746. Because the accuser of our brethren is cast down.- That this signifies after those have been separated from heaven, and condemned to hell, who fought against the life of faith, which is charity, is evident from the signification of being cast down, when said of the dragon, as denoting that those meant by the dragon were separated from heaven and condemned to hell (concerning which see above, n. 739, 742), and from the signification of the accuser of our brethren, as denoting those who fought against the life of faith, which is charity. For an accuser signifies one who attacks, rebukes, and reproaches, for he who accuses also attacks, rebukes, and reproaches; moreover, in the original, an adversary and one who reproaches are expressed by the same word. What is wonderful, although those who are dragons make no account of life, yet they accuse the faithful in the spiritual world, if they observe [in them] any evil of ignorance, for they inquire into their life in order that they may reproach and condemn them, and therefore they are called accusers.

[2] But by the brethren whom they accuse are meant all those in the heavens, and also all those on earth who are in the good of charity. Such are called brethren because they all have one Father, that is, the Lord; and those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and in the good of charity towards the neighbour, are His sons, and are also called sons of God, sons of the kingdom, and heirs. It follows, therefore, that since they are the sons of one Father, they are also brethren. Moreover, it is the chief commandment of the Lord the Father, that they should love one another, consequently it is love that makes them brethren; love also is spiritual conjunction. From this it came to pass that with the ancients, in the churches in which charity was the essential, all were called brethren; the same was the case in our Christian Church at its beginning. This is why brother, in the spiritual sense, signifies charity. That formerly all those who were of one church called themselves brethren, and that the Lord calls those brethren, who are in love to Him and in charity towards the neighbour, is evident from many passages in the Word. But in order that what is signified by brother may be distinctly seen, it shall be illustrated from the Word.

[3] (1) All who were of the Israelitish Church called themselves brethren, as is clear from the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"Then shall they bring all your brethren, out of all nations, a gift to Jehovah" (66:20).

In Jeremiah:

"No one shall cause a Jew, his brother, to serve" (34:9).

In Ezekiel:

"Son of man, thy brethren, thy brethren, the sons of thy kindred and the whole house of Israel" (11:15).

In Micah:

"Until the remnant of his brethren return unto the sons of Israel" (5:3).

In Moses:

"Moses went out unto his brethren, that he might see their burdens" (Exodus 2:11):

Moses said unto Jethro his father-in-law,

"I will return to my brethren, who are in Egypt" (Exodus 4:18);

"When thy brother shall be impoverished" (Leviticus 25:25, 35, 47).

"But as to your brethren, the sons of Israel, a man shall not rule over his brother with rigour" (Leviticus 25:46);

"Would to God that we had died when our brethren died before Jehovah" (Numbers 20:3).

"Behold, a man of the sons of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman" (Numbers 25:6).

"Thou shalt open thine hand to thy brother; when thy brother, a Hebrew man or Hebrew woman, shall be sold to thee, he shall serve thee six years" (Deuteronomy 15:11, 12).

"If any man shall steal the soul (animam) of his brethren and shall make gain thereof" (Deuteronomy 24:7).

"Forty times shall he strike him, and not exceed, lest thy brother be accounted vile in thine eyes" (Deuteronomy 25:3; and elsewhere).

It is evident from these passages that the sons of Israel were all called brethren among themselves; the chief reason of their being so called was that they were descended from Jacob, who was their common father; but a reason more remote was that brother signifies the good of charity, and as this good is the essential of the church, also all are spiritually conjoined by it. Another reason is that Israel, in the highest sense, signifies the Lord, and consequently the sons of Israel signify the church.

[4] (2) They also called themselves man and brother, and also companion and brother, as in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"The land is darkened and the people are become as fuel for the fire; they shall not spare a man (vir) his brother, they shall eat a man (vir) the flesh of his own arm, Menasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Menasseh" (9:19-21).

Man and brother signify truth and good, and, in the opposite sense, falsity and evil, it is therefore also said Menasseh shall eat Ephraim, and Ephraim Menasseh, for Menasseh signifies voluntary good, and Ephraim intellectual truth, both of the external church, and in the opposite sense evil and falsity. But these words may be seen explained above (n. 386:2, 440:4, 600:13, 617:29).

[5] In the same:

"I will mingle Egypt with Egypt, that they may fight, a man (vir) against his brother, and a man against his companion, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom" (19:2).

Egypt here signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual; and because this is in no light of truth, it is continually disputing about good and evil, and about truth and falsity; and such disputation is signified by "I will mingle Egypt with Egypt, that they may fight, a man against his brother, and a man against his companion," brother and companion signifying good from which is truth, and truth from good, and in the opposite sense, evil from which is falsity, and falsity from evil. Therefore it is also said, "City against city, and kingdom against kingdom, city denoting doctrine, and kingdom the church from doctrine, which will contend in a similar manner.

[6] In the same:

"They help a man his companion, and one saith to his brother, Be strong" (41:6).

The signification of companion and brother is similar to that explained above.

In Jeremiah:

"Take ye heed a man of his companion, and trust not in any brother; for every brother supplanteth, and every companion slandereth" (Jeremiah 60:4).

In the same:

"I will scatter them, a man with his brother" (13:14).

In the same:

"Thus shall ye say a man to his companion, and a man to his brother, What hath Jehovah answered" (23:35).

In the same:

"Ye have not hearkened unto me, to proclaim liberty a man to his brother, and a man to his companion" (34:9, 17).

In Ezekiel:

"A man's sword shall be against his brother" (38:21).

In Joel:

"They shall not drive forward, a man his brother" (2:8).

In Micah:

"They all lie in wait for bloods, they hunt, a man his brother, with a net" (7:2).

In Zechariah:

"Show kindness and compassion, a man to his brother" (7:9).

In Malachi:

"Wherefore do we deal treacherously, a man against his brother" (2:10).

In Moses:

"There was a thick darkness of darkness over all the land of Egypt, a man saw not his brother" (Exodus 10:22, 23).

In the same:

"At the end of seven years every creditor shall withhold his hand when he hath loaned anything to his companion, neither shall he urge his companion or his brother" (Deuteronomy 15:1, 2).

In the nearest sense a man means every one, and brother one of the same tribe, because in blood relationship; and companion means one who is of another tribe, because so only by alliance. But in the spiritual sense a man signifies every one who is in truths, and in the opposite sense, every one who is in falsities; brother signifies every one who is in the good of charity, and, in an abstract sense, that good itself, while companion signifies every one who is in truth from that good, and, in an abstract sense, that truth itself; and in the opposite sense these signify the evil opposite to the good of charity, and the falsity opposite to the truth from that good. The terms brother and companion are both used, because there are two things that make the church - charity and faith, just as there are two things that make the life of man, will and understanding. There are in man two things which act as one, as the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, two hands and feet, two lobes of the lungs, two chambers of the heart, two hemispheres of the brain, and so on, of which one has reference to good from which is truth, and the other to truth from good. This is why it is said brother and companion, and why brother signifies good, and companion its truth.

[7] (3) The Lord calls those of His church who are in the good of charity brethren, as is clear from the following passages.

In the Evangelists:

Jesus "stretching out his hand over his disciples, said, Behold my mother and my brethren; whosoever shall do the will of my Father, he is my brother and sister and mother" (Matthew 12:49, 50; Mark 3:33-35).

The disciples over whom the Lord stretched out His hand signify all those who are of His church; His brethren signify those who are in the good of charity from Him; sisters, those who are in truths from that good; while mother signifies the church from these.

[8] In Matthew:

Jesus said to Mary Magdalene and to the other Mary, "Fear not, go ye, tell my brethren to go into Galilee, and there they shall see me" (28:10).

Here also brethren mean the disciples, who signify all those of the church who are in the good of charity.

In John:

Jesus said to Mary, "Go to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend to my Father" (20:17).

Similarly here the disciples are called brethren, because the disciples, equally as brethren, signify all those of His church who are in the good of charity.

[9] In Matthew:

"The King answering said unto them, I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (25:40).

That those who have done the good works of charity are here called by the Lord brethren is evident from the words which precede the above. It must, however, be understood that although the Lord is their Father, still He calls them brethren; but He is their Father from the Divine Love, and brother from the Divine which proceeds from Him. The reason is that all in the heavens are recipients of the Divine which proceeds from Him, and the Divine which proceeds from the Lord, of which they are recipients, is the Lord in heaven and also in the church; and this is not of angel or man, but of the Lord in them; therefore the good of charity itself in them, which is the Lord's own, He calls brother, as He also calls angels and men, because they are the recipient subjects of that good. In a word, the proceeding Divine, which is the Divine of the Lord in the heavens, is the Divine born of the Lord in heaven; therefore from that Divine, angels, who are its recipients, are called Sons of God, and since these are brethren, because of the Divine received in themselves, it is therefore the Lord in them who says "brother," for angels, when they speak from the good of charity, do not speak from themselves, but from the Lord.

This then is why the Lord says, "Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." The goods of charity, enumerated in the verses preceding, are therefore, in the spiritual sense, the brethren of the Lord, and are called brethren by the Lord, for the reason just given. The King, also, who thus calls them, signifies the proceeding Divine, which in one word is called Divine Truth or the Spiritual Divine, which in its essence is the good of charity.

[10] It must therefore be born in mind, that the Lord did not call them brethren because He was a man like themselves, according to an opinion received in the Christian world; for this reason it follows that it is not allowable for any man to call the Lord brother, for He is God even as to the Human, and God is not a brother, but a Father. The Lord is called brother in the churches on earth because the idea which they have of His Human is the same as that which they have of the human of another man; nevertheless the Lord's Human is Divine.

[11] Because kings formally represented the Lord as to Divine Truth, and as Divine Truth received by angels in the spiritual kingdom of the Lord is the same as Divine spiritual good, and as spiritual good is the good of charity, therefore the kings appointed over the sons of Israel called their subjects brethren, although on the other hand, the subjects were not permitted to call their king brother; much less should the Lord, who is King of kings and Lord of lords be so called.

So in David:

"I will declare thy name to my brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee" (Psalm 22:22).

In the same:

"I am become an alien to my brethren, and a stranger to my mother's sons" (Psalm 69:8).

In the same:

"For my brethren and companions' sake I will say peace be unto thee" (Psalm 122:8).

David spoke these things as though they were about himself, yet David, in the representative spiritual sense, here means the Lord.

In Moses:

"Thou shalt set over them a king from the midst of thy brethren; thou mayest not set over them a man that is a stranger, who is not thy brother; but let him not lift up his heart above his brethren" (Deuteronomy 17:15, 20).

The brethren out of whom a king might be set over them, signify all who are of the church, for it is said, "Thou mayest not set over them a man that is a stranger," a man that is a stranger signifying one not of the church.

[12] In the same:

"Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet out of the midst of thee from thy brethren, like unto me; him shall ye obey" (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18).

This is a prophecy concerning the Lord, who is meant by the prophet whom Jehovah God will raise up from the brethren. They are called thy brethren, that is, of Moses, because Moses, in the representative sense, means the Lord as to the Word, and a prophet means one who teaches the Word; thus also the Word and doctrine from the Word are meant, and this is why it is said, "like unto me." That Moses represented the Lord as to the law, thus as to the Word, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 4859 at end, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 9372, 10234).

[13] (4) That all those who acknowledge Him, and are in the good of charity from Him, are called brethren by the Lord, follows from this, that the Lord is the Father of all and the teacher of all, and from Him, as a Father, is all the good of charity, and from Him, as a teacher, all the truth of that good; therefore the Lord says in Matthew:

"Be not ye called teacher, for one is your teacher, the Christ, but all ye are brethren. And call [no man] your Father upon earth, for one is your Father who is in the heavens" (23:8, 9).

It is manifestly clear from this that the Lord's words must be spiritually understood. For what teacher is there who may not be called teacher? or what father is there who is not called father? But because father signifies good, and the Father in the heavens the Divine Good, and as teacher or Rabbi signifies truth, and the "teacher, the Christ," the Divine Truth, therefore, on account of the spiritual sense in all things of the Word, it is said that they should not call a father on earth their father, nor anyone teacher. This refers to the spiritual sense, but not to the natural sense. In the natural sense men may be called teachers and fathers, but representatively, that is to say, teachers in the world do indeed teach truths, but from the Lord, not from themselves; and fathers in the world are indeed good, and lead their children to good, but from the Lord, not from themselves. It therefore follows, that although they are called teachers and fathers, still they are not teachers, and fathers, but the Lord alone is Teacher and Father. To call, and to call any one by a name also signifies, in the Word, to recognise the quality of any one. Because all in heaven and in the church are disciples and sons of the Lord as their Teacher and Father, therefore the Lord says, "All ye are brethren"; for the Lord calls all in heaven and in the church sons and heirs, from their consociation by love from Him, and thus by mutual love which is charity. It is consequently from the Lord that they are brethren; in this way must the common saying be understood that all are brethren in the Lord.

