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513. And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had lives, died.- That this signifies that every living scientific in the natural man died, is clear from the signification of dying as denoting to perish spiritually, or as to the life of heaven; and from the signification of third part, as denoting all (see above, n. 506); and from the signification of the creatures in the sea, or fishes, which denote scientifics, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of having lives, as denoting to be alive. Therefore by the third part of the creatures in the sea that had lives dying, is signified the perishing of every living scientific. A living scientific means a scientific which derives life from spiritual affection; for this affection gives life to truths, and consequently life to scientifics, scientifics being the containants of spiritual truths, as may be seen above (n. 506, 507, 511).
[2] The reason why the creatures of the sea, or fishes, signify scientifics is, that the sea signifies the natural man, and therefore the fishes in the sea signify scientifics themselves in the natural man. That fish signify these things is also from correspondence; for spirits who are not in spiritual truths, but in natural truths only, which are scientifics, appear in the spiritual world in seas like fish, when seen by those who are above. It is their thoughts, which proceed from the scientifics which they possess, that have this appearance. For all the ideas of the thought of angels and of spirits are turned into various representatives outside of them; when into such things as belong to the vegetable kingdom, they are changed into trees and shrubs of various kinds; but when into such things as belong to the animal kingdom, they are turned into animals of the earth, and into birds of various kinds. When the ideas of the angels of heaven are turned into animals of the earth, they are changed into lambs, sheep, she-goats, heifers, horses, mules, and others of a similar kind; but when into birds, they are turned into turtle-doves, doves, and many kinds of beautiful birds; but on the other hand the ideas of the thought of those who are natural, and think from scientifics alone, are turned into the forms of fishes. For this reason various species of fish appear in the seas, which I have been often permitted to see.
[3] Hence it is that in the Word fishes signify scientifics as in the following places.
In Isaiah:
"At my rebuke, I dry up the sea; I make the rivers a wilderness; their fish shall grow putrid, because there is no water, and shall die of thirst" (50:2).
The rebuke of Jehovah means the destruction of the church, which comes to pass when there is no knowledge of good and truth, or no living cognition, because no perception. Drying up the sea, signifies to deprive the natural man of scientific truths, and thence of natural derived from spiritual life. To make the rivers a wilderness, has a similar signification in regard to the rational man, in consequence of which there is no longer any intelligence; their fish becoming putrid, because there is no water, and dying of thirst, signifies that the scientific is no longer alive, because not true, fish denoting what is scientific, water, truth, while to grow putrid, denotes to die as to spiritual life.
[4] It is said here similarly of the sea that the third part of it became blood, and that thence a third part of the creatures therein died. Also it is said of Egypt that its river and all its waters became blood, and that in consequence the fish died. Moses told Pharaoh that the waters of the river should be turned into blood, and that the fish should consequently die, and the river stink, so that the Egyptians would loathe to drink of the waters of the river. This also took place with all the water in Egypt (Exodus 7:17-20).
Concerning this circumstance it is thus written in David:
"He turned their waters into blood, and killed their fish" (Psalm. 105:29).
The reason why similar things were done in Egypt is, that Egypt signified the natural man as to the scientifics thereof, or the scientific of the natural man. The river of Egypt signifies intelligence procured by means of scientifics; the river being turned into blood, signifies that that intelligence is from pure falsities; by the fish dying, is signified that scientific truths perished by falsities, for scientifics live by truths but perish by falsities, the reason of which is, that all spiritual truth is living, and the entire life or, as it were, the soul in scientifics is thence, wherefore without spiritual truth, the scientific is dead.
[5] In Ezekiel:
"Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great whale that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made myself. But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick unto thy scales. And I will leave thee in the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers" (29:3, 4, 5).
Pharaoh has a similar signification to Egypt, the king like the people signifies the natural man, and the scientific therein. On this account he is called a great whale. For a whale or sea monster signifies what is scientific in general, and therefore it is said that he shall be drawn out of the river, and that the fish shall stick to his scales, which signifies that all intelligence would perish, and that the knowledge (scientia) in the sensual man in the place of it would be without life. In the sensual man, which is the lowest natural man lying nearest to the world, there are fallacies and thence falsities, and this is signified by the fish adhering to the scales of the whale. That the natural man, and what is scientific therein, would be without life from any intelligence, is signified by, "I will leave thee in the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers." That such things would come to pass through the natural man ascribing all intelligence to itself, is signified by the words, "which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made myself," river denoting intelligence.
[6] In Moses:
The sons of Israel in the wilderness said, "We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick; but now our soul is dried up; there is nothing at all beside this manna before our eyes. Afterwards a wind went forth from Jehovah, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall over the camp." But because of their lust "Jehovah smote the people with a very great plague; and the name of that place was called the graves of lust (Kibroth-hattaavah)" (Num. 11:5, 6, 31, 33, 34).
These words signify that the sons of Israel turned away from spiritual things, and greedily desired natural things; for they were merely natural, and not spiritual, only representing the spiritual church by external things. That they turned away from spiritual things, is signified by their saying "our soul is dried up, there is nothing at all beside this manna before our eyes," manna signifying spiritual food, which is knowledge (scientia), intelligence, and wisdom. That they greedily desired natural things, is signified by their lusting after the fish of Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlick; all these signify such things as pertain to the lowest natural, that is, to the corporeal sensual man; and because they rejected spiritual things, and desired merely natural things instead of them, therefore they were smitten with a great plague, and the name given to the place was "the graves of lust."
[7] In Ezekiel:
He said unto me, "These waters issue out toward the eastern border, and go down into the plain, and go towards the sea; which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed, therefore it comes to pass, that every living soul which creepeth, whithersoever the rivers come, shall live whence a very great multitude of fish. Therefore it comes to pass that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi, even unto En-eglaim; in the spreading of nets they are present; their fish shall be according to their kind, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. But the miry places and the marshes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt" (47:1, 8-11).
