2781、“备上驴”表示祂所预备的属世人，这从下面所解释的“驴”的含义清楚可知。人里面有意愿的事物和理解力的事物；良善的事物属于前一类，真理的事物属于后一类。既有表示意愿的事物，或良善事物的各种动物，如羔羊、绵羊、公山羊、母山羊、牛犊、公牛（参看1823，2179，2180节）；也有表示理解力的事物，或真理事物的动物，即马、骡子、野驴、骆驼和驴，以及鸟。“马”表示心智的理解力部分，如前所示（2761，2762节）；“野驴”表示脱离良善的真理（1949节）；“骆驼”表示总体上的记忆知识或事实知识，“驴”表示具体的记忆知识或事实知识（1486节）。
有两种元素构成人心智的属世层，或也可说，构成属世人，即属世良善和属世真理。属世良善是从仁和信流出的快乐，属世真理是关于它们的记忆知识或事实。属世真理就是“驴”所表示的，理性真理则是“骡子”所表示的，这一点从以下经文可以看出来，以赛亚书：
关于南方牲畜的预言。在艰难困苦之地，有公狮和母狮，并来自那里的蝮蛇和会飞的火蛇；它们要把财物驮在驴驹的脊背上，将宝物驮在骆驼的肉鞍上，往那不利于它们的民那里去；埃及人的帮助必徒然无益。（以赛亚书30:6-7）
那些拥有良善与真理的知识或认知，但把它们当成知识的事，却不用于生活的人就被称为“南方牲畜”。论到他们，经上说，“他们要把财物驮在驴驹的脊背上，将宝物驮在骆驼的肉鞍上”，因为“驴驹”表示具体的记忆知识或事实，“骆驼”表示总体上的记忆知识或事实；“埃及人”表示记忆知识（参看1164，1165，1186节）；论到他们，经上说：“埃及人的帮助必徒然无益。”谁都能明显看出，这个预言拥有内义，否则，没有人明白它，因为没有内义，没有人能知道“关于南方牲畜的预言”是什么，或“公狮和母狮”、“蝮蛇和会飞的火蛇”是什么；这些动物“把财物驮在驴驹的脊背上，将宝物驮在骆驼的肉鞍上”是什么意思，又为何经上接着说：“埃及人的帮助必徒然无益。”在以色列关于以萨迦的预言中，“驴”所表相同，摩西五经：
以萨迦是头瘦骨嶙峋的驴，卧在重驮之间。（创世记49:14）
撒迦利亚书：
耶和华用灾殃攻击那与耶路撒冷争战的众民，必是这样；那临到马匹、骡子、骆驼、驴和一切牲畜的灾殃也必是这样。（撒迦利亚书14:12，15）
“马匹”、“骡子”、“骆驼”、“驴”表示人里面的理解力的事物，它们将遭受灾殃。这从上下文的每一个细节清楚看出来，因为那里论述的主题是最后的审判，或时代的完结之前的灾殃。约翰在启示录中也大量论述了这些灾殃，其它先知书在各个地方论述了它们。这些动物表示那时那些要与耶路撒冷，也就是主的属灵教会及其真理争战的人；要遭受这些灾殃的，将是其理解力的事物。
以赛亚书：
你们在各水边撒种、放出牛驴之蹄的有福了。（以赛亚书32:20）
“在各水边撒种的”表示那些允许自己在属灵事物上接受教导的人，“水”表示属灵事物，因而表示构成对真理的理解的事物（参看680，739，2702节）。“放出牛驴之蹄的”表示要提供服务的属世事物；“牛”是指良善方面的属世层，或属世层的良善（参看2180，2566节）；“驴”表示真理方面的属世层，或属世层的真理。
摩西五经：
犹大把小驴拴在葡萄树上，把母驴驹拴在上好的葡萄树上。他在葡萄酒中洗了衣服，在葡萄血中洗了袍褂。（创世记49:11）
这是雅各，那时叫以色列关于主的预言；“葡萄树”和“上好的葡萄树”表示属灵教会，包括它的外在和内在方面（1069节）；“小驴”表示属世真理；“母驴驹”表示理性真理。“母驴驹”之所以表示理性真理，是因为“母驴”表示对属世真理的情感（1486节），而她的驴驹表示理性真理（参看1895，1896，1902，1910节）。
在古代，士师（即法官）骑母驴，他的儿子骑驴驹；因为士师代表教会的良善，他们的儿子代表源于这些良善的真理。然而，王骑母骡，他的儿子骑公骡，因为王和他们的儿子代表教会的真理（参看1672，1728，2015，2069节）。士师骑母驴，这一点清楚可见于士师记：
我心倾向以色列的立法者，他们在民中甘心牺牲自己。你们应当颂赞耶和华！骑白母驴的、坐华毯的。（士师记5:9-10）
士师的儿子骑驴驹：
以色列的士师睚珥有三十个儿子，骑着三十匹驴驹。（士师记10:3-4等）
另一处：
以色列的士师押顿有四十个儿子，三十个孙子，骑着七十匹驴驹。（士师记12:14）
王骑母骡：
大卫对他们说，要带领你们主的仆人，使我儿子所罗门骑我的母骡。他们使所罗门骑大卫王的母骡。祭司撒督和先知拿单在基训已经膏他作王。（列王纪上1:33，38，44-45）
王的儿子骑公骡：
由于押沙龙，大卫王的众子都起来，各人骑上骡子，逃跑了。（撒母耳记下13:29）
由此明显可知，骑母驴是士师的标志，骑母骡是王的标志；骑驴驹是士师的儿子的标志，骑骡子则是王的儿子的标志。原因在于，如前所述，母驴代表并表示对属世良善与真理的情感，母骡代表并表示对理性真理的情感，驴或驴驹代表并表示属世真理本身，“骡子”和“母驴驹”代表并表示理性真理。这表明撒迦利亚书关于主的预言是什么意思：
锡安的女子哪，应当大大喜乐！耶路撒冷的女子哪，应当欢呼！看哪，你的王必来到你这里！祂是公义的，并且施行拯救，谦卑地骑着驴，骑着驴驹、母驴的崽子。祂的权柄必从这海管到那海，从大河管到地极。（撒迦利亚书9:9-10）
当主即将进入耶路撒冷时，祂愿意骑这些牲畜，这一点从福音书可知，如马太福音：
耶稣就打发两个门徒，对他们说，你们往对面村子里去，会立刻发现一匹栓着的母驴，和跟它在一起的驴驹；你们解开它们，牵到我这里来。这事成就，是要应验先知所说的话，说，去告诉锡安的女子，看哪，你的王来到你这里，是温柔的，又骑着母驴，骑着驴驹，就是负重牲畜的崽。他们牵了母驴和驴驹来，把自己的衣服搭在上面，把耶稣安置在上面。（马太福音21:2，4-5，7）
“骑着驴”标志着属世层被置于从属地位，“骑着驴驹，就是母驴的崽”标志着理性层被置于从属地位，因为“母驴的崽”与“骡子”所表相同，这在前面引用经文（创世记49:11）处已经说明。由于这个原因，也就是这些动物的灵义，还由于骑它们是最高士师和王的权力，同时为了主可以实现教会的代表，所以主乐意这样做。对此，约翰福音是这样描述的：
第二天，来过节的有一大群人，听见耶稣将到耶路撒冷，就拿着棕树枝，出去迎接祂，喊着，和散那！奉主名来的以色列王是应当称颂的！耶稣找到一个驴驹，就骑在上面，如经上所记，锡安的女子哪，不要惧怕；看哪，你的王骑着母驴驹来了。这些事门徒起先不明白，等到耶稣得了荣耀以后，才想起这些话是指着祂写的，并且他们果然对祂做了这些事。（约翰福音12:12-16；马可福音11:1-12；路加福音19:28-41）
由此清楚可知，在那个时期的教会中，每一个事物都是主的代表，因而是祂国度里的属天和属灵事物的代表；甚至母驴和母驴驹也是如此，它们代表良善和真理方面的属世人，或说属世人里面的良善和真理。这种代表的原因是，属世人应为理性人服务，理性人应为属灵人服务；而属灵人应为属天人服务，属天人应为主服务。这就是一个从属于另一个的次序。
由于“牛和驴”表示良善和真理方面的属世人，或说属世人的良善和真理，所以经上提到牛和驴的律法有很多。乍一看，这些律法在神的圣言中似乎不值一提；但当它们的内义被解开时，它们里面的灵义就显得极其重要了，如以下摩西五经中的律法：
人若开了一个坑，或人若挖了一个坑，而不盖住它，有牛或驴掉在进去，坑主要拿银子赔偿它的主人，死牲畜要归他。（出埃及记21:33-34）
出埃及记：
若遇见你仇敌的牛或驴走迷了路，务必牵回来给他。若看见恨你人的驴压卧在重驮之下，不要移开它，务要和他一同移开它。（出埃及记23:4-5；申命记22:1，3）
申命记：
你若看见你弟兄的驴或牛跌倒在路上，不可藏起来不见，务要帮助把牠们拉起来。（申命记22:4）
又：
不可用牛和驴一同耕地。不可穿羊毛和细麻混和织成的布料。（申命记22:10-11）
出埃及记：
六日你要作工，第七日要安息，使牛、驴可以歇息，并使你婢女的儿子和寄居的都可以获得喘息。（出埃及记23:12）
此处在内义上，“牛和驴”实际上表示属世的良善和真理。
Potts(1905-1910) 2781
2781. And saddled his ass. That this signifies the natural man which He prepared, is evident from the signification of an "ass," as explained in what now follows. There are in man things of the will and things of the understanding; to the former class belong the things of good, to the latter those of truth. There are various kinds of beasts by which the things of the will, or those of good, are signified; such as lambs, sheep, kids, goats, bullocks, oxen (see n. 1823, 2179, 2180); and there are likewise beasts by which intellectual things, or those of truth, are signified, namely, horses, mules, wild-asses, camels, asses, and also birds. That the intellectual faculty is signified by the "horse," has been shown above (n. 2761, 2762). That by the "wild-ass" truth separate from good is signified, see above (n. 1949). That by the "camel" there is signified memory-knowledge in general, and by the "ass" memory-knowledge in particular, may be seen above (n. 1486). [2] There are two things which constitute the natural with man, or what is the same, which constitute the natural man, namely, natural good and natural truth. Natural good is the delight flowing forth from charity and faith; natural truth is the memory-knowledge of them. That natural truth is what is signified by the "ass," and rational truth by the "mule," may be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:
The prophecy of the beasts of the south. In a land of straightness and distress; the lion and the old lion,* and from them the viper and the flying fire-serpent; they carry their riches upon the shoulder of young asses, and their treasures upon the hump of camels, to a people that shall not profit; and the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose (Isa. 30:6-7);
those are called the "beasts of the south" who are in the knowledges of good and truth, but who make them not of the life but of memory; of whom it is said that "they shall bring their riches upon the shoulder of young asses, and their treasures upon the hump of camels," for the reason that "young asses" signify memory-knowledges in particular, and "camels" memory-knowledges in general: that the "Egyptians" are memory-knowledges, may be seen above (n. 1164, 1165, 1186); of whom it is said that "they shall help in vain and to no purpose." That this prophecy has an internal sense, without which it is understood by nobody, is plain to everyone; for without the internal sense it cannot be known what the prophecy of the beasts of the south is, the lion and the old lion, the viper and the flying fire-serpent; and what is meant by these beasts bringing their riches upon the shoulder of young asses, and their treasures upon the hump of camels, and why it immediately follows that the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose. The like is meant by the "ass" in the prophecy of Israel respecting Issachar, in Moses:
Issachar is a bony ass, lying down between the burdens (Gen. 49:14). [3] In Zechariah:
This shall be the plague wherewith Jehovah will smite all the peoples that shall fight against Jerusalem; there shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of every beast (Zech. 14:12, 15);
that by the "horse," "mule," "camel," and "ass," are signified things of the understanding in man, which will be affected by the plague, is evident from all that precedes and follows there; for the plagues which precede the last judgment or consummation of the age are treated of, a subject also much treated of by John in Revelation, and by the rest of the prophets in many places. By these animals are meant those who will then fight against Jerusalem, that is, against the Lord's spiritual church and its truths, and who will be affected by such plagues as to the things of their understanding. [4] In Isaiah:
Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth the foot of the ox and the ass (Isa. 32:20);
