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Exodus 4

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1 ἀποκρίνω-VCI-API3S δέ-X *μωυσῆς-N1M-NSM καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S ἐάν-C οὖν-X μή-D πιστεύω-VA--AAS3P ἐγώ- P--DS μηδέ-C εἰςἀκούω-VA--AAS3P ὁ- A--GSF φωνή-N1--GSF ἐγώ- P--GS εἶπον-VF2-FAI3P γάρ-X ὅτι-C οὐ-D ὁράω-VX--XPI3S σύ- P--DS ὁ- A--NSM θεός-N2--NSM τίς- I--ASN εἶπον-VF2-FAI1S πρός-P αὐτός- D--APM

2 εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S δέ-X αὐτός- D--DSM κύριος-N2--NSM τίς- I--NSN οὗτος- D--NSN εἰμί-V9--PAI3S ὁ- A--NSN ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF χείρ-N3--DSF σύ- P--GS ὁ- A--NSM δέ-X εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S ῥάβδος-N2--NSF

3 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S ῥίπτω-VA--AAD2S αὐτός- D--ASF ἐπί-P ὁ- A--ASF γῆ-N1--ASF καί-C ῥίπτω-VAI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--ASF ἐπί-P ὁ- A--ASF γῆ-N1--ASF καί-C γίγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S ὄφις-N3I-NSM καί-C φεύγω-VBI-AAI3S *μωυσῆς-N1M-NSM ἀπό-P αὐτός- D--GSM

4 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM πρός-P *μωυσῆς-N1M-ASM ἐκτείνω-VA--AAD2S ὁ- A--ASF χείρ-N3--ASF καί-C ἐπιλαμβάνω-VB--AMD2S ὁ- A--GSF κέρκος-N2--GSF κτείνω-VAI-AAI2S οὖν-X ὁ- A--ASF χείρ-N3--ASF ἐπιλαμβάνω-VBI-AMI3S ὁ- A--GSF κέρκος-N2--GSF καί-C γίγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S ῥάβδος-N2--NSF ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF χείρ-N3--DSF αὐτός- D--GSM

5 ἵνα-C πιστεύω-VA--AAS3P σύ- P--DS ὅτι-C ὁράω-VX--XPI3S σύ- P--DS κύριος-N2--NSM ὁ- A--NSM θεός-N2--NSM ὁ- A--GPM πατήρ-N3--GPM αὐτός- D--GPM θεός-N2--NSM *αβρααμ-N---GSM καί-C θεός-N2--NSM *ισαακ-N---GSM καί-C θεός-N2--NSM *ἰακώβ-N---GSM

6 εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S δέ-X αὐτός- D--DSM κύριος-N2--NSM πάλιν-D εἰςφέρω-VB--AAD2S ὁ- A--ASF χείρ-N3--ASF σύ- P--GS εἰς-P ὁ- A--ASM κόλπος-N2--ASM σύ- P--GS καί-C εἰςφέρω-VAI-AAI3S ὁ- A--ASF χείρ-N3--ASF αὐτός- D--GSM εἰς-P ὁ- A--ASM κόλπος-N2--ASM αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C ἐκφέρω-VAI-AAI3S ὁ- A--ASF χείρ-N3--ASF αὐτός- D--GSM ἐκ-P ὁ- A--GSM κόλπος-N2--GSM αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C γίγνομαι-VCI-API3S ὁ- A--NSF χείρ-N3--NSF αὐτός- D--GSM ὡσεί-D χιών-N3N-NSF

7 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S πάλιν-D εἰςφέρω-VB--AAD2S ὁ- A--ASF χείρ-N3--ASF σύ- P--GS εἰς-P ὁ- A--ASM κόλπος-N2--ASM σύ- P--GS καί-C εἰςφέρω-VAI-AAI3S ὁ- A--ASF χείρ-N3--ASF εἰς-P ὁ- A--ASM κόλπος-N2--ASM αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C ἐκφέρω-VAI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--ASF ἐκ-P ὁ- A--GSM κόλπος-N2--GSM αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C πάλιν-D ἀπο καταἵστημι-VHI-AAI3S εἰς-P ὁ- A--ASF χρόα-N1A-ASF ὁ- A--GSF σάρξ-N3K-GSF αὐτός- D--GSM

