THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 56

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation.)

1. Thus says Jehovah, Keep you judgment, and do justice; for My salvation is near to come, and My justice to be revealed.

VERSE 1. By "judgment" is signified the Truth which is of faith, and by "justice" the Good which is of charity, wherefore it is said, "to do justice." That "justice" is the Good of charity from the Lord, is meant by "My justice is near to be revealed." In other passages also mention is made of "judgment" and "justice"; and by "judgment" is denoted Truth, and by "justice" Good, as in Jeremiah:

"Thus says Jehovah, Do you justice and judgment, and deliver him that is spoiled from the hand of the oppressor. Woe unto him that builds his house in non-justice, and his chambers in non-judgement. Did not your father eat and drink, and did judgment and justice, then he had good?" (Jeremiah 22:3, 13, 15) where "judgment" denotes those things which are of Truth, and "justice" those things which are of Good. A. G. 9263.

2. Blessed is the man that does this, and the son of man that holds it fast; that keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and that keeps his hand from doing any evil.

Verses 2-7. He who does not know what the "Sabbath" represented, and hence what it signified, must needs be ignorant also why it was accounted the most holy of all things; but the reason why it was accounted most holy was, because, in the supreme sense, it represented the union of the Divine [principle] and of the Divine Human in the Lord; and, in the respective sense, the conjunction of the Divine Human of the Lord with the human race. Hence the "Sabbath" was most holy; and inasmuch as it represented those things, it also represented heaven as to the conjunction of Good and Truth, which conjunction is called the heavenly marriage; and whereas the conjunction of Good and Truth is effected from the Lord alone, and nothing of it from man, and whereas it is effected in a state of peace, therefore it was most severely forbidden that man on this occasion should do any work, insomuch that "the soul which did it was cut off"; on which subject it is thus written in Moses:

"You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy unto you; he who profanes it by dying shall die: because every one who does work in it, this soul shall be cut off from the midst of his people." (Exodus 31:14) "Therefore he was stoned who only gathered sticks on that day." (Numbers 15:32-36)

Therefore also the commandment concerning the "Sabbath" is the third commandment in the Decalogue, immediately following the two concernIng the holy worship of Jehovah; (Exodus 20:8; Deuteronomy 5:12) and on this account the "Sabbath" is called "an eternal covenant"; (Exodus 31:10) for by a "covenant" is understood conjunction, n. 665, 666. From these considerations it may now be manifest what is meant, in the internal sense, by those things which are said concerning the "Sabbath" in the following passages, as in Isaiah:

"Blessed is the man that keeps the Sabbath. Thus says Jehovah to the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths", etc. (Isaiah 56:2-7)

From this passage it is evident that by those who" "sanctify the Sabbath" are meant those who are in conjunction with the Lord. That they shall be in heaven, is signified by "a place and a name, better than of sons and of daughters, being given them in the house of Jehovah; an everlasting name, which shall not be cut off"; and by their being "brought unto the mountain of holiness", Arcana Coelestia 8495. See also Chap, Isaiah 58:13, the Exposition.

3. And let not the son of the stranger, that cleaves unto Jehovah, speak, saying, Jehovah has utterly separated me from His people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

4. For thus says Jehovah to the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose that in which I delight, and take hold of My covenant;

5. To them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name, better than of sons and of daughters; an everlasting name will I give them, which shall not be cut off.

Verse 3.The "sons of the stranger" are all the nations who, because they were not in the Jewish church, thought that they could not become heirs [of the Lord's kingdom], as was falsely supposed by many about the time of the first coming of God Messiah; a "eunuch" is one who has no offspring, and on account of impotence thinks he cannot have any. The "eunuch" here is put for the "barren"; (see Chapter Isaiah 54:1) hence it is quite evident that in the internal or spiritual sense a "barren woman and her children" are not treated of, but those things which are in the truly spiritual sense.

The "eunuch", therefore, stands-for those who believe that they have no fruit of faith from themselves, because they have no faith; thus for those who acknowledge their impotence, that they can by no means have faith from themselves, thus who think themselves unworthy. This also is what is meant by a "dry tree", namely, barrenness. Such "eunuchs" are here meant as continually keep the kingdom of God represented in themselves, that is, "who keep the Sabbaths, and who choose that in which the Lord delights, and keep His covenant", etc. (Swedenborg's Notes on Isaiah, p. 140.)

To "cleave unto Jehovah", is to keep His precepts, which is the duty of spiritual love; for no one can keep the precepts of God from the heart, but he who is in the Good of charity to the neighbour. Arcana Coelestia 3875.

Verses 3, 4. Neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree; for thus says Jehovah to the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, etc. - In Matthew 19:12, the Lord, in His answer to the disciples respecting what He had said to the Pharisees concerning divorcement, speaks of "eunuchs", saying, "There are eunuchs who were so born from the mother's womb; and there are eunuchs of men; and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to comprehend it, let him comprehend it."

The reason why the Lord afterwards spake concerning "eunuchs" was, because the disciples said, "If the case be so of a man with a wife, it is not expedient to marry"; and because marriages with the Jewish nation, which was "hard of heart", in consequence of being in falsities derived from evil, were not marriages, but adulteries, as understood in the spiritual sense; wherefore, also, that nation was called by the Lord "an adulterous nation"; on which account the Lord spake concerning "eunuchs", by whom are meant those who are not willing to enter into marriage [such as it was understood by the Jews], that is, to be conjoined with the affection of evil, because thus the understanding of Truth and of Good would be perverted and dissipated; thus by "eunuchs" are meant [in the spiritual sense] both the married and unmarried with whom the understanding of Truth and of Good is conjoined with the affection of Truth and Good.

The reason why they are called" eunuchs" is, because they have no lasciviousness, such as appertains to those who, from "hardness of heart", in which the Jews were, married several wives, and divorced each of them upon every occasion. It is first to be noted, that the marriage of the understanding of Truth and of Good with the affection of Truth and of Good, is, in general, from a three-fold origin, and hence in a three-fold degree. In the supreme degree is the marriage of those who are called celestial; in an inferior degree, of those who are called spiritual; and in the lowest degree, of those who are natural; for there are so many degrees of the interiors of man.

Hence there are three heavens, and they who are in the supreme heaven are called celestial; they who are in the inferior heaven are called spiritual; and they who are in the lowest are called natural. The marriage of the understanding of Truth and of Good with the affection of Truth and of Good, amongst the celestial, is meant by "eunuchs who have been born eunuchs from the mother's womb", by reason that they, during regeneration, receive Truths immediately into the life by the love of them; hence it is that they know Truths from the Truths themselves; their regeneration by the Lord, through love to Him, is signified by being made "eunuchs from the womb", thus without the lasciviousness of adultery.

But the marriage of the understanding of Truth and of Good with the affection of Truth and of Good, amongst the spiritual, is meant by "eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men", for these are not regenerated in the womb, that is, by love, but by Truths first received in the memory, and next intellectually in the thought, and thus, lastly, in the life by a certain spiritual affection; these are said to be made "eunuchs of men", because they are reformed by the understanding grounded in the memory; and "man" signifies that understanding, as also above, where mention is made of "man and wife."

But the marriage of the understanding of Truth and of Good with the affection of Truth and of Good, amongst the natural, is meant by "eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs"; for the natural, by knowledges and sciences, procure to themselves natural light, and by Good of life, according to those sciences, they procure affection, and thence conscience; and because they know no other than that they themselves do this (for the natural man does not enjoy intelligence like the spiritual man, nor perception like the celestial man), hence it is that they are those "who make themselves eunuchs"; but it is so said from the appearance, and from the obscure faith appertaining to them. These, therefore, are the things that are meant by being made "eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of God"; and whereas few comprehend these things, it is said by the Lord "He who is able to comprehend, let him comprehend it." Apocalypse Explained 710.

Verse 5. To them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name, etc. - That the literal sense of the Word is signified by a "wall", see Arcana Coelestia 811, 1307, 1311; and what it is to be "called by a name", see Chapter 4:1; also Chapter 26:8, the Exposition.

6. And the sons of the stranger, who cleave unto Jehovah, to minister unto Him, and to love the name of Jehovah, and to become His servants: everyone that keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and that takes hold of My covenant;

7. Them will I bring unto the mountain of My holiness, and I will make them rejoice in the house of My prayer: their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be well-pleasing on Mine altar; for My house shall be called the house of prayer for all peoples.

Verse 6. Because to "minister" is predicated of the Good of love, it is therefore said, "to minister unto Jehovah, and to love His name"; and, therefore, concerning the Lord Himself, that He was about to "minister." From these considerations it may now appear that by "ministering" is meant all which is done from the Good of love itself. Apocalypse Explained 155.

Verses 6, 7. Every one that keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and that takes hold of My covenant; them will I bring unto the mountain. of My holiness, and I will make them rejoice in the house of My prayer, etc. - By the "Sabbath" is signified the conjunction of the Lord with heaven and the church, thus with those who are therein; wherefore by "keeping the Sabbath" is understood to be in conjunction with the Lord; and by "observing His covenant" is meant conjunction by a life according to the precepts of the Lord, for a "covenant" denotes conjunction, and conjunction is effected by a life according to the precepts, whence the precepts of the Decalogue were called a covenant." "Them will I bring unto the mountain of My holiness, signifies that they shall be gifted with the Good of love; the "mountain of holiness" denoting the heaven where the Good of love to the Lord prevails, and consequently also the Good of love accordIng to its quality in that heaven. "I will make them rejoice in the house of My prayer", signifies that they shall be gifted with spiritual Truths; the "house of prayer", or the temple, denoting the heaven where spiritual Truths are, and thus also such spiritual Truths as there prevail. "Their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be well-pleasing on Mine altar", signifies acceptable worship from the Good of love by spiritual Truths; "burnt-offerings" denoting worship from the Good of love, and "sacrifices" worship from Truths derived from that Good; Truths from Good are what are called spiritual Truths; "upon the altar" signifies in heaven and in the church. Apocalypse Explained 391.

8. Thus says the Lord Jehovih, who gathers together the outcasts. of Israel: Yet will I gather others unto him, beside those that are gathered.

9. All you beasts of My fields, come to devour; all you, beasts in the forest!

Verses 8, 9. By "the outcasts of Israel, whom the Lord gathers together", are signified all in the church who are in Truths from Good, and separated from those therein who are in falsities from evil. The same are also understood by "the wild beasts of the fields of the Lord Jehovih"; for by "field" is signified the church as to the implantation of the Truth of doctrine. But the Gentiles who are without the church are understood by "the wild beasts in the forest"; the "forest" denoting the natural and sensual man and the "wild beast" his science and obscure intelligence thence derived. That such things are signified by "the wild beast of the field" and by "the wild beast in the forest", is evident, for it is said, "All you beasts of My fields, come to devour; all you beasts in the forest!" - to "eat" '[or to devour] denoting instruction and appropriation. Inasmuch as most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so likewise have "beasts" and "Wild beasts", in which sense the former signify evil affections, which are cupidities of adulterating and destroying the Goods of the church; and the latter the cupidities of falsifying and thus of destroying the Truths of the church. Apocalypse Explained 650.

As by ", wild beast" [fera] is signified, in a bad sense, the false, and as the false is from a two-fold origin, namely, from what is evil, and from probity, therefore by "wild beast" in the Word are also signified the well-disposed nations which, although they are in the false, are yet in probity of life. In this sense the term is used in David:

"Every wild beast of the forest is Mine, and the beasts upon a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains; and the wild beast of My fields is with Me." (Psalm 50:10, 11) Arcana Coelestia 9335.

"Animals", when mentioned in the Word, signify man as to his affections; harmless and useful "beasts" signify man as to his good affections, and noxious and useless "beasts" signify him as to his evil affections; wherefore the men of the church, in general, are called "sheep", a congregation of them is called a "flock" and he who teaches is called a "shepherd." AR 567.

10. His watchmen are blind, all of them; they have no knowledge: they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; going about, lying down, loving to slumber.

Verse 10. "Dogs" signify those who, in the church, are vile [or unregenerate], likewise those who are out of the church, also those who babble much about the things of the church, and understand little; and, in the opposite sense, those who are altogether, out of the Faith of the church, and speak disrespectfully of those things which are of Faith. That "dogs" signify those who are out of the church, is manifest from Matthew:

"Jesus said to the woman, who was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician, It is not good to take the bread of the sons, and cast it to the dogs. But she said, Certainly, Lord; yet the little dogs also eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's tables. Then Jesus answering, said unto her, O woman, great is your faith; be it unto you even as you will. And her daughter was healed from that very hour"; (Matthew 15:26-28; and Mark 7:27, 28) where by "sons" are meant those who are within the church, and by "dogs" those who are without.

The same is signified by "the dogs who licked the sores of Lazarus"; (Luke 16:21) for by the "rich man", in the internal sense, is there meant one who is within the church, and hence abounds with spiritual riches, which are the knowledges of Truth and of Good.

"Dogs" denote also those who, within the church, are in the lowest place, who babble much about the things of the church, and understand little; and, in the opposite sense, who speak disrespectfully of the things of Faith, as in Isaiah:

"His watchmen are blind, all of them; they have no knowledge: they are all of them dumb dogs, they cannot bark; going about, lying down, loving to slumber." (Isaiah 56:10)

And in David:

"They make a noise like a dog; they go about in the city. Behold, they belch with their mouth; swords are in their lips", etc. (Psalm 59:6, 7, 14)

And in Matthew:

"Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine; lest peradventure they trample them with their feet, and turn again and rend you." (Matthew 7:6)

Hence the vilest of all things which was to be cast away, was a "dead dog." (1 Samuel 17:43; 2 Samuel 9:8; 16:9) Arcana Coelestia 7784.

Verses 10, 11. The "blind watchmen" are those who from ratiocination are in falsity. (Arcana Coelestia 2383)

Here the "blind" denote those who do not understand Truths, although they have the Word. That such are signified by the "blind", is evident, for it is said, "They know not, and cannot understand", Apocalypse Explained 239.

11. They are dogs obstinate in soul, they know not to be satisfied; and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, each to his own lucre; from the lowest of them [to the highest].

12. [Saying] Come, I will fetch wine, and we will be drunk with strong drink; and to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

Verse 11. They all look to their own way, each to his own lucre. - "Lucre" signifies everything false from evil which perverts the judgment of the mind" and withdraws it from Truth and Good, as may be evident to everyone who reflects; in which sense "lucre" [or gain] is mentioned many times in the Word, as in Isaiah 33:15; 56:11; 57:17; (Jeremiah 6:13; 8:10. Arcana Coelestia 8711.

Verses 11, 12. They are dogs obstinate in soul, they know not to be satisfied, etc. - These things are said of those who care about nothing but worldly and earthly things, whereby the internal spiritual man is shut up. As they have no perception of Good and no understanding of Truth, they are called "dogs obstinate in soul, which know not to be satisfied, or satiety", that is, who cannot receive Good; to "know" having respect to ability, and "satiety" [or to be satisfied], which is predicated of "food", whereby spiritual nourishment is signified, having respect to Good.

By "they are shepherds that cannot understand", is meant that they have no understanding of Truth; those being called "shepherds" who believe themselves able to instruct others, for to "feed" signifies to instruct; and inasmuch as such love things false and falsified, it is therefore added "Come, I will fetch wine, and we will be drunk with strong drink." Apocalypse Explained 376 Apocalypse Explained 376[1-40].

As to "drunkenness", see above, Chapter 28:1, the Exposition.

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Isaiah Chapter 56.

1. Thus says Jehovah, Keep you judgment, and do justice; for My salvation is near to come, and My justice to be revealed.

2. Blessed is the man that does this, and the son of man that holds it fast; that keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and that keeps his hand from doing any evil.

3. And let not the son of the stranger, that cleaves unto Jehovah, speak, saying, Jehovah has utterly separated me from His people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

4. For thus says Jehovah to the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose that in which I delight, and take hold of My covenant;

5. To them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name, better than of sons and of daughters; an everlasting name will I give them, which shall not be cut off.

6. And the sons of the stranger, who cleave unto Jehovah, to minister unto Him, and to love the name of Jehovah, and to become His servants: everyone that keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and that takes hold of My covenant;

7. Them will I bring unto the mountain of My holiness, and I will make them rejoice in the house of My prayer: their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be well-pleasing on Mine altar; for My house shall be called the house of prayer for all peoples.

8. Thus says the Lord Jehovih, who gathers together the outcasts. of Israel: Yet will I gather others unto him, beside those that are gathered.

9. All you beasts of My fields, come to devour; all you, beasts in the forest!

10. His watchmen are blind, all of them; they have no knowledge: they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; going about, lying down, loving to slumber.

11. They are dogs obstinate in soul, they know not to be satisfied; and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, each to his own lucre; from the lowest of them [to the highest].

