403# “如同无花果树被大风摇动，丢下她未熟的无花果一样”表示属世人通过推理荒废了这些知识。这从“无花果树”、“她未熟的无花果”和“被大风摇动”的含义清楚可知：“无花果树”是指属世人(对此，我们很快就会谈到)；“她未熟的无花果”是指属世人中的事物，这些事物尤指从幼儿时期起被植入属世人、尚未成熟的知识，因为它们是纯粹听来并由此被接受的；“被大风摇动”是指属世人通过推理荒废了这些知识。“被大风摇动”在此表示基于邪恶之虚假的推理，因为在圣言中，“大”论及良善和邪恶，“风”论及真理和虚假，“被大风摇动”论及由此而来的推理。这就是这些话的含义，尽管它们是对比式地来说的，因为在圣言中，一切对比，和其它事物一样，都具有意义，它们都是同样的对应。对这些事物来说，情况是这样：每个人都从父母生为属世的，但从主变成属灵的，这被称为新生或重生；由于他生来是属世的，所以他从幼儿时期所吸收的知识，在他变得属灵之前，都被植入他的属世记忆；但随着他年龄增长，并且他开始理性思考他从圣言或讲道所吸收的良善和真理的知识，那时他若过着一种邪恶的生活，就会热切地采纳并充满与这些知识对立和相反的虚假；他因被赋予推理能力，故从虚假推理反对他幼儿和童年时期的知识，结果这些知识被逐出，虚假则取而代之。因此，这就是“天上的星辰坠落于地，如同无花果树被大风摇动，丢下她未熟的无花果一样”所表示的。
“无花果树”表示属世人是由于对应；因为在天堂会看见花园和乐园，园子里有各种树木，每种树都表示从主那里传给天使的某种神性事物。一般来说，“橄榄树”表示属于爱之良善的属天之物；“葡萄树”表示属于源于那良善的真理的属灵之物；“无花果树”表示源于属灵或属天之物的属世之物。这些树因表示这些事物，故也表示这些事物存在于其中的天使或世人。但在一般意义上，它们表示一整个社群，因为在天堂，每个社群如此形成，以至于呈现出一个人的形像。然而，在属灵意义上，这些树表示教会，“橄榄树”表示属天教会，“葡萄树”表示属灵教会，“无花果树”表示属世教会，属世教会是对应于内在教会的外在教会。由此可见，为何说“无花果树”表示属世人，也就是人里面的属世层。
403b. “无花果树”表示这一点，一般表示外在教会，这从圣言中提到它的其它经文也明显看出来，如以下经文。以赛亚书：
天上的万象必将解体，诸天被卷起，好像书卷；天上的万象尽都陨坠，如葡萄树的叶子凋落，又如无花果树的叶子凋落一样。(以赛亚书34:4)
这些话论及最后审判之日，这日即将到来，也的确到来了；因为主在世时，已经完成了旧约先知所预言的最后审判；由于那时所发生的事就像启示录中所预言，并且如今已经被主完成的最后审判时所发生的事，所以经上说了几乎一样的话。如先知以赛亚说：“天上的万象尽都陨坠，如葡萄树的叶子凋落，又如无花果树的叶子凋落一样。诸天被卷起，好像书卷。”在启示录，经上说：“星辰坠落于地，如同无花果树被大风摇动，丢下她未熟的无花果一样。天就收起，好像书卷被卷起来。”“天上的万象必将解体”表示属于爱和信的一切良善和真理都被败坏了；“天上的万象”表示属于爱和信的一切良善和真理；因为表示这些的日月星辰被称为“天上的万象”。“诸天被卷起，好像书卷”表示它们的消散；“万象尽都陨坠，如葡萄树的叶子凋落，又如无花果树的叶子凋落一样”表示因邪恶之虚假而荒废。
耶利米书：
我必使他们全然灭绝；葡萄树上必没有葡萄，无花果树上必没有无花果，叶子也必枯干。(耶利米书8:13)
“葡萄树上没有葡萄”表示没有属灵良善，因为“葡萄树”表示属灵人，“葡萄”因是它的果实，故表示属灵人的良善，该良善被称为属灵良善；“无花果树上没有无花果”表示没有属世良善，因为“无花果树”表示属世人，“无花果树的果实”表示属世人的良善，该良善被称为属世良善。显然，“葡萄树”不是指葡萄树，“无花果树”不是指无花果树，因为经上说“我必使他们全然灭绝；葡萄树上必没有葡萄，无花果树上必没有无花果”，事实上他们不会因此被灭绝。此外，所论述的，也是教会的荒废，如从那里的上下文所清楚看到的。
何西阿书：
我必使她的一切欢乐、节期、新月、安息日都止息。我要荒废她的葡萄树和无花果树，就是她说，这些是我的淫资；我要使它们变为森林，田野的野兽必吞吃它们。(何西阿书2:11–12)
此处论述了教会和对其中真理的歪曲。所论述的是教会，这一点从这一章的第二经文明显看出来，在那里，经上说：“要与你们的母亲大大争辩，因为她不是我的妻子，我也不是她的丈夫。”“母亲”和“妻子”表示教会。此外，必止息的“节期、新月、安息日”表示教会的神圣事物(敬拜通过这些圣物来举行)和敬拜本身；因此，“我要荒废她的葡萄树和无花果树”表示属灵良善和属世良善都要灭亡。“它们要变为森林，田野的野兽必吞吃它们”表示两者都将是纯属世的，属灵之物要被虚假和欲望吞噬；“森林”表示纯属世之物，“田野的野兽”表示虚假和欲望。由于教会中的虚假尤其歪曲真理，而本章论述了这些虚假，所以经上说“就是她说，这些是我的淫资”，“淫资”表示歪曲。
约珥书：
有一民族上到我的地，又强盛，又无数；它的牙齿是狮子的牙齿，它有狮子的大牙。它使我的葡萄树成为荒场，使我的无花果树成为泡沫；把它剥尽而丢弃；因此，枝条都露白了。葡萄树枯干，无花果树衰残，石榴树、棕树、苹果树，田野所有的树木都枯干。(约珥书1:6–7, 12)
这一整章论述了被毁的教会；“有一民族上到这地，又强盛，又无数；它有狮子的牙齿，有狮子的大牙”并非表示任何这样一种民族，而是表示可怕的邪恶和由此而来的虚假；它所上到的“地”表示教会；“狮子的牙齿”表示这种邪恶的虚假；由于这些摧毁教会的一切良善和真理，所以它们被称为“狮子的牙齿和狮子的大牙”，“狮子”表示进行摧毁的虚假。因此，“它使我的葡萄树成为荒场，使我的无花果树成为泡沫”表示内在和外在教会由此荒废，“葡萄树”表示内在教会，“无花果树”表示外在教会，“泡沫”表示内在没有真理的地方；“把它剥尽而丢弃”表示不再有不被摧毁的任何良善或真理了，“剥”，也就是剥去果实和叶子，是指剥夺良善和真理；“丢弃”是指完全摧毁。“枝条都露白了”表示不再有任何属灵之物；“都枯干的石榴树、棕树、苹果树，田野所有的树木”表示教会的良善和真理的种类，以及它的知识，它们都被邪恶和虚假吞灭，“田野的树木”表示总体上良善和真理的知识。
同一先知书：
我田野的走兽啊，你们不要惧怕，因为旷野的居所都长满了青草，树木结果，无花果树、葡萄树也都效力。(约珥书2:22)
此处论述了教会的建立；因此，“田野的走兽”并非表示野兽的走兽，而是表示属世人中对良善的情感，因而表示那些处于这类情感的人。谁看不出，“我田野的走兽啊，你们不要惧怕”这句话不可能是对走兽说的？“旷野的居所都长满了青草”表示对这些人来说，将会有以前所没有的真理的知识，“旷野的居所”表示那些它们以前不存在于其中之人的心智的内层，“长满了青草”表示这些的增长和增多；“树木结果，无花果树、葡萄树也都效力”表示他们有属世良善和属灵良善，因为“力”在此表示果实的产出。
阿摩司书：
剪虫吞吃了你们许多的园子和你们的葡萄园，你们的无花果树和橄榄树；你们仍不归向我。(阿摩司书4:9)
“园子”表示构成聪明和智慧的教会的一切事物；“葡萄园”表示属灵的良善和真理；“无花果树”表示属世的良善和真理；“橄榄树”表示属天的良善和真理；“剪虫”表示进行摧毁的虚假；“无花果树”、“葡萄树”、“橄榄树”，严格来说表示教会和教会之人；但由于教会之所以为一个教会，人之所以为一个人，凭的是良善和真理，所以这些也由这些树来表示，良善由它们的果实来表示，真理由它们的枝和叶来表示。
哈该书：
从今日起，你们要用心想想。种子，甚至葡萄树、无花果树、石榴树和橄榄树的，不是还在仓里吗？(哈该书2:18–19)
这些话在灵义上表示尚有剩下的良善和真理；“葡萄树、无花果树、石榴树和橄榄树”表示一切良善和真理，从初至末，“葡萄树”表示属灵的良善和真理；“无花果树”表示属世的良善和真理；“石榴树”表示总体上的认知和感知能力，尤表良善和真理的知识，以及对它们的感知；“橄榄树”表示对属天良善和真理的感知；“仓”表示所有这些事物所在的地方，要么是教会，要么是有教会在其中的人，要么是人的心智，也就是主体。
哈巴谷书：
无花果树必不开花，葡萄树上无出产；橄榄树也不效力，田地不出粮食。(哈巴谷书3:17)
“无花果树必不开花”表示必没有属世良善；“葡萄树上无出产”表示必没有属灵良善；“橄榄树也不效力”表示必没有属天良善；“田地不出粮食”表示必没有属灵的滋养。
摩西五经：
耶和华神领你进入美地，那地有河流，有泉源和深渊的水从谷中和山上流出；那地有小麦、大麦、葡萄树、无花果树、石榴树；那地有橄榄树和蜜。(申命记8:7–8)
他们被领到的“美地”是指迦南地，迦南地表示教会；故此处“葡萄树”、“无花果树”、“石榴树”、“橄榄树”具有同样的含义，如前面所解释的。其余的可参看前面的解释(AE 374c节)。
403c. 由于“迦南地”表示教会，“葡萄树”、“无花果树”、“石榴树”表示教会的内在和外在事物，所以迦南地的探子从那里带来这类事物，对此，在摩西五经，经上如此记着说：
迦南地的探子到了以实各河，从那里砍下葡萄树枝，上面有一挂葡萄，两个人用杠抬着，又带了一些石榴和无花果。(民数记13:23)
由于“葡萄树”和“无花果树”表示这些事物，所以在圣言中，论到那些处于教会的良善和真理，因而处于远离邪恶和虚假的安全之人，经上说：“他们都要坐在自己的葡萄树和无花果树下，无人惊吓。”因此，在列王纪上：
尽所罗门所有的日子，从但到别是巴，犹大和以色列各人都在自己的葡萄树下和无花果树下安然居住。(列王纪上4:25)
撒迦利亚书：
我要在一日之间除掉这地的罪孽。在那日，你们各人要请邻舍坐在葡萄树和无花果树下。(撒迦利亚书3:9–10)
弥迦书：
末后的日子，耶和华家的山必坚立于众山之顶；民族必不举剑攻击民族，他们也不再学习战争；他们各人都要坐在自己的葡萄树和自己的无花果树下，无人惊吓。(弥迦书4:1, 3–4)
这些话论到主的国，主的国在那些在天堂和地上处于对主之爱的人中间。坚立于众山之顶的“耶和华的山”，表示主的国，因为“耶和华的山”表示由那些处于对主之爱的人构成的主的国；由于这些人在天堂住在其他人之上，所以经上说，这山“必坚立于众山之顶” (参看《天堂与地狱》，188节)。由于这些人拥有刻在他们心上的真理，因而不争论它们，所以经上说“民族必不举剑攻击民族，他们也不再学习战争”，这句话表示在这个国度必没有关于真理的争论(参看HH 25–26, 270–271节)。“他们都要坐在自己的葡萄树和自己的无花果树下，无人惊吓”表示通过他们所处的真理和良善，他们必是安全的，免受邪恶和虚假的伤害。
耶利米书：
看哪，我必使一民族从远方来攻击你，它必吃尽你的庄稼和你的粮食，吃尽你的儿女；吃尽你的羊群牛群，以及你的葡萄树和无花果树。(耶利米书5:15, 17)
“从远方来的一民族”表示反对属天良善的邪恶，“从远方”表示脱离和远离良善和真理，也表示反对良善和真理；“它必吃尽你的庄稼和你的粮食”表示它必摧毁一切真理和良善，通过这些真理和良善才有属灵的滋养；“吃尽你的儿女”表示对真理和良善的一切属灵情感；“吃尽你的羊群牛群”表示内在和外在的真理和良善；“吃尽你的葡萄树和无花果树”表示因此，教会的内在和外在。
何西阿书：
我遇见以色列如葡萄在旷野；我看见你们的列祖如无花果树上第一季的初熟果子。(何西阿书9:10)
“以色列”和“列祖”在此并非表示来自雅各众子的各支派的列祖，而是表示那些属于古教会的人，因为他们处于良善(参看《属天的奥秘》，6050, 6075, 6846, 6876, 6884, 7649, 8055节)；由于这些人处于良善，但一开始处于对真理的无知，而良善通过真理而来，或说由真理形成，所以经上说“我遇见以色列如葡萄在旷野；我看见你们的列祖如无花果树上第一季的初熟果子”，“葡萄”表示属灵良善，“旷野”表示对真理的无知，“无花果树上的初熟果子”表示在幼儿时期源于属灵良善的属世良善。
路加福音：
这些事一开始，你们就该挺身昂首。祂又讲了一个比喻：你们看无花果树和所有的树，当它们发芽时，你们看了自然就知道夏天近了。这样，你们看见这些事渐渐地成就，也该知道神的国近了。(路加福音21:28–31; 马太福音24:32; 马可福音13:28–29)
此处论述的主题是时代的完结，也就是最后的审判，经上列举了在此之前的迹象；这些迹象由“这些事一开始”来表示。“你们看无花果树和所有的树，当它们发芽时”表示那时，一个新教会将要开始，该教会在一开始将是外在的。之所以讲述这个比喻或类比，是因为“无花果树”表示外在教会，“树”表示真理和良善的知识，那时近了的“神的国”表示主的新教会；因为在最后审判之时，旧教会灭亡，一个新教会开始。
路加福音：
每一种树木凭它自己的果子就可以认出来；人不是从荆棘上摘无花果，也不是从蒺藜里摘葡萄。(路加福音6:44; 马太福音7:16)
由于“果子”表示生活的良善，生活的良善是来自内在良善的外在良善，或来自属灵良善的属世良善，还由于凭这良善就知道人，所以主说，“每一种树木凭它自己的果子就可以认出来；人不是从荆棘上摘无花果，也不是从蒺藜里摘葡萄”，此处“无花果”表示外在人或属世人的良善，“葡萄”表示内在人或属灵人的良善，“荆棘”和“蒺藜”表示反对这些良善的邪恶。
由于犹大和以色列的王代表神性真理方面的主，当生活不遵照神性真理，神性真理没有成为生活良善时，与人同在的神性真理就忍受痛苦，可以说劳苦，但当变成生活良善时，它就活了，所以这一点由以下经文来表示：
按耶和华的吩咐，当犹大王希西家患病时，他们给他取来一块无花果饼，作为膏药贴在疮上，于是他活了。(列王纪下20:7; 以赛亚书38:21)
由此可见，“无花果树”在真正意义上表示良善和真理方面的属世人，作为一棵树的无花果本身表示属世人，作为果实的无花果表示属世人的良善，无花果的叶子表示那良善的真理。
403d. 但“无花果树”在反面意义上表示邪恶和虚假方面的属世人，作为一棵树的无花果表示属世人本身，作为果实的无花果表示属世人的邪恶，无花果的叶子表示那邪恶的虚假，这一点从以下经文明显看出来。耶利米书：
耶和华指给我看，看哪，有两筐无花果放在耶和华殿前，一筐是极好的无花果，好像无花果树初结的果实；一筐是极坏的无花果，坏得不可吃。耶和华说，我必看被掳去迦勒底人之地的犹大人如这好无花果，使他们得好处；我必注目善待他们，领他们归回这地；我也要建立他们，栽植他们。就像那坏的无花果，我必将剩在这地的人交给骚乱和所有民族的灾祸；我必打发剑、饥荒、瘟疫临到他们，使他们灭绝。(耶利米书24:1–10)
“被掳去迦勒底人之地的犹大人或犹太人”与属灵的囚禁，或在灵界将善人从恶人中移除所表相同，如前所述(AE 391a, 392a, 394, 397节)，即：在灵界，那些内在邪恶，然而外在又能过一种类似属灵生活的道德生活之人，就住在地上，并在那里较高的地方为自己造住处；而那些内在良善的人则从他们当中移除，并被主藏在低地；这就是把犹太人掳去迦勒底人之地，他们当中其余的人继续留在这地所表示的；因此，论到那些让自己被掳去迦勒底人之地的人，经上说：“我必看被掳去迦勒底人之地的犹大人得好处；我必注目善待他们，领他们归回这地；我也要建立他们，栽植他们。”而论到那些剩下的人，经上说：“我必将剩在这地的人交给骚乱和所有民族的灾祸；我必打发剑、饥荒、瘟疫临到他们，使他们灭绝。”这些就是所代表的事物，这一点也可从以下事实明显看出来，即：在他们被掳去之前，所罗门圣殿被摧毁了，当他们回来时，一个新殿又建立了；“殿”表示神性敬拜，“一个新殿”表示恢复的敬拜。
由此可见，“有两筐无花果放在耶和华殿前，一筐是极好的无花果，好像无花果树初结的果实；一筐是极坏的无花果，坏得不可吃”表示什么，即：“一筐极好的无花果”表示那些内在是良善，形成一个新天堂的人；“一筐极坏的无花果”表示那些内在是邪恶，要被扔进地狱的人。因此，论到后者，经上说他们“坏得不可吃”，这句话表示这些人内在是邪恶；而论到前者，经上却说他们“好像无花果树初结的果实”，这句话表示这些人内在是良善，所以一个新天堂由他们形成；因为“无花果”作为果实，表示在其内在和外在形式上的生活良善，在反面意义上表示只在其外在形式上的生活良善，这种良善是生活的邪恶，因为它内在是邪恶；一切外在都从其内在获得自己的一切品质，因为外在是内在的结果。对这些人来说，邪恶之所以外在看似良善，是因为他们为了里面的邪恶而伪装良善，以达到某种目的，表面的良善则作为手段服务这个目的。在耶利米书的其它地方，类似的话论及那些留在迦南地的人：
耶和华论到王和住在这城里、未曾与你们一同被掳的一切百姓如此说：看哪，我必打发剑、饥荒、瘟疫临到他们。我必使他们像极坏的无花果，坏得不可吃。(耶利米书29:16–17)
403e. “无花果”作为一棵树，在反面意义上表示纯属世人和由这些人构成的一个教会，或那些没有属世良善在其中的人，因为里面或内在没有良善，这一点明显可见于路加福音：
耶稣讲了这样一个比喻：有一个人把一棵无花果树栽在自己的葡萄园里；他来到树前找果子，却找不着，就对修理葡萄树的说，看哪，我这三年来到这棵无花果树前找果子，竟找不到；把它砍了吧，何必让它白占土地呢？但他回答说，主啊，这一年也容它吧，等我在树周围挖掘，撒上粪，将来若结果子便罢；不然你再把它砍了。(路加福音13:6–9)
有无花果树的“葡萄园”表示也包含那些处于外在之人的教会；因为主的教会既有一个内在，又有一个外在；教会的内在是仁和由此而来的信，而教会的外在是生活的良善。仁与信的作为，也就是生活的良善，属于属世人，而仁本身和由此而来的信属于属灵人，所以“葡萄园”表示教会的内在，“无花果树”表示教会的外在。犹太民族只有教会的外在，因为它处于外在的代表性敬拜；因此，“无花果树”表示在这个民族中间的教会；但由于他们因内心邪恶而处于外在敬拜，未处于内在敬拜，而没有内在的外在敬拜不是敬拜，对恶人来说是邪恶的敬拜，所以他们没有任何属世良善。因此，经上说他“这三年在这棵无花果树上找不到果子，就吩咐修理葡萄树的去把它砍了”，这句话表示这个民族从开始到结束就没有任何属世良善，“三年”表示一整个时期，或从开始到结束的时间，“无花果树的果子”表示属世良善；属世良善是指属灵–属世的良善，或来自属灵之物的属世之物中的良善。由于由诸如未处于属世良善的人，如犹太民族构成的教会不是一个教会，所以经上还说：“何必让它白占土地呢？”“土地”表示教会；“修理葡萄树的说，容它吧，我会在树周围挖掘”表示他们，即这个民族将存留，然后被基督徒教导，因为他们将在基督徒中间；但对此没有作出回答，这表示无花果树仍将不结果子，也就是说，犹太民族仍将不行从任何属灵之物发出的良善。
这就是由于主在其上没有找到果子而“枯干的无花果树”的含义。马太福音：
早晨耶稣回城，就饿了。祂看见路旁有一棵无花果树，就走到跟前，在树上找不着什么，只有叶子，于是就对树说，从今以后，你永远长不出任何东西；因此，从那时起，那无花果树就枯干了。(马太福音21:18–19; 马可福音11:12–14)
此处，“无花果树”也表示在犹太民族中间的教会。“主就走到无花果树跟前，在树上找不着什么，只有叶子”表示犹太民族没有属世良善，只有被歪曲的真理，这真理本身是虚假，主未找到的“果子”表示诸如前面所描述的那种属世良善，“叶子”表示被歪曲的真理，这真理本身是虚假，因为在圣言中，“叶子”表示真理，但没有果子的树叶表示虚假，对犹太民族来说，则表示被歪曲的真理，因为他们拥有真理在其中的圣言，但他们通过应用于自己而歪曲这些真理，他们的传统由此产生，或说这是他们传统的源头。主对此所说的话，即“从今以后，你永远长不出任何东西；因此，从那时起，那无花果树就枯干了”表示犹太民族将不行来自一个属灵源头、被称为属灵–属世良善的属世良善；“枯干”表示不再有任何良善或任何真理。当主回城饿了时，祂看见无花果树，就说了这话，因为“耶路撒冷城”表示教会，“饿”当论及主时，表示渴望教会的良善(可参看AE 386h节)。人若不知道“无花果树”的含义，不知道这无花果树表示在犹太民族中间的教会，只会以为主出于愤怒如此行，因为祂饿了；但做这事不是由于这个原因，而是为了它可以表示这就是犹太民族的品质。因为主的一切奇迹都涉及并表示诸如属于天堂和教会的那类事物，这些奇迹由此而为神性(参看《属天的奥秘》，7337, 8364, 9051e节)。
在诗篇，无花果树还表示一个败坏的教会，或在其属世人或外在人方面败坏的教会之人：
祂给他们降下冰雹为雨，在他们的地上降下火焰；祂也击打他们的葡萄树和无花果树，折毁他们边境的树木。(诗篇105:32–33)
这些话论及埃及，埃及表示处于虚假和邪恶的属世人；“葡萄树”、“无花果树”、“边境的树木”表示教会的一切事物，“葡萄树”表示教会的内在或属灵事物，“无花果树”表示教会的外在或属世事物，“边境的树木”表示属于知道和感知的一切，或说认知和感知能力的一切，“边境或边界”表示内层终止于其中，并一起存在于其中的终端，“树木”表示知识和感知。由于所有这些事物都被败坏了，并因此受到诅咒，所以经上说它们被“击打和折毁”，这表示摧毁和诅咒。给他们降为雨的“冰雹”和他们地上的“火焰”表示这一切都来自源于对世界的爱的邪恶之虚假，如冰雹的“雨”表示邪恶之虚假，“火焰”表示对世界的爱。
那鸿书：
你一切的堡垒必如无花果树上初熟的无花果，若一摇动，就落在吃者的嘴上。(那鸿书3:12)
这些话论及“流血的城”，“流血的城”表示其中真理被歪曲，良善被玷污的教义。这教义被比作无花果树与其初熟的无花果；若一摇动，它们就落在吃者的嘴上，这表示其中的良善不是良善，无论它们多么看似良善；它们不被接受，即便被接受，也只是在记忆中，而不是在心里被接受。“若一摇动，它们就落”表示它们不是良善，尽管它们看似良善，因为它们是“初熟的无花果”；它们落在“吃者的嘴上”表示它们甚至在记忆中也没有被接受。“吃者的嘴上”表示不接受，这一点从灵界的表象明显看出来；因为那些把任何东西都交付给记忆的人看上去是用嘴接受它；所以“落在嘴上”表示甚至在记忆里也不接受，只是听一听，即便他们接受，它也只是在记忆中，不在心里。“无花果树与其初熟的无花果”也可以理解为纯正的良善，就像适用于那些处于邪恶之虚假的人一样。
403. As a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken by a mighty wind. That this signifies, which the natural man has laid waste by his reasonings, is plain from the signification of a fig-tree, as denoting the natural man, of which we shall speak presently; from the signification of its untimely figs, as denoting those things that are in the natural man, these being especially the knowledges implanted in the natural man from infancy, and are not yet mature, having been merely heard and thence received; and from the signification of, shaken by a mighty wind, as denoting, which the natural man has laid waste by reasonings. To be shaken by a mighty wind here signifies reasonings from the falsities of evil; for mighty in the Word is said of good and evil; wind, of truth and falsity; and to be shaken thereby, of reasoning thence. The reason why such things are signified by these words, although they are said comparatively, is, that all comparisons in the Word are significative, just as other things, for they are equally correspondences. With respect to these things, the case is this: every man is born natural from his parents, but becomes spiritual from the Lord; this is called to be born again, or regenerated. And because he is born natural, therefore the knowledges he imbibes from infancy, before he becomes spiritual, are implanted in his natural memory. But as he advances in years, and begins to view rationally the knowledges of good and truth he has imbibed from the Word or from preaching, if he then leads an evil life, he seizes upon and examines the falsities that are the opposite of and contrary to these knowledges; then as he is gifted with a talent for reasoning, he reasons from falsities against the knowledges of his infancy and childhood, and as a result these are cast out, and falsities succeed in their place. This, therefore, is what is signified by, "The stars shall fall to the earth, as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken by the wind."
