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

 

Hogs

  

In Leviticus 11:7 and Matthew 7:6, this signifies filthy loves of those in the hells of adulterers. (Apocalypse Explained 1044[4]) Swine signify people who love only worldly riches. (Apocalypse Revealed 727)

In Isaiah 65:4, this signifies appropriation of infernal evils. (Apocalypse Explained 659[2]) 'Swine' or 'hogs' correspond to the life of greed and its delight.

(References: Arcana Coelestia 1742)

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #10017

Study this Passage

  
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10017. 'And the priesthood shall be theirs' means the stages, following one after another, of the Lord's work of salvation. This is clear from the meaning of 'the priesthood' or 'the priestly office' as that which is representative of the Lord's whole work of salvation, dealt with in 9809. The reason why the stages following one after another is meant is that the priesthood of Aaron's sons is the subject here, and his sons represent the things which emanate and so follow in order one after another, 9807. The situation in all this is that the priesthood which Aaron represents consists in the work of saving those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, this kingdom being the proper meaning in the Word of 'a kingdom of priests'. But the priesthood which Aaron's sons represent consists in the work of saving those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom emanating directly from His celestial kingdom. From this it is evident that 'the priesthood' is used in the present instance to mean the stages, following one after another, of the Lord's work of salvation. But the priesthood which the Levites represent consists in the Lord's work of salvation at a further stage.

[2] There are three realities which follow one another in order. These are the celestial, which is the good of love to the Lord; the spiritual, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour; and the natural springing from these, which is the good of faith. Since these three are realities which follow one another in order there are also three heavens, and in them the types of good follow in that order. The work of saving those with whom celestial good exists is represented by Aaron's priesthood; but the work of saving those with whom spiritual good exists is represented by the priesthood of Aaron's sons, and the work of saving those with whom the natural good springing from these exists is represented by the priesthood of the Levites. And since the things following one another in order emanate from the good of love to the Lord, which is represented by Aaron and his priesthood, it is said of the Levites that they were given to Aaron. For things which emanate belong to that from which they emanate; such emanations or stages following one after another owe their very existence to that source, as accords with what has been stated a little above in 10011. The fact that the Levites were given to Aaron and his sons to perform priestly duties under them, see Numbers 3:1-end.

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