THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 63

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation.)

1. WHO is this that cometh from Edom, with sprinkled garments from Bozrah? this, that is magnificent in His apparel; marching on in the greatness of His strength? I, who speak in justice, mighty to save.

2. Wherefore art You red in Thine apparel, and Your garments as of him that treads the wine-vat?

VERSES 1-3. These things are said concerning the Lord, and His combats against all the hells; and whereas He fought against them from the human, in which was the Essential Divine it is therefore said - "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with sprinkled garments from Bozrah?" whereby is signified combating from the Good of Love and from Truth, which are from the Divine; for "Edom" denotes what is red, and "Bozrah" the vintaging, and red" is predicated of Good, and "vintaging" of Truth; and whereas those things are meant by "Edom" and by "Bozrah", therefore in what follows He is called "red as he that treads the wine-vat"; and, whereas the Divine Good and the Divine Truth, which is here understood, is the Word in the letter, and this is slgnified by the "garments" of the Lord, therefore it is said, - , "Who has sprinkled His garments"; likewise, "Who is magnificent in His apparel"; and whereas all strength is contained in the Word, in the letter, therefore it is said, "walking [or marching on] in the greatness of His strength".

Judgment from His Divine upon the good find upon the evil, salvation in consequence thereof, is understood by "I who speak in justice, mighty [or great] to save". The violence offered to the Word by the Jewish nation, is signified by "Wherefore art You red in Thine apparel, and Your garments as of him that treads the wine-vat!" - "red as to the apparel" being predicated of the violence offered to the Divine Good of the Word, which was understood above by "Edom", and "the garments as of him that treads in the wine-vat" being predicated of the violence offered to the Divine Truth therein, which was understood above by "Bozrah".

The "garments", of the Lord, signify the Word in the letter, to which violence was offered by the adulterations and falsifications thereof. The prostration of the hells, and of the falsities thence derived, by virtue of His own proper power, is signified by "I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the peoples there was not a man with Me"; the casting of them down into the hells, who were in direful evils, and falsities thence derived, is signified by "I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled! them in My wrath"; "anger" being predicated of evils, and "wrath" of falsities; and they are attributed to the Lord, although it is they who are in evils and falsities thence derived, and that are angry and wrathful against the Lord; and whereas the judgment whereby the hells were subjugated was accomplished by the Lord, by temptations admitted into His Human, even to the last, which was the passion of the cross, therefore it is said, "Their victory was sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel"; for the Lord, by all things of His passion, and by the last upon the cross, represented the violence offered by the Jewish nation to the Word, or to Divine Truth; concerning which, see above, Apocalypse Explained 183, 195, at the end; 627, at the end; 655, 805. Apocalypse Explained 922.

Verses 1, 2, 3, 5. Who is this that cometh from Edom! etc.

- That "Edom" is the Lord as to the Divine Good of the Divine-Natural is evident, for the subject here treated of [in the supreme sense] is the conjunction of Good and Truth in the Humanity of the Lord; and the combats of temptations by which He conjoined them. That the "garments" here mentioned are the Truths of the natural man, or inferior Truths respectively, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2576; and that "red" is the Good of the natural principle, Arcana Coelestia 3300. That the Lord, by His own power, through combats in temptations, conjoined Truths therein to Good, is described by His "treading the wine-press alone", and by "His looking, and there was none to help", etc. "His own arm" signifies His own power. Arcana Coelestia 3322.

The subject here treated of is concerning the Lord, and His combats against the hells, and concerning the subjugation of them. The Lord Himself, as to His Divine Human, is here understood by "Edom, who had sprinkled garments from Bozrah", and by His "garments" is understood the Word in the letter; for "garments" signify Truths investing, and, when predicated of the Lord, they signify Divine Truths, consequently the Word; inasmuch as all Divine Truths are therein, as may be seen, Apocalypse Explained 195.

The Word, in the sense of the letter, is here also understood by "garments", because in the letter are Truths investing; for the sense of the letter serves for a vestment or clothing to the spiritual sense, and inasmuch as the Word, as to that sense, was torn asunder by the Jewish people, and thereby the Divine Truth adulterated, it is therefore said, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with sprinkled garments from Bozrah?", "their victory was sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel"; the "garments of Bozrah" signifying the ultimate of the Word, which is the literal sense thereof; and "their victory upon My garments" denoting the sinister interpretation and application of the Word by those who wrest the sense of the letter to favour their own loves, and the principles thence conceived, as was done by the Jews, and is done by many at this day; this is understood by "their victory upon My garments."

