11. Hoofdstuk 1. Over het Goede en het Ware.

Alle dingen in het heelal, die volgens de Goddelijke Orde zijn, hebben betrekking op het Goede en het Ware. Er bestaat niets in de hemel en niets in de wereld, dat niet op die twee betrekking heeft. De oorzaak hiervan is dat beide, zowel het goede als het ware, voortgaan uit het Goddelijke, waaruit alle dingen zijn.

556. And their teeth were as those of lions, signifies that sensual things, which are the ultimates of the intellectual life, seem to them to have power over all things. This is evident from the signification of "teeth," as being the sensual things which are the ultimates of the natural life in respect to the understanding (of which presently); and from the signification of "lions," as being the truths of the church in respect to power, but here falsities destroying truths, thus also these in respect to power (of which above, n. 278). Here falsities are meant, because "locusts" signify the corporeal-sensual who are in the falsities of evil. These seem to themselves to have understanding, and thereby power over all things, because that persuasiveness which has been treated of above has its seat in the sensual, which is the ultimate of the natural life; for this sensual, or the sensual man, is in self-confidence, and in the belief that he is wiser than all others, for he is unable to weigh and explore himself, because he does not think interiorly; and when he has persuaded himself of this, then such confidence and belief are in all things that he speaks. And because his speech takes its tone from these, it fascinates and infatuates the minds of others, for the tone of confidence and belief produces such an effect; and this is especially manifest in the spiritual world, where man speaks from his spirit; for the affection of self-confidence and of the consequent belief that a thing is so is in man's spirit, and a man's spirit speaks from his affection. In the natural world it is different. There man's spirit discourses by means of the body, and for the sake of the world brings forth such things as are not of the affection of his spirit, which he rarely exhibits, that its character may not be known. For this reason it is unknown in the world that there is such an infatuating and suffocating persuasiveness as exists in the spirit of the sensual man, who believes himself to be wiser than others. From this it can be seen why "their teeth were as those of lions" signifies that sensual men seem to themselves to have understanding, and thereby power over all things. That "teeth" signify sensual things, which are the ultimates of the natural life in respect to knowledge [scientia] can be seen from the correspondence of "teeth," as described in the work on Heaven and Hell (n. 575), and in the Arcana Coelestia (n. 5565-5568).

[2] That "teeth" have this signification can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In David:

My soul, I lie in the midst of lions; their teeth are spear and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword (Psalms 57:4).

"Lions" signify those who by means of falsities destroy the truths of the church; "their teeth which are spear and arrows" signify the knowledges [scientifica] that are applied to confirm falsities and evils, and thus to destroy the truths and goods of the church; "their tongue a sharp sword" signifies crafty reasonings from falsities, which are called "a sharp sword" because a "sword" signifies falsity destroying truth.

[3] In the same:

O God, break off their teeth in their mouth; remove ¹ the jaw teeth of the young lions (Psalms 58:6).

"Teeth in their mouth" signify the knowledges [scientifica] from which they produce falsities; "the jaw teeth of the young lions," signify the truths of the Word falsified, which in themselves are falsities, and which are especially effective in destroying the truths of the church.

[4] In Joel:

A nation cometh up upon my land, vigorous and without number; its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and it hath the jaw teeth of an immense lion. It maketh ² my vine to a waste, and my fig tree to froth (Joel 1:6, 7).

"A nation that cometh up upon the land" signifies evil devastating the church, "nation" meaning evil, and "land" the church; "vigorous and without number" signifies powerful and manifold; "vigorous" is predicated of the power of evil, and "without number" of the power of falsity; "its teeth are the teeth of a lion" signifying destroying falsities; "the jaw teeth of an immense lion" signify truths falsified; "it reduceth the vine to a waste, and the fig tree to froth," signifies the destruction of spiritual and natural truths; spiritual truths are those of the spiritual sense of the Word, and natural truths those of the sense of its letter (See also above, n. 403, where this is explained). The "teeth of lions" in these passages have a similar signification as "teeth as those of lions" here in Revelation. "Teeth" properly signify such things as are merely in the memory and are brought forth therefrom, for the things that are in the memory of the sensual man correspond to bones and teeth.

