9174. And when a man shall borrow from his companion. That this signifies truth and good from another stock, is evident from the signification of “borrowing,” as being to receive truth from some other source than one’s self, and thus truth from another stock. “Borrowing” has this signification because in the spiritual world there are no other goods that are asked from others, and given, than those which are of intelligence and wisdom. There are indeed many other things offered to view, nay, things innumerable, but they are appearances arising from those things which are of intelligence and wisdom. From this it is evident that “to borrow” denotes to be instructed by another, and thus to receive truths, or knowledges of truth and good, from some other source than one’s self. How this is shall be further explained. A man is said to receive truths from himself when he infers them from the truths he has with him. In this case he conjoins them with those he formerly possessed. But in doing this he admits only those truths which agree together under the same good; for it is good that disposes truths into series and connects them together. Good is like the soul in man, and truths are like those things with which the soul clothes itself, and by means of which it acts. It is well known that each and all things in man live from his soul; and so also do the truths of faith live from the good of love to the Lord and of love toward the neighbor. If this good is not the soul of a man, but the good of the love of self or the love of the world, then the man is not a man, but a wild beast, and in the other life in the light of heaven he also appears as a wild beast; though in his own light, which at the approach of the light of heaven becomes thick darkness, he appears as a man. It is, however, to be understood that the Lord disposes truths into order in accordance with the good of the man’s life.

[2] A man is said to receive truths from some other source, when he is instructed by another; and if these truths do not agree together under the good in which he is, they are indeed stored up in his memory among memory-knowledges; but they do not become his—that is, of his faith—because they are of another stock. These are the truths which are treated of in this verse and the following one.

[3] When “borrowing” and “lending” are mentioned in the Word, there is signified to be instructed and to instruct from the affection of charity; as in Matthew:

Give to everyone that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away (Matthew 5:42);

it is evident that “asking” here does not mean asking, for it is said, “Give to everyone that asketh”; and that neither by “borrowing” is meant borrowing; for if a person were to give to everyone that asketh, and also to everyone that would borrow, he would be stripped of all his goods. But as the Lord spoke from the Divine, by “asking,” and “wishing to borrow;” and by giving and receiving a loan, is meant the communication of heavenly goods, which are those of the knowledges of good and truth; for in regard to such a communication the fact is that the more an angel gives to another from the affection of charity, the more there flows in with him of the general good from heaven, that is, from the the Lord, (n. 6478). Thus by “giving to him that asketh,” an angel is not deprived of goods, but is enriched with them. The case is the same with a man, when he does good to another from the affection of charity; but charity consists in giving to the good, and it is not charity to give to the evil what they ask and desire (n. 8120); according to these words in David:

The wicked borroweth, and restoreth not; but the righteous showeth mercy and giveth (Psalms 37:21).

And in Luke:

If ye lend to them from whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? Rather love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hope for nothing again; then shall your reward be great, and ye shall be the sons of the Highest (Luke 6:34-35).

[4] Here also by “lending” is meant doing good from the affection of charity, and thus communicating the goods of heaven; and also the goods of the world, but the latter for the sake of the former as the end in view. The affection of charity consists in communicating goods without any recompense as the end in view; but there is no affection of charity in communicating goods for the sake of recompense as the end in view (n. 2373, 2400, 3816, 3956, 4943, 6388-6390, 6392, 6393, 6478, 8002). The affection of charity consists in loving one’s enemies, and in benefiting the evil; but enemies are loved and are benefited when they are instructed, and also when they are corrected by suitable means (n. 8121).

[5] The exercise of charity is also signified by “lending,” in Moses:

If thou shalt obey the voice of Jehovah, and shalt observe to do His commandments, thou shalt lend to many peoples, but thou shalt not borrow (Deuteronomy 28:1, (Deuteronomy 28:1) 12);

“to lend to many peoples” denotes to abound in the goods of intelligence and wisdom, and to communicate them to others out of this abundance; and not to be in need of the goods of others, because all things are given him by the Lord. So in David:

A good man who hath mercy and lendeth, will maintain his words in judgment; for he will never be moved (Psalms 112:5-6);

by “having mercy and lending” is described the state of those who are in genuine charity. In like manner, Psalm 37:21; and other passages.