Bible

 

Exodus 34

Studie

   

1 και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM προς-P *μωυσης-N1M-ASM λαξευω-VA--AAD2S σεαυτου- D--DSM δυο-M πλαξ-N3K-APF λιθινος-A1--APF καθως-D και-C ο- A--NPF πρωτος-A1--NPFS και-C αναβαινω-VZ--AAD2S προς-P εγω- P--AS εις-P ο- A--ASN ορος-N3E-ASN και-C γραφω-VF--FAI1S επι-P ο- A--GPF πλαξ-N3K-GPF ο- A--APN ρημα-N3M-APN ος- --NPN ειμι-V9--IAI3S εν-P ο- A--DPF πλαξ-N3K-DPF ο- A--DPF πρωτος-A1--DPFS ος- --DPF συντριβω-VAI-AAI2S

2 και-C γιγνομαι-V1--PMD2S ετοιμος-A1--NSM εις-P ο- A--ASN πρωι-D και-C αναβαινω-VF--FMI2S επι-P ο- A--ASN ορος-N3E-ASN ο- A--ASN *σινα-N----S και-C ιστημι-VF--FMI2S εγω- P--DS εκει-D επι-P ακρος-A1A-GSN ο- A--GSN ορος-N3E-GSN

3 και-C μηδεις-A3P-NSM αναβαινω-VZ--AAD3S μετα-P συ- P--GS μηδε-C οραω-VV--APD3S εν-P πας-A3--DSN ο- A--DSN ορος-N3E-DSN και-C ο- A--NPN προβατον-N2N-NPN και-C ο- A--NPF βους-N3--NPF μη-D νεμω-V1--PMD3P πλησιον-D ο- A--GSN ορος-N3E-GSN εκεινος- D--GSN

4 και-C λαξευω-VAI-AAI3S δυο-M πλαξ-N3K-APF λιθινος-A1--APF καθαπερ-D και-C ο- A--NPF πρωτος-A1--NPFS και-C ορθριζω-VA--AAPNSM *μωυσης-N1M-NSM αναβαινω-VZI-AAI3S εις-P ο- A--ASN ορος-N3E-ASN ο- A--ASN *σινα-N----S καθοτι-D συντασσω-VAI-AAI3S αυτος- D--DSM κυριος-N2--NSM και-C λαμβανω-VBI-AAI3S *μωυσης-N1M-NSM ο- A--APF δυο-M πλαξ-N3K-APF ο- A--APF λιθινος-A1--APF

5 και-C καταβαινω-VZI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM εν-P νεφελη-N1--DSF και-C παραιστημι-VHI-AAI3S αυτος- D--DSM εκει-D και-C καλεω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--DSN ονομα-N3M-DSN κυριος-N2--GSM

6 και-C παραερχομαι-VBI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM προ-P προσωπον-N2N-GSN αυτος- D--GSM και-C καλεω-VAI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM ο- A--NSM θεος-N2--NSM οικτιρμων-A3N-NSM και-C ελεημων-A3N-NSM μακροθυμος-A1B-NSM και-C πολυελεος-A1B-NSM και-C αληθινος-A1--NSM

7 και-C δικαιοσυνη-N1--ASF διατηρεω-V2--PAPNSM και-C ποιεω-V2--PAPNSM ελεος-N3E-ASN εις-P χιλιας-N3D-APF αποαιρεω-V2--PAPNSM ανομια-N1A-APF και-C αδικια-N1A-APF και-C αμαρτια-N1A-APF και-C ου-D καθαριζω-VF2-FAI3S ο- A--ASM ενοχος-A1B-ASM επιαγω-V1--PAPNSM ανομια-N1A-GSF πατηρ-N3--GPM επι-P τεκνον-N2N-APN και-C επι-P τεκνον-N2N-APN τεκνον-N2N-GPN επι-P τριτος-A1--ASF και-C τεταρτος-A1--ASF γενεα-N1A-ASF

8 και-C σπευδω-VA--AAPNSM *μωυσης-N1M-NSM κυπτω-VA--AAPNSM επι-P ο- A--ASF γη-N1--ASF προςκυνεω-VAI-AAI3S

9 και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S ει-C ευρισκω-VX--XAI1S χαρις-N3--ASF ενωπιον-P συ- P--GS συνπορευομαι-VC--APD3S ο- A--NSM κυριος-N2--NSM εγω- P--GS μετα-P εγω- P--GP ο- A--NSM λαος-N2--NSM γαρ-X σκληροτραχηλος-A1B-NSM ειμι-V9--PAI3S και-C αποαιρεω-VF2-FAI2S συ- P--NS ο- A--APF αμαρτια-N1A-APF εγω- P--GP και-C ο- A--APF ανομια-N1A-APF εγω- P--GP και-C ειμι-VF--FMI1P συ- P--DS

10 και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM προς-P *μωυσης-N1M-ASM ιδου-I εγω- P--NS τιθημι-V7--PAI1S συ- P--DS διαθηκη-N1--ASF ενωπιον-P πας-A3--GSM ο- A--GSM λαος-N2--GSM συ- P--GS ποιεω-VF--FAI1S ενδοξος-A1B-APN ος- --APN ου-D γιγνομαι-VX--XAI3S εν-P πας-A1S-DSF ο- A--DSF γη-N1--DSF και-C εν-P πας-A3--DSN εθνος-N3E-DSN και-C οραω-VF--FMI3S πας-A3--NSM ο- A--NSM λαος-N2--NSM εν-P ος- --DPM ειμι-V9--PAI2S συ- P--NS ο- A--APN εργον-N2N-APN κυριος-N2--GSM οτι-C θαυμαστος-A1--NPN ειμι-V9--PAI3S ος- --APN εγω- P--NS ποιεω-VF--FAI1S συ- P--DS

11 προςεχω-V1--PAD2S συ- P--NS πας-A3--APN οσος-A1--APN εγω- P--NS εντελλομαι-V1--PMI1S συ- P--DS ιδου-I εγω- P--NS εκβαλλω-V1--PAI1S προ-P προσωπον-N2N-GSN συ- P--GP ο- A--ASM *αμορραιος-N2--ASM και-C *χαναναιος-N2--ASM και-C *χετταιος-N2--ASM και-C *φερεζαιος-N2--ASM και-C *ευαιος-N2--ASM και-C *γεργεσαιος-N2--ASM και-C *ιεβουσαιος-N2--ASM

12 προςεχω-V1--PAD2S σεαυτου- D--DSM μηποτε-D τιθημι-VE--AAS2S διαθηκη-N1--ASF ο- A--DPM εν καταημαι-V5--PMPDPM επι-P ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF εις-P ος- --ASF ειςπορευομαι-V1--PMI2S εις-P αυτος- D--ASF μη-D συ- P--DS γιγνομαι-VB--AMS3S προσκομμα-N3M-NSN εν-P συ- P--DP

13 ο- A--APM βωμος-N2--APM αυτος- D--GPM κατααιρεω-VF2-FAI2P και-C ο- A--APF στηλη-N1--APF αυτος- D--GPM συντριβω-VF--FAI2P και-C ο- A--APN αλσος-N3E-APN αυτος- D--GPM εκκοπτω-VF--FAI2P και-C ο- A--APN γλυπτος-A1--APN ο- A--GPM θεος-N2--GPM αυτος- D--GPM κατακαιω-VF--FAI2P εν-P πυρ-N3--DSN

14 ου-D γαρ-X μη-D προςκυνεω-VA--AAS2P θεος-N2--DSM ετερος-A1A-DSM ο- A--NSM γαρ-X κυριος-N2--NSM ο- A--NSM θεος-N2--NSM ζηλωτος-A1--NSN ονομα-N3M-NSN θεος-N2--NSM ζηλωτης-N1M-NSM ειμι-V9--PAI3S

15 μηποτε-D τιθημι-VE--AAS2S διαθηκη-N1--ASF ο- A--DPM εν καταημαι-V5--PMPDPM προς-P αλλοφυλος-A1B-APM επι-P ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF και-C εκπορνευω-VA--AAS3P οπισω-P ο- A--GPM θεος-N2--GPM αυτος- D--GPM και-C θυω-VA--AAS3P ο- A--DPM θεος-N2--DPM αυτος- D--GPM και-C καλεω-VA--AAS3P συ- P--AS και-C εσθιω-VB--AAS2S ο- A--GPN θυμα-N3M-GPN αυτος- D--GPM

16 και-C λαμβανω-VB--AAS2S ο- A--GPF θυγατηρ-N3--GPF αυτος- D--GPM ο- A--DPM υιος-N2--DPM συ- P--GS και-C ο- A--GPF θυγατηρ-N3--GPF συ- P--GS διδωμι-VO--AAS2S ο- A--DPM υιος-N2--DPM αυτος- D--GPM και-C εκπορνευω-VA--AAS3P ο- A--NPF θυγατηρ-N3--NPF συ- P--GS οπισω-P ο- A--GPM θεος-N2--GPM αυτος- D--GPM και-C εκπορνευω-VA--AAS3P ο- A--APM υιος-N2--APM συ- P--GS οπισω-P ο- A--GPM θεος-N2--GPM αυτος- D--GPM

17 και-C θεος-N2--APM χωνευτος-A1--APM ου-D ποιεω-VF--FAI2S σεαυτου- D--DSM

18 και-C ο- A--ASF εορτη-N1--ASF ο- A--GPM αζυμος-A1B-GPM φυλασσω-VF--FMI2S επτα-M ημερα-N1A-APF εσθιω-VF--FMI2S αζυμος-A1B-APN καθαπερ-D εντελλομαι-VM--XMI1S συ- P--DS εις-P ο- A--ASM καιρος-N2--ASM εν-P μην-N3--DSM ο- A--GPN νεος-A1A-GPN εν-P γαρ-X μην-N3--DSM ο- A--GPN νεος-A1A-GPN εκερχομαι-VBI-AAI2S εκ-P *αιγυπτος-N2--GSF

19 πας-A3--NSN δια αναοιγω-V1--PAPNSN μητρα-N1A-ASF εγω- P--DS ο- A--NPN αρσενικος-A1--NPN πρωτοτοκος-A1B-NSN μοσχος-N2--GSM και-C πρωτοτοκος-A1B-NSN προβατον-N2N-GSN

20 και-C πρωτοτοκος-A1B-NSN υποζυγιον-N2N-GSN λυτροω-VF--FMI2S προβατον-N2N-DSN εαν-C δε-X μη-D λυτροω-VF--FMI2S αυτος- D--ASN τιμη-N1--ASF διδωμι-VF--FAI2S πας-A3--ASN πρωτοτοκος-A1B-ASN ο- A--GPM υιος-N2--GPM συ- P--GS λυτροω-VF--FMI2S ου-D οραω-VV--FPI2S ενωπιον-P εγω- P--GS κενος-A1--NSM

21 εξ-M ημερα-N1A-APF εργαζομαι-VF2-FMI2S ο- A--DSF δε-X εβδομος-A1--DSF καταπαυω-VF--FAI2S ο- A--DSM σπορος-N2--DSM και-C ο- A--DSM αμητος-N2--DSM καταπαυω-VF--FAI2S

22 και-C εορτη-N1--ASF εβδομας-N3D-GPF ποιεω-VF--FAI2S εγω- P--DS αρχη-N1--ASF θερισμος-N2--GSM πυρος-N2--GPM και-C εορτη-N1--ASF συναγωγη-N1--GSF μεσοω-V4--PAPGSM ο- A--GSM ενιαυτος-N2--GSM

23 τρεις-A3--APM καιρος-N2--APM ο- A--GSM ενιαυτος-N2--GSM οραω-VV--FPI3S πας-A3--NSN αρσενικος-A1--NSN συ- P--GS ενωπιον-P κυριος-N2--GSM ο- A--GSM θεος-N2--GSM *ισραηλ-N---GSM

24 οταν-D γαρ-X εκβαλλω-VF--FAI1S ο- A--APN εθνος-N3E-APN προ-P προσωπον-N2N-GSN συ- P--GS και-C πλατυνω-V1--PAS1S ο- A--APN οριον-N2N-APN συ- P--GS ου-D επιθυμεω-VF--FAI3S ουδεις-A3--NSM ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF συ- P--GS ηνικα-D αν-X αναβαινω-V1--PAS2S οραω-VV--APN εναντιον-P κυριος-N2--GSM ο- A--GSM θεος-N2--GSM συ- P--GS τρεις-A3--APM καιρος-N2--APM ο- A--GSM ενιαυτος-N2--GSM

25 ου-D σφαζω-VF--FAI2S επι-P ζυμη-N1--DSF αιμα-N3M-ASN θυμιαμα-N3M-GPN εγω- P--GS και-C ου-D κοιμαω-VC--FPI3S εις-P ο- A--ASN πρωι-D θυμα-N3M-NPN ο- A--GSF εορτη-N1--GSF ο- A--GSN πασχα-N---GSN

26 ο- A--APN πρωτογενημα-N3M-APN ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF συ- P--GS τιθημι-VF--FAI2S εις-P ο- A--ASM οικος-N2--ASM κυριος-N2--GSM ο- A--GSM θεος-N2--GSM συ- P--GS ου-D προςφερω-VF--FAI2S αρνος-N3--ASM εν-P γαλα-N3--DSN μητηρ-N3--GSF αυτος- D--GSM

27 και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM προς-P *μωυσης-N1M-ASM γραφω-VA--AAD2S σεαυτου- D--DSM ο- A--APN ρημα-N3M-APN ουτος- D--APN επι-P γαρ-X ο- A--GPM λογος-N2--GPM ουτος- D--GPM τιθημι-VT--XMI1S συ- P--DS διαθηκη-N1--ASF και-C ο- A--DSM *ισραηλ-N---DSM

28 και-C ειμι-V9--IAI3S εκει-D *μωυσης-N1M-NSM εναντιον-P κυριος-N2--GSM τεσσαρακοντα-M ημερα-N1A-APF και-C τεσσαρακοντα-M νυξ-N3--APF αρτος-N2--ASM ου-D εσθιω-VBI-AAI3S και-C υδωρ-N3--NSN ου-D πινω-VBI-AAI3S και-C γραφω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--APN ρημα-N3M-APN ουτος- D--APN επι-P ο- A--GPF πλαξ-N3K-GPF ο- A--GSF διαθηκη-N1--GSF ο- A--APM δεκα-M λογος-N2--APM

29 ως-C δε-X καταβαινω-V1I-IAI3S *μωυσης-N1M-NSM εκ-P ο- A--GSN ορος-N3E-GSN και-C ο- A--NPF δυο-M πλαξ-N3K-NPF επι-P ο- A--GPF χειρ-N3--GPF *μωυσης-N1M-GSM καταβαινω-V1--PAPGSM δε-X αυτος- D--GSM εκ-P ο- A--GSN ορος-N3E-GSN *μωυσης-N1M-NSM ου-D οιδα-VXI-YAI3S οτι-C δοξαζω-VT--XMI3S ο- A--NSF οψις-N3I-NSF ο- A--GSN χρωμα-N3M-GSN ο- A--GSN προσωπον-N2N-GSN αυτος- D--GSM εν-P ο- A--DSN λαλεω-V2--PAN αυτος- D--ASM αυτος- D--DSM

30 και-C οραω-VBI-AAI3S *ααρων-N---NSM και-C πας-A3--NPM ο- A--NPM πρεσβυτερος-A1A-NPM *ισραηλ-N---GSM ο- A--ASM *μωυσης-N1M-ASM και-C ειμι-V9--IAI3S δοξαζω-VT--XMPNSF ο- A--NSF οψις-N3I-NSF ο- A--GSN χρωμα-N3M-GSN ο- A--GSN προσωπον-N2N-GSN αυτος- D--GSM και-C φοβεω-VCI-API3P εγγιζω-VA--AAN αυτος- D--GSM

31 και-C καλεω-VAI-AAI3S αυτος- D--APM *μωυσης-N1M-NSM και-C επιστρεφω-VDI-API3P προς-P αυτος- D--ASM *ααρων-N---NSM και-C πας-A3--NPM ο- A--NPM αρχων-N3--NPM ο- A--GSF συναγωγη-N1--GSF και-C λαλεω-VAI-AAI3S αυτος- D--DPM *μωυσης-N1M-NSM

32 και-C μετα-P ουτος- D--APN προςερχομαι-VBI-AAI3P προς-P αυτος- D--ASM πας-A3--NPM ο- A--NPM υιος-N2--NPM *ισραηλ-N---GSM και-C εντελλομαι-VAI-AMI3S αυτος- D--DPM πας-A3--APN οσος-A1--APN λαλεω-VAI-AAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM προς-P αυτος- D--ASM εν-P ο- A--DSN ορος-N3E-DSN *σινα-N----S

33 και-C επειδη-C καταπαυω-VAI-AAI3S λαλεω-V2--PAPNSM προς-P αυτος- D--APM επιτιθημι-VAI-AAI3S επι-P ο- A--ASN προσωπον-N2N-ASN αυτος- D--GSM καλυμμα-N3M-ASN

34 ηνικα-D δε-X αν-X ειςπορευομαι-V1I-IMI3S *μωυσης-N1M-NSM εναντι-P κυριος-N2--GSM λαλεω-V2--PAN αυτος- D--DSM περιαιρεω-V2I-IMI3S ο- A--ASN καλυμμα-N3M-ASN εως-P ο- A--GSN εκπορευομαι-V1--PMN και-C εκερχομαι-VB--AAPNSM λαλεω-V2I-IAI3S πας-A3--DPM ο- A--DPM υιος-N2--DPM *ισραηλ-N---GSM οσος-A1--APN εντελλομαι-VAI-AMI3S αυτος- D--DSM κυριος-N2--NSM

35 και-C οραω-VBI-AAI3P ο- A--NPM υιος-N2--NPM *ισραηλ-N---GSM ο- A--ASN προσωπον-N2N-ASN *μωυσης-N1M-GSM οτι-C δοξαζω-VT--XMI3S και-C περιτιθημι-VAI-AAI3S *μωυσης-N1M-NSM καλυμμα-N3M-ASN επι-P ο- A--ASN προσωπον-N2N-ASN εαυτου- D--GSM εως-C αν-X ειςερχομαι-VB--AAS3S συνλαλεω-V2--PAN αυτος- D--DSM

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 2722

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 10837  
  

2722. That 'he planted a grove in Beersheba' means doctrine from this with the cognitions composing it and the nature of it is clear from the meaning of 'a grove' and from the meaning of 'Beersheba'. As regards 'groves', holy worship in the Ancient Church was offered on mountains and in groves. It was offered on mountains because 'mountains meant the celestial things of worship, and in groves because 'groves' meant the spiritual things of it. As long as that Church - the Ancient Church - retained its simplicity their worship on mountains and in groves was holy, the reason being that celestial things, which are those of love and charity, were represented by places that were high and lofty, such as mountains and hills, while spiritual things, which derive from celestial, were represented by places with fruits and foliage such as gardens and groves. But after representatives and meaningful signs began to be made idolatrous because people worshipped external things without internal, that holy worship became profane; and they were therefore forbidden to hold worship on mountains and in groves.

[2] The fact that the Ancients held holy worship on mountains becomes clear from what is said about Abram in Chapter 12,

He removed from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, Bethel being towards the sea and Ai towards the east. 1 And there he built an altar and called on the name of Jehovah. Genesis 12:8 (1449-1455).

It is also clear from the meaning of 'a mountain' as the celestial entity of love, 795, 796, 1430. The fact that people also held worship in groves is clear from what is said in the present verse, 'Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of [Jehovah,] the God of Eternity', and also from the meaning of 'a garden' as intelligence, 100, 108, 1588, and of 'trees' as perceptions, 103, 2163. The fact that worship on mountains and in groves was forbidden is clear from the following: In Moses,

You shall not plant for yourself a grove of any kind of tree beside the altar of Jehovah your God which you shall make for yourself. And you shall not erect for yourself a pillar, which Jehovah your God hates. Deuteronomy 16:21-22.

In the same author,

The altars of the nations you shall destroy; you shall break down their pillars and cut down their groves. Exodus 34:13.

They were also commanded to burn the groves of the nations with fire, Deuteronomy 12:3.

[3] Now because the Jews and Israelites, among whom the representative ritual observances of the Ancient Church were introduced, were steeped solely in external things and were at heart nothing but idolaters, and because they were people who neither had nor wished to have knowledge of anything internal or of the life after death, and who did not know that the Messiah's kingdom was a heavenly kingdom, therefore whenever they were in freedom they held profane worship on mountains and hills, and also in groves and forests. They also made for themselves high places to serve instead of mountains and hills, and carved images of a grove instead of groves, as becomes clear from many places in the Word, as in the Book of Judges,

The children of Israel served the baals and the groves. Judges 3:7.

In the Book of Kings,

Israel made groves, provoking Jehovah to anger. 1 Kings 14:15.

And elsewhere in the same book,

Judah built for themselves high places and pillars and groves on every high hill, and under every leafy tree. 1 Kings 14:23.

Elsewhere in the Books of Kings,

Israel built for themselves high places in every city. And they set up pillars and groves on every high hill and under every leafy tree. 2 Kings 17:9-10.

And elsewhere in the same book,

Manasseh king of Judah erected altars to Baal and made a grove, as Ahab king of Israel had done. And the carved image of a grove that he had made he placed in the house of God. 2 Kings 21:3, 7,

From this it is evident that they also made for themselves carved images of a grove. The fact that king Josiah destroyed these images is mentioned in the same book,

Josiah made them bring out of the temple of Jehovah all the vessels made for Baal and for the grove, and for the sun and moon, and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them outside Jerusalem, and the booths which the women had woven [in the house of Jehovah] for the grove. He also cut down the groves which Solomon had made, as well as the grove in Bethel which Jeroboam had made. 2 Kings 23:4-5, 7, 14-15.

The fact that King Hezekiah as well demolished such things is also stated in the same book,

Hezekiah king of Judah removed the high places, and broke the pillars, and cut down the grove, and broke to pieces the bronze serpent which Moses had made. 2 Kings 18:4.

[4] The bronze serpent, it is clear, was holy in the time of Moses, but when that which was external came to be worshipped, that bronze serpent became profane and was therefore smashed to pieces, for the same reason that worship on mountains and in groves was forbidden. These matters are made clearer still in the Prophets: In Isaiah,

You who inflame yourselves among the gods under every leafy tree, who slay the children in the rivers, under projections of the rocks. Even in the rivers you have poured out a drink offering. you have brought a gift. On a high and lofty mountain you have set your habitation and presented yourself there to offer sacrifice. Isaiah 57:5-7.

In the same prophet,

On that day a man will look to his Maker and his eyes will regard the Holy One of Israel. And he will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and will not see what his fingers have made, both the groves and the solar pillars. Isaiah 17:7-8.

In Micah,

I will cut down your carved images and your pillars from the midst of you, and you will bow down no more to the work of your hands. And I will root out your groves from the midst of you and destroy your cities. Micah 5:13-14.

In Ezekiel,

That the slain may be in the midst of their idols, around their altars at every lofty hill, on all the mountain tops, and under every leafy tree, and under every entangled oak, the place where they offered an odour of rest to all their idols. Ezekiel 6:13.

[5] From all this it is now evident where idolatrous worship originated, namely in the worship of the objects themselves that were representative and carried a spiritual meaning. The most ancient people, who lived before the Flood, saw in every single thing - in mountains, hills, plains, and valleys, in gardens, groves, forests, rivers, and waters, in fields and crops, in trees of every kind, also in living creatures of every kind, and in the heavenly bodies giving light - something that was a representative and a meaningful sign of the Lord's kingdom. But they never let their eyes, still less their minds, linger over such objects; for them these objects served instead as the means for thinking about the celestial and spiritual things that exist in the Lord's kingdom. Indeed so much was this the case with those objects that there was nothing at all in the whole natural world that failed to serve those people as means. It is indeed true that in itself every single thing in the natural order is representative; but at the present day this is an arcanum and scarcely believed by anyone. But after that which is celestial, which is essentially love to the Lord, had perished with man, the human race existed no longer in that state, that is, in the state of seeing from worldly objects the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord's kingdom.

[6] Nevertheless the Ancients after the Flood knew from traditions, and from collections made by certain people, that worldly objects had such meanings; and because these had such meanings they also regarded them as holy. From this arose the representative worship of the Ancient Church, which Church, being spiritual, did not enjoy any perception, only the knowledge, that a thing was so; for that Church, compared with the Most Ancient Church, dwelt in obscurity, 2715. It did not however worship external things but by means of external things people called to mind those which were internal. Consequently when they turned to those representatives and meaningful signs they entered the holiness of worship. They were able to turn to them because they were moved by spiritual love, that is, by charity, which they made the essential of worship, and as a consequence holiness from the Lord was able to flow into their worship. But when the state of the human race had become so changed and perverted that people departed from the good of charity, and thus did not believe any longer in the existence of a heavenly kingdom or in life after death, but supposed - as is also supposed at the present day - that their condition was no different from that of animals (apart from the fact that they as human beings could think), holy representative worship was turned into idolatrous worship and external things came to be worshipped. This was why worship among many gentiles at that time, and even among Jews and Israelites, was not representative, but a worship of the representatives and meaningful signs, that is, of external things devoid of internal.

[7] As regards 'groves' in particular, these had, among the ancients, varying meanings, such meanings depending in fact on the kinds of trees that the groves had in them. Groves where there were olives meant the celestial things of worship, groves where there were vines the spiritual things of worship, but groves where there were figs, cedars, firs, poplars, oaks, meant various things that were of a celestial and spiritual kind. Here however simply 'a grove' or plantation of trees is mentioned and by it was meant ideas belonging to the rational that were allied to doctrine and its cognitions; for trees in general mean perceptions, 103, 2163, but when they have reference to the spiritual Church they mean cognitions, the reason being that the member of the spiritual Church has no other perceptions than those acquired through cognitions drawn from doctrine or from the Word. For such cognitions become part of his faith, and so of his conscience, from which he has perception.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. literally, Bethel from the sea (an idiom for from the west) and Ai from the east

  
/ 10837  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.