2335. For we will pass the night in the street. That this signifies that he was as it were desirous to judge from truth, may be seen from the signification of a “street,” and from the signification of “passing the night.” A “street” is often named in the Word, and in the internal sense signifies the same as a “way,” namely, truth-for a street is a way in a city-as will be evident from the passages that will soon follow. That “to pass the night” is here to judge, may be seen from the signification of “night.” It was shown above (n. 2323) that “evening” signifies the state of the church before the last, when there begins to be no faith; and also the visitation which precedes the Judgment. From this it is evident that “night,” which succeeds, is the last state, when there is no faith; also that it is the Judgment. It is clear from this that to “pass the night in the street,” in the internal sense denotes to judge from truth.
[2] As regards Judgment it is twofold, namely, from good and from truth. The faithful are judged from good, but the unfaithful from truth. That the faithful are judged from good, is plainly evident in Matthew (Matthew 25:34-40), and that the unfaithful are judged from truth (Matthew 25:41-46). To be judged from good is to be saved because they have received it; but to be judged from truth is to be condemned because they have rejected good. Good is the Lord’s, and they who acknowledge this in life and faith are the Lord’s, and therefore are saved; but they who do not acknowledge it in life, and consequently not in faith, cannot be the Lord’s, and therefore cannot be saved. They are therefore judged according to the acts of their life and according to their thoughts and ends; and when they are judged according to these, they cannot but be condemned; for it is a truth that of himself a man does, thinks, and intends nothing but evil, and of himself rushes to hell insofar as he is not withheld therefrom by the Lord.
[3] But as regards judgment from truth the case is this: The Lord never judges anyone except from good; for He desires to raise all into heaven, however many they may be, and indeed, if it were possible, even to Himself; for the Lord is mercy itself and good itself. Mercy itself and good itself can never condemn anyone; but it is the man who condemns himself, because he rejects good. As in the life of the body he had shunned good, so does he shun it in the other life; consequently he shuns heaven and the Lord, for the Lord cannot be in anything except good. He is likewise in truth, but not in truth separated from good. That the Lord condemns no one, nor judges any to hell, He says in John:
God sent not His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. This is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the light, because their works were evil (John 3:17, 19).
And in the same:
If any one hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world (John 12:47).
(See also what has been said on the subject before, n. 223, 245, 592, 696, 1093, 1683, 1874, 2258)
[4] Where Judgment was treated of above (n. 2320, 2321), it was shown that all Judgment belongs to the Lord’s Divine Human and Holy proceeding, according to His words in John:
The Father judgeth not anyone, but hath given all judgment unto the Son (John 5:22);
and yet it is now said that the Lord does not judge by condemning anyone. From this it is evident what is the nature of the Word in the letter: that unless it were understood from another sense, namely, from the internal sense, it would not be comprehended. From the internal sense alone is it manifest how the case is with Judgment.
