THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 53

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

1. WHO has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of Jehovah been revealed?

2. For He shall grow up before Him like a tender plant, and like a root from a dry ground: He has no form, nor honour, that we should regard Him; nor beauty, that we should desire Him.

VERSE 1. ln this chapter, from beginning to end, the subject treated of is concerning the Lord's temptations, thus concerning the state in which He was when He fought with the hells; for temptations are nothing else but combats against the hells. This state of temptations is here described by "bearing our sicknesses and sorrows", by being "bruised for our iniquities", etc. He is also here called "the Arm of Jehovah", by which is signified the Divine Power. That by being "bruised and wounded for our transgressions", etc., is signified a state of temptation, is evident, for on such occasion there are griefs, straitnesses, and desperations of mind, which thus torment. Such things are induced by the hells, for, in temptations, they assault the love itself of him against whom they fight; the love of everyone is the inmost principle of his life. The Lord's love was the love of saving the human race, which love was the esse of His life; for the Divine [principle] in Himself was that Love. This is also described in another place in Isaiah, where the Lord's combats are treated of, in these words:

"He said, Surely they are My people; therefore He became a Saviour, to them. In all their straitness He had straitness; on account of His love and His pity He redeemed them, and carried them all the days of eternity." (Isaiah 63:8, 9)

That the Lord, when he was in the world, endured such temptations, is briefly described in the Evangelists, but more fully in the Prophets, and especially in the Psalms of David. It is only said in the Evangelists that "He was led away into the wilderness, and afterwards tempted by the devil", and that "He was there forty clays, and with the beasts"; (Mark 1:12, 13; Matthew 4:1) but that He was in temptations, that is, in combats with the hells, from first childhood even to the end of His life in the world, He did not reveal; according to these words in Isaiah:

"He was oppressed [or sustained exaction], yet He opened not His mouth", etc. His last temptation was in Gethsemane; [Matthew 24:7; Mark 14:33-34] and afterwards the passion of the cross, by which He fully subdued the hells, as He Himself teaches in John:

"Father, deliver Me from this hour; but for this [cause] came I to this hour. Father, glorify Your name. There came forth a voice from heaven, [saying] I have both glorified it, and will glorify it. Then said Jesus, Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out." (John 12:27, 28, 31)

The "prince of this world" is the devil, thus the whole hell; to "glorify" is to make the Human [principle] Divine. The reason why mention is made only of "the temptation after forty days in the wilderness" is, because "forty days" signify and involve temptations to the full, thus of several years, as may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 8098, 9437; the "wilderness" signifies hell, and the "beasts" with which He there fought, the diabolical crew. Arcana Coelestia 9937.

To whom has the arm of Jehovah been revealed? -The Humanity of the Lord is called in the Word "the Arm of Jehovah." Several causes exist why God could not redeem mankind, that is, deliver them from damnation and hell, by any other process than that of assuming the Humanity. For redemption consisted in reducing the hells into subjection, and bringing the heavens into an orderly and arrangement, and afterwards renewing the church on earth; and there was no other possible means by which the Omnipotence of God could effect these purposes than by assuming the Humanity, just as there is no possibility for a man to work without hands and arms; therefore, in the Word, the Humanity is called "the Arm of Jehovah." (Isaiah 40:10; 53:1)

In like manner it is impossible for anyone to enter into a fortified city, and destroy the temples of its idols, unless he be furnished with mediate powers suited to such a design. It is also evident from the Word, that God, by means of His Humanity, was omnipotent in the accomplishment of that divine work; for God, who is in inmost, and thus in purest principles, could not possibly by any other means descend to ultimate or lowest principles, in which the hells are, and in which mankind were at that time; comparatively as the soul cannot act without a body, or as it is impossible to conquer enemies while they remain out of sight, or while they cannot be approached and attacked with some kind of weapons, such as spears, shields, or guns. For God to have effected redemption without assuming the Humanity, would have been as impossible as for Europeans to subdue the Indies without soldiers and shipping; or as it is impossible to make trees grow by heat and light alone, without air for their transmission, and unless earth be formed for their production; yea, it would have been as impossible as for a man to catch fish by casting nets in to the air instead of the water, For Jehovah, as He is in Himself cannot by all His Omnipotence approach any devil in hell, or any devil on earth, so as to curb his fury, and subdue his violence, unless He be in ultimate as He is in first principles; and He is in ultimates in His Humanity. Therefore, in the Word, He is called "the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End." True Christian Religion 84.

3. He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

Verses 3-5. A Man of sorrows [or pains]; - our sicknesses He has borne; - and by His wounds we are healed [or healing is given to us]. By "sicknesses" and "diseases" are meant spiritual diseases, which are evils destroying the life of the will of Good, and falsities destroying the life of the understanding of Truth, that is, destroying the spiritual life, which is the life of Faith and Charity. Natural "diseases" also correspond to such spiritual diseases; for every disease in the human race is from this cause, because from sin; every "disease" also corresponds to its own evil. The reason is, because the whole of the life of man is from the spiritual world; wherefore if his spiritual life sickens, evil is hence derived into his natural life, which there becomes a disease. Because diseases represented the iniquities and the evils of the spiritual life, therefore by the "diseases" which the Lord healed is signified deliverance from various kinds of the evil and the false which infested the church and the human race, and which would have brought upon them spiritual death; for divine miracles are distinguished from others by this, that they involve and regard states of the church and of the heavenly kingdom; on this account it was that the miracles of the Lord chiefly consisted in healing diseases. This is understood by the Lord's words to the disciples sent by John:

"Go and show John those things which you do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor hear the Gospel." (Matthew 11:4, 5)

Hence it is so often said that "the Lord healed all disease and all sickness among the people." (Matthew 4:23; 9:35, and in many other passages.) Arcana Coelestia 8364.

4. Surely our sicknesses He has borne; and our sorrows, He has carried them: yet we considered Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Verses 4, 6, 11. These words are said of the Lord; and the reason why "bearing iniquity" denotes to remove falsities and evils, or sins, with those who are in Good, is, because the Lord was represented by "Aaron", and all the work of salvation by his "office" or "priesthood." Hence it is said of "Aaron", who, as stated, represented the Lord, that "he bore the iniquity of the holy things." (Exodus 28:38)

That it is said of the Lord, that "He bore iniquities and sins for the human race", is known in the church; but still it is unknown what is understood by "bearing iniquities and sins." It is believed by some that it denotes that He took upon Himself the sins of the human race, and suffered Himself to be condemned even to the death of the cross; and that thus, because damnation for sins was cast upon Him, mortals are liberated from damnation; also that damnation was taken away by the Lord, through the fulfilling of the law, since the law would have damned everyone who did not fulfil it. But, by "bearing iniquity", are not meant those things, since every man's deeds remain with him after death, and then he is judged, according to their quality, either to life or to death; and therefore they cannot be taken away by transfer to another, who bears them. Hence it is evident that, by "bearing iniquities", something else is meant, but what is meant may be manifest from the "bearing" itself of iniquities or of sins by the Lord; for the Lord bears those things when He fights for man against the hells, for man, of himself, cannot fight against them, but the Lord alone does this, also continually for every man, with a difference according to the reception of Divine Good and Truth. The Lord, when He was in the world, fought against all the hells, and altogether subdued them; hence, also, He was made "Justice"; thus He redeemed from damnation those who receive Divine Good and Truth from Himself. Unless this had been effected by the Lord, no flesh could have been saved; for the hells are continually with man, and have dominion over him so far as the Lord does not remove them; and He so far removes them as man desists from evils. He who once conquers the hells, conquers them to eternity; and that this might be effected by the Lord, He made His Human Divine. He, therefore, who alone fights for man against the hells, or, what is the same thing, against evils and falsities, for these are from the hells, - He is said to "bear sins"; for He alone sustains that burden. The reason why, by "bearing sins", is also signified the removal of evils and falsities from those who are in Good, is, because this is a consequence: for so far as the hells are removed from man, so far evils and falsities are removed, for the latter and the former, as was said, are from the hells. Evils and falsities are sins and iniquities; how the case herein is, see what was shown above, Arcana Coelestia 9715, 9809, where the "merit" and "justice" of the Lord, and also "the subjugation of the hells" by Him, are treated of. Arcana Coelestia 9937.

5. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and by His wounds we are healed.

6. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way: and Jehovah has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.

Verse 5. These things are predicated of the Lord, who is evidently treated of in this chapter, and thereby are described the temptations which He underwent in the world, in order that He might subdue the hells, and reduce all things there and in the heavens to order. Those grievous temptations are understood by His being "wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities", and by "the chastisement of our peace being upon Him"; salvation thereby is signified by being "healed by His wounds", or by "healing being given to us by His wounds.

By "peace", therefore is meant heaven and life eternal, which is given to those who are conjoined with Him; for the human race could, by no means, have been saved, unless the Lord had reduced all things in the heavens and in the hells to order, and at the same time had glorified His Humanity, which things were accomplished by means of temptations admitted in His Humanity. Apocalypse Explained 365.

7. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted; yet He opened not His mouth: as a lamb that is brought to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth.

Verse 7. To be "oppressed" [or to suffer exaction] signifies temptations; to be "afflicted", their grievousness; "not to open His mouth" signifies patience. Apocalypse Explained 813.

8. From distress and from judgment He was taken: and who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of My people was the stroke upon Him.

Verse 8. He was cut off out of the land of the living, etc. - It is not possible that there can be more than one single Fountain of Life from which the life of all things is derived, and it is not possible that any life can exist, which is truly life, except by faith in the Lord, who is real essential Life itself; nor can faith exist, in which is life, except from Him, consequently except He be in it; wherefore, in the Word, the Lord alone is called "living", and is named "the Living Jehovah." (Jeremiah 5:2; 12:16; 16:14, 15; 23:7; Ezekiel 5:11)

"Living for ever." (Daniel 4:34; Revelation 4:10; 5:14; 10:6)

A "Fountain of Life." (Psalm 36:8, 9)

A "Fountain of living waters." (Jeremiah 17:13)

Wherefore heaven, which lives by or from Him, is called "the land of the living." (Isaiah 38:11; 53:8; Ezekiel 26:20; 32:23-27, 32; Psalm 27:13; 142:5)

And they are called "living" who are in faith in the Lord, as in David:

"Who holds our soul amongst the living." (Psalm 66:9)

And they who are in faith are said to be in "the Book of Lives"; (Psalm 69:28) and in "the Book of Life." (Revelation 13:8; 17:8; 20:15)

Wherefore also they are said to be made to "live" who receive faith in Him. (Hosea 6:2; Psalm 85:6)

On the contrary, they who are not in faith are called "dead", as in Isaiah:

"The dead shall not live, the deceased shall not rise, because You have visited and destroyed them"; (Isaiah 26:14)

where the "dead" signify those who are puffed up with self-love, and to "rise" signifies to enter into life. They are also said to be "thrust through" [confossi]. (Ezekiel 32:23-31)

And hell is called "death." (Isaiah 25:8; 28:15)

They are also called "dead" by the Lord. [Matthew 4:16; John 5:25; 8:21, 24, 51, 52) Arcana Coelestia 290.

9. That He might give the impious to their sepulchre, and the rich in their deaths; although He had done no violence, neither was there any deceit in His mouth.

Verse 9. The whole of this chapter treats concerning the Lord, and here concerning His victories over the hells. By "the impious, whom He should give to their sepulchre", are understood the evil who should be cast down into hell, which is manifestly called a "sepulchre" by reason of those who are there being spiritually dead; by "the rich, whom He should give ill their deaths", are understood those of the church who are in falsities from evil, who are called "rich" by reason of the knowledges of Truth and of Good which they have from the Word; falsities from evil are signified by "deaths", inasmuch as they who are in them are spiritually dead. Apocalypse Explained 659.

He had done no violence, neither was there any deceit in His mouth. - In the Word "violence" is mentioned when holy things are violated by profaning them. Thus in Ezekiel:

"They shall eat their bread in anxiety, and drink their waters in desolation, that the land may be devastated of its fulness, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein"; (Ezekiel 12:19) the "bread" which they shall eat with anxiety are the celestial things, the "waters" which they shall drink in desolation are the spiritual things, to which "violence" had been offered, or which they bad profaned.

Again, in Jonah:

"Let every one be converted from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands"; (Jonah 3:8)

where an "evil way" is predicated of falsities which are of the understanding, and "violence" of the evils which are of the will.

Again, in Isaiah:

"He had done no violence, neither was there any deceit in His mouth"; (Isaiah 53:9) where "violence" is said of those things which are of the will, and "deceit in the mouth" of those things which are of the understanding. Arcana Coelestia 623.

10. Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise Him; He has made Him infirm: [saying] If You should make His soul guilt, He shall see [His] seed, He shall prolong [His] days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper by His hand.

Verse 10. The subject here treated of is also concerning the Lord, and His temptations, by which He subjugated the hells. The increasing grievousness of His temptations is described by "Jehovah's being willing [or pleased] to bruise Him", and by "making Him infirm", find the most grievous of all, which was the passion of the cross, is signified by "making His soul guilt"; by which is understood the last temptation whereby He fully subjugated the hells, and fully glorified His Human, whence comes redemption. The Divine Truth which afterwards proceeds from His Divine Human, and the salvation of all who receive Divine Truth, from Him, is signified by "He shall see [His] seed"; the eternal duration thereof is understood by "He shall prolong [His] days", -to "prolong", when predicated of the Lord, signifying eternal duration, and "days" states of light, which are states of illustration of all by Divine Truth. That this is from His Divine, for the salvation of mankind, is signified by "the will [or pleasure] of Jehovah shall prosper by His hand." Apocalypse Explained 768.

Verses 10, 11. These things are said of the Lord, who is treated of in the whole of this chapter. The temptations of the Lord, which were most grievous, because against the hells, are described by "Jehovah's being willing [or pleased] to bruise Him", and by "making Him infirm"; for by temptations the loves of the proprium are broken, thus the Lady is bruised and weakened. "If You should make His soul guilt", signifies if He undergo temptations even unto death. "He shall see [His] seed", signifies that Divine Truth shall proceed from Him; "seed" denoting Truth, and, where it is predicated of the Lord, Divine Truth. "He shall prolong [His] days", signifies Divine Good, which shall also proceed from Him; "long", and thence to "prolong", being predicated of Good, see above, n. 629; and "days" denoting states. "And the will [or pleasure] of Jehovah shall prosper by His hand", signifies that thus all and every thing in the heavens and in the earths shall be kept in divine order. "Of the travail of His soul", signifies by temptations; "He shall see [the fruit], and be satisfied", denotes glorification. These things are understood by those words in the supreme sense, in which the Lord is treated of; but in the respective sense by the same words is described the salvation of the human race, for which the Lord fought from Divine Love. It is said, "If You should make His soul guilt", as if it were a matter of doubt whether He should so make it; but this involves the same as what the Lord Himself says in John:

"I lay down My soul, and I take it again; no one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This precept I have received from My Father." (John 10:17, 18)

The arcanum which lies hid in these words, no one can see but he who knows the nature of the temptations by which man is regenerated; for therein man is preserved in his liberty, from which it appears to him as if he fought from himself; yea, in temptations his spiritual liberty is stronger than out of them, for it is more interior; unless man by virtue thereof fought in temptations, he could not be made spiritual; for all liberty is of love, wherefore man then fights from the love of Truth and thence from the love of eternal life: thus and no otherwise is the internal opened and man regenerated. From these few observations it may in some degree be seen what these words of the Lord involve, that is, that He fought from His own liberty, and at last laid down His soul, in order that He might do all things from His own proper power, and thence might become righteousness, from Himself which He could not have become except by virtue of His liberty; hence it is said, "I lay down My soul of Myself'; I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it again. This commandment I have received of My Father." They who are unacquainted with this arcanum, interpret these words like the Arians, saying that the Lord was not the actual, but the adopted Son of God, thus that lie was adopted because He was willing to lay down His soul, or undergo the death of the cross; not knowing that those words involve that the Lord, by virtue of His own proper power, fought from His Human against the hells, and overcame them, and by virtue of the same power glorified His Human, that is, united it to the essential Divine in Himself, and thereby made it Divine, which, without being left to Himself in absolute liberty as to the Human, could not possibly have been accomplished. From these considerations it is now evident why it is said in Isaiah, "If You should make His soul guilt." Apocalypse Explained 900.

11. Of the travail of His soul He shall see [the fruit], and be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.

Verse 11. These things are also spoken concerning the Lord, who is manifestly treated of in the whole of this chapter, and indeed concerning His Divine Human. His combats with the hells, and subjugation of them, is signified by "the labour [or travail] of His soul", and by "His bearing their iniquities." By bearing their iniquities is not understood that He transferred them into Himself, but that He admitted into Himself the evils which are from the hells in order that He might subdue them; this, therefore, is what is understood by "bearing iniquity." The consequent salvation of those who are in spiritual faith, which is the faith of charity, is understood by its being said, "By His knowledge shall My righteous [or just] Servant justify many"; "knowledge" signifying Divine Truth, and thence Divine Wisdom and Intelligence; and "many" signifying all who receive, for "many", in the Word, is predicated of Truths, as "great" is of Good, and hence "many" denote all who are in Truths from Good from the Lord. The reason why it is said that "He justifies them" is, because to "justify" signifies to save from Divine Good, whence also He is called "just"; and inasmuch as the Lord performed and effected those things from His Divine Human, He is called the "Servant of Jehovah"; hence it is evident that Jehovah calls His Divine Human His " Servant", from its being subservient and efficient. Apocalypse Explained 409.

