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Arcana Coelestia #9372

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9372. And He said unto Moses. That this signifies that which concerns the Word in general, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the Word (of which below); and from the signification of “He said,” as involving those things which follow in this chapter, thus those which concern the Word (see n. 9370). (That Moses represents the Word, can be seen from what has been often shown before about Moses, as from the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 4859, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8601, 8760, 8787, 8805.) Here Moses represents the Word in general, because it is said of him in what follows, that he alone should come near unto Jehovah (verse 2); and also that, being called unto out of the midst of the cloud, he entered into it, and went up the mount (verses 16-18).

[2] In the Word there are many who represent the Lord in respect to truth Divine, or in respect to the Word; but chief among them are Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist. That Moses does so, can be seen in the explications just cited above; that so do Elijah and Elisha, can be seen in the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 2762, 5247; and that John the Baptist does so is evident from the fact that he was “Elias who was to come.” He who does not know that John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, cannot know what all those things infold and signify which are said about him in the New Testament; and therefore in order that this secret may stand open, and that at the same time it may appear that Elias, and also Moses, who were seen when the Lord was transfigured, signified the Word, some things may here be quoted which are spoken about John the Baptist; as in Matthew:

After the messengers of John had departed, Jesus began to speak concerning John, saying, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed shaken by the wind? But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft things are in kings’ houses. But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, even more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, Behold I send Mine angel before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee. Verily I say unto you, Among those who are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist; nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he. All the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye are willing to believe, he is Elias who was to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear (Matthew 11:7-15; and also Luke 7:24-28).

No one can know how these things are to be understood, unless he knows that this John represented the Lord as to the Word, and unless he also knows from the internal sense what is signified by “the wilderness” in which he was, also what by “a reed shaken by the wind,” and likewise by “soft raiment in kings’ houses;” and further what is signified by his being “more than a prophet,” and by “none among those who are born of women being greater than he, and nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he,” and lastly by his being “Elias.” For without a deeper sense, all these words are uttered merely from some comparison, and not from anything of weight.

[3] But it is very different when by John is understood the Lord as to the Word, or the Word representatively. Then by “the wilderness of Judea in which John was” is signified the state in which the Word was at the time when the Lord came into the world, namely, that it was “in the wilderness,” that is, it was in obscurity so great that the Lord was not at all acknowledged, neither was anything known about His heavenly kingdom; when yet all the prophets prophesied about Him, and about His kingdom, that it was to endure forever. (That “a wilderness” denotes such obscurity, see n. 2708, 4736, 7313.) For this reason the Word is compared to “a reed shaken by the wind” when it is explained at pleasure; for in the internal sense “a reed” denotes truth in the ultimate, such as is the Word in the letter.

[4] That the Word in the ultimate, or in the letter, is crude and obscure in the sight of men; but that in the internal sense it is soft and shining, is signified by their “not seeing a man clothed in soft raiment, for behold those who wear soft things are in kings’ houses.” That such things are signified by these words, is plain from the signification of “raiment,” or “garments,” as being truths (n. 2132, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 6914, 6918, 9093); and for this reason the angels appear clothed in garments soft and shining according to the truths from good with them (n. 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216). The same is evident from the signification of “kings’ houses,” as being the abodes of the angels, and in the universal sense, the heavens; for “houses” are so called from good (n. 2233, 2234, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4622, 4982, 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997); and “kings,” from truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148). Therefore by virtue of their reception of truth from the Lord, the angels are called “sons of the kingdom,” “sons of the king,” and also “kings.”

[5] That the Word is more than any doctrine in the world, and more than any truth in the world, is signified by “what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet;” and by, “there hath not arisen among those who are born of women a greater than John the Baptist;” for in the internal sense “a prophet” denotes doctrine (n. 2534, 7269); and “those who are born,” or are the sons, “of women” denote truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3704, 4257).

[6] That in the internal sense, or such as it is in heaven, the Word is in a degree above the Word in the external sense, or such as it is in the world, and such as John the Baptist taught, is signified by, “he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he;” for as perceived in heaven the Word is of wisdom so great that it transcends all human apprehension. That the prophecies about the Lord and His coming, and that the representatives of the Lord and of His kingdom, ceased when the Lord came into the world, is signified by, “all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” That the Word was represented by John, as by Elijah, is signified by his being “Elias who is to come.”

[7] The same is signified by these words in Matthew:

The disciples asked Jesus, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? He answered and said, Elias must needs first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, that Elias hath come already, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished. Even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them. And they understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist (Matthew 17:10-13).

