781. And his feet were as of a bear, signifies from natural things which are fallacies. This is evident from the signification of "feet," as being natural things (See above, n. 69, 600, 632, 666); also from the signification of a "bear," as being those who are in power from the natural sense of the Word, both the good and the evil (of which presently). The "feet" of the beast whose body was like a leopard's and whose feet were like a bear's signifies fallacies, because a "leopard" signifies reasonings which are discordant and yet appear to be coherent (See just above, n. 780, and so far as such reasonings are from the lowest natural, which is the sensual, they are fallacies, which are signified by "the feet of a bear."

[2] Beasts, both clean and unclean, are mentioned in many passages in the Word, and they signify various things pertaining either to heaven or to hell; clean and useful beasts signify such things as pertain to heaven, unclean and useless beasts such things as pertain to hell. But what pertaining to heaven or to hell is signified can be best known from representatives in the spiritual world, where also beasts appear, all of which are appearances representing such things as angels or spirits are thinking from their affections, inclinations, appetites, pleasures, and desires. These things are presented before their eyes in various forms, as gardens, forests, fields, plains, and also fountains; likewise palaces and houses, and chambers therein, in which are decorative and useful things; also tables are seen upon which are various kinds of food. They are also exhibited in the forms of animals of the earth, the flying things of heaven, and creeping things, in an infinite variety; not only in the forms of such animals and flying things as are upon our earth, but in forms composite from several forms, which nowhere exist on earth, many of which it has been granted me to see. When these appear, their spiritual origin and thus what they signify is at once known. But as soon as the spirit or angel ceases from his thought and meditation these animals and birds instantly vanish.

[3] That such things are seen in the spiritual world is clearly evident from like things seen by the prophets as that the Lord appeared like a Lamb; cherubs were seen with faces like a lion, an ox, and an eagle (described in Ezekiel); horses were seen going forth out of the book of life when the Lamb opened its seals, also a white horse, and also many white horses upon which those in heaven rode (in John); also white, bay, red, black, and grisled horses (in Zechariah); there was also seen a red dragon having many heads and horns; and now here was seen a beast like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion; also another beast having two horns like a lamb, and afterwards a scarlet beast upon which sat a woman. Again, to Daniel four beasts coming up out of the sea appeared, the first of which appeared like a lion with wings of an eagle, the second like a bear, the third like a leopard which had four wings, and the fourth terrible. From this it is clear not only that such beasts appear in the spiritual world, but also that they are significative; and from this it can also be seen that all the beasts as well as all the birds mentioned in the Word are significative of such things as are represented by beasts in the spiritual world. But what is signified by "the bear" will be told in what follows.

[4] Before this is shown from the Word I will illustrate by some examples what is meant by the fallacies that are here signified by "the feet as of a bear." The many things that man reasons and forms conclusions about from the natural man without spiritual light, that is, without the light of the understanding enlightened by the Lord, are called fallacies, for the natural man takes the ideas of his thought from earthly, corporeal, and worldly things, which in themselves are material; and when a man's thought is not elevated above these he thinks materially about things spiritual; and material thought without spiritual light derives everything from the loves of the natural man and from their delights, which are contrary to heavenly loves and their delights. This is why conclusions and reasonings from the natural man alone and its delusive lumen are fallacies. But let this be illustrated by examples.

[5] It is a fallacy that cogitative faith saves, since man is such as his life is. It is a fallacy that cogitative faith is spiritual, since to love the Lord above all things and the neighbor as oneself is the spiritual itself, and to love is to will and do. It is a fallacy that faith can also be given in a moment, since man must be purified from evils and from falsities therefrom and be regenerated by the Lord, and this is a long-continued process, and only so far as man is purified and regenerated does he receive spiritual faith. It is a fallacy that man can receive faith and be saved at the hour of death whatever his life may have been, since a man's life remains and he is judged according to his deeds and works.

[6] It is a fallacy that little children also have faith through baptism, since faith must be acquired through the knowledges of truth and good, and by a life in accordance with them. It is a fallacy that through faith alone the church exists with man, since it is through the faith of charity that the church exists with him; and charity is of the life, and not of faith separated from the life. It is a fallacy that man is justified by faith alone, and that the merit of the Lord is thereby imputed to him when he is justified, and that afterwards nothing condemns him, since faith without the life of faith, which is charity, is like something that is said to be living but has no soul, which in itself is dead; for charity is the soul of faith, because it is its life; consequently man is not justified by a dead faith, much less is the merit of the Lord imputed and salvation effected by it; and where there is no salvation there is condemnation.

[7] It is a fallacy that in faith alone, there is love and charity, since love and charity are willing and doing, for what a man loves he not only thinks but also wills and does. It is a fallacy that where "doing" and "deeds" and "works" are mentioned in the Word to have faith is meant, because these are present in faith, since these are as distinct as thought and will are; for a man can think many things that he does not will, while what he wills he thinks when left alone to himself; and to will is to do. Moreover, the will and the thought therefrom are the man himself, and not the thought separate; and deeds and works are of the will and of the thought therefrom; while faith alone is of the thought separate from deeds and works, which are of the will.

[8] It is a fallacy that faith is to be separated from good works because man is unable to do good of himself, and if he does good he places merit in it, since man when he does good from the Word does not do it from himself but from the Lord, because the Lord is in the Word and is the Word; and man then does not do good of himself, when he does it as of himself and yet believes that he does it from the Lord, because from the Word; moreover, when a man believes that the good that he does is from the Lord he cannot place merit in the deeds. It is a fallacy that the understanding must be held bound under obedience to faith, and that faith seen by the understanding is not spiritual faith; when yet it is the understanding that is enlightened in the things of faith when the Word is read; and when enlightenment is excluded the understanding does not know whether a thing is true or false; and in that case faith does not become a man's own faith but the faith of another in him, and this is a historical faith, and when it is confirmed it becomes a persuasive faith, which can see falsities as truths and truths as falsities. This is the source of all heretical beliefs.

[9] It is a fallacy that the confidence that is called saving faith, accepted without understanding, is spiritual confidence, since confidence apart from understanding is a persuasion from another, or from confirmation by passages gathered up here and there from the Word, and applied by reasonings from the natural man to a false principle. Such confidence is a blind faith, which is merely natural because it does not see whether a thing is true or false. Moreover, all truth wishes to be seen because it belongs to the light of heaven; but truth that is not seen may be falsified in many ways; and falsified truth is falsity.

[10] Such are the fallacies that pertain merely to such faith as is separated from good works. There are yet many others that pertain not only to faith but also to good works, to charity, and to the neighbor, and especially to such conjunctions of these with faith as are skillfully adjusted by the learned. Such fallacies are signified by "the feet of a bear," because a "bear" signifies those, both the well-disposed and the evil, who have power from the natural sense of the Word. And as "feet" signify things natural, "the feet of the bear" signify the fallacies from which the sense of the letter of the Word is falsified by reasonings, and into which the appearances of truth of that sense are changed.

[11] That a "bear" signifies power from the natural sense of the Word, both with the well-disposed and with the evil, can be seen from the following passages. In the second book of Kings:

When Elisha went up to Bethel, as he was going up in the way there came forth boys out of the city and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up thou baldhead, go up thou baldhead. And he looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the name of Jehovah; and there came forth two she-bears out of the forest, and tare in pieces forty-two boys (2 Kings 2:23, 24).

Why the boys were cursed by Elisha and in consequence were torn by two bears because they called him "baldhead," cannot be known except by knowing what "Elisha" represented, and what a "baldhead" signifies, and what "bears" signify. This evidently was not done by Elisha from unrestrained anger and without just cause, for he could not have been so cruel merely because the little boys said, "Go up thou baldhead." This was indeed, an insult to the prophet, but not a sufficient reason for their being therefore torn to pieces by bears. But this was done because Elisha represented the Lord in respect to the Word, thus the Word that is from the Lord. "Baldhead" signified the Word deprived of the natural sense, which is the sense of its letter; and "bears out of the forest" signified power from the natural sense or sense of the letter of the Word, as has been said above; and these "boys" signified such as blaspheme the Word because its natural sense is such as it is; and "forty-two" signifies blasphemy. From this it is clear that this represented and thence signified the punishment for blaspheming the Word. For all the power and sanctity of the Word are gathered up and have their seat in the sense of its letter; for without this sense the Word could not exist, since without it the Word would be like a house without a foundation, which would be shaken by the wind, and thus be overthrown and fall to pieces. The Word would also be like a man without a skin, which surrounds and holds the enclosed viscera in their position and order. And as this is the signification of "baldness," and "Elisha" represented the Word, the boys were torn in pieces by bears which signifies the power from the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of the letter, both with the well-disposed and with the evil. From this it is clear that the historical things of the Word, as well as its prophecies, contain a spiritual sense.