By His knowledge shall My righteous [or just] Servant justify many. - That the Human of the Lord was a " Servant" before it was Divine is evident from many passages in the Prophets; the reason is, because the Human appertaining to the Lord was nothing else before He had put it off and made it Divine. The Human which appertained to Him was from the mother, consequently it was infirm, having with it an hereditary principle from the mother, which He overcame by temptation-combats, find entirely expelled, insomuch that nothing remained of the infirm and hereditary principle derived from the mother; yea, at last nothing which was from the mother remained, so that He totally put off everything maternal, to such a degree as to be no longer her son, according to what He Himself says in Mark:

"They said unto Jesus, Behold, Your mother and Your brethren without seek You. And He answered them, saying, Who is My mother and My brethren? And looking round upon them who sat about Him, He said, Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, he is My brother, My sister, and My mother", (Mark 3:32-35; Matthew 12:46-49; Luke 8:20, 21)

And when He put off this Humanity, He put on the Divine Humanity, by virtue whereof He called Himself the "Son of Man", as He frequently does in the Word of the New Testament, and also the "Son of God"; and by the "Son of Man" is signified the essential Truth, and by the "Son of God" the essential Good which appertained to His Human Essence when made Divine; the former state was that of the Lord's humiliation, but the latter of His glorification, concerning which, see above, n. 1999. In the former state, that is, that of humiliation, when He had yet an infirm Humanity appertaining to Him, He adored Jehovah as one distinct from Himself, and indeed as a "Servant", for the Humanity is nothing else in respect to the Divinity, wherefore also, in the Word, "Servant" is predicated of the Humanity, as in Isaiah 42:1, 19 (see the Exposition); and in Isaiah 53:11:

"By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many"; in the whole of which chapter the state of the Lord's humiliation is treated of. Arcana Coelestia 2159.

12. Therefore will I divide to Him [a portion] among the many, that with the mighty He may divide the spoil: because He poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Verse 12. To "divide the spoil", when said of the Lord, is to give [to the faithful] a possession in the heavenly kingdom; for by the "spoil" are signified those who are snatched away and delivered by the Lord; hence by "dividing the spoil" is signified distribution, namely, amongst those who are in heaven, which is the same as their possession [or inheritance] in the Lord's kingdom. That "rapine", "spoil", and "prey" are predicated of the Lord in the Word, is from the fact that He snatches away and delivers the good, as is evident from various passages, as from "Gen. 49:9:

"Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, you art gone up"; by which is signified that by the Lord is deliverance from hell by the celestial [principle]. (See Arcana Coelestia 6368)

Again:

"Like as the lion roars, even the young lion, over his prey, so shall Jehovah of Hosts descend to fight for the mountain of Zion." (Isaiah 31:4)

That to "eat the prey or the spoil" is [in a good sense] to appropriate to one's self the Goods which have been snatched away from evils, is evident from the prophetic declaration of Balaam in Moses:

"Behold, the people shall rise up as an old lion, and shall lift up himself as a young lion; he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey." (Numbers 23:24)

From these words it is evident that "rapine", "spoil", and "prey" is the snatching away, and the deliverance of the good by the Lord. Arcana Coelestia 6442, 6443. See also above, Chapter 5:29, 30; 31:4, the Exposition.

Because He poured out His soul unto death, etc. - That the Lord, during His abode in the world, passed through two states, called a state of exinanition and a state of glorification, is a Truth acknowledged in the church. The former state, or that of exinanition, is described in many passages in the Word, particularly in the Psalms of David, also in the Prophets, and more especially by Isaiah in the above passage. This same state was His state of humiliation before the Father, for He therein "prayed to the Father", and speaks of "doing His will", and ascribes all that He did or said to the Father. True Christian Religion 104.

And He made intercession for the transgressors. - There are four terms, namely, "mediation", "intercession", "atonement" [expiatio], and "propitiation", expressive of the grace of the One only GOD in His Humanity. God the Father can never be approached, nor can He come to any man, because He is infinite and dwells in His Esse, which is Jehovah, from which Esse, if He should come to a man, He would consume him or decompose him as fire does wood when it reduces it to ashes. This is evident from what He said to Moses, who desired to see Him:

"No man shall see Me, and live"; (Exodus 33:20) and the Lord says "No man has seen God at any time, except the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father"; (John 1:18; Matthew 11:27) also, that "No one has heard the voice of the Father, or seen His shape." (John 5:37)

It is written, indeed, that Moses "saw Jehovah face to face, and conversed with Him, as one man does with another"; but this was done by the medium of an angel, as was the case also with Abraham and Gideon. Now, since God the Father in Himself is such, therefore He was pleased to assume the Humanity, and in this Humanity to admit mankind to Himself, so as to hear them and converse with them; and this Humanity it is which is called the "Son of God", and which mediates, intercedes, propitiates, and atones [or expiates]. I will explain, therefore, what these four terms, predicated of the Humanity of God the Father, signify. "Mediation" signifies that the Humanity is the medium by which a man may come to God the Father, and God the Father to him, and thus be his Teacher and Guide unto salvation: therefore the "Son of God", by whom is meant the Humanity of God the Father, is called "Saviour", and on earth "Jesus", that is, Salvation. "Intercession" signifies perpetual mediation; for Love itself, the properties of which are mercy, clemency, and grace, perpetually intercedes, that is, mediates for those who do His commandments, and who are thus the objects of His divine love. "Atonement" signifies the removal of sins, into which a man would rush headlong were he to approach Jehovah unclothed with the Humanity. "Propitiation" signifies the operation of clemency and grace, to prevent a man from falling into damnation by sin, and, at the same time, to guard against the profanation of holiness; this was signified by the "propitiatory" or "mercy-seat" over the Ark in the Tabernacle. It is acknowledged that God spoke in His Word according to appearances, as when it is said "He is angry", that "He avenges", that "He tempts", that "He punishes", that "He casts into hell", that "He condemns", yea, that "He does evil"; when the truth is, that God is never angry with anyone, He never avenges, tempts, punishes, casts into hell, or condemns. Such things are as far from God as hell is from heaven, and infinitely farther. They are forms of speech, then, used only according to appearances; so, also, but in a different sense, are the terms "atonement", "propitiation", "intercession", and "mediation; for these are forms of speech expressive of the approach which is opened to God, and of the grace communicated from God by means of His Humanity, which terms being misunderstood, men have divided God into three, and upon that division have grounded all the doctrine of the church, and so falsified the Word. Hence has arisen "the abomination of desolation" foretold by the Lord in Daniel, and again in Matthew 24. True Christian Religion 135.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS CONCERNInG THE LORD'S TEMPTATIONS AND PASSION

There are some within the church who believe that the Lord, by the passion of the cross, took away sins and satisfied the Father, and thus did the work of redemption; some, also, that He transferred upon Himself the sins of those who have faith in Him, that He carried them, and cast them in to "the depth of the sea", that is, into hell. It may, therefore, be expedient to say, first, what is meant by bearing or carrying iniquities; and afterwards, what is meant by taking them away.