8 ἐάν-C δέ-X μή-D πιστεύω-VA--AAS3P σύ- P--DS μηδέ-C εἰςἀκούω-VA--AAS3P ὁ- A--GSF φωνή-N1--GSF ὁ- A--GSN σημεῖον-N2N-GSN ὁ- A--GSN πρῶτος-A1--GSNS πιστεύω-VF--FAI3P σύ- P--DS ὁ- A--GSF φωνή-N1--GSF ὁ- A--GSN σημεῖον-N2N-GSN ὁ- A--GSN ἔσχατο-A1--GSN

9 καί-C εἰμί-VF--FMI3S ἐάν-C μή-D πιστεύω-VA--AAS3P σύ- P--DS ὁ- A--DPN δύο-M---DP σημεῖον-N2N-DPN οὗτος- D--DPN μηδέ-C εἰςἀκούω-VA--AAS3P ὁ- A--GSF φωνή-N1--GSF σύ- P--GS λαμβάνω-VF--FMI2S ἀπό-P ὁ- A--GSN ὕδωρ-N3T-GSN ὁ- A--GSM ποταμός-N2--GSM καί-C ἐκχέω-VF2-FAI2S ἐπί-P ὁ- A--ASN ξηρός-A1A-ASN καί-C εἰμί-VF--FMI3S ὁ- A--NSN ὕδωρ-N3--NSN ὅς- --NSN ἐάν-C λαμβάνω-VB--AAS2S ἀπό-P ὁ- A--GSM ποταμός-N2--GSM αἷμα-N3M-NSN ἐπί-P ὁ- A--GSM ξηρός-A1A-GSM

10 εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S δέ-X *μωυσῆς-N1M-NSM πρός-P κύριος-N2--ASM δέομαι-V1--PMI1S κύριος-N2--VSM οὐ-D ἱκανός-A1--NSM εἰμί-V9--PAI1S πρό-P ὁ- A--GSF χθές-D οὐδέ-C πρό-P ὁ- A--GSF τρίτος-A1--GSF ἡμέρα-N1A-GSF οὐδέ-C ἀπό-P ὅς- --GSM ἄρχω-VAI-AMI2S λαλέω-V2--PAN ὁ- A--DSM θεράπων-N3--DSM σύ- P--GS ἰσχνόφωνος-A1B-NSM καί-C βραδύγλωσσος-A1B-NSM ἐγώ- P--NS εἰμί-V9--PAI1S

11 εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S δέ-X κύριος-N2--NSM πρός-P *μωυσῆς-N1M-ASM τίς- I--NSM δίδωμι-VAI-AAI3S στόμα-N3M-ASN ἄνθρωπος-N2--DSM καί-C τίς- I--NSM ποιέω-VAI-AAI3S δύσκωφος-A1B-ASM καί-C κωφός-A1--ASM βλέπω-V1--PAPASM καί-C τυφλός-A1--ASM οὐ-D ἐγώ- P--NS ὁ- A--NSM θεός-N2--NSM

12 καί-C νῦν-D πορεύομαι-V1--PMD2S καί-C ἐγώ- P--NS ἀναοἴγω-VA--AAS1S ὁ- A--ASN στόμα-N3M-ASN σύ- P--GS καί-C συνβιβάζω-VA--AAS1S σύ- P--AS ὅς- --NSN μέλλω-V1--PAI2S λαλέω-VA--AAN

13 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *μωυσῆς-N1M-NSM δέομαι-V1--PMI1S κύριος-N2--VSM προςχειρίζω-VA--AAN δύναμαι-V6--PMPASM ἄλλος- D--ASM ὅς- --ASM ἀποστέλλω-VF2-FAI2S

