The Persistent Widow

1. And He spoke also a parable to them, [to the end] that men ought always to pray, and not be weary,

2. Saying, “There was a certain judge in a certain city, who feared not God, and had no respect for man.

3. And there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Avenge me of my adversary.’

4. And he was not willing for a time; but afterwards he said in himself, ‘Though I fear not God, and have no respect for man,

5. Yet since this widow makes labor for me, I will avenge her, lest in the end by coming she wear me down.’”

6. And the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge says.

7. And shall not God do vengeance for His chosen, who cry day and night to Him, and He bear with them?

8. I say to you that He will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, shall He find faith on the earth?”

The previous chapter was largely a series of warnings. It began with a warning about offending others. Jesus said, “Offenses will come, but woe to him through whom they do come!” (Luke 17:1). Then Jesus gave warnings about ingratitude (Luke 17:9), warnings about looking for the kingdom of God in the wrong places (Luke 17:20), and warnings about the self-destruction in store for those who ignore the divine truth which He describes as “the coming of the Son of Man” (Luke 17:30).

This series of warnings ends with the unsettling image of eagles devouring a decaying body—an image of our rational faculty feeding on and being fed by corrupt desires. This image provides a vivid warning as to what happens when people allow selfish desire to pervert their God-given rationality. It is not hard to imagine that when we are in states like this—when selfish desire overwhelms and controls our rational faculties—that we cannot understand or accept the voice of new truth (the Son of Man), even when it comes into our life like a flash of lightning.

While these are serious warnings, the next parable in the series, introduces a note of hope. Its moral lesson is clear, straightforward, and stated at the very beginning. As it is written, “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). This focus on prayer—that it be continual, persistent, determined, and unwavering—serves to awaken the rational faculty and lift it to a higher level. Herein lies our greatest hope. This hope is found in prayer, especially the prayer that the Lord might open our eyes to understand His truth and empower us with the strength to live according to it. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures. “I will lift my eyes unto the hills. From where comes my help? My help is from the Lord who made heaven and earth” (Psalms 121:1-2).

As this episode begins, Jesus’ exhortation to be persistent in our prayers is followed by a description of a judge who did not fear God or care about others. When a widow comes to him seeking justice because of an injury done to her, the judge ignores her concerns. Undeterred by this rejection, the woman perseveres, continually pleading for help. Eventually, the judge relents, not out of pity, but merely because he is tired of hearing the woman’s constant appeal for help. As it is written, the unjust judge says, “Because this widow makes labor for me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming” (Luke 18:5).

Jesus, then, explains the parable, using the widow’s persistence to represent how each of us must be similarly persistent in prayer. As Jesus puts it, “If even an unjust judge can be worn down like that, don’t you think that God will surely give justice to His people who plead with Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off”? (Luke 18:7). Jesus then answers His own question, saying, “Certainly not,” but quickly adds that we must be consistent in our prayers, keeping our mind continually open to the Lord’s coming into our lives with new truth. In other words, we should remain faithful in prayer, looking to the Lord for guidance, help, and support. As Jesus puts it at the conclusion of this episode, “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). This key question might also be stated like this: “Will we be ready to receive the divine truth when it comes to us? Does our prayer life adapt us to receive what is flowing in from God from moment to moment, that is, constantly and always?”

The representation of the widow

In this episode, the widow’s persistent efforts to seek justice represents the necessity of being persistent in our prayers. In sacred scripture, “a widow” represents a genuine longing to know the truth and to be connected to it. Just as a widow longs to be reunited with her husband, good longs to be reunited with truth. ¹

This quality of “goodness longing for truth,” represented by the widow, might also be called a “genuine affection for truth.” Scripturally speaking, each of us is a “widow” longing to know God and to understand His will for our lives. However, in order for this to happen, we need to deal with another part of our mind. In this parable, that other part of our mind is represented by an unjust judge who “did not fear God nor regard man” (Luke 18:2). This is the rational faculty, the part of our mind that should be dedicated to the higher use of human reason but often fails to do so. ²

If, however, we have a good heart (the widow), a heart that yearns to know the truth and do it, the rational faculty will eventually comply and be reformed. But it will take persistent prayer on our part. This is why Jesus urges His disciples to continue in prayer and “not lose heart.” At the most literal level, this parable teaches that if an unjust judge can eventually be persuaded to render justice to a person who persists, how much more will God, who is Justice Itself, be persuaded to answer our persistent prayers.

The deeper reality, however, is that God is always with us, ready to answer our persistent prayers. These prayers, spoken in love and from faith, can include, but are not limited to, asking for patience, courage, compassion, understanding, wisdom and empathy. In brief, when our prayers are of this nature, we are asking God to grant us the heavenly and spiritual qualities we will need in order to do His will. ³

To the extent that we cultivate an unselfish, persistent prayer-life, we will also cultivate the rational faculty. The “unjust judge” in us will be replaced a just judge. As God grants us through His Word the ability to discern rightly between truth and falsity, good and evil, our understanding will grow. Flashes of insight that seem to come from ourselves, but are really from God, will spontaneously arise without any effort on our part. As we have seen, these moments of enlightenment that come to us and help us judge rightly are called, in the language of sacred scripture, “the lightning that flashes from the east to the west” and “the coming of the Son of Man.” The parable of the persistent widow adds another dimension to how we can best adapt ourselves for the reception of this enlightenment. We must pray for it, continually and persistently.

In addition, our prayers must be for qualities that are spiritual and heavenly. A wonderful example of this kind of prayer is given in the Hebrew scriptures. When King Solomon was given the opportunity to pray for anything he wanted, he prayed for “an understanding heart” so that he might govern in ways that are wise and discerning. In response, God said to Him, “Because you have asked for this thing and have not asked for long life, or riches, or the death of your enemies, but have asked for discernment to understand justice … I have given you a wise and discerning heart” (1 Kings 3:9-11). ⁴

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9. And He said also this parable to certain who trusted in themselves that they were just, and made the rest as nothing:

10. “Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a publican.

11. The Pharisee, standing to himself, prayed these things: ‘God, I thank Thee that I am not as the rest of men--rapacious, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

12. I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all things, as many as I possess.’

13. And the publican, standing afar off, was not willing to lift up even [his] eyes to heaven, but struck on his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’

14. I say to you, This [man] came down justified into his house than the other; for everyone that exalts himself shall be humbled, but he that humbles himself shall be exalted.”

15. And they brought also to Him babes, that He should touch them, but when the disciples saw [it], they rebuked them.

16. But Jesus called them to [Him], and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God.

17. Amen I say to you, whoever shall not accept the kingdom of God as a little child shall not enter into it.”

The next parable in this series continues to deal with the subject of prayer. This time, the focus is not so much on the need for persistence, but rather on the attitude of the one who is praying. In other words, what matters is not only our words, or how persistently we repeat them, but also the attitude behind our words.

This time the parable is directed at the Pharisees. As it is written, “He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others” (Luke 18:9). The parable is about two men who “went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector” (Luke 18:10). In Jesus’ day, tax collectors were seen as traitors who collected taxes from their own people and gave the money that was collected to an oppressive government. Because of this, the Pharisees despised them. They had nothing but contempt for the tax collectors.

On the external level, the Pharisee in the parable considered himself to be “righteous.” After all, he did all the “right” things: he read the scriptures, he attended religious services, he prayed, he fasted, and he made contributions to the temple treasury. The parable, however, takes us beyond external appearances and gives us a glimpse into the inner world of this Pharisee. As it is written, “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all I possess” (Luke 18:11-12). Though cloaked as a prayer of thanksgiving to God, the Pharisee’s prayer is really a glorification of himself and a condemnation of others.

The prayer of the tax collector, on the other hand, is very different. He says, quite simply, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13).

While the parable of the persistent widow illustrates the importance of relentless determination in prayer, the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector, offers important instruction about the attitude we need to bring to prayer—an attitude of genuine humility, one in which we recognize our weaknesses and our need for God. This is what truly opens us to receive the love, wisdom, and gentle guidance that God is always offering. Indeed, humility is the essence of prayer and of all true worship. ⁵

The Pharisee, however, is anything but humble. His prayer is filled with self-righteousness and contempt. He says, “I thank You that I am not like other men—extortionists, unjust, adulterers,” and then he goes on to praise himself and his good deeds: “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.” This Pharisee, who appears externally righteous is internally filled with contempt for others and inordinate pride in himself. Therefore, it is written that “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself.” In other words, this was not speech with God—it was speech with himself.

