8352. Saying, What shall we drink? That this signifies that they could not endure truths because they were undelightful by reason of no affection of them, is evident from the signification of “drinking,” as being to be instructed in truths and to receive them, and also to be affected with them, and consequently to appropriate them to oneself (see n. 3069, 3168, 3772, 4017, 4018); here, not to endure them, for the reason that they were undelightful on account of there being no affection of good, which is signified by “the waters being bitter,” according to what has been unfolded above (n. 8349). This temptation consists in the fact that they complain and grieve because the truths which had previously been delightful to them, and which thus had made their spiritual life or life of heaven, now seem undelightful to them, insomuch that they can scarcely endure them.

[2] The merely natural man would not believe that such a thing could cause any grief, for he thinks, “What is it to me whether truths are delightful or not? If they are undelightful let them be rejected.” But the spiritual man has very different sentiments. It is the delight of his life to be instructed in truths, and to be enlightened in such things as belong to his soul, thus to his spiritual life; and therefore when these fail, his spiritual life labors and suffers, and grief and anxiety ensue. The reason is that the affection of good is continually flowing in through the internal man from the Lord, and calling forth the accordant things in the external man which had previously caused the delight of the affection of truth; and when these things are assaulted by the evils of the love of self and of the world, which the man had also previously perceived as delightful, there arises a conflict of delights or of affections, from which springs anxiety, and from this grief and complaint.

[3] It shall be briefly told how the case is with the temptation that arises through a failing of truth. The nourishment of the spiritual life is good and truth, as the nourishment of the natural life is food and drink. If good fails, it is as if food fails; and if truth fails, it is as if drink fails. The consequent grief is circumstanced like the grief from hunger and thirst. This comparison is from correspondence, for food corresponds to good, and drink to truth; and as there is a correspondence, food and drink also nourish the body better and more suitably when a man at dinner or at breakfast is at the same time in the delight of conversation with others about such things as he loves, than when he sits at table alone without company. When a man is in this state, the vessels in him that receive the food are constricted; but when he is in the first mentioned state, they are open. Such things are effected by the correspondence of spiritual food and natural food. It is said “the delight of conversation with others about such things as he loves,” because everything of this kind has relation to good and truth; for there is nothing in the world which has not relation to both. What a man loves, has relation to the good with him; and what instructs him about good, and thus conjoins itself with it, has relation to the truth.

3069. That I may drink. That this signifies instruction in truth therefrom, is evident from the signification of “drinking,” as being to be instructed. In the Word throughout mention is made of “drinking;” and where the good and truth of faith are treated of, there “drinking” signifies being instructed in them and receiving them. As in Isaiah:

The new wine shall mourn, the vine languisheth, all the glad of heart shall sigh; they shall not drink wine with a song, strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it (Isaiah 24:7, 9);

“not drinking wine with a song,” denotes not being instructed from the affection of truth and not being delighted thereby; that “strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it,” denotes aversion. In the same:

It shall be as when a thirsty one dreameth, and behold he drinketh; but he awaketh, and behold he is weary, and his soul hath appetite (Isaiah 29:8);

a “thirsty one” denotes one who desires to be instructed; “drinking,” being instructed, but in things that are vain.

[2] In Jeremiah:

We have drunk our water for silver; our wood cometh for a price (Lam. 5:4);

“drinking waters for silver” denotes being instructed not without cost, and also attributing truth to one’s self. That it is given free of cost, and thus that it is not from one’s self, but from the Lord, is thus taught in Isaiah:

Ho everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy (Isaiah 55:1).

Also in John:

Jesus said, If anyone thirst, let him come unto Me and drink; whosoever believeth in Me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:37-38); where by “drinking” is signified being instructed, and receiving.

In Luke:

They shall say, We did eat and drink in Thy presence, and Thou didst teach in our streets; but the Lord says, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity (Luke 13:26-27); where “eating and drinking in the Lord’s presence,” denotes instructing and preaching the good and truth of faith from knowledges that are from the Word, which is meant by the words, “Thou didst teach in our streets.” But as they did this from themselves, for the sake of their own honor and gain, and thus from no affection of good and truth, and were thus in knowledges of truth but in a life of evil, it is said, “I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me all ye workers of iniquity.”

[3] In the same:

Jesus, speaking to the disciples, said, That ye may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom (Luke 22:30).

That they do not eat and drink in the kingdom of the Lord, and that there is no table there, is plain to everyone; so that by “eating and drinking at the Lord’s table in His kingdom,” something else is signified, namely, enjoying the perception of good and truth. So too with what the Lord says in Matthew:

I say unto you, that I will not drink henceforth of this product of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with you in My Father’s kingdom (Matthew 26:29); where “drinking” signifies instructing to the life concerning truths, and giving perception of good and truth. These words of the Lord:

Be not anxious for your life [anima], what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on (Matthew 6:25, 31; Luke 12:29);

are significative of spiritual things, namely, that the all of faith as to good and truth is given by the Lord.

In John:

Jesus said to the woman of Samaria, Everyone that drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up unto eternal life (John 4:7-14); where “drinking” manifestly denotes being instructed in good and truth, and receiving them.