A Ransom for Many - それは何を意味するのでしょうか？

今から約2000年前、ナザレのイエス、イエス・キリストは十字架にかけられました。死にました。苦しみながら。そして、翌々日の朝には死からよみがえりました。彼の肉体は消滅した。というより、その後の出来事を考えると、それは霊的なものに変化したようだ。それ自体、考えると面白いことですが、この記事の焦点ではありません）。

その代わり、ここでは、イエスがなぜ死んだのかについて、聖書で語られているいくつかの事柄に注目したいと思います。それについては、ほぼ2000年前の混乱があります。それを掘り下げてみましょう...。

で マルコによる福音書10:42-45 にも）。 マタイによる福音書20:25-28）には、イエスの宣教の後半に起こった、よく知られた教訓が記されています。ヤコブとヨハネは、まだ何が起こっているのかよく理解していなかったので、イエスが「王」になったときに、イエスの左と右に座ることを約束してほしいと陳情していました。もちろん、他の弟子たちは不愉快な思いをしました。イエスはこの状況を知っていたので、彼らを集めて、イエスの使命の本質と、彼らの使命のあり方を説明しようとしたのです。

これがその文章です。

"しかし、イエスは彼らを呼び寄せて言われた。「あなたがたは、異邦人を支配することになっている者たちが、彼らの上に主権を行使し、その偉大な者たちが彼らの上に権威を行使していることを知っている。しかし、あなた方の間ではそうではありません。あなた方の中で偉くなる者は誰でも、あなた方の大臣となります。あなたがたの中で偉くなる者は、あなたがたの大臣となり、あなたがたの中で最も偉くなる者は、すべての者のしもべとなる。人の子といえども、仕えられるためではなく、仕えるために来たのであり、また、自分の命を多くの人のための身代金として捧げるために来たのである。"

身代金です。ここで使われているギリシャ語は、λύτρον（ルトロン）といい、λύω（ルオ）の「緩める」「解く」「自由にする」という意味から、贖罪や身代金を意味しています。

神学者の中には、この文章を、十字架の物語の中で、イエスが苦悩と神の本質からの分離感を示す3つのことを言っている文章と組み合わせた人もいます。「わが神、わが神、なぜ私をお見捨てになったのですか」、「それにしても、私の意志ではなく、御心のままにしてください」、「父よ、彼らをお許しください。

これは確かに、イエスがある種のスケープゴートの役割を果たし、父を失望させた人類の代わりに自分の死を捧げた、一種の犠牲と解釈することができます。そのように解釈した神学者もいます。西暦1000年頃のカンタベリーのアンセルムは、そのような主張をする一派のリーダーの一人でした。しかし、私たちはそれが正しい道だとは思っていません。それどころか、間違った道であったために、かなりの損害を被ったと考えています。

新キリスト教の神学では、神が怒ったというのは意味がありません。神は愛そのものです。私たちが神の愛に応えないと、神はがっかりされますか？しかし、怒ることはありません。特に旧約聖書ではそのように見えることもありますが、神の本質は愛なのです。

さらに言えば、イエスの肉体が死んだからといって、父なる神の気分が良くなるわけではないことは、もっとはっきりしているはずです。二人は一人の人間であり、一心同体であることを忘れてはいけません。

むしろ、神の受肉、宣教、死、復活という一連のサイクルは、新しい真理が人類に到達するために行われたものなのです。

で 天界の秘義1419,

"主は、愛そのもの、あるいは天上のすべての愛の本質と命であり、人類に主のすべてのものを与えることを望んでおられます。" "このことは、人の子が自分の命を多くの人のための身代金として与えるために来たという主の言葉によって示されています。"

で アポカリプスの説明 328:15という説明がありました。

"身代金を取る』という言葉は、人々を偽りから解放し、真理によって改革することを意味します。これは『真理の神エホバよ，わたしを身代金に換えてください』という言葉に示されています」。詩編31:5)

イエス様が死なれた理由の一つは、地獄の力に打ち勝つためでした。イエスは生涯を通して悪霊と戦いました。最も明確に描写されているのは、洗礼を受けた直後、荒野で40日間を過ごされた時です。イエス様の十字架の苦しみは、悪に対する最後の戦いであり、イエス様の復活は、悪に対する最後の勝利でした。

すべての人にとって、悪を克服するためには、誘惑や悪との戦いがあります。私たちが個人的に悪と闘うように、キリストは宇宙規模で悪と闘われました。キリストの死はその闘いの結論でしたが、それは敗北ではなく、勝利でした。聖書によると、神が肉と血を受けたのは、「死によって、死の力を持つ者、すなわち悪魔を滅ぼすためであった」とあります。(ヘブライ人への手紙2:14,15)

聖書がイエスの死の理由として挙げているもう一つの理由は、イエスがご自分の人間としての性質と神としての性質を一つにして、「ご自分の中で、二人で一人の新しい人を造る」ことができるようにするためでした(エフェソの信徒への手紙2:14-16を参照してください。 ヨハネによる福音書17:11, 21; 10:30)。

他にも様々な理由が挙げられます。

父のもとに行く」ことができた(ヨハネによる福音書13:3; 14:2, 28; 16:10)。彼は「栄光」を得ることができました(ヨハネによる福音書17:1,5)や「主の栄光に入る」(ルカによる福音書24:26)。彼は「完成された」ことができた(ルカによる福音書13:32)、または「聖なるもの」(ヨハネによる福音書17:19)。

スウェーデンボルグのでは真のｷﾘｽﾄ教86と書かれています。

"エホバ神は、人々を救済する目的で、神の真理としてこの世に現れた。贖いとは、地獄を支配し、天界を再編し、そして教会を設立することだった。"

磔にされた時、悪の勢力は勝ったと思った。当時の宗教的、市民的な権力者たちが主導して彼を非難した。彼はあざけられた。群衆は彼に反発した。

イエス様の肉体の死は、このように「身代り」でした。あの拷問と死を受けることによって、イエス様は自分の霊的な力が自然の死を超えていることを示すことができたのです。イエスは、私たちを地獄の支配から解き放ち、新しい教会、私たちが従うことのできる新しい道を確立されたのです。

326. Verse 9. And they were singing a new song, signifies acknowledgment and confession from joy of heart. This is evident from the signification of a "song," as meaning acknowledgment and confession from joy of heart, here acknowledgment and confession that the Lord in respect to the Divine Human has all power in the heavens and on earth. Confession respecting this is meant because this is what is here treated of. "To sing a song" signifies confession from joy of heart, because joy of heart, when it is in fullness, expresses itself in song, this it does because when the heart, and in consequence the thought also, is full of joy, it pours itself forth in singing, the joy of the heart itself through the sound of the singing, and the joy of the thought therefrom through the song. The kind of joy of the thought is expressed by the words of the song, which concur and agree with the matter that is in the thought from the heart; the kind of joy of the heart is expressed by the harmony, and the measure of this joy is expressed by the exaltation of the sound and the words in it. All these flow as if spontaneously from the joy itself, and for the reason that the whole heaven is formed according to the affections of good and truth, the highest heaven according to the affections of good, and the middle heaven according to the affections of truth; it is therefore formed also for joys, for every joy is from an affection, or from love; from this it is that in all angelic discourse there is a kind of harmony. (But these things can be more clearly known and concluded by what is said and shown in the work on Heaven and Hell, namely, that the thoughts and affections of angels go forth according to the form of heaven, n. 200-212, and 265-275; therefore that there is a kind of harmony in their speech, n. 242; also that the sound of the speech of angels corresponds to their affections; and the articulations of sound, which are the words, correspond to the ideas of thought, which are from the affection, n. 236, 241; also in Arcana Coelestia, 1648, 1649, 2595, 2596, 3350, 5182, 8115) From this it is clear that harmony in song, and also the power of musical art to express the various kinds of affections and to adapt itself to its themes, are from the spiritual world, and not from the natural as is believed (See also concerning this in the work on Heaven and Hell 241).

[2] For this reason many kinds of musical instruments were used in sacred worship with the Jewish and Israelitish nation, some of which had relation to the affections of celestial good, and some to the affections of spiritual good, and to the joys therefrom, respecting what was to be proclaimed. Stringed instruments had relation to the affections of spiritual good, and wind instruments to the affections of celestial good; to these was added the singing of songs, which gave form to the agreements of things with the sounds of affections. Such were all the psalms of David, therefore they are called psalms, from playing [psaltere], and also songs. This makes clear why the four animals and twenty-four elders are said to have had harps, and also to have sung this song.

[3] That "singing" and "singing a song" signify acknowledgment and confession from joy of heart is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

In that day thou shalt say, I will confess to Jehovah; O God of my salvation, I will trust, I will not dread; for Jah Jehovah is my strength and psalm, He is become my salvation. Then shall ye draw waters from the fountains of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Confess ye to Jehovah, call upon His name, sing psalms unto Jehovah. Break forth and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion, for great in the midst of thee is the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 12:1-6).

This describes confession from joy of heart because of the Lord's coming and His Divine power to save the human race. Confession is plainly meant, for it is first said, "I will confess to Jehovah," and again afterwards, "Confess ye to Jehovah." Confession that the Lord from His Divine power is about to save mankind is described by these words, "O God of my salvation, I will trust, I will not dread, for He is my strength, He is become my salvation. Then ye shall draw waters from the fountains of salvation in that day; great in the midst of thee is the Holy One of Israel;" "in that day" means when the Lord is to come; "the Holy One of Israel" is the Lord; consequent joy, which is the joy of confession, is described by "sing psalms unto Jehovah, break forth and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion;" "inhabitant" and "daughter of Zion" are the church where the Lord is worshiped; "Jah is my psalm" signifies here celebration and glorification of the Lord.

[4] In the same:

Sing unto Jehovah a new song, His praise, O end of the earth. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice; let the inhabitants of the cliff sing aloud, let them shout from the top of the mountains (Isaiah 42:10-11).

This also treats of the Lord's coming and the establishment of the church with those who were outside of the church, that is, with those where the Word was not, and the Lord was not before known. "To sing a new song" signifies confession from joy of heart; "sing praise, O end of the earth," signifies confession of those who are remote from the church, "end of the earth" meaning where that which pertains to the church ceases to be, "earth" meaning the church; "the wilderness and the cities thereof that shall lift up the voice," signify those with whom there is no good because there is no truth, and yet they desire it; "the inhabitants of the cliff" signify the good of faith pertaining to them; "the top of the mountains" signifies the good of love pertaining to them; "to sing" and "to shout" signify consequent confession from joy of mind and heart.

[5] In the same:

Jehovah will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her desolations, and He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah; joy and gladness will be found therein, confession and the voice of a psalm (Isaiah 51:3; 52:8-9).

This also treats of the Lord's coming and the establishment of the church, which at that time was laid waste or destroyed. "Zion" signifies the church where the Lord is to be worshiped; "her desolations" signify a lack of truth and good from an absence of knowledges; "to make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah" signifies that they shall have truth and good in abundance; "wilderness" is predicated of the absence of good, and "desert" of the absence of truth; "Eden" signifies good in abundance, and the "garden of Jehovah" signifies truth in abundance. As "psalm" and "song" signify confession from joy of heart, it is said, "joy and gladness therein, confession and the voice of a psalm," "voice of a psalm" meaning song.

[6] In Lamentations:

The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from singing; the joy of our heart hath ceased (Lamentations 5:14-15).

"The elders have ceased from the gate" signifies that those who are in truths from good, or in an abstract sense truths from good by which there is admission into the church, are no more; "the young men have ceased from singing" signifies that truths themselves are deprived of their spiritual affection, and thence of their joy; and because this is signified it is said, "the joy of our heart hath ceased."

[7] In Ezekiel:

I will cause the tumult of thy songs to cease, and the voice of harps shall be no more heard (Ezekiel 26:13).

"The tumult of songs" signifies the joys of confessions; "the voice of harps" signifies gladness from spiritual truths and goods.

[8] In David:

Jehovah is my strength, and I am helped; my heart triumphs, and with my song will I confess to Him (Psalms 28:7).

Because "song" signifies confession from joy of heart, it is said "my heart triumphs, and with my song will I confess to Him."

[9] In the same:

Sing aloud, ye righteous in Jehovah. Confess to Jehovah with the harp, sing psalms unto Him with the psaltery of ten strings. Sing unto Him a new song, play well with a loud noise (Psalms 33:1-3).

As joy of heart is both from celestial love and from spiritual love, it is said, "Sing aloud, ye righteous, in Jehovah, confess to Jehovah with the harp; sing psalms to Him with a psaltery of ten strings;" "sing aloud, ye righteous," is predicated of those who are in celestial love; "Confess on the harp, and sing psalms with the psaltery," of those who are in spiritual love. That those who are in celestial love are called "righteous" see above n. 204, and that "harp" and "psaltery" are predicated of those who are in spiritual good, n. 323; and as "singing" means confession from the joy arising from these loves, it is said, "Confess to Jehovah," "Sing unto Him a new song." The exaltation of joy from its fullness is signified by "play well with a loud noise."

[10] In the same:

I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him by confession (Psalms 69:30).

In the same:

When I shall have gone with them to the house of God, with the voice of jubilee and confession, the multitude keeping a festival (Psalms 42:4).

In the same:

Confess ye to Jehovah, call upon His name. Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him (Psalms 105:1-2; 149:1).

In the same:

I will confess to Jehovah according to His righteousness, and I will sing psalms unto the name of Jehovah most high (Psalms 7:17).

In the same:

My heart is prepared, O God; I will sing, and sing psalms. Awake thee, my glory; awake thee, psaltery and harp. I will confess unto Thee, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing psalms unto Thee among the peoples (Psalms 57:7-9).

Because "to sing a song" signifies confession from joy of heart, in these passages two expressions are used, "to confess and to sing," "confession and song," "voice of singing and voice of confession. "

[11] Where the Lord's coming is treated of, the expression "a new song" is used, and it is said that earth, sea, field, forest, trees, Lebanon, wilderness, and many other things, should "rejoice" and "exult," as in the following.

In David:

O sing unto Jehovah a new song. Make a loud noise unto Jehovah, all the earth; break forth, shout for joy, and sing psalms with the harp and the voice of a psalm; with trumpets, and with the sound of a cornet, make a loud noise before the King, Jehovah. Let the sea and the fullness thereof thunder; the world and they that dwell therein. Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains be joyful together (Psalms 98:1, 4-8).

In the same:

O sing unto Jehovah a new song; sing unto Jehovah, all the earth. Sing unto Jehovah, bless His name; proclaim His salvation from day to day. The heavens shall be glad, and the earth shall exult; the sea shall be moved, and all the fullness thereof; the field shall triumph, and all that is therein; then shall all the trees of the forest sing aloud (Psalms 96:1-2, 11-12).

In the same:

Sing unto Jehovah a new song, His praise in the assembly of the saints. Let Israel be glad in his makers, the sons of Zion in their King. Let them praise His name in the dance; let them sing psalms unto Him with timbrel and harp (Psalms 149:1-3).

In Isaiah:

Sing unto Jehovah a new song; His praise, O end of the earth. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up the voice (Isaiah 42:10-11).

In the same:

Sing, O ye heavens, for Jehovah hath done it; shout for joy, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest and every tree therein; for Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, and hath shown Himself glorious in Israel (Isaiah 44:23; 49:13).

Here the Lord, His coming, and salvation through Him are treated of; and because these things were about to take place it is said, "a new song." The joy on this account is described not only by "singing," "singing psalms," "breaking forth," "being joyful," "clapping the hands," but also by various musical instruments of accordant sounds; also that the rivers, the sea, the field, the forests, the trees therein, Lebanon, the wilderness, the mountains, and many other things, should "rejoice together," "exult," "sing," "shout for joy," "clap the hands," and "cry aloud," together. Like things are predicated of these objects because they signify such things as are of the church, and therefore such things as are with the man of the church; "rivers" the things that are of intelligence; "sea" the things of knowledge [scientiae] that are in agreement with truths and goods; "field" the good of the church; "forests" the truths of the natural man; "trees" knowledges; "Lebanon" spiritual truth and good; "wilderness" a desire for truth that good may be gained, and "mountains" the goods of love. All these things are said "to sing," "to break forth," "to shout for joy," "to cry aloud," and "to clap the hands," when they are from heaven, for then heavenly joy is in them, and through them in man; for man is not in heavenly joy unless the things in him, which are truths and goods, are from heaven; from these is joy of heart that is truly joy, and from these is the joy of the man with whom they are. From this it can be seen why the like is said of these things as of man, namely, because joy is in them, and with man through them. Such joy is in every spiritual and celestial good, and therefrom with those with whom these goods are; for heaven flows in with its joy, that is, the Lord through heaven, into the goods and thence into their truths that are from Him in man, and through these into the man, but not into the man who is destitute or devoid of them. These goods and the truths therefrom are what "exult," "shout for joy," "break forth," "sing," "sing psalms," that is, are glad because of the influx from heaven, and from these the heart of man is glad also.

[12] As there are various affections of good and truth, and each expresses itself by an appropriate sound, so in the Word, especially in David, various kinds of instruments are mentioned, which signify corresponding affections. One who knows the internal sense of the Word, and also the sounds of the instruments there named, can know what affection is there signified and described. The angels know this from the mere mention of the instruments when a man is reading the Word, and also from the matter described there in its own words. Thus, for example, in David:

Clap your hands, all ye peoples; shout unto God with the voice of a song. God is gone up with a shout, Jehovah with the voice of a trumpet. Sing psalms unto God, sing psalms unto our King, for God is King of all the earth; sing ye psalms with understanding (Psalms 47:1, 5-7).

They have seen Thy goings, O God, the goings of my God. The singers went before, the minstrels after, in the midst of maidens playing with timbrels (Psalms 68:24, 25).

In the same:

Shout with joy unto God our strength; shout unto the God of Jacob. Lift up a psalm, and strike the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. Sound with the trumpet in the new moon (Psalms 81:1-3).

In the same:

Praise God with the sound of the trumpet, with the psaltery and harp, with the timbrel and dance, with stringed instruments and the organ, with cymbals of soft sound, with cymbals of loud sound (Psalms 150:1, 3-5).

All the instruments here mentioned signify affections, each its own, and this from the correspondence of their sound; for the affections are what produce the varieties of sounds with men, consequently from the sounds also the affections are known, as was said above in this article.

[13] I will add to this an arcanum: the angels who constitute in heaven the Lord's celestial kingdom, when man is reading the Word, draw from his affection alone the internal sense of it, which affection arises from the sound of the words in the original tongue; but the angels who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom draw the internal sense from the truths that the words contain; therefore the man who is in spiritual affection has from the celestial kingdom joy of heart, and from the spiritual kingdom confession from that joy. The sounds of the musical instruments that are here mentioned elevate the affection, and the truths give form to it. That this is so is well known to those skilled in the art of music. For this reason the Psalms of David are called "psalms," from psallere [to play]; they are also called "songs" from singing; for they were played and sung with the accompanying sounds of various instruments. That they were called "psalms" by David is known, as most of them are so inscribed. Those that are called songs are the following, Psalms 18; 33:1, 2; 45; 46; 48; 65; 66; 67; 68; 75; 76; [ Psalms 83;] Psalms 87; 88; 92; 96; 98; 108; 120; 121; 122; 123; 124; 125; 126; 127; 128; 129; 130; 131; 132; 133; 134. Many other passages might be cited from the Word respecting singing and song, and it might be shown that they signify confessions from joy of heart, but they are omitted because of their number; those already referred to are sufficient.

140. That thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, signifies those who have been illustrated in respect to the understanding, and who teach truths, and yet love to destroy by craft those who are of the church. This is evident from the historicals of the Word respecting Balaam and Balak, understood in the spiritual sense; and these must first be told. Balaam was a soothsayer from Pethor of Mesopotamia, and was therefore called by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the Israelitish people; but this Jehovah prevented, and granted him to speak prophetically, yet he afterwards counseled with Balak how to destroy that people by craft, by leading them away from the worship of Jehovah to the worship of Baal-peor. Here, therefore, by "Balaam" those are meant who have been illuminated in respect to the understanding, and who teach truths, and yet love to destroy by craft those who are of the church. That Balaam was a soothsayer is evident from these words in Moses:

The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went to Balaam with the rewards of enchantment in their hand (Numbers 22:7).

When Balaam saw that it was good in the eyes of Jehovah to bless Israel, he went not as in former times to meet with divinations (Numbers 24:1).

And in Joshua:

Balaam also, the son of Beor, the diviner, did the sons of Israel slay with the sword upon their slain (Joshua 13:22).

That he was called by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the people of Israel, see Numbers 22:5, 6, 16, 17; Deuteronomy 23:3, 4; but that Jehovah prevented this, and granted him to speak prophetically, Numbers 22:9, 10, 12, 20; 23:5, 16; the prophecies which he uttered may be seen Numbers 23:7-15, 18-24; 24:5-9, 16-19, 20-24; all which things are truths, because it is said that:

Jehovah put a word into his mouth (Numbers 23:5, 6, 12, 16).

[2] That afterwards he counseled with Balak to destroy the people of Israel by craft, by leading them away from the worship of Jehovah to the worship of Baal-peor, is evident from these words in Moses:

In Shittim the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat and bowed down to their gods. Especially did Israel join himself unto Baal-peor. Therefore there were killed of Israel twenty and four thousand (Numbers 25:1-3, 25:9, 25:18).

They slew Balaam amongst the Midianites; and the sons of Israel led captive all the women of the Midianites; which was of the counsel of Balaam, to deliver them to prevarication against Jehovah, in the matter of Peor (Numbers 31:8-9, 31:16).

That by "Balaam" those are meant who have been illustrated in respect to the understanding, and who teach truths, follows from what has now been shown, for he spoke prophetically truths about Israel, and also about the Lord; that he spoke truths about the Lord also may be seen in his prophecy (Numbers 24:17). To speak prophetically about Israel is to speak not about the Israelitish people, but about the church of the Lord, which is signified by "Israel." The illustration of his understanding he himself describes in these words:

The saying of Balaam the son of Beor, the saying of the man whose eyes are opened, the saying of him who heareth the words of God, who falls prostrate, and has his eyes uncovered (Numbers 24:3-4, 24:15-18).

"To have the eyes opened," or "to have them uncovered," is to be illustrated in respect to the understanding, for "eyes" in the Word signify the understanding (as may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 2701, 4410-4421, 4523-4534, 9051, 10569).

[3] That "Balaam" also means those who love to destroy by craft those who are of the church is evident also from what has been shown above; moreover, when he rode upon the ass, he continually thought upon the use of enchantments for destroying the sons of Israel; and when he was not able to do this by curses, he counseled Balak to destroy them by calling them to the sacrifices of his gods, and by their committing whoredom with the daughters of Moab. By the "sons of Israel," whom he wished to destroy, is signified the church, because the church was instituted among them (See Arcana Coelestia 6426, 8805, 9340).

[4] The arcanum respecting the she-ass on which Balaam rode, which turned aside three times out of the way from the angel seen with a drawn sword, and its speaking to Balaam, I will here briefly explain. When Balaam rode upon the ass he continually meditated enchantments against the sons of Israel; the riches with which he should be honored were in his mind, as is evident from what is said of him:

He went not as in former times to meet with divinations (Numbers 24:1).

In heart, he was also a soothsayer, therefore when left to himself, he thought of nothing else. By the "she-ass" upon which he rides is signified, in the spiritual sense of the Word, the intellectual illustrated; consequently to ride on a she-ass or a mule was the distinction of a chief judge or a king (See above, n. 31; and in Arcana Coelestia 2781, 5741, 9212). The angel with the drawn sword signifies Divine truth illustrating and combating against falsity (See above, n. 131). Therefore that "the ass turned aside three times out of the way" signifies that the understanding when illustrated did not agree with the thought of the soothsayer; this also is meant by what the angel said to Balaam:

Behold, I went forth to withstand thee, because thy way is evil before me (Numbers 22:32).

By "way," in the spiritual sense of the Word, is signified that which a man thinks from intention (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 479, 534, 590; and in the small work on The Last Judgment 48). That he was withheld from the thought and intention of using enchantments by the fear of death is manifest from what the angel said to him:

Unless the ass had turned aside before me, surely now I had even slain thee (Numbers 22:33).

[5] It sounded to Balaam as if the ass spoke to him, yet she did not speak, but the speech was heard as if from her. That such was the case has often been shown me by living experience; it has been granted me to hear horses seemingly speaking, when yet the speech was not from them, but was seemingly from them. This actually occurred in Balaam's case, that the story might be so related in the Word for the sake of the internal sense in every particular of it. That sense describes how the Lord protects those who are in truths and goods, that they may not be harmed by those who speak from seeming illustration, and yet have the disposition and intention to lead astray. He who believes that Balaam could harm the sons of Israel by enchantments is much deceived; for enchantments could have availed nothing against them; this Balaam himself confessed when he said:

Divination avails not against Jacob, nor enchantments against Israel (Numbers 23:23).

Balaam could lead that people astray by craft, because that people were such in heart; with the mouth only they worshiped Jehovah, but in heart they worshiped Baal-peor, and because they were such this was permitted.

[6] It is to be noted, moreover, that a man can be in illustration in respect to the understanding, and yet in evil in respect to the will; for the intellectual faculty is separated from the voluntary with all who are not regenerated, and only with those who are regenerated do they act as one; for it is the office of the understanding to know, to think, and to speak truths, but of the will to will the things that are understood, and from the will, or from the love, to do them. The divorcement of the two is clearly manifest with evil spirits; when these turn themselves towards good spirits, they, too, understand truths, and also acknowledge them, almost as if they were illustrated; but as soon as they turn themselves away from good spirits, they return to the love of their will and see nothing of truth, and even deny the things they have heard (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 153, 424, 455).

[7] To be able to have the understanding illustrated is granted to man, for the sake of reformation; for in man's will every evil resides, both that into which he is born and that into which he introduces himself; and the will cannot be corrected unless man knows, and by the understanding acknowledges, truths and goods, and also falsities and evils; in no other way can he turn away from the latter and love the former. (More may be seen on the will and the understanding in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 28-35.)