IBhayibheli

 

Mooseksen kirja 32

Funda

   

1 Kuulkaat te taivaat, minä puhun, ja maa kuulkaan minun suuni sanoja.

2 Minun oppini tiukkukaan niinkuin sade, minun puheeni vuotakaan niinkuin kaste, niinkuin sade vihannon päälle ja niinkuin pisarat ruohon päälle.

3 Sillä minä ylistän Herran nimeä: antakaat meidän Jumalallemme suuri kunnia.

4 Hän on kallio, hänen työnsä ovat laittamattomat, sillä kaikki hänen tiensä ovat oikiat; vakaa on Jumala, ilman kaikkea vääryyttä, hän on vanhurskas ja oikia.

5 Onko hän hänen turmellut? Ei, vaan hänen lapsensa ovat heidän häpiäpilkkunsa; se on nurja ja sekaseurainen suku.

6 Niinköstä te Herralle maksatte, hullu ja tyhmä kansa? Eikö hän ole sinun Isäs ja sinun Lunastajas, joka sinun luonut ja valmistanut on?

7 Muista muinaisia aikoja, ymmärrä vuosikaudet suvusta sukuun; kysy isältäs, ja hän ilmoittaa sinulle, ja vanhimmiltas, niin he sinulle sanovat.

8 Kuin kaikkein korkein jakoi pakanat ja hajoitti ihmisten lapset, silloin hän laski kansain maan rajat, Israelin lasten luvun jälkeen.

9 Sillä Herran osa on hänen oma kansansa, Jakob on hänen perimisensä nuora.

10 Hän löysi hänen erämaassa ja hirmuisessa suuressa itkukorvessa. Hän vei hänen ympäri, hän opetti hänen ymmärtämään ja varjeli häntä niinkuin silmäteräänsä,

11 Niinkuin kotka kehoittelee pesäänsä ja laukuilee poikainsa päällä, levittää siipensä, ottaa kunkin heistä ja kantaa siipeinsä päällä,

12 Niin Herra yksinänsä talutti häntä, ja ei ollut hänen kanssansa muuta Jumalaa.

13 Hän vei hänen hamaan maan korkeuteen, ja ruokki hänen pellon hedelmällä, ja antoi hänen imeä hunajaa kalliosta ja öljyä kovasta kivestä,

14 Voita lehmistä, ja rieskaa lampaista, ynnä karitsain lihavuuden kanssa, ja Basanin oinaat, ja lihavat kauriit, ja parhaan nisun, ja juotti hänen parhaalla viinamarjan verellä.

15 Ja Israel lihoi, tuli vikuriksi, lihavaksi, paksuksi ja väkeväksi, ja hylkäsi Jumalan, joka hänen teki, ja katsoi autuutensa kallion ylön.

16 He yllyttivät hänen kiivauteen muukalaisten kautta, kauhistusten kautta vihoittivat he hänen.

17 He uhrasivat perkeleille, eikä Jumalalle, jumalille, joita ei he tunteneet, vasta-uutisille, jotka ei ennen olleet, joita isänne ei peljänneet.

18 Kallion, joka sinun siitti, sinä hyljäsit, ja unhotit Jumalan, joka sinun loi.

19 Ja Herra näki sen, ja vihastui, poikainsa ja tyttäriensä kehoituksen tähden,

20 Ja sanoi: minä peitän kasvoni heidän edestänsä, ja katson mitä heidän viimeiseltä tapahtuu; sillä se on nurja suku ja senkaltaiset lapset, joissa ei ole uskoa.

21 He härsyttelivät minua sen kautta, joka ei ole jumala, epäjumaluutensa kautta ovat he minun vihoittaneet ja minä vihoitan heitä jälleen sen kautta, joka ei ole kansa, tyhmällä kansalla minä heitä vihoitan.

