2162、“你们洗洗脚”表示他们要披上某种属世事物，以便在那时祂所处的状态下，祂可以更好地感知。这从“脚”的含义和整个思路清楚可知，“脚”是指属世事物。此处隐藏的奥秘可从以下事实在某种程度上看出来：亚伯拉罕请这三个人拿点水来，洗洗他们的脚，斜躺在树下；即便他知道这是主或耶和华；并且若非如此，经上不会提到这些细节。
“脚”表示属世事物，这一点从来世的代表，以及在上古之人当中并由此出现在圣言里的衍生代表清楚看出来。属天和属灵事物由头及其所有物来代表；理性事物及其所有物由胸及其所有物来代表；属世事物及其所有物由脚及其所有物来代表。因此，“脚掌”和“脚跟”表示最低级的属世事物（对此，参看259节）；而“鞋”表示最最低级的事物，它们是不洁的（对此，参看1748节）。
类似事物由先知书中的梦和异象中的代表来表示，如尼布甲尼撒看到的雕像：
这像的头是精金的，胸膛和膀臂是银的，肚腹和大腿是铜的，小腿是铁的，脚是半铁半泥的。（但以理书2:32-33）
此处“头”表示属天事物，它们是至内在的，是“金”（如前所示，113，1551，1552节）；“胸膛”和“膀臂”表示属灵事物或理性事物，它们是“银”（如前所示，1551节）；但“脚”是指较为低级的事物，它们是属世的，其真理由“铁”来表示，良善由“泥”来表示。“铁”表示真理（参看425，426节）；“泥”表示良善（1300节）；在目前的情况下，这两者都是属世的。这就是主在天上的国度，在教会，也就是祂在地上的国度，以及凡成为主国度的人里面的相继次序。
但以理看到的异象也是如此，论到这异象，经上说：
举目观看，见有一人身穿细麻衣，腰束乌法精金带。祂身体如水苍玉，面貌如闪电的样子，眼目如火把，手臂和脚如擦亮的铜那么光亮。（但以理书10:5-6）
这些话尤表在良善和真理方面的圣言的内层；“手臂和脚”是指它的外层，也就是字义，因为字义包含属世事物；事实上，圣言的外层就取自属世事物。至于每个部位，即腰、身体、脸、眼睛和人的其它许多部位分别表示什么，这从来世的代表明显看出来；对此，蒙主的神性怜悯，等到我们论述大人，也就是主的天堂，以及灵人界的衍生代表时，再予以详细说明。
关于摩西、亚伦、拿答、亚比户和七十位长老，我们读到：
他们看见以色列的神，祂脚下仿佛有蓝宝石的作工，好像天空物质一般明净。（出埃及记24:9-10）
这句话表示，他们只看见以属世事物来代表的教会的外在，以及圣言的字义；在字义中，外在事物同样由属世事物来代表，如前所述；这些外在事物就是下面“仿佛有蓝宝石的作工，好像天空物质一般明净”的“脚”。显然，他们看见的是主，但只看到那些较为低级或属世的事物，因为祂被称为“以色列的神”；教会的一切事物都代表祂，内义上的圣言的一切事物也都表示祂。主照着当时所表示的事物而以可见的形式呈现，如在启示录，当表示圣言时，祂就表现为一个骑在白马上的人，如经上所清楚说明的（启示录19:11，13）。
以西结看到的活物，就是基路伯，以它们的脸面、翅膀和其它细节来描述属天和属灵事物。以这些话来描述属世事物：
他们的脚是直立的脚，脚掌好像牛犊之蹄（直译：牛犊的脚掌），都像磨光了的铜那么发亮。（以西结书1:7）
经上说脚（即属世事物）“像磨光了的铜那么发亮”，是因为“铜”表示属世良善（425，1551节）。当主作为“人子”向约翰显现时，也是这样：
祂的眼目如同火焰，脚好像擦亮的铜。（启示录1:14-15；2:18）
“脚”表示属世事物，这一点从以下经文进一步明显看出来：
我又看见另有一位大力的天使，从天降下，披着云彩，头上有虹。脸面像日头，两脚像火柱。他手里拿着小书卷，是展开的。他右脚踏海，左脚踏地。（启示录10:1-2）
这位天使同样表示圣言；圣言在内在意义，即内义上的性质由“头上有虹，脸面像日头”来表示，在外在意义，即字义上则由“两脚”来表示。“海”是指属世真理，“地”是指属世良善，由此清楚可知“他右脚踏海，左脚踏地”表示什么。
圣言经常提到“脚凳”，但它在内义上表示什么却不为人知。如以赛亚书：
耶和华如此说，天是我的宝座，地是我的脚凳。你们要在哪里为我建房呢？哪里是我安息的地方呢？（以赛亚书66:1）
“天”表示属天和属灵事物，因而表示主在天上的国度，和祂在地上，也就是在教会，以及在凡成为主国度或教会的人里面的国度的至内在事物。因此，就本身而言，它们也表示属天和属灵事物，也就是爱和仁，并源于它们的信之事物，因而表示属于内在敬拜的一切事物，同样表示属于圣言内义的一切事物。这些事物就是“天”，被称为主的“宝座”。而“地”是指与这些相对应的较为低级的一切事物，如较低级的理性和属世事物，这些事物因着对应也能被描述为属天和属灵事物，就是诸如存在于低层天堂中的那类事物，以及在教会、外在敬拜和圣言字义中的那类事物。简言之，所有源于内在事物并在外在事物中显现的事物因是属世事物而都被称为“地”和主的“脚凳”。至于“天和地”在内义上表示什么，也可参看82，1733节；“新天和新地”表示什么，可参看2117，2118e节；人是一个微型天堂，可参看911，978，1900节。
同样，在耶利米哀歌：
主发怒使乌云遮蔽锡安女子；祂将以色列的华美从天扔在地上；在祂发怒的日子并不记念自己的脚凳。（耶利米哀歌2:1）
以及在诗篇：
你们当尊崇耶和华我们的神，在祂脚凳前下拜；祂本为圣。（诗篇99:5）
又：
我们要进祂的居所，在祂脚凳前下拜。（诗篇132:7）
在代表性教会（因而在犹太人当中），人们以为神的房或殿是祂的脚凳，因为他们不知道神的房或殿表示外在的代表性敬拜，并且对“天”或“神的宝座”所表示的教会的内在是什么一无所知。
又：
耶和华对我主说，你坐在我的右手边，等我使你仇敌作你的脚凳。（诗篇110:1；马太福音22:42-45；马可福音12:36；路加福音20:42，43）
此处“脚凳”同样表示属世事物，既包括感官印象和记忆知识或事实知识，也包括从这些形成的人的理性观念。当这些事物败坏敬拜，并利用圣言的字义来败坏，以至于只有外在事物上的敬拜，没有任何内在敬拜，确切地说，只有污秽的内在敬拜（对此，参看1094，1175，1182节）时，它们就被称为“仇敌”。当属世事物以这种方式被败坏和玷污时，它们就被称为“仇敌”。然而，就本身而言，它们与内在敬拜有关，所以当真正的内在敬拜恢复时，它们就成为主的“脚凳”，如前所述；它们既包括外在敬拜上的属世事物，也包括圣言字义中的属世事物。
在以赛亚书：
黎巴嫩的荣耀必来到你这里；松树、杉树、黄杨树必一同来使我圣所之地荣美，我必使我脚踏之地得荣耀。（以赛亚书60:13）
这论及主的国度和教会，其属天-属灵事物就是“黎巴嫩的荣耀”（也就是香柏树），其属天-属世事物就是“松树、杉树、黄杨树”（在圣言的其它地方也一样）。这三种树是外在敬拜的标志，论到它们，经上说：“我必使我脚踏之地得荣耀”；使它得荣耀的，不可能是松树、杉树和黄杨树，而是它们所表示的事物。
“脚”表示这些事物，这一点也可从犹太教会中的代表清楚看出来，如亚伦和他的儿子进会幕前要洗手洗脚（出埃及记30:19-20；40:31-32）。没有人能看出这种行为代表某种奥秘，因为如果内在不清洗和洁净，洗手洗脚有什么用呢？不就是毫无效果的外在行为吗？内在不可能因这样的洗濯而被清洗和洁净。但由于该教会的一切仪式都表示属天和属灵的内在事物，所以此处的情形也是这样，也就是说，它表示外在敬拜的清洁；当外在敬拜有内在敬拜在里面时，它就清洁了。这解释了为何他们的洗濯盆是铜制的，被称为铜海的大盆和安在所罗门殿周围的十个小一点的盆也是铜制的（列王纪上7:23，38）；它们之所以用铜制造，是因为“铜”代表外在敬拜的良善，这良善与属世良善是一样的（关于铜的这种含义，参看425，1551节）。
在亚伦的种中，凡折脚折手的人都不可近前来向耶和华献火祭（利未记21:19，21），这一禁令也是这种代表。“折脚折手”的人代表那些外在敬拜被败坏的人。
“脚”表示属世事物，这一点从先知书中的其它经文也明显看出来，如摩西五经中的这些预言：
愿亚设蒙福，胜过众子；愿他得他弟兄的悦纳，可以把脚蘸在油中。你的鞋是铁的、铜的。（申命记33:24-25）
没有人能理解这些话，除非他知道“油”、“脚”、“铁”、“铜”和“鞋”在内义上表示什么。“脚”是指属世之物，“鞋”是指更低级的属世之物，就是诸如与感官和肉体有关的那种（可参看1748节）；“油”是指属天之物（886节），“铁”是指属世真理（425，426节），“铜”是指属世良善（425，1551节）；这些章节说明了这些词涉及什么。
在那鸿书：
耶和华的路在狂风暴雨中，云彩为祂脚下的尘土。（那鸿书1:3）
此处“脚下的尘土”表示人里面产生“云彩”的属世和肉体事物。在诗篇，这些话所表相同：
耶和华使天下垂，亲自降临，幽暗在祂脚下。（诗篇18:9）
当信之良善和真理通过属世之光被败坏，如人们所称谓的那样时，它在圣言中被描述为搅动诸水、践踏食物的“人脚兽蹄”。如以西结书：
你冲出江河，用爪搅动诸水，踹浑江河。我必从多水旁除灭所有的走兽，人脚兽蹄必不再搅浑这水。（以西结书32:2，13）
此处论述的是埃及，埃及表示记忆知识或世俗知识，如前所示（1164，1165，1462节）。因此，搅动江河和诸水的“人脚兽蹄”表示源于感官印象和属世事物的记忆知识或事实，人们基于它们推理信之奥秘，并且若不通过这些知识来理解这些奥秘，就什么都不信；这等于根本不信，因为这种人越推理，就越不信（参看128-130，215，232，233，1072，1385节）。这一切证据表明，在圣言中，“脚”表示属世事物。至于“脚”还表示什么，这可从这个词出现的背景明显看出来。
Potts(1905-1910) 2162
2162. Wash ye your feet. That this signifies that [the Divine] should put on something natural, in order that, in the state in which the Lord then was, He might the better perceive, may be seen from the signification of "feet," as being natural things, and also likewise from the series of things. That arcana here lie hidden may to some extent be seen from the fact that Abraham prayed the three men to take a little water and wash their feet, and to recline under a tree; when yet he knew that it was the Lord or Jehovah; and also from the fact that otherwise such things would not have been mentioned. [2] That "feet" signify natural things, is evident from the representatives in the other life, and from the derivative representatives among the most ancient people, and thus in the Word. Celestial and spiritual things are represented by the head and its belongings; rational things and their belongings, by the breast and its belongings; natural things and their belongings, by the feet and their belongings. Hence it is that the "sole" and the "heel" of the foot signify the lowest natural things (concerning which see n. 259); and a "shoe" the lowest things of all, which are unclean (concerning which see n. 1748). [3] Similar things are signified by the representations in the dreams and visions in the Prophets-as by the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar, The head of which was good gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, the legs of iron, the feet part of iron and part of clay (Dan. 2:32-33), where the "head" signifies celestial things, which are inmost, and are "gold" (as shown, n. 113, 1551, 1552); the "breast and arms" spiritual or rational things, which are "silver" (as shown, n. 1551); but the "feet" are the lower things, which are natural, the truths of which are signified by "iron," and the goods by "clay" [argillum seu lutum]. That "iron" denotes truth, may be seen above (n. 425, 426); also that "clay" denotes good (n. 1300); in the present case both being natural. Such is the order of succession in the Lord's kingdom in the heavens, and in the church which is the Lord's kingdom on earth, and also in everyone who is a kingdom of the Lord. [4] The case is similar with the vision that Daniel saw, of which it is said:
I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold a man clothed in linen, and his loins were girded with gold of Uphaz; his body also was like the beryl [tarshish], and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like the brightness of burnished brass (Dan. 10:5-6). Specifically, by these words are signified the interiors of the Word as to goods and truths; the "arms" and "feet" are its exteriors, which are the sense of the letter, because natural things are therein, for the exterior things of the Word are taken from natural things. What each part signifies besides, namely, the loins, body, face, eyes, and the many other things of man, is evident from the representatives in the other life, concerning which, of the Lord's Divine mercy more will be said when we come to treat of the Grand Man, which is the Lord's heaven, and of the derivative representatives in the world of spirits. [5] That which we read concerning Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders-that "they saw the God of Israel, under whose feet there was as it were a work of sapphire stone, and as it were the substance of heaven as to purity" (Exod. 24:9, 10)-signifies that they saw only the externals of the church represented in natural things; and also the literal sense of the Word, in which likewise external things are represented by natural things-as before said-which are the "feet under which was as it were a work of sapphire stone, and as it were the substance of heaven." That it was the Lord who was seen by them, but only in those lower or natural things, is evident, for He is called "the God of Israel," whom all things of the church represented, and all things of the Word in the internal sense signified. For the Lord is presented to view in accordance with the things which are at the time signified-in John, as a Man upon a white horse, when He signified the Word, as is plainly said (Rev. 19:11, 13). [6] The animals seen by Ezekiel, which were cherubs, are described as to celestial and spiritual things-among other representatives-by their faces and wings, but as to natural things, as follows:
Their feet, a straight foot; and the sole of their feet as the sole of a calf's foot; and they glittered like the brightness of burnished brass (Ezek. 1:7). The feet (that is, the natural things) are said to have "glittered like burnished brass," for the reason that "brass" signifies natural good (n. 425, 1551). It was much the same with the Lord's appearance to John as the "Son of man:" Whose eyes were as a flame of fire, and His feet like unto burnished brass (Rev. 1:14-15; 2:18). [7] That the "feet" signify natural things, may be further evident from the passages that now follow. In John:
I saw a strong angel coming down out of heaven, encompassed with a cloud, and a rainbow about his head, and his face as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire; and he had in his hand a little book open; and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left upon the earth (Rev. 10:1-2). By this angel there is in like manner signified the Word; the quality of which in the internal sense is signified by the "rainbow about his head," and by "his face being as the sun;" but the external sense, or that of the letter, by the "feet." The "sea" denotes natural truths, the "earth" natural goods, which shows what is signified by his putting "his right foot upon the sea, and his left upon the earth." [8] A "footstool" is mentioned in various passages of the Word; but it is not known what it signifies in the internal sense. As in Isaiah:
Jehovah said, The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where is that house which ye will build unto Me? and where is that place of My rest? (Isa. 66:1). The "heavens" are the celestial and spiritual things (thus the inmost things) of both the Lord's kingdom in the heavens, and of the Lord's kingdom on the earth, that is, in the church, and also in every man who is a kingdom of the Lord or a church; thus they also denote celestial and spiritual things as regarded in themselves, which are those of love and charity and of the derivative faith; and thus are all things which are of internal worship, and in like manner all things which are of the internal sense of the Word: these are the "heavens," and are called the Lord's "throne." But the "earth" is all lower things that correspond to these-as the lower rational and natural things, whereof also things celestial and spiritual are predicated from correspondence; such as are the things which are in the lower heavens, also those in the church and in external worship, and in the literal sense of the Word; in short, all such things as proceed from things internal and are presented in things external-these, being natural things, are called the "earth" and the Lord's "footstool." (What "heaven and earth" denote in the internal sense, may be seen above, n. 82, 1733; also what the "new heaven and the new earth" denote, n. 2117, 2118 end; and that man is a little heaven, n. 911, 978, 1900.) [9] In like manner in Jeremiah:
The Lord covereth the daughter of Zion with a cloud in His anger; He hath cast down from the heavens unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and hath not remembered His footstool in the day of His anger (Lam. 2:1). Also in David:
Exalt ye Jehovah our God, and bow yourselves down at His footstool, Holy is He (Ps. 99:5). And again:
We will enter into His tabernacles, we will bow down at His footstool (Ps. 132:7). In the Representative Church-thus among the Jews-it was supposed that the house of God and the temple were His footstool, for they knew not that external representative worship was signified by the house of God and the temple; and what the internals of the church were (which were signified by "heaven," or God's "throne"), they were utterly ignorant of. [10] Again:
The saying of Jehovah unto my Lord: Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool (Ps. 110:1; Matt. 22:42-45; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42, 43). Here in like manner a "footstool" signifies natural things, both those which are sensuous, and those of memory-knowledge, and the derivative rational things of man, which are called "enemies" when they pervert worship, and do this from the literal sense of the Word, so that there is worship solely in externals, and either no internal worship, or else that which is filthy (see n. 1094, 1175, 1182). When things natural and rational are thus perverted and defiled, they are called "enemies;" but because, regarded in themselves, they have reference to internal worship-when this is restored, they become as before said a "footstool," whether they are things of external worship, or of the literal sense of the Word. [11] In Isaiah:
The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine, and the box together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary, and I will make the place of My feet honorable (Isa. 60:13), where the subject is the Lord's kingdom and church, the celestial-spiritual things of which are the "glory of Lebanon" (that is, the cedars), and its celestial natural things are the "fir-tree, the pine, and the box" (as also in the Word elsewhere), and thus the things which are of external worship; of which it is said, "I will make the place of My feet honorable;" and this cannot be made honorable by the fir, the pine, and the box, but by the things which they signify. [12] That the "feet" signify these things, is evident also from the representatives in the Jewish Church-as from Aaron and his sons washing their hands and their feet before entering into the tabernacle (Exod. 30:19-20; 40:31, 32). No one can fail to see that arcana were thus represented, for what is the washing of the hands and feet but an external affair which is of no avail unless the internal is clean and pure? Nor can the internal be cleaned and purified by such a washing. But as all the rites of that church were significative of internal things, which are celestial and spiritual, such is the case here also: it is cleanness of external worship that is here signified, and external worship is clean when there is internal worship within it. Hence their lavers were of brass, and also that great laver that was called the brazen sea, and the ten smaller lavers of brass around the temple of Solomon (1 Kings 7:23, 38); because "brass" represented the good of external worship, which is the same as natural good (concerning which signification of "brass," see n. 425, 1551). [13] In like manner it was a representative that, A man of the seed of Aaron in whom there was a fracture of the foot or a fracture of the hand, should not approach to offer the offering made by fire to Jehovah (Lev. 21:19, 21). By those who had a "fracture" in the feet or hands were represented such as are in perverted external worship. [14] That "feet" signify natural things, is further evident in other passages that occur in the Prophets, as in these propheticals in Moses:
Blessed be Asher above sons; let him be accepted of his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil; the iron and brass of thy shoe (Deut. 33:24, 25). No one can understand these words unless it is known what "oil," the "foot," "iron," "brass," and a "shoe" signify in the internal sense. That "foot" is the natural, and "shoe" the still lower natural, such as is the corporeal sensual, may be seen above (n. 1748); also that "oil" is the celestial (n. 886), "iron" natural truth (n. 425, 426), and "brass" natural good (n. 425, 1551), which shows what these words involve. [15] In Nahum:
The way of Jehovah is in the storm and tempest, and the clouds are the dust of His feet (Nahum 1:3), where the "dust of the feet" signifies the natural and corporeal things with man, whence come the "clouds." The same also is signified by these words in David:
Jehovah bowed the heavens, and came down, and thick darkness was under His feet (Ps. 18:9). [16] When the goods and truths of faith are perverted by means of natural light, as it is called, this is described in the Word by the "feet" and "hoofs" of a beast, whereby waters are disturbed, and food is trampled upon. As in Ezekiel:
Thou hast come forth into the rivers, and hast troubled the waters with thy feet; and trampled the streams thereof. I will destroy every beast thereof from off many waters; and the foot of man shall not trouble them any more, nor the hoof of beast (Ezek. 32:2, 13). Egypt is here treated of, by which are signified memory-knowledges [scientiae] (as has been shown, n. 1164, 1165, 1462); so that by the "feet" and "hoofs" by which the streams and waters are troubled are signified memory-knowledges [scientifica] derived from sensuous and natural things, from which they reason about the arcana of faith; nor do they believe until these arcana are comprehended by means of such knowledges; and this is not to believe at all, for the more such persons reason, the less do they believe (see n. 128-130, 215, 232, 233, 1072, 1385). From all this it is now evident that by "feet" in the Word are signified natural things; but what more is signified, is evident from the series of things.
Elliott(1983-1999) 2162
2162. 'Wash your feet' means that they were to take on something natural so that during the state He was then passing through His perception might be improved. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'feet' as natural things, and also in a like manner from the train of thought. That arcana lie concealed here becomes clear to a certain extent from the fact that Abraham besought the three men to take a little water and wash their feet, and to relax under a tree, even though he knew that it was the Lord or Jehovah; also from the fact that if it was not so such details would not have been mentioned.
[2] That 'feet' means natural things becomes clear from the representatives in the next life, and consequently from representatives derived from these that existed among the most ancient people and so occur in the Word. Celestial and spiritual things are represented by 'the head' and the parts of the head; by 'the breast' and the parts of the breast are represented rational concepts and aspects of these; by 'the feet and the parts of the feet are represented natural things and the different kinds of these. Consequently 'the sole' and 'the heel' of the foot mean the lowest natural things, regarding which see 259, while 'a shoe' means the lowest things of all, which are filthy, regarding which see 1748.
[3] Similar things are meant by the representations in the dreams and visions in the Prophets, such as the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar, the head of which was fine gold, the breast and arms were silver, the belly and thighs were bronze, the legs were iron, and the feet were partly iron and partly clay, Dan 2:-32, 33. In this case 'the head' means celestial things, which are inmost and are 'gold', as shown in 113, 1551, 1552; 'the breast and arms' spiritual or rational things, which are 'silver', as shown in 1551; but 'the feet' means lower things, which are natural, the truths of which are meant by 'iron' and the goods by 'clay' or mud. As regards 'iron' meaning truth, see 425, 426, and 'clay' good, 1300, both of which in the present case are natural. These things come in the same order in the Lord's kingdom in heaven, and in the Church which is the Lord's kingdom on earth, and also in every individual who is a kingdom of the Lord.
[4] It is similar with the vision which Daniel himself saw, of which the following is said,
I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, a man clothed in linen whose loins were girded with gold of Uphaz and whose body was like tarshish,a and whose face was like the appearance of lightning, and whose eyes were like fiery torches, and whose arms and feet like the shine of burnished bronze. Dan 10: 5, 6.
Specifically these words mean the interiors of the Word as to goods and truths. 'The arms and feet' are its interiors, which constitute the sense of the letter, for natural things occur there, since natural things are the source from which the exteriors of the Word are drawn. What further is meant by each of these parts, namely the loins, body, face, eyes, and many others in man, becomes clear from the representatives in the next life, which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be spoken of when the Grand Man - which is the Lord's heaven - and the representatives that originate in heaven but occur in the world of spirits are dealt with.
[5] That which one reads about Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders seeing the God of Israel, under whose feet there was so to speak a paved work of sapphire stone, like the substance of the sky for pureness, Exod 24: 9, 10, means that they saw, represented in natural things, merely the external features of the Church, and also the literal sense of the Word, in which too, as has been stated, external things are represented by natural things. And these external things are 'the feet' under which there is so to speak 'a paved work of sapphire stone, like the substance of the sky itself'. It is clear that it was the Lord whom they saw, though only in those lower or natural things, since He is called 'the God of Israel', whom all things of the Church represented and whom all things of the Word in the internal sense meant. For the Lord is presented visually in accordance with the things that are meant at the time. When, for example, in John, He was seen as a Man on a white horse, the Word was in this case meant by Him, as is explicitly stated in Rev 19: 11, 13.
[6] The living creatures seen by Ezekiel, which were cherubs, are described as regards celestial and spiritual things by their faces and wings, and also many other things. But as regards natural things they are described as follows, by their feet, a straight foot, and the soles of their feet being like the sole of a calf's foot, and sparkling like the shine of burnished bronze, Ezek 1: 7. The reason their feet, that is, natural things, are said to have sparkled like burnished bronze is that 'bronze' means natural good, dealt with in 425, 1551. It was similar when the Lord appeared to John as the Son of Man: His eyes were like a flame of fire and His feet were like burnished bronze, Rev 1: 14, 15; 2: 18.
[7] That 'feet' means natural things is further evident from the following places: In John, who saw,
A mighty angel coming down out of heaven, wrapped in a cloud, and a rainbow around his head, his face was like the sun and his feet like pillars of fire. In his hand he had a little book opened, and he set his right foot on the sea and his left on the land. Rev 10: 1, 2.
This angel in a similar way means the Word. The nature of the Word in the internal sense is meant by 'the rainbow around his head' and by 'his face being like the sun'; but the external sense, or sense of the letter, is meant by his 'feet'. 'The sea' is natural truths, 'the land' natural goods, from which it is clear what is meant by his setting his right foot on the sea and his left on the land.
[8] Reference is made in various places in the Word to 'a footstool', but no one knows what is meant by this in the internal sense; as in Isaiah,
Jehovah said, The heavens are My throne and the earth My footstool. Where is this house which you are going to build for Me and where is this place of My rest? Isa 66: 1.
'The heavens' means the celestial and spiritual things, and so the inmost things, both of the Lord's kingdom in heaven and of the Lord's kingdom on earth, which is the Church. Also meant by 'the heavens' are those same things as they exist with every individual who is a kingdom of the Lord or a Church. Thus 'the heavens' also means the celestial and spiritual things regarded in themselves which are matters of love and charity and of faith that springs from these, and so means all things that belong to internal worship and similarly all things that belong to the internal sense of the Word. These things are meant by 'the heavens' and are called 'the Lord's throne', but by 'the earth' are meant all lower things corresponding to those meant by 'the heavens'. By 'the earth' lower rational and natural things are meant, which from correspondence are likewise referred to as celestial and spiritual things, such as those that exist in the lower heavens and also in the Church, and those things which belong to external worship and also those present in the literal sense of the Word. In short, all things that stem from internal things and manifest themselves in external are, being natural things, called 'the earth' and 'the Lord's footstool'. What heaven and earth mean in the internal sense of the Word, see also 82, 1733. What the new heaven and new earth mean, see 2117, 2118 (end). And that man is a miniature heaven, see 911, 978, 1900.
[9] Similarly in Jeremiah,
In His anger the Lord covers the daughter of Zion with a cloud, He has cast down from heaven to earth the splendour of Israel, and has not remembered His footstool on the day of His anger. Lam 2: 1.
Also in David,
Exalt Jehovah our God, and bow down at His footstool. Holy is He! Ps 99: 5.
Elsewhere in the same author,
We will enter His dwelling-places, we will bow down at His footstool. Ps 132: 7.
People in the representative Church - and thus the Jews - imagined that God's house and the temple were His footstool. They did not know that by the Lord's house and the temple was meant external representative worship. What the internal features of the Church were, meant by 'heaven' or God's throne, they had no knowledge at all.
[10] In the same author,
Jehovah said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand till I make your enemies a stool for your feet. Ps 110: 1; Matt 22: 44; Mark 12: 36; Luke 20:-42, 43.
Here 'footstool' in a similar way means natural things - both sensory impressions and factual knowledge, and man's rational ideas formed from these - which are called 'enemies' when worship is perverted by them (which is done from the literal sense of the Word). As a result worship exists solely in things that are external, and no internal worship - or rather only internal worship that is defiled - exists, concerning which see 1094, 1175, 1182. When these have became perverted and defiled in this manner they are called 'enemies'; but because, regarded in themselves, they have reference to internal worship, when this is restored, they become - both the things that belong to external worship and those that belong to the sense of the letter of the Word - 'a footstool', as stated already.
[11] In Isaiah,
The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the fir, the pine, and the box tree together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary; and I will make the place of My feet glorious. Isa 60: 13.
This refers to the Lord's kingdom and Church, the celestial-spiritual things of which are meant by 'the glory of Lebanon', that is, cedar trees, but the celestial-natural things of it by 'the fir, the pine, and the box', as also in other places in the Word. Thus it is the external aspects of worship that are referred to when it is said that 'I will make the place of My feet glorious'; and this cannot he made glorious by the fir, the pine, and the box, but by the things meant by these.
[12] That 'feet' means these things is also clear from the representatives in the Jewish Church, for example, by the requirement that Aaron and his sons were to wash their hands and feet before entering the tabernacle, Exod 30: 19, 20; 40: 31, 32. No one is able to see that arcana were represented by this, for what is such washing of the hands and feet but some external act which does not do anything at all if the internal is not pure and clean? Nor can the internal be made pure and clean by such a washing. But because all the forms of ritual of that Church meant internal things that are celestial and spiritual, so it was with this form; that is to say, it meant the cleanliness of external worship, which is clean when internal worship is present within it. This explains why their lavers were made of bronze, and also the large laver which was called 'the bronze sea', together with the ten smaller ones made of bronze around Solomon's temple, 1 Kings 7: 23, 38. They were made of bronze because 'bronze' represented good present in external worship, which is the same as natural good. Regarding this meaning of bronze, see 425, 1551.
[13] Similarly representative was the prohibition that no man among Aaron's descendants who had a broken foot or a broken hand should draw near to offer fire-offerings to Jehovah, Lev. 21: 19, 21. 'Broken feet and hands' represented those people whose external worship was perverted.
[14] That 'feet' means natural things is also evident from various other places in the Prophets, as in these prophetical utterances in Moses,
Blessed above sons be Asher; let him be acceptable among his brothers, and dipping his foot in oil. Your shoes will be iron and bronze. Deut. 33: 24, 25.
These words will not be understood by anybody unless he knows what the meaning of oil, foot, iron, bronze, and shoe are in the internal sense. 'Foot' is the natural; 'shoe' the still lower natural, such as that which is connected with the senses and the body, see 1748; 'oil' is the celestial, 886; 'iron' natural truth, 425, 426; and 'bronze' natural good, 425, 1551. From these places it is evident what these words embody.
[15] In Nahum,
The way of Jehovah is in storm and tempest, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. Nahum 1: 3.
Here 'the dust of the feet' means the natural and bodily things with man which give rise to clouds. The same is also meant by these words in David,
Jehovah bowed the heavens and came down, and thick darkness was under His feet. Ps. 18: 9.
[16] When goods and truths of faith are perverted by natural light, as people call it, it is described in the Word as the feet and hoofs of a beast which trouble waters and trample on food, as in Ezekiel,
You have come forth into the rivers, and have troubled the waters with your feet and trampled their rivers. I will destroy all its beasts from over many waters, and the foot of man will not trouble them any longer, nor will the hoofs of beast. Ezek. 32: 2, 13.
This refers to Egypt, which meant forms of knowledge, as shown in 1164, 1165, 1462. Thus by 'feet and hoofs which trouble the rivers and water' are meant facts gained from sensory and from natural things, on the basis of which people reason about the arcana of faith and do not believe anything until they grasp it by this method. This amounts to not believing at all, for the more such people go on reasoning, the less believing they are; see what is said in 128-130, 215, 232, 233, 1072, 1385. From all these quotations it is now evident that 'feet' in the Word means natural things. But what further meaning 'feet' may have is evident from the context in which the expression occurs.
Latin(1748-1756) 2162
2162. Quod `lavate pedes vestros' significet quod indueret aliquid naturale, ut in statu illo in quo tunc fuit, melius perciperet, constare potest (c)a significatione `pedum' quod sint naturalia, tum similiter ex serie rerum; quod arcana hic lateant, aliquantum constare potest ex eo quod Abrahamus precatus tres viros, ut acciperent parum aquae et lavarent pedes, utque inniterentur sub arbore, cum tamen novit quod Dominus seu Jehovah esset; etiam ex eo quod talia alioquin non memorata fuissent. [2] Quod {1} `pedes' significent naturalia, constare potest a repraesentativis in altera vita, et inde repraesentativis apud antiquissimos, ac ita in Verbo; caelestia (o)et spiritualia repraesentantur per `caput,' et per quae capitis sunt; per `pectus' et quae pectoris sunt, rationalia et quae rationalium sunt; per `pedes' et quae pedum sunt, naturalia et quae naturalium {2}; inde est quod `planta et calcaneum pedis' significet infima naturalia, de quibus videatur n. 259; et quod `calceus' omnium infima quae sordent, de quo n. 1748. [3] Similia significantur per illa quae {3} repraesentata sunt in somniis et visionibus (o)apud Prophetas, Ut statua visa Nebuchadnezzari, cujus caput aurum bonum, pectus et brachia argentum, venter et femora aes, crura ferrum, pedes ex parte ferrum et ex parte argilla; Dan. ii 32, 33;ubi `caput' significat caelestia, quae intima, et {4} sunt aurum, ut ostensum n. 113, 1551, 1552; `pectus et brachia,' spiritualia seu rationalia, quae sunt argentum, ut ostensum n. 1551: `pedes' autem inferiora quae sunt' naturalia, quorum vera significantur per `ferrum,' et bona per `argillam seu lutum,' quod ferrum sit verum {5}, videatur n. 425, 426, et quod lutum sit bonum {6}, n. 1300, (o)utrumque hic naturale'; ita quoque sibi succedunt in regno Domini in caelis, inque Ecclesia quae est regnum Domini in terris, tum in unoquovis qui est {7} regnum Domini. [4] Similiter se habet cum visione, quae Danieli, de qua haec, Sustuli oculos meos et vidi, ecce vir unus indutus linteis, e lumbi `illius cincti auro Uphasi, et corpus sicut Tarshish, et facie (c)illius sicut aspectus fulguris, ac oculi `illius sicut lampades igni et brachia et pedes (c)illius, sicut splendor aeris levigati, x 5, 6;
per haec significantur in specie interiora Verbi quoad bona et vera `brachia et pedes' sunt ejus exteriora, quae sunt sensus litterae, quia ibi naturalia, a naturalibus enim desumpta [sunt]: praeterea quid unum quodvis significat, nempe lumbi, corpus, facies {8}, oculi, et plura qua' apud hominem, constare potest a repraesentativis in altera vita, de quibus, ex Divina Domini Misericordia, dicetur ubi de Maximo Homine, qui est caelum Domini, ac de repraesentativis inde in mundo spirituum. [5] Quod legitur De Mose, Aharone, Nadab, Abihu, et septuaginta senioribus quod viderint Deum Israelis, sub Cujus pedibus erat quasi opus lapidis sapphiri, et quasi substantia caeli quoad puritatem, Exod. xxiv 9, 10, significant {9} quod viderint modo externa Ecclesiae, repraesentata in naturalibus; tum (o)etiam sensum litteralem Verbi, in quo etiam externa repraesentantur per naturalia, ut dictum; quae sunt `pedes,' sub quibus sicut opus lapidis sapphiri, et quasi substantia caeli; quod Dominus fuerit Qui illis visus, sed solum in illis inferioribus seu naturalibus constat, nam dicitur `Deus Israelis,' Quem omnia Ecclesiae repraesentabant, et omnia Verbi in sensu interno significabant; nam Dominus sistitur videndus secundum illa quae tunc significantur, sicut apud Johannem, sicut {10} vir super equo albo, ibi {11} quod significaverit Verbum, claris verbis dicitur, Apoc. xix 11, 13. [6] Animalia visa Ezechieli qua fuerunt cherubi, sunt descripti {12} quoad caelestia et spiritualia, per facies et alas, (o)ut et plura, at quoad naturalia ita, Pedes eorum, pes rectus, et planta pedum illorum, quasi planta pedis vituli, et micantes sicut splendor aeris levigati, Ezech. i 7;
quod pedes dicantur `micuisse instar aeris levigati,' hoc est, naturalia, est quia `aes' significat bonum naturale, de quo n. 425, 1551. Similiter quod apparuit Johanni, Ut Filius hominis,... cujus oculi essent sicut flamma ignis, et pedes similes chalcolibano, Apoc. i 14, 15; ii 18. Quod `pedes' significent naturalia, porro patet a sequentibus; [7] apud Johannem, Vidit {13} angelum fortem descendentem e caelo, circumdatum nube, et iris circum caput, et facies illius sicut sol, et pedes illius sicut columnae ignis; habentem in manu sua libellum apertum, et ponentem pedem suum dextrum super mare, sinistrum super terram, Apoc. x 1, 2;
per quem angelum similiter significatur Verbum: quale est in interno sensu, per `iridem circum caput, et per faciem sicut sol'; at sensus externus seu litterae, per `pedes'; `mare' sunt naturalia vera, `terra' naturalia bona; inde constat quid significat quod `posuerit pedem dextrum super mare, et sinistrum super terram.' [8] Memoratur passim in Verbo `scabellum pedum,' sed ignoratur quid in sensu interno significat; ut apud Esaiam, Dixit Jehovah, Caeli thronus Meus, et terra scabellum pedum Meorum; ubi illa domus, quam aedificabitis Mihi, et ubi ille locus quietis Meae? lxvi 1;
`caeli' sunt caelestia et spiritualia, ita intima, tam regni Domini in caelis, quam regni Domini in terris {14}, seu in Ecclesia, tum apud unumquemvis hominem qui est regnum Domini seu Ecclesia; ita {15} etiam caelestia et spiritualia in se spectata quae sunt amoris et charitatis et inde fidei, ita omnia quae sunt cultus interni, similiter omnia quae sunt sensus interni Verbi, haec sunt `caeli,' et vocantur `thronus Domini': `terra' autem sunt inferiora omnia illis correspondentia, ut sunt inferiora rationalia et naturalia, de quibus ex correspondentia etiam caelestia et spiritualia praedicantur, qualia sunt illa quae in caelis inferioribus, tum quae in Ecclesia, quaeque in cultu externo, tum quae in sensu litterali Verbi; verbo omnia quae procedunt ab internis et sistuntur in externis, haec quia naturalia, vocantur `terra', et `scabellum pedum Domini'; (m)quid caelum et terra in sensu interno [Verbi,] videatur etiam n. 82, 1733: {16} quid novum caelum et nova terra, n. 2117, 2118 fin.'; et quod homo sit exiguum caelum, n. 911, 978, 1900: [9] similiter apud Jeremiam, Obnubilat in ira Sua Dominus filiam Zionis, projicere fecit e caelis in terram decorem Israelis, et, non recordatus scabelli pedum Suorum in die irae Suae, Thren. ii 1:
tum etiam {17} apud Davidem, Exaltate Jehovam Deum nostrum, et incurvate vos scabello pedum Ipsius, sanctus Ille, Ps. xcix 5:
alibi apud eundem, Intrabimus in habitacula Ipsius, incurvabimus nos scabello pedum Ipsius, Ps. cxxxii 7;
putarunt in Ecclesia repraesentativa, ita Judaei, quod domus Dei et templum esset scabellum pedum nescientes quod per `domum Dei et templum' significatus sit {18} cultus repraesentativus externus; quid interna Ecclesiae quae significabantur {19} per `caelum,' (o)seu thronum Dei, prorsus ignorabant: [10] apud eundem, Dictum Jehovae Domino meo, Sede ad dextram Meam, usque dum posuero inimicos tuos scabellum pedibus tuis, Ps. cx 1; Matth. xxii 42 [A.V. 44]; Marc. xii 36; Luc. xx 42, 43;
per `scabellum pedum' hic similiter significantur naturalia, tam sensualia quam scientifica, et inde rationalia hominis, quae `inimici' dicuntur quando pervertunt cultum, et hoc ex sensu litterali Verbi; sic ut sit cultus solum in externis, et nullus seu foedus internus, de quo n. 1094, 1175, 1182 {20}; cum ita perversa sunt et foedata, vocantur `inimici'; at quia in se spectata se referunt ad cultum internum, qui cum restituitur, fiunt, ut prius dictum, tam illa quae sunt cultus externi quam quae sunt sensus litterae Verbi, `scabellum pedum': [11] apud Esaiam, Gloria Libani ad te veniet; abies, taeda, buxus simul, ad decorandum locum sanctuarii Mei, et locum pedum Meorum honorabilem reddam, lx 13;
ibi agitur de regno Domini et Ecclesia, cujus caelestia spiritualia sunt `gloria Libani seu cedri,' caelestia autem naturalia sunt `abies, taeda, buxus,' sicut etiam alibi in Verbo; ita quae externa cultus sunt, de quibus dicitur quod `locum pedum Meorum honorabilem reddam,' qui non honorabilis fieri potest per abietem, taedam, buxum, sed per illa quae significant; [12] quod `pedes' illa significent, constat quoque ex repraesentativis in Ecclesia Judaica, ut per quod Lavarent Aharon et filii ejus manus et pedes, antequam intrarent in tabernaculum {21}, Exod. xxx 19, 20; xl 31, 32;
quae quod repraesentaverint arcana, nullus non videre potest, nam quid lavatio manuum et pedum nisi externum quid, quod nihil facit nisi internum sit mundum et purum? (m)Nec internum per lavationem illam mundari et purificari potest; sed quia omnes ritus istius Ecclesiae significabant interna quae sunt caelestia et spiritualia, ita hic quoque, nempe munditiem {22} externi cultus, qui tunc mundus est quando in externo internus est {23}; inde lavacra eorum fuerunt ex aere, ut quoque magnum {24} illud quod `mare aeneum' dictum, cum decem labris minoribus ex aere, circa templum Salomonis, 1 Reg. vii 23, 38; quia `aes" repraesentabat bonam externi cultus, quod idem est ac bonum naturale, de qua `aeris' significatione videatur n. 425, 1551. [13] Similiter repraesentativam fuit quod Vir, in quo esset fractura pedis aut fractura manus,... e semine Aharonis, non accederet ad offerendum ignita Jehovae, Lev. xxi 19, 21;
per `fractos pedibus (o)et manibus repraesentabantur illi qui in cultu perverso externo sunt; [14] quod `pedes' significent naturalia, patet etiam alibi passim apud Prophetas, ut (o)prophetica haec apud Mosen, Benedictus prae filiis Asher, sit acceptus fratrum suorum, et intingens in oleam pedem suum, ferrum et aes calcei tui, Deut. xxxiii 24, 25;
haec nulli intellecta erant nisi sciatur quid in sensu interno significant oleum, pes, ferrum, aes, calceus; quod `pes' sit naturale, `calceus' adhuc inferius naturale, quale (o)est sensuale corporeum, videatur {25} n. 1748; et quod `oleum' sit caeleste, n. 886; `ferrum' verum naturale, n. 425, 426; et `aes' bonum naturale, n. 425, 1551, inde patet quid involvunt: [15] apud Nahum, Jehovae in procella et tempestate via, et nubes pulvis pedum Ipsius, 1 3;
ubi `pulvis pedum' significat naturalia et corporea quae apud hominem, ex quibus nubes. Idem etiam apud Davidem significatur per haec, Jehovah inclinavit caelos, atque descendit, et caligo sub pedibus Ipsius, Ps. xviii 10 [A.V. 9]. [16] Quando bona et vera fidei per naturale lumen, ut vocant, pervertuntur, in Verbo describitur per pedes, et ungulas {26} bestiae, quibus turbantur aquae, et quibus cibi proculcantur, ut apud Ezechielem, Prodiisti in flumina, et turbasti quas pedibus tuis, et proculcavit flumina earum;... perdam omnem bestiam ejus desuper aquis multis, et non conturbabit eas pes hominis amplius, nec ungula bestiae, xxxii 2, 13;
agitur hic de Aegypto per quam quod significatae sint scientiae, ostensum est n. 1164, 1165, 1462; ita per `pedes et ungulas, quibus turbantur flumina et aquae,' scientifica ex sensualibus et ex naturalibus, ex quibus ratiocinantur de arcanis fidei, nec prius quam per illa capiuntur, credunt, quod est nusquam credere, nam quo magis ratiocinantur tales, eo minus credunt; videantur quae n. 128-130, 215, 232, 233, 1072, 1385. Ex his omnibus nunc patet quod per `pedes' in Verbo significentur naturalia; sed quid significatur amplius, ex serie rerum patet. @1 i itaque.$ @2 quae infra illa sunt, ut sunt rationalia, et quae rationalium, per pectus, et quae pectoris sunt; quae autem adhuc inferiora sunt, ut sunt naturalia, per pedes, et quae pedum sunt.$ @3 i prophetis.$ @4 quae.$ @5 de ferro.$ @6 de luto.$ @7 in quo.$ @8 In the citation preceding `facies... fulguris' was a later insertion, hence A omits facies here.$ @9 significarunt.$ @10 ut.$ @11 sic.$ @12 i etiam.$ @13 Johannes vidit.$ @14 Ipsius in terra.$ @15 tum.$ @16 A has this clause after 1900.$ @17 Similiter.$ @18 significetur.$ @19 significantur.$ @20 i et alibi.$ @21 tentorium.$ @22 munditiem, et quidem.$ @23 sit.$ @24 A had mare aeneum ad templum Salomonis, quia aes... but alters to quoque, omitting minoribus and with ad for circa.$ @25 ostensum est.$ @26 pedem et ungulam.$