Chapter Nine

1. And passing by, He saw a man blind from birth.

2. And His disciples asked Him, saying, Rabbi, who sinned, this [man] or his parents, that he was born blind?

3. Jesus answered, Neither has this [man] sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God might be made manifest in him.

4. I must work the works of Him that sent Me while it is day; night comes, when no one can work.

5. While I am in the world, I am [the] Light of the world.

Throughout the Hebrew scriptures there is a dominant theme which can be summed up in the words, “Obey and prosper. Disobey and perish” (See Deuteronomy 28:1-68). Not only was God seen as the source of every blessing, but also as an angry, punishing God who wipes out enemies, curses sinners, and even punishes future generations of those who disobey Him. This idea of God was a starting point for faith—a belief that God is almighty, all powerful, and as such is capable of rewarding and punishing our actions. But this idea of God must gradually give way to a truer idea of God—a God who is the fountain of every blessing, a God who never punishes, never curses, and never condemns. This is why Jesus Christ needed to come into the world to teach the truth about God, about heaven and hell, and about how we attain spiritual life through learning truth and doing it willingly. ¹

As the next episode begins, Jesus encounters a man who has been “blind from birth” (John 9:1). The disciples are curious. Turning to Jesus, they say, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?” (John 9:2). According to their limited understanding, the disciples believe that God punishes children for the sins of their parents. Further, they mistakenly believe that all physical afflictions, and in this case blindness, is a curse from God—a divine punishment for human sin. ²

In response, Jesus says, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John 9:3). Jesus is taking advantage of this situation to continue His teaching ministry. He is teaching that this man’s blindness is neither the man’s fault, nor his parent’s fault, nor a divine punishment for sin. Rather, it is an opportunity to reveal the works of God—that is, to show how God works within us, opening our hearts to receive His goodness and opening our minds to receive His truth.

Jesus then adds these words: “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:4-5). As Jesus said in the previous chapter, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12). These words describe an essential aspect of the work that Jesus has been sent to do. He has come into the world to be “a light.” He has come to reveal the true nature of God. He has come to show and teach the way that leads to heaven. He has come to reveal the truth that can open blind eyes.

Jesus says, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day.” In sacred scripture, the term “day” refers to those times when we are open to the goodness and truth that are flowing into us from God. In the light of this teaching, act on the good feelings and true thoughts that come to you, and make the most of them while you are in these God-given states. These are the “day-time states”—times when you are inspired and strengthened to “work the works” of Him who is sending you. For example, if the thought comes to you that it’s time to send a thank-you note, or make an apology, or reach out to a friend, don’t put it off. Work the works of Him who is sending you. The night is coming when no one can work. Your heavenly character is formed in this life, now, through every choice you make. ³

6. When He had said these things, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and He dabbed the clay upon the eyes of the blind [man],

7. And said to him, Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam, which is, being translated, Sent. He therefore went his way and washed, and came, seeing.

The young man in this episode is described as being “born blind.” Spiritually speaking, this is true of all of us. For example, we say that the sun “rises” and “sets” because it appears that way to our physical senses. But the truth is that the sun remains constant while the earth revolves around it. Similarly, we may believe that when things are going well for us that God is rewarding us. Things feel sunny and bright. But when bad things happen, and we are going through a dark time, it feels as though God is punishing us. As long as we are immersed in these misunderstandings, we are spiritually blind. We cannot “see” that God remains constant and that it is our states that change. The truth is that God’s love is always shining, ready to bless us. Like the sun, it never “sets.” ⁴

Before we learn these truths, we are like the blind man in this episode. He represents all who have been raised without a clear idea of God, the spiritual life, or life after death. In this regard, he is accurately described as a blind beggar. This is the part of us that is unable to see the truth because we lack proper instruction. Nevertheless, like a blind beggar, we long to know the truth. ⁵

After telling His disciples that the works of God are about to be made manifest in this blind beggar, Jesus spits on the ground and makes clay with His saliva. Then He anoints the eyes of the blind man with the clay (See John 9:6). In order to more deeply understand what is happening, we need to look at the sacred symbolism represented by Jesus’ actions.

In the Word, the term “ground” signifies basic, down-to-earth goodness. It includes a humble, receptive attitude. This is the attitude that willingly receives God who comes to us just as Jesus comes to the blind beggar. God then touches us with His spirit through easily digestible teachings from His Word. This is what is meant by “saliva” from the mouth of God. Just as saliva breaks down food so that it is easily digestible, Jesus gives us spiritual truth in natural imagery so that it can be heard, understood, and acted upon. ⁶

The saliva from the Lord’s mouth when mixed with the earth and applied to the blind man’s eyes represents the way in which truth from the mouth of the Lord can bring clarity and insight to our mind. This is how our understanding is reformed. But the next step in the process is up to us. We need to hear the voice of the Lord. In the case of the blind beggar, he cannot see Jesus, but he can hear Him. Therefore, when Jesus tells him to “go and wash in the Pool of Siloam,” he does so willingly and without hesitation. As it is written, “He went and washed and came back seeing” (John 9:7). ⁷

This washing represents our part in the process. Spiritually, we must hear the voice of the Lord, and then go to the Pool of Siloam. This is where we put the truth that Jesus is speaking into our lives. And when we do so, we come back “seeing.” Our spiritual eyes are opened, and we return to our daily lives seeing things in a new way. ⁸

8. The neighbors, therefore, and those beholding him before, that he was blind, said, Is not this he that was sitting and begging?

9. Some said, It is he; but others, He is like him. He said, I am [he].

10. Then they said to him, How were thine eyes opened?

11. He answered and said, A Man called Jesus made clay, and dabbed [it] on my eyes, and said to me, Go thy way to the Pool of Siloam and wash. And I went away and washed, [and] received sight.

12. Then they said to him, Where is He? He says, I know not.

13. They bring to the Pharisees him that once was blind.

14. And it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.

Having been healed from his blindness, the man returns from the Pool of Siloam. The last time he was seen, he was blind, but now his vision is fully restored. Wondering whether he is the same person, his neighbors say, “Is not this he who sat and begged?” (John 9:8). Perhaps it is someone else. They are not sure. He looks the same, but he is different. As it is written, “Some say, ‘It is he.’ Others say, ‘It is like him’” (John 9:9).

It is similar in each of our lives. When our spiritual eyes are opened, we are transformed. Because we see things in a new light, we respond differently. Rather than react from our needy lower nature, we begin to thoughtfully respond from our higher, God-centered nature. Like the transformed beggar, we may look the same outwardly, but inwardly we are a very different person. ⁹

While some are in doubt, the man who has received his sight assures them that he is the one who has been cured of blindness. “I am he,” he says (John 9:9). Therefore, they ask him, “How were your eyes opened?” (John 9:10). The man responds with the basic facts. He says, “A man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the Pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and I received sight” (John 9:11).

As it turns out, some of these questioners are associated with the Pharisees who are looking for Jesus. This becomes apparent in their line of questioning which quickly shifts from the details of the miracle to the whereabouts of Jesus. “Where is He?” they ask. And when the man responds with the simple words, “I do not know,” they take him directly to the Pharisees for further questioning (John 9:12-13).

John warns us, through a suggestive hint, that this is not going to be a pleasant reception. He writes, “Now it was the Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes” (John 9:14). Rather than focusing on the miracle that has just taken place, the Pharisees focus on the fact that Jesus has made clay and opened blind eyes on the Sabbath. In their eyes, this is a blatant disregard for Sabbath law and is deserving of death. Earlier in this gospel, after Jesus healed a paralyzed man, it is written that the religious leaders “persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him because He had done these things on the Sabbath” (John 5:16). Once again, the Pharisees see Jesus as a sinner because He is “working” on the Sabbath.

In the original Hebrew, the word for Sabbath is Shabbat [שַׁבָּת]. It means, quite simply, “rest.” More than a holy day of physical rest, it is a spiritual state available to us whenever we choose to rest in God. It is a state in which we quiet our mental chatter, relinquish our stubborn need to be right, renounce our restless need for approval, and set aside our anxious need to accomplish our goals. Instead, we pray that God can work in us and through us so that we might do His will rather than our own. This is true Sabbath rest. It is, indeed, a “holy day.” ¹⁰

At the beginning of this episode, Jesus said, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me” (John 9:4). Every healing that Jesus performs represents a healing in our spiritual life. This is the “work” that Jesus came to do. It is also a picture of how God is continually working to heal, reform, and regenerate our spirit. It does not just take place on a given day. Rather, it takes place continually, unceasingly, and even to eternity. ¹¹

15. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received sight. And he said to them, He put clay upon my eyes, and I washed, and I see.

16. Then some of the Pharisees said, This man is not of God, because He keeps not the Sabbath. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such signs? And there was a schism among them.

17. They say again to the blind [man], What sayest thou of Him, that He has opened thine eyes? And he said, He is a prophet.

18. Then the Jews did not believe concerning him that he used to be blind, and received sight, until they called the parents of him that had received sight.

19. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?

20. His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind.

21. But how he now sees we know not; or who has opened his eyes, we know not; he is of age, ask him; he shall speak for himself.

22. His parents said these things because they feared the Jews; for the Jews had already put together [an agreement] that, if anyone should profess Him [to be] the Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

23. On account of this his parents said, He is of age, ask him.

24. Then they called the man who was blind a second [time], and said to him, Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.

25. Then he answered and said, Whether He be a sinner, I know not; one [thing] I know, that having been blind, I now see.

26. But they said to him again, What did He to thee? How opened He thine eyes?

27. He answered them, I have told you already, and you did not hear; why do you will to hear [it] again? do you also will to become His disciples?

28. Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.

29. We know that God spoke to Moses; but [as for] this [Man], we know not whence He Isaiah 30. The man answered, and said to them, Indeed, this is something to marvel at, that you know not whence He is, and He has opened my eyes.

31. And we know that God hears not sinners; but if anyone be a worshiper of God, and do His will, him He hears.

32. From eternity it was not heard that anyone opened the eyes of [one] who was born blind.

33. If He was not with God, He could do nothing.

34. They answered and said to him, Thou wast wholly born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

35. Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him, says to him, Dost thou believe in the Son of God?

36. He answered and said, Who is He, Lord, that I might believe in Him?

37. And Jesus said to him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that speaks with thee.

38. And he declared, I believe, Lord; and he worshiped Him.

From the point of view of the Pharisees, the fact that Jesus is working on the Sabbath is not a demonstration of His divinity, but rather evidence of His sinfulness. As they put it, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath” (John 9:16). Interestingly, this is not the view of all the Pharisees. Some say, “How can a man who is a sinner do such miracles?” (John 9:16). Because of this there is a division of opinion regarding Jesus among the Pharisees. This brings to mind Nicodemus’ words to Jesus earlier in this gospel. At that time, Nicodemus, who is a Pharisee, said to Jesus, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with Him” (John 3:2).

This division among the Pharisees represents a division that takes place in our own mind. Usually, when the Word speaks about the Pharisees, it represents that part of our mind that resists change, especially any change that threatens the way we see things. But there are also other Pharisees who are open to seeing the truth. In this case, they are willing to see that there is something divine about Jesus. As they put it, “How can a man who is a sinner do such miracles?”

In order to settle the issue, the Pharisees decide to question the man who was born blind. “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes,” they ask. The man answers simply, “He is a prophet” (John 9:17). Alarmed and threatened by the young man’s testimony, the Pharisees reason that this must be some kind of hoax, and that this man has never been blind at all. Therefore, they question the parents, saying, “Is this your son who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” (John 9:19).

The parents of the young man are in a difficult situation. The religious leaders have already agreed that if anyone confesses that Jesus is the Messiah, that person will be cast out of the synagogue and regarded as a social outcast. Therefore, the parents say, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind, but by what means he now sees, or who opened his eyes, we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself” (John 9:21-22).

Unable to get a direct answer from the young man’s parents, the religious leaders turn their attention back to the son, telling him to give God the credit for his healing—not Jesus. As they put it, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner” (John 9:24). Instead, the young man says, “Whether He is a sinner or not, I do not know. But one thing I know. Once I was blind, but now I see” (John 9:25).

Not satisfied with his answer, the religious leaders interrogate him further. “What did He do to you?” they say. “How did He open your eyes?” (John 9:26). This is the third time they have asked the same question. But their cross-examination tactics do not intimidate the young man. Instead, the young man stands his ground and says to them, “I told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?” (John 9:27).

Frustrated by the young man’s unyielding defense of his experience, the religious leaders state their credentials, “You are His disciple,” they say “but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses. As for this fellow, we do not know where He is from” (John 9:29). The young man’s personal experience trumps their authoritative claims. Therefore, the young man says to them, “Why this is a marvelous thing that you do not know where He is from, and yet He has opened my eyes. Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshipper of God, and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing” (John 9:30-33).

Just a short while ago, this young man was a blind beggar. But now he sees the truth and proclaims it boldly. This represents the part of us that is willing to hear the truth and act on it. The religious leaders, however, see things differently. Blinded by their limited understanding and their stubborn self-righteousness, they now turn on the young man and condemn him as a sinner—just as they condemned Jesus. Repeating the false charge that the young man must be a sinner because he was born blind, they say, “You were completely born in sins. And are you teaching us?” (John 9:34).

This is how it is when falsity is confronted by the truth. When our preconceived notions are challenged by the truth, there is a part of us that resists. This is represented by the Pharisees who resist the young man’s testimony. These Pharisees also represent the false ideas that blind us to the real truth about God, about ourselves, and about the path that leads to heavenly life. Standing in the midst of these false witnesses, this young man declares, “I once was blind, but now I see.”

The religious leaders are not pleased to hear this. Similarly, whenever we take a strong stand for the truth, as we have been given to see it by Jesus, we will be met by resistance from within. The evil spirits that have kept us imprisoned by falsity are threatened. Because they feed on lies, they despise truth, fear it, and want nothing to do with it. Therefore, it is written that they “reviled him … and cast him out” (John 9:28; 34). ¹²

When the young man is cast out of the synagogue, Jesus goes looking for him. When Jesus finds him, He says to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” (John 9:35). In response, the young man says, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” (John 9:36). Jesus then says to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” The young man replies, “Lord, I believe” (John 9:38).

In those days, being cast out of the synagogue was a form of excommunication. This included being forbidden to speak with any other member of the synagogue. In effect, it amounted to total exclusion from the Jewish community. But Jesus does not leave him feeling abandoned. He not only finds the young man, but He also reveals Himself to him. The young man’s eyes are now fully open. He sees in Jesus not just a man who healed his eyes, not just a prophet who had been sent into the world to speak the truth, but also the Son of God Himself, who is indeed the light of the world. That is why it is written that the young man “worshipped Him” (John 9:39).

Like the religious leaders who reviled the young man, evil spirits strive to insult us, berate us, and condemn us. But when they see that it is to no avail, because we are standing in the light of truth, they eventually separate themselves from our presence. The light of truth is too much for them. While the appearance is that they cast the young man away from their presence, the spiritual reality is that evil spirits cast themselves away from the presence of God. As a practical application, try keeping scripture in mind. Scripture is God’s presence with us. As it is written in the beginning of this gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Here are some examples. Each one is “the light of truth.” Each one is God’s presence with us:

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not” (John 1:5).

“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31).

“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalms 119:105).

“Be still and know that I am God” (Psalms 46:10).

“Thy will be done” (Matthew 6:10; Mark 14:36; Luke 11:12; See also John 1:13).

These truths, and others like them, have power in our lives to the extent that we can say, like the young man in this episode who received His sight, “Lord, I believe.” ¹³

39. And Jesus said, For judgment I came into this world, that they who see not may see, and that they who see may become blind.

40. And [some] of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things, and said to Him, Are we blind also?

41. Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would not have sin; but now you say, We see; then your sin remains.

As this episode draws to a conclusion, Jesus says in the presence of the man who regained his sight and in the presence of the religious leaders, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind” (John 9:39). Hearing this, some of the Pharisees, say, “Are we blind also?” (John 9:40). The question seems to hover in the air, as they wait for Jesus’ response. Jesus could have said something like, “Here I am, God incarnate, and all you can see is a sinner. You must be blind indeed.” But Jesus does not put it that way. Instead, He says, “If you were blind, you would have no sin, but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore, your sin remains” (John 9:41).

In order to understand what Jesus means, we need to know that there are two kinds of spiritual blindness. One kind relates to our inability to see beyond the material world because we have not been instructed. In this case, our understanding is limited to what we see through our external senses. Instead of living in a world of true ideas, we are continually misled by the fallacies of our senses. We see nothing deeper than the surface. Like children who believe that the earth is flat because it seems to be so, or that the moon is following us because this is what it seems to be doing, we have little comprehension of anything beyond what our physical eyes report to our limited understanding. This kind of blindness, which arises from ignorance, is forgivable. It is the ignorance of little children and uninstructed adults. We all begin our lives believing what the senses tell us. It is simply the human condition. This is represented by the young man in this story before he received his sight. He was simply uninstructed or misinformed. This is, quite simply, blindness from ignorance.

There is, however, another, more serious, kind of blindness. It is a rigid adherence to a particular set of beliefs and a limited point of view, even when better, more reasonable perspectives are offered. This stubborn, self-righteousness is the unwillingness to believe anything that contradicts our own way of seeing the world. As we mentioned in the preceding chapter, the religious leaders were steeped in a rigid, inflexible way of understanding God. Because they thought they already knew the truth, they could not see that their viewpoint left out mercy and compassion. They could not see that they were in bondage to the very rules they had created, nor could they see that these rules were keeping the people in bondage as well. In this regard, they were spiritually blind.

When Jesus says to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin,” He is speaking about the kind that is forgivable. It is simply a lack of proper instruction. Jesus then adds, “But now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore, your sin remains.” In essence, Jesus is telling them that their stubborn insistence on teaching a system of false beliefs is creating undue hardship on the people. In their pride, the Pharisees imagine themselves to be more intelligent than anyone else. Unlike the blind beggar whose state of humility represents the willingness to receive sight, the stubborn arrogance of the religious leaders prohibits them from seeing the truth that Jesus is offering. Their sin is not their false beliefs, but rather their unwillingness to even hear what Jesus is saying. Certain that they already know, they are determined to destroy anyone, including Jesus, who opposes their way of thinking or threatens their power and authority. That is truly the sin that remains. ¹⁴

There is a remarkable connection between this dialogue with the religious leaders and the dialogue that Jesus conducted with them in the previous chapter. In the previous chapter, they believe that they have never been in bondage (See John 8:33). And in this chapter, they believe that they have never been blind (See John 9:40). In spiritual reality, they are in both spiritual bondage and spiritual blindness. The sequence of these two episodes involving both bondage and blindness parallels a prophecy given in the Hebrew scriptures where it is written, “Jehovah sets free those who are in bondage, and opens the eyes of the blind” (Psalms 146:8).

It’s one thing to think about how blind the religious leaders are. But it’s quite another matter to consider our own blindness. As a practical application, consider how blind you might be to the many blessings in your life. Instead of focusing on your fears, resentments, and complaints, try focusing on the many ways God is filling your life with blessings. As one person put it, “I asked the Lord to open my eyes to see the joy in my life—and it was everywhere.” Give it a try. See how much the Lord is in your life. As the man in this episode said, after his eyes were opened by Jesus, “Once I was blind, but now I see.”

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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