475. And they did wash their robes.- This signifies the removal of falsities by means of temptations, as is evident from the signification of washing, which denotes to purify from falsities and evils, consequently to remove them; for the evils and falsities which men, spirits, and angels have, are not taken away, but removed, and when removed they appear as though taken away (concerning this fact see the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 166, 170); washing therefore signifies to remove falsities, and thus to purify; and from the signification of robes as denoting truths in general, protecting, see above (n. 395). But in the present case "by robes" before they were washed and made white, are signified falsities from which they were purified. For those who are in falsities from ignorance appear in the spiritual world at first in dusky garments of various colours, and while in temptations, in squalid garments; but when they come out of temptations, they appear in white robes, which shine according to their state of purification from falsities. Every one in the other life appears in garments which accord with the truths and the falsities which he has; for this reason garments signify truths, and in the opposite sense, falsities, as may be seen above (n. 195, 271). It is evident from these things, what is signified by washing their robes and making them white.

[2] In ancient times, when all the external things of the church were representative and significative of things spiritual and celestial, washings were customary, and they represented purifications from falsities and evils. Washings had this signification, because waters signified truths, while filth signified falsities and evils, and all purification from falsities and evils takes place by means of truths. That waters signify truths may be seen above (n. 71). Washings were therefore instituted with the sons of Israel by command. For a representative church was established among them, everything pertaining to which signified spiritual things, and the washings signified purifications from evils and falsities, and thence regeneration. On this account a laver of brass was placed at the door of the tent of the congregation, (Exodus 30:18-20); and also lavers of brass were placed without the Temple, one great [laver] called "the molten sea," and ten smaller lavers (1 Kings 7:23-39).

[3] Because washings signified such things, therefore when Aaron and his sons were inaugurated into the priesthood, Moses was commanded to wash them with water at the door of the tabernacle, and so to sanctify them (Exodus 29:4; 40:12; Leviticus 8:6). For priests represented the Lord as to Divine Good, as kings represented Him as to Divine Truth; consequently the priests also represented the Divine sanctity, which is pure without blemish. Aaron and his sons received this representation through the washing by Moses; wherefore it is said, that they should thus be sanctified, although they themselves received no sanctity by the washing.

[4] Therefore it was also commanded that Aaron and his sons should wash their hands and feet before they entered the tent of the congregation, and before they ascended the altar to minister, and it is said "that they die not," and that it should be to them "a statute of an age" (Exodus 30:18-21, chap. 40:30, 31); and that Aaron should wash his flesh before he put on the garments of the ministry (Leviticus 16:4, 24). By washing the hands and feet was signified the purification of the natural man, and by washing the flesh, the purification of the spiritual man. Hence also it was commanded, that the Levites should be sanctified by being sprinkled with the water of expiation, and by shaving their flesh, and washing their garments (Num. 8:6, 7). This was done to the Levites because they attended to the external things of the church under Aaron and his sons; and the purification of the external things of the church was represented by the sprinkling of the water of expiation, by shaving their flesh, and washing their garments.

[5] Moreover, all who became unclean by touching unclean things also washed themselves and their garments, and thus were said to be made clean. As for example, they who had eaten of the carcase of an unclean beast, or of what was torn (Leviticus 17:15, 16); he who touched the bed of one that had a flux, or who had sat upon the vessel, upon which that one had sat, or who had touched his flesh (Leviticus 15:5-12). The leper, after his cleansing, had to wash his garments, shave off all his hair, and wash himself with water (Leviticus 14:8, 9); and in fact the very vessels that were made unclean by the touch of the unclean, had to be passed through waters (Leviticus 11:32); besides in many other references. He who supposes that they who washed their flesh, or hands and feet, or garments, were thereby cleansed and sanctified, that is to say, purified from their sins, is much deceived. For sins are not washed away or removed as filth is by water, or by means of water, but they are washed away, that is, removed, by means of truths, and a life according to them, and this alone was what was represented by washings; for waters signify truths, and truths, when there is a life according to them, purify men.

[6] That these external things contribute nothing to purification from evils and falsities, is clearly taught by the Lord in Matthew:

"Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside of them may be clean also" (23:25, 26).

