5620.“一点乳香，一点蜂蜜”表外层属世层的良善之真理及其快乐。这从“乳香”的含义清楚可知，“乳香”是指良善之真理，或源于良善的真理（参看4748节）。“乳香”之所以具有这种含义，是因为它属于香膏，以及芳香物质。芳香物质表示诸如属源于良善的真理的那类事物，当这些物质还具有油膏的性质，因而在它们的成分中有油质时，更是如此；因为“油”表示良善（886，3728，4582节）。这乳香是芳香的（参看创世记37:25）；因此，在原文，这个词表示香膏。显然，它是软膏状的，或油腻的。由此可见，“乳香”表示存在于属世层，在此存在于外层属世层中的良善之真理，因为经上首先提到“乳香”，然后又加上“蜂蜜”，“蜂蜜”表示那里的快乐。“蜂蜜”之所以表示快乐，是因为它是甜的，自然界中的一切甜蜜皆对应于灵界中的某种快乐或愉悦。之所以说它的快乐，也就是存在于外层属世层中源于良善的真理之快乐，是因为一切真理，尤其一切良善之真理都有自己的快乐。但这快乐源于对这类真理，因而对它们所提供的功用的一种情感。
“蜂蜜”表示快乐，这一事实也可从圣言的其它经文看出来，如以赛亚书：
必有童女怀孕生子，给祂起名叫以马内利（就是神与我们同在的意思）。到祂晓得弃恶择善的时候，祂必吃奶油与蜂蜜。（以赛亚书7:14-15）
这论及主；“奶油”表示属天之物，“蜂蜜”表示源于属天之物的东西。
同一先知书：
后来因为出的奶多，他就得吃奶油；在地中间所剩的人都要吃奶油与蜂蜜。（以赛亚书7:22）
这论及主的国；“奶”表示属灵良善；“奶油”表示属天良善；“蜂蜜”表示源于这些的事物，即幸福、快乐和愉悦。
以西结书：
这样，你就妆饰了金银，穿的是细麻衣和丝绸并绣花衣；吃的是细面、蜂蜜并油。你也极其美貌，发达到了王国的尊荣。又将我赐给你的细面、油和蜂蜜都摆在他们面前为馨香之气。（以西结书16:13，19）
这论及耶路撒冷，耶路撒冷表示属灵教会，经上描述了它在古人当中是什么样，后来变成什么样；它“妆饰了金银”表示妆饰了属天和属灵的良善和真理；它“穿的是细麻衣和丝绸并绣花衣”表示存在于理性层和属世层的那两个部分中的真理；“细面”表示属灵之物；“蜂蜜”表示它的怡人；“油”表示它的良善。谁都能看出，所有这些各自都表示诸如属于天堂的那类事物。
同一先知书：
犹大和以色列地的人都与你交易；他们用米匿的麦子、饼、蜜、油、乳香兑换你的货物。（以西结书27:17）
这论及推罗，推罗表示属灵教会，即就对良善与真理的认知而言，它起初是什么样，后来变成什么样（1201节）。“蜂蜜”在此也表示从对认识并学习属天和属灵的良善和真理的情感那里所获得的愉悦和快乐。
摩西五经：
耶和华使他乘驾地的高处，得吃田间的土产；又使他从磐石中咂蜜，从火石中吸油。（申命记32:13）
这也论及古代的属灵教会；“从磐石中咂蜜”表示从含有真理在里面的记忆知识中所得的快乐。
诗篇：
我必拿肥美的麦子给他们吃，又拿从磐石出的蜂蜜叫他们饱足。（诗篇81:16）
“拿从磐石出的蜂蜜叫他们饱足”表示从信之真理中所获得的快乐，或充满来自信之真理的快乐。
申命记：
耶和华领你进入美地，那地有流水的河、有从山谷中流出的泉、源；那地有小麦、大麦、葡萄树、无花果树、石榴树；那地有橄榄树和蜜。（申命记8:7-8）
这论及迦南地；在内义上论及主在天上的国度。“那地有橄榄树和蜜”表示属灵良善及其愉悦。
由于同样的原因，迦南地被称为“流奶与蜜之地” （民数记13:27；14:8；申命记26:9，15；27:3；耶利米书11:5；32:22；以西结书20:6）。就这些经文的内义而言，如前所述，“迦南地”表示主的国度；“流奶”表示丰盛的属天-属灵事物；“流蜜”表示从这些所得的丰盛的幸福和快乐。
诗篇：
耶和华的典章真实，全然公义。都比金子且比极多的精金可羡慕；比蜜且比蜂房滴下的甘甜。（诗篇19:9-10）
“耶和华的典章”表示神性真理；“比蜜且比蜂房滴下的甘甜”表示从良善所得的快乐和从真理所得的愉悦。又：
你的言语在我上颚何等甘美，在我口中比蜜更甜！（诗篇119:103）
此处意思也一样：
在摩西五经，雅各的后代在旷野所得、以之为食物的吗哪被描述如下：
这吗哪就像芫荽的种子，白色；它的滋味如同搀蜜的薄饼。（出埃及记16:31）
“吗哪”因表示经由天堂从主而降的神性真理，故而表示主自己的神性人身，如祂自己在约翰福音（6:51，58）所教导的。因为主的神性人身就是一切为神性的真理所来自的源头；事实上，所指的就是一切为神性的真理。正因如此，就赋予快乐和愉悦的吗哪的滋味而言，经上描述它“如同搀蜜的薄饼”。“滋味”表示良善的快乐和真理的愉悦（参看3502节）。
由于和以利亚（2762，5247节）一样，施洗约翰也代表圣言方面的主，圣言是地上的神性真理，所以他是那在主之前“先来的以利亚”（玛拉基书4:5；马太福音17:10-12；马可福音9:11-13；路加福音1:17）；因此，他的衣服和食物都是有意义的符号。它们在马太福音中被描述如下：
这约翰身穿骆驼毛的衣服，腰束皮带，他的食物是蝗虫、野蜜。（马太福音3:4；马可福音1:6）
“骆驼毛的衣服”显示了就圣言字义的真理而言，圣言是什么样。字义，即属世之义就是内义有一件衣服；因为“毛”和“骆驼”都表示属世之物；“食物是蝗虫、野蜜”显示了就圣言字义的良善而言，圣言是什么样；“野蜜”表示这良善的快乐。
就外在意义而言，以西结书中的“蜜”也描述了神性真理的快乐：
他对我说，人子啊，要吃我所赐给你的这书卷，充满你的肚腹。我就吃了，口中觉得其甜如蜜。（以西结书3:3）
启示录：
天使对我说，你拿着吃尽了，便叫你肚子发苦，然而在你口中要甜如蜜。我从天使手中把小书卷接过来，吃尽了，在我口中果然甜如蜜，及至吃完了，肚子觉得发苦了。他对我说，你必在许多人民、民族、方言、君王面前再说预言。（启示录10:9-11）
以西结书中的“书卷”和启示录中的“小书卷”表示神性真理。味道“甜如蜜”表示就外在形式而言，这书卷令人快乐；因为神性真理就像圣言，在外在形式或字义上是令人快乐的，因为这字义或外在形式允许各人以适合各人的任何方式来理解和诠释它。但内义不允许这样，这一点由它的苦味来表示；因为内义揭示人内在的样子。外在意义之所以令人快乐，是因为如前所述，人能以适合他的任何方式来解释其中的事物。包含在外在意义中的真理都是总体真理，并且在添加限定它们的具体真理，以及添加限定具体真理的细节真理之前，一直是总体真理。外在意义也充满快乐，因为它是属世的，藏有属灵之物在自己里面。此外，它也必须充满快乐，以便人能接受它，也就是被引入其中，而不是被吓阻在门槛处。
主复活后当着门徒的面所吃的“蜜房和烧鱼”也表示圣言的外在意义，“鱼”表示与外在意义有关的真理，“蜜房”表示它的愉悦；对此，我们在路加福音中读到：
耶稣就说，你们这里有什么吃的没有？他们便给祂一片烧鱼和一块蜜房，祂接过来，在他们面前吃了。（路加福音24:41-43）
由于鱼和蜜房表示这些事物，所以主对他们说：
这些就是我从前与你们同在之时对你们所讲的话，就是：摩西的律法、先知的书和诗篇上所记的关于我的话都必须应验。（路加福音24:44）
表面上看，所表示的不是这类事物，因为他们有一片烧鱼和一块蜜房似乎是很偶然的。而事实上，他们拥有这些东西是天意；不仅这一点，而且圣言中所提到的其它一切最小的事都是天意。由于所表示的是这类事物，所以主论到圣言说，它里面所记的是关于祂自己的事。然而，旧约字义中所记关于主的事极少；但包含在其内义中的一切都与主有关；圣言的神圣性便由此而来。这就是主说“摩西的律法、先知的书和诗篇上所记的关于我的话都必须应验”所表示的。
由此可见“蜂蜜”表示从良善与真理，也就是从对它们的情感所得的快乐，尤其表示外在快乐，因而表示外层属世层的快乐。由于这快乐具有这样的性质：它是从世界经由感官得来的，因而包含大量源于尘世之爱的事物在里面，所以人们被禁止在素祭中使用蜂蜜。这一点在利未记中说明如下：
凡献给耶和华的素祭都不可发酵，因为你们不可烧一点酵、一点蜜，当作火祭献给耶和华。（利未记2:11）
“蜜”表示这种外在快乐，它因包含某种尘世之爱的东西在里面，故类似于酵母，因此被禁止。至于“酵”或“发酵”是什么意思，可参看前文（2342节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 5620
