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Bereshit 37:31

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31 ויקחו את כתנת יוסף וישחטו שעיר עזים ויטבלו את הכתנת בדם׃

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Arcana Coelestia # 4677

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4677. And he made him a tunic 1 of various colors. That this signifies the appearances of truth thence, whereby the spiritual of the natural is known and distinguished, is evident from the signification of a “tunic,” as being the truth of the natural, of which hereafter; and from the signification of “various colors,” as being the appearance of truth by which the spiritual of the natural is known and distinguished. That these are signified by “various colors” cannot be known by anyone unless he knows that colors appear in the other life equally as in the world-colors which in beauty and variety far surpass those in this world-and unless he knows what is the source of these colors. The colors seen in the other life are from the variation of the light there, and are so to speak modifications of intelligence and wisdom; for the light which appears there is from the Divine truth that is from the Lord, or is the Divine spiritual from Him, or what is the same, is Divine intelligence and wisdom, which appears as light before the eyes of angels and spirits. Hence it is evident what is signified by the colors from that light, namely, qualities of truth, thus its appearances, and that they appear from the affections of good and truth. (Concerning the colors in the other life see n. 1042, 1043, 1053, 1624, 3993, 4530)

[2] That a “tunic” is the truth of the natural was said above (n. 3301), but as it was not there shown, I may now confirm it here from other passages in the Word. As the kings in the Jewish Church represented the Lord as to the Divine spiritual, or Divine truth (n. 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670), therefore their daughters were clothed in tunics of various colors, for by “daughters” were signified affections of good and truth, and therefore churches (see n. 2362, 3963); of whom we read in the second book of Samuel:

There was upon Tamar, David’s daughter, a tunic of various colors, for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins appareled (2 Samuel 13:16).

[3] And because the high priests represented the Lord as to the Divine celestial or Divine good, Aaron was clothed in garments that represented the Divine truth which is from the Divine good of the Lord; for Divine good is in the Lord, but Divine truth proceeds from Him, and is what was represented by these garments. So also when the Lord was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, the Divine good appeared as the sun, and the Divine truth was presented as raiment which appeared as the light (Matthew 17:2).

[4] The garments in which Aaron and his sons were clothed are thus described in Moses:

Thou shalt make for Aaron a tunic of fine linen, and a miter of fine linen, and thou shalt make a belt, the work of the embroiderer. And for Aaron’s sons thou shalt make tunics, and thou shalt make for them belts, and headtires shalt thou make for them, for glory and for adornment (Exodus 28:39-40).

Every particular here signified something pertaining to the Divine truth from the Divine good of the Lord, the “tunic of fine linen” specifically signifying the Divine spiritual. So also in another place:

Thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the tunic, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and shalt clothe him with the girdle of the ephod; afterwards thou shall cause his sons to approach, and put tunics upon them (Exodus 29:5, 8; 40:14).

What these particulars signify will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be shown when they come to be treated of. (That “garments” in general are truths, see n. 297, 1073, 2576, 4545.)

[5] The prophets also were clothed in tunics, but in tunics of hair; because by the prophets the Lord was represented as to truths of doctrine, and because these are of the natural or external man, the prophets had tunics of hair, for “hair” signifies what is natural (n. 3301).

[6] That a “tunic” signifies Divine truth from the Lord, is still more obvious from those passages in the New Testament in which “tunic” is mentioned, as in John:

The soldiers took His garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part, and also the tunic; now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore one to another, Let us not divide it, that the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith, They divided my vestments among them, and upon my tunic did they cast a lot (John 19:23-24);

one who reads these words supposes that they involve no greater mystery than that the vestments were divided among the soldiers, and that a lot was cast upon the tunic, and yet every particular was representative and significative of something Divine, as well that the vestments were divided into four parts, as that the tunic was not divided, but upon it was cast a lot, especially that the tunic was without seam and woven from the top throughout; for by the “tunic” was signified the Lord’s Divine truth, which as being one only and from good, was represented by the tunic being without seam and woven from the top throughout

[7] The like was signified by the “tunic of Aaron,” which was woven, or the work of the weaver, as is evident from Moses:

They made the tunics of fine linen, the work of the weaver, for Aaron and for his sons (Exodus 39:27).

There was also represented that the Lord did not suffer Divine truth to be rent into parts, as was done by the Jews with the lower truths of the church.

[8] Because Divine truth which is from Divine good is one only, the twelve disciples when sent to preach the gospel of the kingdom were commanded not to have two tunics; as in Luke:

Jesus sent the twelve disciples to preach the kingdom of God; and He said unto them, Take nothing for the way, neither staves, nor bag, nor bread, nor silver; neither have two tunics apiece (Luke 9:2-3);

and in Mark:

He commanded them that they should take nothing for the way save a staff only, no bag, no bread, no brass in their belt; but be clad with shoes; and put not on two tunics (Mark 6:8-9);

And in Matthew:

Possess neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your belts, nor bag for the way, nor two tunics, nor shoes, nor staves (Matthew 10:9-10).

[9] All the particulars herein are representative of the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord’s kingdom which the disciples were sent to preach. That they were not to take with them gold, silver, brass, bag, nor bread, was because these things signified goods and truths which are from the Lord alone—“gold” signifying good (n. 113, 1551, 1552); “silver,” truth therefrom (n. 1551, 2954); “brass,” natural good (n. 425, 1551); “bread,” the good of love or celestial good (n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3478, 3735, 4211, 4217). But the “tunic” and “shoe” signified the truths with which they were clothed, and the “staff” the power of truth from good. (That a “staff” is this power may be seen above, n. 4013, 4015; and that a “shoe” is the lowest natural, n. 1748, here as to truth.) A “tunic” is interior natural truth, and because these things ought not to be double, but single, it was forbidden to have two staves, two pairs of shoes, or two tunics. These arcana are within this command of the Lord, and cannot possibly be known except from the internal sense.

[10] All and each of the things the Lord said were representative of Divine things, consequently of the celestial and spiritual things of His kingdom, and thus were adapted to the apprehension of men, and at the same time to the understanding of spirits and angels; wherefore those things which the Lord said, filled and continue to fill the whole heaven. From this it is evident of what use and importance it is to know the internal sense of the Word. Moreover, without this sense anyone can confirm from the Word whatever dogma he pleases; and because such is the appearance of the Word to those who are in evil, they therefore deride it, and are ready to believe anything rather than that it is Divine.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. The “tunic” was the under garment.

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

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Arcana Coelestia # 3670

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3670. And He will give thee the blessing of Abraham. That this signifies the conjunction of the Divine Itself with the good and truth of the natural, is evident from the signification of a “blessing,” as being conjunction (n. 3660, 3667); and from the representation of Abraham, as being the Lord’s Divine Itself which is called the “Father” (concerning which see n. 2011, 3251, 3439). And inasmuch as these words are spoken to Jacob, by whom there would be represented the Lord’s Divine natural as to the Divine good and truth therein, therefore the conjunction of the Divine Itself with the good and truth of the natural is what is signified, in the internal sense, by “He will give thee the blessing of Abraham.” In the sense of the letter, it is the possession of the land of Canaan that is meant by the “blessing of Abraham,” and also by the words which follow: “to cause thee to inherit the land of thy sojournings, which God gave unto Abraham;” and according to this sense do all apprehend the words who believe that the historicals of the Word do not contain within them things more heavenly and secret: and especially so do the Jewish nation, who on the strength of these words claim for themselves privileges above every other nation and people. Their fathers understood the words in the same manner, and especially were they so understood by Jacob, whose quality is evident from what was said just above (n. 3667), in that he would not have known Jehovah, nor have been willing to acknowledge Him, unless He had given him corporeal and worldly blessings. But that neither Abraham, nor Isaac, nor Jacob was meant, and that by Jacob is represented the Lord as to the natural which He would make Divine, is abundantly manifest from the explications given above. That it is immaterial what is the quality of the man who represents, as to whether he is evil or good, and that evil men equally with good men can represent and have represented the Lord’s Divine, may be seen above (n. 665, 1097, 1361).

[2] The same may be seen from the representatives which exist even to this day; for all kings, whoever they may be, and of whatever quality, by the royalty itself that appertains to them represent the Lord; in like manner all priests, whoever and of whatever quality they may be, by the priestly office itself. The royal and the priestly office itself is holy, whatever be the quality of him who ministers therein; and this is the reason why the Word taught by an evil man is equally holy, and also the sacrament of baptism and the Holy Supper, and other such things. And from this it is also evident that no king can possibly claim for himself anything of the sanctity that belongs to his royalty; nor any priest anything of the sanctity that belongs to his priesthood. Insofar as either claims anything thereof to himself, or attributes it to himself, so far he brands himself with the character of a spiritual thief, or with the mark of spiritual theft; and also insofar as he does evil, that is, acts contrary to what is just and equitable, and contrary to what is good and true, so far a king puts off the representative of holy royalty, and a priest the representative of holy priesthood, and represents the opposite. For this reason in the representative Jewish Church there were so many laws enjoined concerning the holiness in which priests especially should be during their ministration-on which subject, of the Lord’s Divine mercy, more will be said in what follows.

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