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Matthew 2:1-12 : The Visit of the Wise Men

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1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

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Arcana Coelestia # 4243

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4243. 'With Laban I have sojourned, and have stayed until now' means that it had taken to itself the good meant by 'Laban'. This is clear from the representation of 'Laban' as intermediate good, that is, good which is not genuine good but nevertheless serves to introduce genuine truths and goods, dealt with in 3974, 3982, 3986 (end), 4063; from the meaning of 'sojourning' as receiving instruction, dealt with in 1463, 2025; and from the meaning of 'staying' or 'staying wish' as that which has reference to the life of truth when accompanied by good, dealt with in 3613, at this point as taking to oneself. From this it is evident that the words 'With Laban I have sojourned, and have stayed until now' mean that it had taken to itself the good meant by 'Laban'.

[2] The implications of all this are as follows: Truth cannot be implanted in good unless means exist to effect this. Those means were the subject in previous chapters, where Jacob's sojourning and staying with Laban, and the flock he acquired there, are referred to. The present chapter deals with the process by which truth and good are joined together, and so with an inversion of state, when order is turned around so that truth is made subordinate to good. Truth seemingly occupies the first position during the time a person is learning truth from an affection for it, though he is not as yet living in accordance with it to any real extent. But good occupies the first position when he does live in accordance with the truth he has learned from an affection for it, for in that case truth becomes good since that person now believes that good consists in acting in accordance with truth. People who are regenerate are governed by this good, as also are those who possess conscience, that is, who no longer reason whether it is the truth but do it because it is the truth, and so who have taken it to themselves in faith and in life.

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