698. Chapter 13: The Holy Supper

Without Knowing about the Correspondences of Physical Things with Spiritual Things, No One Can Know the Functions and Benefits of the Holy Supper

The assertion in this heading has already been partly explained in the chapter on baptism, where the point was made that without knowing that the Word has a spiritual meaning, no one can know what the two sacraments - baptism and the Holy Supper - entail and what they do for us (667-669). The heading just above says "without knowing about the correspondences of physical things with spiritual things"; this is the same thing, because correspondences turn the earthly meaning of the Word into a spiritual meaning in heaven. As a result, these two layers of meaning correspond to each other. Someone who knows correspondences, then, is in a position to know the spiritual meaning of the Word.

For a further definition and description of correspondences, see the chapter on Sacred Scripture from beginning to end [189-281]. See also the exposition of the Ten Commandments from first to last [282-335], and the individual correspondences that are explained throughout Revelation Unveiled.