Apocalypse Explained # 1082
1082. And shall eat her flesh, signifies rejection of its evils, which are adulterated goods, and then the manifestation that they were without any good. This is evident from the signification of "flesh," as being the good of the Word and of the church, and in the contrary sense the evil thereof. Here "flesh" means evils, which are adulterated goods. Also from the signification of "to eat," as being to consume, but here to reject wholly, because this is said of the Reformed, who have rejected the works or goods of Babylon, which consist especially in gifts to the idols of their saints, to their sepulchers, also to monasteries, and to the monks themselves, given as offerings for various expiations. It follows that the same words mean also the manifestation that they were without any good, for when spurious and meritorious goods are rejected, which are signified by the "flesh that they should eat," it is then manifest that they are without any good.
[2] "Flesh" has various significations in the Word. It signifies what is man's own [proprium], thus either his good or evil, and from this it signifies the whole man. But in the highest sense it signifies the Lord's Divine Human, and particularly the Divine good of the Divine love that proceeds from Him. That "flesh" signifies the Divine Human as to the good of love is evident in John:
Jesus said, I am the living bread, which cometh down out of heaven; if anyone eat of this bread he shall live forever; and the bread which I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews, therefore, strove one with another, saying, How can this one give His flesh to eat? Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood ye shall not have life in yourselves. He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day; for My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly drink. He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood abideth in Me and I in him. This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven (John 6:51-58).
It is clearly evident that "flesh" here means the own [proprium] of the Lord's Divine Human, which is the Divine good of the Divine love, and is that which is called in the Holy Supper the body. (That the "body" there, that is, the "flesh," is the Divine good, and the "blood" is the Divine truth, may be seen above, n. 329.) And as "bread and wine" have the same signification as "flesh and blood," "bread" meaning the Divine good, and "wine" the Divine truth, therefore these were commanded in place of flesh and blood.
[3] Divine good from the Lord was signified also by the flesh of the sacrifices that Aaron, his sons, and those who sacrificed, and others who were clean, might eat:
And that this was holy (may be seen in Exodus 12:7-9, 29:31-34; Leviticus 7:15-21; 8:31; Deuteronomy 12:27; 16:4);
Consequently if an unclean person ate of that flesh he would be cut off from his people (Leviticus 7:21).
That those sacrifices were called bread (Leviticus 22:6-7).
That that flesh was called the flesh of holiness (Jeremiah 11:15; Haggai 2:12),
And the flesh of the offering, which was to be upon the table in the Lord's kingdom (Ezekiel 40:43).
The Lord's Divine Human is also called "flesh" in John:
The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father (John 1:14).
[4] That "flesh" signified also the good with man can be seen from the following passages. In Ezekiel:
I will give them one heart, and I will give a new spirit in the midst of you, and I will take away the heart of stone out of their flesh, and I will give them a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26).
"Heart of flesh" means the will and love of good. In David:
O God, Thou art my God, in the morning I seek Thee; my soul thirsteth for Thee; my flesh longeth for Thee in a land of drought and weariness without waters (Psalms 63:1).
In the same:
My soul longeth for the courts of Jehovah; my heart and my flesh cry out unto the living God (Psalms 84:2).
The "flesh" that longeth for Jehovah, and that crieth out unto the living God, signifies man as to good of the will, for the "flesh" of man corresponds to the good or evil of his will, and the "blood" to the truth or falsity of his understanding; here "flesh" means the good of the will, because it longeth for Jehovah and crieth out unto God.
[5] In Job:
I have known my Redeemer, He liveth, and at the last He shall rise upon the dust; and afterwards these things shall be encompassed by my skin, and from my flesh I shall see God (Job 19:25-27).
To see God from one's flesh signifies from one's own voluntary made new by the Lord, and thus good. In Ezekiel:
Upon the bones seen in the midst of the valley, I will put sinews, and I will cause flesh to come up upon them, and I will cover them with skin, and I will give spirit unto them that they may live (Ezekiel 37:6, 8).
Here, too, "flesh" signifies what is one's own [proprium] of the will made new by the Lord, and thus good. What "bones" and the rest signify here may be seen above (n. 418, 419, 665). In Revelation:
Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God, that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of commanders of thousands, and the flesh of the mighty, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all, free and bond, small and great (Revelation 19:17-18; Ezekiel 39:17-19).
That "flesh" here does not mean flesh but goods of every kind, is clearly evident.
[6] But on the other hand, that "flesh" signifies man's own voluntary, which regarded in itself is evil, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:
They shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm (Isaiah 9:20).
In the same:
I will feed thine oppressors with their own flesh (Isaiah 49:26).
In Jeremiah:
I will feed you with the flesh of their sons and with the flesh of their daughters; and they shall eat every man the flesh of his companion (Jeremiah 19:9).
In Zechariah:
The rest shall eat everyone the flesh of another (Zechariah 11:9).
In Moses:
I will chastise you sevenfold for your sins, and ye shall eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters (Leviticus 26:28-29).
[7] In Jeremiah:
Cursed is the man who trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm (Jeremiah 17:5).
Here "flesh" signifies what is man's own [proprium] which in itself is evil; to appropriate this to oneself is signified by eating and feeding upon it. Again, "flesh" signifies what is man's own [proprium] in Matthew:
Jesus said, Blessed art thou, Simon, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee (Matthew 16:17).
In John:
As many as received, to them gave He power to become sons of God, who were born, not from bloods nor from the will of the flesh, but from God (John 1:12-13).
