Arcana Coelestia # 9024
9024. 'And when men quarrel' means contention among them regarding truths. This is clear from the meaning of 'quarrelling' as contending, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'men' as those who have intelligence and are guided by truths, and in the abstract sense intellectual concepts, and truths, dealt with in 3134, 9007. Consequently 'quarrelling by men' means contention regarding truths that takes place among those belonging to the Church, and in the abstract sense such contention taking place within oneself. For in the spiritual sense 'quarrelling' is contention regarding such things as are the concern of the Church, therefore regarding matters of faith. Nothing other than this is meant in the Word by 'quarrelling', because the Word is spiritual and deals with spiritual matters, that is, with those which have to do with the Lord, His kingdom in heaven, and His kingdom on earth, which is the Church. The fact that 'quarrelling' in the Word means contention regarding truths, and in general contention in support of truths against falsities, as well as defence against and deliverance from falsities, is evident from the following places:
[2] In Jeremiah,
A clamour is coming even to the end of the earth, because Jehovah's quarrel is against the nations. Judgement will come in with all flesh; He will hand the wicked over to the sword. Behold, evil will go out from nation to nation, and a great tempest will be raised up from the sides of the earth. Jeremiah 25:31-32.
In these prophetic statements a perverted state of the Church is described. 'A clamour' is contention in support of falsities against truths and in support of evils against forms of good, 'the earth' being the Church. 'Jehovah's quarrel is against the nations' is contention by the Lord in support of truths against falsities, and in support of forms of good against evils, thus also defence, 'the nations' being falsities and evils. 'The sword' is falsity engaged in conflict and conquering, 'a great tempest' is falsity reigning, and 'the sides of the earth' are the place where falsities arising from evil burst out.
[3] In the same prophet,
Jehovah will act for them in their quarrel 1 , that He may give rest to the land. Jeremiah 50:34.
'Acting for them in their quarrel' stands for defending truths against falsities and delivering, 'the land' standing for the Church, which has 'rest' when it is governed by good and consequently guided by truths. In the same prophet,
O Lord, You have acted for my soul in its quarrels, 2 You have delivered my life. Lamentations 3:58.
'Acting for the soul in its quarrels' stands for defending and delivering from falsities. In David,
Act for me in my a, quarrel 3 and redeem me; give me life according to Your word. Psalms 119:154.
Here also 'acting in the quarrel' stands for delivering from falsities. In Micah,
Quarrel with the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. Micah 6:1.
'Quarrelling with the mountains' stands for contending and defending against the haughty, and also against the evils of self-love. 'The hills which will hear the voice' are the humble and those who have charity. In Isaiah,
I will not quarrel eternally, nor will I be angry forever. Isaiah 57:16.
'Quarrelling' stands for contending against falsities. In Hosea, Jehovah has a quarrel wit Judah. Hosea 12:2
Here the meaning is similar. There are other places in addition to these.
Poznámky pod čarou:
1. literally, will quarrel their quarrel, i.e. will plead their cause
2. literally, You have quarrelled my soul's quarrels
3. literally, Quarrel my quarrel
Ezekiel 34
1
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD to the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
3
Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe yourselves with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
4
The diseased ye have not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
5
And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became food to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
6
My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yes, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek for them.
7
Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
8
As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became food to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
9
Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
10
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.
11
For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I even I, will both search for my sheep, and seek them out.
12
As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
13
And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
14
I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
15
I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.
16
I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
17
And as for you, O my flock, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he-goats.
18
Seemeth it a small thing to you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drank of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?
19
And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.
20
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD to them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.
21
Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad;
22
Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.
23
And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.
24
And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.
25
And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
26
And I will make them and the places around my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in its season; there shall be showers of blessing.
27
And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that subjected them to service.
28
And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.
29
And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.
30
Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the LORD God.
31
And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God.
