Chapter 9.

Forgiving Sin

1. And stepping into a ship, He crossed over, and came into His own city.

2. And behold, they brought to Him one sick of the palsy cast down upon a bed; and Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the sick of the palsy, “Child, have confidence, thy sins have been forgiven thee.”

3. And behold, some of the scribes said within themselves, “This [man] blasphemes.”

4. And Jesus, seeing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think wickedness in your hearts?

5. For which is easier, to say, ‘[Thy] sins have been forgiven thee,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk?’

6. But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins” — then He says to the [one] sick of the palsy, “Arise, take up thy bed, and go to thy house.”

7. And arising, he went away to his house.

8. And the crowds seeing, marveled, and glorified God, who gives such authority to men.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the gradual revelation of Jesus’ divinity is a central theme in this gospel. At the same time, Matthew is also about our gradual realization of Jesus’ presence and power in our lives. The dawning of this awareness is represented by the orderly, sequential, revealing of His divinity, in episode after episode, first in the Sermon on the Mount, next in the healing of leprosy, paralysis, and fever, and then in the calming of the wind and waves. In all of this, Jesus has been gradually revealing His power in the natural world — speaking with authority, curing sickness, and calming the sea. After that, He demonstrates that His also has power in the spiritual world: He casts demons out of two demon-possessed men.

Now, in this next episode, Jesus performs a miracle that further reveals His power in the spiritual world. We read: “Behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed, and Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, ‘Son, be of good cheer: your sins are forgiven you’” (9:2).

Here, for the first time, Jesus reveals something of His Divine Fatherhood, for He addresses the paralytic as “son.” He also reveals that He has the Divine ability to forgive sins, for He adds “Your sins are forgiven.” To the religious leaders who overhear Him, this constitutes blasphemy. According to their understanding, only God can forgive sins. It is inconceivable to them that a mere man could have this ability. Therefore, they accuse Jesus, saying within themselves, This man blasphemes (9:3).

Jesus knows that they are intimidated by His growing influence. And He knows that that they consider Him a threat to their authority. Knowing all of this, Jesus says to them, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?” (9:5).

It is an important question. After all, it’s easy to say, “Arise and walk,” but forgiving sins is another matter. Arising and walking is physical; forgiveness — whether given or received — is spiritual. It’s easier for an exasperated parent to say to a reluctant child, “Get up and get going,” but it takes greater effort to first understand the deeper causes that lay behind the child’s unwillingness to obey. Understanding is always the more difficult part. Forgiveness is even harder.

While it takes much more awareness, sensitivity, and effort to pay attention to causes, it is, nevertheless, the most effective way to deal with symptoms. Similarly, if we are to get over our spiritual paralysis — whether it be the inability to follow through with necessary tasks, or resistance to letting go of a grievance — we must begin at the level of causes. What are the spiritual causes that prevent us from doing our best? What are the spiritual causes that prevent us from letting go of resentments? These are the kinds of questions we ask ourselves on the journey of spiritual development — a journey that begins with the recognition and acknowledgement of some sin in ourselves and leads on to the forgiveness of sin.

In order to understand the difficulty involved in forgiving sin, we need to understand what is entailed. If we believe that it is a simple prayer such as, “Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned,” we are much mistaken, for it involves much more. It’s not that easy. While the Lord’s forgiveness is always available to us, we need to examine ourselves and be very specific about the sin we have committed. This is the first step. Once we have identified it, we must acknowledge it, take responsibility for it, confess it to the Lord, and beg for the power to no longer commit that sin. Next, we must start a new life, believing that the Lord not only has the power to remove sinful desires, but also give us the power to start a new life, as if from ourselves. It will be a new life in accordance with the divine truth. ¹

As we continue to live according to divine truth, we discover that the truth indeed drives away sin, and sends it to the outermost reaches of our consciousness even as Jesus (in the previous episode) sent the demons out of the men, into the swine, and then into the depths of the sea. Similarly, in this episode, He says, “the Son of Man [divine truth] has power on earth to forgive sins” (9:6).

The secret within this miracle is that the Lord’s goodness and power works through the truth we strive to put into our lives. Truth alone, apart from the Lord’s goodness and power, cannot help us. But it can serve as a sacred vessel into which God’s goodness and power can flow. The more accurate the truth, the more fully it receives and makes use of the love and power which flows in from God. It is similar to the way our bodies receive and make use of the food we choose to eat: the more nutritious the food, the more energy and power is made available for our use. ²

All of this is contained in Jesus’ claim “the Son of Man [divine truth] has power on earth to forgive sins” (9:6). In Greek, the term “forgive” is ἀφίημι (aphiémi) which means to “release” or “send away.” The word “remittance” is perhaps the closest term, for it literally means “to send back. So, the phrase “the forgiveness of sins” means, quite literally, to send sins back to the hells from which they come. This, then, is the more interior meaning of the phrase “the forgiveness of sins.” In other words, when sins are forgiven, they are remitted, sent back, and removed. This “removal of sins” is a matter of having them removed from our consciousness and sent to the back of our mind — not obliterating them from our life. ³

After declaring that the Son of Man has the power to forgive sins, Jesus turns to the paralytic and says, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house” (9:6) Amazingly, the paralytic arises and departs to his house, his sins forgiven, and his ability to walk restored. It is noteworthy that Jesus first takes care of the paralytic’s spiritual needs (forgiving his sins) before meeting his natural needs (restoring his ability to walk). When we are physically sick or disabled, it’s easy to acknowledge that something is wrong, and easy to identify causes — we caught a cold, we sprained an ankle, etc.

But spiritual infirmities are more difficult because the deeper causes are harder to identify, and the healing process is less evident. When people are physically sick or physically injured, they seldom want to remain in that state; they want to get well. However, when people are spiritually sick or spiritually injured, they are not always eager to change their state; they may not want to give up their destructive habits or let go of gnawing resentments. They sometimes prefer to cling to these states of spiritual paralysis saying things like, “Leave me alone.”

That’s why forgiving sin — healing from the inside out — is, up to this point in the gospel narrative, Jesus’ greatest miracle. First He healed a soul; then He healed a body. In forgiving sin, Jesus enabled a paralyzed man to arise and walk.

The multitudes were amazed. When they saw what happened, “they marveled and glorified God” (9:8). The religious leaders, on the other hand, had a very different response. Hardly noticing that a paralyzed man had just been healed, they focused instead on what they considered blasphemy: Jesus had arrogated to Himself the right to forgive sins — something that only God can do. In so doing, Jesus had made Himself equal to God.

The multitudes did not see it that way. Not only did they marvel at what Jesus had done, but they also “glorified God, who had given such power to men” (9:8). This verse makes it clear that the multitudes still see Jesus as a man — but a very special man who has been given extraordinary power, including the God-like power to forgive sins.