22 Sillä tuli on syttynyt minun vihassani, ja polttaa hamaan alimaiseen helvettiin, ja kuluttaa maan, ynnä hänen hedelmänsä kanssa, ja polttaa vuorten perustukset.

23 Minä kokoon kaiken onnettomuuden heidän päällensä, minä ammun kaikki nuoleni heihin.

24 Nälästä heidän pitää hiukahtuman ja poltetaudilla kulutettaman, ja äkillisellä kuolemalla; minä lähetän metsän petoin hampaat heidän keskellensä, ja kyykärmeen myrkyn.

25 Ulkona pitää miekan heitä hävittämän ja sisällä huoneessa pelvon, sekä nuorukaiset että neitseet, imeväiset ja harmaapäät.

26 Minä sanoin: minä hävittäisin heitä, minä lakkauttaisin heidän muistonsa ihmisistä,

27 Ellen minä vihollisteni vihaa karttaisi, ettei heidän vainollisensa ylpeilisi, ja lähes sanoisi: meidän oikia kätemme on kaikki nämät tehnyt, eikä Herra.

28 Sillä se on kansa, jossa ei mitään neuvoa ole, eikä ymmärrystä.

29 Jospa he taitavaiset olisivat, niin he ymmärtäisivät ja huomaitsisivat, mitä heille viimeiseltä tapahtuu.

30 Kuinka yksi ajais tuhatta takaa ja kaksi karkottaisi kymmenentuhatta heistä? Eikö sentähden, että heidän kallionsa on heidät myynyt? ja Herra on heidät sulkenut?

31 Sillä ei ole meidän kalliomme niinkuin heidän kallionsa, ja meidän vihollisemme ovat meidän tuomarimme.

32 Sillä heidän viinapuunsa on Sodoman viinapuusta ja Gomorran pelloista, heidän viinamarjansa myrkylliset viinamarjat, heillä ovat karvahimmat marjat.

33 Heidän viinansa on lohikärmeen kiukkuvahto, ja kyykärmetten hirmullinen myrkky.

34 Eikö se liene kätketty minun tykönäni? ja sinetillä lukittu minun tavaroissani?

35 Minun on kosto, minä kostan, heidän jalkansa pitää ajallansa kompastuman; sillä heidän kadotuksensa aika on läsnä, ja mikä heille tarjontelee, se rientää.

36 Sillä Herra tuomitsee kansansa, ja armahtaa palveliaansa; sillä hän näkee, että käsi on poissa, ja ei ole mitään tallella pidetty eikä jätetty.

37 Ja pitää sanottaman: kussa heidän Jumalansa ovat? heidän kallionsa, johonka he uskalsivat?

38 Joiden lihavimmat uhrit he söivät, ja joivat viinan heidän juomauhristansa, nouskaan ne ja auttakaan teitä ja varjelkaan teitä.

39 Nähkäät nyt, että minä itse olen, ja ei ole jumalia minun kanssani. Minä kuoletan ja teen eläväksi, minä lyön ja minä parannan, ja ei kenkään ole, joka minun käsistäni vapahtaa.

40 Sillä minä nostan käteni taivaasen ja sanon: minä elän ijankaikkisesti.

41 Kuin minä hion miekkani niinkuin pitkäisen leimauksen, ja minun käteni rupee rangaistukseen, niin minä koston maksan minun vihollisilleni, ja niille palkitsen, jotka minua vihaavat.

42 Minä juotan nuoleni verellä, ja miekkani pitää lihaa syömän tapettuiden verestä, ja vangittuiden ja vihollisten paljastetusta päästä.

43 Riemuitkaat te kaikki, jotka olette hänen kansansa; sillä hän kostaa palveliainsa veren. Ja kostaa vihollisillensa, ja sovittaa maansa ja kansansa.