The subject here is the house of God which signifies heaven and the church; and the waters issuing out of the house of God towards the east, signify the Divine Truth reforming and regenerating; by the plain and by the sea into which the waters descend, are signified the ultimates of heaven and the church, which, with the men of the church, are those things that pertain to the natural and sensual man; by the plain are signified the interior things thereof, and by the sea, the exterior things thereof. That knowledges from the Word, as well as confirmatory scientifics, receive spiritual life by means of that Divine Truth, is signified by the waters of the sea being thence healed, and by every living soul which creepeth, and by there being a great multitude of fish; that there shall thence be true and living scientifics of every kind, is signified by the fish being according to their kind, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. Those who are reformed, and thence become intelligent, are meant by the fishers from Engedi, even to En-eglaim. Those who cannot be reformed, because they are in the falsities of evil, are signified by the miry places and marshes, which are not healed, and are given to salt. That fishes multiplied by waters issuing out of the house of God are not here meant, every one can see, but that fishes mean such things in man as can be reformed, because the house of God means heaven and the church, and the waters issuing therefrom mean the Divine Truth reforming.
[8] In the Word throughout, mention is made of the beast of the earth, the bird of heaven, and the fish of the sea, and he who does not know that the beast of the earth, or of the field, means the Voluntary of man, the bird of heaven, his Intellectual, and the fish of the sea, his Scientific, cannot at all know the meaning of those expressions; as in the following passages.
In Hosea:
"Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the earth, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the earth. Therefore shall the earth mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall pine away, among the beast of the field, and among the bird of the heavens; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away" (4:1, 3).
In Zephaniah:
"I will consume man and beast, I will consume the bird of the heavens, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked" (1:3).
In Ezekiel:
"In the day when God shall come against the land of Israel, there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, and the fishes of the sea, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the field, shall tremble before my presence" (38:18, 19, 20).
In Job:
"Ask the beasts, and they shall teach thee; or the birds of the heaven, and they shall tell thee; or the thicket of the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not from all these that the hand of Jehovah doeth that?" (12:7-9).
In these passages, the beasts of the field mean the Voluntary of man, the birds of the heavens, his Intellectual; and the fish of the sea, his Scientific. For what other reason would it be said, "the beasts shall teach thee, the birds of the heaven shall tell thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee that the hand of Jehovah doeth this?" It is also said, "Who knoweth not from all these?"
[9] Similarly in David:
"Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet. The flock and all herds, the beasts of the fields; the bird of the heaven, and the fish of the sea, passing through the paths of the sea" (Psalm 8:6-8).
These things are said concerning the Lord, and His dominion. That He has dominion over the angels in the heavens, and over man on the earth, is known from the Word, for He Himself says, that all power is given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). But that dominion was given to Him over animals, birds, and fishes, is not of sufficient importance to be mentioned in the Word, where all things, even the most minute, have reference to heaven and the church. It is evident therefore that the flock and the herds, the beasts of the field, the bird of the heaven, and the fish of the sea, mean such things as pertain to heaven with the angels, and to the church with man. The flock and the herds signify, in general, spiritual things and natural things; the flock, spiritual things; and herds, natural things pertaining to man, or those things that belong to his spiritual mind and to his natural mind. Beasts of the field signify voluntary things, which pertain to the affections; the birds of heaven, intellectual things, which pertain to the thoughts; and fishes of the sea, things scientific, which pertain to the natural man.
[10] Similar things are signified by these words in the first chapter of Genesis:
"God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; in order that they may have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the bird of the heaven, and over every animal creeping upon the earth" (verses 26-28).
The subject of that chapter, in the internal spiritual sense, is the establishment of the Most Ancient Church, thus the new creation or regeneration of the men of that church. That it was granted them to perceive all things of their affection, which are of the will, and to see all things of their thought, which are of the understanding, and so to rule those things, lest they should fall away into the lusts of evil and into falsities, is meant by the words, "in order that they may have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the bird of the heaven, and over every animal of the earth." And man rules over these when the Lord rules over man, for man of himself cannot rule over any thing in himself. Such things are signified by the fish of the sea, the bird of the heaven, and the beast of the field, because they correspond. In the spiritual world it is made clear to the sight that the interior things of man correspond to such things; for there beasts of every kind appear, also birds, and in the seas, fishes which are nevertheless nothing else but the ideas of thought which flow forth from the affections and are presented to view under such forms, because they correspond.
[11] Because fishes signify the scientifics and knowledges of the natural man, which are to the spiritual man the means of becoming wise, therefore fishers, in the Word, mean those who are in knowledges only, and who procure knowledges for themselves, and also those who teach others, and reform them by means of knowledges. This work of theirs is meant by the casting and spreading of nets, as in the following passages.
In Isaiah:
"The fishers shall mourn, and all they that cast the hook into the river shall be sad, and they that spread the net upon the faces of the waters shall languish" (19:8).
Here the fishers that cast the hook into the river, and they that spread the net, mean those who desire to procure for themselves cognitions, and by means of them intelligence here that they are not able, because the cognitions of truth no where exist.
[12] In Jeremiah:
"I will bring again" the sons of Israel "into their land, I will send for many fishers, saith Jehovah, and they shall fish them; then will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks" (xvi.
[15,] 16).
By sending for fishers to fish them, and for hunters to hunt them, is meant to call together and establish the church with those who are in natural good, and in spiritual good, as may be seen above (n. 405:7).
[13] And in Habakkuk:
"Wherefore makest thou man as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping thing that hath none to rule it. Let him draw out all of them with a hook and gather him into his net. Shall he therefore empty his net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?" (1:14, 15, 17).
