Bible

 

Leviticus 16

Studie

   

1 και ελαλησεν κυριος προς μωυσην μετα το τελευτησαι τους δυο υιους ααρων εν τω προσαγειν αυτους πυρ αλλοτριον εναντι κυριου και ετελευτησαν

2 και ειπεν κυριος προς μωυσην λαλησον προς ααρων τον αδελφον σου και μη εισπορευεσθω πασαν ωραν εις το αγιον εσωτερον του καταπετασματος εις προσωπον του ιλαστηριου ο εστιν επι της κιβωτου του μαρτυριου και ουκ αποθανειται εν γαρ νεφελη οφθησομαι επι του ιλαστηριου

3 ουτως εισελευσεται ααρων εις το αγιον εν μοσχω εκ βοων περι αμαρτιας και κριον εις ολοκαυτωμα

4 και χιτωνα λινουν ηγιασμενον ενδυσεται και περισκελες λινουν εσται επι του χρωτος αυτου και ζωνη λινη ζωσεται και κιδαριν λινην περιθησεται ιματια αγια εστιν και λουσεται υδατι παν το σωμα αυτου και ενδυσεται αυτα

5 και παρα της συναγωγης των υιων ισραηλ λημψεται δυο χιμαρους εξ αιγων περι αμαρτιας και κριον ενα εις ολοκαυτωμα

6 και προσαξει ααρων τον μοσχον τον περι της αμαρτιας αυτου και εξιλασεται περι αυτου και του οικου αυτου

7 και λημψεται τους δυο χιμαρους και στησει αυτους εναντι κυριου παρα την θυραν της σκηνης του μαρτυριου

8 και επιθησει ααρων επι τους δυο χιμαρους κληρον ενα τω κυριω και κληρον ενα τω αποπομπαιω

9 και προσαξει ααρων τον χιμαρον εφ' ον επηλθεν επ' αυτον ο κληρος τω κυριω και προσοισει περι αμαρτιας

10 και τον χιμαρον εφ' ον επηλθεν επ' αυτον ο κληρος του αποπομπαιου στησει αυτον ζωντα εναντι κυριου του εξιλασασθαι επ' αυτου ωστε αποστειλαι αυτον εις την αποπομπην αφησει αυτον εις την ερημον

11 και προσαξει ααρων τον μοσχον τον περι της αμαρτιας τον αυτου και του οικου αυτου μονον και εξιλασεται περι αυτου και του οικου αυτου και σφαξει τον μοσχον τον περι της αμαρτιας τον αυτου

12 και λημψεται το πυρειον πληρες ανθρακων πυρος απο του θυσιαστηριου του απεναντι κυριου και πλησει τας χειρας θυμιαματος συνθεσεως λεπτης και εισοισει εσωτερον του καταπετασματος

13 και επιθησει το θυμιαμα επι το πυρ εναντι κυριου και καλυψει η ατμις του θυμιαματος το ιλαστηριον το επι των μαρτυριων και ουκ αποθανειται

14 και λημψεται απο του αιματος του μοσχου και ρανει τω δακτυλω επι το ιλαστηριον κατα ανατολας κατα προσωπον του ιλαστηριου ρανει επτακις απο του αιματος τω δακτυλω

15 και σφαξει τον χιμαρον τον περι της αμαρτιας τον περι του λαου εναντι κυριου και εισοισει απο του αιματος αυτου εσωτερον του καταπετασματος και ποιησει το αιμα αυτου ον τροπον εποιησεν το αιμα του μοσχου και ρανει το αιμα αυτου επι το ιλαστηριον κατα προσωπον του ιλαστηριου

16 και εξιλασεται το αγιον απο των ακαθαρσιων των υιων ισραηλ και απο των αδικηματων αυτων περι πασων των αμαρτιων αυτων και ουτω ποιησει τη σκηνη του μαρτυριου τη εκτισμενη εν αυτοις εν μεσω της ακαθαρσιας αυτων

17 και πας ανθρωπος ουκ εσται εν τη σκηνη του μαρτυριου εισπορευομενου αυτου εξιλασασθαι εν τω αγιω εως αν εξελθη και εξιλασεται περι αυτου και του οικου αυτου και περι πασης συναγωγης υιων ισραηλ

18 και εξελευσεται επι το θυσιαστηριον το ον απεναντι κυριου και εξιλασεται επ' αυτου και λημψεται απο του αιματος του μοσχου και απο του αιματος του χιμαρου και επιθησει επι τα κερατα του θυσιαστηριου κυκλω

19 και ρανει επ' αυτου απο του αιματος τω δακτυλω επτακις και καθαριει αυτο και αγιασει αυτο απο των ακαθαρσιων των υιων ισραηλ

20 και συντελεσει εξιλασκομενος το αγιον και την σκηνην του μαρτυριου και το θυσιαστηριον και περι των ιερεων καθαριει και προσαξει τον χιμαρον τον ζωντα

21 και επιθησει ααρων τας χειρας αυτου επι την κεφαλην του χιμαρου του ζωντος και εξαγορευσει επ' αυτου πασας τας ανομιας των υιων ισραηλ και πασας τας αδικιας αυτων και πασας τας αμαρτιας αυτων και επιθησει αυτας επι την κεφαλην του χιμαρου του ζωντος και εξαποστελει εν χειρι ανθρωπου ετοιμου εις την ερημον

22 και λημψεται ο χιμαρος εφ' εαυτω τας αδικιας αυτων εις γην αβατον και εξαποστελει τον χιμαρον εις την ερημον

23 και εισελευσεται ααρων εις την σκηνην του μαρτυριου και εκδυσεται την στολην την λινην ην ενεδεδυκει εισπορευομενου αυτου εις το αγιον και αποθησει αυτην εκει

24 και λουσεται το σωμα αυτου υδατι εν τοπω αγιω και ενδυσεται την στολην αυτου και εξελθων ποιησει το ολοκαρπωμα αυτου και το ολοκαρπωμα του λαου και εξιλασεται περι αυτου και περι του οικου αυτου και περι του λαου ως περι των ιερεων

25 και το στεαρ το περι των αμαρτιων ανοισει επι το θυσιαστηριον

26 και ο εξαποστελλων τον χιμαρον τον διεσταλμενον εις αφεσιν πλυνει τα ιματια και λουσεται το σωμα αυτου υδατι και μετα ταυτα εισελευσεται εις την παρεμβολην

27 και τον μοσχον τον περι της αμαρτιας και τον χιμαρον τον περι της αμαρτιας ων το αιμα εισηνεχθη εξιλασασθαι εν τω αγιω εξοισουσιν αυτα εξω της παρεμβολης και κατακαυσουσιν αυτα εν πυρι και τα δερματα αυτων και τα κρεα αυτων και την κοπρον αυτων

28 ο δε κατακαιων αυτα πλυνει τα ιματια και λουσεται το σωμα αυτου υδατι και μετα ταυτα εισελευσεται εις την παρεμβολην

29 και εσται τουτο υμιν νομιμον αιωνιον εν τω μηνι τω εβδομω δεκατη του μηνος ταπεινωσατε τας ψυχας υμων και παν εργον ου ποιησετε ο αυτοχθων και ο προσηλυτος ο προσκειμενος εν υμιν

30 εν γαρ τη ημερα ταυτη εξιλασεται περι υμων καθαρισαι υμας απο πασων των αμαρτιων υμων εναντι κυριου και καθαρισθησεσθε

31 σαββατα σαββατων αναπαυσις αυτη εσται υμιν και ταπεινωσετε τας ψυχας υμων νομιμον αιωνιον

32 εξιλασεται ο ιερευς ον αν χρισωσιν αυτον και ον αν τελειωσουσιν τας χειρας αυτου ιερατευειν μετα τον πατερα αυτου και ενδυσεται την στολην την λινην στολην αγιαν

33 και εξιλασεται το αγιον του αγιου και την σκηνην του μαρτυριου και το θυσιαστηριον εξιλασεται και περι των ιερεων και περι πασης συναγωγης εξιλασεται

34 και εσται τουτο υμιν νομιμον αιωνιον εξιλασκεσθαι περι των υιων ισραηλ απο πασων των αμαρτιων αυτων απαξ του ενιαυτου ποιηθησεται καθαπερ συνεταξεν κυριος τω μωυση

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 9937

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 10837  
  

9937. And Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things. That this signifies the consequent removal of falsities and evils with those who are in good from the Lord, is evident from the representation of Aaron, as being the Lord in respect to the good of love (see n. 9806); and from the representation of the priesthood which Aaron administered, as being the whole office which the Lord discharges as the Savior (n. 9809); from the signification of “bearing iniquity,” as being the removal of falsities and evils with those who are in good (of which below); and from the signification of “the holy things,” as being the gifts which they brought to Jehovah or the Lord in order that their sins might be expiated, which gifts were burnt-offerings, sacrifices, and meat-offerings. That these things are meant by “the holy things,” is clear, for it is said, “which the sons of Israel shall sanctify in respect to all the gifts of their holy things.” That “bearing iniquity” denotes to remove falsities and evils, or sins, with those who are in good, is because it is said of the Lord, for the Lord was represented by Aaron, and the whole work of salvation was represented by the office, or priesthood, of Aaron. That it is said of the Lord that He “bore sins” for the human race, has been known in the church; but still it is not known what is meant by “bearing iniquities and sins.” It is believed by some that it denotes that He took on Himself the sins of the human race, and suffered Himself to be condemned even to the death of the cross; and that because the condemnation for sins was cast on Him, mortals were thus freed from damnation; and also that the damnation was taken away by the Lord through the fulfilling of the law, because the law would have condemned everyone who did not fulfil it.

[2] But these things are not meant by “bearing iniquity,” because every man’s deeds remain with him after death, and according to the quality of these he is then judged either to life or to death. Their quality is from his love and his faith, for love and faith make the life of a deed; and therefore they cannot be taken away by transfer to another who would bear them. From this it is evident that something else is meant by “bearing iniquities;” but what is meant can be seen from the bearing itself of iniquities or sins by the Lord. For the Lord bears them when He fights for man against the hells, because man cannot fight against these from himself; but the Lord alone does this, and indeed continually for every man, but with a difference according to his reception of the Divine good and Divine truth.

[3] When the Lord was in the world, He fought against all the hells, and completely subjugated them. From this He also became righteousness. Thus He redeemed from damnation those who receive the Divine good and truth from Him. Unless this had been done by the Lord, no man could have been saved; for insofar as the Lord does not remove them, the hells are constantly with man, and have dominion over him; and He removes them in proportion as the man desists from evils. He who once conquers the hells, conquers them to eternity; and in order that this might be done by the Lord, He made His Human Divine. He, therefore, who alone fights for man against the hells (or what is the same thing, against evils and falsities, for these are from the hells) is said “to bear sins,” for He alone supports this burden. That by “bearing sins” is also signified the removal of evils and falsities from those who are in good, is because this is the consequence; for insofar as the hells are removed from man, so far evils and falsities are removed, because as before said both of these are from the hells. Evils and falsities are “sins” and “iniquities.” How the case herein is can be seen from what was shown above (n. 9715, 9809), where the Lord’s merit and righteousness, and also the subjugation of the hells by Him are treated of.

[4] The reason why it is said of Aaron that he should “bear iniquities,” was that he represented the Lord, and his priesthood represented the Lord’s whole work of salvation (n. 9806, 9809); and the main work of salvation is to redeem and deliver man from the hells, and thus to remove evils and falsities. It is said to remove evils and falsities, because deliverance from sins (that is, the forgiveness of them) is nothing else than their removal; for they remain with the man; but insofar as the good of love and the truth of faith are implanted, so far the evil and falsity are removed. The case herein is like that with heaven and hell. Heaven does not abolish hell; but removes from itself those who are there. For it is the good and truth from the Lord which make heaven; and these are what effect this removal. The case is similar with man, who of himself is a hell; but when he is being regenerated, he becomes a heaven, and insofar as he becomes a heaven, so far hell is removed. It is a common opinion that evils, that is, sins, are not removed in this way; but are absolutely separated. But such persons are not aware that from himself the whole man is nothing but evil, and that insofar as he is kept in good by the Lord, the evils which belong to him appear as if they were rooted out; for when a man is kept in good, he is withheld from evil. Nevertheless no one can be withheld from evil and kept in good unless he is in the good of faith and of charity from the Lord; that is, only insofar as he suffers himself to be regenerated by the Lord. For as before said, heaven is implanted in man by regeneration, and thereby the hell which is with him is removed.

[5] From all this it can be seen again that “bearing iniquities,” when said of the Lord, denotes to continually fight for man against the hells, thus continually to remove them; for there is a perpetual removing, not only while man is in the world, but also in the other life to eternity. It is impossible for any man to remove evils in this way; for from himself man cannot remove the least of evil, still less the hells, and least of all to eternity. (But see what has been shown on this subject before, namely, that the evils with man are not absolutely separated; but are removed insofar as he is in this good from the Lord, n. 8393, 9014, 9333-9336, 9444-9454.) (That while He was in the world the Lord conquered the hells by means of the combats of temptations, and thereby disposed all things into order; and also that He did this from Divine love, in order to save the human race; and that thus He also made His Human Divine, may be seen in the places cited inn. 9528 e; and also that in temptations, which are spiritual combats against the evils which are from hell, the Lord fights for man, n. 1692, 6574, 8159, 8172, 8175, 8176, 8273, 8969) How the Lord while in the world bore the iniquities of the human race, that is, fought with the hells and subjugated them, and thus acquired for Himself the Divine power of removing these things with all who are in good, and thus became merit and righteousness, is described in Isaiah 59:16-20; 63:1-9, as has been already explained (n. 9715, 9809).

[6] When these things are understood, it can be known what is signified by all that is said in the fifty-third chapter of the same prophet concerning the Lord, in which from beginning to end the state of His temptations is treated of; thus the state in which He was while He fought with the hells, for temptations are nothing else than combats with these. This state is thus described:

He bore our sicknesses, and carried our griefs; He was pierced for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities; Jehovah made to fall on Him the iniquity of us all; and thus He gave the wicked to their sepulcher; the will of Jehovah shall prosper by His hand; He shall see from the labor of His soul and be sated; and by His wisdom shall justify many, because He hath borne their iniquities, and thus hath carried the sin of many (Isaiah 53:4-5).

He is also called there “the Arm of Jehovah,” by which is signified Divine power (n. 4932, 7205). That by “bearing sicknesses,” “sorrows,” and “iniquities,” and by “being pierced and bruised by them,” is signified a state of temptations, is evident; for in such a state there are griefs of soul, distresses, and despairs, which in this way cause anguish. Such things are induced by the hells, for in temptations they assault the very love of him against whom they fight; the love of everyone being the inmost of his life. The Lord’s love was the love of saving the human race, which love was the Esse of His life, for this love was the Divine in Him.

In Isaiah also, where the subject treated of is the combats of the Lord, this is described in these words:

He said, Surely they are My people, therefore He became their Savior. In all their distress He was distressed; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He took them up, and carried them all the days of eternity (Isaiah 63:8-9).

[7] That while He was in the world the Lord endured such temptations, is only briefly described in the Gospels, but at great length in the prophets, and especially in the Psalms of David. In the Gospels it is only said that He was led into the wilderness, and was afterward tempted by the devil, and that He was there forty days, and was with the beasts (Mark 1:12-13; Matthew 4:1). But that from His earliest childhood even to the end of His life in the world He was in temptations, that is, in combats with the hells, He did not reveal, in accordance with these words in Isaiah:

He was oppressed, and was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He is led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, He opened not His mouth (Isaiah 53:7).

His last temptation was in Gethsemane (Matthew 26; Mark 14), and then came the passion of the cross; that He thereby fully subjugated the hells, He Himself teaches in John:

Father, rescue Me from this hour. But for this sake came I into this hour. Father, glorify Thy name. Then came there a voice out of heaven, saying, I have glorified it and will glorify it. Then said Jesus, Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out (John 12:27-28, 31).

“The prince of the world” is the devil, thus all hell; “to glorify” denotes to make the human Divine. The reason why mention is made only of the temptation after forty days in the wilderness, is that “forty days” signify and involve temptations to the full, thus the temptations of many years (n. 8098, 9437); “the wilderness” signifies hell, and “the beasts with which He fought there” signify the diabolical crew.

[8] The removal of sins with those who are in good, that is, those who have practiced repentance, was represented in the Jewish Church by the he-goat called “Asasel,” upon the head of which Aaron was to lay his hands, and to confess the iniquities of the sons of Israel, and all their transgressions in respect to all their sins, and was then to send it into the wilderness, and that in this way the he-goat should bear upon him all their iniquities into a land of separation (Leviticus 16:21-22). By Aaron is here represented the Lord; by “the he-goat” is signified faith; by “the wilderness,” and “the land of separation,” hell; and by “bearing thither the iniquities of the sons of Israel” is signified to remove them, and cast them into hell. No one can know that such things were represented, except from the internal sense; for everyone can see that the iniquities of a whole congregation could not be borne into the wilderness by any he-goat; for what had the he-goat in common with iniquities? But as at that time all representatives signified such things as belong to the Lord, to heaven and to the church, so also did these. The internal sense therefore teaches what these things involve, namely, that it is the truth of faith by means of which man is regenerated, consequently by means of which sins are removed; and because the faith of truth is from the Lord, it is the Lord Himself who effects this; according to (2760) what was said and shown in the preface to Genesis 22, and also in n. 3332, 3876-3877, (4738) 4169, 4769. (That Aaron represents the Lord, see n. 9806, 9810; also that a “he-goat of the goats” denotes the truth of faith, n. 4169, 4769.) That “the wilderness” denotes hell, is because the camp in which were the sons of Israel signified heaven (n. 4236); and therefore the wilderness is called a “land of separation,” or of “cutting off.” Thus by “bearing iniquities into that land,” that is into the wilderness, is signified to cast evils and falsities into hell, from which they are; and they are cast thither when they are removed so as not to appear, which is effected when a man is withheld from them by being kept in good by the Lord, according to what was said above.

[9] The like that was signified by the casting out of sins into the wilderness is signified by “casting them forth into the depths of the sea,” as in Micah:

He will have compassion upon us; He will suppress our iniquities; and He will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19).

“The depth of the sea” also denotes hell.

[10] From all this it is now evident that by “Aaron bearing the iniquities of the holy things,” is signified the removal of sins by the Lord from those who are in good; and that their removal is continually being effected by the Lord; and that this is meant by “bearing iniquities.” So also in another passage in Moses:

Jehovah said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons with thee shall hear the iniquity of the sanctuary; and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. The sons of Israel shall no more come nigh the Tent of meeting, to bear sin, by dying. But the Levite shall do the work of the Tent, and they shall bear their iniquity (Numbers 18:1, 22-23).

The like is meant by “bearing,” in Isaiah:

Attend unto Me O house of Israel that have been carried from the womb. Even to old age I am the same, and even to hoar hairs will I carry; I have made, and I will carry; yea, I will bear, and will rescue (Isaiah 46:3-4).

[11] That “bearing iniquity” denotes to expiate, thus to remove sins, is evident in Moses:

Moses was indignant with Eleazar and with Ithamar because the he-goat of the sacrifice of sin had been burnt, saying, Wherefore did ye not eat it in the place of holiness, seeing that Jehovah hath given it you to bear the iniquities of the congregation, to expiate them before Jehovah (Leviticus 10:16-17)?

(That “expiation” means a cleansing from evils, thus removal from sins, see n. 9506; and that Aaron was enjoined to expiate the people, and to pardon their sins, Leviticus 4:26, 31, 35; 5:6, 10, 13, 16, 18; 9:7; 15:15, 30.) That “to bear sins,” when not said of the priesthood, denotes to be damned, thus to die, see Leviticus 5:1, 5:17; 7:18 17:16; 19:8; 20:17, 19-20; 22:9; 24:15; Numbers 9:13; 18:22; Ezekiel 18:19-20; 23:49.

  
/ 10837  
  

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

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 9809

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 10837  
  

9809. That he may minister in the priest’s office to Me. That this signifies a representative of the Lord, is evident from the representation of “the priest’s office,” as being in the supreme sense every office which the Lord discharges as the Savior; and whatever He does as the Savior is from Divine love, thus from Divine good, for all good is of love. For this reason also by “the priest’s office” in the supreme sense is signified the Divine good of the Lord’s Divine love. There is Divine good, and there is Divine truth; Divine good is in the Lord, and therefore it is His being, which in the Word is called “Jehovah;” but Divine truth is from the Lord, and therefore it is the coming-forth from this being, which in the Word is meant by “God;” and as that which comes forth from Him is also Himself, therefore also the Lord is Divine truth, which is His Divine in the heavens. For the heavens come forth from Him, because the angels who are there are receptions of His Divine; the celestial angels being receptions of the Divine good which is from Him, and the spiritual angels being receptions of the Divine truth which is thence derived. From all this it can be seen what of the Lord was represented by the priestly office, and what of the Lord was represented by the kingly office; namely, by the priestly office the Divine good of His Divine love, and by the kingly office the Divine truth thence derived.

[2] That by the priestly office was represented the Divine good of the Lord’s Divine love, thus every office which the Lord discharges as the Savior is evident from the following passages in the Word, in David:

The saying of Jehovah unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool. Jehovah shall send forth the scepter of strength out of Zion; rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies. Thy people is one of readinesses in the day of Thy strength, in the honors of holiness from the womb of the dawn, Thou hast the dew of Thy birth. Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever, according to My word, Melchizedek. The Lord at Thy right hand hath smitten kings in the day of His anger; He hath judged among the nations; He hath filled with dead bodies; He hath smitten the head over much land. He shall drink of the stream in the way: therefore shall He lift up the head (Psalms 110:1-7).

From this it is plain what the Lord is as a priest, consequently what the priestly office represented in the Lord, namely, all the work of the salvation of the human race; for in this passage the subject treated of is the Lord’s combats with the hells, while He was in the world, through which He acquired for Himself Divine omnipotence over the hells, by virtue of which He saved the human race, and also saves at this day all those who receive Him. It is this salvation itself, because it is from the Divine good of the Divine love, by virtue of which it is said of the Lord, “Thou art a priest forever, according to My word, Melchizedek.” “Melchizedek” means “the king of righteousness”; and the Lord was so called from the fact that He became righteousness, and thereby salvation (according to what was shown above, n. 9715).

[3] But as each particular expression in the above Psalm contains arcana concerning the Lord’s combats while He was in the world, and these cannot be revealed without the internal sense, therefore they may here be briefly unfolded. “The saying of Jehovah unto My Lord” signifies that it is said of the Lord while He was in the world (that by “the Lord” here is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human is evident in Matthew 22:41-43, in Mark 12:35-36, and in Luke 20:41-44). “Sit thou at My right hand” signifies the omnipotence of Divine good through the Divine truth which the Lord then was, and from which He fought and conquered (that “sitting at the right hand” denotes a state of power, and that when said of the Divine it denotes omnipotence, see n. 3387, 4592, 4933, 7518, 7673, 8281, 9133; and that all the power of good is through truth, n. 6344, 6423, 8304, 9327, 9410, 9639, 9643).

[4] “Until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool” signifies until the evils which are in the hells shall be subjugated and made subject to his Divine power. “Jehovah shall send forth the scepter of strength out of Zion” signifies power then from celestial good (that “Zion” denotes this good, see n. 2362, 9055). “Rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies” signifies that this good has dominion over evils; evils are meant by “enemies” because they are opposed to the Divine, and specifically to the Lord. “Thy people is one of readinesses in the day of Thy strength” signifies the Divine truths then fighting. “In the honors of holiness” signifies which are from the Divine good. “From the womb of the dawn, Thou hast the dew of Thy birth,” signifies conception from the Divine good itself from which He had Divine truth. “Jehovah hath sworn and will not repent” signifies what is stable and certain.

[5] “Thou art a priest forever” signifies the Divine good of the Divine love in Him. “According to My word, Melchizedek,” signifies that His Divine Human is the like; “Melchizedek” means “king of righteousness,” thus that Jehovah became righteous through combats and victories (n. 9715). “The Lord at Thy right hand” signifies the Divine truth which is then from Him, through which He has omnipotence, as above. “Hath smitten kings in the day of His anger” signifies the destruction then of falsities; “the day of anger” was when He fought against evils and destroyed them; “kings” denote truths, and in the opposite sense falsities (n. 2015, 2069, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148). “He hath judged among the nations” signifies the dispersion of evils; for “nations” denote goods, and in the opposite sense evils (n. 1259, 1260, 1849, 6005). “He hath filled with dead bodies” signifies thus spiritual death, which is the total deprivation of truth and good. “He hath smitten the head over much land” signifies the casting down of the infernal love of self into the hells, and its damnation. “He shall drink of the stream in the way, therefore shall He lift up the head,” signifies the endeavor to emerge by means of reasonings about truths. This is the sense of the above words which is perceived in heaven when this Psalm is read by man.

[6] As the priestly office was representative of the Lord in respect to all the work of salvation from Divine love, therefore also all Divine worship belonged to the office of the priest; which worship at that time consisted chiefly in offering burnt-offerings, sacrifices, and meat-offerings, and in arranging the breads of faces upon the table, in lighting the lamps every day, and in burning incense; consequently in making expiation for the people and in remitting sins. Moreover, when the priests were at the same time prophets, it also consisted in unfolding the Divine law, and in teaching. That Aaron with his sons performed all these things is evident from the institution of the priest’s office in Moses. That all these things were representative of the Lord’s works of salvation, is manifest; wherefore also that part of the sacrifices and meat-offerings which was for Jehovah, that is, for the Lord, was given to Aaron; in like manner the firstfruits of various kinds, and also the tithes (see Exodus 29:1-36; Leviticus 7:35-36; 23:15-21; 27:21; Numbers 5:6-10; 18:8-20, and 25 to the end; Deuteronomy 18:1-5), and the firstborn; but instead of all the firstborn of men were the Levites, who were given as a gift to Aaron (Numbers 1:47; 3:9), for the reason that they belonged to Jehovah (Numbers 3:12-13, 40-45).

[7] As the Lord in respect to the whole work of salvation was represented by the high-priest, and the work of salvation itself by his office, which is called the priesthood, therefore no inheritance and portion with the people was given to Aaron and his sons, for it is declared that Jehovah God is their inheritance and portion (Numbers 18:20); neither was any portion given to the Levites, because they belonged to Aaron (Numbers 26:58-63; Deuteronomy 10:9; 18:1-2). For the people represented heaven and the church, but Aaron with his sons and with the Levites represented the good of love and of faith which makes heaven and the church, thus they represented the Lord from whom is this good. For this reason the land was granted to the people for an inheritance, but not to the priests, for the Lord is in them, but not among them as one of them and distinct from them.

[8] The like is involved in these words from Isaiah:

Ye shall be called the priests of Jehovah, the ministers of our God; ye shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory ye shall boast yourselves (Isaiah 61:6); where “eating the wealth of the nations” denotes to appropriate goods to themselves; “boasting themselves in their glory” denotes to enjoy truths, thus to have joy and happiness from both. (That “nations” denote goods, see n. 1259, 1260, 4574, 6005; and that “glory” denotes truth from the Divine, n. 9429.)

[9] In the Word throughout “kings” and “priests” are mentioned in a series, also “kings,” “princes,” “priests,” and “prophets;” and in the internal sense by “kings” are there signified truths in the complex; by “princes,” primary truths; by “priests,” goods in the complex; and by “prophets,” doctrines, as in the book of Revelation:

Jesus Christ hath made us kings and priests (Revelation 1:6; 5:10).

The house of Israel were ashamed, they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets (Jeremiah 2:26).

In that day the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be amazed, and the prophets shall marvel (Jeremiah 4:9).

At that time they shall draw out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets (Jeremiah 8:1).

(That by “kings” in the sense abstracted from persons are signified truths in the complex, see n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148; that by “princes” are signified primary truths, n. 1482, 2089, 5044; that “priests” denote goods, n. 1728, 2015, 3670, 6148; and that “prophets” denote doctrines derived from these things and concerning them, n. 2534, 7269) The kingly office of the Lord is also signified by His name “Christ,” “Anointed,” “Messiah”; and His priestly office by His name “Jesus,” for “Jesus” means “Savior” or “Salvation,” concerning which it is thus written in Matthew:

The angel appeared unto Joseph in a dream, and said, Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

As this belonged to the priest’s office, therefore the like was represented by the office of the high priest who made expiation for the people for sins (Leviticus 4:26, 31, 35; 5:6, 10, 13, 16, 1 5:18; 9:7; 15:15, 30).

[10] Seeing that evil cannot possibly be joined to good, because they have aversion for each other, therefore purifications of various kinds were commanded for Aaron and his sons when they ministered in the priest’s office, whether at the altar, or in the Tent of meeting; and it was also commanded that the high priest was not to marry any but a virgin; not a widow, nor one divorced, nor a harlot (Leviticus 21:13-15); that those of the sons of Aaron who were unclean “if they should eat of the sanctified things, were to be cut off” (Leviticus 22:2-9); that “no one of the seed of Aaron in whom was a blemish should offer bread” (Leviticus 21:17-21); that “the high priest was not to shave his head, to rend his garments, to defile himself with any dead body, not even of his father and his mother, and that he was not to go out of the sanctuary” (Leviticus 21:10-12). As before said, these and many other laws were enacted for the reason that the high priest represented the Lord as to Divine good; and good is of such a nature that evil cannot be joined to it, for good shuns evil, and evil dreads good as hell dreads heaven; and therefore no conjunction of them is possible.

[11] But as for truth, it is of such a character that falsity can be joined to it; yet not the falsity in which there is evil; but that in which there is good, such as there is with little children, and with boys and girls while they are as yet in innocence, and with well-disposed Gentiles who are in ignorance; and such as there is with all who are in the literal sense of the Word, and who remain in the doctrine thence derived, and who nevertheless have the good of life as their end; for this good, as the end, drives away all the malevolence of falsity, and by applying itself forms the falsity into a certain likeness of truth.

  
/ 10837  
  

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