The Bible

 

Genesis 1:29

Study

       

29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

Commentary

 

Return to Egypt

  

In Exodus 4:18, this signifies the continuation of the previous life. (Arcana Coelestia 7014)

In Exodus 13:17, this signifies to fall into falsities. (Arcana Coelestia 8097)

In John 13:3, this signifies to be conceived and to exist from the Divine in Himself, and to be united to Him as soul to body. (Arcana Coelestia 852[9])

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #307

Study this Passage

  
/ 1232  
  

307.(5:5) And one of the elders. That this signifies a society of heaven which was in wisdom above the rest, is evident from the signification of the elders, as denoting those who are in truths from good, and in the abstract, truths from good (concerning which see above, n. 270), thus those who are in intelligence and wisdom above the rest; for all intelligence is from good by means of truths, or by means of truths from good, and from no other source. One of the elders, signifies a society of heaven, because by an angel in the Word, is not meant one angel, but a whole society (as may be seen above, n. 90, 302); thus also by one of the elders. A society is meant which is in wisdom above the rest, because he taught that it is the Lord alone, who as to the Human procured to Himself Divine Wisdom, that He might know, have cognisance of, and explore every one, and the states of the life of all in general, and of each one in particular. These things are signified by his saying, "Weep not; behold, the lion which is of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof"; for to know this, namely, that it is the Lord alone who is such, pertains to the wisdom of the angels of heaven; and this the angelic societies of the third or inmost heaven know from perception, or from influx from the Lord. The others also know it, yet not from perception, but from the enlightenment of the understanding. The angels of the third or inmost heaven have perception; the angels of the second and the ultimate heaven have enlightenment of the understanding; they are distinguished by this, that perception is full confirmation from influx from the Lord, but enlightenment of the understanding is spiritual sight. Those have the latter, who are in charity towards the neighbour and thence in faith: but those have perception, who are in love to the Lord. (What perception is may be further seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 135-140.)

  
/ 1232  
  

Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.