These things are said concerning the Chaldean nation vastating and destroying the church; the Chaldean nation signifying the profanation of truth, and the vastation of the church. To make men as the fishes of the sea, and as the reptile that hath none to rule it, signifies to make man so natural, that his scientifics are without spiritual truth, and his pleasures without spiritual good. For in the natural man there are scientifics by means of which there are thoughts, and pleasures, and by means of these there are affections; if the spiritual man does not rule over these, both thoughts and affections are wandering, and thus man is destitute of the intelligence, which should teach and rule him. That in this case they can be drawn over to their side by every falsity and evil and so destroyed altogether, is signified by, "let him draw out all of them with a hook, and gather into his net, and afterwards he shall slay." To draw out means away from truth and good; into his net, means into falsity and evil; and to slay, denotes to destroy.
[14] In Amos:
"The days shall come in which they shall draw you out with hooks, and your posterity with fish-hooks" (4:2).
These words signify that they would be led by subtle reasonings from falsities and fallacies, and be turned away from truths. These things are said concerning those who abound in knowledges because they have the Word and the prophets, and they are meant there by the kine of Bashan in the mountain of Samaria. From these things it is now evident what is meant by fishermen, fishes, and nets, so often mentioned in the New Testament, as in the following passages:
[15] "And Jesus saw two brethren, Simon, called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:18, 19; Mark 1:16, 17).
And in another place it is said that Jesus, having entered into Simon's ship, taught the multitude, and afterwards told Simon to let down their nets for a draught, and they caught a great multitude of fish, so that their ships were filled, and began to sink; and they were all astonished at the draught of fish; and He said to Simon, Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men (Luke 5:3-10).
In these words also there is a spiritual sense, just as in the other parts of the Word. The Lord's choosing the fishermen, and saying that they should become fishers of men, signified that they should gather men to the church; the nets which they let down, and in which they inclosed a great multitude of fish, so that the ships began to sink, signified the reformation of the church by their means; for fishes there signify the knowledges of truth and good by which reformation takes place, also the multitude of men who would be reformed.
[16] Similar things are also signified by the draught of fish taken by the disciples after the resurrection of the Lord, concerning which it is stated in John, that when Jesus showed Himself to His disciples who were fishing, He told them to cast their net on the right side of the ship; and they caught and were not able to draw the net for the multitude of fish. And after they came to land they saw a hearth [or fire of coals] there and a little fish laid thereon, and bread, and similarly Jesus gave them bread and fish (21:2-13). The reason why the Lord showed Himself to His disciples while they were fishing, was, that to fish signified to teach the cognitions of truth and good, and so to reform. He commanded them to cast the net on the right side of the ship, which signifies that all things are from the good of love and of charity; for the right signifies the good from which they are; for cognitions live, and multiply so far as they are recipients of good. They said also, that they had laboured all the night, and taken nothing, which signifies that nothing was from themselves or their proprium, but everything was from the Lord. Similar also was the signification of the hearth [or fire of coals] on which there was a little fish, and of the bread; for the bread signified the Lord, and the good of love from Him, and the little fish upon the hearth the knowledge of truth from good; the little fish, the knowledge of truth, and the hearth or fire, good. At that time there were not any spiritual men, for the church was wholly vastated, but all were natural, the reformation of these was represented by that fishing, and also by the fish upon the hearth. He who supposes that the fish upon that hearth and the bread given to the disciples to eat are not significative of something of a higher nature, is much mistaken. For everything that the Lord did and said, signified celestial Divine things, which are made evident only by the spiritual sense. That a hearth and fire, denote the good of love, and bread the Lord as to that good, has been shown above; and that fish denote the cognition of truth, and the Scientific of the natural man, is evident from what has been said and shown in this article.
[17] The Lord also says that:
"The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a net (sagena), that was cast into the sea, and which gathered of every kind; which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be in the consummation of the age" (Matthew 13:47-49).
The separation of the good and the evil is here likened to a net cast into the sea which gathered of every kind of fish, because fish signify natural men as to scientifics and cognitions, and these, in the consummation of the age, or at the time of a last judgment, are separated. For there are good natural men and wicked natural men, the separation of whom in the spiritual world appears like a net (rete) or drag-net (sagena) cast into the sea, drawing the fish together, and bringing them to shore. This appearance is from correspondence, therefore the Lord likened the kingdom of the heavens to a net (sagena) which drew the fish together. That such is the appearance of the separation of the good from the evil, I have also seen.
[18] That natural men are signified by fish, is evident from this miracle of the Lord:
"They that received the half shekel (didrachma) came." Jesus said to Simon, "Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own sons, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the sons free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money (stater); that take, and give unto them for me and thee" (Matthew 17:24-27).
The paying of tribute or custom signified subjection and servitude; therefore tribute was levied on strangers, who were not of the sons of Israel, as is clear from the historical parts of the Word. The sons of Israel, with whom the church was, signified those who are spiritual, and strangers, those who are natural. The Natural is subject to the Spiritual, and serves it, for the spiritual man is as a lord, and the natural man as a servant; and because the natural are servants, and thus are meant by those who are tributary, therefore it came to pass that neither the Lord nor Peter paid tribute, but the fish, by which the natural man is signified.
That the Lord glorified His Human even to its ultimate, which is called natural and sensual, is signified by the following:
Jesus showed Himself to His disciples and said, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I; handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And he showed them his hands and his feet, and said unto them, Have ye here any meat? They gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them" (Luke 24:38-43).
