that his feet be washed, but is clean all over. Now you are clean, but not all of you. John 13:4-17.

'He who is washed has no need except that his feet be washed' means that anyone who has been reformed needs to be cleansed only in regard to natural things, that is, to have evils and falsities removed from them. For when that happens all is ordered by the influx of spiritual things from the Lord. Furthermore 'feet-washing' was an act of charity, meaning that one ought not to dwell on the evils of another person. It was also an act of humility, meaning the cleansing of another from evils, like filth from the body, as also becomes clear from the Lord's words in verses 12-17 of that chapter in John, and also in Luke 7:37-38, 44, 46; John 11:2; 1 Samuel 25:41.

[9] Anyone may see that washing himself does not purify a person from evils and falsities, only from the filth that clings to him. Yet because it belonged among the religious observances commanded in the Church it follows that it embodies some special idea, namely spiritual washing, which is purification from the filth that clings to man inwardly. Members of that Church therefore who knew these things and thought of purification of the heart, that is, the removal of the evils of self-love and love of the world from the natural man, and tried to achieve it with utmost zeal, practiced ritual washing as an external act of worship, as commanded. But among those who did not know and did not wish to know those things but who supposed that the mere ritual act of washing garments, skin, hands, and feet would purify them, and who supposed that provided they performed such rituals they would be allowed to continue leading lives of avarice, hatred, revenge, mercilessness, and cruelty - all of which constitute spiritual filth - the performance of the ritual was idolatrous. Nevertheless by means of that ritual they were still able to represent, and by means of the representation to display, some vestige of a Church, by means of which heaven was in a way joined to mankind prior to the Lord's Coming. But that conjunction was such that heaven had little or no influence at all on the member of that Church.

[10] The Jews and Israelites were such that they did not think at all of the internal man, nor did they wish to know anything about the same. Thus they knew absolutely nothing about the celestial and spiritual things which belong to the life after death. Nevertheless to prevent the end of all communication with heaven and so with the Lord, they were bound to the performance of external observances by which internal things were meant. All their captivities and plagues were in general to the end that external observances might be duly carried out for the sake of the representation. It was for this reason that the following laws were given:

Moses was to wash Aaron and his sons with water at the tent door, to sanctify them. Exodus 29:4; 40:12; Leviticus 8:6.

Aaron and his sons were to wash their hands and feet before entering the Tent of Meeting and approaching the Altar to minister, lest they died. This was to them a statute for ever. Exodus 30:18-21; 40:30-31.

Before putting on his vestments Aaron was to wash his flesh. Leviticus 16:4, 24.

Levites were to be purified by sprinkling the water of expiation over them, passing a razor over their flesh, and washing their clothes - then they were pure. Numbers 8:6-7.

Anyone who ate the carcass of a clean animal, 1 or that which had been torn to pieces, was to wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and if he did not wash himself and bathe his flesh he would bear his iniquity. Leviticus 17:15-16.

Anyone who touched the bed of a person who had a discharge, or sat on a vessel on which that person had sat, and anyone who touched that person's flesh was to wash his clothes and to bathe himself with water, and be unclean until the evening. Leviticus 15:5-7, 10-12 and following verses.

The person who sent the goat away to Azazel was to wash his flesh. Leviticus 16:26.

When a leper was to be cleansed he was to wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, wash himself in water, and then he would be clean. Leviticus 14:8-9.

Even vessels themselves which had become unclean through contact with unclean persons were made to go through water and be unclean until the evening. Leviticus 11:32.

From all these laws it may be seen that nobody was made clean or pure internally through ritual washing, but that such a person merely represented him who was pure or spiritually clean, for the reason stated above. The Lord teaches the same quite explicitly in Matthew 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-23.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. i.e. an animal that had not been slaughtered but had died naturally

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