The Bible

 

Matthew 7

Study

   

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

 

Life #39

Study this Passage

  
/ 114  
  

39. We can illustrate the fact that goodness loves what is true by taking priests, soldiers, merchants, and artisans as examples. With respect to priests, if they are focused on the good that a priest can do, which is looking out for the salvation of souls, teaching the way to heaven, and leading the people they teach, then because they are focused on this goodness, because they love and long for it, they acquire the truths that they teach and that enable them to lead.

On the other hand, priests who are not focused on the good that priests can do but rather on the gratifications of the office - and who are this way because of love for themselves and for the world, which is all they regard as good - then because of that love and longing they too acquire as much truth as the gratification that is their "goodness" inspires them to acquire.

As for soldiers, if they have a love for military service and see some good in it, whether in providing protection or in seeking their own glory, then because of the goodness they seek and in keeping with it they acquire the necessary knowledge and, if they are officers, understanding. These are the truths by which the pleasure of their love, which is their "goodness, " is nourished and given form.

As for merchants, if they commit themselves to being in business because they love it, they gladly take in everything that serves as a means of putting together and building what they love. These means, too, are like truths, when doing business is the goodness these people love.

As for artisans, if they apply themselves to their work diligently and love it as what makes their life worthwhile, they buy their tools and improve themselves by learning what they need to know. This is what makes their work good.

We can see from all this that truths are the means by which the good that we do out of love becomes manifest, becomes something; so goodness loves what is true in order to become manifest.

So in the Word, "doing the truth" means acting in such a way that some good will be done. This is the meaning of "doing the truth" in John 3:21, "doing what the Lord says" in Luke 6:46, "doing his commandments" in John 14:21, "doing his words" in Matthew 7:24, "doing the Word of God" in Luke 8:21, and "doing the statutes and judgments" in Leviticus 18:5.

This is also the meaning of "doing good" and "bearing fruit, " because what is done is something "good, " some "fruit."

  
/ 114  
  

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