[19] That the Lord glorified His Human even to its ultimate, which is called natural and sensual, He proved by His showing His hands and His feet; by His disciples touching these, and by His saying that a spirit had not flesh and bones as He [had], and also by His eating of the broiled fish and honeycomb. By the hands and feet are signified the ultimates of man; similarly by the flesh and bones. The broiled fish signifies the Natural as to truth from good, and honey the Natural as to good from which is truth. These things were eaten in the presence of the disciples, because they corresponded to the natural man and therefore signified it. For a fish, as shown in this article, signifies, from correspondence, the Natural as to what is scientific; therefore also a fish, in the Word, signifies the scientific, and the cognitive faculty of the natural man, and a broiled fish signifies the scientific which is from natural good; but, with the Lord, it signified the Natural Divine as to truth from good. That honey signifies natural good, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 5620, 6857, 10137, 10530). He who is ignorant of the fact that there is a spiritual sense in every part of the Word, and that the sense of the letter, which is the natural sense, consists of correspondences with spiritual things, cannot understand the arcanum why the Lord ate of the broiled fish, and of the honeycomb in the presence of His disciples, and also, why He gave broiled fish and bread to His disciples, although every particular thing that the Lord spoke and did, was Divine, and these are interiorly stored up in every thing written in the Word.
[20] It is now evident from these things that the words, "And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had lives, died," signify that every living scientific in the natural man perished, or, what is the same, that the natural man as to the scientifics therein died; this is said to be dead when it is not vivified from the spiritual man, that is, by influx out of heaven from the Lord through the spiritual man, for the Lord flows through the spiritual man into the natural; therefore when no truth of heaven is any longer acknowledged, nor any good of heaven operates, then the spiritual mind which is called the spiritual man, is closed, and the natural mind receives merely falsities from evil; and falsities from evil are spiritually dead, for truths from good are spiritually living.
[21] It is said, "the third part of the creatures," because creatures and animals in the Word, signify the affections and thence the thoughts in man; consequently, men themselves in regard to these are also meant. Creatures, have a similar meaning in Mark:
Jesus said to His disciples, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (342-346), where these things are explained.
513. Verse 9. And there died the third part of the creatures in the sea having souls, signifies that in consequence every living knowledge [scientificum] in the natural man perished. This is evident from the signification of "dying," as being to perish spiritually, that is, in respect to the life of heaven; also from the signification of the "third part," as being all (See above, n. 506); also from the signification of the "creatures in the sea" (or fishes), as being knowledges [scientifica] (of which presently); also from the signification of "having souls," as being to be alive; consequently "there died the third part of the creatures in the sea having souls" signifies that in consequence every living knowledge perished. A living knowledge means a knowledge that derives life from spiritual affection; for that affection gives life to truths, and thus gives life to knowledges, for knowledges are containants of spiritual truths (See above, n. 506, 507, 511).
[2] "The creatures of the sea" (or fishes) signify knowledges, because the "sea" signifies the natural man, and thus "fishes in the sea" signify the knowledges themselves that are in the natural man. This signification of "fishes" also is from correspondence, for the spirits that are not in spiritual truths, but only in natural truths, which are knowledges, appear in the spiritual world in seas, and when viewed by those who are above, as fishes; for the thoughts that spring from the knowledges with such present that appearance. For all the ideas of the thought of angels and spirits are turned into various representatives outside of them; when turned into such things as are of the vegetable kingdom they are turned into trees and shrubs of various kinds; and when into such things as are of the animal kingdom they are turned into land animals and flying things of various kinds; when the ideas of the angels of heaven are turned into land animals they are turned into lambs, sheep, goats, bullocks, horses, mules, and other like animals; but when into flying things they are turned into turtle doves, pigeons, and various kinds of beautiful birds. But the ideas of thought of those who are natural and who think from mere knowledges are turned into the forms of fishes. Consequently in the seas various kinds of fishes appear, and this it has often been granted me to see.
[3] It is from this that in the Word "fishes" signify knowledges, as in the following passages. In Isaiah:
At My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers into a wilderness; their fish shall rot because there is no water, and shall die of thirst (Isaiah 50:2).
"The rebuke of Jehovah" means the ruin of the church, which takes place when there is no knowledge of truth and good, that is, no living knowledge, because there is no perception; "dry up the sea" signifies to deprive the natural man of true knowledges [scientifica], and thus of natural life from the spiritual; "to make the rivers into a wilderness" signifies a similar deprivation in the rational man whence there is no intelligence; "their fish shall rot because there is no water, and shall die of thirst," signifies that there is no longer any living knowledge [scientificum], because there is no truth, "fish" meaning knowledge, "water" truth, and "to rot" meaning to perish in respect to spiritual life.
[4] The like that is here said of the sea, that "a third part of it became blood, and thence the third part of the creatures in it died," is said also of Egypt, that its river and all its waters became blood, and consequently the fish died, in Moses:
Moses said to Pharaoh that the waters of the river should be turned into blood, and that consequently the fish should die, and the river should stink, and that the Egyptians would loathe to drink the waters of the river; and this was also done in respect to all the water in Egypt (Exodus 7:17-25).
It is said of this in David:
He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish (Psalms 105:29).
The like was done in Egypt, because "Egypt" signifies the natural man in respect to its knowledge [scientificum], or the knowledge belonging to the natural man; "the river of Egypt" signifies intelligence acquired by means of knowledges; "the river becoming blood" signifies intelligence from mere falsities; "the fish dying" signifies that true knowledges were destroyed by falsities, for knowledges live by truths but are destroyed by falsities, for the reason that all spiritual truth is living, and from it is all the life, or as it were the soul, in the knowledges; therefore without spiritual truth knowledge is dead.
[5] In Ezekiel:
I am against thee, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great whale that lieth in the midst of his rivers, that hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made myself. Therefore I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers, that all the fish of thy rivers may stick unto thy scales. And I will abandon thee in the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers (2 Ezekiel 29:3-5).