[14] From these considerations also it is evident that the Lord means by brethren all those who acknowledge Him, and are in the good of charity from Him, consequently those who are of His church. Such also the Lord means by brethren in the following passages.

In Luke:

Jesus said to Peter, "When thou hast turned again, strengthen thy brethren" (Luke 22:32).

Brethren here do not mean the Jews, but all those who acknowledge the Lord and are in good from charity and faith, thus all who should receive the gospel through Peter, both Jews and Gentiles; for Peter, in the Word of the Evangelists, means truth from good, consequently also faith from charity, but here Peter means faith separated from charity, for just previously it is said of him, "Simon, lo, Satan hath demanded you, that he may sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not" (verses 31, 32); and afterwards it is said to him, "I say unto thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day until thou hast thrice denied that thou knowest me" (verse 34). Such also is faith without charity. But by Peter turned again is signified truth from good, which is from the Lord, or faith from charity, which is from the Lord, therefore it is said, "When then thou hast turned again, strengthen thy brethren."

[15] In Matthew:

"Peter said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?" (18:21).

In the same:

"So also will my heavenly Father do to you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses" (18:35).

In the same:

"If thy brother hath sinned against thee, go and accuse him between thee and him alone; if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother" (18:15).

Here brother means the neighbour in general, thus every man, but specifically one whoever he may be who is in the good of charity and thus in faith from the Lord; for these passages treat of the good of charity, since to forgive one who sins against you is of charity. It is also said, "If he hear, thou hast gained thy brother," which signifies if he acknowledges his trespasses, and turns again.

[16] Again in Matthew:

"Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye, when yet there is a beam in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye" (7:3-5).

Here also the term brother is used, because the subject treated of is charity; for to cast out the mote out of a brother's eye signifies to give instruction about falsity and evil, and to reform. The reason why the Lord said "a mote out of thy brother's eye," and "a beam out of one's own eye," is that a spiritual sense is contained in every thing which the Lord spoke; for without that sense, of what consequence would it be to see a mote in the eye of another, and not consider a beam in one's own eye, or to cast a beam out of one's own eye before one casts a mote out of another's eye? For a mote signifies a small falsity of evil, and a beam a great falsity of evil, while the eye signifies the understanding and also faith. Mote and beam signify the falsity of evil because wood signifies good; thus a beam signifies the truth of good, and, in the opposite sense, the falsity of evil, and the eye the understanding and faith. It is therefore plain what is signified by seeing the mote and the beam, and by casting them out of the eye. That wood signifies good, and, in the opposite sense, evil, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 643, 3720, 4943, 8354, 8740), and that the eye signifies the understanding, and also faith (n. 2701, 4403-4421, 4523-4534, 9051, 10569), and also above (n. 37, 152). Moreover, in some passages beam is mentioned, and it signifies falsity of evil. As in Genesis 19:8; 2 Kings 6:2, 5, 6; Habak. 2:11; Cant. 1:17.

[17] Again in Matthew:

"He who doeth and teacheth shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. I say unto you, Except your justice shall exceed the justice of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill, but whosoever shall kill shall be liable to the judgment; but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother rashly shall be liable to the judgment; but whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the council; but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be liable to the gehenna of fire. If thou offer thy gift upon the altar, and there remember that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift" (5:19-24).

In the whole of that chapter the subject treated of is the interior life of man, which is that of his soul, consequently of his will and the thought therefrom, thus it treats of the life of charity, which is the spiritual moral life. Of this life the sons of Jacob knew nothing before, because even from their fathers downward they were external men. On this account also they were kept in the observance of external worship, according to external statutes that represented the internal things of worship and of the church. But the Lord in this chapter teaches that the interior things of the church ought not only to be represented by external acts, but must also be loved and done from the soul and heart. Therefore that whosoever from interior life teaches and does the external things of the church will be saved, is signified by "He who doeth and teacheth shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens." "Except your justice shall exceed the justice of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of the heavens," signifies that unless the life be internal, and from that, external, heaven is not in man and man is not received into heaven; justice signifies the good of life from the good of charity, and to exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees signifies that the life must be internal, and not external without the internal. The Scribes and Pharisees were only in representative externals, and not in internals.

External from internal life is taught in the commandment of the decalogue, "Thou shalt not kill." But they did not know that wishing to kill a man is the same as killing him, therefore it is first said, "Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be liable to the judgment." For the opinion had prevailed among the Jews from ancient time, that it was lawful to kill those who injured them, especially the Gentiles, and that they were only to be punished for it lightly or grievously according to the state of the case in regard to the enmity manifested, consequently only as to the body and not as to the soul; this is meant by being liable to the judgment.

[18] That he who without adequate cause thinks ill of his neighbour, and turns himself away from the good of charity, will be punished lightly as to the soul, is signified by Whosoever is angry with his brother rashly shall be liable to the judgment; to be angry signifies to think ill, for it is distinguished from "to say Raca," and "to say Thou fool." Brother means the neighbour, and also the good of charity, and to be liable to the judgment means to be examined and punished according to circumstances. That he who from evil thought slanders his neighbour, and thus holds the good of charity in contempt as of no account, will be grievously punished, is signified by Whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the council, - for to say Raca signifies from evil thought to slander the neighbour, thus to hold in contempt the good of charity as of no account, to say Raca signifying to account as nothing, thus of no account, and brother the good of charity. That he who hates the neighbour, that is he who altogether turns away from the good of charity, is condemned to hell, is signified by Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be liable to the gehenna of fire, - to say "Thou fool" denoting entire aversion, brother denoting the good of charity, and gehenna of fire denoting the hell where those are who hate that good and thus the neighbour. Three degrees of hatred are described by these three, the first is that of evil thought, which is "to be angry," the second is that of a consequent evil intention, which is "to say Raca," and the third is that of an evil will, which is "to say Thou fool." All these are degrees of hatred against the good of charity; for hatred is the opposite of this good. The three degrees of punishment are signified by the judgment, the council, and the gehenna of fire, punishments for the evils of a lighter kind being signified by the judgment, punishments for those of a more grievous kind by the council, and for the most grievous of all, by the gehenna of fire.