New Wine

9. And Jesus, passing by thence, saw a man sitting at the receipt of tribute, called Matthew; and He says to him, “Follow Me”; and standing up, he followed Him.

10. And it came to pass, as He sat in the house, that behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat with Jesus and His disciples.

11. And when the Pharisees saw, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with publicans and sinners?”

12. But Jesus hearing said to them, “They that have strength have no need of a physician, but they that have an illness do.

13. But go ye [and] learn what [it] means, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; for I have not come to call the just, but sinners, to repentance.”

14. Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Thy disciples fast not?”

15. And Jesus said to them, “Can the sons of the bride-chamber mourn so long as the Bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast.

16. And no one patches an old garment [with] a patch of unshrunk fabric; for that which fills in takes from the garment, and the rip becomes worse.

17. Neither do they pour young wine into old bottles, otherwise the bottles are torn, and the wine is spills out, and the bottles perish; but they pour young wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.”

When Jesus was born, the angel said to Joseph, “You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (1:20-21). Divine love, in its essence, desires the salvation of every person. ⁴ This is a general, easily understood concept. More specifically, however, the gospels declare that God came into the world as Jesus Christ to save people from their sins, to redeem them, and to free them from bondage to selfish concerns. In the Sermon on the Mount, in the healing of the sick, in the calming of the storm, and in the casting out of demons, Jesus manifests this essential love, but does not fully reveal it. Now, however, in casting out demons and forgiving sin, Jesus makes His divine purpose more clearly known: He comes to forgive His people — “to save them from their sins” — and thereby set them free. As we have just seen, forgiveness is the removal of sin — something that can only be done through Divine Power with human cooperation.

It is important, therefore, to know how God accomplishes this. First, He gives us the divine truth (the Sermon on the Mount). He teaches us truths by which we might lead our lives in order to be saved. Second, because we cannot do this by ourselves, He gives us the power to live according to that truth. In this way, and in no other, can our sins be removed from us, and thereby forgiven. ⁵

This approach to the forgiveness of sin was, at the time, an entirely new concept. Prior to this, it was believed that sins could only be forgiven through the sacrifice of innocent animals. Once a year, the “sins of the people” were ceremoniously placed upon a goat who was driven off into the wilderness. It was believed that the expulsion of this “scapegoat” could somehow “take away” the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:21-23). Meanwhile, sinners (including tax collectors) were to be scrupulously avoided; socializing with them was unthinkable.

Enter Jesus. Immediately after forgiving and healing the paralyzed man, Jesus reaches out to Matthew, a despised tax collector, and says, “Follow Me” (9:9). Jesus then sits down to eat with many other tax collectors and sinners. The religious leaders, who are shocked by Jesus’ behavior, confront the disciples and ask them why their teacher sits with tax collectors and sinners (9:11). According to their standards, religion is not for sinners; rather, it is for the respectable, well-educated, upper class — those whom God has blessed with wealth and privilege; it is for those who consider themselves above the taint of sin.

But Jesus came to turn all of that upside down. He came to show that religion is for everyone, the rich and the poor, the educated and the uneducated, rulers and servants. No longer would religion be seen as a means for enhancing one’s glory and obtaining power in the world. Rather, it would serve to free people from sin so that they might experience the kingdom of heaven — a kingdom that is not “on high,” but rather around them and within them. ⁶

In other words, Jesus came to revive and resuscitate the religion of the day — a religion that had fallen into the death-grip of misguided and self-absorbed people. Because these religious leaders had false ideas of what real religion is, or even who God is, the people were led astray, and were living in hellish bondage. Well-intentioned, but misled followers spent their lives trying to uphold the rigorous traditions of the religious establishment, even while God’s own commandments were being neglected.

Meanwhile, as genuine religion suffered and was becoming extinct, spiritual ills of various kinds infested the people. When Jesus declares that He has come to heal the spiritual sicknesses that have been destroying the soul of His people, the religious leaders are outraged. They are especially shocked that Jesus flagrantly violates the taboo which strictly forbids socializing with sinners. Jesus, however, sees things quite differently. He knows that He has come, especially for sinners — not for those who consider themselves well. As He puts it, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” (9:12).

In no uncertain terms, Jesus tells the religious leaders that they should be focusing more on the essentials of religion, and less on external ceremonies. Quoting the prophet Hosea, He says to them: “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice’” (9:13). Jesus wants the religious leaders to understand that their real work is not about sacrificing lambs, burning doves, or sprinkling people with the blood of bulls. Nor is it about long fasts and ostentatious shows of suffering. Rather, it is about teaching truth and encouraging people to lead good lives. This includes helping people recognize that we are all sinners called to help and support one another in the process of spiritual development. As Jesus says, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (9:13).

True religion, however, is not only about recognizing and seeking deliverance from our sinful ways; it is also about feasting and rejoicing because the Lord is present. Jesus demonstrates this by sitting down with His disciples, with publicans, and with sinners to dine with them. Religion, for Jesus, certainly involves serious repentance. But the goal is a joyful, delightful life, filled with God’s presence — for He lives among His people as a bridegroom with his friends. When asked why His disciples do not fast, Jesus says, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?” (9:15).

These are some of the new ideas that Jesus was bringing to the world. They were new garments and new wine — garments that cannot be sewn onto old clothes, and wine that cannot be poured into old wineskins (9:16-17). To those who continued to believe that God is only pleased with the old garments of worn-out traditions and the old wineskins of rigid teachings, the living religion of Jesus Christ was a startling — even shocking — reality.

In order to properly receive the new truths that Jesus came to reveal, people would have to be flexible and yielding. They would have to root out old attitudes and stretch beyond rigid beliefs. Otherwise, these new truths could not be contained in old wineskins; like new wine, these new truths would continue to ferment and expand, eventually bursting through the old, dried-out wineskins. Therefore, “new wineskins” would be needed, new ways of responding to the needs of others, and a new understanding of how to treat people.

The “new wine” that Jesus came to reveal would not be about rigid conformity to external laws, or the strict observance of empty rituals. Rather, it would be about a new, more interior life of faith and love, indeed guided by the commandments, but understood with new eyes, and practiced with new hearts. A religion of external ritual would be replaced by a religion of inner cleansing. This new religion would bring new life to a world on the brink of spiritual death. But before this could happen, false ideas (old cloth and old wineskins) would have to be removed. Only then would the words of the prophet be fulfilled, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).

The Restoration of Spiritual Life

18. While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler coming worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter is now dead; but come, lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.”

