"Och när de närmade sig, såg han staden och grät över den och sade: 'Om du hade känt, till och med dig, särskilt i din dag, de saker som tillhör din fred! Men nu är de dolda för dina ögon. "" (Luke 19: 41,42 ).

"'Döttrar i Jerusalem, gråter inte över mig, men gråter för er själva och för dina barn .... För om de gör dessa saker i det gröna träet, vad kommer då att göras i det torra?" ( Lukas 23:28,31).

Jesus grät över Jerusalem. Kvinnorna grät över honom och han berättade för dem att gråta för sig själva och för sina barn. Sorg i ett ögonblick av triumf, sorg i ett ögonblick av ödeläggelse.

Det finns ironi i palmsöndagsberättelsen, för över sin glädje hänger skuggan av förråd, rättegång och korsfästelse. Var den arga folkmassan som efterlyste hans korsfästelse samma skara som hyllade honom som kung fem dagar tidigare? Varför reste Herren i seger med att veta vad som säkert skulle hända? Han gjorde det för att meddela att Han, den gudomliga sanningen från det gudomliga godan, skulle styra allt; att ge oss en bild som kommer att stå för all tid av hans majestät. Och sedan berättar händelserna i Getsemane och Golgata oss om den majestätens natur - att hans kungarike verkligen inte är av denna värld.

Kan vi föreställa scenen på palmesöndag? Mängderna glädde sig och skrek, och då såg de sin kung gråta. Detta var inte ett kort ögonblick, utan en långvarig gråt, som fick författaren till evangeliet att höra om det. Drog deras rop när de tittade på hans sorg, undrade de när han uttalade dödsfall mot staden de bodde i? "Dina fiender kommer att bygga ett vall runt dig, omge dig och stänga dig in på alla sidor och jämna dig och dina barn med dig till marken; och de kommer inte att lämna en sten på dig för att du inte visste tiden för ditt besök. " Sedan, kanske, när han cyklade på, återuppstod jubeln och de konstiga orden glömdes.

Det finns ännu en ironi; för folket ropade att freden hade kommit. "Välsignad är kungen som kommer i Herrens namn! Fred i himlen och härlighet i det högsta!" Men när Jesus grät, sa han till staden: "Om du hade känt, till och med dig, särskilt i din dag, de saker som gör din fred! Men nu är de dolda för dina ögon."

Detta storslagna panorama talar om världen i varje människa. Det är i våra sinnen, i den andliga betydelsen av Ordet, att Jesus åker i triumf. När vi ser undraet över hans sanning, känner dess makt över alla saker, krönar vi honom. Alla händelserna på palmesöndagen berättar om de tider då vi erkänner att Herren, den synliga Guden, styr våra sinnen genom Ordet som finns i oss. Det är en tid med stor glädje. Liksom mångfalden på palmesöndag känner vi att denna vision kommer att svepa allt som är ont och att Herren lätt kommer att regera inom oss som vår kung och vår Gud.

Sådana lyckliga tider kommer till oss och vi kan glädjas över dem och hylla vår Herre och kung med jubel. "Fred i himlen och härlighet i det högsta!" Fred kommer genom samverkan med Herren som vi har sett (Apocalypse Explained 369: 9, 11). Ändå vet Herren själv att det finns strider att komma från dem som inte vet någon fred. Även detta varnar han oss för i sitt ord. I det naturliga Jerusalem på Herrens tid hade härskarna använt falskhet för att förstöra sanningen, och de väckte mycket sorg över de kristna. I vårt andliga Jerusalem finns det falska värden som skulle förstöra fred. Innan vi kommer till himlen kommer det att bli en strid mellan vår vision om Herren och vår självkärlek som kommer att missbruka sanningen för att få det att hända.

Så grät Herren där ute på olivberget när han såg ner på staden. Hans gråt var ett tecken på barmhärtighet, för han sorg över staterna i oss som kommer att skada oss och som är motsatta av vår fred. (Himmelska Hemligheter 5480; Apocalypse Explained 365 [9]; jfr 365:11, 340). Ändå är hans sorg en aktiv kraft, det är barmhärtighet och arbetar för att eliminera dessa stater. Jesus lovade att Jerusalem skulle bli helt förstört - inte en enda sten kvar. Det är sant att det naturliga Jerusalem rasades till marken, men detta är inte vad han menade. Han lovar oss - även när han varnar oss för de kommande striderna - att han kommer att segra och att vårt Jerusalem - våra ursäkter för att göra ont - inte kommer att stå. De kommer att desimeras av hans ord. (Jfr Arcana Coelestia 6588 [5]; Apocalypse Explained 365 [9]).

Han grät av barmhärtighet och lovade ett slut på att gråta, för "Hans ömma barmhärtighet är över alla hans verk."

På långfredagen fanns det säkert gråt. Tänk på den här scenen: Kvinnorna följde korset och klagade. Jesus måste ha blött från piskningen och ärr av tornens krona. Han var omgiven av människor som tyckte om att se någon dö. De som kallade honom sin fiende var nöjda med att de hade vunnit.

Hans följare var ödsliga. Aldrig hade de föreställt sig att drömmen som han hade fostrat skulle sluta på detta sätt, eller ledaren de älskade skulle behandlas så fruktansvärt. De kände för honom i det de var säkra på var hans lidande. De grät för honom.

Då kanske folkmassorna som förolämpade honom stilla när han vände sig till de sörjande. Av sin oändliga kärlek talade han. "'Jerusalems döttrar, gråter inte över mig, men gråter för er själva och för dina barn.'" Han tänkte inte på sin närmande ångest, han sörjde för dem som han älskade. Han skulle segra. Det var på dem som lidande skulle komma. Vilken tydligare bild kan vi ha av målet som förde vår Gud till jorden än den meningen? Han kom för att onda människor och onda känslor ger sina barn elände. Han kom för att ge dem glädje efter deras gråt, för att ge dem tröst och hopp och slutligen för att ge dem säkerheten att det inte skulle finnas mer död, varken sorg eller gråt.

Kvinnorna på den tiden mötte faktiskt fysisk sorg. Det är hjärtskärande att lära sig om förföljelserna för de kristna, att tänka på människor som dödats för att de tillber sin Gud; av barn som tas från dem, av bra människor som är föremål för barmhärtighet hos dem som inte känner någon barmhärtighet. Det måste verkligen ha verkat som om Herren hade rätt med att säga att det hade varit bättre om de aldrig födde barn som skulle drabbas av det för sin tro. "För de dagar kommer faktiskt att de kommer att säga 'Välsignade är de karga, livmoder som aldrig bar, och bröst som aldrig ammade!'"

Men den verkliga anledningen till att Herren kom ner på jorden var att inom fysisk grymhet finns en mycket större skada. Det finns massor av människor som går på jorden som inte skulle tänka på att mörda någon annan, men som regelbundet tycker om att ta bort något mycket mer värdefullt - hans förmåga att följa sin Herre.

Det var därför Herren talade dessa ord, "Gråt inte för mig, utan gråter för er själva och för dina barn." Jerusalems döttrar representerar den milda kärleken till sanning med uppriktiga människor över hela världen. Deras barn är välgörenheten och tron som kommer från kärleken till sanning. Det här är skadade av ondska, särskilt när det infekterar en kyrka. Det här är saker som orsakar inre gråt, en sorg över andan som är desto mer förödande eftersom den är tyst.

”Döttrar i Jerusalem,” kallade han dem. Vår oskyldiga kärlek till sanningen växer upp tillsammans med vår rättfärdighet för att vara självisk. I själva verket styrs det av självförsvar, eftersom Jerusalems döttrar styrdes av en korrupt kyrka. När dessa kvinnor försökte gå loss från den judiska kyrkan förföljdes de. När vår oskyldiga kärlek till sanningen försöker leda oss att följa Herren lider vi frestelser i vår anda. Hells upp och frestar oss med alla de själviska och onda läckerheter vi någonsin har haft, och vi gråter verkligen över oss själva.

Du förstår, det är inte själva sanningen som lider! "Gråt inte för mig," sade Jesus. Sanningen är all kraftfull. Det är vår kärlek till den sanningen som frestas. Det är vår välgörenhet och vår tro - barnen av den kärleken - som lider.

"För de dagar kommer faktiskt att de kommer att säga 'Välsignade är de karga, livmoderna som aldrig bar och brösten som aldrig ammade.'" Det verkar inte vi ibland att de människor som inte har några sanningar , som inte har några ideal, är de som är glada? I själva verket är detta en profetia om att de som är utanför kyrkan och finner det på nytt kommer att ha en enklare tid än de som sätter livets falskheter i striden.

På palmesöndag, när Jesus grät, sa han att Jerusalem skulle förstöras. Som jag sa, lovade han faktiskt att det onda i oss skulle förstöras. På långfredag gav han samma försäkring: ”Då kommer de att börja” att säga till bergen, ”falla på oss!” Och till bergen, ”Täck oss!” Dessa uppenbarligen hårda ord är tröst, för de lovar att när Herrens sanning segrar i oss, kommer himlen att närma sig. När det händer kommer de hells som frestar oss inte kunna bära himmelens närvaro och täcka sig över och gömma sig.

"För om de gör dessa saker i det gröna träet, vad ska göras i det torra?" Lyssnarna visste vad det innebar: om när han var bland dem förkastade han hans sanning, vad kommer de att göra när minnet om hans närvaro och hans mirakel har torkat upp? I inre mening är det gröna träet sanning som fortfarande lever av en kärlek till det. Även när vi ser ordets ideal, kommer vi att kämpa med frestelser. Men när det vedet torkar ut, när vi inte kan känna sanningens liv och kraft, blir striden mycket hårdare.

I båda dessa bilder - Hans gråt på palmesöndag, hans sorgliga varning till kvinnorna att gråta för sig själva och för sina barn förbereder Herren oss för att kämpa för det vi tror. Hur förbereder han oss? Genom att försäkra oss, inte bara om de framtida försöken, utan om säkerheten om segern nu när han har avslöjat sin styrka. Det finns ett sådant undrar, sådant hopp om evig lycka i den verkliga kristna religionen. Ändå kommer det inte vara någon värdefull kärlek att behålla förrän den har ställts inför sina utmaningar. Det måste finnas en tid med gråt: vår barmhärtiga Herre gråter över våra kämpar och ger oss styrka från barmhärtighet; våra drömmar och hopp gråter när vi är rädda för att de går förlorade. Genom rättegången uttrycker vi vårt engagemang för våra drömmar och han levererar oss.

Mindre än tjugofyra timmar före hans arrest talade Herren igen om gråt. Vid sista måltiden sade han: "Sannerligen säger jag er att du kommer att gråta och klaga, men världen kommer att glädjas." Men han slutade inte där. "Och du kommer att vara sorgfull, men din sorg förvandlas till glädje. En kvinna, när hon är i arbetet, har sorg för att hennes timme har kommit; men så snart hon har fött barnet, kommer hon inte ihåg längre ångest, av glädje över att en människa har fötts in i världen. Därför har du nu sorg; men jag kommer att se dig igen och ditt hjärta kommer att glädjas, och din glädje kommer ingen att ta från dig. "

När han korsfästes och steg upp igen, måste de ha tänkt att hans ord nu var uppfyllda. Nu hade de hittat glädjen som ingen kunde ta av dem. Kanske när de led av förföljare och fann glädje bland medkristna trodde de samma sak. Och slutligen, när de hade kämpat sina privata strider, och från Hans makt övervunnit fienden inom, visste de vad han egentligen menade.

"Jesus grät över staden." "Gråt för er själva och för dina barn." Vår kärlek till sanningen kommer att hotas och med det hoppas vi på sann tro och sann kärlek. Det var för detta ändamål som han kom till världen och red i triumf och drack av koppen med avslag och uppenbar död - för att kunna förvandla vår sorg till glädje. Därför kunde han också säga: "I världen kommer du att ha trängsel, men var lycklig, jag har övervunnit världen." Amen.

(Referenser: Lukas 19:29-44, 23:24-38)

195. Verse 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their garments, signifies those who live a moral life from a spiritual origin, by applying the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to the uses of their life. This is evident from the signification of "name," as being the quality of the state of man's life (See above, n. 148); here, therefore, "names" signify men who are such. It is evident also from the signification of "the church in Sardis," as being those who live a moral life but not a spiritual life, because they have little regard for the knowledges of truth and good from the Word (See also above, n. 148, 182); but here those are meant who live a moral life from a spiritual origin, for it is said, "that have not defiled their garments." It is evident also from the signification of "garments," as being knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions in the natural man (of which presently). "Not defiling their garments," therefore, signifies living as a moral man not for the sake of self and the world, which is for the sake of the body and its life only, but for the sake of the Lord and of heaven, which is for the sake of the soul and its life. From this it is clear that "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their garments," signifies such as live a moral life from a spiritual origin, by applying the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to their life.

[2] But as few know what it is to live a moral life from a spiritual origin, and what it is to apply the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to the uses of their life, it shall be told. Man lives a moral life from a spiritual origin when he lives it from religion; that is, when he thinks, when anything evil, insincere, or unjust presents itself: that this must not be done because it is contrary to the Divine laws. When one abstains from doing such things in deference to Divine laws he acquires for himself spiritual life, and his moral life is then from the spiritual; for by such thoughts and faith man communicates with the angels of heaven, and by communication with heaven his internal spiritual man is opened, the mind of which is a higher mind, such as the angels of heaven have, and he is thereby imbued with heavenly intelligence and wisdom. From this it can be seen that to live a moral life from a spiritual origin is to live from religion, and within the church, to live from the Word; for those who live a moral life from religion and from the Word are elevated above their natural man, thus above what is their own [proprium], and are led by the Lord through heaven; consequently they have faith, the fear of God, and conscience, and also the spiritual affection of truth, which is the affection of the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, for to such men these are Divine laws, according to which they live. Many of the heathen live such a moral life, for they think that evil must not be done because it is contrary to their religion; this is why so many of them are saved.

[3] But on the other hand, to live a moral life not from religion, but only from the fear of the law in the world, and of the loss of fame, honor, and gain, is to live a moral life not from a spiritual but from a natural origin; therefore to such there is no communication with heaven. And as they think insincerely and unjustly regarding the neighbor, although they speak and act otherwise, their internal spiritual man is closed, and the internal natural man only is opened; and when this is open they are in the light of the world, but not in the light of heaven. For this reason such persons have in them little regard for Divine and heavenly things, and some deny them, believing nature and the world to be everything. (From this it can now be seen what it is to live a moral life from a spiritual origin, and what it is to live it from a natural origin; but these things may be seen set forth in clearer light in the work on Heaven and Hell 528-535.) Of those who live a moral life from a natural origin only, it may be said that they "defile their garments," for "garments" mean that which is outside the man himself and which clothes him, thus his natural man with the things that are in it, which are knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions; and when these are from the Word they are defiled by the fact that he learns and holds them only for the sake of reputation, that he may be thought learned or well informed, or that he may thereby acquire honors and gain wealth; and except for such ends he has no regard for them. Thus it is that the knowledges from the Word are polluted and defiled by the loves of self and the world, for these knowledges dwell in the same place with the evils and falsities that gush out from those loves as from their fountains.

[4] It was said above, that man becomes spiritual by means of the knowledges of truth and good from the Word applied to the uses of life. Why men become spiritual by means of knowledges from the Word, and not by means of other knowledges, shall now be told. All things that are in the Word are Divine, and they are Divine for the reason that they have in them a spiritual sense, and by that sense communicate with heaven and with the angels there. When, therefore, man has knowledges from the Word and applies them to life, then through these he has communication with heaven and by that communication becomes spiritual; for man becomes spiritual by his being in like or in corresponding truths with the angels of heaven. It is said in "corresponding" truths, because each and all things in the sense of the letter of the Word are correspondences, for they correspond to the truths that angels have. But the knowledges derived from other books, which set forth and by various means establish the doctrines of the church, do not effect communication with heaven except by the knowledges from the Word they contain; such knowledges do give communication if they are rightly understood and are applied to life, and not to faith alone. Everyone can see that this is so from this, that the Word in itself is Divine, and what is Divine in itself can become Divine with man by his applying it to life. "Becoming Divine with man" means that the Lord can have His abode with man (John 14:23), thus dwelling with him in what is His own (that the Lord dwells in His own with man and angel, and not in what is their own [proprio illorum], see in the work on Heaven and Hell 12). The Lord dwells in His own when He dwells in those things with man that are from the Word, for the Lord is the Word (John 1:1, 2, 14); and the words that He spoke, that is, that are in the Word:

Are spirit and life (John 6:63, 68; 12:50).

[5] That "garments" signify the things that are in the natural man, which are knowledges [scientifica], ¹ true or false, or cognitions, is from the spiritual world; for in the spiritual world all, however many, appear clothed according to their moral life; consequently those who have lived a moral life from a spiritual origin appear clothed in shining white garments, like fine linen; but those who have lived a moral life from a natural origin only, appear according to the nature of that life, those who have polluted their life by evils and falsities appearing in dark garments, mean, torn, and hideous to behold (See the work on Heaven and Hell 177-182). From this now it is that "garments" in the Word signify truths from good, and in the contrary sense falsities from evil, both of them in the natural man; truths and falsities in the natural man are called knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions.

[6] That "garments" in the Word signify truths or falsities can be clearly seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion, put on the garments of thy splendor, O Jerusalem; for henceforth there shall no more come to thee the uncircumcised and the unclean (Isaiah 52:1).

"Zion" in the Word signifies the Lord's celestial kingdom, thus also the celestial church, and "Jerusalem" the spiritual kingdom and the spiritual church (what the celestial kingdom is, and the spiritual kingdom, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28). The "garments of splendor that Jerusalem must put on" are Divine truths; the "uncircumcised and the unclean that shall not come to them" are those who are in evils and falsities.

[7] In Ezekiel:

Jerusalem, I clothed thee with broidered work, I shod thee with badger's skin, I girded thee about with fine linen. I adorned thee with ornament, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy throat, and a jewel upon thy nose, and earrings upon thine ears, yea, a crown of ornament upon thy head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy garments were fine linen, silk, and broidered work, whence thou becamest exceeding beautiful, and didst prosper even unto the kingdom. But thou didst take of thy garments, and didst make to thee high places with divers colors, that thou mightest commit whoredom upon them; thou also didst take garments of thy broidered work, and didst cover the images of a male, with which thou didst commit whoredom (Ezekiel 16:10-13, 16-18).

Here what the church was when it was first established by the Lord is described; the "garments" that are mentioned are truths from good; "broidered work" is true knowledge [scientificum]; "fine linen and silk" are truths from a celestial source; the "bracelets," "chain," "jewel," "earrings," and "crown," are decorations signifying things spiritual of various kinds; the "gold and silver" with which she was decked are the good of love and its truth. Then the same church when perverted is described, by this, that "she took of the garments, and did make to herself high places with divers colors," signifying truths falsified; and that "she took the garments of broidered work, and covered the images of a male," signifies that they applied the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word to so confirm falsities even so as to make them appear like truths; "committing whoredom with them" and "under them" signifies making doctrine and worship out of falsities (that this is to "commit whoredom," see above, n. 141, 161).

(That "Jerusalem" is the church where there is true doctrine, see Arcana Coelestia 402, 3654, 9166. That "broidered work" is knowledges [scientificum], n. Arcana Coelestia 9688. That "fine linen" is truth from a celestial origin, n. 5319, 9469. That "bracelets" are truths and goods of the church, n. 3103, 3105. That "a chain [for the neck]" is representative of the conjunction of interior and exterior things, n . 5320; that "jewels [for the nose]" and "earrings" are representatives of perception and obedience, n. Arcana Coelestia 4551. That "a crown" means wisdom, see above, n. 126. That "gold" is the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 9510, 9874, 9881; that "silver" is truth from that good, n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658. That "high places with divers colors" are truths falsified, n. 796, 4005. That the "male" or "masculine" is truth, n. 749, 2046, 4005, 7838; therefore "images of a male" are appearances of truth.)

[8] In the same:

Fine linen in broidered work from Egypt was thy spreading forth, blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was thy covering. Syria was thy merchant in purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, with chrysoprasus. Dedan was thy merchant with garments of liberty for the chariot; Asshur and Chilmad with bales of blue and of broidered work, and with treasures of precious garments (Ezekiel 27:7, 16, 20, 23-24).

Here Tyre and her wares are treated of, and "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good, and "trading" and "trafficking," signify acquiring for oneself and communicating such knowledges; "purple and blue" signify the celestial love of good and truth; "Egypt," the knowledge belonging to the natural man; by "broidered work from Egypt" the like; "Syria" the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good; "Asshur" the rational of that church; "Dedan" those who are in the knowledges of celestial things. From this it can be seen that the "wares of Tyre," treated of in the whole of that chapter, do not mean wares, but each and all these things mean spiritual things, which man ought to acquire, be imbued with, and communicate. (That "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of good and truth, see Arcana Coelestia 1201. That "Egypt" signifies the knowledges [scientificum] belonging to the natural man, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 5700, 5702, 6015, 6651, 6679, 6682, 6683, 6692, 7296, 9340, 9391. That "Syria" is the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good, n. 1232, 1234, 3664, 3680, 4112. That "Dedan" signifies those who are in the knowledges of celestial things, n. 3240, 3241. That "Asshur" is the rational therefrom, n. 119, 1186. That "purple" is the celestial love of good, n. Arcana Coelestia 9467. That "blue" is the celestial love of truth, n. 9466, 9687, 9833; likewise "chrysoprasus," n. Arcana Coelestia 9868. What "fine linen" and "broidered work" signify, see just above.)

[9] In David:

The king's daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is inwrought with gold. She shall be brought unto the king in broidered work (Psalms 45:13-14).

The "king's daughter" signifies the spiritual affection of truth, and therefore the church consisting of those who are in that affection; "king" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth; "clothing inwrought with gold," intelligence and wisdom from that truth; the "broidered work" in which she should "be brought to the king" signifies the knowledges of truth. (That "daughter" signifies the affection of truth, and the church therefrom, see Arcana Coelestia 2362, 2623, 3373, 3963, 4257, 6729, 6775, 6779, 8649, 9055, 9807. That "king" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth, see above, n. 31.)

[10] In the second book of Samuel:

Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with dainty things, and who put an ornament of gold upon your apparel (2 Samuel 1:24).

This is in the lamentation of David over Saul, which he wrote:

To teach the sons of Judah the bow (2 Samuel 1:18);

by "bow" is signified truth combating against falsities (See Arcana Coelestia 2686[1-8] Arcana Coelestia 2686[1-8], 2709); "Saul" here, as a king, signifies such truth; the "sons of Judah" signify those who are in truths from good; "to clothe the daughters of Israel in scarlet," and "to put ornaments of gold upon the apparel," is to impart intelligence and wisdom to those who are in the spiritual affection of truth.

[11] In Matthew:

When the king came in to behold those reclining to eat, he saw there a man that had not on a wedding garment; and he said unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? He was speechless. Then said the king, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into outer darkness (Matthew 22:11-13).

A "wedding garment" signifies the intelligence of the spiritual man, which is from the knowledges of truth and good; but "he that had not on a wedding garment" signifies a hypocrite, who by a moral life counterfeits the spiritual life when yet he is merely natural; "to bind him hand and foot" signifies the deprivation of the knowledges from the Word, by which he has put on the likeness of a spiritual man; "to be cast out into outer darkness" signifies among those who are in falsities from evil (for "outer darkness" signifies falsities from evil).

[12] In Zephaniah :

I will visit upon the princes, and upon the king's sons, and upon all that are clothed with the garments of the alien (Zephaniah 1:8). "Princes" and "king's sons" signify those who are in truths, and in a contrary sense, as here, those who are in falsities; these are said to be "clothed with the garment of the alien," because "garment" signifies falsity, and "alien" those who are out of the church and do not acknowledge the truths of the church.

[13] In Matthew:

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing; inwardly they are ravening wolves (Mat. Matthew 7:15).

"False prophets in sheep's clothing, who inwardly are ravening wolves," are those who teach falsities as if they were truths, and who in appearance live a moral life, but who by themselves, when they think from their spirit, think of nothing but themselves and the world, and are eager to deprive all others of truths.

[14] In John:

Jesus said to Peter, When thou wast younger thou girdedst thyself and walkedst whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldest not (John 21:18).

What these words signify in the spiritual sense may be seen above n. 9; namely, that by "Peter" is meant the faith of the church; when he "was younger and girded himself and walked whither he would" means the faith of the church at the beginning, when men are in the good of charity, that they then think about the truths of the church from the spiritual man, which is to think from their spirit, thus from the spiritual affection of truth, that is, from freedom. But by "Peter when old, that he should stretch forth his hands and another should gird him," is meant the faith of the church at its end, when faith would be without charity, that they then would think nothing about the truths of the church from themselves, but from others, thus from doctrine only and not from the Word, which is relatively a servile state. For to believe what another says is servile, but to believe what one himself thinks from the Word is freedom; according to the Lord's words in John:

If ye abide in My Word, ye are truly My disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:31-32).

[15] In Luke:

No man putteth a piece of a new garment on an old garment; else the new will rend the old, and the piece from the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and itself be spilt, and the bottles be destroyed (Luke 5:36-37; Matthew 9:16-17; Mark 2:21-22).

Because a "garment" signifies truth, the Lord compared the truths of the former church, which was a church representative of spiritual things, to a piece of an old garment, and the truths of the new church, which were spiritual truths themselves, to a piece of a new garment; He compared them likewise to bottles of wine, because "wine" in like manner signifies truth, and "bottles" mean the knowledges that contain truth. (That "wine" in the Word signifies truth, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 219.)

[16] From this it can now be seen what is signified in the Word elsewhere by "garments," which are often mentioned there, as in the following passages. In Revelation:

And upon the thrones four and twenty elders sitting, arrayed in white garments (Revelation 4:4).

Again:

The armies of the One sitting upon the white horse followed Him, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Revelation 19:14).

And:

They who stood before the throne in sight of the Lamb, were clothed in white robes (Revelation 7:9).

Again:

The seven angels from the temple were clothed in linen, clean and shining (Revelation 15:6).

Again:

White robes were given to everyone of those under the altar (Revelation 6:11).

Again:

Buy gold and white garments (Revelation 3:18).

In Ezekiel:

If he giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a garment (Ezekiel 18:16).

"To give bread to the hungry" signifies in the spiritual sense to instruct from the good of charity those who long for truths; "to cover the naked with a garment" signifies to instruct, in like manner, those who are not in truths.

[17] In the same:

The enemies shall strip thee of thy garments, and shall take away the jewels of thine adorning (Ezekiel 23:26).

In Zechariah:

Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and thus stood before the angel. And he said to those that stood before him, Take away the filthy garments from off him. And he said, I have made thine iniquity to pass from off thee, in clothing thee with changed garments (Zechariah 3:3-5).

In Lamentations :

They have wandered blind in the streets, they have been polluted with blood; what they cannot pollute they touch with their clothes (Lamentations 4:14).

From the signification of "garments" it can be known what is meant by many statutes with the sons of Israel:

That they should not put on mixed garments (Leviticus 19:19; Deuteronomy 22:11);

That a woman should not wear the vessels of a man, nor a man be clothed with the garments of a woman (Deuteronomy 22:5);

That they should wash their garments that they might be purified, and thus sanctified (Exodus 19:14; Leviticus 11:25, 11:28, 11:40; 14:8; (Leviticus 14:8); Numbers 19:11-22);

and elsewhere:

That in mourning for transgression against Divine truths they should put off their garments and put on sackcloth (Isaiah 15:3; 22:12; 37:1-2; Jeremiah 4:8; 6:26; 48:37; 49:3; Lamentations 2:10; Ezekiel 27:31; Amos 8:10; Jonah 3:5-6, 3:8);

And that they should rend their garments (Isaiah 37:1 and elsewhere).

Also what this signifies:

That the disciples laid their garments upon the ass and the colt when the Lord was going to Jerusalem, and that the people then strewed their garments in the way (Matthew 21:7-9; Mark 11:7-8; Luke 19:35-36);

can be seen above n. 31.

[18] That "garments" signify truths has its origin in this, that the light of heaven is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as a sun there, and all things that have existence in the heavens have existence from the light there, and this is true in like manner of the garments in which the angels appear clothed. It is from this:

That the angels who sat at the Lord's sepulchre had raiment white as snow (Matthew 28:3);

And that their garments were shining (Luke 24:4).

(That the garments in which the angels appear clothed correspond to their intelligence, and that they have intelligence according to their reception of Divine truth from the Lord, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 177-182;and that Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is light in heaven, n. 126-135.) From this it can be seen what "garments" signify in reference to the Lord, namely, Divine truth proceeding from Him; and as Divine truth is signified, the Word also is signified, for the Word is Divine truth from the Lord on earth and in the heavens. This was represented by the Lord's "garments" when He was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, which are thus described in the Evangelists:

When Jesus was transfigured, His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as the light (Matthew 17:2);

And white, dazzling (Luke 9:29);

And glistering white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them (Mark 9:3).

The like is said of the Ancient of Days in Daniel:

The Ancient of Days did sit, and His garment was like white snow (Daniel 7:9).

"The Ancient of Days" is the Lord from eternity. As "light" is Divine truth, and this in reference to the Lord is signified by "garments," therefore it is said in David:

Jehovah covereth Himself with light as with a garment (Psalms 104:2).

[19] From this it can be seen what the Lord's garments mentioned elsewhere in the Word signify. As in David:

He hath anointed all Thy garments with myrrh and aloes and cassia (Psalms 45:7-8);

where the Lord is treated of. In Moses:

He will wash His vesture in wine, and His covering in the blood of grapes (Genesis 49:11).

This is also said of the Lord. "Wine" and "the blood of grapes" signify Divine truth. Because the Lord's garments signified Divine truth, therefore also:

Those who touched the border of His garment were healed (Matthew 9:20-21; Mark 5:27-28, 30; 6:56; Luke 8:44).

In Isaiah:

Who is this that cometh from Edom, His garments bespattered from Bozrah; this that is honorable in His apparel? Wherefore art Thou red in Thine apparel, and Thy garments as of one treading in the wine-press? Their victory is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel (Isaiah 63:1-3).

This also is said of the Lord; "garments" here signify the Word, which, as has been said, is Divine truth from the Lord on earth and in the heavens; the violence offered to Divine truth or to the Word by those who were then of the church, is described by this, that "He was red in apparel as one treading in the wine-press," and that "victory was sprinkled upon His garments," and that "He had stained all his raiment."

[20] In Revelation:

He that sat on the white horse was arrayed with a garment dipped in blood; and His name is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:13).

Here it is plainly declared that He who sat on the white horse was called "the Word of God;" and it is clear that this is the Lord, for it is immediately said of Him:

He hath on His garment and on His thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).

It is therefore the Word in the letter that is signified by the "garment dipped in blood," since violence was done to it, but not to the Word in the spiritual sense; violence could not be done to this, because they knew nothing about it.

[21] That violence was done to the Word in the sense of the letter, but not to the Word in the spiritual sense, is signified also by the soldiers dividing the Lord's garments, but not His tunic, of which it is said in John:

The soldiers took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part, also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore one to another, Let us not divide it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be. These things therefore the soldiers did (John 19:23-24).

And in David:

They parted My garments, and cast the lot upon My vesture (Psalms 22:18).

"The garments of the Lord which they parted" signify the Word in the letter; His "tunic" the Word in the spiritual sense; "soldiers" signify those of the church who should fight in behalf of Divine truth; therefore it is said, "These things therefore the soldiers did." (That "tunic" signifies Divine truth, or the Word in the spiritual sense, see Arcan (Arcana Coelestia 9826, 9942) a Coelestia, n. 9826, 9942; that "soldiers" signify those who are of the church, and who should fight in behalf of Divine truth, see above, n. 64, at the end, where these things are more fully explained.) It should be known that each particular related in the Evangelists respecting the Lord's passion, involves and signifies how the church at that time, which was among the Jews, had treated Divine truth, thus the Word, for this was Divine truth with them; the Lord also was the Word, because He was Divine truth (John 1:1, 2, 14). But what each particular involves and signifies cannot be known except from the internal sense. Here it will be told only what "the Lord's garments" signified, because the meaning of "garments" is here treated of, namely, that they signify truths, and in reference to the Lord, Divine truths.

[22] "The garments of Aaron and of his sons" have a like signification, because Aaron with his sons represented the Lord in respect to Divine good, and their garments the Lord in respect to Divine truth. (But these things may be seen explained and shown in the Arcana Coelestia; as that Aaron represented the Lord in respect to Divine good, n.9806, 9946, 10017; also what each of their garments signified, the breastplate, the ephod, the cloak, the tunic wrought with checker work, the miter, and the belt, n. 9814, 9823-9828)

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