195. Verse 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their garments, signifies those who live a moral life from a spiritual origin, by applying the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to the uses of their life. This is evident from the signification of "name," as being the quality of the state of man's life (See above, n. 148); here, therefore, "names" signify men who are such. It is evident also from the signification of "the church in Sardis," as being those who live a moral life but not a spiritual life, because they have little regard for the knowledges of truth and good from the Word (See also above, n. 148, 182); but here those are meant who live a moral life from a spiritual origin, for it is said, "that have not defiled their garments." It is evident also from the signification of "garments," as being knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions in the natural man (of which presently). "Not defiling their garments," therefore, signifies living as a moral man not for the sake of self and the world, which is for the sake of the body and its life only, but for the sake of the Lord and of heaven, which is for the sake of the soul and its life. From this it is clear that "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their garments," signifies such as live a moral life from a spiritual origin, by applying the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to their life.

[2] But as few know what it is to live a moral life from a spiritual origin, and what it is to apply the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to the uses of their life, it shall be told. Man lives a moral life from a spiritual origin when he lives it from religion; that is, when he thinks, when anything evil, insincere, or unjust presents itself: that this must not be done because it is contrary to the Divine laws. When one abstains from doing such things in deference to Divine laws he acquires for himself spiritual life, and his moral life is then from the spiritual; for by such thoughts and faith man communicates with the angels of heaven, and by communication with heaven his internal spiritual man is opened, the mind of which is a higher mind, such as the angels of heaven have, and he is thereby imbued with heavenly intelligence and wisdom. From this it can be seen that to live a moral life from a spiritual origin is to live from religion, and within the church, to live from the Word; for those who live a moral life from religion and from the Word are elevated above their natural man, thus above what is their own [proprium], and are led by the Lord through heaven; consequently they have faith, the fear of God, and conscience, and also the spiritual affection of truth, which is the affection of the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, for to such men these are Divine laws, according to which they live. Many of the heathen live such a moral life, for they think that evil must not be done because it is contrary to their religion; this is why so many of them are saved.

[3] But on the other hand, to live a moral life not from religion, but only from the fear of the law in the world, and of the loss of fame, honor, and gain, is to live a moral life not from a spiritual but from a natural origin; therefore to such there is no communication with heaven. And as they think insincerely and unjustly regarding the neighbor, although they speak and act otherwise, their internal spiritual man is closed, and the internal natural man only is opened; and when this is open they are in the light of the world, but not in the light of heaven. For this reason such persons have in them little regard for Divine and heavenly things, and some deny them, believing nature and the world to be everything. (From this it can now be seen what it is to live a moral life from a spiritual origin, and what it is to live it from a natural origin; but these things may be seen set forth in clearer light in the work on Heaven and Hell 528-535.) Of those who live a moral life from a natural origin only, it may be said that they "defile their garments," for "garments" mean that which is outside the man himself and which clothes him, thus his natural man with the things that are in it, which are knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions; and when these are from the Word they are defiled by the fact that he learns and holds them only for the sake of reputation, that he may be thought learned or well informed, or that he may thereby acquire honors and gain wealth; and except for such ends he has no regard for them. Thus it is that the knowledges from the Word are polluted and defiled by the loves of self and the world, for these knowledges dwell in the same place with the evils and falsities that gush out from those loves as from their fountains.

[4] It was said above, that man becomes spiritual by means of the knowledges of truth and good from the Word applied to the uses of life. Why men become spiritual by means of knowledges from the Word, and not by means of other knowledges, shall now be told. All things that are in the Word are Divine, and they are Divine for the reason that they have in them a spiritual sense, and by that sense communicate with heaven and with the angels there. When, therefore, man has knowledges from the Word and applies them to life, then through these he has communication with heaven and by that communication becomes spiritual; for man becomes spiritual by his being in like or in corresponding truths with the angels of heaven. It is said in "corresponding" truths, because each and all things in the sense of the letter of the Word are correspondences, for they correspond to the truths that angels have. But the knowledges derived from other books, which set forth and by various means establish the doctrines of the church, do not effect communication with heaven except by the knowledges from the Word they contain; such knowledges do give communication if they are rightly understood and are applied to life, and not to faith alone. Everyone can see that this is so from this, that the Word in itself is Divine, and what is Divine in itself can become Divine with man by his applying it to life. "Becoming Divine with man" means that the Lord can have His abode with man (John 14:23), thus dwelling with him in what is His own (that the Lord dwells in His own with man and angel, and not in what is their own [proprio illorum], see in the work on Heaven and Hell 12). The Lord dwells in His own when He dwells in those things with man that are from the Word, for the Lord is the Word (John 1:1, 2, 14); and the words that He spoke, that is, that are in the Word:

Are spirit and life (John 6:63, 68; 12:50).

