10283.“不可倒在人的肉身上”表不能将主的东西赋予人的自我。这从“人的肉身”和“倒”的含义清楚可知：“人的肉身”是指他的自我，如下文所述；“倒”是指赋予。因为“倒”与“触”具有相同的含义；但“倒”论及液体，如油、酒和水；“倒出来”论及神性、属天和属灵的事物；而“触着”论及干物质和肉体事物，“触着”表示赋予（参看10130节）。由此可推知，膏油不可倒在肉身上表示主的神性之爱的神性良善不可赋予一个人的自我，因为一个人的自我无非是邪恶，主的神性良善不可能被赋予邪恶的东西。一个人的自我无非是邪恶（参看210，215，731，874-876，987，1023，1024，1047，5660，5786，8480节）。
人的自我的一部分属于意愿，一部分属于理解力；意愿部分由邪恶构成，理解力部分则由这邪恶所产生的虚假构成。也就是说，前者，就是自我的意愿部分，由“人的肉身”来表示，后者，就是理解力部分则由这肉身的血来表示。事实的确如此，这一点从下列经文明显看出来：
耶稣说，西门，你是有福的。因为将它指示给你的，不是血肉，乃是我在天上的父。（马太福音16:17）
显而易见，此处的“肉”和“血”表示人的自我。
约翰福音：
凡接待祂的，祂就赐他们权柄，作神的儿子。这等人不是从血生的，不是从肉欲生的，乃是从神生的。（约翰福音1:12，13）
“血”在此表示从人之自我的理解力部分出来的虚假，“肉欲”表示源于它的意愿部分的邪恶。“血”表示邪恶所产生的虚假，因而表示由于意愿中的人自己的东西而在理解力部分中的人自己的东西（参看4735，9127节）。
以赛亚书：
我必使那欺压你的吃自己的肉，他们必喝自己的血醉倒，好像喝新酒一样。（以赛亚书49:26）
“使他们吃自己的肉，喝自己的血醉倒”表示使他们充满邪恶和邪恶的虚假，因而充满他们自己的东西；因为邪恶和虚假都是自我出来的。
耶利米书：
倚靠人，以血肉为膀臂的，那人该受诅咒！（耶利米书17:5）
“倚靠人，以血肉为膀臂”表示倚靠人自己和人的自我。
以赛亚书：
人民都成了烧火的燃料。有人右边砍下，仍受饥饿；左边吞吃，仍不饱足。各人吃自己膀臂上的肉。玛拿西将吞吃以法莲；以法莲吞吃玛拿西。（以赛亚书9:19-21）
“烧火的燃料”表示将爱自己爱世界的邪恶或欲望变成人自己的；“受饥饿，不饱足”表示不接受信之良善或真理；“膀臂上的肉”表示人之自我的这两个部分；“玛拿西”表示意愿里的邪恶；“以法莲”表示理解力中的虚假；“吃”表示人自己的。“火”表示爱自己爱世界的邪恶或欲望（参看5071，5215，6314，6832，7324，7575，9141节）；“受饥饿，不饱足”之所以表示不接受信之良善或真理，是因为“饥饿”或饥荒和“口渴”表示良善和真理的荒凉（5360，5376，6110，7102，8568e节）；“右边”表示真理所源自的良善，“左边”表示良善到来所经由的真理（参看10061节）；因此，“有人右边砍下，仍受饥饿；左边吞吃，仍不饱足”表示无论他们接受多少关于良善和真理的教导，仍就不会接受它们。
“玛拿西”表示意愿中的良善（参看5351，5353，5354e，6222，6234，6238，6267节）；“以法莲”表示理解力中的真理（3969，5354，6222，6234，6238，6267节）；因此，就反面意义而言，“玛拿西”表示意愿中的邪恶，“以法莲”表示理解力中的虚假，因为在圣言中，几乎一切事物都有一个反面意义。“吃”表示变成人自己的（3168，3513，3596，4745节）；由此明显可知“吃自己膀臂上的肉”表示什么，即将源于自我的邪恶和虚假变成人自己的。之所以说“膀臂上的肉”，是因为“膀臂”和“手”一样表示存在于一个人里面的能力，他信靠这能力（参看10019节提到的地方）。
撒迦利亚书：
我就说，我不牧养你们。要死的，由他死；余剩的，让各人吃别人的肉。（撒迦利亚书11:9）
“不牧养”表示不教导并改造；“要死”表示丧失属灵生命；“吃别人的肉”表示将源于别人自我的邪恶变成人自己的。
以西结书：
耶路撒冷与她的邻舍，肉体肥大的埃及之子行淫。（以西结书16:26）
“耶路撒冷”表示败坏的教会；“肉体肥大的埃及人行淫”表示通过唯独始于属世人的记忆知识，因而通过感官记忆知识而歪曲教会的真理。“耶路撒冷”表示教会（参看402，2117，3654节），在此表示败坏的教会；“行淫”表示歪曲真理（参看2466，2729，8904节）；“子”表示真理，也表示虚假（参看1147，3373，4257，9807节）；“埃及”表示正反两方面意义上的记忆知识（参看9340节提到的地方）；“埃及”也表示属世层（参看9391节提到的地方）。因此，“肉体肥大”描述了那些倚靠感官证据推理教会的真理，并得出结论的人。那些如此行的人抓住虚假而不是真理，因为倚靠感官证据进行推理并得出结论就是倚靠身体感官的幻觉或谬论而如此行。因此，“肉体肥大”表示感官人，因为他们出于身体中自己的东西进行思考，或说他们自己的身体感知主宰了他们的思维。
以赛亚书：
埃及人不过是人，并不是神；他们的马不过是肉，并不是灵。（以赛亚书31:3）
此处“埃及”也表示记忆知识；“他的马”表示由这记忆知识构成的理解力；当人们利用自己，而非神的东西得出结论时，这种理解力被称为“是肉，并不是灵”。“马”表示理解力（参看2761，2762，3217，5321，6534节）；“埃及的马”表示由一种败坏的理解力所提供的记忆知识（6125，8146，8148节）。
“肉”表示人的自我，或人自己的东西，或也可说，他自己的邪恶意愿，这一点清楚可见于摩西五经中论述以色列人对吃肉的渴望的地方，对此，经上如此记着说：
那人民中间的乌合之众大起贪欲的心，说，谁给我们肉吃呢？耶和华说，你们明天要吃肉。你们不止吃一天、两天、五天、十天、二十天，要吃一个整月。有风从耶和华那里刮起，把鹌鹑由海面刮来，使它们散落在营地，离地面约有二肘。百姓起来，终日终夜，并次日一整天，捕取鹌鹑，将它们摆列在营的四围。肉在他们牙齿之间，尚未吞咽，耶和华的怒气就向百姓发作，耶和华用极重的灾殃击杀百姓。于是他给那地方起名叫贪欲之人的坟墓。（民数记11:4，18-20，31-34）
“肉”表示这个民族的自我，或说属于这个民族的东西，这一点从这段经文的每个细节可以看出来；因为若不是这个意思，渴望吃肉能有什么邪恶呢？更何况以前就已经应许他们有肉吃（出埃及记16:12）。但由于它表示自我，因而表示一种邪恶的意愿，而这个民族拥有自我，就是一个邪恶意愿的程度超过其它民族，所以当他们渴望肉时，经上说他们“大起贪欲之心”，他们因此被极重的灾殃击杀，他们被埋葬的地方也因此被称为“贪欲之人的坟墓”。无论你说意愿的邪恶，还是说贪欲，意思都一样，因为一个邪恶的意愿就在于贪欲。人的自我只渴望它自己的东西，却不渴望涉及邻舍的任何东西，或涉及神的任何东西，除非对自己有利。由于这个民族是这个样子，故经上说“他们不止吃一天、两天、五天、十天、二十天，要吃一个整月”，以此表示这个民族将永远是这个样子，因为“一个整月”表示永远；由于同样的原因，经上说“肉在他们牙齿之间，尚未吞咽，他们就被极重的灾殃击杀”，因为“牙齿”表示自我的肉体层面，就是一个人心智的最低层（4424e，5565-5568，9062节）。至于这个民族是这个样子，可参看9380节提到的地方，以及摩西之歌（申命记32:20-28，32-34）。
在圣言中，“灵”反对肉体，因为“灵”表示来自主的生命，“肉体”表示来自人的生命，如在约翰福音：
赐生命的乃是灵，肉体是无益的。我对你们所说的话就是灵，就是生命。（约翰福音6:63）
由此清楚可知，“灵”表示来自主的生命，也就是从祂所获得的对祂的爱和信的生命；“肉体或肉身或肉”（flesh）表示来自人的生命，因而表示他的自我，或他自己的东西；这就是为何经上说“肉体是无益的”。在别处也是这个意愿：
从肉身生的，就是肉身；从灵生的，就是灵。（约翰福音3:6）
诗篇：
神顾念他们不过是肉体，是一阵去而不返的风（或灵）。（诗篇78:39）
由于当论及人时，“肉体或肉身或肉”表示他的自我，或他自己的东西，也就是爱自己爱世界的邪恶，故明显可知当论及主时，“肉体或肉身或肉”表示什么，即表示主的自我，也就是神性之爱的神性良善。这就是在约翰福音中主的肉所表示的：
我所要赐的粮，就是我的肉。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；我的肉真是可吃的，我的血真是可喝的。（约翰福音6:51，53-55）
主的“肉”表示祂的神性之爱的神性良善，“祂的血”表示从这神性良善发出的神性真理，因此它们与圣餐中的饼和酒意思是一样的；这些神性实物是祂自己的，存在于祂的神性人身里面（参看1001，3813，4735，4976，6978，7317，7326，7850，9127，9393，10026，10033，10152节）；祭牲代表源于主的良善，这些祭牲的肉也因此表示良善（参看10040，10079节）。此外，在圣言的各个地方，经上都提到了“凡血肉之躯”，以此表示每个人（如创世记6:12-13，17，19；以赛亚书40:5-6；49:26；66:16，23-24；耶利米书25:31；32:27；45:5；以西结书20:48；21:4-5；以及别处）。
Potts(1905-1910) 10283
10283. Upon the flesh of man shall it not be poured. That this signifies that which is not communicative to what is man's own, is evident from the signification of "the flesh of man," as being that which is his own (of which below); and from the signification of "pouring," as being to communicate; for the like is signified by "pouring" as by "touching," but "pouring" is said of liquids, as of oil, wine, and water, and "pouring forth" of things Divine, celestial, and spiritual; while "touching" is said of things dry and bodily (that "to touch" denotes to communicate, see n. 10130). Hence it follows that by the oil of anointing not being poured on the flesh of man is signified that the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love is not communicative to that which is man's own, because that which is man's own is nothing but evil, and the Lord's Divine good cannot be communicated to what is evil. (That what is man's own is nothing but evil, see n. 210, 215, 731, 874-876, 987, 1023, 1024, 1047, 5660, 5786, 8480.) [2] Man has that which is his own in both the will and the understanding; the former is evil, and the latter is the falsity thence derived; that is to say, the former is signified by "the flesh of man," and the latter by the "blood" of this flesh. That this is so is evident from the following passages:
Jesus said, Blessed art thou, Simon, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father who is in the heavens (Matt. 16:17). That "flesh" here, and also "blood," denote that which is man's own, is very evident. [3] In John:
As many as received Him, to them gave He power to be the sons of God, who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God (John 1:12, 13). By "bloods" are here signified the falsities which come forth from that which is man's own in his understanding; and by "the will of the flesh" are signified the evils which come forth from that which is his own in his will. (That "bloods" denote falsity from evil, thus what is man's own in the understanding derived from what is his own in the will, see n. 4735, 9127.) [4] In Isaiah:
I will feed thine oppressors with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood as with new wine (Isa. 49:26);
where to "feed them with their own flesh, and make them drunken with their own blood," denotes to fill them with evil and the falsity of evil, thus with that which is their own; for both evil and falsity are from this. [5] In Jeremiah:
Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm (Jer. 17:5). "To trust in man, and make flesh his arm," denotes to trust in himself and in what is his own. [6] In Isaiah:
The people is become like food for the fire; if one shall cut down on the right hand, he shall 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 (Isa. 9:19, 20). By "food for the fire" is signified the appropriation of evils, or the cupidities of the love of self and the world; by "being hungry and not being satisfied" is signified not to receive the good and truth of faith; by "the flesh of the arm" is signified what is man's own of both kinds; by "Manasseh," the evil of the will; by "Ephraim," the falsity of the understanding; and by "eating," to make one's own. (That "fires" denote the evils or cupidities of the love of self and the world, see n. 5071, 5215, 6314, 6832, 7324, 7575, 9141; and that "to be hungry and not satisfied" denotes not to receive the good and truth of faith, is because by "hunger and thirst" is signified the desolation of good and truth, n. 5360, 5376, 6110, 7102, 8568; that the "right hand" denotes the good from which is truth, and the "left hand" the truth through which is good, see n. 10061.) Hence "to be hungry if he cut down on the right hand, and not to be satisfied if he ate on the left hand," signifies that however much they are instructed concerning good and truth, they will nevertheless not receive them. [7] "Manasseh" denotes the good of the will (see n. 5348, 5351, 5353, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267); and "Ephraim" denotes the truth of the understanding (n. 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267); hence in the opposite sense "Manasseh" denotes the evil of the will, and "Ephraim" the falsity of the understanding, for almost all things in the Word have also an opposite sense. "To eat" denotes to appropriate (n. 3168, 3513, 3596, 4745); hence it is plain what is meant by "eating the flesh of his own arm," namely, appropriating to themselves evil and falsity from what is their own. It is said "the flesh of the arm" because by the "arm," as by the "hand," is signified that which belongs to man, and in which he trusts (see at the places cited in n. 10019). [8] In Zechariah:
I said, I will not feed you; he that dieth let him die; let those who remain eat everyone the flesh of another (Zech. 11:9). "Not to feed" denotes not to instruct and reform; "to die" denotes to perish as to spiritual life; "to eat the flesh of another" denotes to appropriate to themselves the evils which are from that which is another's. [9] In Ezekiel:
Jerusalem, thou hast committed whoredom with the sons of Egypt thy neighbors, great in flesh (Ezek. 16:26). "Jerusalem" denotes the perverted church; "to commit whoredom with the sons of Egypt great in flesh" denotes to falsify the truths of the church by means of memory-knowledges which are from the natural man alone, thus by means of sensuous memory-knowledges. (That "Jerusalem" denotes the church, see n. 402, 2117, 3654, here the perverted church; that "to commit whoredom" denotes to falsify truths, n. 2466, 2729, 8904; that "sons" denote truths and also falsities, n. 1147, 3373, 4257, 9807; that "Egypt" denotes memory-knowledge in both senses, see the places cited in n. 9340; and that it denotes the natural, n. 9391.) Hence those are called "great in flesh" who from the things of sense reason and draw conclusions about the truths of the church. They who do this, seize on falsities instead of truths, for to reason and draw conclusions from the things of sense is to do so from the fallacies of the bodily senses; wherefore it is sensuous men who are meant by "great in flesh," because they think from that which is their own in the body. [10] In Isaiah:
Egypt is a man, and not God; and his horses are flesh, and not spirit (Isa. 31:3). Here also "Egypt" denotes memory-knowledge; his "horses" denote the understanding thence derived; this is called "flesh not spirit," when they draw conclusions from what is their own, and not from the Divine (that "horses" denote the understanding, see n. 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321, 6534; and that the "horses of Egypt" denote memory-knowledges in conformity with a perverted understanding, n. 6125, 8146, 8148). [11] That by "flesh" is signified that which is man's own, or what is the same, the evil of his will, is evident from Moses where the subject treated of is the desire of the Israelitish people to eat flesh, of which it is thus written:
The rabble that was in the midst of the people lusted a lust, and said, Who shall feed us with flesh? Jehovah said, Tomorrow ye shall eat flesh; ye shall not eat it one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, but even for a month of days. And there went forth a wind from Jehovah, and carried off the quails from the sea, and let them fall over the camp, as it were two ells upon the faces of the earth. The people rose up all the day and all the night, and all the next day, and gathered and spread them round about the camp. While the flesh was yet between their teeth, before it was swallowed, the anger of Jehovah burned against the people, and Jehovah smote the people with a very great plague; whence he called the name of that place, The graves of lust (Num. 11:4, 18-20, 31-33). [12] That "flesh" signified what belonged to that nation, can be seen from the details in this passage; for had it not been so, what evil could there have been in desiring flesh, especially as flesh had previously been promised them (Exod. 16:12)? But as it signified that which was their own, thus the evil of the will, in which that nation was more than other nations, therefore it is said when they desired flesh, that they "lusted a lust;" and therefore they were smitten with a great plague, and the name of the place where they were buried was called "the graves of lusts [concupiscentiarum]." Whether you say evil of the will, or concupiscence, it is the same, for the evil of the will is concupiscence, because man's own desires nothing but its own, and not anything of the neighbor, or anything of God, except for the sake of itself. Because that nation was of this character, it is said that "they should eat flesh, not one day, nor two, nor five, nor ten, nor twenty, but even for a month of days," by which is signified that that nation would be such forever; for "a month of days" means forever, and therefore it is said that "the flesh being yet between the teeth, before it was swallowed, they were smitten with a great plague;" for by "teeth" is signified the bodily (or corporeal) own, which is the lowest of man (n. 4424, 5565-5568, 9062). (That that nation was of such a character, see the places cited in n. 9380; and also in the song of Moses in Deuteronomy, 32:20-28, 32-34.) [13] In the Word, "spirit" is opposed to "flesh," because by "spirit" is signified life from the Lord, and by "flesh" life from man, as in John:
It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you are spirit and are life (John 6:63). From this it is evident that "spirit" denotes life from the Lord, which is the life of love and faith to Him from Him; and that "flesh" denotes life from man, thus what is his own; hence it is said, "the flesh profiteth nothing." In like manner elsewhere:
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; but that which is born of the spirit is spirit (John 3:6). God remembered that they were flesh, a wind [spirit] that goeth away, and cometh not again (Ps. 78:39). [14] As by "flesh," when said of man, is signified that which is his own, which is the evil of the love of self and the world, it is plain what is signified by "flesh" when said of the Lord, namely, that which is His own, which is the Divine good of the Divine love. This is signified by the "flesh" of the Lord in John:
The bread that I will give is My flesh. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you; he that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; for My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed (John 6:51, 53-55). (That by the Lord's "flesh" is signified the Divine good of His Divine love, and by His "blood" the Divine truth proceeding from this Divine good, thus the like as by the bread and the wine in the Holy Supper, and that these are His own in His Divine Human, see n. 1001, 3813, 4735, 4976, 6978, 7317, 7326, 7850, 9127, 9393, 10026, 10033, 10152; and that the sacrifices represented the goods which are from the Lord, and that on this account their "flesh" signified goods, see n. 10040, 10079). Moreover, in the Word throughout mention is made of "all flesh," and by it is meant every man (as Gen. 6:12-13, 17, 19; Isa. 40:5-6; 49:26; 66:16, 23-24; Jer. 25:31; 32:27; 45:5; Ezek. 20:48; 21:4-5; and elsewhere).
Elliott(1983-1999) 10283
10283. 'It shall not be poured onto the flesh of a person' means no imparting [of what is the Lord's] to a person's proprium or self. This is clear from the meaning of 'the flesh of a person' as his proprium, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'pouring onto' as imparting to. For 'pouring' has a similar meaning to 'touching'; but 'pouring' is used in connection with liquids, namely oil, wine, and water, and 'pouring out' in connection with Divine, heavenly, and spiritual realities, whereas 'touching' is used in connection with dry substances and with bodily things. For the meaning of 'touching' as imparting, see 10130. From this it follows that 'the anointing oil shall not be poured onto the flesh of a person' means that there is no imparting of the Divine Good of the Lord's Divine Love to a person's proprium or self, because a person's proprium is nothing but evil and the Lord's Divine Good cannot be imparted to what is evil.
A person's proprium or self is nothing but evil, see 210, 215, 694, 731, 874-876, 987, 1023, 1024, 1047, 5660, 5786, 8480.
[2] One part of the human proprium belongs to the will and the other part to the understanding; the will part consists of evil, and the understanding part of falsity arising from this. The former - the will part of the proprium - is meant by human flesh, and the understanding part by the blood of that flesh. The truth of this is clear from the following places: In Matthew,
Jesus said, Blessed are you, Simon, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. Matt 16:17.
It is plainly evident that 'flesh' here, and also 'blood', means the human proprium or self.
[3] In John,
As many as received Him, to them He gave power to be sons of God, who were born, not of blooda, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God. John 1:12,13.
'Blood' here means falsities that come out of the understanding part of the human proprium, and 'the will of the flesh' evils that spring from the will part of it. For the meaning of 'blood' as falsity arising from evil, thus what is in the understanding part of the proprium as a result of what is in the will part, see 4735, 9127.
[4] In Isaiah,
I will feed your oppressors with their flesh and they will be drunk with their blood as with new wine. Isa 49:26.
'Feeding them with their flesh' and 'making them drunk with their blood' stands for filling them up with evil and the falsity of evil, thus with what is of the proprium or what is one's own; for both the evil and the falsity come out of the proprium.
[5] In Jeremiah,
Cursed is the man (homo) who trusts in man (homo) and makes flesh his arm. Jer 17:5.
'Trusting in man and making flesh his arm' means trusting in oneself and one's proprium.
[6] In Isaiah,
The people have become as fuel for the fire. If any of them cuts down on the right he will be hungry, and if any eats on the left they will not be satisfied. Each will eat the flesh of his own armb; Manasseh [will eat] Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh. Isa 9:19-21.
'Fuel for the fire' means making the evils or desires of self-love and love of the world one's own, 'being hungry' and 'not being satisfied' mean not accepting the good or the truth of faith, and 'the flesh of his arm' means both parts of the human proprium, 'Manasseh' meaning evil in the will, 'Ephraim' falsity in the understanding, and 'eating' making one's own.
'Fire' means the evils or desires of self-love and love of the world, see 5071, 5215, 6314, 6832, 7324, 7575, 9141. The reason why 'being hungry' and 'not being satisfied' mean not accepting the good or the truth of faith is that 'hunger' or famine and 'thirst' mean desolation with regard to goodness and truth, 5360, 5376, 6110, 7102, 8568(end). 'The right' means good from which truth emanates, and 'the left' truth through which good comes, 10061; consequently 'being hungry if any of them cuts down on the right, and not being satisfied if any eats on the left' means that no matter how much instruction they may receive about goodness and truth they will not accept them.
[7] 'Manasseh' means good in the will, 5351, 5353, 5354(end), 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267, and 'Ephraim' truth in the understanding, 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267, so that in the contrary sense 'Manasseh' means evil in the will and 'Ephraim' falsity in the understanding, since almost everything in the Word also has a contrary meaning. 'Eating' means making one's own, 3168, 3513(end), 3596, 4745, from which it is evident what 'eating the flesh of his own arm' means, namely making evil and falsity originating in the proprium one's own. The expression 'flesh of the arm' is used because 'the arm', like 'the hand', means the powers present in a person, in which he puts his trust, see in the places referred to in 10019.
[8] In Zechariah,
I said, I will not feed you. Let the one that is dying die; [the sheep] that are left will eat, every one the flesh of another. Zech 11:9.
'Not feeding' stands for not teaching and reforming, 'dying' for loss of spiritual life, and 'eating the flesh of another' for making evils originating in the proprium of another one's own.
[9] In Ezekiel,
Jerusalem committed whoredom with the sons of Egypt, her neighbours, the great in flesh. Ezek 16:26.
'Jerusalem' stands for the perverted Church, 'committing whoredom with the sons of Egypt, the great in flesh' for falsifying the Church's truths by means of factual knowledge which begins in the natural man alone, thus by means of factual knowledge based on sensory evidence.
'Jerusalem' means the Church, see 402, 2117, 3654, in this instance the Church when it has been perverted. 'Committing whoredom' means falsifying truths, 2466, 2729, 8904. 'Sons' means truths, or else falsities, 1147, 3373, 4257, 9807. 'Egypt' means factual knowledge, in either [a good or a bad] sense, see in the places referred to in 9340, and also the natural, in the places referred to in 9391.
Consequently the words 'the great in flesh' describe people who, relying on sensory evidence, reason and draw conclusions about the Church's truths. Those who do this lay hold of falsities as truths, for to rely on sensory evidence to reason and draw conclusions about anything is to rely on the illusions of the bodily senses. People therefore who are ruled by their senses are meant by 'the great in flesh'; for their own bodily perceptions govern their thinking.
[10] In Isaiah,
Egypt is man (homo) and not God, and his horses are flesh, but not spirit. Isa 31:3.
Here also 'Egypt' stands for factual knowledge, 'his horses' for a power of understanding consisting of this. That power is called 'flesh, not spirit' when people use what is their own and not God's to draw conclusions.
By 'horses' is meant the power of understanding, see 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321, 6534, and by 'the horses of Egypt' factual knowledge supplied from a perverted understanding, 6125, 8146, 8148.
[11] The fact that 'flesh' means a person's proprium or selfhood, or what amounts to the same thing, his own evil will, is clear in Moses, where the subject is the Israelite people's desire for flesh to eat, described as follows,
The rabble who were in the midst of the people had a strong craving and said, Who will feed us with flesh? Jehovah said, Tomorrow you will eat flesh. Not for one day will you eat it, nor for two days, nor for five days, nor for ten days, nor for twenty days, [but] for a whole month. And a wind set out from Jehovah, and it cut off the quails from the sea and sent them downc over the camp, about two cubits above the surface of the land. The people rose up that whole day, and the whole night, and the whole of the next day, and gathered them and spread them out all around the camp. The flesh was still between their teeth, before it could be swallowed, and Jehovah's anger flared up against the people, and He struck the people with an extremely great plague. So he called the name of the place The Graves of Craving. Num 11:4,18-20,31-34.
[12] The fact that 'flesh' meant that nation's proprium becomes clear from every detail in these verses; for unless this had been meant what evil could there have been in their desire for flesh, especially as flesh had been promised them on a previous occasion, Exod 16:12? But since it meant the proprium, thus an evil will, which that nation possessed in greater measure than other nations, it says - when they desired flesh - that they 'had a strong craving', on account of which they were struck with a great plague, and on account of which the place where they were buried was called The Graves of Craving. Whether you speak of an evil will or of craving, it amounts to the same thing, for an evil will consists in craving. The human proprium has no desire for anything apart from what belongs to itself; it has no desire for anything that concerns the neighbour or anything that concerns God, unless this is beneficial to itself. Since that nation was like this it says that they would eat flesh not for one day, not for two, not for five, nor for ten, nor for twenty, but for a whole month, meaning that this nation would be like that forever (for 'a whole month' means forever); and for the same reason it says that while the flesh was still between their teeth, before it could be swallowed, they were struck with a great plague. For by 'teeth' the bodily level of the proprium, the lowest of a person's mind, is meant, 4424(end), 5565-5568, 9062. The fact that this nation was like this may be seen in the places referred to in 9380, and in the Song of Moses, at Deut 32:20,22-26,28,32-34.
[13] In the Word spirit is set in contrast to flesh, for 'spirit' means life from the Lord and 'flesh' life from man, as in John,
It is the Spirit which bestows life, the flesh does not profit anything. The words that I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life. John 6:63.
From this it is clear that 'spirit' means life from the Lord, which is the life of love to Him and faith in Him, received from Him, and that 'flesh' means life from man, thus his selfhood. This is why it says 'the flesh does not profit anything'. Something similar is meant elsewhere in John,
That which has been born from the flesh is flesh, but that which has been born from the spirit is spirit. John 3:6.
In David,
God remembered that they were flesh; a spirit which would pass away would not come back. Ps 78:39.
[14] Since 'flesh' in reference to man means his proprium, which consists of the evil of self-love and love of the world, it is evident what 'flesh' means when used in reference to the Lord, namely His Proprium, which consists of the Divine Good of Divine Love. This is what 'the Lord's flesh' means in John,
The bread which I will give you is My flesh. Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you will have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life; for My flesh is truly food and My blood is truly drink. John 6:51,53-55.
'The flesh' of the Lord means the Divine Good of His Divine Love, and 'the blood' the Divine Truth emanating from that Divine Good, so that they are similar in meaning to the bread and wine in the Holy Supper; and those Divine Realities are His own, present within His Divine Human, see 1001, 3813, 4735, 6978, 7317, 7326, 7850, 9127, 9393, 10026, 10033, 10152. Also, the sacrifices represented forms of good that originate in the Lord, and therefore the flesh of those sacrifices meant forms of good, 10040, 10079. Furthermore, various places in the Word use the expression 'all flesh', by which every human being should be understood, as in Gen 6:12,13,17,19; Isa 40:5,6; 49:26; 66:16,23,24; Jer 25:31; 32:27; 45:5; Ezek 20:48; 21:4,5; and elsewhere.
Latin(1748-1756) 10283
10283. `Super carnem hominis non fundetur': quod significet non communicativum cum proprio hominis, constat ex significatione `carnis hominis' quod sit proprium ejus, de qua sequitur, et ex significatione `fundere' quod sit communicare; simile enim significatur per `fundere' quod per `tangere,' sed `fundere' praedicatur de liquidis, ut de oleo, vino, et aqua, et `effundere' de Divinis, {1} caelestibus et {1} spiritualibus, at `tangere' de siccis et corporeis; quod `tangere' sit communicare, videatur n. 10,130; inde sequitur quod per quod `oleum unctionis super carnem hominis non fundetur' significetur quod Divinum Bonum Divini Amoris Domini non communicativum sit cum proprio hominis, causa est quia proprium hominis non est nisi quam malum, et Divinum Bonum Domini non cum malo communicari potest; quod proprium hominis non sit nisi quam malum, videatur n. 210, 215, 694, 731, 874-876, 987, 1023, 1024, 1047, 5660, 5786, 8480. [2] Est apud hominem proprium voluntarium et proprium intellectuale; proprium ejus voluntarium est malum, et proprium {2} intellectuale est falsum inde; illud, nempe proprium voluntarium, significatur per carnem hominis, (x)et proprium intellectuale per sanguinem illius carnis; quod ita sit, constat ex sequentibus his locis: apud Matthaeum, Jesus dixit, Beatus es, Simon, quia caro et sanguis non revelavit tibi; sed Pater Meus, Qui est in caelis, xvi 17;quod `caro' ibi sit proprium hominis, et quoque `sanguis,' manifeste patet: apud Johannem, [3] Quotquot receperunt, dedit illis potestatem ut filii Dei essent, qui non ex sanguinibus, neque ex voluntate carnis, sed ex Deo nati sunt, i 12, 13;
per `sanguines' ibi significantur falsa quae ex proprio intellectuali hominis progrediuntur, et per `voluntatem carnis' mala quae {3}ex proprio voluntario; quod `sanguis' sit falsum ex malo, (m)ita {4}proprium intellectuale ex proprio voluntario,(n) videatur n. 4735, 9127 apud Esaiam, [4] Cibabo oppressores tuos carne illorum, et sicut musto sanguine (c)eorum inebriabuntur, xlix 26;
`cibare illos carne (c)eorum, et inebriare sanguine (c)eorum pro opplere malo et falso mali, ita proprio, utrumque enim {5}tam malum quam falsum ex proprio est: apud Jeremiam, [5] Maledictus homo qui {6}confidit in homine, et ponit carnem bracchium suum, xvii 5;
`confidere in homine, et ponere {7}carnem bracchium suum' {8}est sibi et suo proprio fidere: apud Esaiam, Factus est populus sicut cibus ignis; si deciderit ad dextram esuriet, et si comederit ad sinistram non saturabuntur; vir carnem bracchii sui comedent; Menascheh Ephraimum et Ephraimus Menaschen, ix [18,] 19, 20 [A.V. 19-21];
per `cibum ignis' significatur appropriatio malorum seu cupiditatum amoris sui et mundi, per `esurire et non saturari' significatur non recipere bonum et verum fidei, per `carnem bracchii' significatur proprium utrumque hominis, per `Menaschen' malum voluntatis, per `Ephraimum' falsum intellectus, et per `comedere' {9}appropriare; quod `ignes' sint mala seu cupiditates amoris sui et mundi, videatur n. 5071, 5215, 6314, 6832, 7324, 7575, (x)9141; quod `esurire et non saturari' sit non [6] recipere bonum et verum fidei, est quia per `famem et sitim' significatur desolatio boni et veri, n. 5360, 5376, 6110, 7102, 8568 fin.; quod `dextrum' sit bonum ex quo verum, et `sinistrum' verum per quod bonum, {10} n. 10,061; inde `si deciderit ad dextram esurire, et comedere ad sinistram non saturari' significat quod utcumque instruuntur de bono et vero, non usque {11}recepturos esse; quod `Menascheh' sit [7] bonum voluntatis, n. 5351, 5353, (x)5354 fin., 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267, et quod `Ephraimus' sit verum intellectus, n. 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267; inde in opposito sensu est `Menascheh' malum voluntatis, et `Ephraim' falsum intellectus, nam paene omnia in Verbo etiam oppositum sensum habent; quod `comedere' sit appropriare, n. 3168, 3513 fin., 3596, 4745; inde patet quid sit `comedere carnem bracchii sui,' quod nempe sit appropriare sibi malum et falsum ex suo proprio; `caro bracchii' dicitur, quia per `bracchium' similiter ac per `manum' significantur id quod est apud hominem, et cui fidet, videatur in locis [8] citatis n. 10,019: apud Sachariam, Dixi, Non pascam vos, moriens moriatur, reliquae comedent, quaelibet carnem alterius, xi 9;
`non pascere' pro non instruere et reformare, `mori' pro perire quoad vitam spiritualem, `comedere carnem alterius' pro appropriare sibi [9] mala quae ex proprio alterius: apud Ezechielem, Scortata est Hierosolyma cum filiis Aegypti vicinis, magnis carne, xvi 26;
`Hierosolyma' pro Ecclesia perversa, `scortari cum filiis Aegypti magnis carne' pro falsificare vera Ecclesiae per scientifica {12}quae ex solo naturali homine, ita {13}per scientifica sensualia {14}; quod `Hierosolyma' sit Ecclesia, videatur n. 402, 2117, 3654, hic Ecclesia perversa, quod `scortari' sit falsificare vera, n. 2466, 2729, 8904, quod `filii' sint vera, et quoque falsa, n. 1147, 3373, 4257, 9807, quod `Aegyptus' sit scientificum in utroque sensu, in locis (x)citatis n. {15}9340, et quod sit naturale, in locis citatis n. 9391; (m)inde `magni carne' dicuntur qui ex {16}sensualibus ratiocinantur et concludunt de veris Ecclesiae; qui hoc faciunt, ii falsa arripiunt pro veris, nam ex {17}sensualibus ratiocinari et concludere est ex fallaciis sensuum corporis; quapropter sunt sensuales homine qui intelliguntur per `magnos carne,' quoniam {18} ex proprio corpore [10] cogitant:(n) apud Esaiam, Aegyptus homo, et non deus; et equi ejus caro non autem spiritus, xxxi 3;
`Aegyptus' etiam hic pro scientifico, `equi ejus' pro intellectuali inde; {19}hoc (t)dicitur `caro non spiritus' cum ex proprio et non ex Divino concludunt; quod `equi' sint intellectuale, videatur n. 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321, 6534, et quod `equi Aegypti' sint scientifica ex intellectuali perverso, n. 6125, 8146, 8148. [11] Quod per `carnem' significetur proprium hominis, seu quod idem, malum ejus voluntarium, {20}constat apud Moschen ubi agitur de cupidine populi Israelitici edendi carnem, de qua ita, Colluvies quae in medio populi, concupiverunt concupiscentiam, et dixerunt, Quis cibabit nos carne? dixit Jehovah, In crastinum comedetis carnem; non die uno comedetis, neque duobus diebus, neque quinque diebus, neque decem diebus, neque viginti diebus, ad (x)mensem usque dierum. Et ventus profectus est a Jehovah, et abripuit coturnices e mari, et dimisit super castra instar duarum ulnarum super faciebus terrae: surrexit populus tota die et tota nocte totoque die crastino, ac collegerunt et expanderunt circum castra: caro adhuc inter dentes eorum antequam deglutiretur, et ira Jehovae exarsit in populum, et percussit in populo plagam magnam valde: unde vocavit nomen loci Sepulcra Concupiscentiae, Num. xi 4, 18-20, 31-33 [, 34];
quod `caro' significaverit {21}proprium illius gentis, ex singulis ibi [12] constare potest, nam nisi hoc, quid malum in desiderare carnem, cum etiam illis promissa {22}fuit caro prius? Exod. xvi 12; sed quia significabat {23}proprium, ita malum voluntarium in quo gens illa prae aliis gentibus erat, ideo dicitur, cum desiderarent carnem, quod concupiverint concupiscentiam; {24}et ideo percussi sunt plaga magna; et {25}ideo nomen loci ubi sepulti, {26}vocatum est Sepulcra Concupiscentiarum; sive dicas malum voluntarium sive concupiscentiam, idem est, nam malum voluntarium est concupiscentia, {27}quoniam proprium {28} hominis non cupit nisi quam suum, et non aliquid proximi aut aliquid Dei, nisi propter se; quia gens illa talis fuit, ideo dicitur quod comederent carnem non uno die, non duobus, non quinque, nec decem, nec viginti, sed mensem dierum, per quae significatur quod gens illa talis sit in perpetuum, nam `mensis dierum' est in perpetuum, et ideo dicitur quod cum caro adhuc inter dentes antequam deglutiretur, percussi fuerint plaga magna, per `dentes' enim significatur proprium corporeum, quod est infimum hominis, n. (x)4424 fin., 5565-5568, 9062; quod gens illa talis fuerit, videatur in locis citatis n. 9380, et in cantico Moschis, Deut. xxxii 20, 22-26, 28, 32-34. 13 In Verbo opponitur spiritus carni, quoniam per `spiritum' significatur vita a Domino et per `carnem' vita ab homine, ut apud Johannem, Spiritus est qui vivificat, caro non prodest quicquam; verba quae Ego loquor vobis, spiritus sunt et vita sunt, vi 63;
inde constat quod `spiritus' sit vita a Domino, quae est vita {29}amoris et fidei in Ipsum ab Ipso, et quod `caro' sit vita ab homine, ita proprium ejus; inde dicitur, `caro non prodest quicquam': similiter alibi apud Johannem, Quod natum est (c)a carne caro est, sed quod generatum est (c)a spiritu spiritus est, iii 6:
apud Davidem, Deus recordatus est quod caro illi; spiritus qui abiret non reverteretur, Ps. lxxviii 39. [14] Quoniam per `carnem' cum de homine, significatur proprium, quod est malum amoris sui et mundi, {30} patet quid per `carnem' significatur cum de Domino, quod nempe proprium Ipsius, quod est Divinum Bonum Divini Amoris; hoc significatur per `carnem Domini' apud Johannem, Panis quem Ego dabo, caro Mea est; 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, nam caro Mea est vere cibus et sanguis Meus est vere potus, vi 51, 53-55;
quod per `carnem Domini' significetur Divinum Bonum Divini Amoris {31}Ipsius, et per `sanguinem' Divinum Verum ex Divino illo Bono procedens {32}, ita similia quae per panem et vinum in Sancta Cena, et quod illa sint {33}propria in Divino Humano Ipsius, videatur n. 1001, 3813, 4735, (x)6978, 7317, 7326, 7850, 9127, 9393, 10,026, (x)10,033, 10,152, {34} et quod sacrificia repraesentaverint bona quae a Domino, et quod ideo carnes illorum {35}significaverint bona, n. 10,040, 10,079. Praeterea in Verbo passim dicitur `omnis caro,' et per id intelligitur omnis homo, ut Gen. vi 12, 13, 17, 19; Esai. xl 5, 6, xlix 26,lxvi 16, 23, 24; Jer. xxv 31, xxxii 27, xlv 5; Ezech. {36}xx 48, xxi 4, 5; et alibi. @1 i de$ @2 i ejus$ @3 sunt proprii voluntarii$ @4 quod proprii intellectualis quod$ @5 inde est$ @6 confidet IT$ @7 carne IT$ @8 pro$ @9 i significatur sibi$ @10 i videatur$ @11 recepturi$ @12 sensualia$ @13 quae sunt$ @14 i, ita per fallacia$ @15 9341, 9391$ @16 solo sensuali$ @17 sensuali$ @18 i ii$ @19 quod$ @20 i nam id proprium ejus est,$ @21 malum, quod proprii$ @22 fuerit$ @23 malum, quod est proprium$ @24 et quod propterea percussi sint$ @25 quod$ @26 dictum sit$ @27 nam$ @28 i voluntarium$ @29 fidei et amoris$ @30 i inde$ @31 Domini$ @32 i utrumque in Humano Ipsius$ @33 proprium Divini Humani Domini$ @34 i (m)et quod sanguis Domini sit Divinum Verum procedens a Divino Bono Domini, n. 1001, 4735, 4970, 7317, 7326, 7850, 9127, 9393, 10,026, 10,033, 10,152.(n)$ @35 significent$ @36 xxi 4, 9, 10 Heb, Sch$