[12] The bear that David smote has a like signification; this is described in the first book of Samuel:

David said unto Saul, Thy servant was pasturing his father's flock, and there came a lion and a bear and took away a sheep from the flock; I went out after him and smote him; and when he arose against me I took hold of his beard and smote him and killed him. Thy servant smote both the lion and the bear. Therefore this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, because he hath reproached the ranks of the living God (1 Samuel 17:34-37).

Power was given to David to smite the lion and the bear that took away the sheep from the flock, because "David" represented the Lord in reference to Divine truth in which those who are of His church are instructed; and a "lion" signifies the power of spiritual Divine truth, and in the contrary sense, as here, the power of infernal falsity against Divine truth; while a "bear" signifies the power of natural Divine truth, and in the contrary sense the power of falsity against that truth. But "a sheep from the flock" signifies those who are of the Lord's church. And as this was represented, the power was given to David to smite the bear and the lion, to represent and signify the Lord's power to defend by His Divine truth His own in the church from the falsities of evil that are from hell. David's taking hold of the beard of the bear involves an arcanum that may be disclosed, indeed, but can scarcely be comprehended. The "beard" signifies the Divine truth in ultimates, in which its essential power rests. This truth also the evil who are in falsities carry indeed in the mouth but they misuse it to destroy; but when it is taken away they no longer have any power. This is why he killed the bear and smote the lion. But this will be further explained elsewhere. But "Goliath," who was a Philistine and was therefore called "uncircumcised," signifies such as are in truths without good; and truths without good are truths falsified, which in themselves are falsities. "The uncircumcised" signifies those who are in filthy corporeal loves; for the foreskin corresponds to those loves. From this it is clear what the victory of David over Goliath represented. From this it can be seen why:

David is compared by Hushai to a bear bereaved in the field (2 Samuel 17:8).

[13] In Daniel:

Another beast coming up out of the sea was like to a bear, and it raised itself upon its side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and they said unto it, Arise, devour much flesh (Daniel 7:5).

The four beasts coming up out of the sea depict the successive states of the church, even to its devastation, which is its end. This second beast, which was "like to a bear," signifies the falsification of the truth of the Word, the power of which still remains in the sense of the letter. The eagerness to falsify its goods is signified by "raising itself upon one side." The "three ribs in the mouth between the teeth" signify the knowledges of truth from the Word in abundance, which are perverted by reasonings from fallacies; and "to devour much flesh" signifies the destruction of good by falsities, and the appropriation of evil.

[14] In Hosea:

I am become to them as a lion, as a leopard will I watch over the way; I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved; and there I will devour as a huge lion; the wild beast of the field shall rend them (Hosea 3:7, 8).

The signification of the words, "I am become to them as a lion, as a leopard will I watch over the way," was explained in the preceding article. "To meet them as a bear that is bereaved" signifies the falsification of the sense of the letter of the Word; "to devour as a huge lion" signifies the destruction and devastation of every truth of the Word, and thence of the church; "the wild beast of the field shall rend them" signifies that they will be destroyed by the falsities from evil.

[15] In Lamentations:

Although I cry out and shout he shutteth out my prayers, he hath hedged about my ways with hewn stone, he hath overturned my footpaths; a bear lying in wait for me, a lion in secret places, he hath perverted my ways, he hath made me desolate (Lamentations 3:8-11).

This is a lamentation from God respecting the desolation of truth in the church; and that they cannot be heard by reason of falsities is signified by "Although I cry out and shout he shutteth out my prayers." That falsities from self-intelligence turn away and reject the influx of truth is signified by "he hath hedged about my ways with hewn stone, he hath overturned my footpaths;" God's "ways and footpaths" signifying truths leading to good, and "hewn stone" what belongs to self-intelligence. Because this was the signification of "hewn stone" it was forbidden to build an altar of hewn stones, and likewise the temple at Jerusalem. "A bear lying in wait for me" signifies the natural man perverting the sense of the letter of the Word; "a lion in secret places" signifies the interior natural man from the evils in him perverting every sense of the truth of the Word and thence of the church, which is the source of falsities; "he hath perverted my ways, he hath made me desolate," signifies the devastation of the truth of the church.

[16] In Amos:

Woe unto you that desire the day of Jehovah. What to you is the day of Jehovah? It is a day of darkness and not of light; as one who fleeth from a lion and meeteth a bear, or who cometh to a house and leaneth with his hand upon the wall and a serpent biteth him (Amos 5:18, 19).

"The day of Jehovah" means the coming of the Lord, who is the Messiah whom they expected; and as they believed that He would deliver them from the enemies of the land, and would exalt them in glory above all the nations, they desired Him. But as the Lord came into the world not for the sake of any kingdom on earth but for the sake of a kingdom in heaven, and as the Jewish nation was in the falsities of evil, and these were at that time manifested, it is said, "Woe unto you that desire the day of Jehovah. What to you is the day of Jehovah? It is a day of darkness and not of light," "darkness and not light" meaning the falsities in which they were; "as one who fleeth from a lion meeteth a bear" signifies fear because of the dominion of falsity when truths are sought from the sense of the letter of the Word, which they cannot but falsify; for one is said "to flee from a lion and to meet a bear" when he is interiorly in falsity from evil, and is led to investigate truths from the sense of the letter of the Word, which he then, because of the interior dominion of falsity from evil, cannot but pervert; "who cometh to a house and leaneth with his hand upon a wall and a serpent biteth him" signifies that when such a man in seeking goods consults the Word from the sense of the letter he does not see that evils pervert it; "the bite of a serpent" signifying falsification, here the falsification that arises from the interior dominion of falsity from evil.

[17] In Isaiah:

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard with the kid; the calf shall lie down, and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little boy shall lead them; and the heifer and the bear shall feed, and their young ones shall lie down together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox (Isaiah 11:6, 7).

The signification of "the wolf dwelling with [the lamb, and the leopard with] the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling lying down together, and a little boy leading them," has been explained in the preceding article. "The heifer and the bear shall feed, and their young ones shall lie down together," signifies the power and eagerness of the natural man to falsify the truths of the Word, and that these shall do no harm to the good of the natural man and its affection, "heifer" meaning the affection for good and truth of the natural man, and "bear" the power and eagerness of the natural man to falsify the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word; "the lion shall eat straw like an ox" signifies that infernal falsity burning to destroy the truths of the church shall do no harm to the affection of good of the natural man, either as to the individual man in himself or as to men in relation to one another, nor shall it do harm to the Word, "straw" signifying the Word in the letter which is perverted by infernal falsity, but cannot be perverted by those who are in truths from good.

[18] In the same:

We grope for the wall as the blind, and we grope as they that have no eyes, we stumble in the noonday as in the twilight; among the living we are as dead; we growl like bears, and moaning we moan like doves; we wait for judgment but there is none, for salvation but it is far from us; for our transgressions before Thee are multiplied, and our sins answer against us (Isaiah 59:10-12).

"We grope for the wall as the blind, and we grope as they that have no eyes," signifies that there is no understanding of truth; "we stumble in the noonday as in the twilight" signifies a falling into errors, although they are in the church where the Word is, by which they might come into the light of truth; "among the living we are as dead," signifies that they might be in spiritual life through the Word, and yet are not, because they are in falsities; "we growl like bears, and moaning we moan like doves," signifies the grief of the natural man, and the grief of the spiritual man therefrom; "we wait for judgment but there is none, for salvation but it is far from us," signifies a hope for the enlightenment of the understanding, and consequent salvation, but in vain; "our transgressions before ¹ Thee are multiplied, and our sins answer against us," signifies by reason of falsities from evil.

[19] From this it can now be seen that a "bear" signifies the natural man in respect to its power from the sense of the letter of the Word, in both senses, also in respect to the eagerness to falsify that sense. That this is what a "bear" signifies has been made evident to me by the bears seen in the spiritual world, in whose form the thoughts of those were represented who had been natural, and had studied the Word, and had wished to prevail by means of knowledge therefrom. Bears were also seen that had ribs between their teeth, like the bear described in the passage cited above from Daniel; and it was given to understand that the ribs represented the knowledges that they had drawn from the Word while in the world. White bears also appear there, which represent the power of the spiritual-natural man through the Word. Furthermore, composite beasts appear there of bears, panthers, wolves, and oxen, also the same furnished with wings, which are all significative of persons of such character when they are passing along in meditation.

Voetnoten:

556. And their teeth were as those of lions, signifies that sensual things, which are the ultimates of the intellectual life, seem to them to have power over all things. This is evident from the signification of "teeth," as being the sensual things which are the ultimates of the natural life in respect to the understanding (of which presently); and from the signification of "lions," as being the truths of the church in respect to power, but here falsities destroying truths, thus also these in respect to power (of which above, n. 278). Here falsities are meant, because "locusts" signify the corporeal-sensual who are in the falsities of evil. These seem to themselves to have understanding, and thereby power over all things, because that persuasiveness which has been treated of above has its seat in the sensual, which is the ultimate of the natural life; for this sensual, or the sensual man, is in self-confidence, and in the belief that he is wiser than all others, for he is unable to weigh and explore himself, because he does not think interiorly; and when he has persuaded himself of this, then such confidence and belief are in all things that he speaks. And because his speech takes its tone from these, it fascinates and infatuates the minds of others, for the tone of confidence and belief produces such an effect; and this is especially manifest in the spiritual world, where man speaks from his spirit; for the affection of self-confidence and of the consequent belief that a thing is so is in man's spirit, and a man's spirit speaks from his affection. In the natural world it is different. There man's spirit discourses by means of the body, and for the sake of the world brings forth such things as are not of the affection of his spirit, which he rarely exhibits, that its character may not be known. For this reason it is unknown in the world that there is such an infatuating and suffocating persuasiveness as exists in the spirit of the sensual man, who believes himself to be wiser than others. From this it can be seen why "their teeth were as those of lions" signifies that sensual men seem to themselves to have understanding, and thereby power over all things. That "teeth" signify sensual things, which are the ultimates of the natural life in respect to knowledge [scientia] can be seen from the correspondence of "teeth," as described in the work on Heaven and Hell (n. 575), and in the Arcana Coelestia (n. 5565-5568).

[2] That "teeth" have this signification can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In David:

My soul, I lie in the midst of lions; their teeth are spear and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword (Psalms 57:4).

"Lions" signify those who by means of falsities destroy the truths of the church; "their teeth which are spear and arrows" signify the knowledges [scientifica] that are applied to confirm falsities and evils, and thus to destroy the truths and goods of the church; "their tongue a sharp sword" signifies crafty reasonings from falsities, which are called "a sharp sword" because a "sword" signifies falsity destroying truth.

[3] In the same:

O God, break off their teeth in their mouth; remove ¹ the jaw teeth of the young lions (Psalms 58:6).

"Teeth in their mouth" signify the knowledges [scientifica] from which they produce falsities; "the jaw teeth of the young lions," signify the truths of the Word falsified, which in themselves are falsities, and which are especially effective in destroying the truths of the church.

[4] In Joel:

A nation cometh up upon my land, vigorous and without number; its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and it hath the jaw teeth of an immense lion. It maketh ² my vine to a waste, and my fig tree to froth (Joel 1:6, 7).

"A nation that cometh up upon the land" signifies evil devastating the church, "nation" meaning evil, and "land" the church; "vigorous and without number" signifies powerful and manifold; "vigorous" is predicated of the power of evil, and "without number" of the power of falsity; "its teeth are the teeth of a lion" signifying destroying falsities; "the jaw teeth of an immense lion" signify truths falsified; "it reduceth the vine to a waste, and the fig tree to froth," signifies the destruction of spiritual and natural truths; spiritual truths are those of the spiritual sense of the Word, and natural truths those of the sense of its letter (See also above, n. 403, where this is explained). The "teeth of lions" in these passages have a similar signification as "teeth as those of lions" here in Revelation. "Teeth" properly signify such things as are merely in the memory and are brought forth therefrom, for the things that are in the memory of the sensual man correspond to bones and teeth.

[5] In Daniel:

There came up out of the sea a second beast like to a bear; three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and they said unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After this there came up a fourth beast, dreadful, and terrible, and exceedingly strong, and it had great teeth of iron; it devoured and crushed, and trampled the remnant with its feet (Daniel 7:5, 7).

"A beast from the sea" means the love of dominion, to which holy things serve as means, and the "four beasts" signify its successive increase; this "second beast like to a bear" signifies the second state, when such dominion is confirmed by means of the Word; those who do this appear in the spiritual world like bears. "Three ribs in the mouth between the teeth" signify all things of the Word which they apply, and which they understand merely according to the letter, "three ribs" meaning all things of the Word, "in the mouth" meaning, which they apply in teaching; "between the teeth" meaning which they understand merely according to the letter, that is, as the sensual man does; "they said unto it, Arise, devour much flesh," signifies that they applied many things and thereby destroyed the genuine sense of the Word; "the fourth beast that came up out of the sea, dreadful, and terrible, and exceedingly strong," signifies the fourth and last state, when by holy things as means they established for themselves dominion over heaven and earth; because this state is profane and powerful it is called "dreadful, and terrible, and exceedingly strong;" "it had great teeth of iron" signifies falsities from the sensual man hard against the truths and goods of the church; "it devoured and crushed" signifies that it perverted and destroyed; "and trampled the remnant with its feet" signifies that what they could not pervert and destroy they defiled and blotted out by the evils of natural and corporeal loves. (The rest respecting these beasts may be seen explained above, n. 316.)

[6] In Moses:

The tooth of beasts I will send upon them, with the poison of the creeping things of the earth (Deuteronomy 32:24).

This evil, among others, was denounced upon the Israelitish and Jewish people if they did not keep and do the statutes and commandments; "the tooth of beasts" signifies falsities from evils of every kind, and "the poison of the creeping things of the earth" signifies the things that destroy and utterly extinguish spiritual life; "beasts" signify in the Word such things as belong to the natural man, and "the creeping things of the earth" the things belonging to the sensual man; both these when separated from the spiritual man are mere falsities from evils, because they are merely such things as belong to the body to which they adhere, and as belong to the world to which they stand nearest; and from the body and the world all thick darkness in spiritual things arises.

[7] In David:

Arise, O Jehovah; save me, O my God; for Thou smitest all mine enemies upon the cheek; Thou breakest the teeth of the wicked (Psalms 3:7).

"To smite the enemies upon the cheek" signifies to destroy interior falsities with those who are opposed to the goods and truths of the church; such persons and their falsities of evil are meant in the Word by "enemies;" "to break the teeth of the wicked" signifies to destroy exterior falsities, which are such as are based on the fallacies of the senses and are confirmed by them.

[8] As the expressions in David, "to smite the cheek" and "to break the teeth" signify the destruction of interior and exterior falsities, it can be seen what is meant by "smiting on the cheek" in Matthew:

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth; but I say unto you, Resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also. And if any man wisheth to sue thee at the law and to take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also; and whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two. Give to everyone that asketh thee, and from him that wisheth to borrow of thee turn not thou away (Matthew 5:38-42).

That these words are not to be understood according to the letter is evident to everyone; for who is bound by Christian love to turn the left cheek to him who smites the right, or to give the cloak to him who would take away the coat? In a word, who is there to whom it is not allowable to resist evil? But as all things that the Lord said were in themselves Divine-celestial, it can be seen that these words, as well as the others which the Lord spoke, contain a heavenly sense. The sons of Israel had this law that they should give "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" (Exodus 21:23, 24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21), because they were external men, and thus were only in the representatives of heavenly things, and not in heavenly things themselves, thence not in charity, in mercy, in patience, nor in any spiritual good; consequently they were under the law of retaliation; for the heavenly law and thence the Christian law is that which the Lord taught in the Gospels:

All things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye to them; this is the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31).

Because this is the law in heaven, and from heaven in the church, therefore every evil carries with it a corresponding punishment, which is called the punishment of evil, and is in the evil as if joined with it; and from this springs the punishment of retaliation which was prescribed for the sons of Israel, because they were external and not internal men. Internal men, as the angels of heaven are, do not wish the retaliation of evil for evil, but from heavenly charity they forgive freely; for they know that the Lord protects from the evil all who are in good, and that He protects according to the good with them, and that He would not protect if on account of the evil done to them they should burn with enmity, hatred, and revenge, for these drive away protection.

[9] These things, therefore, are involved in what the Lord here said; but their signification shall be given in order: "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," signifies that so far as anyone takes away from another the understanding of truth and the sense of truth, so far are they taken away from him, the "eye" signifying the understanding of truth, and "tooth" the sense of truth, for a "tooth" means truth or falsity such as the sensual man has. That one who is in Christian good will permit an evil person to take these away as far as he can, is described by what the Lord says in reply on the same subject. "Resist not him that is in evil" signifies that there should be no fighting back of retaliation; for angels do not fight with the evil, much less do they return evil for evil, but they allow it to be done, since they are protected by the Lord, and therefore no evil from hell can do them harm. "Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also" signifies if anyone wishes to do harm to the perception and understanding of interior truth, it may be allowed to the extent of the effort; "the cheek" signifies the perception and understanding of interior truth, the "right cheek" affection for it and consequent perception of it, and the "left cheek" understanding of it, and as the "cheek" is mentioned, so is "smiting," which means doing harm to; for all things pertaining to the mouth, as the throat, the mouth itself, the lips, the cheeks, the teeth, signify such things as belong to the perception and understanding of truth, because they correspond to them, therefore by these objects in the sense of the letter of the Word, which consists of pure correspondences, these things are expressed; "if any man wisheth to sue thee at the law and to take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also," signifies if anyone wishes to take away truth interiorly with thee, it may be allowed him to take away also exterior truth, "coat" signifying interior truth, and "cloak" exterior truth. This also is what angels do when they are with the evil, for the evil can take away nothing of good and truth from angels, but they can from those who on that account burn with enmity, hatred, and revenge, for these evils avert and repel protection by the Lord; "whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two," signifies whoever wishes to lead away from truth to falsity and from good to evil, since he cannot do it, may be left unopposed, a "mile" having a similar signification as a "way," namely, that which leads away or leads; "give to everyone that asketh thee" signifies that it is to be permitted; "and from him that wisheth to borrow of thee turn thou not away" signifies that if anyone wishes to be instructed he may be instructed, for the evil desire this that they may pervert and take away, and yet they cannot. This is the spiritual sense of these words, in which are stored up the hidden things that have now been said, which are especially for the angels; who perceive the Word only according to its spiritual sense; they are also for men in the world who are in good, when the evil are trying to lead them astray. That the opposition of the evil to those whom the Lord protects is such it has been granted me to know by much experience; for they have continually striven in every way and with all their might to take away from me truths and goods, but in vain. From what has been presented it can also in some degree be seen that a "tooth" signifies truth or falsity in the sensual, which is the ultimate of the intellectual life with man; that this is the signification of "tooth" is evident from the Lord's reply, in which the perception and understanding of truth are treated of, which the evil strive to take away from the good.

[10] That this is the signification of "teeth" can be seen further from the following passages. In Jeremiah:

In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the teeth of the sons are set on edge. But every man shall die in his own iniquity; every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge (Jeremiah 31:29, 30; Ezekiel 18:2-4).

This involves evidently that the sons and descendants shall not incur punishment on account of the evils of parents, but everyone on account of his own evil; "to eat the sour grape" signifies to appropriate to oneself the falsity of evil, for a "sour grape," which is a bitter and bad grape, signifies the falsity of evil, and "to eat" signifies to appropriate to oneself; and "the teeth set on edge" signifies to be in the falsity of evil therefrom, for "teeth" here as above signify falsities in ultimates or in the sensual man, in which the evils of parents, which are called hereditary evils, especially lie hidden in children, and "to be set on edge" signifies the appropriation of falsity from evil; for a man is not punished on account of hereditary evils but on account of his own and so far as he makes hereditary evils actual in himself; therefore it is said that "everyone shall die in his own iniquity; and every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge."

[11] In Job:

All men abhor me; my bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh; I have escaped with the skin of my teeth (Job 19:20, 20).

In the sense of the letter this means that he became thus lank and lean; but in the spiritual sense it signifies that temptations so suppressed the interiors of his mind that he became sensual, and thought only in things most external, and yet that he thought truths and not falsities; this is signified by "I have escaped with the skin of my teeth," "teeth" without skin signifying falsities, but with skin not falsities, since they are still in some degree clothed.

[12] In Amos:

I have given to you emptiness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places (Amos 4:6).

"Emptiness of teeth in the cities" stands for a scarcity of truth in doctrines, and "want of bread in all places" for scarcity of good from doctrines in the life.

[13] In Zechariah:

I will take away his bloods out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth (Zechariah 9:7).

This is said of Tyre and Sidon, which signify the knowledges of truth and good, here these falsified; "bloods out of the mouth" signify the falsifications of the knowledges of truths; and "the abominations from between the teeth" signify the adulterations of the knowledges of good; the knowledges of good are also truths, for to know goods is from the understanding, and the understanding is of truth.

[14] In David:

The waters had overwhelmed us, the presumptuous waters had passed over our soul. Blessed be Jehovah, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth (Psalms 124:4-6).

The "waters that had overwhelmed" signify falsities that flow in, and as it were overwhelm man when he is in temptations; therefore it is said, "Blessed be Jehovah, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth," that is, to the hells that destroy truths by falsities, thus to destructive falsities.

[15] In Job:

I brake the jaw teeth of the wicked, and plucked the prey out of his teeth (Job 29:17).

This Job says of himself. "I brake the jaw teeth of the wicked" signifies that he fought against falsities and conquered them, "jaw teeth" signifying knowledges [scientifica] from the sense of the letter of the Word, adapted to confirm the falsities by which truths are destroyed; and "I plucked the prey out of his teeth" signifies that he delivered others from falsities by instructing them.

[16] Because the "teeth" signify falsities in things most external, "gnashing of teeth" signifies to fight with vehemence and anger from falsities against truths, in the following passages. In Job:

He teareth me in his wrath, and hateth me; mine enemy gnasheth upon me with his teeth, he sharpeneth his eyes against me (Job 16:9).

In David:

The halt whom I know not gather themselves together against me, they rend, nor are they silent. They gnash upon me with their teeth (Psalms 35:15, 16).

In the same:

The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth (Psalms 37:12).

In the same:

The wicked shall see and be provoked; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt ³ away (Psalms 112:10).

In Micah:

Against the prophets that lead the people astray, that bite with their teeth (Micah 3:5).

In Lamentations:

All thine enemies opened their mouth against thee, O daughter of Jerusalem, they hissed and gnashed the teeth (Lamentations 2:16).

In Mark:

One said to Jesus, I have brought unto thee my son, who hath an evil ⁴ spirit; and wheresoever it taketh him it teareth him; and he foameth and grindeth his teeth, and pineth away; and I spake to Thy disciples that they should cast it out, but they were not able. And Jesus said unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I command thee come out of him, and enter no more into him (Mark 9:17, 18, 25).

One who is ignorant of the spiritual sense of the Word might suppose that they are said "to gnash the teeth" merely because they were angry and intent on evil, since men then press the teeth together; but they are said "to gnash the teeth" because the endeavor to destroy and the act of destroying truths by means of falsities are meant by it; this is said in the Word because "teeth" signify falsities in things most external, and "gnashing" signifies vehemence in fighting for them; this effort and act are also from correspondence.

[17] Moreover, such was the deaf and dumb spirit that the Lord cast out; for all spirits are from the human race; this spirit was from that kind of men who had vehemently fought for falsities against truths; consequently the one obsessed by him "foamed and gnashed his teeth." He is called by the Lord "deaf and dumb" because he was unwilling to perceive and understand the truth, for such are signified by "the deaf and the dumb." And because this spirit was determined and obstinate against truths, and had confirmed himself in falsities, the disciples were not able to cast him out, for the falsities for which he had fought they were not yet able to dispel because they had not yet reached the proper state, and it was for this also that the disciples were rebuked by the Lord. That this spirit was such, and the one obsessed by him was not such, is signified by "the spirit tearing him," and the obsessed "pining away;" and the Lord's commanding the spirit "to enter no more into him."

[18] All this makes clear what is signified by:

Gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28).

"Gnashing of teeth" in the hells means continual disputation and combat of falsities with each other and against truths, and thus of those who are in falsities, joined with contempt of others, enmity, jeering, derision, blaspheming, and these also burst forth into attempts to tear each other in pieces, for everyone fights for his own falsity from love of self, of learning, and of fame. These disputations and contests are heard outside of these hells as gnashings of teeth, and are also turned into gnashings of teeth when truths flow in thither out of heaven. (But more on this subject may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 575.)

[19] Because with the evil the teeth correspond to the falsities they have in the ultimates of their intellectual life, which are called corporeal-sensual, therefore the spirits who are such appear deformed in the face, the greater part of which is made up of the teeth standing widely apart like gratings, and in a broad grin, and this because such gaping of teeth corresponds to the love and eagerness for fighting for falsities against truths.

[20] Because the teeth correspond to the ultimates of man's intellectual life, which are called sensual, and these when separated from the truths of the interior understanding, which are called spiritual, are in the falsities of evil, but the same when not separated correspond to the truths of good in the sensual, so "teeth" in the Word signify also ultimate truths (as in Job 19:19, 20; Amos 4:6, which may be seen explained above).

[21] And because the Lord glorified His entire Human, that is, made it Divine, therefore it is said of Him in Moses:

His eyes shall be red with wine, and His teeth white with milk (Genesis 49:12).

"Eyes red with wine" signifies that His intellectual was Divine truth from Divine good; and "teeth white with milk" signifies that His sensual was likewise Divine truth from Divine good; for "Shiloh" here (verse Genesis 49:10) means the Lord.

[22] Because "teeth" correspond to the ultimates of the intellectual life, which are called sensual, good spirits and angels have teeth the same as men, but with them the teeth correspond to truths in the ultimate sensual, for with them the sensual is not separated from the truths of the interior understanding which are called spiritual.

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