[5] That "garments" signify the things that are in the natural man, which are knowledges [scientifica], ¹ true or false, or cognitions, is from the spiritual world; for in the spiritual world all, however many, appear clothed according to their moral life; consequently those who have lived a moral life from a spiritual origin appear clothed in shining white garments, like fine linen; but those who have lived a moral life from a natural origin only, appear according to the nature of that life, those who have polluted their life by evils and falsities appearing in dark garments, mean, torn, and hideous to behold (See the work on Heaven and Hell 177-182). From this now it is that "garments" in the Word signify truths from good, and in the contrary sense falsities from evil, both of them in the natural man; truths and falsities in the natural man are called knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions.

[6] That "garments" in the Word signify truths or falsities can be clearly seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion, put on the garments of thy splendor, O Jerusalem; for henceforth there shall no more come to thee the uncircumcised and the unclean (Isaiah 52:1).

"Zion" in the Word signifies the Lord's celestial kingdom, thus also the celestial church, and "Jerusalem" the spiritual kingdom and the spiritual church (what the celestial kingdom is, and the spiritual kingdom, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28). The "garments of splendor that Jerusalem must put on" are Divine truths; the "uncircumcised and the unclean that shall not come to them" are those who are in evils and falsities.

[7] In Ezekiel:

Jerusalem, I clothed thee with broidered work, I shod thee with badger's skin, I girded thee about with fine linen. I adorned thee with ornament, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy throat, and a jewel upon thy nose, and earrings upon thine ears, yea, a crown of ornament upon thy head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy garments were fine linen, silk, and broidered work, whence thou becamest exceeding beautiful, and didst prosper even unto the kingdom. But thou didst take of thy garments, and didst make to thee high places with divers colors, that thou mightest commit whoredom upon them; thou also didst take garments of thy broidered work, and didst cover the images of a male, with which thou didst commit whoredom (Ezekiel 16:10-13, 16-18).

Here what the church was when it was first established by the Lord is described; the "garments" that are mentioned are truths from good; "broidered work" is true knowledge [scientificum]; "fine linen and silk" are truths from a celestial source; the "bracelets," "chain," "jewel," "earrings," and "crown," are decorations signifying things spiritual of various kinds; the "gold and silver" with which she was decked are the good of love and its truth. Then the same church when perverted is described, by this, that "she took of the garments, and did make to herself high places with divers colors," signifying truths falsified; and that "she took the garments of broidered work, and covered the images of a male," signifies that they applied the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word to so confirm falsities even so as to make them appear like truths; "committing whoredom with them" and "under them" signifies making doctrine and worship out of falsities (that this is to "commit whoredom," see above, n. 141, 161).

(That "Jerusalem" is the church where there is true doctrine, see Arcana Coelestia 402, 3654, 9166. That "broidered work" is knowledges [scientificum], n. Arcana Coelestia 9688. That "fine linen" is truth from a celestial origin, n. 5319, 9469. That "bracelets" are truths and goods of the church, n. 3103, 3105. That "a chain [for the neck]" is representative of the conjunction of interior and exterior things, n . 5320; that "jewels [for the nose]" and "earrings" are representatives of perception and obedience, n. Arcana Coelestia 4551. That "a crown" means wisdom, see above, n. 126. That "gold" is the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 9510, 9874, 9881; that "silver" is truth from that good, n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658. That "high places with divers colors" are truths falsified, n. 796, 4005. That the "male" or "masculine" is truth, n. 749, 2046, 4005, 7838; therefore "images of a male" are appearances of truth.)

[8] In the same:

Fine linen in broidered work from Egypt was thy spreading forth, blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was thy covering. Syria was thy merchant in purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, with chrysoprasus. Dedan was thy merchant with garments of liberty for the chariot; Asshur and Chilmad with bales of blue and of broidered work, and with treasures of precious garments (Ezekiel 27:7, 16, 20, 23-24).