5620. A little resin and a little honey. That this signifies the truths of good of the exterior natural and its delight, is evident from the signification of "resin," as being the truth of good or truth from good (see n. 4748). The reason why "resin" has this signification is that it ranks among unguents, and also among aromatics. "Aromatics" signify such things as are of truth from good, especially if they are of an unctuous nature, and so partake of oil; for "oil" signifies good (n. 886, 3728, 4582). That this resin was aromatic, may be seen in Gen. 37:25; and for this reason also the same word in the original means balsam. That it was like an ointment or thick oil, is evident. This then is the reason why by "resin" is signified the truth of good which is in the natural, here in the exterior, because "resin" is put first and joined with "honey," which is the delight therein. That "honey" denotes delight is because it is sweet, and everything sweet in the natural world corresponds to what is delightful and pleasant in the spiritual world. The reason why it is called its delight, that is, the delight of truth from good in the exterior natural, is that every truth and especially every truth of good has its own delight; but a delight from the affection of these, and from the derivative use. [2] That "honey" is delight is evident also from other passages in the Word, as in Isaiah:
A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel [God with us]. Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good (Isa. 7:14-15);
speaking of the Lord; "butter" denotes the celestial; "honey," that which is from the celestial. [3] In the same:
It shall come to pass for the multitude of milk that they shall yield, he shall eat butter; and butter and honey shall everyone eat that is left in the midst of the land (Isa. 7:22);
speaking of the Lord's kingdom; "milk" denotes spiritual good; "butter," celestial good; and "honey," that which is from them, thus what is happy, pleasant, and delightful. [4] In Ezekiel:
Thus wast thou adorned with gold and silver; and thy garments were of fine linen and silk and broidered work. Thou didst eat fine flour and honey and oil; so thou becamest beautiful very exceedingly, and thou didst prosper even unto a kingdom. With fine flour and oil and honey I fed thee; but thou didst set it before them for an odor of rest (Ezek. 16:13, 19);
speaking of Jerusalem, by which is meant the spiritual church, the quality of which is described as it was with the ancients, and as it afterward became. Her being "adorned with gold and silver" denotes with celestial and spiritual good and truth; her "garments of fine linen, silk, and broidered work" denotes truths in the rational and in each natural; "fine flour" denotes the spiritual; "honey," its pleasantness; and "oil," its good. That such things as belong to heaven are signified by these particulars can be seen by anyone. [5] In the same:
Judah and the land of Israel were thy traders, in wheat of Minnith, and pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm (Ezek. 27:17);
speaking of Tyre, by which is signified the spiritual church such as it was in the beginning and such as it afterward became, but in respect to the knowledges of good and truth (n. 1201). "Honey" here also denotes the pleasantness and delight from the affections of knowing and learning celestial and spiritual goods and truths. [6] In Moses:
Thou makest him ride on the high places of the earth, and he eats the produce of the fields. He maketh him suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flint of the rock (Deut. 32:13);
here also treating of the Ancient spiritual Church; "to suck honey out of the rock" denotes delight from truths of memory-knowledge. [7] In David:
I feed them with the fat of wheat, and with honey out of the rock I sate them (Ps. 81:16);
"to sate with honey out of the rock" denotes to fill with delight from the truths of faith. [8] In Deuteronomy:
Jehovah bringeth me unto a good land, a land of rivers of water, of fountains and of deeps that go out from the valley, and from the mountain; a land of wheat and barley, and of vine and of fig and of pomegranate; a land of oil olive and of honey (Deut. 8:7-8);
speaking of the land of Canaan; in the internal sense, of the Lord's kingdom in the heavens. A "land of oil olive and of honey" denotes spiritual good and its pleasantness. [9] Hence also the land of Canaan was called:
A land flowing with milk and honey (Num. 13:27; 14:8; Deut. 26:9, 15; 27:3; Jer. 11:5; 32:22; Ezek. 20:6). In the internal sense of these passages by the "land of Canaan" is meant, as before said, the Lord's kingdom; "flowing with milk" denotes an abundance of celestial spiritual things; and "with honey," an abundance of derivative happiness and delights. [10] In David:
The judgments of Jehovah are truth, righteous are they together; more to be desired are they than gold and much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the dropping of the honeycombs (Ps. 19:9-10);
the "judgments of Jehovah" denote truth Divine; "sweeter than honey and the dropping of the honeycombs" denotes delights from good and pleasantnesses from truth. Again:
Sweet are Thy words to my palate, sweeter than honey to my mouth (Ps. 119:103);
where the meaning is similar. [11] The manna that Jacob's posterity had for bread in the wilderness is thus described in Moses:
The manna was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like a cake kneaded with honey (Exod. 16:31);
as the manna signified the truth Divine that descends through heaven from the Lord, it consequently signified the Lord Himself as to the Divine Human, as He Himself teaches in John 6:51, 58; for it is the Lord's Divine Human from which all truth Divine comes, yea, of which all truth Divine treats; and this being so, the manna is described in respect to delight and pleasantness by the taste, that it was "like a cake kneaded with honey." (That the taste denotes the delight of good and the pleasantness of truth may be seen above, n. 3502.) [12] As John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, which is the Divine truth on earth, in like manner as Elijah (n. 2762, 5247), he was therefore the "Elijah who was to come" before the Lord (Mal. 4:5; Matt. 17:10-12; Mark 9:11-13; Luke 1:17); wherefore his clothing and food were significative, of which we read in Matthew:
John had his clothing of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loin; and his meat was locusts and wild honey (Matt. 3:4; Mark 1:6). The "clothing of camel's hair" signified that the Word, such as is its literal sense as to truth (which sense is a clothing for the internal sense), is natural; for what is natural is signified by "hair," and also by "camels;" and the "meat being of locusts and wild honey" signified the Word such as is its literal sense as to good; the delight of this is signified by "wild honey." [13] The delight of truth Divine in respect to the external sense is also described by "honey" in Ezekiel:
He said unto me, Son of man, feed thy belly and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. And when I ate it, it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness (Ezek. 3:3). And in John:
The angel said unto me, Take the little book and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. So I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey; but when I had eaten it my belly was made bitter. Then he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again over many peoples and nations and tongues and kings (Rev. 10:9-11). The "roll" in Ezekiel, and the "little book" in John, denote truth Divine. That in the external form this appears delightful, is signified by the flavor being "sweet as honey;" for truth Divine, like the Word, is delightful in the external form or in the literal sense because this admits of being unfolded by interpretations in everyone's favor. But not so the internal sense, which is therefore signified by the "bitter" taste; for this sense discloses man's interiors. The reason why the external sense is delightful, is as before said that the things in it can be unfolded favorably; for they are only general truths, and general truths are susceptible of this before they are qualified by particulars, and these by singulars. It is delightful also because it is natural, and what is spiritual conceals itself within. Moreover, it must be delightful in order that man may receive it, that is, be introduced into it, and not be deterred at the very threshold. [14] The "honeycomb and broiled fish" that the Lord ate with the disciples after His resurrection, also signified the external sense of the Word (the "fish" as to its truth and the "honeycomb" as to its pleasantness), in regard to which we read in Luke:
Jesus said, Have ye here anything to eat? They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb, and He took them and did eat before them (Luke 24:41-43). And because these things are signified, the Lord therefore said to them:
These are the words which I spoke unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me (Luke 24:44). It appears as if such things were not signified, because their having a piece of broiled fish and a honeycomb seems as if fortuitous; nevertheless it was of providence, and not only this, but also all other, even the least, of the things that occur in the Word. As such things were signified, therefore the Lord said of the Word that in it were written the things concerning Himself. Yet the things written of the Lord in the literal sense of the Old Testament are few; but those in its internal sense are all so written, for from this is the holiness of the Word. This is what is meant by His saying that "all things must be fulfilled which are written in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Him." [15] From all this it may now be seen that by "honey" is signified the delight that is from good and truth, or from the affection of them, and that there is specifically signified external delight, thus the delight of the exterior natural. As this delight is of such a nature as to be from the world through the things of the senses, and thereby contains within it many things from the love of the world, the use of honey in the meat-offerings was therefore forbidden, as in Leviticus:
No meat-offering which ye shall bring unto Jehovah shall be made with leaven; for there shall be no leaven, nor any honey, from what ye burn with fire to Jehovah (Lev. 2:11);
where "honey" denotes such external delight, which, because it contains in it what partakes of the love of the world, was also like leaven, and was on this account forbidden. (What "leaven" or "leavened" means may be seen above, n. 2342.)
Elliott(1983-1999) 5620
5620. 'A little resin and a little honey' means the truths of exterior natural good, and the delight that goes with these. This is clear from the meaning of 'resin' as the truth of good, which is truth derived from good, dealt with in 4748. The reason 'resin' has this meaning is that it belongs among unguent like substances and also among aromatic ones. Aromatic substances mean those kinds of entities that belong to truth derived from good, the more so when those substances also resemble unguents and consequently have oil among their ingredients; for 'oil' means good, 886, 3728, 4582. Since this resin was aromatic, see Gen 37:25, the same word in the original language also means balm; it was also, it is clear, unguent-like or thick with oil. From this one may now see that 'resin' means the truth of good present in the natural, in this case in the exterior natural since 'resin' is mentioned first, then 'honey', meaning the delight there, is added. 'Honey' means delight because it is sweet and everything sweet in the natural world corresponds to some delight or pleasure in the spiritual world. The reason for the use of the expression 'the delight that goes with this' - that is to say, with truth derived from good present in the exterior natural - is that every truth, and more so every truth of good, possesses its own delight. But that delight springs from an affection for such truths and consequently for the use they serve.
[2] The fact that 'honey' means delight may be seen also from other places in the Word, as in Isaiah,
A virgin will conceive and bear a son, and will call His name Immanuel (God with us). Butter and honey will He eat that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. Isa 7:14, 15.
This refers to the Lord. 'Butter' stands for what is celestial, 'honey' for what is derived from the celestial.
[3] In the same prophet,
It will be, because of the abundance of the milk which they give, that he will eat butter; both butter and honey will everyone eat that is left in the midst of the land. Isa 7:22.
This refers to the Lord's kingdom. 'Milk' stands for spiritual good, 'butter' for celestial good, and 'honey' for what is derived from these, namely happiness, pleasure, and delight.
[4] In Ezekiel,
Thus were you adorned with gold and silver, and your robes were fine linen, and silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, and honey, and oil; therefore you became extremely beautiful, and attained to a kingdom. With fine flour, oil, and honey I fed you; but you set this before them as a pacifying odour. Ezek 16:13, 19.
This refers to Jerusalem, by which the spiritual Church is meant; it describes what that Church was like among the Ancients, and what it came to be like after that. Its adornment with gold and silver is the furnishment of it with celestial and spiritual good and truth. Its robes of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth stand for truths present in the rational and in both parts of the natural. 'Fine flour' stands for what is spiritual, 'honey' for the pleasure accompanying this, and 'oil' for the good that goes with it. The fact that all these, each one, mean things of a heavenly nature may be recognized by anyone.
[5] In the same prophet,
Judah and the land of Israel were your traders in wheat of minnith and pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm. Ezek 27:17.
This refers to Tyre, by which is meant the spiritual Church, what it was like initially and what it came to be like subsequently so far as cognitions of good and truth were concerned, 1201. Also, 'honey' in this quotation stands for the pleasure and delight gained from affections for knowing and learning about celestial and spiritual forms of goodness and truth.
[6] In Moses,
He causesa him to ride over the heights of the land and He feeds [him] with the produce of the fields; he causes him to suck honey out of the crag, and oil out of the stony rock. Deut 32:13.
This too refers to the spiritual Ancient Church. 'Sucking honey from the crag' stands for the delight taken in factual knowledge that holds truths within it.
[7] In David,
I feed them with the fat of wheat, and with honey out of the rock I satisfy them. Ps 81:16.
'Satisfying with honey out of the rock' stands for the delight gained from the truths of faith.
[8] In Deuteronomy,
Jehovah is bringing you to a good land, a land of rivers of water, springs, and depths gushing out of valleys and mountains; a land of wheat and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey. Deut 8:7, 8.
This refers to the land of Canaan, in the internal sense to the Lord's kingdom in heaven. 'A land of olive oil and honey' stands for spiritual good and the pleasure that goes with it.
[9] For the same reason the land of Canaan is called 'a land flowing with milk and honey', Num 13:27; 14:7, 8; Deut 26:9,15; 27:3; Jer 11:5; 32:22; Ezek 20:6. In these places 'the land of Canaan' is used, as has been stated, to mean in the internal sense the Lord's kingdom. 'Flowing with milk' stands for an abundance of celestial-spiritual things, while 'honey' stands for an abundance of forms of happiness and delight received from these.
[10] In David,
The judgements of Jehovah are truth; they are righteous altogether - more desirable than gold, and much fine gold; and sweeter than honey and what drops from honeycombs. Ps 19: 9, 10.
'The judgements of Jehovah' stands for Divine truth, 'sweeter than honey and what drops from honeycombs' for the delights received from good and the pleasures received from truth. In the same author,
Sweet are Your words to my taste,b more than honey to my mouth. Ps 119:103.
Here the meaning is similar.
[11] The manna which the descendants of Jacob received in the wilderness as their bread is described in Moses as follows,
The manna was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers made with honey. Exod 16:31.
Because 'the manna' meant the Divine truth which came down from the Lord by way of heaven, it is the Lord's own Divine Human, as He Himself teaches in John 6:51, 58. For the Lord's Divine Human is the source from which every truth that is Divine springs; indeed it is what every truth that is Divine has reference to. This being so, the manna, the taste of which gave delight and pleasure, is described as being 'like wafers made with honey' - 'taste' being the delight which good provides and the pleasure that truth affords, see 3502.
[12] Because John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, which is Divine Truth on the earth - in the same way as Elijah had represented Him, 2762, 5247(end), making him the Elijah who was to come ahead of the Lord, Mal 4:5; Matt 17:10-12; Mark 9:11-13; Luke 1:17 - his clothing and food were therefore meaningful signs. They are described in Matthew as follows,
John had a garment of camel hair and a skin girdle around his waist; his food was locusts and wild honey. Matt 3:4; Mark 1:6.
'A garment of camel hair' was a sign of what the literal sense of the Word is like so far as truth there is concerned. That sense - the natural sense - serves as a garment for the internal sense; for 'hair' and also 'camels' mean what is natural. Food consisting of 'locusts and wild honey' was a sign of what the literal sense is like so far as good there is concerned, the delight belonging to that good being meant by 'wild honey'.
[13] In addition the delight afforded by Divine truth as this exists in the external sense is described by 'honey', in Ezekiel,
He said to me, Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your inward parts with this scroll that I am giving you. And when I ate it, it was in my mouth like honey as regards sweetness. Ezek. 3:3.
And in John,
The angel said to me, Take the little book and eat it up; it will indeed make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey. I therefore took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it up, and it was in my mouth like sweet honey. But when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. Then he said to me, You must prophesy again over many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and many kings. Rev 10:9-11.
'The scroll' in Ezekiel, and 'the little book' in John, stand for Divine truth. The delight this appears to possess in the outward form it takes is meant by the taste being sweet as honey; for Divine truth, like the Word, is full of delight in the outward form it takes, which is the literal sense, because this allows everyone to interpret and explain it in whatever way it suits him. But the internal sense does not allow him to do so, and this is meant by its bitter taste; for the internal sense discloses what man is like inwardly. The external sense is full of delight for the reason just stated, that a person can explain things there in whatever way it suits him. The truths contained in the external sense are all general ones and remain such until particular truths are added to qualify them, and specific ones to qualify these. The external sense is also full of delight because it is natural, concealing what is spiritual within itself. It needs to be full of delight too if a person is to accept it, that is, to be taken into it and not left standing on the threshold.
[14] The honeycomb and the broiled fish which after His resurrection the Lord ate in the presence of the disciples was also a sign of the external sense of the Word, 'the fish' meaning the truth associated with that sense and 'the honeycomb' the pleasure attached to it, described in Luke as follows,
Jesus said, Do you have any food at all here? They gave Him part of a broiled fish and some honeycomb, which He took and ate in their presence. Luke 24:41-43.
And because the fish and the honeycomb had that meaning the Lord therefore tells them,
These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and the Prophets, and the Psalms concerning Me. Luke 24:44.
The appearance is that nothing of the sort is meant, for it seems to have been purely by chance that they had part of a broiled fish and a honeycomb. But in fact their possession of these was providential - as is not only this but every other smallest fact mentioned in the Word. Because matters such as have been described were indeed meant, the Lord therefore referred to the Word, declaring that the things written in it had reference to Himself. But the things which have been written in the Old Testament Word regarding the Lord are but few in the sense of the letter, whereas everything contained in the internal sense has to do with Him; and it is from this that the Word gets its holiness. Everything contained in the internal sense is what is meant in the statement that 'all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and the Prophets, and the Psalms concerning Him'.
[15] From all this one may now see that 'honey' means the delight that is received from goodness and truth, that is, from the affection for these, and that specifically external delight and so that belonging to the exterior natural is meant. Because this delight is the kind that is gained from the world through the senses, and so contains within it much that springs from love of the world, people were forbidden to use honey in their minchahs. This is expressed in Leviticus as follows,
Every minchah which you bring to Jehovah shall be made without yeast; for no yeast nor any honey shall be used along with the fire-offering you burn to Jehovah. Lev 2:11.
'Honey' stands for the kind of external delight which, containing something of love of the world within it, was similar to yeast and therefore forbidden. What yeast or made with yeast implies, see 1342.
Latin(1748-1756) 5620
5620. `Parum resinae et parum mellis': quod significet {1}vera boni naturalis exterioris, et jucundum ejus, constat ex significatione `resinae' quod sit verum boni, seu verum ex bono, de qua n. 4748; causa quod resina id significet, est quia inter unguentosa est et quoque inter aromatica; quae aromatica sunt, illa significant talia quae sunt veri ex bono, et magis cum etiam unguentosa sunt et inde aliquid ex oleo trahunt, nam `oleum' significat bonum, n. 886, 3728, 4582: resina illa quod aromatica fuerit, videatur Gen. xxxvii 25, ac ideo quoque eadem vox in lingua originali balsamum significat; {2}quod illa unguentosa seu crasse oleosa, constat; inde nunc est quod per `resinam' significetur verum boni quod in naturali, hic in exteriore {3}quia primo loco ponitur, et adjungitur melli, quod est jucundum ibi. Quod Mel sit jucundum, est quia est dulce, et omne dulce in naturali mundo correspondet jucundo {3}et amoeno in spirituali; quod dicatur jucundum ejus, nempe veri ex bono in naturali exteriore, est quia omne verum, et magis verum boni, suum jucundum {5}habet, sed jucundum ex affectione eorum, et inde usu. [2] Quod `mel' sit jucundum, constare potest etiam ab aliis locis in Verbo, ut apud Esaiam, Virgo concipiet et pariet filium; et vocabit nomen Ejus Immanuel (Deus nobiscum), butyrum et mel comedet, ad sciendum Ipsum reprobare malum, et eligere bonum, vii 14,15;ibi de Domino; `butyrum' pro caelesti, {6}`mel' pro eo quod ex caelesti:[3]apud eundem, Erit, {7}prae multitudine faciendi lac, comedet butyrum; et butyrum et mel comedet omnis residuus in medio terrae, vii 22;
ibi de regno Domini; `lac' pro bono spirituali, `butyrum' pro bono caelesti, et `mel' quod ex illis, ita pro felici, amoeno, jucundo: [4] apud Ezechielem, Sic ornata es auro et argento; et vestes tuae byssus et sericum, et acupictum; similam et mel et oleum comedisti, unde pulchra facta es valde admodum; et prosperata es usque ad regnum:... simila, oleo et melle cibavi te; tu autem dedisti illud coram illis in odorem quietationis, xvi 13, 19;
ibi de Hierosolyma, per quam intelligitur Ecclesia spiritualis, describitur qualis fuit apud antiquos, et dein qualis facta est; quod `ornata fuerit auro et argento' est quod {8}bono et vero caelesti et spirituali; `vestes ejus byssus, sericum et acupictum' pro veris in rationali et {9}utroque naturali; `simila' pro spirituali, `mel' pro ejus {10}amoeno, et `oleum' pro ejus bono; quod per singula illa significentur talia quae sunt caeli, cuivis potest constare: [5] apud eundem, Jehudah et terra Israelis fuerunt negotiatores tui in triticis {11}minnith et pannag, et melle, et oleo, et balsamo, xxvii 17;
ibi de Tyro, per quam {12}significatur Ecclesia spiritualis, qualis in initio {13}fuit, et qualis postea facta, sed quoad cognitiones boni et veri, n. 1201; `mel' etiam ibi pro amoeno et jucundo ex affectionibus sciendi et discendi bona et vera caelestia et spiritualia: [6]apud Mosen, Equitare {14}facit eum super excelsa terrae, et cibat proventu agrorum, sugere facit eum mel e rupe, et oleum ex saxo petrae, Deut. xxxii 13;
etiam ibi de Ecclesia Antiqua spirituali; `sugere mel e rupe' pro jucundum {15}ex veris scientificis: [7](m)apud Davidem, Cibo eos ex adipe tritici, et e petra melle saturo eos, Ps. lxxxi 17;
{16}`e petra melle saturare' pro ex veris fidei jucundo. (m) {17}In Deuteronomio, [8] Jehovah deducens te ad terram bonam, terram fluviorum aquae, fontium, et abyssorum, exeuntium e valle, et e monte, terram tritici et hordei, et vitis, et ficus, et malogranati, terram olivae olei et mellis, {18} viii 7, 8;
de terra Canaane, in sensu interno de regno Domini in caelis; `terra olivae olei et mellis' pro bono spirituali et {19}ejus amoeno; inde etiam terra Canaan vocatur `terra fluens lacte et melle', Num. xiii (x)27, xiv 7,8, Deut. xxvi 9, 15, xxvii 3, Jer. xi 5, (x)xxxii 22, Ezech. xx 6; per terram {20}Canaan ibi in sensu interno intelligitur, ut dictum, regnum Domini, `fluens lacte' pro abundantia caelestium spiritualium, et `melle' pro abundantia felicitatum et jucunditatum inde(s): apud Davidem, [10] Judicia Jehovae veritas, justa sunt simul, desiderabilia prae auro, et prae obryzo multo, et dulcia prae melle, et stillatione favorum, Ps. xix 11 (A.V. 91 10);
`Judicia Jehovae' pro vero Divino, `dulcia prae melle et stillatione -avorum' pro jucundis ex bono et amoenis ex vero: apud eundem, Dulcia sunt palato meo verba Tua, prae melle ori meo, Ps. xix103;
similiter. [11] {21} Manna quae erat {22}pro pane Jacobi posteris in deserto, ita describitur apud Mosen, Man erat sicut semen coriandri, album, et gustus ejus sicut placentae melle subactae, Exod. xvi 31;
`Man' quia significabat verum Divinum quod a Domino per caelum descendit, proinde Ipsum Dominum quoad Divinum Humanum, ut Ipse docet Joh. vi 51, 58, est enim Divinum Humanum Domini ex quo omne verum Divinum, immo de quo omne verum Divinum; et quia ita, describitur manna quoad jucundum et amoenum per gustum {23}, qui esset `sicut placentae melle subactae'; quod `gustus' sit jucundum boni et amoenum veri, videatur n. 3502. Johannes Baptista quia repraesentabat Dominum quoad Verbum, quod est Divinum Verum in terra, pariter ac Elias, n. 2762, 5247 fin., {24}ideo is fuit `Elias, qui ante Dominum venturus', Mal. iii 23 (A.V. iv 5), Matth. xvii 10-12, Marc. ix 11-13, Luc. i 17, {25}quare indumenta illius et alimenta erant significativa, de quibus apud Matthaeum, Johannes habebat indumentum suum ex pilis cameli, et cingulum coriaceum circa lumbum suum, alimentum ejus erant locustae et mel agreste, iii 4, Marc. i 6;
`indumentum ex pilis cameli' significabat Verbum qualis `est' ejus sensus litteralis quoad verum, qui sensus est indumentum pro sensu interno, quod nempe naturalis, significatur enim naturale per `pilos', tum per `camelos'; et alimentum quod `locustae et mel agreste' significabat Verbum qualis {26}est ejus sensus litteralis quoad bonum; [13] ejus jucundum significatur per `mel agreste'. Etiam jucundum veri Divini quoad sensum externum describitur per `mel' apud Ezechielem, Dixit ad me, Fili hominis, ventrem tuum ciba, et viscera tua imple volumine hoc, quod Ego dans tibi: cumque comedi, fuit in ore meo sicut mel quoad dulcedinem, iii 3:
et apud Johannem, Angelus dixit mihi, Accipe libellum et devora illum, amarum quidem reddet ventrem tuum, sed in ore tuo erit dulcis sicut mel: accepi itaque libellum e manu angeli, et devoravi, qui erat in ore meo sicut mel dulcis, sed cum comedissem illum, amarus redditus est venter meus: tunc dixit mihi, Oportet te rursus prophetare super populos et gentes, et linguas, et reges multos, Apoc. x 9-11;
`volumen' apud Ezechielem, et `libellus' apud Johannem, pro vero Divino; hoc quod in externa forma appareat jucundum, significatur per quod sapor esset dulcis sicut mellis, verum enim Divinum, sicut Verbum, in externa forma seu in sensu litterali est jucundum, quia ad favorem cujusvis per interpretationes (t)se explicari patitur; non autem sensus internus, qui ideo significatur per saporem amarum, (m) {27}hic enim sensus detegit interiora hominis; quod sensus {28}externus sit jucundus, est causa {29}quae dicta, quod quae ibi ad favorem explicari {30}queant, sunt ibi modo communia vera, et communia {31}sunt talia, antequam qualificata sunt {32}per particularia, et haec per singularia; tum jucundus est, quia {33}est naturalis, et spirituale {34}se recondit intus; jucundus etiam erit, ut homo recipiat, hoc est, ut introducatur et {35}non in primo limine {36}deterreatur.(n) Favus apiarius et piscis assus quos comedit Dominus post resurrectionem apud discipulos, etiam Verbi sensum externum significabant, `piscis' quoad ejus verum et `favus apiarius' quoad ejus amoenum, de quibus ita apud Lucam, Jesus dixit, Habetisne aliquid edulii hic? illi dederunt Ipsi piscis assi partem, et de favo apiario, quae accipiens coram illis comedit, xxiv 41-43;
et quia illa significantur, ideo Dominus ad illos dicit, Haec sunt verba quae locutus sum ad vos cum adhuc essem vobiscum, quod oporteret impleri omnia quae scripta sunt in lege Mosis, et Prophetis, et Psalmis, de Me, ibid. vers. 44;
apparet sicut talia non significarentur, quia quod haberent piscis assi partem et favum apiarium videtur sicut ex fortuito, at usque fuerat ex proviso, non solum hoc, sed etiam {37}reliqua quoad omnium minima quae in Verbo; (m)quia {38}talia significabantur, ideo loquebatur Dominus de Verbo, quod in illo scripta sint de Ipso;(n) at quae de Domino scripta sunt in Verbo Veteris Testamenti in sensu litterae, pauca sunt, sed quae in sensu interno, sunt omnia, inde enim sanctum Verbi est; haec intelliguntur per quod `oporteret impleri omnia quae scripta sunt in lege Mosis, et Prophetis, et Psalmis de {39}Ipso. Ex his nunc constare potest quod per `mel' significetur jucundum quod ex bono et vero seu ex eorum affectione, et quod in specie significetur jucundum externum, ita exterioris naturalis; hoc jucundum quia tale est ut (c)e mundo per sensualia sit, et sic in se plura ex amore mundi contineat, idcirco vetitum erat ut mel adhiberetur in minhis, de quo ita in Levitico, Omnis minha, quam adferetis Jehovae, non conficietur fermentata; ullum enim fermentum, aut ullum mel non, de quo adoleatis ignitum Jehovae, ii 11;
`mel' pro jucundo externo tali quod, quia in se ex amore mundi {40}continet, etiam fermenti instar erat, quapropter prohibebatur; quid fermentum seu fermentatum, videatur n. 2342. @1 verum@ @2 et quod$ @3 et ex significatione mellis, quod sit jucundum ejus, constat ex significatione mellis, quod sit jucundum; quod mel id significet$ @4 seu$ @5 habeat A, habent I$ @6 et mel id$ @7 pro$ @8 bono caelesti et vero spirituali$ @9 i in$ @10 jucundo$ @11 see note to n. 3941$ @12 i etiam$ @13 fuerat$ @14 facis A I $ @15 i boni$ @16 similiter$ @17 Apud Mosen$ @18 i Deut$ @19 inde$ @20 ibi etiam$ @21 Man$ @22 cibus$ @23 i ejus$ @24 i et$ @25 ideo quoque$ @26 after literalis$ @27 nam hic $ @28 internus I $ @29 ut dictum$ @30 potest here, d in error$ @31 i enim$ @32 a singularibus$ @33 mere$ @34 i ibi$ @35 nec$ @36 absterreatur$ @37 i omnia$ @38 Verbum significabatur$ @39 Me$ @40 continebat$