[5] In Daniel:

There came up out of the sea a second beast like to a bear; three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and they said unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After this there came up a fourth beast, dreadful, and terrible, and exceedingly strong, and it had great teeth of iron; it devoured and crushed, and trampled the remnant with its feet (Daniel 7:5, 7).

"A beast from the sea" means the love of dominion, to which holy things serve as means, and the "four beasts" signify its successive increase; this "second beast like to a bear" signifies the second state, when such dominion is confirmed by means of the Word; those who do this appear in the spiritual world like bears. "Three ribs in the mouth between the teeth" signify all things of the Word which they apply, and which they understand merely according to the letter, "three ribs" meaning all things of the Word, "in the mouth" meaning, which they apply in teaching; "between the teeth" meaning which they understand merely according to the letter, that is, as the sensual man does; "they said unto it, Arise, devour much flesh," signifies that they applied many things and thereby destroyed the genuine sense of the Word; "the fourth beast that came up out of the sea, dreadful, and terrible, and exceedingly strong," signifies the fourth and last state, when by holy things as means they established for themselves dominion over heaven and earth; because this state is profane and powerful it is called "dreadful, and terrible, and exceedingly strong;" "it had great teeth of iron" signifies falsities from the sensual man hard against the truths and goods of the church; "it devoured and crushed" signifies that it perverted and destroyed; "and trampled the remnant with its feet" signifies that what they could not pervert and destroy they defiled and blotted out by the evils of natural and corporeal loves. (The rest respecting these beasts may be seen explained above, n. 316.)

[6] In Moses:

The tooth of beasts I will send upon them, with the poison of the creeping things of the earth (Deuteronomy 32:24).

This evil, among others, was denounced upon the Israelitish and Jewish people if they did not keep and do the statutes and commandments; "the tooth of beasts" signifies falsities from evils of every kind, and "the poison of the creeping things of the earth" signifies the things that destroy and utterly extinguish spiritual life; "beasts" signify in the Word such things as belong to the natural man, and "the creeping things of the earth" the things belonging to the sensual man; both these when separated from the spiritual man are mere falsities from evils, because they are merely such things as belong to the body to which they adhere, and as belong to the world to which they stand nearest; and from the body and the world all thick darkness in spiritual things arises.

[7] In David:

Arise, O Jehovah; save me, O my God; for Thou smitest all mine enemies upon the cheek; Thou breakest the teeth of the wicked (Psalms 3:7).

"To smite the enemies upon the cheek" signifies to destroy interior falsities with those who are opposed to the goods and truths of the church; such persons and their falsities of evil are meant in the Word by "enemies;" "to break the teeth of the wicked" signifies to destroy exterior falsities, which are such as are based on the fallacies of the senses and are confirmed by them.

[8] As the expressions in David, "to smite the cheek" and "to break the teeth" signify the destruction of interior and exterior falsities, it can be seen what is meant by "smiting on the cheek" in Matthew:

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth; but I say unto you, Resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also. And if any man wisheth to sue thee at the law and to take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also; and whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two. Give to everyone that asketh thee, and from him that wisheth to borrow of thee turn not thou away (Matthew 5:38-42).

That these words are not to be understood according to the letter is evident to everyone; for who is bound by Christian love to turn the left cheek to him who smites the right, or to give the cloak to him who would take away the coat? In a word, who is there to whom it is not allowable to resist evil? But as all things that the Lord said were in themselves Divine-celestial, it can be seen that these words, as well as the others which the Lord spoke, contain a heavenly sense. The sons of Israel had this law that they should give "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" (Exodus 21:23, 24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21), because they were external men, and thus were only in the representatives of heavenly things, and not in heavenly things themselves, thence not in charity, in mercy, in patience, nor in any spiritual good; consequently they were under the law of retaliation; for the heavenly law and thence the Christian law is that which the Lord taught in the Gospels:

All things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye to them; this is the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31).

