Arcana Coelestia # 4189
4189. And now come, let us make a covenant, I and thou, and let it be for a witness between me and thee. That this signifies the conjunction of the Divine natural with the goods of works, in which are they who are aside, or the Gentiles, is evident from the signification of a “covenant,” as being conjunction (see n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021); from the representation here of Laban, who is “I,” as being the goods of works, as shown in what follows; and from the representation of Jacob, who here is “thou,” as being the Divine natural.
[2] That by “Laban” are here signified the goods of works in which are those who are aside, or the Gentiles, is for the reason that as Laban is now separated from Jacob (that is, mediate good from the good Divine of the natural), he can no longer represent mediate good; but as he had served for a means, he therefore represents some good, and indeed good that is aside, or collateral good. Before Laban had been thus conjoined with Jacob, he represented collateral good (see n. 3612, 3665, 3778), and accordingly good that is aside, the nature of which will be stated in what follows. It is similar with Laban as with Lot and Ishmael. So long as Lot was with Abraham, he represented the Lord as to the external sensuous man (n. 1428, 1434, 1547, 1597, 1598, 1698); but when he had been separated from Abraham, he represented those who are in external worship, but yet in charity (n. 2317, 2324, 2371, 2399), and also several states of the church successively (n. 2422, 2459).
[3] It was so with Ishmael: so long as he was with Abraham, he represented the Lord’s first rational (n. 1893, 1949-1951); but when he was afterwards separated, he represented those who are called the spiritual (n. 2078, 2691, 2699, 3263, 3268). Such also is the case with Laban. The reason is, that although a separation has been made, conjunction still remains, but not that which existed before. It is for this reason that Laban here and in what now follows represents the goods of works, such as are with those who are aside, that is, with the Gentiles. The Gentiles are said to be aside, or in collateral good, because they are outside of the church. Those within the church who are in truth and good are not in a collateral line, but in the direct line, for they have the Word, and through the Word they have direct communication with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord; but not so the Gentiles, for these have not the Word, and know not the Lord. For this reason they are said to be aside. Those Gentiles are meant who are in the goods of works, that is, who are in externals within which there is the good of charity. These are what are called the “goods of works,” but not “good works;” for good works may exist without having goods within, but not so the goods of works.
Matthew 8
1
When he came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
2
Behold, a leper came to him and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean."
3
Jesus stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, "I want to. Be made clean." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
4
Jesus said to him, "See that you tell nobody, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
5
When he came into Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking him,
6
and saying, "Lord, my servant lies in the house paralyzed, grievously tormented."
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Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."
8
The centurion answered, "Lord, I'm not worthy for you to come under my roof. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
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For I am also a man under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and tell another, 'Come,' and he comes; and tell my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
10
When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to those who followed, "Most certainly I tell you, I haven't found so great a faith, not even in Israel.
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I tell you that many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven,
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but the children of the Kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
13
Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way. Let it be done for you as you have believed." His servant was healed in that hour.
14
When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying sick with a fever.
15
He touched her hand, and the fever left her. She got up and served him.
16
When evening came, they brought to him many possessed with demons. He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick;
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that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He took our infirmities, and bore our diseases."
18
Now when Jesus saw great multitudes around him, he gave the order to depart to the other side.
19
A scribe came, and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
20
Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."
21
Another of his disciples said to him, "Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father."
22
But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."
23
When he got into a boat, his disciples followed him.
24
Behold, a violent storm came up on the sea, so much that the boat was covered with the waves, but he was asleep.
25
They came to him, and woke him up, saying, "Save us, Lord! We are dying!"
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He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then he got up, rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm.
27
The men marveled, saying, "What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"
28
When he came to the other side, into the country of the Gergesenes, two people possessed by demons met him there, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that nobody could pass that way.
29
Behold, they cried out, saying, "What do we have to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?"
30
Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding far away from them.
31
The demons begged him, saying, "If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of pigs."
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He said to them, "Go!" They came out, and went into the herd of pigs: and behold, the whole herd of pigs rushed down the cliff into the sea, and died in the water.
33
Those who fed them fled, and went away into the city, and told everything, including what happened to those who were possessed with demons.
34
Behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged that he would depart from their borders.