[2] That the fig-tree signifies the natural man is from correspondence; for in heaven gardens and paradises appear, where there are trees of every kind, and every tree signifies something of the Divine, which is communicated to angels from the Lord. In general, the olive signifies the celestial which is of the good of love; the vine, the spiritual which is of the truth from that good; and the fig-tree, the natural, which is derived from the spiritual or the celestial. And because those trees signify such things, therefore they also signify the angel or man with whom such things exist; but in a general sense they signify a whole society, because every society in the heavens is formed so as to present the image of one man. But in the spiritual sense those trees signify the church; the olive, the celestial church; the vine, the spiritual church; and the fig-tree, the natural church, which is the external church corresponding to the internal. From these considerations it is evident why it is that the fig-tree is said to signify the natural man, that is, the Natural in man.
[3] That the fig-tree signifies this, and, in general, the external church, is also clear from other passages in the Word, where it is mentioned, as from the following. In Isaiah:
"All the host of the heavens shall be consumed, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll; and all the host thereof shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as that which falleth from the fig-tree" (34:4).
These things are said concerning the day of the Last Judgment, which was about to come, and also came. For the Last Judgment predicted by the prophets of the Old Testament, was accomplished by the Lord when He was in the world; and because similar things then took place as in the Last Judgment, which was predicted in the Apocalypse, and which has at this day been accomplished by the Lord, therefore nearly similar things are said. As in the prophet Isaiah, that, all the host of the heavens shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as that which falleth from the fig-tree, also that the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll. In the Apocalypse, that the stars shall fall unto the earth, as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, and that the heaven shall depart as a scroll rolled together. That all the host of the heavens shall be consumed, signifies that all the goods and truths of love and faith have been corrupted; for by the host of the heavens are meant all the goods and truths of love and faith; the sun, moon, and stars, by which those things are signified, being called the host of the heavens. The heavens being rolled together as a scroll, signifies their dissipation; that all the host shall fall down as the leaf from the vine, and as that which falleth from the fig-tree, signifies the laying waste from the falsities of evil.
[4] In Jeremiah:
"In consuming I will consume them; there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig-tree, and the leaf shall fade" (8:13).
There being no grapes on the vine signifies that there is no spiritual good; for the vine signifies the spiritual man, and the grape, because it is its fruit, signifies the good of that [man], which is called spiritual good; nor figs on the fig-tree, signifies that there is no natural good, for the fig-tree signifies the natural man, and the fruit of the fig-tree signifies the good of that [man], which is called natural good. That the vine does not signify the vine, nor the fig-tree the fig-tree, is evident, for it is said, "In consuming I will consume them, there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig-tree," for they will not on that account be consumed. The vastation of the church is also treated of, as clearly appears from what precedes and follows there.
[5] In Hosea:
"I will also make all her joy to cease, her feast, her new moon, her sabbath. And I will devastate her vine and her fig-tree, whereof she hath said, These are the rewards of my whoredom; and I will make her a forest, and the wild beast of the field shall devour" (2:11, 12).
The churches are here treated of, and the falsification of truth therein. That it is said concerning the church, is clear from the second verse of this chapter, where it is said, contend with your mother; for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband. By a mother and by a wife is signified the church; the holy things of the church also, from which worship is performed, and the worship itself, are signified by the feast, the new moon, and the sabbath, which shall cease; therefore by, "I will devastate her vine and her fig-tree," is signified that both spiritual good and natural good would perish. That they shall be made a forest, and the wild beast of the field shall devour, signifies that both shall be merely natural, and that the spiritual shall be consumed by falsities and lusts; the forest signifying the merely natural, and the wild beast of the field, falsities and lusts. And inasmuch as falsities in the church are especially falsified truths, and these are treated of in this chapter, therefore it is said, "whereof she hath said, These are the rewards of my whoredom," the rewards of whoredom signifying falsification.
[6] In Joel:
"A nation shall come up upon my land, strong, and without number; its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and it hath the great grinding teeth of a lion. It hath reduced my vine to a waste, and my fig-tree to froth; the branches thereof are made white. The vine is dried up, and the fig-tree languisheth; the pomegranate-tree, and also the palm-tree, and the apple-tree, all the trees of the field are withered" (1:6, 7, 12).
In this whole chapter the devastated church is treated of; and by the nation, which comes up upon the land, which is strong and without number, which has the teeth of a lion, and the great grinding teeth of a lion, is not signified any nation of such a kind, but direful evil and the falsity thence. By the land upon which it comes up, is signified the church; by the teeth of a lion are signified the falsities of that evil; and because these destroy all the goods and truths of the church, they are called the great grinding teeth of a lion; a lion signifying that which destroys. Hence by, "He hath reduced my vine to a waste, and my fig-tree to froth," is signified that the church internal and external is thereby vastated; for the vine signifies the internal church, and the fig-tree the external; froth signifies where there is inwardly no truth; and by, "in making it bare he has made it bare, and cast it away," is signified that there is no longer any good or truth which is not destroyed; to make bare, namely, of fruits and leaves, denotes to deprive of goods and truths; and to cast away denotes entirely to destroy. By, "the branches thereof are made white," is signified, that there is no longer anything spiritual. By the pomegranate, the palm, and the apple, and all the trees of the field which are withered, are signified species of goods and truths of the church, and the knowledges thereof, which are consummated by evils and falsities; the trees of the field, in general, signifying the knowledges of good and truth.
[7] In the same:
"Be not afraid, ye beasts of my fields; for the dwelling-places of the wilderness are made grassy, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig-tree and the vine shall yield their strength" (2:22).
The establishment of the church is here treated of; therefore by the beasts of the field are not meant beasts of the field, but the affections of good in the natural man, consequently, those with whom such affections are. Who does not see that they are not beasts to whom it is said, "Be not afraid, ye beasts of my fields?" By, "the dwelling-places of the wilderness are made grassy," is signified that with such there will be knowledges of truth where there were none before; the dwelling-places of the wilderness denoting the interiors of the mind of those in whom they did not exist before; grassy signifies the increase and multiplication thereof; "for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig-tree and the vine shall yield their strength," signifies that they have natural good and spiritual good, for strength here denotes the production of fruit.
[8] In Amos:
"Your many gardens, and your vineyards, and your fig-trees, and your olive-trees, the canker-worm hath devoured; yet have ye not returned unto me" (4:9).
By gardens are signified all things of the church that constitute intelligence and wisdom; by vineyards, spiritual goods and truths; by fig-trees, natural goods and truths; by olive-trees, celestial goods and truths; the canker-worm denotes the falsity which destroys; the fig-tree, the vine, and the olive, properly signify the church, and the man of the church; but because the church is a church and a man is a man from goods and truths, therefore these also are signified by those trees, the goods by their fruits, and the truths by their branches and leaves.
[9] In Haggai:
"Set your heart from this day and henceforwards. Is there not yet seed in the barn, and even to the vine and fig-tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive-tree?" (2:18, 19).
By these words, in the spiritual sense, is meant that goods and truths are yet remaining; all goods and truths from primaries to ultimates are meant by the vine, the fig-tree, the pomegranate, and the olive-tree; by the vine, spiritual good and truth; by the fig-tree, natural good and truth; by the pomegranate, the knowing and perceptive faculty in general, and specifically the knowledges and perceptions of good and truth; and by the olive-tree, the perception of celestial good and truth; the barn signifies where those things are, either the church, or the man in whom the church is, or the mind of man, which is the subject.
[10] In Habakkuk:
"The fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall increase be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall deceive, and the fields shall yield no food" (3:17).
The fig-tree shall not blossom, signifies that there shall be no natural good; neither shall increase be in the vines, signifies that there shall be no spiritual good; the labour of the olive shall deceive signifies that there shall be no celestial good; the fields shall yield no food, signifies that there shall be no spiritual nourishment.
[11] In Moses:
"Jehovah God leadeth thee to a good land, a land of rivers of water, of fountains and depths that go out of valley and mountain; a land of wheat and barley, and of the vine and fig-tree and pomegranate; a land of oil olive, and honey" (Deuteronomy 8:7, 8).
By the good land to which they shall be led, is meant the land of Canaan, by which is signified the church, therefore here the same things are signified by the vine, the fig-tree, the pomegranate, and the olive, as now [explained] above. The other things may be seen explained before in n. 374. Because by the land of Canaan is signified the church, and by the vine, the fig-tree, and the pomegranate, are signified the internal and external things of the church, therefore it came to pass that the explorers of that land brought such things thence; concerning this it is thus written in Moses:
The explorers of the land of Canaan "came to the river Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, which they bare between two upon a pole; [they brought] also of the pomegranate, and of the figs" (Num. 13:23).
[12] Because the vine and the fig-tree signify such things, therefore it is said in the Word of those who are in the goods and truths of the church, and thence in safety from evils and falsities, that they shall sit under their own vine, and under their own fig-tree in security, and none shall make them afraid; as in the first book of Kings:
"Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon" (Heaven and Hell 188). And because these have truths inscribed upon their hearts, and, therefore, do not debate concerning them, it is said that "nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more," by which is signified, that in that kingdom there shall be no dispute about truths (as may be seen in the same work, n. Heaven and Hell 25, 26, 270, 271). That by the truths and goods which they possess, they shall be safe from evils and falsities, is signified by, they shall sit under their own vine and under their own fig-tree, none making them afraid.
[13] In Jeremiah:
"Lo, I will bring upon you a nation from afar, which shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread; it shall eat up thy sons and thy daughters; it shall eat up thy flock and thine herd; it shall eat up thy vine and thy fig-tree" (5:15, 17).