That “Elias hath come, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished” signifies that the Word has indeed taught them that the Lord is to come, but that still they did not wish to comprehend, interpreting it in favor of the rule of self, and thus extinguishing what is Divine in it. That they would do the same with the truth Divine itself, is signified by “even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them.” (That “the Son of man” denotes the Lord as to truth Divine, see n. 2803, 2813, 3704)

[8] From all this it is now evident what is meant by the prophecy about John in Malachi:

Behold I send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh (Malachi 4:5).

Moreover, the Word in the ultimate, or such as it is in the external form in which it appears before man in the world, is described by the “clothing” and “food” of John the Baptist, in Matthew:

John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, had His clothing of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:1, 4).

In like manner it is described by Elijah in the second book of Kings:

He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins (2 Kings 1:8).

By “clothing,” or a “garment,” when said of the Word, is signified truth Divine there in the ultimate form; by “camel’s hair” are signified memory-truths such as appear there before a man in the world; by the “leathern girdle” is signified the external bond connecting and keeping in order all the interior things; by “food” is signified spiritual nourishment from the knowledges of truth and of good out of the Word; by “locusts” are signified ultimate or most general truths; and by “wild honey” their pleasantness.

[9] That such things are signified by “clothing” and “food” has its origin in the representatives of the other life, where all appear clothed according to truths from good, and where food also is represented according to the desires of acquiring knowledge and growing wise. From this it is that “clothing,” or a “garment,” denotes truth (as may be seen from the citations above; and that “food” or “meat” denotes spiritual nourishment, n. 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5579, 5915, 8562, 9003; that “a girdle” denotes a bond which gathers up and holds together interior things, n. 9341; that “leather” denotes what is external, n. 3540; and thus “a leathern girdle” denotes an external bond; that “hairs” denote ultimate or most general truths, n. 3301, 5569-5573; that “a camel” denotes memory-knowledge in general, n. 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, 4156; that “a locust” denotes nourishing truth in the extremes, n. 7643; and that “honey” denotes the pleasantness thereof, n. 5620, 6857, 8056). It is called “wild honey,” or “honey of the field,” because by “a field” is signified the church (n. 2971, 3317, 3766, 7502, 7571, 9139, 9295). He who does not know that such things are signified, cannot possibly know why Elijah and John were so clothed. And yet that these things signified something peculiar to these prophets, can be thought by everyone who thinks well about the Word.

[10] Because John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, therefore also when he spoke of the Lord, who was the Word itself, he said of himself that he was “not Elias, nor the prophet,” and that he was “not worthy to loose the latchet of the Lord’s shoe,” as in John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The Jews from Jerusalem, priests and Levites, asked John who he was. And he confessed, and denied not, I am not the Christ. Therefore they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? But he said, I am not. Art thou the prophet? He answered, No. They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. They said therefore, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? He answered, I baptize with water; in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not; He it is who is to come after me, who was before me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose. When he saw Jesus, he said, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man who was before me; for he was before me (John 1:1, 14, 19-30).

From these words it is plain that when John spoke about the Lord Himself, who was Truth Divine itself, or the Word, he said that he himself was not anything, because the shadow disappears when the light itself appears, that is, the representative disappears when the original itself makes its appearance. (That the representatives had in view holy things, and the Lord Himself, and not at all the person that represented, see n. 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806.) One who does not know that representatives vanish like shadows at the presence of light, cannot know why John denied that he was Elias and the prophet.

[11] From all this it can now be seen what is signified by Moses and Elias, who were seen in glory, and who spoke with the Lord when transfigured, of His departure which He should accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:29-31); namely, that they signified the Word (“Moses” the historic Word, and “Elias” the prophetic Word), which in the internal sense throughout treats of the Lord, of His coming into the world, and of His departure out of the world; and therefore it is said that “Moses and Elias were seen in glory,” for “glory” denotes the internal sense of the Word, and the “cloud” its external sense (see the preface to Genesis 18, and n. 5922, 8427).

  
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Arcana Coelestia #1361

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1361. That from being idolatrous the church became representative, no one can know unless he knows what a representative is. The things that were represented in the Jewish Church, and in the Word, are the Lord and His kingdom, consequently the celestial things of love, and the spiritual things of faith: these are what were represented, besides many things that pertain to these, such as all things that belong to the church. The representing objects are either persons or things that are in the world or upon the earth; in a word, all things that are objects of the senses, insomuch that there is scarcely any object that cannot be a representative. But it is a general law of representation that there is no reflection upon the person or upon the thing which represents, but only upon that thing itself which is represented.

[2] For example, every king, whoever he was, in Judah and Israel, and even in Egypt and elsewhere, could represent the Lord. Their royalty itself is what is representative. So that the worst of all kings could represent, such as the Pharaoh who set Joseph over the land of Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon (Daniel 2:37-38), Saul, and the other kings of Judah and of Israel, of whatever character they were. The anointing itself-from which they were called Jehovah’s anointed-involved this. In like manner all priests, how many soever they were, represented the Lord; the priestly function itself being what is representative; and so in like manner the priests who were evil and impure; because in representatives there is no reflection upon the person, in regard to what his quality is. And not only did men represent, but also beasts, such as all that were offered in sacrifice; the lambs and sheep representing celestial things; the doves and turtledoves, spiritual things; and in like manner the rams, goats, bullocks, and oxen represented lower celestial and spiritual things.

[3] And not only were animate things used as representatives, but also inanimate things, such as the altar and even the stones of the altar, the ark and the tabernacle with all that was in them, and, as everyone may know, the temple with all that was therein, such as the lamps, the breads, and the garments of Aaron. Nor these things only, but also all the rites in the Jewish Church were representative. In the Ancient Churches, representatives extended to all the objects of the senses, to mountains and hills, to valleys, plains, rivers, brooks, fountains, and pools, to groves and trees in general, and to every tree in particular, insomuch that each tree had some definite signification; all which, afterwards, when the significative church had ceased, were made representatives. From all this it may be seen what is meant by representatives. And as things celestial and spiritual-that is-the things of the Lord’s kingdom in the heavens, and of the Lord’s kingdom on earth could be represented not only by men, whosoever and of what quality soever they were, but also by beasts, and even by inanimate things, it may now be seen what a representative church is.

[4] The representatives were of such an efficacy that all things that were done according to the rites commanded appeared holy before the spirits and angels, as for instance when the high priest washed himself with water, when he ministered clothed in his pontifical garments, when he stood before the burning lights, no matter what kind of man he was, even if most impure, and in his heart an idolater. The case was the same with all the other priests. For, as before said, in representatives the person was not reflected upon, but only the thing itself that was represented, quite abstractly from the person, as it was abstractly from the oxen, the bullocks, and the lambs that were sacrificed, or from the blood that was poured round about the altar, and also abstractly from the altar itself; and so on.

[5] This representative church was instituted-after all internal worship was lost, and when worship had become not only merely external, but also idolatrous-in order that there might be some conjunction of heaven with earth, that is, of the Lord through heaven with man, even after the conjunction by the internal things of worship had perished. But what kind of conjunction this is by representatives alone, shall of the Lord’s Divine mercy be told in what follows. Representatives do not begin until the following chapter; in which, and in those that follow, all things in general and in particular are purely representative. Here, the subject treated of is the state of those who were the fathers, before certain of them and their descendants became representative; and it has been shown above that they were in idolatrous worship.

  
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Apocalypse Explained #9

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9. When it is known that all names in the Word signify things, and that the names of the twelve sons of Jacob, or the twelve tribes, signify all the goods and truths of the church in the aggregate; and similarly the names of the twelve disciples of the Lord; and that Peter, James, and John, signify faith, charity, and the good of charity, some arcana in the Word may then be seen; as for example, why the Lord gave the name of Peter to Simon, and to James and John the name Boanerges, which signifies sons of thunder (Mark 3:17). For Peter, like rock (petra), signifies the Lord as to truth from good, or faith from charity; and sons of thunder signify those who receive the truths of heaven from the affection which is of love. (That rock (petra) signifies the Lord as to truth from good, or faith from charity, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 8581, 10580; similarly "the stone of Israel," n. 6426; and that thunders signify Divine truths from heaven, n. 7573, 8914, and lightnings the brilliance thereof, n. 8813; hence also thunders are called voices, n. 7573, 8914.)

[2] I will here mention some of the arcana which may be seen, when it is known that Peter signifies faith, and John the good of charity. First, why the Lord said to Peter,

"I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens" (Matthew 16:18, 19).

It appears from the letter as if that power was given to Peter, when nevertheless none was given to him; but it was said thus to him, because Peter signified truth from the good which is from the Lord, and truth from good which is from the Lord has all power, thus the Lord has all power from good by means of truth. (That this is the case may be seen illustrated in the small work, The Last Judgment 57.) Another arcanum, which may be seen when it is known that Peter signifies faith, is, why the Lord said to him, that before the cock crew, he would deny Him thrice, which also happened (Matthew 26:34, and following verses). By this was signified, that in the last time of the church there would be no faith in the Lord, because there would be no charity; for cock-crowing, as well as twilight, signifies the last time of the church (Arcana Coelestia 10134); and three, or three times, signifies what is complete to the end (Arcana Coelestia 2788, 4495, 5159, 9198, 10127. That the end of the church comes when there is no faith, because no charity, may be seen in the small work, The Last Judgment 33-39, etc.).

