山上の説教（その1）

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1.群衆を見て、主は山に登られた。主がお座りになると、弟子たちが主のもとに来た。

2.そして口を開いて彼らに教えられた、

3.「天の御国は，心の貧しい者たちのものである。

4.その人たちは慰められるからである。

5.彼らは地を受け継ぐからである。

6.正義に飢え渇く者は幸いである。

7.慈悲深い者は幸いである。

8.そのような者たちは，神を見るであろう。

9.彼らは神の子と呼ばれるからである。

10.正義のために迫害される者は幸いである。

11.あなたがたは，わたしのために，あなたがたを非難し，迫害し，あなたがたに不利なあらゆる悪口を言い，嘘を言いふらす。

12.喜び躍りなさい。あなたがたの報いは天に多いからである。」

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この次のエピソードが始まると、ガリラヤだけでなく、デカポリス、エルサレム、ユダヤ、そしてヨルダンの向こうの地域からも、大勢の群衆がイエスのもとに集まってくる。群衆を見て、イエスは山に登り、口を開き、説教を始められる。イエスの説教は、「心の貧しい人々は幸いである。5:3).

前の章では、イエスは洗礼を受け、その後、荒野で一連の誘惑を受けた。誘惑とは、より高い目標や霊的な目的が脅かされ、妨げられ、挑戦されることである。このような時、私たちは自分の低次の本性の欲望、つまり遺伝的な悪を行ないたいという欲望に気づく。

このような誘惑の状態は、私たちの人生において主がどれほど必要であるか、神なしでは何もできないことを思い起こさせる役割を果たす。この認識は、私たちを霊的な貧しさを認める真の謙遜の状態へと導く。聖典では、この謙遜の状態を "霊的に貧しい "と呼ぶ。イエスが "心の貧しい者は幸いである "という言葉で教えを始められるのはこのためである。

この謙遜な状態こそが、神から流れ込む善と真理を受け取る道を開くのである。イエスが、自分の霊的な貧しさを認める人々について、"彼らのところに天の御国があるからだ "と言われるのはこのためである。

このような謙遜の状態で、私たちは祈りの中で主に向かい、自分の霊的な貧しさを告白し、罪を悔い改めるのです。自分の言動に自責の念を感じ、自分の人生を導き導いてくださる主の資質がどれほど必要かを悟るのである。これが、次の祝福が「悲しむ者は幸いである。5:4).

主が私たちを慰めてくださるとき、私たちの低次の本性の欲望は抑えられ、静まる。過剰な自己愛やこの世のものへの愛への傾きが抑えられます。これには、焦り、嫉妬、防衛心、憤り、怒り、軽蔑、貪欲などが含まれる。私たちの低次の本性にあるこれらの欲望が手なずけられるとき、もはや私たちの日常生活の行動を支配し、支配することはなくなる。イエスが言うように、「柔和な者は幸いである。5:4).

ギリシャ語の原語では、"柔和 "を意味するプロアス [πραグς]は "飼いならす "を意味する。自己と世に対する過剰な愛を静め、鎮め、手なずけた人々は、今、主が彼らの内に、彼らを通して行動される準備ができている。彼らは良い人生を送り、正しいことを行ないたいと願っている。そのため、彼らは今、主のいつくしみに飢え、主の真理に渇いている。だからイエスは言われる、「義に飢え渇く者は幸いである。5:6).

これは次の3つの祝福への移行を意味する。第五、第六、第七の祝福は、義の生活を構成する慈愛の業を要約したものである。すべてのことを神に委ねるとき、私たちは他者に対する慈しみに満たされる。そして、その憐れみを行使する限り、私たちはより憐れみ深くなる。それゆえ、イエスは第五の祝福を与えるにあたって、「あわれみ深い者は幸いである。5:7).

そして、すべての人間関係において憐れみ、赦し、思いやりを実践することで、私たちの心は浄化され、他人の良いところを見ることができるようになる。つまり、神から与えられた資質が見えるようになるのだ。イエスが第六の祝福で言っているように、「心の清い者は幸いである。5:8) ¹

これは第七の祝福につながる。イエスは「平和をつくる者は幸いである。5:9). 主が私たちの内に、そして私たちを通して働いておられるとき、私たちは平安の状態にある。私たちの内なる戦いは終わったのだ。主が御言葉の中で語っておられることと、それに従って生きたいという私たちの願いとの間には、もはや何の葛藤もない。ヘブライ語の聖句にあるように、「エルサレムに慰めを語り、その戦いは終わったと叫びなさい」(イザヤ書40:2).

これら7つの祝福の順序は、私たちの霊的な貧しさを認識することから始まり、主が私たちの内に、また私たちを通して働いてくださる安息日の状態に終わる、再生のプロセスを明らかにする神の系列である。この状態において、主は私たちの天の父であり、私たちは神の子と呼ばれる。

このことは、最終的かつ頂点に達する祝福につながる。イエスは言われる、「彼らがあなたがたをののしり、迫害し、わたしのためにあなたがたに偽りの悪口を言いふらすとき、あなたがたは幸いである」(5:10). この第八の祝福は、霊的生活が継続的なプロセスであることを思い出させてくれる。霊的成長の各状態に関連する祝福を経験するとき、私たちは同時に、より高い、より高次の霊的生活の状態に入る準備をしているのである。しかし、それらのより高い状態に入るためには、より微妙な悪を暴き、闘い、克服しなければならない。

こうして、誘惑の試練が再び始まり、より明白でない悪が神の真理の明るい光によって暴露される。これらのより内面的な悪は、私たちの中で立ち上がり、激しく自己防衛し、命をかけて戦う。しかし、自己中心的な懸念を支える誤った理屈や正当化に屈することを拒み、耐え忍ぶなら、そこには大きな祝福がある。彼らがあなたがたを侮り、迫害し、わたしのために、あなたがたに偽りの悪口を言いふらすとき、あなたがたは幸いである。天にあるあなたがたの報いは大きいからである。5:11-12).

第八の祝福は、私たちをシリーズの最初に戻し、誘惑が私たちの信仰を確認する機会を与えてくれることをもう一度思い起こさせる。誘惑の中で受ける苦闘は困難なものであるかもしれないが、それは私たちをより内的な天の共同体と接触させ、私たちの意識を拡大させるものであるため、喜んで予期することができる。 ²

その結果、私たちを取り巻く単純な祝福に対する感謝の念が増し、他者のニーズに対する意識が高まり、手を差し伸べて奉仕したいという気持ちが高まる。だから、イエスは言われる。"喜びなさい、大いに喜びなさい。

実践的な適用

第八の祝福は、霊的成長とはスパイラルカリキュラムのようなもので、同じことを何度も繰り返し、より深く学ぶ機会があることを思い出させてくれる。その意味で、私たちは霊的な試練を障害としてではなく、さらなる成長への足がかりとしてとらえるべきである。すべての試練は、自分が信じていることをより深く確認する機会なのだ。実際的な応用として、次にエゴが刺激されたり、焦りが生じたり、恨みが生じそうになったりしたときは、より高い意識から対応する機会だと考えてください。言い換えれば、今こそ聖典の真理に頼るときであり、その真理を通して天使たちがあなたを助け、主があなたに打ち勝つ力を与えてくださることを知っているのだ。最も重要なことは、誘惑に勝ったからといって、プライドを高めたり、自我を膨らませたり、自分に偽りの自信を持たせたりしてはならないということだ。誘惑は自分の弱さと神の力の両方を明らかにするものであることを忘れずに、必ず神に栄光を帰しなさい。すべての力は主のみものであることを悟るまでは、誘惑を繰り返す運命にある。 ³

良い仕事をする

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13.「あなたがたは地の塩である。そのあとは、捨てられ、人に踏みつけられるだけで、何の役にも立たない。

14.あなたは世の光です。山の上に築かれた町は、隠れることができない。

15.あなたがたは，燭台の上にいて，家の中にいるすべての人のために輝くのである。

16.だから、あなたがたの光を人々の前で輝かせなさい。そうすれば、人々はあなたがたの善行を見、天におられるあなたがたの父をあがめるであろう」

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。山上の説教は素晴らしい教えを与えている。しかし、その教えの精神に従って善い行いをしようとする気持ちがなければ、単なる教えは役に立たない。それは味を失った塩のようなものであり、籠の下に隠された灯火のようなものである。すべての真理は用いるために与えられる。神が私たちに与えてくださるあらゆる祝福は、私たちが隣人により大きな奉仕をするためになされる。そして、その奉仕の中にこそ真の祝福がある。すべての天の報いは、隣人に対する愛に満ちた奉仕に携わるときに経験する喜びだからだ。 ⁴

そのため、神のシリーズは次のような言葉で続けられている：「あなたがたは地の塩であるが、もし塩がその味を失ったら、どうやって味をつけようか。それでは、人に捨てられ、足で踏みつけられるだけで、何の役にも立たない」(5:13).