12. [Saying] Come, I will fetch wine, and we will be drunk with strong drink; and to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

3147. 'And water to wash his feet' means purification there. This is clear from the meaning of 'water to wash' or 'washing with water' as purifying, dealt with below, and from the meaning of 'feet' as natural things, or what amounts to the same, those things that are in the natural man, dealt with in 2162. In the representative Church washing feet with water was a ceremonial act which meant washing away the filth of the natural man. The filth of the natural man is composed of all the things that belong to self-love and love of the world, and when such filth has been washed away goods and truths flow in, for that filth alone is what hinders the influx of good and truth from the Lord.

[2] For good is flowing in constantly from the Lord, but when by way of the internal or spiritual man it reaches the external or natural man it is either perverted there, or turned away, or stifled. But when indeed the things that belong to self-love and love of the world are removed, good is received there, and bears fruit there, since the person now performs the works of charity. This may become clear from many considerations, such as this: When the things that belong to the external or natural man are quiescent - as they are in times of ill-fortune, wretchedness, and sickness - a person instantly starts to become spiritually-minded and to will what is good, and also to perform acts of devotion insofar as he is able. But when that state alters, these things are altered too.

[3] In the Ancient Church 'washings' were signs meaning these things, and in the Jewish Church the same were representations. The reason why in the Ancient Church they were meaningful signs but in the Jewish Church representations was that members of the Ancient Church regarded that custom as some external act of worship. Nor did they believe that they were purified by that kind of washing but by a washing away of the filth of the natural man, which, as has been stated, is composed of the things that belong to self-love and love of the world. But the member of the Jewish Church did believe that he was purified by such washing, for he did not know, and did not wish to know, that the purifying of a person's interior self was meant.

[4] That 'washing' means the washing away of that filth is clear in Isaiah,

Wash yourselves; purify yourselves; remove the evil of your doings from before My eyes; cease to do evil. Isaiah 1:16.

Here it is evident that 'washing themselves' means purifying themselves and removing evils. In the same prophet,

When the Lord will have washed the excrement of the daughters of Zion and washed away the blood of Jerusalem from its midst in a spirit of judgement and in a spirit of purging. Isaiah 4:4.

Here 'washing the excrement of the daughters of Zion and washing away the blood of Jerusalem' stands for purifying from evils and falsities. In Jeremiah,

Wash your heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem, that you may be saved. How long will your iniquitous thoughts lodge within you? Jeremiah 4:14.

[5] In Ezekiel,

I washed you with water, and washed away the blood from upon you, and anointed you with oil. Ezekiel 16:9.

This refers to Jerusalem, which is used here to mean the Ancient Church. 'Washing with water' stands for purifying from falsities, 'washing away the blood' for purging from evils, 'anointing with oil' for filling with good at that time. In David,

Wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. You will purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; You will wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalms 51:2, 7.

'Being washed' plainly stands for being purified from evils and derivative falsities.

[6] These were the things that were meant by 'washing' in the Representative Church. For the sake of the representation, when they had been made unclean and needed to be cleansed, people were commanded in that Church to wash the skin, hands, feet, and also their garments. All these meant things that belong to the natural man. Also for the sake of the representation, lavers made of bronze were placed outside the Temple - that is to say, 'the bronze sea and the ten bronze lavers' mentioned in 1 Kings 7:23-29; there was also the bronze laver from which Aaron and his sons were to wash themselves, placed between the Tent of Meeting and the Altar, and so outside the Tent of Meeting, Exodus 30:18-19, 21 - the meaning of which was that only external or natural things needed to be purified. And unless they have been purified, that is, unless things belonging to self-love and love of the world have been removed from them, internal things which belong to love to the Lord and towards the neighbour cannot possibly flow in, as stated above.

[7] To enable these matters to be understood more easily, that is to say, regarding the need for external things to be purified, let good works - or what amounts to the same, the goods of charity, which are at the present day called the fruits of faith, and which, since they are actions, are external - serve to exemplify and illustrate the point: Good works are bad works unless the things belonging to self-love and love of the world are removed. For until these have been removed works, when performed, are good to outward appearance but are inwardly bad. They are inwardly bad because they are done either for the sake of reputation, or for financial gain, or for improvement of one's position, or for reward. They are accordingly either merit-seeking or hypocritical, for the things that belong to self-love and love of the world cause those works to be such. But when indeed these evils are removed, works become good, and are the goods of charity. That is to say, they are done regardless of self, the world, reputation, or reward, and so are not merit-seeking or hypocritical, because in that case celestial love and spiritual love flow from the Lord into those works and cause them to be love and charity in action. And at the same time the Lord also purifies the natural or external man by means of those things and orders it so that that man receives correspondingly the celestial and spiritual things that flow in.