The tax collector, on the other hand stood “afar off and would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven.” In his utter humility, the tax collector took a place at the back of the temple, head bowed, not even daring to look upwards. Here we have a picture of two men whose external lifestyles are quite different: a pious Pharisee, and a despised tax collector. And yet, it is the tax collector who “went down to his house justified”—that is, in a right relationship with God (Luke 18:14). As Jesus puts it at the conclusion of this episode, “Everyone who exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14). ⁶

Becoming a child of the kingdom

The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector counsels us, especially as we pray, to enter a holy state of humility. In that prayerful state, we admit our sins, acknowledge that without God we can do nothing, and pray for His help.

Jesus then speaks about the necessity of becoming “as a child” in order to receive the kingdom of God. This is one of those places where, at first glance, there seems to be an abrupt break in the narrative. The truth is, however, that the connection is a seamless one. The relationship between a humble prayer life and becoming “as a child” becomes clear when we consider that a little child is dependent on parents for love and protection. Similarly, we can approach our heavenly Father in prayer, seeking to receive His love for others and to be led by the truth that will protect us from false ideas and selfish desires. This is why Jesus says, “Let the little children come to Me and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:16).

In each of us, there are tender states that are called in the language of sacred scripture, “little children.” These tender states contain intimations of what it means to love and be loved, to hear the truth and receive it with gladness, to feel joy, and experience gratitude. These are the “little children” within us, those precious impressions implanted in us by God in our childhood which can serve as a foundation for greater faith and deeper love as we grow in our understanding of God and in our love for our neighbor. ⁷

It is these innocent states in us that Jesus endeavors to awaken as He concludes this episode with words which are both an assurance and a warning: “Assuredly, I say unto you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Luke 18:17).

A practical application

Earlier in this gospel the disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). At that time, Jesus taught them to pray by giving them a specific example, which is called, “The Lord’s Prayer.” However, His instruction did not stop there. As we have seen in the two previous parables, Jesus has also been teaching about the need for persistence and humility in our prayers. It should also be noted that the parable of the persistent widow and the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector occur only in the Gospel of Luke. It is a further indication that this gospel, more than any other, focuses on the development of our understanding, the life of the mind, and the higher use of human reason—all of which are essential aspects of prayer. For at the heart of all prayer is opening one’s understanding to truth along with the willingness to live according to it. In fact, it could be said that the person who lives according to truth is continually at prayer.

As a practical application then, select a passage of sacred scripture, one that conveys an important truth to you, and keep it in mind throughout the day. Be both persistent and humble in asking for that truth to become manifest in your life. Remain “continually at prayer and do not lose heart.” ⁸

The Rich Ruler

18. And a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

19. But Jesus said to him, “Why callest thou Me good? None [is] good except One, God.

20. Thou knowest the commandments: Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not murder, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, honor thy father and thy mother.”

21. And he said, “All these have I kept from my youth.”

22. And when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “Yet one [thing] is left for thee [to do]: sell all, as much as thou hast, and distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

23. But on hearing these things, he became very sorrowful, for he was exceedingly rich.

24. And when Jesus saw that he had become very sorrowful, He said, “How difficult [it is for those] who have wealth to enter into the kingdom of God!

25. For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich [man] to enter into the kingdom of God.”

Can a person be good without God?

The previous episode ended with the words, “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Luke 18:17). Little children trust and rely on their parents. They are dependent on them for the essentials of their natural existence—food, clothing, and shelter. Therefore, in the Word, a “little child” often signifies the innocent willingness to rely on the Lord, to trust in Him, and be dependent upon Him for the essentials of our spiritual existence—love, wisdom, and protection from spiritual enemies.

As we advance in years, we take on more adult responsibilities. We begin to believe, and rightly so, that we can take care of ourselves without the help of our parents. In fact, maturation requires that we move from dependence to independence. While it is important to eventually assume adult responsibilities, a problem arises when people begin to believe that they can manage not only their external world but also their internal world without the help of God.

When it comes to matters of spirituality and religion, this is the independent attitude that says, I’m basically a good person. I keep the commandments. I don’t steal. I don’t lie. I don’t commit adultery. I don’t need any help. This is the idea that a person can be good without God. Being independent of parents because we no longer need their physical support is one thing. But being independent of God is an entirely different matter. In fact, it is impossible to be good without God, as Jesus will now explain through the next parable.

The parable begins when a rich ruler approaches Jesus and asks, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18). Before answering his question, Jesus reminds this ruler to be cautious about attributing good to anyone except God: “Why do you call Me good?” says Jesus. “No one is good but One, that is God” (Luke 18:19).

Jesus is taking this opportunity to remind the ruler that God is the source of all goodness, including what appears to be the ruler’s “own” goodness. The lesson is a simple yet profound one: As Jesus puts it, “No one is good but One. That is, God.” The delusion that we can be good apart from God is a powerful one, but if we are to advance in our understanding of the spiritual path, this delusion of an independent life must be dispelled. ⁹

After establishing the foundational truth that no one is good except God, Jesus then goes on to answer the ruler’s question about how to inherit eternal life. “You know the commandments,” says Jesus. “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother” (Luke 18:20). The ruler responds by saying, “All these things I have kept from my youth” (Luke 18:21). Therefore, Jesus says to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” (Luke 18:22).

While Jesus’ literal words seem to be about giving away all material possessions, His spiritual message is quite different. He is speaking about giving up the false idea that we can be good without God. In other words, when we no longer “own” the idea that goodness is from ourselves, we gain an increased sense of gratitude and humility. This is called, in the language of sacred scripture, “selling all that you have,” which means disowning pride in our own goodness. This is followed by the words, “give to the poor” which means fostering states of humility within ourselves.

If the rich ruler could recognize and put aside his pride, he could begin to nourish those states of humility in himself that had been ignored and underdeveloped. In the language of sacred scripture, he would be “giving to the poor.” As a result, through cultivating the quality of humility in himself, he would receive real treasure, not the kind that perishes. He would have “treasure in heaven.” ¹⁰

For each of us, this is a call to realize that from ourselves we have nothing. To think and believe that we have any goodness from ourselves, or even that we have the power to keep the commandments, is to be inflated with a delusive sense of pride and self-importance. It is to feel that we are very “rich,” when, in fact, we are spiritually impoverished.

Sadly, the rich ruler’s heart is set on earthly treasures, of which he has a great deal, and from which he is unwilling to be separated. Therefore, Jesus’ request that he sell all that he has and give to the poor is a huge disappointment for him. As it is written, “He became very sorrowful, for he was very rich” (Luke 18:23).

The symbolism of a rich “ruler”

As the rich ruler departs, Jesus sees the man’s sorrow and understands his struggle. Turning to those who have gathered, Jesus says, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:24). Jesus even goes so far as to say, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:25). ¹¹

As we continue to study this story, we should keep in mind that in sacred scripture, every parable, every sentence, and every word, when understood spiritually, is given in a seamless order and contains infinite depths of meaning. In this episode, then, the rich ruler symbolizes a tendency in each of us to arrogantly believe that we can govern our inner lives without help from the Lord.

Therefore, it is not an accident that the rich man who is told to sell everything is called a “ruler.” Interestingly, neither the Gospel According to Matthew nor the Gospel According to Mark refer to this rich man as a “ruler.” This term appears only in the Gospel According to Luke. In this case, then, it would refer to the reformation and development of the understanding. When it comes to the inner world of the spirit, to go through the “eye of the needle,” means that we must be willing to be led by the Lord rather than be ruled by our own self-intelligence. By humbly allowing the Lord to be our ruler, we pass through “the eye of the needle” and enter the kingdom of God. ¹²

Leaving It All Behind

26. And they who heard [it] said, “Who then can be saved?”

27. And He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

28. And Peter said, “Behold, we have left all things, and have followed Thee.

29. And He said to them, “Amen I say to you, There is no one who has left house, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,

30. Who shall not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come, eternal life.”

Leaving house, parents, brothers, wife, and children

Those who are listening to Jesus take Him quite literally. Jesus has just told them that it is harder for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. Surprised and confused, they say “Who then can be saved?” (Luke 18:26).

Jesus then adds an important caveat. He says, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27). Peter, who is listening, says, “See, we have left all and followed You” (Luke 18:28). Jesus responds to Peter, and to all who are listening, with words that seem to be supportive of Peter’s response. As Jesus puts it, “Truly I tell you, no one who has left house, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come, eternal life” (Luke 18:29).

Here, again, we see another series of terms that have deeper meaning and are given in a seamless order. It should also be pointed out that in sacred scripture the same word can have either a positive or negative meaning, depending on the context. In listing the things that must be left behind, Jesus begins with the word “house.” In sacred scripture, a “house” signifies our “dwelling-place.” It can be either the “house of the Lord” or the “house of bondage.” In this context, if Jesus is telling us to leave our house, this would refer to the house of bondage, and all the people in that house would symbolize negative states in us that should be left behind.

With this in mind, the term “parents” refers to our inherited tendencies to evils of every kind. The term “brothers” refers to the false and self-serving thoughts that hold us captive. The term “wife” refers to those negative feelings to which we have become “wedded.” Our “children” are these negative states and self-serving thoughts and feelings that have become so much a part of us that we see them as our own. Jesus is saying that if we leave these states behind for the sake of the kingdom of God, we will receive much more in this age, and in the age to come, eternal life. ¹³

A practical application

In the series that includes leaving “house,” “parents,” “brothers,” “wife,” and “children,” we noted that our “house” is the first thing to be given up. This refers to our mental “dwelling-place,” those thoughts and feelings that we dwell on. Therefore, in sacred scripture, leaving one’s “house” refers to leaving behind those thoughts and feelings that keep us dwelling on things that are not in harmony with the will of God. As a spiritual practice, observe the thoughts you “dwell” on and decide which of these “dwelling-places” are to be left behind. Then welcome the positive, constructive thoughts that come to you, seeing them as divine escorts leading you through “the eye of the needle” and into the presence of God. If this seems to be too difficult, call to mind the words of Jesus in this episode, “The things that are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27).

Going Up to Jerusalem

31. And taking the twelve, He said to them, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and all things must be finished which are written by the prophets respecting the Son of Man.

32. For He shall be delivered up to the nations, and shall be mocked, and insulted, and spit upon,

33. And they shall scourge [Him], and shall kill Him; and the third day He shall rise again.”

34. And they understood none of these things; and this saying was hidden from them, and they knew not the things that were said.

The rich ruler had asked, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life” and he was basically told to give up everything. As we have seen, this is not necessarily about giving up our material possessions and certainly not about abandoning our families. It’s about giving up everything that separates us from receiving the kingdom of God. This includes the idea that we can understand anything that is true or do anything that is good apart from God. We must experience this realization repeatedly because the illusion is so strong that we live life from ourselves. The truth is that we cannot do anything—not even lift a finger, take a step, or draw a breath—without God. ¹⁴

In sacred scripture, when this great truth and others like it come to us, it is called, “the coming of the Son of Man.” Jesus has already referred to the Son of Man as coming into our lives like a flash of lightning (Luke 17:22). And after He told the parable about the persistent widow, emphasizing the necessity of continual prayer, Jesus asked, “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8). Now, as the episode about the rich ruler comes to an end, Jesus speaks again about the Son of Man. Taking His twelve disciples aside, He says to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished” (Luke 18:31). ¹⁵

Jesus is referring to the prophecies in the Hebrew scriptures that predict His death at the hands of those who would “despise and reject Him” (Isaiah 53:2) and those who would “laugh Him to scorn” while piercing His hands and feet (Psalms 22:7;16). More deeply, He is also referring to the way people would regard the divine truth that He came to bring. It would be mocked, ridiculed, and spat upon. And yet, it would withstand every trial and eventually emerge victorious, even as Jesus would survive the crucifixion. As Jesus puts it, “And on the third day, He will rise again” (Luke 18:33).

Jesus is telling His disciples to be prepared for the coming trials. He tells them directly that “the Son of Man will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked, insulted, and spat upon. And they will scourge Him and put Him to death” (Luke 18:32-33). Jesus is also speaking about how each of us treats divine truth. At first, we may reject it, even mock it and despise it, but eventually—through trial and suffering—we will come to see its central importance in our own lives. Before we accept the truth and allow it to rise in our minds, a false belief must be identified and overthrown. In the context of the preceding episode, it might be the false belief that we are “rich rulers” who can enter heaven by our own efforts while, in truth, we can do nothing without God.

Our acceptance of truth, and the ensuing willingness to live according to it, does not happen instantaneously. It comes about gradually and only after numerous unsuccessful attempts to find happiness apart from God. Throughout our spiritual development, we will necessarily undergo tribulations, not because it is the will of God to punish us or make us suffer, but because spiritual trials help us to understand how much we need the Lord and the truth that He offers. Whenever this realization comes to us, and we acknowledge how much we need God, the divine truth is beginning to rise in our mind. As Jesus puts it, “And on the third day He will rise again” (Luke 18:33).

This is the third time Jesus has predicted His death and resurrection. On the literal level, He is speaking about the suffering He is about to undergo in Jerusalem where He will be cruelly beaten and crucified. Again and again, He has told His disciples that this trial is coming soon. On the spiritual level, He is speaking about the necessity of temptation in every person’s life, with the promise that those who trust in the Lord will overcome. In either case, the disciples do not understand. As it is written, “They understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken” (Luke 18:34).

This third prediction of Jesus’ death and resurrection is also given in Matthew and Mark in almost the same language, and in both of these previous gospels this prediction is placed immediately after the discourse on how hard it is for a rich person to enter heaven. But only in Luke, the gospel which focuses on the understanding, are we explicitly told that “they understood none of these things,” that “this saying was hidden from them,” and that “they did not know the things which were spoken.” Each of these terms refers to the opening of the understanding.

As we shall see, the emphasis on the opening of the disciples’ understanding will continue to be a dominant theme in Luke. For example, in the very next episode, a blind man will receive his sight. It is a parable about how each of us can be healed from our spiritual blindness, but only if we are both humble and persistent, trusting that the Lord alone can heal us through the truth of His Word.

A Blind Beggar

35. And it came to pass as He drew near to Jericho, a certain blind [man] sat along the way begging.

36. And hearing the crowd go through, he inquired what it meant.

37. And they reported to him, “Jesus of Nazareth passes by.”

38. And he cried, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.”

39. And they who went before rebuked him, that he should be silent; but he cried out much more: “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40. And Jesus standing, ordered him to be brought to Him; and when he was near, He questioned him,

41. Saying, “What willest thou that I shall do to thee?” And he said, “Lord, that I may receive [my] sight.”

42. And Jesus said to him, “Receive thy sight; thy faith has saved thee.”

43. And immediately he received his sight; and he followed Him, glorifying God; and all the people when they saw [it] gave praise to God.

The disciples do not always understand what Jesus is saying. As it is written at the close of the previous episode, the disciples “understood none of these things” (Luke 18:34). This is the case for all of us at the beginning of our spiritual journey. There are many things in the Word of God that simply defy our understanding and cause us to wonder, What does this mean? How can this be true? As we learned earlier in this gospel, the Lord has “hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children” (Luke 10:21).

The inability to understand sacred scripture and the truth it conveys is called “spiritual blindness.” When a person does not understand something, it is customary to use expressions like, “I am in the dark” and “I just cannot see what you mean.” On the other hand, when understanding arises, it is customary to use expressions like, “Oh, now I see the light,” or “I see what you mean.” The connection between physical sight and mental vision is an obvious one. ¹⁶

Less obvious, however, is what causes spiritual blindness and how a person can be healed from that condition. In the next episode, which involves a blind man whom Jesus meets along the way, we are given an object lesson about the cause and cure for spiritual blindness. This is especially significant in the Gospel According to Luke with its focus on the understanding of truth and how it can be developed.

Jesus’ encounter with the blind man begins with these words: “As Jesus approached Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the road begging. And hearing a multitude going by, the blind man asked what it meant. So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by” (Luke 18:35-37). In contrast to the rich ruler, the poor beggar exhibits an entirely different response. When the poor beggar learns that Jesus is passing by, he does not ask, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Instead, he cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:38).

The blind beggar’s cry for mercy is similar to the tax collector’s prayer, “God be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13). It is also reminiscent of the persistent widow’s pleadings, which were so determined that she finally wearied the unjust judge (Luke 18:5). Even though the people try to silence the blind man, he perseveres. As it is written, “He cried out all the more,” saying, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:39). This combination of persistence and humility catches the attention of Jesus who orders that the blind beggar be brought to Him. And when the beggar is brought near, Jesus asks him, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Luke 18:41).

The blind man is accustomed to begging. He could have asked Jesus for money or food, as was his normal routine. Instead, he says, “Lord, that I may receive my sight” (Luke 18:41). This humble yet determined request is instructive. We, too, are to approach God with a humble yet steadfast faith, asking for spiritual sight, knowing that we are blind beggars. It is then that the miracle happens: Jesus says, “Receive your sight; your faith has saved you” (Luke 18:42).

This same miracle takes place in both Matthew and Mark, and many of the details are similar. But a significant detail is added in Luke. As it is written, “Immediately he received his sight, and followed Him glorifying God” (Luke 18:43). The additional phrase, “glorifying God” brings to mind the tenth leper who returned to Jesus “and with a loud voice glorified God” (Luke 17:15). The leper’s display of gratitude at that time, even falling down on his face to give thanks, prompted Jesus to say, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:19).

