Chapter 2.

Verses 1-20: After Jesus is Born

1. And when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came Magi from the east into Jerusalem,

2. Saying, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him.”

3. But having heard, Herod the king was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

4. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born.

5. And they said unto him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet:

6. ‘And thou Bethlehem, [of] the land of Judah, art by no means the least among the governors of Judah, for out of thee shall come a Governor, who shall shepherd My people Israel.’”

7. Then Herod, privately calling the Magi, precisely inquired of them at what time the star appeared.

8. And sending them to Bethlehem, he said, “Go and search earnestly for the little Child; and when you have found [Him], report to me, so that I also may come and worship Him.”

9. And when they had heard the king they went [out]; and behold, the star which they saw in the east went before them, till it came [and] stood over where the little Child was.

10. And having seen the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

11. And coming into the house, they found the little Child with Mary His mother, and falling [down] they worshiped Him; and opening their treasures, they offered to Him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

12. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed into their own country by another way.

13. And when they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph, saying, “Arise and take the little Child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there until I tell thee; for Herod is about to seek the little Child to destroy Him.”

14. And when he arose, he took the little Child and His mother by night, and departed into Egypt,

15. And was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was declared by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt have I called My Son.”

16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the Magi, was exceedingly wrathful, and sent out and slew all the boys that were in Bethlehem, and in all her borders , from two years and under, according to the time which he had precisely inquired of the Magi.

17. Then was fulfilled what was declared by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

18. “A voice was heard in Rama, lamentation, and weeping, and much howling, Rachel weeping [for] her children; and she was not willing to be comforted, because they are not.”

19. And when Herod was dead, behold, the angel of the Lord, in a dream appears to Joseph in Egypt,

20. Saying, “Arise, take the little Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel; for they are dead who sought the soul of the little Child.”

Joseph’s struggle within himself — as to whether or not to accept Mary and the child — represents the spiritual battle which each of us must undergo in the course of our regeneration. It is one thing to receive the Lord in the understanding (represented by Joseph), but quite another to allow Him to order the things of our will — represented by the angel telling Joseph to take Mary as his wife. This is the fiercer battle which now begins “after Jesus is born.”

The antagonist is Herod, the king of Judea at the time of Jesus’ birth. Comfortable and secure in his role as the supreme ruler of the land, Herod is deeply troubled by the report of the Wise Men who say, “Where is He who is born King of the Jews?” Spiritually seen, Herod, as king of Israel, represents total self-absorption, our corrupt hereditary will, setting itself up as the ruler of our lives. This is our state after fourteen generations of captivity in Babylon — a state in which we are governed by our basest emotions: greed, control, anger, fear, hatred and jealousy. We can be sure that whenever we find ourselves in a state like this, Herod is sitting comfortably and securely on his throne. He is a tyrannical ruler, easily threatened, but not easily dethroned. His motivating force is to destroy the Lord in us — even at His birth — rather than relinquish his control over us.

God knows that we need divine protection from the wrath of Herod who represents our selfish desire to control. God therefore speaks to Joseph (as He does to us) in a dream, saying “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and remain there until I bring you word; for Herod is about to seek the young Child to destroy Him” (2:13).

Egypt, at that time, was a world center for education and learning. Medicine, mathematics, poetry and many other fields of study were flourishing. So Jesus’ flight into Egypt represents the need that all of us have for basic education, not just the standard three “R’s,” (reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic) but the fourth “R” as well — the basics of religion.

Religious truth, especially the most basic, can help defend us against the onslaughts of Herod — the despot of our lower nature, a fierce tyrant who strives to murder everything that is true in us, even in its most innocent beginning. This is represented by Herod’s massacre of the male children in and around Bethlehem: “Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem, and in all its districts, from two years old and under” (Matthew 2:16; emphasis added).

The name “Bethlehem,” comes from two Hebrew words: “Beth” meaning “house” and “lechem” meaning “bread.” Therefore, Bethlehem means “House of Bread” — a place of spiritual nourishment. In the context of this episode, Herod’s destruction of all the male children of Bethlehem, two years old and under, represents how evil inclinations can destroy our earliest impulses to learn truth. These earliest desires to acquire knowledge of truth are symbolized by the male babies of Bethlehem. Whenever we fall into states of cynicism and skepticism, refusing to learn or trust the simple teachings of the Word, whenever we find ourselves without desire to seek the truth, and whenever the distractions of the world lure us away from the quest for wisdom, we can know that “Herod” has risen up in our hearts. A massacre has begun. “Herod in us” is striving to murder the innocent and tender qualities that have been born in our heavenly Bethlehem.

But if we flee to and remain in Egypt (as Jesus does), we will be protected. It is the place where our instruction begins. This is a temporary, but essential part of our spiritual development; temporary because we must eventually return to the land of Canaan where the truth will be applied to our lives; and essential, because these basic, natural truths are the only means by which we can be prepared to receive the higher insights that will eventually flow in from above. ¹

For most of us, the period of our instruction in basic truths can last for many years, well into adolescence and beyond. In fact, it never really ends. Throughout our lives we will continue to acquire knowledge, both worldly and spiritual. We will, as it were, “go down into Egypt.” And, as we do so, learning truth and putting it into our lives, we will begin to see how the literal teachings of scripture “open up” like parting clouds, revealing more and more of the interior truths they contain.

In Jesus’ own case, this process of acquiring basic truth was much more rapid. Although Matthew does not tell us how long Jesus remained in Egypt, we can safely assume He was still quite young when He left, for an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the soul of the young Child’s are dead” (Matthew 2:20; emphasis added).

Growing up in Nazareth

21. And he arose, [and] took the little Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.

22. And hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea instead of his father Herod, he feared to go thither; but being warned in a dream, he departed into the parts of Galilee.

23. And coming, He dwelt in a city called Nazareth, so that it might be fulfilled which was declared by the prophets, that He should be called a Nazarene.

Eventually, Joseph, Mary, and the young Child decide to return to Judea. This represents the next step in our spiritual journey. Once we have learned the simple, basic, most literal truths of the Word (sojourning in Egypt), it is time to return to Judea. It is time to be further instructed, and to see what is more interiorly concealed within the letter of the Word. This is a necessary step in every person’s spiritual development. The letter of the Word serves as a literal history of people and places; it is an introduction to basic truth. It does not, however, reveal the full details of our spiritual journey, or provide the kind of discernment we need for the refinement of our souls. Not yet, but that will surely come when we are ready to receive further instruction.

Meanwhile, as the divine narrative continues, Joseph is “warned by God in a dream” that it is not yet time to return to their home. Though Herod is dead, his son is still in power. And so Mary, Joseph, and the young Child turn aside into the region of Galilee, into a city called Nazareth. This is yet another step on the journey of spiritual development. In the language of sacred scripture, it could be called, “growing up in Nazareth.

But what does it mean to “grow up in Nazareth”?

Nazareth of Galilee was a primitive region populated mostly by farmers, fishermen and uneducated tradespeople who knew very little about theology or the laws of the temple.

Unlike the well-educated (but misguided) religious leaders in Judea, the people of Galilee were not part of the religious establishment of the time. Although they had a strong belief in God, they were not familiar with the main doctrines taught by the religious leaders or the traditions of the temple authorities. And yet, a simple belief in God is often better than a more complicated belief system based on human reason rather than divine revelation. In this regard, the “learned world” often looks down upon people who believe in simplicity that there is a God, and that God is good. ²

The simple, hard-working, good people of Nazareth, therefore, symbolize the humility and simplicity we need to believe in God and live according to His teachings. It is remarkable that almost all the early disciples came from Galilee. It was not their theological training that made them receptive to the teachings of Jesus — for they had very little. In fact, it might be said that it was the absence of theological training — or to be more precise, the absence of false and misleading theology — that made them receptive to Jesus’ words. ³

Galilee, then, and the city of Nazareth which was in the region of Galilee, represent the simplicity of heart and the goodness of life that can receive God openly without skepticism or negativity. Because their religious principles are simple and uncomplicated — love God, love your neighbor — these people can receive Jesus’ teachings readily and with joy. All this is contained in the scriptural statement that Jesus grew up in Nazareth of Galilee, in the “land of the Gentiles.” ⁴ These words speak about a state in us “where Jesus grows up” — a state in which we are willing to receive basic truths simply, uncritically, and with joy.

As we shall see later in the narrative, the fact that Jesus grows up in Nazareth, in the land of the Gentiles, will be held against Him. The religious leaders will regard Him as poor and uneducated, untrained in their religious tenets, and therefore incapable of understanding or conveying spiritual truth to anyone. And yet, as this episode closes, we learn that His growing up in Nazareth is the fulfillment of prophecy, for we read, “And He came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene’” (2:23).

As we reflect on this miraculous moment in the early life of Jesus, it becomes evident that those simple, most basic truths we learn (Egypt) must be protected in a place of simple trust and unalloyed faith (Nazareth of Galilee). This is a necessary stage in which early truths from the letter of the Word can deepen and develop. It is why we feel a natural desire to protect the innocence of children from corrupting influences — Herod, and the son of Herod. And it is the same with each of us as we learn new truth from the letter of the Word, and allow it to grow up within us in a state of simple faith.

Bilješke:

195. Verse 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their garments, signifies those who live a moral life from a spiritual origin, by applying the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to the uses of their life. This is evident from the signification of "name," as being the quality of the state of man's life (See above, n. 148); here, therefore, "names" signify men who are such. It is evident also from the signification of "the church in Sardis," as being those who live a moral life but not a spiritual life, because they have little regard for the knowledges of truth and good from the Word (See also above, n. 148, 182); but here those are meant who live a moral life from a spiritual origin, for it is said, "that have not defiled their garments." It is evident also from the signification of "garments," as being knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions in the natural man (of which presently). "Not defiling their garments," therefore, signifies living as a moral man not for the sake of self and the world, which is for the sake of the body and its life only, but for the sake of the Lord and of heaven, which is for the sake of the soul and its life. From this it is clear that "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their garments," signifies such as live a moral life from a spiritual origin, by applying the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to their life.

[2] But as few know what it is to live a moral life from a spiritual origin, and what it is to apply the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to the uses of their life, it shall be told. Man lives a moral life from a spiritual origin when he lives it from religion; that is, when he thinks, when anything evil, insincere, or unjust presents itself: that this must not be done because it is contrary to the Divine laws. When one abstains from doing such things in deference to Divine laws he acquires for himself spiritual life, and his moral life is then from the spiritual; for by such thoughts and faith man communicates with the angels of heaven, and by communication with heaven his internal spiritual man is opened, the mind of which is a higher mind, such as the angels of heaven have, and he is thereby imbued with heavenly intelligence and wisdom. From this it can be seen that to live a moral life from a spiritual origin is to live from religion, and within the church, to live from the Word; for those who live a moral life from religion and from the Word are elevated above their natural man, thus above what is their own [proprium], and are led by the Lord through heaven; consequently they have faith, the fear of God, and conscience, and also the spiritual affection of truth, which is the affection of the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, for to such men these are Divine laws, according to which they live. Many of the heathen live such a moral life, for they think that evil must not be done because it is contrary to their religion; this is why so many of them are saved.

[3] But on the other hand, to live a moral life not from religion, but only from the fear of the law in the world, and of the loss of fame, honor, and gain, is to live a moral life not from a spiritual but from a natural origin; therefore to such there is no communication with heaven. And as they think insincerely and unjustly regarding the neighbor, although they speak and act otherwise, their internal spiritual man is closed, and the internal natural man only is opened; and when this is open they are in the light of the world, but not in the light of heaven. For this reason such persons have in them little regard for Divine and heavenly things, and some deny them, believing nature and the world to be everything. (From this it can now be seen what it is to live a moral life from a spiritual origin, and what it is to live it from a natural origin; but these things may be seen set forth in clearer light in the work on Heaven and Hell 528-535.) Of those who live a moral life from a natural origin only, it may be said that they "defile their garments," for "garments" mean that which is outside the man himself and which clothes him, thus his natural man with the things that are in it, which are knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions; and when these are from the Word they are defiled by the fact that he learns and holds them only for the sake of reputation, that he may be thought learned or well informed, or that he may thereby acquire honors and gain wealth; and except for such ends he has no regard for them. Thus it is that the knowledges from the Word are polluted and defiled by the loves of self and the world, for these knowledges dwell in the same place with the evils and falsities that gush out from those loves as from their fountains.

[4] It was said above, that man becomes spiritual by means of the knowledges of truth and good from the Word applied to the uses of life. Why men become spiritual by means of knowledges from the Word, and not by means of other knowledges, shall now be told. All things that are in the Word are Divine, and they are Divine for the reason that they have in them a spiritual sense, and by that sense communicate with heaven and with the angels there. When, therefore, man has knowledges from the Word and applies them to life, then through these he has communication with heaven and by that communication becomes spiritual; for man becomes spiritual by his being in like or in corresponding truths with the angels of heaven. It is said in "corresponding" truths, because each and all things in the sense of the letter of the Word are correspondences, for they correspond to the truths that angels have. But the knowledges derived from other books, which set forth and by various means establish the doctrines of the church, do not effect communication with heaven except by the knowledges from the Word they contain; such knowledges do give communication if they are rightly understood and are applied to life, and not to faith alone. Everyone can see that this is so from this, that the Word in itself is Divine, and what is Divine in itself can become Divine with man by his applying it to life. "Becoming Divine with man" means that the Lord can have His abode with man (John 14:23), thus dwelling with him in what is His own (that the Lord dwells in His own with man and angel, and not in what is their own [proprio illorum], see in the work on Heaven and Hell 12). The Lord dwells in His own when He dwells in those things with man that are from the Word, for the Lord is the Word (John 1:1, 2, 14); and the words that He spoke, that is, that are in the Word:

Are spirit and life (John 6:63, 68; 12:50).

[5] That "garments" signify the things that are in the natural man, which are knowledges [scientifica], ¹ true or false, or cognitions, is from the spiritual world; for in the spiritual world all, however many, appear clothed according to their moral life; consequently those who have lived a moral life from a spiritual origin appear clothed in shining white garments, like fine linen; but those who have lived a moral life from a natural origin only, appear according to the nature of that life, those who have polluted their life by evils and falsities appearing in dark garments, mean, torn, and hideous to behold (See the work on Heaven and Hell 177-182). From this now it is that "garments" in the Word signify truths from good, and in the contrary sense falsities from evil, both of them in the natural man; truths and falsities in the natural man are called knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions.

[6] That "garments" in the Word signify truths or falsities can be clearly seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion, put on the garments of thy splendor, O Jerusalem; for henceforth there shall no more come to thee the uncircumcised and the unclean (Isaiah 52:1).

"Zion" in the Word signifies the Lord's celestial kingdom, thus also the celestial church, and "Jerusalem" the spiritual kingdom and the spiritual church (what the celestial kingdom is, and the spiritual kingdom, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28). The "garments of splendor that Jerusalem must put on" are Divine truths; the "uncircumcised and the unclean that shall not come to them" are those who are in evils and falsities.

[7] In Ezekiel:

Jerusalem, I clothed thee with broidered work, I shod thee with badger's skin, I girded thee about with fine linen. I adorned thee with ornament, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy throat, and a jewel upon thy nose, and earrings upon thine ears, yea, a crown of ornament upon thy head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy garments were fine linen, silk, and broidered work, whence thou becamest exceeding beautiful, and didst prosper even unto the kingdom. But thou didst take of thy garments, and didst make to thee high places with divers colors, that thou mightest commit whoredom upon them; thou also didst take garments of thy broidered work, and didst cover the images of a male, with which thou didst commit whoredom (Ezekiel 16:10-13, 16-18).

Here what the church was when it was first established by the Lord is described; the "garments" that are mentioned are truths from good; "broidered work" is true knowledge [scientificum]; "fine linen and silk" are truths from a celestial source; the "bracelets," "chain," "jewel," "earrings," and "crown," are decorations signifying things spiritual of various kinds; the "gold and silver" with which she was decked are the good of love and its truth. Then the same church when perverted is described, by this, that "she took of the garments, and did make to herself high places with divers colors," signifying truths falsified; and that "she took the garments of broidered work, and covered the images of a male," signifies that they applied the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word to so confirm falsities even so as to make them appear like truths; "committing whoredom with them" and "under them" signifies making doctrine and worship out of falsities (that this is to "commit whoredom," see above, n. 141, 161).

(That "Jerusalem" is the church where there is true doctrine, see Arcana Coelestia 402, 3654, 9166. That "broidered work" is knowledges [scientificum], n. Arcana Coelestia 9688. That "fine linen" is truth from a celestial origin, n. 5319, 9469. That "bracelets" are truths and goods of the church, n. 3103, 3105. That "a chain [for the neck]" is representative of the conjunction of interior and exterior things, n . 5320; that "jewels [for the nose]" and "earrings" are representatives of perception and obedience, n. Arcana Coelestia 4551. That "a crown" means wisdom, see above, n. 126. That "gold" is the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 9510, 9874, 9881; that "silver" is truth from that good, n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658. That "high places with divers colors" are truths falsified, n. 796, 4005. That the "male" or "masculine" is truth, n. 749, 2046, 4005, 7838; therefore "images of a male" are appearances of truth.)

[8] In the same:

Fine linen in broidered work from Egypt was thy spreading forth, blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was thy covering. Syria was thy merchant in purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, with chrysoprasus. Dedan was thy merchant with garments of liberty for the chariot; Asshur and Chilmad with bales of blue and of broidered work, and with treasures of precious garments (Ezekiel 27:7, 16, 20, 23-24).

Here Tyre and her wares are treated of, and "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good, and "trading" and "trafficking," signify acquiring for oneself and communicating such knowledges; "purple and blue" signify the celestial love of good and truth; "Egypt," the knowledge belonging to the natural man; by "broidered work from Egypt" the like; "Syria" the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good; "Asshur" the rational of that church; "Dedan" those who are in the knowledges of celestial things. From this it can be seen that the "wares of Tyre," treated of in the whole of that chapter, do not mean wares, but each and all these things mean spiritual things, which man ought to acquire, be imbued with, and communicate. (That "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of good and truth, see Arcana Coelestia 1201. That "Egypt" signifies the knowledges [scientificum] belonging to the natural man, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 5700, 5702, 6015, 6651, 6679, 6682, 6683, 6692, 7296, 9340, 9391. That "Syria" is the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good, n. 1232, 1234, 3664, 3680, 4112. That "Dedan" signifies those who are in the knowledges of celestial things, n. 3240, 3241. That "Asshur" is the rational therefrom, n. 119, 1186. That "purple" is the celestial love of good, n. Arcana Coelestia 9467. That "blue" is the celestial love of truth, n. 9466, 9687, 9833; likewise "chrysoprasus," n. Arcana Coelestia 9868. What "fine linen" and "broidered work" signify, see just above.)

[9] In David:

The king's daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is inwrought with gold. She shall be brought unto the king in broidered work (Psalms 45:13-14).

The "king's daughter" signifies the spiritual affection of truth, and therefore the church consisting of those who are in that affection; "king" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth; "clothing inwrought with gold," intelligence and wisdom from that truth; the "broidered work" in which she should "be brought to the king" signifies the knowledges of truth. (That "daughter" signifies the affection of truth, and the church therefrom, see Arcana Coelestia 2362, 2623, 3373, 3963, 4257, 6729, 6775, 6779, 8649, 9055, 9807. That "king" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth, see above, n. 31.)

[10] In the second book of Samuel:

Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with dainty things, and who put an ornament of gold upon your apparel (2 Samuel 1:24).

This is in the lamentation of David over Saul, which he wrote:

To teach the sons of Judah the bow (2 Samuel 1:18);

by "bow" is signified truth combating against falsities (See Arcana Coelestia 2686[1-8] Arcana Coelestia 2686[1-8], 2709); "Saul" here, as a king, signifies such truth; the "sons of Judah" signify those who are in truths from good; "to clothe the daughters of Israel in scarlet," and "to put ornaments of gold upon the apparel," is to impart intelligence and wisdom to those who are in the spiritual affection of truth.

[11] In Matthew:

When the king came in to behold those reclining to eat, he saw there a man that had not on a wedding garment; and he said unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? He was speechless. Then said the king, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into outer darkness (Matthew 22:11-13).

A "wedding garment" signifies the intelligence of the spiritual man, which is from the knowledges of truth and good; but "he that had not on a wedding garment" signifies a hypocrite, who by a moral life counterfeits the spiritual life when yet he is merely natural; "to bind him hand and foot" signifies the deprivation of the knowledges from the Word, by which he has put on the likeness of a spiritual man; "to be cast out into outer darkness" signifies among those who are in falsities from evil (for "outer darkness" signifies falsities from evil).

[12] In Zephaniah :

I will visit upon the princes, and upon the king's sons, and upon all that are clothed with the garments of the alien (Zephaniah 1:8). "Princes" and "king's sons" signify those who are in truths, and in a contrary sense, as here, those who are in falsities; these are said to be "clothed with the garment of the alien," because "garment" signifies falsity, and "alien" those who are out of the church and do not acknowledge the truths of the church.

[13] In Matthew:

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing; inwardly they are ravening wolves (Mat. Matthew 7:15).

"False prophets in sheep's clothing, who inwardly are ravening wolves," are those who teach falsities as if they were truths, and who in appearance live a moral life, but who by themselves, when they think from their spirit, think of nothing but themselves and the world, and are eager to deprive all others of truths.

[14] In John:

Jesus said to Peter, When thou wast younger thou girdedst thyself and walkedst whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldest not (John 21:18).

What these words signify in the spiritual sense may be seen above n. 9; namely, that by "Peter" is meant the faith of the church; when he "was younger and girded himself and walked whither he would" means the faith of the church at the beginning, when men are in the good of charity, that they then think about the truths of the church from the spiritual man, which is to think from their spirit, thus from the spiritual affection of truth, that is, from freedom. But by "Peter when old, that he should stretch forth his hands and another should gird him," is meant the faith of the church at its end, when faith would be without charity, that they then would think nothing about the truths of the church from themselves, but from others, thus from doctrine only and not from the Word, which is relatively a servile state. For to believe what another says is servile, but to believe what one himself thinks from the Word is freedom; according to the Lord's words in John:

If ye abide in My Word, ye are truly My disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:31-32).

[15] In Luke:

No man putteth a piece of a new garment on an old garment; else the new will rend the old, and the piece from the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and itself be spilt, and the bottles be destroyed (Luke 5:36-37; Matthew 9:16-17; Mark 2:21-22).

Because a "garment" signifies truth, the Lord compared the truths of the former church, which was a church representative of spiritual things, to a piece of an old garment, and the truths of the new church, which were spiritual truths themselves, to a piece of a new garment; He compared them likewise to bottles of wine, because "wine" in like manner signifies truth, and "bottles" mean the knowledges that contain truth. (That "wine" in the Word signifies truth, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 219.)

[16] From this it can now be seen what is signified in the Word elsewhere by "garments," which are often mentioned there, as in the following passages. In Revelation:

And upon the thrones four and twenty elders sitting, arrayed in white garments (Revelation 4:4).

Again:

The armies of the One sitting upon the white horse followed Him, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Revelation 19:14).

And:

They who stood before the throne in sight of the Lamb, were clothed in white robes (Revelation 7:9).

Again:

The seven angels from the temple were clothed in linen, clean and shining (Revelation 15:6).

Again:

White robes were given to everyone of those under the altar (Revelation 6:11).

Again:

Buy gold and white garments (Revelation 3:18).

In Ezekiel:

If he giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a garment (Ezekiel 18:16).

"To give bread to the hungry" signifies in the spiritual sense to instruct from the good of charity those who long for truths; "to cover the naked with a garment" signifies to instruct, in like manner, those who are not in truths.

[17] In the same:

The enemies shall strip thee of thy garments, and shall take away the jewels of thine adorning (Ezekiel 23:26).

In Zechariah:

Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and thus stood before the angel. And he said to those that stood before him, Take away the filthy garments from off him. And he said, I have made thine iniquity to pass from off thee, in clothing thee with changed garments (Zechariah 3:3-5).

In Lamentations :

They have wandered blind in the streets, they have been polluted with blood; what they cannot pollute they touch with their clothes (Lamentations 4:14).

From the signification of "garments" it can be known what is meant by many statutes with the sons of Israel:

That they should not put on mixed garments (Leviticus 19:19; Deuteronomy 22:11);

That a woman should not wear the vessels of a man, nor a man be clothed with the garments of a woman (Deuteronomy 22:5);

That they should wash their garments that they might be purified, and thus sanctified (Exodus 19:14; Leviticus 11:25, 11:28, 11:40; 14:8; (Leviticus 14:8); Numbers 19:11-22);

and elsewhere:

That in mourning for transgression against Divine truths they should put off their garments and put on sackcloth (Isaiah 15:3; 22:12; 37:1-2; Jeremiah 4:8; 6:26; 48:37; 49:3; Lamentations 2:10; Ezekiel 27:31; Amos 8:10; Jonah 3:5-6, 3:8);

And that they should rend their garments (Isaiah 37:1 and elsewhere).

Also what this signifies:

That the disciples laid their garments upon the ass and the colt when the Lord was going to Jerusalem, and that the people then strewed their garments in the way (Matthew 21:7-9; Mark 11:7-8; Luke 19:35-36);

can be seen above n. 31.

[18] That "garments" signify truths has its origin in this, that the light of heaven is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as a sun there, and all things that have existence in the heavens have existence from the light there, and this is true in like manner of the garments in which the angels appear clothed. It is from this:

That the angels who sat at the Lord's sepulchre had raiment white as snow (Matthew 28:3);

And that their garments were shining (Luke 24:4).

(That the garments in which the angels appear clothed correspond to their intelligence, and that they have intelligence according to their reception of Divine truth from the Lord, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 177-182;and that Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is light in heaven, n. 126-135.) From this it can be seen what "garments" signify in reference to the Lord, namely, Divine truth proceeding from Him; and as Divine truth is signified, the Word also is signified, for the Word is Divine truth from the Lord on earth and in the heavens. This was represented by the Lord's "garments" when He was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, which are thus described in the Evangelists:

When Jesus was transfigured, His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as the light (Matthew 17:2);

And white, dazzling (Luke 9:29);

And glistering white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them (Mark 9:3).

The like is said of the Ancient of Days in Daniel:

The Ancient of Days did sit, and His garment was like white snow (Daniel 7:9).

"The Ancient of Days" is the Lord from eternity. As "light" is Divine truth, and this in reference to the Lord is signified by "garments," therefore it is said in David:

Jehovah covereth Himself with light as with a garment (Psalms 104:2).

[19] From this it can be seen what the Lord's garments mentioned elsewhere in the Word signify. As in David:

He hath anointed all Thy garments with myrrh and aloes and cassia (Psalms 45:7-8);

where the Lord is treated of. In Moses:

He will wash His vesture in wine, and His covering in the blood of grapes (Genesis 49:11).

This is also said of the Lord. "Wine" and "the blood of grapes" signify Divine truth. Because the Lord's garments signified Divine truth, therefore also:

Those who touched the border of His garment were healed (Matthew 9:20-21; Mark 5:27-28, 30; 6:56; Luke 8:44).

In Isaiah:

Who is this that cometh from Edom, His garments bespattered from Bozrah; this that is honorable in His apparel? Wherefore art Thou red in Thine apparel, and Thy garments as of one treading in the wine-press? Their victory is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel (Isaiah 63:1-3).

This also is said of the Lord; "garments" here signify the Word, which, as has been said, is Divine truth from the Lord on earth and in the heavens; the violence offered to Divine truth or to the Word by those who were then of the church, is described by this, that "He was red in apparel as one treading in the wine-press," and that "victory was sprinkled upon His garments," and that "He had stained all his raiment."

[20] In Revelation:

He that sat on the white horse was arrayed with a garment dipped in blood; and His name is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:13).

Here it is plainly declared that He who sat on the white horse was called "the Word of God;" and it is clear that this is the Lord, for it is immediately said of Him:

He hath on His garment and on His thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).

It is therefore the Word in the letter that is signified by the "garment dipped in blood," since violence was done to it, but not to the Word in the spiritual sense; violence could not be done to this, because they knew nothing about it.

[21] That violence was done to the Word in the sense of the letter, but not to the Word in the spiritual sense, is signified also by the soldiers dividing the Lord's garments, but not His tunic, of which it is said in John:

The soldiers took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part, also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore one to another, Let us not divide it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be. These things therefore the soldiers did (John 19:23-24).

And in David:

They parted My garments, and cast the lot upon My vesture (Psalms 22:18).

"The garments of the Lord which they parted" signify the Word in the letter; His "tunic" the Word in the spiritual sense; "soldiers" signify those of the church who should fight in behalf of Divine truth; therefore it is said, "These things therefore the soldiers did." (That "tunic" signifies Divine truth, or the Word in the spiritual sense, see Arcan (Arcana Coelestia 9826, 9942) a Coelestia, n. 9826, 9942; that "soldiers" signify those who are of the church, and who should fight in behalf of Divine truth, see above, n. 64, at the end, where these things are more fully explained.) It should be known that each particular related in the Evangelists respecting the Lord's passion, involves and signifies how the church at that time, which was among the Jews, had treated Divine truth, thus the Word, for this was Divine truth with them; the Lord also was the Word, because He was Divine truth (John 1:1, 2, 14). But what each particular involves and signifies cannot be known except from the internal sense. Here it will be told only what "the Lord's garments" signified, because the meaning of "garments" is here treated of, namely, that they signify truths, and in reference to the Lord, Divine truths.

[22] "The garments of Aaron and of his sons" have a like signification, because Aaron with his sons represented the Lord in respect to Divine good, and their garments the Lord in respect to Divine truth. (But these things may be seen explained and shown in the Arcana Coelestia; as that Aaron represented the Lord in respect to Divine good, n.9806, 9946, 10017; also what each of their garments signified, the breastplate, the ephod, the cloak, the tunic wrought with checker work, the miter, and the belt, n. 9814, 9823-9828)

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