塩は調味料として非常に有用である。しかし、風味を失った塩は役に立たない。同様に、善を行おうとしない人間は、味のない塩のようなものだ。真理は活用されなければならない。これがこの説教の主旨である。光は良いものだが、それを用いなければならない：「あなたがたは世の光である。「丘の上にある町は隠れることができない。丘の上にある町は、隠れることができない。また、ランプをともしてかごの下に置くこともなく、ランプ台の上に置いて、その家にいるすべての人に光を与える」(5:14-15).

この箇所で強調されているのは、真理を学ぶことだけではなく、真理を生きることである。それは、人々があなたがたの 良い行いを見て、天におられるあなたがたの父をあがめるためである」(5:16). ⁵

霊的指導には、善い行いをすること以外に目的はない。そして良い行いは、主が私たちを通して働いてくださるときにのみ、真に良いものとなる。だからこそ、この説教では、他人が私たちの善い行いを見るとき、すべての賛美、栄光、誉れは神に向かうべきであるという重要な注意喚起が含まれているのである。イエスが言われるように、あなたの良い行いを人々に見せなさい、しかしそれが "天におられるあなたの父をあがめる "ものであるようにしなさい。それは私たちのことではなく、私たちを通して働かれる神のことなのだ。 ⁶

イエスは聖書の内なる意味を明らかにし始める

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17.「わたしが来たのは、律法や預言者を取り消すためではない。

18.天地が過ぎ去るまで、一つのヨードも一つの小角も、律法から消えることはない。

19.しかし，それを行なって教える者は，天の御国で大いなる者と呼ばれるであろう。

20.あなたがたの正義が律法学者やパリサイ人の正義を超えない限り，あなたがたは天の御国に入ることはできない。

21.あなたがたは，古代の人たちが，『あなたは人を殺してはならない。

22.また，兄弟に向かって，「ラカ」と言う者は，審きの対象となり，「愚か者め」と言う者は，火のゲヘナの対象となる。

23.それゆえ，あなたが祭壇の上に贈り物をささげて，そこであなたの兄弟があなたに対して何かあることを思い起こすならば，」。

24.まずあなたの兄弟と和解し，それから，あなたの贈り物をささげなさい。

25.あなたがたの兄弟が，その祭壇の前で，あなたがたの贈り物 を置いて，あなたがたの道を行きなさい。

26.わたしはあなたに言う。あなたは最後の銭を払うまで，そこから出てはならない。

27.あなたがたは，姦淫してはならない。

28.アッラーは，あなたがたを御好・になられない。

29.あなたがたの右目が，あなたがたをつまずかせるならば，それを抜いて，あなたがたから捨てなさい。

30.もしあなたの右手が，あなたをつまずかせるなら，それを断ち切って，あなたから捨てなさい。

31.アッラーは，あなたがたを御好・になられない。

32.アッラーの御許に，あなたがたは堕落したのである。

33.またあなたがたは、古代の人々に、「あなたは偽りを誓ってはならない。

34.それは神の御座だからである；

35.それは神の御座であるからである。

36.なぜなら，あなたは一本の毛も白くすることができず，また黒くすることもできないからである。

37.アッラーは，あなたがたを御好・になられない。

38.アッラーは，あなたがたを御好・になられない。

39.あなたがたの右のほお骨を打つ者は，もう一方のほお骨も打ちなさい。

40.わたしたちは，あなたがたの右のほお骨を打つ者には，もう一方のほお骨も打ちなさい。

41.アッラーは凡てのことに全能であられる。

42.アッラーは，あなたがたを御好・になられない。

43.アッラーの御許に，あなたがたは従うのか。

44.あなたの敵を愛し、あなたを呪う者を祝福し、あなたを憎む者によくし、あなたを傷つけ迫害する者のために祈りなさい」

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。真理が用いられなければならないのは紛れもない事実である。しかし、神の御言葉を最も完全に活用する前に、それを完全に理解しなければならない。だからイエスは今、弟子たちに聖句の読み方について簡単な手ほどきをしているのだ。わたしは滅ぼすために来たのではなく、成就させるために来たのである」(5:17).

イエスが来られたことで、ヘブライ語の聖典の預言が成就されたという点で、イエスは律法を成就された。しかし、イエスはまた、律法をより高い意味で満たすことによって、律法を成就させようとしていた。イエスは、律法が私たちの外面的な行動だけでなく、私たちの内面的な態度、すなわち心の欲望についても語っていることを説明された。霊的に理解されるとき、律法は外面的な行いを規制するためだけでなく、より重要なこととして、内面的な生活を改革するためにも役立つのである。

イエスは戒めから始められた。あなたがたは、昔の人たちに『人を殺してはならない』と言われたことを聞いたことがあるだろう・・・しかし、あなたがたに言っておくが、理由もなく兄弟に腹を立てる者は、裁きの危険にさらされる」(5:21-22). あなたがたは、昔の人に『姦淫してはならない』と言われたことを聞いたでしょう。あなたがたは、昔の人たちに『姦淫してはならない』と言われたことを聞いたことがあるだろう。しかし、あなたがたに言っておくが、欲情して女を見る者は、すでに心の中でその女と姦淫を犯したのである」(5:27-28).

これらは新しい教えだが、聴衆の理解を超えているわけではない。やがて、人間の精神や天国への道についてのより深い教えが生まれるだろうが、人々がこうしたより内面的なメッセージを完全に理解できるようになるまでには時間がかかるだろう。しかし、今のところは、人々の理解を超えた抽象的な真理ではなく、人々が理解できる具体的で文字通りの教えを与えれば十分なのである。

この点で、イエスは誓いを立ててはならないと教えている（参照）。 5:33-37), 報復するのではなく、頬を差し出すのである。 5:39), いがみ合うことなく、要求された以上のものを与えることである。 5:40), 必要以上のことをし、求める者には誰にでも与え、借りたい者には誰にでも貸す（参照 5:42).

これらの教えに従うのは難しいが、理解するのは難しくない。イエスの言葉の中には、私たちの心の奥底にある信念が攻撃を受けているときの私たちの対応についての、より高い真理が含まれている。そのようなとき、もし私たちが真理にとどまるなら、迷うことはない。 ⁷

イエスはこのような内面的な真理を教える代わりに、彼らの心をもっと明白な問題、たとえば復讐したいという欲求を克服する必要性に向けさせた。あなたがたは、『目には目を、歯には歯を』と言われたのを聞いたことがあるだろう。しかし、あなたがたに言っておく。しかし、あなたがたの右の頬をたたく者があれば、もう一方の頬もその人に向けなさい」(5:38).

「頬を向ける」とは、自分の信念が攻撃されたときに、内面的に行うことである。このような攻撃は、他人を通してもたらされることもあるが、神への信仰を破壊し、神の真実の力への信頼を損なわせようとする、目に見えない霊的な力を通してもたらされることもある。それゆえ、私たちは内面的に頬を向けるときはいつでも、自分が真実であると知っていることに揺るがない。

そのようなとき、私たちは、どんな言葉も、ささやかれる言葉も、ほのめかされる言葉も、私たちを傷つけたり、私たちの信仰を破壊したりすることはできないことを知っている。悪に引き込まれない限り、私たちは神の保護下にある。私たちが主のいつくしみと真理のうちにとどまっている限り、悪は私たちに霊的な害を及ぼすことはできない。したがって、悪に抵抗する必要はない。 ⁸

しかし、私たちの自然な生活においては、もっと慎重にならなければならない。私たちは、求める人すべてに与えることはできないし、貸してもいけない。そのような無差別な施しは、私たちが他者に善を行うための資源を失うことになるからだ。同様に、泥棒、詐欺師、詐欺師が私たちを利用するのを許してはならない。罪のない被害者を利用する者は通報され、起訴され、有罪が確定すれば責任を負わなければならない。犯罪行為を無視したり、悪意を支持したりすることは、悪人にとって何の益もなく、社会にとって有害である。 ⁹

要するに、外的な面では残酷さ、詐欺、不正に抵抗しなければならない。しかし、内的な面では、私たちは平静を保ち、平静を装い、平静を装うことができる。私たちの信仰を奪い、幸福を破壊しようとする悪に抵抗するのは神だけだからである。 ¹⁰

これらの教訓は、イエスが後に述べる、より内面的な教訓である。憎しみ、報復、復讐の状態に引き込まれてはならない。その代わりに、イエスは彼らがより高い意識に立ち上がるよう呼びかける。隣人を愛し、敵を憎め。しかし、わたしはあなたがたに言う、敵を愛し、あなたがたを呪う者を祝福し、あなたがたを憎む者に善をなし、あなたがたを憎んで用いる者、迫害する者のために祈りなさい」(5:43-44).