[8] This becomes quite clear from what the Lord taught when He washed the disciples' feet: In John,

He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, Lord, do You wash my feet? Jesus answered and said to him, What I am doing you do not know now, but you will know afterwards. Peter said to Him, You will never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me. Simon Peter said to Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and head! Jesus said to him, He who is washed has no need except that his feet be washed, but is clean all over. Now you are clean, but not all of you. John 13:4-17.

'He who is washed has no need except that his feet be washed' means that anyone who has been reformed needs to be cleansed only in regard to natural things, that is, to have evils and falsities removed from them. For when that happens all is ordered by the influx of spiritual things from the Lord. Furthermore 'feet-washing' was an act of charity, meaning that one ought not to dwell on the evils of another person. It was also an act of humility, meaning the cleansing of another from evils, like filth from the body, as also becomes clear from the Lord's words in verses 12-17 of that chapter in John, and also in Luke 7:37-38, 44, 46; John 11:2; 1 Samuel 25:41.

[9] Anyone may see that washing himself does not purify a person from evils and falsities, only from the filth that clings to him. Yet because it belonged among the religious observances commanded in the Church it follows that it embodies some special idea, namely spiritual washing, which is purification from the filth that clings to man inwardly. Members of that Church therefore who knew these things and thought of purification of the heart, that is, the removal of the evils of self-love and love of the world from the natural man, and tried to achieve it with utmost zeal, practiced ritual washing as an external act of worship, as commanded. But among those who did not know and did not wish to know those things but who supposed that the mere ritual act of washing garments, skin, hands, and feet would purify them, and who supposed that provided they performed such rituals they would be allowed to continue leading lives of avarice, hatred, revenge, mercilessness, and cruelty - all of which constitute spiritual filth - the performance of the ritual was idolatrous. Nevertheless by means of that ritual they were still able to represent, and by means of the representation to display, some vestige of a Church, by means of which heaven was in a way joined to mankind prior to the Lord's Coming. But that conjunction was such that heaven had little or no influence at all on the member of that Church.

[10] The Jews and Israelites were such that they did not think at all of the internal man, nor did they wish to know anything about the same. Thus they knew absolutely nothing about the celestial and spiritual things which belong to the life after death. Nevertheless to prevent the end of all communication with heaven and so with the Lord, they were bound to the performance of external observances by which internal things were meant. All their captivities and plagues were in general to the end that external observances might be duly carried out for the sake of the representation. It was for this reason that the following laws were given:

Moses was to wash Aaron and his sons with water at the tent door, to sanctify them. Exodus 29:4; 40:12; Leviticus 8:6.

Aaron and his sons were to wash their hands and feet before entering the Tent of Meeting and approaching the Altar to minister, lest they died. This was to them a statute for ever. Exodus 30:18-21; 40:30-31.

Before putting on his vestments Aaron was to wash his flesh. Leviticus 16:4, 24.

Levites were to be purified by sprinkling the water of expiation over them, passing a razor over their flesh, and washing their clothes - then they were pure. Numbers 8:6-7.

Anyone who ate the carcass of a clean animal, ¹ or that which had been torn to pieces, was to wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and if he did not wash himself and bathe his flesh he would bear his iniquity. Leviticus 17:15-16.

Anyone who touched the bed of a person who had a discharge, or sat on a vessel on which that person had sat, and anyone who touched that person's flesh was to wash his clothes and to bathe himself with water, and be unclean until the evening. Leviticus 15:5-7, 10-12 and following verses.

The person who sent the goat away to Azazel was to wash his flesh. Leviticus 16:26.

When a leper was to be cleansed he was to wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, wash himself in water, and then he would be clean. Leviticus 14:8-9.

Even vessels themselves which had become unclean through contact with unclean persons were made to go through water and be unclean until the evening. Leviticus 11:32.

From all these laws it may be seen that nobody was made clean or pure internally through ritual washing, but that such a person merely represented him who was pure or spiritually clean, for the reason stated above. The Lord teaches the same quite explicitly in Matthew 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-23.

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