[19] Since the whole of heaven is in the good of charity towards the neighbour, and the whole of hell is in anger, enmity, and hatred against the neighbour, and as these are the opposites of that good, and as the worship of the Lord when it is internal is worship from heaven, but is not worship if anything of it is from hell, and yet external worship without internal is from hell, therefore it is said, "If thou offer thy gift upon the altar, and there remember that thy brother hath aught against thee, go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift upon the altar." The gift upon the altar signifies the worship of the Lord, from love and charity; brother means the neighbour, and in the abstract, the good of charity; to have aught against thee signifies anger, enmity or hatred, and to be reconciled signifies the dispersion of these, and consequent conjunction by love.

[20] It is evident from these things that the Lord meant by brother the same as by neighbour; and neighbour, in the spiritual sense, signifies good in its whole extent; and good in its whole extent is the good of charity. Brother has a similar meaning in the spiritual sense in many passages in the Old Testament.

As in Moses:

"Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart" (Leviticus 19:17).

In David:

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity" (Psalm 133:1).

In this sense also, Lot called the inhabitants of Sodom brethren (Genesis 19:7); and this is also meant by "the covenant of brethren" between the sons of Israel and Edom (Amos 1:9); and by "the brotherhood between Judah and Israel" (Zech. 11:14). For by the sons of Israel and Edom, also by Judah and Israel, are not meant these in the spiritual sense, but the goods and truths of heaven and the church, which are all conjoined one with another.

617. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up.- That this signifies that he should read, perceive, and explore the Word, as to its interior and exterior qualities, is evident from the signification of He said to me, take the little book, as denoting to impart the power of perceiving the quality of the Word, that is, the quality of the understanding of the Word now in the church (see the preceding article, n. 616); and from the signification of devouring or eating up, as denoting to conjoin or appropriate to one's self, and because the Word is conjoined to man by reading and perception, therefore here eating up signifies reading and perception. The reason why eating up here also signifies to explore, is, that it is afterwards said that the little book would make his belly bitter, and would be in his mouth sweet as honey, which means the exploration of the quality of the Word as to the understanding of its interior and exterior. Its interior quality is signified by the belly and its bitterness, and its exterior, by the mouth where it was perceived to be sweet as honey. It is clear from these things that these words, And he said unto me, Take the little book, and eat it up, signify, that he should read, perceive, and explore the Word, as to its interior and exterior quality.

[2] In the Word, mention is frequently made of eating and drinking, and he who does not know the spiritual sense supposes that these expressions signify nothing more than natural eating and drinking; whereas they signify to nourish oneself spiritually, consequently, the appropriation to oneself of good and truth, eating signifying to appropriate good to oneself, and drinking, to appropriate truth to oneself. Any one, who believes that the Word is spiritual, can see that by eating and drinking, just as by bread, food, wine, and drink, is signified spiritual nourishment; for if this were not meant, the Word would be merely natural and not spiritual, thus merely for the natural man, and not for the spiritual man, much less for angels. That by bread, food, wine, and drink, in the spiritual sense, is meant the nourishment of the mind has been frequently shown above, and also that the Word is everywhere spiritual, although natural in the sense of the letter. To be spiritually nourished is to be instructed and imbued, consequently it is to know, to understand, and to be wise; unless man enjoys this nourishment together with the nourishment of the body, he is not a man, but a beast. This is the reason why those who find all their pleasure in feastings and banquetings, and daily indulge their palates, are stupid as to things spiritual, however well they may be able to reason concerning the things of the world and the body; therefore, after their departure from this world, they live rather a bestial than a human life, for instead of intelligence and wisdom they have insanity and folly. These things are mentioned, in order that it may be known, that here, by devouring or eating up the little book, is signified to read, to perceive, and to explore the Word, for the little book, which was in the hand of the angel coming down out of heaven, means the Word, as stated above. Besides, no one can naturally eat or devour any little book, thus not the Word, and from this also it is evident, that eating here signifies to be spiritually nourished.

[3] That eating and drinking, in the Word, also signify to eat and drink spiritually, which is to be instructed, and by instruction both to infill the life, and appropriate to oneself good and truth, consequently intelligence and wisdom, is further evident from the following passages.

Thus in Jeremiah:

"Thy words shall be found, that I may eat them, and thy word be unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart" (15:16).

Here, eating evidently denotes to eat spiritually, which is to know, to perceive, and to appropriate to oneself, for it is said, "that I may eat thy words, and thy Word be to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart." The words of God signify precepts or Divine truths. This is similar in meaning to what the Lord said to the tempter, that man does not live by bread only, "but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:3, 4; Luke 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3).

And again:

"Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto eternal life" (John 6:27).

Similarly in regard to the words of the Lord to the disciples:

"His disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. The disciples said one to another, Hath any one brought him anything to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (John 4:31-34).

[4] From these passages it is also evident, that to eat, in the spiritual sense, signifies to receive in the will, and to do, whence comes conjunction. For the Lord, by doing the Divine will, conjoined the Divine which was in Him with His Human, so that He appropriated the Divine to His Human. It was for the same reason also, that the Lord fed five thousand men, besides women and children, with five loaves and two fishes, and that after they had eaten and were filled they took up twelve baskets of fragments (Matthew 14:15-21; John 6:5, 13, 23); and that He fed four thousand men, from seven loaves and a few fishes (Matthew 15:32, and the following verses). This miracle was performed because the Lord had previously been teaching them, and because they received and appropriated to themselves His doctrine. This was what they spiritually ate, from this the natural eating followed, that is, it flowed in with them out of heaven unknown to themselves, as the manna with the children of Israel. For at the will of the Lord, spiritual food, which is also real food, but only for spirits and angels, is turned into natural food, just as it was turned into manna every morning.

[5] The same is signified by eating bread in the kingdom of God, in Luke:

"And I appoint unto you a kingdom that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom" (22:28, 29, 30).

In these words also eating and drinking signify to eat and drink spiritually, consequently to eat denotes to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself the good of heaven from the Lord, and to drink denotes to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself the truth of that good. For to eat is used in reference to good, because bread signifies the good of love, and to drink is used in reference to truth, because water and wine (vinum) signify the truth of that good.

So again, in Luke:

"Blessed is he that eateth bread in the kingdom of God" (14:15).

For this reason the Lord there likened the kingdom of God to a great supper, to which those who were invited did not come, and which was attended only by those who were brought in from the streets (verses 16-24).

[6] Spiritual eating, by which the soul is nourished, is also signified by eating in the following passages of the Word.

Thus in Isaiah:

"If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat good" (1:19).

Here by eating good is signified spiritual good, hence it is said, "If ye be willing and obedient," that is, if ye act; for spiritual food is given, conjoined, and appropriated, to man, by his willing and therefore by his doing it.

And in David:

"Blessed is every one that feareth Jehovah; that walketh in his ways. Thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands; blessed art thou, and it is good to thee" (Psalm 128:1, 2).

By eating the labour of his hands is signified the celestial good which man receives by a life according to Divine truths from the Lord, and as it were acquires to himself by his own labour and study, wherefore it is said that "he who feareth Jehovah and walketh in His ways" shall eat, and afterwards, "Blessed art thou, and it is good to thee."

[7] Again, in Isaiah:

"Say ye to the just, that it is good; for they shall eat the fruit of their works" (3:10).

By eating the fruit of their works is signified the same as by eating the labour of their hands, mentioned above.

So in Ezekiel:

"Thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil; whence thou didst become exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper even to a kingdom" (16:13).

This was spoken of Jerusalem, by which the church is signified, in the present case the Ancient Church, which was in truths and in spiritual good, and at the same time in natural good. Fine flour signifies truth, honey, natural good, or the good of the external man, and oil, spiritual good, or the good of the internal man. The reception, perception, and appropriation of these, is signified by eating fine flour, honey, and oil. That she [the church] became intelligent therefrom, is signified by whence thou didst become exceeding beautiful, beauty denoting intelligence; that consequently she became a church, is signified by her prospering into a kingdom, a kingdom denoting a church.

[8] Again, in Isaiah:

"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name God-with-us. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child knoweth to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings" (7:14, 15, 16).

That the son whom the virgin should conceive and bring forth, and whose name should be called God-with-us, is the Lord as to His Human, is manifest. The appropriation of Divine Good, spiritual and natural, as to the Human, is meant by "butter and honey shall he eat," spiritual Divine Good, by butter, and natural Divine Good, by honey, and appropriation, by eating. And because so far as it is known how to refuse evil, and choose good, so far Divine Good, spiritual and natural, is appropriated, therefore it is said, "that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good." That the church was rendered destitute and vastated as to all good and truth by means of scientifics falsely applied, and by reasonings therefrom, is signified by, "the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings;" the land signifies the church; its being vastated and rendered destitute is meant by its being abhorred and forsaken. And the two kings, who are the king of Egypt and the king of Assyria, signify scientifics wickedly applied, and reasonings therefrom, the king of Egypt signifies those scientifics, and the king of Assyria, those reasonings. That these are the kings who are here meant, is evident from what presently follows in the same chapter (verses 17, 18), where Egypt and Assyria are named. These are also the things that principally vastate the church. That the Lord came into the world when there was no longer any good and truth in the church, thus when there was nothing of the church remaining, has been several times shown above.

[9] Again, in the same prophet:

"It shall come to pass for the abundance of milk one shall eat butter; for butter and [honey] shall every one eat that is left in the land" (7:22).

The subject here treated of is the new church to be established by the Lord; and by butter and honey is signified spiritual and natural good, and by eating is signified to appropriate to oneself, as above, by milk is signified the spiritual from the celestial, from which those goods are.

[10] So again:

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without silver and without price. Wherefore do ye weigh silver for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat good, that your soul may be delighted in fatness" (55:1, 2).

That to eat here signifies to appropriate to oneself from the Lord, is very evident, for it is said, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy, and eat." This signifies, that every one who desires truth, and who had not truth before, may procure and appropriate it to himself from the Lord; to thirst signifies to desire, water denotes truth, silver, the truth of good, here one who had no truth of good; to come, denotes to go to the Lord, to buy denotes to procure for oneself, and to eat denotes to appropriate to oneself. Come ye, buy wine and milk without silver and without price, signifies to procure spiritual Divine Truth and natural Divine Truth apart from [one's] own intelligence, wine (vinum) denoting spiritual Divine Truth, and milk, spiritual-natural Divine Truth. Wherefore do ye weigh silver for that which is not bread? and your labour [for that] which satisfieth not? signifies, that it is in vain to endeavour from the proprium to procure to oneself the good of love, and that which nourishes the soul, silver here denoting truth (verum) from the proprium, or from [man's] own intelligence; similarly labour. Bread denotes the good of love, and that which satisfies denotes that which nourishes the soul, in the present case, that which does not nourish. Hearken diligently unto me, signifies, that those things are from the Lord alone; and eat good, that your soul may be delighted in fatness, signifies, that they may appropriate to themselves celestial good from which all the delight of life proceeds, to delight in fatness denoting to be delighted from good, while "soul" signifies life.

[11] Again, in the same prophet:

"For the merchandize" of Tyre "shall be for them that dwell before Jehovah, to eat to satiety, and to him that covereth himself with what is ancient" (23:18).

By the merchandize of Tyre are signified the cognitions of good and truth of every kind. To dwell before Jehovah, signifies to live from the Lord; to eat to satiety signifies to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself the cognitions of good sufficiently for the nourishment of the soul. To cover oneself with what is ancient, signifies to drink in the cognitions of genuine truth; for to cover, is used in reference to truths, because garments signify truths clothing good, while ancient, is used in reference to what is genuine, because there were genuine truths with the ancients. The same is signified in Moses by eating to the full, and by eating the old store long kept (Leviticus 26:5, 10).

Again:

"Thou shalt eat and be satisfied in a good land" (Deuteronomy 11:15).

And again:

They should eat, and not be satisfied (Leviticus 26:26).

[12] And in Isaiah:

"And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat" (65:21, 22).

Everyone knows what is signified by these words in the sense of the letter, but because the Word in its bosom is spiritual, therefore spiritual things are also meant by them, that is, such things as pertain to heaven and the church, for these are spiritual things. By building houses and inhabiting them, is signified to fill the interiors of the mind with the goods of heaven and the church, and to enjoy celestial life by means of them, houses denoting the interiors of the mind, and to inhabit denoting celestial life therefrom. Planting vineyards and eating the fruit of them, signifies to enrich themselves with spiritual truths, and to appropriate to themselves the goods thence, vineyards denoting spiritual truths, fruit the goods resulting therefrom, and to eat denotes to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself; for all good is appropriated to man by means of truths, namely, by a life according to them. The signification of the words, "They shall not build and another inhabit, they shall not plant and another eat," is therefore now evident. Another signifies the falsity and evil which destroy truth and good; for when truths and goods perish with man, falsities and evils enter.

Thus also in Jeremiah:

"Build ye houses, and dwell in them, and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them" (29:5, 28).

The signification of these words is similar to that of those which precede.