Because this is the law in heaven, and from heaven in the church, therefore every evil carries with it a corresponding punishment, which is called the punishment of evil, and is in the evil as if joined with it; and from this springs the punishment of retaliation which was prescribed for the sons of Israel, because they were external and not internal men. Internal men, as the angels of heaven are, do not wish the retaliation of evil for evil, but from heavenly charity they forgive freely; for they know that the Lord protects from the evil all who are in good, and that He protects according to the good with them, and that He would not protect if on account of the evil done to them they should burn with enmity, hatred, and revenge, for these drive away protection.

[9] These things, therefore, are involved in what the Lord here said; but their signification shall be given in order: "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," signifies that so far as anyone takes away from another the understanding of truth and the sense of truth, so far are they taken away from him, the "eye" signifying the understanding of truth, and "tooth" the sense of truth, for a "tooth" means truth or falsity such as the sensual man has. That one who is in Christian good will permit an evil person to take these away as far as he can, is described by what the Lord says in reply on the same subject. "Resist not him that is in evil" signifies that there should be no fighting back of retaliation; for angels do not fight with the evil, much less do they return evil for evil, but they allow it to be done, since they are protected by the Lord, and therefore no evil from hell can do them harm. "Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also" signifies if anyone wishes to do harm to the perception and understanding of interior truth, it may be allowed to the extent of the effort; "the cheek" signifies the perception and understanding of interior truth, the "right cheek" affection for it and consequent perception of it, and the "left cheek" understanding of it, and as the "cheek" is mentioned, so is "smiting," which means doing harm to; for all things pertaining to the mouth, as the throat, the mouth itself, the lips, the cheeks, the teeth, signify such things as belong to the perception and understanding of truth, because they correspond to them, therefore by these objects in the sense of the letter of the Word, which consists of pure correspondences, these things are expressed; "if any man wisheth to sue thee at the law and to take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also," signifies if anyone wishes to take away truth interiorly with thee, it may be allowed him to take away also exterior truth, "coat" signifying interior truth, and "cloak" exterior truth. This also is what angels do when they are with the evil, for the evil can take away nothing of good and truth from angels, but they can from those who on that account burn with enmity, hatred, and revenge, for these evils avert and repel protection by the Lord; "whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two," signifies whoever wishes to lead away from truth to falsity and from good to evil, since he cannot do it, may be left unopposed, a "mile" having a similar signification as a "way," namely, that which leads away or leads; "give to everyone that asketh thee" signifies that it is to be permitted; "and from him that wisheth to borrow of thee turn thou not away" signifies that if anyone wishes to be instructed he may be instructed, for the evil desire this that they may pervert and take away, and yet they cannot. This is the spiritual sense of these words, in which are stored up the hidden things that have now been said, which are especially for the angels; who perceive the Word only according to its spiritual sense; they are also for men in the world who are in good, when the evil are trying to lead them astray. That the opposition of the evil to those whom the Lord protects is such it has been granted me to know by much experience; for they have continually striven in every way and with all their might to take away from me truths and goods, but in vain. From what has been presented it can also in some degree be seen that a "tooth" signifies truth or falsity in the sensual, which is the ultimate of the intellectual life with man; that this is the signification of "tooth" is evident from the Lord's reply, in which the perception and understanding of truth are treated of, which the evil strive to take away from the good.

[10] That this is the signification of "teeth" can be seen further from the following passages. In Jeremiah:

In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the teeth of the sons are set on edge. But every man shall die in his own iniquity; every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge (Jeremiah 31:29, 30; Ezekiel 18:2-4).