Here Tyre and her wares are treated of, and "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good, and "trading" and "trafficking," signify acquiring for oneself and communicating such knowledges; "purple and blue" signify the celestial love of good and truth; "Egypt," the knowledge belonging to the natural man; by "broidered work from Egypt" the like; "Syria" the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good; "Asshur" the rational of that church; "Dedan" those who are in the knowledges of celestial things. From this it can be seen that the "wares of Tyre," treated of in the whole of that chapter, do not mean wares, but each and all these things mean spiritual things, which man ought to acquire, be imbued with, and communicate. (That "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of good and truth, see Arcana Coelestia 1201. That "Egypt" signifies the knowledges [scientificum] belonging to the natural man, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 5700, 5702, 6015, 6651, 6679, 6682, 6683, 6692, 7296, 9340, 9391. That "Syria" is the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good, n. 1232, 1234, 3664, 3680, 4112. That "Dedan" signifies those who are in the knowledges of celestial things, n. 3240, 3241. That "Asshur" is the rational therefrom, n. 119, 1186. That "purple" is the celestial love of good, n. Arcana Coelestia 9467. That "blue" is the celestial love of truth, n. 9466, 9687, 9833; likewise "chrysoprasus," n. Arcana Coelestia 9868. What "fine linen" and "broidered work" signify, see just above.)

[9] In David:

The king's daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is inwrought with gold. She shall be brought unto the king in broidered work (Psalms 45:13-14).

The "king's daughter" signifies the spiritual affection of truth, and therefore the church consisting of those who are in that affection; "king" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth; "clothing inwrought with gold," intelligence and wisdom from that truth; the "broidered work" in which she should "be brought to the king" signifies the knowledges of truth. (That "daughter" signifies the affection of truth, and the church therefrom, see Arcana Coelestia 2362, 2623, 3373, 3963, 4257, 6729, 6775, 6779, 8649, 9055, 9807. That "king" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth, see above, n. 31.)

[10] In the second book of Samuel:

Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with dainty things, and who put an ornament of gold upon your apparel (2 Samuel 1:24).

This is in the lamentation of David over Saul, which he wrote:

To teach the sons of Judah the bow (2 Samuel 1:18);

by "bow" is signified truth combating against falsities (See Arcana Coelestia 2686[1-8] Arcana Coelestia 2686[1-8], 2709); "Saul" here, as a king, signifies such truth; the "sons of Judah" signify those who are in truths from good; "to clothe the daughters of Israel in scarlet," and "to put ornaments of gold upon the apparel," is to impart intelligence and wisdom to those who are in the spiritual affection of truth.

[11] In Matthew:

When the king came in to behold those reclining to eat, he saw there a man that had not on a wedding garment; and he said unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? He was speechless. Then said the king, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into outer darkness (Matthew 22:11-13).

A "wedding garment" signifies the intelligence of the spiritual man, which is from the knowledges of truth and good; but "he that had not on a wedding garment" signifies a hypocrite, who by a moral life counterfeits the spiritual life when yet he is merely natural; "to bind him hand and foot" signifies the deprivation of the knowledges from the Word, by which he has put on the likeness of a spiritual man; "to be cast out into outer darkness" signifies among those who are in falsities from evil (for "outer darkness" signifies falsities from evil).

[12] In Zephaniah :

I will visit upon the princes, and upon the king's sons, and upon all that are clothed with the garments of the alien (Zephaniah 1:8). "Princes" and "king's sons" signify those who are in truths, and in a contrary sense, as here, those who are in falsities; these are said to be "clothed with the garment of the alien," because "garment" signifies falsity, and "alien" those who are out of the church and do not acknowledge the truths of the church.

[13] In Matthew:

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing; inwardly they are ravening wolves (Mat. Matthew 7:15).

"False prophets in sheep's clothing, who inwardly are ravening wolves," are those who teach falsities as if they were truths, and who in appearance live a moral life, but who by themselves, when they think from their spirit, think of nothing but themselves and the world, and are eager to deprive all others of truths.

[14] In John:

Jesus said to Peter, When thou wast younger thou girdedst thyself and walkedst whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldest not (John 21:18).

What these words signify in the spiritual sense may be seen above n. 9; namely, that by "Peter" is meant the faith of the church; when he "was younger and girded himself and walked whither he would" means the faith of the church at the beginning, when men are in the good of charity, that they then think about the truths of the church from the spiritual man, which is to think from their spirit, thus from the spiritual affection of truth, that is, from freedom. But by "Peter when old, that he should stretch forth his hands and another should gird him," is meant the faith of the church at its end, when faith would be without charity, that they then would think nothing about the truths of the church from themselves, but from others, thus from doctrine only and not from the Word, which is relatively a servile state. For to believe what another says is servile, but to believe what one himself thinks from the Word is freedom; according to the Lord's words in John:

If ye abide in My Word, ye are truly My disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:31-32).

