8409.由于“肉”表示正反两方面意义上的自我，在至高意义上是指主的神性自我，也就是祂的神性人身，因而是指祂对全人类的爱之良善，所以就涉及人的那层意义而言，“肉”表示被主的自我复活的一个自我；也就是说，它是与人同在的主之自我，因而是对主之爱的良善。关于“肉”在这层意义上的含义，可参看前文（3813，7850节）。但就反面意义而言，“肉”表示人自己的自我，因而是指自我之爱的邪恶和由此而来的那爱的渴望或贪欲（999，3813节）。人自己的自我无非是邪恶（参看210，215，694，874-876，987，1023，1044，1047，3812e，5660，5786节）。“肉”表示人自己的自我，因而表示各种邪恶，这一点从以下经文进一步明显看出来：
我必使那欺压你的吃自己的肉，他们必喝自己的血醉倒，好像喝甜酒一样。（以赛亚书49:26）
“吃肉”表示塞满他们自己的邪恶
耶利米书：
倚靠人，以血肉为膀臂， 心中离弃耶和华的，那人该受诅咒！（耶利米书17:5）
“以血肉为膀臂”表示信靠人自己的能力；故在以赛亚书（9:20），“自己膀臂上的肉”表示信靠自我。又：
埃及人不过是人，并不是神；他们的马不过是血肉，并不是灵。（以赛亚书31:3）
“埃及的马”表示属于一种败坏理解力的记忆知识（6125节）；“肉”表示死物，“灵”表示活物；这就是为何经上说埃及人“下身肥大（或肉体肥大）” （以西结书16:26）。“死物”这个词之所以用于邪恶，是因为邪恶导致属灵的死亡；“活物”之所以用于良善，是因为良善带来属灵的生命。
这解释了为何在圣言中，“肉或肉身、肉体”和“灵”彼此对立，如以下经文：
从肉身生的，就是肉身；从灵生的，就是灵。（约翰福音3:6）
又：
叫人活着的乃是灵，肉体是无益的。我对你们所说的话就是灵，就是生命。（约翰福音6:63）
创世记：
耶和华说，人既是属肉体的，我的灵就不永远责备他。（创世记6:3）
此处“肉体”表示人自己的自我。在以下经文也一样：
耶稣说，约拿的儿子西门，你是有福的。因为这不是属血肉的指示你的，乃是我在天上的父指示的。（马太福音16:17）
又：
约翰福音：
凡接待祂的，就是信祂名的人，祂就赐他们权柄，作神的儿女。这等人不是从血气生的，不是从肉欲生的，也不是从人意生的，乃是从神生的。（约翰福音1:12，13）
“肉欲”表示意愿部分的自我；“人意”表示理解力部分的自我；“神的儿女”表示那些已经重生的人；那些正经历重生的人都从主的自我获得生命，主的自我就是“主的肉和身体”，是神性良善本身。
“肉或肉身、肉体”因在反面意义上表示人自己的自我，因而表示邪恶，故也表示贪欲，因为肉身的生命，也就是身体自己的生命，无非是感官乐趣，就是身体欲望的乐趣和贪欲。“肉或肉身、肉体”表示贪欲，这一点从摩西五经中的这些话明显看出来：
百姓中间的乌合之众大起贪欲，以色列人又哭号说，谁给我们肉吃呢？现在我们的灵魂枯竭了，除这吗哪以外，在我们眼前并没有别的东西！耶和华对摩西说，你要对百姓说，你们要为了明天使自己分别为圣，使你们可以吃肉。因为你们在耶和华的耳中哭着说，谁给我们肉吃呢？我们在埃及不更好！耶和华必给你们肉吃，要吃一个整月，直到肉从你们的鼻孔喷出来，使你们厌恶。肉在他们牙齿之间，尚未吞咽，耶和华的怒气就向百姓发作，耶和华用极重的灾殃击打百姓。于是他给那地方起名叫“贪欲之人的坟墓”，因为他们在那里葬埋那起了贪欲的人。（民数记11:4，6，16，18，20，33，34）
由此可见“在埃及地坐在肉锅旁”表示什么，即一种随心所欲的生活，因而是指一种自我的生活。
Potts(1905-1910) 8409
8409. As "flesh" signifies one's own in both senses, in the supreme sense the Lord's Divine own, which is His Divine Human, thus the good of His love toward the universal human race; therefore "flesh" in the sense which has reference to man denotes one's own made alive by the Lord's own, that is, it denotes the Lord's own with man, thus the good of love to Him. (On the signification of "flesh" in this sense, see n. 3813, 7850.) But in the opposite sense, "flesh" denotes man's own, thus the evil of the love of self, and from this the cupidities or concupiscences of this love (n. 999, 3813). (That man's own is nothing but evil, see n. 210, 215, 694, 874-876, 987, 1023, 1044, 1047, 3812, 5660, 5786.) That "flesh" denotes man's own, thus evil of every kind, is further evident from the following passages in Isaiah:
I will feed thine oppressors with their flesh, and they shall be drunken with their blood, as with new wine (49:26);
"to feed with flesh" denotes to be gorged with their own evil. [2] In Jeremiah:
Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, but his heart departeth from Jehovah (17:5);
"to make flesh his arm" denotes to trust in his own power; and therefore in Isaiah 9:20, "to eat the flesh of his arm" denotes to trust in himself. Again in Isaiah:
Egypt is a man, and not God; and his horses flesh, and not spirit (31:3);
"the horses of Egypt" denote memory-knowledges from a perverted understanding (n. 6125); "flesh" denotes what is dead; "spirit," what is alive; therefore the sons of Egypt are said to be "great in flesh" (Ezek. 16:26). What is "dead" is so called from evil, for spiritual death is from evil; and what is alive is so called from good, for spiritual life is from good. [3] Hence it is that "flesh" and "spirit" in the Word are opposed to each other, as in the following passages:
That which is born from the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit (John 3:6). It is the spirit that maketh alive, the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life (John 6:63). Jehovah said, My Spirit shall not reprove man forever, for that he is flesh (Gen. 6:3);
here "flesh" denotes man's own. In like manner in the following:
Jesus said, Blessed art thou, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it, but My Father who is in the heavens (Matt. 16:17). As many as received, to them gave He power to be sons of God, to them that believe on His name; who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (1:12, 13);
"the will of the flesh" denotes one's own of the will; "the will of man," one's own of the understanding; "sons of God" denote the regenerate, and they who are being regenerated are all made alive from the Lord's own, which is "the flesh and body of the Lord," and is the Divine good itself. [4] As "flesh" in the opposite sense denotes man's own, thus evil, it also denotes concupiscence, for the life of the flesh, which is the body's own life, is nothing but the pleasure of the senses, the delight of the appetites, and concupiscence. That "flesh" denotes concupiscence, is evident from these words in Moses:
The rabble that was in the midst of the people lusted a lust, whence the sons of Israel wept again, and said, Who shall feed us with flesh? our soul is now dry, our eyes have nothing to turn to but the manna: and Jehovah said unto Moses, Say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves for the morrow, that ye may eat flesh, for ye have wept in the ears of Jehovah, saying, who shall feed us with flesh? for it was better with us in Egypt; Jehovah will give you flesh to eat, for a month of days, even until it come out from your nose, and it shall be a loathing to you. The flesh was yet between their teeth, before it was swallowed, when the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the people, and Jehovah smote the people with a very great plague, whence he called the name of that place "the graves of lust," because there they buried the people that lusted (Num. 11:4, 6, 16, 18, 20, 33, 34). From all this it is now evident what is signified by "sitting by the flesh-pot in the land of Egypt," namely, a life according to what they like and as they had desired, thus a life of their own.
Elliott(1983-1999) 8409
8409. As regards 'flesh' and its meaning the proprium in both the genuine and contrary senses, in the highest sense it is the Lord's Divine proprium, which is His Divine Human, and so is the good of His love towards the entire human race. From this in the sense that relates to man 'flesh' means a proprium made alive by the Lord's Proprium; that is, it is the Lord's Proprium present with the person, and so is the good of love to Him. Regarding the meaning of 'flesh' in this sense, see 3813, 7850. But in the contrary sense 'flesh' is the proprium that is man's own, thus the evil of self-love, and consequently the desires of that love, which are cravings, 999, 3813. The proprium that is man's own is nothing but evil, see 210, 215, 694 874-876, 987, 1023, 1044, 1047, 3812 (end), 5660, 5786. The fact that 'flesh' means the proprium that is man's own, thus evil of every kind, is in addition clear from the following places: In Isaiah,
I will feed your oppressors with their flesh, and they will be drunk with their blood as with new wine. Isa 49:26.
'Feeding with flesh' stands for filling with their own evil.
[2] In Jeremiah,
Cursed is the man (vir) who trusts in man (homo), and makes flesh his arm, but his heart departs from Jehovah. Jer 17:5.
'Making flesh his arm' stands for trusting in power that is one's own; therefore eating the flesh of one's arm stands for trusting in self, Isa 9:20. In Isaiah,
Egypt is man (homo) and not God, and his horses are flesh and not spirit. Isa 31:3.
'Horses of Egypt' stands for factual knowledge belonging to a perverted understanding, 6125; 'flesh' stands for what is dead, and 'spirit' for what is living. This is why the Egyptiansa are called great in flesh, Ezek 16:26. The expression 'what is dead' is applied to evil, since evil leads to spiritual death, and 'what is living' is applied to good, since good leads to spiritual life.
[3] This explains why 'flesh' and 'spirit' are set in contrast to each other in the Word, as in John,
That which has been born of flesh is flesh, and that which has been born from the spirit is spins. John 3:6.
In the same gospel,
It is the Spirit who bestows life, the flesh does not profit anything. The words which I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life. John 6:63.
In the Book of Genesis,
Jehovah said, My spirit will not reprove man forever, in that he is flesh. Gen 6:3.
'Flesh' here stands for the proprium that is man's own. Similarly in Matthew,
Jesus said, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this, but My Father who is in heaven. Matt 16:17.
And in John,
As many as received Him, to them He gave power to be sons of God, to those believing in His name, who were born, not of blood,b nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man (vir), but of God. John 1:12, 13.
'The will of the flesh' stands for the proprium, the will part, 'the will of man' for the proprium, the understanding part; and 'sons of God' stands for those who have been regenerated. And those undergoing regeneration all receive life from the Lord's Proprium, which is the Lord's Flesh and body and is Divine Goodness itself.
[4] Since 'flesh' in the contrary sense means the proprium that is man's own, and so means evil, it also means craving, for the life of the flesh, which belongs properly to the body, consists of nothing else than the desires of the senses, the delights of the bodily appetites, and cravings. The fact that 'flesh' means craving is clear from the following verses in Moses,
The rabble who were in the midst of the people had a strong craving, and so the children of Israel wept repeatedly and said, Who will feed us with flesh? But now our soul is dry; there is nothing at all except the man[na] for our eyes [to look] at. And Jehovah said to Moses, You shall say to the people, Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, in order that you may eat flesh; for you have wept in the ears of Jehovah, saying, Who will feed us with flesh, for it was better for us in Egypt? Jehovah will give you flesh to eat - for a whole month,c until it comes out of your nose and is loathsome to you. The flesh was still between their teeth, before it could be swat/owed when Jehovah's anger flared up against the people, and Jehovah struck the people with an extremely great plague. So he called the name of that place The Craves of Craving, because there they buried the people having the craving. Num 11:4, 6, 16, 18, 20, 33, 34.
From all this one may now see what 'sitting by a pot of flesh in the land of Egypt' means, namely a life according to their own pleasure and such as they craved for, which is the life of the proprium.
Latin(1748-1756) 8409
8409. Quod `caro' significet proprium in utroque sensu, in supremo sensu proprium Divinum Domini, quod est Divinum Humanum Ipsius, ita bonum amoris Ipsius erga universum genus humanum, inde `caro' in sensu respectivo ad hominem est proprium vivificatum a proprio Domini, hoc est, proprium Domini apud hominem, ita bonum amoris in Ipsum; de significatione `carnis' in hoc sensu, videatur n. 3813, 7850; in sensu autem opposito est caro proprium hominis, ita malum amoris sui, et inde illius amoris cupiditates, seu concupiscentiae, n. 999, 3813; quod proprium hominis non sit nisi quam malum, videatur n. 210, 215, 694, 874-876, 987, 1023, 1044, 1047, 3812 fin., 5660, 5786. Quod `caro' sit proprium hominis, ita malum omnis generis, constat adhuc ex his locis: apud Esaiam, Cibabo oppressores tuos carne illorum, et sicut musto sanguine (c)eorum inebriabuntur, xlix 26;2 `cibare carne' pro opplere malo suo {1}: apud Jeremiam, Maledictus vir qui confidit in homine, et ponit carnem brachium suum, a Jehovah autem recedit cor ejus, xvii 5;
`ponere carnem brachium suum' pro confidere propriae potentiae; inde edere carnem brachii sui pro confidere sibi, Esai. ix 19 [A.V. 20]: apud Esaiam, Aegyptus homo et non Deus, et equi ejus caro et non spiritus, xxxi 3;
`equi Aegypti' pro scientificis ex intellectuali perverso, n. 6125, `caro' pro mortuo, `spiritus' pro vivo; inde filii Aegypti dicuntur magni carne, Ezech. xvi 26; mortuum dicitur ex malo, nam ex malo mors spiritualis, et vivum dicitur ex bono, nam ex bono vita spiritualis: inde est quod `caro' et `spiritus' in Verbo sibi opponantur, ut apud Johannem, 3 Quod natum ex carne caro est, et quod natum a spiritu spiritus est, iii 6:
apud eundem, Spiritus est qui vivificat, caro non prodest quicquam, verba quae Ego loquor vobis, spiritus sunt et vita sunt, vi 63:
in Libro Geneseos, Dixit Jehovah, Non arguet spiritus Meus hominem in perpetuum, eo quod ille caro, vi 3;
`caro' ibi pro proprio hominis: similiter apud Matthaeum, Jesus dixit, Beatus es Simon, fili Jona, quia caro et sanguis non revelavit, sed Pater Meus qui est in caelis, xvi 17:
et apud Johannem, Quotquot receperunt, dedit illis potestatem ut filii Dei essent, credentibus in nomen Ipsius, qui non e sanguinibus neque e voluntate carnis neque e voluntate viri, sed ex Deo nati sunt, i 12, 13;
`voluntas carnis' pro proprio voluntario, {2} `voluntas viri' pro proprio intellectuali, `filii Dei' pro regeneratis; et qui regenerantur, omnes vivificantur ex proprio Domini, quod est {3} Caro et Corpus Domini, estque ipsum Bonum Divinum. 4 Quia caro in opposito sensu est proprium hominis, ita malum, etiam est concupiscentia, nam vita carnis, quae corporis est propria, non est nisi quam voluptas sensuum, {4}jucunditas appetituum, (c)et concupiscentia; quod `caro' sit concupiscentia, constat ab his apud Moschen, Colluvies quae in medio populi concupiverunt concupiscentiam, unde iterarunt et fleverunt filii Israelis, et dixerunt, Quis cibabit nos carne? nunc anima nostra arida est, non quicquam nisi quod ad man oculi nostri: et dixit Jehovah ad Moschen, Ad populum dices, Sanctificate vos in crastinum, ut comedatis carnem; flevistis enim in auribus Jehovae, dicendo, Quis cibabit nos carne, quia melius nobis in Aegypto? dabit Jehovah vobis carnem ad edendum; ad (x)mensem dierum, usque dum exibit e naso vestro, et fuerit vobis fastidio. Caro adhuc inter dentes illorum, antequam deglutiretur, cum ira Jehovae exarsit in populum, et percussit Jehovah in populo plagam magnam valde; unde vocavit nomen loci illius sepulcra concupiscentiae, quia ibi sepeliverunt populum concupiscentes, Num. xi 4, 6, [16,] 18, 20, 33, 34. Ex his nunc patet quid per `sedere ad ollam carnis in terra Aegypti' significatur, quod nempe vita secundum libitum et sicut {5}concupiverint, ita vita proprii. @1 i, et inebriare sanguine pro falso$ @2 i et$ @3 i in supremo sensu$ @4 jucundum$ @5 concupiverint$