By a nation from afar is signified the evil opposed to celestial good; by from afar is signified distant and remote from goods and truths, also opposed; "which shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread," signifies that it shall destroy all truths and goods by means of which there is spiritual nourishment; "it shall eat up thy sons and thy daughters," signifies all the spiritual affections of truth and good; "it shall eat up thy flock and thine herd," signifies truths and goods internal and external; "it shall eat up thy vine and thy fig-tree," signifies, thus the internal and external of the church.
[14] In Hosea:
"I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the first-ripe in the fig-tree in its first season" (Arcana Coelestia 6050, 6075, 6846, 6876, 6884, 7648, 8055); because they were in good, but at the beginning in ignorance of the truth, by which, however, good is [formed], it is said, "I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the first-ripe in the fig-tree in its first season"; grapes signifying spiritual good, wilderness signifying ignorance of the truth; and the first-ripe in the fig-tree signifying natural good from spiritual good in infancy.
[15] In Luke:
"And when all these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads. And he spake a parable; Behold the fig-tree, and all the trees; when they now have shot forth, ye see and shall know of your own selves that summer is now near. So also ye, when ye shall see these things, know that the kingdom of God is nigh" (21:28-31; Matthew 24:32; Mark 13:28, 29).
The subject here treated of is the consummation of the age, which is the Last Judgment, and the signs that precede are enumerated; these are meant by, "when all these things begin to come to pass." That a new church will then commence, which will be external in the beginning, is signified by, "Behold the fig-tree, and all the trees, when they have shot forth." This parable or similitude was related, because the fig-tree signifies the external church, and the trees signify the knowledges of truth and good. The kingdom of God, which then is near, signifies the Lord's New Church; for at the time of the Last Judgment, the old church perishes, and a new commences.
[16] In Luke:
"Every tree is known by his own fruit; for of thorns [men] do not gather figs, nor of a bramble-bush gather they the grape" (6:44).
As by fruit is signified the good of life, and the good of life is external good from internal, or natural good from spiritual, and as man is known from this good, therefore the Lord says, "Every tree is known by his own fruit; of thorns [men] do not gather figs, nor of a bramble-bush gather they the grape," the fig here denoting the good of the external or natural man, and the grape denoting the good of the internal or spiritual man; the thorns and the bramble-bush denote the evils opposed to them.
[17] Because the kings of Judah and Israel represented the Lord as to Divine truth, and Divine truth is, as it were, tortured, and labours with man, when there is not a life according to it, and it does not become the good of life; but only when it becomes of the life, it lives; this was signified by the following:
That by command of Jehovah to Hezekiah king of Judah, when he was sick, they should bring a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaster, upon the boil, and so should he live (2 Kings 20:7; Isaiah 38:21).
From these things it is evident that the fig-tree, in the genuine sense, signifies the natural man as to good and truth, the fig itself as a tree, the natural man; the fig as a fruit, the good of the natural man; and its leaf, the truth of that good.
[18] But that the fig-tree in an opposite sense signifies the natural man as to evil and falsity, the fig as a tree, the natural man himself, the figs of it as fruit, the evil of that natural man; and its leaf, the falsity of that evil, is plain from the following passages.
In Jeremiah:
"Jehovah shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of Jehovah. One basket [held] very good figs, as of fig-trees bearing the first-fruits; and the other basket [held] exceeding bad figs, which could not be eaten for badness. Jehovah said, As these figs are good, so will I acknowledge the migration of Judah into the land of the Chaldeans for good; and I will set mine eye upon them for good, and I will bring them back upon this land; and I will build them, and I will plant them. And like the figs that are bad; so will I give them that are left in this land, to commotion, and to evil in all nations; and I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, that they may be consumed" (391, 392, 394, 397); namely, that the inwardly evil, who could nevertheless lead a moral life, like the spiritual life in externals, remained upon the earth in the spiritual world, and made themselves habitations there upon the higher places; and that the inwardly good were removed from them, and concealed by the Lord in the lower earth. This was represented by the carrying away of the Jews into the land of the Chaldeans, and by the continuance of the rest in the land; therefore it is said concerning those who suffered themselves to be carried away into the land of the Chaldeans, "I acknowledge the migration of Judah into the land of the Chaldeans for good; and I will set mine eye upon them for good, and I will bring them back upon this land; and I will build them, and I will plant them"; whereas, concerning those who remained, it is said, "I will give them that are left in this land, to commotion, and to evil in all nations; and I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, that they may be consumed." That these were the things represented, is plain also from this fact, that the temple of Solomon was destroyed before they were carried away, and that a new [temple] was built when they returned. By the temple is signified Divine worship; and by the new temple, that [worship] restored.
[19] From these things it is evident what is signified by the two baskets of figs set before the temple of Jehovah, in one of which were figs that were very good, as of fig-trees bearing the firstfruits, and in the other were figs exceeding bad, which could not be eaten for badness; namely, that those who are inwardly good, from whom a new heaven is to be formed, are meant by the basket of good figs, and those who are inwardly evil, who are to be cast down into hell, are meant by the basket of bad figs. Therefore it is said concerning the latter, that they could not be eaten for badness; by which is signified that they were inwardly evil; and concerning the former that they were as fig-trees bearing the first-fruits, by which is signified that they were inwardly good, so that a new heaven could be formed from them; for the fig, as a fruit, signifies the good of life in the internal, and at the same time in the external form, and, in an opposite sense, it signifies the good of life solely in the external form, which is evil of life, because it is inwardly evil; for every external derives its quality from the internal, for it is the effect of it. The reason why, with such persons, evil appears in the externals as good, is, because they feign what is good for the sake of the evil that is within, in order to obtain some end, to which apparent good serves as a means. The same is said of those who remained in the land of Canaan elsewhere in the same [prophet]:
"Thus said Jehovah of the king, and all the people that dwell in this city, that are not gone forth with you into captivity; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and I will make them like harsh figs, that cannot be eaten for badness" (29:16, 17).
[20] That the fig as a tree, in the opposite sense, signifies the merely natural man, and the church from such, or those with whom there is no natural good, because there is no inward good, is plain in Luke:
Jesus "spake this parable: A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard; he therefore came seeking fruit thereon, but found none. He said unto the vine-dresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, but find none, cut it down, for wherefore also maketh it the ground unfruitful? But he answering said, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: if only it bear fruit, [well]; if not at all, after that thou shalt cut it down" (13:6-9).
By the vineyard, in which the fig-tree was, is signified the church, where also those are who are in externals; for there is both an internal and an external in the Lord's church; the internal of the church consists of charity and the faith thence, but the external of the church consists of the good of life. Because the works of charity and faith, which constitute the good of life, pertain to the natural man, and charity itself and the faith thence to the spiritual man, hence by the vineyard is signified the internal of the church, and by the fig-tree its external. With the Jewish nation there was only the external of the church, because it was in external representative worship; therefore by the fig-tree is meant the church with that nation; but because they were in external and in no internal worship, for they were inwardly evil, and since external worship without internal is no worship, and with the evil is evil worship, therefore with them there was nothing of natural good. Hence it is said, that for three years he had not found fruit on the fig-tree, and that he commanded the vinedresser to cut it down; by which is signified, that from beginning to end there was not any natural good with that nation; for by three years is signified a whole period, or a time from beginning to end; and by the fruit of the fig-tree is signified natural good; by natural good is meant spiritual-natural good, or good in the natural from the spiritual. And because a church composed of such as are not in natural good, as was the Jewish nation, is not a church, therefore it is also said of the fig-tree, "wherefore also maketh it the ground unfruitful?" the earth denoting the church. That the vine-dresser begged that it should still be left, and that he would dig about it, signifies that [the nation] should remain, and that hereafter they should be instructed by the Christians, in the midst of whom they would be; but because no answer was made to this, it is meant that the fig-tree would still produce no fruit; that is, that the Jewish nation would do no good that proceeds from anything spiritual.
[21] This is signified by the fig-tree which withered away on account of the Lord's finding no fruit thereon.
In Matthew:
"In the morning, Jesus returning into the city, hungered. And seeing a fig-tree in the way, he came to it, but found nothing thereon but leaves, therefore he said unto it, Let nothing grow on thee henceforward for ever; whence the fig-tree from that time withered away" (386). He who does not know what the fig-tree signifies, and that by that fig-tree was meant the church with that nation, can think no otherwise than that this was done by the Lord from indignation, because He hungered; whereas it was not done on this account, but that the quality of the Jewish nation might be thereby signified. For all the Lord's miracles involve and signify such things as belong to heaven and the church, whence those miracles were Divine (as may be seen, n. 7337, 8364, 9031 at the end).
[22] The perverted church, or the perverted man of the church as to his natural or external man, is also signified by the fig-tree, in David:
"He gave them hail for rain, a fire of flames in their land and he smote their vines and their fig-trees; he brake the tree of their border" (Psalms 105:32, 33).
These things are said concerning Egypt, by which is signified the natural man who is in falsities and evils; and by the vine, the fig-tree, and the tree of the border, are signified all things of the church; by the vine, the internal or spiritual things thereof; by the fig-tree, the external or natural things thereof; and by the tree of the border, every thing of the cognitive and perceptive faculty; the border signifying the ultimate in which interior things terminate, and in which they are together, and the trees [signifying] knowledges and perceptions. Because all these things were perverted and therefore damned, it is said that they were smitten and broken, by which is signified destruction and damnation. That [this was] from the falsities of evil that originate in the love of the world, is signified by, "hail for rain, a fire of flames in their land"; rain as hail signifies the falsities of evil, and a fire of flames signifies the love of the world.
[23] In Nahum:
All thy strongholds [shall be] like fig-trees with the first ripe figs if they are shaken, they fall upon the mouth of the eater (3:12).
This is said of the city of bloods, by which is signified doctrine in which truths are falsified and goods adulterated. This is compared to fig-trees with their first-fruits, which, if they be shaken, fall upon the mouth of the eater, and by this is signified that the goods therein are not goods, however much they appear as goods; and that they are not received, and if they are received, they are received only in the memory and not in the heart. That they fall when they are shaken, signifies that they are not goods although they appear as goods, because they are the first-fruits; and upon the mouth of the eater signifies non-reception, not even in the memory. That the mouth of the eater signifies not to receive, is plain from appearances in the spiritual world; for those who commit any thing to the memory appear to receive with the mouth; therefore to fall upon the mouth signifies, not to receive even in the memory, but only to hear, and also if they do receive, that it is only in the memory, and not in the heart. By fig-trees with their first-fruits can also be understood genuine goods, with which the same is accomplished with those who are in falsities of evil.
403. As a fig tree casteth her unripe figs when shaken by a great wind, signifies which knowledges the natural man has laid waste by its reasonings. This is evident from the signification of "fig-tree," as being the natural man (of which presently); from the signification of "her unripe figs" as being the things that are in the natural man, which especially are the knowledges implanted in the natural man from infancy, and that are not yet mature, having been merely heard and thence accepted; also from the signification of "shaken by a great wind," as being, which the natural man has laid waste by reasonings. "To be shaken by a great wind" here signifies the reasonings from the falsities of evil, for "great" in the Word is predicated of good and of evil, "wind" of truth and of falsity, and "to be shaken thereby," of reasoning therefrom. Such is the signification of these words, although they are used comparatively, because in the Word all comparisons, like the rest, are significative, for they are equally correspondences. With respect to these things, the case is this: every man is born natural from his parents, but becomes spiritual from the Lord, which is called to be born anew or to be regenerated; and because he is born natural, therefore the knowledges that he imbibes from infancy, before he becomes spiritual, are implanted in his natural memory; but as he advances in years and begins to consider rationally the knowledges of good and truth that he has imbibed from the Word or from preaching, if he is then leading an evil life he eagerly adopts and is imbued with the falsities that are opposite and contrary to these knowledges, and then, because he is endowed with ability to reason, he reasons from falsities against the knowledges of his infancy and childhood, in consequence of which these are cast out, and falsities take their place; this, therefore, is what is signified by "the stars shall fall to the earth as a fig-tree casteth her unripe figs when shaken by a great wind."
[2] That "the fig-tree" signifies the natural man is from correspondence; for in heaven gardens and paradises are seen, where there are trees of every kind, and each tree signifies something of the Divine that is communicated to angels by the Lord. In general, "the olive" signifies the celestial, which is of the good of love; "the vine" the spiritual, which is of truth from that good; and "the fig-tree," the natural, which is derived from the spiritual or the celestial. And as these trees have this signification they also signify the angel or man in whom such things exist. But in a general sense they signify a whole society, because every society in the heavens is so formed as to present the image of a single man. In the spiritual sense, however, these trees signify the church, "the olive" the celestial church, "the vine" the spiritual church, and "the fig-tree" the natural church, which is the external church corresponding to the internal. From this it can be seen why "the fig-tree" is said to signify the natural man, that is, the natural with man.
[3] That "the fig tree" signifies this, and, in general, the external church is evident also from other passages in the Word, where it is mentioned, as from the following. In Isaiah:
All the host of the heavens shall waste away, and the heavens shall be rolled up as a book; and all their 1host shall fall down as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as that which falleth from the fig-tree (Isaiah 34:4).
This is said of the day of the Last Judgment, which was to come, and which also did come; for the Last Judgment foretold by the prophets of the Old Testament was accomplished by the Lord when He was in the world; and as the things then done were like those done in the Last Judgment that is foretold in Revelation, and has at this day been accomplished by the Lord, so nearly the same things are said; as in the prophet Isaiah, that "all the host of the heavens shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as that which falleth from the fig-tree," likewise that "the heavens shall be rolled up as a scroll;" and in Revelation, that "the stars shall fall unto the earth, as a fig-tree casteth her unripe figs," and that "the heaven shall depart as a book rolled up." "All the host of the heavens shall waste away" signifies that all goods and truths that are of love and faith are corrupted, "the host of the heavens" meaning all goods and truths that are of love and faith; for the sun, moon, and stars, by which these are signified, are called "the host of the heavens." "The heavens shall be rolled up as a book" signifies their dispersion; "all the host shall fall down as the leaf from the vine, and as that which falleth from the fig tree" signifies a laying waste from the falsities of evil.
[4] In Jeremiah:
In consuming I will consume them; there shall be no grapes on the vine nor figs on the fig-tree, and the leaf shall wither (Jeremiah 8:13).
"No grapes on the vine" signifies that there is no spiritual good, for "the vine" signifies the spiritual man, and "the grape," as being its fruit, signifies the good of that man, which is called spiritual good; "nor figs on the fig-tree" signifies that there is no natural good, for "the fig-tree" signifies the natural man, and "the fruit of the fig tree" signifies the good of that man which is called natural good. Evidently "the vine" does not mean a vine, nor "the fig-tree" a fig-tree, for it is said, "In consuming I will consume them, there shall be no grapes on the vine nor figs on the fig-tree," for they would not be consumed on that account. Moreover, the vastation of the church is what is treated of, as is clearly evident from what there precedes and follows.
[5] In Hosea:
I will make all her joy to cease, her feast, her new moon, her sabbath. And I will lay waste her vine and her fig-tree, whereof she hath said, These are my meretricious hire; and I will make them a forest, and the wild beast of the field shall eat them (Hosea 2:11-12).
This treats of the churches and of the falsification of truth therein. That the church is treated of is evident from the second verse of this chapter, where it is said, "Plead with your mother; for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband," "mother" and "wife" meaning the church. Moreover, the holy things of the church, from which worship is performed, and the worship itself, are signified by "the feast, the new moon, and the sabbath," which shall cease; therefore "I will lay waste her vine and her fig-tree" signifies that both spiritual good and natural good are to perish. That "they will be made a forest, and the wild beast of the field shall eat them" signifies that both will be merely natural, and that the spiritual will be consumed by falsities and lusts; "forest" signifying the merely natural, and "wild beast of the field" falsities and lusts. And as falsities in the church are especially falsified truths, and these are treated of in this chapter, it is said, "whereof she hath said, These are my meretricious hire," "meretricious hire" signifying falsification.
[6] In Joel:
A nation shall come up upon My land, vigorous and without number; its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and it hath the cheek-teeth of an immense 2lion. It hath made My vine a waste. and My fig-tree foam; [in stripping it hath stripped it, and cast it away;] the branches thereof are made white. The vine is dried up and the fig-tree languisheth; the pomegranate-tree, the palm-tree also, and the apple-tree, all the trees of the field are dried up (Joel 1:6-7, 12).
This whole chapter treats of the devastated church; and "the nation that comes up upon the land, vigorous and without number, having the teeth of a lion, and the cheek-teeth of an immense lion," does not signify any such nation, but direful evil and falsity therefrom; "the land upon which it comes up" signifies the church; "the teeth of a lion" signify the falsities of such evil; and because these destroy all the goods and truths of the church, they are called "the teeth of the lion and the great cheek-teeth of a lion," "lion" signifying [falsity] which destroys. Therefore "it hath made My vine a waste, and My fig-tree foam," signifies that the church internal and external is thereby vastated, "vine" signifying the internal church, and "fig-tree" the external, "foam" signifying where there is inwardly no truth; "in stripping it hath stripped it, and cast it away" signifies that there is no longer any good or truth that is not destroyed, "to strip," that is, of fruits and leaves, means of goods and truths, and "to cast away" means to destroy entirely; "the branches thereof are made white" signifies that there is no longer anything spiritual; "the pomegranate, the palm, and the apple, and all the trees of the field, that are dried up" signify the kinds of goods and truths of the church, and its knowledges, which are consummated by evils and falsities, "the trees of the field" signifying in general the knowledges of good and truth.
[7] In the same:
Fear not, ye beasts of My fields; for the habitations of the wilderness are full of herbs, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig-tree and the vine shall yield their strength (Joel 2:22).
This treats of the establishment of the church, therefore "the beasts of the field" do not mean beasts of the field, but the affections of good in the natural man, consequently those in whom are such affections. Who does not see that it cannot be beasts to whom it is said, "Fear not, ye beasts of my fields?" "The habitations of the desert are made full of herbs" signifies that with such there will be knowledges of truth where there were none before, "the habitations of the wilderness" meaning the interiors of the mind of those in whom these did not exist before, "full of herbs" signifying the increase and multiplication of these; "for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine shall yield their strength" signifies that they have natural good and spiritual good, "strength" here meaning the production of fruit.
[8] In Amos:
Your many gardens and your vineyards, and your fig-trees and your olive-trees, the palmer worm hath devoured; yet have ye not returned unto me (Amos 4:9).
"Gardens" signify all things of the church that constitute intelligence and wisdom; "vineyards" spiritual goods and truths; "fig-trees" natural goods and truths; "olive-trees" celestial goods and truths; "the palmer worm" means the falsity that destroys; "the fig-tree," "the vine," and "the olive" properly signify the church and the man of the church; but as the church is a church and man is a man from goods and truths, so these also are signified by those trees, goods by their fruits, and truths by their branches and leaves.
[9] In Haggai:
Set your heart from this day and onwards. Is not the seed yet in the barn, even to the vine and fig-tree, and the pomegranate and the olive-tree? (Haggai 2:18-19).
These words in the spiritual sense mean that there are goods and truths yet remaining; all goods and truths from first to last are meant by "the vine, the fig-tree, the pomegranate, and the olive-tree," "the vine" meaning spiritual good and truth; "the fig-tree" natural good and truth; "the pomegranate" in general that which belongs to knowing and perceiving, and in particular, the knowledges and perceptions of good and truth; and "the olive-tree" the perception of celestial good and truth; "the barn" signifies where all these are, either the church or the man in whom the church is, or the mind of the man which is the subject.
[10] In Habakkuk:
The fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall there be produce on the vines; the labor of the olive shall dissemble, and the fields shall yield no food (Habakkuk 3:17).
"The fig-tree shall not blossom" signifies that there shall be no natural good; "neither shall there be produce on the vines" signifies that there shall be no spiritual good; "the labor of the olive shall dissemble" signifies that there shall be no celestial good; "the fields shall yield no food" signifies that there shall be no spiritual nourishment.
[11] In Moses:
Jehovah God bringeth thee to a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths going forth in valley and mountain; a land of wheat and barley, and of vine and fig-tree and pomegranate; a land of oil-olive and honey (Deuteronomy 8:7-8).
"The good land" to which they shall be led means the land of Canaan, which signifies the church; here, therefore, "vine," "fig-tree," "pomegranate," and "olive," have a like signification as above. (The remainder may be seen explained before, n. Numbers 13:23).
[12] Because "the vine" and "the fig-tree" signify such things, it is said in the Word of those who are in the goods and truths of the church, and thus in safety from evils and falsities, that "they shall sit securely under their own vine and under their own fig-tree, and none shall make afraid." Thus in the first book of Kings:
Judah and Israel dwelt in security, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon (Heaven and Hell 188). And as such have truths inscribed on their hearts, and therefore do not dispute about them, it is said that "nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more," which signifies that in that kingdom there shall be no disputation about truths (See in the same work, n 25-26, 270, 271). That through the truths and goods in which they are, they shall be safe from evils and falsities is signified by "they shall sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and none shall make afraid."
[13] In Jeremiah:
Lo, I will bring upon you a nation from afar, which shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread; and it shall eat up thy sons and thy daughters; it shall eat up thy flock and thy herd; it shall eat up thy vine and thy fig tree (Jeremiah 5:15, 17).
"A nation from afar" signifies the evil opposed to celestial good, "from afar" signifying apart and remote from, also opposed to, goods and truths; "which shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread" signifies that it will destroy all truths and goods by which there is spiritual nourishment; "which shall eat up thy sons and thy daughters" signifies all the spiritual affections of truth and good; "which shall eat up thy flock and thy herd" signifies truths and goods internal and external; "which shall eat up thy vine and thy fig tree" signifies thus the internal and the external of the church.
[14] In Hosea:
I found 3Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the first-ripe in the fig-tree in its first season (Arcana Coelestia 6050, 6075, 6846, 6876, 6884, 7649, 8055); because these were in good, but at the beginning in ignorance of truth, through which, however, good comes, it is said, "I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as a fig-tree in its first season," "grapes" signifying spiritual good, "wilderness" signifying ignorance of truth, and "the first-ripe in the fig-tree" signifying natural good from spiritual good in infancy.
[15] In Luke:
When these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads. And He spoke a parable: Behold the fig-tree and all the trees; when now they shall have shot forth ye see and shall know of your own selves that summer is now near. So ye also, when ye shall see these things coming to pass know that the kingdom of God is nigh (Luke 21:28-31; Matthew 24:32; Mark 13:28-29).
This treats of the consummation of the age, which is the Last Judgment, and the signs which precede are enumerated, which are meant by "when all these things begin to come to pass;" that a new church is then to begin, which in its beginning will be external, is signified by "Behold the fig-tree and all the trees, when they have shot forth." This parable or similitude was related because "the fig-tree" signifies the external church, and "trees" signify the knowledges of truth and good; "the kingdom of God," which then is near, signifies the new church of the Lord; for at the time of the Last Judgment the old church perishes and a new one begins.
[16] In Luke:
Every tree is known by its own fruit; for from thorns men do not gather figs, nor from a bramble bush gather they the grape (Luke 6:44; Matthew 7:16);
as "fruit" signifies the good of life, and the good of life is external good from internal, or natural good from spiritual, and as from this good man is known, so the Lord says, "Every tree is known by its own fruit; from thorns men do not gather figs, nor from a bramble-bush gather they the grape," "fig" here meaning the good of the external or natural man, and "the grape" the good of the internal or spiritual man; "thorns" and "bramble-bush" mean the evils opposed to these goods.
[17] Because the kings of Judah and Israel represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and Divine truth with man endures distress and labors as it were, when the life is not according to it and when it is not made the good of life, but when it is made the good of life it lives, so this was signified by the following:
By command of Jehovah they brought to Hezekiah king of Judah, when he was sick, a lump of figs, and placed it as a plaster upon his boil, and so he lived (2 Kings 20:7; Isaiah 38:21).
From this it can be seen that "the fig-tree" in the genuine sense, signifies the natural man in respect to good and truth, the fig itself as a tree the natural man, the fig as a fruit the good of the natural man, and its leaf the truth of that good.
[18] But that "the fig-tree" in the contrary sense signifies the natural man in respect to evil and falsity, the fig as a tree the natural man itself, the figs of it as fruit, the evil of that natural man, and its leaf the falsity of that evil, is evident from the following passages. In Jeremiah:
Jehovah showed me, and behold, two baskets of figs set before the temple of Jehovah, one basket of very good figs, as of fig-trees bearing the firstfruits; and the other basket of very bad figs, that could not be eaten for badness. Jehovah said, As the good figs, so will I recognize those carried away of Judah into the land of the Chaldeans for good; and I will set Mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them back upon this land; and I will build them, and I will plant them. And as the bad figs, so will I give them that are left in this land to commotion, and to evil to all nations; and I will send among them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, that they may be consumed (391, 392, 394, 397), namely that those who were inwardly evil, and yet were able to maintain a moral life externally like a spiritual life, remained upon the earth in the spiritual world, and made habitations for themselves there upon the higher places; while those who were inwardly good were removed from them, and concealed by the Lord in the lower earth; this was what was represented by the carrying away of the Jews into the land of the Chaldeans, and by the continuance of the rest of them in the land; therefore it is said concerning those who suffered themselves to be carried away into the land of the Chaldeans, "I recognize those carried away of Judah into the land of the Chaldeans for good; and I will set Mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them back upon this land; and I will build them, and I will plant them;" while of those that remained it is said "I will give them that are left in this land to commotion, and to evil to all nations; and I will send among them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, that they may be consumed." That this is what was represented is evident also from this, that the temple of Solomon was destroyed before they were carried away, and a new one was built when they returned; "temple" signifying Divine worship, and "a new temple" worship restored.
[19] From this it can be seen what is signified by "the two baskets of figs set before the temple of Jehovah, in one of which were very good figs, as of fig-trees bearing the firstfruits, and in the other very bad figs, that could not be eaten for badness," namely, that those who are inwardly good, of whom a new heaven is to be formed, are meant by "the basket of good figs;" and those who are inwardly evil, who are to be cast down into hell, are meant by "the basket of bad figs;" wherefore it is said of the latter that "they could not be eaten for badness," signifying that such are inwardly evil, while of the former it is said that they were "as fig-trees bearing the firstfruits," signifying that such are inwardly good, so that a new heaven may be formed out of them; for "the fig," as a fruit, signifies the good of life both in its internal and its external form, and in the contrary sense it signifies the good of life merely in its external form, which is the evil of life, because inwardly it is evil, every external deriving all its quality from its internal, as it is an effect of it. With such, evil appears in externals as good, because they feign good for the sake of the evil that is within, in order to obtain some end, to which the seeming good serves as a means. The like is said of those who remained in the land of Canaan elsewhere in the same prophet:
Thus said Jehovah concerning the king, and all the people that dwell in this city that are not gone forth with you into captivity: Behold, I will send against them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and I will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten for badness (Jeremiah 29:16-17).
[20] That "the fig," as a tree, in the contrary sense signifies a merely natural man, and a church constituted of such, or those with whom there is no natural good because there is no good within is evident in Luke:
Jesus spoke this parable: A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard; he therefore came seeking fruit thereon, but found none. He said unto the vine dresser, Behold, three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, but find none; cut it down, why also doth it make the land unfruitful? But he answering said, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it and dung it, if indeed it will bear fruit; but if not, after that thou shalt cut it down (Luke 13:6-9).
"The vineyard in which was the fig-tree" signifies the church, which contains also such as are in externals; for in the Lord's church there is both an internal and an external; the internal of the church is charity and the faith therefrom, while the external of the church is the good of life. The works of charity and faith, which are the good of life, belong to the natural man, while charity itself and faith therefrom belong to the spiritual man, therefore "a vineyard" signifies the internal of the church, and "a fig-tree" its external. With the Jewish nation there was only the external of the church, since it was in external representative worship; therefore "a fig tree" means the church with that nation; but because they were in external worship and in no internal, being inwardly evil, and external worship without internal is no worship, and with the evil is evil worship, therefore with them there was nothing of natural good. It is therefore said that "for three years he found no fruit on the fig-tree, and that he told the vine dresser to cut it down," which signifies that from beginning to end there was no natural good with that nation, "three years" signifying a whole period, or the time from beginning to end, and "the fruit of the fig tree" signifying natural good; by natural good is meant spiritual-natural good, or good in the natural from the spiritual. And because a church composed of such as are not in natural good, as was the Jewish nation, is not a church, it is also said "why also doth it make the land unfruitful?" "land" meaning the church; "the vine dresser saying that it should still be left, and he would dig about it" signifies that they would remain, and that they would hereafter be instructed by the Christians, in the midst of whom they would be; but no answer being made to this means that the fig tree would still produce no fruit, that is, that no good proceeding from anything spiritual would be done by the Jewish nation.
[21] This is the signification of "the fig-tree that withered away" when the Lord found no fruit on it, in Matthew:
In the morning Jesus returning into the city, hungered. And seeing a fig-tree by the way, He came to it, but found nothing thereon but leaves, therefore He said unto it, Let nothing grow on thee henceforward forever; therefore from that time the fig-tree withered away (386. One who does not know the signification of "fig-tree," and that this fig-tree meant the church with that nation, thinks no otherwise than the Lord did this from indignation because He was hungry; but it was not done for that reason, but that it might be signified that such was the quality of the Jewish nation; for all the Lord's miracles involve and signify such things as belong to heaven and the church, whence those miracles were Divine (See Arcana Coelestia 7337, 8364, 9051 at the end).
[22] A perverted church, or the man of the church perverted in respect to his natural or external man is also signified by the fig-tree in David:
He gave them hail for their rain, a fire of flames in their land; and He smote their vine and their fig-tree; He brake the tree of their border (Psalms 105:32-33).
This was said of Egypt, which signifies the natural man that is in falsities and evils; and "vine," "fig tree," and "the tree of the border" signify all things of the church, "vine" the internal or spiritual things thereof, "fig-tree" the external or natural things thereof, and "the tree of the border" everything pertaining to knowing and perceiving, "the border" signifying the ultimate in which the interior things close, and in which they are together, and "trees" signifying knowledges and perceptions. Because all these things were perverted and therefore damned, it is said that they were "smitten and broken," which signifies destruction and damnation; that this was done by the falsities of evil which are from the love of the world is signified by "hail for their rain, a fire of flames in their land," "rain as hail" signifying the falsities of evil, and "the fire of flames" the love of the world.
[23] In Nahum:
All thy fortresses shall be like fig-trees with the first-ripe figs, if they be shaken they fall upon the mouth of the eater (Nahum 3:12).
This is said of "the city of bloods," which signifies doctrine in which truths are falsified and goods adulterated. This is compared to "fig-trees with the first-ripe figs, if they be shaken they fall upon the mouth of the eater," and this signifies that the goods therein are not goods, however much they may appear to be goods; and that such are not received, or if received are received only in the memory and not in the heart. That "if they be shaken they fall" signifies that they are not goods although they appear to be goods, because they are "the first-ripe figs;" and their falling "upon the mouth of the eater" signifies that they are not received even in the memory. That "the mouth of the eater" signifies non-reception is evident from appearances in the spiritual world; for those who commit anything to memory appear to receive it with the mouth; so "to fall upon the mouth" signifies not to receive even in the memory but only to hear, and also if they do receive, that it is only in the memory and not in the heart. "Fig-trees with their first-ripe figs" may also mean genuine goods, of which the like is true as of those who are in the falsities of evil.
Footnotes:
1. The photolithograph has "its host;" the Hebrew "their host;" the latter is found in AE 573.
2. The photolithograph has "immense teeth," but AC 556 and AC 9052 have "immense lion" with Hebrew.
3. The photolithograph has "I saw;" Hebrew has "I found;" this is also found in the explanation AE 403, as well as AE 918, and in AC 217, 1971, 5117.
403. "Sicut ficus dejicit grossos suos a magno vento concussa." - Quod significet qisas naturalis homo per ratiocinationes suas depopulatus est, constat ex significatione "ficus", quod sit naturalis homo, de qua sequitur; ex significatione "grossorum ejus", quod sint illa quae in naturali homine, quae imprimis sunt cognitiones naturali homini implantatae ab infantia, et nondum maturae, quia solum auditae et inde receptae; et ex significatione "magno vento concussa", quod sit quas naturalis hoino per ratiocinationes depopulatus est; "magno vento concuti" significat hic ratiocinationes ex falsis mali, nam "magnum" in Verbo dicitur de bono et de malo, "ventus" de vero et de falso, et "concuti ab illo" de ratiocinatione inde. Quod talia significentur per illa verba, tametsi comparative sunt dicta, est quia omnes comparationes in Verbo, similiter ac reliqua, significant, sunt enim aeque correspondentiae. Cum his ita se habet: omnis homo nascitur a parentibus naturalis, sed fit a Domino spiritualis, quod dicitur e novo nasci seu regenerari; et quia nascitur naturalis, ideo cognitiones quas ab infantia haurit, antequam fit spiritualis, implantantur memoriae ejus naturali; quando autem aetate provehitur, et incipit rationaliter intueri cognitiones boni et veri, quas ex Verbo seu ex praedicatione hausit, si tunc vitam agit malam, arripit et imbuit falsa quae cognitionibus illis opposita et contraria sunt; ac tunc, quia ratiocinandi dote pollet ratiocinatur ex falsis contra cognitiones infantiae et pueritiae suae; quod cum fit, dejiciuntur illae, et loco earum succedunt falsa: haec itaque sunt quae significantur per quod "stellae cadant in terram, tanquam ficus dejicit grossos magno vento concussa."
[2] Quod "ficus" significet naturalem hominem, est ex correspondentia; in caelo enim apparent horti et paradisi, ubi omnis generis arbores sunt, et unaquaevis arbor aliquid Divini, quod communicatur angelis a Domino, significat. In genere "olea" significat caeleste quod est boni amoris, "vitis" spirituale quod est veri ex illo bono, ac "ficus" naturale quod ex spirituali aut ex caelesti derivatur; et quia illae arbores talia significant, ideo etiam significant angelum aut hominem apud quos illa sunt. In communi autem sensu significant totam societatem, quia unaquaevis societas in caelis est formata ut sistat imaginem unius hominis. In spirituali autem sensu significant illae arbores ecclesiam; "olea" ecclesiam caelestem, "vitis" ecclesiam spiritualem, et "ficus" ecclesiam naturalem, quae est ecclesia externa correspondens internae. Ex his constare potest, unde est quod dicatur quod "ficus" significet naturalem hominem, hoc est, naturale apud hominem.
[3] Quod "ficus" illud, et in communi ecclesiam externam significet, patet quoque ab aliis locis in Verbo ubi nominatur, ut ab his sequentibus:
Apud Esaiam,
"Contabescet omnis exercitus caelorum, et convolventur sicut liber caeli; et omnis exercitus 1
eorum decidet, sicut decidit folium de vite, et sicut decidens de ficu" (34:4):
haec dicta sunt de die ultimi judicii, qui venturus; et qui etiam venit, nam ultimum judicium praedictum a prophetis Veteris Testamenti peractum est a Domino cum fuit in mundo; et quia tunc similia facta sunt quae in ultimo judicio quod in Apocalypsi praedictum est, et hodie a Domino peractum est, ideo hic paene similia dicuntur: ut apud prophetam Esaiaim quod "omnis exercitus caelorum decidet sicut decidit folium de vite, et sicut decidens de ficu", tum quod "caeli convolventur sicut volumen"; in Apocalypsi, quod "stellae cadent in terram, sicut ficus dejicit grossos suos", et quod "caelum abscedet sicut liber convolutus"; quod "contabescet" omnis exercitus caelorum" significat quod omnia bona et vera, quae amoris et fidei, corrupta sint; per "exercitum" enim "caelorum" intelliguntur omnia bona et vera quae amoris et fidei; nam sol, luna et stellae, per quae illa significabantur, vocabantur "exercitus caelorum"; quod "convolventur caeli sicut volumen" significat dissipationem eorum; quod "omnis exercitus decidet sicut folium de vite, et sicut decidens de ficu", significat depopulationem ex falsis mali.
