Arcana Coelestia # 402
402. 'A city that was built' means all doctrinal or heretical teaching founded on that heresy. This is clear from the Word wherever the name of any city occurs. In the Word 'city' never means a city but something doctrinal or else something heretical. For angels are totally ignorant of what a city is or what the name of any city is. They never do nor can have any city in mind, for their ideas are of spiritual and celestial things, as shown already. Their perception is solely of what is meant spiritually by cities, and the names of them. For example, by the Holy City, which is also called the Holy Jerusalem, they understand nothing other than the Lord's kingdom in general, or as it exists with each individual who has the Lord's kingdom within him. And the city of Zion or Mount Zion they understand in a similar way, the latter being the celestial degree of faith, the former the spiritual.
[2] And the celestial and spiritual itself is also described by cities, palaces, houses, walls, the foundations of walls, ramparts, gates, bars, and by the temple at the centre, as in Ezekiel 48, and in Revelation 21:15-end. In Revelation 21:2, 10, it is called 'the Holy Jerusalem'; in Jeremiah 31:38 ['the city for Jehovah']; in David, Psalms 46:4, 'the city of God, the holy place of the dwellings of the Most High'; and in Ezekiel 48:35, it is called 'the city, Jehovah is there'. And in Isaiah,
The sons of the foreigner will build up your walls. They will bend down to the soles of your feet, all who disapprove of you, and they will call you the City of Jehovah, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 60:10, 14.
In Zechariah,
Jerusalem [will be called] the city of truth, and Mount Zion the mountain of holiness. Zechariah 8:3
Here 'city of truth', which is Jerusalem, means the spiritual things of faith, and 'the holy mountain', which is Zion, the celestial things of faith. And whereas the celestial and spiritual things of faith were represented by a city, so all matters of doctrine were meant by the cities of Judah and Israel, each one, when mentioned by name, meaning some specific point of doctrine, though exactly which nobody can know except from the internal sense.
[3] As cities meant matters of doctrine, cities also meant heretical ideas, each one when mentioned by name meaning some specific heretical idea. But at this point solely the consideration that in general a city means doctrinal teaching or else heretical may be established from the following places:
[4] In Isaiah,
On that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt which speak in the lip of Canaan and swear to Jehovah Zebaoth. One of these will be called the city Heres. Isaiah 19:18.
This refers to man's knowledge of spiritual and celestial things at the time of the Lord's Coming. In the same prophet,
Full of tumults, a tumultuous city, an exultant city. Isaiah 22:1, 2.
This refers to 'the valley of vision', which is delusion. In Jeremiah,
The cities of the south are shut up, with none opening them. Jeremiah 13:10.
This refers to people who are in 'the south', that is, who dwell in the light of truth, but blot it out. In the same prophet,
Jehovah thought to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion. He causes rampart and wall to mourn; they have languished together. Her gates have sunk into the ground, He has destroyed and broken in pieces her bars. Lamentations 2:8-9.
Here anyone may see that nothing else is meant by 'wall, rampart, gates and bars' than matters of doctrine.
[5] Similarly in Isaiah,
This song will be sung in the land of Judah, Ours is a strong city, salvation will establish walls and a rampart. Open the gates that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. Isaiah 26:1-2.
In the same prophet,
I will exalt You, I will confess Your name. You have made the city into a heap, the fortified city into a ruin; let not a palace of aliens be built of the city for ever. Therefore a strong people will honour You, the city of terrifying nations will fear You. Isaiah 25:1-3.
Nor does this refer to any actual city. In Balaam's prophecy,
Edom will be an inheritance, and out of Jacob one will have dominion, and he will accomplish the destruction of the remnant of the city. Numbers 24:18-19.
Here anyone may see that 'the city' does not mean an actual city. In Isaiah,
The city of hollowness has been broken down, every house has been shut up so that none may enter in. There is an outcry in the streets over the wine. Isaiah 24:10-11.
Here 'city of hollowness' stands for hollowness of doctrine. In this and other places 'streets' means the things that constitute a city, namely falsities or truths. In John,
When the seventh angel poured out his bowl the great city was split into three parts and the cities of the nations fell. Revelation 16:17, 19.
That 'a great city' means something heretical, as do 'the cities of the nations', may be clear to anyone. The explanation is also given in Revelation 17:18 that the great city means the woman whom John saw, 'the woman', as shown already, being a Church of that nature.
Luke 13
1
Now there were some present at the same time who told him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
2
Jesus answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered such things?
3
I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.
4
Or those eighteen, on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them; do you think that they were worse offenders than all the men who dwell in Jerusalem?
5
I tell you, no, but, unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way."
6
He spoke this parable. "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none.
7
He said to the vine dresser, 'Behold, these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down. Why does it waste the soil?'
8
He answered, 'Lord, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it, and fertilize it.
9
If it bears fruit, fine; but if not, after that, you can cut it down.'"
10
He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day.
11
Behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bent over, and could in no way straighten herself up.
12
When Jesus saw her, he called her, and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity."
13
He laid his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight, and glorified God.
14
The ruler of the synagogue, being indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the multitude, "There are six days in which men ought to work. Therefore come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day!"
15
Therefore the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each one of you free his ox or his donkey from the stall on the Sabbath, and lead him away to water?
16
Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound eighteen long years, be freed from this bondage on the Sabbath day?"
17
As he said these things, all his adversaries were disappointed, and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
18
He said, "What is the Kingdom of God like? To what shall I compare it?
19
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and put in his own garden. It grew, and became a large tree, and the birds of the sky lodged in its branches."
20
Again he said, "To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
21
It is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened."
22
He went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and traveling on to Jerusalem.
23
One said to him, "Lord, are they few who are saved?" He said to them,
24
"Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in, and will not be able.
25
When once the master of the house has risen up, and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside, and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' then he will answer and tell you, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'
26
Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.'
27
He will say, 'I tell you, I don't know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.'
28
There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets, in the Kingdom of God, and yourselves being thrown outside.
29
They will come from the east, west, north, and south, and will sit down in the Kingdom of God.
30
Behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and there are some who are first who will be last."
31
On that same day, some Pharisees came, saying to him, "Get out of here, and go away, for Herod wants to kill you."
32
He said to them, "Go and tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I complete my mission.
33
Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, for it can't be that a prophet perish outside of Jerusalem.'
34
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused!
35
Behold, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"