"Pharaoh" has a similar signification as "Egypt," for the king and the people have a similar signification, namely, the natural man and knowledge therein; therefore he is called "a great whale;" "whale (or sea-monster)" signifying knowledge in general; therefore it is said that "he shall be drawn out of the river," and that then "the fish shall stick to his scales," which signifies that all intelligence is to perish, and that knowledge (scientia) which will take its place will be in the sensual man without life. In the sensual man, which is the lowest natural, standing out nearest to the world, there are fallacies and falsities therefrom, and this is signified by "the fish sticking to the scales" of the whale. That the natural man and the knowledge therein will be without life from any intelligence is signified by "I will abandon thee in the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers." That such things would come to pass because the natural man attributes all intelligence to itself, is signified by "that hath said, My river is mine own, I have made myself," "river" meaning intelligence.
[6] In Moses:
The sons of Israel said in the wilderness, We remember the fish that we did eat in Egypt freely, and the cucumbers and the melons, and the leeks and the onions and the garlic; now our soul is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes. Afterwards there went forth a wind from Jehovah, and snatched quails from the sea, and let them fall over the camp. But because of this lust Jehovah smote the people with a very great plague; consequently the name of that place was called the Graves of Lust (Numbers 11:5, 6, 31, 33, 34).
This signified that the sons of Israel were averse from things spiritual and hungered after natural things; indeed, they were not spiritual but merely natural, only representing a spiritual church by external things. That they were averse from spiritual things is signified by "our soul is dried up, there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes," "manna" signifying spiritual food, which is knowledge (scientia), intelligence, and wisdom. That they hungered after natural things is signified by "their lusting after the fish in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic," all which signify such things as belong to the lowest natural, that is, the sensual-corporeal man; and because they rejected things spiritual, and coveted merely natural things instead, "they were smitten with a great plague, and the name given to the place was the Graves of Lust."
[7] In Ezekiel:
He said to me, These waters go forth toward the eastern boundary, and go down into the plain and come towards the sea, being sent forth into the sea that the waters may be healed; whence it comes to pass that every living soul that creeps, whithersoever the brooks come, shall live; whence there is exceeding much fish. Therefore it shall come to pass that the fishers shall stand upon it from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim; with the spreading of nets are they there; their fish shall be according to their kind, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. But the miry places and the marshes thereof which are not healed shall be given to salt (Ezekiel 47:8-11).
This treats of the house of God, which signifies heaven and the church; and "the waters that go forth out of the house of God towards the east" signify Divine truth reforming and regenerating; the "plain" and the "sea" into which the waters go down, signify the ultimate things of heaven and the church, which with the men of the church are the things that belong to the natural and sensual man, the "plain" signifying the interior things thereof, and the "sea" the exterior things thereof; that both cognitions from the Word and confirming knowledges receive spiritual life through this Divine truth is signified by "the waters of the sea are healed thereby," and by "every soul that creepeth shall live," and by "there shall be exceeding much fish;" that there are in consequence true and living knowledges of every kind is signified by "their fish shall be according to their kind, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many." Those who are reformed, and thence become intelligent, are meant by "the fishers from En-gedi even to En-eglaim." Those who cannot be reformed because they are in the falsities of evil are signified by "the miry places and marshes that are not healed, but are given to salt." Everyone can see that this does not mean that fishes are multiplied by the waters going forth out of the house of God, but that "fishes" mean such things in man as can be reformed, since "the house of God" means heaven and the church, and the "waters going forth therefrom" mean Divine truth reforming.
[8] In the Word here and there mention is made of "the beast of the earth," "the fowl of heaven," and "the fish of the sea," and he who does not know that the "beast of the earth" (or of the field) means man's voluntary faculty, "the fowl of heaven" his intellectual faculty, and "the fish of the sea" his knowing faculty, cannot know at all the meaning of these passages, as in the following. In Hosea:
Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. Therefore the land shall mourn, and everyone that dwelleth therein shall languish, among the beasts of the field, and among the fowl of the heavens; and also the fishes of the sea shall be gathered up (Hosea 4:1, 3).
In Zephaniah:
I will consume man and beast, I will consume the fowl of the heavens, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked (Zephaniah 1:3).
In Ezekiel:
In the day that Gog shall come upon the land of Israel, there shall be a great earthquake over the land of Israel, and the fishes of the sea, and the fowl of the heavens, and the beast of the field, shall quake before Me (Ezekiel 38:18-20).
In Job:
Ask the beasts and they shall teach thee, or the fowl of heaven and they shall tell thee, or the shrub of the earth and it shall teach thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who doth not know by all these things that the hand of Jehovah doeth this? (Job 12:7-9).
In these passages "the beast of the field" means man's voluntary faculty, "the fowl of heaven" his intellectual faculty, and "the fish of the sea" his knowing faculty; otherwise how could it be said "the beasts shall teach thee, the fowl of heaven shall tell thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee, that the hand of Jehovah doeth this"? Also it is said, "Who doth not know by all these things?"
[9] Likewise in David:
Thou madest him to rule over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet, the flock and all herds, the beasts of the fields, the fowl of heaven, and the fish of the sea, whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas (Psalms 8:6-8).
This is said of the Lord and His dominion. That He has dominion over angels in the heavens and over men on the earth is known from the Word, for He says that unto Him "all power in heaven and in earth has been given" (Matthew 28:18); but that dominion was given to Him over animals, fowl, and fishes, is not a matter of sufficient importance to be mentioned in the Word, where each and every thing has reference to heaven and the church. It is therefore evident that "flock and herds, the beasts of the fields, the fowl of heaven, and the fish of the sea," mean such things as belong to heaven with angels and to the church with man, "the flock and the herds" signifying, in general, things spiritual and natural, the "flock" things spiritual, and "herds" things natural that are with man, or that belong to the spiritual mind and to the natural mind with him. "The beasts of the fields" signify things voluntary, which belong to the affections; "the fowl of heaven" signify things intellectual, which belong to the thoughts; and "the fishes of the sea" signify knowledges (scientifica) which belong to the natural man.
[10] Like things are signified by these words in the first chapter of Genesis:
And God said, We will make man in Our image, after Our likeness; that he may have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of heaven, and over every animal that creepeth upon the earth (verses 26, 28).
This chapter treats in the internal spiritual sense of the establishment of the Most Ancient Church, thus of the new creation or regeneration of the men of that church. That it was given to them to perceive all things of their affection which belong to the will, and to see all things of their thought which belong to the understanding, and to so rule over them as not to wander away into the lusts of evil and into falsities, is meant by "that he may have dominion over the fish of the sea, and the fowl of heaven, and every animal of the earth;" and man has dominion over these things when the Lord has dominion over man, for man of himself does not have dominion over anything in himself. "The fish of the sea, the fowl of heaven, and the beast of the field," have this signification because of their correspondence. The correspondences of the interior things of man with these things stand forth so as to be clearly seen in the spiritual world; for there beasts of every kind, and birds, and fishes in the seas, are seen, which nevertheless are nothing else than the ideas of thought that flow forth from affections, and these are presented under such forms because they are correspondences.
[11] Because "fishes" signify the knowledges and cognitions belonging to the natural man that serve the spiritual man as means for becoming wise, so "fishers" mean in the Word those who are merely in knowledges, also those who are acquiring knowledges for themselves, also those who teach others and by means of knowledges reform them. The works of such are meant by "the casting and spreading of nets," as in the following passages. In Isaiah:
The fishers shall moan, and all they that cast the hook into the river shall mourn, and they that spread the net upon the faces of the waters shall languish (Isaiah 19:8).
"The fishers that cast the hook into the river and they that spread the net" mean those who wish to acquire for themselves knowledges and through these intelligence, here that they are unable to do this because there are no knowledges of truth anywhere.
[12] In Jeremiah:
I will bring back the sons of Israel again upon their land; I will send to many fishers who shall fish them; then I will send to many hunters, who shall hunt them from upon every mountain and from upon every hill, and out of the clefts of the cliffs (405.
[13] In Habakkuk:
Wherefore dost Thou make man as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping thing that hath no ruler? Let him draw up all with the hook, and gather him into his net. Shall he therefore empty his net, and not pity to slay the nations continually? (Mark 1:14, 15, 17).
This was said of the Chaldean nation wasting and destroying the church; and the Chaldean nation signifies the profanation of truth, and the vastation of the church. "To make men as the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping thing that hath no ruler," signifies to make man so natural that his knowledges (scientifica) are devoid of spiritual truth, and his delights are devoid of spiritual good; for in the natural man there are knowledges by which come thoughts, and delights by which come affections; and if the spiritual is not dominant over these, both thoughts and affections are wandering, and thus man is destitute of the intelligence that should lead and rule. That then every falsity and every evil has power to draw them over to their side, and thus wholly destroy them, is signified by "Let him draw out all with the hook, and gather into his net, and afterwards slay," "to draw out" meaning out of truth and good, "into his net" meaning into falsity and evil, and "to slay" meaning to destroy.
[14] In Amos:
The days will come in which they shall draw you out with hooks, and your posterity with fish hooks (Amos 4:2).
This signifies leading away and alienating from truths by means of acute reasonings from falsities and fallacies; it is said of those who abound in knowledges because they have the Word and the prophets; such are here meant by "the kine of Bashan in the mountain of Samaria."
[15] From this the meaning of "fishermen," "fishes" and "nets," so often mentioned in the New Testament, can be seen, as in the following passages:
Jesus saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And He said unto them, Come ye after Me, and I will make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:18, 19: Mark 1:16, 17).
Jesus entered into Simon's boat and was teaching the multitude. After that He told Simon to let out his nets for a draught, and they inclosed a great multitude of fishes, so that the boats were filled, and in danger of sinking. And amazement seized them all, because of the draught of fishes; and He said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men (Luke 5:3-10).
In this also there is a spiritual sense, like that in the rest of the Word; the Lord's choosing these fishermen and saying that "they should become fishers of men," signified that they should gather to the church; "the nets which they let out, and in which they inclosed a great multitude of fishes, so that the ships were in danger of sinking," signified the reformation of the church through them, for "fishes" here signify the knowledges of truth and good by means of which reformation is effected, likewise the multitude of men who are to be reformed.
[16] The draught of fishes by the disciples after the Lord's resurrection has a like signification; it is thus described in John:
When Jesus manifested Himself to the disciples, who were fishing, He told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat. And they took so many that they were not able to draw the net for the multitude of fishes. When they descended upon the land they saw a fire built, and a little fish lying thereon, and bread. And Jesus gave them the bread, and the little fish likewise (John 21:2-13).
The Lord manifested Himself while they were fishing, because "to fish" signified to teach the knowledges of truth and good, and thus to reform. His commanding them "to cast the net on the right side of the boat" signified that all things should be from the good of love and charity, "the right side" signifying that good from which all things should come, for so far as knowledges are derived from good, so far they live and are multiplied. They said that "they had labored all the night and had taken nothing," which signified that from self or from one's own (proprium) nothing comes, but that all things are from the Lord; and the like was signified by the "fire" on which was the little fish, and by the "bread;" for the "bread" signified the Lord and the good of love from Him, and "the fish on the fire" the knowledge of truth from good, the "fish" the knowledge of truth, and the "fire" good. At that time there were no spiritual men, because the church was wholly vastated, but all were natural, and their reformation was represented by this fishing, and also by the fish on the fire. He who believes that the fish on the fire and the bread that were given to the disciples to eat were not significative of something higher is very much mistaken, for the least things done by the Lord and said by Him were significative of Divine celestial things, which become evident only through the spiritual sense. That this "fire of coals" and "fire" mean the good of love, and that "bread" means the Lord in relation to that good, has been shown above; and that a "fish" means the knowledge of truth and the knowing faculty of the natural man is clear from what has been said and shown in this article.