This involves evidently that the sons and descendants shall not incur punishment on account of the evils of parents, but everyone on account of his own evil; "to eat the sour grape" signifies to appropriate to oneself the falsity of evil, for a "sour grape," which is a bitter and bad grape, signifies the falsity of evil, and "to eat" signifies to appropriate to oneself; and "the teeth set on edge" signifies to be in the falsity of evil therefrom, for "teeth" here as above signify falsities in ultimates or in the sensual man, in which the evils of parents, which are called hereditary evils, especially lie hidden in children, and "to be set on edge" signifies the appropriation of falsity from evil; for a man is not punished on account of hereditary evils but on account of his own and so far as he makes hereditary evils actual in himself; therefore it is said that "everyone shall die in his own iniquity; and every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge."

[11] In Job:

All men abhor me; my bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh; I have escaped with the skin of my teeth (Job 19:20, 20).

In the sense of the letter this means that he became thus lank and lean; but in the spiritual sense it signifies that temptations so suppressed the interiors of his mind that he became sensual, and thought only in things most external, and yet that he thought truths and not falsities; this is signified by "I have escaped with the skin of my teeth," "teeth" without skin signifying falsities, but with skin not falsities, since they are still in some degree clothed.

[12] In Amos:

I have given to you emptiness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places (Amos 4:6).

"Emptiness of teeth in the cities" stands for a scarcity of truth in doctrines, and "want of bread in all places" for scarcity of good from doctrines in the life.

[13] In Zechariah:

I will take away his bloods out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth (Zechariah 9:7).

This is said of Tyre and Sidon, which signify the knowledges of truth and good, here these falsified; "bloods out of the mouth" signify the falsifications of the knowledges of truths; and "the abominations from between the teeth" signify the adulterations of the knowledges of good; the knowledges of good are also truths, for to know goods is from the understanding, and the understanding is of truth.

[14] In David:

The waters had overwhelmed us, the presumptuous waters had passed over our soul. Blessed be Jehovah, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth (Psalms 124:4-6).

The "waters that had overwhelmed" signify falsities that flow in, and as it were overwhelm man when he is in temptations; therefore it is said, "Blessed be Jehovah, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth," that is, to the hells that destroy truths by falsities, thus to destructive falsities.

[15] In Job:

I brake the jaw teeth of the wicked, and plucked the prey out of his teeth (Job 29:17).

This Job says of himself. "I brake the jaw teeth of the wicked" signifies that he fought against falsities and conquered them, "jaw teeth" signifying knowledges [scientifica] from the sense of the letter of the Word, adapted to confirm the falsities by which truths are destroyed; and "I plucked the prey out of his teeth" signifies that he delivered others from falsities by instructing them.

[16] Because the "teeth" signify falsities in things most external, "gnashing of teeth" signifies to fight with vehemence and anger from falsities against truths, in the following passages. In Job:

He teareth me in his wrath, and hateth me; mine enemy gnasheth upon me with his teeth, he sharpeneth his eyes against me (Job 16:9).

In David:

The halt whom I know not gather themselves together against me, they rend, nor are they silent. They gnash upon me with their teeth (Psalms 35:15, 16).

In the same:

The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth (Psalms 37:12).

In the same:

The wicked shall see and be provoked; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt ³ away (Psalms 112:10).

In Micah:

Against the prophets that lead the people astray, that bite with their teeth (Micah 3:5).

In Lamentations:

All thine enemies opened their mouth against thee, O daughter of Jerusalem, they hissed and gnashed the teeth (Lamentations 2:16).

In Mark:

One said to Jesus, I have brought unto thee my son, who hath an evil ⁴ spirit; and wheresoever it taketh him it teareth him; and he foameth and grindeth his teeth, and pineth away; and I spake to Thy disciples that they should cast it out, but they were not able. And Jesus said unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I command thee come out of him, and enter no more into him (Mark 9:17, 18, 25).

One who is ignorant of the spiritual sense of the Word might suppose that they are said "to gnash the teeth" merely because they were angry and intent on evil, since men then press the teeth together; but they are said "to gnash the teeth" because the endeavor to destroy and the act of destroying truths by means of falsities are meant by it; this is said in the Word because "teeth" signify falsities in things most external, and "gnashing" signifies vehemence in fighting for them; this effort and act are also from correspondence.

[17] Moreover, such was the deaf and dumb spirit that the Lord cast out; for all spirits are from the human race; this spirit was from that kind of men who had vehemently fought for falsities against truths; consequently the one obsessed by him "foamed and gnashed his teeth." He is called by the Lord "deaf and dumb" because he was unwilling to perceive and understand the truth, for such are signified by "the deaf and the dumb." And because this spirit was determined and obstinate against truths, and had confirmed himself in falsities, the disciples were not able to cast him out, for the falsities for which he had fought they were not yet able to dispel because they had not yet reached the proper state, and it was for this also that the disciples were rebuked by the Lord. That this spirit was such, and the one obsessed by him was not such, is signified by "the spirit tearing him," and the obsessed "pining away;" and the Lord's commanding the spirit "to enter no more into him."

[18] All this makes clear what is signified by:

Gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28).

"Gnashing of teeth" in the hells means continual disputation and combat of falsities with each other and against truths, and thus of those who are in falsities, joined with contempt of others, enmity, jeering, derision, blaspheming, and these also burst forth into attempts to tear each other in pieces, for everyone fights for his own falsity from love of self, of learning, and of fame. These disputations and contests are heard outside of these hells as gnashings of teeth, and are also turned into gnashings of teeth when truths flow in thither out of heaven. (But more on this subject may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 575.)

[19] Because with the evil the teeth correspond to the falsities they have in the ultimates of their intellectual life, which are called corporeal-sensual, therefore the spirits who are such appear deformed in the face, the greater part of which is made up of the teeth standing widely apart like gratings, and in a broad grin, and this because such gaping of teeth corresponds to the love and eagerness for fighting for falsities against truths.

[20] Because the teeth correspond to the ultimates of man's intellectual life, which are called sensual, and these when separated from the truths of the interior understanding, which are called spiritual, are in the falsities of evil, but the same when not separated correspond to the truths of good in the sensual, so "teeth" in the Word signify also ultimate truths (as in Job 19:19, 20; Amos 4:6, which may be seen explained above).

[21] And because the Lord glorified His entire Human, that is, made it Divine, therefore it is said of Him in Moses:

His eyes shall be red with wine, and His teeth white with milk (Genesis 49:12).

"Eyes red with wine" signifies that His intellectual was Divine truth from Divine good; and "teeth white with milk" signifies that His sensual was likewise Divine truth from Divine good; for "Shiloh" here (verse Genesis 49:10) means the Lord.

[22] Because "teeth" correspond to the ultimates of the intellectual life, which are called sensual, good spirits and angels have teeth the same as men, but with them the teeth correspond to truths in the ultimate sensual, for with them the sensual is not separated from the truths of the interior understanding which are called spiritual.

V:

922. Verse 20. And the wine-press was trodden without the city, signifies the bringing forth of falsity from evil out of hell. This is evident from the signification of "treading the wine-press," as being to bring forth truth from good, and in the contrary sense to bring forth falsity from evil, since "grapes," from which wine is made in the wine-press, signify the good of charity, and in the contrary sense evil; and from good truth is brought forth, and from evil falsity. That this, as well as falsifications of the Word, are signified by "the great wine-press of the anger of God," can be seen from the preceding article n. 920. The above is evident also from the signification of "without the city," as being from hell, for "city" signifies the doctrine of truth from the Word (See above, n. 223), while "without the city" signifies the doctrine of falsity from the Word falsified; and as the falsification of the Word is from hell, "without the city" means out of hell. In the Word "city" signifies doctrine, and "the city of David," that is, Zion, and "the city of Jerusalem," signify the church as to the Word and as to doctrine from the Word, therefore "without the city" signifies, not from the Word and doctrine from the Word; and what is not from the Word and from doctrine therefrom is from hell. "Without the city" has a like signification as "without the camp" of the sons of Israel in the desert, for their "camp" signified heaven and the church, and "without the camp," signified hell. For this reason the lepers and all that were unclean were sent out of the camp (Leviticus 13:46; Numbers 5:1-6); and the excrements, by which things infernal were signified, were left without the camp (Deuteronomy 23:13, 14).

[2] That the "wine-press" and "treading it" signify the bringing forth of falsity from evil and the bringing forth of truth from good, can be seen from the Word where "wine-press" is mentioned. That it signifies the bringing forth of falsity from evil can be seen from the following passages. In Lamentations:

The Lord hath prostrated all my strong ones in the midst of me, He hath proclaimed against me an appointed time for breaking my young men; the Lord hath trodden the wine-press for the daughter of Judah (Lamentations 1:15).

This treats of the end of the church with the Jewish nation; and "the strong ones whom the Lord hath prostrated in the midst thereof" signifies the destruction of the love of good; those who are in love of good are called in the Word "strong ones," because good from its love prevails over the hells, and is therefore "strong." "In the midst" signifies all and everywhere. "To break the young men" signifies the destruction of all the understanding of truth; "an appointed time" means when both the goods and the truths of the church were all devastated with that nation; this time was when the Lord came into the world, and is what is meant by "the fullness of times." So "the Lord hath trodden the wine-press for the daughter of Judah" signifies the perversion of the church and the adulteration of the Word that is brought forth from evils of life and falsities of doctrine, "the daughter of Judah" being the church from the doctrine of truth from the Word, and "wine-press" being the bringing forth of falsity from evil, and the consequent adulteration of the Word and overthrow of the church. In the sense of the letter this is attributed to the Lord; but this is reversed in the spiritual sense, in which it is meant that this was done by that nation itself.

[3] In Joel:

Send forth the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, get ye down, for the wine-press is full, the vats have overflowed; for their wickedness is great (Joel 3:13.)

The devastation of the church as to good and as to truth is thus described; and "the wine-press is full and the vats have overflowed" signifies that there was nothing except falsities from evil. (The rest may be seen explained, n. 911.

In Hosea:

Be not glad, O Israel, over a likeness, like the nations: for thou hast committed whoredom under thy God; thou hast loved the reward of whoredom upon all corn-floors; the floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, and the new wine shall be false to her (Hosea 9:2).

This treats of the falsification of the Word; "the floor and the wine-press shall not feed them" signifies that they will not draw from the Word the goods and truths that nourish the soul. (But this passage also has been explained above, n. 695)

[4] In Jeremiah:

Upon thy vintage hath the spoiler fallen; therefore gladness and joy are gathered out of Carmel, and out of the land of Moab; and I have caused the wine to cease from the wine-presses; none shall tread with shouting; the shouting shall be no shouting (Jeremiah 48:32-34).

What is signified by "the vintage" upon which the spoiler hath fallen, and what by "the gladness and joy" that were gathered, may be seen above n. 919; that there is no longer any truth because there is no good is signified by "I have caused the wine to cease from the wine-presses;" and that there is no longer any joy from any spiritual love is signified by "none shall tread with shouting," "shouting" meaning the rejoicing of those that tread the wine press.

[5] In Isaiah:

Who is this that cometh from Edom, His garments sprinkled from Bozrah, He that is honorable in His apparel, walking in the multitude of His strength? I that speak in justice, mighty to save. Wherefore art Thou red in Thy garment, and Thy garments as of one that treadeth in the wine-press? I have trodden the wine-press alone; and of the people not a man was with Me; therefore have I trodden them in mine anger, and trampled them in My wrath; therefore their victory is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all My raiment (Isaiah 63:1-3).

This is said of the Lord, and of His combats against all the hells; and as He fought against them from the Human, in which was the Divine Itself, it is said, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, His garments sprinkled from Bozrah?" which signifies fighting from the good of love and from truth, which are from the Divine; for Edom means red, and Bozrah gathering the vintage; and "red" is predicated of good, and "gathering the vintage" of truth; and because this is what Edom and Bozrah mean, the expressions "red" and "as one treading in the wine-press" are afterwards used. And as the Divine good and the Divine truth that are here meant are the Word in the letter, and this is what is signified by the Lord's "garments" it is said, "garments sprinkled," also "honorable in His apparel." And as all strength in the Word is in the letter it is said, "walking in the multitude of His strength." Judgment from His Divine upon the good and upon the evil and consequent salvation, is meant by "I that speak in justice, mighty to save." The violence offered to the Word by the Jewish nation is signified by "Wherefore art Thou red in Thy garments, and Thy garments as of one that treadeth in the wine-press?" "Red in garment" is predicated of the violence offered to the Divine good of the Word, which is meant above by "Edom," and "garments as of one that treadeth in the wine-press" is predicated of the violence offered to Divine truth in the Word, which is meant above by "Bozrah." "The Lord's garments" signify the Word in the letter, to which violence was offered through adulterations and falsifications of it. The casting down of the hells and of their falsities by His own power is signified by "I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the people not a man was with Me." The casting down into the hells of those who were in direful evils and in falsities therefrom is signified by "I have trodden them in Mine anger and trampled them in My wrath;" "anger" is predicated of evils, and "wrath" of falsities; and these are attributed to the Lord; although it is those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom that are angry and wrathful against the Lord. And as the judgment by which the hells were subjugated was accomplished by the Lord by means of temptations admitted into His Human, even to the last, which was the passion of the cross, it is said, "therefore their victory is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all My raiment." For by all things of His passion and by the last temptation on the cross the Lord represented the violence offered by the Jewish nation to the Word, that is, to Divine truth (See above, n. 183, 195, 627, 655, 805).

[6] That "wine-press" and "treading it" signify the bringing forth of truth from good, because "the grape" signifies spiritual good, and "wine from the grape" truth from that good, can be seen from the following passages.

In Joel:

Rejoice, ye sons of Zion, the floors are full of corn, and the winepresses overflow with new wine and oil (Joel 2:23, 24).

"Sons of Zion" signify those who are in wisdom from the Divine truth; "the floors are full of corn" signifies that they have celestial good in abundance; "the wine-presses overflow with new wine and oil" signifies that from the good of charity they have truth and its delight.

[7] In Matthew:

A man, a householder, planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a wine-press in it, and built a tower; and let it out to husbandmen, who slew the servants sent to them, and finally the son (Matthew 21:33).

The "vineyard" which the householder planted signifies the church that was instituted with the sons of Jacob; the "hedge" which he set about it signifies protection from the falsities of evil, which are from hell; "and digged a wine-press in it" signifies that it had spiritual good; "and built a tower" signifies interior truths from that good which looked to heaven; "and let it out to husbandmen" signifies to that people; "they slew the servants that were sent to them" signifies that they slew the prophets; "and finally the son" signifies the Lord.

[8] In Isaiah:

My beloved had a vineyard in a horn of a son of oil, which he fenced and gathered out the stones, and planted it with a noble vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also hewed out a wine-press in it; and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes (Isaiah 5:1, 2).

"Vineyard," "tower," and "wine-press," have a like signification here as just above in Matthew. (The rest may be seen explained n. 918. In most passages, where "vintage" and "wine press" are mentioned, the "harvest" and "corn floor" are also mentioned (as in Hosea 9:1, 2; Joel 2:23, 24; 3:13; Numbers 18:26-30; Deuteronomy 15:14; 16:13; 2 Kings 6:27); and for the reason that "harvest" and "corn-floor," from "corn" and "bread" signify the good of celestial love, which is love to the Lord; and "vintage" and "wine-press," from the "grape" and the "wine," signify the good of spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbor; for these two loves make one, like an efficient cause and its effect. This has been said because here in Revelation the "harvest" is mentioned, and afterwards the "vintage" in the same way. (For the "harvest" see verses 14, 15; and the "vintage," verse 19.)