8682. To eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God. That this signifies the appropriation of these things by virtue of the Divine good, is evident from the signification of “eating,” as being appropriation (see n. 3168, 3513, 3596, 3832, 4745); and from the signification of “bread,” as being the good of love (n. 2165, 2177, 3464, 3735, 4211, 4217, 4735, 5915); that it denotes from the Divine good, is signified by their “eating the bread before God.” By “bread” is here meant all the food that was used at that time, especially the flesh of the sacrifices; for when sacrifices were offered, the flesh of them was eaten beside the altar. (That by “bread” is signified all worship in general, see n. 2165)

[2] The reason why the flesh of the sacrifices was eaten, was that there might be represented the appropriation of celestial good, and also consociation by love, for the flesh of the sacrifice which they then ate, signified the good of love; wherefore this was to them a holy feast. (That “flesh” denotes the good of love, see n. 7850.) From all this it can be seen what was meant by the Lord when He said that they should “eat His flesh” (John 6:53-56); and also when He instituted the Holy Supper, that the bread was “His body” (Matthew 26:26). No one can ever know the meaning of these things unless he knows that there is an internal sense, and that in this sense are understood celestial and spiritual things in place of the natural things; and that the natural things correspond to them, and have a signification according to the correspondences. Otherwise no one could ever know why the Holy Supper was instituted, and what holiness there is in the bread; and why the bread is the body and the flesh, besides countless other things.

4745. And they sat down to eat bread. That this signifies the appropriation of evil from falsity, is evident from the signification of “eating,” as being appropriation (n. 3168, 3513, 3596, 3832); and from the signification of “bread,” as being the good of love (n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3464, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735), and also in general all food (see n. 2165). Here however “bread” signifies the contrary, namely, evil; for it is known that they who eat the bread in the Holy Supper unworthily, do not appropriate good to themselves, but evil; whence it is evident that in the contrary sense by “eating bread” is signified the appropriation of evil. It was a custom among the ancients to eat together when they had made an important decision which was confirmed by the rest, by which they signified their approbation, and thus that they made it their own; as in Ezekiel:

Behold, the princes of Israel, everyone according to his arm, have been in thee and have shed blood; men of calumny have been in thee to shed blood; and in thee they have eaten at the mountains (Luke 22:6, 9).

Be it known further that there are in general two origins of evil, one from life, and the other from doctrine. The evil which is from the doctrine of falsity is called evil from falsity, and it is this evil which is here meant.