19. And Jesus arising followed him, and His disciples.

20. And behold, a woman who was diseased with an issue of blood for twelve years, having come [from] behind [Him], touched the hem of His garment;

21. For she said in herself, “If I may only touch His garment, I shall be healed.”

22. And Jesus turning and seeing her, said, “Have confidence, daughter, thy faith has saved thee”; and the woman was healed from that hour.

23. And Jesus coming into the house of the ruler, and seeing the flute players, and the crowd making an uproar,

24. Says to them, “Depart; for the damsel is not dead, but sleeps”; and they laughed at Him.

25. But when the crowd was cast out, entering in He [took] hold of her hand, and the damsel arose.

26. And this fame went out into that whole land.

27. And Jesus passing by thence, two blind [men] followed Him, crying and saying, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.”

28. And when He had come to the house, the blind [men] came to Him, and Jesus says to them,” Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They say to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

29. Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it unto you.”

30. And their eyes were opened, and Jesus admonished them, saying, “See [that] you let no one know.”

31. But going out they spread His fame in that whole land.

32. And as they came out, behold, they brought to Him a man mute, demon-possessed.

33. And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke, and the crowds marveled, saying that it never so appeared in Israel.

34. But the Pharisees said, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out the demons.”

Reviving affections

This episode begins with Jesus being asked to perform a miracle that will surpass all preceding miracles. He is asked to restore a dead girl to life! Along the way, He is approached by a woman who has had “an issue of blood for twelve years” (9:20). Believing that she could be healed by simply touching the outer hem of Jesus’ robe, she approaches Jesus from behind and touches “the hem of His garment” (9:21). As soon as she does this, Jesus turns around, sees her, and says, “Daughter, thy faith has saved thee” and the woman is healed in that very moment (9:22).

It should be remembered that this healing occurs while Jesus is on His way to revive a young girl who, reportedly, is dead. He has been asked to bring the young girl back to life. How might this seeming interruption be connected to what goes before and what follows?

The connection is not readily apparent in the literal sense, but a more interior understanding of the spiritual sense provides some helpful clues.

An important clue can be found in understanding the spiritual significance of the phrase “hem of His garment.” In the Word, “garments” represent truths. Just as clothing protects our naked bodies from exposure to various weather conditions, truth protects us from exposure to false beliefs that would hurt our innocence. Inner garments, then, represent the more interior truths of the Word, and outer garments represent the more external, literal truths of the Word. So, the woman who touched the hem of the Lord’s outer garment, represents a sincere belief that the Lord can communicate healing power to us through the most literal truths of His Word — the very “hem of His garment.” And because these truths are connected to the Lord, they contain the power to heal our spiritual infirmities. ⁷

But this woman had to do something. She had to act on her belief that the Lord could heal her. And so, she did. She approached Him and touched the hem of His garment. It is similar in each of our lives. We must act; we must take the first step. We must demonstrate our faith by acting on our beliefs — even if it as simple as reading the Word, trusting that the healing power of the Lord can flow through the literal words of sacred scripture. ⁸ And whenever we do this, with love and faith in our hearts, something wonderful happens within us: we experience an inner healing. The gradual draining away of spiritual life that we have been experiencing (“issue of blood”) is stopped, and we begin to receive new life. A new will is being born in us. ⁹

Having healed the woman who suffered from an issue of blood, Jesus continues His journey. When He arrives at the house of the dead girl, Jesus is confronted with a roomful of mourners bewailing the death of the young girl. Jesus had recently spoken about true religion as a joyful experience — not just a lifeless procession of solemn rituals, sacrifices, and external observances — which He compared to old cloths, and old wineskins (see 9:15-17). Comparing true religion to a wedding celebration, Jesus spoke about religious life as the union of God with His people — like a bridegroom with friends, celebrating a wedding By contrast, the house of mourning that He entered, in this next episode, is filled with wailing and lamentation. It is certainly not a place of joy.

The disparity between the joy of true religion and the funeral scene is striking. True religion is about life, not death; more interiorly, it is about being raised above spiritual death and into higher levels of spiritual life. Whether it as gradual loss of spiritual life (the woman who had been losing blood), or a total loss of spiritual life (the dead girl), God comes to heal us and restore us to full life. The healing of the dead girl, then, is an opportunity to teach this important truth. It also serves as a symbolic representation of the dying religious system He came to revive.

It is noteworthy that Jesus begins by scattering the mourners. “Make room,” He says, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping” (9:24). Certain that the girl is dead, “they laugh Him to scorn” (9:24). Nevertheless, Jesus puts the crowd outside, takes her by the hand, and, miraculously, raises the girl to life. In our own lives, “the mourners” must be driven away — they must be chased out of our inner rooms before the Lord can enter. The fears, anxieties, resentments, and discouragements — whatever has been keeping us in a state of spiritual death — must be driven away in order to make room for the Lord.

There are times when we don’t feel like making room for the Lord. There are times when we do not feel like casting out the negative thoughts and discouraging feelings. And yet, whatever we might be feeling at the moment, and however discouraged we might be, it is never too late to find meaning and purpose in life. Even when our hopes and dreams have been lulled to sleep, they are not dead. Therefore, Jesus says to the mournful spirits that surround our deathbed, “Depart, for the girl is not dead but is sleeping” (9:24).

The raising of the girl who seemed to be dead speaks of a re-awakening of our true affections — those affections that are willing to receive and love God. The good news is that although these affections in us are often asleep, they are never dead. All we need to do is drive away the negative thoughts and feelings. It begins by believing in the Lord’s power to heal (symbolized by the woman with the issue of blood). Once the issue of blood (our gradual loss of spiritual vitality) is stopped, we can be raised up to higher levels of spiritual life (symbolized by the raising of the dead girl).

Opening our eyes

In the miracle of the seemingly dead girl being brought back to life, we see a symbolic representation of how God often awakens us from our unmotivated states of “spiritual death” so that we may live a vibrant, motivated, truly spiritual life. But in order to understand how this miracle is connected to the one which follows, we need to introduce another law of scriptural interpretation. In sacred scripture the feminine gender usually represents the affectionate, loving side of human nature, while the masculine gender tends to represent the intellectual, thinking side. ¹⁰

So the next miracle, the healing of two blind men, speaks about how God heals the other side of our nature — the intellectual, thinking side. This is the side that can see the truth when it is presented. Everyday expressions such as, “Now I see what you mean” and “None are so blind as those who will not see,” remind us that there is a deep symbolic connection between physical sight and spiritual sight. It is this healing of our spiritual sight — our understanding — that is described in the next miracle.

It occurs just as Jesus is leaving the home of the girl whom He has awakened from what seemed like death. He has just healed two women. Now, as He continues His journey, two blind men follow Him, crying out, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” (9:27). In the preceding miracles we saw the healing of our affections. Although they seemed to be gradually dying or even “dead,” they could be revived. In this miracle we see the healing of our understanding, represented in Jesus’ giving sight to the blind men. As He opens their physical eyes with the touch of His hand, He opens our spiritual eyes, giving us the power to understand spiritual truth. “And their eyes were opened” (9:29). He sternly warns them, however, to tell no one about it. “See that no one knows it,” He says (9:30). ¹¹

Healing our muteness

The next healing in this series of miracles involves a man who is both mute and demon possessed. It is clear that the demon-possession is connected with the man’s muteness, for we read that “when the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke” (9:33). Throughout the scriptures, the children of Israel are exhorted to rejoice and sing praises to God, especially in celebration of the new life God brings to humanity. “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! . . . Shout joyfully to the Lord; break forth in song, rejoice, sing praises” (Psalm 98:1, 4); “Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands” (Psalm 100:1); “Praise the Lord, for it is good to sing praises to our God” (Psalm 147:1); and the very last line of the Psalms is, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6).

This is the goal of God’s salvation work; it is to bring us into that wonderful state of happiness and contentment in which our heart and mind are filled with gratitude — gratitude for being freed from our sins, gratitude for the abundant blessings that surround us, and gratitude for the new life we have received. In this state of gratitude we cannot contain the spontaneous praise that springs forth from our lips: “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise” (Psalm 51:15).

Rejoicing, praise, and gratitude then, is an essential component of religion — especially a religion that is about life, not death. In the Sermon on the Mount, when Jesus listed the many blessings we could receive, the final blessing involved the expression of joy and gratitude: “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad,” He said (5:12). In casting out the demon of muteness, Jesus allows this man to express his inner joy, to rejoice, and to be glad.

This is the joy that God intends for each of us.

These sequence of healing stories summarize how God brings us into this state of exultant joy. First, He stops the loss of spiritual life through our initial efforts to read His word (the woman who touched the hem of His garment); then He rekindles our affections (raising the apparently dead girl); then He opens our understanding (the two blind men); and, finally, He gives us the ability to express the inner joy that we feel for all of this, in words of praise, and in expressions of gratitude (the healing of the mute man).

Differing responses

The multitudes receive these divine works with amazement. They marvel, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel” (9:33). Instinctively, they know that this is something breathtakingly different. But the religious leaders have a different response. They say: “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons” (9:34). These dramatically different responses represent the decision that is set before each of us in this gospel. Do we respond with awe and gratitude to the wonderful ways God heals our affections, enlightens our understanding and enables us to offer praise? Or do we respond with doubt and disbelief, saying, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons”?

For some, the whole idea that Jesus can work miracles seems preposterous. Admittedly, it often seems that we can revive ourselves, understand spiritual truth, and express gratitude without supernatural aid. The appearance is that we can do all of this on our own. But the reality is quite different: God alone gives us the power to do all these things. The more we align ourselves with that power, through learning truth and applying it to our lives, the more power we receive. All the while, wonderful changes are happening within our souls. Amazing miracles are taking place as God quietly stops the loss of spiritual vigor, restores our affections, gives us the ability to understand spiritual truth, and opens our lips so that we might praise His name and live in gratitude. ¹²

A practical application

There are times when a relationship in our life might seem to be dying or is already dead. Perhaps a misunderstanding has not been resolved, and because of this a stoney silence has dragged on for several hours or even many days. This is the time to believe in the power of the Word (to touch the hem of His garment), to pray for an awakening of our original affection (a dead girl is raised), and to seek a new understanding of the situation (blind men see). If we do this, our lips will be opened so that we might speak the kind and loving words we were not willing to say. We might even be given the power to ask for forgiveness (a mute man speaks).

This series of miracles speaks to a new possibility in each of us: we can speak out of a new understanding, using words that come from love.

Jesus is Moved with Compassion

35. And Jesus went around all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every malady in the people.

36. And seeing the crowds, He was moved with compassion concerning them, because they were faint and thrown down, as sheep not having a shepherd.

37. Then He says to His disciples, “The harvest [is] indeed much, but the workers [are] few.

38. Entreat ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, so that He will send out workers into His harvest.”

As Jesus gradually reveals His Divine identity, people begin either to accept or reject Him. The multitudes marvel, recognizing that there has never been anything like this in Israel. At the same time, the religious leaders — seeing that their authority and influence are threatened — are provoked to anger. They insist that Jesus casts out demons through invoking the power of Satan himself.

The believing multitudes and the disbelieving religious establishment represent opposing attitudes in every human being. This is how God keeps us in spiritual equilibrium — free to accept or reject Him at any given moment. In other words, the faithful multitudes and the incredulous religious leaders are in each of us; at any given moment we are simultaneously in the presence of heavenly and hellish influences from the spiritual world. Every step we take in acknowledging God (through a life according to His commandments) is met by an equal and opposite sphere of influence from hell that endeavors to attack our growing faith in Him. ¹³

In the context of this episode, then, “the multitudes” represent the innocent thoughts and tender affections in each of us that sense something of Jesus’ divinity. often, however, these multitudes of thoughts and affections are a disorderly mass of scattered feelings, intuitions about what is good, hunches about truth, and inclinations to be useful. Although good, true, and useful, these thoughts and affections are compared to weak and scattered sheep with no shepherd to lead them. As long as they remain disorganized and scattered, they will be easy prey for wolves who are eager to devour them. Therefore, we read that when Jesus sees the multitudes, He is “moved with compassion for them,” because they are weary and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd (9:36).

Jesus, therefore, calls together His disciples so that they may begin their ministry. It’s time to plant seeds (of goodness and truth) and reap the harvest (of love and wisdom): “The harvest truly is plentiful,” says Jesus, “but the laborers are few” (9:37). And He concludes with an exhortation to prayer: “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (9:38).

In terms of our spiritual development, it’s time to get serious. We need to be organized, deliberate, and well-focused as we go about getting our spiritual lives in order. There is important work to be done, vital uses to be performed, and people in need of both physical and spiritual healing. The Lord is calling us into His vineyard and giving us an assignment — a personal assignment, uniquely designed for each of us.

It’s harvest time. It’s time to heed the words that Jesus says to Matthew, “Follow Me” (9:9). It’s time to become an apostle.

Poznámky pod čarou:

357. That "a bow" signifies doctrine combating, or doctrine by which one fights against evils and falsities, and that "arrows," "javelins," and "darts," signify the truths of doctrine which fight, can be seen from the following passages. In Zechariah:

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations. Return to the stronghold, ye bound ones of hope; and I will bend Judah for Me, and with a bow I will fill Ephraim, and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, for Jehovah shall be seen over them, and His arrow shall go forth as lightning; and the Lord Jehovih shall blow with a trumpet, and He shall go in the storms of the south (Zechariah 9:10, 12-14).

