9090. And when a man’s ox shall strike the ox of his companion. That this signifies two truths the affections of which are diverse, and the affection of one injures the affection of the other, is evident from the signification of “to strike,” as being the injuring of truth (of which above, n. 9057); from the signification of “an ox,” as being the affection of good, and in the opposite sense, the affection of evil, in the natural man (of which also above, n. 9065); and from the signification of “a man” [vir] as being truth (n. 9034); hence by “a man” and “his companion” are signified two truths. That diverse affections are signified, is because it is oxen (by which the affections are signified) which injure each other; for things which are diverse injure each other, but not things which are not diverse.

[2] He who does not know how the case is with representatives and correspondences may wonder that an ox can signify the affection of good or of evil in man, because an ox is a beast. But let him know that all beasts signify such things as belong to some affection or inclination. In the spiritual world this is very well known, for in that world there are frequently seen beasts of various kinds, as oxen, bullocks, cows, horses, mules, asses, sheep, goats, kids, lambs; also evil beasts, as tigers, panthers, bears, dogs, hogs, serpents; and also beasts which are nowhere seen on the earth; besides also birds of various kinds.

[3] That such things are seen there surpasses belief with those who believe that nothing exists which they do not see with their bodily eyes. But neither do the same believe that there are any spirits or angels, still less that they appear to themselves as men; that they see one another; speak with one another; and touch one another. The reason is that such persons are so sensuous and corporeal as to believe that only bodies live. It is from this that, as before said, such things surpass belief with them. And yet they have not only been seen by me a thousand times, but I have also been instructed concerning the animals seen; whence they are, and what they signify; thus also that when presented to view in an animal form, affections of good in the natural are seen as gentle oxen; and affections of evil as ferocious oxen; and that all other affections appear in the forms of other animals. Hence it is that beasts of various kinds signify such things in man as they correspond to. (But on this subject see what has been previously shown, n. 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 719, 776, 1823, 2179, 2180, 2781, 2805, 2807, 2830, 3218, 3519, 5198, 7523)

9057. Blow for blow. That this signifies if anything of affection in the intellectual be extinguished or injured, is evident from the signification of “a blow,” as being the extinction or injuring of affection in the intellectual, that is, of the affection of truth. In the original tongue “blow” is expressed by a term which signifies the black and blue from a collection of blood or of bloody matter, and in the internal sense “blood” denotes the truth of faith from the good of love, and in the opposite sense, truth falsified and profaned (see n. 4735, 6978, 7317, 7326); consequently “blow for blow” denotes truth injured or extinguished. This is also signified by the “blows” (or “plagues”) in Revelation 9:20; 11:6; 15:1, 6, 8; (Revelation 15:8)16:21; 18:8; also in Jeremiah 30:12, 14, 17; 50:13; in Zechariah 14:12-15; in David, Psalms 38:5; and in Luke 10:30-35, in the parable of him that fell among thieves, who inflicted blows on him and left him half dead; and it is said that a Samaritan “bound up his blows,” pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn.

[2] He who understands the internal sense of the Word is able to know why it was said by the Lord that the Samaritan “bound up the blows, poured in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast.” For by “the Samaritan” in the internal sense is meant one who is in the affection of truth, by “binding up the blows” is signified the healing of this affection when injured, by “pouring in oil and wine” is signified the good of love and the good of faith, and by “setting him on his own beast” is signified uplifting him by virtue of his own intellectual. Thus by these words is described charity toward the neighbor; naturally for man in the world, and spiritually for the angels in heaven; naturally in the sense of the letter, and spiritually in the internal sense. The reason why a “Samaritan” denotes one who is in the affection of truth, is that “Samaritan” in the Word signifies this affection (that “oil” denotes the good of love, see n. 886, 3728, 4582; also that “wine” denotes the good of faith, n. 1798, 6377; and that “a beast of burden” denotes the intellectual, n. 2761, 2762, 2781, 3217, 5321, 5741, 6125, 6401, 6534, 7024, 8146, 8148). In this manner spoke the Lord; but few apprehend this, for they believe that such things were said merely for the sake of giving the parable the connection of a narrative; but in this case they would not be words from the Divine. All words from the Divine have within them such things as belong to the Lord, heaven, and the church, and this is the case in every jot (see above, n. 9049).