217. Of Blood.

The Lord's "blood" signifies the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of His Divine love (n. 4735, 6978, 7317, 7326, 7846, 7850, 7877, 9127, 9393, 10026, 10033, 10152, 10210). The "blood" sprinkled upon the altar round about, and at its foundation, signified the unition of Divine truth and the Divine good in the Lord (n. 10047). "The blood of grapes" signifies the truth of faith from the good of charity (n. 6378). "A grape" and "a cluster" signify spiritual good, which is the good of charity (n. 5117). "To shed blood" is to offer violence to the Divine truth (n. 374, 1005, 4735, 5476, 9127). What is signified by "blood and water" going out of the Lord's side (n. 9127[1-7]). What by the Lord's redeeming men by "His blood" (n. 10152).

6118. 'Saying, Give us bread' means a plea for the sustainment of spiritual life. This is clear from the meaning of 'giving', when it has reference to 'bread', as sustaining; and from the meaning of 'bread' as spiritual life. In a specific sense 'bread' means the good of love and charity; but in a general sense it means spiritual life, for in this case bread is used to mean all food, as shown in 2165. When used to mean all food in general, it is spiritual life; for in the spiritual sense food in general is all the good of love and all the truth of faith. These two are what compose spiritual life.