This treats of the vastation of the Jewish Church and the establishment of a church among the Gentiles. The vastation of the Jewish Church is described by "I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war shall be cut off," which signifies that there would be no longer any truth in the doctrine nor any understanding of truth, and thus no combat or resistance against falsity, "chariot" signifying the doctrine of truth, "horse" the understanding of truth, "the bow of war" combat from doctrine against falsity; it is said "the bow of war" because doctrine combating is meant. "Ephraim" signifies the church in relation to the understanding of truth, and "Jerusalem" in relation to doctrine. The establishment of the church among the Gentiles is described by these words, "but he shall speak peace to the nations; return to the stronghold, ye bound ones of hope; and I will bend Judah for me, and with the bow I will fill Ephraim, and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion," which signifies that the church is to be established among those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and in truths therefrom, "peace" signifying that good, "Judah" those who are in that good, and "Ephraim" those who are in the understanding of truth from it; it is therefore said of Ephraim, "with the bow He will fill him," that is, with the doctrine of truth. Their illustration in truths is described by these words, "His arrow shall go forth as lightning; and the Lord Jehovih shall blow with the trumpet, and He shall go in the storms of the south;" the "arrow that shall go forth as lightning" signifies truth illustrated, thus truth from the good of love; "He shall blow with the trumpet" signifies the clear perception of good; and "the storms of the south" signify the clear understanding of truth, "the south" meaning the light of truth. This treats of the Lord, thus that these things are from the Lord.

[2] In Moses:

The son of a fruitful one is Joseph, the son of a fruitful one by the fountain; the daughters (she walketh upon the wall), they shall embitter him, and shall shoot; and the archers shall hate him; and he shall sit in the firmness of his bow, and the arms of his hands shall be strengthened by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob; thence is he the shepherd, the stone of Israel (Genesis 49:22-24).

"Joseph," in the highest sense, signifies the Lord in relation to the spiritual kingdom. There are two kingdoms of heaven: one called the celestial kingdom, and the other the spiritual kingdom; the celestial kingdom is described in the prophecy respecting Judah, and the spiritual kingdom in this respecting Joseph. Those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom are in the good of love to Him, which is called celestial good; and those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom are in the good of love to the neighbor, and thence in truths; and it is because all truths proceed from the Lord through the spiritual kingdom that Joseph is called "the son of a fruitful one, the son of a fruitful one by the fountain," "a fruitful one" signifies spiritual good, which is the good of charity, "son" signifies truth from that good, and "a fountain" signifies the Word; combat against evils and falsities is described by "the daughters shall embitter him, and shoot, and the archers shall hate him," "daughters" signifying those who are in evils and who wish by falsities to destroy goods; those who assault by evils are signified by "they shall shoot," and those who assault by the falsities of evil by "the archers" who shall hate him. The Lord's victory over them is described by these words, "and he shall sit in the firmness of his bow, and the arms of his hands shall be strengthened by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob; thence is he the shepherd, the stone of Israel;" "to sit in the firmness of the bow" signifies to be in the doctrine of genuine truth, and "the arms of his hands shall be strengthened by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob" signifies the power they have from the Lord, "the arms of the hands" meaning power, and "the Mighty One of Jacob" the Lord, who is also called "the shepherd, the stone of Israel," from the doctrine of charity and thence of faith which is from Him. (That "Joseph" in the highest sense signifies the Lord in relation to the Divine spiritual, and in the internal sense His spiritual kingdom, see Arcana Coelestia 3969, 3971, 4669, 6417; and what else he signifies, n. 4286, 4592, 4963, 5086, 5087, 5106, 5249, 5307, 5869, 5877, 6224, 6526)

[3] In the second book of Samuel:

David lamented over Saul and over Jonathan his son, and wrote, To teach the sons of Judah the bow (2 Samuel 1:17-18).

That lamentation treats of the combat of truth from good against the falsity from evil; for "Saul" as a king here signifies truth from good, for such truth is meant by "king" in the Word (See above, n. 31); and "Jonathan," as the son of a king, signifies the truth of doctrine; therefore he wrote the lamentation, "To teach the sons of Judah the bow," which signifies to teach them the doctrine of truth that is from good. The combat of that truth against falsities and evils is described in that lamentation by these words:

Without the blood of the slain, without the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan returned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty (2 Samuel 1:22).

"The blood of the slain" signifies the falsities conquered and dispersed; "the fat of the mighty" signifies evils conquered and dispersed. That these are conquered and dispersed by the doctrine of truth that is from good is signified by "the bow of Jonathan returned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty," "the bow of Jonathan" meaning doctrine, and "the sword of Saul" truth from good.

[4] In David:

God teacheth my hands war and placeth a bow of brass in mine arms (Psalms 18:34).

"War" here signifies war in a spiritual sense, which is war against evils and falsities; this is the war that God teaches; and "the bow of brass" signifies the doctrine of charity; God places this in the arms, that is, makes it to prevail.

[5] In Isaiah:

Who hath stirred up one from the sunrise, whom He hath called in righteousness to follow Him, hath given the nations before him, and made him to have dominion over kings, hath given them as the dust to his sword, and as stubble driven by his bow? (Isaiah 41:2).

This is said of the Lord and of His dominion over evils and falsities; the "nations that He gave before him," signify evils; and the "kings over whom He made him to have dominion," signify falsities; that He disperses evils and falsities as if they were nothing, by His Divine truth and by the doctrine therefrom, is signified by "He gave them as dust to his sword, and as stubble driven by his bow," "his sword" meaning the Divine truth, and "his bow," doctrine. That evils and falsities are dispersed as if they were nothing, is signified by "as dust," and "as driven stubble." It is said that evils and falsities are thus dispersed, but it is meant that those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom are thus dispersed in the other life.

[6] In Zechariah:

Jehovah [of Hosts] shall visit His flock, the house of Judah, and shall set them as the horse of His majesty in war. Out of him shall be the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the bow of war (Zechariah 10:3-4).

This may be seen explained in the preceding article which treats of the signification of "the horse;" "the bow of war" signifying truth combating from doctrine.

[7] In Habakkuk:

Was Jehovah displeased with the rivers? was Thine anger against the rivers? was Thy fury against the sea, that Thou dost ride upon Thine horses, Thy chariots are salvation? With bareness shall Thy bow be made bare (Habakkuk 3:8, 9).

This, too, was explained in the preceding article; "Thy bow shall be made bare" signifying that the doctrine of truth shall be laid open.

