Commentary

 

Fat

  

To be fat and flourishing, as in Psalm 92:15, signifies to be in the goods and in the truths of doctrine. Fat and blood signify interior goods and truths, and hence the Israelites, prior to the Lord's incarnation, were prohibited from eating thereof, because they were only in externals.

Fat signifies celestial life, and blood signifies celestial spiritual life, in Leviticus 3:16.

Fat is predicated of good, and plenteous, of truths, as in Isaiah 30:23.

Fat things, full of marrow, signify goodnesses. Fat and splendid things, as in Revelation 18:15, signify affections of celestial and spiritual goods and truths.

In the opposite sense, in Deuteronomy 32:15, fatness signifies people who are nauseated by good, and despise and reject it because of its abundance. (Apocalypse Revealed 782)

(References: Arcana Coelestia 350, Arcana Coelestia 354)


From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #350

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

350. Verse 4 And Abel brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat; and Jehovah had respect for Abel and his gift.

Here, as previously, 'Abel' means charity. 'The firstborn of the flock' means the holy which is the Lord's alone. 'Fat' means the celestial itself, which also is the Lord's. 'Jehovah had respect for Abel and his gift' means that things constituting charity, and all worship deriving from it, were acceptable to the Lord.

  
/ 10837  
  

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