Jesus Teaches in the Temple

A spiritual kingdom

When Jesus entered Jerusalem in kingly style, riding on a colt, the people believed that He was about to reign as their king. Therefore, quoting ancient prophesy, they shouted with joy, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Luke 19:38).

They were not mistaken about the fact that Jesus was coming as their king. They were, however, mistaken about what kind of a king He would be. They believed that He would be a worldly king who would sit on a throne, deliver the people from their oppressors, and restore Israel to the glory that it had under the rule of King David. This would be the fulfillment of the promise given to David a thousand years earlier about the coming of the Messiah. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom forevermore” (Isaiah 9:7).

In the light of this prophecy, it was widely believed that Jesus was “the son of David,” the long-awaited Messiah who was about to establish His kingdom. The people did not yet understand that Jesus’ kingdom would be a spiritual kingdom, not a worldly one. As Jesus had already said earlier in this gospel, “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). They would soon discover that Jesus did not come to help them conquer their natural enemies or to promote their economic prosperity. As the Messiah, Jesus came to establish the kingdom of God—a spiritual kingdom that would endure forever. ¹

Just as a worldly ruler governs by means of civil law, God governs by means of spiritual law. Therefore, when Jesus comes into Jerusalem, He does not sit on a physical throne. Instead, He goes directly to the temple where He casts out the buyers and sellers before He begins to teach. This represents the spiritual law that falsity must first be removed before truth can be received. The “buyers and sellers” who are cast out represent those states in us that make worldly success more important than heavenly blessings. They make profit, fame, and worldly pleasures more important than loving God and serving the neighbor. ²

Jesus then gives a series of lessons in the temple, beginning with the words, “It is written. ‘My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves’” (Luke 19:46). When our minds are cluttered with false teachings, we are being robbed of the opportunity to learn spiritual truth and develop a deeper understanding. This first lesson in the temple, then, reminds us that a major emphasis in the Gospel According to Luke is the development of the understanding. The understanding is “the temple of God” within us. When this temple is filled with God’s truth, it is a “holy temple” and a “house of prayer.” As we mentioned earlier, people who think from truth, with love in their heart, are continually at prayer. ³

The next two chapters in the Gospel According to Luke take place in the temple. Most scholars agree that Jesus’ teaching in the temple began on Monday or Tuesday of “holy week,” just a few days before His crucifixion on Friday and His resurrection on Sunday. During this final week, Jesus spends the first few days in the temple, teaching the laws of the spiritual kingdom. In so doing, He demonstrates not only that He is the promised Messiah, but also that He has come to set up a spiritual kingdom, not a natural one.

The Religious Leaders Challenge Jesus’ Authority

1. And it came to pass on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple, and brought good tidings, the chief priests and the scribes stood by with the elders,

2. And spoke to Him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest Thou these things, or who is he that gave Thee this authority?

3. And He answered and said to them, I will also ask you one word, and answer Me:

4. The baptism of John, was [it] from heaven, or from men?

5. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we say, From heaven, He will say, Why then did you not believe him?

6. But if we say, From men, all the people will stone us; for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.

7. And they answered that they knew not whence [it was].

8. And Jesus told them, Neither do’ I say to you by what authority I do these things.

At the end of the previous chapter, Jesus was in the temple, clearing out the buyers and sellers. As this next chapter begins, Jesus is still there. As it is written, “Now it happened on one of those days as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him” (Luke 20:1). Even though Jesus has momentarily “cleansed the temple,” troublemakers are back again to defy His authority. These are the “chief priests, scribes, and elders” within us who refuse to let go of false beliefs and selfish desires. We may subdue them for a while, but if we take our attention away from the things of heaven, these selfish desires, along with the false beliefs that support them, will be back to raise doubts so that they can reassert control over our lives. ⁴

One of the first things they will do is question Jesus’ authority. This is illustrated in the next episode when the religious leaders approach Jesus and say, “By what authority are You doing these things? Who gave You this authority?” (Luke 20:2). The question of authority is an important one. The temple leaders, and especially the chief priests, were a select group of people. They were direct descendants from the tribe of Levi, and they were thoroughly trained for their position. By the commonly accepted standards of the day, they were the only people who were fully authorized to give religious instruction. In brief, they were saying to Jesus, “Just who do You think You are? Where are Your credentials? And who has given You the authority to preach in our temple?”

This moment of confrontation pictures those times when doubts arise in our mind about Jesus’ teachings and their authority in our lives. This is when the “chief priests and scribes” in us rise up and insinuate thoughts such as, “How can I be sure that Jesus’ teachings are true?” This is our old nature raising doubts about the truth. It’s a very old story. When new truth comes into our lives, it can be upsetting to our former beliefs, especially when those beliefs support our selfish interests. Therefore, we doubt. We resist. Our selfish nature refuses to allow this new “government” to reign over us.

This new government that Jesus comes to inaugurate is a kingdom of love, wisdom, and useful service. It is a kingdom whose laws can be known through a deeper understanding of God’s Word. Not everyone, however, is ready to say, “Thy kingdom come.” For example, when Jesus came to reveal this deeper meaning to the people, the religious leaders saw it not as a revelation about a new way to live, but rather as a threat to their authority. In brief, Jesus was challenging their interpretation of the scriptures. That’s why they confronted Him, saying, “Who gives you the authority to do this?”

Moreover, it was not just the religious leaders who were challenged by Jesus’ words and deeper interpretation of scripture. This was also a challenge for everyone who took the scriptures literally, expecting a worldly king to save their nation, make them a world power, and restore prosperity. After all, it had been prophesied in the scriptures that when the Messiah comes, “He shall rule in the midst of His enemies…. He shall crush the rulers of the whole earth” (Psalms 110:2, 6), and “He shall make them prosperous again” (Psalms 14:7).

It is understandable, then, that the people are confused, and the religious leaders are threatened. Jesus is teaching a different way of life. In a culture that was steeped in the idea of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” (Leviticus 24:20), Jesus was teaching that we must not take vengeance upon our enemies. Rather, we must turn away from evil states within ourselves—our spiritual enemies.

At this point in the gospel narrative, many have been healed by Jesus or have witnessed His healings. Many have witnessed Jesus’ miracles or heard about them. And multitudes have come to hear Jesus teach and marveled at His wisdom. They know that there is something special about Jesus and they believe that He is the promised Messiah. But the message of this Messiah is not about world conquest, national glory, or material prosperity. Rather, it’s about faith in God, loving one’s neighbor, and forgiving one’s enemies.

In order to understand, accept, and live by the new truths that Jesus is teaching, the people will need to let go of old beliefs and habitual patterns. It’s never easy, especially when our selfish side resists. No wonder the religious leaders felt threatened by Jesus and questioned His authority.

The baptism of John

Admittedly, letting go of acquired beliefs and entrenched habits can be a difficult process. When the scriptures contradict our false beliefs and selfish desires a struggle ensues. Doubts arise about the authority of the Word. As we have mentioned, this is represented by the religious leaders who question Jesus’ authority. Momentarily setting aside their challenge to His authority, Jesus shifts the focus to a question about John’s right to baptize people. “Answer Me,” says Jesus. “The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?” (Luke 20:3).

The question of baptism is an important one. Even today, two thousand years later, people still wonder about baptism. They ask, “Is baptism a sacrament designed by God for the washing away of sin? Or is it merely an external act invented by men?” In other words, “Is it from heaven or from men.” Stumped by Jesus’ question, they refuse to respond. They know that if they say that John’s authority is from heaven, Jesus will say, ‘Why, then, did you not believe him?’ But if they say, “From men,” the people will oppose them, for the people believe that John is a prophet (Luke 20:6). Caught between their resentment of John the Baptist and their fear of public disapproval, the religious leaders cannot give a decisive reply. Instead, they answer that they do not know the origin of John’s authority (Luke 20:7).

As we have mentioned before, John the Baptist signifies the literal sense of the Word. Once this signification is established, Jesus’ question takes on increased significance. At the literal level, baptism by water represents a willingness to learn the introductory truths of religion. Baptism at this level is a response to the question, “Do you desire to be instructed in the literal truths of the Word?” More deeply, the question about baptism might be formulated in this manner: “Do you believe that despite its rough appearance, symbolized by John being clothed in camel’s hair, the literal sense of the Word is from heaven and therefore has authority?”

An affirmative response to this question indicates that the individual believes that the Word of God is holy, both in its letter and in its spirit, and therefore desires to be instructed in the truths that are contained in the scriptures, beginning with the literal teachings. This is the “water” of truth, which is also called “the baptism of John.” To the extent that people learn these truths and put them into their lives, their spirits are made “clean,” just as physical water washes away dirt. ⁵

Therefore, when Jesus asks about the baptism of John, He is raising a question about the authority of the literal sense of the Word. The question that He is putting before the religious leaders, and before each of us, is this: “Are the literal words of sacred scripture from heaven or from men?” Do we believe that the scriptures are man-made or God-breathed? ⁶

This is an important question. It is true that there are things in the literal sense of the Word that are difficult to understand. Sometimes it says that the Lord is full of “tender mercies” (Psalms 145:9) and at other times it says that God will “utterly destroy” the nations (Isaiah 34:2). But if we hold on to the idea that the literal sense is from heaven, and can be understood more deeply, it can become authoritative for us. Those literal teachings of scripture, like John the Baptist, “prepare the way” for the coming of deeper truth into our life. They prepare the way for Jesus to enter our inner Jerusalem, and then go into the temple of our minds where He first casts out false beliefs, and then teaches us the truths of His Word. It can be said, in fact, that those literal truths, even when they seem to be “man-made,” are far from it. They are from heaven and they contain the inner meaning of the Word, clothed in parable and symbol. ⁷

A practical application

When we believe that the literal sense of the Word is holy because it contains heavenly truths, it can have a powerful influence on our lives. In this regard, it becomes authoritative. As a spiritual practice, then, keep in mind that the literal words of scripture contain infinite depths of truth. When you read the literal sense of scripture in the light of its inner meaning, you will be allowing the Lord to speak to you through both the letter and spirit of His Word. To put it another way, you will be receiving the power of the literal sense and the glory of the internal sense simultaneously. This is how the Lord speaks to you, authoritatively, through His Word.

The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers

9. And He began to say to the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it out to farmers, and went abroad for a considerable time.

10. And at the time, he sent a servant to the farmers, that they should give him [some] of the fruit of the vineyard; but the farmers beat him, and sent [him] away empty.

11. And again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, and treating [him] shamefully, they sent [him] away empty.

12. And he added to send a third; and they also wounded him, and cast [him] out.

13. And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; likely when they see him they will have respect for [him].

14. But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned to themselves, saying, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may become ours.

15. And they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed [him]. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do to them?

16. He shall come, and shall destroy these farmers, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard, they said, Let it not be so.

17. And He looked at them and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the head of the corner?

18. Everyone who falls upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

19. And the chief priests and scribes sought to put [their] hands on Him in that same hour; and they feared the people, for they knew that He had spoken this parable towards them.

In contrast to the people who were “very attentive to hear Him” (Luke 19:48), the temple leaders are eager to demean and discredit Jesus, challenging His authority. Undeterred by the negative attitude of these religious leaders, Jesus begins to instruct them in a different way. Once again, He uses the method of the parable, allowing them to overhear what He says to the people.

The parable begins in a seemingly indirect manner. It’s about a man who planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and then went into a far country where he stayed for a long time (Luke 20:9). When harvest time comes, the owner of the vineyard sends one of his servants to collect some of the fruit of the vineyard. But instead of giving the servant some of the fruit, they beat the servant and send him away with nothing (Luke 20:10). A second servant and then a third servant are sent to collect some fruit, but they are treated similarly. Finally, the owner of the vineyard sends his “beloved son,” saying, “When they see him, they will have respect for him” (Luke 20:13).

Knowing that the religious leaders are plotting to kill Him, Jesus then describes what happens to the beloved son. Jesus says, “But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned to themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may become ours’” (Luke 20:15). As Jesus concludes the parable, He asks a significant question: “Therefore,” says Jesus, “what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?” (Luke 20:15).

Vaguely disguised in the language of parable, it is now evident that Jesus’ words are directed at the temple leaders. The question, “What will the owner of the vineyard do to the vinedressers who killed the owner’s beloved son?” is actually, “What will God do to the religious leaders who are plotting to murder Jesus?” God has given the religious leaders the opportunity to do great good. The truths of His Word are a beautiful spiritual vineyard. What have the religious leaders done with those truths? Do they have any fruit? Have they produced any goodness? What can they show for their efforts?

Sadly, the religious leaders have nothing to give. The Hebrew scriptures record how the ancestors of these religious leaders beat the prophets that were sent to them. For example, the prophet Elijah had said to the Lord, “The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me” (1 Kings 19:10). In the parable, this is represented by the way the wicked vinedressers brutally treated the first three servants that were sent to them. And now, they are planning to murder the owner’s beloved son. The parable is a warning to the religious leaders. Jesus is telling them that their punishment will be severe. As Jesus puts it, the owner of the vineyard will “come and destroy the vinedressers and give the vineyard to others” (Luke 20:16).

Jesus knows how corrupt the religious leaders have become. He knows they are deaf to the warnings of the prophets. Just as they refused to listen to John the Baptist, they refuse to listen to Jesus. Instead, they are determined to kill Him. Although they have been given ample opportunity to repent and reform, they have refused. Neither the voice of the prophets, nor the voice of the scriptures, nor the voice of Jesus can get through to them. Therefore, their time is up. Their tenure will shortly end, and they will be replaced by something new. Jesus will inaugurate a new kind of faith for those willing to be raised up into a higher level of understanding and willing to live a more loving way of life. These people will become the new vinedressers. As it is written, “the vineyard will be given to others” (Luke 20:16). ⁸

This is good news for us. It means that there is always hope. We can repent; we can pray; we can allow the Lord to reform our understanding; and we can begin again. When this happens, we will no longer be ruled by the corrupt religious leaders within us. These are the false beliefs that have led us astray and produced so much misery. They have rejected the prophets and tried to kill the Lord. But they will no longer be allowed to have their say. They will be removed, set to the side, and silenced. In the language of sacred scripture, this is what is contained within the literal warning that the owner is about to come and “destroy” those wicked vinedressers. All that is selfish and corrupt in ourselves will no longer determine what is true. Instead, the Lord’s vineyard will be under new management. The Lord’s vineyard will be given to those parts of ourselves that are willing to be led by the Lord.

This, however, is not what the religious leaders hear. They see that the parable is about them and they hear it as a stern warning to repent before God destroys them and gives the vineyard to others. But they refuse to believe it. Instead, they deny that their leadership is corrupt or that God will remove them and have new leaders take their place. Therefore, they cry out, “Surely not” (Luke 20:16), meaning that this will never happen. Once again, they refuse to believe Jesus.

The stone that the builders rejected

Up until this point, Jesus has been speaking to the people, knowing, full well, that the religious leaders are listening. When the religious leaders realize that the parable is about them, they vehemently reject it. Jesus takes advantage of this rejection, and uses it to remind them that His coming and His rejection were prophesied in the psalms of David. As Jesus puts it, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the head of the corner” (Luke 20:17; Psalms 118:22). In recalling this prophecy, Jesus is openly declaring that the divine truth He has come to teach is the stone that the religious leaders have been rejecting. Moreover, Jesus is saying that these truths will be the foundation for an entirely new religious system, with faith in Him as the cornerstone. ⁹

After declaring Himself to be the cornerstone of this new faith, Jesus adds this warning: “Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder” (Luke 20:18). Through these words, Jesus is once again recalling the warnings given through the prophets about the dangers associated with rejecting the Messiah. As it is written, “[The Messiah] will be a sanctuary [for some], but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense [for others]. Many shall stumble. They shall fall and be broken” (Isaiah 8:14-15). And when asked to interpret King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the prophet Daniel says that a stone will “crush to powder” the great image the king saw in his dream (Daniel 2:31-35).

Indeed, the Word of God is a sanctuary for those who have ears to hear, and a rock of offense to those who refuse to listen. In fact, the more anyone relies on the Word, finding sanctuary in its truth, the stronger one’s faith becomes. People who choose to deny the Lord and the truth that He offers might still feel that they are strong and mighty. Eventually, however, the persistent denial of spiritual truth will leave them weak and powerless, broken and crushed. ¹⁰

Taken together, both the parable and Jesus’ reminder that they will be “broken” and “crushed to powder” are too much for the religious leaders. They are now more determined than ever to destroy Jesus—just as Jesus foretold in the parable. As it is written in the closing verse of this episode: “And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people—for they knew He had spoken this parable against them” (Luke 20:18).

Is it Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?

20. And watching [Him] closely, they sent out spies, feigning themselves to be just, that they might take hold of His word, to deliver Him up to the rule and authority of the governor.

21. And they asked Him, saying, Teacher, we know that Thou sayest and teachest rightly, and receivest not [merely] the face, but teachest the way of God in truth.

22. Is it permitted for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

23. But He, considering their craftiness, said to them, Why do you tempt Me?

24. Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription has it? And answering they said, Caesar’s.

25. And He said to them, Render therefore the [things] of Caesar unto Caesar, and the [things] of God unto God.

26. And they were not able to take [hold] of His saying before the people, and marveling at His answer, they were silent.

When Jesus completed the parable about the wicked vinedressers, the religious leaders knew it was about them. Offended and angry, they wanted to lay their hands on Jesus immediately, but because they were aware of Jesus’ growing popularity among the people, they drew back. As it is written, “they feared the people” (Luke 20:19). Therefore, instead of confronting Jesus themselves, they decided to send out spies who would seize upon Jesus’ words “in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor” (Luke 20:20).

Once again, the religious leaders are trying to trap Jesus in a controversial question. Jesus’ answer to the question will either make Him unpopular among the people or prove that He is a dangerous radical determined to defy the Roman government. In other words, they were endeavoring to trap Jesus in a dilemma where there would be no right answer.

The trap begins when the spies approach Jesus and ask a seemingly innocent question. “Teacher,” they say, “Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not” (Luke 20:22). The subject of paying taxes to Caesar is a sensitive issue among the people. Many feel that paying taxes to Caesar, the reigning king, is a crime against God. The rallying cry for this group is, “We have no king, but God.” These are the people who champion a fierce independence, even to the point of armed revolution. Therefore, if Jesus suggests that they should not pay taxes, His words will be construed as defying the government, and the Roman officials will be able to arrest Him for treason. This will be playing directly into the hands of the religious leaders. This question, then, is designed to trap Jesus between two extremes: disloyalty to the people or treason against the state. Either way, Jesus will be in trouble.

Knowing the nature of their question, Jesus says, “Why do you test Me? Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” (Luke 20:23). The spies give a simple answer. They say that the image on the Roman coin is “Caesar’s.” (Luke 20:24). In reply, Jesus says, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Luke 20:25).

Jesus’ response not only avoids the trap, but uses this as an opportunity to teach that true spirituality is not separate from daily life. While God’s rule should always be first and foremost in our minds, we should also obey the rule of legitimate government. In the same way that the preservation of our spiritual lives depends upon a life according to divine order, the preservation of our natural lives depends upon there being civil order. Without civil order, society would fall apart, and the human race could not survive. We need both spiritual law and civil law. ¹¹

Ideally, spiritual law and civil law should work in harmony. The laws of spiritual government should be consistent with the laws of civil government. When this is not the case, problems arise. A tyrannical, despotic government that makes laws that are injurious to the welfare of the people should, of course, be resisted. Similarly, a focus on religious devotion to the exclusion of civil responsibilities can also be a problem. We cannot love God without also loving our neighbor. The clever rationalizations of the “spies” within us, who pretend to be righteous, will often lead us to believe we have done our whole duty by fulfilling our religious obligations. These are the times when it is essential to remember the brevity and power of Jesus’ reply, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and unto God what is God’s.” ¹²

Unable to trick Jesus with this second question, the spies are left speechless. As it is written at the close of this episode, “Marveling at His answer, they were silent” (Luke 20:26).

A practical application

In His response to the question about paying taxes, Jesus reminds us that our duties are two-fold. There are two sides to the coin. On one side, is a picture of God. That is, we are to render to God what is God’s. On the other side is a picture of our neighbor whom we should love as ourself. This includes doing our jobs well, treating all people with respect, and even paying our taxes willingly, knowing that it is for the benefit of the public good. That is, we should not only render unto God what is God’s, but also render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. ¹³

Is There Resurrection After Death?

27. But certain of the Sadducees, who deny that there is any resurrection, came to [Him] and asked Him,

28. Saying, Teacher, Moses wrote to us, If someone’s brother die having a wife, and he die childless, then his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.

29. There were therefore seven brothers, and the first took a wife, and died childless.

30. And the second took the wife, and he died childless.

31. And the third took her, and likewise the seven also, and they left no children, and died.

32. And last of all the woman died also.

33. In the resurrection therefore, whose wife of them is she? for the seven had her to wife.

34. And Jesus answering said to them, The sons of this age wed and are given to be wed;

35. But they who shall be held worthy to attain to that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither wed, nor are given to be wed;

36. For they cannot die any more; for they are equal to the angels, and are the sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

37. But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bramble, when he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;

38. And He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to Him.

39. And some of the scribes answering, said, Teacher, Thou hast well said.

40. And after that they no longer dared to question Him [about] anything

Arranged marriages

The next group of religious leaders who endeavor to trap Jesus with a controversial question is the Sadducees. This time it is a question about the resurrection. It was well-known that this religious group did not believe that there was any life after death. As it is written, “Certain of the Sadducees, who deny that there is any resurrection, came to Him” (Luke 20:27). The Sadducees regarded only the first five books of the Hebrew scriptures as having divine authority. In these books they found no suggestion that human beings live after death. Therefore, when they come to Jesus with a question about the resurrection, it is another question designed to discredit Jesus. Their question would show that Jesus’ lofty teachings about heaven and dire warnings about hell are false. After all, according to the Sadducees, there is no afterlife.

In order to prove how foolish it is to believe in life after death, the Sadducees describe a situation in which seven brothers in succession all take the same wife. The first brother dies, leaving no children; then the second brother dies, leaving no children, and so on until all seven have married the woman and then die, leaving no children. The Sadducees then ask Jesus this question: “In the resurrection whose wife will she become?” (Luke 20:33).

According to the Sadducees, the only possible continuation of life was in the passing on of the family name along with any wealth that the family possessed. This was so important that laws were in place stipulating that if a man died, his brother should marry his brother’s widow and have children by her. Otherwise, the family name would be “blotted out.” As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside of the family; her husband’s brother shall go in to her, to take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. And it shall be that the firstborn son which she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel” (Deuteronomy 25:5-6).

Therefore, in order to preserve the family name and to ensure that the family property would not fall into the hands of strangers, the woman was “given in marriage” to all seven brothers. There are many examples of this in the Hebrew scriptures. Zipporah was given in marriage to Moses (Exodus 2:21); Rebecca was given in marriage to Isaac (Genesis 24:51); and both Leah and Rachel were given in marriage to Jacob (Genesis 29:19,28). In each case, a father had the right of ownership over his daughter. It was by his authority and with his permission that his daughter was “given in marriage.” Similarly, the woman in the story was “given” from one brother to another until “all seven had her” (Luke 20:33). Their far-fetched story is intended to make the idea of a resurrection seem to be an absurdity. They believe that their concluding question, “In the resurrection, whose wife does she become?” will clinch their argument. It will conclusively prove the irrationality of a belief in an afterlife.

Heavenly marriage

Jesus knows that the question of the Sadducees is designed to discredit His teachings about the afterlife. Nevertheless, Jesus turns their question into an opportunity to teach about the eternity of the marriage covenant. Jesus begins by saying, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are the sons of God, being sons of the resurrection” (Luke 20:34-36).

Jesus’ answer to the question is clear and straightforward. He says that there is resurrection after death. And He backs this up by reminding the Sadducees that in the burning bush passage, Moses showed that the dead are raised. Jesus then adds that those who are resurrected neither marry nor are given in marriage. We have already seen that the kind of marriages the Sadducees are speaking about are worldly arrangements for the preservation of the family name and the inheritance of the family fortune. It had little to do with love, or God, or the commandments. These worldly marriages, like all civil unions, end at death. Therefore, when Jesus says that in the resurrection they “neither marry nor are given in marriage,” He is saying that the kind of marriage the Sadducees are talking about, where a woman is given to a man for worldly reasons and without her consent, does not take place in heaven.

At a deeper level, Jesus is talking about the spiritual marriage that takes place between every individual and the Lord. It is a conjunction that takes place on earth when people freely choose to let the Lord into their life and strive to live by His teachings. This marriage, which begins on earth, continues after death. Once we are spiritually “married to the Lord” on earth, there is no reason to be married to the Lord again in heaven. ¹⁴

Jesus’ answer to the Sadducees, then, is not about arranged marriages that take place merely for worldly purposes. Jesus is talking about spiritual marriages, and especially about the heavenly marriage that takes place between an individual and the Lord. ¹⁵

What about a marriage between two people? Does it continue in heaven?

Many people marry for practical reasons. They may find that a marriage arrangement works for them. It satisfies their need for security, significance, sex, communication, and friendship. They may get along fine and even share common interests, for example in sports, diet, and music. They may agree on methods of child-rearing. All of this can be useful, but if their relationship lacks a spiritual dimension, it will be no more than a civil contract. And, like all legal partnerships, it will end at death.

It is different, however, when husband and wife come together before the Lord believing not only that the Lord has brought them together but that He will keep them together both in this world, and in the next. These people often feel that there is something spiritual about their meeting, that they are “meant to be together,” that they are “born for each other,” that their marriage is “bigger than both of them,” and that their marriage is “forever.” Somehow, they sense that their love will transcend time, and that the words “till death do you part” do not apply to their relationship. This idea, that there is a spiritual dimension to marriage, has inspired romantic poetry, music, and art because it is grounded in a fundamental truth: true marriage is eternal. ¹⁶

But simply believing that some magical force has brought them together and will keep them together is not enough. They must also accept the divine invitation to follow the Lord in this life, to love Him, and live according to His commandments. In return, the Lord fills them with goodness, according to the truth they learn from Him and apply to their lives. As a result, they find that they are protected from spiritual harm, blessed with inner peace, and guided in ways that will bring about their greatest happiness, both in this world and the next. ¹⁷

As this episode comes to an end, the scribes who have been overhearing the conversation between Jesus and the Sadducees, are impressed. They say, “Teacher, You have spoken well” (Luke 20:39). For the moment, the religious leaders within us are silenced. As it is written, “After that, they no longer dared to question Him about anything” (Luke 20:40).

A practical application

In this episode, Jesus teaches not only that there is a resurrection but also that there is marriage in heaven. This is a crucial teaching, especially for people who yearn for the continuation of their marriage in the next world. It is here that human reason and divine wisdom perfectly concur. It simply makes sense that we are born to live forever and that true marriages will continue to exist “in the resurrection.” When husband and wife have become united in this life through a mutual desire to learn from God and do His will, their marriage will be an eternal one. That’s because self-interest, egotism, greed, and selfishness can no longer separate “what God has joined together.” In the light of this teaching, strive to honor the “spiritual marriage” with your spouse by subordinating self-interest. What can you change in your thoughts, attitudes, and actions that will make your spouse’s experience of being with you a little better? Whether married or not, do the same in terms of your “heavenly marriage” with God—a marriage which begins on earth and continues for eternity.

Is the Christ the Son of David?

41. And He said to them, How say they that the Christ is [the] son of David?

42. And David himself says in the Book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand,

43. Until I put Thine enemies [as] a footstool of Thy feet.

44. David therefore calls Him Lord, and how is He his son?

45. And in the hearing of all the people He said to His disciples,

46. Beware of the scribes who desire to walk in robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the first seats in the synagogues, and the first places to recline at suppers,

47. Who eat up widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers; these shall receive all the more judgment.

The religious leaders, who were unable to trap Jesus in their controversial questions, are temporarily finished interrogating Him. In this next episode, then, Jesus asks the first question. He begins by asking them about the Messiah, who is also called “the Christ,” and is often referred to as the son of David. Jesus says, “How can they say that the Christ is David’s Son?” (Luke 20:41).

It had been prophesied that a direct descendant of King David would, like his forefather, reign as a king in Israel. In this regard, people often addressed Jesus as “David’s son” or as “the son of David.” As early as the first verse of the Gospel According to Matthew it is written that “This is the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David” (Matthew 1:1). And now, as Jesus approaches the final days of His ministry, He focuses on the question of His identity, setting it before the religious leaders like this: “Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.’ If David, therefore, calls Him ‘Lord,’ how then is He David’s Son?” (Luke 20:42-44).

When Jesus says, “The Lord said to my Lord,” He is referring to the first verse of Psalms 110 which begins with a picture of Jehovah speaking to the promised Messiah. In the original Hebrew, the speaker is Jehovah, the one God of the universe. He is communicating with the promised Messiah, the one who will come to earth as a king, anointed by God to set up an everlasting kingdom. This is why David, who sees all of this in spirit, does not refer to the Messiah as “my son,” but rather as “my Lord.” As Jesus says, “If David, therefore, calls Him ‘Lord,’ how then is He David’s Son?”

In raising this question, Jesus is directly addressing the original question asked by the religious leaders when they confronted Him in the temple. At that time, they questioned His authority, asking essentially, “Who gave you this authority? (Luke 20:2). Jesus is now, in this episode, answering that question. He is indicating that His authority comes not from man but from God. Furthermore, God will give Him the authority not only to set up a new kingdom, but also the power to lead His people to victory over all enemies. In the language of sacred scripture, the power to defeat spiritual enemies is described as “sitting at the right hand of God.” And subjugating those enemies is described as making them His “footstool.” ¹⁸

As we engage more deeply with Jesus’ question, we note that He is speaking about the power of divine love (Jehovah) which comes forth through divine truth (Jesus). This, then, is the deeper message contained in the scriptural statement, “Jehovah said to my Lord, sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” It refers to what happens when the divine love comes into each of our lives through the divine truth that Jesus teaches. Our spiritual enemies are conquered. ¹⁹

This is not the last lesson that Jesus will deliver while in the temple during these final days, but it is a powerful one. He is making it clear that He is not David’s son but rather David’s Lord, the promised Messiah who will sit at the right hand of God, making His enemies His footstool. In the literal sense, this a reference to the practice of triumphant kings who placed their foot upon the conquered enemy to represent victory. In David’s mind, this is a picture of the Messiah being empowered to wipe out all His enemies—turning them, so to speak, into His “footstool.” But Jesus, as Messiah, has come to establish a spiritual kingdom within each of us. Spiritually, this means that God can give us the power to subordinate the loves of self and of the world to all that is higher, the love of God and the love of the neighbor.

Ordained by God

As we have seen, the religious leaders tried to do everything they could to discredit Jesus. Their primary method was to raise controversial questions and then trap Him in His words. In this way, they hoped to show that Jesus was unauthorized to teach. If successful, they would be able to retain their power, and secure their positions of authority. They were unable to do so, however, because Jesus’ power and authority came from a different source.

Unlike the religious leaders, Jesus did not need to go around in long robes, or have the best seat in the synagogue in order to prove His authority or reveal the deeper meaning of the scriptures. He was not ordained by rabbinical councils, but rather by God. The love of God was His very essence, and it came forth in the truth He spoke. This was the only ordination He needed. As Jesus puts it, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts” (Luke 20:46).

Jesus also adds that the so-called religious “authorities” were neglecting their responsibilities. Instead of teaching people the truth, as they should have done, they were “devouring widows’ houses” (Luke 20:46-47). The phrase, “devouring widows’ houses” is sacred symbolism. It describes what takes place when people long for truth, but are deprived of that truth. It is compared to the deep grief a widow feels when she longs for her lost husband. Therefore, when Jesus accuses the religious leaders of “devouring widows’ houses,” He is saying that these corrupt leaders have been depriving people of the truth. They are the spiritual thieves and robbers in our own mind who mislead us by distorting, twisting, and perverting the truth. This is why Jesus concludes this episode by saying that the religious leaders “will receive greater condemnation” (Luke 20:47). ²⁰

A practical application

In this episode, Jesus describes Himself as “sitting at the right hand of God” where He receives power from on high to make His enemies His “footstool.” This is powerful imagery. The “right hand” of God describes the power of God’s love. It is so powerful that it can overcome all of our spiritual enemies—anger, resentment, self-pity, etc. But we can only receive this power through the truth that God gives us. With this in mind, select a passage of sacred scripture, seeing it as a container of deeper truth and designed to receive God’s inflowing love. As you strive to apply that truth to your life, notice how the divine love pours in with power to help you subjugate your tendencies towards selfishness. This is how God will make “your enemies your footstool.”

V:

391. I saw under the altar, signifies those who were preserved under heaven. This is evident from the signification of "to see," as being to make manifest (See above, n. 351); also from the signification of "altar" as being, in the nearest sense, worship from the good of love to the Lord; in a more interior sense, heaven and the church, which are in that love; and in the inmost sense, the Lord's Divine Human in relation to the Divine good of the Divine love. "Under the altar" signifies those who were preserved under heaven, because it is said that he "saw under the altar the souls of those slain because of the Word of God, and because of the testimony that they held," and by these are meant those who were preserved under heaven until the Last Judgment; but as this is not yet known in the world, I will tell how it is. In the small work on The Last Judgement it has been shown that before the Last Judgement took place there was a semblance of heaven which is meant by "the former heaven that passed away" (Revelation 21:1) and that this heaven consisted of those who were in external worship without internal, and who therefore lived an external moral life, although they were merely natural and not spiritual. Those of whom this heaven consisted before the Last Judgment were seen in the spiritual world above the earth, also upon mountains, hills, and rocks, and therefore believed themselves to be in heaven; but those of whom this heaven consisted, because they were in an external moral life only and not at the same time in an internal spiritual life, were cast down; and when these had been cast down, all those who had been preserved by the Lord, and concealed here and there, for the most part in the lower earth, were elevated and transferred to these same places, that is, upon the mountains, hills, and rocks where the others had formerly been, and out of these a new heaven was formed. These who had been preserved and then elevated were from those in the world who had lived a life of charity, and who were in the spiritual affection of truth. The elevation of these into the places of the others I have often witnessed. It is these who are meant by "the souls of those slain seen under the altar," and because they were guarded by the Lord in the lower earth, and this earth is under heaven, so "I saw under the altar" signifies those who were preserved under heaven. But these are particularly treated of in Revelation 20:4-5, 12-13, where more will be told about them; meanwhile see what is said in the small work on The Last Judgement (n. 65-72) of "the former heaven that passed away," and "the new heaven" that was formed by the Lord after the Last Judgment. This much will suffice to afford some light for understanding what is said in the two following verses, namely, that they who were under the altar "cried out with a great voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on those that dwell on the earth? And there were given to them white robes; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet a little time, until their fellow-servants, as well as their brethren, who were to be killed, as they also were, should be fulfilled."

[2] "Under the altar" signifies under heaven, because the "altar," in the highest sense, signifies the Lord, and in a relative sense, heaven and the church, for the Lord is heaven and the church, since everything of heaven and the church, or everything of love and faith which make heaven and the church with angel and man, are from the Lord, and thence are His; but in a general sense the "altar" signifies all worship of the Lord and especially representative worship, such as there was with the sons of Israel. "The altar" signifies all worship, because "worship" in that church consisted mainly in offering burnt-offerings and sacrifices; for these were offered for every sin and guilt, also from good will to please Jehovah (these were called eucharistic or voluntary sacrifices), also for cleansings of every kind. Moreover, by burnt-offerings and sacrifices inaugurations were also effected into everything holy of the church, as is evident from the sacrifices at the inauguration of Aaron and his sons into the priesthood, the inauguration of the tent of meeting, and afterwards of the temple. And as the worship of Jehovah, that is, of the Lord, consisted chiefly in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, these also were offered daily, namely, every morning and evening, and were called in one word "the continual," besides a great number at every feast; so in the Word the "continual-offering" signifies all representative worship. From this it can be seen that worship, and particularly the representative worship of that nation, consisted chiefly in burnt-offerings and sacrifices. For this reason the altar upon which these were made, and which contained them, signifies in the Word all worship in general. Worship means not external worship only, but also internal worship; and internal worship comprehends everything of love and everything of faith, thus everything that constitutes the church or, heaven with man, in a word, that causes the Lord to be with him.

Heaven was represented before John by an altar, for this reason also, that the whole Word was written by representatives, and by such representatives as were with the sons of Israel; in order, therefore, that the Word might be similar in both Testaments, the things in this book and that were seen by John, are like those in other parts, that is, an altar of incense was seen, the incense itself with the censers, likewise the tabernacle, the ark, and other like things. But at the present day such things never appear to any angel, or to any man whose sight is opened into heaven. The altar, the ark, and like things do not appear in heaven at the present day, because to the ancients sacrifices were wholly unknown, and after the Lord's coming they were entirely abolished. Sacrifices were begun by Eber, and were continued afterwards among his posterity, who were called Hebrews, and were tolerated among the sons of Israel who were from Eber, especially because a worship once begun and rooted in the mind is not abolished by the Lord, but is bent to signify what is holy in religion (See Arcana Coelestia 1343, 2180, 2818, 10042, 1343, 2180, 2818, 10042).

[3] That "the altar" signifies, in the highest sense, the Lord's Divine Human in relation to the Divine good of the Divine love, and that in a relative sense it signifies heaven and the church, and in general all worship, and in particular representative worship, can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In David:

O send out Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me; let them bring me unto the mountain of Thy holiness, and to Thy habitations, that I may come unto the altar of God, unto God (Psalms 43:3-4).

It is clearly evident that "the altar of God" here means the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, for these words treat of the way to heaven and to the Lord there; the way to heaven is meant by "send out Thy light and truth; let them lead me;" "light" meaning the illustration in which truths appear; heaven, into which it leads is meant by "let them bring me unto the mountain of holiness, and to Thy habitations;" "mountain of holiness" meaning heaven where the Lord's celestial kingdom is, in which the good of love reigns; while those heavens are called "habitations" where the Lord's spiritual kingdom is, in which truth from that good reigns; and as both are meant it is said, "that I may go unto the altar of God, unto God," "altar of God" meaning where the Lord is in the good of love, and "God" where the Lord is in truth from that good; for the Lord is called "God," from Divine truth, and "Jehovah" from Divine good. In the Jewish Church there were two things that, in the highest sense, signified the Lord's Divine Human, namely, the altar and the temple; the altar, the Divine Human in relation to Divine good; the temple, in relation to Divine truth proceeding from that good. These two signified the Lord in respect to His Divine Human, because all things of worship in that church represented the Divine things that proceed from the Lord, called celestial and spiritual, and the worship itself was chiefly performed upon the altar and in the temple, therefore, these two represented the Lord Himself.

[4] That the temple represented His Divine Human He teaches in plain terms in John:

The Jews said, What sign showest Thou that Thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. But He was speaking of the temple of His body (John 2:18-23; also Matthew 26:61 elsewhere).

When the disciples were showing Him the buildings of the temple, the Lord said:

That there shall not be left stone upon stone that shall not be thrown down (Matthew 24:1-2);

signifying that the Lord was wholly denied among them, on which account also the temple was destroyed from its foundation.

[5] That "the altar" also signified the Lord's Divine Human, may be concluded from the Lord's words in Matthew:

Woe unto you, ye blind guides, for ye say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple it is nothing, but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple he is guilty. Ye fools and blind! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? Also, whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind! Which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? For he that sweareth by the altar sweareth by it and by everything thereon. And he that sweareth by the temple sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that sweareth by heaven sweareth by the throne of God and by him that sitteth thereon (Matthew 23:16-22).

It is here said that the temple sanctifies the gold that is in it, and that the altar sanctifies the gift that is upon it; and thus that the temple and the altar were most holy, and that all sanctification was from them; therefore "the temple" and "altar" signify the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, for from that everything holy of heaven and the church proceeds. If this is not the meaning how could the temple or the altar sanctify anything? Nor can worship itself sanctify, but the Lord alone, who is worshiped, and from whom is the good and truth of worship; for this reason it is said that the gift does not sanctify, but the altar, "the gift" meaning the sacrifices that constituted the worship; and because the Jews did not understand this, but taught otherwise, they were called by the Lord "fools and blind."

[6] Because this was signified by the altar, all who touched it were sanctified as is evident in Moses:

Seven days thou shalt sanctify [the altar], that the altar may be the holy of holies; whosoever shall touch the altar shall be sanctified (Exodus 29:37).

"To touch" signifies to communicate, to transfer, and to receive (See Arcana Coelestia 10130), here the Divine that proceeds from the Lord; and as this was signified by "touching," and those who touched were sanctified, it follows that in the highest sense the Lord Himself is signified by the "altar," for there is nothing holy from any other source. Moreover, all worship is worship of the Lord and from the Lord; and as worship in that church consisted chiefly of burnt-offerings and sacrifices, so the "altar" signified the Divine Itself from which [a quo]; and this Divine is the Lord's Divine Human.

[7] It was therefore also commanded:

That the fire upon the altar should burn continually, and never be extinguished (Leviticus 6:12-13);

also that from that fire the lamps should be lighted in the tent of meeting, and that they were to take from that fire in the censers and burn incense; for "the fire" signified the Divine love which is in the Lord alone (See above, n. 68).

[8] Because "the fire of the altar" signifies the Divine love, the prophet Isaiah was sanctified by it:

Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, in whose hand was a burning coal, which he had taken from off the altar, and he touched my mouth, and said, This hath touched thy lips; therefore thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is expiated (Isaiah 6:6-7).

What these words signify in their series can be seen when it is known that "the altar" signifies the Lord in respect to the Divine Human, and "the fire" on it the Divine good of his Divine love; that the prophet's "mouth and lips" signify the doctrine of good and truth; and that "to touch" signifies to communicate; "iniquity which was taken away" signifies falsity, and "sin" evil; for "iniquity" is predicated of the life of falsity, that is, of a life contrary to truths, and "sin" of the life of evil, that is, of a life contrary to good.

[9] In Isaiah:

All the flocks of Arabia shall be brought together unto Thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto Thee; they shall come up to Mine altar with acceptance; thus will I adorn the house of Mine adornment (Isaiah 60:7).

This treats of the Lord's coming, and this is said of the Lord Himself; "all the flocks of Arabia that are to be brought together," and "the rams of Nebaioth that are to minister" signify all spiritual goods, external and internal, "flocks" signify external goods, and "rams" internal goods, and "Arabia" and "Nebaioth" things spiritual; "they shall come up to Mine altar with acceptance; thus will I adorn the house of Mine adornment" signifies the Lord's Divine Human, in which they will be, "altar" signifying His Divine Human in relation to Divine good, and "house of adornment" the same in relation to Divine truth. That the Lord in respect to the Divine Human is here meant is evident from the preceding part of that chapter, where it is said that "Jehovah shall arise upon Thee, and His glory shall be seen upon Thee," with what follows, which describes the Divine wisdom with which the Lord will be filled in respect to His Human.

[10] As "the altar" signifies in the highest sense the Lord's Divine Human, "altar" therefore signifies also heaven and the church; for the angelic heaven, viewed in itself, is from the Divine that proceeds from the Lord's Divine Human; from this it is that the angelic heaven in the whole complex is as one man; wherefore that heaven is called the Greatest Man (See what is said about this in Heaven and Hell 59-86; and about the church, n. 57). And as all worship is from the Lord, for it is the Divine communicated to man from the Lord, in which is the Lord Himself, thence "altar" signifies also in general, everything of worship that proceeds from the good of love; and "temple" the worship that proceeds from truths from that good; for all worship is either from love or from faith, either from good or from truth; worship from the good of love is such as exists in the Lord's celestial kingdom, and worship from truths from that good, which truths are called the truths of faith, is such as exists in the Lord's spiritual kingdom (about which see also in the same work, n. 20-28).

[11] From this it can be seen what is signified by "altar" in the following passages. In David:

How amiable are Thy tabernacles, O Jehovah of Hosts! My soul is eager, yea, it is consumed for the courts of Jehovah; my heart and my flesh sing for joy unto the living God. Yea, the bird hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, Thine altars, O Jehovah of Hosts, my King and my God! Blessed are they that dwell in thy house (Psalms 84:1-4).

"Altars" here mean the heavens, for it is said, "How amiable are Thy tabernacles; my soul is eager, yea, it is consumed for the courts of Jehovah," and afterwards it is said "Thine altars, O Jehovah of hosts;" "tabernacles" mean the higher heavens, and "courts" the lower heavens where is the entrance; these are also called "altars" from worship; and as all worship is from the good of love by means of truths it is said "Thine altars, O Jehovah of Hosts, my King and my God;" for the Lord is called "Jehovah" from Divine good, and "King" and "God" from Divine truth; and because the heavens are meant, it is also said, "Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house," "the house of Jehovah God" meaning heaven in the whole complex. It is also said, "yea, the bird hath found a house, and the swallow her nest," because "bird" signifies spiritual truth and "swallow" natural truth, by which there is worship; and as all truth by which there is worship is from the good of love, it is first said, "my heart and my flesh sing for joy unto the living God," "heart and flesh" signifying the good of love, and "sing for joy" worship from the delight of good.

[12] Heaven and the church are also meant by "altar" in these passages in Revelation:

There was given me a reed like unto a rod; and the angel stood and said to me, Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein (Revelation 11:1).

I heard another angel out of the altar saying, Yea, O Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments (Rev. 16:7).

In David:

I wash mine hands in innocence, and compass Thine altar, O Jehovah, that I may make the voice of confession to be heard (Psalms 26:6-7).

"To wash the hands in innocence" signifies to be purified from evils and falsities; "to compass Thine altar, O Jehovah" signifies conjunction with the Lord by worship from the good of love; and because this is a worship by means of truths from good, it is added, "that I may make the voice of confession to be heard," "to make the voice of confession to be heard" meaning worship from truths. "To compass Thine altar, O Jehovah" signifies the conjunction of the Lord by means of worship from the good of love, because "Jehovah" is predicated of the good of love, and "to compass" signifies to embrace with worship, thus to be conjoined.

[13] In Isaiah:

In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lips of Canaan, and that swear to Jehovah of Hosts; every one of them shall be called Ir Cheres [the city of Cheres]. In that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Jehovah beside the border thereof (Isaiah 19:18-19).

"Egypt" signifies the natural man, and its knowing faculty [scientificum]; "in that day" signifies the Lord's coming and the state of those who will then be in true knowledges [scientifica] from the Lord; "five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lips of Canaan" signify many truths of doctrine which are genuine truths of the church, "five" meaning many, "cities" the truths of doctrine, and "the lips of Canaan" genuine doctrinals of the church; "to swear to Jehovah of Hosts" signifies those that confess the Lord; "Jehovah of Hosts," mentioned here and in many other passages in the Word, means the Lord in respect to all good and truth; for "Hosts" [zebaoth] in the original signifies armies, and "armies" signify in the spiritual sense all the goods and truths of heaven and the church (SeeArcana Coelestia 3448, 7236, 7988, 8019). This, therefore is the meaning of "Jehovah zebaoth" or "Jehovah of Hosts;" "every one of them shall be called Ir Cheres" signifies the doctrine glittering from spiritual truths in natural, for "Ir" means city, and "city" signifies doctrine; "Cheres" means a glittering like that of the sun; "in that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt" signifies that there shall then be worship of the Lord from the good of love by means of true knowledges [scientifica] that are in the natural man; "an altar to Jehovah" signifying the worship of the Lord from the good of love, "in the midst of the land of Egypt" signifying by means of knowledges that are in the natural man, true knowledges meaning also cognitions from the sense of the letter of the Word; "and a pillar to Jehovah besides the border thereof" signifies the worship of the Lord from the truths of faith, "a pillar (statue)" signifying worship from the truths of faith, and "the border of Egypt" signifying the ultimates; the ultimates of the natural man are things of the senses.

[14] In the same:

When he shall lay all the stones of the altar as chalk stones scattered, the groves and sun statues shall rise no more (Isaiah 27:9).

This is said of Jacob and Israel, by whom the church is signified, here the church that is to be destroyed; its destruction in respect to the truths of worship is described by "laying the stones of the altar as chalk stones scattered," "the stones of the altar" meaning the truths of worship, "as chalk stones scattered" mean as falsities that do not cohere; "the groves and sun statues shall rise no more" signifies that there shall no longer be any worship from spiritual and natural truths, "groves" signifying worship from spiritual truths, and "sun statues" worship from natural truths.

[15] In Lamentations:

The Lord hath cast off His altar; He hath abhorred His sanctuary; He hath shut up in the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces (Lamentations 2:7).

This is a lamentation over the vastation of all things of the church; that the church has been vastated in respect to all goods is signified by "the Lord hath cast off His altar;" that it has been vastated in respect to all truths is signified by "He hath abhorred His sanctuary." (That "sanctuary" is predicated of the church in respect to truths, see above, n. 204.) That falsities and evils have entered into all things of the church is signified by "He hath shut up in the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces;" "enemy" signifies evil and falsity, "to shut up in his hands" signifies that these have seized and entered, "the walls of palaces" signifies all protecting truths, "palaces" mean the things of doctrine.

[16] In Isaiah:

Everyone that keepeth the sabbath, and holdeth to My covenant, them will I bring in upon the mountain of My holiness, and will make them glad in the house of My prayer; their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be well pleasing upon My altar (Isaiah 56:6-7).

"Sabbath" signifies the conjunction of the Lord with heaven and the church, thus with those who are therein; so "to keep the sabbath" signifies to be in conjunction with the Lord; and "to hold to his covenant" signifies conjunction by a life according to the Lord's commandments; "covenant" means conjunction, and a life according to the commandments is what conjoins; for this reason the commandments of the Decalogue were called "a covenant;" "them will I bring in upon the mountain of holiness" signifies that He will endow them with the good of love, "the mountain of holiness" meaning the heaven in which the good of love to the Lord is, consequently also such good of love as there is in that heaven; "I will make them glad in the house of My prayer" signifies that He will endow them with spiritual truths, "the house of prayer," or the temple, meaning the heaven where spiritual truths are, consequently also such spiritual truths as there are in that heaven; "their burnt-offerings and sacrifices shall be well pleasing upon Mine altar" signifies worship from the good of love grateful from spiritual truths, "burnt-offerings" signifying worship from the good of love, and "sacrifices" worship from truths that are from that good; truths from good are what are called spiritual truths; "upon the altar" signifies in heaven and the church.

[17] In David:

Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion; build Thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt Thou be delighted with the sacrifices of righteousness, and with whole burnt-offering; then shall they offer up bullocks upon Thine altar (Psalms 51:18-19).

"Zion" means the church that is in the good of love, and "Jerusalem" the church that is in the truths of doctrine; therefore, "to do good in good pleasure unto Zion, and to build the walls of Jerusalem" signifies to restore the church by leading it into the good of love and by instructing it in the truths of doctrine. Worship then from the good of love is signified by "then shalt Thou be delighted with the sacrifices of righteousness and with whole burnt-offering," "righteousness" is predicated of celestial good, and "whole burnt-offering" signifies love; and worship then from the good of charity is signified by "then shall they offer up bullocks upon Thine altar," "bullocks" signifying natural good, which is the good of charity.

[18] In the same:

God is Jehovah who enlighteneth us; bind the festal-offering with ropes even to the horns of the altar. Thou art my God (Psalms 118:27-28).

"To enlighten" signifies to illustrate in truths; "to bind the festal-offering with ropes even to the horns of the altar" signifies to conjoin all things of worship, "to bind with ropes" meaning to conjoin, "the festal-offering to the horns of the altar" meaning all things of worship, "horns" mean all things because they are the ultimates, and "the festal-offering" and "altar" mean worship. All things of worship are conjoined when externals are conjoined with internals, and goods with truths.

[19] In Luke:

The blood of all the prophets shed from the foundation of the world shall be required of this generation; from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah, slain between the altar and the temple (Luke 11:50-51).

This does not mean that the blood of all the prophets from the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel, shall be required of the Jewish nation, for blood is not required from anyone but of him who sheds it; but these words mean that that nation had falsified all truth and adulterated all good; for "the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world" signifies the falsification of all the truth there had ever been in the church; "blood" meaning falsification, "prophets" the truths of doctrine, and "from the foundation of the world," meaning all that there had ever been in the church; "the foundation of the world" meaning the establishment of the church. "From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah, slain between the altar and the temple," signifies the adulteration of all good, and the consequent extinction of the worship of the Lord; "the blood of Abel unto Zachariah" means the adulteration of all good; "to be slain between the altar and the temple" means the extinction of all good and all truth in worship, for "altar" signifies worship from good, and "temple" the worship from truth, as has been said above; "between these" means where there is conjunction, and where there is not conjunction there is neither good nor truth. The altar was outside the tent of meeting, and outside the temple; therefore what was done between the two signified communication and conjunction (See Arcana Coelestia 10001, 10025; and that "Abel" signifies the good of charity, n. 342, 374, 1179[1], 3325). It is evident that neither Abel nor Zachariah is meant here in the spiritual sense, since in the Word names signify things.

[20] In Matthew:

Jesus said, if thou shalt offer thy gift upon the altar, and shalt there remember that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave the gift before the altar, and go; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming offer thy gift (Matthew 5:23-24).

"To offer a gift upon the altar" means in the spiritual sense to worship God, and to worship God means worship both internal and external, namely, from love and from faith, and thus from the life; this is meant because in the Jewish Church worship consisted chiefly in offering sacrifices or gifts upon the altar, and the chief thing is taken for the whole. From this the meaning of these words of the Lord in the spiritual sense can be seen, namely, that Divine worship consists primarily in charity towards the neighbor, and not in piety without that; "to offer a gift upon the altar" means worship from piety, and "to be reconciled to a brother" means worship from charity, and this is truly worship, and such as this is such is the worship from piety. (On this see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 123-129; and in the work on Heaven and Hell 222, 224, 358-360, 528, 529, 535; and above, n. 325.)

[21] That "If thou shalt offer thy gift upon the altar" signifies in all worship, is evident from the Lord's words in Luke 17:4 [Matthew 18:22, where it is said that the brother or neighbor must be forgiven all the time, "seventy times seven" there signifying always.

Because such things are signified by "altar," the altar was made either of wood or of ground, or of whole stones, upon which iron had not been moved, also it was overlaid with brass. The altar was made of wood, because "wood" signifies good; it was also made of ground because "ground" has a like signification; it was made of whole stones, because such "stones" signified truths formed out of good, or good in form, and it was forbidden to fit these stones by any hammer, axe, or instrument of iron, to signify that nothing of self-intelligence must come near to the formation of it; that it was overlaid with brass signified that it represented good in every part, for "brass" signifies good in externals.

[22] That the altar was made of wood is evident in Moses:

Thou shalt make the altar of shittim-wood, five cubits long and broad; it shall be foursquare. And thou shalt make horns for it. And thou shalt make for it a grating of network of brass; the board-work shall be hollow (Exodus 27:1-8).

And in Ezekiel:

The altar was of wood, three cubits high, and the length of it two cubits; its corners, the length of it, and the walls of it, were of wood. Then he said unto me, This is the table that is before Jehovah (Ezekiel 41:22).

Moreover, the altar was made of wood, and overlaid with brass, for the sake of use, that it might be carried about, and removed from place to place in the wilderness, where the sons of Israel then were; also because "wood" signifies good, and "shittim-wood" good of righteousness, or the good of the Lord's merit. (That "wood" signifies good, see Arcana Coelestia 643[1-4], 3720, 8354; and that "shittim-wood" signifies the good of righteousness or of merit, which belongs to the Lord only, n. 9472, 9486, 9528, 9715, 10178.) But that the altar was built also of ground, and if of stones, then of whole stones, and not hewn by any iron instrument, is further evident in Moses:

An altar [of ground] thou shalt make unto Me, that thou mayest sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings and thy peace-offering. If thou makest to Me an altar of stones thou shalt not build it of hewn stones, for if thou move a tool upon it thou wilt profane it (Exodus 20:24-25).

If an altar of stones be built, no iron shall be struck upon the stones (Deuteronomy 27:5-6).

[23] Thus far it has been shown what "altar" signifies in the genuine sense; from this it is clear what "altar" signifies in the contrary sense, namely, idolatrous worship, or infernal worship, which has place only with those who profess religion, but yet love and thus worship self and the world above all things; and when they do this they love evil and falsity; therefore "the altar," in reference to such, signifies worship from evil, and "the statues" which they also had, worship from falsity, and therefore also hell. That this is the signification of "altar," in the contrary sense, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

In that day shall a man have respect to his Maker, and his eyes shall look to the Holy One of Israel. And he shall not have respect to altars, the work of his hands, and he shall not look ¹ to that which his fingers have made, or to the groves or the sun-statues (Isaiah 17:7-8).

This treats of the establishment of a new church by the Lord; that men shall then be led into the goods of life, and be instructed in the truths of doctrine, is meant by "In that day shall a man have respect to his Maker, and his eyes shall look to the Holy One of Israel." The Lord is called "Maker" because He leads into the goods of life, for these make man; and He is called "the Holy One of Israel" because He teaches the truths of doctrine; therefore it is added, "a man shall have respect," and "his eyes shall look;" man is called "man" from the good of life, and "eyes" are predicated of the understanding of truth, thus of the truths of doctrine. That there will then be no worship from self-love, from which are the evils of life, nor from self-intelligence, from which are the falsities of doctrine, is signified by "he shall not have respect to altars, the work of his hands, and he shall not look to that which his fingers have made," "altars, the work of his hands," mean worship from self-love, from which are evils of life, and "that which his fingers have made" means worship from self-intelligence, from which are the falsities of doctrine; "groves and sun-statues" signify a religion from falsities and evils therefrom, "groves," a religious principle from falsities, and "sun-statues" a religious principle from the evils of falsity.

[24] In Jeremiah:

The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, with a point of a diamond; it is graven ² upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; as I remember their sons, their altar, and their groves, by the green tree upon the high hills (Jeremiah 17:1-2

This declares that the idolatrous worship of the Jewish nation was so deeply rooted that it could not be removed. That it was too deeply rooted to be removed is signified by "the sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, with a point of a diamond, it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of their altars;" deeply-rooted falsity is meant by "it is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond," and deeply-rooted evil is meant by "it is graven upon the table of the heart, and upon the horns of their altars;" it is said "upon the horns of the altars," because idolatrous worship is meant. The "sons whom He remembers," signify the falsities of evil; "the altars" idolatrous worship from evil; "the groves by the green tree" such worship from falsities; "upon the high hills" signifies the adulteration of good and the falsification of truths; for at that time, when all things of worship were representative of celestial and spiritual things, they had worship in groves and upon hills, for the reason that "trees," of which groves consist, signify the knowledges and perceptions of truth and good, and this according to the kind of trees; and because "hills" signified the goods of charity, and spiritual angels who dwell in the spiritual world upon hills are in such goods, so in ancient times worship was performed upon hills; but this was forbidden to the Jewish and Israelitish nation, lest they should profane the holy things that were represented; for in respect to worship that nation was in externals only, their internal was merely idolatrous. (That trees signify the knowledges and perceptions of truth and good, according to their kind, see Arcana Coelestia 2163, 2682, 2722, 2972, 7692; for this reason the ancients worshiped in groves under trees, according to their significations, n. 2722, 4552; why this was forbidden to the Jewish and Israelitish nations, n. 2722; why "hills" signify goods of charity, n. 6435, 10438)

[25] In Hosea:

Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit like unto himself; when his fruit is plentiful he multiplieth altars; when his land is good they make goodly statues. Their heart is smooth, now are they laid waste; he shall demolish their altars, he shall devastate their statues (Hosea 10:1-2);

"Israel" here signifies the church, which is called "an empty vine" when there is no longer any truth; its worship from evils is meant by "the altars which he multiplies;" and worship from falsities is meant by the "statues which he makes goodly;" that this is done so far as these abound is signified by "when his fruit is plentiful" and "when his land is good." That worship from evils and falsities shall be destroyed is signified by "he shall demolish their altars, and shall devastate their statues." (That "statues" signify worship from truths, and in a contrary sense, worship from falsities, thus idolatrous worship, see Arcana Coelestia 3727[1-8], 4580, 10643.)

[26] In Ezekiel:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih to the mountains and to the hills, to the water courses and to the valleys, I bring in a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places; and your altar shall be laid waste; your sun images shall be broken; yea, I will make your slain to fall before your idols (Ezekiel 6:3, 4, 6, 13).

"The Lord Jehovih said to the mountains, hills, water courses, and valleys," does not signify to all who dwell there, but to all idolaters, that is, to all who instituted worship upon mountains and hills, and near water-courses and in valleys, which was done because of the representation and consequent signification of these; "to bring a sword upon you, and to destroy the high places, and to lay waste the altars, and to break the sun images" signifies to destroy all things of idolatrous worship by means of falsities and evils, for it is by means of these that idolatrous worship destroys itself; "the sword" signifies falsities destroying, "the high places" idolatrous worship in general, "altars" the same from evil loves, and "sun images" the same from the falsities of doctrine; "to make the slain to fall before the idols" signifies the damnation of those who perish by falsities; "slain" signifying those who perish by falsities, "idols" the falsities of worship in general, and "to fall" to be damned.

[27] In Hosea:

Ephraim hath multiplied altars for sinning, they have made ³ for him altars for sinning (Hosea 8:11).

"Ephraim" signifies the intellect of the church, here the intellect perverted; "to multiply altars for sinning" signifies to pervert worship by means of falsities; and "to make altars for sinning" signifies to pervert worship by means of evils; for in the Word, "to multiply" is predicated of truths, and in a contrary sense of falsities, and "to make" is predicated of good, and in a contrary sense of evil; this is why the two are mentioned, and yet it is not a vain repetition.

[28] In the same:

Samaria is discomfited, her king is as foam upon the faces of the waters and the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed; the thorn and the thistle come up on their altars (Hosea 10:7-8).

"Samaria" signified the spiritual church, that is the church in which charity and faith make one; but after it became perverted "Samaria" signified the church in which charity is separated from faith, and in which faith is even declared to be the essential; therefore also it then signified the church in which there is no longer any truth, because there is no good, but in place of good the evil of life, and in place of truth the falsity of doctrine. This is here signified by "Samaria is discomfited;" the falsity of its doctrine is signified by "her king is as foam upon the faces of the waters," "king" signifying truth, and in a contrary sense, as here, falsity; "foam upon the faces of the waters" signifying what is empty and separated from truths, "waters" meaning truths; "the high places of Aven shall be destroyed" signifies the destruction of principles of falsity and of the reasonings therefrom of those who are in that worship, which viewed in itself is interiorly idolatrous; for those who are in the evil of life and the falsities of doctrine worship themselves and the world; "the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars" signifies that truth falsified and evil therefrom, shall be in all their worship, "altars" meaning all worship.

391h.

[29] In Amos:

In the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will visit upon the altars of Bethel, that the horns of the altar may be hewn down and fall to the earth (Amos 3:14).

"To visit the transgressions of Israel upon him" signifies their last state, in the spiritual sense their state after death, when they are to be judged; it is said "to visit," instead of to judge, because visitation always precedes judgment; "the altars of Bethel" signify the worship from evil; "the horns of the altar" signify worship from falsities, thus these signify all things of worship; and that these are to be destroyed is signified by "the horns shall be hewn down and fall to the earth." It is said, "I will visit upon the altars of Bethel," because Jeroboam separated the Israelites from the Jews, and erected two altars, one in Bethel and the other in Dan; and as "Bethel" and "Dan" signify the ultimates in the church, and the ultimates in the man of the church are called natural-sensual things, or natural-worldly and corporeal, so these are signified by "Bethel," and "Dan," the ultimates of good by "Bethel," and the ultimates of truth by "Dan;" therefore these two altars signify worship in ultimates or in things most external, such as is the worship of those who separate charity from their faith, and acknowledge faith alone to be the means of salvation.

Such persons therefore, think of religion in the natural-sensual; consequently they neither understand nor desire to understand any of the things they say they believe, saying that the understanding must be under obedience to faith. Such as these were represented by the Israelites separated from the Jews, or by Samaria separated from Jerusalem, and the worship of such was represented by the altars in Bethel and Dan; such worship, insofar as it is separated from charity, is no worship, for in it the mouth speaks apart from the understanding and the will, that is, apart from the mind; apart from the understanding, because they say that men ought to believe even though they do not understand; and apart from the will because they put aside deeds or goods of charity.

[30] That such worship is no worship is signified by what is said in the first book of Kings:

When Jeroboam stood by the altar in Bethel, the man of God cried out to him that the altar should be rent, and the ashes poured out; and so it came to pass (1 Kings 12:26 the end; 1 Kings 13:1-6).

"The altar should be rent and the ashes poured out" signifies that there was no worship whatever. Faith separated from charity was then signified by "Samaria," because the Jewish kingdom signified the celestial church, that is, the church that is in the good of love, and the Israelitish kingdom signified the spiritual church which is in the truths from that good. This was signified by the Jewish and Israelitish kingdom while they were under one king, or while they were united; but when they were separated, the Israelitish kingdom signified truth separated from good, or what is the same, faith separated from charity. Moreover, worship is signified by "the altar," because it is signified by the burnt-offerings and sacrifices that were offered upon it, in many other passages too numerous to be cited. And because idolatrous worship was signified by "the altars of the nations," therefore it was commanded that they should be everywhere destroyed (See Deuteronomy 7:5; 12:3; Judges 2:2).

[31] This makes clear that altars were in use among all the posterity of Eber, thus among all who were called Hebrews, who for the most part were in the land of Canaan and its immediate neighborhood; likewise in Syria, from which Abraham came. That there were altars in the land of Canaan and its neighborhood is evident from the altars mentioned there as destroyed:

That there were altars in Syria is evident from the account of those built by Balaam, who was from Syria (Numbers 23:1).

Also from the altar in Damascus (2 Kings 16:10-15).

Also from the Egyptian abominating the Hebrews on account of their sacrifices (Exodus 8:26);

Even so that they were unwilling to eat bread with them (Genesis 43:32).

The reason of this was that to the Ancient Church, which was a representative church and extended through a great part of the Asiatic world, sacrifices were unknown, and when they were instituted by Eber it looked upon them as abominable, that is, that they should wish to appease God by the slaughter of different animals, thus by blood. Among those who were of the Ancient Church were also the Egyptians; but as they applied representatives to magic that church became extinct among them. They were unwilling to eat bread with the Hebrews, because at that time "dinners" and "suppers" represented and thus signified spiritual consociation, which is consociation and conjunction through those things that pertain to the church; and "bread" signified in general all spiritual food and thus "dining" and "supping" all conjunction.

[32] (That the Ancient Church extended through a great part of the Asiatic world, namely through Assyria, Mesopotamia, Syria, Ethiopia, Arabia, Libya, Egypt, Philistia, even to Tyre and Zidon, through the land of Canaan, on both sides of the Jordan, see Arcana Coelestia 1238, 2385; that it was a representative church, n. 519, 521, 2896; respecting the church instituted by Eber, which was called the Hebrew Church, n. 1238, 1341, 1343, 4516, 4517. That sacrifices were first begun by Eber, and were afterwards in use among his posterity, n. 1128, 1343, 2180, 10042. That sacrifices were not commanded, but only permitted, shown from the Word; why they were said to have been commanded, n. 922, 2180, 2818; that it was necessary that altars and sacrifices should be mentioned, and that Divine worship should be signified by them, because the Word was written in that nation, and the historical Word treated of that nation, n. 10453, 10461, 10603-10604)

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