[8] In Isaiah:

Before the swords shall they flee away, before the drawn sword, and before the bended bow; and for the grievousness of the war all the glory of Kedar shall be consumed, and the remnant of the number of the bow of the mighty of the sons of Kedar shall be few (Isaiah 21:15-17).

This treats in the spiritual sense of the knowledges of good as about to perish, and that few will remain; "Kedar," that is, Arabia, signifies those who are in the knowledges of good, and in an abstract sense such knowledges themselves. That the knowledges of truth are to perish through falsities and the doctrine of falsity, is signified by, "Before the swords shall they flee away, before the drawn sword, and before the bended bow," "sword" meaning falsity combating and destroying, and "bow," the doctrine of falsity. That the knowledges of good are to perish is signified by these words, "for the grievousness of the war all the glory of Kedar shall be consumed," "the grievousness of war" meaning assault, and "all the glory of Kedar shall be consumed" meaning vastation. And that few knowledges are to remain is described by "the remnant of the number of the bow of the mighty of the sons of Kedar shall be few," "the bow of the mighty" meaning the doctrine of truth from the knowledges that prevail against falsities.

[9] In the same:

He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; He hath made me a polished arrow; in His quiver hath He hid me (Isaiah 49:2).

This also treats of the Lord; and "sharp sword" signifies the truth dispersing falsity; "the polished arrow" truth dispersing evil; and "quiver" the Word: this makes clear what is signified by "He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword," and "He hath made me a polished arrow, and in His quiver hath He hid me," namely, that in the Lord and from Him is the Divine truth, by means of which falsities and evils are dispersed, and that in Him and from Him is the Word, where and whence these truths are.

[10] In David:

Lo, sons are an heritage of Jehovah; the fruit of the belly is His reward. As arrows in the hands of a mighty one, so are the sons of youth. Happy is the man that hath filled his quiver with them; they shall not be ashamed when they speak with the enemies in the gate (Psalms 127:3-5).

"Sons that are an heritage of Jehovah," signify truths by which there is intelligence; the "fruit of the belly that is His reward," signifies the goods, by which there is happiness; "the sons of youth that are as arrows in the hand of a mighty one," signify the truths of the good of innocence; because nothing evil or false can resist these truths, it is said that they are "as arrows in the hand of a mighty one." The good of innocence is the good of love to the Lord; because these truths have such power it is said, "Happy is the man that hath filled his quiver with them," "quiver" here having a like signification as "bow," namely, the doctrine from the Word; "they shall not be ashamed when they speak with the enemies in the gate" signifies that there shall be no fear because of evils from the hells, "enemies" meaning evils, and "gate" hell (See in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 428-429, 583-585).

[11] In the same:

The sons of Ephraim, who were armed, shooters of the bow, turned about in the day of battle. They kept not the covenant of God (Psalms 78:9-10).

"Ephraim" here, as above, signifies the understanding of truth, and his "sons" the truths themselves; therefore they are also called "shooters of the bow," that is, fighters against evils and falsities. That they did not resist these because they were not conjoined to the Lord, is here signified by "they turned about in the day of battle, because they did not keep the covenant of God," "covenant" meaning conjunction, and "not keeping it" meaning not to live according to the truths and goods that conjoin.

[12] From the passages cited it can be seen that a "bow" signifies the doctrine of truth combating against falsities and evils and dispersing them. That this is the signification of "bow" can be seen further from its contrary sense, in which "bow" signifies the doctrine of falsity fighting against truths and goods and destroying them; and "darts" and "arrows" its falsities themselves. In this sense "bow" is mentioned in the following passages. In David:

Lo, the wicked bend the bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart (Psalms 11:2).

"The wicked bend the bow" signifies that they frame doctrine; "they make ready the arrow upon the string" signifies that they apply into it falsities that appear as truths; "to shoot in darkness at the upright in heart" signifies to deceive those who are in truths from good; "bow" here meaning the doctrine of falsity, "arrow" the falsity itself; "to shoot" meaning to deceive, and "darkness" appearances; for such as these reason from appearances in the world and from fallacies, also by the application of the sense of the letter of the Word.

[13] In the same:

The wicked unsheathe the sword, and bend their bow, to cast down the miserable and needy. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken (Psalms 37:14-15).

"Sword" signifies falsity fighting against truth, and "bow" signifies the doctrine of falsity; "to cast down the miserable and the needy" signifies to pervert those who are in ignorance of truth and good; "their sword shall enter into their own heart" signifies that they shall perish by their own falsity; and "their bows shall be broken" signifies that their doctrine of falsity shall be dispersed, which also takes place after their departure from the world; then falsities destroy them, and so far as they have applied truths to falsities their doctrine is dispersed.

[14] In the same:

Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, and aim their arrow with a bitter word, that they may shoot in secret places at the perfect ¹ (Psalms 64:3-4).

Because "sword" signifies falsity fighting against truth, it is said, "who sharpen their tongue like a sword;" and because "arrow" signifies the falsity of doctrine, it is said, "they aim their arrow with a bitter word" "to shoot in secret places at the perfect" signifies the like as "to shoot in darkness at the upright in heart," just before, namely, to deceive those who are in truths from good.

[15] In Jeremiah:

They are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous ones, who bend their tongue; their bow is a lie, neither in the truth have they prevailed in the land; for they go forth from evil to evil, neither have they known Me (Jeremiah 9:2-3).

"Adulterers, an assembly of treacherous ones," mean those who falsify the knowledges of truth and good, "adulterers" meaning those who falsify the knowledges of truth, and "treacherous ones" those who falsify the knowledges of good; of these it is said that "they bend the tongue," and that "their bow is a lie," "bow" meaning the doctrine from which principles of falsity are derived, and "lie" meaning the falsity; it is therefore also said, "neither in the truth have they prevailed in the land," that is, in the church where genuine truths are; that those who are in a life of evil and do not acknowledge the Lord are such is signified by, "for they go forth from evil to evil, neither have they known Me."

[16] In Jeremiah:

Behold, I cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the land of the north; his arrows as of a mighty one, none shall return vain. Set yourselves in array against Babylon round about, all ye that bend the bow, shoot against her, spare not the arrows; make the shooters heard against Babylon, all that bend the bow encamp against her round about; let there be no escape for her (Jeremiah 50:9, 14, 29, 42; 51:3).

This describes the total devastation of truth with those who are meant by Babylon, who are those that arrogate to themselves Divine power, and who acknowledge the Lord, indeed, but take away from Him all power to save, and who thus profane Divine truths; and as the Lord as far as possible provides that genuine truths be not profaned, these truths are wholly taken away from them, and they are imbued instead with mere falsities. "An assembly of great nations from the land of the north" signifies direful evils rising up out of hell," "great nations" meaning direful evils and "land of the north" the hell where there is nothing but falsity; "his arrows as of a mighty one, none shall return vain" signifies that thence they shall be imbued with mere falsities thence; "set themselves in array against Babylon round about, all ye that bend the bow, shoot against her, spare not the arrows" signifies devastation in relation to all doctrinals; the total devastation of truth with such is signified by "all that bend the bow encamp against her round about; let there be no escape for her."

[17] In Isaiah:

I stir up against them the Medes, who will not esteem silver, and in gold they will not delight; whose bows will dash in pieces the young men, and they will have no compassion on the fruit of the womb; so shall Babylon be, as the overturning of God, Sodom and Gomorrah (Isaiah 13:17-19).

This also is said of Babylon, and the devastation of all things of the church with those who are meant by Babylon (of which just above). "The Medes" signify those who make nothing of the truths and goods of heaven and the church; therefore it is said of them, "who will not esteem silver, and in gold they will not delight," "silver" signifying truth, and "gold" good, both of the church; "their bows will dash in pieces the young men, and they will have no compassion on the fruit of the womb" signifies the doctrinals that destroy all truth and all good thence, "young men" signifying truths, and "the fruit of the womb" goods; and because all evil with such is from the love of self, and all falsity is from that evil, and because that evil and that falsity thence are condemned to hell, therefore it is said, "so shall Babylon be, as the overturning of God, Sodom and Gomorrah," "the overturning of God" signifying damnation to hell, and "Sodom and Gomorrah" signifying the evils from the love of self and the falsities therefrom. (That this is the signification of "Sodom and Gomorrah," see Arcana Coelestia 2220, 2246, 2322)

[18] In the same:

In that day every place in which there were a thousand vines for a thousand of silver shall be a place of briers and brambles. With arrow and with bow shall one come thither, because the whole land shall be a place of briers and brambles (Isaiah 7:23-24).

The church vastated in relation to every truth and good is thus described; what the church had been before, namely, that genuine truth, which are truths from good, had been there in abundance is described by "in which there were a thousand vines for a thousand of silver," "a thousand vines" meaning truths from good in abundance, "a thousand of silver" meaning that these are most highly esteemed because they are genuine, "silver" meaning truth, and a "thousand" many, thus in abundance. But what the church became when vastated in respect to every truth and good is described by these words, "With arrow and with bow shall one come thither, because the whole land shall be a place of briers and brambles," "arrow" meaning falsity destroying truth, and "bow" the doctrine of falsity, "a place of briers" signifying falsity from evil, and "a place of brambles" evil from falsity; "land" means the church.

[19] In Jeremiah:

Behold, a people cometh from the land of the north, and a great nation shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no compassion; their voice resoundeth like the sea; and they ride upon horses arrayed as a man for war, against thee, O daughter of Zion (Jeremiah 6:22-23).

This, too, describes the devastation of the church by the falsities of evil; what "a people from the land of the north" signifies, and "a great nation from the sides of the earth," also what "their voice resoundeth like the sea," and "they ride upon horses" signify, was explained in the preceding article; "they lay hold on bow and spear" signifies [that they fight from false doctrine, "bow" signifying] the falsity of doctrine destroying truth, and "spear" the falsity of evil destroying good; "daughter of Zion" meaning the church.

[20] In the same:

The whole land is a waste; for the voice of the horseman and of the shooters of the bow the whole city fleeth; they have entered into the clouds, they have ascended into the rocks, the whole city is forsaken, no man dwelling therein (Jeremiah 4:27, 29).

This, too, can be seen explained in the preceding article. "The voice of the horseman and of the shooters of the bow" signifies the reasonings from falsities, and assaults upon truth; "the shooters of the bow," that is, those who hold the bow, are those who assault truths from the falsities of doctrine; therefore it is said "the whole city fleeth," and "the whole city is forsaken," "city" signifying the doctrine of the church.

[21] In Isaiah:

Jehovah hath lifted up an ensign to the nations from far, and behold the swift one shall come in haste, his arrows are sharp, and all his bows bent; the hoofs of his horses are reckoned as rock, and his wheels as a storm (Isaiah 5:26, 28).

"His arrows are sharp," and "his bows bent," signify the falsities of doctrine prepared to destroy truths. What is signified by "the nations from far" and by "the hoofs of the horses that are reckoned as rock," and by "the wheels that are like a storm," may be seen in the article just above n. 355, where they are explained.

[22] In Amos:

He that holdeth the bow shall not stand, nor shall the swift of foot deliver himself, nor shall he that rideth upon the horse cause his soul to escape, but he that is stout in his heart among the mighty shall flee naked in that day (Amos 2:15-16).

This describes self-intelligence, and thus confidence from an ability to reason from falsities against truths; "he that holdeth the bow shall not stand, nor shall the swift of foot cause himself to escape," signifies that one who knows how to reason readily and skillfully from doctrine and from the memory that belongs to the natural man, cannot provide for his salvation, nor stand in the day of judgment; the like is signified by "he that rideth upon the horse shall not cause his soul to escape;" "he that is stout in his heart shall flee [naked] in that day" signifies that he who trusts in himself because of an ability to reason from falsities shall then be deprived of all truth; "the stout in heart" meaning him who trusts in himself on that account, and "naked" signifying deprived of all truth.

[23] In David:

God is a righteous judge, a God that is indignant all the day; if he turn not back He will whet His sword, He will bend His bow and make it ready, and hath prepared for him the instruments of death, He maketh His arrows burning (Psalms 7:11-13).

It is here attributed to God that He is indignant with the wicked, that He whets His sword, that He bends and makes ready His bow, prepares instruments of death, and makes His arrows burning; but in the spiritual sense it is meant that man does this in respect to himself. These things are attributed to God in the sense of the letter, because that sense is natural, and is for the natural man who believes that for these reasons God is to be feared; and with him fear works as love works afterwards, when he becomes spiritual. This makes clear what these words signify, namely, that it is the evil man who is indignant with God, that he whets the sword against himself, and bends the bow and makes it ready, he prepares the instruments of death, and makes his arrows burning. "He whetteth the sword" signifies that he acquires for himself falsity, by which he combats against truths; "he bendeth the bow and maketh it ready" signifies that from falsities he frames for himself doctrine opposed to truths; and "he prepares the instruments of death, and maketh his arrows burning" signifies that from infernal love he frames for himself principles of falsity by which he destroys good and its truth.

[24] In Lamentations:

The Lord hath bent His bow like an enemy; He hath stood with His right hand as an adversary; He hath slain all things desirable to the eyes (Lamentations 2:4).

