Komentář

 

Door

  
Photo by Gretchen Keith

Generally, doors in the Bible represent the initial desires for good and concepts of truth that introduce us to new levels of love and understanding, and even to the Lord Himself. Since a “house” represents a person’s desires, affections and passions, the door serves to introduce true ideas that can put those desires into action.

In John 10:7, the door signifies the Lord, who is good itself and truth itself. (Arcana Coelestia 2356[2])

In Revelation 3:8; 4:1, the door signifies admission to the arcana of heaven revealed. (Apocalypse Explained 260[2])

The meaning depends on context, of course. For example, references to doorposts and lintels are making a distinction between introductory goods and introductory truths. And, in Sodom, Lot's house had two doors -- an inner one and an outer one. When, in Genesis 19:6, Lot tried to convince the men of Sodom not to attack the angels visiting him, he went outside the inner door, but stayed inside the outer door. There, the outer door represents a desire for good that is resistant to the falsity represented by the men of Sodom; the inner door represents true ideas springing from that desire for good. Someone nurturing a desire for good could be admitted through the first door, but would have to learn the truth about how to express that desire before being admitted through the second.

(Odkazy: Genesis 19)


Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 1728

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 10837  
  

1728. 'And he was a priest' means the holiness of love. This is clear from the meaning of 'a priest' in the Word. Two special ways in which the Lord is characterized are as King and as Priest. A king or the office of king means holy truth, and a priest or the office of priest means holy good. The former is the Divine Spiritual, the latter the Divine Celestial. As King the Lord governs every single thing in the universe from Divine Truth; but as Priest He does so from Divine Good. Divine Truth is the order itself of His kingdom existing everywhere, all the laws of which are truths, or eternal verities. Divine Good is the very essential of order, every aspect of which is an expression of mercy. Both of these - Divine Good and Divine Truth - are attributed to the Lord. If solely Divine Truth were His, no mortal man could be saved, for truths condemn everyone to hell. But Divine Good, which is the essence of mercy, raises people up from hell towards heaven. Divine Truth and Divine Good are what kings and priests in the Jewish Church represented; and Melchizedek as king of Salem and priest to God Most High represented them too.

  
/ 10837  
  

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