The Bible

 

Genesis 31:24

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24 God came to Laban, the Syrian, in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Take heed to yourself that you don't speak to Jacob either good or bad."

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #4215

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4215. 'And kissed his sons and his daughters' means the acknowledgement of those truths and of affections for them. This is clear from the meaning of 'kissing' as a joining together resulting from affection, dealt with in 3573, 3574, and therefore as acknowledgement, for where any joining together through good and truth exists, acknowledgement of them exists also; from the meaning of 'sons' as truths and things that are true, dealt with in 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373; and from the meaning of 'daughters', who in this case are Rachel and Leah, as affections for those same truths, dealt with in 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819.

[2] The reason why 'kissing' means a joining together resulting from affection lies in correspondence; for as is being shown at the ends of chapters, a correspondence exists between heaven and every organ and limb of the body. A correspondence exists between man's inner self and every part of his face, so that his general frame of mind (animus) is revealed in his countenance, and more internal aspects of it - his inner mind (mens) - in his eyes. A correspondence also exists between the thoughts and affections of the mind and the actions and gestures of the body; and this is recognized to be so with all voluntary actions and gestures as well as involuntary ones. Humility of heats, for example, brings a person to his knees, an external gesture of the body; and still greater and more interior humility extends him prostrate on the ground. A feeling of gladness and joy of mind leads to singing and jubilation, sadness and inner grief to weeping and wailing. But a joining together resulting from affection leads to kissing.

[3] From this it is evident that because external actions like these correspond to inner virtues they are visible signs of these, and that as visible signs they hold within them something internal from which they receive their specific nature. With people however who wish by means of external actions to give the impression that they possess those inner virtues, their external actions are likewise visible signs; but they are signs of pretence, hypocrisy, and deceit. This is so with kisses, because everyone wishes by means of kisses to express his heartfelt love for another. For one who gives the impression that he possesses inner virtues knows that kisses have their origins in the heart and that they are a sign of a joining together resulting from affection. By means of them he wishes to convince his neighbour that he loves him because of the good he sees in him, but in fact it is all for his own sake and for the sake of personal position and gain, and it is not for good but for evil reasons that he loves him. For anyone who sees himself as the end in view and not as an intermediate end to promote good, and who wishes to be joined to another to succeed in gaining that end, is governed by evil.

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #145

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145. In the Word too 'name' means the essential nature of a real thing, and 'seeing and calling by name' knowing characters, as in Isaiah,

I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoarded riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, Jehovah, the one calling you by name, the God of Israel. For the sake of My servant Jacob, and of Israel My chosen, and I have called you by name, I have surnamed you, but you do not know Me. Isaiah 45:3-4.

Here 'calling by name' and 'surnaming' mean knowing his character beforehand. In the same prophet,

You will be called by a new name which the mouth of Jehovah will declare. Isaiah 62:2.

This stands for his becoming a different person, as is clear from what precedes and what follows these words. In the same prophet,

O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name, you are Mine. Isaiah 43:1.

This stands for knowing character. Again in the same prophet,

Lift up your eyes on high and see; who created these? He who brings out their host by number; He will call them all by name. Isaiah 40:26.

This stands for His knowing them all. In Revelation,

You have a few names in Sardis, who have not soiled their garments. He who conquers will be clad in white garments and I will not blot his name out of the book of life; and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. Revelation 3:4-5.

Elsewhere in the same book,

Whose names have not been written in the book of life of the Lamb. Revelation 13:8.

In these places 'names' is in no way used to mean names but people's characters. Nor in heaven do they know anyone's name, only his character.

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