実践的な適用

山上の説教のこの部分でイエスは、「目には目を、歯には歯を」というヘブライの掟に対応する新しい方法を群衆に示した(出エジプト記21:24). イエスは、同じような破壊的な行動、つまり悪に悪を返すような反応を自動的にするのではなく、別の種類の反応によって新しい意識レベルに立ち上がるようにと人々に言われる。右の頬を叩く者は、もう一方の頬も向けなさい。実践的な応用として、あなたのエゴが傷つけられたり、妨げられたり、攻撃されたと感じたり、侮辱には侮辱を、傷には傷を、過ちには過ちを、悪には悪を返したくなるときはいつでも、それに引き込まれないことだ。その代わりに、高次の理解があなたの感情的傷害を支配するようにしなさい。あなたの低次の本性の衝動を、あなたの真実の理解に支配させ、手なずけるようにしなさい。より高次の反応を選びなさい。 ¹¹

"それゆえ、あなたがたは完全であれ"

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45.「そうすれば，あなたがたは天におられるあなたがたの父の子となるであろう。

46.あなたがたは，自分たちを愛する者を愛するなら，どんな報いがあろうか。公人たちも同じではないか。

47.また，あなたがたが自分の兄弟にだけ挨拶するなら，あなたがたは(他の)人たちを越えて何をするのか。公人たちもそうしないのか。

48.あなたがたは、天におられるあなたがたの父が完全であるように、完全な者となりなさい」

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。イエスは説教を続けながら、私たちが他人をどのように見なすべきかについて語られる。友であろうと敵であろうと、公平に、公正に扱うべきである。この点を説明するために、イエスは神の公平さについて、「神は、その太陽を善人にも悪人にも輝かせ、その雨を正しい人にも不正な人にも降らせられる」(5:45). これは象徴的に、偏見なくすべての人を照らす神の善と、雨がすべての人に降り注ぐように、すべての人が利用できる神の真理を指している。

同様に、私たちは、偏見のない公平な方法で、すべての人に善意を広げるよう求められている。イエスはこの例話を提供することで、家族や友人、隣人だけでなく、すべての人に対して公正な心を持ち、慈愛に満ちた態度をとるよう、話を聞いている人々に呼びかけているのだ。偏見を捨て、公平に接することを求めているのだ。

太陽や雨のように、彼らの善行はすべての人に及ぶべきである。結局のところ、自分を愛してくれる人を愛するのは簡単なことなのだ。しかし、これからは誰に対しても慈愛を持つべきである。イエスの言葉を借りれば、「自分を愛してくれる人を愛するなら、どんな報いがあろうか。徴税人でさえ、同じことをしているではないか」。(5:46).

自分を愛してくれる人を愛するのは簡単だ。これは自然なことだ。しかし、主からのみ与えられるもう一つの愛がある。それは、敵を含め、私たちを愛していない人々を愛することである。これは容易なことではなく、さらに霊的な洗練が必要であることを認めながら、イエスは言われる、「天におられるあなたがたの父が完全であるように、あなたがたも完全でありなさい」(5:48).

この節は、しばしば命令ではなく約束と訳されていることに注意すべきである。それゆえ、あなたがたは完全でありなさい」ではなく、「あなたがたは完全でなければならない」と訳されている。これはイエスの意味するところではない。イエスにとって重要なのは、完全であろうと努力することであって、完全を達成することではない。天使たちでさえ、最終的に完全な状態に達することはできない。私たちにもできない。しかし、私たちは忍耐することができる。努力することができる。"天におられる私たちの父が完全であるように "完全であろうと努力することができる。 ¹²

確かに、聖書の時代の人々だけでなく、現代の私たちにとっても、完璧を目指すことは難しいことだ。私利私欲に打ち勝ち、恨みを捨て、寛大さを貪欲さに勝たせ、赦しを復讐に代え、愛を憎しみに勝たせなければならない。神がいなければ、誰もこのようなことを成し遂げることはできず、完璧は達成不可能な目標となる。

このレベルの精神的完全性に近づく唯一の方法は、自分の不完全さを認識し、認めることである。そうして初めて、神の助けを借りて、悪を捨て、魂を磨く努力を始めることができる。その出発点は、悪を神に対する罪として避け、神の真理を求めて祈り、それを受け取り、最後にそれに従って生きるという意志である。

天のあなたがたの父が完全であるように、あなたがたも完全でありなさい」。このようにして、主の導きをますます信頼するようになり、主があらゆる愛に満ちた感情、あらゆる崇高な思い、そしてあらゆる模範的な行動の源であることを認めるようになれば、私たちは現世でも来世でも、絶えず、ますます完全になっていくのである。 ¹³

Note a piè di pagina:

817. And he spake as a dragon, signifies with a similar affection, thought, doctrine, and preaching, as belong to those who separate faith from the life of faith, which is charity. This is evident from the signification of "speaking," as being affection, thought, doctrine, and preaching. This is the signification of "speaking" because all the speech of man is from affection and the consequent thought. The affection itself is expressed by the sound of the speech, and the thought by its words. The affection and the thought are both of them in the speech, as everyone who reflects can see. The affection alone by itself cannot speak, it can only make a sound and sing; nor can thought alone by itself speak otherwise than as an automaton without life, since it is the affection that gives life to every expression of speech; and this is why a man is regarded by others according to the affection of his speech and not according to the words he utters. "To speak" signifies also to preach from doctrine, thus doctrine and preaching therefrom, because it is said that the beast "spake as a dragon;" and a "dragon" means those who are in faith separated from charity both in doctrine and in life (See above, n. 711, 714); and this beast means confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word in favor of the separation of faith from life, and the resulting falsifications of the Word; consequently "to speak as a dragon" signifies that kind of religion in respect to doctrine and preaching.

[2] As faith separate from charity and the resulting falsification of the Word are described by the dragon and its two beasts, I will show in this article that a like heresy is depicted in the Word by "Cain," by "Reuben," and by the "Philistines," and the like is meant also by the "he-goat" in Daniel. For there have been several churches on this earth, namely, the Most Ancient, which was before the flood; the Ancient, which was after the flood; the Jewish, which followed the Ancient; and lastly the Christian Church. All of these churches degenerated in process of time into two enormous errors, into one which adulterated all the goods of the church, and into the other which falsified all its truths. The church that adulterated all the goods of the church is described in the Word by the "Babylonians and Chaldeans;" and the church that falsified all the truths of the church is described by "Cain," by "Reuben," and by the "Philistines," and by the "he-goat" in Daniel which fought with the ram and overcame it. The adulteration of the good of the church, which is described by the "Babylonians and Chaldeans," will be spoken of hereafter where "Babylon" is treated of in Revelation; but now the falsification of truth shall be treated of, which is described here in Revelation by "the dragon and his two beasts," and was also described by "Cain," and by the others above mentioned.

[3] That those who separate the knowledges of truth and good from a life according to them, and who believe that they may be saved by these alone, were represented by "Cain," has been briefly shown in the Arcana Coelestia where Cain and Abel are treated of; to which this shall be added. It is written of Cain:

That he was the firstborn of Adam, and that he tilled the ground, and brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to Jehovah; and that Abel was a shepherd of the flock, and brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof; also that Jehovah had respect unto the offering of Abel and not unto the offering of Cain, that therefore Cain's anger was kindled and he slew his brother; and that Cain was therefore accursed and rejected from the ground, and became a wanderer and fugitive in the earth; and that Jehovah set a sign upon Cain lest he should be slain, and decreed that whoever should slay him should have vengeance taken on him sevenfold (See Genesis 4).

It is to be known that all names of persons and places in the Word signify things and states of the church, especially the names in the first chapters of Genesis, because the stories in those chapters are made-up histories containing the deepest arcana of heaven, and yet they are most holy in the sense of the letter, because in every least word there is a spiritual sense that conjoins the heavens with the men of the church. What these stories involve in the spiritual sense and what the names of the persons there signify has been explained in the Arcana Coelestia. "Cain" signifies the knowledges of truth and good separated from a life according to them, thus from heavenly love, and "Abel" signifies heavenly love; or what is the same, "Cain" signifies truth separated from good, and "Abel" good conjoined with truth. And as truth is the first thing of the church, since every church is formed by means of truths, because every church begins from truths or from the knowledges of truth and good, therefore Cain was the firstborn, and was named "man" [vir] of Jehovah," "man of Jehovah" signifying in the Word the truth of heaven and the church; and the "ground" which Cain tilled signifies the church. The separation of truth from good is signified by the murder of Abel by Cain; for when everything of the church is placed in truths or in knowledges, and not in goods or in the affection of living according to truths, good with its affections is slain. And as everything of the church perishes when truth is separated from good, so Cain "was cast forth from the ground," which, as has been said, signifies the church. But because truths are the first things of the church, for life must be learned from truths, "a sign was set on Cain, lest someone should slay him; and it was decreed that if anyone should slay him he should be avenged seven-fold." And because truth without good is carried hither and thither, having nothing to lead it, and consequently falls successively into falsities, and departs from the way that leads to heaven, so Cain "was cast forth from the face of Jehovah, and became a wanderer and fugitive." The like is true of faith and charity, since faith is of truth and charity is of good; so when faith is separated from charity what is said of Cain takes place, namely, that "it kills Abel its brother," which is charity, and in consequence the church perishes, which is signified by "being cast forth from the ground, and becoming a wanderer and fugitive," for when faith is separated from charity truth is successively turned into falsity and falls away.

[4] It has been shown above n. 434, that "Reuben," the firstborn of Jacob, signified the light of truth and thence the understanding of the Word, and thus truth from good or faith from charity, as did the apostle Peter; and that conversely, "Reuben" represented truth separated from good, or faith separated from charity, and that this faith is signified by his adultery with Bilhah his father's concubine, in consequence of which the birthright was taken away from him and given to Joseph. To this may be added, that all heresies, so far as they are adulterations and falsifications of the Word, correspond to adulteries and whoredoms of various kinds, and these because of this correspondence are actually perceived in the spiritual world from those who are in heresies. The reason of this is that marriages as they exist in the heavens derive their spiritual origin from the conjunction of good and truth; and conversely, adulteries derive their origin from the conjunction of evil and falsity; and this is why heaven is compared in the Word to a marriage, and hell to adultery. And as there is in the hells the conjunction of evil and falsity, so there continually exhales therefrom a sphere of adultery. It is for this reason that "adulteries and whoredoms" signify in the Word the adulterations of the good of the church and the falsifications of its truth (See above, n. 141, 161).

[5] In respect to faith separated from charity, this is perceived in the spiritual world as the adultery of a son with a mother as also with a step-mother. This is so because that faith shuts out the good of charity; and when this is shut out the evil of the love of self and of the world takes its place, and that faith conjoins itself with that love. For every kind of faith must necessarily conjoin itself with some love; therefore when spiritual love, which is charity, is separated, faith then conjoins itself with the love of self or with the love of the world, which are the loves that are dominant in the natural man; and this is why so heinous an adultery results from faith separated from charity. From this then it is clear what is signified by the adultery of Reuben with Bilhah his father's concubine, and why he was rejected for this reason from the right of the primogeniture. This is also meant by the prophecy of Israel his father respecting Reuben:

Reuben my firstborn, thou art my power and the beginning of my vigor; excelling in exaltation and excelling in strength; light as water, thou shalt not excel, because thou wentest up to thy father's bed, then thou didst profane it, he went up to my couch (Gen. 49:3, 4).

These words may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia (n. 6341-6350). That such adultery is perceived in the spiritual world from faith separated from charity has been made evident to me from correspondences in that world. For whenever I have perceived afar off the sphere of adultery with a mother or stepmother, I have known at once that those who had confirmed themselves in faith alone both in doctrine and in life were near, and they were also then discovered; and when they had been explored they were found to have been such in the world.

[6] So much respecting Reuben; we will now speak of the Philistines; these also in the Word represent faith separated from love. It was for this reason that they were called the "uncircumcised;" for "one uncircumcised" signifies one who is destitute of spiritual love, and is solely in natural love, and with that love alone no religious principle can be conjoined, much less anything of the church; for every religious principle and everything of the church has regard to the Divine, to heaven, and to spiritual life; and these cannot be conjoined with any other than a spiritual love; but not with a natural love separated from a spiritual love; since natural love separated from spiritual love is man's own [proprium], and this, regarded in itself, is nothing but evil. All the wars that the sons of Israel waged against the Philistines represented the combats of the spiritual man with the natural man, and thence also the combats of truth conjoined with good against truth separated from good, which in itself is not truth but falsity. For truth separated from good is falsified in the idea of the thought respecting it, and for the reason that there is nothing spiritual present in the thought to enlighten it. For the same reason those who are in faith separated from charity have no truth, except merely in their speech or in their preaching from the Word, the idea of truth instantly perishing as soon as truth is thought about.

[7] Because this religion exists in the churches with all who love to live a natural life, so in the land of Canaan the Philistines were not subjugated, as the other nations of that land were, and consequently there were many battles with them. For all the historical things of the Word are representative of such things as pertain to the church; and all the nations of the land of Canaan represented things heretical confirming either the falsities of faith or the evils of the love; while the sons of Israel represented the truths of faith and the goods of love, and thus the church. But what was represented by the wars that the inhabitants of the land of Canaan carried on will be told in its place and time; here it shall merely be shown that the Philistines represented a religious principle separated from spiritual good, such as is the religious principle of faith alone separated from its life, which is charity. This is why the sons of Israel whenever they fell away from the worship of Jehovah to the worship of other gods were given over to their enemies, or were conquered by them:

Thus they were given over to the Philistines, and served them eighteen years, and afterwards forty years (Judges 10;Judges 13).

This represented their departure from the worship from the good of love and the truths of faith to worship from the evils of love and the falsities of faith. Likewise:

The sons of Israel were conquered and distressed by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4; 13; 28; 29; 31).

But when the sons of Israel returned to the worship of Jehovah, which was the worship from the good of love and the truths of faith, they conquered the Philistines (1 Samuel 7, 1 Samuel 14; 2 Samuel 5; 2 Samuel 8; 21; 23; 2 Kings 18). That these historical things involve such things can be seen only from the series of things there described when viewed in the internal sense, to present which here would occupy too much time; therefore one passage only from the prophetical parts of the Word shall be cited, from which it will be manifest that such things as pertain to the church were represented by the Philistines in these narratives.

[8] Thus in Isaiah:

Rejoice not, O Philistea, all of thee, because the rod that smiteth thee is broken; for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk, whose fruit shall be a fiery-flying serpent. Then the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety; and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant. Howl, O gate; cry out, O city; thou whole Philistea art dissolved; for from the north cometh a smoke, and none shall be alone in thy assemblies. What then shall one answer, ye messengers of the nation? That Jehovah hath founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of His people shall hope (Isaiah 14:29-32).

This describes Philistea, which signifies the church, or those in the church who indeed are in truths from the sense of the letter of the Word or from some other revelation, and yet are in filthy loves, consequently their truths are not living truths; and truths not living are turned into falsities when they are brought from exterior thought, which is the thought next to the speech, into interior thought, which belongs to the understanding, also when this thought considers truths in their origin, which those who are meant by "the Philistines" do not see. They do not see for the reason that while every man, even an evil man, has a faculty to understand, he has no good of the will, which is the good of life; for this good springs from love to God and from love to the neighbor, and it is these loves that cause that faculty to communicate with heaven and receive enlightenment therefrom.

[9] This chapter in Isaiah describes those who are in truths without good, and shows that with such all truths are turned into falsities. This, therefore, is the spiritual sense of these words: "Rejoice not, O Philistea, all of thee, because the rod that smiteth thee is broken," signifies that they should not rejoice because they are permitted to remain in their heresy by reason of the fewness of those who are in truths from good; "for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk" signifies that out of the sensual man a dogma destructive of all truth will arise; "the serpent's root" being the sensual, which is the ultimate of man's life, and "the basilisk" being the destruction of all truth. "Whose fruit shall be a fiery-flying serpent" signifies from which there will spring faith separated from charity; this faith is meant by "a fiery-flying serpent" because it flies upwards by means of reasonings and confirmations from things revealed that are not understood, and thus it kills the things that are living. In like manner "the basilisk" has a similar signification as "the dragon," which is also called "a serpent;" and "the fiery-flying serpent" has a similar signification as "the beast coming up out of the sea and the beast out of the earth," in this chapter of Revelation. "Then the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety," signifies that when that dogma is received by those who are natural and sensual men, and who believe themselves to be wiser than others, truths from good with those who desire what is true and will what is good, will become living; "the firstborn" in the Word signify truths born from good; the "poor" those who are not in truths but who still desire them, and the "needy" those who are not in goods but who in heart will them. "And I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant," signifies that all truths, from the first of them to the last, will be destroyed by falsities. "Howl, O gate; cry out, O city," signifies that no entrance will be granted to any truth, and that doctrine will be made up of mere falsities, "gate" signifying entrance to the truths of doctrine, and "city" doctrine. "Thou whole Philistea art dissolved" signifies the destruction of that church by mere falsities. "For from the north cometh a smoke" signifies that every falsity from evil will break in from hell, "the north" meaning hell, and "smoke" the falsity of evil. "And none shall be alone in thy assemblies" signifies that there shall not remain a single truth among their knowledges. "What then shall one answer, ye messengers of the nation?" signifies the enlightenment of those who are in the good of life from love to the Lord. "That Jehovah hath founded Zion" signifies that a church shall be established from them; "and in her the afflicted of His people shall hope" signifies that those who are not in wisdom from self, and who conquer in temptations against such falsities, shall have intelligence and salvation.