By "bearing or carrying iniquities", nothing else is meant, but sustaining grievous temptations, also suffering the Jews to do with Him as they had done with the Word, and to treat Him in like manner, because He was the Word; for the church, which at that time was amongst the Jews, was altogether devastated. And it was devastated by this, that they perverted all things of the Word, insomuch that there was not any Truth remaining among them; wherefore neither did they acknowledge the Lord. This was meant and signified by all things of the Lord's passion. In like manner it was done with the prophets, because they represented the Lord as to the Word, and hence as to the church; and the Lord was the real Prophet Himself.

The Lord's being "betrayed by Judas", therefore, signified that He was betrayed by the Jewish nation, amongst whom at that time the Word was, for Judas represented that nation. His being "seized and condemned by the chief priests and elders", signified that He was so treated by all that church. His being "beaten with rods, His face spit upon, being struck with fists, and smitten on His head with a reed", signified that it was so done by them with the Word, as to its Divine Truths, which all treat of the Lord.

By "crowning Him with thorns", was meant that they falsified and adulterated those Truths; by their "dividing His garments, and casting lots upon His coat", was understood that they dispersed all the Truths of the Word, but not its spiritual sense, which sense was signified by the Lord's "coat"; by their "crucifying Him", was understood that they destroyed and profaned the whole Word; by their "offering Him vinegar to drink", was signified that they offered Him merely things falsified and false, wherefore He did not drink it, and then said, "It is finished! By their "piercing His side", was meant that they absolutely extinguished all the Truth of the Word and all its Good; by His being "buried" was signified the rejection of the Human Principle remaining from the mother; and by His "rising again on the third day", was denoted His glorification. Similar things are signified by those things in the Prophets, and in David, where they are predicted. "Wherefore after that He was scourged and led forth, carrying the crown of thorns, and the purple garment put on by the soldiers, He said, Behold the Man!" (John 19:1-5)

This was said because by the "Man" was signified the church; for by the "Son of Man" is understood the Truth of the church, thus the Word. From these considerations it is now evident that, by "bearing iniquities", is meant to represent and effigy in Himself sins against the Divine Truths of the Word. That the Lord sustained and suffered such things as the Son of Man, and not as the Son of God, will be seen in what follows; for the "Son of Man" signifies the Lord as to the Word.

It may now be expedient to say something concerning what is meant by taking away sins. By "taking away sins", , the like is understood as by redeeming man and saving him, for the Lord came into the world that man might be saved; without His coming no mortal could have been reformed and regenerated, thus saved; but this can now be effected, since the Lord has taken away all power from the devil, that is, from hell, and has glorified His Human Principle, that, is, has united it to the Divine Principle of His Father. Unless these things had been effected, no man could have received any Divine Truth so as to abide with him, and still less any Divine Good; for the devil, who before had superior power, would have plucked them away from the heart. From these considerations it is evident that the Lord, by the passion of the cross, did not take away sins, but that He takes them away, that is, removes them with those who believe in Him, by living according to His precepts, as also the Lord teaches in Matthew:

"Do not suppose that I am come to dissolve the Law and the Prophets, Whosoever shall loosen the least of these precepts, and teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but he who does and teacheth, shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens." (Matthew 5:17, 19)

Everyone may see from reason alone, if he be in any illustration, that sins cannot be taken away from man, except by actual repentance, which consists in man seeing his sins, and imploring the Lord's aid, and desisting from them. To see, believe, and teach anything else, is not from the Word, neither is it from sound reason, but from lusts and a depraved will, which are the selfhood of man, by virtue whereof the understanding is infatuated. Doctrine of the Lord 15-17.

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Isaiah Chapter 53.

1. WHO has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of Jehovah been revealed?

2. For He shall grow up before Him like a tender plant, and like a root from a dry ground: He has no form, nor honour, that we should regard Him; nor beauty, that we should desire Him.

3. He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

4. Surely our sicknesses He has borne; and our sorrows, He has carried them: yet we considered Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and by His wounds we are healed.

6. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way: and Jehovah has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.

7. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted; yet He opened not His mouth: as a lamb that is brought to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth.

8. From distress and from judgment He was taken: and who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of My people was the stroke upon Him.

9. That He might give the impious to their sepulchre, and the rich in their deaths; although He had done no violence, neither was there any deceit in His mouth.

10. Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise Him; He has made Him infirm: [saying] If You should make His soul guilt, He shall see [His] seed, He shall prolong [His] days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper by His hand.

11.Of the travail of His soul He shall see [the fruit], and be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.

12. Therefore will I divide to Him [a portion] among the many, that with the mighty He may divide the spoil: because He poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

629. Rise, measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein, signifies that he should explore the church, what is its quality in respect to the reception of Divine truth and Divine good, and thence in respect to the worship of the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "to measure," as being to explore what the quality of a thing is (of which presently); from the signification of "temple," as being in the highest sense the Lord's Divine Human in relation to Divine truth, and in a relative sense heaven and the church in respect to Divine truth proceeding from the Lord (of which above, n. 220); from the signification of "altar," as being in the highest sense the Lord's Divine Human in relation to divine good, and in a relative sense heaven and the church in respect to Divine good proceeding from the Lord (of which also above, n. 391, 490, 496); and from the signification of "them that worship," as being worship. "They that worship" signifies the worship of the Lord, because worship consists in the adoration of the Lord, and because in the spiritual sense nothing of person is meant, but only the thing abstracted from persons (of which see above, n. 99, 100, 270, 325, 625); this is why "they that worship" signifies adoration and worship. From this it can be seen that "Rise, measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein," signifies to explore the church, what is its quality in respect to the reception of Divine truth and Divine good proceeding from the Lord, and thence in respect to worship.