14 καί-C θυμόω-VC--APPNSM ὀργή-N1--DSF κύριος-N2--NSM ἐπί-P *μωυσῆς-N1M-ASM εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S οὐ-D ἰδού-I *ααρων-N---NSM ὁ- A--NSM ἀδελφός-N2--NSM σύ- P--GS ὁ- A--NSM *λευίτης-N1M-NSM ἐπίσταμαι-V6--PMI1S ὅτι-C λαλέω-V2--PAPNSM λαλέω-VF--FAI3S αὐτός- D--NSM σύ- P--DS καί-C ἰδού-I αὐτός- D--NSM ἐκἔρχομαι-VF--FMI3S εἰς-P συνάντησις-N3I-ASF σύ- P--DS καί-C ὁράω-VB--AAPNSM σύ- P--AS χαίρω-VD--FPI3S ἐν-P ἑαυτοῦ- D--DSM

15 καί-C εἶπον-VF2-FAI2S πρός-P αὐτός- D--ASM καί-C δίδωμι-VF--FAI2S ὁ- A--APN ῥῆμα-N3M-APN ἐγώ- P--GS εἰς-P ὁ- A--ASN στόμα-N3M-ASN αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C ἐγώ- P--NS ἀναοἴγω-VF--FAI1S ὁ- A--ASN στόμα-N3M-ASN σύ- P--GS καί-C ὁ- A--ASN στόμα-N3M-ASN αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C συνβιβάζω-VF--FAI1S σύ- P--AP ὅς- --APN ποιέω-VF--FAI2P

16 καί-C αὐτός- D--NSM σύ- P--DS προςλαλέω-VF--FAI3S πρός-P ὁ- A--ASM λαός-N2--ASM καί-C αὐτός- D--NSM εἰμί-VF--FMI3S σύ- P--GS στόμα-N3M-NSN σύ- P--NS δέ-X αὐτός- D--DSM εἰμί-VF--FMI2S ὁ- A--NPN πρός-P ὁ- A--ASM θεός-N2--ASM

17 καί-C ὁ- A--ASF ῥάβδος-N2--ASF οὗτος- D--ASF ὁ- A--ASF στρέφω-VD--APPASF εἰς-P ὄφις-N3I-ASM λαμβάνω-VF--FMI2S ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF χείρ-N3--DSF σύ- P--GS ἐν-P ὅς- --DSF ποιέω-VF--FAI2S ἐν-P αὐτός- D--DSF ὁ- A--APN σημεῖον-N2N-APN

18 πορεύομαι-VCI-API3S δέ-X *μωυσῆς-N1M-NSM καί-C ἀποστρέφω-VAI-AAI3S πρός-P *ιοθορ-N---ASM ὁ- A--ASM γαμβρός-N2--ASM αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C λέγω-V1--PAI3S πορεύομαι-VF--FMI1S καί-C ἀποστρέφω-VF--FAI1S πρός-P ὁ- A--APM ἀδελφός-N2--APM ἐγώ- P--GS ὁ- A--APM ἐν-P *αἴγυπτος-N2--DSF καί-C ὁράω-VF--FMI1S εἰ-C ἔτι-D ζάω-V3--PAI3P καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *ιοθορ-N---NSM *μωυσῆς-N1M-DSM βαδίζω-V1--PAD2S ὑγιαίνω-V1--PAPNSM

19 μετά-P δέ-X ὁ- A--APF ἡμέρα-N1A-APF ὁ- A--APF πολύς-A1--APF ἐκεῖνος- D--APF τελευτάω-VAI-AAI3S ὁ- A--NSM βασιλεύς-N3V-NSM *αἴγυπτος-N2--GSF εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S δέ-X κύριος-N2--NSM πρός-P *μωυσῆς-N1M-ASM ἐν-P *μαδιαμ-N---DS βαδίζω-V1--PAD2S ἀποἔρχομαι-VB--AAD2S εἰς-P *αἴγυπτος-N2--ASF θνήσκω-VX--XAI3P γάρ-X πᾶς-A3--NPM ὁ- A--NPM ζητέω-V2--PAPNPM σύ- P--GS ὁ- A--ASF ψυχή-N1--ASF

20 ἀναλαμβάνω-VB--AAPNSM δέ-X *μωυσῆς-N1M-NSM ὁ- A--ASF γυνή-N3K-ASF καί-C ὁ- A--APN παιδίον-N2N-APN ἀναβιβάζω-VAI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--APN ἐπί-P ὁ- A--APN ὑποζύγιον-N2N-APN καί-C ἐπιστρέφω-VAI-AAI3S εἰς-P *αἴγυπτος-N2--ASF λαμβάνω-VBI-AAI3S δέ-X *μωυσῆς-N1M-NSM ὁ- A--ASF ῥάβδος-N2--ASF ὁ- A--ASF παρά-P ὁ- A--GSM θεός-N2--GSM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF χείρ-N3--DSF αὐτός- D--GSM

21 εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S δέ-X κύριος-N2--NSM πρός-P *μωυσῆς-N1M-ASM πορεύομαι-V1--PMD2S σύ- P--GS καί-C ἀποστρέφω-V1--PAPGSM εἰς-P *αἴγυπτος-N2--ASF ὁράω-V3--PAD2S πᾶς-A3--APN ὁ- A--APN τέρας-N3T-APN ὅς- --APN δίδωμι-VAI-AAI1S ἐν-P ὁ- A--DPF χείρ-N3--DPF σύ- P--GS ποιέω-VF--FAI2S αὐτός- D--APN ἐναντίον-P *φαραώ-N---GSM ἐγώ- P--NS δέ-X σκληρύνω-VA--AAS1S ὁ- A--ASF καρδία-N1A-ASF αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C οὐ-D μή-D ἐκ ἀποστέλλω-VA--AAS3S ὁ- A--ASM λαός-N2--ASM

22 σύ- P--NS δέ-X εἶπον-VF2-FAI2S ὁ- A--DSM *φαραώ-N---DSM ὅδε- D--APN λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM υἱός-N2--NSM πρωτότοκος-A1B-NSM ἐγώ- P--GS *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM

23 εἶπον-VAI-AAI1S δέ-X σύ- P--DS ἐκ ἀποστέλλω-VA--AAD2S ὁ- A--ASM λαός-N2--ASM ἐγώ- P--GS ἵνα-C ἐγώ- P--DS λατρεύω-VA--AAS3S εἰ-C μέν-X οὖν-X μή-D βούλομαι-V1--PMI2S ἐκ ἀποστέλλω-VA--AAN αὐτός- D--APM ὁράω-V3--PAD2S οὖν-X ἐγώ- P--NS ἀποκτείνω-VF2-FAI1S ὁ- A--ASM υἱός-N2--ASM σύ- P--GS ὁ- A--ASM πρωτότοκος-A1B-ASM

24 γίγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S δέ-X ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF ὁδός-N2--DSF ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN κατάλυμα-N3M-DSN συνἀντάω-VAI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--DSM ἄγγελος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--GSM καί-C ζητέω-V2I-IAI3S αὐτός- D--ASM ἀποκτείνω-VA--AAN

25 καί-C λαμβάνω-VB--AAPNSF *σεπφωρα-N1A-NSF ψῆφος-N2--ASF περιτέμνω-VBI-AAI3S ὁ- A--ASF ἀκροβυστία-N1A-ASF ὁ- A--GSM υἱός-N2--GSM αὐτός- D--GSF καί-C προςπίπτω-VBI-AAI3S πρός-P ὁ- A--APM πούς-N3D-APM καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S ἵστημι-VHI-AAI3S ὁ- A--NSN αἷμα-N3M-NSN ὁ- A--GSF περιτομή-N1--GSF ὁ- A--GSN παιδίον-N2N-GSN ἐγώ- P--GS

26 καί-C ἀποἔρχομαι-VBI-AAI3S ἀπό-P αὐτός- D--GSM διότι-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S ἵστημι-VHI-AAI3S ὁ- A--NSN αἷμα-N3M-NSN ὁ- A--GSF περιτομή-N1--GSF ὁ- A--GSN παιδίον-N2N-GSN ἐγώ- P--GS

27 εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S δέ-X κύριος-N2--NSM πρός-P *ααρων-N---ASM πορεύομαι-VC--APD2S εἰς-P συνάντησις-N3I-ASF *μωυσῆς-N1M-DSM εἰς-P ὁ- A--ASF ἔρημος-N2--ASF καί-C πορεύομαι-VCI-API3S καί-C συνἀντάω-VAI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--DSM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN ὄρος-N3E-DSN ὁ- A--GSM θεός-N2--GSM καί-C καταφιλέω-VAI-AAI3P ἀλλήλω- D--APM

28 καί-C ἀναἀγγέλλω-VAI-AAI3S *μωυσῆς-N1M-NSM ὁ- A--DSM *ααρων-N---DSM πᾶς-A3--APM ὁ- A--APM λόγος-N2--APM κύριος-N2--GSM ὅς- --APM ἀποστέλλω-VAI-AAI3S καί-C πᾶς-A3--APN ὁ- A--APN σημεῖον-N2N-APN ὅς- --APN ἐντέλλομαι-VAI-AMI3S αὐτός- D--DSM

29 πορεύομαι-VCI-API3S δέ-X *μωυσῆς-N1M-NSM καί-C *ααρων-N---NSM καί-C συνἄγω-VBI-AAI3P ὁ- A--ASF γερουσία-N1A-ASF ὁ- A--GPM υἱός-N2--GPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM

30 καί-C λαλέω-VAI-AAI3S *ααρων-N---NSM πᾶς-A3--APN ὁ- A--APN ῥῆμα-N3M-APN οὗτος- D--APN ὅς- --APN λαλέω-VAI-AAI3S ὁ- A--NSM θεός-N2--NSM πρός-P *μωυσῆς-N1M-ASM καί-C ποιέω-VAI-AAI3S ὁ- A--APN σημεῖον-N2N-APN ἐναντίον-P ὁ- A--GSM λαός-N2--GSM

31 καί-C πιστεύω-VAI-AAI3S ὁ- A--NSM λαός-N2--NSM καί-C χαίρω-VDI-API3S ὅτι-C ἐπισκέπτω-VAI-AMI3S ὁ- A--NSM θεός-N2--NSM ὁ- A--APM υἱός-N2--APM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM καί-C ὅτι-C ὁράω-VBI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--GPM ὁ- A--ASF θλῖψις-N3I-ASF κύπτω-VA--AAPNSM δέ-X ὁ- A--NSM λαός-N2--NSM προςκυνέω-VAI-AAI3S

   

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Arcana Coelestia #6947

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6947. What is that in thy hand? And he said, A rod. That this signifies the power of the Lord’s Divine Human, is evident from the signification of “hand,” as being power (see n. 878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 5544); and from the signification of a “rod,” as also being power (n. 4013, 4876, 4936). That it is the power of the Lord’s Divine Human, is because by Moses is represented the Lord as to the law Divine, or the Word, which is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord’s Divine Human (n. 6752). The power which is signified by “hand” is the power proceeding from the Lord’s Divine rational; but the power which is signified by “rod” is the power proceeding from the Lord’s Divine natural. That the “rod” denotes the power proceeding from the Lord’s Divine natural, is because a rod supports the body, like a foot, and by a “foot” is signified the natural (n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952). That “to lift up the hand” denotes power in the spiritual, and “to lift up the foot” denotes power in the natural, may be seen above (n. 5327, 5328); and for this reason, in accordance with the kind of elevation treated of in the internal sense, it was sometimes said to Moses when he was to do miracles, that he should “lift up the hand,” sometimes that he should “lift up the rod.”

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

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Arcana Coelestia #3147

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3147. And water to wash his feet. That this signifies purification there, is evident from the signification of “water for washing,” or of washing with water, as being to purify (concerning which presently); and from the signification of “feet,” as being natural things, or what is the same, the things in the natural man (see n. 2162). In the representative church it was customary to wash the feet with water, and thereby to signify that the unclean things of the natural man were washed away. The unclean things of the natural man are all those things which are of the love of self and of the love of the world; and when these unclean things have been washed away, then goods and truths flow in, for it is solely these unclean things that hinder the influx of good and truth from the Lord.

[2] For good is continually flowing in from the Lord, but when it comes through the internal or spiritual man to his external or natural man, it is there either perverted, turned back, or suffocated. But when the things which are of the love of self and of the love of the world are removed, then good is received there and is made fruitful; for then man practices the works of charity. This is evident from many considerations; as when in misfortune, distress, and sickness, the things that belong to the external or natural man are merely lulled, the man forthwith begins to think piously and to will what is good, and also to practice works of piety insofar as he is able; but when the state is changed, there is a change also in all this.

[3] These things were signified by the washings in the Ancient Church, and the same were represented in the Jewish Church, The reason why they were signified in the Ancient Church, but represented in the Jewish church, was that the man of the Ancient Church regarded the rite as a something external in worship, and did not believe that he was purified by that washing, but by the washing away of the impurities of the natural man, which as before said are the things which are of the love of self and of the world. But the man of the Jewish Church believed that he was purified by that washing; neither knowing nor desiring to know that the purification of the interiors was signified.

[4] That by “washing” is signified a cleansing from the impurities referred to, is evident in Isaiah:

Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes, cease to do evil (Isaiah 1:16); where it is evident that to “wash themselves” means to make themselves pure and to put away evils. Again:

When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, in the spirit of judgment and in the spirit of expurgation (Isaiah 4:4); where “washing away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purging the blood of Jerusalem,” denotes purifying from evils and falsities.

In Jeremiah:

O Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall the thoughts of thine iniquity lodge within thee? (Jeremiah 4:14).

[5] In Ezekiel:

I washed thee with water, and I washed away thy bloods from upon thee, and anointed thee with oil (Jeremiah 16:9 [NCBSW: Ezekiel 16:9]); concerning Jerusalem, by which is there meant the Ancient Church; “washing with waters” denotes purifying from falsities; “washing away bloods” denotes purging from evils; “anointing with oil” denotes filling then with good.

In David:

Wash me from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow (Psalms 51:2, 7).

Here “being washed” plainly denotes being purified from evils and their falsities.

[6] These are the things that were signified by “washing” in the representative church; and it was commanded for the sake of the representation that when they had become unclean they should wash the skin, the hands, the feet, and also the garments, and should be cleansed; by all which things were signified those which are of the natural man. Lavers also, of brass, were placed outside the temple, namely, the brazen sea and the ten brazen lavers (1 Kings 7:23-39); and a laver of brass at which Aaron and his sons were to wash was placed between the tent of meeting and the altar; and thus outside the tent (Exodus 30:18-19, 21); by which also was signified that only external or natural things were to be purified; for unless these have been purified, that is, unless the things that are of the love of self and of the world have been removed, the internal things which are of love to the Lord and toward the neighbor cannot possibly flow in, as before said.

[7] For the better understanding of how these things are circumstanced, namely, that external things are to be purified, take as an example and illustration good works, or what is the same, the goods of charity which at this day are called the fruits of faith; these are external things, because they are the exercises of charity. Good works are evil works unless those things are removed which are of the love of self and of the world; for when works are done before these have been removed, they indeed appear good outwardly, but are inwardly evil; for they are done either for the sake of reputation, or for gain, or for the sake of one’s honor, or for recompense, thus they are either self-meritorious 1 or hypocritical; for that which is of the love of self and the world causes the works to be such. But when these evils are removed, the works then become good; and they are goods of charity; that is, in them there is not regard to self, to the world, to reputation, to recompense; thus they are neither self-meritorious nor hypocritical; for then celestial love and spiritual love flow in from the Lord into the works and cause them to be love and charity in act; and then the Lord through these loves also purifies the natural or external man, and disposes it into order, so as to receive correspondently the celestial and spiritual things that flow in.

