258. In the Word there is a spiritual sense, which is called the internal sense.

No one can know what the internal sense of the Word is, unless he knows what correspondence is (n. 2895, 4322). The whole and every part, even to the most minute, of the natural world, corresponds to spiritual things, and thence is significative of them (n. 1886-1889, 2987-3003, 3213-3227). The spiritual things to which natural things correspond assume another appearance in the natural, so that they are not distinguished (n. 1887, 2395, 8920). Scarcely anyone knows at this day, where, or in what part is the Divine of the Word, when nevertheless it is in its internal or spiritual sense, which at this day is not known (n. 2899, 4989). The mystic things of the Word are nothing else than what its internal or spiritual sense contains, which treats of the Lord, of His kingdom, and of the church, and not of the natural things which are in the world (n. 4923). The prophetic parts of the Word are in many places unintelligible, and therefore of no use without the internal sense; illustrated by examples (n. 2608, 8020, 8398). As what is signified by "the white horse," mentioned in Revelation (n. 2760[1-2].). By "the keys of the kingdom of the heavens" that were given to Peter, see the Preface to the 22 nd (Arcana Coelestia 9410) chapter of Genesis (n. 9410). By "the flesh," "blood," "bread," and "wine," in the Holy Supper, and thus why it was instituted by the Lord (n. 8682). By the prophecies of Jacob concerning his sons in the 49th chapter of Genesis (n. 6306, 6333-6465). By many prophecies concerning Judah and Israel, which by no means tally with that people, nor in the literal sense have any coincidence with their history (n. 6333, 6361, 6415, 6438, 6444). Besides innumerable other instances (n. 2608).

Of the spiritual or internal sense of the Word in a summary (n. 1767-1777, 1869-1879). There is an internal sense in the whole and in every particular part of the Word (n. 1143, 1984, 2135, 2333, 2395, 2495, 2619). Such things do not appear in the sense of the letter, but nevertheless they are contained within it (n. 4442).

1869. SACRED SCRIPTURE OR THE WORD - continued

How many things are contained within a single expression of the Word has been demonstrated to me by an opening up to view of the ideas that comprise thought. In the next life this can be done - it being one of the marvels there - in so vivid a way that the ideas themselves may be seen in visible form, thus as coloured images so to speak. The ideas belonging to one who had led a life of charity or mutual love, and who during his lifetime had taken great delight in the Word, were opened up to view in that manner. Countless things that were beautiful were seen, together with those which were movingly delightful and pleasant. I was told that the things which are seen within such visible forms may be opened up further again as to their interiors, and once these have been opened, that still more beautiful and delightful things are manifested, together with those that constitute happiness itself. All angelic ideas are such, for they are laid open from the Lord Himself.

[2] To spirits who were surprised that in the next life the ideas comprising thought can be opened to view in such a manner, this matter was illustrated by taking as an example the sight of the eye, of which the powers of vision are so dull and dim that the smaller things of the natural world which have countless details in them are not seen except as something opaque, black, and patternless. But when the same objects are looked at under a microscope, things that are more interior are brought to view, linked one to another in a lovely sequence, and flowing in a delightful order. At the same time it was recognized that those objects too could have been opened up further still by a more powerful microscope. This illustration made clear the nature of internal sight, of which the powers of vision are nothing other than ideas; for in themselves those ideas are so gross that scarcely anything more gross is able to exist in that sphere, though man thinks otherwise. But more regarding ideas will in the Lord's Divine mercy be stated later on.