[15] In Luke:

No man putteth a piece of a new garment on an old garment; else the new will rend the old, and the piece from the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and itself be spilt, and the bottles be destroyed (Luke 5:36-37; Matthew 9:16-17; Mark 2:21-22).

Because a "garment" signifies truth, the Lord compared the truths of the former church, which was a church representative of spiritual things, to a piece of an old garment, and the truths of the new church, which were spiritual truths themselves, to a piece of a new garment; He compared them likewise to bottles of wine, because "wine" in like manner signifies truth, and "bottles" mean the knowledges that contain truth. (That "wine" in the Word signifies truth, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 219.)

[16] From this it can now be seen what is signified in the Word elsewhere by "garments," which are often mentioned there, as in the following passages. In Revelation:

And upon the thrones four and twenty elders sitting, arrayed in white garments (Revelation 4:4).

Again:

The armies of the One sitting upon the white horse followed Him, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Revelation 19:14).

And:

They who stood before the throne in sight of the Lamb, were clothed in white robes (Revelation 7:9).

Again:

The seven angels from the temple were clothed in linen, clean and shining (Revelation 15:6).

Again:

White robes were given to everyone of those under the altar (Revelation 6:11).

Again:

Buy gold and white garments (Revelation 3:18).

In Ezekiel:

If he giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a garment (Ezekiel 18:16).

"To give bread to the hungry" signifies in the spiritual sense to instruct from the good of charity those who long for truths; "to cover the naked with a garment" signifies to instruct, in like manner, those who are not in truths.

[17] In the same:

The enemies shall strip thee of thy garments, and shall take away the jewels of thine adorning (Ezekiel 23:26).

In Zechariah:

Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and thus stood before the angel. And he said to those that stood before him, Take away the filthy garments from off him. And he said, I have made thine iniquity to pass from off thee, in clothing thee with changed garments (Zechariah 3:3-5).

In Lamentations :

They have wandered blind in the streets, they have been polluted with blood; what they cannot pollute they touch with their clothes (Lamentations 4:14).

From the signification of "garments" it can be known what is meant by many statutes with the sons of Israel:

That they should not put on mixed garments (Leviticus 19:19; Deuteronomy 22:11);

That a woman should not wear the vessels of a man, nor a man be clothed with the garments of a woman (Deuteronomy 22:5);

That they should wash their garments that they might be purified, and thus sanctified (Exodus 19:14; Leviticus 11:25, 11:28, 11:40; 14:8; (Leviticus 14:8); Numbers 19:11-22);

and elsewhere:

That in mourning for transgression against Divine truths they should put off their garments and put on sackcloth (Isaiah 15:3; 22:12; 37:1-2; Jeremiah 4:8; 6:26; 48:37; 49:3; Lamentations 2:10; Ezekiel 27:31; Amos 8:10; Jonah 3:5-6, 3:8);

And that they should rend their garments (Isaiah 37:1 and elsewhere).

Also what this signifies:

That the disciples laid their garments upon the ass and the colt when the Lord was going to Jerusalem, and that the people then strewed their garments in the way (Matthew 21:7-9; Mark 11:7-8; Luke 19:35-36);

can be seen above n. 31.

[18] That "garments" signify truths has its origin in this, that the light of heaven is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as a sun there, and all things that have existence in the heavens have existence from the light there, and this is true in like manner of the garments in which the angels appear clothed. It is from this:

That the angels who sat at the Lord's sepulchre had raiment white as snow (Matthew 28:3);

And that their garments were shining (Luke 24:4).

(That the garments in which the angels appear clothed correspond to their intelligence, and that they have intelligence according to their reception of Divine truth from the Lord, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 177-182;and that Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is light in heaven, n. 126-135.) From this it can be seen what "garments" signify in reference to the Lord, namely, Divine truth proceeding from Him; and as Divine truth is signified, the Word also is signified, for the Word is Divine truth from the Lord on earth and in the heavens. This was represented by the Lord's "garments" when He was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, which are thus described in the Evangelists:

When Jesus was transfigured, His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as the light (Matthew 17:2);

And white, dazzling (Luke 9:29);

And glistering white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them (Mark 9:3).

The like is said of the Ancient of Days in Daniel:

The Ancient of Days did sit, and His garment was like white snow (Daniel 7:9).

"The Ancient of Days" is the Lord from eternity. As "light" is Divine truth, and this in reference to the Lord is signified by "garments," therefore it is said in David:

Jehovah covereth Himself with light as with a garment (Psalms 104:2).