[8] This is clearly evident from what the Lord taught when He washed the feet of the disciples, as we read in John:

Then cometh He to Simon Peter; and Peter saith unto Him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto Him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me. Simon Peter saith unto Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that hath been washed, needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit; ye are clean already, but not all (John 13:4-17).

“He that hath been washed, needeth not save to wash his feet” signifies that he who has been reformed, has need only to be cleansed as to natural things, that is, has need that evils and falsities should be removed from them; and then all things are disposed into order by the influx of spiritual things from the Lord. Moreover to wash the feet was an office of charity, as meaning not to reflect on the evils of another; and it was also an office of humility, as meaning to cleanse another from evils as from impurities; as also is evident from the Lord’s words in the passage just quoted (verses 12-17; also Luke 7:37-38, 44, 46; John 11:2; 1 Samuel 25:41).

[9] Everybody can see that washing himself does not purify anyone from evils and falsities, but only from the impurities that cling to him; nevertheless, as washing was among the rites commanded in the church, it follows that it involves something special, namely, spiritual washing, that is, purification from the uncleannesses which inwardly adhere to man. Therefore they who knew these things in that church, and thought about the purification of the heart, or the removal of the evils of the love of self and of the love of the world from the natural man, and who endeavored to effect this with all diligence, observed the rite of washing as external worship according to commandment; but those who did not know this and did not desire to know it, but thought that the mere rite of washing their garments, skin, hands, and feet, would purify them, and that provided they did these things they might be allowed to live in avarice, hatreds, revenge, unmercifulness, and cruelties, which are spiritual impurity, practiced this rite as an idolatrous one. Nevertheless they could represent by it, and by representation exhibit something of the church, whereby there might be some conjunction of heaven with man before the Lord’s advent; yet such conjunction as affected the man of the church little or not at all.

[10] The Jews and Israelites were such that they had no thought about the internal man, nor willingness to know anything about it; thus none at all concerning celestial and spiritual things, relating to the life after death. But yet lest all communication with heaven and thus with the Lord should perish, they were bound to external rites, whereby internal things were signified. All their captivities and plagues were in general for the end that external rites might be strictly observed for the sake of the representation.

Hence then it was that Moses washed Aaron and his sons with water at the door of the tent, that they might be sanctified (Exodus 29:4 40:12; Leviticus 8:6); that Aaron and his sons were to wash their hands and feet before they entered into the tent of meeting and came near to the altar to minister, that they might not die; and that this was to be to them a statute forever (Exodus 30:18-21; 40:30-31); that Aaron was to wash his flesh before he put on the garments of ministry (Leviticus 16:4, 24); that the Levites were to be purified by being sprinkled with the water of expiation; and that they were to cause a razor to pass over their flesh, and to wash their garments, and thus should be pure (Numbers 8:6-7); that whoever should eat the carcass even of a clean beast, or one that was torn, should wash his garments, and bathe himself in water; and if he did not wash himself and bathe his flesh, he should bear his iniquity (Leviticus 17:15-16); that whoever touched the bed of one affected with the flux, or who sat upon a vessel on which he had sat, and whoever touched his flesh, should wash his garments, and bathe himself with water, and should be unclean till the evening (Leviticus 15:5-7, 10; 15:10-12); that whoever let go the he-goat, as a scape-goat, should wash his flesh (Leviticus 16:26); that when a leprous person was cleansed, he was to wash his garments, shave off all his hair, and wash himself with water, and he should be clean (Leviticus 14:8-9); nay, that the very vessels which were made unclean by the touch of things unclean, should be passed through water, and should be unclean until evening (Leviticus 11:32). From these things it may be seen that no one was made clean or pure as to internal things by the rite of washing, but only represented one pure or spiritually clean, for the reason given above. That this is so, the Lord teaches plainly in Matthew (15:1-2, 20), and (Matthew 15:20) in Mark (7:1-23).

Note a piè di pagina:

1. The words “merit,” “to merit,” and “meritorious,” are used by Swedenborg in a bad sense, meaning self-merit, etc., except when applied to the Lord. [Reviser.]

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