[2] Evidently "to measure" in the spiritual sense does not mean to measure, for it was commanded to measure not only the temple and the altar, but also them that worship therein; therefore "to measure the temple and the altar" must involve that which is signified by their measures, thus that which is signified by the "length," the "breadth," and the "height," for the expression "to measure them that worship in the temple," cannot be used unless "to measure [trientali]" signifies to explore the quality of the persons or of the thing.

[3] That "to measure" signifies to explore the quality of a thing, and to designate it, can be seen from the passages in the Word where "to measure" and "measures" are mentioned, as in the following in Ezekiel:

The man that had the line of flax and the measuring reed in his hand measured the building, likewise the threshold of the gate, the porch of the gate in the house, the porch of the gate from the house, the door of the gate, the gate from the roof of the bedchamber, and many other things which he measured as to breadth, length, and height (Ezekiel 40:3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 13, 17, et seq.);

and afterwards:

He measured the temple, the lintel over the door, the wall of the house, and the house itself, as to breadth and length (Ezekiel 41:1-5, 13, 14, 22);

again:

He measured the inner court, and the things of that court (Ezekiel 42);

finally:

He measured the altar and the things of the altar (Ezekiel 43:13, et seq.).

Moreover, the measures were designated in numbers, that is, how many reeds, how many cubits, and how many palms; which shows that "to measure" these does not mean to measure but to designate the quality of the thing, and this is designated by the several things measured, namely, the "building," the "gate," the "porch," the "temple," the "upper lintel," the "wall," the "court," and the "altar." "The building, the house, and the temple," signify the church; "the door and the gate" signify truth that introduces; and "the porch and court" signify all things that are without the church and yet look to it, and these are all things with the man of the church that are in his natural man; for the church itself with man is in the internal or spiritual man or mind, thus inwardly with him; while all things that are in the external or natural man or mind, thus that reside without, correspond to the things that are of the church itself, which, as was said, are in the internal or spiritual man or mind. These external things are what are signified by the "porch" without the house, and by "the court." What the qualities of these things were to be is here designated by measures and numbers; for these chapters treat of the Lord's church that was to come, and that is called the internal church, and this is thus described. Anyone can see that such measurements would be of no account unless each measurement signified something; but what each signifies can be seen from the signification of the thing measured, and its quality from the signification of the measure as expressed in number.

[4] There are only three things that are measured, namely, breadth, length, and height; and "breadth" signifies the truth of the church, "length" the good of the church, and "height" both of these as to degrees; the degrees of truth and good are the quality of truth and good as interior or higher and as exterior or lower. Such is the signification of these three dimensions, because breadth is predicated of heaven from south to north, and length from east to west, and height from the third heaven which is in things highest to the first heaven which is in things lowest. And as those in heaven who dwell from south to north are in the truths of doctrine, so "breadth" signifies the truth of heaven or of the church; and as those who dwell in heaven from east to west are in the good of love, so "length" signifies the good of heaven or of the church; and as those who dwell in the third heaven, who are the most wise, are in things highest, while those who dwell in the first heaven, who are relatively simple, are in things lowest, so "height" signifies wisdom and intelligence as to their degrees. These things therefore are what are designated by measurements in general.

[5] In the same:

Son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities, and may measure the form when they have been ashamed of all things that they have done; the form of the house and the arrangement thereof, and the goings out thereof and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, also teach them all the statutes thereof, and all the arrangements thereof, and all the laws thereof, and write them before their eyes, that they may keep all the form thereof and all the statutes thereof, and do them (Ezekiel 43:10, 11).

That "to measure the temple" or "house" signifies to investigate and explore what is the quality of the church in respect to truth and good, can be seen from its being said "that they may measure the form of the house, the goings out and the comings in thereof;" also "that they may keep all the form thereof;" which cannot mean the form of the temple merely in respect to form, but in respect to those things that are signified by the temple; for it is added "that they may be ashamed of their iniquities that they have done," which signifies shame for departing from the laws and statutes of the church; therefore it is added, "that he may teach them all the statutes thereof, all the descriptions, ¹ and all the laws thereof;" which shows that the "temple" signifies the church with its truths and goods, for these are the things that are to be kept, and this is signified by "keeping all the form of the house" or "temple." The "temple" signifies in the Word the church in respect to truth, and "the house of God" the church in respect to good; for the temple was of stone, but the house of God in ancient times was of wood; and "stones" signify truths, and "wood" signifies good.

[6] In Zechariah:

I lifted up mine eyes and saw, and behold a man in whose hand was a measuring line; and I said, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see how great is the breadth thereof, and how great is the length thereof; and he said Jerusalem shall inhabit the suburbs by reason of the multitude of men and beasts in the midst of it (Zechariah 2:1, 2, 4).

This is said of the Lord's coming and of the establishment of a New Church by Him, as can be seen from verses 10 and 11 of the same chapter. "Jerusalem" signifies that New Church, and "to measure" it signifies to explore and thus to know what and how great it will be; "breadth" signifies the truth of its doctrine, and "length" the good of its love (as just above); therefore it is said "To measure Jerusalem, to see how great is the breadth thereof, and how great is the length thereof." Evidently "Jerusalem" here means the church, and not the city Jerusalem, for about the time of the Lord's coming Jerusalem was not so great and such as is here described, that is, that "Jerusalem should inhabit the suburbs by reason of the multitude of men and beasts in the midst of it;" but this means the multitude of the nations that will be added to the church, "Jerusalem, in the midst of it," signifying the church consisting of those who will receive interiorly the Divine proceeding from the Lord, and "suburbs" the church consisting of those who will receive it exteriorly. For the church of the Lord is internal and external; in the internal church are those who are in intelligence and wisdom, and thus in the higher heavens, but in the external church are those who are in knowledges and cognitions of truth and good from the Word, and in no interior intelligence and wisdom, and who are therefore in the lower heavens; the former are called spiritual, the latter spiritual-natural, and the spiritual are meant by those who are "in the midst of Jerusalem," and the spiritual-natural by those who are "in the suburbs." "Men and beasts" mean those who are in intelligence and thence in the good of life, "men" those who are in intelligence, and "beasts" those who are in the natural affection of good, and thus in the good of life.

