Water into Wine

1. And on the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

2. And both Jesus was called and His disciples to the wedding.

3. And when the wine was lacking, the mother of Jesus says to Him, They have no wine.

4. Jesus says to her, What [is there] to Me and to thee, woman? my hour is not yet come.

5. His mother says to those ministering, whatever He shall say to you, do.

6. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the purification of the Jews, containing two or three measures apiece.

7. Jesus says to them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the top.

8. And He says to them, Draw out now, and bring to the chief of the feast; and they brought [it].

9. And when the chief of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was (but those ministering who drew the water knew), the chief of the feast calls the bridegroom,

10. And says to him, Every man first puts out the good wine, and when they have had enough, then the lesser; thou hast kept the good wine until now.

11. This beginning of signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

A promise fulfilled

At the end of the previous chapter, Nathanael is described as “a man without deceit” (1:47). Amazed that Jesus knows all about him, Nathanael exclaims, “You are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel” (1:49). In response, Jesus promises Nathanael that he will see even greater things. “Did you believe because I saw you under the fig tree?” says Jesus. “You will see greater things than this. You will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” (1:51). This promise takes place in the spirit of everyone who, like Nathanael, is “without deceit,” recognizes that Jesus is the Son of God, and strives to live according to what Jesus teaches.

Accordingly, the next episode provides deeper insight about how this promise can take place in each of our lives. It begins with the words, “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee” (2:1). A wedding, which celebrates one of the most significant transitions in human life, also represents a corresponding transition in our spiritual life. Just as a marriage begins when a man and a woman come before the Lord promising to be united in a life of love and faithfulness, spiritual life begins with a commitment to unite the truth we know with an effort to live according to it. Up to this point, truth may have been believed, but it was separated from goodness.

Gradually, however, as truth is put into practice, we come to see and feel the goodness of it. This is when the spiritual wedding takes place. What we once compelled ourselves to do, now becomes the desire of our heart. Truth and goodness are united. In other words, as we strive upwards to live according to the truth that we know, God descends into that truth with His goodness bringing about what is called the “heavenly marriage.” This wedding of truth ascending and goodness descending is what Jesus meant when He said to Nathanael, “You will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

It is also significant that the wedding at Cana takes place “on the third day.” While the phrase “on the third day,” often refers to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, it also refers to the process of spiritual development which can take place in every human being. The three stages of spiritual development are repentance, reformation, and regeneration.

Repentance involves both the acknowledgment of God and the recognition of our sins. In reformation we focus on learning truth from the Word of the Lord so that we might reform our understanding. Then, “on the third day” of our spiritual development, we enter the stage of regeneration. In this stage, we not only learn the truth but also apply it to our lives. In the process, the truth we have learned is united with goodness. In this stage, the Lord is working through our reformed understanding to build a new will within us.

“Whatever He says, do it”

In the original Greek, it is written that Jesus and His disciples were “called” to the wedding. This suggests that if we are to have an internal wedding of truth and goodness, we cannot do it by ourselves. We need to call upon the Lord, inviting Him to be present along with the many principles of truth and goodness represented by His disciples. In addition, it is written that “the mother of Jesus was there” (2:2). Her presence signifies the affection for truth in each of us. It is the desire to understand what is true so that we might do what is good.

At a certain point during the wedding celebration, Jesus’ mother turns to Him and says, “They have run out of wine” (2:3). The affection for truth in each of us, represented by Jesus’ “mother,” is that part of us that thirsts for true wisdom. It is, therefore, the first to notice when truth is lacking. In the language of sacred scripture, we have “run out of wine.” Jesus then replies, “What is that to Me or you, woman? My hour has not yet come” (2:3-4). When Jesus refers to Mary as “woman” rather than mother, He is referring to His divine rather than His human identity. And when He adds the words, “My hour has not yet come,” He is referring to a specific time when He will fully manifest His glory, revealing that He is no longer the son of Mary but the Son of God. Therefore, in calling His mother “woman,” Jesus is responding from His divine nature rather than from His human nature.

On another level, Jesus is saying that He cannot perform miracles within us unless we also do our part. His “hour” comes as soon as we take the first step. This first step begins when Jesus’ mother turns to the servants and says to them, “Whatever He says, do it” (2:5). These five words contain a timeless message. As it was stated in the first chapter of this gospel, Jesus is “the Word made flesh” (1:14). To do whatever Jesus says is to do whatever the Word teaches. Each of us begins our spiritual journey in simple obedience. Eventually, faithful obedience turns into loving obedience, and finally into a life of loving to do what the Word teaches. This is when we become fully human. But at this point in the episode, we are not there yet. At this point, which is an initial state, our task is simply to do what Jesus teaches. Therefore, Mary says to the servants, “Whatever He says, do it.” ¹

“Fill the waterpots with water”

It is at this point in the divine narrative that we learn more about the wedding venue. As it is written, “And there were set there six waterpots of stone for the Jewish rites of purification, containing twenty to thirty gallons apiece” (2:6). In biblical times, it was customary to wash one’s hands and feet before entering someone’s home or attending a celebration. This historical ritual of purification represented the eternal need for spiritual purification, that is, the removal of evil desires and false thoughts. In the context of eternity, the large stone vessels, each able to contain up to twenty to thirty gallons of water, signify the foundational truths of the Word, the most general truths that serve as divine containers for more specific truths. These are the truths that are “set in stone.” They are the immoveable, timeless truths that cannot be shaken. They are the Ten Commandments given through Moses at Mount Sinai, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, the two Great Commandments, and every truth that leads us to spiritual purification.

These perennial truths, when taken into the human mind, serve as rugged stone vessels that are able to contain more specific truths, just as stone pots contain water. When we understand that the stone water pots signify the human mind filled with foundational truths, and water signifies cleansing truth from the Word of the Lord, we are prepared to see the significance of Jesus’ first command. He says, “Fill the waterpots with water” (2:7). Accordingly, the servants fill the waterpots to the brim. This represents the way each of us should keep our minds “filled to the brim” with teachings from the Lord’s Word. ²

“Draw some out and take it to the master of the feast”

While it is wonderful to have our minds filled to the brim with truth from the Word of the Lord, this is not the end of the process. Therefore, Jesus’ next command is, “Draw some out and take it to master of the feast” (2:8). In the literal narrative, the master of the feast is the person who rules over the feast, making sure that all arrangements are in place and that the guests are supplied with plenty of food and wine. In the highest sense, however, this wedding corresponds to the heavenly marriage of goodness and truth to which we are all invited, a wedding where there is plenty of spiritual food and where the wine never runs out. The “ruler” at this wedding, or to use the language of the divine narrative, “the master of the feast,” is the Lord Himself.

With this in mind, the words “take it to the master of the feast” take on greater significance. They remind us that every time we draw out some truth from the Word, striving to put it to use, we must first ask for the Lord’s blessing on our efforts. Otherwise, we might tend to believe that the true thoughts we think and the good things we do are self-generated. This is why it is necessary to take it to “the Master of the Feast”—the Lord Himself—asking for His blessing. As it written in the Hebrew scriptures, “May the favor of the Lord our God be upon us to confirm the work of our hands” (Psalms 90:17).

Whenever we do this, the Lord’s love and guidance flows into the truth that we know and the efforts that we make to put that truth into our lives. As Jesus said to Nathanael, “You will see heaven opened” (1:51). We see new applications that we would not have seen before, we feel a surge of renewed energy that we did not think we had, and we experience a change of heart. It is at this point in our lives that we realize that something truly miraculous has happened. The water of our natural lives has been transformed into the wine of spiritual life. ³

“You have saved the good wine until now”

In the literal narrative, the servants did exactly what Jesus said. They drew out the water and took it to the master of the feast. When he tastes the water, he discovers that it is not water at all, but rather a most exquisite wine. Not knowing where the wine came from, or how the water in the stone pots had been turned into wine, he assumes that the bridegroom has saved the best wine for last. So, he summons the bridegroom and says to him, “Everyone sets out the good wine first, and then sets out the inferior wine after the guests have had too much to drink. But you have saved the good wine until now” (2:10).

This miracle shows what can happen within every human being when the truths of the literal sense of the Word are transformed into spiritual truths. This is when the Word of God reveals its deeper meaning to us, and we see the goodness within the truth. This episode, then, teaches us that when we fill our mind to the brim with truth from the Lord’s Word, draw some out for spiritual cleansing, and take it to the Lord for His blessing, the water of natural life will be turned into the wine of spiritual life. As it is written in the closing words of this episode, “You have kept the good wine until now.” ⁴

The beginning of signs

After the turning of water into wine, it is written that “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him” (2:11). It is important to note that the Gospel According to John consistently uses the Greek word σημεῖον [say-mi'-on] which means “sign” instead of the Greek word δύναμις [doo'-nam-is] which means “miracle” or “miraculous power.” In this regard, a sign is not the same as a miracle. While a miracle can amaze and dazzle us momentarily, a sign points to a deeper truth about Jesus and about our inner lives. Signs testify to what the Lord can do not only in the outer world, but also in our inner life.

To put it briefly, miracles may astonish us, but signs teach us. Signs, as the term itself suggests, signify a deeper spiritual reality. Miracles, then, have a certain external power. They can get our attention. But if we are good at heart, we allow these miracles to become signs that point us toward deeper realities. They can teach us about our inner world, cause us to examine ourselves, and lead us to deeper understanding. We begin to see signs that the Lord is working within us. ⁵

A practical application

While external miracles can serve to get our attention, the Lord wants us to believe in Him because He performs inner miracles—changes in our inner life. It’s as if the Lord is saying to each of us, “I want you to believe in Me because you have heard my teachings, lived according to them, asked for My blessing, and, as a result, you have seen your life being transformed.” With this in mind, notice those times when you have good thoughts about the Lord and about the neighbor. Notice those times when thoughts about doing kind things or performing useful services arise in you, and you act on them. Notice those times when you feel genuine empathy for others, especially those who suffer physically and spiritually, and you do something to help. Notice, especially, those times when you have conquered in temptation because the Lord has been fighting for you, and within you. These are all precious moments when Jesus is turning the water of natural life into the wine of spiritual life. This is how the Lord manifests His glory in you. And, like the early disciples, you may find yourself believing in Him ever more deeply, even as good wine becomes finer and finer over the years. ⁶

Cleansing the Temple

12. After this He came down into Capernaum, He, and His mother, and His brothers, and His disciples; and there they remained not many days.

13. And the Passover of the Jews was near; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

14. And found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the coin merchants, sitting.

15. And having made a whip out of cords, He cast them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen, and spilled out the coin of the moneychangers, and overturned the tables.

16. And to those selling doves, He said, Take these away from here! Make not My Fathers house a house of merchandise.

17. And His disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thy house has eaten me up.

18. Then answered the Jews and said to Him, What sign dost Thou show us that Thou doest these things?

19. Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

20. Then the Jews said, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt Thou raise it up in three days?

21. But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

22. When therefore He was risen from [the] dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

After attending the wedding ceremony in Cana of Galilee, Jesus goes down to Capernaum for a few days and then up to Jerusalem and into the temple to celebrate the Passover. The temple in Jerusalem is the place where people went to read, study, and discuss the Word. It is where sacrifices were practiced and rituals took place, all in an effort to worship the Lord. Over time, however, the temple leaders allowed merchants to sell animals for sacrificial rituals, turning the temple into a house of merchandise rather than a house of prayer. Worship was no longer a time for holy sacrifices but rather a time for business transactions. As it is written, “In the temple, Jesus found the people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables” (2:13).

Seeing this, Jesus makes a whip of cords, drives the animals out of the temple along with the merchants, and overturns the tables of the moneychangers. Addressing those who are selling doves, He says, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise” (2:16).

As we have pointed out, the temple signifies the human mind. While it should be a house of prayer, a holy place where we learn truth and act on it, our minds are sometimes occupied by selfish and worldly concerns, symbolized by the moneychangers. To the extent that we dwell on these lower, more external things, forgetting to praise and honor God, our mind becomes “a house of merchandise,” a place of business rather than a house of God. ⁷

The picture of Jesus driving out the animals with a whip of cords and overturning the tables of the moneychangers is a powerful one. This is another side of the omniscient Jesus who welcomed Nathanael as a disciple. It is also another side of the omnipotent Jesus who transformed water into wine. This time we see a very zealous Jesus who is greatly concerned about what is happening in the temple. Noticing this, His disciples remember the words of Psalms 69. As it written, “Zeal for Your House has eaten Me up” (2:16; Psalms 69:9). In that same psalm, David goes on to say, “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord better than an ox or a bull” (Psalms 69:30-31).

David’s words are prophetic. They point to a time when God will be worshipped in song, thanksgiving, praise, and, most importantly, through a life of useful service—not through the sacrifice of innocent animals. Jesus’ zealous action, therefore, is a powerful indication that the time of animal sacrifice is over, and that a new era is beginning. Shocked and confused by Jesus’ behavior, the people say, “What sign are you going to show us to prove Your authority to do these things” (2:18). In response, Jesus says to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (2:19).

The people, as yet, do not understand. They think Jesus is referring to the physical temple which took forty-six years to build. They can’t understand how Jesus could rebuild that temple in three days. They do not understand that Jesus is “speaking of the temple of His body” (2:21). In the literal sense, this is a reference to His resurrection “on the third day” after His crucifixion. It is written, therefore, that “when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the scriptures and the word which Jesus had said” (2:22).

More deeply, when Jesus says that He will “raise up the temple in three days,” He is not only speaking about His resurrection after three days. He is also speaking about the establishment of a “new temple” or a “new church” in each of us—a temple that will take “three days” to establish. The phrase, “three days,” as we have mentioned, refers to the three essential stages of our spiritual development. This is the process of repentance, reformation, and regeneration. It is a process that takes place within each of us as we turn to the Lord, learn truth from His Word, and begin a new life. This wondrous process begins when we decide to cooperate with the Lord in driving out the evils of our lower nature so that the He might enter the temple of our minds and dwell in the sanctuary of our hearts. ⁸

A practical application

One of the main activities of temple worship was animal sacrifice. More specifically, it involved the sacrifice of several different kinds of animals such as lambs, doves, rams, goats, bulls, and oxen. Every sacrificed animal represented a specific evil or a falsity that needed to be given up so that the person making the sacrifice could be purified from that sin. Of course, we realize that the sacrifice of an animal can never take away human sin. True sacrifice has nothing to do with the slaughter of innocent animals. In fact, the word “sacrifice” comes from two Latin words that mean “to make holy” [sacre = holy + facere = to make]. Therefore, we make a sacrifice whenever we give up selfish desires, false beliefs, and ego concerns. You can start today by clearing the temple of whatever prevents the Lord from being fully present in your life. Just as Jesus used a whip to drive out the oxen, you will need to use powerful truths to drive out the stubborn attitudes and persistent desires of your lower/animal nature. This would be a true and holy sacrifice, the kind we are called to make in the temple of our inner spirit.

Saving Faith

23. And when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, at the festival, many believed in His name, beholding His signs which He did.

24. But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all [men],

25. And needed not that any should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

The next episode begins with the words, “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did” (2:23). This describes an initial, but shallow, stage of faith. As it is written, “many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.” Faith that is based on miracles may be useful in the beginning of our spiritual development, but it is not genuine faith or what is called “saving faith.” In the initial stages of faith, we are like innocent children who believe because we hear how God created the world, parted the Red Sea, saved Jonah from the belly of a whale, and rescued Daniel from the mouth of the lions.

In this initial stage, we accept the Word as literally true, without question. Even a statement like “many believed in His name” is taken at face value, meaning that the mere belief in the Lord’s name can bring about salvation. In this regard, when a child is taught to “call upon the name of Jesus,” it can be understood to mean that the name “Jesus” must be used frequently, that the name “Jesus” has the power to frighten away bad spirits, and that the recitation of the name “Jesus” has the power to unlock the doors of heaven. There are numerous teachings from the literal sense of the Word that tend to support this interpretation. As Paul says in his letter to the Romans, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

As faith develops, we move from a simple child-like belief in the name “Jesus” to a more mature belief in what it means to call upon the name of the Lord. We begin to understand that to “believe in His name,” means to believe in the qualities that are signified by a name. This includes every divine quality that is available to us. For example, when we pray for the quality called “patience,” we are calling upon the name of the Lord. When we pray for the quality called “forgiveness,” we are calling upon the name of the Lord. When we pray for the quality called “tranquility,” we are calling upon the name of the Lord. These qualities are always present, available for the asking, and should never be taken in vain. And when we strive to live according to these qualities, practicing patience, forgiveness, and peace, these qualities can become a part of our character. This is what it means to “believe in His name.” ⁹

Similarly, as our faith deepens, we begin to see that every biblical event, even every word, has a deeper meaning that relates to our spiritual development. Just as the word “name” has deeper meaning, so too, do the stories. We begin to understand that the days of creation are not just about the physical creation of the universe, but rather about the successive states of our internal growth; we begin to see that the miraculous parting of the Red Sea is not just about the Lord leading the children of Israel out of Egypt, but rather about how the Lord leads us through seemingly impossible situations. We begin to realize that Jonah being saved from the whale or Daniel being delivered from the lions are not just stories about how the Lord saves faithful people from physical danger, but, more deeply, how the Lord, through His Word, is continually saving us from being swallowed up by falsity or eaten up by resentment. ¹⁰

As our understanding deepens through application of truth to our life, so, too, does our faith. We begin to see that these stories are not just about people who lived long ago. They are also stories about the wonders that the Lord can work within us when we live according to His teachings. ¹¹

Doing our part

As we have pointed out, true faith arises when we first do our part. It begins by turning to the Lord, repenting of our sins, allowing the Lord to reform our understanding through the truths of His Word, and then doing the good things that the Word teaches. In the language of sacred scripture, and in the divinely ordered sequence of episodes in this chapter, this means that we must first “fill the waterpots to the brim,” then “cleanse the inner temple,” and finally, live a life of charity towards others. When this happens, a faith based on external miracles becomes a faith based on personal transformation. We believe, not because of the external miracles that we have seen or heard about. Rather, we believe because we have been willing to be led by the Lord, have striven to put His truth into our lives, and, as a result, have seen miraculous changes within ourselves. This is called “saving faith.” And we can only experience it when we have done our part. ¹²

The testimony of man vs the testimony of God

In the verse that follows, it is written that Jesus “did not commit himself to them because He knew all men and had no need that anyone should testify of man because He knew what was in man” (2:24-25). The “testimony of man” is inconsistent, and fickle. As long as everything is going well, and our physical needs are being met, we have no complaints. We trust in God and believe that we are honoring His name.

But when things do not go according to our plans, when our ambitious desires seem to be thwarted, and our prayers for material prosperity are not being answered, our faith wavers. The same people who initially believed in Jesus because of the miraculous signs eventually turned on Him when He failed to provide the material prosperity they were seeking. They wanted an earthly king, not a heavenly one. They believed in His miracles, but did not believe in Him. They believed in His “name,” but not in living according to the qualities signified by His name.

It is written, therefore, that Jesus “did not entrust Himself to them because He knew all men” (2:24). Just as Jesus knew the heart of Nathanael, He knows the hearts of all men. He knows how unreliable and inconsistent people can be, how people can honor Him one moment and despise Him the next. It is for this reason that Jesus “did not entrust Himself to them.” This case is similar with each of us. If we truly desire a relationship with God, we must be trustworthy. Whatever happens, whether it appears to be according to our wishes or against them—for better or for worse—we must remain constant in our faith, trusting that the Lord is leading us to a good end. ¹³

Whenever we do this, living in the assurance that God will never leave us or abandon us, we will be able to provide a true testimony. Rather than being a “testimony of man,” about how the Lord has satisfied our worldly ambitions, it will be a “testimony of God.” This is a humbler testimony about how God has delivered us from the evil of our lower nature, inspired us with His truth, and empowered us to do good in His name.

Genuine testimony, then, is about the wonderful ways that God is working within us as we strive to live according to His teachings. The result of this kind of inner work is truly “of God” and not “of man.” It is about the gradual but wondrous changes that takes place within us as we persevere in keeping the commandments. ¹⁴

A practical application

As you continue to keep the commandments, trusting in God to give you the power to do so, notice the way God’s qualities begin to arise within you as if they are your own. For example, notice how you are becoming more patient, even in trying circumstances. Notice how you can remain peaceful, even when you are in the midst of an emotional storm. Notice how your confidence in the Lord remains firm, even when your plans are upset, and the outcomes you desire are not achieved. Notice how quickly you can recover from an emotional upset, apologize for your part, and, without defensiveness, resolve to be better next time. Pay attention to these quiet miracles that point to the significant changes that are taking place within you. Add your own examples to the list of how the Lord is giving you the power to break old patterns and start new practices. ¹⁵

Footnotes:

475. And have washed their robes, signifies the removal of falsities by means of temptations. This is evident from the signification of "to wash," as being to purify from falsities and evils, consequently to remove them; for the evils and falsities that are with man, spirit, and angel, are not taken away, but are removed, and when they have been removed the appearance is that they have been taken away (respecting this see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 166, 170) thence "to wash" signifies to remove falsities, and thus to purify. Also from the signification of "robes," as being protecting truths in general (of which above, n. 395; but "robes" here, before they have been washed and made white, signify falsities from which they have [not yet] been purified; for those who are in falsities from ignorance appear in the spiritual world at first in dusky garments of diverse colors, and while they are in temptations in filthy garments; but when they come out of temptations they appear in white robes, glistening according to their purification from falsities. Each one in the other life appears in garments according to the truths and according to the falsities that are with him; ¹ this is why "garments" signify truths, and in the contrary sense falsities (See above, n. 195, 271). From this the signification of "they have washed their robes and have made them white" can be seen.

[2] In ancient times, when all the externals of the church were representative and significative of things spiritual and celestial, washings were made use of, and they represented purifications from falsities and evils; "washings" had this signification because "waters" signified truths, and "filth" falsities and evils, and all purification from falsities and evils is effected by truths (that "waters" signify truths see above, n. 71). This is why washings were instituted with the sons of Israel by command; for with them there was a representative church, all things of which were significative of things spiritual, and "washings" signified purifications from falsities and evils, and thence regeneration. For this purpose:

A laver of brass was placed at the entrance of the tent of meeting (Exodus 30:18-20);

Also lavers of brass were placed outside of the temple, one great laver which was called the sea of brass, and ten smaller ones (1 Kings 7:23-39).

[3] Because of this signification of "washings," when Aaron and his sons were consecrated to the priesthood:

Moses was commanded to wash them with water at the entrance of the tent, and thus to sanctify them (Exodus 29:4; 40:12; Leviticus 8:6);

for the priests represented the Lord in relation to Divine good, as kings represented Him in relation to Divine truth, consequently the priests represented also the Divine holiness which is pure without blemish. Aaron and his sons were inducted into this representation by the washing by Moses; therefore it is said that "thus they should be sanctified," although no sanctity was conferred upon them by the washing.

[4] It was therefore also commanded that:

Aaron and his sons should wash their hands and feet before entering into the tent of meeting, and before they came near to the altar to minister; and it is said that they were to do this that they die not; and that it should be to them a statute of an age (Exodus 30:18-21; 40:30, 31).

Also that Aaron should wash his flesh before he put on the garments of ministry (Leviticus 16:4, 24).

"Washing the hands and feet" signified the purification of the natural man, and "washing the flesh" the purification of the spiritual man. It was therefore commanded also:

That the Levites should be sanctified by being sprinkled with the water of expiation, and by causing a razor to pass over their flesh, and that they should wash their garments (Numbers 8:6, 7).

This was done to the Levites because they ministered in the external things of the church under Aaron and his sons, and the purification of the external things of the church was represented by the sprinkling of the water of expiation, by shaving the hairs of the flesh, and by washing the garments.

[5] Furthermore, all who were made unclean by touching unclean things also washed themselves and their garments, and were said to be made clean thereby, as:

Those who ate of the dead body of a clean beast, or of what was torn (Leviticus 17:15, 16).

One who touched the bed of one who had an issue, or sat upon the vessel that he sat on, or who touched his flesh (Leviticus 15:4-12).

It was also commanded that the leper, after his cleansing, should wash his garments, shave off his hair, and wash himself with water (Leviticus 14:8, 9).

Also that such vessels as had become unclean by the touch of the unclean, should be passed through water (Leviticus 11:32; besides other statutes).

He is much mistaken who supposes that those who washed their flesh or hands and feet, or garments, were cleansed and sanctified, that is, purified from their sins; for sins are not washed away or taken away by water as filth is, but they are washed away, that is, removed, by means of truths and a life according to them, and this alone was what was represented by the washings; for "waters" signify truths, and truths when there is life according to them, purify the man.

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

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

Like things were taught by the Lord when the Jews and Pharisees rebuked His disciples for not washing their hands before eating, for He taught:

That by this a man is not rendered unclean, but by every evil that goeth forth from the heart (Matthew 15:1-2, 19-20; Mark 7:1-23; Luke 11:38, 39).

From this it can be seen that the Jews by their washings were never sanctified and cleansed from their spiritual defilements, which are the evils going forth from the heart, since these evils reside within; and in the world they have nothing in common with the filth that adheres to the body. It is said that "the inside of the cup and platter must be cleansed that the outside may become clean also;" for the outside with man cannot be cleansed until the inside is cleansed, for the outside is cleansed by means of the inside. "The cup and platter" signify the interiors and exteriors of man, which receive truth and good, for the cup is what contains wine, and the platter is what contains food, and "wine" signifies truth, and "food" has a similar signification as "bread," namely, good. This makes clear the signification in the spiritual sense of "cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside may become clean also."

[7] What the Lord says here has a similar meaning as His washing the feet of the disciples, respecting which He thus said to Peter, in John:

He that hath bathed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is wholly clean (John 13:10).

"He that hath bathed" signifies one who is inwardly clean; and "needeth not save to wash his feet" signifies that then he must be cleansed outwardly, for "the feet" signify the external or natural man (See above, n. 69). More may be seen respecting this arcanum in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 179, 181; and in Arcana Coelestia, where the following are made clear: For a man to be purified, both the internal or spiritual and the external or natural must be purified, and the external by means of the internal, n. 3868, 3870, 3872, 3876, 3877, 3882. The internal man is purified before the external, because the internal is in the light of heaven, and the external in the light of the world, n. 3321, 3325, 3469, 3493, 4353, 8746, 9325. The external or natural man is purified by the Lord through the internal or spiritual, n. 3286, 3288, 3321. A man is not purified until the external or natural man is also purified, n. 8742-8747, 9043, 9046, 9061, 9325, 9334. If the natural man is not purified the spiritual man is closed up, n. 6299; and in respect to the truths and goods of faith and love, it is as it were blind, n. 3493, 3969). The internal man is purified by knowing, understanding, and thinking the truths of the Word, and the external man by willing and doing them. This makes clear how the Lord's words to Peter must be understood, "He that hath bathed needeth not save to wash his feet;" likewise how the Lord's words to the Pharisees must be understood, "cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside may become clean also."

[8] That the internal man is purified by truths which are of faith, and the external by a life according to them, is meant also by these words of the Lord:

Except one be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5).

"Water" signifying the truths of faith, and "spirit" a life according to them.

[9] From this it can now be seen what "washing" signifies in the following passages. In Ezekiel:

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

This was said of Jerusalem, by which the church is signified; its purification from falsities and from evils is signified by "I washed thee with waters; yea, I rinsed away thy bloods from upon thee," "to wash with waters" signifying to purify the church by truths, and "to rinse away the bloods" signifying purification from falsities and evils. To imbue the church with the good of love is signified by "I anointed thee with oil," "oil" meaning the good of love.

[10] In Isaiah:

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

"To wash away the filth of the daughters of Zion" signifies to purify the affections of those who are of a celestial church from the evils of love of self, "filth" meaning the evil of the love of self," "daughters" the affection, and "Zion" the church that is in love to the Lord, which is therefore called a celestial church; "to wash away the bloods of Jerusalem" signifies to purify the same affections from the falsities of evil, "bloods" meaning the falsities of evil; "in the spirit of judgment and in the spirit of cleansing" signifies by means of the understanding of truth and the affection of truth, "spirit" meaning the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, "the spirit of judgment" the understanding of truth therefrom, and "the spirit of cleansing" the spiritual affection of truth, for that is what cleanses.

[11] In Job:

If I shall wash myself in waters of snow, and cleanse my hands with soap, yet wilt thou plunge me into the pit, and mine own garments shall abhor me (Job 9:30, 31).

This means that if one attempts to purify himself by his own efforts, although by means of truths and goods that are or that appear to be genuine, he will yet lead himself into falsities; "to wash oneself" means to purify oneself; "waters of snow" mean truths that are or that appear to be genuine; "soap" means the good from which they come, and "the pit" falsity. That from this come truths falsified is meant by "mine own garments shall abhor me;" "garments" meaning truths, which are said "to abhor one" when they are falsified, and this is done when man from self-intelligence speculates and draws conclusions.

[12] In Moses:

He washed his vesture in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes (Genesis 49:11).

This is said of Judah, by whom is here meant the Lord in relation to Divine truth; that He altogether purified this in His Human, when He was in the world, is signified by "he washed his vesture in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes," "vesture" and "covering" signifying His Human, and "wine" and "the blood of grapes" Divine truth. (This may be seen explained in Arcana Coelestia 6377, 6378.)

[13] That "to wash" signifies to purify from falsities and evils is clearly evident in Isaiah:

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

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

[14] In Jeremiah:

Wash thine heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall the thoughts of thine iniquity lodge in the midst of thee? (Jeremiah 4:14).

This has a similar signification. In David:

Wash me from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow (Psalms 51:2, 7).

Here "to wash" plainly means to purify from falsities and evils, for it is said, "Wash me from iniquity, and cleanse me from sin," and afterwards, "Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow;" "to wash from iniquity" means from falsities, and "from sin" means from evils, for "iniquity" is predicated of falsities, and "sin" of evils; and because the water of expiation was prepared from hyssop, it is said, "Thou shalt purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean. "

[15] In Jeremiah:

Although thou shalt wash thee with niter and take thee ² much soap, thine iniquity shall still retain its spots before Me (Jeremiah 2:22).

Here, too, it is clear that washings only represented and thence signified spiritual washings, which are purifications from falsities and evils, for it is said, "Although thou shalt wash thee with niter, and take thee much soap, thine iniquity shall still retain its spots."

[16] Thus also in David:

In vain have I cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocence. All the day have I been plagued, and in the mornings was my reproof (Psalms 73:13, 14).

"To wash the hands in innocence" means to bear witness that one is innocent and pure from evils and falsities; for washing the hands was a testification of innocence; as can be seen also from the fact that:

Pilate washed his hands and said, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person (Matthew 27:24).

[17] Because "washings" signified purifications from falsities and evils, and "one blind" signified those who do not see truths, and are therefore in falsities:

The Lord told the blind man whose eyes He anointed with clay made with spittle, to wash himself in the pool of Siloam, and when he had washed himself he came seeing (John 9:6, 7, 11, 15).

The "blind man" here represented those who can see nothing of truth because they are sensual, and see only those things that appear before the external senses, from which come fallacies instead of truths, and to the confirmation of these they apply the sense of the letter of the Word; "the clay made of spittle" signifies sensual truth, such as the Word contains for such persons; "the waters of the lake or pool of Siloam" signify the truths of the Word, for all things, even to the waters in Jerusalem were significative; and "to wash" signifies to purify from fallacies, which in themselves are falsities. From this it can be seen what these things signify in series; for all the miracles and works of the Lord when He was in the world signified Divine celestial and Divine spiritual things, that is, such things as pertain to heaven and the church, and this because they were Divine, and the Divine always operates in ultimates from first things, and thus in fullness; ultimates are such as appear before the eyes in the world. This is why the Lord spoke and the Word was written by means of such things in nature as correspond.

[18] It is similar with the miracle performed on Naaman the leper by command of Elisha, which is thus described in the second book of Kings:

Naaman of Syria, being affected with leprosy, was commanded by a messenger from Elisha to wash himself seven times in the Jordan, and his flesh would come again and he would be clean. At length Naaman went down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan; and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little lad, and he was clean (2 Kings 5:10, 14).

"Naaman a leper of Syria" represented and signified those who falsify the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, for "leprosy" signifies falsifications, and "Syria" the knowledges of truth and good. "The waters of Jordan" signified the truths that introduce into the church, which are the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, for the river Jordan was the first boundary across which the land of Canaan was entered, and "the land of Canaan" signified the church; this is why "the waters of Jordan" signified introductory truths, which are the first knowledges of truth and good from the Word. Because of this signification of "the waters of Jordan," Naaman was commanded to wash himself in them seven times, which signified purification from falsified truths; "seven times" signifies fully, and is predicated of things holy, such as truths Divine are. Because "seven times" has this signification, it is said that "his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little lad," the flesh coming again signifying spiritual life, such as those have who are regenerated through Divine truths.

[19] Because "the waters of Jordan" signified the truths that introduce into the church, which are the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, and "washing" therein signified purification from falsities, and consequent reformation and regeneration by the Lord, therefore baptism was instituted, which was first performed in Jordan by John (Matthew 3:11-16; Mark 1:4-13). This rite signified initiation into the knowledges from the Word respecting the Lord, His coming, and salvation by Him; and as man is reformed and regenerated by the Lord by means of truths from the Word, baptism was commanded by the Lord (Matthew 28:19); for it is by means of truths from the Word that man is reformed and regenerated, and it is the Lord who reforms and regenerates. (Respecting this more may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 202-209.)

[20] It was said by John:

That he baptized with water; but that the Lord would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Luke 3:16; John 1:33).

This means that John only inaugurated them into knowledges from the Word respecting the Lord, and thus prepared them to receive Him, but that the Lord Himself regenerates man by means of Divine truth and Divine good proceeding from Him; for John represented the like as Elijah, namely, the Word; "the waters" with which John baptized signified introductory truths, which are knowledges from the Word respecting the Lord; "the Holy Spirit" signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; and "fire" signifies Divine good proceeding from Him; and "baptism" signifies regeneration by the Lord by means of Divine truths from the Word.

[21] Washings were instituted in the ancient churches, and afterwards baptisms in their place, which nevertheless are only representative and significative rites, in order that heaven might be conjoined with the human race, and in particular with the man of the church; for heaven is conjoined to man when man is in ultimates, that is, in such things as are in the world in regard to his natural man, while he is in such things as are in heaven in regard to his spiritual man; in no other way is conjunction possible. This is why baptism was instituted; also the holy supper; likewise why the Word was written by means of such things as are in the world, while there is in it a spiritual sense, containing such things as are in heaven, that is, that the sense of the letter of the Word is natural, while in it there is a spiritual sense. (That by means of this sense the Word conjoins the angels of heaven with the men of the church, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 303-310; and in the small work on The White Horse from beginning to end. That the holy supper likewise conjoins, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 210-222, and the same is true of baptism.) But he is much mistaken who believes that baptism contributes anything to a man's salvation unless he is at the same time in the truths of the church and in a life according to them; for baptism is an external thing, which without an internal contributes nothing to salvation, but it does contribute when the external is conjoined to an internal. The internal of baptism is, that by means of truths from the Word and a life according to them, falsities and evils may be removed by the Lord, and thus man be regenerated, as the Lord teaches (Matthew 23:26, 27), as explained above in this article.

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