In Ezekiel:
Jerusalem committed whoredom with the sons of Egypt her neighbors, great in flesh (Ezekiel 16:26).
In Isaiah:
Egypt is man and not God, and his horses are flesh and not spirit (Isaiah 31:3).
In John:
It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing (John 6:63).
In the same:
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is begotten of the spirit is spirit (John 3:6).
In David:
God remembered that they were flesh, a breath that passeth away and returneth not (Psalms 78:39).
The evil of man's will, which is what is his own [proprium] from birth is what is signified in these passages by "flesh"; also by:
The flesh that the sons of Israel lusted after in the desert, and on account of which they were smitten with a great plague, and from which the place was called graves of lust (Numbers 11:4-34).
Moreover, in the Word the expression "all flesh" is frequently used as meaning every man (as in Genesis 6:12, 13, 17, 19; Isaiah 40:5, 6; 49:26; 66:16, 23, 24; Jeremiah 25:31; 32:27; 45:5; Ezekiel 20:48, 21:4, 5; and elsewhere).
(Continuation respecting the Word)
[8] The spiritual by influx presents what is correspondent to itself in the natural, in order that the end may become a cause, and the cause become an effect, and thus the end through the cause may present itself in the effect as visible and sensible. This trine, namely, end, cause, and effect, is given from creation in every heaven. The end is the good of love, the cause is truth from that good, and the effect is use. That which produces is love, and the product therefrom is of love from good by means of truth. The final products, which are in our world, are various, as numerous as the objects are in its three kingdoms of nature, animal, vegetable, and mineral. All products are correspondences.
[9] As this trine, namely, end, cause, and effect, exists in each heaven, there must be in each heaven products that are correspondences, and which in form and aspect are like the objects in the three kingdoms of our earth; from which it is clear that each heaven is like our earth in external appearance, differing only in excellence and beauty according to degrees. Now in order that the Word may be full, that is, may consist of effects in which are a cause and an end, or may consist of uses, in which truth is the cause and good is the end and love is that which produces, it must needs consist of correspondences; and from this it follows that the Word in each heaven is like the Word in our world, differing only in excellence and beauty according to degrees. What this difference is shall be told elsewhere.
John 6
1
After these things, Jesus went away to the other side of the sea of Galilee, which is also called the Sea of Tiberias.
2
A great multitude followed him, because they saw his signs which he did on those who were sick.
3
Jesus went up into the mountain, and he sat there with his disciples.
4
Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.
5
Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude was coming to him, said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?"
6
This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.
7
Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that everyone of them may receive a little."
8
One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him,
9
"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these among so many?"
10
Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in that place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11
Jesus took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to those who were sitting down; likewise also of the fish as much as they desired.
12
When they were filled, he said to his disciples, "Gather up the broken pieces which are left over, that nothing be lost."
13
So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which were left over by those who had eaten.
14
When therefore the people saw the sign which Jesus did, they said, "This is truly the prophet who comes into the world."
15
Jesus therefore, perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
16
When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea,
17
and they entered into the boat, and were going over the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them.
18
The sea was tossed by a great wind blowing.
19
When therefore they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing near to the boat; and they were afraid.
20
But he said to them, "It is I. Don't be afraid."
21
They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat. Immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.
22
On the next day, the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except the one in which his disciples had embarked, and that Jesus hadn't entered with his disciples into the boat, but his disciples had gone away alone.
23
However boats from Tiberias came near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
24
When the multitude therefore saw that Jesus wasn't there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
25
When they found him on the other side of the sea, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"
26
Jesus answered them, "Most certainly I tell you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled.
27
Don't work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him."
28
They said therefore to him, "What must we do, that we may work the works of God?"
29
Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."
30
They said therefore to him, "What then do you do for a sign, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you do?
31
Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness. As it is written, 'He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.'"
32
Jesus therefore said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, it wasn't Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread out of heaven.
33
For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."
34
They said therefore to him, "Lord, always give us this bread."
35
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
36
But I told you that you have seen me, and yet you don't believe.
37
All those who the Father gives me will come to me. Him who comes to me I will in no way throw out.
38
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
39
This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day.
40
This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day."
41
The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, "I am the bread which came down out of heaven."
42
They said, "Isn't this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he say, 'I have come down out of heaven?'"
43
Therefore Jesus answered them, "Don't murmur among yourselves.
44
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day.
45
It is written in the prophets, 'They will all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who hears from the Father, and has learned, comes to me.
46
Not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God. He has seen the Father.
47
Most certainly, I tell you, he who believes in me has eternal life.
49
Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.
50
This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that anyone may eat of it and not die.
51
I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."
52
The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
53
Jesus therefore said to them, "Most certainly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don't have life in yourselves.
54
He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
55
For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56
He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him.
57
As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he who feeds on me, he will also live because of me.
58
This is the bread which came down out of heaven--not as our fathers ate the manna, and died. He who eats this bread will live forever."
59
He said these things in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
60
Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying! Who can listen to it?"
61
But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble?
62
Then what if you would see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
63
It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.
64
But there are some of you who don't believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who didn't believe, and who it was who would betray him.
65
He said, "For this cause have I said to you that no one can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father."
66
At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67
Jesus said therefore to the twelve, "You don't also want to go away, do you?"
68
Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.
69
We have come to believe and know that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
70
Jesus answered them, "Didn't I choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"
71
Now he spoke of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for it was he who would betray him, being one of the twelve.