[7] Like things are signified by these words in Revelation:

The angel who talked with me had a golden reed, to measure the city the New Jerusalem, the gates thereof and the wall thereof; and he measured the wall, a hundred and forty-four cubits, which is the measure of a man, that is, of an angel (Revelation 21:15, 17).

Here, too, "the New Jerusalem" means a New Church, and the "city" its doctrine, "its wall" signifies Divine truth defending, the number "one hundred and forty-four" signifies all truths and goods in the complex; this number is said to be "the measure of a man, that is, of an angel," which could not be said unless "measure" signified quality. But this will be explained in its proper place hereafter.

[8] In Ezekiel:

When the man went out toward the east, in whose hand was the line, he measured a thousand by the cubit, then he made me to pass through the waters, the waters were to the ankles; again he measured a thousand and made me to pass through the waters, waters to the knees; and he measured a thousand and made me to pass through the waters, waters to the loins; again he measured a thousand, it was a river that I could not pass through because the waters were high, waters of swimming, a river that was not passed through. And behold, on the bank of the river were many trees on this side and on that side; and every living soul that creepeth, and whithersoever the river cometh, shall live; whence there is much fish (Ezekiel 47:3-5, 7, 9).

This describes how intelligence, which those have who are of the church, increases by the reception of Divine truth proceeding from the Lord. Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is signified by "the waters issuing from under the threshold of the house towards the east, and going down from the right side of the house from the south of the altar," as is said in verse 1 of this chapter; the "east" signifies love to the Lord, since the east in heaven is where the Lord appears as a sun; and thence the "right side" is where Divine truth is received in the greatest light, and that side is called the south; therefore it is added "from the south of the altar." How intelligence increases by the reception of Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is described by the "waters" which the prophet passed through, which first reached "to the ankles," afterwards "to the knees," then "to the loins," and at length were so high that they "could not be passed through;" "the waters to the ankles" signify such intelligence as the sensual and natural man has, for "ankles" signify what is sensual and natural; "the waters to the knees" signify such intelligence as the spiritual-natural man has, for "knees" signify what is spiritual-natural; "the waters to the loins" signify such intelligence as the spiritual man has, for the "loins" signify the marriage of truth and good, which is spiritual; "the waters that could not be passed through" signify celestial intelligence, which is called wisdom, such as the celestial man or an angel of the third heaven has; and because this is ineffable, it is said to be "a river that could not be passed through," and because it is far above the natural man, these waters are called "waters of swimming."

The "river" which is from these waters signifies intelligence and wisdom; the cognitions of truth and good and also perceptions are signified by "many trees on the bank of the river on this side and on that side," "trees" signifying cognitions and perceptions; life therefrom to all things in the natural man, both cognitions and knowledges, is signified by "every living soul that creepeth shall live," and by "there shall be much fish," "the soul that creepeth" and "the fish" signifying the things that are in the natural man, which are called cognitions from the Word, also natural knowledges [scientiae] whereby spiritual things are confirmed, and "to live" signifying the influx of the Lord into these cognitions and knowledges through the spiritual man and his intelligence. (That "waters" signify the truths of doctrine from the Word, through which comes intelligence, see above, n. 71, 483, 518.)

[9] In Habakkuk:

He stood and measured the earth; He saw and drove asunder the nations; for the mountains of eternity were scattered, the hills of the age did bow, His goings are of an age (Habakkuk 3:6).

This is said of visitation and the Last Judgment by the Lord when He should come into the world. "He stood and measured the earth" means exploring at that time of what quality the church is, "to measure" signifying to explore, and "the earth" the church; "He saw and drove asunder the nations" signifies the casting down into hell of all who are in evils and in falsities therefrom, "to drive asunder" signifying to cast into hell, and "nations" those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom; "the mountains of eternity were scattered" signifies that the celestial church, such as was with the most ancient people, who were in love to the Lord, had perished, "the mountains of eternity" signifying that church and that love; "the hills of the age did bow" signifies that the spiritual church perished, such as was with the ancient people after the flood, who were in love towards the neighbor, "the hills of the age" signifying that church and that love; "His goings are of an age" signifies according to the state of the church at that time, which was a perverted state.

[10] In Isaiah:

Behold the Lord Jehovih cometh in strength, and His arm shall rule for Him. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meted out the heavens with a span, and embraced the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in a scale, and the hills in a balance? (Isaiah 40:10, 12)

This, too, is said of the Lord and of Divine truth, from which are heaven and the church, and from which is wisdom. The Lord's coming, and the arrangement of all things in the heavens by Him from His own power at that time, is signified by "Behold the Lord Jehovih cometh in strength, and His arm shall rule for Him," "His arm that shall rule" signifying His own power. The arrangement of all things in the heavens by His own power by means of Divine truth, is signified by "Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meted out the heavens with a span, and embraced the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in a scale, and the hills in a balance?" "To measure waters" signifies to define Divine truths; "to mete out the heavens with a span" signifies thence to arrange the heavens; "to embrace the dust of the earth in a measure [trientali]" signifies to arrange lower things; "the hollow of the hand," "the span," and "the measure" have a similar signification as "measures" and also the "hand," namely, the quality of a thing and one's own power; "to weigh the mountains in a scale and the hills in a balance" signifies to subordinate and equilibrate all things, "scale and balance" signifying right equilibration, and "mountains and hills" the higher heavens, "mountains" meaning those heavens which are in love to the Lord, and "hills" those which are in charity towards the neighbor (as above).

[11] In Job:

Where wast thou when I founded the earth? Declare, if thou knowest understanding. Who determined the measures thereof? if thou knowest; and who stretched out the line upon it? upon what are its bases sunk? who laid the cornerstone thereof? (Job 38:4-6)

The "earth" here means the church; "to found it" and "to determine its measures" signify to establish it and to define its quality, "measure" meaning the quality of a thing; "to stretch out the line upon it" signifies to maintain it in its quality; "upon what are its bases sunk? and who laid the cornerstone thereof?" signifies to found it upon those things that are in the natural man, the "cornerstone" meaning the truth of the natural man, which is called true knowledge [scientificum], upon which the truth of the spiritual man or spiritual truth is founded.