Here, too, like things are attributed to the Lord, for a like reason as above; "He bends His bow like an enemy, and stands with His right hand as an adversary" signifies that the evil man does this in respect to himself, namely, he defends evil against good, and falsity against the truths of good from doctrine that he has framed for himself out of self-intelligence and confirmed by the sense of the letter of the Word; for in Lamentations the vastation of all good and all truth with the Jewish nation, from their applying the sense of the letter of the Word in favor of their own loves is treated of; "bow" here meaning the doctrine of falsity therefrom, "enemy" evil, and "adversary" falsity. That in consequence all the understanding of truth and good would perish is signified by "the Lord hath slain all things desirable to the eyes," "things desirable to the eyes" meaning all things that are of intelligence and wisdom.

[25] In Moses:

A fire hath been kindled in Mine anger, and it shall devour the earth and its produce, and shall set in flames the foundations of the mountains. I will empty out evils upon them; I will consume Mine arrows upon them (Deuteronomy 32:22-23).

This is in the song of Moses, which treats of the Israelitish and Jewish nation, and describes what they were in their hearts, namely, that there was nothing of the church with them because there was with them mere falsity from evil; "the earth and its produce, that is to be devoured" signifies the church, and all the truth and good therefrom, "the earth" signifying the church, and "produce" all the truth and good thereof. "The foundations of the mountains, that are to be set in flames" signify truths upon which the goods of love are based, especially the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, since these are the foundations; the "evils that are to be emptied out upon them," and the "arrows that are to be consumed upon them" signify that they shall be imbued with all evils and falsities. (What that nation was from the beginning, and also what it is at this day, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 248.)

[26] In the first book of Samuel:

The bows of the mighty are broken, but they who had stumbled have girded valor about them (1 Samuel 2:4).

This is the prophecy of Hannah, the mother of Samuel, which treats of the taking away of truth with those who are of the church, because they are in no spiritual affection of truth; also of the reception and illumination of those who are outside of the church, because they are in the spiritual affection of truth. That the doctrines of falsities that are held by those who are of the church are of no account is signified by "the bows of the mighty are broken;" and the reception and illustration of those who are outside of the church are signified by "they who had stumbled have girded valor about them;" those are said to "stumble," who are pressed by the falsities of ignorance, and "valor" is predicated of power and abundance of truth from good.

[27] In Jeremiah:

Behold, I break the bow of Elam, the beginning of his might (Jeremiah 49:35).

"Elam" means the knowledge [scientia] belonging to the natural man, and consequent confidence; his "bow" signifies the knowledge [scientia] from which as from doctrine he fights; and "the beginning of his might" signifies confidence; for knowledge [scientia] is of no avail if it does not serve the rational and the spiritual man. That "Elam" means knowledge belonging to the natural man can be seen from these passages in the Word in which "Elam" is mentioned (as Genesis 10:22; Isaiah 21:2; Jeremiah 25:24-26; 49:34-39; Ezekiel 32:24, 25).

[28] In David:

Jehovah maketh wars to cease even to the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear asunder; He burneth up the chariots with fire (Psalms 46:9).

Because "wars" signify spiritual combats, which are here those of falsity against the truth and against the good of the church, it is clear what is signified by "Jehovah will make wars to cease even to the end of the earth," namely, that from firsts to the ultimates of the truth of the church all combat and disagreement shall cease, "the end of the earth" signifying the ultimates of the church. That there shall be no combat of doctrine against doctrine is signified by "He shall break the bow;" that there shall be no combat from any falsity of evil is signified by "He shall cut the spear asunder;" and that everything of the doctrine of falsity shall be destroyed by "He shall burn up the chariots with fire."

[29] In the same:

In Salem is the tabernacle of Jehovah, and His abode in Zion. There brake He the strings of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and war (Psalms 76:2-3).

This treats likewise of the cessation of all combat and all disagreement in the Lord's kingdom; "Salem" where Jehovah's tabernacle is, and "Zion" where His abode is, signify His spiritual kingdom and His celestial kingdom; "Salem" the spiritual kingdom where genuine truth is, and "Zion" the celestial kingdom where genuine good is and "He shall break the strings of the bow, the shield, the sword, and war" signifies the dissipation of all the combat of the falsities of doctrine against good and truth; "the strings of a bow" meaning the principal things of doctrine.

[30] In Hosea:

In that day will I make a covenant for them with the wild beast of the field and with the fowl of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the earth; and I will break the bow and the sword and war from the earth, and I will make them to lie down securely (Hosea 2:18).

This treats of the Lord's coming and His conjunction at that time with all who are in truths from good; "the covenant with the wild beast of the field, with the fowl of the heavens, and with the creeping things of the earth" signifies the conjunction with their affection of good, with the affection of truth, and with the affection of the knowledges of the truth and good of the church that they have; for "the wild beast of the field" signifies the affection of good, "the fowl of the heavens" the affection of truth, and "the creeping thing of the earth" the affection of the knowledges of truth and good. Everyone sees that no wild beast, or fowl, or creeping thing of the earth is here meant; for with these how could there be any covenant? "I will break the bow and the sword and war from the earth" signifies that because of conjunction with the Lord no combat of falsity against truth shall exist, "bow" here meaning doctrine, "sword" falsity, and "war" combat.

[31] In Ezekiel:

This is the day whereof I have spoken; then the inhabitants of the cities of Israel shall go forth, and they shall set on fire and burn the arms, both the shield and the buckler, with the bow and the arrows, and the hand staff and the spear, and they shall kindle a fire with them seven years (Ezekiel 39:8-9).

This treats of "Gog," which means those who are in external worship and in no internal worship; because such are in opposition to the spiritual affection of truth, which is to love truths because they are truths, they are in falsities in respect to doctrine, and in evils in respect to life; for no one can be reformed, that is, be withdrawn from falsities and evils except by means of truths; for this reason it is said that "the inhabitants of the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall burn the arms, and the shield and the buckler, with the bow and the arrows, and the hand staff and the spear;" "the inhabitants of the cities of Israel" mean those who are in the affection of truth from good, that is, in the spiritual affection of truth, and thence in the doctrine of genuine truth; "to burn up the arms" signifies to extirpate falsities of every kind; the "shield" falsity destroying good; "the buckler" falsity destroying truth; "the bow with the arrows" doctrine with its falsities the "hand staff" and the "spear" signify one's own power and confidence, such as pertain to those who place the all of the church, and thence of salvation, in external worship; "they shall kindle a fire with them seven years" signifies that these falsities and evils shall be completely destroyed, "seven years" signifying all things, fullness, and completely (See above, n. 257, 300).

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