The Lord gave similar teaching when the Jews and Pharisees rebuked His disciples for not washing their hands before they eat, for he said, that that would not defile a man, but every evil which goeth forth from the heart (Matthew 15:1, 2, 19, 20; Mark 7:1-23; Luke 11:38, 39). It is therefore clear that the Jews, by their washings, were never sanctified and cleansed from their spiritual defilements, which are the evils issuing from the heart, because these evils reside within, and in the world have no relation to the filth which adheres to the body. It is said, that the inside of the cup and of the platter is to be cleansed in order that the outside may be clean also; for the exterior with man cannot be cleansed before the interior, since by means of the interior the exterior is cleansed. By the cup and platter are signified the interiors and exteriors of man, which receive truth and good, for the cup is the container of wine, and the platter the container of food; and wine (vinum) signifies truth, and food signifies good, just as bread does. It is therefore evident what is signified, in the spiritual sense, by cleansing first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside may be clean also.

[7] The same also is meant by the washing of the feet of the disciples, concerning which the Lord thus spoke to Peter:

"He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit" (John 13:10).

Here by, "he that is washed," is signified inward purification; and by, "needeth not save to wash his feet," is signified, that then he is to be outwardly cleansed, for the feet signify the external or natural man, as may be seen above (n. 69). Concerning this interior truth more may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 179, 181); and in the Arcana Coelestia, where the following subjects are illustrated, namely, that each man, both the internal or spiritual, and the external or natural, must be purified in order that a man may be purified, and that the external must be purified by the internal (n. 3868, 3870, 3872, 3876, 3877, 3882). The internal man is purified before the external, because the internal is in the light of heaven, and the external in the light of the world (n. 3321, 3325, 3469, 3493, 4353, 8746, 9325). The external or natural man is purified by the Lord through the internal or spiritual (n. 3286, 3288, 3321). A man is not purified until the external or natural man is also purified (n. 8742-8747, 9043, 9046, 9061, 9325, 9334). Unless the natural man be purified, the spiritual man is closed (n. 6299); and as to the truths and goods of faith and of love he is as it were blind (n. 3493, 3969).

The internal man is purified by knowing, understanding, and thinking the truths of the Word, and the external man, by willing and doing them. From these considerations the meaning of the Lord's words to Peter is now clear, "He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit;" and also the Lord's words to the Pharisees; "Cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside of them may be clean also."

[8] That the internal man is purified by means of the truths of faith, and the external by a life according to them, is meant also by these words of the Lord, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). Water signifies the truths of faith, and the spirit, a life according to them.

[9] From these observations the signification of washing in the following passages is evident.

Thus in Ezekiel:

"I washed thee with waters; yea, I thoroughly washed away thy bloods from upon thee, and I anointed thee with oil" (16:9).

This was said of Jerusalem, which signifies the church; the purification of the church from falsities and evils is signified by, I washed thee with waters; yea I thoroughly washed away thy bloods from upon thee. To wash with waters signifies to purify it by means of truths, and to wash away bloods signifies to purify from evils and falsities. To imbue it with the good of love is signified by, I anointed thee with oil, oil denoting the good of love.

[10] In Isaiah:

"When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and shall have purged the bloods of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, in the spirit of judgment, and in the spirit of cleansing" (4:4).

To wash away the filth of the daughters of Zion, signifies to purify the affections of those who are of the celestial church from the evils of the love of self, filth denoting the evil of the love of self, daughters, the affections, and Zion, the church which is in love to the Lord, and is therefore called the celestial church. To wash away the bloods of Jerusalem signifies to purify the affections from the falsities of evil, bloods denoting those falsities. In the spirit of judgment, and in the spirit of cleansing, signifies, by the understanding of truth, and by the affection for truth, for spirit denotes the Divine Truth which proceeds from the Lord, the spirit of judgment, the understanding of truth thence, and the spirit of cleansing, the spiritual affection for truth, since it is this which cleanses.

[11] Again, in Job:

"If I wash myself in waters of snow, and make my hands clean with lye; yet shalt thou plunge me into the pit, and mine own clothes shall abhor me" (9:30, 31).

These words mean, that if any one desire to purify himself, even by means of truths and goods which are, or seem to be genuine, he will still lead himself into falsities. To wash himself denotes to purify himself; waters of snow denote the truths which are, or seem to be, genuine; lye denotes the good from which [such waters come]; and the pit denotes what is false. That consequently truths falsified exist, is meant by mine own clothes shall abhor me, clothes denoting truths, which are said to abhor a man when he falsifies them, and this is the case when he thinks out and forms conclusions from his own intelligence.