[19] From this it can be seen what the Lord's garments mentioned elsewhere in the Word signify. As in David:

He hath anointed all Thy garments with myrrh and aloes and cassia (Psalms 45:7-8);

where the Lord is treated of. In Moses:

He will wash His vesture in wine, and His covering in the blood of grapes (Genesis 49:11).

This is also said of the Lord. "Wine" and "the blood of grapes" signify Divine truth. Because the Lord's garments signified Divine truth, therefore also:

Those who touched the border of His garment were healed (Matthew 9:20-21; Mark 5:27-28, 30; 6:56; Luke 8:44).

In Isaiah:

Who is this that cometh from Edom, His garments bespattered from Bozrah; this that is honorable in His apparel? Wherefore art Thou red in Thine apparel, and Thy garments as of one treading in the wine-press? Their victory is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel (Isaiah 63:1-3).

This also is said of the Lord; "garments" here signify the Word, which, as has been said, is Divine truth from the Lord on earth and in the heavens; the violence offered to Divine truth or to the Word by those who were then of the church, is described by this, that "He was red in apparel as one treading in the wine-press," and that "victory was sprinkled upon His garments," and that "He had stained all his raiment."

[20] In Revelation:

He that sat on the white horse was arrayed with a garment dipped in blood; and His name is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:13).

Here it is plainly declared that He who sat on the white horse was called "the Word of God;" and it is clear that this is the Lord, for it is immediately said of Him:

He hath on His garment and on His thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).

It is therefore the Word in the letter that is signified by the "garment dipped in blood," since violence was done to it, but not to the Word in the spiritual sense; violence could not be done to this, because they knew nothing about it.

[21] That violence was done to the Word in the sense of the letter, but not to the Word in the spiritual sense, is signified also by the soldiers dividing the Lord's garments, but not His tunic, of which it is said in John:

The soldiers took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part, also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore one to another, Let us not divide it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be. These things therefore the soldiers did (John 19:23-24).

And in David:

They parted My garments, and cast the lot upon My vesture (Psalms 22:18).

"The garments of the Lord which they parted" signify the Word in the letter; His "tunic" the Word in the spiritual sense; "soldiers" signify those of the church who should fight in behalf of Divine truth; therefore it is said, "These things therefore the soldiers did." (That "tunic" signifies Divine truth, or the Word in the spiritual sense, see Arcan (Arcana Coelestia 9826, 9942) a Coelestia, n. 9826, 9942; that "soldiers" signify those who are of the church, and who should fight in behalf of Divine truth, see above, n. 64, at the end, where these things are more fully explained.) It should be known that each particular related in the Evangelists respecting the Lord's passion, involves and signifies how the church at that time, which was among the Jews, had treated Divine truth, thus the Word, for this was Divine truth with them; the Lord also was the Word, because He was Divine truth (John 1:1, 2, 14). But what each particular involves and signifies cannot be known except from the internal sense. Here it will be told only what "the Lord's garments" signified, because the meaning of "garments" is here treated of, namely, that they signify truths, and in reference to the Lord, Divine truths.

[22] "The garments of Aaron and of his sons" have a like signification, because Aaron with his sons represented the Lord in respect to Divine good, and their garments the Lord in respect to Divine truth. (But these things may be seen explained and shown in the Arcana Coelestia; as that Aaron represented the Lord in respect to Divine good, n.9806, 9946, 10017; also what each of their garments signified, the breastplate, the ephod, the cloak, the tunic wrought with checker work, the miter, and the belt, n. 9814, 9823-9828)

Fußnoten:

627. Verse 1. And there was given to me a reed like a staff, signifies the mode of visitation, that is, of exploring the quality of the church in respect to truth and to good. This is evident from the signification of a "reed," as being that by which the quality is explored, for "to measure" signifies to explore, and a "measure" signifies the quality of a thing; therefore, the "reed," by which he measured the temple and the altar, as now follows, that is, the "measuring reed," signifies the mode of exploring the quality. It means the mode of exploring what the quality of the church is in respect to truth and good, because it says afterwards that "he measured the temple and the altar, and them that worship therein," which signifies the church in respect to truth and good, and thus in respect to worship.

[2] Moreover, a "reed" signifies visitation, because visitation is an exploration of the quality of the men of the church, and because a visitation precedes the Last Judgment, which will be treated of hereafter. What is the nature of that visitation or exploration can be seen from the visitation upon Sodom, that in the first place angels were sent there, and through them visitation or exploration was made of what quality they were in respect to their reception, that is, what was their quality in respect to the reception of Divine truth and Divine good, for these angels represented the Lord in respect to the Divine proceeding; and when it was found that all in Sodom except Lot were unwilling to receive them but wished to do them harm, then their destruction came, which means their last judgment.

[3] The measuring was effected by a reed, because a "reed or cane" signifies Divine truth in the ultimate of order, and a "staff," which the reed was like, signifies power; and by means of truth in the ultimate of order and its power all visitation or exploration is effected; for in the ultimate all truths, even from their firsts, form what is simultaneous, that is, coexist; therefore all things effected by the Divine, are effected from firsts by means of ultimates, therefore here visitation or exploration is so effected, and such truth is signified by a "reed or cane."

[4] So in the following passages. In Revelation:

One of the seven angels had a golden reed, with which he measured the city Jerusalem and its gates and its wall; and he measured the city with a reed unto twelve thousand stadia (Revelation 21:15, 16).

And in Ezekiel:

In the hand of the angel there was a line of flax and a measuring reed, and the reed was of six cubits, and with it he measured the length, the breadth and the height of the building, of the gate, of the porch, of the court, of the temple, and many other things (Ezekiel 40:3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 40:13, 17, et seq.; Ezekiel 41:1-5, 13, 14, 22; 42:1 -20 the end).

Here, too, the "measuring reed" means the mode of exploring the church in respect to truth and good, as can be seen from this, that the angel measured every particular of the temple as to length, breadth, and height; and "length" signifies good, "breadth" truth, and "height" the degrees of good and truth from the highest or inmost to the lowest or ultimate. (On this signification of "length and breadth," see the work on Heaven and Hell 197.) That a "reed" signifies truth in ultimates whereby explorations are effected, is evident also from this, that there was also a "line of flax" in the hand of the angel, "a line of flax" signifying truth; also from this, that "the reed was of six cubits," "six" having a similar signification as "three," namely, truths in the whole complex (See above, n. 384, 532). That "to measure" signifies to explore the quality of a thing will be seen in the following article.

[5] By ultimate truth, or truth in the ultimate of order, is meant sensual truth, such as the truth in the sense of the letter of the Word is to those who are merely sensual. Divine truth in its descent proceeds according to degrees, from the highest or inmost to the lowest or ultimate. Divine truth in the highest degree is such as is the Divine that proceeds most nearly from the Lord, thus such as is the Divine truth above the heavens; and as this is infinite, it cannot come to the perception of any angel. But Divine truth of the first degree is that which comes to the perception of the angels of the inmost or third heaven, and is called celestial Divine truth; from this is the wisdom of those angels. Divine truth of the second degree is that which comes to the perception of the angels of the middle or second heaven, and constitutes their wisdom and intelligence, and is called spiritual Divine truth. Divine truth of the third degree is that which comes to the perception of angels of the lowest or first heaven, and constitutes their intelligence and knowledge [scientia], and is called celestial-natural and spiritual-natural Divine truth. But Divine truth of the fourth degree is that which comes to the perception of the men of the church who are living in the world, and constitutes their intelligence and knowledge [scientia]; this is called natural Divine truth, and its lowest is called sensual Divine truth.

[6] These Divine truths are in the Word in the order of their degrees, and Divine truth in the lowest degree, or in the ultimate of order, is such as is the Divine truth in the sense of the letter of the Word, for children and for the very simple, who are sensual. This Divine truth is what is signified by a "reed or cane." And as explorations with all are effected by this lowest Divine truth, as was said above, so measurings and weighings in the representative churches were made by means of reeds or canes, which signify such Divine truth. It has just been shown that measurings were made by reeds; that weighings were also thus made can be seen in Isaiah:

They weighed silver with a reed (Isaiah 46:6).

[7] Because a "reed" signifies truth in ultimates, such as is for the simple and children, who are not spiritual but natural-sensual, it is also said in Isaiah:

A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench, and He will bring forth truth into judgment (Isaiah 42:3).

This treats of the Lord; and "a bruised reed He will not break" signifies that He will not hurt sensual Divine truth with the simple and with children; "smoking flax He will not quench" signifies that He will not destroy the Divine truth that is beginning to live from a very little good of love with the simple and with children, "flax" signifying truth, and "smoking" signifies its being alive from some little love; and because both, that is, the "reed and flax" signify truth, it is said that the Lord "will bring forth truth into judgment," which means that He will bring forth with them intelligence, "judgment" signifying intelligence.

[8] A "reed" signifies also sensual truth which is the lowest, such as exists with natural men, even with the evil. In the same:

The dry place shall become a pool, and there shall be grass instead of the reed and rush (Isaiah 35:7).

