107. To the above shall be added some particulars concerning the doctrine of love to the Lord, and the doctrine of charity, as it was held by the ancients with whom the church was, in order that the former quality of that doctrine, which at this day exists no longer, may be known. The particulars are extracted from the Arcana Coelestia (n. 7257-7263).

The good which is of love to the Lord, is called celestial good; and the good which is of love towards the neighbor, or charity, is called spiritual good. The angels who are in the inmost or third heaven, are in the good of love to the Lord, being called celestial angels; but the angels of the middle or second heaven, are in the good of love towards the neighbor, being called spiritual angels.

The doctrine of celestial good, which is that of love to the Lord, is of most wide extent, and at the same time most full of arcana; being the doctrine of the angels of the inmost or third heaven, which is such, that if it were delivered from their mouths, scarcely a thousandth part of it would be understood: the things also which it contains are ineffable. This doctrine is contained in the inmost sense of the Word; but the doctrine of spiritual love, in the internal sense.

The doctrine of spiritual good, which is that of love towards the neighbor, is also of wide extent and full of arcana, but much less so than the doctrine of celestial good, which is that of love to the Lord. That the doctrine of love towards the neighbor, or charity, is of wide extent, may appear from the fact, that it reaches to all the things which man thinks and wills, consequently to all which he speaks and does, even to the most minute particulars; and also from the fact, that charity does not exist alike with two different persons, and that no two persons are alike the neighbor.

As the doctrine of charity was so extensive, therefore the ancients, with whom it was the very doctrine of the church, distinguished charity towards the neighbor into several classes, which they again subdivided, and gave names to each class, and taught how charity was to be exercised towards those who are in one class, and towards those who are in another; and thus they reduced the doctrine and the exercises of charity into order, that they might fall distinctly into the understanding.

The names which they gave to those towards whom they were to exercise charity were many; some they called "the blind," some "the lame," some "the maimed," some "the poor," some "the miserable," and "afflicted," some "the fatherless," some "widows," but in general they called them "the hungry," to whom they should give to eat; "the thirsty," to whom they should give to drink; "strangers," whom they should take in; "the naked," whom they should clothe; "the sick," whom they should visit, and "the bound in prison," to whom they should come.

Who they were whom they meant by these particulars, has been made known already in the Arcana Coelestia, as whom they meant by "the blind" (n. 2383, 6990); by "the lame" (n. 4302); "the poor" (n. 2129, 4459, 4958, 9209, 9253, 10227); "the miserable" (n. 2129); "the afflicted" (n. 6663, 6851, 9196); "the fatherless" (n. 4844, 9198-9200) and "widows" (n. 4844, 9198, 9200); "the hungry" (n. 4958, 10227); "the thirsty" (n. 4958, 8568[1-10]); "the strangers" (n. 4444, 7908, 8007, 8013, 9196, 9200); "the naked" (n. 1073, 5433, 9960); "the sick" (n. 4958, 6221, 8364, 9031); "the bound in prison" (n. 5037-5038, 5086, 5096). It may be seen that the whole doctrine of charity is comprehended in the offices towards those who are called by the Lord "the hungry," "the thirsty," "strangers," "the naked," "the sick," and "the bound in prison" (Matt. 25:34-36, the verses following) [n. 4954-4959].

These names were given from heaven to the ancients who were of the church, and by those who were so named they understood those who were spiritually such. Their doctrine of charity not only taught who these were, but also the quality of the charity to be exercised towards each. Hence it is, that the same names are in the Word, and signify those who are such in the spiritual sense. The Word in itself is nothing but the doctrine of love to the Lord, and of charity towards the neighbor, as the Lord also teaches:

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; this is the first and great commandment. The second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matt. 22:37-40).

"The law and the prophets" are the whole Word (n. 2606, 3382, 6752, 7643).

The reason why those same names are in the Word, is that the Word, which is in itself spiritual, might in its ultimate be natural; and because they who are in external worship are to exercise charity towards such as are so named, and they who are in internal worship towards such spiritually understood; thus that the simple might understand and do the Word in simplicity, and the wise, in wisdom; also, that the simple, by the externals of charity, might be initiated into its internals.

9253. 'And you shall not show partiality towards a poor man in his dispute' means that no favour must be shown towards the falsities that exist with those who have no knowledge of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'a poor man' as those who possess few truths, and also possess falsities owing to lack of knowledge. But those among them who are governed by good wish to be taught truths, whereas those who are ruled by evil have no wish to be taught them. For the falsities with those governed by good can be bent towards truths and at length be dispelled, but the falsities with those ruled by evil cannot be bent towards truths and so cannot be dispelled. Regarding such poor persons it says that 'you shall not show partiality towards them in their dispute', that is, you shall show no favour towards their falsities; for 'showing partiality towards' means showing favour towards, and 'dispute' means truth contending with falsity, and falsity with truth.

'The poor' are those who possess few truths, also falsities owing to lack of knowledge, see 9209. Falsities with those who are governed by good are soft and bendable, but with those who are ruled by evil are not soft or bendable, 4736, 6359, 8051, 8149, 8298, 8311, 8318 (end).

9209. 'If you lend silver to [My] people, to the needy one with you' means giving instruction to those who have no knowledge of truth and still have a desire to learn it. This is clear from the meaning of 'silver' as truth, dealt with in 1551, 2048, 2954, 5658, 6112, 6914, 6917, 7999, 8932; from the meaning of 'lending' as communicating the good things of heaven in a spirit of charity and affection, dealt with in 9174, thus giving instruction; from the meaning of 'people' as those in possession of truths, in this instance those with no knowledge of truth since the people referred to are 'needy' (for the use of the word 'people' to mean those in possession of truths, see 1259, 1260, 2928, 3295, 3581, 7207); and from the meaning of 'the needy one' as those who have no knowledge of truth and still have a desire to learn it. For they are people in spiritual need and should be given instruction.

[2] The Word talks frequently about aiding the poor and needy. People in possession of external truths who have not yet been brought to internal truths believe that anyone at all in need of any kind of help should be aided, especially beggars who call themselves the poorest of all. Those who give such aid in a spirit of obedience, because they are commanded to act in that way, do well; for through that outward action they are brought to the inward aspect of charity and mercy. The inward aspect of charity and mercy consists in seeing clearly who exactly they are who should receive aid, what their character is, and in what way each is to be given it. Those who are brought eventually to the inward aspect of charity and mercy know that the inward aspect consists in desiring the welfare of and aiding the internal man, thus with gifts such as are beneficial to spiritual life, and that the outward aspect consists in aiding the external man, thus with gifts such as are beneficial to bodily life. But care must nevertheless always be taken to ensure that when aid is given to the external man, it is at the same time beneficial to the internal; for no one who aids the external but harms the internal is exercising charity. Therefore when one kind of aid is offered, the other must be kept in sight.

[3] The outward aspect of charity is what the external or literal sense of the Word describes when it says that aid should be given to the poor and needy, but the inward aspect of charity is what the internal or spiritual sense of the Word describes. For in the spiritual sense the internal man who is in a state of poverty and need and should be aided is meant, because in that sense 'the poor and needy' is used to mean those who lack good and have no knowledge of truth, and still have a desire for them. How these people are to be helped the letter of the Word also teaches, especially the Word taught by the Lord Himself when He was in the world. At that time the Lord revealed such things as have to do with the internal man, as is evident throughout the Gospels. Nevertheless He spoke in such a way that every detail had at the same time an inner meaning, intended for angels and at the same time for those in the internal Church. For the inner meaning contains such things as the authentic teachings of the Church present.

[4] Let what the Lord said to the disciples sent by John the Baptist to ask whether He was the One who must come serve to exemplify this,

Go and report to John the things you have seen and heard, that the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the poor have the gospel preached to them. Luke 7:20, 22.

These words were spoken for the external man and at the same time for the internal man. For the external man they declared that such miracles were being performed, for the internal man that the Church is being established among the kind of people who in a spiritual sense are blind, lame, lepers, deaf, and poor, thus among gentiles who have no knowledge of good or truth, and still have a desire for them. For 'the blind' describes those who have no knowledge of truth, 6990; 'the lame' those who are governed by good, but not genuine good because they have no knowledge of truth, 4302; 'lepers' those who are unclean, and still have a desire to be made clean; and 'the deaf' those without any belief in truth because they have no perception of it.

[5] But 'the poor' describes those who do not possess the Word and so know nothing about the Lord, and still have a desire to receive instruction, which is why it says that the gospel is preached to them. By 'the poor and needy' are meant in the internal sense those outside the Church who have no knowledge of truth because they do not possess the Word, but nevertheless have a desire to receive instruction, and who by virtue of what they do know are governed still by a little good; also those within the Church who for one reason or another are ignorant of truth, but are still moved by some good to desire it. All this is clear from places in which 'the poor and needy' are mentioned in the Word, as in David,

I am needy and poor; make haste to me, O God! [You are] my help and my deliverer, O Jehovah. Psalms 70:5.

These words were spoken by David who was not poor and needy, from which it is evident that spiritual poverty and need were meant. Similar words occur elsewhere,

I am needy and poor, O Lord; remember me. [You are] my help and my deliverer. Psalms 40:17.

In the same author,

The king will judge Your people in righteousness, and Your needy ones in judgement. ¹ The mountains will bring peace to the people, and the hills, in righteousness. He will judge the needy ones of the people, save the children of the poor, and break in pieces the oppressor. Psalms 72:2-4.

'Needy ones' here are those who are in spiritual need and for that reason are hungry, that is, they have a desire to receive instruction in truths.

[6] In the same author,

Let all my bones say, O Jehovah, who is like You, delivering the needy from him who is too strong for him, and the needy and poor from those who despoil him? Psalms 35:10.

'Bones' are factual knowledge of truth, 8005. 'The needy' here stands for those with little truth, and 'the poor' for those with little good, who are molested by evils and falsities. Because of such molestation 'the needy' in the original language are also 'the afflicted'; for 'being afflicted' means being molested by falsities, 9196. Similarly in the same author,

The wicked lies in wait ² to catch the needy; he catches the needy and draws him into his net. Psalms 10:9.

In Isaiah,

Is not this the fast, to break bread for the hungry, and to bring into the house needy outcasts? Isaiah 58:6-7.

In the same prophet,

Jehovah has comforted His people, and will have mercy on His needy ones. Isaiah 49:13.

In Zephaniah,

I will leave in your midst a needy and lean people, who hope in the name of Jehovah. Zephaniah 3:12.

In these places 'the needy' are those who have no knowledge of truth and desire to receive instruction.

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