[12] In Moses:

"Who washes his garment in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes" (Genesis 49:11).

These words are spoken of Judah, who there signified the Lord as to Divine Truth; that He completely purified this in His Human, when He was in the world, is signified by His washing His garment in wine, and His covering in the blood of grapes, garments and covering signifying His Human, and wine and the blood of grapes, the Divine Truth. These things are explained in the Arcana Coelestia 6377, 6378).

[13] That washing, signifies to purify from falsities and evils, is evident in Isaiah:

"Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil" (1:16).

Because to wash signifies to remove falsities and evils, it is therefore said, "put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil."

[14] In Jeremiah:

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

And in David:

"Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:2, 7).

Here to wash clearly denotes to purify from falsities and evils, for it is said, "wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin," and afterwards "wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." To wash from iniquity denotes purification from falsities, and from sin denotes from evils, for iniquity is spoken of falsities, and sin, of evils. Because the water of expiation also was prepared from hyssop, it is therefore said, "purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean."

[15] In Jeremiah:

"Though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much lye, thine iniquity is marked before me" (2:22).

Here also it is clear that washings only represented and thence signified spiritual washings, which are purifications from falsities and evils, for it is said, "Though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much lye, yet thine iniquity is marked before me."

[16] Similarly in David:

"I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and my chastisement until the mornings" (Psalm 73:13, 14).

Here, to wash his hands in innocency, denotes to declare himself to be innocent and pure from evils and falsities; for the washing of the hands was also a testification of innocence; as also is evident from the fact that Pilate washed his hands and said, "I am innocent of the blood of this just one" (Matthew 27:24).

[17] Because washings signified purifications from falsities and evils, and because the blind signified those who do not see truths, and thence are in falsities, therefore the Lord told the blind man, whose eyes he anointed with clay made of spittle, to wash himself in the pool of Siloam; and he afterwards washed and came seeing (John 9:6, 7, 11, 15). The blind man here represented those who can see nothing of truth because they are sensual, and see only those things which appear before the external senses, and therefore they drink in fallacies instead of truths, and apply the sense of the letter of the Word to confirm them. The clay made of spittle signifies sensual truth, such as is contained in the Word for such persons. The waters of the lake or pool of Siloam signify the truths of the Word for all things even to the pools of water in Jerusalem, were significative; and by washing is signified to purify from fallacies, which in themselves are falsities. Hence the signification of these things in a series is evident; for all the miracles and works of the Lord, when He was in the world, signified celestial and spiritual Divine things, that is, such things as have reference to heaven and the church, and this because they were Divine, and the Divine always operates in ultimates from primaries (ex primis), and so in fulness. Ultimates are such things as appear before the eyes in the world; for this reason the Lord spoke, and the Word was written by means of such things in nature, which are correspondences.

[18] The case is similar with the miracle wrought on Naaman the leper at the command of Elisha, recorded as follows in the second book of Kings:

Naaman the Syrian was afflicted with leprosy, and was bidden by a messenger from Elisha to wash himself seven times in Jordan, and his flesh should come again to him and he should be clean, and at length Naaman "went down and dipped himself in Jordan seven times, and then his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean" (5:10, 14).

Naaman, of Syria, the leper, represented and signified those who falsify the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, for leprosy signifies falsifications, and Syria, the knowledges of truth and good. The waters of Jordan signified truths introductory to the church, which are the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, for the river Jordan was the first boundary by which the land of Canaan was entered, and by the land of Canaan was signified the church; hence the waters of Jordan signified introductory truths, which are the first knowledges of truth and good from the Word. On account of this signification of the waters of Jordan, Naaman was commanded to wash himself in it seven times, which signified purification from falsified truths. Seven times signify what is in fulness, and when used of holy things, it signifies such holy things as Divine truths are. By reason of this signification of seven times, it is said that his flesh was restored as the flesh of a little child, and by the flesh being restored is signified spiritual life, such as those have who are regenerated by means of Divine truths.

[19] Because the waters of Jordan signify truths introductory to the church, which are the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, and since washing therein signifies purification from falsities, and thence reformation and regeneration by the Lord, therefore baptism was instituted, and it was first administered in Jordan by John (Matthew 3:11-16; Mark 1:4-13). The rite of baptism signified initiation into knowledges from the Word concerning the Lord, His coming, and salvation from Him. And because man is reformed and regenerated by the Lord by means of truths from the Word, therefore baptism was commanded by the Lord (Matthew 28:19). For truths from the Word are the means by which man is reformed and regenerated, and it is the Lord who reforms and regenerates. More may be seen concerning this in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 202-209).

[20] John said that he baptized with water, but that the Lord baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Luke 3:16; John 1:33). By this is meant, that John only inaugurated them into knowledges from the Word concerning the Lord, and so prepared them to receive Him, but that the Lord Himself regenerates man by Divine Truth and Divine Good proceeding from Himself; for John represented the Word just as Elijah did; the water with which John baptized signified introductory truths, these being knowledges concerning the Lord from the Word. The Holy Spirit signifies Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord; fire, the Divine Good proceeding from Him; and baptism, regeneration by the Lord, by means of Divine Truths from the Word.

[21] Washings were instituted in the ancient churches, and afterwards baptisms in their place, which nevertheless were only representative and significative rites, in order that heaven might be conjoined with the human race, and specifically with the man of the church. For heaven is conjoined to man when he is in ultimates, that is, in such things as are in the world as to his natural man, and in such things as are in heaven as to his spiritual man; there cannot be conjunction in any other way. It was for this reason that baptism and the Holy Supper were instituted, and that by means of such things as are in the world the Word was written, and that it contains a spiritual sense, wherein are heavenly things; and that the sense of the letter of the Word is natural, and contains a spiritual sense within it. That by means of this the Word conjoins the angels of heaven with the men of the church, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 303-310); and in the little work Concerning the White Horse, from beginning to end. That the Holy Supper also conjoins, may be seen [in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem] (n. 210-222); the case is the same in regard to baptism. But yet he who believes that baptism contributes anything to the salvation of man, unless he be at the same time in the truths of the church and in a life according to them, is much deceived. For baptism is an external act, and apart from what is internal, contributes nothing to salvation, but it does contribute to it where the external is conjoined with the internal. The internal of Baptism is this, that by means of truths from the Word, and a life according to them, evils and falsities are removed by the Lord, and thus man is regenerated, as the Lord also teaches in Matthew (23:26, 27), by means of the things explained above in this article.

9942. 'And you shall weave the tunic in checker work of fine linen' means the inmost things of the spiritual kingdom, emanating from the truths of celestial love. This is clear from the meaning of Aaron's garments in general as the spiritual kingdom lying adjacent to the celestial kingdom, dealt with in 9814, and since the tunic was the inmost of those garments the inmost things of that kingdom are meant by it (for the meaning of 'Aaron's tunic' as Divine Truth in the spiritual kingdom, emanating directly from the Divine Celestial, see 9826); and from the meaning of 'fine linen' as truth from a celestial origin, dealt with in 9469. In the words stating that the tunic should be woven in checker work something produced by a weaver should be understood by 'checker work'; and by 'the work of a weaver' is meant that which is from the celestial, 9915. The same word is used in the original language to express the idea of producing checker work as is used to mean weaving.

[2] The fact that this tunic was woven, or was made from the work of a weaver, is clear from the following words in the Book of Exodus,

They made the tunics of fine linen, the work of a weaver, for Aaron and his sons. Exodus 39:27.

The reason why the tunic consisted of checker work or was woven from fine linen was in order that it might represent that which emanates directly from the celestial; in comparison it resembles a continuation from it. For what emanates from the celestial is akin to what does so from the will part of a person's mind, in that everything which belongs to a person's understanding emanates from that will part. What emanates from the will part and exists more internally is so to speak continuous from it, in contrast to what does so but exists more externally. Therefore that more internal emanation from the will has primarily the affection for truth within it; for all affection belonging to love that is present in the understanding flows in from its will part. A similar situation exists in the heavens, where the celestial kingdom corresponds to the will part of a person's mind, and the spiritual kingdom to the understanding part, see 9835. And since Aaron's garments represented the Lord's spiritual kingdom lying adjacent to His celestial kingdom, 9814, the tunic represented that which is inmost there, namely that which emanates from and exists closest to the celestial kingdom; for the tunic was the inmost garment. From this it is evident why it was woven or made of checker work, and why it was made from fine linen. For 'woven' means that which originates in the will part or the celestial, 9915, and 'fine linen' means truth that springs from celestial love, 9469.

[3] What is spiritual emanating from what is celestial is also meant in other places in the Word by tunics, for example by the tunics of skin which Jehovah God is said to have made for the man and his wife after they ate from the tree of knowledge, Genesis 3:20-21. No one can know that truth from a celestial origin is meant by those 'tunics' unless the inner meaning of the details of that story is unfolded; therefore it must be explained. 'The man and his wife' there is used to mean the celestial Church, 'the man' as the husband to mean that Church in respect of good, and 'his wife' that Church in respect of truth; this truth and that good were the celestial Church's truth and good. But then came the fall of that Church, which was brought about by reasonings, based on factual knowledge, about God's truths, meant in the internal sense by 'the serpent' who persuaded them. The first state after the fall of that Church is what is described here, its truth by 'the tunics of skin'.

[4] It should be remembered that the creation of heaven and earth in the first chapter of Genesis means and describes in the internal sense the new creation or regeneration of the member of the Church then, thus the establishment of the celestial Church; that paradise means and describes the wisdom and intelligence of that Church, and eating from the tree of knowledge its fall, brought about by their reasoning, based on factual knowledge, about Divine matters. For more which demonstrates that all this is so, see what has been shown regarding these matters in the explanations to those chapters. For all the narratives contained in the early chapters of Genesis are made-up history, in the internal sense of which there are Divine matters regarding the new creation or the regeneration of the member of the celestial Church, as has been stated. This was the customary way of writing in most ancient times, not only among those who belonged to the Church but also among those outside the Church, for example among the Arabians, Syrians, and Greeks, as is evident from the books of those times, both sacred and secular.

[5] It was in imitation of those books, since he derived it from them, that Solomon composed the Song of Songs, a book that is not a sacred one because it does not inwardly contain heavenly and Divine matters forming a continuous train of thought, such as sacred books contain. The Book of Job too is a book of the Ancient Church. Mention is also made in Moses of sacred books of the Ancient Church which have now been lost, in Numbers 21:14-15, 27ff, the historical sections of which were called The Wars of Jehovah and the prophetical parts The Utterances, see 2686, 2897. The fact that such was the style in the historical narratives of the sections called The Wars of Jehovah is evident from the parts of them which were extracted and quoted by Moses. Their historical narratives were therefore such as came near to a kind of prophetic style, the kind that would allow young children and also simple people to retain things in their memory. The fact that the books referred to in Numbers 21 were sacred is evident from the parts of them extant in verses 28-30 of that chapter, when compared with Jeremiah 48:45-46, where similar words occur. This kind of style was the most common, virtually the one and only style adopted among those who were outside the Church, as is plain from the myths and legends of those writers who were outside the Church which held within them notions of right and wrong or such as have to do with what people feel and how they conduct their life.

[6] In the narratives consisting not of made-up but of genuine history - which are those that appear in the Books of Moses after the chapters of made-up history, and also those in the Books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings - spiritual truth and good of truth emanating from celestial truth and good are again meant by 'tunics'. (It should be remembered that spiritual truth and good is the kind of truth and good that spiritual angels in the middle or second heaven enjoy, but that celestial truth and good is the truth and good such as angels in the third and inmost heaven enjoy, see the places referred to in 9277.) The Books of Moses mention that Israel the father of Joseph gave his son a tunic of various colours, and that because of that tunic his brothers were annoyed; and that subsequently they stripped him of it, dipped it in blood, and sent it in that condition to their father, Genesis 37:3, 23, 31-33. All this was part of genuine history; and since it in like manner contained inwardly or in its internal sense the holy things of heaven and the Church, thus those that were Divine, that tunic of various colours served to mean the state of the good and truth which Joseph was to represent, namely the state of spiritual truth and good emanating from the celestial, see 3971, 4286, 4592, 4963, 5249, 5307, 5584, 5869, 5877, 6417, 6526, 9671. For all the sons of Jacob represented things such as belong to heaven and the Church in their proper order, 3858, 3926, 4060, 4603 and subsequent paragraphs, 6335, 6337, 6397, 6640, 7836, 7891, 7996. But in the chapter referred to above they represented the opposite.

[7] Since all things that are in the books of the Word are representative of and serve to mean Divine celestial and spiritual realities, both those things in the historical books and those in the prophetical books, the affection for spiritual truth is described in David by 'the king's daughter' and the actual truth by her garments,

Daughters of kings are among your precious ones; at your right hand stands the queen in the finest gold of Ophir. The daughter of Tyre will bring an offering, the rich of the people will entreat your face. All glorious is the king's daughter within, from woven threads (or checker work) of gold will her vesture (her tunic) be; in an embroidered [robe] she will be led to the king. Psalms 45:9ff.

'Daughter' in general means the affection for spiritual truth and good, and so means the Church as well, see 2362, 3024, 3963, 9055 (end); and 'king', when this refers to the Lord, means Divine Truth, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4581, 4966, 5068, 6148. From this it is evident that everything mentioned in that Psalm regarding 'the king's daughter' means such things as belong to the affection for truth and good received from the Lord in the Church. When it says that 'the daughter of Tyre will bring an offering' cognitions or knowledge of good and truth are meant, 'Tyre' meaning these, see 1201. The like is meant by 'the rich of the people', for nothing other than cognitions of good and truth is meant in the spiritual sense by 'riches', 1694, 4508. From this it is evident what the meaning is of the declaration that the king's daughter is 'all glorious within', and that her vesture was made 'from woven threads of gold'. By 'her vesture' a tunic should be understood, as is evident from the meaning that word has in the original language; for the word in that language means a garment worn next to the body. The fact that a tunic is meant is clear in John 19:24, where reference is made to the Lord's tunic, which David in Psalms 22:18 calls by the same word 'vesture'. It is also clear in 2 Samuel 13:18, where it says that the king's daughters were clothed with tunics of various colours; this matter is dealt with just below. By 'woven threads of gold' in David something similar is meant to what is meant by the checker work of Aaron's tunic, the same term being used in the original language. As regards what 'an embroidered [robe]' is in which she will be led to the king, see 9688.

[8] Since the king's daughter and her vesture or tunic served to represent such things, a king's daughters at that time wore that kind of clothing, as is clear in the second Book of Samuel,

On Tamar there was a tunic of various colours, for daughters of the king wore such clothes. 2 Samuel 13:18.

[9] Since, then, spiritual forms of good and truths were represented by tunics it may be seen what it is that Aaron's 'tunic' means, and also what is meant by his sons' tunics, mentioned in the next verse of this chapter, which says that for Aaron's sons they were to make tunics, belts, and headdresses, for glorious adornment. And since their tunics served to represent those holy forms of good and truths, it was declared that Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu, who were devoured by fire from heaven because they were offering incense on foreign ¹ fire, should be taken outside the camp in their tunics, Leviticus 10:1-5. For 'foreign fire' means love from a source other than what is heavenly, since 'sacred fire' in the Word denotes love that is heavenly or Divine, 6832, 6834, 6849, 7324, 9434. Because of what his sons had done spiritual forms of good and truths, meant by their 'tunics', had been defiled, and this was why they were taken outside the camp in their tunics.

[10] 'Tunic' is used with a similar meaning in Micah,

My people have taken a stand as an enemy on account of the garment; you strip the tunic from those confidently passing through. Micah 2:8.

Here a different word is used in the original language for 'tunic'; even so spiritual truth and good is meant. 'Stripping the tunic from those passing through in confidence' means depriving of their spiritual truths those who lead a life of simple goodness. 'Having [them] as enemy on account of the garment' means doing ill to them on account of the truth they think, when in fact no one ought to suffer harm on account of whatever he believes to be true, provided that he is governed by good, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844.

[11] From all this it may now be seen what 'tunic' means in Matthew,

Jesus said, You shall not swear at all, neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by Jerusalem, nor by [your] head. Let your words be, Yes, yes; No, no; anything beyond this is from evil. ² If anyone wishes to drag you to court and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. Matthew 5:34-37, 40.

Anyone unacquainted with what the angelic state is like in the Lord's celestial kingdom cannot have any idea at all of what these the Lord's words imply. For they refer to the state of goodness and truth with those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, with whom all truth resides within, imprinted on their hearts. For the good of love to the Lord leads them to know all truth, so completely that they never engage in any reasoning about it, as those in the spiritual kingdom do. Therefore whenever truths are referred to they say simply, Yes, yes; or, No, no. Nor indeed in that kingdom do they even make mention of faith. Regarding the state of these angels, see the places referred to in 9277. From this it is now evident what the meaning is of the command that they must not swear at all; for 'swearing' means confirming truths, 3375, 9166, which is done in the spiritual kingdom by the use of reason and factual knowledge drawn from the Word. 'Dragging to court and wishing to take away the tunic' means arguing about truths and wishing to convince others that something is not true, 'tunic' meaning truth from a celestial origin; for [those who are celestial] leave every one with the truth he has and do not go on to reason with him.

[12] 'Tunic' again means truth from a celestial origin elsewhere in Matthew,

Jesus sent the twelve to preach the kingdom of heaven, saying, that they should not possess gold, or silver, or bronze in their belts, nor a bag for the road, nor two tunics, or [pairs of] shoes, or rods. Matthew 10:9-10.

All this served to represent that those with forms of good and truths received from the Lord possess no good or truth at all that originates in themselves, but that every truth and form of good they have comes from the Lord. The twelve disciples represented all whose forms of good and truths come from the Lord, and in the abstract sense represented all forms of the good of love and all truths of faith derived from the Lord, 3488, 3858 (end), 6397. Forms of good and truths that originate in the self and not in the Lord are meant by 'possessing gold, silver, and bronze in their belts' and by 'a bag'. But truths and forms of good coming from the Lord are meant by 'tunic, shoe, and rod', inner truth or truth from a celestial origin by 'tunic', outer truth or truth in the natural by 'shoe', 1748, 6844, and the power of truth by 'rod', 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026. By 'two tunics' however, 'two [pairs of] shoes, and two rods' are meant truths and their powers that originate both in the Lord and in the self. The fact that they were allowed to have one tunic, one pair of shoes, and one rod is clear in Mark 6:8-9, and Luke 9:2-3.

[13] Once it is known from all this what 'a tunic' means it is evident what 'the Lord's tunic' referred to in John means,

They took the garments and made four parts, a part for each soldier, and the tunic. And the tunic was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said, Do not let us divide it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it may be - so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saying, They divided My garments for themselves, and for My tunic they cast lots. The soldiers did these things. John 19:23-24; Psalms 22:18.

Is there anyone, thinking with reason that is to some extent enlightened, who cannot see that in all this Divine things were meant, and that if this had not been so none of it would have been prophesied in David? Yet no one can know what is meant without the internal sense, thus without knowledge gained from that sense no one can know what is meant by 'the garments', 'casting lots for' or 'dividing them', 'the tunic' and its being 'without seam' or 'woven from the top throughout', and 'the soldiers'. From the internal sense it is evident that truths are meant by 'garments', and Divine Truths by 'the Lord's garments'; 'casting lots for' and 'dividing them' pulling apart and dispersing them, 9093; and 'the tunic' Divine Truth on the spiritual level, emanating from the Divine Celestial, the same as is meant by 'Aaron's tunic' since Aaron represented the Lord, for which reason also its being 'without seam' or 'woven from the top throughout' has the same meaning as 'checkered' or 'woven', which describes Aaron's tunic. The tunic's not being divided was a sign that Divine Truth on the spiritual level, emanating directly from Divine Truth on the celestial level, could not be dispersed, because this truth is the inner truth of the Word, such as exists with angels in heaven.

[14] When it says that 'the soldiers did it' the meaning is that it was done by those who ought to have been fighting for truths, that is, the Jews themselves with whom the Word existed, but whose characters were nevertheless such that they would disperse it. For they had the Word, yet nevertheless did not wish to know from it that the Lord was the Messiah and Son of God who was to come. Nor did they wish to know anything of the inner meaning of the Word, only the outward, which they also drafted to serve their own loves, which were self-love and love of the world, and so to support their desires gushing out of those loves. These things are meant by dividing up the Lord's garments; for whatever they did to the Lord represented the state of Divine Truth and Good among them then, thus the way they treated God's truths was similar to that in which they were treating Him; for while in the world the Lord was Divine Truth itself, see the places referred to in 9199 (end), 9315 (end).

Bilješke: