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Метью 13

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1 Тогож дня вийшов Ісус із господи, та й сїв край моря.

2 І зібралось до Него багато, народу, так що Він увійшов у човен, та й сїв; а ввесь народ стояв на березї.

3 І промовляв до него багато приповістями, глаголючи: Ото вийшов сїяч сїяти;

4 і як він сїяв, инше впало край шляху, й прилетіло птаство, та й повизбирувало його.

5 Инше ж упало на каменистому, де не мало землї багато, й зараз посходило, бо не мало глибокої землї;

6 як же зійшло сонце, то й повяло воно, а, не мавши кореня, посохло.

7 А инше попадало між тернину, й тернина, розвившись, поглушила його.

8 Инше яг упало на добру землю, і дало овощ, одно в сотеро, друге в шісьдесятеро, инше ж у трийцятеро.

9 Хто мав уші слухати, нехай слухав.

10 І, приступивши ученики, казали до Него: На що ти глаголеш до них приповістями?

11 Він же, озвавшись, рече до них: Вам дано знати тайни царства небесного, їм же не дано.

12 Хто бо мав, тому дасть ся, й надто мати ме; а хто не мав, в того візьметь ся й те, що мав;

13 Тим я глаголю до них приповістями: бо, дивлячись, не бачять, і слухаючи, не чують, анї розуміють.

14 І справджуєть ся на них пророцтво Ісаії, що глаголе: Слухом слухати мете, та й не зрозумієте, й, дивлячись, бачити мете, та й не постережете.

15 Затверділо бо серце народу сього, й ушима тяжко чують, й очі свої вони заплющили, щоб инкоди не побачити очима, й не почути ушима, й не зрозуміти серцем, і не навернутись, щоб сцїлив я їх.

16 Ваші ж очі блаженні, бо бачать, і уші ваші, бо чують.

17 Істино бо глаголю вам: Що многі пророки а праведники бажали бачити, що ви бачите, та й не бачили; й чути, що ви чуєте, та й не чули.

18 Оце ж послухайте приповістї про сїяча.

19 Коли хто чує слово царства, й не зрозумів, приходить лукавий, та й хапає, що посїяно у него в серцї. Се - засїяний край шляху.

20 А засїяний на каменистому, се той, що чує слово, й зараз приймає його з радостю:

21 тільки же не мав він кореня в собі, він до часу; як настане горе або гоненнє за слово, зараз блазнить ся.

22 А засіяний в тернинї, се той, що чув слово, та журба віку сього і омана богацтва глушить слово, й робить ся без'овочним.

23 Засіяний же на добрій землї, се той, що чує слово й розуміє, й дав овощ; і родить одно в сотеро, друге в шістьдесятеро, инше ж у трийцятеро.

24 Ще иншу приповість подав їм, глаголючи: Уподобилось царство небесне чоловікові, що сїв добре насінне на ниві своїй;

25 як же люде спали, прийшов ворог його, й насїяв куколю між пшеницю, та й піишов.

26 Як же зійшов засїв, та приніс овощ, показавсь тоді й кукіль.

27 І прийшли слуги господаря того, та й кажуть йому: Пане, хиба ти не добре насїннє сіяв на твоїй ниві? Звідкіля ж узяв ся кукіль?

28 Він же рече Їм: Се зробив чоловік ворог. Слуги ж сказали йому: Чи хочеш, щоб ми пійшли та випололи його?

29 Він же рече: Нї, щоб виполюючи кукіль, разом з ним і пшеницї не повиривали.

30 Нехай ростуть обоє до жнив, а в жнива я скажу женцям: Зберіть перш кукіль та повяжіть у снопи, щоб спалити, а пшеницю зложіть у клунї в мене.

31 Иншу приповість подав їм, глаголючи: Царство небесне подібне зерну горчицї, що, взявши чоловік, посіяв на ниві своїй.

32 Найдрібнїще воно між усяким насїннєм; як же виросте, то стане найбуйнїщим між яриною, і зробить ся деревом, так що птаство небесне прилїтає кублитись між гіллєм його.

33 Иншу приповість сказав їм, глаголючи: Царство небесне подібне квасу, що жінка візьме та й рощиаить ним три мірки борошна (муки), нова все вкисне.

34 Все це говорив Ісус людям приповістями, а без приповістей не говорив їм:

35 щоб справдилось, що сказав пророк, глаголючи: Одкрию в приповістях уста мої, промовлю втаєне від настання сьвіта.

36 Тоді одіслав Ісус людей та й пійшов до дому; і приступили до Него ученики Його, говорячи: Виясни нам приповість про кукіль на ниві.

37 Він же, озвавшись, рече їм: Сїючий добре насінне, се Син чоловічий;

38 а нива, се сьвіт; добре ж насінне, се сини царства; а кукіль, се сини лукавого;

39 ворог, що всіяв його, се диявол; жнива, се конець сьвіта; а женцї, се ангели.

40 Оце ж, як той кукіль збираєть ся та палить ся огнем, так буде при кінці сьвіта сього:

41 Пошле Син чоловічий ангели свої, й позбирають вони з царства Його все, що блазнить, і всіх, що роблять беззаконне,

42 та й повкидають їх ув огняну піч: там буде плач і скреготаннє зубів.

43 Тодї праведні сияти муть, як сонце в царстві Отця свого. Хто має уші слухати, нехай слухає.

44 Знов, царство небесне подібне скарбу, закопаному на ниві: що, знайшовши його чоловік, приховав, і, радіючи, йде та й продав все, що має, та й купує ту ниву.

45 Знов, царство небесне подібне чоловікові купцеві, що шукає добрих перед;

46 і знайшовши він одну перлу дорогоцінну, пійшов та й продав усе, що мав, та й купив її.

47 Знов, царство небесне подібне неводові, що закинуто в море, й що зайняв усячини;

48 як же став повен, то витягли його на беріг, і посїдавши, вибрали що добре, у посуд, а що погане, те геть повикидали.

49 Так буде й при кінцї сьвіту: вийдуть ангели, та й повідлучають лихих зміж праведних,

50 та й повкидають їх ув огняну піч: там буде плач і скреготаннє зубів.

51 І рече Ісус до них: Чи зрозуміли ви все? Кажуть вони Йому: Так, Господи.

52 Він же рече їм: Тим же то кожен письменник, навчений про царство небесне, подібен чоловікові господареві, що виносить із свого скарбу нове й старе.

53 І сталось, як скінчив Ісус оцї приповістї, пійшов ізвідтіля.

54 І, прийшовши у свою країну, навчав їх у школї їх, так що вони дивувались і казали: Звідкіля в Сього така премудрість і сила?

55 Хиба Він не син теслї? хиба не Його мати зветься Мария? а брати Його Яков, та Йосій, та Симон, та Юда?

56 хиба не Його сестри між нами? Звідкіля ж се все в Него ?

57 І поблазнились Ним. Ісус же рече до них: Не є пророк без чести, хиба що в своїй отчинї та в своїй домівцї.

58 І не зробив там многих чудес через недовірство їх.

   

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Arcana Coelestia # 10248

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10248. 'And it shall be the statute of an age to them' means an eternal law of order. This is clear from the meaning of 'a statute' as a law of order, dealt with in 7884, 7995, 8357; and from the meaning of 'an age' as that which is eternal. The reason why 'an age' means what is eternal is that duration even to the end should be understood by it, and in the internal sense what is eternal is meant by that duration. Furthermore the word used to denote an age means eternity in the original language. 'Age' means what is eternal because when used in the Word with regard to the Church it means duration of it even to the end. Consequently, when the term is used with regard to heaven, where there is no end, or with regard to the Lord, it means what is eternal. The term may be used to refer in general to any Church, but in particular to the celestial Church. In addition to all this 'age' means the world and life there, and also life after this to eternity.

[2] 1. The term 'age', when used with regard to the Church, means the duration of it even to the end

This is clear from the following places: In Matthew,

The disciples said to Jesus, Tell us, what will be the sign of Your coming and of the close of the age? Matthew 24:3.

'The close of the age' means the final period of the Church, thus the end of it, when there is no longer any faith because there is no charity. The fact that this is meant by 'the close of the age' and that 'the age' therefore means the duration of the Church even to the end becomes clear from all the things stated by the Lord in that chapter, an explanation of which may be seen in the opening sections of Chapters 26-40 of Genesis. 'The age' and 'the close' of it have the same meaning elsewhere in the same gospel,

The harvest is the close of the age. Matthew 13:39-40, 49.

Also,

Behold, I am with you at all times 1 even to the close of the age. Matthew 28:20.

Here also 'the age' is used to mean the duration of the Church from start to finish.

[3] In Ezekiel,

They will dwell on the land, they and their sons and their sons' sons even to an age. David will be their prince for an age. My sanctuary will be in their midst for an age. Ezekiel 37:25, 28.

These promises refer to Israel, who in the internal sense serves to mean the spiritual Church. 'The land' on which they will dwell also means the Church; 'the sanctuary' means everything composing the Church; and 'David' means the Lord. From this it is evident that 'for an age' means even to the end.

'Israel' in the Word is the spiritual Church, see in the places referred to in 9340.

'The land' is the Church, in the places referred to in 9325.

'The sanctuary' is everything composing the Church, and it has reference to the goodness and truth of the spiritual Church, 8330, 9479.

'David' is the Lord, 1888, 9954.

[4] In David,

Before the mountains were born, and the earth and the world were formed, from age even to age You are God. Psalms 90:2.

By the birth of mountains and formation of the earth and the world not the creation of the world but the establishment of a Church should be understood, for in the Word heavenly or celestial love, and so the Church in which that love exists, is meant by 'the mountains'. 'The earth' too and 'the world' mean the Church, so that 'from age to age' means from when Churches are established to when they come to an end. Churches follow in succession, one after another; for when one has come to an end or undergone vastation another is established.

'Mountain' means heavenly or celestial love, and therefore the Church which is governed by that love, see 795, 796, 4210, 6435, 8758.

'The earth' is the Church in particular, but 'the world' the Church in general, see in the places referred to in 9325.

[5] 2. The term 'age', when used with regard to heaven, where there is no end, or with regard to the Lord, means what is eternal

This is clear from the following places: In David,

Jehovah is King for an age and for perpetuity. Psalms 10:16; Exodus 15:18.

In the same author,

Your kingdom is a kingdom of all the ages, and Your dominion to every generation after generation. Psalms 145:13.

In Jeremiah,

[He is] the living God [and] the King of the age. Jeremiah 10:10.

In Daniel,

His dominion is the dominion of an age which will not pass away. Afterwards the saints of the Most High 2 will receive the kingdom and will strengthen the kingdom even to an age, and even to ages of ages. Daniel 7:14, 18, 27.

In Matthew,

Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ages. Matthew 6:13.

In Luke,

God will give Him the throne of David, so that He may reign over the house of Jacob for ages. Luke 1:32-33.

[6] In the Book of Revelation,

To Jesus Christ be glory and might for ages of ages. Revelation 1:6.

Elsewhere in the same book,

Behold, I live for ages of ages. Revelation 1:18.

And elsewhere again,

Blessing, and honour, and glory, and might to the Lamb for ages of ages! The twenty-four elders worshipped the One living for ages of ages. Revelation 5:13-14; 10:6; 11:15.

In Isaiah,

My salvation will exist for an age, and My righteousness to each generation 3 . Isaiah 51:6, 8.

In the same prophet,

The angel of [His] face carried them all the days of the age. Isaiah 63:9.

In Daniel,

Many of those sleeping will awake to the life of the age 4 , the rest to the disrepute of the age 5 . Daniel 12:2.

In John,

If anyone eats of this bread he will live for an age. John 6:51, 58.

In the same gospel,

I give them eternal life, and they will not perish for an age. John 10:28.

In David,

Lead me in the way of the age 6 . Psalms 139:24.

In the same author,

He has caused them to stand for perpetuity and for an age; He has given a statute that will not pass away. Psalms 148:6.

[7] In these places 'age' means what is eternal since it is used with regard to the Lord, to His kingdom, and to heaven and the life there, all of which have no end. 'Ages of ages' is not used to mean eternities of eternities but that which is eternal. That expression is used however with regard to the Churches on earth coming in succession one after another. From the Word it is evident that a Church has been established four times on this planet. The first of them was the Most Ancient, which existed before the Flood; the second was the Ancient, which came after the Flood; the third was the Israelite and Jewish; and the last was the Christian. The whole period of each one from start to finish is an age. And after the Christian Church a new one will begin. This series of Churches is meant by 'ages of ages', 'an age' being the duration of a Church even to its end, as shown above.

[8] 3. The term 'age' may be used to refer in general to any Church, but in particular to the celestial Church

This is clear from the following places: In Amos,

I will raise up the tent of David that is fallen down, and I will build as in the days of a [previous] age. Amos 9:11.

'The days of a [previous] age' is used to mean the time when the Most Ancient Church, which was celestial, existed. In Micah,

Bethlehem Ephrath, from you will come forth for Me one who will be Ruler in Israel, and whose origins are from of old, from the days of a [previous] age. Micah 5:2.

Here the meaning is similar. In Moses,

Remember the days of a [previous] age, understand the years of generation after generation. Deuteronomy 32:7.

'The days of a [previous] age' stands for the time of the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial Church, and 'the years of generation after generation' for the time of the Ancient Church, which was a spiritual Church.

[9] In Isaiah,

Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of Jehovah. Awake as in the days of antiquity, of the generation of [previous] ages. Isaiah 51:8-9.

'As in [the days] of the generation of [previous] ages' means as it was with the states of love and faith in the Ancient Churches that descended from the Most Ancient. In David,

I have considered the days of old, the years of [previous] ages. Psalms 77:5.

Here the meaning is similar.

[10] In Isaiah,

Remember from a [previous] age the former thing. Isaiah 46:9.

In Malachi,

Then the minchah of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to Jehovah, as in the days of a [previous] age, and as in ancient years. Malachi 3:4.

In Joel,

Judah will abide for an age, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. Joel 3:20.

In these places 'Judah' means the celestial Church, to which the words 'as in the days of the age' and 'into the age' therefore refer, while 'Jerusalem' means the spiritual Church, to which the words 'as in the ancient years' and 'into generation after generation' refer.

'Judah' is the celestial Church, see 3654, 3881, 6363, 8770.

'Jerusalem' is the spiritual Church, 402, 3654.

[11] 4. The term 'age' may mean the world and life there

This is clear in Matthew,

The one who is sown among thorns is he who hears the Word but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word. Matthew 13:22.

In Luke,

The sons of this age are more shrewd than the sons of light. Luke 16:8.

In the same gospel,

The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. Luke 20:34.

And in David,

The wicked and carefree ones of the age multiply wealth. Psalms 73:12.

[12] 5. The term 'age' may mean life to eternity after death

In Mark,

... will receive a hundredfold, now in this time, and in the age to come eternal life. Mark 10:30.

In Ezekiel,

When I will cause you to go down with those going down to the pit, to the people of a [previous] age, ... Ezekiel 26:20.

And elsewhere, as in Luke 18:30; 20:35; Isaiah 34:10, 17; Revelation 14:11; 20:10; 22:5.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. literally, I am with you all the days

2. The Latin word rendered the Most High is plural, as is the word used in the original Aramaic. It must be regarded as a plural of majesty.

3. literally, generations of generations

4. i.e. eternal life

5. i.e. eternal disgrace

6. i.e. an eternal way

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

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Arcana Coelestia # 9809

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9809. 'So that they may serve Me in the priestly office' means that which is representative of the Lord. This is clear from the representation of 'the priestly office' in the highest sense as all the service performed by the Lord as the Saviour. And the moving force behind whatever He does as the Saviour is Divine Love, thus Divine Good since all good is an aspect of love. So it is also that in the highest sense 'the priestly office' means the Divine Good of the Lord's Divine Love. There is Divine Good and there is Divine Truth. Divine Good exists within the Lord, and so is His Essential Being (Esse), which in the Word is called Jehovah. But Divine Truth is an emanation from the Lord, and so is the Coming-into-being (Existere) from that Essential Being; this is meant in the Word by God. And since that which is the Coming-into-being from Himself is nonetheless Himself, the Lord is also Divine Truth, which is what is Divine and His in the heavens. For the heavens are a coming-into-being from Him, because the angels there are recipients of what is Divine and His, celestial angels being recipients of the Divine Good which emanates from Him, but spiritual angels recipients of the Divine Truth springing from that Good. All this helps to make clear what it was belonging to the Lord that was represented by the priestly office, and what it was belonging to the Lord that was represented by the royal office, namely the Divine Good of His Divine Love by the priestly office, and the Divine Truth springing from that Good by the royal office.

[2] The truth that the priestly office represented the Divine Good of the Lord's Divine Love, thus all the service performed by the Lord as the Saviour, is clear from the following declarations in the Word: In David,

Jehovah said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies as Your footstool. Jehovah will send the rod of strength from Zion; have dominion in the midst of Your enemies. Your people will be prompt to offer themselves on the day of Your power, in the beauty of holiness. From the womb of the dawn You have the dew of Your birth. Jehovah has sworn and will not repent, You are a priest for ever, after the manner 1 of Melchizedek. The Lord is on Your right hand; He struck kings on the day of His anger. He has judged among the nations, He has filled [the places] with dead bodies, He has stricken [one who was] head over much land. He will drink from the stream by the way; therefore he will lift up his head. Psalms 110:1-7.

These declarations show what the Lord as a priest, consequently what the priestly office within the Lord represented, namely the whole work of saving the human race. For the subject in this Psalm is the Lord's conflicts with the hells when He was in the world. Through those conflicts He acquired for Himself a power over the hells that was almighty and Divine, by means of which He saved the human race and also today saves all who accept Him. This very salvation, because the Divine Good of Divine Love is the moving force behind the accomplishment of it, is the reason why it says in reference to the Lord, 'You are a priest for ever, after the manner of Melchizedek'. The name Melchizedek means King of Righteousness, which the Lord was called because He had become [the One in whom there was] righteousness and consequently salvation, as accords with what has been shown in 9715.

[3] But since the declarations in this Psalm each contain arcana which have to do with the Lord's conflicts when He was in the world, and those arcana cannot be revealed without the internal sense, let a brief explanation of them be supplied. Jehovah said to my Lord means that the subject is the Lord when He was in the world. 'Lord' here is used to mean the Lord's Divine Human, as is clear in Matthew 22:43-45; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42-44. Sit at My right hand means the almighty power of Divine Good, exercised through Divine Truth, the Lord being Divine Truth at that time, and Divine Truth being that with which He entered into and won the battle. For the meaning of 'sitting at the right hand' as a state of power, and in reference to the Divine as almighty power, see 3387, 4592, 4933, 6948, 7518, 7673, 8281, 9133; and the fact that all the power which good possesses is exercised through truth, 6344, 6423, 8304, 9327, 9410, 9639, 9643.

[4] Till I make Your enemies as Your footstool means until the time when the evils which exist in and spring from the hells have been subdued and made subject to His Divine power. Jehovah will send the rod of strength from Zion means the power at that time received from celestial good, 'Zion' meaning this good, see 2362, 9055. Have dominion in the midst of Your enemies means that this good has dominion over evils. Evils are enemies because they are contrary to what is Divine, especially to the Lord. Your people will be prompt to offer themselves on the day of Your power means the Divine Truths engaging in conflict then. In the beauty of holiness means which spring from Divine Good. From the womb of the dawn You have the dew of Your birth means conception from Divine Good itself, from which He had Divine Truth. Jehovah has sworn and will not repent means what is sure and certain.

[5] You are a priest for ever means the Divine Good of Divine Love within Him. After the manner of Melchizedek means that His Divine Human is of a like nature. The name Melchizedek means King of Righteousness, thus Jehovah who has become Righteousness through conflicts and victories, 9715. The Lord is on Your right hand means Divine Truth from Him at that time, through which almighty power is exercised, as above. He struck kings on the day of His anger means the destruction of falsities then, 'the day of anger' being the time when He fought against evils and destroyed them. 'Kings' are truths and in the contrary sense falsities, 2015, 2069, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148. He has judged among the nations means the dispersion of evils; for 'nations' are forms of good and in the contrary sense evils, 1259, 1260, 1849, 6005. He has filled [the places] with dead bodies means the resulting spiritual death, which is a total deprivation of truth and good. He has stricken [one who was] head over much land means casting hellish self-love down into the hells, and the damnation of that love. He will drink from the stream by the way; therefore he will lift up his head means the endeavour to rise up from there by means of reasonings about truths. This is the meaning which those in heaven perceive within these words when that Psalm is read by someone in the world.

[6] Since the priestly office was representative of the Lord's whole work of salvation which was motivated by Divine Love, the performance of all the worship of God furthermore belonged to the office of the priest. Acts of worship at that time consisted first and foremost in offering burnt offerings, sacrifices, and minchahs, in setting the loaves on the table of the Presence, in keeping the lamps alight day by day, and in offering incense, and consequently in expiating or making atonement for the people and forgiving sins. In addition to all this their office consisted, when they were at the same time prophets, in explaining God's law and in teaching. The fact that all these duties were performed by Aaron and his sons is clear from the description in Moses of the establishment of the priesthood; and all those duties, it is self-evident, were representative of the Lord's acts of salvation. All this also explains why the portions of the sacrifices and minchahs that were Jehovah's, that is, the Lord's, were given to Aaron, likewise various kinds of first fruits as well as tithes, see Exodus 29:1-36; Leviticus 7:35-36; 23:15-22; 27:21; Numbers 5:6-11; 18:8-20, 25-end; Deuteronomy 18:1-4. The firstborn were also given; but in place of all the firstborn of human beings stood the Levites, who were given as a gift to Aaron, see Numbers 1:47; 3:9, because they were Jehovah's, Numbers 3:12-13, 40-45.

[7] Because the Lord as regards His whole work of salvation was represented by the high priest, and the actual work of salvation by his office, which is called the priestly office, no inheritance and portion among the people was given to Aaron and his sons; for it says that Jehovah God is their inheritance and portion, Numbers 18:20. Nor was any 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 and his sons, and the Levites, represented the good of love and faith, which composes heaven and the Church, and so represented the Lord, who is the source of that good. Therefore He gave over the land to the people as an inheritance, but not to the priests, for the Lord is present in people, but not among them as an individual person.

[8] Something similar is implied by the following words in Isaiah,

You will be called the priests of Jehovah, you will be spoken of as the ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of the gentiles, and in their glory you will glory. Isaiah 61:6.

'Eating the wealth of the gentiles' stands for making forms of good one's own, 'glorying in their glory' for having the benefit of truths, and so for the joy and happiness which those forms of good and truths give. As regards the meaning of 'the gentiles' or 'the nations' as forms of good, see 1259, 1260, 4574, 6005; and as regards that of 'glory' as truth from the Divine, 9429.

[9] Various places in the Word mention 'kings and priests', also 'kings, princes, priests, and prophets' in a series. But in these places truths in their entirety are meant in the internal sense by 'kings', and leading truths by 'princes'; forms of good in their entirety are meant by 'priests', and doctrinal teachings by 'prophets', as in the Book of Revelation,

Jesus Christ has made us kings and priests. Revelation 1:6; 5:10.

In Jeremiah,

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

In the same prophet,

On that day the heart of the king and the heart of the princes will perish, and the priests will be dumbfounded and the prophets left wondering. Jeremiah 4:9.

In the same prophet,

At that time they will bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of its princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets. Jeremiah 8:1.

In the abstract sense, separate from actual persons, truths in their entirety are meant by 'kings', see 1672, 2015, 2069, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148; leading truths by 'princes', 1482, 2089, 5044; forms of good by 'priests', 1728, 2015 (end), 3670, 6148; and doctrinal teachings derived from and concerning all these by 'prophets', 2534, 7269. The Lord's kingship furthermore is meant by His name Christ, Anointed One, or Messiah, and His priesthood by the name Jesus; for Jesus means Saviour or Salvation, regarding which the following is stated in Matthew,

The angel appearing to Joseph in a dream said to him, You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. Matthew 1:21.

Since this 2 belonged to the priestly office the high priest's duty of expiating or making atonement for people's sins had the same representation, Leviticus 4:26, 31, 35; 5:6, 10, 13, 16, 18; 6:7; 9:7; 15:15, 30.

[10] Since evil cannot possibly be combined with good, because each repels the other, various kinds of acts of purification were ordained for Aaron and his sons whenever they served in the priestly office, whether at the altar or in the tent of meeting. It was also ordained for example that the high priest should not marry anyone other than a virgin; he was not allowed to marry a widow, divorced woman, or prostitute, Leviticus 21:13-15. If any of Aaron's sons who were unclean had eaten from the holy offerings they should be cut off, Leviticus 22:2-9. None of Aaron's seed who had a defect should offer bread, Leviticus 21:17-21. The high priest should not use a razor on his head, nor tear his clothes, nor defile himself with any dead body, not even for his father or mother, nor go out of the sanctuary, Leviticus 21:10-12. These and many other laws, as has been stated, were laid down because the high priest represented the Lord and His Divine Goodness, and the nature of good is such that no evil can be combined with it. For good recoils from evil, and evil has a horror of good, as hell has of heaven; therefore it is impossible for them to be joined to each other.

[11] As regards truth however, its nature is such that it can be combined with falsity, but not falsity that has evil in it, only that which has good in it. That is, it can be combined with the kind of good that exists with very young children or older boys and girls who are still at the age of innocence, or with upright gentiles who are uninformed; and it can be combined with the kind of good that exists with all who are confined to the literal sense of the Word and to teachings derived from it and yet have the good of life as their end in view. For this good, if it is the end in view, dispels from falsity all inclination towards evil, and uses it in such a way that it makes it look to outward appearance like truth.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. The Latin means according to My word but the Hebrew means after the manner of, which Swedenborg has in some other places where he quotes this verse.

2. i.e. the work of salvation

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