That the Lord alone fought, is signified by "I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the peoples there was not a man with Me"; the "wine-press" denotes combat from Divine Truths against falsities, because in wine-presses the wine is pressed out from the grapes, and by "wine" is signified Divine Truth; hence to "tread alone, and of the peoples there was not a man with Me", signifies that the Lord alone fought, without aid from anyone.

That the Lord subjugated the hells, is understood by "I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled them in My wrath"; "I have trodden" and "I have trampled" being expressions applicable to the wine-press, and signifying that He destroyed them; "anger" and "wrath" are expressions relating to destruction, and are attributed, in the sense of the letter, to the Lord, when notwithstanding there is not anything of anger and of wrath in Him, but in those who are against Him; wherefore, in this and in many other places, these things are said according to appearances. That they were subjugated and condemned to hell, is signified, in verse 6, by "I brought down their victory to the earth"; - "to the earth" denoting into damnation, thus into hell; that by the "earth" is also signified damnation, may be seen, Apocalypse Explained 304, at the end. Apocalypse Explained 359.

3. I have trodden the wine-press alone; and of the peoples there was not a man with Me: and I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled them in My wrath; and their victory was, sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel.

Verse 3. By "treading the wine-press" is signified exploration, at the time of Judgment, as to the quality of their works; for by "treading the vine-press" is signified to explore, and by "the clusters which are trodden" are understood works, as may be seen above, Apocalypse Explained 649.

By "treading the wine-press" is not only signified, in an opposite sense, to explore evil works, but also to sustain them with others, and likewise to remove them, and to cast them into hell, as may be seen from Isaiah:

"I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled them in My wrath." (Isaiah 63:3)

Again:

"Jehovah has trodden the wine-press of the virgin of the daughter of Judah"; (Lamentations 1:15) speaking of what takes place at the Judgment. Apocalypse Revealed 652.

4. For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of My redeemed was come.

5. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I was astonished that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine own arm wrought salvation for Me, and Mine indignation, it sustained Me.

6. And I trod down the peoples in Mine anger, and I inebriated them in My wrath; and I brought down their victory to the earth.

Verses 4, 6. By the combats which were temptations admitted into Himself the Lord subjugated the hells, and thus accomplished the Last Judgment. This is the Judgment which is understood by "the day of anger and of wrath of Jehovah", in the Word of the Old Testament; but the Last Judgment which is at this day performed by the Lord, is understood by "the day of His anger" in the Apocalypse. That a Last Judgment was performed by the Lord, when He was in the world, may be seen in the work concerning the Last Judgment 46. "The year of the redeemed", signifies judgment upon the good who are saved. Apocalypse Explained 413. See also True Christian Religion 116.

7. The mercies of Jehovah I will record, and the praises of Jehovah, according to all that Jehovah has rendered unto us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel, which He has rendered to them, according to His compassions, and the multitude of His mercies.

8. For He said, Surely they are My people, sons that will not deceive; so He was their Saviour.

Verses 7-9. The divine Mercy in the Divine Human is here called " the Angel of the faces of Jehovah." That the "face of Jehovah", or of the Lord, is mercy, and also peace and goodness, because these are of Mercy, might be shown from many passages, as from the following: Numbers 6:25, 26; Psalm 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19. That the "face of Jehovah", or of the Lord, is Divine Love, is evident from His face when He was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, when "His face shone like the sun." (Matthew 17:2)

That "those who see the Lord, see the Father", is expressly declared in John 14:8, 9. Arcana Coelestia 5585.

9. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His faces saved them: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He took them up, and He bare them, all the days of old.

Verse 9. Treating concerning the Lord, who is called "the Angel of the faces of Jehovah", by virtue of the Divine Truth from His Divine Love; for by an "angel", in the Word, is signified Divine Truth, whence angels are also called "gods", as may be seen, Apocalypse Explained 130, 200, 302; and by the "faces of Jehovah" is understood the Divine Love which is in the Lord, whence it is also said, "In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He took them up, and He bare them, all the days of old [or of eternity]"; these things being of the Divine Love. The Lord, as to His Human, was Divine Truth, from which He combated with the hells, and by which He subjugated them; and, therefore, He is here called an "Angel", which is His Divine Human. Apocalypse Explained 412.

