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El Caballo Blanco #1

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1. EL CABALLO BLANCO DE QUE HABLA EL APOCALIPSIS EN EL CAPÍTULO 19.

En el Apocalipsis de Juan la Palabra se describe así su sentido espiritual o interno:

“Y vi el cielo abierto, y he aquí un caballo blanco, y el que estaba montado sobre él, se llamaba Fiel y Verdadero; y en justicia juzga y combate. Y sus ojos son una llama de fuego, y sobre su cabeza hay muchas diademas, y tiene un nombre escrito, que nadie sabe, sino Él mismo. Y vestía una ropa rociada de sangre, y su nombre es “la Palabra de Dios. ” Y los ejércitos que están en el cielo le seguían montados en caballos blancos, y vestidos de lino fino, blanco y puro. Y en su vestidura y sobre su muslo tiene este nombre escrito: “Rey de Reyes y Señor de Señores” (Apocalipsis 19:11-14, 16).

Nadie puede conocer lo que significan estas cosas, sino por el sentido interno. Es evidente que todas sin excepción son representativas y significativas, como cuando se dice que “el cielo se abrió”; que había allí “un caballo blanco”; que “uno estaba montado en él”; que “juzgando y combatiendo en justicia”; que “sus ojos eran como llama de fuego”; que “en su cabeza tenía muchas diademas”; que “tenía un nombre que nadie conocía sino él”; que “estaba cubierto con un vestido manchado de sangre”; que “los ejércitos que estaban en el cielo lo seguían montados en caballos blancos”; que “estaban vestidos de lino fino, blanco y puro”; que “en su vestido y sobre su muslo tenía escrito un nombre”. Expresamente se dice que es “La Palabra”, y que el Señor que es la Palabra; porque se dice: “su nombre es llamado la Palabra de Dios”; y después “que Él tiene en su vestidura y sobre su muslo escrito: Rey de reyes, y Señor de señores. ” Por la interpretación de cada una de estas palabras aparece evidentemente está aquí descrita en su sentido espiritual o interno. Por “el cielo abierto” se representa y se significa que el sentido interno de la Palabra es visto en el cielo, y de aquí también por aquellos del mundo para quienes se abre el cielo. “El caballo blanco” representa y significa el entendimiento de la Palabra en cuanto a sus interiores; que ese es el significado del “caballo blanco” se demostrará ahora. Que “el que lo montaba” es el Señor en cuanto a la Palabra, así está manifestado en la Palabra misma, porque allí se dice “su nombre es llamado la Palabra de Dios”; y según el bien es llamado “fiel y que juzga en justicia”; y según la verdad es llamado “verdadero y que combate en justicia”; porque el Señor mismo es justicia, “sus ojos son como llama de fuego”, significa la Divina verdad procedente del Divino bien de su Divino amor. “Las muchas diademas sobre su cabeza” significan todos los bienes y todas las verdades de la fe. “Tener un nombre escrito que nadie conoce sino Él mismo” significa que la cualidad de la Palabra en el sentido interno no es vista por nadie sino por Él, y por aquellos a quienes Él la revela. “Vestido con una vestidura manchada de sangre” significa la Palabra en la letra, cuyo sentido fue violentado. “Los ejércitos de los cielos, que lo seguían montados en caballos blancos” significa los que entienden la Palabra en su sentido interior. “Vestidos de lino fino, blanco y puro” significa aquellos que tienen la verdad según el bien. Que sobre su vestido y sobre su muslo tiene un nombre escrito” significa la verdad y el bien, y su cualidad. Por estas cosas y por las que preceden, es evidente lo que está predicho, que en el último tiempo de la iglesia sería abierto el sentido espiritual o interno de la Palabra; y lo que debería acontecer allí también está escrito en los versículos 17 y 21.

“Y vi a un ángel puesto de pie en el sol el cual clamó a gran voz, diciendo a todas las aves que vuelan en medio del cielo: venid, juntaos a la cena del gran Dios, para que comáis carne de reyes, y carne de tribunos, y carne de valientes, y carne de caballos y de los que se sientas sobre ellos, y carne de los de toda clase, así libres como esclavos, así pequeños como grandes. Y vi la bestia, y a los reyes de la tierra y sus ejércitos, congregados para hacer guerra contra aquel que estaba sentado sobre el caballo blanco y contra su ejército. Y fue tomada la bestia, y con ella el falso profeta que había hecho prodigios en su presencia, con los cuales él había engañado a los que recibieron la marca de la bestia, y los que adoraban su imagen. Estos dos fueron echados vivos en el lago de fuego que arde con azufre. Y los demás fueron muertos con la espada de Aquel que estaba sentado sobre el caballo blanco, espada que salía de su boca; y todas las aves se hartaron de las carnes de ellos” (17-21).

Que tales cosas sean significadas por esas palabras no hay necesidad de mostrarse aquí, pues cada una de esas cosas fue mostrada en los Arcanos Celestiales, por ejemplo: que el Señor es la Palabra, porque Él es la Divina verdad, (ns. Arcanos Celestiales 2533, 2803, 2894, 5272, 7678). Que la Palabra es la Divina verdad (ns. 4692, 5075, 9987). Que porque el Señor es justicia, por lo tanto se dice que “El que cabalga en el caballo juzgando y combatiendo en justicia” y que el Señor es llamado “justicia” por esta razón, porque por su propio poder Él ha salvado al género humano (ns. 1813, 2025-2027, 9715, 9809, 10019, 10152). Y que la “justicia” es el mérito que pertenece al Señor solamente (ns. 9715, 9979). Que “sus ojos son como llama de fuego”, significa la Divina verdad que viene del Divino bien del Divino amor, es porque “los ojos” significan el entendimiento y la verdad de la fe (ns. 2701, 4403-4421, 4523-4534, 6923, 9051, 10569); y una “llama de fuego” significa el bien del amor (ns. 934, 4906, 5215, 6314, 6832). Que “las diademas que estaban sobre Su cabeza” significan todos los bienes y todas las verdades de la fe (ns. 114, 3858, 6335, 6640, 9863, 9865, 9868, 9873, 9905). Que “Él tenía un nombre escrito, que ninguno conocía sino Él mismo” significa que la cualidad de la Palabra en el sentido interno no es vista por ninguno, sino por Él mismo, y por aquellos a quienes Él lo revela, es, porque “un nombre” significa la cualidad de una cosa (ns. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724[1-3], 3006, 3237, 3421, 6674, 9310). Que “trajeado con una vestidura salpicada de sangre” significa la Palabra en la letra, a la que se ha hecho violencia, es porque “una vestidura” significa la verdad que reviste al bien (ns. 1073, 2576, 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216, 9952, 10536) especialmente la verdad en lo último, esto es, la Palabra en la letra (ns. 5248, 6918, 9158, 9212); y porque “sangre” significa violencia a la verdad, hecha por la falsedad (ns. 374, 1005, 4735, 5476, 9127). Que “los ejércitos de los cielos seguían sobre caballos blancos”, significa los que están en el entendimiento de la Palabra en cuanto a sus interiores, es porque “Ejércitos” significan los que están en las verdades y los bienes del cielo y de la iglesia (ns. 3448, 7236, 7988, 8019). Y “un caballo” significa el entendimiento (ns. 3217, 5321, 6125, 6400, 6534, 7024, 8146, 8381). Y “blanco” significa la verdad que está en la luz del cielo; por consiguiente la verdad interior (ns. 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319). Que “vestido con lino fino, blanco y limpio” significan aquellos que están en la verdad según el bien, es porque “lino fino” o “lino” simplemente significa la verdad de origen celestial, que es la verdad según el bien (ns. 5319, 9469). Que “un nombre escrito sobre la vestidura y sobre el muslo” significa la verdad y el bien, y su cualidad, es porque una vestidura” significa la verdad, y “un nombre” cualidad, como se ha observado arriba, y “el muslo” significa el bien del amor (ns. 3021, 4277, 4280, 9961, 10488). “Rey de reyes y Señor de señores” es el Señor en cuanto a la Divina verdad y en cuanto al Divino bien; el Señor es llamado “Rey” según la Divina verdad (ns. 3009, 5068, 6148). Y es llamado “Señor” según el Divino bien (ns. 4973, 9167, 9194). De aquí aparece cuál es la cualidad de la Palabra en el sentido espiritual o interno, y que no hay en ella ninguna expresión que no signifique algo espiritual, esto es, algo perteneciente del cielo y de la iglesia.

  
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Traducido por el Dr. Calleja al español de la traducción al inglés por el Rev. John Whitehead. Transcrito y revisado por Daniel Calvo Naranjo y pelo Rev. Johnny Villanueva.

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Arcana Coelestia #3301

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3301. 'A hairy garment' means the truth of the natural. This is clear from the meaning of 'a tunic' as something that clothes another thing - that something being in this case truth because this serves to clothe good (for truth is like a garment, 1073, 2576, or what amounts almost to the same, truth is the recipient vessel for good, 1469, 1496, 1832, 1900, 2063, 2261, 2269); and also from the meaning of 'hairy' as the natural as regards truth. Hair, or the hair on the head, is mentioned several times in the Word, and in those places means that which is natural, the reason being that hairs are outgrowths on the most exterior parts of a person, as also is the natural in relation to its rational and to the interior parts of the rational. During his lifetime it seems to everyone as though the natural within him is all there is to him, but this is so far from being true, that the natural is rather an outgrowth from the internal parts of him, like hairs from the parts of the body. They also stem from internal parts in almost the same way. This also is why people who have been wholly natural during their lifetime are seen in the next life to have faces covered almost entirely with hair when a visual presentation is made of that state. What is more, man's natural is represented by 'the hair'. When it is an outgrowth from good it is represented by attractive and neatly arranged hair, but when it is not the outgrowth from good by unattractive and dishevelled hair.

[2] It is from this representation that in the Word 'hair', or 'the hair on the head' is used to mean the natural, especially as regards truth, as in Zechariah,

It will happen on that day, that the prophets will be ashamed, [every] man on account of his vision when he has prophesied. And he will not put on a hairy garment in order to deceive. Zechariah 13:4.

'The prophets' stands for people who teach truths, here for those who teach falsities, 2534. 'Vision' stands for truths, here for falsities, 'hairy garment' for the natural as regards truth. But because it was not truth but falsity the phrase 'in order to deceive' is used. Such clothing was worn by the prophets so that truth, being external, might be represented by them. This also was why, dressed in a similar way, Elijah the Tishbite is called a hairy man, 2 Kings 1:8, and why John, the last of the prophets, had a garment of camel hair, Matthew 3:4 - 'camels' being facts in the natural man, see 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, and facts being the truths of the natural man, 3293.

[3] That 'the hair' meant the natural as regards truth is quite clear from the Nazirites who were commanded not to shave their heads with a razor all the days of their Nazirite vow, not until their days of abstinence to Jehovah had been completed. Then they were to let down the hair on their heads and at the door of the Tent of Meeting were to shave the head of their Naziriteship and put the hair on to the fire which was beneath the eucharistic sacrifice, Numbers 6:5, 18-19. They represented the Lord's Divine Human, and from this the person belonging to the celestial Church, who was a likeness of the Lord, 51 - representing that person's natural man by 'the hair'. When they were being sanctified therefore they were to lay aside their old or previous natural man into which they had been born and were to assume the new. This was meant by the requirement, when the days of abstinence to Jehovah had been completed, to let down the hair on their heads and to put it on to the fire beneath the sacrifice. For the state of the celestial man is a state in which good is present in him and from that good he has a knowledge of all truths. He never thinks and talks from truths about good, still less from facts about good, see 202, 337, 2715, 2718, 3246. Furthermore those who are celestial are of such a nature that before they lay aside that state into which they were born their natural has become so powerfully equipped with truth that they are capable of fighting with the hells; for it is truth, never good, that goes into battle. The hells cannot make even the remotest approach towards good. That truth is of such a nature, and good of such a nature, see 1950, 1951.

[4] From this it is evident how it was that Samson had strength from his hair, referred to as follows,

The angel of Jehovah appeared to Samson's mother, saying, Behold, you will conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come up over his head; the boy shall be a Nazirite of God from the womb. Judges 13:3, 5.

Later on he revealed to Delilah that if he were shaved his strength would leave him and he would be rendered powerless. And immediately he had been shaved, his strength did leave him and the Philistines seized him. And when subsequently the hair on his head started to grow again, where he had been shaved, his strength returned to him, enabling him to dislodge the pillars of the house, Judges 16:1-end. Who does not see that this description holds a heavenly arcanum within it, and that nobody knows what that arcanum is unless he has been taught regarding representatives, that is to say, that a Nazirite portrayed the celestial man, and as long as he had his hair he portrayed the natural part of that man, with whom, as has been stated, such strong and powerful truth was present? And Samson had such strength because at that period of time all representatives which the Lord had commanded had such force and effect. But he was not a consecrated Nazirite like those mentioned above, that is to say, someone who had put on a state of good instead of truth. The chief reason why the ultimate existence of his strength lay in his hair was so that he might represent the Lord who from the natural man as regards truth was to fight the hells and overcome them. This He did before putting on Divine Good and Truth even as regards the natural man.

[5] From this it is also evident why the high priest, on whose head the anointing oil had been poured and who had been consecrated 1 to wear the garments, was commanded not to shave his head or to rend his garments, Leviticus 21:10. And in a similar way where the new Temple is referred to the Levitical priests were commanded not to shave their head or to let their hair grow long, Ezekiel 44:20; that is to say, they represented the Lord's Divine Natural as regards truth that is derived from good and is called truth grounded in good. That 'hair' or the hair on the head means the natural as regards truth is clear also from the prophetical parts of the Word, as in Ezekiel,

I gave you to be like the seed of the field, from which you grew up and became tall to full beauty; your breasts were formed and your hair had grown. Ezekiel 16:7.

This refers to Jerusalem, which is the Ancient Church here and which in process of time became perverted. 'Breasts were formed' stands for natural good, 'hair which has grown' for natural truth.

[6] In Daniel,

I saw, until thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days was seated. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was a flame of fire. Daniel 7:9.

And in John,

In the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and surrounded by a golden girdle around the breasts. His head however and hair were white, like white wool, like snow; but His eyes were like a flame of fire. Revelation 1:13-14.

'Hair white like pure wool' stands for the Divine Natural as regards truth. In the Word, and in the religious observances of the Jewish Church, truth itself was represented by 'white', and because truth is derived from good is called 'pure wool'. The reason why truth was represented by 'white' and good by 'red' was that truth is akin to light and good to fire, the source of the light.

[7] As with everything else in the Word 'the hair' also has a contrary sense and means the natural as regards truth when perverted, as in Isaiah,

On that day the Lord will shave by means of a razor hired at the crossing-places of the River - by means of the King of Asshur - the head and the hair of the feet; and it will consume the beard also. Isaiah 7:20.

In Ezekiel,

Son of man, take for yourself a sharp sword, use it as a barber's razor which you shall run over your head and over your beard. Then you are to take balances and you are to divide it. A third you are to burn with fire in the midst of the city; a third you are to strike with the sword round about it; and a third you are to scatter to the wind. You shall take from it a small number, and bind it in your skirts. Finally you are to take from these again and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them with fire, and from this, fire will come forth to the whole house of Israel. Ezekiel 5:1-4.

All this, by the use of representatives, describes how natural truth, interior and exterior, meant by 'the hair' and 'the beard', ceased to exist any longer. Its destruction by lusts is meant by its being burned with fire, by reasonings by its being struck with the sword round about the city, by false assumptions by its being scattered to the wind. These statements are similar in content to what the Lord teaches in Matthew about some seed, which is the truth, falling among thorns, some on stony ground, and some along the path, Matthew 13:1-9.

[8] That 'the heir' means the unclean truths and the falsities belonging to the natural man was also represented by the requirement that when a woman from among enemies who had been taken captive was to be married to [an Israelite], she was to be brought to his home, the hair on her head was to be shaved off, her nails were to be pared, and the garments of her captivity were to be removed, Deuteronomy 21:12-13. Also when Levites were consecrated, the water of expiation was to be sprinkled over them, they were to pass a razor over their entire flesh, and to wash their clothes, and so be pure, Numbers 8:7. Also, Nebuchadnezzar was driven from among men so that he ate grass like oxen, and his body was wet from the dew of heaven, till his hair grew to be like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws, Daniel 4:33. In the case of leprosy they were required to note the colours of hair and beard, whether these were white, reddening, yellow, or black. They were to look for the same in garments. And the person who was cleansed from leprosy was required to shave all the hair on his head, his beard, and his eyebrows, Leviticus 13:1-59; 14:8-9. The latter meant the unclean falsities that result from unholiness, which is leprosy in the internal sense.

[9] 'Baldness' however meant the natural when no truth at all is present in it, as in Isaiah,

He is going up to Bayith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep over Nebo; and Moab will howl over Medeba. On all their heads is baldness; every beard is shaved off. Isaiah 15:2.

In the same prophet, Instead of well-set hair there will be baldness, branding instead of beauty. Isaiah 3:24

The children who said to Elisha, Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead! and who were torn apart by the bears out of the forest, 2 Kings 2:23-24, represent people who blaspheme the Word as though it had no truth within it; for Elisha represented the Lord as regards the Word, 2762. From this it is also evident how prevalent representatives were at that period of time.

Footnotes:

1. literally, whose hand had been filled

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