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109. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life. That this signifies that he who receives in the heart shall be filled with the good of love, and hence with heavenly joy, is evident from the signification of overcoming, as being to receive in the heart, concerning which we shall treat in what follows; and from the signification of eating, as being to appropriate and to be conjoined (concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 2187, 2343, 3168, 3813, 5643); and from the signification of the tree of life, as being the good of love, and thence heavenly joy, concerning which also we shall speak presently. The reason why to overcome denotes to receive in the heart is, that everyone who is about to receive spiritual life will fight against the evils and falsities of his natural life, and when he overcomes them, then goods and truths, which belong to the spiritual life, are received in the heart (to receive in the heart is to receive in the will and love, for the heart in the Word signifies the will and love, as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2930, 3313, 7542, 8910, 9050, 9113, 10336); wherefore to receive goods and truths in the heart, is to do them from the will or love; this is what is meant by overcoming.
[2] The reason why the tree of life signifies the good of love, and thence heavenly joy is, that trees signify those things that are internally in man, which pertain to his interior mind (mens), or his external mind (animus), the boughs and leaves those things which pertain to the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good, and the fruits the goods of life themselves. This signification of trees originates in the spiritual world; for in that world trees of all kinds are seen; and these trees correspond to the interiors of the minds of angels and spirits; beautiful and fruitful trees to the interiors of those who are in the good of love, and thence in wisdom; trees less beautiful and fruitful to those who are in the good of faith; but trees bearing leaves only, and without fruit, to those who are only in the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth; and trees of a dismal hue, with malignant fruits, to those who are in knowledges (cognitiones) and in evil of life; but by those who are not in knowledges, and are in evil of life, trees are not seen, but instead stones and sand.
These appearances in the spiritual world, actually flow from correspondence; for the interiors of the mind of the inhabitants of that world are by such forms actually presented before their eyes. (These things may be seen better from two articles in the work, Heaven and Hell; in the first, where the correspondence of heaven with all things of the earth is treated of, n. 103-115; and in the other, where representatives and appearances in heaven are treated of, n. 170-176, and n. 177-190.)
[3] This then is why trees are so often mentioned in the Word, by which are signified those things which pertain to a man's mind; and why it is, that in the first chapters of Genesis, two trees are said to have been placed in the garden of Eden, one of which was called the tree of life, and the other the tree of knowledge (scientia). By the tree of life mentioned there is signified the good of love to the Lord, and thence heavenly joy, which those possessed who at that time formed the church, and who are meant by the man and his wife; and by the tree of knowledge is signified the delight of knowledges (cognitiones) without any other use than to be accounted learned, and to acquire renown for erudition, solely for the sake of honour or gain. The reason why the tree of life also signifies heavenly joy is, because the good of love to the Lord, which is specifically signified by that tree, has heavenly joy in it. (See the work, Heaven and Hell 395-414, and The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 230-239.)
[4] That trees, so often mentioned in the Word, signify the interiors of man's internal and external minds, and the things produced by the trees, as the leaves and fruit, such things as are derived from them, is evident from the following passages:
"I will give in the desert the cedar, the schittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the wilderness the fir tree, the pine and the box" (9277, 10261 what by the cedar, n. 9472, 9486, 9528, 9715, 10178 what by the vine, n. 1069, 5113, 6375, 6378, 9277; what by the fig, n. 217, 4231, 5113, and so forth.)
[5] Moreover, the things which are upon trees, as leaves and fruits, signify those things that pertain to man; leaves signify the truths pertaining to him, and fruits the goods, as in the following passages:
"He shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river; her leaf shall be green; neither shall it cease from yielding fruit" (Jeremiah 17:8).
By the river which went out from the house of God "upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, ascendeth the tree of food, whose leaf falleth not off, nor is its fruit consumed; it springeth again in its months, because its waters issue out of the sanctuary, whence its fruit is for food, and its leaf for medicine" (Ezekiel 47:12).
"In the midst of the street of it, and of the river (going out from the throne of God and the Lamb), on this side and on that side, was there the tree of life bearing twelve fruits, and yielding her fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations" (Apoc. 22:1, 2).
"Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law; he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither" (Psalms 1:1-3).
"Be not afraid, for the tree shall bear her fruit, the fig tree and the vine shall yield their strength" (Joel 2:22).
"The trees of Jehovah are full of sap, the cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted" (Psalms 104:16).
"Praise Jehovah, ye fruitful trees, and all cedars" (Psalms 148:9).
[6] Because fruits signified the goods of life with man, therefore in the Israelitish church, which was a representative church, it was commanded that the fruit of trees, like the men themselves, should be circumcised, concerning which it is thus written: The fruit of a tree serving for food shall be uncircumcised in the land of Canaan;
"three years shall it be uncircumcised unto you; and in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy, the praises of Jehovah. And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof" (Arcana Coelestia 217, 4231, 5113); but leaves signify knowledges (cognitiones), (n. 885). Hence it is clear what is signified by the fig-tree withering away, because the Lord found on it leaves only, and no fruit. All these passages are quoted in order that it may be known that by the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God, is signified the good of love proceeding from the Lord, and heavenly joy therefrom.
109. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, signifies that he who receives in the heart shall be filled with the good of love and with heavenly joy therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "overcoming," as being to receive in the heart (of which in what follows); also from the signification of "eating," as being to be appropriated and to be conjoined (See Arcana Coelestia 2187, 2343, 3168, 3813, 5643); and from the signification of "the tree of life," as being the good of love and heavenly joy therefrom (of which also in what follows). "To overcome" is to receive in the heart, because everyone who is to receive spiritual life must fight against evils and falsities which belong to his natural life; and when he overcomes these he receives in the heart the goods and truths which belong to the spiritual life. To receive in the heart is to receive in the will and love, for "heart" in the Word signifies the will and love (See Arcana Coelestia 2930, 3313, 7542, 8910, 9050, 9113, 10336). To receive in the heart, then, is to do these from the will or love; this is what is meant by "overcoming."
[2] "The tree of life" signifies the good of love and heavenly joy therefrom, because "trees" signify such things as are with man in his interiors, which are of his mind [mens] or disposition [animus]; "boughs" and "leaves" signifying those things that are of the knowledges of truth and good, and "fruits" the goods of life themselves. This signification of trees draws its origin from the spiritual world; for in that world trees of every kind are seen, and the trees that are seen correspond to the interiors of the angels and spirits which are of their mind; the most beautiful and fruitful trees to the interiors of those who are in the good of love and thence in wisdom; trees less beautiful and fruitful to those who are in the good of faith; but trees bearing leaves only, and without fruits, to those who are only in the knowledges of truth; and horrible trees, with noxious fruits, to those who are in knowledges and in evil of life. To those, however, who are not in knowledges, and who are in evil of life, no trees appear, but stones and sands instead. These appearances in the spiritual world really flow from correspondence, for the interiors of the minds of those there are by such effigies presented actually before their eyes. (These things may be better seen from two chapters in the work on Heaven and Hell; first, where the Correspondence of Heaven with all things of Earth is treated of, n. 103-115; and the other, where Representatives and Appearances in Heaven are treated of, n. 170-176, and in what follows there, n 177-190.)
[3] It is from this that "trees" are so often mentioned in the Word, and by them are signified the things with men that belong to their minds; and from this it is also that in the first chapters of Genesis: two trees are said to have been placed in the garden of Eden, one called "the tree of life," and the other "the tree of knowledge." "The tree of life" there signifies the good of love to the Lord, and heavenly joy therefrom, which were with those who were then of the church, and who are meant by the "man" and his "wife;" and by "the tree of knowledge" is signified the delight of knowledges apart from any other use than to be accounted learned and to acquire repute for erudition solely for the sake of honor or gain. "The tree of life" also signifies heavenly joy, because the good of love to the Lord, which is specifically signified by that tree, has heavenly joy in it (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 395-414, and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 230-239).
[4] That "trees," which are so often mentioned in the Word, signify the interiors of man which belong to his mind and disposition, and the things that are on trees, as leaves and fruit, signify such things as are from these interiors, can be seen from the following passages:
I will give in the desert the cedar, the shittah tree, 1and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the wilderness the fir tree, the pine, and the box tree (Isaiah 41:19).
The establishment of the church is there treated of:
The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine, and the box tree together, to deck the place of My sanctuary (Isaiah 60:13).
All the trees of the field shall know that I, Jehovah, humble the high tree, exalt the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree to bud (Ezekiel 17:24).
Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour the green tree in thee, and every dry tree (Ezekiel 20:47).
The vine is withered, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, all the trees of the field are withered: joy is withered away from the sons of men (Joel 1:12).
When the angel sounded, there followed hail and fire, which fell upon the earth; and the third part of the trees was burnt up (Revelation 8:7).
Beltshasar 2saw in a dream a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. The leaves thereof were fair, and the flowers many, and in it was food for all (Arcana Coelestia 9277, 10261; what by the "cedar," n. 9472, 9486, 9528, 9715, 10178; what by the "vine," n. 1069, 5113, 6375, 6378, 9277; what by the "fig," n. 217, 4231, 5113, etc.)
[5] Moreover, the things that are on trees, as leaves and fruit, signify such things as are with man; "leaves," the truths with him, and "fruits," the goods, as in the following passages:
He shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and shall spread out his roots by the river; his leaf shall be green; neither shall he cease from yielding fruit (Jeremiah 17:8).
By the river flowing out from the house of God, upon the bank on this side and on that, ascendeth the tree of food, whose leaf falleth not off, nor is its fruit consumed; it is renewed in its months, because its waters issue out of the sanctuary, whence its fruit is for food, and its leaf for medicine (Ezekiel 47:12).
In the midst of the street and of the river (flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb), on this side and on that, was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:1, 2).
Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law; he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of waters, that bringeth forth its fruit in its time, whose leaf also doth not wither (Psalms 1:3).
Be not afraid, for the tree shall bear fruit, the fig tree and the vine shall yield their strength (Joel 2:22).
The trees of Jehovah are satisfied, the cedars of Lebanon which He hath planted (Psalms 104:16).
Praise Jehovah, ye fruit trees, and all cedars (Psalms 148:7, 9).
[6] Because "fruits" signified the goods of life with man, therefore it was commanded in the Israelitish church, which was a representative church, that the fruits of trees, like men themselves, should be circumcised, concerning which it is thus written:
The fruit of the tree serving for food in the land of Canaan shall be uncircumcised; three years shall they be uncircumcised. But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy, praises to Jehovah. And in the fifth year shall ye eat [of the fruit thereof] (Arcana Coelestia 217, 4231, 5113); but "leaves" signify knowledges (Arcana Coelestia 885). From this it is clear what is signified by the fig tree's withering away because the Lord found on it leaves only and no fruit. All these passages are cited that it may be known what is signified by the "tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God," namely, the good of love proceeding from the Lord, and heavenly joy therefrom.
Footnotes:
1. This is translated "the cedar of Shittah" in Arcana Coelestia 9472, 9780, and in this work, 294, 375, 730.
2. In the Chaldee this is related of Nebuchadnezzar.
109. "Vincenti dabo edere de arbore vitae." - Quod significet qui corde recipit implebitur bono amoris et inde gaudio caelesti, constat ex significatione "vincere", quod sit corde recipere (de qua Sequitur); ex significatione "edere", quod sit appropriari et conjungi (de qua n. 2187, 2343, 3168, 3813, 5643); et ex significatione "arboris vitae", quod sit bonum amoris et inde gaudium caeleste (de qua etiam sequitur).
Quod "vincere" sit corde recipere, est quia omnis, qui recepturus est vitam spiritualem, pugnabit contra mala et falsa quae sunt vitae ejus naturalis; et quando illa vincit, tunc bona et vera, quae sunt vitae spiritualis, recipit corde: recipere corde est voluntate et amore, nam "cor" in Verbo significat illa (videatur n. 2930, 3313, 7542, 8910, 9050, 9113, 10336); quapropter recipere corde est ex voluntate seu amore facere illa; hoc intelligitur per "vincere."
[2] Quod "arbor vitae" significet bonum amoris et inde gaudium caeleste, est quia "arbores" significant talia quae sunt apud hominem in ejus interioribus, quae mentis seu animi ejus sunt, "frondes" et "folia" illa quae sunt cognitionum veri et boni, ac "fructus" ipsa bona vitae. Haec significatio "arborum" trahit suam originem ex mundo spirituali, ibi enim apparent arbores omnis generis: et arbores, quae apparent, correspondent interioribus angelorum et spirituum, quae sunt mentis eorum; arbores pulcherrimae et fructiferae, illorum interioribus qui in bono amoris et inde in Sapientia sunt; arbores minus pulchrae et fructiferae, illis qui in bono fidei; at arbores solum foliaceae et absque fructibus, illis qui modo in cognitionibus veri sunt; ac arbores tetrae cum fructibus malignis, illis qui in cognitionibus sunt et in malo vitae; illis autem qui non in cognitionibus et in malo vitae sunt, non apparent arbores, sed loco illarum saxa et arenae. Hae apparentiae in mundo spirituali actualiter fluunt ex correspondentia; nam interiora quae mentis eorum sunt per tales effigies sistuntur actualiter coram oculis eorum. (Sed haec melius videri possunt ex binis articulis in opere De Caelo et Inferno: in primo, ubi agitur De Correspondentia Caeli cum omnibus Telluris, n. 103-115; et in altero, ubi agitur De Repraesentativis et Apparentiis in Caelo, n. 170-176; et in sequentibus ibi, n. 177-190.)
[3] Inde nunc est quod in Verbo toties nominentur "arbores"; per quas ibi significantur ea apud homines quae sunt mentis eorum: et inde quoque est quod in primis capitibus Geneseos dicantur "binae arbores" in horto Edenis positae, una quae vocatur "Arbor Vitae", et altera quae "Arbor Scientiae." Per "arborem vitae" ibi significatur bonum amoris in Dominum, et inde gaudium caeleste, quae erant illis qui tunc ab ecclesia, et intelliguntur per "Hominem et ejus Uxorem"; et per "arborem scientiae" significatur jucundum cognitionum absque alio usu quam ut audiant docti et captent famam eruditionis solum propter honorem aut lucrum.
Quod "arbor vitae" etiam significet gaudium caeleste, est quia bonum amoris in Dominum, quod in specie per illam arborem significatur, gaudium caeleste in se habet (videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 395-414: et in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, n. De 230-239).
[4] Quod "arbores", quae toties nominantur in Verbo, significent interiora hominis quae mentis et animi ejus sunt, et illa quae super arboribus, ut "folia" et "fructus", talia quae ex illis, constare potest a sequentibus his locis:
"Dabo in deserto cedrum schittim, et myrtum, et arborem olei; ponam in solitudine abietem, taedam et buxum" (Esaias 41:19);
ibi agitur de ecclesiae instauratione.
"Gloria Libani ad te veniet, abies, taeda et buxus simul, ad decorandum locum sanctuarii mei" (Esaias 60:13).
"Cognoscant omnes arbores agri, quod Ego Jehovah humiliem arborem altam, exaltem arborem humiliem, arefaciam arborem viridem, et germinare faciam arborem aridam" (Ezechiel 17:24);
"Ecce Ego in te incendam ignem, qui comedet in te arborem viridem, et omnem arborem aridam" (Ezechiel 21:3 [B.A. 20:47]);
"Vitis exaruit, et ficus languet, malus punica etiamque palma et malus, omnes arbores agri exsiccatae sunt; exaruit gaudium de filiis hominum" (Joel 1:12);
"Cum angelus clanxit, facta est grando et ignis, ... qui cecidit super terram, et tertia pars arborum combusta est" (Apocalypsis 8:7);
1
Nebuchadnezar vidit in somnio "arborem in medio terrae, cujus altitudo magna, ... folium pulchrum, flos multus, et cibus omnibus in ea" (Daniel 4:7-12).
(Quia arbores in genere significant talia quae apud hominem, ac interiora quae mentis ejus sunt faciunt, et sic quoque spiritualia quae ecclesiae, et haec et illa varia sunt, ideo tot species arborum nominantur, et unaquaeque species significat aliquod differens; quid variae species significant, ostensum est in Arcanis Caelestibus: ut quid arbor olei", n. 9277, 10261; quid "cedrus", n. 9472, 9486, 9528, 9715, 10178; quid "vitis", n. 1069, 5113, 6375, 6378, 9277; quid "ficus", 217, 4231, 5113: et sic porro.)
[5] Insuper illa quae sunt super arboribus, ut folia et fructus, significant talia quae apud hominem, "folia" vera apud illum, et "fructus" bona; ut in sequentibus:-
"Erit sicut arbor plantata juxta aquas, et juxta fluvium emittit radices;... erit folium ejus viride... nec cessabit a ferendo fructum" (Jeremias 17:8);
Juxta fluvium exeuntem e Domo Dei" ascendit super ripa hinc et hinc arbor cibi, cujus non decidit folium, neque consumitur fructus ejus; in menses suos renascitur; quia aquae ejus e sanctuario exeunt; unde fructus ejus in cibum, et folium ejus in medicamentum" (Ezechiel 47:12);
"In medio plateae et fluvii (exeuntis e throno Dei et Agni) hinc et hinc arbor vitae faciens fructus duodecim, per mensem quemvis reddens fructum suum, et folia arboris ad sanitatem gentium" (Apoc. 22 [1,] 2);
"Beatus vir, ... cujus in lege beneplacitum;... erit sicut arbor plantata juxta rivos aquarum, quae fructum suum dabit in tempore suo, et folium non decidit" (Psalm. 1 (1, 2,) 3);
"Ne timete, ... quia arbor feret fructum, ficus atque vitis dabit vim suam" (Joel 2:22);
"Saturantur arbores Jehovae, cedri Libani quas plantavit" (Psalms 104:16);
"Laudate Jehovam arbores fructus, et omnes cedri" (Psalm. 148:7, 9).
[6] Quia "fructus" significabant bona vitae apud hominem, ideo in Ecclesia Israelitica, quae erat ecclesia repraesentativa, mandatum fuit ut fructus arborum, sicut ipsi homines, circumciderentur; de quibus ita legitur:
Fructus arboris inservient esui praeputiabitur in Terra Canaan, "et erunt praeputiati tribus annis;... et anno quarto erit omnis fructus sanctus, laudes Jehovae; quinto autem comedentur" (Leviticus 19:23-25).
Quia "fructus arboris" significabant bona vitae, ideo etiam mandatum est,
Ut in Festo Tabernaculorum acciperent fructus arboris honoris, et ramos, ac laetarentur coram Jehovah, et sic feriarentur festum (Leviticus 23:40, 41);
per "tabernacula" enim significabantur bona amoris caelestis, et inde sanctus cultus (n. 414, 1102, 2145, 2152, 3312, 2
4391, 10545); et per "Festum Tabernaculorum" significabatur implantatio illius boni seu amoris (n. 9296). Quia "fructus" significabant bona amoris, quae sunt bona vitae, ideo
Inter benedictiones erat, quod arbor agri daret fructum suum; et inter maledictiones quod non daret fructum (Levit. 26:4, 20 3
).
Et ideo quoque vetitum fuit, cum obsideretur aliqua urbs,
Ne securim mitterent in aliquam arborem fructus boni (Deuteronomius 20:19, 20).
Ex his nunc constare potest quod per "fructus" significentur bona amoris, seu quod idem, bona vitae, quae etiam "opera" vocantur; ut quoque in his locis apud Evangelistas:
"Securis ad radicem arboris jacet; omnis arbor non faciens fructum. bonum exscindetur et in ignem conjicietur" (Matthaeus 3:10; 7:16-21);
"Aut facite arborem bonam et fructum bonum, aut facite arborem putrem et fructum putrem; ex fructu enim cognoscitur arbor" (Matthaeus 12:33; Luca 6:43, 44);
"Omnis palmes non ferens fructum, 4
auferetur, omnis autem fructum ferens putabitur, ut plus fructus ferat" (Johannes 15:2-8);
"Ficum habebat aliquis in vinea sua plantatam; venit fructum quaerens in ea, sed non invenit; dicit ad vinitorem, Ecce tribus annis venio quaerens fructum ex ficu et non invenio; exscinde eam; quid terram infrugiferam reddet?" ( 5
"Jesus vidit ficum juxta viam; venit ad illam, et nihil invenit in ea nisi folia tantum; dixit, Nunquam ex te fructus erit; et arefacta est statim ficus" (Matthaeus 21:19; Marcus 11:13, 14, 20);
"ficus" significat naturalem hominem et ejus interiora, et "fructus" bona ejus (n. 217, 4231, 5113); "folia" autem significant cognitiones (n. 885): inde patet, quid significatur per quod ficus arefacta sit quia Dominus in ea solum folia invenit, et non fructus. Haec omnia allata sunt ut sciatur quid significatur per "arborem vitae in medio paradisi Dei", quod nempe bonum amoris procedens a Domino, et inde gaudium caeleste.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.
3. The editors made a correction or note here.
4. The editors made a correction or note here.
5. The editors made a correction or note here.