[4] Apud Jeremiam,
"Consumendo consumam eos; non uvae in vite, neque ficus in ficu, et folium defluet" (8:13):
"non uvae in vite" significat quod non bonum spirituale, "vitis" enim significat spiritualem hominem, ac "uva", quia est fructus ejus, bonum illius, quod vocatur bonum spirituale; "non ficus in ficu" significat quod non bonum naturale, "ficus" enim "arbor" significat naturalem hominem, ac "ficus fructus" significat bonum illius, quod vocatur bonum naturale; quod "vitis" non significet vitem, nec "ficus" ficum, patet, nam dicitur "Consumendo consumam eos; non uvae in vite, non ficus in ficu"; non enim ideo consumentur; agitur etiam de vastatione ecclesiae, ut manifeste constat ex praecedentibus et sequentibus ibi.
[5] Apud Hoscheam,
"Cessare faciam omne gaudium ejus, festum ejus, novilunium ejus, sabbathum ejus, ... et devastabo vitem ejus et ficum ejus, de quibus dixit, Merces meretricia illa mihi, ... et ponam ea in silvam, et comedet fera agri" (2:11, 12):
agitur ibi de ecclesiis, et de falsificatione veri ibi; quod de ecclesia, patet a versu secundo illius capitis, ubi dicitur, "Contendite cum matre vestra, quoniam illa non uxor mea, et Ego non Maritus ejus"; per "matrem" et per "uxorem" intelligitur ecclesia; etiam sancta ecclesiae, ex quibus fiebat cultus, ac ipse cultus, significantur per "festum, novilunium et sabbathum", quae cessabunt; quare per "devastabo vitem et ficum ejus", significatur quod tam bonum spirituale quam bonum naturale periturum sit: quod "ponentur in silvam, et comedet ea fera agri", significat quod utrumque erit mere naturale, et quod spirituale consumetur a falsitatibus et cupiditatibus; "silva" significat mere naturale, et "fera agri" falsitates et cupiditates: et quia falsitates in ecclesia sunt imprimis falsificata vera, et de his in eo capite agitur, ideo dicitur, "de quibus dixit, Merces meretricia illa mihi"; "merces meretricia" significat falsificationem.
[6] Apud Joelem,
"Gens ascendet super terram meam, robusta, et non numerus, dentes ejus dentes leonis, et molares leonis 2
immanes illi; redegit vitem meam in vastitatem, et ficum meam in spumam: (denudando denudavit eam, et projecit;) dealbati sunt palmites ejus, ... vitis exaruit et ficus languet, malus punica etiamque palma et malus, omnes arbores agri exsiccatae sunt" (1:6, 7, 12):
agitur in toto illo capite de devastata ecclesia; et per "gentem quae ascendit super terram, quae robusta et non numerus, cui dentes leonis, et molares leonis 3
immanes", non significatur aliqua gens quae talis, sed dirum malum et inde falsum; per "terram" super quam ascendit, significatur ecclesia, per "dentes leonis" significantur falsa illius mali, et quia haec destruunt omnia vera et bona ecclesiae, dicuntur "dentes leonis ac molares ejus 4
immanes", per "leonem" significatur (falsum) destruens: inde per "redegit vitem meam in vastitatem, et ficum meam in vastitatem, et ficum meam in spumam", significatur quod ecclesia interna et externa ex illis vastata sit, "vitis" enim significat ecclesiam internam et "ficus" externam, "spuma" significat ubi non est verum intus; et per "denudando denudavit eam, et projecit", significatur quod non bonum nec verum amplius quod non destructum; "denudare", nempe a fructibus et foliis, est a bonis et veris, et "projicere" est prorsus destruere; per "dealbati sunt palmites ejus" significatur quod non amplius aliquod spirituale: per "malum punicam, palmam, malum, et omnes arbores agri quae exsiccatae sunt", significantur species bonorum et verorum ecclesiae, ac cognitiones ejus, quae ex malis et falsis consummata sunt; "arbores agri" in genere significant cognitiones boni et veri.
[7] Apud eundem
"Ne timete, bestiae agrorum meorum, quia herbosa facta sunt habitacula deserti, quia arbor facit fructum suum, ficus atque Vitis dabunt vim suam" (2:22);
agitur ibi de instauratione ecclesiae; quare per "bestias agri" non intelliguntur bestiae agri, sed affectiones boni in naturali homine, inde 5
illi apud quos illae affectiones sunt; quis non videt quod non bestiae sint ad quas dicitur "Ne timete, bestiae agrorum meorum?" Per quod "habitacula deserti herbosa facta sint" significatur quod apud illos erunt cognitiones veri ubi non prius fuerunt; "habitacula deserti" sunt interiora mentis illorum in quibus non prius fuerunt, "herbosum" significat crescentiam et multiplicationem earum: "quoniam arbor facit fructum, suum, ficus atque vitis dabunt vim suam", significat quod illis bonum naturale et bonum spirituale, nam "vis" ibi est productio fructus.
[8] Apud Amos,
"Plurimos hortos vestros, et vineas vestras et ficus vestras, et oleas vestras comedit eruca, nec tamen reversi estis ad Me" (4:9):
per "hortos" significantur omnia ecclesiae quae faciunt intelligentiam et sapientiam ; per "vineas" bona et vera spiritualia: per "ficus" bona et vera naturalia; per "oleas" bona et vera caelestia; "eruca" est falsum destruens: "ficus", "vitis" et "oleae" proprie significant ecclesiam et hominem ecclesiae; sed quia ecclesia est ecclesia et homo est homo ex bonis et veris, ideo quoque haec per illas arbores significantur, bona per "fructus" et vera per "ramos" et "folia" earum.
[9] Apud Haggaeum,
"Ponite... cor vestrum a die hoc et deinceps;... nonne adhuc semen in horreo? et usque ad vitem et ficum, et malogranatum et arborem oleae?" (2:18, 19):
per haec verba in sensu spirituali intelligitur quod adhuc residua sint bona et vera; omnia bona et vera a primis ad ultima intelliguntur per "vitem, ficum, malogranatum et arborem oleae"; per "vitem" bonum et verum spirituale, per "ficum" bonum et verum naturale, per "malogranatum" in genere cognitivum et perceptivum, et in specie cognitiones et perceptiones boni et veri, et per "arborem oleae" perceptio boni et veri caelestis: "horreum" significat ubi illa sunt, sive ecclesia, sive homo in quo ecclesia, sive mens hominis quae est subjectum.
[10] Apud Habakuk,
"Ficus non florebit, neque proventus in vitibus, mentietur opus olivae, et agri non facient cibum" (3:17):
"ficus non florebit" significat quod non erit bonum naturale; "neque proventus in vitibus" significat quod non bonum spirituale; "mentietur opus olivae" significat quod non bonum caeleste; "agri non facient fructum" significat quod nulla nutritio spiritualis.
[11] Apud Mosen,
"Jehovah Deus... ducens te ad terram bonam, terram fluviorum aquae, fontium et abyssorum exeuntium e valle et e monte, terram tritici et hordei, et Vitis et ficus et malogranati, terram olivae olei et mellis" (Deuteronomius 8:7, 8):
per "terram bonam", ad quam ducentur, intelligitur terra Canaan, per quam significatur ecclesia; quare hic similia per "vitem", "ficum", "malogranatum", et "oleam" significantur quae nunc supra. (Reliqua videantur explicata prius, n 374(c).)
Quia per "terram Canaanem" significatur ecclesia, ac per "vitem", "ficum" et "malogranatum" significantur ecclesiae interna et externa, ideo factum est quod exploratores illius terrae deportaverint talia inde, de qua re ita apud Mosen,
Exploratores terrae Canaanis "venerunt ad fluvium Eschkolem, et absciderunt inde palmitem et botrum uvarum unum, quem portarunt in vecte per duos, ac de malogranatis et de ficubus" (Numeri 13:23).
[12] Quia "vitis" et "ficus" talia significant, ideo dicitur in Verbo de illis qui in bonis et veris ecclesiae sunt, et inde in tuto a malis et falsis, quod sedeant sub vite sua et sub ficu sua in securitate et non terrens: Ut in Libro Primo Regum,
"Habitavit Jehudah et Israel in securitate, quisque sub Vite sua et sub ficu sua a Dane usque ad Beerschebam omnibus diebus Salomonis" (5:5 [B.A. 4:25]):
apud Sachariam,
"Removebo iniquitatem terrae hujus in die uno; in die illo... clamabitis vir ad socium, ad vitem et ad ficum" ( 6
haec dicta sunt de regno Domini, quod est apud illos in caelis et in terris qui in amore in Ipsum sunt; regnum Domini significatur per "montem Jehovae qui constitutus in caput montium", "mons" enim "Jehovae" significat regnum Domini ab illis qui in amore in Ipsum sunt; et quia illi habitant supra reliquos in caelis, dicitur de monte illo quod "constitutus in caput montium" (videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 188): hi quia habent vera inscripta cordibus, et ideo non disceptant de illis, dicitur quod non "tollent gens contra gentem gladium, nec discent amplius bellum", per quod significatur quod in regno illo nulla erit disceptatio de veris (videatur in eodem opere, n. 25, 26, 270, 271): quod per vera et bona, in quibus sunt, tuti erunt a malis et falsis, significatur per quod "sedebunt sub vite sua et sub ficu sua, non terrens."
[13] Apud Jeremiam,
"Ecce Ego adducens super Vos gentem e longinquo, ... quae comedet messem tuam, et panem tuum, comedet filios tuos et filias tuas, comedet gregem tuum et armentum tuum, comedet vitem tuam et ficum tuam" (5 [15,] 17, 17):
per "gentem e longinquo" significatur malum oppositum bono caelesti; per "e longinquo" significatur distans ac remotum a bonis et veris, ac oppositum: "quae comedet messem tuam et panem tuum", significat quod destruet omnia vera et bona per quae nutritio spiritualis; "quae comedet filios tuos et filias tuas" significat omnes affectiones veri et boni spirituales; "quae comedet gregem tuum et armentum tuum" significat vera et bona interna et externa; "quae comedet vitem tuam et ficum tuam" significat sic ecclesiae internum et externum.
[14] Apud Hoscheam,
"Sicut uvas in deserto 7
inveni Israelem, sicut primitivum in ficu in initio vidi patres vestros" (9:10):
per "Israelem" et per "patres" ibi non intelliguntur patres tribuum ex filiis Jacobi, sed qui ab Antiqua Ecclesia fuerunt, quia illi in bono (videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 6050, 6075, 6846, 6876, 6884, 8
7649, 8055); quia illi in bono fuerunt, at in principio in ignorantia veri per quod tamen bonum, dicitur "sicut uvas in deserto inveni Israelem, sicut ficus in initio vidi patres vestros"; "uvae" significant bonum spirituale, "desertum" significat ignorantiam veri, "primitivum in ficu" significat bonum naturale ex bono spirituali in infantia.
[15] Apud Lucam,
"Quando haec omnia incipiunt fieri, suspicite et tollite capita vestra...: et dixit parabolam, Spectate ficum et omnes arbores; quando protruserint jam, videntes a vobismet ipsis cognoscetis quod jam prope aestas sit; sic et vos quando videritis hoc fieri, cognoscite quod prope sit regnum Dei" (21:28-31; 9
Matth. 24:32; Marcus 13:28, 29):
agitur ibi de consummatione saeculi, quae est ultimum judicium, et enumerantur signa quae praecedunt, quae intelliguntur per "quando haec omnia incipiunt fieri"; quod nova ecclesia tunc incohatura, quae in initio externa erit, significatur per "Spectate ficum et omnes arbores cum protruserint": haec "parabola" seu "similitudo" dicta est, quia "ficus" significat ecclesiam externam, et "arbores" significant cognitiones veri et boni; "regnum Dei" quod tunc prope est significat novam ecclesiam Domini; tempore enim ultimi judicii perit vetus ecclesia et incohatur nova.
[16] Apud Lucam,
"Omnis arbor a proprio fructu cognoscitur, non enim ex spinis colligunt ficus, neque ex rubo vindemiant uvam" (6:44; Matthaeus 7:16):
quoniam per "fructum" significatur bonum vitae, et bonum vitae est bonum externum ab interno, seu bonum naturale ex spirituali, et quia homo ex hoc bono cognoscitur, ideo dicit Dominus, "Omnis arbor ex proprio fructu cognoscitur; ex spinis non colligunt ficus, neque ex rubo vindemiant uvam"; "ficus" hic est bonum externi seu naturalis hominis, et "uva" est bonum interni seu spiritualis hominis; "spinae" et "rubus" sunt mala illis opposita.
[17] Quoniam reges Jehudae et Israelis repraesentabant Dominum quoad Divinum Verum, et Divinum Verum quasi angitur et laborat apud hominem quando non vivitur secundum id et fit bonum vitae, at quando fit bonum vitae, vivit; hoc significatum est (per)
Quod ex jussu Jehovae ad Hiskiam regem Jehudae aegrotantem adferrent massam ficuum, et contererent super ulcus, et sic viveret (2 Reg.20:7; Esaias 38:21).
Ex his constare potest quod "ficus" in genuino sensu significet naturalem hominem quoad bonum et verum, ipsa ficus ut arbor naturalem hominem, ficus ut fructus bonum naturalis hominis, ac folium ejus verum illius boni.
[18] Quod autem "ficus" in opposito sensu significet naturalem hominem quoad malum et falsum, ficus ut arbor illum naturalem hominem, ficus ejus ut fructus malum naturalis illius hominis, et folium ejus falsum illius mali, constat ex sequentibus his locis:
Apud Jeremiam,
"Ostendit mihi Jehovah, cum ecce duae corbes ficuum constitutae ante Templum Jehovae... una corbis ficus bonae valde, sicut ficuum primitias ferentium; et altera corbis ficus malae valde, quae comedi non poterant prae malitia:... dixit Jehovah, ... Sicut ficus bonae sunt, ita agnoscam migrationem Jehudae... in terram Chaldaeorum in bonum, et ponam oculum meum super eos in bonum, etreducam eos super terram hanc, et aedificabo eos, ... et plantabo eos...: et sicut ficus malae, ita dabo... relictos in terra hac... in commotionem et in malum omnibus gentibus et mittam in eos gladium, famem et pestem, ut consumantur" (24:1-10):
per "captivitatem Judaeorum in terra Chaldaeorum" significatur simile quod per captivitatem spiritualem seu remotionem bonorum a malis in mundo spirituali, secundum illa quae supra (n. 391(a), 392(a), 394, 397) memorata sunt; nempe quod interius mali, qui usque vitam moralem similem vitae spirituali in externis potuerunt agere, in mundo spirituali remanserint super terra, et habitationes sibi fecerint super editioribus locis ibi; ac interius boni ab illis remoti fuerint, ac reconditi a Domino in terra inferiore: hoc repraesentatum est per transportationem Judaeorum in terram Chaldaeorum, et per remanentiam reliquorum in terra; quapropter dicitur de illis qui se transportari passi sunt in terram Chaldaeorum, "Agnosco transmigrationem Jehudae in terram Chaldaeorum in bonum, et ponam oculum meum super eos in bonum, et reducam eos super terram hanc, et aedificabo eos et plantabo eos"; at de illis qui remanserunt dicitur, "Dabo relictos in terra hac in commotionem, et in malum omnibus gentibus, et mittam in eos gladium, famem et pestem, ut consumantur." Quod haec repraesentata fuerint, constat etiam ex eo, quod Templum Salomonis destructum sit ante deportationem, et quod novum aedificatum sit dum reversi sunt; per "templum" significatur cultus Divinus, et per "novum templum" ille restauratus.
[19] Ex his constare potest quid significatur per "duas corbes ficuum constitutas ante Templum Jehovae, in quarum ulla fuerunt ficus bonae valde, sicut ficuum primitias ferentium, et in altera ficus malae valde, quae comedi non poterant prae malitia"; nempe quod illi qui interius boni sunt, a quibus novum caelum formandum est, intelligantur per "corbem ficuum bonarum", et illi qui interius mali, qui dejiciendi in infernum, intelligantur per "corbem ficuum malarum"; quare de his dicitur, quod "non comedi possent prae malitia", per quod significatur quod interius mali; et de illis, quod "sicut ficus primitias ferentes", per quod significatur quod .interius boni, ut novum caelum ab illis formetur; "ficus" enim ut fructus significat bonum vitae in interna et simul in externa forma, et in opposito sensu significat bonum vitae solum in externa forma, quod est malum vitae, quia malum est interius; externum enim omne suum quale trahit ab interno, nam est effectus ejus. Quod malum appareat in externis ut bonum apud illos, est quia mentiuntur bonum propter malum, quod intus est, ad obtinendum finem, cui bonum apparens servit ut medium. Simile dicitur de illis qui permanserunt in terra Canaane alibi apud eundem,
"Sic dixit Jehovah de rege... et de universo populo habitante in urbe hac qui non exiverunt vobiscum in captivitatem, ... Ecce Ego mittens in eos gladium, famem, et pestem, et dabo eos sicut ficus horridas, quae non comedi possunt prae malitia" (29:16, 17).
[20] Quod "ficus" ut arbor in opposito sensu significet hominem mere naturalem, et ecclesiam a similibus, seu apud quos non est bonum naturale quia non est bonum intus, constat apud Lucam,
Jesus "dixit hanc parabolam: 10
ficum habebat aliquis in vinea plantatam, venit ergo fructum quaerens in ea sed non invenit; dixit ad vinitorem, Ecce tres annos venio quaerens fructum in ficu hac, non autem invenio; exscinde illam, ut quid etiam terram infrugiferam faciat? Hic vero respondens dixit, Domine, relinque illam etiam hoc anno, usque dum fodiam circum illam, et adjiciam stercus, si quidem fecerit fructum; sin minus, in futurum exscindas illam" (13:6-9):
per "vineam" in qua erat "ficus", significatur ecclesia ubi etiam illi qui in externis sunt, nam in ecclesia Domini est internum et externum; internum ecclesiae est charitas et inde fides, externum autem ecclesiae est bonum vitae: quia opera charitatis et fidei, quae sunt bonum vitae, sunt naturalis hominis, et ipsa charitas et inde fides sunt spiritualis hominis, inde per "vineam" significatur ecclesiae internum et per "ficum" externum ejus.
Apud gentem Judaicam fuit modo externum ecclesiae, quia in cultu externo repraesentativo erat; quare per "ficum" ecclesia apud illam gentem intelligitur: sed quia in cultu externo erant, et in nullo interno, erant enim intus mali, et quia cultus externus absque interno est nullus cultus, et apud malos est malus cultus, ideo apud illos non aliquod bonum naturale fuit; quare dicitur quod "per tres annos non invenerit fructum in ficu", et quod "dixerit ad vinitorem ut exscinderetur", per quod significatur quod ab initio ad finem non fuerit bonum naturale apud illam gentem; per "tres annos" enim significatur tota periodus, seu tempus ab initio ad finem, et per "fructum ficus" significatur bonum naturale; per bonum naturale intelligitur bonum spirituale naturale, seu bonum in naturali ex spirituali: et quia ecclesia a talibus, qui non in bono naturali, ut erat gens Judaica, non est ecclesia, ideo etiam dicitur, "Quid etiam terram infrugiferam faciat?" "terra" est ecclesia.
Quod "vinitor dixerit, ut adhuc relinqueretur, et foderetur circum illam", significat quod relinquetur et quod instruentur posthac a Christianis, in quorum medio erunt; sed quia nihil ad hoc respondebatur, intelligitur quod ficus usque nullum fructum productura sit, hoc est, quod gens illa nullum bonum, quod ex aliquo spirituali procedit, factura sit.
[21] Hoc significatur per "ficum arefactam" propterea quod Dominus nullum fructum in ea invenerit, apud Matthaeum,
"Mane revertens" Jesus "in urbem esurivit; et videns ficum unam in via, venit ad eam, sed nihil invenit in illa nisi folia: ideo dixit illi, Ne posthac ex te (fructus) nascatur in aeternum; unde arefacta est ex tempore ficus" (21:18, 19; Marcus 11:12, 13 [, [14]):
per "ficum" etiam hic intelligitur ecclesia apud gentem Judaicam; quod apud illam gentem non aliquod bonum naturale esset, sed modo verum falsificatum, quod in se est falsum, significatur per quod Dominus venerit ad ficum sed nihil invenerit in illa nisi folia; "fructus" quem non invenit significat bonum naturale, quale supra descriptum est; et "folium" significat verum falsificatum, quod in se est falsum, nam "folium" in Verbo significat verum, sed folium arboris quae est absque fructu significat falsum, et apud illam gentem verum falsificatum, quia habebant Verbum in quo vera sunt, sed quae falsificaverunt per applicationem ad se; unde traditiones eorum: quod gens illa nusquam aliquod bonum naturale ex origine spirituali, quod vocatur spirituale naturale, factura sit, significatur per verba quae Dominus de illa dixit, "Nec posthac ex te (fructus) nascetur in aeternum, unde arefacta est ex tempore"; per "arefieri" significatur non bonum et verum amplius. Quod Dominus hoc viderit et dixerit cum reversus est in urbem et esurivit, est quia per "urbem Hierosolymam" significatur ecclesia, et per "esurire", cum de Domino, significatur desiderare bonum in ecclesia (videatur supra, n. 386(h)). Qui non scit quid significat "ficus", et quod per illam ficum intellecta sit ecclesia apud illam gentem, non aliud cogitat quam quod hoc factum sit a Domino ex indignatione quia esurivit; at hoc non ideo factum est, sed ut significaretur quod gens Judaica talis esset; omnia enim miracula Domini involvunt et significant talia quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt, unde illa miracula fuerunt Divina (videatur n. 7337, 8364, 11
9051 fin. ).
[22] Ecclesia perversa seu homo ecclesiae perversus quoad naturalem seu externum suum hominem etiam significatur per "ficum" apud Davidem,
"Dedit pluvias eorum grandinem, ignem flammarum in terra eorum; et percussit vitem eorum et ficum eorum, confregit arborem termini eorum" (Psalms 105:32, 33):
haec de Aegypto dicta sunt, per quam significatur naturalis homo qui in falsis et malis; ac per "vitem", "ficum" et "arborem termini" significantur omnia ecclesiae, per "vitem" interna seu spiritualia ejus, per "ficum" externa seu naturalia ejus, et per "arborem termini" omne cognitivum et perceptivum; per "terminum" significatur ultimum, in quod interiora desinunt et in quo ea simul sunt, et per "arbores" cognitiones et perceptiones: quae omnia quia perversa fuerunt et ideo damnata, dicitur quod "percussa et confracta", per quae significatur exitium et damnatio: quod ex falsis mali quae ex amore mundi, significatur per "pluvias eorum grandinem, ignem flammarum in terra eorum"; "pluviae ut grando" significant falsa mali, et "ignis flammarum" significat amorem mundi.
[23] Apud Nahum,
"Omnia munimenta tua ut ficus cum primitiis; quae si commoventur, decidunt super os comedentis" (3:12):
haec de "urbe sanguinum", per quam significatur doctrina in qua vera falsificata et bona adulterata sunt; haec comparatur "ficubus cum primitiis, quae si commoventur, decidunt super os comedentis", et per hoc significatur, quod bona ibi non bona sint, utcunque apparent ut bona; et quod non recipiantur, et si recipiuntur solum recipiantur memoria et non corde: quod "decidant dum commoventur" significat quod non bona sint tametsi apparent ut bona, quia sunt "primitiae"; et "super os comedentis" significat non receptionem, ne quidem memoria: quod "os comedentis" significet non recipere, constat ex apparentiis in mundo spirituali, apparent enim recipere ore qui aliquid memoriae tradunt; quare "super os ejus cadere" significat ne quidem memoria recipere, sed modo audire, et quoque si recipiunt, quod modo memoria et non corde: per "ficus cum primitiis" etiam intelligi possunt bona genuina, cum quibus simile fit apud illos qui in falsis mali sunt.
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