Arcana Coelestia # 4783
4783. 'To comfort him' means to provide explanations based on the sense of the letter of the Word. This is clear from the meaning of 'comforting' as calming a turbulence of mind with a hope concerning some thing, dealt with in 3610, in this case a turbulence or mourning over lost good and truth. And because this mourning cannot be subdued except by means of explanations based on the Word, and because reference is being made at this point to Jacob's sons and daughters, who mean those governed by falsities and evils, 4781, 4782, 'comforting' means explanations based on the sense of the letter. For the sense of the letter of the Word contains general ideas which, being like vessels, can be filled with truths or else with falsities and so can be given whatever explanation suits one's own point of view. And because they are general ones they are also obscure compared with other ideas, receiving light from nowhere else than the internal sense. For the internal sense exists in the light of heaven because it is the Word as angels know it, whereas the sense of the letter exists in the light of the world because it is the Word as men know it before they come to the light of heaven received from the Lord, by which light they are then enlightened. From this it is evident that the sense of the letter serves to introduce the simple to the internal sense.
[2] This use of explanations when one is expounding the Word - explanations which are based on the sense of the letter and which fit in with one's own point of view - is quite evident from the fact that all religious ideas, including heretical ones, are substantiated by such explanations. For example, the accepted teaching about faith separated from charity is substantiated by the following words spoken by the Lord,
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16.
From these words and other places people deduce that eternal life is acquired through faith alone without works. And once these people have become convinced of this they no longer pay any attention to what the Lord said so many times about love to Him, and about charity and works, 1017, 2373, 3934. Thus they pay no attention to the following in John,
As many as received Him, to them He gave power to be sons of God, to those believing in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13.
If they are told that no one can believe in the Lord except him who has charity, they instantly take refuge in explanations like these: The law has been abolished; people are born in sins and so cannot do good of themselves, and those who do do it cannot do other than claim merit for it. These explanations too they substantiate from the sense of the letter of the Word, for example from what is stated in the parable about the Pharisee and the tax collector, Luke 18:10-14, and from other things that are stated. But these statements have an altogether different meaning from the explanations they resort to.
[3] Also, the adherents to faith separated from charity can have no other belief than that everyone is able by grace to be admitted into heaven, no matter what kind of life he has been leading, so that it is not a person's life but his faith that awaits him after death. This too they substantiate from the sense of the letter of the Word. But from the spiritual sense of the Word it is clear that the Lord has mercy on everyone, so that if a person reached heaven by mercy or grace irrespective of whatever life he has led everyone would be saved. The reason the adherents to faith separated from charity believe the way they do is that they have no knowledge at all of what heaven is because they do not know what charity is. If they knew how much peace, joy, and happiness is present within charity they would know what heaven is; but this is entirely hidden from them.
[4] Nor can the adherents to faith separated from charity have any other belief than that they will rise again with the physical body, though not until judgement day. This too they substantiate from many places in the Word, explained according to the sense of the letter. They give no thought at all to what the Lord said - many times in addition to the following - about the rich man and Lazarus, Luke 16:22-31, or to what He told the robber,
Truly I say to you, Today you will be with Me in paradise. Luke 23:43.
The reason the adherents to faith separated from charity believe the way they do is that if they were told that the body is not going to rise again they would refuse to believe in any resurrection at all, for what the internal man is they neither know nor have any conception of. Indeed no one can know what the internal man is and the internal man's life after death is except him who has charity; for charity is an attribute of the internal man.
[5] The adherents to faith separated from charity can have no other belief than that the works of charity consist solely in giving to the poor and helping the distressed. This belief too they substantiate from the sense of the letter of the Word. But in fact the works of charity consist in each person doing what is right and fair in his employment, from a love of what is right and fair, and of what is good and true.
[6] The adherents to faith separated from charity do not see anything in the Word apart from what substantiates their own accepted teachings, for they have no real insight. Indeed people who are not moved by the affection belonging to charity have merely external sight, or an inferior insight. With this no one can possibly behold higher things, for higher things are seen by him as darkness. Consequently such people see falsities as truths, and truths as falsities, and so by explanations based on the sense of the letter they ruin the good pasture and pollute the pure waters of that sacred spring which is the Word, as accords with the following in Ezekiel,
Is it a small thing to you? You feed off the good pasture and tread down with your feet the rest of your pastures; you drink the water that has settled down 1 and stir up the rest with your feet. You butt with your horns all the weak [sheep] till you have scattered them abroad. Ezekiel 34:17-18, 21.
Poznámky pod čarou:
1. literally, the sediment of the waters
Mark 12
1
He began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the winepress, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country.
2
When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the vineyard.
3
They took him, beat him, and sent him away empty.
4
Again, he sent another servant to them; and they threw stones at him, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.
5
Again he sent another; and they killed him; and many others, beating some, and killing some.
6
Therefore still having one, his beloved son, he sent him last to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'
7
But those farmers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'
8
They took him, killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
9
What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.
10
Haven't you even read this Scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner.
11
This was from the Lord, it is marvelous in our eyes'?"
12
They tried to seize him, but they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spoke the parable against them. They left him, and went away.
13
They sent some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians to him, that they might trap him with words.
14
When they had come, they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you are honest, and don't defer to anyone; for you aren't partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?
15
Shall we give, or shall we not give?" But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it."
16
They brought it. He said to them, "Whose is this image and inscription?" They said to him, "Caesar's."
17
Jesus answered them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." They marveled greatly at him.
18
There came to him Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection. They asked him, saying,
19
"Teacher, Moses wrote to us, 'If a man's brother dies, and leaves a wife behind him, and leaves no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up offspring for his brother.'
20
There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying left no offspring.
21
The second took her, and died, leaving no children behind him. The third likewise;
22
and the seven took her and left no children. Last of all the woman also died.
23
In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife."
24
Jesus answered them, "Isn't this because you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God?
25
For when they will rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
26
But about the dead, that they are raised; haven't you read in the book of Moses, about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?
27
He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are therefore badly mistaken."
28
One of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together. Knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the greatest of all?"
29
Jesus answered, "The greatest is, 'Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one:
30
you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.
31
The second is like this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
32
The scribe said to him, "Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he,
33
and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
34
When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." No one dared ask him any question after that.
35
Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?
36
For David himself said in the Holy Spirit, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet."'
37
Therefore David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?" The common people heard him gladly.
38
In his teaching he said to them, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and to get greetings in the marketplaces,
39
and the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts:
40
those who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."
41
Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much.
42
A poor widow came, and she cast in two small brass coins, which equal a quadrans coin.
43
He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, "Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury,
44
for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on."