[17] It is also said by the Lord that:
The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a net cast into the sea bringing together every kind of fish, which when it was full they drew upon the beach, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be in the consummation of the age (Matthew 13:47-49).
The separation of the good and the evil is here likened to "a net cast into the sea bringing together every kind of fish," for the reason that "fishes" signify natural men in respect to knowledges and cognitions, and in "the consummation of the age," or at the time of the Last Judgment, such are separated from one another; for there are good natural men and bad natural men; and the separation of these in the spiritual world has the appearance of a net or drag-net cast into the sea, bringing together the fish, and drawing them to the shore, and this appearance is also from correspondence. This is why the Lord likens the kingdom of the heavens to "a net bringing together the fish." That the separation of the good from the evil presents this appearance it has been granted me to see.
[18] That natural men are signified by "fish" is clear from this miracle of the Lord:
Those who received the half-shekel came. Jesus said to Simon, The kings of the earth, from whom do they receive tribute or toll? from their sons or from strangers? Peter said unto Him, From strangers. Jesus said unto him, Therefore are the sons free. But lest we cause them to stumble, go thou to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up, and open its mouth and thou shalt find a shekel; that take and give unto them for Me and thee (Matthew 17:24-27).
"To pay tribute and toll," signified to be subject and to serve, therefore tribute was imposed on strangers, who were not of the sons of Israel, as is evident from the histories of the Word. "The sons of Israel," with whom was the church, signified the spiritual, and "strangers" the natural; and what is natural is subject to what is spiritual and serves it, for the spiritual man is like a lord, and the natural man like a servant; and as the natural are servants, and are therefore meant by those who pay tribute, so it was brought about that neither the Lord nor Peter, but the "fish," which signified the natural man, should furnish the tribute.
[19] The Lord's glorification of His Human, even to its ultimate, which is called natural and sensual, is signified by the following:
Jesus, having appeared to the disciples, said, See My hands and My feet, that it is I myself; feel of Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye behold Me having. And He showed them the hands and feet. And He said unto them, Have ye here anything to eat? They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and of a honeycomb. And He took it and did eat before them (Arcana Coelestia 5620). 5 620, 6857, 10137, 10530). One who does not know that in each particular of the Word there is a spiritual sense, and that the sense of the letter, which is the natural sense, consists of correspondences with things spiritual, cannot know this arcanum, namely, why the Lord ate of the broiled fish and honeycomb in the presence of His disciples, nor why, as here, He gave broiled fish and bread to His disciples; and yet each and every thing that the Lord said and did was Divine, and these Divine things lie hidden in each thing written in the Word.
[20] From this the signification of "there died the third part of the creatures in the sea having souls" can now be seen, namely, that every living knowledge in the natural man perished; or, what is the same, that the natural man in respect to knowledges therein died. The natural man is said to be dead when it is not made alive from the spiritual man, that is, by influx out of heaven from the Lord through the spiritual man, for the Lord flows in through the spiritual man into the natural. When, therefore, no truth of heaven is any longer acknowledged, and no good of heaven affects man, the spiritual mind, which is called the spiritual man, is closed up, and the natural mind receives mere falsities from evil, and falsities from evil are spiritually dead, since truths from good are what are spiritually alive.
[21] It is said "the third part of the creatures," because "creatures" and "animals" signified in the Word the affections and thoughts therefrom in man; consequently they mean men themselves in respect to affections and thoughts. Such is the signification of "creatures" in Mark:
Jesus said to the disciples, Going into all the world, preach ye the Gospel to every creature (342-346, where this is explained.)
513. [Vers. 9.] "Et mortua est tertia pars creaturarum in mari habentium animas." - Quod significet quod inde, perierit omne scientificum vivum in naturali homine, constat ex significatione "mori", quod sit perire spiritualiter seu quoad vitam caeli; ex significatione "tertiae partis", quod sit omne (de qua supra, n. 506); ex significatione "creaturarum in mari", seu piscium, quod sint scientifica (de qua sequitur); et ex significatione "habere animas", quod sit vivum esse: inde per quod "mortua sit tertia pars creaturarum in mari habentium animas" significatur quod inde perierit omne scientificum vivum. Per scientificum vivum intelligitur scientificum quod trahit vitam ex spirituali affectione; nam haec affectio dat vitam veris, et inde vitam scientificis; scientifica enim sunt continentia veritatum spiritualium (videatur supra, n. 506, 507, 511).
[2] Quod "creaturae maris", seu pisces, significent scientifica, est quia "mare" significat naturalem hominem; inde "pisces in mari" significant ipsa scientifica quae sunt in naturali homine.
Quod "pisces" illa significent, est quoque ex correspondentia; spiritus enim qui non in spiritualibus veris sunt, sed modo in naturalibus, quae sunt scientifica, apparent in mundo spirituali in maribus, dum spectantur ab illis qui supra sunt, sicut pisces; sunt enim cogitationes, quae ex scientificis apud illos procedunt, quae tales apparent. Omnes enim ideae cogitationis angelorum et spirituum vertuntur in varia repraesentativa extra illos; dum in talia quae sunt regni vegetabilis, vertuntur in arbores et frutices varii generis, at dum in talia quae sunt regni animalis, vertuntur in animalia terrae ac in volatilia varii generis: ideae angelorum caeli, dum in animalia terrae, vertuntur in agnos, oves, capras, juvencos, equos, mulos, et in similia alia; dum autem in volatilia, vertuntur in turtures, columbas, et plures species volucrum quae pulchrae sunt: at vero ideae cogitationis illorum qui naturales sunt, et ex solis scientificis cogitant, vertuntur in formas piscium; apparent etiam inde in maribus plures species piscium, quas saepius videre etiam mihi datum est.
