Explaining the Inner Meaning of Mark 1

Verses 3, 4. That the Jewish Church was in a state of vastation at that time, so that there remained in it no longer any good or any truth, and in this state was instructed from the Word to shun all evils as sins against God, and to believe in the Lord's Divine Human principle, since otherwise the evil of sin can never be removed.

Verse 5. That this instruction was received by the humble and the penitent, who were thus admitted into the Church, being made sensible that of themselves they are nothing but evil.

Verse 6. The ultimates of the Word, which are natural, are figuratively described.

Verses 7, 8. Which ultimates testify that they can only effect external purification, whereas the Word itself, by and through its internal sense, is effective of internal purification, which is regeneration, by Divine Truth and Good.

Verse 9. That the LORD as to His Human essence, submits to be initiated into the external truths of the Word, because He thus became the Word in its ultimates, as He was the Word in its first principles, and because also He glorified His Humanity, or made it Divine, as He regenerates man, and makes him spiritual.

Verses 10, 11. Yet ascending rapidly out of external truths. He enters into the interior truths and goods of the Word, even to the Divine Truth and Good in Himself.

Verses 12, 13. And is thus admitted, as to His Humanity, into temptations, which are nothing else but the assaults of infernal spirits, seeking to destroy what is true by what is false, and what is good by what is evil.

Verse 13, latter part. But these assaults are succeeded by victory, attended with divine peace and consolation.

Verses 14, 15. Whence a greater measure of Divine power was communicated to the LORD'S Humanity to announce the descent and nearness of Divine Truth and Good, calling man to forsake all evil as sin against God, and to believe in the manifestation of GOD in the flesh.

Verses 16-20. Which annunciation was first received by those who were in the investigation of scientific and rational truth, and who were thus led to the pursuit and acquirement of spiritual and celestial truth.

Verses 18-20. Renouncing the cravings of self-love, and adoring the LORD as the Divine source of all that is good and wise and blessed.

Verses 21, 22. Who teaches Truth from the Divine Good of the Divine Love, in which all Truth originates, and not from any end of worldly reputation and gain.

Verses 23-27. And who by that truth cleanses man from his natural evils, and thus casteth out the infernal spirits who are in connection with those evils, and who yet are principled in heavenly knowledge, but not in the life of such knowledge.

Verses 27, 28. So that inquiry is hence excited respecting the LORD'S Humanity, which thus proves its Divinity by the subjugation of the powers of darkness, and by the brightness of the Divine Truth which it teaches.

Verses 29-32. And also by its omnipotence in delivering the affection of truth in the Church from the infestation of the love of evil.

Verses 32-35. And in likewise liberating those who were infested with evil and false persuasions, and who, in consequence of such liberation, became receptive of Truth and Good.

Verses 35-40. But the Humanity of the LORD can of itself do nothing but through union with its Divinity, and therefore it is occasionally let into temptation, that by the labour of combat it may attain a fuller union, and thus a greater measure of power to impart instruction, and to deliver mankind from infernal influence.

Verses 40-43. And especially to check the profanation of truth in all those who, through prayer and humiliation, and the acknowledgement of the LORD'S DIVINITY, sought to be cleansed from their sins.

Verses 43, 44. To whom instruction is given, that truth, when rescued from profanation, ought to open itself to the reception of the heavenly good of love and charity, by acknowledging that it thence derives its life and quality.

Verse 45. In which case truth acquires a greater power of making itself known, yet not in connection with its Divine Good, which is still in a state of persecution.

66. Verse 14. And His head and hairs white, signifies the Divine in firsts and in ultimates. This is evident from the signification of "head," when it refers to the Lord, of whom these things are said, as being the Divine in firsts (of which presently); and from the signification of "hairs," as being the Divine in ultimates (of which also presently); and from the signification of "white," as being what is pure. (That "white" [album] and "bright white" [candidum] mean what is pure, see Arcana Coelestia 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319.) "Head," in reference to the Lord, is the Divine in firsts, because the head is the highest part of man, and in it are his firsts, which are called the beginnings, from which are derived all things that have place in the body; for in the head are the understanding and the will, from which, as from their firsts or beginnings, flow the remaining things that relate to man's outer life, such as speech and all actions. But "hairs," in reference to the Lord, mean the Divine in ultimates, because hairs are ultimate things, for they grow out of the outmost parts of man, and first things terminate in them; when, therefore, "head" and "hairs" are mentioned firsts and ultimates are meant.

[2] Anyone who knows that in spiritual things also "head" signifies first things and "hairs" ultimates, and that first things and ultimates signify all things (as shown in n. 41), can know many arcana of the internal sense where "head" and "hairs" are mentioned; as that:

A Nazarite should not shave the hair of his head, for this, as it is said, was the Nazariteship of God upon his head, and when the days were accomplished, he was to shave it off and consecrate it (Numbers 6:1-21);

also that:

The strength of Samson was in his locks, and when they were shaven off he became weak, and when they grew again he came into his strength (Judges 16:13-31 tothe end);

also that:

Forty-two children were torn in pieces by bears because they mocked Elisha, calling him bald-head (2 Kings 2:23-24);

as also that:

Elijah was clothed with a garment of hair (2 Kings 1:8);

And John the Baptist with camel's hair (Mark 1:6);

furthermore, what "head," "hairs," "beard," and "baldness" signify wherever they are mentioned in the Word.

[3] That a Nazarite should not shave his hair, because this, as is said, was the Nazariteship of God upon his head; and that when the days were accomplished he should shave it off and consecrate it, was for the reason that the Nazarite represented the Lord in firsts and in ultimates, and His Divine in ultimates was His Human, which He made Divine even to the flesh and bones, which are ultimates. That He made it Divine even to the flesh and bones is evident from the fact that He left nothing in the sepulcher, and that:

He said to the disciples that He had flesh and bones, which a spirit hath not (Luke 24:39-40).

And when the Divine Itself is Divine even in ultimates, then it governs all things from firsts by means of ultimates (as can be seen from what was shown above, n. 41; especially from what was cited from the Arcana Coelestia, namely, that interior things flow in successively into exterior things, even into what is extreme or outmost, and there have existence and subsistence, n. 634, 6239, 6465, 9215, 9216; that they not only flow in successively, but also form what is simultaneous in the ultimate, in what order see n. 5897, 6451, 8603, 10099; that therefore all interior things are held together in connection from the first by means of the ultimate, n. 9828, and in the work on Heaven and Hell 297; that from this the ultimate is more holy than the interiors, n. 9824; and therefore in ultimates there is strength and power, n. 9836). These then are the reasons why the Nazariteship was instituted. The Nazarite was finally to consecrate his hair by putting it into the fire of the altar, because it represented the Divine holiness, and the "fire of the altar" signified that holiness (n. 934, 6314, 6832).

[4] From this it can be seen, moreover, why the strength of Samson was in his hair (Judges 16:13-31 to the end), for it is said that:

He was a Nazarite from his mother's womb (Judges 13:7; 16:17).

Moreover, for the same reason:

It was not lawful for the high priest and his sons, nor for the Levites, to shave the head and make themselves bald (Leviticus 10:6; 21:5, 10; Ezekiel 44:20).

Likewise:

With the Israelitish people to cut off the beard (which had a like signification) was disgraceful (2 Samuel 10:4, 5).

The forty-two children were torn in pieces by the bears because they mocked Elisha, calling him bald-head, for the reason that Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord in respect to the Word, which is Divine truth, the sanctity and strength of which are in ultimates from firsts, as was said just above. Because "baldness" thus signified the deprivation of these, this took place. "Bears," moreover, signify truth in ultimates. (That Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord in respect to the Word, see Arcana Coelestia 2762, 5247.) From this it is clear also why Elijah had a hairy garment and John one of camel's hair; for John the Baptist, like Elijah, represented the Lord in respect to the Word; for this reason also he was called Elijah (See Arcana Coelestia 7643, 9372).

[5] When these things are understood, it can be known what is signified in the Word by "head," "hairs," "beard," and "baldness," as in Isaiah:

In that time shall the Lord shave by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hairs of the feet, He shall also consume the beard (Isaiah 7:20).

In the same prophet:

On all heads baldness, every beard cut off (Isaiah 15:2).

In Jeremiah:

Truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth. Cut off thine hair and cast it away (Jeremiah 7:28-29).

In Ezekiel:

Take a razor and pass it over the head and beard (Ezekiel 5:1).

Shame shall be upon every face, and baldness upon all heads (Ezekiel 7:18).

Every head was made bald (Ezekiel 29:18).

In Amos:

I will bring up baldness upon every head (Amos 8:10).

In David:

God shall bruise the head of His enemies, the hairy scalp of him that goeth on in his guilt (Psalms 68:21).

In these passages and in others, by "cutting off the hair of the head," "shaving the beard," and inducing baldness, is signified to deprive of all truth and good; since he that is deprived of ultimates is also deprived of things prior, for prior things have existence and subsistence in ultimates, as was said above. Moreover, in the world of spirits there are seen some that are bald, and I have been told that they are such as have abused the Word, and have applied the sense of the letter, which is Divine truth in ultimates, to wicked purposes, and therefore have been deprived of all truth. These are most malignant. Many of them are of the Babylonish body. Angels, on the contrary, appear with becoming hair.