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118. And poverty (but thou art rich). That this signifies acknowledgment that they know nothing from themselves, is evident from the signification of poverty, as being acknowledgment of the heart that they know nothing from themselves, concerning which we shall speak presently. That by poverty is here meant spiritual poverty, and that by thou art rich is meant to be spiritually rich, is evident, because these things are said to the church. To be spiritually poor and nevertheless to be rich, is to acknowledge in heart that a man of himself knows nothing, that he has neither understanding nor wisdom, but that all knowledge, understanding and wisdom are from the Lord. In such acknowledgment are all the angels of heaven; therefore they are intelligent and wise, and this in a degree corresponding to their acknowledgment and perception that this is the case; for they know and perceive that nothing of the truth which is called the truth of faith, and nothing of the good which is called the good of love, is from themselves, but from the Lord; they know also that all things which they understand, and in which they are wise, have reference to the truth of faith and to the good of love. They also know that all their intelligence and wisdom are from the Lord. And because they know and acknowledge this, and also because they desire and love it to be so, therefore Divine truth continually flows into them from the Lord, from whom they have all intelligence and wisdom, which they receive in proportion as they are affected by it, that is, in proportion as they love it. But, on the other hand, infernal spirits believe that everything they think, will and thence speak and do, is from themselves, and not from God; for they do not believe in the Divine; consequently, also, instead of being intelligent and wise, they are insane and foolish; for they think contrary to the truth, and will contrary to good, which is to be insane and foolish. Every man who is in the love of self acts in a similar way; because he looks only to himself, he cannot do otherwise than attribute every thing to himself, and he does this because he does not acknowledge that all intelligence and wisdom are from the Lord. Consequently, when such persons think in themselves, they do so against the goods and truths of the church and of heaven, although when speaking with men they say otherwise, from a fear of losing their reputation.
[2] From these considerations it may be known what is meant by poverty in the spiritual sense. The reason why he who is spiritually poor, nevertheless is rich, is, that he is in the spiritual affection of truth; for intelligence and wisdom flow from the Lord into this affection. Every one's affection receives and takes in things congenial to itself, as a sponge absorbs water: thus the spiritual affection of truth receives and takes in spiritual truths, which are the truths of the church derived from the Word. The reason why the spiritual affection of truth is from the Lord alone is, that the Lord is Divine truth in heaven and in the church, for it proceeds from Him; and because the Lord loves to lead every one to Himself, and to save him, and this can only be effected by the knowledges (cognitiones) of good and truth from the Word, therefore He loves to implant these in man, and to make them principles of his life; for in this and in no other way can he lead man to Himself and save him. It is therefore clear that all spiritual affection of truth is from the Lord, and that no one can be in that affection unless he acknowledges the Divine of the Lord in His Human; for by this acknowledgment there is conjunction, and according to conjunction there is reception. (On this subject more may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell, where it treats of the wisdom of the angels of heaven, n. 265-275; and concerning the wise and the simple in heaven, n. 346-356, and in the same work, n. 13, 19, 25, 26, 133, 139, 140, 205, 297, 422, 523, 603, and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 11-27; and above, n. 6, 59, 112, 115, 117.)
[3] Throughout the Word frequent mention is made of the poor and needy, and also of the hungry and thirsty. By the poor and needy are signified those who believe that they know nothing of themselves, and also those who do not know, because they have not the Word. By the hungry and thirsty are signified those who continually desire to possess truths, and to be perfected by them. Both the latter and the former are meant by the poor, the needy, the hungry, and thirsty, in the following passages:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled" (71.) Their desire is here described by their tongue failing for thirst; and the abundance which they should have, by rivers being opened in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys.
[4] Those who do not know that by the rich are signified those who have the Word, and who can therefore have the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good, and that by the poor are signified those who have not the Word and yet desire truths, cannot but suppose that by the rich man in Luke (Arcana Coelestia 9467), and fine linen signifies genuine truth (see Arcana Coelestia 5319, 9469, 9596, 9744), both from the Word. The reason why the poor man is described as being laid at the rich man's gate, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from his table, is, that to be laid at the gate denotes to be cast out, and to be deprived of reading and understanding the Word; and to wish to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table denotes to desire some truths therefrom, for food signifies the things of knowledge (scientia), intelligence and wisdom, and in general, good and truth (see Arcana Coelestia 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5410, 5426, 5576, 5582, 5588, 5655, 8562, 9003), and a table signifies that which receives such things (see Arcana Coelestia 9527). Because the poor man had that desire, which is the same thing as being in the spiritual affection of truth, therefore it is said of him that he was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom, by which is signified that he was raised up into an angelic state of intelligence and wisdom; the bosom of Abraham denoting the Divine truth which is in heaven; for those who are therein are with the Lord. (That Abraham in the Word signifies the Lord, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2010, 2833, 2836, 3245, 3251, 3305, 3439, 3703, 6098, 6185, 6276, 6804, 6847.)
[5] What is here signified by the rich man, and by the poor man who hungered, is also signified by the rich and the hungry in Luke:
"He hath filled the hungry with good, and the rich he hath sent empty away" (Arcana Coelestia 1694, 4508, 10227; and in the work, Heaven and Hell 365; and in the opposite sense, the knowledges of falsity and evil, which they confirm from the sense of the letter of the Word, Arcana Coelestia 1694. That riches in the Word signify the knowledges of truth and good, and therefore intelligence and wisdom, is the result of correspondence; for with the angels in heaven all things appear shining, as it were from gold, silver, and precious stones; and this according as they are in the intelligence of truth and in the wisdom of good: with spirits also who are below the heavens, there are riches in appearance according to their reception of truth and good from the Lord.)
118. And poverty, but thou art rich, signifies the acknowledgment that they know nothing from themselves. This is evident from the signification of "poverty," as being the acknowledgment of heart that they know nothing from themselves (of which presently); and from the signification of "but thou art rich," as being the affection of spiritual truth (of which also presently). That by "poverty" spiritual poverty is here meant, and that by "thou art rich" is meant to be spiritually rich, is clear, since these things are said to the church. To be spiritually poor, and yet to be rich, is to acknowledge in heart that one has no knowledge nor understanding nor wisdom from himself, but that he knows, understands, and is wise wholly from the Lord. In such acknowledgment are all the angels of heaven, wherefore they are also intelligent and wise, and this in the same degree in which they are in the acknowledgment and perception that this is the case. For they know and perceive that nothing of the truth that is called the truth of faith, and nothing of the good that is called the good of love, is from themselves, but that these are from the Lord; they also know and perceive that all things that they understand and in which they are wise have reference to the truth of faith and to the good of love; and from this again they know that all their intelligence and wisdom is from the Lord; and because they know and acknowledge this, and also wish and love it to be so, Divine truth from which are all intelligence and wisdom continually flows in from the Lord, and this they receive in the measure in which they are affected by it, that is, love it. But, on the other hand, the spirits of hell believe that all things which they think and will, and thence speak and do, are from themselves, and nothing from God; for they do not believe in a Divine; consequently, instead of intelligence and wisdom they have insanity and folly, for they think contrary to truth, and will contrary to good, and this is to be insane and foolish. Every man who is in the love of self does the same; he cannot do otherwise than attribute all things to self, because he looks only to self; and because he does this he is not in any acknowledgment that all intelligence and wisdom are from the Lord; consequently, when such persons think with themselves, they think contrary to the truths and goods of the church and of heaven, although when speaking with men they talk otherwise, from a fear of losing their reputation.
[2] From this it can be known what "poverty" in the spiritual sense means. He who is spiritually poor is nevertheless rich, because he is in the spiritual affection of truth; for into this affection intelligence and wisdom from the Lord flow; for everyone's affection receives and imbibes things congenial to it, as a sponge does water; therefore the spiritual affection of truth receives and imbibes spiritual truths, which are the truths of the church, from the Word. The spiritual affection of truth has no other source than the Lord, because the Lord is Divine truth in heaven and in the church, for Divine truth proceeds from Him. And as the Lord loves to lead everyone to Himself, and to save him, and this He can do only by the knowledges of good and truth from the Word, so the Lord loves to impart these to man, and make them of his life, for in this way and no other can He lead man to Himself and save him. From this it is manifest that all spiritual affection of truth is from the Lord, and that no one can be in that affection unless he acknowledges the Divine of the Lord in His Human, for by such acknowledgment there is conjunction, and according to conjunction there is reception. (On this more may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell, where it treats of The Wisdom of the Angels of Heaven, n. 265-275 ; and of The Wise and the Simple in Heaven, n. 346-356, and elsewhere in the same work, n. 13, 19, 25-26, 133, 139-140, 205, 297, 422, 523, 603; and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 11-27; and above, in the explanation of Revelation, n. 6, 59, 112, 115, 117.
[3] In the Word, "the poor and needy" are mentioned here and there, also the "hungry and thirsty." By "the poor and needy" are signified those who believe that of themselves they know nothing; and also those who are destitute of knowledge because they have not the Word; and by the "hungry and thirsty" are signified those who continually long for truths, and long to be perfected by means of truths. These two classes are meant by the "poor," the "needy," the "hungry," and the "thirsty," in the following passages:
Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled (71.) Their longing is here described by "their tongue fainting for thirst," and the abundance they are to have by "rivers being opened on the heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys."
[4] Those who do not know that by the "rich" are signified those who have the Word and who thence can be in the knowledges of truth and good, and that by the "poor" are signified those who have not the Word, and yet long for truths, know no other than that by the "rich man" in Luke (Arcana Coelestia 9467), and the "fine linen" genuine truth (Arcana Coelestia 5319, 9469, 9596, 9744), both from the Word. The poor man is described as "laid at the rich man's gate, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table," because by "to be laid at the gate" is meant to be rejected, and to be deprived of the opportunity to read and understand the Word; and "wishing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table" means to long for some truths from the Word, for "food" signifies the things of knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom and in general, good and truth (Arcana Coelestia 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5410, 5426, 5576, 5582, 5588, 5655, 8562, 9003); and "table" signifies a receptacle for these (Arcana Coelestia 9527). As the poor man was in that longing, which is the same as the spiritual affection of truth, it is said of him that "he was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom," by which is signified to be raised into an angelic state in respect to intelligence and wisdom; "Abraham's bosom" is the Divine truth that is in heaven, for those who are in that are with the Lord. (That "Abraham" in the Word signifies the Lord, see Arcana Coelestia (Arcana Coelestia 2010), n. 2010, 2833, 2836, 3245, 3251, 3305, 3439, 3703, 6098, 6185, 6276, 6804, 6847)
[5] The like that is signified here by the "rich man" and the "poor man who hungered" is signified by the "rich" and the "hungry" in Luke:
The hungry He hath filled with good, and the rich He hath sent empty away (Arcana Coelestia 1694, 4508, 10227; and in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 365; and in a contrary sense, the knowledges of what is false and evil, which are confirmed from the sense of the letter of the Word, Arcana Coelestia 1694.) That "riches" in the Word signify the knowledges of truth and good, and intelligence and wisdom therefrom, is from correspondence; for with the angels in heaven all things appear as if refulgent with gold, and silver, and precious stones; and this so far as they are in the intelligence of truth and in the wisdom of good. Also with the spirits who are below the heavens there are riches in appearance according to the reception of truth and good from the Lord with them.
118. "Et paupertatem, dives sed es." - Quod significet agnitionem quod nihil ex se sciant, constat ex significatione "paupertatis", quod sit agnitio cordis quod nihil ex se sciant (de qua sequitur); et ex significatione "dives sed esse", quod sit affectio veri spiritualis (de qua etiam sequitur). Quod per "paupertatem" hic intelligatur paupertas spiritualis, et quod per "dives esse" intelligatur spiritualiter dives esse, patet, quoniam illa dicuntur ad ecclesiam. Spiritualiter pauper esse et tamen dives esse, est agnoscere corde quod nihil ex se sciat, intelligat et sapiat; sed quod scit, intelligit et sapit, omne sit ex Domino. In tali agnitione sunt omnes angeli caeli; quapropter etiam intelligentes et sapientes sunt, et in eo gradu in quo sunt in agnitione et perceptione quod ita sit; sciunt enim et percipiunt quod nihil veri quod fidei vocatur, et nihil boni quod amoris, sit ab ipsis, sed a Domino; et quod omnia quae intelligunt et sapiunt se referant ad verum fidei et ad bonum amoris; inde quoque sciunt quod illis omnis intelligentia et sapientia sit a Domino; et quia hoc sciunt et agnoscunt, et quoque hoc volunt et amant, ideo continue influit a Domino Divinum Verum, a quo omnis intelligentia et sapientia, quam recipiunt quantum illo afficiuntur, hoc est, quantum illud amant. Vicissim autem spiritus inferni credunt quod omnia quae cogitant, volunt, et inde loquuntur et faciunt, sint ab ipsis, et nihil a Deo; nam non credunt in Divinum: inde quoque illis loco intelligentiae et sapientiae est insania et stultitia; cogitant enim contra verum et volunt contra bonum, quod est insanus et stultus esse. Similiter facit omnis homo qui in amore Sui est; is quia modo spectat ad Se, non potest aliter quam sibi omnia tribuere; et quia hoc facit, non in aliqua agnitione est quod omnis intelligentia et sapientia sit a Domino; inde quoque est quod cum secum cogitant, contra vera et bona ecclesiae et caeli cogitent; tametsi cum loquuntur cum hominibus, aliter dicant, ex causa ne perdant famam.
[2] Ex his sciri potest quid per "paupertatem" in spirituali sensu intelligitur. Quod is qui spiritualiter pauper est usque dives sit, est quia in affectione veri spirituali est; influit enim intelligentia et sapientia a Domino in hanc affectionem; affectio enim cujusvis recipit, et imbibit sui convenientia sicut spongia aquas; ita affectio veri spiritualis vera spiritualia quae sunt vera ecclesiae ex Verbo. Quod affectio veri spiritualis non aliunde sit quam a Domino, est quia Dominus in caelo et ecclesia est Divinum Verum, procedit enim ab Ipso; et quia Dominus amat ducere unumquemque ad Se et salvare, et hoc non potest nisi quam per cognitiones veri et boni ex Verbo, ideo amat indere illas homini, et facere illas ejus vitae; sic enim, non aliter, potest aliquem ducere ad Se et salvare. Inde patet quod omnis affectio spiritualis veri sit a Domino, et quod nemo in illa possit esse nisi agnoscat Divinum Domini in Humano Ipsius; per hanc enim agnitionem est conjunctio, et secundum conjunctionem receptio. (Sed de his videantur plura in opere De Caelo et Inferno, ubi actum est De Sapientia Angelorum Caeli, n. 265-275; et De Sapientibus et Simplicibus in Caelo, n. 346-356; et praeterea ibi, n. 13, 19, 25, 26, 133, 139, 140, 205, 297, 422, 523, 603; et in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, n. De 11-27; ac supra in Explicatione super Apocalypsis n. 6, 59, 112, 115, 117.)
[3] In Verbo passim nominantur "pauperes et egeni", et quoque "esurientes et sitientes"; et per "pauperes et egenos significantur qui credunt se nihil scire ex se, et quoque qui non sciunt quia non habent Verbum; et per "esurientes et sitientes" significantur illi qui continue desiderant vera et per illa perfici. Hi et illi sunt qui intelliguntur per "pauperes", "egenos, esurientes" et "sitientes" in his locis:
"Beati pauperes spiritu, quoniam illorum est regnum caelorum beati esurientes et sitientes justitiam, quoniam illi saturabuntur" (Matthaeus 5:3, 6);
"Beati pauperes, quia eorum est regnum caelorum; beati esurientes, quoniam saturabimini" (Luca 6:20 [, 21]);
"Pauperibus praedicabitur Evangelium." "Et pauperes audiunt Evangelium" (Luca 7:22; Matthaeus 11:5);
Paterfamilias dixit servo, ut abiret in plateas et vicos urbis, et introduceret pauperes (Luca 14:21);
"Tunc pascent primogeniti pauperum, et egeni confidenter cubabunt" (Esai. 14:30 1
);
"Esurivi et dedistis Mihi edere; sitivi et potastis Me" (Matthaeus 25:35);
"Pauperes et egeni quaerentes aquam, sed non; lingua eorum siti deficit; Ego Jehovah exaudiam illos;... aperiam super clivis fluvios, et in medio vallium fontes ponam" (Esai. 41:17, 18).
Ex ultimo hoc loco patet quod "pauperes et egeni" sint qui desiderant cognitiones boni et veri; "aqua" enim quam quaerunt est verum; (quod "aqua" sit verum fidei, videatur supra, n. 71); desiderium eorum describitur per" quod lingua eorum siti deficiat", et abundantia quam habituri, per "quod aperientur fluvii super clivis, et fontes in medio vallium."
[4] Qui non sciunt quod per "divites" significentur illi qui Verbum habent, et inde in cognitionibus veri et boni possunt esse, et quod per "pauperes" significentur illi qui non habent Verbum, et usque desiderant vera, non aliter sciunt quam quod per "divitem" (Luca 16:19, seq.) "qui induebatur purpura et bysso", intelligantur divites in mundo, et per "pauperem projectum ad vestibulum ejus, et (qui) desiderabat saturari micis quae cadebant ex mensa divitis", intelligantur pauperes in mundo: sed per "divitem" ibi intelligitur gens Judaica, quae habebat Verbum, et potuit inde in cognitionibus veri et boni esse, et per "pauperem " ibi intelliguntur gentes quae non habebant Verbum, et tamen desiderabant cognitiones veri et boni; quod dives describatur per "quod indutus esset purpura et bysso", erat quia "purpura" significat genuinum bonum (n. 9467), et "byssus" genuinum verum (n. 5319, 9469, 9596, 9744), utrumque ex Verbo; et quod pauper describatur per "quod projectus esset ad vestibulum divitis, et desideraret saturari micis quae caderent e mensa divitis", erat quia "projici ad vestibulum" erat rejici, ac privari lectione et intellectu Verbi, et "velle saturari micis ex mensa divitis" est desiderare aliqua vera inde; nam "cibus" significat illa quae sunt scientiae, intelligentiae et sapientiae, in genere bonum et verum (n. 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5410, 5426, 5576, 5582, 5588, 2
5655, 8562, 9003), et "mensa" significat receptaculum earum (n. 9527).
Quia pauper in desiderio illo erat, quod idem est cum affectione veri spirituali, ideo de eo dicitur quod "sublatus sit ab angelis in sinum Abrahami", per quod significatur quod in statum angelicum quoad intelligentiam et sapientiam: "sinus Abrahami" est Divinum Verum quod in caelo; qui enim in illo sunt, apud Dominum sunt.
(Quod "Abraham" in Verbo significet Dominum, videatur n. 3
2010, 2833, 2836, 3245, 3251, 3305, 3439, 3703, 4
6098, 6185, 6276, 6804, 6847.)
[5] Simile quod per "divitem" et per "pauperem esurientem" ibi, significatur per "divites" et "esurientes" apud Lucam,
"Esurientes implevit bono, et divites dimisit inanes" (1:53).
(Quod per "divitias" in Verbo intelligantur divitiae spirituales, quae sunt cognitiones veri et boni ex Verbo, videatur n. 1094, 4508, 10227; et in opere De Caelo et Inferno 365; et in opposito sensu cognitiones falsi et mali, quas confirmant ex Sensu litterae Verbi, in Arcanis Coelestibus, n. 1694.
Quod "divitiae" in verbo significent cognitiones veri et boni, et infra intelligentiam et sapientiam, est ex correspondentia; in caelo enim apud angelos apparent omnia sicut fulgentia ex auro et argento et lapidibus pretiosis; et hoc quantum in intelligentia veri et sapientia boni sunt: etiam apud spiritus, qui infra caelos sunt, sunt divitiae in apparentia secundum receptionem veri et boni a Domino apud illos.)
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
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4. The editors made a correction or note here.