[13] Again, in Moses:

There shall be given in the land great and goodly cities, which they built not, and houses full of every good thing, which they filled not, and wells digged, which they digged not, vineyards and olive trees, which they planted not; they shall eat to satiety" (Deuteronomy 6:10, 11).

The natural man understands these things only according to the sense of the letter, but if there were not a spiritual sense in every detail, the Word would be merely natural, and not spiritual, and consequently it might be supposed that it is only worldly riches and abundance that are freely given to those who live according to the Divine precepts; but what would it profit a man if he were to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Indeed what would it profit him if houses full of every kind of good thing, and also wells, olive trees, and vineyards, were given to him and he were to eat of them to satiety? But the fact is, these worldly riches are mentioned to denote spiritual riches, from which man has life eternal. The great and goodly cities to be given [to them], signify doctrinals from genuine truths and goods; houses full of every good thing, signify the interiors of the mind full of love and wisdom; wells digged, signify the interiors of the natural mind full of the knowledges of good and truth; vineyards and olive gardens, signify all things both as to truths and goods pertaining to the church, a vineyard denoting the church as to truth, and an olive garden the church as to good; for wine (vinum) signifies truth, and oil good; to eat to satiety, signifies full reception, perception, and appropriation.

[14] Again, in Isaiah:

Delight shall be found in Jehovah, "and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob" (58:14).

By causing them to ride upon the high places of the earth, is signified to give them the understanding of higher or interior truths concerning the things of the church and heaven; and by feeding them with the heritage of Jacob, is signified to endow them with everything pertaining to heaven and the church. For the heritage of Jacob means the land of Canaan, and by that land is meant the church, and, in a higher sense, heaven.

[15] Since eating signifies to appropriate to oneself, the signification of eating of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise (Apoc. 2:7), is evident, namely, the appropriation to oneself of celestial life. Also the signification of eating of the tree of knowledge in Genesis, is evident:

"Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (2:16, 17).

The tree of the knowledge (scientia) of good and evil, signifies the knowledge of natural things, by means of which [knowledge] it is not allowable to enter into things celestial and spiritual which pertain to heaven and the church, for this is to enter from the natural man into the spiritual, which is an inverted way, and does not therefore lead to wisdom, but destroys it. By Adam and his wife is meant the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial church. Because the men of that church were in love to the Lord, they had Divine Truths inscribed upon them, and therefore they knew from influx the correspondences in the natural man, which are called scientifics. In a word, the men of that church enjoyed spiritual influx, which is from the spiritual mind into the natural, and consequently into the things that are therein; these things they saw, according to their quality, as in a mirror, from correspondence.

[16] Spiritual things with them were quite distinct from natural things, the former being in their spiritual mind, and the latter in their natural mind, and therefore they did not immerse anything spiritual in their natural mind, as spiritual-natural men are in the habit of doing. If therefore they had committed spiritual things to the natural memory, and had thus appropriated them to themselves, that which was implanted in them would have perished, and they would have begun to reason from the natural man concerning spiritual things, and have formed their conclusions therefrom, which [the celestial] never do. This also would have resulted in a desire to be wise from [their] own intelligence, and not from Divine intelligence, as previously, and by this means they would have extinguished all their celestial life, and also formed natural ideas concerning spiritual things. That they should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and if they did eat, that they should surely die, has therefore this signification. The case in regard to the most ancient people, meant by Adam, is similar to what it is with those who are in the celestial kingdom of the Lord, who, if they imbue the natural man and its memory with the cognitions of spiritual truth and good, and desire to be wise therefrom, become stupid, although they are the wisest of all in heaven. More may be seen on this subject in Heaven and Hell 20-28), where the two kingdoms, called celestial and spiritual, into which heaven is in general distinguished, are treated of.

[17] Again, it is said in David:

He who "did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me" (Psalm 41:9).

This is said of the Jews, who were in possession of Divine truths because they had the Word, as is evident from John 13:18, where the words are applied to the Jews; therefore by eating the bread of the Lord, is signified the appropriation of Divine Truth, but in this case the communication of it, because it could not be appropriated to them, bread signifying the Word, from which spiritual nourishment is derived. To lift up the heel against Him, signifies the perversion of the sense of the letter of the Word, even to the denial of the Lord, and the falsification of every truth. For the Divine Truth is exhibited in an image as a man; therefore heaven in its whole compass is called the Grand Man, and corresponds to all things pertaining to man; for heaven is formed according to Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord. And since the Word is Divine Truth, therefore this also, before the Lord, is in an image as a Divine Man; hence its ultimate sense, which is simply the sense of the letter, corresponds to the heel. The perversion of the Word, or the Divine Truth, by the application of the sense of the letter to falsities, such as the traditions of the Jews were, is signified by lifting up the heel against the Lord. That the whole heaven is in an image as a man, and consequently corresponds to all things pertaining to man, and that heaven is such because created and formed from the Lord by means of Divine Truth proceeding from Him, which is the Word, from which all things were made (John 1:1, 2, 3), may be seen in Heaven and Hell 59, 102, also n. 200-212).

[18] Thus also in Luke:

"They shall begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, ye workers of iniquity" (13:26, 27).

By their saying when brought to judgment, that they had eaten and drunk in the presence of the Lord, is signified that they had read the Word, and received therefrom the cognitions of good and truth, supposing that they should thereby be saved, therefore the words follow; "thou hast taught in our streets," denoting that they were instructed in truths from the Word, thus from the Lord. But that to read the Word and receive instruction from it could avail them nothing as to salvation, without a life according to it, is signified by the answer which He gave, "I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, ye workers of iniquity"; for it is of no avail to salvation to enrich the memory from the Word, and from the doctrinals of the church, unless these things are committed to life.

[19] In Matthew:

The King said unto them on his right hand, "I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink." And to them on the left hand, "I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink" (Matthew 25:34-42).

These words also signify spiritual hunger and thirst, also spiritual eating and drinking. Spiritual hunger and thirst are the affection and desire for good and truth and spiritual eating and drinking are instruction, reception, and appropriation. It is here said of the Lord, that He hungered and thirsted, because from Divine Love He desires the salvation of all; and of men it is said that they gave Him to eat and to drink; which is the case when, from affection, they receive and perceive good and truth from the Lord, and appropriate them to themselves by means of the life. It will be said in like manner of the man who, from his heart, loves to instruct man, and desires his salvation; it is therefore charity, or the spiritual affection for truth, which is described by these words, and also by those which follow.

[20] From what has been said, the signification of eating bread and drinking wine, in the spiritual sense, in the holy supper (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22) is now evident; where it is also said, that the bread is the Lord's body, and the wine (vinum) His blood. That bread there signifies the good of love, and wine the truth from that good, which is also the good of faith, and that the same is signified by flesh and blood, also that by eating are signified conjunction with the Lord and appropriation, is evident from what is said and shown in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 210-222). That such things are signified by bread and wine, and by body and blood, also by eating, is still further evidenced from the following words of the Lord in John:

"Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. Verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. This is the bread which came down from heaven. He that eateth of this bread shall live for ever" (6:49-58).

That neither flesh and blood, nor bread and wine, are here meant, but the Divine proceeding from the Lord, can be seen only by one who enjoys the power of thinking interiorly; for it is the proceeding Divine, which is Divine Good and Divine Truth, that imparts eternal life to man, and causes the Lord to abide in man, and man in the Lord. For the Lord is in man in his own Divine, and not in the proprium of man, this being nothing but evil; and the Lord is in man, and man in the Lord, when the proceeding Divine is appropriated to man by a right reception thereof. The appropriation itself is signified by eating; the proceeding Divine Good, by flesh and by bread, and the proceeding Divine Truth, by blood and by wine. Similarly in the sacrifices, in which the flesh and the meat-offering, which was bread, signified the good of love, and the blood and the wine, which were the drink-offering, signified the truth from that good, both from the Lord. Since by flesh and bread is signified the proceeding Divine Good, and by blood and wine, the proceeding Divine Truth, therefore, bread and flesh mean the Lord Himself as to Divine Good, and blood and wine the Lord Himself as to Divine Truth. The reason why the Lord Himself is meant by those things, is, that the proceeding Divine is the Lord Himself in heaven and in the church; therefore the Lord says concerning Himself, "This is the bread which cometh down from heaven;" also, "He who eateth and drinketh these, dwelleth in me, and I in him."

[21] Since bread signifies the Lord as to Divine Good, and to eat it signifies appropriation and conjunction, therefore when the Lord showed Himself to His disciples after death and when He broke bread and gave to them, "their eyes were opened, and they knew him" (Luke 24:30, 31). From this fact it is also evident that to eat bread given by the Lord, signifies conjunction with Him, in consequence of which the disciples, being enlightened, knew Him. For eyes in the Word correspond to, and therefore signify, the understanding, and it is this which is enlightened; hence it is said their eyes were opened. By breaking bread, in the Word, is signified to communicate one's good to another.

[22] The reason why the Lord ate with publicans and sinners, at which the Jews murmured and were offended (Mark 2:15, 16; Luke 5:29, 30; 7:33-35), was, that the Gentiles, meant by the publicans and sinners, received the Lord, drank in His precepts, and lived according to them, and in consequence the Lord appropriated to them the goods of heaven, which is signified in the spiritual sense by eating with them.

[23] Since eating signified to be appropriated, therefore it was granted to the sons of Israel to eat of the holy things, or the sacrifices; for the sacrifices signified celestial and spiritual Divine things, and therefore eating of them signified the appropriation of them. And because the appropriation of holy things was signified by such eating, therefore various laws were given concerning who should eat and where they should eat, and of what sacrifices. Thus what Aaron and his sons should take from the sacrifices and eat (Exodus 29:31-33; Leviticus 6:16-18; 7:6, 7; 8:31-33; 10:13-15); that they should eat the shewbread in the holy place (Leviticus 24:5-9); that the daughter of a priest, being married to a stranger, should not eat of things sanctified, but that the daughter of a priest, being a widow, or divorced, who had no offspring and had returned to the house of her father, might eat of them (Leviticus 22:12, 13); that certain of the people should eat (Num. 18:10, 11, 13, 19); that a stranger, a sojourner or hired servant of a priest should not eat of them, but that he who was bought with silver should eat (Leviticus 22:10-12); that the unclean should not eat (Leviticus 7:19-21; 21:16 to end; 22:2-8); that they should not eat any part of the burnt offerings, but of the peace sacrifices, and should rejoice before Jehovah (Deuteronomy 12:27; 27:7).

In these and many other statutes and laws concerning the eating of things sanctified, there are contained interior truths concerning the appropriation of Divine Good and Divine Truth, and of conjunction thence with the Lord; but this is not the place to explain the details; only let it be understood from the passages quoted, that to eat signifies to be appropriated and conjoined. Therefore also when the sons of Israel were conjoined to the Lord by the blood of the covenant, and after Moses had read the book of the law before them, and they soon after saw the God of Israel, it is said, "They did eat and drink" (Exodus 24:6-11).

[24] That to eat flesh and drink blood signifies the appropriation of spiritual good and truth, is evident from the following passages in Ezekiel:

"Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel that ye may eat flesh and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth. And ye shall eat fat to satiety, and drink blood to drunkenness, of my sacrifice which I sacrifice for you. Ye shall be satiated at my table with horse and with chariot, with the mighty man, and with every man of war. So will I give my glory among the nations" (39:17-21).

The subject here treated of is the gathering together of all to the kingdom of the Lord, and specifically concerning the establishment of the church with the Gentiles, for it is said, "So will I give my glory among the nations." Eating flesh and drinking blood, mean that they should appropriate to themselves Divine Good and Divine Truth, flesh denoting the good of love, and blood the truth of that good. By the mighty, or oxen, are signified the affections for good; by the princes of the earth, the affections for truth. The full fruition of these is signified by eating fat to satiety, and drinking blood to drunkenness. Fat signifies interior goods, and blood, interior truths, which were manifested by the Lord when He came into the world, and were appropriated by those who received Him.

[25] Before the coming of the Lord into the world to eat fat and to drink blood was forbidden, because the sons of Israel were only in externals, for they were natural-sensual men, and not in things internal or spiritual at all, therefore if they had been allowed to eat fat and drink blood, which signified the appropriation to themselves of interior goods and truths, they would have profaned these, and consequently to eat those things signified profanation. The signification of being satiated at the table of the Lord with horse, with chariot, with the mighty man, and every man of war, is similar. By horse is signified the understanding of the Word, by chariot, doctrine from the Word, by the mighty man and the man of war are meant good and truth combating with evil and falsity, and destroying them. By the mountains of Israel, upon which they should eat, is signified the spiritual church, in which the good of charity is the essential. From this it is clear, that eating signifies to appropriate to oneself, and that by flesh, blood, the mighty man, the princes of the earth, the horse, the chariot, and the man of war, are signified spiritual things which are to be appropriated, and by no means natural things, for to eat such things naturally would be wicked and diabolical. Similar things are signified by eating the flesh of kings, of captains of thousands, of horses, and of them that sit on them, both free and bond (Apoc. 19:18).