10. But they rebelled, and provoked the Spirit of His holiness: so that He was turned to be their enemy, and He fought against them.

Verses 10, 11. In the Word of the Old Testament there is no mention made of the "Holy Spirit", but only of the "Spirit of Holiness", in three places, - once in David, Psalm 51:11; and twice in Isaiah, Isaiah 63:10, 11; whereas in the Word of the New Testament, both in the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistles, it is mentioned frequently. The reason is, because there was no "Holy Spirit" before the coming of the Lord, inasmuch as it proceeds out of the Lord from the Father; for " the Lord only is Holy"; (Revelation 15:4) wherefore also it is said by the angel Gabriel to the mother Mary "The Holy Thing which shall be born of you." (Luke 1:35) It is written that "the Holy Spirit was not yet, because Jesus was not yet glorified"; (John 7:39) and yet it is said before that "the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth", (Luke 1:41) and "Zechariah", (Luke 1:67) and "Simeon." (Luke 2:25)

The reason of which seeming contradiction is, because these three persons were filled with the Spirit of Jehovah the Father, which was called the "Holy Spirit" on account of the Lord, who was already in the world. This is the reason, too, why in the Word of the Old Testament it is nowhere said that the prophets "spake from the Holy Spirit", but from Jehovah; for, in expressIng themselves on this subject, they constantly use some of these terms:

"Jehovah spoke to me"; "The word of Jehovah came to me", "Jehovah has spoken", "The saying of Jehovah." The reader may convince himself of this fact by reading the Prophets, and observing the very numerous passages in which these declarations occur, which are too numerous to he adduced here, in which it is never said that "the Holy Spirit spoke by them, nor that "Jehovah spoke to them by the Holy Spirit." True Christian Religion 158. See also above, Chapter 1:1, the Exposition. In respect the true Doctrine of "the Holy Spirit its Divine Operation", True Christian Religion 138-158.

11. But He remembered the days of old, Moses and His people, [saying] Where is He that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? where is He that put in the midst of him the Spirit of His holiness?

12. Who led them at the right hand of Moses, with His glorious arm; dividing the waters before them, to make for Himself an everlasting name:

Verse 11. Where is He that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? etc.

In this prophetic declaration by "Moses" is understood the Lord, who is also "the Shepherd of the flock"; by "the people, whom He brought up out of the sea", are signified those who are delivered from damnation. Arcana Coelestia 8099.

Verse 12. Dividing the waters before them, etc. - As to the "sea" or the "waters", out of whioh they were brought", see Chapter 51:10, the Exposition.

13. Who led them through the deeps; as a horse in the desert, they did not stumble:

14. As the cattle goes down into the valley; so the Spirit of Jehovah led him: thus didst You guide Your people, to make for Yourself a name of glory.

Verses 13, 14. The subject of this chapter is concerning the Lord and His combats with the hells, and the subjugation of them; but, in this passage, concerning those who are in love and faith in Him, who are compared to "a horse in the desert", and to "cattle [or a beastJ in the valley"; because by a "horse" is signified the understanding of Truth, and by "cattle" [or a beast] the affection of Good; for, all comparisons in the Word are from correspondences. Apocalypse Explained 355.

15. Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of Your holiness and of Your beauty: where is Your zeal and Your strength? [For] the yearning of Your bowels, and Your compassions, are restrained toward me.

Verse. 15. Zeal here stands for Mercy, which is "the yearning [commotio] of the bowels, and is predicated of Good; for it is said, "Your zeal and Your strength [virtutes]", where "zeal" is predicated of Good and "strength" of Truth; in like manner "the yearning of the bowels" is predicated of Good, and "compassions" of Truth.

"The habitation of holiness" is the heaven where those are who are of the celestial kingdom, and "the habitation of beauty" is the heaven where those are who are of the spiritual kingdom. Hence also it is evident that in the Word where "Good" is mentioned, "Truth" is also named, on account of the heavenly marriage which is in every particular of the Word; thus also the Lord, as to His two names "JESUS" and "CHRIST" which signify the divine marriage which is in the Lord; concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 683, 793, 8339. Arcana Coelestia 8875. See also Arcana Coelestia 3960, 9815.

As to the distinction between "glory" and "beauty", see above Chapter 46:13, the Exposition.

"Bowels", in the Word, signify love or mercy, by reason that the bowels or inward parts, especially the mother's womb, represent and thence signify chaste conjugial love, and love towards infants thence derived, as in Isaiah:

"The yearning [or commotion] of Your bowels, and Your compassions, are restrained toward me"; and in Jeremiah:

"Is not Ephraim My dear son? Is not he a pleasant child? Therefore My bowels are troubled fo. him; I will surely have compassion on him. (Jeremiah 31:20)

Hence it appears that love Itself, or mercy itself and the Lord's compassion towards mankind, are the things which in the internal sense, are signified by "bowels", and by "coming forth", or by "the offspring of the bowels"; (Isaiah 48:19) to "come forth out of the bowels", signifies to be born, and, in a spiritual sense, to be born of the Lord, or regenerated. They who have not the Lord's love, that is, who do not love their neighbour as themselves, have not in any respect the Lord's life, consequently they are in no respect "born" of Him, or "come forth out of His bowels", wherefore they cannot be heirs of His kingdom. Arcana Coelestia 1803.

16. Surely You art our Father, for Abraham knows us not, and Israel doth not acknowledge us: You, O Jehovah! art our Father, our Redeemer; Your name is from eternity.

Verse 16. That the Lord, as to His Divine Human, in whom is the Divine Trinity, is the "Father" see Chapter 9:6, the Exposition; see also Isaiah 22:21-24, the Exposition; and True Christian Religion 83, 113, 188, 294, 299, 637.

For Abraham knows us not. - As to "Abraham", see Chapter 41:8; 51:2, the Exposition.

17. Why, O Jehovah! have You made us to err from Your ways; why have You hardened our heart from the fear of You? Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Thine inheritance.

Verse 17. [That Jehovah is here said to "cause or make the people err from His ways, is spoken according to appearance, In a manner similar to that in which He is said to be "angry", to "punish", to "do evil", to "lead into temptation", etc. See the Exposition of Isaiah Chapter 45:7.]

Why have You hardened our heart from the fear of You? - What is meant by "the fear of the Lord", see Chapter 11:3, the Exposition.

Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your inheritance.

- "Tribes" are often mentioned in the Word, because the people of Israel were divided into twelve tribes; and he who does not know the internal sense of the Word supposes that by "tribes" are understood the tribes of Israel; tribes, however, are not understood by "tribes", nor Israel by "Israel", but by the "tribes" are understood all who are in Truths from Good, and by "Israel" is meant the church of the Lord. He who does not know this may easily seize upon the common belief that the sons of Israel were elected above all others in the universal world, and also that at length they are to be introduced into the land of Canaan, yea, that even heaven itself is to consist chiefly of them; whereas by the names of the "tribes" they are not understood, but those who are in Truths from Good, thus those who are of the church, - by the "twelve tribes" all, and by each "tribe" some particular Truth and Good, which they who belong to the church possess. That this is the case might be proved from many passages in the Word where "tribes" are mentioned, as in Isaiah 63:17. Apocalypse Explained 39.

18. They had, within a little, possessed the people of Your holiness: our enemies have trodden down Your sanctuary.

Verse 18. That "the people of holiness" signify holy Truths, see Chapter 62:12, the Exposition.

Our enemies have trodden down Your sanctuary. - By "enemies" are signified evils of life; by "treading down the sanctuary", is meant to destroy the Truths of doctrine from the Word, and this by the sensual-corporeal principle; for those who are in evils of life are all sensual-corporeal. The reason why "trampling" or "treading down" signifies these things is, because treading down is effected by the soles of the feet, and by the "soles of the feet" are signified the external-sensual things of man, and by the "feet" his natural things. In the spiritual world those who have denied and despised the Truths of heaven and the church, appear to tread them down with the soles of their feet, and this because, as said above, the external-sensual [principle] of man corresponds to the "soles of the feet." It is said that the external-sensual principle of man does this, but only the sensual [principle] with those who are merely sensual, who are those that deny the Truths of heaven and of the church, and also who believe nothing but what they can see with their eyes and touch with their hands. Apocalypse Explained 632. See also above, Chapter 5:5, 10:6, the Exposition.

That the internal of the natural degree is signified by the "feet", the middle by the "soles", and the lowest by the "shoes", see above, Chapter 11:15, 16, the Exposition.

19. We have been as those over whom You have never ruled, and who were not called by Your name.

Verse 19. Who were not called by Your name. - What is signified by being "called by a name", see Chapter 4:1, the Exposition.

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Isaiah Chapter 63

1. WHO is this that cometh from Edom, with sprinkled garments from Bozrah? this, that is magnificent in His apparel; marching on in the greatness of His strength? I, who speak in justice, mighty to save.

2. Wherefore art You red in Thine apparel, and Your garments as of him that treads the wine-vat?

3. I have trodden the wine-press alone; and of the peoples there was not a man with Me: and I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled them in My wrath; and their victory was, sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel.

4. For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of My redeemed was come.

5. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I was astonished that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine own arm wrought salvation for Me, and Mine indignation, it sustained Me.

6. And I trod down the peoples in Mine anger, and I inebriated them in My wrath; and I brought down their victory to the earth.

7. The mercies of Jehovah I will record, and the praises of Jehovah, according to all that Jehovah has rendered unto us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel, which He has rendered to them, according to His compassions, and the multitude of His mercies.

8. For He said, Surely they are My people, sons that will not deceive; so He was their Saviour.

9. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His faces saved them: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He took them up, and He bare them, all the days of old.

10. But they rebelled, and provoked the Spirit of His holiness: so that He was turned to be their enemy, and He fought against them.

11. But He remembered the days of old, Moses and His people, [saying] Where is He that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? where is He that put in the midst of him the Spirit of His holiness?

12. Who led them at the right hand of Moses, with His glorious arm; dividing the waters before them, to make for Himself an everlasting name:

13. Who led them through the deeps; as a horse in the desert, they did not stumble:

14. As the cattle goes down into the valley; so the Spirit of Jehovah led him: thus didst You guide Your people, to make for Yourself a name of glory.

15. Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of Your holiness and of Your beauty: where is Your zeal and Your strength? [For] the yearning of Your bowels, and Your compassions, are restrained toward me.

16. Surely You art our Father, for Abraham knows us not, and Israel doth not acknowledge us: You, O Jehovah! art our Father, our Redeemer; Your name is from eternity.

17. Why, O Jehovah! have You made us to err from Your ways; why have You hardened our heart from the fear of You? Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Thine inheritance.

18. They had, within a little, possessed the people of Your holiness: our enemies have trodden down Your sanctuary.

19. We have been as those over whom You have never ruled, and who were not called by Your name.

655. Where also our Lord was crucified, signifies by which, namely, by the evils and the falsities therefrom springing from infernal love, He was rejected and condemned. This is evident from this, that evils themselves and their falsities springing from infernal love are what reject and condemn the Lord. These evils and the falsities thence are signified by "Sodom and Egypt," therefore it is said of the city Jerusalem that it is thus "called spiritually," for "to be called spiritually Sodom and Egypt" signifies evil itself, and the falsity therefrom.

[2] The hells are divided into two kingdoms, over against the two kingdoms in the heavens; the kingdom over against the celestial kingdom is at the back, and those who are in it are called genii; this kingdom is what is meant in the Word by "devil;" but the kingdom that is over against the spiritual kingdom is in front, and those who are in it are called evil spirits; this kingdom is what is meant in the Word by "Satan." These hells, or these two kingdoms into which the hells are divided, are meant by "Sodom and Egypt." Whether it is said evils and the falsities therefrom, or these hells, it is the same, since from these all evils and all falsities therefrom ascend.

[3] That the Jews who were at Jerusalem crucified the Lord means that He was crucified by the evils and falsities therefrom which they loved; for all things recorded in the Word respecting the Lord's passion represented the perverted state of the church with that nation. For although they accounted the Word holy, yet by their traditions they perverted all things therein until there was no longer any Divine good or truth remaining with them, and when Divine good and Divine truth, which are in the Word, no longer remain, evils and falsities from infernal love succeed in their place, and these are what crucify the Lord. (That such things are signified by the Lord's passion may be seen above, n. 83, 195, 627. That the Lord is said "to be slain" signifies that he was rejected and denied, see above, n. 328; and that the Jews were such, see above, n. 122, 433, 619; and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n.248.)

[4] As it is here said "where our Lord was crucified," it shall be told what "crucifixion" (or hanging upon wood) signified with the Jews. They had two modes of capital punishment, crucifixion and stoning; and "crucifixion" signified a condemnation and curse because of the destruction of good in the church, and "stoning" signified a condemnation and curse because of the destruction of truth in the church. "Crucifixion" signified a condemnation and curse because of the destruction of good in the church, for the reason that "wood," upon which they were hung, signified good, and in the contrary sense evil, both pertaining to the will; and "stoning" signified a condemnation and curse because of the destruction of truth in the church, for the reason that "the stone," with which they were stoned, signified truth, and in the contrary sense falsity, both pertaining to the understanding; for all things instituted with the Israelitish and Jewish nation were representative, and thence significative. (That "wood" signifies good, and in the contrary sense evil, and that a "stone" signifies truth, and in the contrary sense falsity, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 643[1-4], 3720, 8354.) But as it has not been known heretofore why the Jews and Israelites had the punishment of the cross and the punishment of stoning, and it is important that it should be known, I will cite some confirmations from the Word to show that these two punishments were representative.

[5] That "hanging upon wood" or "crucifixion" was inflicted because of the destruction of good in the church, and that it thus represented the evil of infernal love, whence arises a condemnation and curse, can be seen from the following passages. In Moses:

If there be a stubborn and rebellious son, obeying not the voice of his father or mother, all the men of the city shall stone him with stones that he may die. And if there be in a man a crime and judgment of death, and he be put to death, thou shalt hang him upon wood; his carcass shall not remain overnight upon the wood, but burying thou shalt bury him the same day; for he that is hanged is a curse of God, and thou shalt not defile thy land (Deuteronomy 21:18, 20-23).

"Not obeying the voice of father or mother" signifies in the spiritual sense to live contrary to the precepts and truths of the church, therefore the penalty for it was stoning; "the men of the city who were to stone him" signify those who are in the doctrine of the church, "city" signifying doctrine. "If there be in a man a crime, a judgment of death, thou shalt hang him upon wood" signifies if one has done evil against the good of the Word and of the church; because this was a capital crime he was to be hung upon wood, for in the Word "wood" signifies good, and in the contrary sense evil; "his carcass shall not remain overnight upon the wood, but thou shalt bury him the same day," signifies lest there be a representative of eternal damnation; "thou shalt not defile thy land" signifies that this would be a cause of offense to the church.

[6] In Lamentations:

Our skins are become black like an oven because of the tempests of famine; they ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah; their princes were hanged up by the hand, the faces of the elders are not honored, the young men they have led away to grind, and the boys stumble under the wood (Lamentations 5:10-13).

"Zion" means the celestial church, which is in the good of love to the Lord, which church the Jewish nation represented; "the virgins in the cities of Judah" signify the affections of truth from the good of love; "their princes were hanged up by the hand" signifies that truths from good were destroyed by falsities from evil; "the faces of the elders that were not honored" signify the goods of wisdom; "the young men who were led away to grind" signify the truths from good, "to grind" signifying to acquire falsities and to confirm them from the Word; "the boys stumble under the wood" signifies newborn goods perishing through evils.

[7] A "baker" as also "bread" signifies the good of love, and a "butler" as also "wine," the truth of doctrine, therefore:

The baker was hanged on account of his crime against king Pharaoh (Genesis 40:19-22; 41:13).

This may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia 5139-5169). Because "Moab" means those who adulterate the goods of the church, and "Baal-peor" signifies the adulteration of good, it came to pass that:

All the chiefs of the people were hung up before the sun, because the people committed whoredom with the daughters of Moab and bowed themselves down to their gods, and joined themselves to Baal-peor (Numbers 25:1-4).

"To commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab" signifies to adulterate the goods of the church; and "to be hung up before the sun" signifies a condemnation and curse because of the destruction of the good of the church.

[8] Because "Ai" signifies the knowledges of good, and in the contrary sense the confirmations of evil:

The king of Ai was hanged on wood, and afterwards thrown down at the entrance of the gate of the city, and the city itself was burned (Joshua 8:26-29).

And because "the five kings of the Amorites" signified evils and falsities therefrom destroying the goods and truths of the church,

Those kings were hanged by Joshua, and afterwards cast into the cave of Makkedah (Joshua 10:26, 27);

"the cave of Makkedah" signifying direful falsity from evil.

[9] Again, "to be hung upon wood or to be crucified" signifies the punishment of evil that destroys the good of the church, in Matthew:

Jesus said, I send unto you prophets, wise men, and scribes; and some of them shall ye kill, crucify, and scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city (Matthew 23:34).

All things the Lord spoke He spoke from the Divine, but the Divine things from which he spoke fell into the ideas of natural thought and consequent expressions according to correspondences, like these here and elsewhere in the Gospels; and as all the words have a spiritual sense, so in that sense prophets, wise men, and scribes, are not here meant, but instead of them the truth and good of doctrine and of the Word; for spiritual thought and speech therefrom, like that of angels, is without the idea of person; so a "prophet" signifies the truth of doctrine, "wise men" the good of doctrine, and "scribes" the Word from which is doctrine; from this it follows that "to kill" has reference to the truth of the doctrine of the church, which is meant by a "prophet;" "to crucify" has reference to the good of doctrine, which is meant by "a wise man," and "to scourge" has reference to the Word, which is meant by a "scribe;" thus "to kill" signifies to extinguish, "to crucify" to destroy, and "to scourge" to pervert. That they will wander from one falsity of doctrine into another is signified by "persecuting them from city to city," "city" signifying doctrine. This is the spiritual sense of these words.

[10] In the same:

Jesus said to the disciples that He must suffer at Jerusalem, and that the Son of man shall be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they shall condemn Him, and deliver Him up to the Gentiles to be mocked, to be scourged, and to be crucified; and the third day He shall rise again (Matthew 20:18, 19; Mark 10:32-34).

The spiritual sense of these words is that Divine truth, in the church where mere falsities of doctrine and evils of life reign, shall be blasphemed, its truth shall be perverted, and its good destroyed. "The Son of man" signifies Divine truth, which is the Word, and "Jerusalem" signifies the church where mere falsities and evils reign; "the chief priests and scribes" signify the adulterations of good and the falsifications of truth, both from infernal love; "to condemn Him and deliver Him to the Gentiles" signifies to assign Divine truth and Divine good to hell and to deliver them to the evils and falsities that are from hell, the "Gentiles" signifying the evils that are from hell and that destroy the goods of the church; "to be mocked, to be scourged, and to be crucified," signifies to blaspheme, falsify and pervert the truth, and to adulterate and destroy the good of the church and of the Word (as above); "and the third day He shall rise again" signifies the complete glorification of the Lord's Human.

[11] From this it can be seen what is signified in the spiritual sense by the Lord's crucifixion, also what is signified by the various mockings then connected with it, as that "they put a crown of thorns on His head," that "they smote Him with a reed," and also that "they spat in His face," with many other things related in the Gospels, this signifying that the Jewish nation treated Divine truth and good itself, which was the Lord, in a like heinous manner; for the Lord suffered the heinous state of that church to be represented in Himself; and this was also signified by:

His bearing their iniquities (Isaiah 53:11).

For it was a common thing for a prophet to take upon himself a representation of the heinous things of the church; thus the prophet Isaiah was commanded to go naked and barefoot three years, to represent the church as destitute of good and truth (Isaiah 20:3, 4); the prophet Ezekiel, bound in cords, laid siege to a tile on which Jerusalem was depicted, and ate a cake of barley made with the dung of an ox, to represent that the truth and good of the church was thus besieged by falsities and polluted by evils (Ezekiel 4:1-13); the prophet Hosea was commanded to take a harlot to himself for a woman, and children of whoredoms, to represent what the quality of the church was at that time (Hosea 1:1-11); with other like things. That this was "bearing the iniquities of the house of Israel" or the church is plainly declared in Ezekiel 4:5, 6. From this it can be seen that all things recorded concerning the passion of the Lord were representative of the state of the church at that time with the Jewish nation.

[12] Thus much respecting the punishment of "hanging upon wood or crucifixion." This is not the place to confirm from the Word that the other punishment, which was "stoning," signified a condemnation and curse because of the destroyed truth of the church, but it can be seen from the passages where "stoning" is mentioned (as in Exodus 21:28-33; Leviticus 24:10-17, 23; Numbers 15:32-37; Deuteronomy 13:10; 17:5-7; 22:20, 21, 24; Ezekiel 16:39-41; 23:45-47; Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34; 20:6; John 8:7; 10:31, 32; and elsewhere).