THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 35

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

1. THE wilderness and the parched place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom like the rose:

VERSES 1, 2. The subject here treated of is concerning the illumination of the nations. Their ignorance of Truth and Good is signified by the "wilderness" and the "parched places"; their joy, in consequence of instruction in Truths and of illumination therein, is signified by "being glad, rejoicing, and flourishing"; "the glory of Lebanon which shall be given unto it", signifies divine Truth; and "the honour of Carmel and of Sharon", the divine Good which they receive. Hence it is that it is also said "These shall behold the "glory of Jehovuh, the honour of our God." Apocalypse Explained 288.

2. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the honour of Carmel and of Sharon: these shall behold the glory of Jehovah, the honour of our God.

Verse 2. The honour of Carmel, etc. - By giving to the Lord "glory and honour", nothing else is signified ill the Word than to acknowledge and confess that all Truth and Good are from Him, thus, that He is the only God; for "glory" is given to Him from divine Truth, and "honour" from divine Good, as might be shown from many passages in the Word. (Isaiah 35:2; Psalm 96:6, 7; 104:1; 111:2, 3) Apocalypse Revealed 249.

As to "Sharon", see Chapter 33:9, the Exposition and note.

3. Strengthen you the feeble hands, and confirm you the tottering knees.

Verses 3, 4. These are words of consolation to those who were in the fear of damnation, for it is intimated that "their hands were feeble", and that "their knees were tottering." (Swedenborg's

Notes on Isaiah, p. 94.) .

4. Say you to the faint- hearted, Be you strong; fear you not: behold, your God will come to vengeance, to the retribution of God: He Himself will come, and will save you.

5. Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened; and the ears of the deaf unstopped.

Verses 4-6. Behold, your God will come to vengeance, etc. - These things are said concerning the advent of the Lord, to teach that at that time they will be saved who believe in Him. That they who are not in the understanding of Truth shall then understand, is signified by "the eyes of the blind shall be opened"; and that they who are not in the perception and will of Good, shall then obey and live in Good, is signified by "the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped." It is therefore said, "In the wilderness shall break forth Waters, and strrains in the desert"; "desert" signifies where there is not Good, because there is not Truth:

"waters" signify truths, and " streams " intelligence derived from truths. Apocalypse Explained 239. See also Arcana Coelestia 2702.

6. Then shall the lame leap like the hart; and the tongue of the dumb shall sing: for in the wilderness shall break forth waters, and streams in the desert:

Verse 6. These things are said concerning the advent of the Lord. By the "lame" are signified those who are in Good, but not genuine, because in ignorance of Truth by which Good has its quality; to "leap like a hart", signifies to have joy from perception of Truth, By the "dumb" are signified those who, on account of their ignorance of Truth, cannot confess the Lord, nor the genuine truths of the church; by their "singing" is denoted joy from the intelligence of Truth. By "waters breaking out in the wilderness", is meant that truths shall be opened where they were not before; and "streams in the desert" signify intelligence there; for "waters" are truths, and "streams" intelligence. From these observations it may appear what is signified, in the. spiritulal sense, by "the deaf man whom the Lord healed, who had an impediment in his speech, concerning which see Mark 7:32-35. Apocalypse Explained 455. See also Arcana Coelestia 8508.

The tongue of the dumb shall sing, etc. - "The tongue of the dumb shall sing", signifies that they shall confess the Lord, and the things which are of faith in Him. "In the wilderness shall break forth waters, and streams in the desert", denotes that they will then have the knowledges of Truth and of Good. the "desert" is a state of no knowledges, from ignorance. By the "dumb" who were healed by the Lord, are also signified the nations who, by His advent into the world, were delivered from falsities and the evils thence derived. Arcana Coelestia 6988.

7. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: and in the habitation of dragons , where each lay, [shall be] grass, instead of the reed and the bulrush.

Verse 7. Speaking of the establishment of the church by the Lord. That then they with whom there was not any intelligence before, shall now have intelligence by divine Truth spiritual, is signified by "the parched ground becoming a pool"; and that then there shall be scIence by divine Truth natural for those with whom before there was only sensual truth, is signified by "grass instead of the reed and the bulrush"; "grass" denoting science from a spiritual origin, or by which spiritual Truth is confirmed, and "reed" and "bulrush" science from a sensual origin, or by which the fallacies of the senses are confirmed. This latter science, considered in itself, is only the lowest natural science, properly called material and corporeal, in which there is little or nothing of life. Apocalypse Explained 627.

8. And a highway shall be there, and a way; and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass through it: but it shall be for them; he that walks in the way, and fools shall not err therein.

Verse 8. That "way" denotes Truth, is grounded in appearance in the spiritual world, where also ways and paths, and, in the cities, streets and lanes appear; and spirits go in no other direction than to those with whom they are consociated by love. Hence It IS that the quality of the spirits there, in regard to Truth, is known from the way which they go; for all Truth leads to its Love, inasmuch as that is called Truth which confirms what is loved; hence it is that "way" also, in common discourse, denotes Truth, for the speech of man has derived this, like several other expressions, from the spiritual world. From this ground now it is that, In the Word, by "way", "path", "by-path", "orbit", "street", and "lane", are signified Truths, and, in the opposite sense, falsities, as is evident from the following passages:

"Stand you near the ways, and see; inquire concerning the ways of an age which way is the best." (Jeremiah 6:16)

Again,

"Make good your ways and your works; trust not in yourselves on the words of a lie." (Jeremiah 7:3-5)

Again,

"Learn not the way of the nations." (Jeremiah 10:2)

Again,

"I will give to every one, according to his ways, according to the fruit of his works. (Jeremiah 17:10)

Again,

"They have made them to stumble in their ways, the by-path of an age, that they might go away into paths, a way not paved. (Jeremiah 18:15)

Again,

"I will give them one heart, and one way. (Jeremiah 32:39)

And In David:

"Your ways, O Jehovah, make known to me; Your paths teach me. Lead me in Your Truth", (Psalm 25:4, 5)

In these passages, and in many others, by a "Way" is signified Truth! and, in the opposite sense, the false. Arcana Coelestia 10422.

9. No lion shall be there; nor shall any ravenous beast come up thither: neither shall it be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there.

10. And the ransomed of Jehovah shall return: they shall come to Zion with singing, and with everlasting joy upon their heads: gladness and joy shall they obtain; and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Verse 9. Treating of the advent of the Lord, and of the state of those who are in His kingdom. That" no lion shall be there", signifies that there shall be no false principle destroying Truth; and that "no ravenous beast shall come up thither", denotes that there shall be no lust of destroying. Inasmuch as this lust is from hell. It is therefore said, "It shall not come up thither." A. E, 388.

Verses 9, 10. Also treating concerning the advent of the Lord, and concerning the salvation of those who suffer themselves to be regenerated by the Lord. That there shall not be with them the false destroying Truth, nor evil destroying Good is signified by "no lion shall be there; nor shall any ravenous beast come up thither, neither shall it be found there." That they are vindicated from evils and liberated from falsities, is signified by "the redeemed shall walk there", and by "the ransomed of Jehovah shall return." The eternal felicity which they shall have, is signified by "they shall come to Zion with singing, and with everlasting joy upon their heads"; "Zion" denotes the church; what is signified by "singing", see Chapter 12:2, the Exposition. There are two words in the original tongue by which redemption is expressed, one signifies vindication from evils, the other liberation from falsities; and hence it is said "The redeemed shall walk, and the ransomed of Jehovah shall return:" In like manner those two expressions in Hosea 13:14; and in David, Psalm 69:18, 107:6.

That to "redeem" signifies to vindicate from evils and to liberate from falsities, and also to vindicate and liberate from hell is because all the evils and falsities with man rise up from hell; which inasmuch as they are removed by reformation and regeneration from the Lord, therefore reformation and regeneration are also signified by "redeeming" or by "redemption", as in the following passages in David:

"Arise for help unto us, and redeem us for Your mercies' sake" (Psalm 44:26),

where to "redeem" denotes to liberate and reform.

Again,

"God has redeemed my soul out of the hand of hell, and He will accept me." (Psalm 49:15)

To "redeem out of the hand of hell", denotes to liberate; and to "accept me", is to claim and conjoin to Himself, or to cause to be His, as servants sold and redeemed. Apocalypse Explained 328.

And sorrow and sighing shall flee away. - These words involve a total cessation of all temptation. See above, Chapter 25:8, the Exposition.

---

Isaiah Chapter 35

1. THE wilderness and the parched place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom like the rose:

2. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the honour of Carmel and of Sharon: these shall behold the glory of Jehovah, the honour of our God.

3. Strengthen you the feeble hands, and confirm you the tottering knees.

4. Say you to the faint- hearted, Be you strong; fear you not: behold, your God will come to vengeance, to the retribution of God: He Himself will come, and will save you.

5. Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened; and the ears of the deaf unstopped.

6. Then shall the lame leap like the hart; and the tongue of the dumb shall sing: for in the wilderness shall break forth waters, and streams in the desert:

7. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: and in the habitation of dragons , where each lay, [shall be] grass, instead of the reed and the bulrush.

8. And a highway shall be there, and a way; and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass through it: but it shall be for them; he that walks in the way, and fools shall not err therein.

9. No lion shall be there; nor shall any ravenous beast come up thither: neither shall it be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there.

10. And the ransomed of Jehovah shall return: they shall come to Zion with singing, and with everlasting joy upon their heads: gladness and joy shall they obtain; and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

455. And peoples and tongues, signifies all who are in falsities from ignorance and from various religions. This is evident from the signification of "peoples," as being those who are in the truths of doctrine, and in a contrary sense those who are in the falsities of doctrine (of which above, n. 175; but here, those who are in the falsities of doctrine from ignorance; for here are treated of those who are saved, although from the doctrine of their religion they have been in falsities. All those who are in the good of life in accordance with the dogmas of their religion, which they have believed to be true although they are not true, are saved, for falsity is not imputed to anyone who lives well according to the dogmas of his religion, because it is not his fault that he is ignorant of truths. For the good of life in accordance with a religion contains within itself the affection of knowing truths, and these truths are learned and accepted when such persons come into the other life, for every affection remains with man after death, and especially the affection of knowing truths, because this is a spiritual affection; and when man becomes a spirit, he is his affection; consequently the truths that are then desired are imbibed and thus received deeply in the heart. (That when a man lives well falsities of religion are accepted by the Lord as truths, see above, n. 452.) The above is evident from the signification of "tongues," as meaning their confessions from religion, for "tongues" mean speech, and "speech" signifies confession and religion, because the tongue utters and confesses the things that pertain to religion.

[2] There is frequent mention in the Word of the "lip," the "mouth," and the "tongue;" and the "lip" signifies doctrine, the "mouth" thought, and the "tongue" confession. "Lip," "mouth," and "tongue," have this signification because these are the externals of man, by means of which things internal find expression, and it is things internal that are signified in the internal or spiritual sense. For the Word in the letter consists of external things that are manifest before the eyes and are perceived by the senses, therefore the Word in the letter is natural, and this in order that the Divine truth that it contains may be there in what is ultimate and thus in fullness. But these external things, which are natural, include in themselves things internal that are spiritual, and these therefore are the things that are signified.

[3] That "tongues" signify confessions from religion, and according to the dogmas of religion, can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

The time shall come for bringing together all nations and tongues, that they may come and see My glory (Isaiah 66:18).

This is said of the Lord's coming; "nations and tongues" signify all who are in the good of life according to their religions; "tongues" signify religions from confessions; it is therefore said "that they may come and see My glory," "glory" signifying Divine truth, by which the church exists.

[4] In Daniel:

Behold, with the clouds of the heavens one like the Son of man. And there was given Him dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, tongues, and nations might worship Him (Daniel 7:13, 14).

"The Son of man who was to come in the clouds of the heavens," evidently means the Lord, and "the clouds of the heavens" mean the Word in the letter, in which it is said that the Lord is to come, for the Word treats of Him, and in the inmost sense of Him alone. Therefore it is said "Son of man," because the Lord is called "the Son of man" from Divine truth, which is the Word. But respecting this see more above n. 36 where these words are explained:

Behold, He cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see Him (Revelation 1:7).

The Lord's power from Divine good is meant by "dominion," and from Divine truth by "glory," and heaven and the church are meant by "kingdom." "Peoples, tongues, and nations," signify all those who are in doctrine and in a life according to their religions; those who are in doctrine are called "peoples," those who are in life "nations," and "tongues" mean religions.

[5] In Zechariah:

In those days ten men out of all tongues of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of a man that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you (Zechariah 8:23).

The spiritual sense of these words may be seen above n. 433; namely, that a "Jew" means those who are in love to the Lord and in the truths of doctrine from Him; and that "all tongues of the nations" mean those who are of various religions.

[6] "Tongues" have a like signification in the following passages.

In Moses:

From these were the islands of the nations separated in their lands, every man according to his tongue, according to their families, in their nations. The habitations of the sons of Shem, according to their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations (Genesis 10:5, 31).

In Revelation:

Thou must prophesy again over many peoples and nations and tongues and kings (Revelation 10:11).

Again:

And they of the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations shall see their bodies three days and a half (Revelation 11:9).

Again:

And it was given unto the beast to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and there was given him power over every tribe and tongue and nation (Revelation 13:7).

Again:

I saw an angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to proclaim unto those that dwell on the earth, and unto every nation and tribe and tongue and people (Revelation 14:6).

And again:

The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues (Revelation 17:15).

"Waters" here signify the truths of the Word, for "waters" in the Word signify truths, and in the contrary sense falsities; therefore here "peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues," mean those who are in truths falsified, which in themselves are falsities, and are consequently in evils of life.

[7] In Luke:

The rich man said to Abraham, Have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and may cool my tongue, for I am tortured in this flame (Luke 16:24).

In this parable, as in others, the Lord spake by correspondences, as can be seen by this, that the "rich man" does not mean the rich, nor does "Abraham" mean Abraham, nor by "the water with which Lazarus might cool the tongue" are water and tongue meant, nor does the "flame" mean flame, for in hell no one is tortured by flames; but a "rich man" means those who are of the church where the Word is, from which they have spiritual riches, which are truths of doctrine; so the "rich man" here means the Jews, with whom was the Word at that time; "Abraham" means the Lord; the "water into which Lazarus might dip the tip of his finger" signifies truth from the Word; and "tongue" signifies a thirst and eagerness to pervert the truths that are in the Word; and the "flame" the punishment of that eagerness, which is various and manifold. This makes evident what these things signify in the series, and that "to cool the tongue with water" signifies to allay the thirst and the eagerness to pervert truths, and to confirm falsities thereby. Who cannot see that it does not mean that Lazarus should dip the tip of his finger in water to cool the tongue?

[8] In Zechariah:

This shall be the plague wherewith Jehovah will strike all the peoples that shall fight against Jerusalem; his flesh shall waste away as he stands upon his feet, and his eyes shall waste away in their sockets and his tongue shall waste away in his mouth (Zechariah 14:12).

This is said of those who endeavor to destroy the truths of doctrine by means of falsities; and this is signified by "fighting against Jerusalem," "Jerusalem" signifying the church in respect to doctrine, and thence the truths of the doctrine of the church; "the flesh shall waste away" signifies that all good of love and of life will perish, for this is what "flesh" signifies; "standing upon his feet" means upon bones without flesh, which signifies that they will be wholly corporeal-natural, "feet" signifying the things that belong to the natural man, here its lowest things; "his eyes shall waste away in their sockets" signifies that all the understanding of truth will perish, "eyes" signifying the understanding; "his tongue shall waste away in his mouth" signifies that all the perception of truth and all the affection of good will perish; "tongue" signifying also the perception of truth and the affection of good, the perception of truth from its speaking, and the affection of good from its power of tasting, for "taste" signifies appetite, desire, and affection.

[9] In the book of Judges:

Jehovah said unto Gideon, Everyone that lappeth the waters with his tongue as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; and everyone that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped in their hand were three hundred men; and these were led against Midian and smote him (Judges 7:5-7).

"Midian" here means those who do not care for truth, because they are merely natural and external; therefore Midian was smitten by those who "lapped the waters in the hand with the tongue like a dog;" these mean such as have an appetite for truths, thus they who from some natural affection seek to know truths, a "dog" signifying appetite and eagerness, "waters" truths, and "lapping them with the tongue" to have an appetite for and eagerly seek. So it was by these that Midian was smitten. Anyone can see that such things would not have been commanded unless they had been significative.

[10] In David:

Thou hidest them in the hiding place of Thy faces from the pride of man; Thou concealest them in a pavilion from the strife of tongues (Psalms 31:20).

"A hiding place of faces in which Jehovah hides them," signifies the Divine good of the Divine love, for "the face of Jehovah" signifies the good of love, and "the hiding place" signifies inwardly in man; "the pride of man" signifies the pride of self-intelligence; the "pavilion in which He hides them" signifies Divine truth; and "the strife of tongues" signifies the falsity of religion from which they reason against truths. This makes clear what these things signify in series.

[11] In Jeremiah:

Lo, I will bring upon you a nation, a nation whose tongue thou shalt not know nor shall thou understand what they speak. It shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread (Jeremiah 5:15, 17).

This does not mean that a nation of an unknown tongue or of an unintelligible speech should be brought; but an evil nation of an utterly different religion is meant, whose dogmas they shall not know nor understand the reasonings therefrom; and in an abstract sense the falsities of evil which are altogether contrary to the truths of good are signified; for "nation" in an abstract sense means evil, and "tongue" here means the falsity of religion, and "to speak" means to reason therefrom; therefore it is added, "it shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread," for "harvest" signifies truths by which there is good, "bread" the good therefrom, and "to eat up" to consume and deprive.

[12] In Ezekiel:

Thou art not sent to a people of deep lip and heavy of tongue, but to the house of Israel; not to great peoples of deep lip and heavy of tongue, whose words thou shalt not hear. If I should send thee to them, will they not hearken unto thee? (Ezekiel 3:5, 6).

"Peoples of deep lip and heavy of tongue, whose words are not heard," signify those who are in an unintelligible doctrine, and thus in an abstruse religion, whose dogmas cannot be comprehended, "lip" signifying doctrine, "tongue" religion, and "words" its dogmas; therefore these peoples mean the nations that do not have the Word, by which Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is known. That these will receive Divine truths when they are instructed is signified by "these would hearken if he should be sent unto them."

[13] In Isaiah:

Thou wilt not see an obstinate people, a people of depths of lip that thou canst not hear; barbarous in tongue, without intelligence (Isaiah 33:19).

"A people of depths of lip and barbarous in tongue" has a similar signification here as "peoples of deep lip and heavy of tongue" above. Evidently a people with a speech that cannot be understood is not meant; for it is added, "barbarous in tongue, without intelligence," for there may be intelligence in the tongue or speech of such, but not in their religion.

[14] In the same:

I have sworn that unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear (Isaiah 45:23).

This is said of the coming of the Lord; and "every knee shall bow" signifies that all who are in natural good from spiritual good will worship Him, the "knee" signifying the conjunction of natural good with spiritual. This shows that bending the knees signifies acknowledgment, thanksgiving, and adoration from spiritual good and delight in the natural; "every tongue shall swear" signifies that all will confess the Lord who are in good from religion, "to swear" signifying to confess, and "tongue" religion according to which one lives.

[15] In David:

And my tongue shall meditate of Thy righteousness and of Thy praise all the day (Psalms 35:28).

Here, too, "tongue" signifies confession from the doctrine of the church, for it is said "to meditate of;" "righteousness" is predicated of the good of the church, and "praise" of its truth, as also elsewhere in the Word. So again in the same:

My tongue shall meditate of Thy righteousness all the day (Psalms 71:24).

[16] In the same:

With gall the wicked compass me, the mischief of their lips doth cover them; burning coals overwhelm them; with fire let them be cast into pits, that they rise not again; a man of tongue shall not be established in the earth (Psalms 140:9-11).

"Gall" signifies truth falsified, which in itself is falsity; "the mischief of their lips" signifies the falsity of doctrine therefrom, for "lips" signify doctrine; "burning coal by which they are overwhelmed," and the "fire with which they are to be cast into pits," signify the pride from self-intelligence and the love of self, through which they fall into mere falsities, "burning coals" signifying the pride of self-intelligence, "fire" the love of self, and "pits" falsities. Moreover all falsities of doctrine in the church and all falsifications of the Word spring from the pride of self-intelligence and from the love of self. This makes evident what is signified by "a man of tongue shall not be established in the earth," namely, a false religion.

[17] In the same:

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

"Lions" signify those who plunder the church of truths, and thus destroy it; the "sons of man who are set on fire," signify those who are in the truths of the church, and in an abstract sense the truths themselves, which are said to be "set on fire" by the pride of self-intelligence, whence come falsities; "their teeth are spear and arrows" signifies reasonings from external sensuals and thus from the fallacies and falsities of religion, by which truths are destroyed, "teeth" signifying the ultimates of man's life, which are external sensual things, and here reasoning from these, and "tongue" signifying the falsities of religion; therefore it is said "their tongue a sharp sword," "sword" signifying the destruction of truth by falsities.

[18] In Job:

Wilt thou draw out leviathan with a fish-hook, and overwhelm his tongue with a cord? (Job 41:1)

In this and the preceding chapter the Behemoth and the leviathan are treated of, and both signify the natural man, the "Behemoth" the natural man in respect to goods which are called the delights of natural love, and the "leviathan" the natural man in respect to truths which are called knowledges and cognitions, from which is natural light. These are both described by pure correspondences according to the ancient style. That reasoning from the light of nature by means of knowledges [scientifica] can be restrained by God only, is described in that chapter and the subsequent one by the "leviathan," and also by these words, "Wilt thou draw out leviathan with a fish-hook, and overwhelm his tongue with a cord?;" "tongue" signifying reasoning from knowledges [scientifica]. That the "leviathan" signifies the natural man as regards knowledges [scientifica] can be seen from other passages where it is mentioned (as Isaiah 27:1; Psalms 74:14; Psalms 104:26). Also from the fact that the "whale," by which the leviathan is meant, signifies the natural man in regard to knowledges [scientifica].

[19] In Isaiah:

The heart of the hasty shall have intelligence for knowing, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be swift to speak (Isaiah 32:4).

The "hasty" mean those who readily seize upon and believe whatever is said, thus also falsities; of such it is said that "they shall be intelligent and know," that is, receive truths; "stammerers" mean those who are hardly able to apprehend the truths of the church; that they will confess them from affection is meant by "their tongue shall be swift to speak," "swiftness" is predicated of affection.

[20] In the same:

Then shall the lame leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing aloud; for waters shall break out in the wilderness, and brooks in the plain of the desert (Isaiah 35:6).

This is said of the coming of the Lord; the "lame" signifies those who are in good but not genuine good, because they are in ignorance of truth through which good comes; "to leap as a hart" signifies to have joy from the perception of truth; the "dumb" signifies those who on account of ignorance of truth are unable to confess the Lord and the genuine truths of the church; "he shall sing" signifies joy from the understanding of truth; "waters shall break out in the wilderness" signifies that truths shall be opened where they were not before; and "brooks in the plain of the desert" signify intelligence there, for "waters" signify truths, and "brooks" intelligence.

[21] This makes clear what is signified in the spiritual sense by "the deaf man that had an impediment in his speech" whom the Lord healed, which is thus described in Mark:

Jesus took aside the deaf man who had an impediment in his speech, and put His fingers into his ears, and spitting, touched his tongue; and looking up into heaven, He said to him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened; and straightway his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spake aright (Mark 7:32-35).

The Lord's miracles, because they are Divine, all involved and signified such things as pertain to heaven and the church, therefore they were healings of the diseases which signified the various healings of the spiritual life, as may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 7337, 8364, 9031). The "deaf man" signifies those who are without the understanding of truth, and thence in no obedience; "his difficulty in speaking" signifies the difficulty of such in confessing the Lord and the truth of the church; the "ears" opened by the Lord signify the perception of truth and obedience; and the "tongue" whose bond was loosed by the Lord signifies the confession of the Lord and of the truths of the church.

[22] Again, that the apostles and others after the Lord's resurrection spoke with new tongues signifies also the confession of the Lord and of the truths of the new church. This is thus referred to in Mark:

Jesus said, These signs shall follow them that believe; in My name shall they cast out demons, and they shall speak with new tongues (Mark 16:17).

"To cast out demons" signifies to remove and reject the falsities of evil; and "to speak with new tongues" signifies to confess the Lord and the truths of the church from Him. So:

To the apostles there appeared divided tongues like as of fire, which sat on them. And being filled with the Holy Spirit they began to speak with other tongues (Acts of the Apostles 2:3, 4).

The "fire" signified the love of truth, and "filled with the Holy Spirit" signified the reception of Divine truth from the Lord; and "new tongues" signified confessions from the love of truth or zeal; for, as was said above, all Divine miracles, consequently all miracles mentioned in the Word, involved and signified things spiritual and celestial, that is, such things that pertain to heaven and the church: by this Divine miracles are distinguished from miracles not Divine. It is unnecessary to quote more passages from the Word to show that "tongues" do not mean speech in the ordinary sense, but confessions from the truths of the church, and in the contrary sense confessions from the falsities of any religion.