Whether Jesus is dealing with a leper or a blind man, it becomes clear that the only kind of faith which is truly saving is faith that understands and proclaims our reliance on God. This is the faith that “sees” that it’s not about what we can do; it’s about what God can do through us. Like the blind beggar, when we humbly approach the Lord asking for spiritual sight, our spiritual eyes can be opened, and we see with new understanding. In our humility and gratitude, the desire to praise and glorify His name arises in us. And so, in Luke, the blind beggar, after being given his sight, follows Jesus, glorifying God.

As this episode concludes, the Gospel of Luke adds one more detail that occurs in no other gospel. Once again, it is a reference to sight. As it is written, “And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God” (Luke 18:43). Something similar happens within us when our spiritual understanding begins to open. We see that God is the fount of our every blessing, and the source of our very being. True understanding leads to an overflowing heart—a heart overflowing with gratitude and praise.

In the end, we learn that the cause of spiritual blindness is egotistical pride and confidence in self-intelligence—the belief that we have no need for God. And the cure is humility and faith—the humble belief that without God we can do nothing, and the faith that “the things that are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27). This is the attitude that is contained within the blind beggar’s prayer when he cries out with humility and with persistence, “Son of David, have mercy on me” and adds, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”

A practical application

When the blind beggar cried out to Jesus, some of the people rebuked him and told him to keep quiet. But the blind beggar paid no heed to their warning. Instead, it is written that “he cried out all the more” (Luke 18:39). There are times in our own lives when inner voices might tell us to not bother God, that our petty concerns do not matter to Him, and that prayer is useless. However, both the story of the persistent widow, which begins this chapter and the story of the blind beggar which ends it, remind us that we should not listen to discouraging messages, whether they are given by others or if they arise within us. Instead, we should continue to cry out to the Lord, persevering in prayer, knowing that God will grant every request that is consistent with His will. In this regard, try using the words, Lord, that I may receive my sight, as a prayer to the Lord, asking the Lord to open your eyes so that you may understand His Word and see the way in which you should go.

Footnotes:

355. Verse 2. And I saw, and behold a white horse, signifies the understanding of truth from the Word. This is evident from the signification of "horse," as being the intellect; and from the signification of "white," which is predicated of truth. (That the "horse" signifies the intellect can be seen from what is quoted and shown in the small work on The White Horse; and that "white" is predicated of truth, see above, n. 196.) It is said that "a white horse" was seen when the Lamb opened the first seal, "a red horse" when He opened the second, "a black horse" when He opened the third, and "a pale horse" when He opened the fourth; and as "horse" signifies the intellect, particularly in relation to the Word, it can be seen thence that the understanding of truth from the Word, and its quality with the men of the church, are here described by "horses." It is the same whether you say that the understanding of truth is described, or those who are in it are described; for men, spirits, and angels are the subjects in which it resides. From this it can be known what is described in the internal or spiritual sense in this chapter and in those that follow next, namely, the Word in relation to the understanding. This is evident also from the ninth verse of this chapter, where, after these four horses had appeared, and the fifth seal had been opened, it is said, "I saw the souls of them that had been slain for the Word of God;" also from the nineteenth chapter of this book, where it is said that:

The name of Him that sat upon the white horse is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:13).

That "a horse" signifies the intellect, and "a white horse" the understanding of truth from the Word, can be seen shown in the small work cited above, on The White Horse; but as only a few passages were there quoted from the Word, in proof that "horse" signifies the intellect, I will here quote more, that there may be full confirmation; these now follow.

[2] In Ezekiel:

Gather yourselves from the circuit to My sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you. Ye shall be satisfied at My table with horse and with chariot, with the mighty man, and with every man of war. So will I give My glory among the nations (Ezekiel 39:17, 20-21).

This treats of the calling together of all to the Lord's kingdom, and especially of the establishment of the church with the Gentiles; for it describes the spiritual captivity in which the Gentiles were, and their liberation from it. "The sacrifice to be sacrificed" signifies all the worship by which the Lord is worshiped; "to be satiated at My table" signifies with all spiritual food; and as this food is the understanding of truth from the Word and from doctrine from the Word, it is said, "with horse and with chariot," "horse" signifying the understanding of truth from the Word, and "chariot" signifying the doctrine therefrom. It is also said, "with the mighty man, and with every man of war," "mighty man" signifying the truth from good that destroys evil, and "man of war" the truth from good that destroys falsity. Unless such things were signified, how could it be said that they should be satiated "with horse and with chariot, with the mighty man, and with every man of war?"

[3] Likewise in Revelation:

Gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of commanders of thousands, and the flesh of the strong ones, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them (Revelation 19:17-18).

What precedes this treats of the Word and its spiritual sense; this now is an invitation to learn truths, and to perceive goods; and "the supper of the great God" signifies instruction in truths, and the consequent perception of good from the Lord; and "the flesh of kings," "of commanders of thousands," "of the strong ones," "of horses," and "of them that sit on them," signifies truths of every kind which are from good; "flesh" signifying good, "kings" Divine truths in general, "commanders of thousands" the same in particular, "strong ones" natural truths, "horses" intellectual truths, and "those that sit on them" spiritual truths. It must be clear to everyone that this does not mean the flesh of kings, of commanders of thousands, of strong ones, of horses, and of them that sit on them.

[4] In Habakkuk:

Was Jehovah displeased with the rivers? was Thine anger against the rivers? was Thy fury against the sea? because Thou ridest upon Thy horses, Thy chariots are salvation, Thou hast trodden down the sea with Thy horses, the mire [or clay] of many waters (Habakkuk 3:8, 15).

Who does not see that "horses" here do not mean horses? For it is said of Jehovah that "He rideth upon His horses," and that "He treadeth down the sea with His horses," and that "His chariots are salvation?" But this is said because "His riding upon horses" signifies that Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is in the understanding of His Word in its spiritual sense; and since the doctrine of truth, which teaches the way of salvation, is from the Word, it is added, "Thy chariots are salvation," "chariots" signifying doctrine; also "to tread down the sea with horses" signifies that Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is in the understanding of His Word in its natural sense; for "sea" here signifies that sense, and in general all things of the natural man and that are for the natural man; and because Divine truths there are in their ultimate, it is added, "the mire [or clay] of many waters," "mire" [or "clay"] signifying the ultimate from which and in which are truths, and "waters" signifying truths.

[5] In Zechariah:

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the bow of war shall be cut off; but He shall speak peace to the nations (Zechariah 9:10).

This treats of the Lord's coming, and of the establishment of the church among the Gentiles. That there would then be nothing of the church remaining with the Jews is described by, "I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war shall be cut off," which signifies that there would no longer be any truth in doctrine nor any understanding of truth; and thence no combat and resistance against falsity; "Ephraim" signifies the church in relation to the understanding of truth, and "Jerusalem" the church in relation to the doctrine of truth, "the chariot" doctrine itself, and "the horse" the understanding itself, and "the bow of war" combat and resistance against falsity. The establishment of the church among the nations is signified by, "He shall speak peace to the nations," "nations" signifying all who are in the good of love to the Lord (See above, n. 331), "peace" signifying that good, and thence all things of the church. (That "Ephraim" signifies the church in relation to the understanding of truth, see Arcana Coelestia 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6237, 6267, 6296; and that "Jerusalem" signifies the church in relation to doctrine, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 6, and above, n. 223.)

[6] In the same:

In that day I will smite every horse with astonishment, and the horseman with madness; and I will open mine eye upon the house of Judah, but every horse of the peoples will I smite with blindness (Zechariah 12:4).

This treats of the devastation of the former church, and the establishment of the new church. The devastation of the former church is described by "In that day I will smite every horse with astonishment, and the horseman with madness; and every horse of the peoples will I smite with blindness." It is plain that "horse" here signifies the understanding of truth with the men of the church, and "horseman" the affection of spiritual truth, from which is understanding; else why should it be said that "the horse should be smitten with astonishment, and the horse of the peoples with blindness?" "Astonishment" is predicated of the understanding when it has no perception of good, and "blindness" when it has no perception of truth; "the house of Judah" signifies the church with those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and thence in the doctrine of truth from the Word (See above, n. 119, 211); therefore it is said, "upon it I will open mine eye," which signifies to illustrate them that they may see truths.

[7] In the same:

In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness to Jehovah (Zechariah 14:20).

This also treats of the Lord's coming, and the invitation of all to the church; and "the bells of the horses" signify knowledges and cognitions [scientifica et cognitiones] and preachings therefrom which are from the understanding of truth; and as all understanding of truth is from the Lord, and thus the knowledges and preachings themselves, therefore it is said, "there shall be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness to Jehovah." Because "bells" have this signification:

There were bells of gold upon the skirts of Aaron's robe round about (Exodus 28:34-35).

[8] In Moses:

Dan shall be a serpent upon the way, an asp upon the path, biting the horse's heels, and its rider shall fall backwards: I wait for Thy salvation, O Jehovah (Genesis 49:17-18).

This is a prophecy of Israel the father, respecting the tribe of Dan, which tribe signifies the ultimates of the church, thus those who are in the ultimates of truth and good, who are called sensual; for there are in the church those who are spiritual and those who are natural, and the natural are interior, middle, and outmost; the outmost are the sensual, who do not elevate their thoughts above the sense of the letter of the Word. These are meant by "Dan;" of what quality they are is described in this prophecy, namely, that "Dan is a serpent upon the way, an asp upon the path, biting the horse's heels, and its rider shall fall backwards;" "serpent upon the way," and "asp upon the path" signify the sensual in relation to truth and good; "the horse's heels" signify the ultimates of the understanding of truth and good; and "the rider," reasoning from these; and because the sensual viewed in itself does not see truths, since it does not comprehend things spiritual, and therefore slides easily into falsities unless continually withheld from them by the Lord, it is said, "and its rider shall fall backwards: I wait for Thy salvation, O Jehovah." (That "Dan" signifies the ultimates of the church, see Arcana Coelestia 1710, 6396, 10335; that "serpent" signifies the sensual, which is the ultimate of the understanding, n. 6398, 6949, 8624 end, 10313, and above, n. 70; that "way" signifies truths, n. Arcana Coelestia 627, 2333, 10422, and above, n. 97 [1-2]; and that "the heel" signifies the ultimate natural, or the corporeal natural, n. 259, 4938, seq. What the sensual is, and what sensual men are in both senses, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 50.)

[9] In Zechariah:

I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, when behold, four chariots coming out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of copper. To the first chariot were red horses; to the second chariot black horses; to the third chariot white horses; and to the fourth chariot grisled horses, stout. The angel said, These are the four winds of heaven, going forth from standing by the Lord of the whole earth. The black horses which are therein go forth to the land of the north; and the white went forth after them; and the grisled went forth into the land of the south; and the stout ones went forth and sought to go that they might wander through the earth. And he said, See these that go forth to the land of the north, they have caused my spirit to rest in the land of the north. And they that are afar shall come and shall build in the temple of Jehovah (Zechariah 6:1-8, 15).

This prophecy is not understood by anyone unless he knows what "chariots" and "horses" signify, and what "red," "black," "white," "grisled," and "stout" signify; also what "the land of the north" and "the land of the south" signify. It treats of the church that was to be propagated among those who as yet were not in any light of truth, because they had not the Word; "the north" means the obscurity of the truth they possessed; "the south" the clearness of truth; "horses" mean their understanding; "red," "black," "white," and "grisled" mean its quality in the beginning, and its quality afterwards; "red," the quality of their understanding in the beginning in relation to good; "black," the quality of their understanding in the beginning in relation to truth; "white," the quality of their understanding afterwards in relation to truth; "grisled," its quality finally in relation to truth and good; and "stout" means its quality in relation to its power to resist evils and falsities. From this it can now be seen what is signified by "the black horses went forth to the land of the north, and the white went forth after them," and "they have caused my spirit to rest in the land of the north," namely, that those who from good of life are in the affection of knowing the truths of the church receive and understand, nor are any others illustrated; that such are illustrated and receive is meant by "they have caused my spirit to rest in the land of the north;" "the grisled went forth into land of the south, and the stout to wander through the earth" signifies that those who from the good of life are in the affection of knowing the truths of the church come into the light, and that they resist evils and falsities, and constitute the church. These four kinds of horses, therefore, are called "the four winds of the heavens, going forth from standing by the Lord of the whole earth;" "winds" signifying all Divine truths, and "going forth from standing by the Lord of the whole earth" signifying that all truths proceed from Him. (That "winds" signify all Divine truths, see Arcana Coelestia 9642, and Heaven and Hell 141-153; and that "to go forth" signifies to proceed, Arcana Coelestia 5337, 7124, 9303.) "They that are afar, that shall build in the temple of Jehovah" signify those who were previously far away from the truths and goods of the church, who shall draw near to the church. (That such are signified by "those that are afar," see Arcana Coelestia 4723, 8918; and that the "temple of Jehovah" signifies the church, n. 3720; moreover, that "the north" signifies the obscurity of truth, and "the south" [auster sive meridies] the clearness of truth, thus also those that are in obscurity and in clearness of truth, see Heaven and Hell 148-151.) What is signified by "red" and by "black," in both senses, will be seen in the explanations at verses 4 and 5 of this chapter, and what by "white," see above n. 196. "The mountains of copper, from between which the chariots and horses went forth," signify the good of love in the natural man; this is said because the nations here treated of, before they were illustrated, were not in spiritual good but in natural good. (That "mountain" signifies the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 795, 4210, 6435, 8327, 8758, 10438; and "copper" natural good, see above, n. 70)

[10] In Job:

God hath made her forget wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her intelligence. What time she lifteth up herself on high she laugheth at the horse and its rider (Job 39:17-18).

These things are said of a "bird," which signifies intelligence from self [proprium], which in itself is no intelligence; for man from self [proprium] sees nothing but falsities and not truths, and intelligence is from truths, and not from falsities; therefore it is said of her, "God hath made her to forget wisdom, neither hath He imparted to her intelligence," and "when she lifteth up herself on high she laugheth at the horse and its rider," that is, at the understanding of truth, and at him who is intelligent.

[11] In David:

The stout of heart have become a spoil, they have slumbered their sleep. At Thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both chariot and horse have fallen into a deep sleep (Psalms 76:5-6).

The "stout of heart" signify those who are in truths from good; "have become a spoil," and "have slumbered their sleep," signify their having fallen from evils into falsities; "the rebuke of the God of Jacob" signifies their state inverted by themselves; and "both chariot and horse have fallen into a deep sleep" signifies that their intellect was lulled to sleep, because it had become merely natural. That "to be awake" signifies to acquire for oneself spiritual life, and "to be asleep" to have natural life without spiritual, see above n. 187.

[12] In Ezekiel:

Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they gave to thy traffic the soul of man and vessels of brass. They of Bethogarma gave for thy wares horses, horsemen, and mules (Ezekiel 27:13-14).

This treats of Tyre, which signifies the knowledges of truth and good pertaining to the external and the internal church. "Javan, Tubal, and Meshech," signify those who are in external worship; and "they of Bethogarma," those who are in internal worship; it is said therefore that these "gave for the wares of Tyre, horses, horsemen, and mules;" and "the others gave the soul of man and vessels of brass;" the "soul of man" signifies the truth of faith in respect to knowledge; "vessels of brass" signify the truths of natural good; and "horses, horsemen, and mules," signify the understanding of truth and good, "horses" the understanding of truth, "horsemen" intelligence, and "mules" the rational. (That "mule" signifies the rational, see Arcana Coelestia 2781, 5741, 9212.) Everyone can see that "the tradings of Tyre," which are enumerated in this chapter and elsewhere, do not mean tradings with these things, such as vessels of brass, horses, and mules, and many others; but that spiritual tradings are meant, which are effected by means of the knowledges of truth and good; for the Word is Divine, and treats of Divine things, and not of earthly things; therefore it contains spiritual things which pertain to heaven and the church, expressed in the ultimate sense, which is the sense of the letter, by natural things which correspond to them. (That "to trade" and "to be a merchant" signifies in the Word to acquire and to communicate the knowledges of truth and good, see Arcana Coelestia 2967[1-9], 4453; and that "to buy" and "to sell" signify something similar, n. 2967, 4397, 4453, 5371, 5374, 5406, 5410, 5426, 5886, 6143, 7999, 9039.)

[13] In Isaiah:

Who led them through the deeps, as a horse in the wilderness they stumbled not; as a beast goeth down into the valley the Spirit of Jehovah led him (Isaiah 63:13-14).

This chapter treats of the Lord, and His combat with the hells, and His subjugation of them, but here of the salvation of those who are in love and faith towards Him. These are compared to "a horse in the wilderness," and to "a beast in the valley," because "horse" signifies the understanding of truth, and "beast" the affection of good; for all comparisons in the Word are from correspondences.

[14] In Revelation:

I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called the Word of God. And the armies that are in heaven followed Him upon white horses (Revelation 19:11-16).

"A white horse" evidently signifies the understanding of the Word, likewise "the white horses" upon which those sat who followed; for "He that sat upon" the white horse was the Lord in relation to the Word; for it is said, "and He that sat upon him was called the Word of God;" and in verse 19:16, "He had upon His vesture and upon His thigh a name written, Lord of lords and King of kings." The Lord is called the Word, because the Word means Divine truth proceeding from Him. (But these things in Revelation may be seen more fully explained in the small work on The White Horse 1, also why the Lord is called "the Word," n. 14 .) As "chariots" and "horses" signify doctrine from the Word and the understanding of it, and as all doctrine of truth and the understanding of it are out of heaven from the Lord, therefore it is said of Him that "He rides upon the Word," "upon the clouds," "upon heaven," "upon a cherub," also that "He makes to ride," as in the following passages. In David:

Gird thy sword upon the thigh, O mighty One, in Thy majesty, and in Thine honor mount, and ride upon the Word of truth and the meekness of righteousness (Psalms 45:3-4).

These things are said of the Lord. In the same:

Sing unto God, sing psalms to His name; extol Him that rideth upon the clouds (Psalms 68:4).

In Isaiah:

Behold, Jehovah rideth upon a cloud, and cometh into Egypt; and the idols of Egypt shall be moved before Him (Isaiah 19:1).

In David:

Sing psalms unto the Lord, to Him who rideth upon the heaven of the heaven of old (Psalms 68:32-33).

God rode upon a cherub, He did fly, and was borne upon the wings of the wind (Psalms 18:10).

In Habakkuk:

O Jehovah, Thou dost ride upon Thine horses, Thy chariots are salvation. Thou hast trodden the sea with Thy horses (Habakkuk 3:8, 3:15).

In Isaiah:

Then shalt thou delight in Jehovah; and I will make thee ride in the high places of the earth (Isaiah 58:14).

In Moses:

Jehovah alone did lead him, and made him ride upon the high places of the earth (Deuteronomy 32:12-13).

And in Hosea:

I will make Ephraim to ride (Hosea 10:11).

In these passages, "to ride" signifies to give intelligence and wisdom, because "chariot" signifies the doctrine of truth, and "horses" the understanding of it.

[15] In Isaiah:

Then shall they bring all your ¹ brethren out of all nations an offering unto Jehovah upon horses and upon the chariot, and upon covered wagons, upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to the mountain of My holiness, Jerusalem (Isaiah 66:20).

This treats of the establishment of a new church by the Lord; it is not meant therefore that they will bring their brethren upon horses, upon the chariot, upon covered wagons, upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to Jerusalem; but it is meant that all who are in good are to be instructed in Divine truths, and having been made intelligent and wise thereby are to be introduced into the church; for "brethren" signify all who are in good; "horses" signify the understanding of truth; "chariot" the doctrine of truth; "covered wagons" the knowledges of truth; "mules" the internal rational, which is spiritual; and "swift beasts" the external rational, which is natural; and "Jerusalem" signifies the church, in which is the doctrine of Divine truth, which is called "the mountain of holiness" from the love of truth. From the signification of "chariots" and "horses" it can be seen why:

Elijah and Elisha were called the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof, and the mountain was seen by the lad of Elisha to be full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha (2 Kings 2:11, 12; 6:17; 13:14);

namely, that both Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord in relation to the Word, and "chariots" signify doctrine from the Word, and "horsemen" intelligence. (That Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord in relation to the Word, see Arcana Coelestia 7643, 8029, 9372.)

[16] That "chariots" and "horses" signify doctrine and the understanding of it, can be seen, moreover, from their contrary sense, in which "chariots" and "horses" signify the doctrines of falsity, and false knowledges [scientifica] from a perverted intellect; for most things in the Word have a contrary sense, from which it can be seen what the same signify in the genuine sense. That "chariots" and "horses" in that sense have such a signification can be seen from the following passages. In Ezekiel:

Behold, I will bring against Tyre the king of Babylon from the north, with horse and with chariot, and with horsemen. He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field. By reason of the abundance of His horses their dust shall cover thee; by reason of the voice of the horseman and of the wheel and of the chariot, thy walls shall quake. With the hoofs of his horses shall he trample all thy streets; he shall slay the people with the sword (Ezekiel 26:7-8, 10-11).

"Tyre" signifies the church in relation to the knowledges of truth; and "the king of Babylon" the destruction of truth by falsities and profanation; "the north from which he was to come" signifies the source of all falsity, in particular, hell, out of which falsity arises; "chariot," "horses," and "horsemen" signify the doctrine of falsity and reasonings therefrom; "the daughters whom they shall slay in the field with the sword" signify the affections of truth which falsities will destroy, for "daughters" are the affections of truth, "the field is the church where those affections are, "the sword" is the combat of falsity against truth, and "to slay" is to extinguish. This makes clear the signification of "by reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee," "dust" meaning the evil of falsity; the "walls that shall quake by reason of the voice of the horseman, of the wheel, and of the chariot," signify protecting truths, which in general are, that there is a God, and that the Word is Divine, and that there is eternal life. These "walls," or these truths, are said "to quake by reason of the voice of the horseman, of the wheel, and of the chariot," when they come to be doubted through the falsities of doctrines and reasonings from them; "the hoofs of the horses with which he shall trample all the streets," signify the outermost things of the natural man, which are called sensual impressions [sensualia], from which are all falsities; the "streets that shall be trampled by them" are the truths of the doctrine of the church, which are wholly destroyed; the "people who shall fall by the sword" signify all who are in truths, and in an abstract sense all truths.

[17] In Jeremiah:

O sword, against the liars, that they may become foolish; O sword, against the mighty, that they may be dismayed; O sword, against her horses and against her chariots; O sword, against her treasures, that they may be despoiled; let there be drought upon her waters that they may be dried up: because it is a land of graven images (Jeremiah 50:36-38).

"Sword" signifies the combat of truth against falsity, and of falsity against truth and consequent vastation; here it signifies vastation; "liars" and "mighty men" signify falsities and reasonings therefrom; the same is signified by "horses" and "chariots;" the "treasures that shall be despoiled" signify all things of doctrine; "the drought upon the waters, that they may be dried up," signifies the deprivation of truth, "drought" meaning deprivation, and "waters" truths; and as all falsities are from self-intelligence, it is said, "because it is a land of graven images," "land" here signifying heresy, and "graven images" what is from self-intelligence. (That such is the signification of "graven images," "molten images," and "idols," see Arcana Coelestia 8869, 8941, 10406, 10503)

[18] In the same:

Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots as the storm; his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are devastated. Wash thine heart from evil, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thoughts of iniquity lodge in the midst of thee? The whole land shall be a waste. The whole city fleeth for the voice of the horseman and the shooters of the bow; they have entered the thick clouds, and have gone up into the rocks; the whole city is forsaken (Jeremiah 4:13-Jeremiah 4:13-14, 27, 29).

This describes the vastation of the church by the falsities of evil; falsities are signified by "clouds;" and the lust of reasoning from falsities against truths by "the horses that are swifter than eagles;" and the doctrinals of falsity by "the chariots that are as the storm;" that consequently everything of the church and everything of its doctrine shall perish, is signified by "the whole land shall be a waste, and the whole city fleeth for the voice of the horseman and the shooters of the bow;" "land" means the church, and "city" its doctrine; "the voice of the horseman and the shooters of the bow" means reasoning from falsities and assault, and "to flee" means to perish. That then mere falsity and the faith of falsity would reign is signified by "they have entered the thick clouds, and have gone up into the rocks," "clouds" meaning falsities, and "rocks" the faith of falsities. The devastation of the church and of its doctrine is evidently here described, for it is said, "Woe unto us! for we are devastated. How long shall the thoughts of iniquity lodge in the midst of thee? The whole land shall be a waste. The whole city is forsaken. "

[19] In the same:

Behold, a people cometh from the land of the north, and a great nation shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. Their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses (Jeremiah 6:22-23; 50:41-42).

Here, too, the devastation of the church by the falsities of evil is described; "the land of the north," and "the sides of the earth," are the source of these, "the land of the north" the source of falsities, and "the sides of the earth" the source of evils; for "the north" signifies what is remote from truths, and "the sides of the earth" what is remote from goods; therefore "nation" is predicated of the latter, and "people" of the former, "nation" meaning those who are in evils, and "people" those who are in falsities (See above, n. 331). Their reasoning is signified by "their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses."

[20] In Ezekiel:

Thou shalt come from thy place out of the sides of the north; thou and many peoples with thee, all of them riding upon horses. And thou shalt go up against My people Israel, as clouds to cover the land (Ezekiel 38:15-16).

These things are said of Gog, by whom external worship without any internal is signified; "the sides of the north" signify here, as above, what is remote from goods and truths, thus the source of the falsities of evil; and because they reason therefrom and attack the truths of the church and extinguish them it is said, "all of them riding upon horses; and thou shalt go up against My people Israel, as clouds to cover the land;" "to ride upon horses" meaning reasonings, "to go up against the people of Israel," and "to cover the land," signifying to attack the truths of the church and to extinguish them; "clouds" are the falsities of evil.

[21] In Daniel:

At the time of the end, the king of the south shall come into collision with the king of the north. So the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariot, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the lands and shall overflow and pass through (Daniel 11:40).

This chapter treats of the combat of the king of the north with the king of the south; and "the king of the north" means falsity from evil, and "the king of the south" truth from good; so evidently the things mentioned in this chapter are not spoken of any future war between two kings, but of the combats of falsity from evil against truth from good. "The chariot and horsemen with which the king of the north shall rush upon him" are the assaults upon truth by the falsities of evil; the "many ships," with which also they shall rush upon him, are the knowledges [scientifica] and doctrinals of falsity; the destruction of the church thereby is signified by "he shall come into the lands and shall overflow and pass through." (That "ships" signify knowledges [scientifica] and doctrinals, in both senses, see Arcana Coelestia 1977, 6385; and that "to overflow" signifies immersion in falsities and evils, n. 660, 705, 739, 756, 790, 5725, 6853)

[22] In Jeremiah:

By thee will I scatter the nations, and by thee will I destroy kingdoms, and by thee will I scatter the horse and its rider, and by thee will I scatter the chariot and him that rideth in it (Jeremiah 51:20-21).

And in Haggai:

I will overturn the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overturn the chariot and those who ride in it; and the horses and their riders shall come down, a man by the sword of his brother (Haggai 2:22).

This is said of the destruction of falsity and evil, and not of the destruction of any nation or kingdom; for "nations" signify evils, and "kingdoms" (like "peoples") falsities. For this is prophetical, not historical. This makes clear what "horse" and "rider," and "chariot and him that rideth in it" signify, namely, that "horse and rider" signify a perverted intellect and reasoning therefrom and "the chariot and him that rideth in it" the doctrine of falsity or heresy, and those who are in it.

[23] In Nahum:

Woe to the city of bloods! the whole is filled with lying and rapine; the voice of the whip, and the voice of the rattling of the wheel, and the horse neighing and the chariot leaping, the horseman making to ascend, and the flame of the sword, and the flash of the spear, and a multitude of the slain, and a heap of carcasses, because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the harlot, selling nations by her whoredoms, and families by her sorceries (Nahum 3:1-4).

This treats of the violence offered to Divine truth, and its destruction by the falsities of evil; for this is signified by "the city of bloods," respecting which what follows is said (See above, n. 329); therefore it is also said, "the whole is filled with lying and rapine," "lie" meaning falsity, and "rapine" violence offered by falsity; and as "wars" signify spiritual combats, which are the combats of truth against falsity and of falsity against truth, all things pertaining to war, as "whip," "horse," "chariot," "sword," and "spear," signify various things pertaining to spiritual warfare; but what each of these in particular signifies need not be explained here, only what "horse," "horseman," and "chariot" signify. "The voice of the rattling of the wheel" signifies reasonings from falsities and evils; "the horse neighing and the chariot leaping" signifies the lust of destroying truths, "horse" meaning the intellect perverted, and "chariot" the doctrine of falsity, which destroy; "to neigh" and "to leap" meaning to be moved to destroy by lust and delight, and "horseman making to ascend" meaning assault. It is therefore said, "a multitude of the slain, and a heap of carcasses;" those are called "slain" who perish from falsities, and "carcasses" who perish from evils; therefore it is also said, "because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the harlot, selling the nations by her whoredoms, and families by her sorceries;" "whoredoms" signify the falsifications of truth, "harlot" heresy, "to sell nations" signifies to become estranged from goods, and "to sell families by sorcery" to become estranged from truths, "nations" meaning goods, "families" truths therefrom, and "sorceries" the falsities of evil which estrange.

[24] In Habakkuk:

I rouse up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that marcheth into the breadths of the land; her horses are lighter than leopards, and more fierce than the wolves of the evening, so that her horsemen spread themselves; yea, her horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as an eagle that hasteth to eat. She shall come wholly for violence; she shall mock at kings, and rulers shall be a derision unto her (Habakkuk 1:6, 8-10).

"The Chaldeans" mean those who profane truths and thus vastate the church, therefore they are called "a bitter and hasty nation, that marcheth into the breadths of the land," "breadths of the land" meaning the truths of the church (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 197). Their lust for and dexterity in perverting truths and destroying them by reasonings from falsities altogether remote from truths are signified by, "her horses are lighter than leopards, and more fierce than the wolves of the evening, so that her horsemen spread themselves; yea, her horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as an eagle that hasteth to eat." Lust is signified by "her horses are lighter than leopards," and dexterity by "her horses are more fierce than the wolves of the evening," and both by "they fly as an eagle." Because the lust and dexterity are for destroying truths therefore it is said, "she shall come wholly for violence;" their scoffing at truths and goods is signified by "she shall mock at kings, and rulers shall be a derision unto her," "kings" signifying truths, and "lords" and "rulers" goods.

[25] In David:

Some in the chariot, and some in horses; but we will glory in the name of our God (Psalms 20:7).

In the same:

A king is not saved by the multitude of an army; a horse is a lying thing for safety (Psalms 33:16-17).

In the same:

Jehovah delighteth not in the might of a horse; His pleasure is not in the thighs of a man (Psalms 147:10).

"To glory in the chariot and in horses," and "Jehovah delighteth not in the might of a horse," signify all things from self-intelligence, from which are nothing but falsities; and "the thighs of a man" signify those things that are from his own will, from which are nothing but evils.

[26] In Amos:

He that holdeth the bow shall not stand, nor shall the swift of foot escape, nor shall he that rideth upon the horse cause his soul to escape, but he that is stout of heart shall flee naked in that day (Amos 2:15-16).

This, too, describes self-intelligence and confidence arising from an ability to speak and reason from falsities. "He that holdeth the bow shall not stand," and "the swift of foot shall not cause himself to escape," signify that one who knows how to reason readily from the doctrine of falsity and from the knowledge [scientia] and memory of the natural man, shall not on that account be saved; the like is signified by "he that rideth upon the horse shall not cause his soul to escape;" "he that is stout of heart, who shall flee naked in that day," signifies that he who trusts in his falsities shall be without any truth, "stout of heart" meaning one who trusts in his falsities, and "naked" one who is without any understanding of truth (See above, n. 240).

[27] In Isaiah:

The Lord Jehovih, the Holy One of Israel, saith, In quietness and in confidence shall be your might; but ye would not, and said, No, but upon a horse we will flee; therefore ye shall flee; and we will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be made swift (Isaiah 30:15-16).

This treats of confidence in the Lord and of confidence in self; confidence in the Lord in these words, "the Lord Jehovih, the Holy One of Israel, said, In quietness and in confidence shall be your might;" and confidence in self in these words, "and ye said, No, but upon a horse we will flee," and "we will ride upon the swift;" "to flee upon a horse," and "to ride upon the swift," signifying to covet and love those things that are of one's own understanding, and thought and reasoning therefrom. That falsities will then break in and take possession is signified by, "therefore ye shall flee," and "therefore shall they that pursue you be made swift," "swiftness" and "haste" signifying what is done from lust, or from love.

[28] In Zechariah:

Jehovah shall set Judah as the horse of His majesty in war; out of him shall be the corner, out of him the nail, and out of him the bow of war. And they shall be as mighty men treading down the mire of the streets; and they shall fight because Jehovah is with them, and they shall make ashamed them that ride upon horses (Zechariah 10:3-5).

"The house of Judah" signifies the Lord's celestial kingdom, that is, the heaven and church that are in love to the Lord; of this it is said that it shall be "as the horse of majesty in war," which signifies the understanding of Divine truth combating against evils and falsities, which it will destroy, "horse" signifying the understanding, "majesty" Divine truth, and "war" combat against falsities and evils and their destruction. "The corner," "the nail," and "the bow of war," that are "out of Judah," signify truths, "the corner" truth protecting, "the nail" truth strengthening, and the "bow of war" truth combating from doctrine; "they shall be as mighty men treading down the mire of the streets" signifies the power to disperse and destroy falsities, "mire of the streets" signifying falsities. "They shall make ashamed them that ride upon horses" signifies the annihilation of the reasonings, argumentations, and confirmations that are from man's own understanding; that this shall be accomplished by the Lord and not by them is meant by, "they shall fight because Jehovah is with them."

[29] In Hosea:

Asshur will not save us; we will not ride upon the horse; we will say no more to the work of our hands, Thou art our God (Hosea 14:3).

This also treats of intelligence from self [ex proprio], that it will not save. "Asshur" signifies the rational, here as being from self [ex proprio]; "to ride upon the horse" signifies reasoning of the understanding from self [ex proprio]; and "work of the hands" signifies the selfhood [proprium] itself.

[30] In Ezekiel:

Oholah committed whoredom, and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbors, clothed in blue, horsemen riding upon horses (Ezekiel 23:5-6, 12, 23).

"Oholah," which here is Samaria, signifies a church in which truths are falsified; "her whoredoms," which are treated of in this chapter, signify falsifications; "the Assyrians" signify reasonings by which truths are falsified; and because "to ride upon horses" signifies to reason from falsities that are from self-intelligence, it is said, "she doted on the Assyrians, horsemen riding upon horses;" the "blue, in which they were clothed," signifies falsity appearing as truth, which appearance comes chiefly from applying the sense of the letter of the Word to principles of falsity.

[31] In Jeremiah:

The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan; at the sound of the neighings of his stout ones the whole land quaked; and they came and devoured the land and its fullness; [the city] and those that dwell therein (Jeremiah 8:16).

What is meant by "Dan" has been told above in this article, namely, truth in its ultimate; this is the truth in the church that is contained in the sense of the letter of the Word. Those who abide in this alone, and do not read the Word from the doctrine of genuine truth, which should guide and illustrate, may be carried away into all kinds of errors; those who are carried away into errors or falsities are meant here by "Dan;" the consequent confirmation of falsities is meant by "the snorting of his horses;" and the falsifications of truth are meant by "the sound of the neighings of his stout ones;" these are called "stout" from their confidence, because it is from the sense of the letter of the Word, that falsity is truth. That the church in respect to its truths and goods is thereby vastated, is signified by "the whole land quaked;" and "they came and devoured the land and its fullness, and those that dwell therein," "the land" meaning the church, "its fullness" truths, and "those that dwell therein" goods.

[32] In Isaiah:

He hath lifted up an ensign to the nations from far, and hath hissed to him from the end of the earth, and behold the swift one shall come in haste, whose arrows are sharp, and all his bows are bent; the hoofs of his horses are reckoned as rock, and his wheels as a storm (Isa. 5:26, 5:28).

This, too, treats of those who are in ultimates in regard to the understanding of truth and as to the perception of good. These ultimates are what are called sensual impressions [sensualia], which are the ultimates of the natural man (of which see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 50); from these, when separated from the spiritual man, stream forth all the evils and falsities that are in the church and in its doctrine: evils from this source are signified by "the nations that shall come from far;" and falsities by "him that cometh from the end of the earth;" "far," and "the end of the earth" signifying those things that are remote from the truths and goods of the church. "The arrows that are sharp," and "the bows that are bent" signify the falsities of doctrine prepared to destroy truths, and "the hoofs of the horses that are reckoned as rock," and "his wheels that are as a storm" signify the ultimates of truth, like those in the sense of the letter of the Word, and arguments and confirmations of falsity by means of these; "the hoofs of the horses" mean the ultimates of the understanding, here of the perverted understanding, because separated from the understanding of the spiritual man; and because these ultimates are from the sense of the letter of the Word, it is said, "are reckoned as rock;" while "wheels" mean argumentations and confirmations by means of these, and because these appear strong they are said to be "as a storm."

[33] In the book of Judges:

My heart is toward the lawgivers of Israel. Ye that ride on white asses, and sit on middin, and that walk by the way, meditate. The stars from their courses fought with Sisera. Then were the hoofs of the horses bruised; the prancing of his stout ones struck together (Judges 5:9-10, 20, 22).

These words are contained in the song of Deborah and Barak, which treats of the combat of truth against falsity and its victory; "the lawgivers of Israel" signify the truths of the church; "to ride on white asses" and "to sit on middin" signify the perception of good and the understanding of truth, "white asses" signifying the rational in respect to good, and "middin" the rational in respect to truth; and "to walk by the way and to meditate" signify a life of truth; "the stars from their courses fought with Sisera" signifies the knowledges of truth, and combat from them against falsities of evil; "the feet of the horses that were bruised," and "the prancing of the horses that struck together" signify the falsities that are from the outmost natural, or the sensual [sensuali], and arguments therefrom that they were destroyed.

[34] In Amos:

Shall horses run upon the rock? shall one plough with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of justice into wormwood (Amos 6:12).

"Shall horses run upon the rock?" signifies, is there any understanding of truth? "Shall anyone plough with oxen?" signifies, is there any perception of good? This is plainly the meaning, for it follows, "for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of justice into wormwood;" "to turn judgment into gall," signifies to turn truth into falsity, and "to turn the fruit of justice into wormwood," signifies to turn good into evil.

[35] In David:

Thou hast laid oppression upon our loins. Thou hast caused a man to ride over our head; We entered into the fire and the waters: but Thou hast brought us out into a broad place (Psalms 66:11-12).

This is a description of spiritual captivity and deliverance therefrom. There is spiritual captivity when the mind is so shut up as not to perceive good nor understand truth; there is deliverance from it when the mind is opened; "the oppression upon the loins" signifies that there is no perception of good of love, for "loins" and "thighs" signify the good of love; "to cause a man to ride over our head" signifies that there is no understanding of truth; "man" here signifying intelligence from self [ex proprio], which is no intelligence; and "head" the like. Because this is the signification therefore it is said, "we entered into the fire and the waters," "into the fire" meaning into the evils that are from the love of self, and "into the waters" meaning into falsities; deliverance therefrom is meant by "but Thou hast brought us out into a broad place," "broad place" signifying truth (as above).

[36] In Isaiah:

Woe to them that go down into Egypt for help, and stay on horses, and trust in the chariot, but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek Jehovah. For Egypt is man and not God, and its horses flesh and not spirit (Isaiah 31:1, 3).

"Egypt" in the Word signifies the knowing [faculty] [scientificum] which is in the natural man, and thence also the natural man; and because the natural man, with the knowing [faculty] that is in it, has no understanding, but only thought from the memory, which is a kind of imagination from objects of sight and hearing; and because this is beneath the spiritual, in which nevertheless all the goods and truths of heaven and the church reside, therefore "Egypt" signifies in most passages a falsified knowing [faculty] [scientificum falsum]; for when the spiritual man does not flow in, knowledges in the natural man are turned into mere falsities, and its thoughts into confirmations of falsity and into reasonings from them against truths. From this it can be seen what is signified by "horses of Egypt and its chariots," namely, that "the horses" signify false knowledges, and "chariots" doctrinals from which there are reasonings against truth. Such, therefore, seek truths from no other source than themselves, for each one's own [proprium] has its seat in the natural man, and what is not his own has its seat in the spiritual; such persons therefore seize upon falsities instead of truths, and upon evils instead of goods, calling evils goods and falsities truths, and trusting in themselves, because they trust in what is their own. These things are signified by "Woe to them that go down into Egypt, and stay on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong;" "horses" here mean false knowledges; and "chariots" doctrinals therefrom; and "horsemen" reasonings from them against truths; therefore it is also said, "Egypt is man and not God, and his horses flesh and not spirit" signifying that what is in them is merely natural and not spiritual, consequently that there is not in them anything of life; "man" signifying the natural man, and "flesh" what is its own; "God" and "spirit" signifying the Divine spiritual man, and life therefrom; and since they trust in themselves and not in the Lord, it is said, "they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek Jehovah."

[37] From this it can now be seen what is signified by the horses, the chariots, and the armies of Pharaoh, in Moses:

I will be rendered glorious in Pharaoh and in his army and in his horsemen. And the Egyptians pursued the sons of Israel, and Pharaoh's horses went after them, his chariots and his horsemen, into the midst of the sea. And Jehovah took off the wheel of their chariots, so that they drove them with difficulty. And when Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, the waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, together with the whole army of Pharaoh (Exodus 14:17-18, 23, 25, 27-28).

And in the same:

Moses and the children of Israel sang this song unto Jehovah. In singing I will sing unto Jehovah, for in exalting He hath exalted Himself; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea, and his chariots and his army (Exodus 15:1, 4, 19, 21).

What the horses and chariots of Pharaoh or Egypt signify has been shown above; his "army" signifies all falsities, in general and in particular; and "sea" signifies damnation and hell, where all are in their own [proprium], because they are in the natural man separated from the spiritual, and thence in all kinds of evils and falsities. The like is signified by "the horses of Egypt," in these words in Moses:

If thou shalt say, ² I will set over me a king, in setting thou shalt set ³ over thee a king whom Jehovah thy God shall choose; only he shall not multiply to himself horses, nor shall he bring back the people into Egypt, that he may multiply horses (Deuteronomy 17:14-16).

These things are said of the king, because the Lord in relation to Divine truth is represented by kings, and thence "kings" signify truths from good from the Lord (See above, n. 31). And as truths from good have their seat in the spiritual man, as was said above, and the knowledges [scientifica] that belong to the natural man serve the spiritual man as servants do their lord, it is said, "only he shall not multiply to himself horses, nor shall he bring back the people into Egypt, that he may multiply horses;" which signifies, only let no one from being a spiritual man become natural, and lead himself, and trust in what is his own [proprium] instead of in the Lord, that is, let not the truths of the spiritual man serve the natural, instead of the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man serving the spiritual; for this latter is according to order, but the former contrary to order. "Horses" of Egypt have a like signification elsewhere in the Word (as Jeremiah 46:4, 9; Ezekiel 17:15; 23:20).

Footnotes: