617# “他对我说，你拿去，把它吃光”表示他应阅读、感知和探究圣言，就是圣言的内层和外层品质。这从“他对我说，拿小书卷”和“吃光”的含义清楚可知：“他对我说，拿小书卷”是指赋予感知圣言品质，也就是现在教会对圣言的理解的品质的能力(参看AE 616节)；“吃光”或吞吃是指结合，或归给人自己，由于圣言通过阅读和感知与人结合，所以“吃光”或“吞吃”在此表示阅读和感知。“吃光”在此也表示探究，因为后来经上补充说“小书卷会使他肚子发苦”，并感觉在他“口中甜如蜜”，这表示在对圣言的内层和外层的理解方面，对圣言品质的探究。肚子和肚子发苦表示它的内层品质，在口中感觉甜如蜜表示它的外层品质。由此可见，“他对我说，你拿去，把它吃光”表示他应阅读、感知和探究圣言，就是圣言的内层和外层品质。
圣言经常提到“吃”与“喝”，人若不知道灵义，会以为这些词仅仅是指属世的吃与喝；而“吃”与“喝”表示属灵地滋养人自己，因而表示将良善和真理归给人自己，“吃”表示将良善归给人自己，“喝”表示将真理归给人自己。人若相信圣言也是属灵的，就能明白，“吃”与“喝”，正如“饼”、“食物”、“酒”、“喝”，表示属灵的滋养；否则，圣言只是属世的，不是属灵的，因而只是给属世人的，不是给属灵人的，更不是给天使的。前面频繁说明，“饼”、“食物”、“酒”、“喝”在灵义上表示心智的滋养；还说明圣言处处都是属灵的，尽管它在字义上是属世的。属灵地滋养是指被教导和充满，因而是指知道、理解并变得智慧。除非一个人享受这种滋养与身体的滋养，否则他不是一个人，而是一个野兽。这就是为何那些将一切快乐都置于盛宴和宴会，天天放纵味蕾的人在属灵事物上很迟钝或愚蠢，无论他们多么能推理世界和身体的事物；因此，死后他们过着一种野兽般的生活，而不是人类的生活，因为他们拥有疯狂和愚蠢，而不是聪明和智慧。说这些话是为了让人们知道，此处“把小书卷吃光或吞吃”表示阅读、感知和探究圣言，因为从天降下的天使手中的“小书卷”表示圣言，如前所述。此外，人不可能属世地吃或吞吃一本书，因而吞吃圣言；这也清楚表明，此处“吃”表示属灵地滋养。
在圣言中，“吃”、“喝”表示属灵地吃、喝，也就是被教导，并通过教导和生活使自己充满良善和真理，为自己采用它们，以及随之而来的聪明和智慧，这一点可从以下经文清楚看出来。耶利米书：
你的话必被得着，使我可以吃它们，你的话对我来说，是我心中的欢喜快乐。(耶利米书15:16)
此处“吃”明显表示属灵地吃，属灵地吃就是知道、感知并为自己采用，因为经上说：“使我可以吃你的话，你的话对我来说，是我心中的欢喜快乐。”“神的话”表示祂的戒律或神性真理。这与主对试探者所说的话意思一样：
人活着，不是单靠食物，乃是靠神口里所出的一切话。(马太福音4:3, 4; 路加福音4:4; 申命记8:3)
约翰福音：
不要为那必消亡的食物劳碌，要为那存到永生的食物劳碌。(约翰福音6:27)
主对门徒说的话也一样：
门徒说，拉比，请吃。但祂说，我有食物吃，是你们不知道的。门徒就彼此说，难道有人拿什么给祂吃了吗？耶稣对他们说，我的食物就是要遵行差我来那位的旨意，完成祂的工作。(约翰福音4:31–34)
从这些经文也明显可知，“吃”在灵义上表示以意愿来接受，并实行，结合由此而来。因为主通过遵行神性旨意而将祂里面的神性与祂的人身结合起来，从而将神性归给祂的人身。出于同样的原因，除了妇女和儿童外，主还用五饼二鱼使五千人吃饱了，他们吃饱之后，又收拾了十二筐零碎(马太福音14:15–22; 约翰福音6:5, 13, 23)；祂还用七个饼和几条鱼使四千人吃饱了(马太福音15:32等)。之所以行这个神迹，是因为以前主一直在教导他们，他们也接受，并为自己采用祂的教义。这就是他们属灵地吃东西；属世地吃随之而来，也就是从他们所不知的天堂流入他们中间，正如以色列人吃吗哪一样。因为当主愿意时，属灵的食物，也就是真实的食物，但只是给灵人和天使的，就变成属世的食物，就像它每早晨变成吗哪一样。
在路加福音中，“在神国里吃饭”所表相同：
我把国赐给你们，叫你们在我国里，坐在我的席上吃喝。(路加福音22:27, 29, 30)
此处“吃喝”也表示属灵地吃喝，因此“吃”表示接受、感知并采用来自主的天堂良善，“喝”表示接受、感知并采用这良善的真理。“吃”论及良善，因为“饭(或饼、粮等)”表示爱之良善，“喝”论及真理，因为“水”和“酒”表示这良善的真理。同样在路加福音：
在神国里吃饭的有福了。(路加福音14:15)
这就是为何主在那里将神的国比作大筵席，就是那些被邀请的人没有赴，只有那些从街道上被领来的人所赴的大筵席(路加福音14:16–24)。
617b.在以下圣言经文中，“吃”也表示属灵地吃，灵魂通过属灵地吃得到滋养。以赛亚书：
你们若愿意服从，就必得吃美物。(以赛亚书1:19)
“吃美物”表示属灵良善，故经上说“你们若愿意服从”，也就是说，如果你们愿意实行；因为属灵良善通过他意愿并由此实行而被赋予人，与他结合，被归给他。诗篇：
凡敬畏耶和华，行在祂道上的人，都是受祝福的。你要吃亲手劳碌得来的；你得到祝福，凡事顺利。(诗篇128:1, 2)
“吃亲手劳碌得来的”表示人通过照神性真理生活而从主接受，并且可以说通过自己的劳动和热情或学习为自己获得的属天良善，所以经上说“凡敬畏耶和华，行在祂道上的人”都要吃，经上又补充说：“你得到祝福，凡事顺利。”
以赛亚书：
你们要对义人说，这是好的，因为他们必吃他们作为的果子。(以赛亚书3:10)
“吃他们作为的果子”与前面提到的“吃亲手劳碌得来的”所表相同。
以西结书：
你吃的是细面、蜂蜜并油；你也极其美貌，发达到一个王国。(以西结书16:13)
这些话论及耶路撒冷，耶路撒冷表示教会，在此表示古教会，古教会处于真理和属灵良善，同时处于属世良善。“细面”表示真理，“蜂蜜”表示属世良善，或外在人的良善；“油”表示属灵良善，或内在人的良善；“吃的是细面、蜂蜜并油”表示对这些良善的接受、感知和采用。“你也极其美貌”表示教会由此变得聪明，“美貌”表示聪明；“发达到一个王国”表示它由此成为一个教会，“王国”表示教会。
以赛亚书：
看哪，必有童女怀孕生子，给祂起名叫神与我们同在；祂必吃奶油与蜂蜜，好叫祂晓得弃恶择善；因为在这孩子还不晓得弃恶择善之先，你所憎恶的地必被它的两个王撇弃。(以赛亚书7:14–16)
显而易见，童女怀孕所生，名叫“神与我们同在”的“子”是指人身方面的主；“祂必吃奶油与蜂蜜”表示在人身方面，对属灵和属世的神性良善的采用，“奶油”表示属灵良善，“蜂蜜”表示属世良善，“吃”表示采用。由于在何等程度上知道如何弃恶择善，属灵和属世的神性良善就在何等程度上被采用，所以经上说：“好叫祂晓得弃恶择善。”“你所憎恶的地必被它的两个王撇弃”表示因被错误应用的知识或科学和由此而来的推理，教会在一切良善和真理方面变得一贫如洗，并荒废，“地”表示教会，它被撇弃和憎恶表示它被荒废，并变得一贫如洗。“两个王”，就是埃及王和亚述王，表示被错误应用的知识或科学和由此而来的推理，“埃及王”表示这些知识或科学，“亚述王”表示由此而来的推理。此处所指的是这些王，这一点从以赛亚书7:17–18明显看出来，那里提到了埃及和亚述。此外，这些事物也是那主要荒废教会的东西。前面几次说明，当教会不再有任何真理和良善时，因而当不再留有教会的任何东西时，主就会降世。
同一先知书：
因为奶量充足，人就得吃奶油；凡在这地上所剩的人都要吃奶油与蜂蜜。(以赛亚书7:22)
这些话论及主要建立的一个新教会，“奶油与蜂蜜”表示属灵良善和属世良善，“吃”表示采用，如前所述；“奶”表示来自属天之物的属灵之物，这些良善来自它们。
又：
哦，你们一切干渴的，都就近水来，没有银钱的，也来，买了吃；不用银钱，不用价值，也来买酒和奶。你们为何为那不是饼的称银子，为那无法使人饱足的劳碌呢？你们要留意听从我，就能吃那美物，使你们的灵魂以肥甘为乐。(以赛亚书55:1, 2)
很明显，“吃”在此表示从主那里为自己采用，因为经上说：“哦，你们一切干渴的，都就近水来，没有银钱的，也来，买了吃。”这句话表示凡渴望真理，以前没有真理的人，都可以从主获得并采用它；“干渴”表示渴望，“水”表示真理，“银钱”表示良善之真理，此处指的是一个没有良善之真理的人；“来”表示来到主这里，“买”表示为自己获得，“吃”表示采用。“不用银钱，不用价值，也来买酒和奶”表示不用自我聪明就可以获得属灵的神性真理和属世的神性真理，“酒”表示属灵的神性真理，“奶”表示属灵-属世的神性真理。“你们为何为那不是饼的称银子，为那无法使人饱足的劳碌呢”表示凭自我努力去为自己获得爱之良善和滋养灵魂的东西是没有用处的；“银子”，以及“劳碌”在此表示来自自我或自我聪明的真理，“饼”表示爱之良善，“使人饱足的”表示滋养灵魂的，在此表示不能滋养的。“留意听从我”表示这些事物只来自主；“你们就能吃那美物，使你们的灵魂以肥甘为乐”表示使他们可以为自己采用属天良善，生活或生命的一切快乐都从属天良善发出，“以肥甘为乐”表示从良善获得快乐，而“灵魂”表示生命。
又：
推罗的货财必归给住在耶和华面前的人，使他们吃饱，归给披盖古物的人。(以赛亚书23:18)
“推罗的货财”表示各种良善和真理的知识或认知；“住在耶和华面前”表示从主活着；“吃饱”表示接受、感知并采用足以滋养灵魂的良善的知识或认知；“披盖古物”表示吸收或充满纯正真理的知识或认知；“披盖”论及真理，因为“衣服”表示作为衣服穿在良善上的真理，“古”论及纯正之物，因为古人有纯正真理。以下经文所表相同；摩西五经：
他们要吃得饱足，要吃储存的陈粮。(利未记26:5, 10)
申命记：
他们要在美地吃得饱足。(申命记11:15)
利未记：
那时他们吃，却吃不饱。(利未记26:26)
以赛亚书：
他们必建造房屋，住在其中；他们必栽种葡萄园，吃其中的果子。
他们不建造别人可以居住的，他们不栽种别人可以吃的。(以赛亚书65:21, 22)
人人都知道这些话在字义上表示什么；但由于圣言在其内部是属灵的，所以它们也表示属灵事物，也就是诸如属于天堂和教会的那类事物，因为这些是属灵事物。“建造房屋，住在其中”表示以天堂和教会的良善充满心智的内层，通过它们而享有永生，“房屋”表示心智的内层，“住”表示由此而来的属天生活。“栽种葡萄园，吃其中的果子”表示使他们自己富有属灵真理，并为自己采用由此而来的良善；“葡萄园”表示属灵真理，“果子”表示由此而来的良善；“吃”表示接受、感知并采用，因为一切良善都通过真理，也就是照真理的生活被归给人。因此，这些话，即“他们不建造别人可以居住的，他们不栽种别人可以吃的”的含义现在就显而易见了；“别人”表示摧毁真理和良善的虚假和邪恶；因为当真理和良善在人那里灭亡时，虚假和邪恶就会进入。耶利米书：
你们要建造房屋，住在其中；栽种园子，吃园中的果子。(耶利米书29:5, 28)
这些话与刚才的话具有相同的含义。
摩西五经：
那地必有赐下的城邑，又大又美，非他们所建造的，有装满各样美物的房屋，非他们所装满的，有凿成的水池，非他们所凿成的，还有葡萄园、橄榄园，非他们所栽种的；他们必吃到饱足。(申命记6:10, 11)
属世人只根据字义理解这些事物，但如果每个细节里面没有一个灵义，那么圣言将只是属世的，不是属灵的；因此人们可能会以为，白白赐给那些照神性诫命生活之人的，只是世俗的财富和富足；但人若赚得全世界，却丧失自己的灵魂，有什么益处呢？换句话说，即便把装满各种美物的房子，也把水池、橄榄园和葡萄园给一个人，让他吃它们到饱足，这对他有什么益处呢？而事实是，提到这些世俗财富是为了表示属灵财富，人从属灵财富拥有永生。“赐下的又大又美的城邑”表示来自纯正真理和良善的教义；“装满各样美物的房屋”表示充满爱和智慧的心智内层；“凿成的水池”表示充满良善和真理的知识的属世人的内层；“葡萄园、橄榄园”表示教会的一切事物，包括教会的真理和良善，“葡萄园”表示真理方面的教会，“橄榄园”表示良善方面的教会，因为“酒”表示真理，“油”表示良善；“吃到饱足”表示完全的接受、感知和采用。
以赛亚书：
他必以耶和华为乐；我要使你乘驾地的高处，又以雅各的产业喂养你。(以赛亚书58:14)
“使他们乘驾地的高处”表示在教会和天堂的事物上，给予对高层或内层真理的理解；“以雅各的产业喂养”表示赐予天堂和教会的一切事物；“雅各的产业”是指迦南地，而迦南地表示教会，在更高意义上表示天堂。
617c.既然“吃”表示为自己采用，那么“吃乐园中间的生命树”(启示录2:7)表示什么，就显而易见了，即表示为自己采用属天生命；在创世记中，“吃知识树”表示什么，也显而易见了：
耶和华神吩咐那人说，园中各样的树，你都可以吃，只是善恶知识树，你不可吃；因为你吃它的日子必定死。(创世记2:16, 17)
“善恶知识(或科学)树”表示属世事物的知识，通知这种知识进入属于天堂和教会的属天和属灵事物，因而从属世人进入属灵人是不允许的，这是一种颠倒的方式，因此不能通向智慧，而是摧毁智慧。“亚当和他的妻子”表示上古教会，该教会是一个属天教会。由于上古教会的人处于对主之爱，所以他们拥有铭刻在他们身上的神性真理，因此从流注知道属世人中被称为知识或科学的对应事物。总之，上古教会的人享有属灵流注，也就是从属灵心智进入属世心智，由此进入属世心智中的事物的流注；他们照着他们的品质，凭对应关系如同在一面镜子中那样看到这些事物。
对他们来说，属灵事物完全不同于属世事物；属灵事物在他们的属灵心智中，属世事物在他们的属世心智中，因此他们没有将属灵之物沉浸于他们的属世心智，如属灵-属世人习惯所行的那样。因此，如果他们将属灵事物交付给属世记忆，以这种方式把它们归给他们自己，那么植入他们的东西就会灭亡，他们将开始从属世人推理属灵事物，从而得出结论，而属天人从不会推理。此外，这本来就是想要凭自我聪明，而不是像以前那样凭神性聪明而变得智慧；通过这种方式，他们就会熄灭他们一切的属天生命，也会对属灵事物形成属世观念。因此，这就是他们不吃善恶知识树，他们若吃，就必死所表示的。“亚当”所指的这些上古教会之人的情形类似于那些在主的属天国度之人的情形。如果这些人用属灵真理和良善的知识或认知充满属世人及其记忆，想由此变得智慧，那么他们就会变得愚蠢，尽管他们是天上最有智慧的人。关于这个主题，可参看《天堂与地狱》(20–28节)，那里论述了被称为属天和属灵的两个国度，天堂总体上被区分为这两个国度。
诗篇：
吃过我饭的，抬起脚后跟踢我。(诗篇41:9)
这话论及犹太人，犹太人拥有神性真理，因为他们拥有圣言，这可见于约翰福音(13:18)，那里的这些话适用于犹太人；因此，“吃主的饭”表示对神性真理的采用，但在此表示神性真理的交流，因为犹太人不可能采用神性真理；“饭”表示圣言，属灵的营养源自圣言。“用脚后跟踢祂”表示败坏圣言的字义，甚至直到否认主，以及歪曲一切真理。因为神性真理在形像上呈现为一个人；这就是为何天堂整体上被称为最大的人或大人，并且对应于人的一切事物；因为天堂是照着从主发出的神性真理形成的。圣言因是神性真理，所以在主面前，在形像上也像一个神性人；因此，它的终端意义，也就是纯字义，对应于脚后跟。“抬起脚后跟踢我”表示通过将字义用于虚假，如犹太人的传统那种，对圣言或神性真理的败坏。整个天堂在形像上就像一个人，因此对应于人的一切事物，天堂是这样，是因为它是由主通过从祂发出的神性真理，也就是圣言，创造和形成的，万物都是藉着圣言造的(约翰福音1:1–3), 可参看《天堂与地狱》(59–102, 200–212节)。
路加福音：
他们要开始说，我们在你面前吃过，在你面前喝过，你也在我们的街上教导过。但祂要说，我不知道你们是哪里来的；你们作孽的人，离开我吧。(路加福音13:26, 27)
当被提交审判时，他们说，他们在主面前吃过喝过，表示他们读过圣言，并从中获取了良善和真理的知识或认知，便以为这会拯救他们；因此，接下来的话是“你也在我们的街上教导过”，这句话表示他们在来自圣言的真理上得到过教导，因而被主教导过。而回答，即“祂要说，我不知道你们是哪里来的；你们作孽的人，离开我吧”，表示阅读圣言并从圣言被教导，同时却没有照之的生活，对得救毫无用处；因为从圣言和教会教义中富有记忆对得救毫无用处，除非它们致力于生活。
马太福音：
王向那右手边的说，我饿了，你们给我吃；渴了，你们给我喝。又向那左手边的说，我饿了，你们不给我吃；渴了，你们不给我喝。(马太福音25:34, 35, 41, 42)
这些话也表示属灵的饿与渴，以及属灵的吃与喝。属灵的饿与渴是指对良善与真理的情感与渴望，属灵的吃与喝是指教导、接受并采用。论到主，此处说祂饿了，渴了，因为祂出于其神性之爱渴望拯救所有人；论到人，经上说人给祂吃、给祂喝；当他们出于情感接受和感知来自主的良善和真理，并通过生活为自己采用它们时，就是这种情况。同样的话适用于一个从心里喜欢教导人，并渴望他得救的人；因此，这些话和接下来的话描述了仁爱，或对真理的属灵情感。
现在从已经所说的可以看出圣餐中的吃饼与喝酒(马太福音26:26; 马可福音14:22)在灵义上表示什么；在福音书中，经上还说，饼是主的身体，酒是祂的血。那里的“饼”表示爱之良善，“酒”表示来自这良善的真理，也就是信之良善，“肉和血”具有相同的含义，“吃”也表示采用，以及与主的结合，这可从《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》(210–222节)所说明和阐述的看出来。这就是“饼和酒”，“身体和血”，以及“吃”的含义，这一点从主在约翰福音中的话看得更明显：
你们的祖宗在旷野吃过吗哪，还是死了。这是从天上降下来的粮；人若吃这粮，就必永远活着；我所要赐的粮，就是我的肉，为世界的生命所赐的。我实实在在地告诉你们，你们若不吃人子的肉，不喝人子的血，就没有生命在你们里面。吃我肉、喝我血的人就有永生；在末日我要叫他复活。吃我肉、喝我血的人，住在我里面，我也住在他里面。这就是从天上降下来的粮。吃这粮的人，必永远活着。(约翰福音6:49–58)
凡有内在思考能力的人都能看出，此处所指的，不是肉、身体，也不是饼、酒，而是从主发出的神性；正是发出的神性，也就是神性良善和神性真理，赋予人永生，使主住在人里面，人住在主里面；因为主在人里面住在祂自己的神性中，不住在人的自我或自己的东西中，这自我或人自己的东西无非是邪恶；当发出的神性通过对它的正确接受而被归给人时，主就在人里面，人在主里面。“吃”表示这种归给本身，“肉”和“饼”表示发出的神性良善，“酒”和“血”表示发出的神性真理。这在祭祀中也一样，其中“肉”和“素祭”，素祭就是饼，表示爱之良善，“血”和“酒”，酒就是奠祭，表示来自这良善的真理，两者都来自主。由于“肉”和“饼”表示发出的神性良善，“血”和“酒”表示发出的神性真理，所以“肉”和“饼”表示神性良善方面的主自己，“血”和“酒”表示神性真理方面的主自己。这些事物之所以表示主自己，是因为发出的神性就是天堂和教会中的主自己；因此，主论到自己说“这是从天上降下来的粮”，还说“吃、喝这些的人，住在我里面，我也住在他里面。”
617d.由于“饼”表示神性良善方面的主，“吃它”表示采用并结合，所以：
当主死后向门徒显现祂自己时，当祂擘开饼，递给他们时，他们的眼睛开了，他们才认出祂。(路加福音24:30, 31)
这也表明，吃主所给的饼表示与祂的结合。门徒因此被光照，所以认出祂；因为在圣言中，“眼睛”对应于理解力，并因此表示它，这理解力就是那被光照的；因此，“他们的眼睛开了”。在圣言中，“擘开饼”表示将一个人的良善传给另一个人。
主之所以与税吏和罪人一同吃饭，犹太人为此发怨言并感觉受到冒犯(马可福音2:15, 16; 路加福音5:29, 32; 7:33–35)，是因为“税吏和罪人”所表示的外邦人接受主，吸收祂的戒律，并照之生活，主通过这种方式将天堂的良善归给他们，这在灵义上由“与他们一同吃饭”来表示。
由于“吃”表示采用，所以以色列人被允许吃圣物或祭物，“祭物”表示属天和属灵的神性事物，因此“吃”它们表示对它们的采用。由于这种“吃”表示对圣物的采用，所以关于以下内容的律法都被赐下了：谁应该吃，应该在哪里吃，吃什么祭物，因此亚伦和他的儿子应该接受并吃什么样的祭物(出埃及记29:31–33; 利未记6:16–18; 7:6, 7; 8:31–33; 10:13–15)；他们要在圣处吃陈设饼(利未记24:5–9)；祭司的女儿若嫁给外人，就不可吃圣物，但祭司的女儿若是寡妇，或是被休的，没有孩子，又归回父家，就可以吃(利未记22:12, 13)；某些百姓可以吃(民数记18:10, 11, 13, 19)；百姓中谁可以吃(民数记18:10, 11, 13, 19)；外人，祭司的寄居者，或是雇仆，都不可吃圣物，但用银钱买来的人可以吃(利未记22:10–12)；不洁净的人决不可吃(利未记7:19–21; 21:16–34; 22:2–8)；他们不可吃燔祭的部分，他们要吃平安祭，在耶和华面前欢乐(申命记12:27; 27:7)。
关于吃祭物的这些，以及其它许多律例和律法，都包含关于神性良善和神性真理、因而与主的结合的采用在里面；但这不是解释这些细节的地方，只是让人从所引用的经文知道，“吃”表示采用并结合。因此，当以色列人通过立约的血与主联结时，当摩西在他们面前读了律法书时，不久他们就看见以色列的神时，经上说他们又吃又喝(出埃及记24:6–11)。
“吃肉、喝血”表示对属灵良善和真理的采用，这一点可见于以下以西结书中的经文：
主耶和华如此说，从四方聚集来赴我为你们祭献的祭筵，就是摆在以色列众山上的大祭筵，好叫你们吃肉喝血。你们要吃勇士的肉，喝地上首领的血。从我为你们祭献的祭筵，你们必吃脂肪直到饱足，喝血直到醉。你们必在我桌子上因马匹、战车、勇士和所有的战士而饱足。我要在列族中赐予我的荣耀。(以西结书39:17–21)
此处论述的主题是召集所有人到主的国度，尤其是教会在外邦人中间的建立，因为经上说：“我要在列族中赐予我的荣耀。”“吃肉、喝血”表示将神性良善和神性真理归给他们自己，“肉”表示爱之良善，“血”表示这良善的真理；“勇士”(或公牛)表示对良善的情感，“地上首领”表示对真理的情感。“吃脂肪直到饱足，喝血直到醉”表示这些的完全结实，“脂肪”表示内层良善，“血”表示内层真理，当主降世时，它们被主揭示，并被那些接受主的人所拥有。
在主降世之前，吃脂肪、喝血是禁止的，因为以色列人是属世-感官人，故只处于外在，根本没有处于内在或属灵事物；因此，如果他们被允许吃脂肪和血，而吃脂肪和血表示对内层良善和真理的采用，那么他们就会亵渎它们，所以“吃脂肪和血”表示亵渎。“在主的桌子上因马匹、战车、勇士和所有的战士而饱足”具有相同的含义；“马匹”表示对圣言的理解；“战车”表示取自圣言的教义；“勇士和战士”表示与邪恶和虚假争战，并摧毁它们的良善和真理；他们要吃所在的“以色列众山”表示属灵教会，在该教会，仁之良善是本质。这一切清楚表明，“吃”表示采用，“肉”、“血”、“勇士”、“地上首领”、“马匹”、“战车”、“战士”是指要被采用的是属灵事物，决不是属世事物，因为属世地吃这些东西是可憎和邪恶的。可以吃君王、千夫长、马和骑马者、自由人和为奴者的肉(启示录19:18)表示类似事物。
617e.圣言中的大多数事物也都有反面意义，“吃”与“喝”也是；它们在反面意义上表示采用邪恶和虚假，由此与地狱结合，这可从以下经文明显看出来。以赛亚书：
当那日，主万军之耶和华叫人哭泣哀号，头上光秃，身披麻布；看哪，人却欢喜快乐，宰牛杀羊，吃肉喝酒；让我们吃喝吧，因为明天我们就死了。(以赛亚书22:12, 13)
“当那日，叫人哭泣哀号，头上光秃，身披麻布”表示教会的毁灭或荒废，以及对此的哀悼；“哭泣”表示因真理毁灭而哀悼，“哀号”表示因良善毁灭而哀悼，“光秃”表示因对良善的一切情感毁灭而哀悼，“麻布”表示因对真理的情感毁灭而哀悼；“宰牛杀羊”表示消灭属世良善和属灵良善；“吃肉喝酒”表示采用邪恶和虚假，此处“肉”表示邪恶，“酒”表示邪恶之虚假，“吃喝”这些表示为自己采用它们。
以西结书：
先知被吩咐按分量、忧虑吃食物，按量、惊惶喝水；他要吃粪烤的大麦饼；以色列人在他们被放逐到的列族中，也必这样吃不洁净的食物，他们必缺粮缺水，彼此荒凉，因自己的罪孽消瘦。(以西结书4:10–17)
先知书中的这些话代表犹太民族对神性真理或圣言的玷污；“粪烤的大麦饼”表示这种玷污，“大麦饼”表示属世良善和真理，就是诸如圣言在字义上的样子，“粪”表示地狱的邪恶；因此，经上说“以色列人必这样吃不洁净的食物”，“不洁净的食物”表示被邪恶玷污，也就是被玷污的良善。“在他们被放逐到的列族中，他们必缺粮缺水”表示他们将不再拥有良善和真理，因为他们处于邪恶和虚假，“民族”表示邪恶和虚假，“被放逐到那里”表示被交给它们；必荒凉的“彼此(即人与弟兄)”表示信与仁，“人”表示信之真理，“弟兄”表示仁之良善，“荒凉”表示这两者的彻底灭绝。这就是“吃食物喝水”的含义，故经上说：“他们必因自己的罪孽消瘦。”“消瘦”论及正在灭亡时的属灵生命，
由于“走兽”表示情感，有些走兽表示良善的情感，有些走兽表示邪恶的情感，所以关于可以吃的走兽和不可以吃的走兽(利未记11:1-47)，有律法给以色列人制定，他们中间的教会是代表性的。这些表示哪种走兽代表可以被归给的良善情感，哪种走兽代表不可以归给的邪恶情感，因为良善的情感使一个人洁净，而邪恶的情感使一个人不洁。那一章关于具体的走兽和鸟，以及将洁净和不洁净的区分开的它们的蹄子、脚、反刍或倒嚼所说的一切话，都具有意义。
以赛亚书：
他若右手边抢夺，仍受饥饿；若左手边吞吃，仍不饱足；他们各人要吃自己膀臂上的肉；玛拿西吞吃以法莲，以法莲吞吃玛拿西；他们又一同攻击犹大。(以赛亚书9:20, 21)
这些话描述了虚假对良善、邪恶对真理的灭绝；“他若右手边抢夺，仍受饥饿；若左手边吞吃，仍不饱足”表示一切良善和真理的灭绝，无论它们如何被寻找；右边和左边的“抢夺、吞吃”表示寻找，“受饥饿，不饱足”表示找不到，或即便找到，仍不能接受；“他们各人要吃自己膀臂上的肉”表示在属世人中，虚假必吞噬良善，邪恶必吞噬真理；“玛拿西吞吃以法莲，以法莲吞吃玛拿西”表示对邪恶的意愿必吞噬对真理的理解，对虚假的理解必吞噬对良善的意愿。前面解释了这段经文(可参看AE 386b, 600b节)。
他们吃儿女的肉(利未记26:29)，以及父亲要吃儿子，儿子要吃父亲(以西结书5:10)，表示对一切真理和良善的吞噬。“父亲”表示教会的良善，在反面意义上表示教会的邪恶；“儿子”表示教会的真理，在反面意义上表示教会的虚假；“女儿”表示对真理和良善的情感，在反面意义上表示对虚假和邪恶的欲望；他们吃彼此表示它们互相吞噬和灭绝。这清楚表明，这些事决不可以根据字义来理解。
马太福音：
在洪水以前的时代完结，照常吃喝嫁娶。(马太福音24:38; 路加福音17:26–28)
“吃喝嫁娶”在此不是指吃、喝、嫁、娶；相反，“吃”表示采用邪恶，“喝”表示采用虚假，“嫁娶”表示将虚假与邪恶、邪恶与虚假结合起来；因为所论述的主题是当最后的审判即将来临时，教会的状态；该状态由“时代的完结”来表示。显然，那时善人和恶人都吃喝，因为吃喝没有任何邪恶在里面。他们在洪水以前就吃喝，并未因此灭亡；他们之所以灭亡，是因为他们为自己采用邪恶和虚假，并在自己里面将这些结合起来。因此，这就是此处“吃喝嫁娶”所表示的。
同样，在路加福音：
富人对他的灵魂说，灵魂哪，你有多年积存的许多财物；只管安逸吃喝。(路加福音12:19)
同一福音书：
如果那仆人心里说，主人会来得迟；就开始打仆人，吃喝醉酒。(路加福音12:45)
在同一福音书，论到贪食和醉酒：
耶稣说，你们要谨慎，免得贪食、醉酒压住你们的心。(路加福音21:34)
在这些经文中，“吃喝”、“贪食”好像是指那些只沉溺于食欲之人的奢侈和放纵；但这是这些话的属世意义；而在灵义上，它们表示对邪恶和虚假的，这可从前面引用的经文明显看出来，在那里，“吃喝”就具有这种含义，这一点从以下事实也清楚看出来：圣言在字面上是属世的，但内层是属灵的；属灵意义是给天使的，属世意义是给世人的。
除了这些经文，还可以从圣言引用其它许多经文，以证明和确认：“吃”表示对那些滋养灵魂的事物的接受、感知和采用；因为属灵地“吃”只是指使心智充满它自己的良善，也就是想在诸如属于永生的事上知道、理解并变得智慧。这就是“吃”的含义，这一点也可从“饼”和“食物”，以及“饥饿”和“干渴”、“酒”和“水”的含义清楚看出来，前面在适当的地方已经论述了它们。由于“吃”表示感知一个事物的品质，这种品质通过它的味道来感知，所以正是由于对应关系，在人类语言中，味道和品尝论及对一个事物的感知，智慧一词由此而来。
617. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up.- That this signifies that he should read, perceive, and explore the Word, as to its interior and exterior qualities, is evident from the signification of He said to me, take the little book, as denoting to impart the power of perceiving the quality of the Word, that is, the quality of the understanding of the Word now in the church (see the preceding article, n. 616); and from the signification of devouring or eating up, as denoting to conjoin or appropriate to one's self, and because the Word is conjoined to man by reading and perception, therefore here eating up signifies reading and perception. The reason why eating up here also signifies to explore, is, that it is afterwards said that the little book would make his belly bitter, and would be in his mouth sweet as honey, which means the exploration of the quality of the Word as to the understanding of its interior and exterior. Its interior quality is signified by the belly and its bitterness, and its exterior, by the mouth where it was perceived to be sweet as honey. It is clear from these things that these words, And he said unto me, Take the little book, and eat it up, signify, that he should read, perceive, and explore the Word, as to its interior and exterior quality.
[2] In the Word, mention is frequently made of eating and drinking, and he who does not know the spiritual sense supposes that these expressions signify nothing more than natural eating and drinking; whereas they signify to nourish oneself spiritually, consequently, the appropriation to oneself of good and truth, eating signifying to appropriate good to oneself, and drinking, to appropriate truth to oneself. Any one, who believes that the Word is spiritual, can see that by eating and drinking, just as by bread, food, wine, and drink, is signified spiritual nourishment; for if this were not meant, the Word would be merely natural and not spiritual, thus merely for the natural man, and not for the spiritual man, much less for angels. That by bread, food, wine, and drink, in the spiritual sense, is meant the nourishment of the mind has been frequently shown above, and also that the Word is everywhere spiritual, although natural in the sense of the letter. To be spiritually nourished is to be instructed and imbued, consequently it is to know, to understand, and to be wise; unless man enjoys this nourishment together with the nourishment of the body, he is not a man, but a beast. This is the reason why those who find all their pleasure in feastings and banquetings, and daily indulge their palates, are stupid as to things spiritual, however well they may be able to reason concerning the things of the world and the body; therefore, after their departure from this world, they live rather a bestial than a human life, for instead of intelligence and wisdom they have insanity and folly. These things are mentioned, in order that it may be known, that here, by devouring or eating up the little book, is signified to read, to perceive, and to explore the Word, for the little book, which was in the hand of the angel coming down out of heaven, means the Word, as stated above. Besides, no one can naturally eat or devour any little book, thus not the Word, and from this also it is evident, that eating here signifies to be spiritually nourished.
[3] That eating and drinking, in the Word, also signify to eat and drink spiritually, which is to be instructed, and by instruction both to infill the life, and appropriate to oneself good and truth, consequently intelligence and wisdom, is further evident from the following passages.
Thus in Jeremiah:
"Thy words shall be found, that I may eat them, and thy word be unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart" (15:16).
Here, eating evidently denotes to eat spiritually, which is to know, to perceive, and to appropriate to oneself, for it is said, "that I may eat thy words, and thy Word be to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart." The words of God signify precepts or Divine truths. This is similar in meaning to what the Lord said to the tempter, that man does not live by bread only, "but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:3, 4; Luke 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3).
And again:
"Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto eternal life" (John 6:27).
Similarly in regard to the words of the Lord to the disciples:
"His disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. The disciples said one to another, Hath any one brought him anything to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (John 4:31-34).
[4] From these passages it is also evident, that to eat, in the spiritual sense, signifies to receive in the will, and to do, whence comes conjunction. For the Lord, by doing the Divine will, conjoined the Divine which was in Him with His Human, so that He appropriated the Divine to His Human. It was for the same reason also, that the Lord fed five thousand men, besides women and children, with five loaves and two fishes, and that after they had eaten and were filled they took up twelve baskets of fragments (Matthew 14:15-21; John 6:5, 13, 23); and that He fed four thousand men, from seven loaves and a few fishes (Matthew 15:32, and the following verses). This miracle was performed because the Lord had previously been teaching them, and because they received and appropriated to themselves His doctrine. This was what they spiritually ate, from this the natural eating followed, that is, it flowed in with them out of heaven unknown to themselves, as the manna with the children of Israel. For at the will of the Lord, spiritual food, which is also real food, but only for spirits and angels, is turned into natural food, just as it was turned into manna every morning.
[5] The same is signified by eating bread in the kingdom of God, in Luke:
"And I appoint unto you a kingdom that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom" (22:28, 29, 30).
In these words also eating and drinking signify to eat and drink spiritually, consequently to eat denotes to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself the good of heaven from the Lord, and to drink denotes to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself the truth of that good. For to eat is used in reference to good, because bread signifies the good of love, and to drink is used in reference to truth, because water and wine (vinum) signify the truth of that good.
So again, in Luke:
"Blessed is he that eateth bread in the kingdom of God" (14:15).
For this reason the Lord there likened the kingdom of God to a great supper, to which those who were invited did not come, and which was attended only by those who were brought in from the streets (verses 16-24).
[6] Spiritual eating, by which the soul is nourished, is also signified by eating in the following passages of the Word.
Thus in Isaiah:
"If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat good" (1:19).
Here by eating good is signified spiritual good, hence it is said, "If ye be willing and obedient," that is, if ye act; for spiritual food is given, conjoined, and appropriated, to man, by his willing and therefore by his doing it.
And in David:
"Blessed is every one that feareth Jehovah; that walketh in his ways. Thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands; blessed art thou, and it is good to thee" (Psalm 128:1, 2).
By eating the labour of his hands is signified the celestial good which man receives by a life according to Divine truths from the Lord, and as it were acquires to himself by his own labour and study, wherefore it is said that "he who feareth Jehovah and walketh in His ways" shall eat, and afterwards, "Blessed art thou, and it is good to thee."
[7] Again, in Isaiah:
"Say ye to the just, that it is good; for they shall eat the fruit of their works" (3:10).
By eating the fruit of their works is signified the same as by eating the labour of their hands, mentioned above.
So in Ezekiel:
"Thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil; whence thou didst become exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper even to a kingdom" (16:13).
This was spoken of Jerusalem, by which the church is signified, in the present case the Ancient Church, which was in truths and in spiritual good, and at the same time in natural good. Fine flour signifies truth, honey, natural good, or the good of the external man, and oil, spiritual good, or the good of the internal man. The reception, perception, and appropriation of these, is signified by eating fine flour, honey, and oil. That she [the church] became intelligent therefrom, is signified by whence thou didst become exceeding beautiful, beauty denoting intelligence; that consequently she became a church, is signified by her prospering into a kingdom, a kingdom denoting a church.
[8] Again, in Isaiah:
"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name God-with-us. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child knoweth to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings" (7:14, 15, 16).
That the son whom the virgin should conceive and bring forth, and whose name should be called God-with-us, is the Lord as to His Human, is manifest. The appropriation of Divine Good, spiritual and natural, as to the Human, is meant by "butter and honey shall he eat," spiritual Divine Good, by butter, and natural Divine Good, by honey, and appropriation, by eating. And because so far as it is known how to refuse evil, and choose good, so far Divine Good, spiritual and natural, is appropriated, therefore it is said, "that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good." That the church was rendered destitute and vastated as to all good and truth by means of scientifics falsely applied, and by reasonings therefrom, is signified by, "the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings;" the land signifies the church; its being vastated and rendered destitute is meant by its being abhorred and forsaken. And the two kings, who are the king of Egypt and the king of Assyria, signify scientifics wickedly applied, and reasonings therefrom, the king of Egypt signifies those scientifics, and the king of Assyria, those reasonings. That these are the kings who are here meant, is evident from what presently follows in the same chapter (verses 17, 18), where Egypt and Assyria are named. These are also the things that principally vastate the church. That the Lord came into the world when there was no longer any good and truth in the church, thus when there was nothing of the church remaining, has been several times shown above.
[9] Again, in the same prophet:
"It shall come to pass for the abundance of milk one shall eat butter; for butter and [honey] shall every one eat that is left in the land" (7:22).
The subject here treated of is the new church to be established by the Lord; and by butter and honey is signified spiritual and natural good, and by eating is signified to appropriate to oneself, as above, by milk is signified the spiritual from the celestial, from which those goods are.
[10] So again:
"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without silver and without price. Wherefore do ye weigh silver for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat good, that your soul may be delighted in fatness" (55:1, 2).
That to eat here signifies to appropriate to oneself from the Lord, is very evident, for it is said, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy, and eat." This signifies, that every one who desires truth, and who had not truth before, may procure and appropriate it to himself from the Lord; to thirst signifies to desire, water denotes truth, silver, the truth of good, here one who had no truth of good; to come, denotes to go to the Lord, to buy denotes to procure for oneself, and to eat denotes to appropriate to oneself. Come ye, buy wine and milk without silver and without price, signifies to procure spiritual Divine Truth and natural Divine Truth apart from [one's] own intelligence, wine (vinum) denoting spiritual Divine Truth, and milk, spiritual-natural Divine Truth. Wherefore do ye weigh silver for that which is not bread? and your labour [for that] which satisfieth not? signifies, that it is in vain to endeavour from the proprium to procure to oneself the good of love, and that which nourishes the soul, silver here denoting truth (verum) from the proprium, or from [man's] own intelligence; similarly labour. Bread denotes the good of love, and that which satisfies denotes that which nourishes the soul, in the present case, that which does not nourish. Hearken diligently unto me, signifies, that those things are from the Lord alone; and eat good, that your soul may be delighted in fatness, signifies, that they may appropriate to themselves celestial good from which all the delight of life proceeds, to delight in fatness denoting to be delighted from good, while "soul" signifies life.
[11] Again, in the same prophet:
"For the merchandize" of Tyre "shall be for them that dwell before Jehovah, to eat to satiety, and to him that covereth himself with what is ancient" (23:18).
By the merchandize of Tyre are signified the cognitions of good and truth of every kind. To dwell before Jehovah, signifies to live from the Lord; to eat to satiety signifies to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself the cognitions of good sufficiently for the nourishment of the soul. To cover oneself with what is ancient, signifies to drink in the cognitions of genuine truth; for to cover, is used in reference to truths, because garments signify truths clothing good, while ancient, is used in reference to what is genuine, because there were genuine truths with the ancients. The same is signified in Moses by eating to the full, and by eating the old store long kept (Leviticus 26:5, 10).
Again:
"Thou shalt eat and be satisfied in a good land" (Deuteronomy 11:15).
And again:
They should eat, and not be satisfied (Leviticus 26:26).
[12] And in Isaiah:
"And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat" (65:21, 22).
Everyone knows what is signified by these words in the sense of the letter, but because the Word in its bosom is spiritual, therefore spiritual things are also meant by them, that is, such things as pertain to heaven and the church, for these are spiritual things. By building houses and inhabiting them, is signified to fill the interiors of the mind with the goods of heaven and the church, and to enjoy celestial life by means of them, houses denoting the interiors of the mind, and to inhabit denoting celestial life therefrom. Planting vineyards and eating the fruit of them, signifies to enrich themselves with spiritual truths, and to appropriate to themselves the goods thence, vineyards denoting spiritual truths, fruit the goods resulting therefrom, and to eat denotes to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself; for all good is appropriated to man by means of truths, namely, by a life according to them. The signification of the words, "They shall not build and another inhabit, they shall not plant and another eat," is therefore now evident. Another signifies the falsity and evil which destroy truth and good; for when truths and goods perish with man, falsities and evils enter.
Thus also in Jeremiah:
"Build ye houses, and dwell in them, and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them" (29:5, 28).
The signification of these words is similar to that of those which precede.
[13] Again, in Moses:
There shall be given in the land great and goodly cities, which they built not, and houses full of every good thing, which they filled not, and wells digged, which they digged not, vineyards and olive trees, which they planted not; they shall eat to satiety" (Deuteronomy 6:10, 11).
The natural man understands these things only according to the sense of the letter, but if there were not a spiritual sense in every detail, the Word would be merely natural, and not spiritual, and consequently it might be supposed that it is only worldly riches and abundance that are freely given to those who live according to the Divine precepts; but what would it profit a man if he were to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Indeed what would it profit him if houses full of every kind of good thing, and also wells, olive trees, and vineyards, were given to him and he were to eat of them to satiety? But the fact is, these worldly riches are mentioned to denote spiritual riches, from which man has life eternal. The great and goodly cities to be given [to them], signify doctrinals from genuine truths and goods; houses full of every good thing, signify the interiors of the mind full of love and wisdom; wells digged, signify the interiors of the natural mind full of the knowledges of good and truth; vineyards and olive gardens, signify all things both as to truths and goods pertaining to the church, a vineyard denoting the church as to truth, and an olive garden the church as to good; for wine (vinum) signifies truth, and oil good; to eat to satiety, signifies full reception, perception, and appropriation.
[14] Again, in Isaiah:
Delight shall be found in Jehovah, "and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob" (58:14).
By causing them to ride upon the high places of the earth, is signified to give them the understanding of higher or interior truths concerning the things of the church and heaven; and by feeding them with the heritage of Jacob, is signified to endow them with everything pertaining to heaven and the church. For the heritage of Jacob means the land of Canaan, and by that land is meant the church, and, in a higher sense, heaven.
[15] Since eating signifies to appropriate to oneself, the signification of eating of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise (Apoc. 2:7), is evident, namely, the appropriation to oneself of celestial life. Also the signification of eating of the tree of knowledge in Genesis, is evident:
"Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (2:16, 17).
The tree of the knowledge (scientia) of good and evil, signifies the knowledge of natural things, by means of which [knowledge] it is not allowable to enter into things celestial and spiritual which pertain to heaven and the church, for this is to enter from the natural man into the spiritual, which is an inverted way, and does not therefore lead to wisdom, but destroys it. By Adam and his wife is meant the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial church. Because the men of that church were in love to the Lord, they had Divine Truths inscribed upon them, and therefore they knew from influx the correspondences in the natural man, which are called scientifics. In a word, the men of that church enjoyed spiritual influx, which is from the spiritual mind into the natural, and consequently into the things that are therein; these things they saw, according to their quality, as in a mirror, from correspondence.
[16] Spiritual things with them were quite distinct from natural things, the former being in their spiritual mind, and the latter in their natural mind, and therefore they did not immerse anything spiritual in their natural mind, as spiritual-natural men are in the habit of doing. If therefore they had committed spiritual things to the natural memory, and had thus appropriated them to themselves, that which was implanted in them would have perished, and they would have begun to reason from the natural man concerning spiritual things, and have formed their conclusions therefrom, which [the celestial] never do. This also would have resulted in a desire to be wise from [their] own intelligence, and not from Divine intelligence, as previously, and by this means they would have extinguished all their celestial life, and also formed natural ideas concerning spiritual things. That they should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and if they did eat, that they should surely die, has therefore this signification. The case in regard to the most ancient people, meant by Adam, is similar to what it is with those who are in the celestial kingdom of the Lord, who, if they imbue the natural man and its memory with the cognitions of spiritual truth and good, and desire to be wise therefrom, become stupid, although they are the wisest of all in heaven. More may be seen on this subject in Heaven and Hell 20-28), where the two kingdoms, called celestial and spiritual, into which heaven is in general distinguished, are treated of.
[17] Again, it is said in David:
He who "did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me" (Heaven and Hell 59, 102, also n. 200-212).
[18] Thus also in Luke:
"They shall begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, ye workers of iniquity" (13:26, 27).
By their saying when brought to judgment, that they had eaten and drunk in the presence of the Lord, is signified that they had read the Word, and received therefrom the cognitions of good and truth, supposing that they should thereby be saved, therefore the words follow; "thou hast taught in our streets," denoting that they were instructed in truths from the Word, thus from the Lord. But that to read the Word and receive instruction from it could avail them nothing as to salvation, without a life according to it, is signified by the answer which He gave, "I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, ye workers of iniquity"; for it is of no avail to salvation to enrich the memory from the Word, and from the doctrinals of the church, unless these things are committed to life.
[19] In Matthew:
The King said unto them on his right hand, "I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink." And to them on the left hand, "I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink" (Matthew 25:34-42).
These words also signify spiritual hunger and thirst, also spiritual eating and drinking. Spiritual hunger and thirst are the affection and desire for good and truth and spiritual eating and drinking are instruction, reception, and appropriation. It is here said of the Lord, that He hungered and thirsted, because from Divine Love He desires the salvation of all; and of men it is said that they gave Him to eat and to drink; which is the case when, from affection, they receive and perceive good and truth from the Lord, and appropriate them to themselves by means of the life. It will be said in like manner of the man who, from his heart, loves to instruct man, and desires his salvation; it is therefore charity, or the spiritual affection for truth, which is described by these words, and also by those which follow.
[20] From what has been said, the signification of eating bread and drinking wine, in the spiritual sense, in the holy supper (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22) is now evident; where it is also said, that the bread is the Lord's body, and the wine (vinum) His blood. That bread there signifies the good of love, and wine the truth from that good, which is also the good of faith, and that the same is signified by flesh and blood, also that by eating are signified conjunction with the Lord and appropriation, is evident from what is said and shown in the 6:49-58).
That neither flesh and blood, nor bread and wine, are here meant, but the Divine proceeding from the Lord, can be seen only by one who enjoys the power of thinking interiorly; for it is the proceeding Divine, which is Divine Good and Divine Truth, that imparts eternal life to man, and causes the Lord to abide in man, and man in the Lord. For the Lord is in man in his own Divine, and not in the proprium of man, this being nothing but evil; and the Lord is in man, and man in the Lord, when the proceeding Divine is appropriated to man by a right reception thereof. The appropriation itself is signified by eating; the proceeding Divine Good, by flesh and by bread, and the proceeding Divine Truth, by blood and by wine. Similarly in the sacrifices, in which the flesh and the meat-offering, which was bread, signified the good of love, and the blood and the wine, which were the drink-offering, signified the truth from that good, both from the Lord. Since by flesh and bread is signified the proceeding Divine Good, and by blood and wine, the proceeding Divine Truth, therefore, bread and flesh mean the Lord Himself as to Divine Good, and blood and wine the Lord Himself as to Divine Truth. The reason why the Lord Himself is meant by those things, is, that the proceeding Divine is the Lord Himself in heaven and in the church; therefore the Lord says concerning Himself, "This is the bread which cometh down from heaven;" also, "He who eateth and drinketh these, dwelleth in me, and I in him."
[21] Since bread signifies the Lord as to Divine Good, and to eat it signifies appropriation and conjunction, therefore when the Lord showed Himself to His disciples after death and when He broke bread and gave to them, "their eyes were opened, and they knew him" (Luke 24:30, 31). From this fact it is also evident that to eat bread given by the Lord, signifies conjunction with Him, in consequence of which the disciples, being enlightened, knew Him. For eyes in the Word correspond to, and therefore signify, the understanding, and it is this which is enlightened; hence it is said their eyes were opened. By breaking bread, in the Word, is signified to communicate one's good to another.
[22] The reason why the Lord ate with publicans and sinners, at which the Jews murmured and were offended (Mark 2:15, 16; Luke 5:29, 30; 7:33-35), was, that the Gentiles, meant by the publicans and sinners, received the Lord, drank in His precepts, and lived according to them, and in consequence the Lord appropriated to them the goods of heaven, which is signified in the spiritual sense by eating with them.
[23] Since eating signified to be appropriated, therefore it was granted to the sons of Israel to eat of the holy things, or the sacrifices; for the sacrifices signified celestial and spiritual Divine things, and therefore eating of them signified the appropriation of them. And because the appropriation of holy things was signified by such eating, therefore various laws were given concerning who should eat and where they should eat, and of what sacrifices. Thus what Aaron and his sons should take from the sacrifices and eat (Exodus 29:31-33; Leviticus 6:16-18; 7:6, 7; 8:31-33; 10:13-15); that they should eat the shewbread in the holy place (Leviticus 24:5-9); that the daughter of a priest, being married to a stranger, should not eat of things sanctified, but that the daughter of a priest, being a widow, or divorced, who had no offspring and had returned to the house of her father, might eat of them (Leviticus 22:12, 13); that certain of the people should eat (Num. 18:10, 11, 13, 19); that a stranger, a sojourner or hired servant of a priest should not eat of them, but that he who was bought with silver should eat (Leviticus 22:10-12); that the unclean should not eat (Leviticus 7:19-21; 21:16 to end; 22:2-8); that they should not eat any part of the burnt offerings, but of the peace sacrifices, and should rejoice before Jehovah (Deuteronomy 12:27; 27:7).
In these and many other statutes and laws concerning the eating of things sanctified, there are contained interior truths concerning the appropriation of Divine Good and Divine Truth, and of conjunction thence with the Lord; but this is not the place to explain the details; only let it be understood from the passages quoted, that to eat signifies to be appropriated and conjoined. Therefore also when the sons of Israel were conjoined to the Lord by the blood of the covenant, and after Moses had read the book of the law before them, and they soon after saw the God of Israel, it is said, "They did eat and drink" (Exodus 24:6-11).
[24] That to eat flesh and drink blood signifies the appropriation of spiritual good and truth, is evident from the following passages in Ezekiel:
"Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel that ye may eat flesh and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth. And ye shall eat fat to satiety, and drink blood to drunkenness, of my sacrifice which I sacrifice for you. Ye shall be satiated at my table with horse and with chariot, with the mighty man, and with every man of war. So will I give my glory among the nations" (39:17-21).
The subject here treated of is the gathering together of all to the kingdom of the Lord, and specifically concerning the establishment of the church with the Gentiles, for it is said, "So will I give my glory among the nations." Eating flesh and drinking blood, mean that they should appropriate to themselves Divine Good and Divine Truth, flesh denoting the good of love, and blood the truth of that good. By the mighty, or oxen, are signified the affections for good; by the princes of the earth, the affections for truth. The full fruition of these is signified by eating fat to satiety, and drinking blood to drunkenness. Fat signifies interior goods, and blood, interior truths, which were manifested by the Lord when He came into the world, and were appropriated by those who received Him.
[25] Before the coming of the Lord into the world to eat fat and to drink blood was forbidden, because the sons of Israel were only in externals, for they were natural-sensual men, and not in things internal or spiritual at all, therefore if they had been allowed to eat fat and drink blood, which signified the appropriation to themselves of interior goods and truths, they would have profaned these, and consequently to eat those things signified profanation. The signification of being satiated at the table of the Lord with horse, with chariot, with the mighty man, and every man of war, is similar. By horse is signified the understanding of the Word, by chariot, doctrine from the Word, by the mighty man and the man of war are meant good and truth combating with evil and falsity, and destroying them. By the mountains of Israel, upon which they should eat, is signified the spiritual church, in which the good of charity is the essential. From this it is clear, that eating signifies to appropriate to oneself, and that by flesh, blood, the mighty man, the princes of the earth, the horse, the chariot, and the man of war, are signified spiritual things which are to be appropriated, and by no means natural things, for to eat such things naturally would be wicked and diabolical. Similar things are signified by eating the flesh of kings, of captains of thousands, of horses, and of them that sit on them, both free and bond (Apoc. 19:18).
[26] Since most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so also have eating and drinking, and in that sense they signify to appropriate to oneself evil and falsity, and thence to be conjoined with hell, as is evident from the following passages.
Thus in Isaiah:
"In that day will the Lord Jehovih of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth; behold, joy and gladness in slaying an ox, and killing a sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die" (22:12, 13).
The vastation of the church, and lamentation over it, are described by being called in that day to weeping, mourning, baldness, and the putting on of sackcloth. Lamentation over the destruction of truth is signified by weeping; lamentation over the destruction of good, by mourning; over the destruction of all affection for good, by baldness, and over the destruction of affection for truth, by sackcloth. By slaying an ox and killing a sheep, is signified, to extinguish natural good and spiritual good. By eating flesh and drinking wine (vinum), is signified to appropriate to oneself evil and falsity, flesh, in this place, denoting evil, and wine, the falsity of evil; while to eat and drink these signifies to appropriate them to oneself.
[27] Again, in Ezekiel:
"It was told the prophet that he should eat food by weight and with solicitude; and drink water by measure, and with astonishment. And should eat a barley cake made with dung. That thus should the sons of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither they should be driven, and lack bread and water, and be desolated a man (vir) and his brother, and consume away on account of their iniquity" (4:10-17).
These words in the prophet represented the adulteration of Divine Truth, or the Word with the Jewish nation. The barley cake made with dung signifies that adulteration, a barley cake denoting natural good and truth, such as is the Word in the sense of the letter, and dung infernal evil; it is therefore said, "Thus shall the sons of Israel eat their defiled bread," bread defiled denoting good defiled with evil, or adulterated. That they should want bread and water amongst the nations whither they should be driven signifies, that they would no longer have any good and truth on account of their being in evils and falsities, nations denoting evils and falsities, while to be driven thither denotes to be delivered up to them. By a man and brother who should be desolated, are signified faith and charity, man (vir) denoting the truth of faith, and brother, the good of charity, and to be desolated denoting the complete extinction of both. Because such things are signified by eating bread, and drinking water, it is therefore said that they shall consume away on account of their iniquity; to consume away is said of spiritual life, when it perishes.
[28] Because beasts signify the affections, some of them good affections, and some evil affections, therefore laws were laid down for the sons of Israel, with whom was the representative church, concerning the beasts that might be eaten and those that might not be eaten (Leviticus 11:1-47). These signified what kind of beasts represented good affections that should be appropriated, and what kind of evil affections that should not be appropriated, for good affections render a man clean, but evil affections unclean. Everything said in that chapter in regard to particular beasts and birds, and in reference to their hoofs, feet, and cud, by which the clean are distinguished from the unclean, is significative.
[29] Again, in Isaiah:
"And if he cut off on the right hand, he shall yet be hungry, and if he eat on the left hand, they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm; Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh" (386:2, 600:13).
[30] The consumption of all truth and good is also signified by the declaration that they should eat the flesh of their sons and daughters (Leviticus 26:29); also by the words: "The fathers shall eat the sons, and the sons shall eat the fathers" (5:10). The fathers signify the goods of the church, and in the opposite sense, its evils; sons signify the truths of the church, and in the opposite sense, its falsities. By daughters are signified affections for truth and good, and in the opposite sense, desires for falsity and evil; their mutual consumption and extinction are signified by their eating them. It is therefore evident that these things must be understood otherwise than according to the sense of the letter.
[31] Again, in Matthew:
In the consummation of the age it shall be as it was before the flood, "eating and drinking, contracting marriage and giving in marriage" (24:38; Luke 17:26-28).
Eating and drinking, contracting marriage and giving in marriage, do not here mean eating and drinking, and contracting marriage and giving in marriage; but by eating is meant the appropriation of evil to oneself, by drinking, the appropriation of falsity to oneself. Contracting marriage and giving in marriage, signify to conjoin falsity with evil, and evil with falsity; for the subject there treated of is the state of the church when the Last Judgment is at hand, for this is signified by the consummation of the age; that both the good and the evil will then eat and drink, is evident, because there is nothing evil in eating and drinking. They did so before the flood, yet did not die as a consequence; but they perished because they appropriated to themselves evil and falsity, and conjoined these in themselves. This is the signification of eating and drinking, of contracting marriage and giving in marriage.
[32] Again, in Luke, the rich man said to his soul:
"Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink" (12:19).
And again:
"If the servant say in his heart, my Lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the servants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken" (12:45).
Also concerning surfeiting and drunkenness in the same:
Jesus said, "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness" (21:34).
It appears as though eating and drinking and surfeiting in these passages mean the luxury and intemperance of those who indulge their appetites only, but this is the literal natural sense of these words, whereas, in the spiritual sense, they denote the appropriation to oneself of evil and falsity, as is evident from the passages quoted above, where eating and drinking have that signification, also from this fact, that the Word in the letter is natural, but interiorly spiritual, the latter sense being for angels, and the former for men.
[33] Many other passages, besides these, might be quoted from the Word, to testify and confirm the signification of eating, as denoting the reception, perception, and appropriation of those things that serve for the nourishment of the soul. For, to eat spiritually is nothing else than supplying the mind with its own food, which is the desire of knowing, understanding, and becoming wise in things pertaining to eternal life. That this is the signification of eating is also evident from the signification of bread and food, of hunger and thirst, of wine and water, which have been treated of above in their proper places. Since eating signifies to perceive the quality of a thing, and this is perceived by its taste, it is therefore from correspondence that in human languages taste (sapor) and to taste (sapere), are used in reference to the perception of a thing, whence also we have the word wisdom (sapientia).
617. And he said unto me, Take and eat it up, signifies that he should read, perceive, and explore the Word, of what quality it is within and what it is without. This is evident from the signification of "he said unto me, Take the little book," as being the faculty given to perceive of what quality the Word is, that is, what the understanding of the Word now is in the church (See the preceding article, n. 616; and from the signification of "to eat up" (or devour), as being to conjoin and appropriate to oneself, and as the Word is conjoined to man by reading and perception, here "to eat up" or "to devour" signifies to read and perceive. "To eat up" here signifies also to explore, because it is added that "the little book made his belly bitter," and was perceived to be "in his mouth sweet as honey," and by this it was ascertained what the Word, as regards its understanding, is within and without; what it is within is signified by "the belly and its bitterness," and what it is without by the "mouth" in which it was perceived to be sweet as honey. From this it can be seen that "he said unto me, Take and eat it up," signifies that he should read, perceive, and explore the Word, of what quality it is within and of what it is without.
[2] "To eat" and "to drink" are often mentioned in the Word, and those who have no knowledge of the spiritual sense can have no other idea than that natural eating and drinking are thereby meant; but "to eat" and "to drink" signify to nourish oneself spiritually, consequently to appropriate to oneself good and truth, "to eat" signifying to appropriate to oneself good, and "to drink" to appropriate to oneself truth. Anyone who believes that the Word is also spiritual may know that "to eat" and "to drink," likewise "bread," "food," "wine," and "drink" mean spiritual nourishment; if they did not mean this the Word would be merely natural and not at the same time spiritual, thus merely for the natural man and not for the spiritual man, much less for angels. That "bread," "food," "wine," and "drink" mean in the spiritual sense the nourishment of the mind, has been frequently shown above; also that the Word is spiritual throughout, although in the sense of the letter it is natural. To be nourished spiritually is to be instructed and imbued, consequently to know, to understand, and to be wise. Unless a man enjoys this nourishment together with the nourishment of the body, he is not a man but a beast; and this is why those who place all delight in feastings and banquetings and daily indulge their palates are dull in spiritual things, however they may be able to reason respecting the things of the world and of the body; therefore after death they live a life that is beastly rather than human, for instead of intelligence and wisdom they have insanity and folly. This has been said to make known that here "to devour or eat up the little book" signifies to read, to perceive, and to explore the Word, for "the little book" that was in the hand of the angel coming down from heaven means the Word, as has been said above. Moreover, one cannot eat or devour a book naturally, thus not the Word; and this, too, makes clearly evident that "to eat" here signifies to be spiritually nourished.
[3] That "to eat" and "to drink" signify in the Word to eat and drink spiritually, which is to be instructed, and by instruction and living to imbue oneself with good and truth and to appropriate this, consequently intelligence and wisdom, can be seen from the following passages. In Jeremiah:
Thy words shall be found, that I may eat them, and Thy Word be to me for joy and for the gladness of my heart (Jeremiah 15:16).
Here "to eat" manifestly stands for spiritual eating, which is to know, to perceive, and to appropriate to oneself, for it is said, "that I may eat Thy words, and Thy Word be to me for joy and for the gladness of my heart;" the "words of God" signify His precepts or Divine truths. This is similar to what the Lord said to the tempter:
That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:3, 4;Luke 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3).
Again:
Work not for the food that perisheth, but for the food that abideth unto eternal life (John 6:27).
So, too, with the words of the Lord to the disciples:
The disciples said, Rabbi, eat. But He said, I have food to eat that ye know not. The disciples said one to another, Hath anyone brought Him aught to eat? Jesus said unto them, My food is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to accomplish His work (John 4:31-34).
[4] From this, too, it is evident that "to eat" signifies in the spiritual sense to receive in the will and to do, from which is conjunction; for the Lord by doing the Divine will conjoined the Divine that was in Him with His Human, and thus appropriated the Divine to His Human. To this may be referred:
The Lord's feeding the five thousand men, besides women and children, with five loaves and two fishes, and when they had eaten and were filled they took up twelve baskets of fragments (Matthew 14:15-22; John 6:5, 6, 13, 23).
Also His feeding four thousand men from seven loaves and a few fishes (Matthew 15:32, et seq .).
This miracle was done because previously the Lord had been teaching them, and they had received and appropriated to themselves His doctrine; this is what they ate spiritually; therefore natural eating followed, that is, flowed in out of heaven with them as the manna did with the sons of Israel, unknown to them; for when the Lord wills, spiritual food which also is real food but only for spirits and angels, is changed into natural food, just as it was turned into manna every morning.
[5] The like is signified by "eating bread in the kingdom of God" in Luke:
I appoint unto you a kingdom that ye may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom (Luke 22:27, 29, 30).
Here also "to eat" and "to drink" signify to eat and drink spiritually, therefore "to eat" there signifies to receive, to perceive; and to appropriate to oneself the good of heaven from the Lord, and "to drink" signifies to receive, to perceive, and to appropriate to oneself the truth of that good; for "to eat" is predicated of good because "bread" signifies the good of love, and "to drink" is predicated of truth because "water" and "wine" signify the truth of that good. The like is signified elsewhere in Luke:
Blessed is he that eateth bread in the kingdom of God (Luke 14:15).
This is why the Lord there likened the kingdom of God:
To a great supper, to which those invited did not come, and to which only those came who were brought in from the streets (verses Luke 14:16-24).
[6] Spiritual eating, by which the soul is nourished, is also signified by "eating" in the following passages.
In Isaiah:
If ye will be willing and obedient ye shall eat good (Isaiah 1:19).
"To eat good" signifies spiritual good, therefore it is said, "If ye will be willing and obedient," that is, if ye will do; for spiritual food is given, conjoined, and appropriated to man by his willing and his doing therefrom.
In David:
Blessed is everyone that feareth Jehovah, that walketh in His ways. Thou shalt eat the labor of thy hands; blessed art thou, and it is good with thee (Psalms 128:1, 2).
"To eat the labor of his hands" signifies the celestial good that man receives from the Lord by a life according to Divine truths, and acquires as it were by his own labor and zeal, therefore it is said that he shall eat "who feareth Jehovah and walketh in His ways," and it is added "Blessed art thou, and it is good with thee."
[7] In Isaiah:
Say to the righteous that it is good, for they shall eat the fruit of their works (Isaiah 3:10).
"To eat the fruit of their works" has a similar signification as "eating the labor of their hands," mentioned above.
In Ezekiel:
Thou didst eat fine flour, honey, and oil; whence thou didst become exceeding beautiful, and didst prosper even to a kingdom (Ezekiel 16:13).
This was said of Jerusalem, which signifies the church, here the Ancient Church, which was in truths and in spiritual good, and at the same time in natural good; "fine flour" signifies truth, "honey" natural good, or the good of the external man; and "oil" spiritual good, or the good of the internal man; the reception, perception, and appropriation of these goods is signified by "eating fine flour, honey, and oil;" that from these the church became intelligent is signified by "whence thou didst become exceedingly beautiful," "beauty" signifying intelligence; that from these it became a church is signified by "thou didst prosper even to a kingdom," "kingdom" signifying the church.
[8] In Isaiah:
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name God with us; butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good. For before the boy knoweth to reject the evil and to choose the good the land which thou abhorrest shall be forsaken from before its two kings (Isaiah 7:14-16).
It is evident that the "Son" whom the virgin shall conceive and bear, and whose name shall be called "God with us," is the Lord in respect to His Human; the appropriation, in respect to the Human, of spiritual and natural Divine good is meant by "butter and honey shall He eat," spiritual Divine good by "butter," natural Divine good by "honey," and appropriation by "eating;" and because so far as it is known how to reject evil and to choose good, so far spiritual and natural Divine good is appropriated, therefore it is said, "that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good." That the church was deserted and vastated in respect to all good and truth by knowledges falsely applied, and by reasonings therefrom, is signified by "the land which thou abhorrest shall be forsaken from before its two kings," "land" signifying the church; the desertion and devastation of it are meant by "it shall be forsaken and abhorred;" and "the two kings," who are the king of Egypt and the king of Assyria, signify knowledges wrongly applied, and reasonings therefrom, "the king of Egypt" such knowledges, and "the king of Assyria" reasonings therefrom. That these kings are meant is evident from what follows in verses 17 and 18, where Egypt and Assyria are mentioned; moreover, these things also are what chiefly devastate the church. That the Lord came into the world when there was no longer any truth and good in the church, thus when there was nothing of the church remaining, has been said several times above.
[9] In the same prophet:
It shall come to pass by reason of the abundance of milk that one shall eat butter; for butter and honey shall everyone eat that remains in the land (Isaiah 7:22).
This is said of a new church to be established by the Lord; and "butter and honey" signify spiritual good and natural good, and "to eat" signifies to appropriate (as above); "milk" signifies the spiritual from the celestial, from which these goods are.
[10] In the same:
Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without silver and without price. Wherefore do ye weigh silver for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? In hearkening hearken unto Me, 1and eat good, that your soul may delight itself in fatness (Isaiah 55:1, 2).
It is very clear that "to eat" signifies here to appropriate to oneself from the Lord, for it is said, "Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy and eat," which signifies that everyone who desires truth, and who had not truth before, may acquire and appropriate it from the Lord; "one that thirsts" signifies one who desires, "water" truth, "silver" the truth of good, here one who has no truth of good is meant; "to come" means to come to the Lord, "to buy" means to acquire for oneself, and "to eat" to appropriate. "Come ye, buy wine and milk without silver and without price," signifies that spiritual Divine truth and natural Divine truth may be acquired without self-intelligence, "wine" signifying spiritual Divine truth, and "milk" spiritual-natural Divine truth. "Wherefore do ye weigh silver for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not?" signifies that it is useless to endeavor to acquire from what is one's own [proprium] the good of love and that which nourishes the soul; "silver" as well as "labor" means here truth from what is one's own [proprium], or from self-intelligence, "bread" means the good of love, and "that which satisfies" that which nourishes the soul, here that which does not nourish; "In hearkening hearken unto Me" signifies that these things are from the Lord alone; "and eat ye good, that your soul may delight itself in fatness," signifies that they may appropriate to themselves celestial good, from which is every enjoyment of life, "to delight in fatness" signifying to have enjoyment from good, and "soul" signifying life.
[11] In the same:
The merchandise of Tyre shall be for them that dwell before Jehovah, to eat to satiety and for a covering with what is ancient (Isaiah 23:18).
"The merchandise of Tyre" signifies the knowledges of good and truth of every kind; "to dwell before Jehovah" signifies to live from the Lord; "to eat to satiety" signifies to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself knowledges of good sufficient for nourishing the soul; "for a covering with what is ancient" signifies to be imbued with knowledges of genuine truth; for "to cover" is predicated of truths, because "garments" signify truths clothing good, and "ancient" is predicated of what is genuine, since there were genuine truths with the ancients. The signification is similar in Moses:
That they should eat to the full, and should eat the old store long kept (Leviticus 26:5, 10).
In the same:
That they should eat and be full in the good land (Deuteronomy 11:15).
Then also that they should eat and not be satisfied (Leviticus 26:26).
[12] In Isaiah:
They shall build houses and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build that another may inhabit, they shall not plant that another may eat (Isaiah 65:21, 22).
Everyone knows what is signified by these words in the sense of the letter; but as the Word in its bosom is spiritual, spiritual things also are meant, that is, such things as belong to heaven and the church, for these are spiritual things. "To build houses and to inhabit them" signifies to fill the interiors of the mind with the goods of heaven and the church, and thereby to enjoy celestial life, "houses" signifying the interiors of the mind, and "to inhabit" celestial life therefrom. "To plant vineyards and to eat the fruit of them" signifies to enrich themselves with spiritual truths, and to appropriate to themselves goods therefrom; "vineyards" mean spiritual truths, "fruits" goods therefrom; and "to eat" to receive, perceive, and appropriate to themselves, for every good is appropriated to man by means of truths, that is, by a life according to them. This that has been said makes evident what is signified by "they shall not build that another may inhabit, they shall not plant that another may eat," "another" signifying falsity and evil destroying truth and good; for when truths and goods perish with man falsities and evils enter. In Jeremiah:
Build ye houses and inhabit them, and plant gardens and eat the fruit of them (Jeremiah 29:5, 28).
These words have a similar meaning as those just explained.
[13] In Moses:
That there shall be given in the land great and good cities which they builded not, houses full of every good thing which they did not fill, cisterns hewed out which they did not hew, vineyards and olive gardens which they did not plant; they shall eat to satiety (Deuteronomy 6:10, 11).
The natural man understands these things only according to the sense of the letter, but if the particulars contained no spiritual meaning the Word would be merely natural and not spiritual, and thus it might be believed that merely worldly opulence and abundance are promised to those who live according to the Divine commandments. "But what would it profit a man if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" In other words, what would it profit a man to be given houses full of every good thing, likewise cisterns, and to have vineyards and olive gardens given him from which he might eat to satiety? But these riches enumerated are worldly riches by which are meant spiritual riches, from which man has eternal life. The "great and good cities to be given" signify doctrinals from genuine goods and truths; "houses full of every good thing" signify the interiors of the mind full of love and wisdom; "cisterns hewn" signify the interiors of the natural mind full of the knowledges of good and truth; "vineyards and olive gardens" signify all things of the church, both its truths and its goods, "vineyards" meaning the church in respect to truths, and "olive gardens" the church in respect to goods, since "wine" signifies truth, and "oil" good; "to eat to satiety" signifies full reception, perception, and appropriation.
[14] In Isaiah:
He shall delight in Jehovah; and I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob (Isaiah 58:14).
"To make to ride upon the high places of the earth" signifies to give an understanding of higher or interior truth respecting the things of the church and of heaven; and "to feed with the heritage of Jacob" signifies to bestow all things of heaven and the church; for "the heritage of Jacob" means the land of Canaan, and that land signifies the church, and in a higher sense heaven.
[15] As "to eat" signifies to appropriate to oneself, it can be seen what is signified by:
Eating of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise (Revelation 2:7);
namely, to appropriate to oneself celestial life; also what is signified by "eating of the tree of knowledge" in Genesis:
Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden eating thou shalt eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, of this thou shalt not eat, for in the day that thou shalt eat of it dying thou shalt die (Genesis 2:16, 17).
The "tree of the knowledge (scientia) of good and evil" signifies the knowledge of natural things, through which it is not permitted to enter into the celestial and spiritual things which belong to heaven and the church, thus to enter from the natural man into the spiritual, which is the inverse way, and therefore does not lead to wisdom, but destroys it. "Adam and his wife" mean the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial church. Because the men of that church were in love to the Lord they had Divine truths inscribed on them, and thence they knew from influx the corresponding things in the natural man, which are called knowledges [scientifica]; in a word, there was with them spiritual influx, that is, influx from the spiritual mind into the natural, and thus into the things that are in it, and what these were they saw by correspondence as in a mirror.
[16] With them spiritual things were entirely distinct from natural things; spiritual things had their seat in their spiritual mind, and natural things in their natural mind, and thus they did not immerse what is spiritual in their natural mind, as spiritual-natural men are wont to do. For this reason, if they had consigned spiritual things to the natural memory, and had appropriated them to themselves in that way, that which was implanted with them would have perished, and they would have begun to reason about spiritual things from the natural man, and thus to form conclusions, which celestial men never do. This, moreover, would have been wishing to be wise from self-intelligence, and not from Divine intelligence, as before, and by this they would have extinguished all their celestial life, and they would have entertained natural ideas even about spiritual things. This, therefore, is what is signified by their "not eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil," and if they did eat, "dying they should die." The like is true of those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom as of these most ancient people meant by "Adam." If these were to imbue the natural man and its memory with knowledges of spiritual truth and good, and should wish to be wise from these, they would become stupid, while yet they are the wisest of all in heaven. (On this more may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28, where the Two Kingdoms, Celestial and Spiritual, into which Heaven is in general distinguished, are treated of.)
[17] In David:
He that did eat of My bread hath lifted up his heel against Me (Heaven and Hell 59-102, and n. 200-212).
[18] In Luke:
They shall begin to say, We did eat before Thee and drink before Thee, and Thou didst teach in our streets. But He shall say, I know you not whence ye are; depart, ye workers of iniquity (Luke 13:26, 27).
Their saying, when presented for judgment, that they "ate and drank before the Lord," signifies that they had read the Word and drawn from it the knowledges of good and truth, supposing that this would save them; therefore it follows, "Thou didst teach in our streets," which signified that they had been instructed in truths from the Word, thus by the Lord. But that reading the Word and being instructed from it is of no avail for salvation, without at the same time a life according to it, is signified by the answer, "He shall say, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity;" for it is of no avail for salvation to enrich the memory from the Word and from the doctrinals of the church, unless they are committed to life.
[19] In Matthew:
The king said to them on his right hand, I was an hungered and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty and ye gave me to drink. And to those on the left hand, I was an hungered and ye gave me not to eat; I was thirsty and ye gave me not to drink (Matthew 25:34, 35, 41, 42).
By these words also spiritual hunger and thirst and spiritual eating and drinking are signified; spiritual hunger and thirst are the affection and desire for good and truth, and spiritual eating and drinking are instruction, reception, and appropriation. It is said here that the Lord hungered and thirsted, because from His Divine love He desires the salvation of all; and it is said that men gave Him to eat and to drink; which is done when from affection they receive and perceive good and truth from the Lord, and by means of the life appropriate them to themselves. The like may be said of a man who from his heart loves to instruct man and desires his salvation; therefore it is charity, or the spiritual affection of truth, that is described by these words and those that follow.
[20] From what has been said it can now be seen what is signified in the spiritual sense by eating bread and drinking wine in the Holy Supper, The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 210-222). That such is the signification of "bread and wine," and "body and blood," also of "eating," becomes still more evident from the Lord's words in John:
Your 2fathers did eat the manna in the wilderness, and they are dead. This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven; if anyone shall eat of this bread he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. Verily I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood ye have not life in you. He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood abideth in Me and I in him. This is that bread that came down out of heaven. He that eateth of this bread shall live forever (John 6:49-58).
Anyone who has the ability to think interiorly can see that neither flesh nor blood nor bread nor wine, are here meant, but the Divine proceeding from the Lord; for it is the Divine proceeding, which is Divine good and Divine truth, that gives eternal life to man, and causes the Lord to abide in man, and man in the Lord; for the Lord is in man in His own Divine and not in what is man's own [proprium], for this is nothing but evil; and the Lord is in man, and man in the Lord, when the Divine proceeding is appropriated to man by a right reception. The appropriation itself is signified by "eating," the Divine good proceeding, by "flesh" and "bread," and the Divine truth proceeding, by "blood" and "wine." It was similar in the sacrifices, in which the "flesh" and the "meal-offering," which was bread, signified the good of love, and the "blood" and "wine," which were the drink-offering, signified truth from that good, both from the Lord. Since "flesh" and "bread" signify the Divine good proceeding, and "blood" and "wine," the Divine truth proceeding, "flesh" and "bread" mean the Lord Himself in relation to Divine good, and "blood" and "wine," the Lord Himself in relation to Divine truth. The Lord Himself is meant by these, because the Divine proceeding is the Lord Himself in heaven and in the church; therefore the Lord says of Himself, "This is the bread that cometh down out of heaven;" also "He that eateth and drinketh these abideth in Me, and I in him."
[21] Because "bread" signifies the Lord in relation to Divine good, and "to eat it" signifies appropriation and conjunction:
When the Lord manifested Himself to the disciples after His death, when He brake bread and gave to them, their eyes were opened and they knew Him (Luke 24:30, 31).
This, too, shows that "to eat bread" given by the Lord signifies conjunction with Him. Enlightened by this the disciples knew Him; for "eyes" in the Word correspond to the understanding and thence signify it, and this is what is enlightened; and thence "their eyes were opened." "To break bread" signifies in the Word to communicate one's good to another.
[22] The Lord ate with publicans and sinners:
At which the Jews murmured and were offended (Mark 2:15, 16; Luke 5:29, 32; 7:33-35);
because the Gentiles that are meant by "publicans and sinners" received the Lord, imbibed His precepts, and lived according to them, and by this means the Lord appropriated to them the goods of heaven, and this is signified in the spiritual sense by "eating with them."
[23] Because "to eat" signifies to be appropriated, it was granted to the sons of Israel to eat of the sanctified things or of the sacrifices, for the "sacrifices" signified Divine celestial and spiritual things, and thus "eating" of them signified their appropriation. Because the appropriation of holy things was signified by such "eating," various laws were given, prescribing who should eat and where they should eat and of what sacrifices, thus:
What Aaron and his sons should receive and eat of the sacrifices (Exodus 29:31-33; Leviticus 6:16-18; 7:6, 7; 8:31-33; 10:13-15);
That they should eat the shew-bread in the holy place (Leviticus 24:5-9);
That the daughter of a priest married to a stranger should not eat of the holy things, but that the daughter of a priest being a widow or divorced, who had no child, but was returned to the house of her father, might eat (Leviticus 22:12, 13);
Who of the people might eat (Numbers 18:10, 11, 13, 19);
That a stranger, a sojourner, a hired servant of a priest, should not eat of them, but that one bought with silver might eat (Leviticus 22:10-12);
That one who was unclean must not eat (Leviticus 7:19-21; 21:16-24 end; Leviticus 22:2-8);
That they should eat no part of the burnt-offerings, but of the eucharistic sacrifices they should eat and be glad before Jehovah (Deuteronomy 12:27; 27:7).
In these and many other statutes and laws respecting the eating of things sanctified are contained arcana respecting the appropriation of Divine good and Divine truth, and thus of conjunction with the Lord; but this is not the place to unfold the particulars, only let it be known from the passages cited, that "to eat" signifies to be appropriated and conjoined. So again:
When the sons of Israel were joined to the Lord by the blood of the covenant, and when Moses had read the book of the law before them, and they presently saw the God of Israel, it is said that they did eat and drink (Exodus 24:6-11).
[24] That "to eat flesh and drink blood" signifies the appropriation of spiritual good and truth, can be seen in Ezekiel:
Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Gather yourselves from every side to My sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty and drink the blood of the princes of the earth. And ye shall eat fat to satiety, and drink blood even to drunkenness, of My sacrifice which I sacrifice for you. Ye shall be satiated at My table with horse and with chariot, with the mighty man and with every man of war. So will I give My glory among the nations (Ezekiel 39:17-21).
This treats of the calling together of all to the Lord's kingdom, and in particular the establishment of the church with the Gentiles, for it is said, "so will I give My glory among the nations." "To eat flesh and drink blood" means to appropriate to oneself Divine good and Divine truth, "flesh" signifying the good of love, and "blood" the truth of that good; "the mighty" (or oxen) signify the affections of good, "the princes of the earth" the affections of truth. The full fruition of these is signified by "eating fat to satiety, and drinking blood to drunkenness," "fat" signifying interior goods, and "blood" interior truths, which were disclosed by the Lord when He came into the world, and were appropriated by those who received Him.
[25] Before the Lord's coming into the world, to eat fat and drink blood was forbidden, because the sons of Israel were in externals only, for they were natural-sensual men, and not at all in things internal or spiritual, consequently if they had been permitted to eat fat and blood, which signifies the appropriation of interior goods and truths, they would have profaned them, therefore "eating fat and blood" signified profanation. "To be satiated at the Lord's table with horse and with chariot, with the mighty man and with every man of war" has a similar signification; "horse" signifying the understanding of the Word; "chariot," the doctrine from the Word; "the mighty man and the man of war," good and truth fighting against evil and falsity and destroying them, and "the mountains of Israel upon which they should eat," the spiritual church in which the good of charity is the essential. All this makes very clear that "to eat" signifies to appropriate to oneself, and that "flesh," "blood," "mighty man," "princes of the earth," "horse," "chariot," and "man of war," signify the spiritual things that are to be appropriated, and by no means natural things, for to eat such things naturally would be abominable and diabolical. Similar things are signified by:
Eating the flesh of kings, of commanders of thousands, of horses, and of them that sit upon them, free and bond (Revelation 19:18).
[26] As most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so have "to eat" and "to drink;" and in that sense they signify to appropriate evil and falsity, and thus to be conjoined to hell; as can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:
In that day will the Lord Jehovih call to weeping and to lamentation, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth; and behold, gladness and joy in slaying an ox and slaughtering a sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die (Leviticus 22:12, 13).
The devastation of the church and lamentation over it are signified by "to be called in that day to weeping, lamentation, baldness, and girding with sackcloth;" lamentation over the destruction of truth is signified by "weeping," over the destruction of good by "lamentation," over the destruction of all affection of good by "baldness," and over the destruction of the affection of truth by "sackcloth;" "to slay an ox and to slaughter a sheep" signifies to extinguish natural good and spiritual good; "to eat flesh and drink wine" signifies to appropriate evil and falsity, "flesh" here signifying evil, "wine," the falsity of evil, and "to eat and drink" these, to appropriate to oneself.
[27] In Ezekiel:
The prophet was told to eat food by weight and with care, and to drink water by measure and with astonishment; and that he should eat a cake of barley made with dung; and that thus shall the sons of Israel eat their bread unclean among the nations whither they shall be thrust out, and they shall be in want of bread and water, and be made desolate, a man and his brother, and shall waste away for their iniquity (Ezekiel 4:10-17).
These words in the prophet represented the adulteration of Divine truth, or of the Word, with the Jewish nation; "the cake of barley made with dung" signifies such adulteration, "a cake of barley" meaning natural good and truth, such as the Word is in the sense of the letter, and "dung," infernal evil; therefore it is said, "thus shall the sons of Israel eat their bread unclean," "bread unclean" meaning good defiled with evil, that is, adulterated. That "they would be in want of bread and water among the nations whither they should be driven" signifies that they would no more have good and truth because of being in evils and falsities, "nations" signifying evils and falsities, and "to be thrust out thither," to be delivered up to these; "man and brother" who shall be made desolate, signify faith and charity, "man" signifying the truth of faith, and "brother," the good of charity, and "to be made desolate," the complete extinction of both. This being the signification of "eating bread and drinking water" it is said that "they shall waste away for their iniquity;" "to waste away" is predicated of spiritual life, when it is perishing.
[28] As "beasts" signify affections, some beasts good affections and others evil affections, there were laws established for the sons of Israel, with whom the church was representative, as to what beasts should be eaten and what should not be eaten (Leviticus 11); and these signified what beasts represented good affections that should be appropriated, and what beasts evil affections that should not be appropriated, since good affections render a man clean, while evil affections render him unclean. All things in that chapter relating to particular beasts and birds, and to their hoofs, feet, and cud, by which the clean are distinguished from the unclean, are significative.
[29] In Isaiah:
If he shall cut down 3on the right hand he shall still be hungry, and if he shall eat on the left hand they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm; Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh (386, 600.)
[30] The consumption of all truth and good is signified by:
Their eating the flesh of their sons and daughters (Leviticus 26:29).
Also by:
The fathers shall eat the sons, and the sons shall eat the fathers (Ezekiel 5:10).
"Fathers" signify the goods of the church, and in the contrary sense its evils; "sons" signify the truths of the church, and in the contrary sense its falsities; "daughters," the affections of truth and good, and in the contrary sense the desires for falsity and evil; the consumption and extinction of these one by another are signified by their "eating one another." This makes evident that these things must be understood otherwise than according to the sense of the letter.
[31] In Matthew:
In the consummation of the age it shall be as it was before the flood, eating and drinking, contracting marriage, and giving in marriage (Matthew 24:38; Luke 17:26-28).
"To eat and drink, to contract marriage, and give in marriage" does not mean here to eat and drink, nor to contract marriage, and give in marriage, but "to eat" means to appropriate evil, "to drink" to appropriate falsity, "to contract marriage and give in marriage," to conjoin falsity with evil, and evil with falsity; for this treats of the state of the church when the Last Judgment is at hand; for this is signified by "the consummation of the age." Evidently the good as well as the evil will then be eating and drinking, for there is nothing evil in eating and drinking, and this they also did before the flood, and it was not on this account that they perished, but because they appropriated to themselves evil and falsity, and conjoined these in themselves; this, therefore, is what is here signified by "eating and drinking, and by contracting in marriage and giving in marriage."
[32] In Luke:
The rich man said to his soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thy rest, eat, drink (Luke 12:19).
If that servant shall say in his heart, The Lord delayeth to come; and shall begin to beat the servants, to eat, to drink, and to be drunken (Luke 12:45).
So, too, by surfeiting and drunkenness, in the same:
Jesus said, Take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with surfeiting and drunkenness (Luke 21:34).
It seems as if "eating and drinking" and "surfeiting" in these passages mean such luxury and intemperance as those indulge in who follow appetite only; this is indeed the natural literal sense of these words; but in their spiritual sense they mean the appropriation of evil and falsity, as can be seen from the passages cited above, where this is signified by "eating and drinking," also from this, that the Word in the letter is natural, but interiorly is spiritual; the spiritual sense is for the angels, and the natural for men.
[33] Besides these many other passages might be cited from the Word, testifying and confirming that "to eat" signifies to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself such things as nourish the soul; for "to eat" spiritually is simply to imbue the mind with its own food, which is to wish to know, understand, and become wise in such things as pertain to eternal life. That this is the signification of "to eat" can be seen also from the signification of "bread" and "food," as also of "famine" and "hunger," and of "wine" and "water," which have been treated of above in their proper places. Since "to eat" means to perceive the quality of a thing, and this is perceived by its taste, it is from correspondence that in human language taste [sapor] and to have a taste [sapere] are predicated of the perception of a thing, and from this comes wisdom [sapientia].
Footnotes:
1. Latin has "from Me," the Hebrew "unto Me," as also found in the explanation below.
2. Latin has "Our," the Greek "Your," as also found in AE 899; AC 680, 8464.
3. Latin has "fall," the text as quoted just above has "cut down. "
617. "Et dixit mihi, Accipe et devora illum." - Quod significet ut legeret, periperet et exploraret Verbum quale est intra et quale est extra, constat ex significatione "Dixit mihi, Accipe libellum", quod sit facultas data percipiendi quale est Verbum, hoc est, qualis est intellectus Verbi nunc in ecclesia (de qua in articulo mox praecedente, n. 616); et ex significatione "devorare" seu comedere, quod sit conjungere et appropriare sibi; et quia Verbum conjungitur homini per lectionem et perceptionem, ideo hic per "devorare" seu cornedere significatur legere et percipere: quod etiam "devorare" hic significet explorare, est quia sequitur quod "libellus amaricaverit ventrem illius", et quod "in ore sentitus sit dulcis sicut mel", per quae exploratum est quale Verbum est quoad intellectum intra et quale est extra; intra significatur per "ventrem" et ejus americationem, et extra per "os" in quo sentitus dulcis sicut mel: ex his constare potest quod per "Dixit mihi, Accipe et devora libellum", significetur ut legeret, perciperet et exploraret Verbum quale est intra et quale est extra.
[2] Pluries in Verbo dicitur "edere" et "bibere"; et qui non aliquid de sensu spirituali novit, non aliter scire potest quam quod per illa significetur edere et bibere naturaliter; cum tamen per illa significatur nutrire se spiritualiter, proinde appropriare sibi bonum et verum; per "edere" appropriare sibi bonum, et per "bibere" appropriare sibi verum. Quisque scire potest qui credit quod Verbum etiam sit spirituale, quod nutritio spiritualis per "edere" et "bibere", sicut per "panem", "cibum", "vinum" et "potum", intelligatur; quae si non intelligerentur, foret Verbum mere naturale, et non simul spirituale, ita solum pro naturali homine et non pro spirituali, et minus pro angelis. Quod per "panem, "cibum", "vinum", et "potum", nutritio mentis in sensu spirituali intelligatur, supra passim ostensum est; et quoque quod Verbum ubivis sit spirituale, tametsi in sensu litterae naturale. Spiritualiter nutriri est instrui et imbui, proinde scire, intelligere et sapere; homo nisi hac nutritione simul cum nutritione corporis fruatur, non est homo sed est bestia; quae causa est quod illi qui omne jucundum ponunt in comessationibus et epulis, ac quotidie indulgent gulae, quoad spiritualia obesi sint, utcunque ratiocinari possunt de rebus mundi et corporis; unde post obitum ferinam potius quam humanam vitam agunt, nam loco intelligentiae et sapientiae est illis insania et stultitia. Haec dicta sunt, ut sciatur quod hic per "devorare" seu comedere "libellum", significetur legere, percipere et explorare Verbum; nam per "libellum", qui in manu angeli descendentis e caelo erat, intelligitur Verbum, ut supra dictum est. Praeterea nemo potest edere aut devorare aliquem libellum, sicut nec Verbum, naturaliter; ex quo etiam manifeste constare potest quod per "comedere" hic significetur spiritualiter nutriri.
[3] Quod per "comedere" et "bibere" in Verbo etiam significetur spiritualiter comedere et bibere, quod est instrui et per instructionem et vitam imbuere et appropriare sibi bonum et verum, proinde intelligentiam et sapientiam, constare potest ex sequentibus locis:
- Apud Jeremiam,
"Invenientur verba tua, ita ut comedam ea, et sit Verbum tuum mihi in gaudium et in laetitiam cordis mei" (15:16):
hic "comedere" manifeste pro spiritualiter comedere, quod est scire, percipere et sibi appropriare; nam dicitur, "ut comedam verba tua, et sit Verbum tuum mihi in gaudium et laetitiam cordis"; "verba" Dei significallt praecepta seu Divina Vera. Hoc simile est cum illis quae Dominus dixit tentatori,
Quod homo non e pane solo vivat, "sed ex omni verbo quod exit ex ore Dei" (Matthaeus 4:3, 4; Luca 4:4; Deuteronomius 8:3);
tum,
"Ne Operemini cibum qui perit, sed cibum qui manet in vitam aeternam" (Johannes 6:27);
simile etiam cum Domini verbis ad discipulos,
"Discipuli dicebant, Rabbi, ede; Ipse vero dixit, Cibum habeo quem edam, quem vos nescitis: dicebant discipuli ad se invicem, Num quis attulit Ipsi quod comederet? Dixit illis Jesus, Cibus meus est ut faciam voluntatem Ipsius qui misit Me, et perficiam Ipsius opus" (Johannes 4:31-34):
[4] ex his etiam patet quod "comedere" in sensu spirituali significet recipere voluntate et facere, unde conjunctio; nam Dominus per id quod fecerit Divinam voluntatem conjunxit Divinum quod in Ipso cum Humallo suo, ita quod Divinum appropriavit suo Humano. Huc etiam referri potest
Quod Dominus cibaverit quinquiens mille viros praeter mulieres et pueros quinque panibus et duobus piscibus, et postquam comederant et saturati fuerant, sustulerint duodecim cophinos fragmentorum (Matthaeus 14:15-22; Johannes 6:5, 13, 23).
Et quod cibaverit quater mille homines ex septem panibus et paucis piscibus (Matthaeus 15:32, seq.):
hoc miraculum factum est quia Dominus prius illos docuerat, et quia illi doctrinam Ipsius receperunt et sibi appropriaverunt; hoc erat quod spiritualiter comederint; inde naturalis esus sequebatur, nempe e caelo influebat apud illos sicut manna apud filios Israelis, illis nescientibus; nam Domino volente vertitur cibus spiritualis, qui etiam realis cibus est sed modo pro spiritibus et angelis, in naturalem, similiter ut in mannam quovis mane.
[5] Simile significatur per "comedere panem in regno Dei apud Lucam,
"Dispono Vobis regnum, .... ut comedatis et bibatis super mensa mea in regno meo" (22:27, 29, 30):
hic quoque per "comedere" et "bibere" significatur spiritualiter comedere et bibere; quare per "comedere" ibi significatur a Domino recipere, percipere et appropriare sibi bonum caeli; et per "bibere" significatur recipere, percipere et appropriare sibi verum illius boni; iiam "comedere" dicitur de bono quia "panis" significat bonum amoris, et "bibere" dicitur de vero quia "aqua" et "villum" significant verum illius boni. Simile significatur alibi apud Lucam,
"Beatus qui comedit panem in regno Dei" (14:15):
inde est, quod Dominus ibi assimilaverit regnum Dei
Magnae cenae, ad quam invitati non venerunt, sed solum qui e plateis introducti sunt (vers. 16-24).
[6] Esus spiritualis, ex quo nutritur anima, etiam significatur per "edere" in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Esaiam,
"si volueritis et auscultaveritis, bonum.. comedetis" (1:19):
per "bonum comedere" hic significatur bonum spirituale; quare dicitur, "Si volueritis et auscultaveritis", hoc est, Si feceritis: bonum spirituale ellim datur, conjungitur et appropriatur homini, per velle ejus et inde facere ejus.
Apud Davidem,
"Beatus omnis timens Jehovae, qui ambulat in viis Ipsius; laborem manuum tuarum comedes, beatus tu et bonum tibi" (Psalms 128:1, 2):
per "comedere laborem manuum suarum" significatur bonum caeleste quod homo per vitam secundum Divina vera a Domino recipit, et quasi suo labore et studio sibi acquirit; quare dicitur quod is comedet "qui timet Jehovae et ambulat in viis Ipsius"; et postea, "Beatus tu et bonum tibi."
[7] Apud Esaiam,
"Dicite justo quod bonum, quia fructum operum suorum comedent" (3:10):
per "fructum operum comedere" simile significatur quod per "comedere laborem manuum suarum", de quo nunc supra.
Apud Ezechielem,
"Similam, mel et coleum comedisti; unde pulchra facta es valde, et prosperata usque ad regnum" (Ezech. 16:13 1
):
haec de Hierosolyma, per quam significatur ecclesia, hic Ecclesia Antiqua, quae in veris et in bono spirituali et simul naturali fuit; per "similam" significatur verum, per "mel" bonum naturale seu externi hominis, et per "oleum" bonum spirituale seu interni hominis; illorum receptio, perceptio et appropriatio significatur per "comedere similam, mel et oleum"; quod ex illis intelligens facta sit, significatur per "unde pulchra facta es valde admodum" ("pulchritudo" significat intelligentiam); quod inde ex illis facta sit ecclesia, significatur per "Prosperata es usque ad regnum" ("regnum" significat ecclesiam).
[8] Apud Esaiam,
"Ecce virgo concipiet et pariet Filium, et vocabit nomen Ipsius Deus nobiscum: butyrum et mel comedet, ut sciat reprobare malum et eligert bonum; nam antequam scit puer reprobare malum et eligere bonum, deseretur terra quam tu fastidis a coram duobus regibus ejus" (7:14-16):
quod "Filius" quem virgo concipiet et pariet, et cujus nomen vocabitur "Deus nobiscum", sit Dominus quoad Humanum, collstat: appropriatio Divini Boni spiritualis et naturaiis quoad Humanum, intelligitur per "butyrum et mel comedet"; Divinum Bonum spirituale per "butyrum", et Divinum Bonum naturale per "mel", et appropriatio per "comedere": et quia tantum scitur reprobare malum et eligere bonum, quantum appropriatur Divinum Bonum spirituale et naturale, ideo dicitur, "ut sciat reprobare malum et eligere bonum": quod ecclesia deserta et vastata fuerit quoad omne bonum et verum per scientifica false applicata et per ratiocinia inde, significatur per quod "tunc deseretur terra quam fastidient a coram duobus regibus ejus"; "terra" significat ecclesiam, desertio et vastatio ejus intelligitur per quod "deseretur et fastidietur", et "duo reges", qui sunt rex Aegypti et rex Assyriae, significant scientifica male applicata et inde ratiocinia; "rex Aegypti" scientifica illa, et "rex Assyriae" ratiocinia inde. Quod illi reges intelligantur, patet a mox sequentibus in versu 17 et 18, ubi Aegyptus et Assyria nominantur; haec quoque sunt quae praecipue ecclesiam vastant. Quod Dominus in mundum venerit quando in ecclesia amplius non Yerum et bonum esset, ita quando non aliquod ecclesiae superesset, supra aliquoties dictum est.
[9] Apud eundem,
"Fiet... prae multitudine faciendi lac comedet quisque butyrum, nam butyrum et [mel] comedet omnis residuus in. . terra" (7:22):
haec de nova ecclesia a Domino instauranda; et per "butyrum et mel" significatur bonum spirituale et bonum naturale, et per "comedere" illa significatur appropriare sibi (ut supra); per "lac" significatur spirituale a caelesti, ex quo bona illa.
[10] Apud eundem,
"Heu omnis sitiens, ite ad aquas; et cui non argentum, ite, emite et comedite: et ite et emite sine argento et sine pretio vinum et lac: quare appenditis argentum pro eo quod non panis, et laborem vestrum pro eo quod non ad satietatem? Attendite attendendo 2
ad Me, et comedite bonum, ut delicietur in pinguedine anima vestra" (55:1, 2):
quod "comedere" hic significet appropriare sibi a Domino, manifeste patet; nam dicitur, "Omnis sitiens, ite ad aquas; et cui non argentum, ite, emite et comedite", per quac significatur quod omnis qui desiderlt verum, cui non verum prius, comparet et appropriet id sibi a Domino; "sitiens" significat desiderantem, "aqua" verum, "argentum" verum boni, ibi cui non est verum boni; "ire" est ad Dominum, "emere" significat comparare sibi, et "comedere" appropriare sibi: "ite, emite sine argento et sine pretio vinum et lac", significat ut absque propria intelligentia comparetur Divinum Verum spirituale et Divinum Verum naturale; "vinum" significat Divinum Verum spirituale, et "lac" Divinum Verum spirituale naturale: "quare appenditis argentum pro eo quod non panis, et laborem vestrum [pro eo] quod non ad satietatem?" significat quod irritum sit ex proprio comparare sibi bonum amoris, et ex proprio id quod animam nutrit; per "argentum" hic significatur verum ex proprio seu propria intelligentia, similiter per "laborem"; per "panem" bonum amoris, per "satietatem" id quod nutrit animam, hic quod non nutrit: "attendite attendendo ad Me" significat quod illa solum a Domino; "et comedite bonum, ut delicietur in pinguedine anima vestra", significat ut approprient sibi bonum caeleste, ex quo omne jucundum vitae; "deliciari in pinguedine" significat jucundari ex bono, et "anima" significat vitam.
[11] Apud eundem,
"Habitantibus coram Jehovah erit mercatura" Tyri "ad comedendum ad satietatem, et tegenti se antiquo" (23:18):
per "mercaturam Tyri" significantur cognitiones boni et veri omnis generis; "habitare coram Jehovah" significat vivere a Domino, "comedere ad satietatem" significat cognitiones boni recipere, percipere et appropriare sibi quantum satis ad nutritionem animae: "tegere se antiquo" significat cognitiones genuini veri imbuere; "tegere" enim praedicatur de veris, quia "vestes" significant vera induentia bonum, et "antiquum" dicitur de genuino, quoniam genuina vera erant apud antiquos. Simile significatur apud Mosen,
Quod ederent ad satietatem, et quod ederent vetus vetustum (Leviticus 26:5, 10);
apud eundem,
Comedes et satiaberis in terra bona (Deuteronomius 11:15);
Tum quod ederent et non satiarentur (Leviticus 26:26);
[12] apud Esaiam,
"Aedificabunt domus et inhabitabu1t, et plantabunt "ineas et comedent fructum earum; non aedificabunt ut alius inhabitet, non plantabunt ut alius comedat" (65:21, 22):
quisque scit quid in sensu litterae per illa verba significatur; sed quia Verbum in sinu suo est spirituale, etiam per illa intelliguntur spiritualia, nempe talia quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt, nam haec sunt spiritualia: per "aedificare domos et inhabitare" significatur interiora mentis implere bonis caeli et ecclesiae, et per id frui vita caelesti; "domus" significant interiora mentis, et "inhabitare" significat vitam caelestem inde: per "plantare vineas et comedere fructum earum" significatur ditare se veris spiritualibus, et appropriare sibi bona inde; "vineae" sunt vera spiritualia, "fructus" sunt bona inde, et "comedere" est recipere, percipere et appropriare ~ibi; nam omne bonum appropriatur homini per vera, nempe per vitam secundum illa: ex dictis nunc patet quid significatur per "non aedificabunt ut alius inhabitet, non plantabunt ut alius comedat"; "alius" significat falsum et malum destruens verum et bonum, nam cum vera et bona pereunt apud hominem, intrant falsa et mala.
Apud Jeremiam,
"Aedificate domos et inhabitate, et plantate hortos et comedite fructum eorum" (29:5, 28);
haec similiter intelligenda sunt sicut illa quae nunc explicata sunt.
[13] Apud Mosen,
Dabuntur in terra urbes magnae et bonae quas non aedificaverunt, domus plenae omni bono quas non impleverunt, cisternae effossac quas non effodervnt, vineae et oliveta quae non plantaverunt, edent ad satietatem (Deutr. 6 [10,] 11):
haec naturalis homo non aliter intelligit quam secundum sensum litterae; sed si non spiritualis sensus singulis inesset, foret Verbum mere naturale et non spirituale, et sic crederetur quod foret modo opulentia et abundantia mundana quae spondetur illis qui secundum Divina praecepta vivunt; sed quid homini si lucraretur universum mundum, et jacturam animae faceret? videlicet quid homini si domus ei darentur plenae omni bono, similiter cisternae, et si ei vineae et oliveta, et ex illis ederet ad satietatem? Sed hae opes recellsitae sunt opes mundanae per quas intelliguntur opes spirituales, ex quibus homini vita aeterna; per "urbes magnas et bonas" quae dabuntur, significantur doctrinalia ex genuinis bollis et veris; per "domus plenas omni bono" significantur interiora mentis plena am ore et sapientia; per "cisternas efiossas" significantur interiora mentis naturalis plena cognitionibus boni et veri; per "vineas et oliveta" significantur omnia ecclesiae, tam vera quam bona ejus; ("vinea" est ecclesia quoad verum, et "olivetum" ecclesia quoad bonum, nam "vinum" significat verum, et "oleum" bonum;) "edere ad satietatem" significat receptionem, perceptionem et appropriationem plenariam.
[14] Apud Esaiam,
Deliciabitur in Jehovah, "et equitare te faciam super excelsa terrae, et cibabo te hereditate Jacobi" (58:14):
per "equitare facere super excelsa terrae" significatur dare intellectum veritatum superiorum seu interiorum de rebus ecclesiae et caeli: et per "cibare hereditate Jacobi" significatur donare omnibus caeli et ecclesiae; per "hereditatem Jacobi" intelligitur terra Canaan, et per illam terram significatur ecclesia, et in superiori sensu caelum.
[15] Quoniam "comedere" significat appropriare sibi, constare potest quid significatur per
Comedere ex arbore vitae quae in medio Paradisi (Apocalypsis 2:7);
quod nempe sit appropriare sibi vitam caelestem: tum quid significatur per "comedere ex arbore scientiae" in Genesi,
"Praecepit Jehovah Deus homini, dicendo, De omni arbore horti comedendo comedes, at de arbore scientiae boni et mali, de hac non comedes, quia quo die comederis de ea, moriendo moriemini" (2:16, 17):
per "arborem scientiae boni et mali" significatur scientia rerum naturalium, per quam non licet intrare in caelestia et spiritualia quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt, proinde a naturali homine in spiritualem; quae via inversa est, et sic non ducit ad sapientiam, sed destruit illam. Per "Adamum et ejus uxorem" intelligitur Ecclesia Antiquissima, quae fuit ecclesia caelestis. Homines illius ecclesiae, quia in amore in Dominum fuerunt, habuerunt Divina Vera sibi inscripta, et inde ex influxu noverunt correspondentia in naturali homine, quae vocantur scientifica; verbo, erat apud illos infiuxus spiritualis, ita a spirituali mente in naturalem, et sic in illa quae ibi, quae viderunt qualia erant sicut in speculo ex correspondentia.
[16] Spiritualia apud illos prorsus distincta erant a naturalibus; spiritualia residebant in mente eorum spirituali, et naturalia in mente eorum naturali, et inde non aliquid spirituale immerserunt menti naturali, ut solent spirituales naturales homines: quapropter si spiritualia tradidissent memoriae naturali, et eo modo appropriavissent sibi illa, periisset insitum quod apud illos, et cepissent ex naturali homine ratiocinari de spiritualibus, et inde concludere illa, quod nusquam faciunt; id etiam foret ex propria intelligentia velle sapere, et non ex Divina, ut prius, et per id exstinxissent omnem vitam suam caelestem, ac cepissent naturales ideas etiam de spiritualibus. Hoc itaque significatur per quod "non comederent ex arbore scientiae boni et mali", et si comedissent, quod "moriendo morirentur." Similis res cum antiquissimis illis, qui per "Adamum" intelliguntur, fuit, quae cum illis qui in regno caelesti Domini sunt; hi si naturalem hominem et ejus memoriam imbuunt cognitionibus veri et boni spiritualis, et ex illis volunt sapere, fiunt stupidi; cum tamen sunt omnium sapientissimi in caelo. (sed de his videantur plura in opere De Caelo et Inferno 20-28, ubi actum est De Binis Regnis, caelesti et spiritual, in quae Caelum in communi distinctum est.)
[17] Apud Davidem,
"Qui comedit meum panem, sustulit super Me calcaneum suum" (Psalms 41:10 [B.A. 9]):
haec dicta sunt de Judaeis, apud quos erant Divina vera, quia habebant Verbum, ut constare potest apud Johannem (13:18), ubi illa verba Judaeis applicata sunt; quare per "comedere panem" Domini significatur appropriatio Divini Veri; ibi communicatio ejus, quia id eis non potuit appropriari: "panis" significat Verbum, ex quo nutritio spiritualis: "tollere calcaneum super Ipsum" significat pervertere sensum litterae Verbi usque ad negationem Domini et ad falsificationem omnis veri: nam Divinum Verum sistitur in imagine sicut Homo; unde caelum in toto complexu vocatur Maximus Homo, et correspondet omnibus hominis, caelum enim formatum est secundum Divinum Verum procedens a Domino; et quia Verbum est Divinum Verum, ideo etiam hoc coram Domino est in imagine sicut Divinus Homo; ideo ultimus ejus sensus, qui est mere sensus litterae, correspondet calcaneo: perversio Verbi seu Divini Veri per applicationem sensus litterae ad falsitates, quales fuerunt traditiones Judaeorum, significatur per "tollere super Dominum calcaneum." Quod universum caelum sit in imagine sicut Homo, et quod inde correspondeat omnibus hominis, et quod caelum tale sit quia creatum et formatum est a Domino per Divinum Verum procedens ab Ipso, quod est Verbum ex quo omnia facta sunt (Johannes 1:1-3), videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno, (n. 59-102, tum n. 200-212).
[18] Apud Lucam,
"Incipient dicere, Edimus coram Te, et bibimus coram Te, et in plateis nostris docuisti; sed dicet Non novi vos unde estis; discedite... operarii iniquitatis" (13:26, 27):
quod dicturi sint, quando sistentur ad judicium, quod "ederint" et quod "biberint" coram Domino, significat quod legerint Verbum et hauserint cognitiones boni et veri inde, putantes quod ex eo salvarentur; quare sequitur, "In plateis nostris docuisti", per quod significatur quod instructi fuerint in veris ex Verbo, ita a Domino: sed quod legere Verbum, ac instrui ex illo, nihil faciat ad salutem nisi simul vivatur secundum illud, significatur per responsum, quod dicet "Non novi vos unde estis; discedite a Me, operarii iniquitatis"; nihil enim facit ad salutem ditare memoriam ex Verbo, et ex doctrinalibus ecclesiae, nisi illa mandentur vitae.
[19] Apud Matthaeum,
Dixit Rex iis a dextris, "Esurivi et dedistis Mihi quod ederem, sitivi et potastis Me." .... Et illis a sinistris, "Esurivi et non dedistis Mihi quod ederem, sitivi et non potastis Me" (25:35, 42):
per haec quoque spiritualis esuritio et sitis, tum spiritualis esus et potus significatur; spiritualis esuritio et sitis est affectio et desiderium ad bonum et verum, ac spiritualis esus et potus est instructio, receptio et appropriatio. De Domino ibi dicitur quod esuriat et sitiat, quia ex Divino Amore desiderat omnium salutem; et de homine, quod dederint quod ederet, et quod potaverint Ipsum, quod fit quando ex affectione a Domino recipiunt et percipiunt bonum et verum, et illa sibi per vitam appropriant. Similiter dicetur de homine qui ex corde amat hominem instruere, et vult salvationem ejus; est itaque charitas, seu affectio veri spiritualis, quae per illa verba et reliqua etiam describitur.
[20] Ex dictis nunc constare potest quid in spirituali sensu per comedere panem et bibere vinum in Sacra Cena, Matthaeus 26:26; Marcus 14:22, significatur; ubi etiam dicitur quod "panis sit corpus Ipsius", et "vinum, sanguis"; quod pei "panem" ibi significetur bonum amoris, et. per "vinum" verum ex illo bono, quod etiam est bonum fidei, et quod simile per "carnem et Sanguinem", tum quod per "manducationem" significetur appropriatio et conjunctio cum Domino, constare potest ex illis quae in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae (n. 210-222) dicta et ostensa sunt. Quod talia significentur per "panem et vinum", perque "corpus et sanguinem", tum per "manducationem", adhuc evidentius constare potest ex Domini verbis apud Johannem,
"Patres 3
vestri comederunt mannam in deserto, et mortui sunt. Hic est panis qui e caelo descendit;.... si quis comederit ex hoc pane, vivet in saeculum; panis vero quem Ego dabo caro mea est, quam Ego dabo pro mundi vita. .... Amen dico vobis, nisi comederitis carnem Filii hominis, et biberitis Ipsius sanguinem, non habebitis vitam in vobis; qui manducat meam carnem, et bibit meum sanguinem, habet vitam aeternam, et resuscitabo eum extremo die: .... qui manducat meam carnem, et bibit meum sanguinem, in Me manet et Ego in illo. .... Hic est panis qui e caelo descendit; .... qui manducat hunc panem, vivet in aeternum (6:49-58):
quod non caro nec sanguis, tum non panis nec vinum, hic intelligatur, sed Divinum procedens a Domino, nullus non, qui facultate interius cogitandi gaudet, videre potest; est enim Divinum procedens, quod est Divinum Bonum et Divinum Verum, quae homini dant vitam aeternam, ac faciunt ut Dominus in homine et homo in Domino maneat, quoniam Dominus in homine est in suo Divino, et non in proprio hominis; hoc enim non est nisi quam malum; et Dominus in homine est, et homo in Domino, quando Divinum procedens per justam receptionem appropriatur homini: ipsa appropriatio significatur per "manducationem"; Divinum Bonum procedens, per "carnem" et per "panem"; et Divinum Verum procedens, per "sanguinem" et per "vinum": similiter quod in sacrificiis, in quibus "caro" et "mincha", quae erat panis, significabant bonum amoris; ac "sanguis" et "vinum", quod erat libamen, significabant verum ex illo bono; utrumque a Domino. Quoniam per "carnem" et "panem" significatur Divillum Bonum procedens, ac per "sanguinem" et "villum" Divinum Verum procedens, ideo per "carnem" et "panem" intelligitur Ipse Dominus quoad Divinum Bonum, ac per "Sanguinem" et "vinum" Ipse Dominus quoad Divinum Verum: quod Ipse Dominus intelligatur per illa, est quia Divinum procedens est Ipse Dominus in caelo et in ecclesia; quare dicit Dominus de Se, "Hic est panis qui e caelo descendit"; tum, "Qui comedit et bibit illa, in Me manet et Ego in illo."
[21] Quoniam "panis" significat Dominum quoad Divinum Bonum, et "comedere" illum significat appropriationem et conjunctionem, ideo
Cum Dominus Se coram discipulis post mortem manifestavit, quando panem fregit et dedit illis, "aperti sunt oculi eorum, et cognoverunt Ipsum" (Luca 24:30, 31):
ex eo etiam patet quod "comedere panem" datum a Domino significet conjunctionem cum Ipso; ex qua illustrati cognoverunt Ipsum; nam "oculi" in Verbo correspondent intellectui, et inde significant illum; et hic est qui illustratur, et inde "oculi aperiuntur": per "frangere panem" in Verbo significatur communicare suum bonum cum altero.
[22] Quod Dominus cum publicanis et peccatoribus comederit,
De quo Judaei murmurabant et scandalizabantur (Marcus 2:15, 16; Luca 5:29, 30; 7:33-35),
est quia gentes, quae intelliguntur per "publicanos et peccatores", receperunt Dominum, hauserunt praecepta Ipsius, et vixerunt secundum illa; per quae Dominus appropriavit illis bona caeli, quod in sensu spirituali significatur per "comedere cum illis."
[23] Quoniam per "comedere" significabatur appropriari, ideo concessum est filiis Israelis comedere ex sanctificatis, seu ex sacrificiis; nam per "sacrificia" significabantur Divina caelestia et spiritualia, et inde per "comessationem" ex illis significabatur appropriatio illorum; et quia appropriatio sanctorum significabatur per comessationem illam, ideo plures leges latae sunt, quinam et ubinam comederent, et ex quibus sacrificiis; sic
Quid Aharon et filii ejus ex sacrificiis acciperent et comederent (Exodus 29:31-33; Leviticus 6:9-1116-[18] ; cap. 7:6, 7; 8:31-33; 10:13-15);
Quod illi panes propositionis comederent in loco sancto (Leviticus 24:5 [ -9]);
Quod filia sacerdotis nupta alienigenae non comederet ex sanciificatis; sed filia sacerdotis vidua aut repudiata, cui non proles, reversa ad domum patris comederet (Leviticus 22:12, 13);
Quinam ex populo comederent (Numeri 18:10, 11, 13, 19);
Quod alienus, inquilinus, mercenarius sacerdotis, non comederent ex illis, sed quod emptus argento comederet (Leviticus 22:10-12);
Quod immundus non comederet (Leviticus 7:19-21; 21:16 ad fin. ; cap. 22:2-8);
Quod nihil ederent ex holocaustis, sed quod ex sacrificiis eucharisticis ederent et laetarentur coram Jehovah (Deuteronomius 12:27; 27:7).
In his et in pluribus aliis statutis et legibus de comessatione ex sanctificatis, continentur arcana approptiationis Divini Boni et Divini Veri, et inde conjunctionis cum Domino; sed singula evolvere, non hujus loci est; modo ex allatis sciatur quod "comedere" significet appropriari et conjungi. Quare etiam
Cum filii Israelis conjuncti fuerunt Domino per sanguinem foederis, et postquam Moses legerat Librum Legis coram illis, et mox viderunt Deum Israelis, dicitur quod comederint et biberint (Exodus 24:6-11).
[24] Quod "comedere carnem et bibere sanguinem" significet appropriationem spiritualis boni et veri, constare potest apud Ezechielem,
"Sic dixit Dominus Jehovih, .... Congregate vos a circuitu super sacrificium meum quod Ego sacrifico vobis, sacrificium magnum super montibus Israelis, ut comedatis carnem et bibatis sanguinem, carnem fortium comedetis, et sanguinem principum terrae bibetis;.... et comedetis adipem ad satietatem, et bibetis sanguinem ad ebrietatem, de sacrificio meo quod sacrifico vobis: satiabimini super mensa mea equo et curru, forti et omni viro belli.... : sic dabo gloriam meam inter gentes" (39:17-21):
agitur ibi de convocatione omnium ad regnum Domini, et in specie de instauratione ecclesiae apud gentes; nam dicitur, "Sic dabo gloriam meam inter gentes" per "comedere carnem et bibere sanguinem" intelligitur quod appropriarent sibi Divinum Bonum et Divinum Verum; "caro" significat bonum amoris, et "sanguis" verum illius bolli: per "fortes" seu boves significantur affectiones boni, per "principes terrae" affectiones veri: plenaria fruitio eorum significatur per "comedere adipem ad satietatem, et bibere sanguinem ad ebrietatem"; per "adipem" signi'ficantur interiora bona, et per "Sanguinem" interiora vera, quae manifestata sunt a Domino quando in mundu1n venit, et appropriata illis qui Ipsum receperunt:
[25] ante adventum Ipsius in mundum prohibitum fuit edere adipem et bibere sanguinem, ex causa quia filii Israelis solum in externis fuerunt; erant naturales sensuales homines, et prorsus non in internis seu spiritualibus; quare si licuisset eis edere adipem et sanguinem, per quae significabatur appropriare sibi interiora bona et vera, profanavissent illa; ideo per "comedere" illa significabatur profanatio: similia significantur per "satiari super mensa" Domini "equo, curru, forti et omni viro belli": per "equum" significatur intellectus Verbi, per "currum" doctrina ex Verbo, per "fortem et virum belli" bonum et verum pugnans cum malo et falso et destruens illa; per "montes Israelis", super quibus comederent, significatur ecclesia spiritualis, in qua bonum charitatis est eSsentiale. Ex his manifeste patet quod per "comedere" significetur appropriare sibi; ac quod per "carnem", "sanguinem", "fortem", "principes terrae" "equum", "currum", "virum belli", significentur spiritualia quae approprianda; et nequaquam naturalia, nam naturaliter illa edere foret nefarium et diabolicum. Similia significantur per
Comedere carnes regum, chiliarchorum, equorum, et sedentium super illis, liberorum et servorum (Apoc. 19:18 4
).
[26] Quoniam pleraque in Verbo etiam oppositum sensum habent, ita quoque "comedere" et "bibere"; et in eo sensu significant appropriare sibi malum et falsum, et inde conjungi inferno; ut constare potest ex sequentibus locis:
- Apud Esaiam,
"Vocabit Dominus Jehovih in die illo ad fletum et ad planctum, et ad calvitiem et ad induendum saccum; ecce laetitia et gaudium occidere bovem et mactare pecudem, comedere carnem et bibere vinum; comedendum et bibendum est, cras enim moriemur" (22:12, 13):
vastatio ecclesiae, et lamentatio super ea, describitur per "vocari in die illo ad fletum, planctum, calvitiem et induitionem sacci"; lamentatio quod verum deperditum sit significatur per "fletum", quod bonum per "planctum", quod omnis affectio boni per "calvitiem", quod affectio veri per "saccum": per "occidere bovem et mactare pecudem" significatur exstinguere bonum naturale et bonum spirituale: per "comedere carnem et bibere vinum" significatur appropriare sibi malum et falsum; "caro" hic significat malum, "vinum" falsum mali, ac "comedere et bibere" illa appropriare sibi.
[27] Apud Ezechielem,
Dictum est Prophetae ut comederet cibum pondere et cum sollicitudine, et quod biberet aquam in mensura et cum stupore; et quod comederet placentam hordeorum factam cum stercore: quod sic comedent filii Israelis panem suum immundum inter gentes quo depellentur, et carebunt pane et aqua, et desolabuntur vir et frater ejus, et contabescent propter iniquitatem (4:10-17):
per haec apud Prophetam repraesentabatur adulteratio Divini Veri seu Verbi apud gentem Judaicam: "placenta hordeorum facta cum stercore" significat adulteratioiiem illam, "placenta hordeorum" bonum et verum naturale, quale Verbum est in sensu litterae, "stercus" malum infernale; quare dicitur quod "filii Israelis sic comedent panem suum immundum"; "panis immundus" significat bonum conspurcatum malo, seu adulteratum: quod "carituri pane et aqua inter gentes quo depellentur", significat quod non illis bonum et verum amplius, quia in malis et falsis; "gentes" significant mala et falsa, "depelli" illuc est tradi illis: per "virum et fratrem", qui desolabuntur, significatur fides et charitas; "vir" significat verum fidei, et "frater" bonum charitatis, et "desolari" plenariam exstinctionem utriusque: quoniam illa significantur per "comedere panem et bibere aquam", ideo dicitur quod "contabescent propter iniquitatem"; "contabescere" dicitur de vita spirituali quando perit.
[28] Quia "bestiae" significant affectiones, quaedam affectiones bonas et quaedam affectiones malas, ideo leges latae sunt pro filiis Israelis, apud quos erat ecclesia repraesentativa, quaenam bestiae comederentur, et quaenam non comederentur (Leviticus 11:1 ad fin. ); per quae significabatur quaenam bestiae repraesentabant affectiones bonas quae appropriarentur, et quaenam malas quae non appropriarentur, quoniam affectiones bonae mundum reddunt hominem, at affectiones malae immundum. Omnia quae in eo capite sunt, quoad singulas bestias et aves, et quoad illarum ungulas, pedes et rumen, per quae distinguuntur munda ab immundis, significativa sunt.
[29]); per haec describitur exstinctio boni per falsum, ac veri per malum; exstinctio omnis boni et veri, utcunque inquiruntur, significatur per "Si deciderit ad dextram, esuriet tamen et si comederit ad sinistram, non saturabuntur"; " 5
caedere" et "comedere" ad illas est illquirere, "esurire et non saturari" est non inveniri, et si invenitur usque non posse recipi; "vir carnem brachii sui comedent" significat quod falsum consumet bonum ac malum verum in naturali homine; "Menascheh Ephraimum et Ephraimus Menaschen", significat quod voluntas mali consumet intellectum veri, et quod intellectus falsi conSumet voluntatem boni. (Sed haec videantur etiam supra, n. 386 [b] et 600 [b] , explicata.)
[30] Consumptio omnis veri et boni etiam significatur
Per quod ederent carnem filiorum et filiarum (Leviticus 26:29);
Tum per quod "patres comedent filios..., et filii comedent patres" (Ezechiel 5:10):
"patres" significant bona ecclesiae, et in opposito sensu mala ejus; "filii" vera ecclesiae, et in opposito sensu falsa ejus; et "filiae" affectiones veri et boni, et in opposito sensu cupiditates falsi et mali: consumptio et exstinctio eorum mutua significatur per "comedere" illos. Exinde patet quod haec aliter quam secundum litteram intelligenda sint.
[31] Apud Matthaeum,
In consummatione saeculi erit sicut ante diluvium, "edentes et bibentes, contrahentes matrimonium et nuptui dantes" (24:38; Luc. 17:26-28 6
):
per "edere et bibere", perque "contrahere matrimonium et nuptui dare", hic non intelligitur edere et bibere, nec contrahere matrimonium et nuptui dare; sed per "edere" significatur appropriare sibi malum, per "bibere" appropriare sibi falsum, per "contrahere matrimonium et nuptui dare" significatur conjungere falsum malo et malum falso; nam agitur ibi de statu ecclesiae quando instat ultimum judicium, hoc enim significatur per "consummationem saeculi": quod tunc esuri et bibituri sint tam boni quam mali, quia in edere et bibere nihil mali inest, patet; et quoque quod similiter fecerint ante diluvium, et quod ideo non perierint, sed quod malum et falSum Sibi appropriaverint, et quod illa apud se conjunxerint; haec itaque sunt quae ibi per "edere et bibere", perque "contrahere matrimonium et nuptui dare", significantur.
[32] Apud Lucam,
Dives dixit animae suae, "Anima, habes multa bona reposita in annos multos; requiesce, ede, bibe" (12:19);
apud eundem,
"Si dixerit servus corde suo, Moratur Dominus venire, et coeperit verberare servos..., edere, bibere, inebriari.... ." (12:45):
tum per "comessationem" et "ebrietatem", apud eundem,
Jesus dixit, "Cavete vobic, ne graventur corda vestra comessatione et ebrietate" (21:34):
apparet sicut per "edere et bibere", et per "comessationem", bin illis locis intelligatur luxuria et internperantia, quales sunt illis qui solum genio indulgent; verum is sensus est sensus naturalis litteralis istorum verborum, at sensus spiritualis illorum est appropriare sibi malum et falsum; ut constare potest ex locis supra allatis, ubi "edere" et "bibere" talia significant; et ex eo, quod Verbum in littera sit naturale, ac interius spirituale, hoc pro angelis, et illud pro hominibus.
[33] Praeter haec loca e Verbo etiam perplura alia possunt adduci, testantia et confirmantia quod "comedere" significet recipere, percipere et appropriare sibi talia quibus nutritur anima; "edere" enim spiritualiter non aliud est quam imbuere mentem suo victu, qui est velle scire, intelligere et sapere talia quae Yitae aeternae sunt: quod "comedere" illa significet, constare etiam pot est ex significatione "panis" et "cibi", tum ex significatione "famis" et "esuritionis", ut et "vini" et "aquae", de quibus supra in suis locis actum est. Quoniam "comedere" significat percipere quale est, et hoc percipitur per saporem, inde ex correspondentia est quod in linguis humanis "sapor" et "sapere" etiam praedicetur de perceptione rei; unde quoque dicitur "sapientia."
Footnotes:
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