[12] In Jeremiah:

If these statutes shall depart from before Me, the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me all the days. If the heavens shall be measured upwards, and the foundations be searched out downwards, I also will reject all the seed of Israel because of all that they have done (Jeremiah 31:36, 37).

"Statutes" signify here all the things of the church that were commanded to the sons of Israel, thus all things of worship; if they do not keep these there will be no church among them, is what is signified by "If these statutes shall depart from before Me the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me all the days," "Israel" signifying the church, and "the seed of Israel" the truth of the church; and that although a new heaven and a New Church will come into existence, yet there will be nothing of heaven and the church with that nation, is signified by "If the heavens shall be measured upwards, and the foundations shall be searched out downwards, I also will reject all the seed of Israel because of all that they have done."

[13] "To mete" and "to measure" signifies to define and determine what a thing is, also to explore it, because "measure" signifies what a thing is, or quality. That this is the signification of "measure" can be seen from the following passages. In Revelation:

The angel measured the wall of the city New Jerusalem, a hundred and forty-four cubits, which is the measure of a man, that is, of an angel (Revelation 21:17).

It is clearly evident that here "measure" signifies the quality of the thing that is meant by "the wall of the city New Jerusalem;" for what else could be meant by "the measure of the wall, a hundred and forty-four cubits, being the measure of a man, that is, of an angel"? In Matthew:

Judge not that ye be not condemned ² for with what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged, and with what measure ye measure it shall be measured to you (Matthew 7:1, 2).

In Luke:

Judge not that ye be not judged; condemn not that ye be not condemned; remit and it shall be remitted to you; give and it shall be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall they give into your bosom; for with what measure ye measure they shall measure to you again (Luke 6:37, 38). This may be seen explained in the work Heaven and Hell 349.

And in Mark:

With what measure ye measure it shall be measured to you again; and to you that hear, more shall be added. Whosoever hath, to him shall be given; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath (Mark 4:24, 25).

[14] Thus charity towards the neighbor, or the spiritual affection of truth and good, is described, namely, that in the measure and after the manner that anyone is in such charity or in such affection in the world, so he comes into it after death. That we should not think evil of good and truth is meant by the words, "Judge not that ye be not judged, and condemn not that ye be not condemned;" to think evil of what is evil and false is permitted to everyone, but not of good and truth, for these in the spiritual sense are the neighbor. Because it is charity toward the neighbor that is meant it is added, "Remit and it shall be remitted to you, give and it shall be given unto you." That the spiritual affection, which is called charity, will continue after death according to its measure and quality, is meant by "With what measure ye measure it shall be measured to you again;" and that this measure and quality will be infilled to eternity is meant by "to you that hear a measure shall be added," also by "good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall be given into your bosom," "measure" here meaning the measure and quality of affection or charity, which will be increased to eternity within or according to its degree in the world (See as above in the work Heaven and Hell 349).

That this will come to pass with those who practice charity is meant by "to you that hear more shall be added," "those that hear" signifying those who obey and do. That "to love the neighbor" is to love what is true and good, likewise what is sincere and just, may be seen in the New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine (n. 84-106). That no other thought or judgment is here meant than concerning the spiritual life of another can be seen from this, that it is permissible to everyone to think about the moral and civil life of another, and to judge of it; without such thought and judgment concerning others no civil society could subsist; therefore "not to judge and condemn" signifies not to think evil of the neighbor spiritually understood, that is, of his faith and love, which belong to man's spiritual life, for these lie concealed in his interiors, and therefore are unknown to anyone except the Lord alone.

[15] In John:

He whom the Father hath sent speaketh the words of God, for not by measure hath God given the spirit unto Him (John 3:24).

The "spirit" that God giveth signifies Divine truth, and intelligence and wisdom therefrom; "not by measure" signifies above every measure and quality of men, therefore infinitely, for the infinity that belongs to the Lord is without measure or quality, for measure and quality are properties of the finite, since measure and quality determine what is finite and set limits to it, but what is without limit is infinite. From this it follows that "measure" also here signifies quality, since "not by measure" signifies not predicating what a thing is, or its quality.

[16] In David:

Make known to me, Jehovah, my end, and the measure of my days what it is, that I may know how transitory I am; behold Thou hast given my days as handbreadths, and my time is as nothing before Thee (Psalms 39:4, 5).

It appears as if by these words times of life only are meant, the limit of which he wishes to know, and that these times pass away quickly; but in the spiritual sense times are not meant, but states of life instead; so "Make known to me, Jehovah, my end, the measure of my days what it is," signifies that he might know the state of his life and its quality, thus what kind of life he would continue in. "Behold Thou hast given my days as handbreadths" signifies that it is of very little consequence what the state of one's life is; "and my time is as nothing before Thee" signifies that the state of one's life is of no value; for "time and day" signify states of life in respect to truth and good, and thence in respect to intelligence and wisdom; so it is here meant that all these, so far as they are from oneself, are of no value. That there is such a meaning in these words cannot be seen by those who think only naturally, because natural thought cannot be separated from the idea of time. But spiritual thought, like that of angels, has nothing in common with time or space or with person.

[17] As "measures" signify the quality of a thing, it is clear what is signified:

By the house of measures (Jeremiah 22:14);

By the portion of measures (Jeremiah 13:25);

Also by men of measures (Isaiah 45:14);

where "measures" signify quality in the whole complex. In Moses:

Ye shall not act perversely in judgment, in measure, in weight, or in dimension; balances of justice, stones of justice, an ephah of justice, and a hin of justice, shall ye have (Leviticus 19:35, 36).

In the same:

Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers stones, great and small; thou shalt not have in thy house divers ephahs, great and small; a perfect and a just stone shalt thou have, a perfect and a just ephah shalt thou have (Deuteronomy 25:13-15).

And in Ezekiel:

Ye shall have balances of justice, and an ephah of justice, and a bath of justice (Ezekiel 45:10).

That these measures and these weights signify the estimation of a thing according to the quality of truth and good may be seen above n. 373.

Footnotes: