Chapter Eleven

The Triumphal Entry

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1. And when they drew near unto Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sends out two of His disciples,

2. And says to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and straightway going into it, you shall find a colt tied, on which no man has sat; having loosed him, bring [him].

3. And if anyone say to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say ye that the Lord has need of him; and straightway he will send him here.”

4. And they went and found the colt tied at the door outside, where two ways met; and they loose him.

5. And some of those that stood there said to them, “What do you do, loosing the colt?”

6. And they said to them as Jesus had commanded; and they let them go.

7. And they led the colt to Jesus and cast their garments on it; and He sat upon it.

8. And many spread their garments in the way; and others cut branches from the trees, and spread [them] in the way.

9. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, “Hosanna! Blessed [is] He that comes in the name of the Lord!

10. Blessed [is] the kingdom of our father David, that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

11. And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple; and when He had looked around at all [things], and already the eventide was come, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.

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It has been three years since Jesus first gathered together His disciples. During that time Jesus has traveled throughout Israel and the surrounding lands, preaching the gospel, opening blind eyes, healing diseases, casting out demons, feeding multitudes, and inspiring people with hope. No one in world history had ever caused such a sensation or worked so many miracles. Wherever He went, the people were amazed and astonished, grateful that Jesus had come to them.

Everyone, that is, except the religious leaders who resented Jesus’ growing popularity with the people. As their resentment grew into hatred, they became determined to put Him to death. As long as Jesus and His disciples stayed clear of Jerusalem, confining their ministry to other areas, they had been reasonably safe. But now, as Jesus enters Jerusalem at the cusp of His popularity, the religious leaders take it as a blatant challenge to their authority. Jesus knows what the result will be. He has already told His disciples on three occasions. He will be mocked, scourged, spit upon, and finally crucified.

So why is He going there? And what about the disciples? Are they merely going along for the ride, dreaming of high positions and honor for themselves when Jesus becomes king? After all, the ancient prophecies speak of a Messiah, one who will become a mighty king of Israel. The Hebrew scriptures, for example, prophesied that the Messiah would be called a great and wonderful ruler who would not only protect the meek and the poor but would also “strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and slay the wicked with the breath of His lips” (Isaiah 11:4). And in another place it is written that “There shall be no end to the increase of His government” (Isaiah 9:7).

The disciples do not interpret these prophecies spiritually; they do not understand that the power of truth, spoken through the lips of Jesus, will overcome the power of hell, conquering evil and falsity. Rather, they take it all literally, fully expecting that Jesus, as the promised Messiah, will take up His power and reign, as prophesied by Zechariah: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).

This is the dramatic background as Jesus and His disciples enter Jerusalem. Imagine the breathless anticipation. The people are wondering, Will this be the moment when Jesus announces before the people that He is the Messiah? It certainly looks that way, especially when He tells two disciples to “Go into the village … find a colt on which no one has sat, loose it, and bring it to Me” (Mark 11:2). Five hundred years earlier, Zechariah had prophesied that a King — a Messiah — would come riding into Jerusalem “on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). And now, on this day, as ancient prophecy becomes contemporary reality, “they went their way and found the colt . . . and they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments on it, and He sat on it” (Mark 11:4, 7).

The image of the Jesus sitting on the garments while riding on the back of a colt is deeply symbolic. On one level it is the literal fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy. But on a deeper level it pictures three levels of spiritual order. The highest level is the realm of love. This is Jesus, the very incarnation of divine love. Secondly, Jesus is sitting upon the garments of the disciples. Just as garments protect the body, truth protects the soul. Even so, our rational understanding of truth (the garments of the disciples) must always be subordinated to the rule of love (Jesus sitting on the garments). This is because truth serves as a vehicle through which love can express itself. On the lowest level is the colt, a simple beast of burden who represents our natural actions — those things that we do from love (highest level) through truth (middle level) so as to be useful in the world (lowest level). ¹

And so, Jesus makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding upon a colt. Even though these more interior meanings are far from the understanding of the people, they could still sense that something momentous was taking place. Following the ancient protocol, which was to hail the coming king, they spread their garments on the road, along with leafy branches so that Jesus could ride His colt over them. These actions continue the imagery of subordination, representing the desire to lay everything we have before the Lord, even our very lives.

It should be pointed out, however, that subordination to God is not groveling submission. Rather, it should be done with the greatest willingness and joy. In subordinating ourselves to the rule of God, we are hailing a King who will wisely reign over us and lead us to victory over our spiritual enemies. Jesus’ triumphal entry, therefore, represents the moment when true believers welcome “King Jesus” into their life, shouting with the people of Jerusalem, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mark 11:9).

This is the triumphal entry of Jesus, not only into the city of Jerusalem, but into the inner recesses of the human mind. We read, therefore, that “Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple” (Mark 11:11). As Jesus comes into our mind (our spiritual “temple”) with the truths of His Word, He gives us the ability to see through His eyes so that we might carefully examine our thoughts and intentions. In fact, He gives us a thorough opportunity to look around at everything. As it is written, “After He looked around at all things, as it was evening, He went out to Bethany with the twelve” (Mark 11:11).

Not the Season for Figs

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12. And on the next day, when they were coming out from Bethany, He was hungry;

13. And seeing a fig tree far off having leaves, He came, if perhaps He might find anything on it; and coming to it, He found nothing except leaves; for it was not the time of figs.

14. And Jesus answering said to it, “Let no one eat fruit of thee hereafter for an age.” And His disciples heard.

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On the next day, Jesus and His disciples left Bethany and began their trip back to Jerusalem. But along the way Jesus “was hungry” (Mark 11:12). Jesus’ hunger symbolizes His desire to see people living useful, productive lives. The story continues: “And seeing afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it” (Mark 11:13).

In the previous episode we noted that when Jesus came into Jerusalem, and especially “into the temple,” it corresponds to the way He comes into our minds to “look around and see all things.” Similarly, we are invited to use the truths of His Word to “look around at all things” in our mind, to explore our thoughts and intentions and be willing to root out anything contrary to the Lord’s will. Otherwise, we are like fruit trees that produce leaves, perhaps many beautiful leaves, but no fruit. ²

When Jesus gets closer to the tree, He finds that it has “nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.” In response, He says, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again” (Mark 11:13-14).

At first glance, Jesus’ curse on the fig-tree seems impetuous and unfair. If it is “not the season for figs,” it is understandable that no figs would be on the tree. Why would Jesus curse a tree before it even had the chance to blossom and bear fruit? Taken literally, this part of the episode is difficult to understand. But when we look more interiorly, we come to realize that Jesus is not talking about fig trees, but rather about human lives. He is using the fig tree as an image of what it looks like when people know the truth, but do not live accordingly. This is particularly important for people who might tend to get caught up in the “leaves” — learning truth — without producing fruit in their own lives. We all need to practice what we preach. Life is not just about leaves. Leaves are important, even essential, but the goal is the fruit — a useful life.

In terms of the historical context, the image of the fruitless tree is a picture of the religious establishment in Jesus’ day. In Jerusalem, and especially in the temple, the chief priests and scribes knew religious truths, but did not use them to improve their own lives or to help others.

Instead, they used their knowledge of truth to enhance their status, wield power over others, and acquire worldly wealth. Although the scriptures taught them to give glory to God in all things, they selfishly arrogated that glory to themselves, while living in luxury and enjoying their positions of honor. Even if they gave credit to God with their lips, their hearts were set on their own glory.

In brief, the religious leaders had stolen from God what belongs to Him alone. In this context, the assertion in the divine narrative that “It was not the season for figs” takes on new meaning. The religious leaders of that day had become so corrupt, so wholly focused on themselves and their own glory, that God could no longer work through them. They had descended to such a low level that they felt no shame, made no excuses for their corrupt practices, and were even proud of themselves. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “They felt no shame at all, even when they did abominable things. Therefore, I will utterly destroy them…. There will be no figs on the fig tree, and the leaves will fall off” (Jeremiah 8:12-13). Because things could not get any worse, the religious leaders of the day and the organization they represented were finished. The only hope for the human race was to establish a new way of loving God and serving the neighbor — a way that would indeed bear fruit. That new way — or new church — had not yet commenced. It was not yet the season for figs. But that time, and that church, were coming. It would be a new religious era. ³

The Beginning of the End

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15. And they came into Jerusalem; and Jesus having entered into the temple began to cast out those that sold and bought in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those that sold doves;

16. And would not let anyone carry a vessel through the temple.

17. And He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called the house of prayer for all nations?’ But you have made it a cave of robbers.”

18. And the scribes and the chief priests heard, and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, for all the crowd wondered over His teaching.

19. And when it was evening, He went out of the city.

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The title of this section, “The beginning of the end,” may sound rather ominous. It is true that endings are often sad occasions, whether they are the end of a friendship, or the end of a life. But endings can also be occasions for celebration, as, for example, when we come to the end of an illness, or the end of suffering. As we continue to unfold the internal sense of these perfectly connected gospel episodes, it becomes clear that “a season for figs” was about to commence — but not before the old, corrupt tree — the self-serving religious establishment of Jesus’ day — was exposed for what it was, uprooted, and then allowed to wither away.

Before we get too carried away with this interpretation, showering contempt on a self-serving religious organization that existed in history, we need to remember that the Word of God is not about history — it is about eternity. Every incident in the Word mirrors some aspect of our own lives. If we feel incensed about the corruption of religious leaders who do not practice what they preach, we need to look at ourselves to see if we are behaving similarly. For example, if we do not use truth to first examine our own lives and then do good for others, we are no better than the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, who merely symbolize this tendency in ourselves.

The purpose of revelation, therefore, is not to increase our contempt for historical personages or institutions, but to utilize these stories as precious tools for rooting out similar tendencies in ourselves. It is to lead us to become the people God intends us to be. When we come to the end of all of our selfishness, something new begins to dawn: a new church arises within us.

The first step in this process is to examine whatever might be false and corrupt in our own minds. This is illustrated the next day when Jesus “went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves” (Mark 11:15). Our minds can be compared to sacred temples; they are designed to be “houses of prayer” where we can dedicate our lives to the service of God, thinking continually about how we can best serve others and thereby glorify God without taking credit for our actions.

But what actually goes on in our minds? What takes place in what should be our “house of prayer”? Are these “houses of prayer” sometimes filled with cunning thieves who steal our joy and take away our trust in God? How long do we allow these thieves and robbers to desecrate our temples before we cast them out? These are the kinds of questions we must ask ourselves when we engage in the self-examination that Jesus invites us to practice. And when we do, He is right there beside us, overturning the tables of the money changers, chasing out those who sell doves, and not allowing anyone to sell merchandise in our temple (Mark 11:16). To each of these secret invaders He says, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations. But you have made it a den of thieves” (Mark 11:17).

The battle to clear our mind of thieves and robbers is not won in a day. There will be times when our attempts to “cleanse the temple” will be met with hostility and resistance. The demons of our inner world do not give up without a fight. As it is written, “And the scribes and the chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching” (Mark 11:18).

It is indeed the beginning of the end: “And when evening had come, He went out of the city” (Mark 11:19).

A New Day

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20. And in the morning, as they went by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

21. And Peter remembering says to Him, “Rabbi, see, the fig tree which Thou didst curse is dried up.”

22. And Jesus answering says to them, “Have the faith of God.

23. For amen I say to you, that whoever shall say to this mountain, Be thou taken up, and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass, he shall have whatever he says.

24. Therefore I say to you, All [things] whatever you ask for, having prayed, believe that you shall receive, and it shall be [done] to you.

25. And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, that your Father also who is in the heavens may forgive you your trespasses.

26. But if you forgive not, neither will your Father who is in the heavens forgive your trespasses.”

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While the previous episode ends with the words, “when evening had come,” the next episode begins with the words, “Now in the morning” (Mark 11:20). As we shall see, the end of one state in us is also the beginning of a new one. As we have mentioned, the lessons of the fig tree without leaves and the temple filled with robbers both refer to the end of a corrupt religious organization that served itself rather than others and glorified itself rather than God. But we also noted that we should use this historical imagery to look at ways in which we are self-serving, seeking our own glory rather than glorifying God. To the extent that we acknowledge and desist from selfish thoughts and behaviors, it is the end of the “old church” in us and the beginning of a “new church.” In the language of the Hebrew scriptures, we have “ceased to do evil” and we are “learning to do good” (Isaiah 1:16). It is the dawn of a new day.

This idea, that the end of the old precedes the beginning of the new is beautifully captured in this next episode. As the story continues, Jesus and His disciples pass by the place where the fig tree was uprooted. Peter, noticing that the fig tree has now dried up from the roots, says to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away” (Mark 11:21). The withered fig tree is a powerful symbol of what Jesus can do within us, rooting out our negative thought patterns and destructive desires to the point where they seem to wither away and die — from the roots. This marks the end of the old self — the person we used to be, and the beginning the new self — the person we are becoming.

Mountain moving faith

Jesus now describes the power that can be done through this new self. “Have faith in God,” says Jesus. “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says” (Mark 11:23). In other words, Jesus is saying that faith in God will give us tremendous spiritual power. It will not just be the power to remove minor irritations (uproot fig trees), but also the power to remove the major character defects that are as large and seemingly immoveable as mountains. In fact, Jesus promises that such mountains will not only be uprooted from their places like the fig tree, but they will be “cast into the sea.”

This kind of teaching heralds a new day for each of us, but we will not get there on our own. In order to uproot fig trees, cleanse temples, and cast mountains into the sea, we will need to turn to God in prayer, having faith in Him who alone can do these things for us and through us. Therefore, Jesus says, “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24).

Among the many things that we can ask for, believing, is the willingness to let go of all the grudges and grievances we have accumulated in a lifetime. When memories of past hurts arise and refuse to be moved, it is as though a mountain of unforgiveness stands in the way of our new life. Knowing this, Jesus says: “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:25-26).

This brief lesson on forgiveness reminds us that Jesus has never departed from His central message to His disciples. If they are truly to proclaim the gospel in His name, they will need to send the mountains of pride and self-love back into the sea, back to the hell from which they came. If they can only do this, they will receive that which flows in from heaven: humility, tender-heartedness, a child-like willingness to be taught and led, and, of course, forgiveness. “If you have anything against anyone” says Jesus, “forgive him.”

Jesus also adds a warning: “If you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive you.” Jesus is speaking to the limited understanding of His disciples, using an explanation that they can grasp. They did not yet understand that God is forgiveness itself and that the forgiveness of God is unconditional. They did not know, because they had not been taught, that the only thing that prevents the reception of God’s forgiveness is an unrepentant, unforgiving heart. In other words, it’s not a question of God withholding forgiveness; rather, it’s a question of our not being able to receive God’s forgiveness because our heart remains hardened against it. ⁴

In Jesus’ day, this was a revolutionary teaching. At that time, God was seen as vengeful and angry; the breaking of any commandment was punishable by death, and God was seen as a stern parent who would never forgive his stubborn children. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “The Lord will never be willing to forgive them; His wrath and zeal will burn against them. All the curses written in this book will fall on them, and the Lord will blot out their names from under heaven” (Deuteronomy 29:20). People believed that they had to beg for the Lord’s forgiveness and mercy. As it is written, “Lord, do not withhold your mercy from me” (Psalms 40:11).

Teachings like these helped to solidify the idea that anger and wrath, not forgiveness and mercy, were defining characteristics of God. But everything was beginning to change as the old way of understanding was dying out and a new day was dawning. Jesus was bringing forgiveness from heaven to earth, and with it a new and truer idea of God. Jesus said to His disciples, “If you have anything against anyone, forgive him.” Surely, a new day was beginning.

A Question of Authority

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27. And they come again to Jerusalem; and as He is walking in the temple, there come to Him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,

28. And say to Him, “By what authority doest Thou these things? And who gave Thee this authority to do these things?”

29. But Jesus answering said to them, “I will also ask you one thing, and answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

30. The baptism of John, was [it] from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.”

31. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we shall say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

32. But if we shall say, ‘From men’” — they feared the people, for all held that John was truly a prophet.

33. And they answering said to Jesus, “We know not.” And Jesus answering says to them, “Neither do I say to you with what authority I do these things.”

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A house of prayer for all nations

As we have seen, Jesus teaches many things that seemed to contradict the orthodox understanding of religion in biblical times. He gave a new way of understanding marriage and divorce, a new way of understanding wealth and riches, and in the previous episode, He taught a new way of understanding the central importance of forgiveness in religious life. Jesus was indeed introducing the teachings that would help to usher in a new religious era.

One of the most distinctive aspects of these new teachings was a new attituded towards people of other faiths. At that time, the temple in Jerusalem was exclusively for people of the Jewish faith, even though the Lord had said through Jeremiah, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah, 56:7; emphasis added). People did not take this to mean that the temple would be open for people of every nation and every religious persuasion. Instead, they took it to mean that all people would eventually convert to the one true religion — the religion that was practiced by the religious leaders in Jerusalem.

In this regard, it’s interesting that although both Matthew and Mark repeat the words of Isaiah, in Matthew it is simply “My house shall be called a house of prayer” (Matthew 21:13), while in Mark it is written that “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations”(11:17; emphasis added). What might be the reason for this difference? It could be that in Matthew, the words “for all nations” are omitted because Matthew focuses more on the gradual realization of the Jesus’ divinity in one’s life. In Mark, however, there is a movement from the individual’s reception of Jesus’ divinity to making this truth known to everyone who will receive. It is a proclamation “for all nations” — not just for one group of people.

Whether Jesus was speaking about a new approach to marriage, a new approach to wealth, or a new approach to worship, He was continually providing new ways to look at the spiritual dimension of religious life. Just as He overturned the tables of the money changers, He was also overturning the way people were thinking about religion. All of this, was met with fierce hostility from the religious leaders who were determined to destroy Jesus and curtail His rising influence. Therefore, as this next episode begins, the religious leaders approach Jesus as He is walking in the temple and say, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You the authority to do these things?” (Mark 11:28).

Dealing with doubt

As we have mentioned, the temple signifies the human mind. In a previous episode Jesus was re-ordering the temple, casting things out that didn’t belong there. This is an image of how He re-orders our minds through the process of repentance, casting out self-love, arrogance, resentment, and hatred while flowing in with the desire to serve others, humility, and — as we just saw in the previous episode — forgiveness. This is when the religious leaders arise in our minds; these are the doubts about the authority and divinity of Jesus’ message. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they say.

This is a key moment in our spiritual development. Jesus has just told His disciples that if they had faith in God and did not doubt they would be able to move mountains. But the key was to have faith in God and not doubt. In this next episode, however, the religious leaders enter with their doubts. “By what authority do you do this?” they say. It’s an old question — one that arises to keep us questioning our faith. In this regard, the religious leaders represent the messages that seek to enter our mind insinuating doubts. “Is Jesus really divine?” they ask. “Is Jesus really the incarnation of God in human form?” “Are the words that Jesus speaks holy and divine?” And even if we answer, “Yes, I believe so,” the doubts and questions continue. “Who says so?” they ask. “How do you know?” and “What makes Jesus your authority?”

Jesus, however, refuses to answer them directly. Instead, He responds with a question of His own: “I also ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: the baptism of John — was it from heaven. Or from men? Answer Me” (Mark 11:29-30). The religious leaders do not dare say “from heaven,” for then they would be admitting that what John said about Jesus is true — that Jesus is, indeed, the Messiah. On the other hand, they don’t dare to say that John’s baptism is “from men” because they fear the people who regard John as an inspired prophet. Therefore, they simply say, “We do not know” (Mark 11:33).

At a more interior level, the “baptism of John” refers to the letter of the Word. The question that Jesus raises, then, is about the divinity of the letter of the Word. Is it divine, or is it merely a product of human imagination? This becomes a crucial consideration when dealing with literal statements in the Word that reveal more about the nature of the people of that time than they do about God. One does not have to read too far to see that the scriptures are filled with statements about the “wrath” and "anger” of God, even though we know that God is never angry or wrathful. For example, the Hebrew scriptures say that “The wrath of the Lord will scorch the earth and the people will be fuel for the fire” (Isaiah 9:19). Are these words from heaven or are they from men?

This is a vital question, for it involves deep issues of faith. It is true that there are many stories and statements in the Word that cannot be taken literally, but this does not make the Word less holy. In fact, every story, every parable, and every teaching in the Word is holy because it contains divine wisdom in finite form. It is similar to what it means to be human. We are human not because we have an earthly covering of flesh, but because we have a human soul. Similarly, the Word of God is from heaven, not because it has an earthly covering of human language, but because this covering contains the infinite love and wisdom of God accommodated to human minds. ⁵

“The baptism of John,” says Jesus. “Was it from heaven or from men?” In other words, do we believe that the truths contained in the letter of the Word are from heaven or are they from men? Our answer will determine everything. If we believe that they are “from men,” it will raise doubts in our mind, and along with the doubts the words of scripture will have little power to influence our lives. If, however, we believe that these truths are from heaven, and do not doubt, we will have the power to move mountains. The religious leaders who raise doubts in our minds will no longer have an authority over us. Instead our only authority will be the one who enters our life, as He entered Jerusalem, speaking words that are from heaven — words that can become our ultimate authority on earth. ⁶

脚注:

9391. 'And they offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings - young bulls - to Jehovah' means a representative sign of worship of the Lord springing from good, and from truth rooted in good. This is clear from the representation of 'burnt offerings and sacrifices' as worship of the Lord in general, dealt with in 922, 6905, 8936, worship of the Lord springing from the good of love being meant specifically by 'burnt offerings' and worship of Him springing from the truth of faith rooted in good by 'sacrifices', 8680; and from the meaning of 'young bulls' as the good of innocence and charity in the external or natural man, dealt with below. The beasts or animals that were sacrificed were signs of the nature of the goodness and truth from which worship sprang, 922, 1823, 2180, 3519; gentle and useful beasts mean celestial realities which are aspects of the good of love and spiritual realities which are aspects of the truth of faith, and this was why they were used in sacrifices, see 9280. The reason why 'a young bull' means the good of innocence and charity in the external or natural man is that members of the herd were signs of the affections for goodness and truth present in the external or natural man, while members of the flock were signs of the affections for goodness and truth present in the internal or spiritual man, 2566, 5913, 6048, 8937, 9135. Members of the flock were lambs, she-goats, sheep, rams, and he-goats; and those of the herd were bulls or oxen, young bulls or oxen, and calves. Lambs and sheep were signs of the good of innocence and charity present in the internal or spiritual man; consequently calves and young bulls, being of a more tender age than fully-grown bulls, were signs of a like good in the external or natural man.

[2] The fact that 'young bulls' and 'calves' have this meaning is clear from places in the Word where they are mentioned, for example in Ezekiel,

The feet of the four living creatures were straight feet, and the hollows of their feet were like the hollow of a calf's foot. ¹ And they sparkled like a kind of burnished bronze. Ezekiel 1:7.

This refers to the cherubs whom 'the four living creatures' describe. 'The cherubs' are the Lord's protection and providence, guarding against access to Him except through good, see 9277 (end). External or natural good was represented by 'straight feet' ² and by 'the hollows of feet that were like the hollow of a calf's foot'; for 'the feet' means the things which belong to the natural man, 'straight feet' those which are aspects of good, and 'the hollows of the feet' those which are last and lowest in the natural man. For the meaning of 'the feet' as these things, see 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952, 5327, 5328; and for that of the heels, soles, and hollows of the feet, also hoofs, as the last and lowest things in the natural man, 4938, 7729. The reason why the hollows of their feet 'sparkled like a kind of burnished bronze' is that 'bronze' means natural good, 425, 1551, and 'bronze sparkling as if burnished' means good shining with the light of heaven, which is God's truth radiating from the Lord. From this it is evident that 'a calf' means the good of the external or natural man.

[3] Similarly in John,

Around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. And the first living creature was like a lion; but the second living creature was like a calf; the third living creature however had a face like a human being; lastly the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. Revelation 4:6-7.

Here also 'four living creatures', who are cherubs, means the Lord's protection and providence, guarding against anyone's gaining access except through the good of love. Actual protection is achieved by means of truth and the good arising from it, and by means of good and the truth deriving from it. Truth and the good arising from it, in the outward form, are meant by 'a lion' and 'a calf'; and good and the truth deriving from it, in the inward form, are meant by 'the face of a human being' and 'a flying eagle'. 'A lion' means truth from good in its power, see 6367, and therefore 'a calf' means the actual good arising from it.

[4] In Hosea,

Turn back to Jehovah, say to Him, Take away all iniquity and accept that which is good, and we will render the young bulls ³ of our lips. Hosea 14:2.

No one can know what 'rendering the young bulls of the lips' refers to unless he knows what is meant by 'young bulls' and what by 'the lips'. It is evident that the praise (confessio) and thanksgiving which flow from a heart that is good are meant, for it says, 'Turn back to Jehovah, and say to Him, Accept that which is good', and then 'we will render the young bulls of our lips', which stands for offering Jehovah praise and thanksgiving which flow from the forms of good taught by doctrine. For things connected with doctrine are meant by 'the lips', 1286, 1288.

[5] In Amos,

You bring near a reign of violence. ⁴ They lie on beds of ivory, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the midst of the fattening stall. Amos 6:3-4.

These words describe those who abound in cognitions or knowledge of goodness and truth and yet lead an evil life. 'Eating lambs from the flock' means learning forms of the good of innocence which belong to the internal or spiritual man and making them one's own; 'eating calves from the midst of the fattening stall' stands for learning forms of the good of innocence which belong to the external or natural man and making them one's own. For the meaning of 'eating' as making one's own, see 3168, 3513 (end), 3596, 3832, 4745; and for the meaning of 'lambs' as forms of the good of innocence, 3994, 3519, 7840. Since 'lambs' means interior forms of the good of innocence, it follows that 'calves from the midst of the fattening stall' means exterior forms of the good of innocence; for on account of the heavenly marriage it is normal for the Word, especially the prophetical part, to deal with truth whenever it does so with good, 9263, 9314, and also to speak about external things whenever it does so about internal ones. Also 'the fattening stall' and 'fat' mean the good of interior love, 5943.

[6] Likewise in Malachi,

To you, fearers of My name, the Sun of Righteousness will arise, and healing in His wings, that you may go out and grow, like calves of the fattening stall. Malachi 4:2.

In Luke, the father said, referring to the prodigal son who had come back penitent in heart,

Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. Furthermore bring the fatted calf and kill it, that we may eat and be glad. Luke 15:22-23.

Anyone who understands nothing more than the literal sense does not believe that deeper things lie hidden in any of this. But in actual fact every one of the details embodies some heavenly idea, such as the details that they were to put the best robe on him, put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet, and bring out the fatted calf and kill it, in order that they might eat and be glad. 'The prodigal son' means those who have squandered heavenly riches, which are cognitions or knowledge of goodness and truth; 'his return to his father, and confession that he was not worthy to be called his son' means a penitent heart and self-abasement; 'the best robe' which was to be put on him means general truths, 4545, 5248, 5319, 5954, 6914, 6917, 9093, 9212, 9216; and 'the fatted calf' means general forms of good in keeping with those truths. The like is meant by 'calves' and 'young bulls' elsewhere, as in Isaiah 11:6; Ezekiel 39:18; Psalms 29:6; 69:31; as well as those used in burnt offerings and sacrifices, Exodus 29:11-12ff; Leviticus 4:3ff, 13ff; 8:15ff; 9:2; 16:3; 23:18; Numbers 8:8ff; 15:24ff; 28:19-20; Judges 6:25-29; 1 Samuel 1:25; 16:2; 1 Kings 18:23-26, 33.

[7] The reason why the children of Israel made the golden calf for themselves and worshipped it in place of Jehovah, Exodus 32:1-end, was that Egyptian idolatry persisted in their heart even though they professed belief in Jehovah with their lips. Chief among the idols in Egypt were heifers and calves made of gold. This was because 'a heifer' was a sign of truth on the level of factual knowledge, which is the truth the natural man possesses, while 'a calf' was a sign of good on the same level, which is the good the natural man possesses; and also because gold meant good. Visible images symbolizing this good and that truth which the natural man possesses took the form in that land of calves and heifers made of gold. But when the representative signs of heavenly things there were turned into things belonging to idolatrous practices and finally into those belonging to the practice of magic, the actual representative images there, as in other places, became idols and started to be objects that were worshipped. This was how the forms of idolatry among the people of old and all the magic of Egypt arose.

[8] For the Ancient Church, which came next after the Most Ancient, was a representative Church, all of whose worship consisted in rituals, statutes, judgements, and commandments, which represented Divine and heavenly realities, which are the interior things of the Church. The Church after the Flood was spread throughout a large part of the Asiatic world, and existed also in Egypt. But in Egypt this Church's factual knowledge was developed more fully. Consequently those people excelled all others in knowledge of correspondences and representations, as becomes clear from the hieroglyphics, from the magic and idols there, as well as from the various things mentioned in the Word regarding Egypt. All this being so, 'Egypt' in the Word means factual knowledge in general, in respect both of truth and of good; and it also means the natural, since factual knowledge belongs to the natural man. Such knowledge was also meant by 'a heifer' and 'a calf'.

[9] The Ancient Church, which was a representative Church, was spread throughout a large number of kingdoms, and existed also in Egypt, see 1238, 2385, 7097.

The Church's factual knowledge was more fully developed especially in Egypt, and therefore 'Egypt' in the Word means factual knowledge in both senses, 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 5702, 6004, 6015, 6125, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692, 6693, 6750, 7779 (end), 7926.

And since truth on the level of factual knowledge and its good are the natural man's truth and good, 'Egypt' in the Word also means the natural, 4967, 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160, 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301, 6004, 6015, 6147, 6252.

[10] From all this it is now evident that heifers and calves belonged among the chief idols of Egypt. And they did so because heifers and calves were signs of truth on the level of factual knowledge and its good, which belong to the natural man, even as Egypt itself was a sign of them, so that Egypt and a calf had the same meaning. This accounts for the following that is said regarding Egypt in Jeremiah,

A very beautiful heifer was Egypt; destruction has come from the north. And her hired servants in the midst of her are like calves of the fattening stall. ⁵ Jeremiah 46:20-21.

'A heifer' is truth on the level of factual knowledge, which belongs to the natural man. 'Hired servants' who are 'calves' are those who do good for the sake of gain, 8002. 'Calves' are accordingly that kind of good which is not in itself good, only delight such as exists with the natural man separated from the spiritual man. This delight, which is in itself idolatrous, is what the children of Jacob indulged in, as they were allowed to reveal and prove in their adoration of the calf, Exodus 32:1-end.

[11] What they did then is also described as follows in David,

They made a calf in Horeb and bowed down to the molded image; and they changed the glory into the effigy of the ox that eats the plant. ⁶ Psalms 106:19-20.

'Making a calf in Horeb and bowing down to the molded image' means idolatrous worship, which consists of rituals, statutes, judgements, and commandments, but solely in their outward form and not at the same time in their inward form. That nation was restricted to external things devoid of anything internal, see 9320 (end), 9373, 9377, 9380, 9381, and so was idolatrous at heart, 3732 (end), 4208, 4281, 4825, 5998, 7401, 8301, 8871, 8882. 'They changed the glory into the effigy of the ox that eats the plant' means that they forsook the inward things of the Word and the Church and cultivated the outward, which is no more than lifeless factual knowledge. For 'the glory' is the inward aspect of the Word and the Church, see Preface to Genesis 18, and 5922, 8267, 8427; 'the effigy of the ox' is a semblance of good in outward form, since 'the effigy' means a semblance, thus a lifeless imitation, while 'the ox' means good in the natural, thus in outward form, 2566, 2781, 9135; and 'eating the plant' means making it one's own only on the level of factual knowledge, since 'eating' means making one's own, 3168, 3513 (end), 3596, 4745, while 'the plant' means factual knowledge, 7571.

[12] Because such things were meant by 'the golden calf' which was worshipped by the children of Israel in place of Jehovah, Moses disposed of it in the following manner,

I took your sin which you had made, the calf, and burnt it in the fire, and crushed it by grinding it right down until it was fine as dust; and I threw its dust into the brook descending out of the mountain. Deuteronomy 9:21.

No one knows why the golden calf was treated in this manner unless he knows what being burned in the fire, crushed, ground down, and made fine as dust means, and what the brook descending out of the mountain, into which the dust was thrown, means. It describes the state of those who venerate external things but nothing internal, that is to say, they are people immersed in the evils of self-love and love of the world, and in consequent falsities so far as things from God are concerned, thus so far as the Word is concerned. For 'the fire' in which the image was burned means the evil of self-love and love of the world, 1297, 1861, 2446, 5071, 5215, 6314, 6832, 7324, 7575; 'the dust' into which it was crushed is consequent falsity substantiated from the literal sense of the Word; and 'the brook' coming out of Mount Sinai is God's truth, thus the Word in the letter since this descends out of that truth. Those with whom external things are devoid of anything internal explain the Word to suit their own loves; and, as was so with the Israelites and Jews in former times and still is so at the present day, they see within it earthly and not at all heavenly things.

[13] Much the same as all this was also represented by Jeroboam's calves at Bethel and Dan, 1 Kings 12:26-end; 2 Kings 17:16, spoken of as follows in Hosea,

They have made a king, and not by Me; they have made princes, and I did not know. Their silver and their gold they have made into idols for themselves, that they may be cut off. Your calf has deserted [you], O Samaria. For from Israel is this also. A smith has made it, and it is not God; for the calf of Samaria will be broken to ⁷ pieces. Hosea 8:4-6.

This refers to the perverted understanding and the distorted explanation of the Word by those with whom external things are devoid of anything internal; for they keep to the literal sense of the Word, which they twist around to suit their own loves and ideas conceived from it. 'Making a king, and not by Me', and 'making princes, and I did not know' means hatching out truth and the leading aspects of truth, and doing so in the inferior light that is one's own, not with God's help; for 'a king' in the internal sense means truth, 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148, and 'princes' leading aspects of truth, 1482, 2089, 5044.

[14] 'Making their silver and their gold into idols' means perverting knowledge of truth and good obtained from the literal sense of the Word to suit their own desires, while still venerating that knowledge as being holy; even so it is devoid of life because it comes from their self-intelligence. For 'silver' is truth and 'gold' is good which come from God, and for this reason belong to the Word, 1551, 2954, 5658, 6914, 6917, 8932; and 'idols' are religious teachings which are a product of self-intelligence, and which are venerated as being holy, but in fact have no life in them, 8941. From all this it is evident that 'a king' and 'princes', also 'silver' and 'gold', mean falsities arising from evil; for things that arise from the self or proprium arise from evil and consequently are falsities, even though outwardly they look like truths because they have been taken from the literal sense of the Word. From this it is evident what is meant by 'the calf of Samaria which the smith has made and which will be broken to pieces', namely good present in the natural man but not at the same time in the spiritual man, thus what is not good since it has been applied to evil. 'A smith has made it, and it is not God' means that it is a product of the self and does not come from God; and 'being broken to pieces' means being reduced to nothing.

[15] Like things are meant by 'calves' in Hosea,

They sin more and more, and make for themselves a molten image from their silver, idols by their own intelligence, completely the work of craftsmen, saying to them, Those who offer human sacrifice ⁸ will kiss the calves. Hosea 13:2.

From all this it is now evident what 'calf' and 'young bull' mean in the following places: In Isaiah,

The unicorns will come down with them, and the young bulls with the powerful ones; and their land will become drunk with blood, and their dust will be made fat with fatness. Isaiah 34:7.

In the same prophet,

The fortified city will be solitary, a habitation forsaken and left like a wilderness; there the calf will feed, and there it will lie down and consume its branches. Its harvest will wither. Isaiah 27:10-11.

In Jeremiah,

From the cry of Heshbon even to Elealeh, as far as Jahaz they uttered their voice, from Zoar even to Horonaim, a three year old heifer, for the waters of Nimrim also will become desolations. Jeremiah 48:34.

In Isaiah,

My heart cries out upon Moab, his fugitives flee even to Zoar, a three year old heifer, for at the ascent of Luhith he will go up weeping. Isaiah 15:5.

In Hosea,

Ephraim is a trained heifer, loving to thresh [grain]. Hosea 10:11.

In David,

Rebuke the wild animals of the reeds, the congregation of the strong ones, among the calves of the peoples, trampling on the fragments of silver. They have scattered the peoples; they desire wars. Psalms 68:30.

[16] This refers to the arrogance of those who wish to enter into the mysteries of faith on the basis of factual knowledge, refusing to accept anything at all apart from what they themselves deduce on that basis. Since they see nothing in the superior light of heaven which comes from the Lord, only in the inferior light of the natural world which begins in the self, they seize on shadows instead of light, on illusions instead of realities, in general on falsity instead of truth. Since these people's thinking is insane, because it relies solely on the lowest level of knowledge, they are called 'wild animals of the reeds'; since their reasoning is fierce they are called 'the congregation of the strong ones'; and since they dispel truths that still remain and are spread around among the forms of good of those governed by the Church's truths, they are said 'to trample on the fragments of silver among the calves of the peoples', and in addition 'to scatter the peoples', that is, the Church itself together with its truths. The longing to attack and destroy these truths is meant by 'desiring wars'. From all this it is again evident that 'calves' are forms of good.

[17] In Zechariah 12:4 it says, 'Every horse of the peoples I will strike with blindness'; and 'horse of the peoples' means the ability to understand truths which exists with everyone who belongs to the Church, since 'a horse' means the power of understanding truth, 2761. But in Psalms 68:30 quoted above it speaks of 'trampling on the fragments of silver' and 'scattering the peoples among the calves of the peoples'. 'Trampling on' and 'scattering' mean casting down and dispelling, 258; 'silver' means truth, 1551, 2954, 5658, 6112, 6914, 6917, 7999, 8932; and 'the peoples' means those belonging to the Church who are governed by truths, 2928, 7207, thus also the Church's truths, 1259, 1260, 3295, 3581, so that 'the calves of the peoples' means the forms of good governing the will of those who belong to the Church.

[18] Further evidence that forms of good are meant by 'calves' is clear in Jeremiah,

I will give the men who transgressed My covenant, who did not keep the terms of the covenant which they made before Me, that of the calf which they cut in two in order that they might pass between its parts - the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the royal ministers and the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf - I will give them into the hand of their enemies, that their dead bodies may be food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth. Jeremiah 34:18-20.

No one can know what 'the covenant of the calf' and what 'passing between its parts' describe unless he knows what is meant by 'a covenant', 'a calf', and 'cutting it into two parts', and also what is meant by 'the princes of Judah and of Jerusalem, the royal ministers and the priests, and the people of the land'. Plainly some heavenly arcanum is meant. Nevertheless that arcanum comes into the open and can be understood when it is known that 'a covenant' means being joined together, 'a calf' means good, 'a calf cut into two parts' means good emanating from the Lord on one hand and good received by a person on the other; that 'the princes of Judah and of Jerusalem, and the royal ministers and the priests, and the people of the land' are the truths and forms of good which the Church has from the Word; and that 'passing between the parts' means being joined together. Once all this is known it becomes evident that the internal sense of these words in Jeremiah is this: With that nation good emanating from the Lord was not at all joined to but stood apart from good received by a person through the Word, and therefore through the Church's truths and forms of good. The reason for this was that they were restricted to external things, devoid of anything internal.

[19] The same thing is implied by the covenant of the calf with Abram, referred to as follows in the Book of Genesis,

Jehovah said to Abram, Take for Me ⁹ a three year old heifer, and a three year old she-goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtle dove and a fledgling. And he took for himself all these, and parted each of them down the middle and laid each part opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut apart. And birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away. And as the sun was going down a deep sleep came over Abram, and, behold, a dread of a great darkness was coming over him. On that day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram. Genesis 15:9-12, 18.

'A dread of great darkness coming over Abram' was a sign of the state of the Jewish nation, that they were in greatest darkness so far as truths and forms of good which the Church has from the Word were concerned. They were in such darkness because they were restricted to external things devoid of anything internal, as a consequence of which their worship was idolatrous. For the worship of anyone restricted to external things devoid of anything internal is idolatrous, because his heart and soul when he engages in worship is not in heaven but in the world. Nor does he respect the holy things of the Word from any heavenly love present in him, only an earthly love. This state of that nation is what the prophet described by 'the covenant of the calf which they cut into two parts, between which they passed'.

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