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Apocalypse Explained #101

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101. Verse 3. And hast borne and hast endurance, signifies resistance against those who assail the truths of faith, and diligence in instructing. This is evident from the signification of "bearing," in reference to those who are in the knowledges of truth and good, as being resistance against those who assail the truths of faith, for those who are in knowledges defend those truths, and resist those who are against them; also from the signification of having "endurance" or "patience," as being diligence in instructing.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.

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Arcana Coelestia #3772

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3772. 'And water the flock' means that the doctrine was drawn from it. This is clear from the meaning of 'watering', or giving a drink, as giving instruction, dealt with in 3069, 3768, and from the meaning of 'the flock' as people who are governed by the goods and truths of faith, dealt with in 343, 3767. Thus 'watering it' means giving instruction from the Word, and therefore from doctrine.

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

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Arcana Coelestia #1480

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1480. 'That the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful' means that the knowledge which is comprised of cognitions is to itself highly pleasing. This is clear from what has been stated above at verse 11, to the effect that in childhood knowledge is of such a nature. Within knowledge an inclination so to speak exists - for that inclination is innate in man - which disposes it first of all to take pleasure in knowing just for the sake of knowing, and with no other end in view. This is so with everyone: his spirit takes great delight in knowing, so that it scarcely desires anything better, knowledge being its food by which it is sustained and renewed, as the external man is by earthly food. And this which nourishes his spirit is communicated to the external man to the end that the external man may be adapted so as to serve the internal. These foods exist consecutively, in the following order: Celestial food consists in every good of love and charity received from the Lord, while spiritual food consists in every truth of faith; these are the kinds of food by which angels live. From these comes the food - also celestial and spiritual, but of a lower angelic degree - by which angelic spirits live. And from this again comes celestial and spiritual food of a still lower degree, which is that of reason and from this of knowledge, by which good spirits live. Last of all comes bodily food, which is proper to man while he lives in the body. All these foods correspond to one another in a remarkable manner. From this it is also evident why and how knowledge is to itself most pleasing, for that pleasure is as appetite and taste; therefore also eating with man corresponds in the world of spirits to facts, and appetite and taste themselves to the intense desire for facts, as is clear from experience which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be presented further on.

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