Chapter 14.

John the Baptist Beheaded

1. At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus;

2. And said unto his boys, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore [these] powers work in him.”

3. For Herod, taking hold of John, bound him and put [him] in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.

4. For John said to him, “It is not permitted for thee to have her.”

5. And [although] he willed to kill him, he feared the crowd, because they accounted him as a prophet.

6. But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and pleased Herod.

7. Whereupon he professed with an oath to give her whatever she should ask.

8. And she, being pressed by her mother, declared, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

9. And the king was sorry, but for the oaths’ sake, and for [those] sitting with [him], he ordered [it] to be given.

10. And sending, he beheaded John in the prison.

11. And his head was brought on a platter, and given to the damsel, and she brought [it] to her mother.

12. And His disciples coming, took the body, and buried it, and came and reported [it] to Jesus.

The religious leaders are not the only ones who refuse to accept Jesus’ divinity. So does the Roman governor, Herod the tetrarch — also known as Herod Antipas. ¹ Although he has heard the reports about Jesus, he does not believe that Jesus’ “mighty works” have any Divine origin. Instead, he has a theory of his own: “This is John the Baptist,” he says.” He is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him” (14:2).

In the verses that follow, we discover why Herod Antipas believes that John the Baptist has “risen from the dead.” As it turns out, Herod Antipas is the son of “Herod the Great,” the Roman king who ordered the massacre of all the male children of Bethlehem, two years of age and younger (2:16). Historians inform us that Herod Antipas (Herod’s son) became so enamored with his brother’s wife, that he divorced his wife and married his sister-in-law. When John the Baptist confronted Herod about his adulterous affair with his brother’s wife, Herod did not take it well. John the Baptist, who did not mince words, let Herod know that his behavior was against the commandments. “It is not lawful for you to have her, said John the Baptist” (14:4).

The story of Herod Antipas, and his response to John’s criticism, represents those aspects of our lower nature that deeply resent any form of criticism — especially criticism that reveals our moral defects. Therefore, in response, Herod ordered that John the Baptist be taken into custody and sent to prison (see 4:12).

Years later, while continuing the illicit marriage to his sister-in-law, Herod has a new infatuation — his stepdaughter. As it is written, “When Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod” (14:6). Numerous historians and artists describe Herodias’ daughter as a femme fatale, an enchantress who aroused Herod’s darker lusts.

While this may not be the nature of Herod’s stepdaughter, we do know that Herod is so taken with the young lady’s dancing, that he makes an oath, promising to give her anything she wants. The young lady accepts Herod’s offer, and, at her mother’s prompting, she says, “Give me John the Baptist’s head, here on a platter” (14:8). Herod grants her request, and promptly commands the beheading of John in his prison cell. As evidence that Herod’s command has been carried out, John’s head is brought to them on a platter, and given to the young girl who, in turn gives the head to her mother (see 14:10-12).

All of this, then, helps explain Herod’s response when he hears about Jesus’ miracles. “This is John the Baptist” he says, “risen from the dead.” Could it be that Herod, haunted by his terrible sins, believes that John the Baptist has come back from the dead to remind him of his wrongdoings? It could be, especially when this episode is seen in the light of the internal sense. As we have pointed out, John the Baptist represents the clear teachings of the letter of the Word. Similarly, there are times when we, too, might reject the clear and most direct teachings of the Word (John the Baptist). And yet, if we have any conscience at all, those clear teachings keep rising again in our minds with unavoidable truths such as, “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not lie,” and “You shall not commit adultery.”

Like the literal truths of the Word, which he represents, John had said to Herod in no uncertain terms, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” No amount of denial, whether it be imprisonment or beheading, can prevent John from rising again and again within us. The truths of the letter of the Word, because of their Divine origin, can never die.

Degeneration

The parables of regeneration, which immediately preceded this episode, dealt with the process of spiritual development. In the details of the story concerning the beheading of John the Baptist, however, we are given a representative picture of the successive stages by which a person de-generates, that is, casts oneself more and more deeply into the darkness of ignorance and the flames of self-indulgence. This process begins in the lusts of our lower nature. This is the part of us that longs for something which it should not have — in this case it is adultery. It not only rejects the teachings of the Word (putting John in prison), it even commands that those teachings be put to death (the beheading of John).