This refers to the establishment of the church by the Lord; and that those will then have intelligence through spiritual Divine truth who before had none is signified by "the dry place shall become a pool;" and that those will then have knowledge [scientia] through natural Divine truth who before had only sensual truth, is signified by "there shall be grass instead of the reed and rush," "grass" signifying knowledge from a spiritual origin, or by which spiritual truth is confirmed, while "reed and rush" signify knowledge from a sensual origin, or by which the fallacies of the senses are confirmed. This knowledge, regarded in itself, is only the lowest natural knowledge, which may be called material and corporeal, in which there is little or nothing of life.

[9] In the same:

The streams shall recede, the rivers of Egypt shall be minished and dried up, the reed and flag shall wither (Isaiah 19:6).

In the spiritual sense these words mean that all the understanding of Divine truth will perish; "the streams shall recede" signifies that all things of spiritual intelligence will depart; "the rivers of Egypt shall be minished and dried up" signifies that all things of natural intelligence will perish; "the reed and the flag shall wither" signifies that lowest truth, which is called sensual truth, and which is mere knowledge, will vanish; "streams and rivers" signifying the things of intelligence; "Egypt" the natural; "reed and flag" sensual truth or knowledge, and "to recede," "to be minished," "to be dried up," and "to wither," signifying to perish and disappear.

[10] In the same:

Thou hast trusted on the staff of this bruised reed, on Egypt, upon which when a man leaneth it goeth into his hand and pierceth it; so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on him (Isaiah 36:6).

"Egypt" signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual, and its knowledge [scientificum]; when this is separated from the intelligence of the spiritual man it is fatuous, and is applied to confirm evils of every kind, consequently it is a false knowledge. This is what is called "a staff of a bruised reed," "reed," as was said, being truth in the ultimate of order, which is sensual knowledge [scientificum]; "bruised" signifies what is broken and not cohering with any interior truth to give it consistency; "staff" means the resulting power to perceive and also to reason about truths. This, therefore, is the meaning of "upon which when a man leaneth it goeth into his hand and pierceth it;" "to lean upon that staff" means to trust in one's own power to perceive truths and reason about them from what is one's own [proprium]; "to enter into the hand and pierce it" signifies to destroy all intellectual power, and to see mere falsities instead of truths and to seize upon them; "so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on him" signifies that such is the natural man when separated from the spiritual, in respect to its knowledges and intelligence therefrom, and reasoning from that intelligence.

[11] In Job:

Let my shoulder blade fall from the shoulder, and mine arm be broken therefrom by a reed; for the dread of the destruction of God is upon me, and by reason of His majesty I can do nothing. Have I made gold my hope, and said to pure gold, Thou art my confidence? (Job 31:22-24)

This, too, treats of the confidence of self-intelligence, and in the spiritual sense these words describe that from this nothing of truth is seen, but only what is false, which does not cohere with any truth; non-coherence is signified by "let my shoulder blade fall from the shoulder, and mine arm be broken therefrom by a reed," "shoulder blade," "shoulder," and "arm" signifying power, here the power to understand and perceive truth; "to fall from the shoulder," and "to be broken by a reed" signifies to be separated from the spiritual power to perceive truth, and in consequence to be deceived by the sensual-corporeal man, and to perish by falsity, "reed" meaning truth in the ultimate of order, which is called sensual knowledge [scientificum], which becomes mere falsity when it is of the natural man alone separated from the spiritual; "the dread of the destruction of God" signifies the loss of all understanding of truth; "by reason of His majesty to be able to do nothing" signifies that nothing of the understanding and perception of truth is from what is man's own [proprium], but all from God; "to make gold a hope, and to say to pure gold, Thou art my confidence," signifies that he confided not in himself, by believing anything of good to be from himself.

[12] In Ezekiel:

That all the inhabitants of Egypt may know that I am Jehovah, because they have been a staff of a reed to the house of Israel; when they laid hold of thee with the hand thou wast bruised, and thou didst pierce through every shoulder for them; and when they leaned upon thee thou wast broken, and didst make all their loins to stand (Ezekiel 29:6, 7).

Here similar things are said of Egypt as above, and here, too, "Egypt" signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual, and its knowledge [scientificum], which when applied to evils is merely false. This is said of those in the church who trust in self-intelligence; "the sons of Israel" signify those who are of the church; their trust is signified by "a staff of a reed;" that all their ability to perceive truth thus perished is signified by "when they laid hold of thee with the hand thou wast bruised, and didst pierce through every shoulder for them," "shoulder" signifying the power or ability to understand truth; the loss of this is signified by "when they leaned upon thee thou wast broken." That thus every good of love and charity was destroyed and dissipated is signified by "thou didst make all their loins to stand," "loins" signifying the marriage of truth and good, so here that truth was not conjoined to good; truth conjoined to good constitutes the good of love and charity, since all the good of love and charity is formed by truths.

[13] In David:

Rebuke the wild beast of the reed or cane, the congregation of the mighty, among the calves of the peoples; trampling upon the plates of silver, he hath scattered the peoples, he desireth wars; those that are fat shall come out of Egypt, Ethiopia shall hasten her gift ¹ unto God (Psalms 68:30, 31).

This treats of the Lord's kingdom. To beware of false knowledge [scientificum], that is, of falsely applied knowledge from the natural man separated from the spiritual, is meant by "Rebuke the wild beast of the reed, cane or rod;" inasmuch as such knowledges, because they are from the fallacies of the senses, strongly persuade, they are called "the congregation of the mighty;" "the calves of the people" mean the goods of the church in the natural man; "plates of silver" are the truths of the church; "to tread upon" and "to scatter" mean to disperse and dissipate, which is done by those who are natural and sensual, and who think naturally and sensually, and not at the same time spiritually, thus who think from the natural and sensual man separated from the spiritual; this man is meant by "the wild beast of the reed" or "cane;" "to desire wars" signifies reasonings against truths; "those that are fat out of Egypt and Ethiopia" are those who have a knowledge [scientia] of spiritual things, and who are in the cognitions of truth and good, who will draw near to the Lord's kingdom because they are in light from the spiritual man.

[14] In the first book of Kings:

Jehovah shall smite Israel as a reed noddeth in the waters, and he shall pluck away Israel from off the good land (1 Kings 14:15).

The vastation of the church among the sons of Israel is compared to "the nodding of a reed or cane in the waters," because a "reed" or cane signifies the truth of the sensual man, which is the lowest, and when this truth is separated from the light of the spiritual man it becomes falsity. For the sensual man derives all that it has from things appearing in the world; consequently reasonings from these respecting spiritual things are mere fallacies, and from fallacies come falsities. (What the fallacies of the senses are in spiritual things, and that falsities are from them, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 53; also above in the explanation of Revelation, n. 575; and that sensual knowledge [scientificum]s [scientifica] are mere fallacies when the sensual man reasons from them, above, n.569, 581 also what the sensual is, and the quality of the sensual man, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 50.)

[15] In the Gospels:

They placed a reed in the Lord's right hand, and afterwards they took the reed and smote His head with it (Matthew 27:29, 30; Mark 15:19);

also:

They put a sponge upon a reed and gave Him vinegar to drink (Matthew 27:48; Mark 15:36).

Those who do not know the spiritual sense of the Word may believe that these and the many other things related of the Lord's passion involve nothing more than common modes of mockery; as that "they set a crown of thorns upon His head;" that "they parted His garments among them, but not the tunic;" that "they bent the knee before Him" for the sake of mocking Him; and also here, that "they placed a reed in His right hand, and afterwards smote His head with it;" and again, that "they filled a sponge with vinegar, or myrrhed wine, and set it upon a reed, and gave Him to drink." But let it be known that all things that are related of the Lord's passion signify the mocking at Divine truth, and thus the falsification and adulteration of the Word; since the Lord, when He was in the world, was the Divine truth itself, which in the church is the Word; and because the Lord was then the Divine truth, He permitted the Jews to treat Him altogether as they were treating the Divine truth or the Word by falsifying and adulterating it. For they applied all things of the Word to their own loves, and derided every truth that disagreed with their loves, as they did the Messiah Himself, because He did not, according to their explanation and religion, become king over the whole world, and exalt them into glory above all peoples and nations. (That all things related of the Lord's passion signify such things, see above, n. 64, 83, 195 at the end.) But that "they placed a reed in the Lord's hand and afterwards smote His head with it" signifies that they falsified Divine truth or the Word, and made an utter mockery of the understanding of truth and of Divine wisdom, a "reed" signifying falsity in what is most external (as above), and "to smite the head" signifying to reject and mock at the understanding of truth and Divine wisdom, which is what "the head of the Lord" signifies; and in "giving the Lord vinegar to drink," which signifies what is falsified, they placed a sponge filled with it on a "reed," which signifies falsity in what is most external, which is falsity sustaining.

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