44 Ja Moses tuli ja puhui kaikki nämät veisun sanat tämän kansan kuullen, hän ja Josua Nunin poika.

45 Ja Moses päätti kaikki nämät sanat koko Israelille,

46 Ja sanoi heille: pankaat sydämeenne kaikki ne sanat, jotka minä teille tänäpänä todistin, että te käskisitte teidän lapsianne, tekemään ja pitämään kaikki tämän lain sanat.

47 Sillä ei siinä ole teille yhtään turhaa sanaa, vaan se on teidän elämänne; ja ne sanat pitentävät teidän ikänne maan päällä, johon te menette Jordanin ylitse, omistamaan sitä.

48 Ja Herra puhui Mosekselle sinä päivänä, ja sanoi:

49 Mene tälle Abarimin vuorelle, Nebon vuorelle, joka on Moabin maalla Jerihon kohdalla, ja katsele Kanaanin maata, jonka minä Israelin lapsille omaksi annan.

50 Sinun pitää kuoleman vuorella, johonkas menet, ja koottaman kansas tykö, niinkuin veljeskin Aaron kuoli Horin vuorella, ja koottiin kansan tykö,

51 Että te olette rikkoneet minua vastaan Israelin lasten seassa, riitaveden tykönä Kadeksessa Sinin korvessa: ettette minua pyhittäneet Israelin lasten seassa.

52 Sillä sinä näet maan kohdastansa; vaan ei sinun pidä siihen maahan tuleman, jonka minä Israelin lapsille annan.

   


SWORD version by Tero Favorin (tero at favorin dot com)

Okususelwe Emisebenzini kaSwedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #9780

Funda lesi Sigaba

  
Yiya esigabeni / 10837  
  

9780. 'And let them bring to you olive oil' means the good of charity and faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'olive oil' as the good of celestial love, dealt with in 886, but in the present verse the good of spiritual love, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour and the good of faith. The reason why the good of charity and faith is meant here by 'olive oil' is that it was for the light or lampstand, and 'the lampstand' means the spiritual heaven, 9548, the spiritual heaven on earth being the spiritual Church. 'Oil' and 'the olive tree' mean in the Word both celestial good and spiritual good, celestial good when the celestial kingdom or Church is the subject, and spiritual good when the spiritual kingdom or Church is the subject. What makes these kingdoms or Churches different from each other is the types of good. The celestial kingdom or Church's types of good are the good of love to the Lord and the good of mutual love, and the spiritual kingdom or Church's types of good are the good of charity towards the neighbour and the good of faith, 9741. These types of good and the types of truth that spring from them are the subject throughout the Word; for the Word consists wholly of teachings about good. It does so because it consists wholly of teachings about love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour, Matthew 22:35-40, and all good is an attribute of love, including the good of faith since this comes into being from the good of love and does not exist without it.

[2] Since the Word consists of teachings about good, people need to know what good is if they are to have any understanding of the Word. But no one can know what good is unless he tries to lead a good life in accordance with the Word. For when someone tries to lead a good life in accordance with the Word the Lord instills good into that person's life. The person then comes to perceive that good and has a feeling for it, and as a result recognizes the essential nature of it. In no other circumstances does it appear, because it does not come to be perceived. All this makes clear what the condition is of those who merely know the things contained in the Word, convince themselves that they are true, yet fail to act on them. They are people with no real awareness of good, nor consequently of truth, for truth is known from good, and never exists without good except as some piece of lifeless knowledge which passes away in the next life.

[3] The fact that 'oil' and 'olive' mean good is clear from places in the Word where they are mentioned, as in Zechariah,

I saw a lampstand of gold, two olive trees beside it, one on the right of the bowl and one to the left of it. These are the two sons of oil, standing beside the Lord of the whole earth. Zechariah 4:2-3, 14.

'Two olive trees' and 'the two sons of oil' are the good of love to the Lord, which is on His right, and the good of charity towards the neighbour, which is to His left. Something similar occurs in John,

The two witnesses prophesied one thousand two hundred and sixty days. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. Revelation 11:3-4.

'The two olive trees and the two lampstands' are the same two types of good, which, since they come from the Lord, are called 'the two witnesses'.

[4] In the same book,

I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, Do no harm to oil and wine. Revelation 6:6.

'Oil' stands for the good of love and charity, 'wine' for the good and truth of faith. In Isaiah,

I will plant 1 in the wilderness the cedar of shittah, and the myrtle, and the oil tree. 2 Isaiah 41:19.

In Jeremiah,

They will come and sing on the height of Zion, and converge towards the goodness of Jehovah, towards wheat, and towards new wine, and towards oil. Jeremiah 31:12.

In Joel,

The field has been devastated, the land has been mourning because the grain has been laid waste, the new wine has failed, the oil languishes. Joel 1:10.

In the same prophet,

The threshing-floors are full of clean grain, and the presses overflow with new wine and oil. Joel 2:24.

In Moses,

I will give the rain for your land in its season, that you may gather your grain, your new wine, and your oil. Deuteronomy 11:14.

[5] This verse speaks of grain, new wine, and oil, but it becomes clear to anyone who stops to consider the matter that it is not these actual products that are meant. For being Divine the Word is spiritual, not worldly, so that what it says does not have to do with grain, new wine, or oil of the land, inasmuch as they serve the body as forms of food, only inasmuch as they serve the soul. For all forms of food in the world mean, when mentioned in the Word, heavenly kinds of food, as also the bread and wine in the Holy Supper do. What it is that 'grain' and 'new wine' mean in the places quoted above, see 3580, 5295, 5410, 5959, from which it is evident what 'oil' means.

[6] The same applies to all those things spoken by the Lord when He was in the world, such as those regarding the Samaritan - that he went near the one wounded by the robbers, bound his wounds, and poured in oil and wine, Luke 10:33-34. In this instance oil and wine are not what is meant but the good of love and charity, the good of love by 'oil' and the good of charity and faith by 'wine'. For the subject is the neighbour, thus charity towards him. As regards this meaning of 'wine', see 6377.

[7] The same applies to the things spoken by the Lord regarding the ten virgins, five of whom took their lamps without at the same time any oil, and five who took theirs with oil as well - that the latter five were admitted into heaven, whereas the former five were turned away, Matthew 25:3-4ff. 'Oil in the lamps' is the good of love and charity within the truths of faith; 'the virgins who took lamps but no oil' are those who hear the Word, read it, and say that they are believers, yet do not on that account perform any good deed at all, or who if they do, are not moved by a love of good or of truth but by selfish and worldly love.

[8] Since oil was a sign of the good of charity the sick were also anointed with oil and healed, as it says about the Lord's disciples, that when they went out they cast out demons, and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them, Mark 6:13. In David,

You will make my head fat with oil, my cup will overflow. Psalms 23:5.

'Making the head fat with oil' stands for endowing with heavenly good. In Moses,

Jehovah fed [the people] with the produce of the fields; He caused them to suck honey out of the crag and oil out of the stony rock. Deuteronomy 32:13.

This refers to the Ancient Church. 'Sucking oil out of the stony rock' stands for being imbued with good through the truths of faith.

[9] In Habakkuk,

The fig tree will not blossom, neither will there be any produce on the vines; the olive crop will fail, 3 and the fields will not yield food. Habakkuk 3:17.

Neither the fig tree, vines, olives, nor fields should be understood here but the heavenly sources of food to which they correspond. This is also something which all who acknowledge that the Word has to do with such things as belong to heaven and the Church, and so to the soul, can recognize for themselves. But people who have no thought of anything other than worldly, earthly, and bodily things do not see it, indeed have no wish to see it. They say to themselves, What are spiritual things? What are heavenly realities? and so say, What are heavenly sources of food? They indeed know, when they are told, that these are the kinds of things which contribute to intelligence and wisdom, but they have no wish to know that they are what contribute to faith and love. They have no wish to know because they do not let such things enter into their life and as a result do not go far enough to attain intelligence and wisdom in heavenly truths and forms of goodness.

[10] In Ezekiel,

I washed you with water, and washed away the blood 4 from upon you, and anointed you with oil. I clothed you with embroidered cloth. Your garments were fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, and honey, and oil. But you took your embroidered garments and covered the images, and you set My oil and My incense before them. Ezekiel 16:9-10, 13, 18.

Is there anyone who cannot see that garments made of embroidered cloth, fine linen, or silk are not meant here, nor oil, honey, or fine flour, but Divine things belonging to heaven and the Church? For these words refer to Jerusalem, by which the Church is meant, and therefore the matters that are mentioned mean such things as have to do with the Church. Each detail clearly means something specific about the Church, for in the Word, which is Divine, not a single word is devoid of meaning. For the meaning of Jerusalem as the Church, see 3654; and as regards what anything further means, for 'embroidered cloth', 9688; 'fine linen', 5319, 9469; 'fine flour', 2177; 'honey', 5620, 6857; 'washing with water', 3147, 5954 (end), 9088; and 'washing away the blood', 4735, 9127.

[11] In Hosea,

Ephraim feeds the wind; they make a covenant with the Assyrian, and oil is carried down into Egypt. Hosea 12:1.

These words are altogether unintelligible unless one knows what is meant by 'Ephraim', 'the Assyrian', and 'Egypt'. They describe the understanding part in the mind of a member of the Church when that part is perverted by means of mere reasonings based on factual knowledge. For 'Ephraim' is that understanding part, 3969, 5354, 6222, 6238, 6267; 'the Assyrian' reasoning, 1186; and 'Egypt' factual knowledge, 9391. Consequently 'carrying oil down into Egypt' means defiling the Church's good in that manner.

[12] The reason why the Lord went so often up to the Mount of Olives, Luke 21:37; 22:39, was that 'oil' and 'olive' were signs of the good of love, as also was 'a mountain', 6435, 8758. This was so because while the Lord was in the world all things in Him were representative of heaven; through them the whole of heaven was linked to Him. Therefore whatever He did and whatever He spoke was Divine and heavenly, and the last and lowest things were representative. The Mount of Olives represented heaven in respect of the good of love and charity, as also becomes clear in Zechariah,

Jehovah will go out and fight against the nations; His feet will stand on that day upon the Mount of Olives, which faces 5 Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will be split, that part of it [may lean] towards the east and towards the sea, 6 with a large valley; and part of the mountain will move away towards the north, and part of it towards the south. Zechariah 14:3-4.

[13] This refers to the Lord and His Coming. 'The Mount of Olives' means the good of love and charity, and so means the Church, for those forms of good make the Church. The fact that the Church would depart from the Jewish nation and be established among gentile nations is meant by the description that this mountain would be split towards the east, towards the sea, and towards the north and south. Something similar is meant by the Lord's words in Luke,

You yourselves will be thrown out of doors. On the other hand people will come from the east and the west, and from the north and the south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. Luke 13:28-29.

The overall meaning of the statement that Jehovah will go out and fight against the nations, and His feet will stand upon the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem, is that the Lord would fight from Divine Love against the hells; for evils springing from the hells are meant by 'the nations', 1868, 6306, and Divine Love by 'the Mount of Olives' on which His feet will stand.

Imibhalo yaphansi:

1. literally, give

2. literally, the wood of oil

3. literally, the work of the olive will lie (i.e. prove false)

4. literally, your bloods

5. literally, which is before the face of

6. i.e. the west

  
Yiya esigabeni / 10837  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

Okususelwe Emisebenzini kaSwedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #9212

Funda lesi Sigaba

  
Yiya esigabeni / 10837  
  

9212. 'If you ever take your companion's clothing as a pledge' means if factual knowledge of truths is dispersed by illusions that are a product of sensory impressions. This is clear from the meaning of 'taking as a pledge' as receiving a token for goods that are supplied, for 'a pledge' is a token for goods that are being lent. When spiritual things are understood instead of these, supplying goods means giving instruction in truths, and the token or pledge in this instance means truth on the level of the senses. For 'the clothing' here which is given as a pledge means the lowest level of the natural, which is that of the senses. Since illusions abound on this level and illusions wipe out truths, 'taking your companion's clothing as a pledge' means the dispersing of truths by illusions that are a product of sensory impressions. The fact that these things are meant is clear from the whole train of thought in the internal sense.

[2] In general 'clothing' means everything that clothes another, and so whatever is relatively more external. Consequently the external or natural man is called the clothing in relation to the internal or spiritual man. In a similar way truth is called the clothing in relation to good, because truth clothes good; likewise factual knowledge of truth in relation to the truth of faith which belongs to the internal man. Sensory perception, which constitutes the lowest level of life with a person, is the clothing in relation to factual knowledge of truth.

'Clothes' are lower things that cover higher ones, or what amounts to the same thing, exterior things that cover interior ones, see 2576, 5248. In general they are truths, 4545, 4763, 5319, 5954, 6914, 6917, 9093, factual knowledge of truths, 6918, or truths on the level of the senses, 9158. Sensory perception constitutes the lowest level of life with a person, 4009, 5077, 5125, 5128, 5767, 5774, 6201, 6313, 7442, 7693, and sensory perception is subject to illusions, 5084, 5089, 6201, 6948, 6949, 7442.

[3] The meaning of 'clothes' as truths owes its origin to representatives in the next life. There angels and spirits appear dressed in clothes in keeping with the state of faith or truth that is theirs, and their clothes are varied in keeping with the changes which that state undergoes. Those governed by authentic truth appear dressed in white garments, and those governed by truths springing from good in shining ones. But those governed purely by good, as angels of the inmost heaven are, called celestial angels, appear naked. So it is then that clothes are truths, and that truths are meant in the Word by 'clothes', as may be seen from places referred to above. To these places let the following in the Gospels be added:

[4] In Matthew,

When Jesus was transfigured His face shone like the sun, and His garments became [white] as the light. Matthew 17:2.

'Face' in the Word means the interiors, in particular the affections, 358, 1999, 2434, 3527, 3573, 4066, 4796, 4797, 5102, 5695, 6604, 6848, 6849, and 'God's face' Goodness itself, 222, 223, 5585. 'The sun' means God's love, 2441, 2495, 3636, 3643, 4060, 4321 (end), 4696, 7083, 8644. From this it is evident what the meaning is when it says that the Lord's face shone like the Sun, namely that His interiors were the Good of Divine Love. 'His garments became [white] as the light' means Divine Truth radiating from Him, which also appears in heaven as the light, 1521, 1619-1632, 3195, 3222, 3485, 3636, 3643, 4415, 5400, 8644.

[5] In the same gospel,

When Jesus drew near to Jerusalem they brought the she-ass and the colt and laid their garments on them and set Him on them. But a very great crowd spread their garments on the road, while others were breaking off branches from trees and spreading them on the road. Matthew 21:1, 7-8.

Riding on a she-ass and her colt was a representative sign of the Supreme Judge and King, see 2781, as also is evident from what comes before in verse 5,

Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King is coming to you, meek, seated on a she-ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.

It is also evident in Mark 11:1-12; in Luke 19:28-41; in John 12:12-16; and in Zechariah 9:9-10, where it says of the Lord that He would ride on an ass, and on a young ass, a son of she-asses. There He is called a King, and in addition it says that His dominion will be from sea even to sea, and from the River even to the ends of the earth. The fact that the supreme judge rode on a she-ass, and his sons on young asses, see Judges 5:9-10; 10:3-4; 12:14; and that the king rode on a she-mule, and the king's sons on mules, 1 Kings 1:33, 38, 44-45; 2 Samuel 13:29.

[6] When the disciples laid their garments on the she-ass and her colt, it represented the recognition that truths in their entirety were the foundation on which the Lord as supreme Judge and King rested; for the disciples represented the Lord's Church in respect of truths and forms of good, see 2129, 3488, 3858 (end), 6397, and their garments truths themselves, 4545, 4763, 5319, 5954, 6914, 6917, 9093. This same recognition was likewise represented when the crowd spread their garments, also the branches of trees, on the road. Another reason why they spread them on the road was that 'the road' means the truth by means of which a member of the Church is led, see 627, 2333, 3477. And the reason why they also spread the branches of trees was that 'trees' meant perceptions and also cognitions or knowledge of truth and good, 2682, 2722, 2972, 4552, 7692, so that their branches are the truths themselves. Those actions were also performed then because it was customary for the chief persons among the people to lay their garments on supreme judges and kings' she-asses and mules when they rode in pomp on them, and for the people themselves to spread their garments on the road, or the branches of trees instead. For in heaven judgeship consists in Divine Truth derived from Good, and kingship in Divine Truth, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148.

[7] In Luke,

No one adds a piece of a new garment onto an old garment; in doing so he splits the new, and the binding from the new is unsuitable for the old.

Luke 5:36.

The Lord used this comparison to describe the truth of the new Church and the truth of the old Church; for 'garment' means truth. Sewing on one or binding it to the other means destroying both; for the truth of the new Church is interior truth, thus truth for the internal man, whereas the truth of the old Church is exterior truth, thus truth for the external man. The latter kind of truth prevailed in the Jewish Church, for by means of external things this Church represented internal ones, whereas the Church of today has knowledge of the internal truths that were represented then, because the Lord has revealed them. The fact that these truths are not suited to external ones in such a way that they can exist together is what the words used by the Lord serve to mean. From all this also it is evident that 'garment' means the Church's truth.

[8] In John,

Jesus said to Peter, Truly, truly I say to you, When you were a boy you girded your loins and walked where you wished. But when you are old you will stretch out your hands, [and] another will gird your loins and lead you where you do not wish. John 21:18.

No one without knowledge of the internal sense can see what these words imply; plainly, they contain arcana. In the internal sense 'Peter' means the Church's faith, see the Prefaces to Genesis 18, 22, and 3750, 6000, 6073 (end), 6344 (end). Consequently Peter when he was a boy means the nature of the Church's faith as it is initially, and Peter when he would be old means the nature of the Church's faith as it is finally. From this it is evident what 'when you were a boy you girded your loins and walked where you wished' means, namely that the Church's faith as it is initially is faith composed of truth derived from good, thus faith composed of charity towards the neighbour and of love to the Lord. And at this time a member of the Church in doing what is good acts freely, because his actions spring from the Lord. For aspects of the good of love are meant by 'the loins', 3021, 3294, 4280, 4575, 5050-5062, so that 'girding the loins' means clothing good with truths; and living is meant by 'walking', 519, 1794, 8417, 8420, so that 'walking where one wishes' means leading a life that is free. Those people lead a life that is free, or act freely, whose faith springs from love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour; for they are led by the Lord, 892, 905, 2870-2893, 6325, 9096. 'When you are old you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird your loins and lead you where you do not wish' means that the Church's faith as it is finally will be none at all, at which time falsities that arise from evil springing from self-love and love of the world will take the place of faith and enslave it. This is the arcanum which these words spoken by Lord contain and which can be seen only from their internal sense. All this shows once again the kind of way in which the Lord spoke, namely in such a way that an inner meaning might be present within every detail, to the end that heaven might be joined to the world by means of the Word. For without the Word, that is, without Divine Truth that has been revealed, they are not joined together; and if they are not so joined the human race perishes.

  
Yiya esigabeni / 10837  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.