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Αριθμοί 8

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1 Και ελαλησε Κυριος προς τον Μωυσην, λεγων,

2 Λαλησον προς τον Ααρων, και ειπε προς αυτον, Οταν αναψης τους λυχνους, οι επτα λυχνοι θελουσι φωτιζει κατα προσωπον της λυχνιας.

3 Και ο Ααρων εκαμεν ουτως· ηναψε κατα προσωπον της λυχνιας τους λυχνους αυτης, καθως προσεταξεν ο Κυριος εις τον Μωυσην.

4 Αυτη δε ητο η κατασκευη της λυχνιας απο χρυσιου σφυρηλατου· και ο κορμος αυτης και τα ανθη αυτης, ητο ολη σφυρηλατος· κατα το σχεδιον, το οποιον εδειξεν ο Κυριος εις τον Μωυσην, ουτως εκαμε την λυχνιαν.

5 Και ελαλησε Κυριος προς τον Μωυσην, λεγων,

6 Λαβε τους Λευιτας εκ μεσου των υιων Ισραηλ και καθαρισον αυτους.

7 Και ουτω θελεις καμει εις αυτους δια τον καθαρισμον αυτων· ραντισον επ' αυτους υδωρ καθαρισμου και ας περασωσι ξυραφιον δι' ολου του σωματος αυτων και ας πλυνωσι τα ενδυματα αυτων και ας καθαρισθωσιν.

8 Επειτα ας λαβωσιν ενα μοσχον εκ βοων μετα της εξ αλφιτων προσφορας αυτου απο σεμιδαλεως εζυμωμενης μετα ελαιου, και ενα αλλον μοσχον εκ βοων θελεις λαβει εις προσφοραν περι αμαρτιας.

9 Και θελεις φερει τους Λευιτας εμπροσθεν της σκηνης του μαρτυριου και θελεις συναξει ολην την συναγωγην των υιων Ισραηλ·

10 και θελεις φερει τους Λευιτας εμπροσθεν του Κυριου, και θελουσιν επιθεσει οι υιοι Ισραηλ τας χειρας αυτων επι τους Λευιτας.

11 και ο Ααρων θελει προσφερει τους Λευιτας ενωπιον του Κυριου προσφοραν παρα των υιων Ισραηλ, δια να υπηρετωσι την υπηρεσιαν του Κυριου.

12 Και οι Λευιται θελουσιν επιθεσει τας χειρας αυτων επι τας κεφαλας των μοσχων, και θελεις προσφερει τον ενα περι αμαρτιας και τον αλλον δι' ολοκαυτωμα εις τον Κυριον· δια να καμης εξιλεωσιν υπερ των Λευιτων.

13 Και θελεις στησει τους Λευιτας εμπροσθεν του Ααρων και εμπροσθεν των υιων αυτου· και θελεις προσφερει αυτους προσφοραν εις τον Κυριον.

14 Ουτω θελεις αποχωρισει τους Λευιτας εκ μεσου των υιων Ισραηλ, και οι Λευιται θελουσιν εισθαι εμου.

15 Και μετα ταυτα θελουσιν εισελθει οι Λευιται δια να υπηρετωσι την σκηνην του μαρτυριου· και θελεις καθαρισει αυτους και θελεις προσφερει αυτους προσφοραν.

16 Διοτι ουτοι ειναι δεδομενοι δωρον εις εμε εκ μεσου των υιων Ισραηλ· αντι των διανοιγοντων πασαν μητραν, παντων των πρωτοτοκων των υιων Ισραηλ ελαβον αυτους εις εμαυτον.

17 Διοτι παντα τα πρωτοτοκα των υιων Ισραηλ ειναι εμου, απο ανθρωπου εως κτηνους· καθ' ην ημεραν επαταξα παντα τα πρωτοτοκα εν τη γη της Αιγυπτου, ηγιασα αυτους εις εμαυτον·

18 και ελαβον τους Λευιτας αντι παντων των πρωτοτοκων των υιων Ισραηλ.

19 Και εδωκα τους Λευιτας δωρον εις τον Ααρων και εις τους υιους αυτου, εκ μεσου των υιων Ισραηλ, δια να υπηρετωσι την υπηρεσιαν των υιων Ισραηλ εν τη σκηνη του μαρτυριου, και δια να καμνωσιν εξιλεωσιν υπερ των υιων Ισραηλ· δια να μη ηναι πληγη επι τους υιους Ισραηλ, εαν πλησιασωσιν οι υιοι Ισραηλ εις τα αγια.

20 Και εκαμον ο Μωυσης και ο Ααρων και πασα η συναγωγη των υιων Ισραηλ εις τους Λευιτας, κατα παντα οσα προσεταξε Κυριος εις τον Μωυσην περι των Λευιτων· ουτως εκαμον εις αυτους οι υιοι Ισραηλ.

21 Και εκαθαρισθησαν οι Λευιται και επλυναν τα ιματια αυτων· και προσεφερεν αυτους ο Ααρων προσφοραν ενωπιον του Κυριου, και ο Ααρων εκαμεν υπερ αυτων εξιλεωσιν δια να καθαριση αυτους.

22 Και μετα ταυτα εισηλθον οι Λευιται δια να υπηρετωσι την υπηρεσιαν αυτων εν τη σκηνη του μαρτυριου εμπροσθεν του Ααρων και εμπροσθεν των υιων αυτου· καθως προσεταξεν ο Κυριος εις τον Μωυσην περι των Λευιτων, ουτως εκαμον εις αυτους.

23 Και ελαλησε Κυριος προς τον Μωυσην, λεγων,

24 Τουτο ειναι το περι των Λευιτων· απο εικοσιπεντε ετων και επανω θελουσιν εισερχεσθαι να εκτελωσι την υπηρεσιαν της σκηνης του μαρτυριου·

25 και απο πεντηκοντα ετων θελουσι παυεσθαι του να εκτελωσι την υπηρεσιαν και δεν θελουσιν υπηρετει πλεον·

26 αλλα θελουσιν υπουργει εις τους αδελφους αυτων εν τη σκηνη του μαρτυριου, δια να φυλαττωσι τας φυλακας· υπηρεσιαν ομως δεν θελουσι καμνει. Ουτω θελεις καμει εις τους Λευιτας ως προς τας φυλακας αυτων.

   

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Apocalypse Explained # 745

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745. Now is come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ, signifies that now the Lord has power by His Divine truth to save those who are of His church, who receive Divine truth in heart and soul. This is evident from the signification of "salvation," as being to be saved; and from the signification of "power," as being to have ability, thus possibility (of which presently); from the signification of "kingdom," as being heaven and the church (See above, n. 48, 685); from the signification of "our God," as being the Lord in relation to His Divine; and from the signification of "the authority of His Christ," as being the efficacy of Divine truth, thus by means of Divine truth. That "the Christ" means the Lord in relation to Divine truth may be seen above (n. 684, 685); and that "authority" signifies, in reference to the Lord, the salvation of the human race, may be seen above n. 293; and that the Lord has power to save by means of His Divine truth (n. 333, 726); and because the Lord can save only those who receive Divine truth from Him with heart and soul, this too is signified. From this it is clear that "Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ," signifies that now the Lord has power by His Divine truth to save those who are of His church who receive Divine truth with heart and soul.

[2] It is said "who receive with heart and soul," meaning with love and faith, likewise with the will and understanding; for in the Word when "soul and heart" are both mentioned "soul" signifies faith, likewise understanding, and "heart" signifies love, likewise will; for soul [anima] means there in the ultimate sense the respiration of man, which is also called his "spirit" [or breath], and the verb animare means to respire; also when a man dies he is said "to give up the ghost" [emittere animam et spirituum]. Moreover, it is also from correspondence that "soul" signifies faith, also the understanding, and that "heart" signifies love, as also the will; for faith and understanding correspond to the breathing [animatio] or respiration of the lungs, and the love and will correspond to the motion and pulsation of the heart (on which correspondence see above, n. 167; and the Arcana Coelestia 2930, 3883-3896, 9050).

[3] "Now is come the salvation and the power of our God" signifies that the Lord is now able to save; so "power" here signifies to have ability, thus the possibility, because the Lord could not save those who were of His church before the dragon with his angels had been driven out, that is, separated from heaven. One who does not know the laws of Divine order might believe that the Lord can save anyone He pleases, thus the evil as well as the good; and for this reason some are of the opinion that in the end all who are in hell will be saved. But that no one can be saved by immediate mercy, but only by mediate, and that still it is from pure mercy, that those who receive Divine truth from the Lord in soul and heart are saved, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 521-527.

[4] This is also meant by these words in John:

His own received Him not; but as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become sons of God, to them that believe on His name; who were born not of bloods nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:11-13).

"His own" who received Him not mean those who are of the church where the Word is, and to whom the Lord could be known through the Word; therefore those who were of the Jewish Church are here meant by "His own." That the Lord would "give to those that believe on His name power to become sons of God" signifies that He gives heaven to those 1 who receive Divine truths from Him in soul and heart, or in faith and life; "to believe on His name" meaning to receive the Lord in faith and life, for "the name of the Lord" signifies everything by which He is worshiped; "sons of God" mean those who are regenerated by the Lord; "who are born not of bloods" signifies who have not falsified and adulterated the Word; "nor of the will of the flesh" signifies who are not in evils from what is their own [proprium]; "nor of the will of man" signifies who are not in falsities from what is their own [proprium], for the "will" signifies what is man's own [proprium], "flesh" signifies evil, and "man" [vir] signifies falsity; "but born of God" signifies those who have been regenerated by truths from the Word and by a life according to them. From this it can be seen that those who are not willing to be reformed and regenerated by the Lord, which is effected by the reception of Divine truth in faith and life, cannot be saved.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. The Latin has "to him who receive," for "to them."

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.

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Arcana Coelestia # 9050

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9050. The fact that 'soul' means spiritual life is clear from the meaning of 'soul' as a person's life - the life of his faith, which is spiritual life. Various places in the Word use the expression 'heart and soul', and in those places 'heart' means the life of love and 'soul' the life of faith. A person has two mental powers for receiving life from the Lord, one being called the will, the other the understanding. Love belongs to the power called the will, for forms of the good of love compose its life; but faith belongs to the power called the understanding, for the truths of faith compose its life. Yet these two powers of life with a person nevertheless make one; and when they make one matters of faith are also aspects of love because they are loved, and aspects of love in turn are also matters of faith because they are believed. This is the kind of life that all in heaven possess.

[2] The reason why in the Word the life of love, or what amounts to the same thing, the will, is called 'the heart', and why the life of faith, or what amounts to the same thing, the understanding, is called 'the soul', is this: Those in the Grand Man or heaven who are governed by love to the Lord and are called celestial angels constitute the province of the heart, and those governed by faith in the Lord and from this by charity towards the neighbour constitute the province of the lungs, see 3635, 3883-3896. So it is that 'the heart' in the Word means love, which is the life of the will, while 'the soul' means faith, which is the life of the understanding, 2930, 7542, 8910. For 'soul' in the original language is derived from a word that means breathing, which is the function of the lungs.

[3] The reason why faith belongs to the understanding is that this mental power is enlightened by the Lord when the person receives faith, so that he has light, or discernment of truth, in such things as are matters of faith when he reads the Word. And the reason why love belongs to the will is that this mental power is kindled by the Lord when the person receives love, so that he has the fire of life and keen perception of good.

[4] All this shows what the proper meaning of 'the heart' is in the Word and what the proper meaning of 'the soul' is, as in the following places: In Moses, You shall love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:5-6.

In the same author,

You shall love Jehovah your God, and serve Him, with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 10:12; 11:13.

In the same author,

You shall keep the statutes and judgements, and observe them, with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 26:16.

In the Gospels,

Jesus said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and your thought. Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30, 32; Luke 10:27.

'Heart' stands for the life of love, and 'soul' for the life of faith. 'Strength' stands for those things that emanate from the life of love, and so from the heart or will, and 'thought' stands for those that emanate from the life of faith, and so from the soul or an enlightened understanding.

[5] Similarly in Isaiah,

A deceived heart causes him to go astray, so that he does not rescue his soul and say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? Isaiah 44:20.

In Jeremiah,

I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in the land in truth, with all My heart and with all My soul. Jeremiah 32:41.

This refers to Jehovah, that is, to the Lord. 'Heart' is attributed to Him because of His Divine Goodness, which is the good of love or mercy with a person, and 'soul' because of His Divine Truth, which is the truth of faith with him.

[6] Few within the Church at the present day know that these things are meant by 'the heart' and 'the soul' in the Word. They do not know them because they have not considered that a person has two powers of mind that are distinct from each other, that is to say, the will and the understanding, and that these two powers must constitute a single mind if the person is to be truly human. Nor have they considered that all things in the whole of creation, both in heaven and in the world, have connection with goodness and truth, and that these must be joined together if they are to be anything or be productive. The outcome of their ignorance of these things has been that they have separated faith from love; for one who is ignorant of those universal laws cannot know that faith has connection with truth and love with good, or that unless faith and love have been joined together they are not anything. Faith without love is not faith, and love without faith is not love. Love receives its specific quality from faith, and faith its life from love, so that faith without love is dead, whereas faith together with love is living. The truth of this becomes clear from every detail in the Word, for where faith is dealt with, so too is love, in order that the marriage of good and truth, that is, heaven, and in the highest sense the Lord, may be present in every single detail there. Regarding the existence of that marriage, see 683, 793, 801, 2516, 2712, 4138 (end), 5138, 5502, 6343, 7945, 8339. From all this it is now evident why it is that a member of the Church has not up to now known what is meant in the Word by 'the heart' and what by 'the soul'.

[7] The meaning of 'the soul' in the Word as the life of faith becomes perfectly clear from places where 'the soul' is mentioned, as in the following: In Moses,

No one shall take 1 as a pledge the mill or the milling stone, for he is taking the [person's] soul as a pledge. Deuteronomy 24:6.

It says that he takes the soul as a pledge if he takes the mill because in the internal sense 'the mill' means matters of faith, 7780. In Isaiah,

It will be as when a hungry man dreams - as if he were eating - but when he wakes up his soul is fasting; or as when a thirsty man dreams - as if he were drinking - but when he wakes up, behold, he is faint, and his soul is craving. Isaiah 29:8.

'A fasting soul' and 'a craving soul' stand for the desire to learn the forms of good and the truths of faith. In the same prophet,

If you bring out for the hungry your soul 2 and satisfy the afflicted soul ... Isaiah 58:10.

'Bringing out for the hungry your soul' stands for teaching the truths of faith to one who desires them, and 'satisfying the afflicted soul' stands for teaching the good of faith.

[8] In Jeremiah,

If you clothe yourself in twice-dyed and deck yourself with ornaments of gold, if you widen your eyes with stibium, 3 in vain will you make yourself beautiful; your lovers will abhor you, they will seek your soul. Jeremiah 4:30.

Here 'soul' stands for the life of faith, and therefore for the faith itself present with a person since it composes his spiritual life. The fact that faith is what 'soul' is used to mean is evident from the details of the verse. In the same prophet,

They will come and sing on the height of Zion, and converge towards the goodness of Jehovah, towards wheat, and towards new wine, and towards oil, and towards the young 4 of the flock and of the herd; and their soul will become like a watered garden. I will water the weary soul, and every soul that sorrows [I will replenish]. Jeremiah 31:12, 25.

'Soul' stands for the life of faith present with a member of the Church, who is said to become like a garden because 'a garden' means intelligence, which consists of the truths of faith, 100, 108, 2702; and the soul is said to be watered because 'being watered' means receiving instruction.

[9] In the same prophet,

In peril of our souls we acquire our bread, because of the sword of the wilderness. Lamentations 5:9.

'Peril of souls' is the risk of loss of belief and therefore of spiritual life; for 'the sword of the wilderness' is falsity engaged in conflict against the truths of faith, 2799, 4499, 6353, 7102, 8294. In Ezekiel,

Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were your merchants; untie the souls of men (homo) and vessels of bronze, they traded for you. 5 Ezekiel 27:13.

'The souls of men' stands for the more internal truths of faith derived from good, 'vessels of bronze' for the more external truths of faith derived from good. 'Vessels' are the more external truths or factual knowledge containing truths, 3068, 3079, and 'bronze' is the good of the natural, 425, 1551. Without the knowledge that 'the souls of men' means faith no one could understand what is meant by trading 'with the souls of men and with vessels of bronze'.

[10] In the same prophet,

Every living soul that creeps, wherever the [two] rivers come to, will live; as a result the fish become very many, for these waters go there, and become fresh. Ezekiel 47:9.

This refers to the new temple, that is, to the new spiritual Church from the Lord. 'Living soul that creeps' stands for factual knowledge embodying the truths of faith; 'the fish' which as a result are many are known facts, 40, 991; and 'the rivers' stands for matters of intelligence, which consists of the truths of faith, 2702, 3051. Again no one could know without the internal sense what might be meant by the fish which become many as a result of the rivers going there. In David,

Make me safe, O God, for the waters have come even to my soul. Psalms 69:1.

And in Jonah,

The waters surrounded me, even to my soul. Jonah 2:5.

'Waters' here stands for falsities, and also for temptations caused by falsities that have been introduced, 705, 739, 756, 790, 8137, 8138, 8368.

[11] In Jeremiah,

Jehovah has said, Will not My soul be avenged on a nation which is like this? Jeremiah 5:9, 29.

In the same prophet, Take warning, 6 O Jerusalem, lest My soul turn from you, and I reduce you to a waste.

Since 'soul' is attributed to the Lord it stands for Divine Truth. In John,

The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of one dead, from which every living soul died in the sea. Revelation 16:3.

'The sea' stands for known facts in their entirety, 28; 'blood' stands for the truths of faith derived from good, and in the contrary sense for truths of faith that have been falsified and rendered profane, 4735, 6978, 7317, 7326. Therefore 'living soul' stands for life from faith.

[12] In Matthew,

Do not be anxious for your soul, what you are going to eat or what you are going to drink. Matthew 6:25.

'Soul' stands for the truths of faith, 'eating and drinking' for receiving instruction in the goodness and truth of faith; for the internal sense at this point refers to spiritual life and the nourishment of that life. In the same gospel,

Whoever wishes to find his soul will lose it, and whoever loses his soul for My sake will find it. Matthew 10:39.

'Soul' stands for the life of faith, such as believers possess, and in the contrary sense for the life that is not that of faith, such as unbelievers possess. In Luke,

In your patience possess your souls. Luke 21:19.

'Possessing their souls' stands for the things of faith and consequently of spiritual life. 'Soul' has a similar meaning in very many other places.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. literally, He shall not take, reading Non ... accipiet for Non ... accipies (You shall not take)

2. i.e. If you bring food out of store for the hungry

3. literally, break open the eyes with stibium. Stibium was a cosmetic used for blackening the eyelids and eyebrows, thereby making the eyes look brighter or more open.

4. literally, the sons

5. literally, they gave your trading

6. literally, Admit castigation

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