[3] A third arcanum which may be seen, is, the signification of the following words concerning Peter and John:

Jesus said to Peter, Simon Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him the second time, Simon Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? and said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. And he saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and lead whither thou wouldest not. And when he had thus spoken, he saith unto him, Follow me. Peter, being turned, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved, following, and he saith, Lord, this man what? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me" (John 21:15-22).

What these things signify no one can know unless he knows the internal sense, and that Peter signifies faith, and John the good of charity, consequently that Peter signifies those in the church who are in faith, and John, those who are in the good of charity. By Jesus saying three times to Peter, "Lovest thou me?" and Peter saying three times, "I love thee," and Jesus then saying, "Feed my lambs," and "Feed my sheep," is signified, that they who are in faith from love ought to instruct those who are in the good of love to the Lord and in the good of charity towards the neighbour. For those who are in faith from love are also in truths, and those who are thence in truths, instruct concerning good, and lead to good; for all the spiritual good which a man has is procured and implanted by means of truths. (That lambs signify those who are in the good of innocence and of love to the Lord, may be seen,Arcana Coelestia 3994, 10132; that sheep signify those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbour, n. 4169, 4809; and that to feed is to instruct, n. 5201, 6078.)

[4] What would be the quality of faith in the first time of the church, and what its quality in the last time is next described by the Lord. The first time of the church is meant by "when thou wast young," and the last time by "when thou shalt be old." That when he was young he girded himself, and walked whither he would, signifies, that, in the first time of the church, they would drink in truths from the good of charity, and would act from freedom; for to act from freedom is to act from the affection of truth from good. "When thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee and lead whither thou wouldest not," signifies, that in the last time of the church they would no longer drink in truths from the good of charity, that is, they would know them merely because stated by another, and would thus be in a servile state, that being a servile state in which good does not lead. (That garments signify truths, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 1073, 2576, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216, 9952, 10536; and that therefore to gird oneself denotes to drink in and apprehend truths, n. 9952. That to walk is to act and live; that to act from freedom is to act from love or affection, since what a man loves that he does freely, n. 2870, 3158, 8987, 8990, 9585, 9591. That every church begins from charity, but that in process of time it declines to faith, and at length to faith alone, 1834, 1835, 2231, 4683, 8094.)

[5] Because, at the last time of the church, faith becomes of such a quality as to reject the good of charity, saying that faith alone constitutes the church and saves, and not the good of life, which is charity, therefore Jesus said to Peter, by whom such faith is there meant, "Follow me." "And, being turned, Peter seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved, following, and saith, Lord, what this man?" by which is signified, that faith, in the last time of the church, would turn away from the Lord; for it is said of Peter, by whom that faith is signified, that, "being turned," he saw; and he also said of the disciple whom Jesus loved or of John, by whom is signified the good of charity, "what this man?" that is, that he is nothing; but Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to thee; follow thou me"; by which is signified that the good of charity will follow the Lord, and acknowledge Him, even to the last time of the old church and the first of the New. (That the last time of the old church is called the consummation of the age, and the beginning of the New, the coming of the Lord, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 4535, 10622.) The fourth arcanum which may hence be seen is, why the Lord loved John more than the rest of the disciples, and why John therefore lay on the breast, or in the bosom, of the Lord (John 13:23; 21:20) viz., that it was because the good of love was in the Lord's mind when He saw John, who represented and signified that good, because it is that good which constitutes heaven and the church, (as may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 13-19).

[6] The fifth arcanum which becomes evident when it is known that John represented the good of love, is, what is signified by the words of the Lord from the cross to the mother Mary, and to John:

"When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple standing by whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy Son! And he saith to that disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home" (John 19:26, 27).

By mother and by woman is there meant the church, and by John the good of charity; and by the things said to them, that the church will be where there is the good of charity. (That by woman, in the Word, is meant the church, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 252, 253, 749, 770, 3160, 6014, 7337, 8994; that the same is signified by mother, n. 289, 2691, 2717, 3703, 4257, 5581, 8897, 10490. That to take her to his own home is to dwell together, is manifest.) From these considerations it is now evident how great are the arcana which lie concealed in the Word, which are laid open only to those who know its internal or spiritual sense; nor, without that sense, can it be known what is signified by its being said that the twelve apostles shall sit upon twelve thrones, and judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30). By the apostles, in this passage, are not meant the apostles, but all truths from good which are from the Lord; so that those words signify, that the Lord alone will judge all from the truths which are from good, thus, every one according to those truths.

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.