"they that sow beside all waters" denote those who suffer themselves to be instructed in spiritual things. (That "waters" are spiritual things, thus intellectual things of truth, may be seen above, n. 680, 739, 2702.) "They that send forth the foot of the ox and the ass" denote natural things which are to do service. The "ox" is the natural as to good (see n. 2180, 2566). The "ass" is the natural as to truth. [5] In Moses:
Binding his young ass unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he hath washed his garments in wine, and his vesture in the blood of grapes (Gen. 49:11);
this is the prophecy of Jacob, at that time Israel, concerning the Lord; the "vine" and the "choice vine" denote the spiritual church external and internal (n. 1069); the "young ass" denotes natural truth; the "ass's colt" rational truth. The reason an "ass's colt" denotes rational truth is that a "she-ass" signifies the affection of natural truth (n. 1486), the son of which is rational truth, as may be seen above (n. 1895, 1896, 1902, 1910). [6] In old times a judge rode upon a she-ass, and his sons upon young asses; for the reason that the judges represented the goods of the church, and their sons the truths thence derived. But a king rode upon a she-mule, and his sons upon mules, by reason that kings and their sons represented the truths of the church (see n. 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069). That a judge rode upon a she-ass is evident in the book of Judges:
My heart is toward the lawgivers of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people; bless ye Jehovah, ye that ride upon white she-asses, ye that sit upon carpets (Judg. 5:9-10). That the sons of the judges rode upon young asses:
Jair the judge over Israel had thirty sons, that rode on thirty young asses (Judges 10:3-4, and in other places). Abdon the judge of Israel had forty sons, and thirty sons' sons, that rode on seventy young asses (Judges 12:14). That a king rode upon a she-mule:
David said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon the she-mule which is mine. And they caused Solomon to ride upon king David's she-mule, and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him king in Gihon (1 Kings 1:33, 38, 44-45). That the sons of a king rode upon he-mules:
All the sons of king David rose up, and rode each one upon his mule, and fled, because of Absalom (2 Sam. 13:29). [7] Hence it is manifest that to ride on a she-ass was the badge of a judge, and to ride on a she-mule, the badge of a king; and that to ride on a young ass was the badge of a judge's sons, and to ride on a mule was the badge of a king's sons; for the reason as already said that a she-ass represented and signified the affection of natural good and truth, a she-mule the affection of rational truth, an ass or a young ass natural truth itself, and a mule and also the son of a she-ass rational truth. Hence it is plain what is meant by the prophecy concerning the Lord in Zechariah:
Rejoice, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto thee. He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass, and upon a young ass the son of she-asses. His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth (Zech. 9:9-10). That the Lord, when He came to Jerusalem, willed to ride upon these animals, is known from the Evangelists, as in Matthew:
Jesus sent two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village that is over against you, and straightway ye shall find a she-ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them unto Me. This was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold thy King cometh unto thee, meek, sitting upon a she-ass, and upon a colt the son of a beast of burden. And they brought the she-ass and the colt, and put their garments upon them, and set Him thereon (Matt. 21:1-2, 4-5, 7). [8] To "ride upon an ass" was a sign that the natural was made subordinate; and to "ride upon a colt the son of a she-ass" was a sign that the rational was made subordinate. (That the "son of a she-ass" signified the same as a "mule" has been shown above at the passage from Gen. 49:11.) From this their signification, and because it belonged to the highest judge and to a king to ride upon them, and at the same time that the representatives of the church might be fulfilled, it pleased the Lord to do this: as is thus described in John:
On the next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel. And Jesus, having found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold thy King cometh sitting on the colt of a she-ass. These things understood not His disciples at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things unto Him (John 12:12-16; Mark 11:1-12; Luke 19:28-41). [9] From all this it is now evident that all and everything in the church of that period was representative of the Lord, and therefore of the celestial and spiritual things that are in His kingdom-even to the she-ass and the colt of a she-ass, by which the natural man as to good and truth was represented. The reason of the representation was that the natural man ought to serve the rational, and this the spiritual, this the celestial, and this the Lord: such is the order of subordination. [10] Since by an "ox and an ass" the natural man as to good and truth is signified, many laws were therefore given in which oxen and asses are mentioned, which laws at first sight do not appear to be worthy of mention in the Divine Word; but when unfolded as to their internal sense, the spiritual meaning in them appears to be of great moment-as the following in Moses:
If a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall into it, the owner of the pit shall give money to the owner, and the dead shall be his (Exod. 21:33-34). If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to remove it, removing thou shalt remove it from him (Exod. 23:4-5; Deut. 22:1, 3). Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox falling down in the way, and hide thyself from them; lifting thou shalt lift them up again (Deut. 22:4). Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together. Thou shalt not wear a mixed web of wool and linen together (Deut. 22:10-11). Six days thou shalt do thy works, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest, that thine ox and thine ass may rest also, and the son of thy handmaid, and the sojourner (Exod. 23:12). Here the "ox and ass" signify nothing else in the spiritual sense than natural good and truth. * Tigris; but leo vetus, n. 3048. [Rotch ed.]
Elliott(1983-1999) 2781
2781. 'And saddled [his] ass' means the natural man which He prepared. This is clear from the meaning of 'an ass', dealt with below. In man there are things of the will and there are those of the understanding; with the former go those things which spring from good, with the latter those which spring from truth. There are various kinds of animals, by which things of the will springing from good are meant, such as lambs, sheep, goats, she- goats, young bulls, and oxen, see 1823, 2179, 2180; and there are also those by which are meant things of the understanding springing from truth, namely horses, mules, wild asses, camels, and asses, in addition to birds. 'A horse' means the understanding part of the mind, as has been shown above in 2761, 2762; ' a wild ass' means rational truth separated from good, see 1949; and 'a camel' means factual knowledge in general, and 'an ass' factual knowledge in particular, see 1486.
[2] There are two elements which constitute the natural degree of man's mind, or what amounts to the same, the natural man - natural good and natural truth. Natural good is the delight that flows forth from charity and faith, natural truth is knowledge of these. That natural truth is what is meant by 'an ass', and rational truth by 'a mule', becomes clear from the following places: In Isaiah,
A prophecy of the beasts of the south. In the land of distress and repression are the lion and the tiger, and from them come the viper and the flying fiery-serpent. They will bear their riches on the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures on the humps of camels - on a people [who] will not be any use [to them]; for the Egyptians will help in vain and to no advantage. Isa 30: 6, 7.
The expression 'the beasts of the south' is used of those who possess cognitions of good and truth but who make them matters of knowledge, not of life. In reference to those beasts it is said that those people 'bear their riches on the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures on the humps of camels', for the reason that 'young asses' means facts in particular, and 'camels' facts in general. 'The Egyptians', of whom it is said that they will help in vain and to no advantage, means knowledge, see 1164, 1165, 1186. It is evident to anyone that this prophecy has an internal sense and that without this it is understood by nobody, for without the internal sense no one can know what 'the prophecy of the beasts of the south' is, or what 'the lion and the tiger', or what 'the viper and the flying fiery-serpent', or what is meant by the words that 'those beasts were to bear their riches on the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures on the humps of camels', or why the assertion immediately follows that 'the Egyptians will help in vain and to no advantage'. 'Ass' is used with a like meaning in Israel's prophecy concerning Issachar, in Moses,
Issachar is a bony ass lying down between burdens. Gen 49: 14.
[3] In Zechariah,
This will be the plague with which Jehovah will smite all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem. It will be a plague of the horse, the mule, the camel, and the ass, and every beast. Zech 14: 12, 15.
'The horse, the mule, the camel, and the ass' means things of the understanding residing in man which will suffer from the plague. This is clear from every single detail before and after those verses, for the subject there is the plagues which are to precede the Last Judgement or. Close of the Age and to which John makes much reference in Revelation, as do the rest of the Prophets in various places. Those who are going to wage war at that time against Jerusalem, that is, against the Lord's spiritual Church and its truths, are meant by those animals. It will be the things of the understanding that will suffer from such plagues
[4] In Isaiah,
Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send forth the foot of the ox and the ass. Isa 32: 20.
'Sowing beside all waters' stands for those who allow themselves to be taught spiritual things - 'waters' meaning spiritual things and so things that constitute an understanding of truth, see 680, 739, 2702. 'Who send forth the foot of the ox and the ass' stands for natural things that are to be of service, 'ox' meaning the natural as regards good, 2180, 2566, 'ass' the natural as regards truth.
[5] In Moses,
Binding his young ass to the vine and the foala of his she-ass to the choice vine. He washes his vesture in wine and his cloak in the blood of grapes. Gen 49: 11.
This is the prophecy of Jacob, by then Israel, concerning the Lord. 'The vine' and 'the choice vine' stand for the spiritual Church, external and internal, 1069. 'Young ass' stands for natural truth, 'the foal of a she-ass' for rational truth. The reason 'the foal of a she-ass' means rational truth is that 'a she ass' means the affection for natural truth, 1486, while her foal means rational truth, see 1895, 1896, 1902, 1910.
[6] In former times a judge used to ride on a she-ass and his sons on young asses, the reason being that judges represented the goods of the Church and their sons truths derived from those goods. A king however used to ride on a she-mule and his sons on mules, the reason being that kings and their sons represented the truths of the Church, see 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069. The fact that a judge rode on a she-ass is clear in the Book of Judges,
My heart goes out to the law-givers of Israel offering themselves willingly among the people. Bless Jehovah, you who ride on white she-asses, you who sit on Middin.b Judg 5: 9, 10.
The fact that judges' sons rode on young asses,
Jair the judge over Israel had thirty sons who rode on thirty young asses. Judg 10: 3, 4.
And elsewhere in the same book,
Abdon the judge of Israel had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy young asses. Judg 12: 14.
David said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord and cause Solomon my son to ride on the she-mule which is mine. And they caused Solomon to ride on King David's she-mule. And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him king in Gihon. 1 Kings 1: 33, 38, 44, 45.
The fact that the king's sons rode on mules,
All King David's sons arose, and they rode each on his mule and fled because of Absalom. 2 Sam. 13: 29.
[7] From all this it is evident that riding on a she-ass indicated the judge, and riding on a she-mule the king; riding on a young ass indicated the judge's sons, and doing so on a mule the king's sons. They indicated these personages because, as has been stated, 'a she-ass' represented and meant the affection for natural good and truth, 'a she-mule' the affection for rational truth, 'an ass or young ass' natural truth itself, and 'a mule' as well as 'the foal of a she-ass' rational truth. This shows what is meant by the prophetical words that refer to the Lord, in Zechariah,
Exult, O daughter of Zion! Rejoice, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King will come to you. He is just and having salvation, humble and riding on an ass, and on a young ass, the foal of she-asses. His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. Zech. 9: 9, 10.
The fact that the Lord wished to ride on these when He was about to enter Jerusalem is well known from the Gospels. The event is referred to in Matthew as follows,
Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a she-ass tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. This took place to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet saying, Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King is coming to you, meek seated on a she-ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden. And they brought the she-ass and the colt and laid their garments on them and set Him on them. Matt. 21: 2, 4, 5, 7.
[8] 'Riding on an ass' served to indicate that the natural was subordinate, and 'riding on a colt, the foal of a she-ass' that the rational was so; for 'the foal of a she-ass' is similar in meaning to 'a mule', as has been shown above, where Gen. 49: 11 is referred to.c From this - the spiritual meaning of these animals- and because it was the right of the supreme judge and of the king to ride on them, and at the same time so that He might fulfil the representatives of the Church, the Lord was pleased to ride in this way. His doing so is described in John as follows,
The next day a great crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel! Jesus found a young ass and sat on it, as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting on a she-ass's colt! These things however His disciples had not understood at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of Him, and that they had done these things for Him. John 12: 12-16; Mark 11: 1-12; Luke 19: 28-41.
[9] From an this it may now be clear that every single thing in the Church of that period was representative of the Lord, and consequently of the celestial and spiritual things that are in His kingdom; even the she-ass and the colt of the she-ass were so, which represented the natural man as regards good and truth. The reason for the representation was that the natural man ought to serve the rational, and the rational to serve the spiritual; but the spiritual ought to serve the celestial, and the celestial to serve the Lord. This is the order in which one is subordinated to another.
[10] Because 'an ox and an ass' meant the natural man as regards good and truth many laws were therefore laid down in which oxen and asses are mentioned. At first glance these laws do not seem to be worthy of mention in the Divine Word, but when they are interpreted as to their internal sense, that which is spiritual and of great importance is seen within these laws, such as the following laws in Moses,
If anyone opens a pit, or if anyone digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or an ass falls into it, the owner of the pit shall recompense its owner with silver, and the dead animal shall be his. Exod. 21: 33, 34. If you meet your enemy's ox or his ass going astray you shall certainly lead it back to him. If you see the ass of one who hates you Lying under its burden, and you are disinclined to remove it, you shall certainly help to remove it from it. Exod. 23: 4, 5; Deut. 22: 1, 3. You shall not see your brother's ass or ox falling down in the road and hide yourself from them; you shall certainly help to lift them. Deut. 22: 4. You shall not plough with an ox and an ass together. You shall not wear mingled material made of wool and linen together. Deut. 22: 10, 11. Six days you shall do your works, and on the seventh day you shall rest, in order that your ox and your ass may rest, and the son of your woman servant, and the settler. Exod. 23: 12.
Here 'ox and ass' in the spiritual sense means nothing other than natural good and truth.
Latin(1748-1756) 2781
2781. `Et instravit asinum': quod significet naturalem hominem quem praeparavit, constat ex significatione `asini,' de qua sequitur. Sunt apud hominem voluntaria et sunt intellectualia, ad voluntaria pertinent illa quae boni sunt, ad intellectualia illa quae veri; sunt varii generis bestiae, per quas voluntaria quae boni, significantur, ut sunt `agni, oves, haedi, caprae, juvenci, boves,' videatur n. 1823, 2179, 2180; et sunt quoque bestiae per quas significantur intellectualia quae veri, nempe `equi, muli, onagri, cameli, asini,' praeter quoque`aves'; quod per `equum' significetur intellectuale, supra n. 2761, 2762 ostensum est; quod per `onagrum' rationale verum separatum a bono, videatur n. 1949; quod per `camelum' scientificum in communi; et per `asinum' scientificum in particulari, videatur n. 1486: [2] sunt duo quae constituunt naturale apud hominem, seu quod idem, naturalem hominem, nempe bonum naturale et verum naturale; bonum naturale est jucundum profluens ex charitate et fide, verum naturale est scientificum eorum. Quod verum naturale sit quod significatur per `asinum,' et verum rationale per `mulum,' constare potest ab his locis; apud Esaiam, Propheticum bestiarum meridiei: in terra angustiae et coarctationis, leo et tigris, et ex illis vipera et prester volans, ferent super humero asellorum facultates suas, et super gibbo camelorum, thesauros suos, super populo non proderunt; et Aegyptii vane et inaniter auxiliabuntur, xxx 6, 7;`bestiae meridiei' vocantur illi qui in cognitionibus boni et veri sunt, sed qui faciunt illas non vitae sed scientiae, de quibus dicitur quod `ferant super humero asellorum facultates suas, et super gibbo camelorum thesauros suos,' ex causa quia `aselli' significant scientifica in particulari, et `cameli' scientifica in communi; quod `Aegyptii' sint scientiae, videatur n. 1164, 1165, 1186, de quibus dicitur quod `vane et inaniter auxiliabuntur'; quod (t)propheticum hoc sensum internum habeat, et quod absque illo a nemine intelligatur, cuivis patet, nam absque sensu interno non sciri potest quid sit propheticum `bestiarum meridiei,' quid `leo et tigris,' quid `vipera et prester volans,' et quid quod `illae bestiae ferrent super humero asellorum facultates suas, et super gibbo camelorum thesauros suos,' et cur immediate sequitur, quod `Aegyptii vane et inaniter auxiliabuntur': simile per `asinum' intelligitur in prophetia Israelis de Jisaschare, apud Mosen, Jisaschar asinus ossis cubans inter sarcinas, Gen. xlix 14:
[3] apud Zachariam, Haec erit plaga, qua percutiet Jehovah omnes populos, qui pugnabunt contra Hierosolymam; . . . erit plaga equi, muli, cameli, et asini, et omnis bestiae, xiv 12, 15;
quod per `equum, mulum, camelum et asinum' significentur intellectualia apud hominem, quae plaga afficientur, constat ab omnibus et singulis ibi quae praecedunt et sequuntur, agitur enim de plagis quae praecedent ultimum judicium seu consummationem saeculi, de quibus etiam Johannes in Apocalypsi multis, et reliqui Prophetae passim; ii qui tunc pugnaturi contra Hierosolymam, hoc est, Ecclesiam spiritualem Domini, et ejus vera, significantur per animalia illa, qui quoad intellectualia plagis afficientur: [4] apud Esaiam, Beati vos serentes juxta omnes aquas, mittentes pedem bovis et asini, xxxii 20;
`serentes juxta omnes aquas' pro illis qui se in spiritualibus instrui patiuntur; quod `aquae' sint spiritualia, ita intellectualia veri, videatur n. 680, 739, 2702; `mittentes pedem bovis et asini' pro naturalibus quae inservitura; quod `bos' sit naturale quoad bonum, n. 2180, 2566; `asinus' est naturale quoad verum: [5] apud Mosen, Ligans ad vitem asellum suum, et ad vitem nobilem filium asinae suae; lavit in vino vestimentum suum, et in sanguine uvarum velamen suum, Gen. xlix 11;
ibi propheticum Jacobi, tunc Israelis, de Domino; `vitis et vitis nobilis' pro Ecclesia spirituali externa et interna, n. 1069; `asellus' pro vero naturali, `filius asinae' pro vero rationali; quod `filius asinae' sit verum rationale, inde est quia `asina' significat affectionem veri naturalis, n. 1486, cujus filius quod sit verum rationale, videatur n. 1895,1896, 1902, 1910. [6] Judex olim equitabat super asina, et filii ejus super asellis, ex causa quia `judices' repraesentabant bona Ecclesiae, et `filii eorum' vera inde; rex autem equitabat super mula, filii ejus super mulis, ex causa quia `reges et filii illorum' repraesentabant vera Ecclesiae, videatur n. 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069; quod judex equitaverit super asina, constat in Libro Judicum, Cor meum ad legislatores Israelis spontaneos in populo;
benedicite Jehovae, equitantes super asinabus candidis, sedentes super {1}Middin v 9, 10:
quod filii judicum equitaverint super asellis, Fuit Jairo judici super Israelem triginta filii, equitantes super triginta asellis, Jud. x 3, 4:
et alibi, Abdoni judici Israelis fuit illi quadraginta filii, et triginta filii filiorum, equitantes super septuaginta asellis, Jud. xii 14:
quod rex equitaverit super mula, Dixit David eis, Accipite vobiscum servos domini vestri, et equitare faciatis Salomonem filium meum super mula, quae mihi;
. . . et equitare fecerunt Salomonem super mula regis Davidis, . . . et unxerunt eum Zadok sacerdos et Nathan propheta in regem in Gihon, 1 Reg. i 33, 38, 44, 45:
quod filii regis super mulis, Surrexerunt omnes filii regis Davidis, et equitaverunt quisque super mulo suo, et fugerunt pro Absalome, 2 Sam. xiii 29; [7] inde patet quod equitare super asina fuerit insigne {2}judicis, et equitare super mula fuerit insigne {3}regis; et equitare super asello fuerit insigne filiis judicis, et super mulo filiis regis, ex causa, ut dictum, quia `asina' repraesentabat et significabat affectionem boni et veri naturalis,`mula' affectionem veri rationalis, `asinus seu asellus' ipsum verum naturale, et `mulus' ut et `filius asinae' verum rationale: inde patet quid intelligitur per prophetica de Domino, apud Zachariam, Exsulta filia Zionis, jubila filia Hierosolymae, ecce Rex tuus veniet tibi justus et salvatus ille, humilis et equitans super asino, et super asello filio asinarum; dominium Ipsius a mari usque ad mare, et a fluvio usque ad fines terrae, ix 9, 10;
quod Dominus voluit, cum ad Hierosolymam veniret, equitare super illis, notum est apud Evangelistas, de quo ita apud Matthaeum, Jesus misit duos discipulos, dicens illis, Abite in villam quae contra vos, et statim invenietis asinam alligatam, et pullum cum ea, solvite et adducite Mihi: . . . hoc factum ut impleretur quod dictum est per prophetam dicentem, Dicite filiae Zionis, ecce Rex tuus venit tibi mansuetus, sedens super asina, et super pullo filio subjugalis; . . . et adduxerunt asinam et pullum, et imposuerunt super eis vestimenta sua, et collocarunt Ipsum super illis, xxi 2, 4, 7;
[8] `equitare super asino' insigne erat quod subordinatum esset naturale, et `equitare super pullo filio asinae,' quod subordinatum esset rationale; quod `filius asinae' simile ac `mulus' significet, supra ad locum Gen. xlix 11 ostensum est; inde, et quia summi judicis et regis erat super illis equitare, utque simul repraesentativa Ecclesiae implerentur, placuit hoc Domino; de hoc ita apud Johannem, Postero die multa turba, quae venerat ad festum, cum audivisset quod veniret Jesus Hierosolymam, acceperunt ramos palmarum, et iverunt obviam Ipsi, et clamaverunt, Osanna, benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini, Rex Israelis: inveniens autem Jesus asellum, sedit super eum; sicut scriptum est, Ne time filia Zionis, ecce Rex tuus venit sedens super pullo asinae: haec vero non cognoverant discipuli Ipsius primum, sed quando glorificatus est Jesus, tunc recordati sunt quod haec essent de Ipso scripta, et haec fecissent Ipsi, xii 12-16;
Marc. xi 1-12; Luc. xix 28-41. [9] Ex his nunc {4}constet quod omnia et singula in Ecclesia {5}illius temporis fuerint repraesentativa Domini, et inde caelestium et spiritualium quae in regno Ipsius, et hoc usque ad asinam et asinae pullum, per quos repraesentabatur naturalis homo quoad bonum et verum; causa repraesentationis fuit quod naturalis homo servire debeat rationali, et hic spirituali, hic autem caelesti, et hic Domino; talis ordo subordinationis est. [10] Quia per `bovem et asinum' significabatur naturalis homo quoad bonum et verum, ideo plures leges latae sunt, in quibus boves et asini memorantur, quae leges primo aspectu apparent non dignae memoratu in Verbo Divino; at cum evolvuntur quoad sensum internum, apparet spirituale multi momenti, quod inibi; sicut hae apud Mosen, Cum aperuerit quis foveam, vel cum foderit quis foveam, et non operuerit eam, et ceciderit illuc bos vel asinus, dominus foveae rependet argentum domino, et mortuum erit sibi, Exod. xxi 33, 34:
Cum occurreris bovi inimici tui, vel asino ejus erranti, reducendo reduces eum illi: cum videris asinum osoris tui cubantem sub onere suo, et cessaveris a removendo illud, et removendo removebis ab illo, Exod. xxiii 4, 5; Deut. xxii 1, 3: Non videbis asinum fratris tui vel bovem, cadentes in via, et abscondis te ab illis, erigendo eriges, Deut. xxii 4: Non arabis bove et asino pariter; non vestias te textura mixta lana et lino simul, Deut. xxii 10, 11:
Sex diebus facies opera tua, et in die septimo quiesces, propterea {6}ut requiescat bos tuus, et asinus tuus, et filius ancillae tuae, et peregrinus, Exod. xxiii 12;
ibi `bos et asinus' in sensu spirituali nihil aliud significant quam bonum et verum naturale. @1 See note to n. 2709$ @2 judiciale$ @3 regium$ @4 constat$ @5 tunc$ @6 et I$