[26] Since most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so also have eating and drinking, and in that sense they signify to appropriate to oneself evil and falsity, and thence to be conjoined with hell, as is evident from the following passages.

Thus in Isaiah:

"In that day will the Lord Jehovih of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth; behold, joy and gladness in slaying an ox, and killing a sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die" (22:12, 13).

The vastation of the church, and lamentation over it, are described by being called in that day to weeping, mourning, baldness, and the putting on of sackcloth. Lamentation over the destruction of truth is signified by weeping; lamentation over the destruction of good, by mourning; over the destruction of all affection for good, by baldness, and over the destruction of affection for truth, by sackcloth. By slaying an ox and killing a sheep, is signified, to extinguish natural good and spiritual good. By eating flesh and drinking wine (vinum), is signified to appropriate to oneself evil and falsity, flesh, in this place, denoting evil, and wine, the falsity of evil; while to eat and drink these signifies to appropriate them to oneself.

[27] Again, in Ezekiel:

"It was told the prophet that he should eat food by weight and with solicitude; and drink water by measure, and with astonishment. And should eat a barley cake made with dung. That thus should the sons of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither they should be driven, and lack bread and water, and be desolated a man (vir) and his brother, and consume away on account of their iniquity" (4:10-17).

These words in the prophet represented the adulteration of Divine Truth, or the Word with the Jewish nation. The barley cake made with dung signifies that adulteration, a barley cake denoting natural good and truth, such as is the Word in the sense of the letter, and dung infernal evil; it is therefore said, "Thus shall the sons of Israel eat their defiled bread," bread defiled denoting good defiled with evil, or adulterated. That they should want bread and water amongst the nations whither they should be driven signifies, that they would no longer have any good and truth on account of their being in evils and falsities, nations denoting evils and falsities, while to be driven thither denotes to be delivered up to them. By a man and brother who should be desolated, are signified faith and charity, man (vir) denoting the truth of faith, and brother, the good of charity, and to be desolated denoting the complete extinction of both. Because such things are signified by eating bread, and drinking water, it is therefore said that they shall consume away on account of their iniquity; to consume away is said of spiritual life, when it perishes.

[28] Because beasts signify the affections, some of them good affections, and some evil affections, therefore laws were laid down for the sons of Israel, with whom was the representative church, concerning the beasts that might be eaten and those that might not be eaten (Leviticus 11:1-47). These signified what kind of beasts represented good affections that should be appropriated, and what kind of evil affections that should not be appropriated, for good affections render a man clean, but evil affections unclean. Everything said in that chapter in regard to particular beasts and birds, and in reference to their hoofs, feet, and cud, by which the clean are distinguished from the unclean, is significative.

[29] Again, in Isaiah:

"And if he cut off on the right hand, he shall yet be hungry, and if he eat on the left hand, they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm; Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh" (9:20, 21).

These words describe the extinction of good by falsity, and the extinction of truth by evil. The extinction of all good and truth, however they may be inquired into, is signified by, if he cut off on the right hand, he shall yet be hungry, and if he eat on the left hand, they shall not be satisfied, to cut and to eat in those parts denoting to inquire, and to be hungry and not be satisfied, denoting not to be found, and if found, still not able to be received; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm, signifies, that falsity shall consume the good, and evil consume the truth in the natural man. Manasseh, Ephraim, and Ephraim, Manasseh, signifies, that the will of evil shall consume the understanding of truth, and that the understanding of falsity shall consume the will of good. This is explained also above (n. 386:2, 600:13).

[30] The consumption of all truth and good is also signified by the declaration that they should eat the flesh of their sons and daughters (Leviticus 26:29); also by the words: "The fathers shall eat the sons, and the sons shall eat the fathers" (5:10). The fathers signify the goods of the church, and in the opposite sense, its evils; sons signify the truths of the church, and in the opposite sense, its falsities. By daughters are signified affections for truth and good, and in the opposite sense, desires for falsity and evil; their mutual consumption and extinction are signified by their eating them. It is therefore evident that these things must be understood otherwise than according to the sense of the letter.

[31] Again, in Matthew:

In the consummation of the age it shall be as it was before the flood, "eating and drinking, contracting marriage and giving in marriage" (24:38; Luke 17:26-28).

Eating and drinking, contracting marriage and giving in marriage, do not here mean eating and drinking, and contracting marriage and giving in marriage; but by eating is meant the appropriation of evil to oneself, by drinking, the appropriation of falsity to oneself. Contracting marriage and giving in marriage, signify to conjoin falsity with evil, and evil with falsity; for the subject there treated of is the state of the church when the Last Judgment is at hand, for this is signified by the consummation of the age; that both the good and the evil will then eat and drink, is evident, because there is nothing evil in eating and drinking. They did so before the flood, yet did not die as a consequence; but they perished because they appropriated to themselves evil and falsity, and conjoined these in themselves. This is the signification of eating and drinking, of contracting marriage and giving in marriage.

[32] Again, in Luke, the rich man said to his soul:

"Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink" (12:19).

And again:

"If the servant say in his heart, my Lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the servants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken" (12:45).

Also concerning surfeiting and drunkenness in the same:

Jesus said, "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness" (21:34).

It appears as though eating and drinking and surfeiting in these passages mean the luxury and intemperance of those who indulge their appetites only, but this is the literal natural sense of these words, whereas, in the spiritual sense, they denote the appropriation to oneself of evil and falsity, as is evident from the passages quoted above, where eating and drinking have that signification, also from this fact, that the Word in the letter is natural, but interiorly spiritual, the latter sense being for angels, and the former for men.

[33] Many other passages, besides these, might be quoted from the Word, to testify and confirm the signification of eating, as denoting the reception, perception, and appropriation of those things that serve for the nourishment of the soul. For, to eat spiritually is nothing else than supplying the mind with its own food, which is the desire of knowing, understanding, and becoming wise in things pertaining to eternal life. That this is the signification of eating is also evident from the signification of bread and food, of hunger and thirst, of wine and water, which have been treated of above in their proper places. Since eating signifies to perceive the quality of a thing, and this is perceived by its taste, it is therefore from correspondence that in human languages taste (sapor) and to taste (sapere), are used in reference to the perception of a thing, whence also we have the word wisdom (sapientia).