[10] The vastation of truth by falsities with those who are meant by "the Philistines" is also described by Jeremiah 47:1-7; likewise in Ezekiel 25:15, 16; in Joel 3:4-6; in Amos 1:8. That such falsify truths is meant by "the daughters of the Philistines," mentioned in Ezekiel 16:27, 57; also in 2 Samuel 1:20; "the daughters of the Philistines" there meaning the affections of falsity. Their religious principle was also represented by their idol called Dagon, which was set up in Ashdod, and which, according to their description, was formed like a man from the head to the navel, and like a fish from the navel downwards; its being like a man from the head to the navel represented the understanding derived from truths; and like a fish from the navel downwards represented the natural destitute of the good of love; for the lower part down to the knees corresponds to celestial love, and a "fish" signifies the natural man which is without spiritual good. (That "man" [homo] signifies the affection of truth, may be seen above, n. 280; that his "head" signifies the understanding of truth and intelligence therefrom, n. 553; that a "fish" signifies the natural man, n. 513; and that the generative organs signify from correspondence celestial love, see Arcana Coelestia 5050-5062. Moreover, the "emerods" with which the Philistines were smitten when the ark of God was held captive by them, signified truths defiled by evils of life; but these and other things related about them in 1 Samuel 5 may be seen explained above, n. 700)

[11] Truth defiled by evil of life is signified also by "the uncircumcised" (2 Samuel 1:20; Ezekiel 28:10; 31:18; 32:18, 19; 44:9). For the foreskin corresponds to corporeal love, because the member which it covers corresponds to spiritual and celestial love. And because "the Philistines" represented those who are in knowledge (scientia) and cognitions of truth without any spiritual and celestial good, they were called "uncircumcised." And as the sons of Israel were also actually of the same character, in order that they might nevertheless represent the church which is in spiritual and celestial good and in truths therefrom, it was commanded that they should be circumcised. From this it can be seen that the religious principle at this day that separates charity from faith is in the representative sense Philistea.

[12] So much respecting the Philistines. Something shall now be said about the goats and sheep, upon which judgment will be executed, according to the Lord's words in Matthew (Matthew 25:31-46 end). The common opinion is that the "goats" there mean all the evil, and it has not been known heretofore that the "goats" there mean those who are in faith separated from charity, and the "sheep" those who are in faith from charity. In a good sense "goats" mean those who are in natural good and in truths therefrom, which truths are called the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good from the natural sense of the Word. Such as these, or such good and such truth therefrom, are signified by the goats that were sacrificed. That there were also sacrifices of goats is evident from Leviticus 4:23; 9:2-4, 8-23; 16:2-20; 23:18, 19; Numbers 15:22-29; 28:11-15, 28:18-31; 29:1; and elsewhere. For all the beasts that were offered as sacrifices signified such things as pertain to the church, all of which have reference to goods and truths. The celestial goods and the truths therefrom in which are the angels in the third heaven were signified by "lambs," while the spiritual goods and truths in which are the angels in the middle heaven were signified by "rams," and the natural goods and truths therefrom, in which are the angels who are in the lowest heaven, were signified by "goats." Celestial goods and truths are with those who are in love to the Lord; but spiritual goods and truths are with those who are in love towards the neighbor; and natural goods and truths with those who live well according to truths from natural affection. This is the signification of these three kinds of beasts in various parts of the Word (as in Ezekiel 27:21; Deuteronomy 32:14).

[13] But as most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so "goats" signify in that sense those who are in faith separated from charity, for the reason that they are more lascivious than other animals, and that they signify in the genuine sense those who are in natural good and the truth thence, and all who are in faith separated from charity both in doctrine and in life are merely natural. That such are meant in the Word by "goats" has been shown me to the life in the spiritual world. There various beasts are seen; but they are not such beasts as exist in our world, that is, not beasts that have been born, but they are correspondences of the affections and of the thoughts therefrom of spirits and angels; consequently as soon as those affections and the thoughts therefrom vary and cease, these beasts vanish out of sight. That I might know that those who are in faith separated from charity, or rather the affections and thoughts of such from their faith, are represented by "goats," it was granted me to see some of those spirits; and they appeared before my eyes and the eyes of many others altogether as goats with horns. Moreover, when rams and sheep were sent among them these goats being kindled with anger rushed upon them, and strove to throw them down, but in vain. For in the spiritual world goats have no power against the rams or sheep, therefore the goats were overcome. Afterwards it was granted me to see the same as men; and this was a proof that the goats were identical with those who had lived in the world in faith separated from charity.

[14] From this what is signified by the "ram" and the "he-goat," and "the battle between them," in the eighth chapter of Daniel can be seen, namely, that the "ram" there means those who are in faith from charity, and the "he-goat" those who are in faith separated from charity. Thus the future state of the church is there described, namely, that faith separate would dissipate all charity, which is the good of life, and falsity therefrom would have rule in the Christian world. To illustrate this, I will present a summary of what is related in Daniel respecting the ram and the he-goat, as follows:

Daniel saw in vision a ram that had two horns, one higher than the other, but the higher came up last; and he made himself great. But then a he-goat of the goats came from the west over the faces of all the earth; and he charged upon the ram and smote him, and broke his two horns; and he cast the ram down to the earth, and trampled upon him. The he-goat had a horn between his eyes, and when this was broken there came up four horns in its place towards the four winds of the heavens; and out of one of them came forth one horn which grew exceedingly, even to the host of the heavens, and cast down some of the host and of the stars to the earth and trampled upon them. Yea, it exalted itself even to the prince of the host, and the continual burnt-offering was taken away from him, and the dwelling-place of his sanctuary was cast down; and it cast down the truth to the earth (Daniel 8:1-14, seq.).

That the "ram" here means those who are in faith from charity, and the "he-goat" those who are in faith separated from charity, may be seen above (n. 316 and n. 573, where the same things are explained; therefore I pass by any further explanation.

[15] Again that "he-goats" mean those who are in faith separated from charity, and "rams" those who are in faith from charity, is evident also in Ezekiel:

And as for you, O my flock, behold I judge between cattle and cattle, and between rams and he-goats (Ezekiel 34:17).

Likewise in Zechariah:

Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I will visit upon the he-goats (Zechariah 10:3).

From this it can be seen that the goats and the sheep in Matthew (25:31-46 to the end) have the same meaning; consequently works of charity only are there enumerated which were done by the sheep, and were not done by the goats. That such are there meant by the "goats" was proved also when the Last Judgment was accomplished upon those who belonged to the Christian Church; for then all those who were in faith separated from charity both in doctrine and life were cast into hell; and all who were in faith from charity were kept safe.

419. That the wind should not blow, signifies that the good be not injured, and the evil be not cast out before the day. This is evident from the signification of "wind," as meaning the Divine proceeding, which is Divine good united to Divine truth; therefore "that the wind should not blow" signifies that the influx might be moderate and gentle; "the wind not blowing upon the earth" signifies that the good may not be injured, and the evil cast out before the day, because the separations of the good from the evil and the casting out of the evil in the spiritual world are effected by various degrees of moderation and intensity of the Divine proceeding from the Lord as a sun. When this flows in moderately the good are separated from the evil, and when it flows in intensely the evil are cast out; and for the following reasons: when the Divine from the Lord flows in moderately there is everywhere tranquillity and serenity, wherein all appear such as they are in respect to the state of their good, for all then stand forth in light; consequently those who are in good from a spiritual origin are then separated from those who are in good merely from a natural origin; for the Lord looks upon those who are in spiritual good and leads them, and thus separates them. Those who are in good from a spiritual origin are those referred to in what follows where they are said "to be sealed on their foreheads," for they are spiritual, and are angels of heaven; but those who are merely in good from a natural origin are not good because they are not spiritual, for the good appearing with them is evil, because it has regard to self and the world as an end. Such do good in external form with reference to their own glory, honor, and gain, and not with reference to the neighbor's good, consequently they do good only that they may be seen of men. Those who are merely natural are those who are "not sealed," and who are afterwards rejected. But when the Divine from the Lord flows in intensely, the goods with the evils are dispersed, because these goods are in themselves not goods but evils, and evils do not endure the influx of the Divine. This causes the externals in such to be closed up, and when these are closed up the interiors are opened, in which there is nothing except evils and falsities therefrom; and this brings them into pain, anguish, and torment, on account of which they cast themselves down into the hells, where there are evils and falsities like their own.

[2] When the influx of the Divine is intensified, which occurs when the evil are to be cast out, then lower down in the spiritual world a wind springs up that blows strongly like a storm or tempest; this wind is what is called in the Word "the east wind" (of which presently). The casting down of the evil is described also in the Word by violent and impetuous winds, by storms, and by tempests. "The wind of Jehovah" has a similar signification as "the spirit of Jehovah," for the wind of respiration is meant, which is also called spirit (or breath). On this account in the Hebrew and many other languages spirit is expressed by the same word as wind. This is why the greater part of mankind have no other idea of spirit and of spirits than of wind like the wind of respiration; and from this have come the notions in the learned world also that spirits and angels are like wind in which there is merely a vital principle of thought; and this is the reason also that so few of these allow themselves to be persuaded that spirits and angels are men, endowed with body, face, and organs of sensation, like men on the earth. "Wind" and "spirit," in reference to man, signify the life of truth, or a life according to the truths or precepts of the Lord, because respiration, which pertains to the lungs, corresponds to that life, while the heart and its motion corresponds to the life of good. For there are two lives, which should make one in man, the life of truth and the life of good; the life of truth is the life of man's understanding, while the life of good is the life of his will; for truths have their seat in the understanding because these constitute the understanding, while goods have their seat in the will because these constitute the will. "Soul and heart," in the Word, when mentioned together, have a similar significance.

[3] From this it can be seen what is meant by "the wind" and "the spirit of Jehovah," namely, the Divine truth, and by "the four winds," Divine truth united to Divine good. Since wind means the wind or breath of respiration, and it signifies Divine truth and spiritual life with those who receive it, so this wind is called also "the breath of the nostrils of Jehovah," and also "the breath of His mouth," and "breathing;" as can be seen from the following passages.

In Ezekiel:

And I saw, and upon the dry bones, sinews and flesh came up, and skin covered them above, yet there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy about the spirit, prophesy, son of man, and say to the spirit, Thus the Lord Jehovih hath said, Come from the four winds, O spirit, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live (Ezekiel 37:8, 9).

What is here signified by "the dry bones" was told in the preceding article, namely, those who have no spiritual life, or no life through Divine truth. The breathing in of this life by the Lord is signified by "Prophesy about the spirit, and say to the spirit, Come from the four winds, O spirit, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." Here "spirit" evidently means the breath of respiration, for there were sinews, flesh, and skin, but as yet no breathing; therefore it is said, "Say to the spirit, Breathe upon them." From this it can be seen that this "spirit" or "wind" signifies spiritual life. That common breathing was not meant is evident from its being said that "these dry bones were the house of Israel," meaning that the house of Israel was without spiritual life; and from its being said of them afterwards, "I will put My spirit in you, that ye may live, and I will place you in your own land that ye may live" ( Ezekiel 37:14); which signifies that they are to be regenerated that a church may be made of them. Regeneration is effected by a life according to Divine truth, from which is spiritual life; and "to bring them back to the land" signifies that they may become a church, the land of Canaan signifying the church.

[4] In Moses:

Jehovah God breathed into his nostrils ¹ the soul of lives, and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7).

Here, too, in the sense of the letter, the wind of breathing is meant, as it is said He "breathed into his nostrils;" but spiritual life, which is the life of intelligence and wisdom through Divine truth, is evidently meant, since it is said that He breathed into him "the soul of lives," and that thus man became "a living soul;" "the soul of lives" and "a living soul" meaning spiritual life; for man without that soul is called a dead man, although in respect to the body and the senses he is alive. This, too, makes evident that "soul," "spirit," and "wind" in the Word mean spiritual life.

[5] In John:

Jesus said to the disciples, Peace be unto you; as the Father hath sent Me, even so send I you. And when He had said this He breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit (John 20:21, 22).

The Lord "breathed on them, and said to them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit," signifies the like, as Jehovah "breathed into Adam's nostrils the soul of lives" namely, spiritual life; for the Holy Spirit signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, from which is spiritual life. That they should teach Divine truth from the Lord is signified by "as the Father hath sent Me, even so send I you;" for the Lord when He was in the world was Divine truth itself, which He taught from His Divine good which was in Him from conception. This Divine is what the Lord here and in other places calls "the Father;" and because when He went out of the world He united Divine truth to Divine good that in Him they might be one, and because thenceforth Divine truth proceeds from Him He said, "as the Father hath sent Me, even so send I you."

That the wind of respiration signifies spiritual life comes from correspondence (See Arcana Coelestia 3883-3896). The quality of all in the spiritual world is known from their respiration merely. Those who are in the life of the respiration of heaven are among the angels; but those who are not in that respiration, if they come into heaven, are unable to breathe there, and are therefore in anguish like that of suffocation (respecting which see also Arcana Coelestia 1119, 3887, 3889, 3892, 3893). From this correspondence the term, "inspiration" is derived, and the prophets are called "inspired," and the Word is said to be "Divinely inspired."

[6] From all this it can be seen what is signified by the Lord's words in John:

Except one be born of the water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it willeth, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh and whither it goeth; so is everyone that is born of the spirit (John 3:5, 7, 8).

"To be born again" means to be regenerated; and as man is regenerated by a life according to Divine truth, and all Divine truth through which man is regenerated proceeds from the Lord, and flows into him he knows not when, so it is said, "The wind bloweth where it willeth, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh and whither it goeth," thus is described the life of man's spirit, which he has by regeneration, "wind" meaning the Divine truth through which he has that life. So long as he is in the world man is utterly ignorant of how Divine truth flows in from the Lord, for he then thinks from the natural man, and merely perceives a something that flows in from the spiritual man into the natural; this therefore is what is meant by "thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh and whither it goeth." The "water" of which man is born signifies truth from the Word, and the "spirit" a life according to it. (That "water" signifies truth, see above, n. 71)

[7] In Lamentations:

The breath [spiritus] of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits; of whom we had said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations (Lamentations 4:20).

"The anointed of Jehovah" here means the Lord in respect to Divine truth, for "the anointed of Jehovah" has a similar signification as a king. (That a "king" signifies in the highest sense the Lord in respect to Divine truth, see above, n. 31; and "the anointed of Jehovah" the same, n. 375.) This is why it is said "the breath of our nostrils, of whom we had said, Under his shadow we shall live;" for "the spirit and breath of the nostrils" signifies in the highest sense Divine truth, as has been said above. That Divine truth perished through falsities of evil is signified by "was taken in their pits;" "pits" meaning the falsities of evil.

[8] Again in Lamentations:

Jehovah Thou hast heard my voice; hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry (Lamentations 3:56).

"To hide the ear at the breathing and at the cry" signifies at worship, confession, and prayers, which are from truths and from goods; for all worship, confession, and prayer must be from truths and goods; to be heard they must be from both; if they are from truths alone they are not heard, because there is no life in them; the life of truth is from good. "Breathing" is here predicated of truths, and "cry" of goods (that "cry" is predicated of goods will be seen elsewhere).

[9] In Moses:

Everything that had in its nostrils the breath of the spirit of lives, of all that was on the dry land, died (Genesis 7:22).

What these words signify in the sense of the letter everyone can see, namely, that all things upon the earth were destroyed by the flood, thus all men then living, except Noah and his sons; but what these words signify in the spiritual sense may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 805, 806, where they are explained), namely, that "the breath of the spirit of lives in the nostrils" means spiritual life, which those had who were of the Most Ancient Church; for "the flood" signifies the end of that church and the Last Judgment, which took place when everything of the church was extinct. In David:

They have ears but they hear not; neither is there any breath [ventus] in their mouth (Psalms 135:17);

"no breath in their mouth" signifying that there was no truth in the thought, for "mouth" signifies thought.

[10] In Jeremiah:

The wild asses pant for breath like whales; their eyes were consumed because there was no herb (Jeremiah 14:6).

"To pant for breath like whales" signifies that there is no truth to be imbibed; "because there was no herb" means because there is no truth in the church. As the evil are cast down by a more powerful influx of Divine truth and good proceeding from the Lord as a sun, as has been said above, so the casting down of those who are in the falsities of evil is described also by "the breath of the nostrils of Jehovah." As in Isaiah:

Topheth is prepared of old; the pile thereof is fire and much wood made ready; the breath of Jehovah like a brook of brimstone doth kindle them (Isaiah 30:33).

In David:

The channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were disclosed, at the rebuke of Jehovah, at the blast of the breath of Thy nostrils (Psalms 18:15).

In Moses:

By the breath of Thy nostrils the waters were heaped up; Thou didst blow with Thy wind, the sea covered them (Exodus 15:8, 10).

And in Job:

Plotters of iniquity, by the blast of God they perish, by the breath of His nostrils are they consumed (Job 4:8, 9).

In all these passages "the blast," "the breath," and "the breathing of the nostrils of Jehovah" means the Divine proceeding, which disperses and casts down the evil when it flows in intensely and strongly; but respecting this influx more will be said in what follows, where "tempests," "storms," and "the east wind" are treated of.

[11] Again, that "the wind of the earth" also signifies the Divine proceeding is also from correspondence with the winds in the spiritual world; for there exist winds in the spiritual world also, and these arise from the determining of Divine influx, and arise in the lower parts of the earth there. In the heavens rarely any other than gentle winds are perceived; but with those who dwell lower down, upon the lands, winds are frequent, for they grow stronger as they descend; their direction is from the quarters into which the Divine inflows, especially from the north. Because the winds there are from a spiritual origin they also signify spiritual things, in general Divine truth, from which they exist. As in David:

Jehovah layeth the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; He maketh the clouds His chariot; He walketh upon the wings of the wind; He maketh His angels winds, His ministers a flaming fire (Psalms 104:3, 4).

"Waters," "clouds," and "wings of the wind," signify Divine truth in ultimates, such as is the truth of the sense of the letter of the Word; because this is in ultimates, it is said "He layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters, He maketh the clouds His chariot, He walketh upon the wings of the wind;" "waters" meaning truths in ultimates, likewise "clouds," and "the wings of the wind" and "chariots" meaning the truth of doctrine; "He maketh His angels winds, and His ministers a flaming fire," signifies that He makes them to be receptions of Divine truth and Divine good; "angels" mean those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, and because such are recipients of Divine truth it is said "He maketh them winds;" while "ministers" mean those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, and as these are recipients of the Divine good it is said "He maketh them a flaming fire;" "a flaming fire" signifying the good of love and the truth therefrom. (That those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom are recipients of Divine truth, and those who are in the celestial kingdom recipients of Divine good, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28; that angels are called "angels" from reception of Divine truth, see above, n. 130, 412; and that ministers are called "ministers" from the reception of Divine good, see also above, n. 155; and that "fire" signifies the good of love, n. 68)

[12] In the same:

Jehovah bowed the heavens, He came down, and thick darkness was under His feet; and He rode upon a cherub, He did fly, and was borne upon the wings of the wind (Psalms 18:9, 10).

Jehovah "bowed the heavens, He came down," signifies visitation, which precedes the Last Judgment; "thick darkness under His feet" signifies the falsities of evil in lower things; "He rode upon a cherub, He did fly, and was borne upon the wings of the wind," signifies omnipresence with the Divine, "the wings of the wind" meaning Divine truth in ultimates (as above).

[13] In Jeremiah:

The Maker of the earth by His power, He prepareth the world by His wisdom, by His intelligence He stretcheth out the heavens; at the voice that He uttereth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and He maketh the vapors to go up from the end of the earth; He maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of His treasuries (10:12, 13; 51:15, 16).

And in David:

He maketh the vapors to go up from the ends of the earth; He maketh lightnings for the rain; and He bringeth forth the wind out of His treasuries (Psalms 135:7).

This describes in the spiritual sense the reformation of man and the establishment of the church. Because of that reformation and establishment the Lord is called "the Maker of the earth," and elsewhere "the Former" and "Creator;" "earth" meaning the church. The Divine good, by which reformation is effected, is signified by "He prepareth the world by His wisdom;" "world" means the church, and is predicated of good. The Divine truth, which is also a means, is signified by "at the voice that He uttereth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens;" "the voice that He uttereth" signifying the influx of Divine truth, and "the multitude of waters in the heavens" reception; "waters" meaning truths. Ultimate truths, which are the knowledges from the sense of the letter of the Word, are signified by "the vapors from the ends of the earth;" spiritual truths therefrom are signified by "lightnings for the rain," "lightnings" called from the light of heaven, and "rain" from influx; thus reformation through Divine truth from the Lord is signified by "He bringeth forth the wind out of His treasuries." This is the meaning of all these things in the heavens.

[14] In David:

He casteth forth His hail like morsels; who can stand before His cold? He sendeth His word, He melteth them; He maketh His wind to blow, the waters flow. He declareth His word unto Jacob, His statutes and His judgments unto Israel (Psalms 147:17-19).

This, too, is a description of reformation, but in respect to the natural man. Here knowledges and cognitions which are in man before reformation are signified by "hail like morsels; who can stand before His cold?"-for man before reformation is utterly frigid, and that coldness is also plainly felt when the Divine flows in out of heaven; and as such coldnesses are dissipated by the reception of Divine good and Divine truth, thus by reformation, it is said, "He sendeth His word, He melteth them; He maketh His wind to blow, the waters flow;" "word" signifying Divine good united to Divine truth, "wind" Divine truth, and "the waters flow," the reception of truth; and this being the signification of these words it is added, "He declareth His word unto Jacob, His statutes and judgments unto Israel;" "Jacob" and "Israel" signifying the church, "Jacob" the church that is in good, and "Israel" the church that is in truths; "statutes and judgments" mean external and internal truths which are from good.

[15] In the same:

Praise Jehovah, fire and hail, snow and vapor; stormy wind doing His word (Psalms 148:7, 8).

"Fire and hail, snow and vapor, and wind," evidently signify something different from these, for why should it be said of such things in the Divine Word that "they praised Jehovah?" But "fire and hail, and snow and vapors" signify the delights of the loves of the natural man, and its knowledges and cognitions; for these are "fire and hail, and snow and vapor" before man is reformed and made spiritual, the sphere of life of such when it flows out from them, presenting in the spiritual world appearances like these; and the worship of the Lord from these things is signified by their "praising Jehovah," "to praise" meaning to worship; "stormy wind" signifies Divine truth in respect to reception; it is therefore said "stormy wind doing His word;" "doing His word" signifying to receive into life the things of doctrine.

[16] As all things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so has "wind," and in that sense it signifies falsity, as in the following passages. In Isaiah:

Behold they are all iniquity, their works are nothing; their molten images are wind and a void (Isaiah 41:29).

"Wind and a void" mean the falsities of evil and the evils of falsity; "wind" meaning the falsities of evil, and "a void" the evils of falsity; for where there is a void and emptiness, that is, absence of good and truth, there are evil and falsity; "wind" signifies where there are falsities, as is evident from its being said "they are all iniquity, their works are nothing;" also from its being said "their molten images are wind and a void," for "molten images" signify such things as man hatches out of self-intelligence, and these are all falsities and evils. In Jeremiah:

And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them (Jeremiah 5:13).

"Prophets" signify those who teach truths, and in an abstract sense the truths of doctrine, here the falsities of doctrine; falsities are signified by "wind;" therefore it is added, "the word is not in them," "word" signifying Divine truth.

[17] In the same:

I will scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness (Jeremiah 13:24).

"The wind of the wilderness" signifies where there is no truth, and therefore falsity, for "wilderness" in the Word signifies where there is no good because there is no truth. In the same:

The wind shall feed all thy shepherds, and thy lovers shall go into captivity (Jeremiah 22:22).

"Shepherds" in the Word signify those who teach the good of life and lead to it, which is done by means of truths; but here "shepherds" mean those who do not teach the good of life, still less lead to it, because they are in falsities; this is meant by "the wind shall feed all thy shepherds;" "wind" meaning the falsity which they seize upon and love; "the lovers" who shall go into captivity, signify the delights of the loves of self and the world, and thence the delights of the evil; "lovers" meaning such delights, and "captivity" detention in the hells.

[18] In Hosea:

Ephraim feedeth on wind, and pursueth the east wind; every day he multiplieth lying and devastation, and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried down into Egypt (Hosea 12:1).

"Ephraim" signifies the intellectual of the church; "Assyria" reasoning, and "Egypt" the knowing faculty (scientificum); therefore "Ephraim feedeth on wind, and pursueth the east wind," signifies that the intelligent in the church imbue themselves with falsities which altogether disperse truths; "wind" meaning falsity, and "east wind" falsity drying up and dispersing truths. Because of this signification of "wind" and "east wind" it is added, "every day he multiplieth lying and devastation;" "lying" meaning falsity, and "devastation" the dispersion of truth; "they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried down into Egypt," signifies that by reasonings from knowledges (scientifica) falsely applied they pervert the truths and goods of the church; "to make a covenant with Assyria" signifying to reason from falsities and to destroy truths, and "to carry down oil into Egypt" signifying to destroy the good of the church by knowledges [scientifica]; for he who is in principles of falsity applies to them the knowledges [scientifica] he has imbibed from childhood, since his understanding sees nothing else. For the understanding is formed either of truths or of falsities; if of truths, man sees truths, if of falsities he sees falsities; he sees them in the natural man, in the memory of which knowledges [scientifica] have their seat; and from these he selects such as favor his principles, and those that do not favor them he either perverts or rejects.

[19] In the same:

Ephraim is joined to idols. Their wine is gone; in whoring they have committed whoredom; they are given up to love; her shields give disgrace. The wind hath bound her up in its wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices (Hosea 4:17-19).

"Ephraim" signifies the church in respect to the understanding of truth; here that it has no understanding of truth but of falsity; the falsities of the church are signified by "idols;" which makes clear what is signified by "Ephraim is joined to idols;" "the wind in its wings" signifies reasoning from fallacies, from which are falsities. (What the rest signifies see above, n. 283, and 376, where it is explained.)

Wind in the wings (Zechariah 5:9);

has a similar meaning. In Jeremiah:

Their camels shall be for prey, and the multitude of their cattle for a spoil; and I will disperse them to every wind, them that are the cut off of the corner (Jeremiah 49:32).

"To disperse them to every wind" signifies into every falsity and evil when truths and goods are destroyed. (The rest may be seen explained above, n. 417)

[20] In Ezekiel:

A third part thou shalt disperse to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them (Ezekiel 5:2, 12).

