9915. The work of the weaver. That this signifies from the celestial, is evident from the signification of “the work of the weaver,” as being from the celestial. By “work” is signified that which is done, or which comes-forth, thus that which is from something else; and “the weaver” denotes one who causes the thing to be, or to come-forth; thus he denotes the celestial, because the spiritual comes-forth from and through the celestial. (That the good of the celestial kingdom flows into the good of the spiritual kingdom, and causes this good to come forth, was shown above, n. 9913, 9914.) Whether we say “the good of the celestial kingdom,” or “the celestial,” it is the same thing; for the celestial is the good of the celestial kingdom. The case is similar with “the good of the spiritual kingdom,” and “the spiritual.” What the good of the celestial kingdom or the celestial is, and what the good of the spiritual kingdom or the spiritual is may be seen from the passages cited in n. 9277.)

[2] There are three things in the heavens which follow on in order; namely, the celestial, the spiritual, and the natural; the celestial makes the inmost heaven, the spiritual the middle heaven, and the natural which proceeds from the spiritual makes the ultimate heaven. These same three things are in man, and in him they follow on in the same order as in the heavens; for a regenerated man is a heaven in the least form, corresponding to the Grand Man (n. 9279). But the faculties which receive these three things are called the will, the understanding, and the memory-knowledge by virtue of which is the thought or imagination of the external or natural man. The will receives the celestial, or good; the intellectual receives the spiritual, or truth from this good; and the memory-knowledge which makes the understanding of the natural man, brings the two former to a close. These three are signified in the Word by “the embroiderer,” “the thinker,” ¹ and “the weaver.” (That “the embroiderer,” or “the embroidered work” denotes memory-knowledge, see n. 9688; also that “the thinker,” ¹ or that which is thought, denotes the understanding, n. 9598, 9688.) Thus “the weaver” denotes the will. The reason why “the weaver” denotes the will is that the will flows into the understanding, and weaves it, insomuch that the things which are in the understanding are woven fabrics from the will; for that which the will wills, it forms so as to appear to the sight in the understanding. This sight is thought, consequently by “the thinker” ¹ is signified the understanding.

[3] As by Aaron’s garments was represented the spiritual kingdom joined to the celestial kingdom (n. 9814); and as the celestial kingdom corresponds to the will in man, and the spiritual kingdom to the understanding in him (n. 9835), therefore in application to garments mention is made of “the work of the embroiderer,” of “the thinker,” ¹ and of “the weaver,” and by these are signified things which are from the faculty of memory-knowledge, from the understanding, and from the will; or what is the same, from the natural, the spiritual, and the celestial.

[4] That such things are signified, can be seen by all who believe that the Word is Divine, and that it therefore contains within it things that belong to the Lord, to heaven, and to the church; for these things are Divine. Apart from these, what purpose would be served by Jehovah Himself declaring of what, and by what work, the garments of Aaron should be made? and which of them should be the work of the embroiderer, which the work of the thinker, ¹ and which the work of the weaver? All these particulars are distinctly mentioned in what follows in the book of Exodus in these words:

Them hath He filled with wisdom of heart, to do all the work of the workman, and of the thinker, ¹ and of the embroiderer; in blue, and in crimson, and in scarlet double-dyed; and of the weaver, even of them that do all work, and of those who think thoughts (Exodus 35:35).

“The workman” here denotes Divine celestial good, from which is the will of the regenerated man (n. 9846); his “work” is mentioned in the first place, because it is immediately from the Divine; and from celestial good all things are mediately born and proceed.

Notas de rodapé:

9835. With the work of a thinker. ¹ That this signifies from the understanding, is evident from the signification of “a thinker,” ¹ as being the understanding (n. 9598, 9688); and therefore “the work of a thinker” ¹ denotes that which is from this. That “a thinker” ¹ denotes the understanding, is because thought belongs to the understanding, just as the affection of love belongs to the will. In the internal sense “a thinker” ¹ signified the like as “thought;” for in the internal sense the person is not attended to, but only the thing itself, and a thinker ¹ implies a person (on this subject, see n. 5225, 5287, 5434, 8343, 8985, 9007). What is meant by being derived from the understanding must be briefly stated. The subject here treated of is the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, and in respect to all the truths and goods which are therein, this kingdom belongs to the intellectual part; while the truths and goods in the Lord’s celestial kingdom belong to the will part. For there are two things to which all things in the universe bear relation, namely, good and truth; for which reason there are in man two faculties, the will and the understanding; the will being for the sake of good, and the understanding for the sake of truth; for the will receives good, and the understanding truth.

[2] The case is similar in the heavens, where there are two kingdoms, the celestial and the spiritual; the celestial kingdom is for the sake of the reception of good, and the spiritual kingdom is for the sake of the reception of truth. And because the universal heaven corresponds to all things that are in man, therefore before the Lord heaven is like one man, who accordingly also has two faculties, a will and an understanding; his will being in the celestial kingdom, and his understanding in the spiritual kingdom. Now because the spiritual kingdom was represented by the garments of Aaron, and the intellectual part of heaven is in this kingdom, therefore by “the work of a thinker” ¹ is signified the intellectual part. (That from its correspondence with each and all things in man, the universal heaven is like one man, and is called the Grand Man, may be seen in the passages already cited in n. 9276e; and that with those who are in the Lord’s spiritual kingdom goods and truths have been inscribed on their intellectual part; but with those who are in the celestial kingdom on their will part, may also be seen in the passages already cited in n. 9277, 9596)

Notas de rodapé: