9780. And let them take unto thee olive oil. That this signifies the good of charity and of faith, is evident from the signification of “olive oil,” as being the good of celestial love (see n. 886), but here the good of spiritual love, which is the good of charity toward the neighbor and the good of faith. That this good is here signified by “olive oil,” is because it was for the luminary, that is, for the lampstand, and by the “lampstand” is signified the spiritual heaven (n. 9548). The spiritual heaven on earth is the spiritual church. “Oil,” and “the olive-tree,” in the Word signify both celestial good and spiritual good; celestial good where the subject treated of is the celestial kingdom or the celestial church, and spiritual good where it is the spiritual kingdom or the spiritual church. These kingdoms or churches are distinguished by their goods. The goods of the celestial kingdom, or of the celestial church, are the good of love to the Lord and the good of mutual love; and the goods of the spiritual kingdom, or of the spiritual church, are the good of charity toward the neighbor and the good of faith (n. 9741). These goods and the truths therefrom are treated of in the Word throughout, for the Word is the doctrine of good, because it is the doctrine of love to the Lord and of love toward the neighbor (see Matthew 22:35-40); and all good is of love, even the good of faith, for this comes forth from the good of love, and not without it.

[2] As the Word is the doctrine of good, therefore in order that the Word may be understood, it must be known what good is; and no one knows what good is unless he lives in good according to the Word; for when anyone lives in good according to the Word, then the Lord instills good into his life, from which the man perceives it and feels it, and consequently apprehends the nature of it; otherwise it does not appear, because it is not perceived. From this it can be seen in what state they are who merely know what is in the Word, and persuade themselves that it is so, and yet do not do it. They have no knowledge of good, consequently none of truth; for truth is known from good, and never without good, except as memory-knowledge devoid of life, which perishes in the other life.

[3] That “oil” and also “the olive” denote good, is evident from the passages in the Word where they are mentioned, as in Zechariah:

I saw a lampstand of gold. Two olive-trees were beside it; one on the right side of the flask, and the other on the left side thereof. These are the two sons of oil that stand beside the Lord of the whole earth (Zech. 4:2-3, 14); where “the two olive-trees,” and “the two sons of oil,” denote the good of love to the Lord, which is on His right, and the good of charity toward the neighbor, which is on His left. In like manner in John:

The two witnesses prophesied a thousand two hundred and sixty days. These are the two olive-trees and the two lampstands that stand before the God of the earth (Rev 11:3-4); where “the two olive-trees and the two lampstands” denote these same goods, which, being from the Lord, are called “the two witnesses.”

[4] Again:

I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, Hurt not the oil and the wine (Revelation 6:6); where “the oil” denotes the good of love and charity, and “the wine,” the good and truth of faith. Again:

I will set in the wilderness the cedar of Shittah, and the myrtle, and the wood of oil (Isaiah 41:19).

They shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together unto the good of Jehovah, to the wheat, and to the new wine, and to the oil (Jeremiah 31:12).

The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the grain is wasted, the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth (Joel 1:10).

The floors are full of pure grain, and the presses overflow with new wine and oil (Joel 2:24).

I will give the rain of your land in its season, that thou mayest gather in thy grain, thy new wine, and thine oil (Deuteronomy 11:14).

[5] “Grain, new wine, and oil” are here spoken of, but that these things are not meant can be seen by everyone who considers; for the Word, being Divine, is spiritual, not worldly, and therefore it does not treat of the grain, the new wine, and the oil of the earth, insofar as these are of service to the body for foods, but insofar as they are of service to the soul; for all foods in the Word signify heavenly foods, as do the bread and the wine in the Holy Supper. What “the grain” and “the new wine” signify in the passages here quoted, may be seen above (n. 3580, 5295, 5410, 5959); from this it is evident what “the oil” signifies.

[6] The case is the same with all things spoken by the Lord while He was in the world, as when He said of the Samaritan that “he came to the man who was wounded by thieves, and bound up his wounds and poured in oil and wine” (Luke 10:33-34). Here are not meant oil and wine, but the good of love and of charity, by “oil” the good of love, and by “wine” the good of charity and of faith; for the subject treated of, is the neighbor, thus charity toward him (that “wine” has this signification, see n. 6377).

[7] In like manner what the Lord said of the ten virgins, of whom “five took their lamps and no oil with them, and five took also oil,” and that the latter were admitted into heaven, but the former rejected (Matthew 25:3-4, and following verses); “oil in the lamps” denotes the good of love and of charity in the truths of faith; “the virgins who took their lamps and no oil” denote those who hear the Word, read it, and say that they believe, and yet do no good in consequence, and if they do any good, it is not done from the love of good or of truth, but from the love of self and of the world.

[8] As “oil” signified the good of charity, therefore also the sick were anointed with oil and were healed, as we read of the Lord’s disciples, who “went forth and cast out demons, and anointed with oil them that were sick, and healed them” (Mark 6:13). And in David:

Thou wilt make fat my head with oil; my cup shall run over (Psalms 23:5); where “to make fat the head with oil” denotes to endow with celestial good.

In Moses:

Jehovah fed him with the produce of the fields; He made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the stone of the rock (Deuteronomy 32:13);

speaking of the Ancient Church; where “sucking oil out of the stone of the rock” denotes to be imbued with good through the truths of faith.

[9] In Habakkuk:

The fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall produce be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall lie, and the fields shall yield no food (Hab. 3:17);

here neither fig-tree, nor vine, nor olive, nor fields are meant, but heavenly things to which they correspond; as also everyone is able to acknowledge from himself who acknowledges that the Word treats of such things as belong to heaven and the church, thus as belong to the soul. But they who think of nothing but worldly, earthly, and bodily things, do not see the internal things, and even do not wish to see them, for they say within themselves, What are spiritual things? What are celestial things? and so, What is heavenly food? That these are such things as belong to intelligence and wisdom they indeed know when it is so said; but that they belong to faith and love, they do not desire; for the reason that they do not imbue their life with such things, and therefore do not attain to the intelligence and wisdom of heavenly truths and goodnesses.

[10] In Ezekiel:

I washed thee with waters, and I washed away thy bloods from upon thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee with broidered work. Thy garments were fine linen, silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil. But thou didst take thy broidered garments, and coveredst images; and didst set Mine oil and Mine incense before them (Ezekiel 16:9-10, 13, 18).

Who cannot see that in this passage are not meant garments of broidered work, fine linen, and silk, nor oil, honey, or fine flour; but Divine things which are of heaven and the church; for the subject treated of is Jerusalem, by which is meant the church; and therefore by the several things mentioned are meant such things as are of the church. That by each particular is meant some special thing of the church, is evident; for in the Word, which is Divine, there is not a word that is worthless. (That “Jerusalem” denotes the church, see n. 3654; also what is meant by “broidered work,” n. 9688; by “fine linen,” n. 5319, 9469; by “fine flour,” n. 2177; by “honey,” n. 5620, 6857; by “washing with waters,” n. 3147, 5954, 9088 and by “washing away bloods,” n. 4735, 9127)

[11] In Hosea:

Ephraim feedeth on wind, they make a covenant with the Assyrian, and oil is carried down into Egypt (Hos. 12:1).

These things are quite unintelligible unless it is known what is meant by “Ephraim,” what by “the Assyrian,” and what by “Egypt;” yet there is here described the understanding of the man of the church, which is perverted through reasonings from memory-knowledges; for “Ephraim” denotes this understanding (n. 3969, 5354, 6222, 6238, 6267); “the Assyrian,” reasoning (n. 1186); and “Egypt,” memory-knowledge (n. 9391); consequently “to carry down oil into Egypt” denotes to defile in this way the good of the church.

[12] That the Lord so often went up the Mount of Olives (Luke 21:37; 22:39), was because “oil” and “the olive” signified the good of love, as also does a “mountain” (n. 6435, 8758). The reason was that while the Lord was in the world all things respecting Him were representative of heaven; for thereby the universal heaven was adjoined to Him; wherefore whatever He did and whatever He said was Divine and heavenly, and the ultimate things were representative. The Mount of Olives represented heaven in respect to the good of love and of charity; as also can be seen in Zechariah:

Jehovah shall go forth, and fight against the nations. His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before the faces of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives shall be cleft asunder, that a part thereof shall recede toward the east, and toward the sea, with a great valley; and a part of the mountain shall recede toward the north, and a part of it toward the south (Zech. 14:3-4).

[13] Here the Lord and His coming are the subject treated of; by “the Mount of Olives” is signified the good of love and of charity; thus the church, for these goods make the church. That the church would recede from the Jewish nation, and would be set up among the Gentiles, is signified by “the mountain being cleft asunder toward the east, toward the sea, and toward the north, and the south;” in like manner as by the words of the Lord in Luke:

Ye shall be cast down outside; whereas they shall come from the east, and the west, and from the north, and the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God (Luke 13:28-29).

In a universal sense by “Jehovah going forth and fighting against the nations,” and by “His feet standing upon the Mount of Olives which is before the faces of Jerusalem,” is meant that the Lord from Divine love would fight against the hells; for “the nations” denote evils which are from the hells (n. 1868, 6306), and “the Mount of Olives,” on which were His feet, denotes the Divine love.

2177. That the “meal of fine flour” denotes the spiritual and the celestial which were then with the Lord, and that “cakes” denote the same when both are conjoined, is very evident from the sacrifices of the Representative Church, and from the meat-offering then made use of, which consisted of fine flour mingled with oil and made into cakes. The chief part of representative worship consisted in burnt-offerings and sacrifices. What these represented has already been stated, where bread is treated of (n. 2165), namely, the celestial things of the Lord’s kingdom in the heavens and of the Lord’s kingdom on the earth (that is, in the church), and also those of the Lord’s kingdom or church with each person; and in general all the things of love and charity, because these are celestial. All these offerings and sacrifices were at that time called “bread,” and to them was adjoined the meat-offering also, which, as already said, consisted of fine flour mingled with oil, to which frankincense was likewise added, as well as a libation of wine.

[2] What these represented is also evident, namely, similar things as the sacrifices, but in a less degree, thus the things which are of the spiritual church, and likewise those of the external church. Everyone can see that such things would never have been commanded unless they had represented Divine things, and also that each one represents something special and peculiar, for unless they had represented Divine things, they would not have differed from similar things in use among the Gentiles, among whom also there were sacrifices—meat-offerings, libations, frankincense, perpetual fires, and many other things, derived to them from the Ancient Church, and especially from the Hebrew Church. But as internal things (that is, the Divine things that were represented) were separated from these Gentile rites, they were merely idolatrous, as also they became with the Jews, who for this reason fell into all kinds of idolatry. From what has been said everyone can see that there were heavenly arcana in every rite, especially in the sacrifices and all their particulars.

[3] As regards the meat-offering, the nature of it and how it was to be prepared into cakes, is described in a whole chapter in Moses (Leviticus 2; also in Numbers 15, and elsewhere). The law of the meat-offering is described in Leviticus in these words:

Fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually, it shall not go out. And this is the law of the meat-offering: the sons of Aaron shall bring it before Jehovah to the faces of the altar; and he shall take therefrom his handful of the fine flour of the meat-offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meat-offering, and shall burn it upon the altar, an odor of rest, for a memorial unto Jehovah; and the residue thereof Aaron and his sons shall eat; unleavened shall they be eaten in a holy place; in the court of the tent of meeting shall they eat it. It shall not be baked leavened; I have given it as their portion of My offerings made by fire; it is a holy of holies (Leviticus 6:13-17).

[4] The fire which must be kept burning upon the altar continually, represented the love, that is, the mercy of the Lord, perpetual and eternal. That in the Word “fire” signifies love, see n. 934; hence “offerings made by fire for an odor of rest” signify the Lord’s pleasure in the things which are of love and charity. (That “odor” denotes what is well-pleasing, that is, what is grateful, see n. 925, 1519.) Their “taking a handful” represented that they should love with all the strength, or with all the soul; for the hand, or the palm of the hand, signifies power (as shown n. 878), from which “handful” also signifies power. The fine flour, with the oil and the frankincense, represented all things of charity-the fine flour the spiritual, and the oil the celestial of charity, the frankincense what was in this manner grateful. (That fine flour represents what is spiritual, is evident from what has just been said, and from what follows; that oil represents what is celestial, or the good of charity, may be seen above, n. 886; and also that frankincense, from its odor, represents what is grateful and acceptable, n. 925.)

[5] Its being “unleavened,” or not fermented, signifies that it should be sincere, and thus from a sincere heart, and free from uncleanness. That Aaron and his sons should eat the residue, represented man’s reciprocality and his appropriation, thus conjunction through love and charity; on which account it was commanded that they should eat it in a holy place. Hence it is called a “holy of holies.” These were the things that were represented by the meat-offering; and the representatives themselves were so perceived in heaven; and when the man of the church so apprehended them, he was then in an idea similar to the perception of the angels, thus he was in the Lord’s kingdom itself in the heavens although he was on earth.

[6] The meat-offering is further treated of, as regards what it ought to be in connection with each kind of sacrifice, and how it should be baked into cakes, also what kind should be offered by those who were being cleansed, and what on other occasions; to mention and explain all of which would be too tedious; but concerning all these matters see Exodus 29:39-41; Leviticus 5:11-13; 6:14-23; 10:12-13; 23:10-13, 23:16-17; Numbers 5:15, etc.; 6:15-17, 19-20, 7:1-89, in several places; 28:5, 7, 9, 12-13, 20-21, 28-29; 29:3-4, 9-10, 14-15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 37.

[7] Fine flour made into cakes in general represented the same as bread, namely, the celestial of love, and meal the spiritual of it, as is evident from the passages cited above. The “breads” [or loaves] that were called the “bread of faces,” or the “show bread” [panis propositionis], were made of fine flour, which was prepared in cakes and placed upon the table, for a perpetual representation of the love, that is, the mercy, of the Lord toward the universal human race, and the reciprocality of man. Concerning these loaves we read as follows in Moses:

Thou shalt take fine flour and shalt bake it into twelve cakes; of two tenths shall one cake be; and thou shalt set them in two rows, six in a row, upon the clean table, before Jehovah; and thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, and it shall be to the breads for a memorial, an offering made by fire unto Jehovah. On every Sabbath day he shall set it in order before Jehovah continually, from the sons of Israel in a covenant of eternity. And it shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place, for it is a holy of holies unto him, of the offerings made by fire unto Jehovah by a statute of eternity (Leviticus 24:5-9).

Every particular in this description and all the smallest details represented the holy of love and of charity, the “fine flour” the same as the “meal of fine flour,” namely, the celestial and its spiritual, and the “cake” the two conjoined.

[8] Hence it is evident what is the holiness of the Word to those who are in heavenly ideas, nay, what holiness there was in this very representative rite, on account of which it is called a holiness of holinesses; and on the contrary, how void of holiness it is to those who suppose that there is nothing heavenly in these things, and who abide solely in the externals; as do they who perceive the meal here merely as meal, the fine flour as fine flour, and the cake as a cake, and who suppose these things to have been stated without each particular involving something of the Divine. These do in like manner as do those who think the bread and wine of the Holy Supper to be nothing but a certain rite, containing nothing holy within; whereas there is such holiness that human minds are by that Supper conjoined with heavenly minds, when from internal affection they are thinking that the bread and wine signify the Lord’s love and the reciprocality of man, and are thus in holiness from interior thought and feeling.

[9] The like was involved in that the sons of Israel on their coming into the land of Canaan were to offer a cake of the first of their dough, as a heave-offering unto Jehovah (Numbers 15:20). That such things are signified is also evident in the Prophets, from which we may at present adduce only this from Ezekiel:

Thou wast decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was fine linen and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, honey, and oil, and thou wast become beautiful very exceedingly, and thou wast prospered unto a kingdom (Ezekiel 16:13); where the subject treated of is Jerusalem, by which is signified the church, that was so decked in its earliest time-that is, the Ancient Church-and which is described by the garments and other ornaments; as also its affections of truth and good by the fine flour, honey, and oil. Everyone can see that all these things have a very different meaning in the internal sense from that in the sense of the letter. And so have these words which Abraham said to Sarah: “Make ready quickly three measures of the meal of fine flour, knead, and make cakes.” (That “three” signifies holy things has been shown before, n. 720, 901)