This is said of the hairs of the head and of the beard, which the prophet, by command, shaved off with a razor; and those hairs signify the ultimate of truth in the church, for the whole heaven and the whole church are before the Lord as one man; whence all things of heaven and of the church correspond to all things of man, both to those without man and to those within him (on which correspondence, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 87-102); therefore the hairs of the head and of the beard, as they are the ultimate things of man, correspond to the ultimates of truth and good. The ultimates of truth and good are such as are the ultimate truths of the sense of the letter of the Word. That these ultimates were perverted, falsified, and adulterated by the Jews is signified by what is here said of the hairs of the prophet's head and beard. "A third part thereof he should disperse unto every wind" signifies the destruction of all truth; and because when truth is destroyed mere falsities are seized on, it is added, "I will draw out a sword after them;" "sword" signifying the destruction of truth by falsity (See above, n. 131). Unless this signification of "hairs" is known, who could understand what is involved in the command to the prophet that "he should shave off the hairs of his head and of his beard, and a third part he should burn in the midst of the city, a third part he should smite with a sword round about it, and a third part he should disperse unto every wind, and that a sword should be drawn out after them"?

[21] That this signifies the falsification of truth by the Jews is clearly evident from what follows in the same chapter, where among other things it is said:

This is Jerusalem; she hath altered My judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and My statutes more than the lands that are round about her (Ezekiel 5:5, 6).

In the same:

All his bands I will disperse unto every wind; and I will draw out the sword after them (Ezekiel 12:14).

This has a similar signification. In Matthew:

The rain descended and the winds blew and beat upon that house, yet it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock (Matthew 7:24, 25, 27).

"The rain descended and the winds blew" signifies temptations, and consequently falsities rushing in; for spiritual temptations are nothing else than infestations of the mind by falsities and evils, so here, too, "winds" signify falsities. (The rest may be seen explained above, n. 411)

[22] It has been said above, that in the spiritual world, as in the natural world, strong winds and tempests spring up; but the tempests in the spiritual world spring from the influx of the Divine into the parts below, where those are who are in evils and falsities; as that influx descends from the heavens towards the lands that lie below, it becomes more dense and appears like clouds, and with the evil, dense and dark according to the quantity and quality of the evil. These clouds are appearances of falsity from evil, arising from the spheres of their life; for round about every spirit and angel there is a sphere of life. When from the Lord as a sun the Divine is sent forth powerfully and flows into these dense and dark clouds, a tempest arises which is perceived by spirits there in like manner as tempests on the earth are perceived by men. It has at different times been granted me to perceive these tempests and also the east wind by which the evil were dispersed and cast into the hells, when the Last Judgment was in progress. From this it can be seen what "tempests," "storms," and "violent winds" signify in the following passages. In Isaiah:

Thou shalt disperse them, that the wind may carry them away and the tempest scatter them (Isaiah 41:16).

In Jeremiah:

Behold, ² the tempest of Jehovah has gone forth in wrath, a whirling tempest; it shall hurl itself upon the head of the wicked (Jeremiah 23:19; 30:23).

In David:

I will speed my escape from the rushing wind, from the tempest (Psalms 55:8).

In the same:

O my God, pursue them with Thy tempest, and affright them with Thy storm (Psalms 83:13, 15).

In Ezekiel:

I will make a wind of tempests to break through in My wrath, and in Mine anger there shall be an overflowing rain, for a consummation (Ezekiel 13:13).

In Jeremiah:

Evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth (Jeremiah 25:32).

In Isaiah:

Thou shalt be visited of Jehovah of Hosts with tempest, storm and with the flame of a devouring fire (Isaiah 29:6).

In Amos:

I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with a tempest in the day of storm (Amos 1:14).

In Nahum:

Jehovah hath His way in the storm and in the tempest (Nahum 1:3).

In Zechariah:

The Lord Jehovih shall blow with the trumpet, and shall go with tempests of the south (Zechariah 9:14).

In David:

Upon the wicked a wind of storm, the portion of the cup of the wicked (Psalms 11:6).

In the same:

Our God shall come, and shall not be silent; about Him the tempest shall blow violently (Psalms 50:3).

In Hosea:

They sow the wind, therefore they shall reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7).

In these passages "tempest" and "storm" signify the dispersion of falsities and evils, because those who are in the falsities of evil are cast down into hell by a tempestuous wind.

[23] In David:

They that go down to the sea in ships, that do work in many waters. And He spake, and maketh the wind of the tempest to stand, and He raised up its waves on high. He made the tempest to stand still, that their waves might be hushed (Psalms 107:23, 25, 29).

This treats of temptations and of the deliverance from them. "The wind of the tempest," and thus "the waves of the sea lifted up," signify temptations; and as spiritual temptations come through falsities breaking into the thoughts, which is the source of remorse of conscience and grief of mind and spirit, these are signified by "the wind of the tempest stood, and He raised up its waves on high;" deliverance from them is signified by "He made the tempest to stand still, that the waves might be hushed."

[24] The same is signified by these words in Mark:

There arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was now filling. But Jesus was in the stern, slumbering on a pillow; and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Carest Thou not that we perish? And He awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Be still, be dumb. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm (Mark 4:37-39).

And in Luke:

As they sailed Jesus fell asleep; and there came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filling ³ [with water], and were in danger; and coming to Him they awoke Him, saying, Master, Master, we perish. And having awakened, He rebuked the wind and the raging of the sea; and they ceased, and there was a calm (Luke 8:23, 24).

This miracle of the Lord, like all the rest, involves arcana of heaven and interior things of the church. The difference between Divine miracles and those not Divine is that Divine miracles also signify Divine things, because the Divine is in them, while miracles not Divine signify nothing, because there is nothing of the Divine within them; and moreover, in the description of the Divine miracles in the Word, and in every particular thereof, there is a spiritual sense. This miracle involves spiritual temptations; "a great storm of wind, so that the waves beat into the boat, and it was filling," signifies such temptations; and that when they were in extreme fear, "Jesus awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Be still, be dumb; and the wind ceased, and there was a great calm," signifies deliverance from temptations. Moreover, every single word here contains a spiritual sense; but this is not the place to unfold it particularly, but only to note that the "storm" and "tempest of wind" signify temptations, for these are irruptions of falsities, or inundations of the mind by falsities. This, too, is plain from the rebuke of the wind and the waves, and from the words of the Lord to the sea, "Be still, be dumb," as if He were speaking to those things or those persons that induce temptations.

[25] Furthermore, the winds that spring up in the spiritual world appear to arise there from different quarters, some from the south, some from the north, and some from the east; those from the south disperse truths with such as are in falsities, and those from the east disperse goods with such as are in evils. The winds disperse these because the winds spring from a powerful and strong influx of the Divine through the heavens into the parts below, and where the influx enters it fills truths and goods, that is, it fills the minds and spirits of those who are in truths and goods with the Divine; therefore those, the interiors of whose mind and spirit consist merely of falsities and evils, while exteriorly truths are mixed with falsities and goods are mixed with evils, cannot endure such influx from the Divine, consequently they withdraw into their falsities and evils which they love, and reject the truths and goods, which they do not love except for the sake of self and appearance.

[26] This makes clear what effect is there produced by the wind coming from the east, which is called "the east wind," namely, that with the evil it disperses all the goods and truths which they presented in external form before the world, and all the truths which they talked about for the sake of appearances. This is why withering and drying up are ascribed to that wind, "withered" signifying where there is no good, and "dried up" where there is no truth, as can be seen from passages in the Word where that wind is mentioned. As in Ezekiel:

Behold the vine planted, when the east wind shall touch it, in drying up shall it not dry up? (Ezekiel 17:10).

In the same:

The vine was plucked up in Mine anger, she was cast down to the earth, and the east wind withered her fruit; and the rods of her strength were broken and withered (Ezekiel 19:12).

In Hosea:

Ephraim, fierce among his brethren; an east wind shall come, the wind of Jehovah coming up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up; he shall plunder the treasure of every vessel of desire (Hosea 13:15).

In Jonah:

And it came to pass when the sun arose that God prepared a scorching east wind (Jonah 4:8).

[27] Moreover, the east wind also destroys all things where the evil are, their lands, their habitations, and their treasures (as may be seen in the little work on The Last Judgment 61); it destroys because the lands, habitations, and treasures in the spiritual world are correspondences; therefore when these perish the things that correspond also perish; on this account, when a land in that world on which the evil dwell is destroyed there rises up the aspect of a new land for the good. Because there is such a force in the east wind in the spiritual world, so for the sake of the correspondence:

An east wind was brought by which the waters of the Red Sea were dried up (Exodus 14:21);

And that brought on the locusts (Exodus 10:13);

It is called a hard wind (Isaiah 27:8);

A wind that broke the ships of Tarshish (Psalms 48:7);

A wind that broke Tyre in the heart of the seas (Ezekiel 27:26);

And that scattered enemies (Jeremiah 18:17).

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