The only thing that temporarily holds us back is the fear of the multitudes. Therefore, we read, “Although Herod wanted to put John the Baptist to death, he feared the multitudes, because they counted him a prophet” (14:5). In this context, the multitudes represent aspects of goodness and truth that are implanted in every human heart — the part of us that senses the holiness of divine truth. This is the part of us that still respects the literal sense of the Word, especially the Ten Commandments. This is what is meant by the statement, “They counted him [John the Baptist] as a prophet.”

But the voice of the multitudes who consider John a prophet is no longer strong enough to restrain Herod. Although we read that “the king was sorry’ (14:9), he has taken that fatal plunge, and it is too late for him to turn back. He orders the murder of John the Baptist.

The degeneration of Herod’s spirit, as outlined in this episode, gives a remarkable picture of how sin can progress in our own lives. It begins when we decide to ignore the letter of the Word, denying its divinity. This is to imprison John the Baptist. He is still alive, but has little impact on our lives. But when his teachings come back to haunt us — especially the direct teachings of the Ten Commandments, the insatiable lusts of our darker side determine that John must be totally rejected and removed from our lives. John must die. The promptings of Herodias and the allurements of her daughter represent various stages of this degenerative process as they conspire to lure us into darker, more violent places. Eventually John is murdered and his head is brought in on a platter.

As this grim episode closes, we read that John’s disciples take the body away, bury it, and then go off to tell Jesus what happened to their beloved leader (14:12). John’s disciples, who take away his body and tenderly care for it, represent all those who care for the literal truths of the Word, even when others have disregarded, rejected, and even mutilated them. This is the part of us that knows that somehow the letter of the Word, no matter what people do to it, is worthy of our greatest respect.

Feeding the Five Thousand

13. And Jesus, hearing, departed thence in a ship into a deserted place by Himself; and the crowds hearing, followed Him on foot from the cities.

14. And Jesus going out saw a crowd of many, and was moved with compassion for them, and cured those of them that were ailing.

15. And when it was evening, His disciples came to Him saying, “The place is deserted, and the hour is already past; send away the crowds, that going into the villages, they may buy themselves food.”

16. But Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; give ye them to eat.”

17. And they say to Him, “We have nothing here except five loaves, and two fish.”

18. And He said, “Bring them hither to Me.”

19. And ordering the crowds to recline on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, looking up into heaven, He blessed, and breaking, gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the crowds.

20. And they did all eat, and were satisfied; and they took up the excess of the fragments, twelve baskets full.

21. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and little children.

After hearing the news of John’s beheading, Jesus departs by boat to an isolated place to be by Himself. It appears that He needs time to grieve the loss of John the Baptist. But the multitudes follow Him, and do not give Him a chance to isolate Himself. Seeing the multitudes, He is moved with compassion for them and heals their sick (14:14). ²

This is a beautiful picture of Jesus’ divinity taking precedence over His humanity. Though He had every reason to mourn and spend some time alone, the needs of the multitude touch Him, and He is moved with compassion. There are times in our lives, too, when we feel the need to mourn some setback or disappointment, but at the same time we feel the call of service, and we are touched by the needs of others. Like Jesus, “we are moved with compassion.”

In the evening, the disciples come to Him and tell Him that it is time to send the multitudes away: “This is a deserted place and the hour is late,” they say. “Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food” (14:15). While the disciples, who are still in training, show a lack of compassion towards the multitudes, Jesus’ shows great compassion towards them. The disciples want Jesus to send the multitudes away, but Jesus says, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat” (14:16).

The disciples must have been surprised and confused. There are more than five thousand people there, many of whom are poor, sick, and hungry. The disciples do not have enough food, not nearly enough to feed them all. In fact, they only have five loaves and two fish. But what are they to give them? And how are they going to feed them all?

Jesus understands their confusion. But He is not concerned because He has a greater plan in mind. “Bring them here to Me,” He says to the disciples, and they bring Him five loaves of bread and two fish. Whenever there is duality in the Word, such as in this case where we read of “bread” and “fish,” we can be sure that there is a deeper, more spiritual meaning. Most often, this kind of duality represents the two essential aspects of divinity: goodness (“bread”) and truth (“fish”). ³

The word “bread” is associated with goodness and love because of its warmth and softness — also because of the good earth out of which it grows; the word “fish” is associated with truth and intelligence because of its coldness and hard boniness — also because of the clear, cool water (also a symbol of truth) in which it swims. Taken together, the qualities of goodness (“bread”) and truth (“fish”) constitute the essence of God. In order to understand the inner meaning of this parable, and the many parables which follow, it is important that we understand these basic symbols. ⁴

Jesus then takes the five loaves and the two fish from the disciples, looks up to heaven, and blesses what the disciples have given Him. Spiritually, this speaks of the love and truth that we have as human beings. How could we ever have enough to feed the multiudes? We sometimes don’t even have enough love to meet the needs of our own family, or enough wisdom meet the challenges that each day brings to us. But if we bring whatever we have to God, acknowledging Him as the source of everything, He will bless our efforts and, amazingly, multiply whatever love and truth we have already been given. As a result, the multitudes in us and around us will be fed to overflowing. As it is written, “He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and the disciples took up twelve baskets of the fragments that remained” (14:19-20).

Seen in the light of the continuous internal sense, this wonderful miracle is really a continuation of the lessons taught in the parables of regeneration. God indeed plants good seed in the good ground of a receptive heart (13:23). This is the heart that acknowledges God as the source of all things; it is the heart which has discovered the “pearl of great price” (13:46). It is this acknowledgment that enables us to bear fruit and produce good works in our lives “some a hundredfold” (13:23). In the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes we see the miraculous manifestation of this truth.

Many people see and acknowledge the workings of the Divine in the proliferation of seed into abundant harvest, and in the way the rivers and oceans continually replenish themselves. It is truly a wonder of nature. But here Jesus works an even greater miracle, demonstrating what He can do for each of us spiritually. He can fill us with His love (bread) and inspire us with His truth (fish) as long as we come to Him, seeking His blessing on our efforts and His power to do whatever He has commanded — no matter how impossible it might seem.

This is the second time Jesus has demonstrated His power over the forces of nature. He did this previously when He calmed the waves and the sea — illustrating the calmness and peace He can bring to each of us. At that time, the disciples could only sit back and wonder (8:27). This time, however, they have a very different role. In fact, they take an active part in the miracle, for they are the ones who bring the bread and fish to Jesus, and they are the ones who feed the multitude. Through this beautiful story, Jesus shows us the vivid and vital role that we can play in the salvation of souls. We would all have abundant love to give and truth to share if only we would first go to God for His blessing.

A practical application

Jesus gives thanks before the distribution of food. It is as if He is saying. “Thank you for this miracle that is about to be performed.” We, too, can try saying “Thank you, Lord,” even before our request is granted. “Thanks, God, for bringing the children home safely” (even though they haven’t left yet). “Thank you, Lord, for how gracious everyone was at this meeting” (even though the meeting hasn’t started yet). It’s amazing what can happen when we begin in gratitude!

Walking on Water

22. And straightway Jesus compelled His disciples to enter into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side, while He sent the crowds away.

23. And sending the crowds away, He went up into the mountain by Himself to pray, and when evening had come He was there alone.

24. And the ship was already in the midst of the sea, tossed [about] by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

25. And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26. And the disciples, seeing Him walking on the sea, were disturbed, saying, “It is a phantom”; and they cried out from fear.

27. But straightway Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Have confidence; I am; be not afraid.”

28. And Peter answering Him said, “Lord, if Thou art, order me to come to Thee on the waters.”

29. And He said, “Come.”And Peter, stepping down from the ship, walked on the waters to come to Jesus.

30. But looking at the strong wind, he feared, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me”

31. And straightway Jesus, stretching out [His] hand, took [hold] of him, and says to him, “[O thou] of little faith, why didst thou doubt?”

32. And when they stepped into the ship the wind grew still.

33. And they that were in the ship, coming, worshiped Him saying, “Truly, Thou art the Son of God.”

Jesus, the Master Teacher, is carefully training His disciples, equipping them for their ministries. The central lesson, of course, regardless of individual ministries, is to rely totally on Jesus, to see Him as the center of their lives, and to keep their eye on Him at all times. If there is any wavering, any thought that they can succeed without Him, they will falter and fail.

In this next episode, Jesus demonstrates this truth in a most graphic way. He takes them down to the sea and sends them off in a boat by themselves. Meanwhile He goes up into a mountain to pray and stays there until evening. During this time away from Jesus, the disciples get into difficulty: “The boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary” (14:24).

The last time that the disciples were gathered together in a boat, there was another storm, and a raging sea. At that time Jesus was with them in the boat, seemingly asleep. It represents those times of spiritual temptation when we feel as though the Lord is present but does not care about us. This time, however, He appears to be altogether absent, representing an even deeper state of temptation. But the truth is that God never sleeps, and is never absent. Despite all appearances to the contrary — especially in times of greatest travail — God is intimately present with each of us, secretly sustaining and supporting us in ways that we can neither see nor sense. ⁵

This spiritual truth is represented by Jesus walking across the water toward their tempest-tossed boat. It is the fourth watch of the night, sometime between three and six in the morning, and therefore still dark — at least so dark that they are not able to recognize Jesus. Instead, they think they see a ghost: “When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying ‘It is a ghost.’ And they cried out with fear” (14:26). Nevertheless, Jesus seeks to comfort them, saying, “Be of good cheer. It is I; do not be afraid” (14:27). Peter is not so sure. He wants some proof that this really is Jesus and not a ghost. So he says, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water” (14:28).

In the previous episode the disciples fed the multitudes. They took part in a wonderful miracle, but they had done nothing miraculous themselves. In fact, up to this point the disciples have done nothing amazing. Although Jesus has indeed commissioned them to go forth and proclaim the good news, there is no record of them performing any miracles. No healings. No miracles. No demons cast out. No one raised from the dead. But all this is about to change as Jesus says to Peter the simple word, “Come” (14:29).

And then it happens. Peter steps out of the boat and starts walking on the water towards Jesus — a true miracle (14:29). Here we have a beautiful picture of simple, trusting faith: Jesus says, “Come,” and Peter responds in faith. The first great miracle for the disciples has begun. Peter is actually walking on water. But as soon as Peter shifts his attention to the “boisterous wind,” he is filled with fear and begins to sink. As he sinks down into the sea, he cries out to Jesus, ‘Lord, save me’” (14:30). Jesus immediately stretches out His hand, catches Peter, and together they get into the boat.

There are times in our life when our attention is caught by “boisterous winds,” the noise and commotion caused by the daily demands and disturbing thoughts that sometimes crowd out the awareness of God’s inmost presence. These are the times when we cannot see clearly, times when we doubt whether God is with us. Like Peter, we are uncertain as to whether Jesus is really there. “Lord, if it is you … ” he says. True faith does not doubt God’s presence or His unconditional love. In true faith there are no “ifs” at all.

Nevertheless, in spite of our doubts, God invites us to come to Him, to step out of our comfort zones and trust exclusively in Him. In taking this step, we must keep our eyes on Jesus, looking neither to the right nor to the left, giving no thought to the boisterous winds that clamor for our attention. ⁶

Admittedly, we are not always successful. We sometimes find ourselves sinking into doubt and disbelief, dismay and despair, losing our way, getting off track. Even so, God is always there for us, with outstretched arms and a warm smile, saying: “O you of little faith. Why did you doubt?” (14:31). ⁷

A moment later, Jesus and Peter are together in the boat and all is well: “And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased” (14:32).

In an earlier episode when Jesus calmed the wind and sea, the disciples responded by saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (8:27). This time, however, their response is very different. We read, “Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God’” (14:33).

They have learned their lesson well. From now on, Jesus is to be the source and center of their life, and the object of their worship. In their eyes He is no longer “the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” (1:1). His divinity is beginning to shine through His humanity. Slowly and steadily He is revealing Himself as the Son of God.

The Faith of Gennesaret

34. And having crossed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.

35. And the men of that place, knowing Him, sent out into that whole countryside, and brought to Him all that had an illness;

36. And implored Him, that they might only touch the hem of His garment, and as many as touched were saved.

As this chapter closes, Jesus and His disciples come to Gennesaret, a city on the northwestern shore of Galilee. Here they meet people who demonstrate a complete faith in Jesus’ power to heal — very much a contrast to the wavering faith of Peter to whom Jesus said, “O, you of little faith. Why did you doubt?”

Unlike Peter, who said “Lord if it is you,” the people of Gennesaret recognize Jesus immediately and bring to Him everyone who is sick (14:35). So strong is their faith that they believe that the sick can be made well merely by touching the hem of His garment. Such is the simplicity and greatness of their faith. “And as many as touched it were made perfectly well” (14:36).

This episode is similar to the one about the woman with an issue of blood who was healed when she touched the hem of Jesus’ garment (see 9:20). In the commentary for that episode it was pointed out that the phrase “the hem of His garment” represents the most external aspects of the Word — the literal sense. Just as clothing protects us from extremes of weather, the truths of the Word protect us from spiritual harm. So clothing, in general, signifies the strong, protecting quality of divine truth. We read in the Psalms, for example that “The Lord is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength” (Psalm 93:1). This refers to the power of the Lord’s divine truth. ⁸

To believe that the letter of the Word has Divine Power within it, and to use it in our lives, is to come into the protection of God, and be healed of our infirmities. This is the power of the Word, even in its most external form. When we read the Word, live according to its teachings, “touching them” and allowing them, in turn to touch our lives, we, like the people of Gennesaret, are made “perfectly well.”

This chapter, which begins with the beheading of John the Baptist, ends with the healing of “all who were ill” in the land of Gennesaret (14:36). The literal sense of the Word, despite Herod’s attempts to destroy it, still prevails. John the Baptist, representing the healing truths of the literal sense of the Word, lives on.

Notas de rodapé:

9960. 'To cover their naked flesh' means to prevent inner desires of that love from appearing when they are foul and hellish. This is clear from the meaning of 'covering' as preventing them from appearing; and from the meaning of the genital organs and loins, which 'naked flesh' is used to mean here, as inner desires of conjugial love. For when 'undergarment' means things composing the external level of that love, 9959, 'flesh' which they cover means those on its internal levels. Conjugial love is meant by 'the loins', see 3021, 4280, 4575, also by 'the genital organs', 4462, 5050-5062, and the good of love by 'flesh', 3813, 7850, 9127; but since most things in the Word can also have a contrary meaning, so can the loins, genital organs, and flesh. In that contrary sense they mean evil, foul, and hellish desires of that love, 3813, 5059. The fact that here they mean evil, foul, and hellish desires is evident from the consideration that the words 'to cover their naked flesh' are used, 'naked flesh' here being that which is the opposite of the good of conjugial love, namely delight that is adulterous and for that reason hellish, which will be spoken of below.

[2] As regards 'nakedness', it derives its meaning from the parts of the body that appear naked, just as garments derive theirs from the parts of the body they clothe, 9827. 'Nakedness' has one meaning therefore when it applies to the head, which is baldness; another meaning when it applies to the whole body; and yet another when it applies to the loins and genital organs. When nakedness applies to the head, which is baldness, it means the deprivation of an intelligent understanding of truth and of a wise discernment of good; when it applies to the whole body it means the deprivation of truths that belong to faith; but when it applies to the loins and genital organs it means the deprivation of the good of love.

[3] 1. When nakedness applies to the head, which is baldness, it means the deprivation of an intelligent understanding of truth and of a wise discernment of good This is clear in Isaiah,

On that day the Lord by means of the king of Asshur will shave the head and the hair of the feet, and will consume the beard. Isaiah 7:20.

'Shaving the head' stands for depriving of the internal truths of the Church, 'shaving the hair of the feet and consuming the beard' for depriving of its external truths, and 'by means of the king of Asshur' for by means of reasonings based on falsities. It is evident to anyone that no head, hairs of the feet, or beard was going to be shaved by means of the king of Asshur, and that those words must have some other meaning. 'The head' means more internal things that belong to wisdom and intelligence, see 6292, 6436, 9166, 9656; 'the king of Asshur' means reasoning, 119, 1186; 'hair' means the external truth of the Church, 3301, 5247, 5569-5573; 'the feet' too means external or natural things, 2162, 3147, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952, 9406; and 'the beard' means items of knowledge on sensory levels, that is, truths on last and lowest levels, as is clear from places in the Word mentioning 'the beard'.

[4] In the same prophet,

On all heads there is baldness; every beard is shaved off. Isaiah 15:2.

Here the meaning is similar. In Jeremiah,

Baldness will come upon Gaza. How long will you cut yourself? Jeremiah 47:5.

In Ezekiel,

On all faces there will be shame, and on all heads baldness. They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will become an abomination. Ezekiel 7:18-19.

'On all heads baldness' stands for the deprivation of an intelligent understanding of truth and of a wise discernment of good. Since this is meant it also says 'they will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will become an abomination'; for 'silver' means truth that belongs to intelligence, and 'gold' good that belongs to wisdom, 1551, 5658, 6914, 6917, 8932. The fact that baldness on all heads should not be understood literally, that they would not literally throw silver into the streets, and that gold would not literally become an abomination, is self-evident.

[5] In Moses,

Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar his sons, You shall not shave your heads and you shall not rip apart the seams of your garments, lest you die and He is angry with the whole congregation. Leviticus 10:6.

And in Ezekiel,

The priests, the Levites, shall not shave their head and shall not let their hair grow long. Ezekiel 44:20.

Since Aaron and his sons represented the Lord in respect of Divine Good and in respect of Divine Truth, 9806, 9807, and since 'a shaved head' and 'garments ripped apart at the seams' meant the deprivation of that Good and Truth, they were forbidden to shave their heads or so rip apart their garments. It also says 'lest you die and He is angry with the whole congregation', meaning that as a consequence what was representative of the Lord in respect of Divine Good and in respect of Divine Truth, and so what was representative of the Church, would be destroyed.

[6] Since mourning represented spiritual mourning, which is mourning because of the deprivation of the Church's truth and good, those in mourning made themselves bald, as in Jeremiah,

They will not lament for them, nor will they make themselves bald ¹ because of them. Jeremiah 16:6.

In Amos,

I will turn your feasts into mourning, and cause baldness to come up over every head; and I will make it as the mourning for an only-begotten son. Amos 8:10.

And in Micah,

Make yourself bald, ² and shave your head for the sons of your delight; extend your baldness like an eagle, for they have departed from you. Micah 1:16.

'The sons of delight' are God's truths, and their 'departure' is the deprivation of them, 'sons' meaning truths, see 9807.

[7] 2. When nakedness applies to the whole body it means the deprivation of the truths of faith

This is clear in John,

To the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write, Because you say, I am rich and in need of nothing - when you do not know that you are wretched and miserable, and needy, and blind, and naked - I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified in fire, and white garments that you may put on, that the shame of your nakedness may not be manifested. Revelation 3:14, 17-18.

'The angel of the Church' is God's truth there. 'Saying it is rich' means that it is in possession of cognitions or knowledge of truth and good. 'Wretched, needy, blind, and naked' means being nevertheless devoid of truths implanted in life, thus being devoid of good. 'Buying gold purified in fire' means acquiring good to itself, 'white garments' authentic truths of faith springing from good. From this it is evident what 'that the shame of nakedness may not be manifested' means.

[8] In the same book,

Behold, I am coming like a thief; blessed is he who is awake and keeps his garments, so that he may not walk naked and they see his shame. Revelation 16:15.

Here the meaning is similar. In the same book,

They will hate the prostitute, and make her devastated and naked. Revelation 17:16.

'The prostitute' stands for those who falsify God's truths. 'Making her naked' plainly stands for depriving of those truths; for the words 'devastated' and 'naked' are used, and 'devastating' means depriving of truths.

[9] Nakedness also means having no knowledge of truth and putting on clothes being taught it, in Isaiah,

When you see the naked and cover him, your light will break forth like the dawn. Isaiah 58:7-8.

And in Matthew,

The King will say to those who are on the right, I was naked and you clothed Me. And He said to those on the left, I was naked and you did not clothe Me. Matthew 25:36, 38, 43-44.

'Naked' here stands for those who have no truths and still desire truths, also those who acknowledge that no good or truth at all exists within them, see 4956, 4958.

[10] 3. When nakedness applies to the loins and genital organs it means the deprivation of the good of love

This is clear in Isaiah,

O virgin daughter of Babel, take a mill and grind flour, uncover your hair, bare your feet, uncover your thigh, pass through the rivers. Let your nakedness be uncovered, also let your reproach be seen. Isaiah 47:1-3.

'Daughter of Babel' means the Church or semblance of the Church, where holiness resides outwardly but profanity inwardly. The profanity residing inwardly is such that people have themselves and the world in mind, thus domination and abundant riches as their end in view, holy things being regarded as means to that end. 'Taking a mill and grinding flour' means producing teachings out of such matters as will serve as means to the end, 7780. 'Uncovering the hair, baring the feet, and uncovering the thigh' means prostituting without any shame or fear things that are outwardly and inwardly holy, so that 'uncovering nakedness' means causing foul and hellish things, which are the ends, to appear.

[11] In Jeremiah,

Jerusalem sinned grievously; those who honoured her despise her, because they see her nakedness, her uncleanness in her skirts. Lamentations 1:8-9.

'Jerusalem' stands for the Church, in this instance for a Church that is steeped in falsities arising from evil. 'Seeing her nakedness' stands for beholding foul and hellish loves; 'uncleanness in her skirts' stands for such loves on most external levels, 'skirts' or 'hem' meaning most external levels, see 9917. In Nahum,

I will uncover your skirts upon your face, ³ and I will show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame. Nahum 3:5.

'Uncovering skirts' stands for taking away outward things in order that more internal ones may appear. 'Nakedness' which will be shown to the nations and 'shame' to the kingdoms mean hellish kinds of love, which are self-love and love of the world, which defile the more internal things.

[12] In Ezekiel,

You reached full beauty, your breasts were formed and your hair had grown; [but] you were naked and bare. With all your abominations and your acts of whoredom you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, and were downtrodden in your blood. Your nakedness has been uncovered through your whoredoms with your lovers. Ezekiel 16:7, 22, 36.

In the same prophet,

I will give you into the hand [of those] whom you hate, that they may deal with you out of hatred; and let them leave you naked and bare, and let the nakedness of your whoredoms be uncovered. Ezekiel 23:28-29.

In Hosea,

Contend with your mother, that she may remove her whoredoms from her sight, ⁴ and her adulteries from between her breasts, lest perhaps I strip her naked, and present her as on the day she was born, and make her like a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst. I will return and take back My grain, My new wine, My wool, and My flax, which [I gave her] to cover her nakedness; and I will uncover her foulness in the eyes of her lovers. Hosea 2:2-3, 9-10.

[13] The words in the preceding as well as in this present quotation refer to Jerusalem, which is also called 'mother'; and by it the Church is meant. Its perversity is described by 'the whoredoms', 'the adulteries', and 'the uncovering of nakedness', which are nothing other than the foul and hellish kinds of love - that is, self-love and love of the world, when they are ends in view - from which all evils and derivative falsities gush out. Falsifications of truth therefore and adulterations of good are described in the Word by acts of whoredom and adultery, and are also actually called whoredoms and adulteries there, see 8904. And from this it is evident what 'nakedness' and 'uncovering of nakedness' are used to mean. Since reference is being made to the Church's truths when falsified and to its forms of good when adulterated, the verses quoted declare 'I will make her like a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst'. 'A wilderness' is that which is devoid of forms of good, 'a dry land' that which is devoid of truths, and 'thirst' the deprivation of all matters of faith.

[14] It also declares that [the Lord] would take back His grain, His new wine, His wool, and His flax, with which He had covered her nakedness, because 'grain' means the spiritual Church's more internal good, 'new wine' its more internal truth, 'wool' its more external good, and 'flax' its more external truth. All who read these things with a power of reason that is to some degree enlightened, who believe that no expression used in the Word is meaningless, and that the Word is altogether holy in every part because it is Divine, can see that flax, wool, new wine, and grain are not meant literally.

[15] In Jeremiah,

O daughter of Edom, to you also the cup will pass, you will be made drunk and naked. Lamentations 4:21.

In Habakkuk,

Woe to him who gives drink to his companion, ⁵ making him drunk, and looking on their nakedness! You will be sated with shame rather than glory. Drink, you also - that your foreskin may be revealed. Habakkuk 2:15-16.

And in Ezekiel,

They have shed blood in you; they have uncovered their father's nakedness in you. Ezekiel 22:9-10.

What these statements mean no one can know unless he knows what the meaning is of 'the cup', 'drinking', 'being made drunk', 'being made naked', 'looking on their nakedness, and uncovering them', and also 'foreskin'. All these, it is self-evident, should be understood spiritually. 'Drinking' understood spiritually is receiving instruction in truths, or in the contrary sense in falsities, that is, absorbing them, 3069, 3168, 3772, 8562, 9412; and from this it is clear what 'the cup' that is drunk from means, 5120. 'Being made drunk' means becoming insane as a result, and 'being made naked' becoming completely destitute of them. 'Uncovering nakedness' means uncovering the evils of self-love and love of the world, which are hellish evils. 'Uncovering their father's nakedness' means uncovering those evils when they have a hereditary origin and are present in the will. 'Revealing the foreskin' means defiling them, 'the foreskin' meaning the defilement of heavenly forms of good by those two kinds of love, see 2056, 3412, 4462, 7045. 'Circumcision' therefore means purification from them, 2039, 2632.

[16] All this makes clear what the meaning is of Noah's drunkenness and the consequent uncovering of his nakedness, described as follows in Genesis,

Noah drank of the wine, and was drunk, and was uncovered in the middle of his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and pointed it out to his two brothers. And Shem and Japheth took a garment and both of them put it on a shoulder, and went backwards and covered their father's nakedness; and their faces were backwards, and they did not see their father's nakedness. Genesis 9:21-23.

This describes members of the Ancient Church, whom Noah represents. 'The wine' which he drank and which made him drunk is the falsity which that Church was at the start imbued with. His lying as a result 'uncovered in the middle of the tent' means evils owing to the lack of truth in worship. 'The garment' with which Shem and Japheth covered his nakedness is the truth of faith, by means of which those evils were covered and corrected. An implanting of the truth and good of faith in the understanding part of the mind is described by their putting a garment on a shoulder, going backwards, and turning their faces away backwards; for this is exactly how it is with the truths and forms of the good of faith present with a member of the spiritual Church. 'Shem and Japheth' means those belonging to the spiritual Church, who received the truths of faith within good, which is charity; but 'Canaan' means those who did not receive the truths of faith in good or charity.

[17] Noah represents members of the Ancient Church at the start, who were such as has been described, see 736, 773, 788, 1126.

Shem is those belonging to the internal spiritual Church, and Japheth those belonging to the external, 1062, 1127, 1140, 1141, 1150.

Canaan represented those whose faith was separated from charity, or what amounts to the same thing, whose worship was external separated from anything internal, so that in particular he represented the Jewish nation, 1093, 1140, 1141, 1167.

With members of the spiritual Church the truth and good of faith are implanted in the understanding part of the mind, 9596.

'The wine' that made Noah drunk means falsity, 6377.

'The tent' in which he lay uncovered means the holiness of worship, 2145, 2152, 3312, 4128, 4391.

'The garment' with which they covered their father's nakedness means the truth of faith, 5954, 9212, 9216.

His actual nakedness means the evil occupying the will part of his mind. That evil is covered by means of the truths of faith, and when it is being covered truths look away backwards.

The presence of such arcana, embodied in these details of the story, is evident from the internal sense. And the fact that these arcana are arcana which have to do with the Church may be seen from the consideration that Shem and Japheth simply because they covered their father's nakedness were blessed, and all their descendants too, and that Canaan was cursed and all his descendants simply because their father had pointed it out to his brothers.

[18] Because the interiors of the Jewish and Israelite nation were foul, for they were steeped in self-love and love of the world more than all the other nations, and since conjugial love is meant by 'the genital organs and loins' and this love is fundamental to and so embraces all celestial and spiritual forms of love, precautions had to be taken to prevent the nakedness of those parts of Aaron's or his sons' bodies from being in any way visible when they were engaged in holy worship. This is the reason for its being said that linen undergarments should be made for them to cover their naked flesh, from the loins even to the thighs; and in another place for the declaration that they were not to go up by steps to the altar, in order that their nakedness should not be revealed on it, Exodus 20:26.

The interiors of the Jewish and Israelite nation were foul, and when they were engaged in worship those interiors were closed off, see the places referred to in 9320 (end), 9380.

Conjugial love is meant by 'the genital organs and loins', 3021, 4280, 4462, 4575, 5050-5062.

Conjugial love is fundamental to all celestial and spiritual forms of love, and therefore these forms of love are understood as well by it, 686, 2739, 3021, 4280, 5054.

From all this it is now clear what 'nakedness' means, in particular nakedness of the bodily parts devoted to procreation, when people's interiors are foul.

[19] But when the interiors are chaste 'nakedness' means innocence. It does so because conjugial love is meant, and innocence is the indispensable element of truly conjugial love.

Truly conjugial love belongs to innocence, see 2736.

Therefore 'nakedness' in that sense means innocence, 165, 8375.

For the same reason angels of the inmost heaven, who are called celestial angels, appear naked, 165, 2306, 2736.

Since the Most Ancient Church, described in the opening chapters of Genesis and meant in the internal sense by Man or Adam and his wife, was a celestial Church, it says in Genesis 2:25 that both were naked, and they were not ashamed. But when that Church fell, which came about through eating from the tree of knowledge, by which reasoning about Divine matters that was based on factual knowledge was meant, it says that they knew that they were naked, and sewed fig leaves together for themselves and made themselves girdles, thus that they covered their nakedness. It also says that when Jehovah called to him the man said that he was afraid because he was naked, and further on that Jehovah God made for them tunics of skin and clothed them, Genesis 3:6-11, 21.

[20] By 'fig leaves' from which they made themselves girdles, and also by 'tunics of skin' truths and forms of good belonging to the external man should be understood. The reason why their state after the fall is so described is that from being internal people they became external. Their internal is meant by 'paradise', for paradise is the intelligence and wisdom of the internal man, and the closing of their internal by being cast out of paradise.

'Leaf' means natural truth, which is factual knowledge, see 885. 'Fig' means natural good or the external man's good, 217, 4231, 5113. 'Tunic of skin' too means the external man's truth and good, 294-296. 'Skin' means what is external, 3540.