The Bible

 

Matthew 7

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1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

   

Commentary

 

#106 Hide and Seek with God

By Jonathan S. Rose

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Spirit and Life Bible Study broadcast from 9/5/2012. The complete series is available at: www.spiritandlifebiblestudy.com

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #4809

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4809. When the Son of Man comes in His glory means when Divine Truth will be visible in its own light, as happens to everyone when he dies; for at that time he comes into the light of heaven, in which light he is able to perceive what is true and good, and from this the nature of it. 'The Son of Man' in the internal sense of the Word is the Lord as regards Divine Truth, and so it is Divine Truth which comes from the Lord; 'glory' is intelligence and wisdom that flow from this, which is seen as light, and by angels as brilliant light. This brilliant light that holds within it wisdom and intelligence flowing from Divine Truth that comes from the Lord is that which in the Word is called 'the glory'. As regards 'the Son of Man' in the internal sense meaning Divine Truth, see 2159, 2803, 2813, 3704.

[2] And an the holy angels with Him means the angelic heaven. 'The holy angels' in the internal sense are truths which come from the Lord's Divine Good, for in the Word the expression 'angels' is not used to mean angels but things that are from the Lord, see 1925, 4085. Angels are recipients of the life of truth proceeding from the Lord's Divine Good; and in the measure they receive it they are angels. From this it is evident that 'angels' means those truths. Because the subject here is the state of each person after death, and the judgement of each one according to what his life is, it is said that all the holy angels will be with Him, meaning that the judgement will be effected through heaven; for every influx of Divine Truth takes places through heaven. No one can receive a direct influx.

[3] Then He will sit on the throne of His glory means the judgement, for 'throne' is used to refer to the Lord's kingship, and the Lord's kingship is Divine Truth, 1728, 2015, 3009, 3670, Divine Truth being the starting-point and the standard of that judgement.

[4] And before Him all nations will be gathered means that every good and every evil of everyone will be disclosed - for 'nations' in the internal sense of the Word means forms of good, and in the contrary sense forms of evil, 1259, 1260, 1416, 2588 (end), 4574. Thus it is the showing up in Divine light - that is, in light flowing from Divine Truth - of every good and every evil that is meant by 'before Him all nations will be gathered'.

[5] And He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats means the separation of good from evil, for 'the sheep' are those in whom good is present, and 'the goats' those in whom evil is present. Strictly speaking the expression 'the sheep' is used to describe those in whom charity, and faith derived from charity, are present, 'the goats' to describe those in whom faith but no charity is present. Both these types of people are referred to here. As regards 'the sheep' meaning those in whom charity and faith derived from it are present, see 2088, 4169, and 'the goats' those in whom faith but no charity is present, 4769.

[6] And He will place the sheep at His right hand and the goats at the left means a separation into truths derived from good, and falsities derived from evil. Those governed by truths derived from good are also visibly present in the next life on the right, while those governed by falsities are on the left. Consequently being stationed on the right hand and on the left implies an ordering in which life is the determining factor.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.