[3] Exinde est quod per "pisces" in Verbo significentur scientifica; ut in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Esaiam,
"Per increpationem meam exsicco mare, pono fluvios in desertum, putrescet piscis eorum, eo quod non sit aqua et morietur siti" (50:2);
per "increpationem Jehovae" intelligitur interitus ecclesiae, qui est quando non aliqua cognitio veri et boni, seu non aliqua cognitio viva, quia non perceptio; per "exsiccare mare" significatur deprivare naturalem hominem scientificis veris et inde vita naturali ex spirituali; per "ponere fluvios in desertum" significatur rationalem hominem similiter, unde non amplius intelligentia; per "putrescet piscis eorum eo quod non sit aqua ac morietur siti significatur quod non scientificum vivum amplius, quia non verum; "piscis" est scientificum, "aqua" est verum, "putrescere" est emori quoad vitam spiritualem.
[4] Simile quod hic dicitur de mari, quod "tertia pars ejus facta sit sanguis", et quod "inde mortua sit tertia pars creaturarum inibi", etiam dicitur de Aegypto, quod ejus flumen, et omnes aquae factae sint sanguis, et quod inde pisces mortui fuerint, apud Mosen,
Dixit Moses ad Pharaonem, quod aquae fluminis Verterentur in sanguinem, et quod inde piscis moreretur, et numen feteret, usque ut defatigarentur Aegyptii bibere aquas ex flumine; quod etiam factum est cum omni aqua in Aegypto (Exod. v2:17-25);
de qua re etiam apud Davidem,
Vertit aquas eorum in sanguinem, et occidit piscem 1
eorum" (Psalms 105:29).
Quod simile in Aegypto factum sit, est quia per "Aegyptum" significatur naturalis homo quoad scientificum ejus, seu scientificum quod naturalis hominis; per "flumen Aegypti" significatur intelligentia comparata per scientifica; quod "flumen factum sit sanguis" significat quod illa ex meris falsis; et quod "piscis moreretur" significat quod scientifica vera perirent per falsa: scientifica enim vivunt per vera, at pereunt per falsa; causa est, quia omne spirituale verum est vivum; inde est omnis vita, vel sicut anima, quae scientificis inest; quare absque spirituali vero est scientificum mortuum.
[5] Apud Ezechielem,
"Ego contra te Pharao, rex Aegypti, cete magne, qui cubat in medio fluviorum suorum; qui dixit, Meus fluvius meus, et ego feci me: propterea dabo hamos in maxillas tuas, et adhaerere faciam piscem fluviorum tuorum squamis tuis, et faciam ascendere te e medio fluviorum tuorum, ut omnis piscis fluviorum tuorum in squamis [tuis] haereat; et derelinquam te in deserto, te et omnem piscem fluviorum tuorum" (29:3-5):
per "Pharaonem" significatur simile quod per "Aegyptum", simile enim per "regem" quod per "populum", nempe naturalis homo et scientificum ibi; quare etiam vocatur cetus magnus, per "cetum" enim seu "balaenam" significatur scientificum in communi; et ideo dicitur quod "extrahetur e flumine", et tunc "piscis adhaerebit squamis ejus", per quod significatur quod peritura sit omnis intelligentia, et quod scientia, quae loco ejus, erit in sensuali homine absque vita: in sensuali homine qui est infimus naturalis proxime exstans mundo, sunt fallaciae et inde falsa; hoc significatur per quod "piscis adhaerebit squamis" ceti: quod naturalis homo, et quod scientificum ibi absque vita ex aliqua intelligentia erit, significatur per "Derelinquam in deserto te et omnem piscem fluviorum tuorum"; quod talia fient quia naturalis homo sibi tribuit omnem intelligentiam, significatur per " 2
qui dixit, Meus fluvius meus, ego me feci"; "fluvius" est intelligentia.
[6] Apud Mosen,
Dicebant filii Israelis in deserto, "Recordamur piscis, quem comedimus in Aegypto gratis, et cucumerum, et cucurbitarum, et porri, et ceparum et alliorum; nunc anima nostra arida est, non quicquam nisi quod ad man oculi nostri." Postea "Ventus profectus a Jehovah, abripuit selav e mari, et demisit super castra": sed propter concupiscentiam "percussit Jehovah in 3
populo plagam magnam valde: unde vocabatur nomen loci illius, Sepulchra concupiscentiae" (Numeri 11:5, 6, 31, 33, 34):
per haec significabatur quod filii Israelis aversati fuerint spiritualia, et appetiverint naturalia; erant etiam illi mere naturales, et non spirituales; modo Spiritualem ecclesiam repraesentabant per externa: quod aversati spiritualia significatur per quod "anima nostra arida sit, non quicquam nisi quod ad man oculi nostri"; "man" significabat cibum spiritualem, qui est scientia, intelligentia et sapientia: quod appetiverint naturalia, significatur per quod concupiscerent "piscem in Aegypto, cucumeres, cucurbitas, porros, cepas et allia"; haec omnia significant talia quae sunt infimi naturalis, hoc est, sensualis corporei hominis: et quia rejecerunt spiritualia, et pro illis cupiverunt mere naturalia, ideo "percussi sunt plaga magna; et datum nomen loco, Sepulchra concupiscentiarum."
[7] Apud Ezechielem,
Dixit ad me, "Aquae hae exeuntes ad terminum orientalem, ac descendunt in planitiem, ac veniunt versus mare, in mare emissae ut sanentur aquae; unde fit, omnis anima vivens, quae reptat, quocunque veniunt fluvii, vivet; unde fit piscis multus valde:.... fit ergo, stant super illo piscatores ab Engedi usque ad En-eglaim, expansione sagenarum adsunt, juxta speciem erit piscis eorum, sicut piscis maris magni multus valde: caenosa et paludes ejus, quae non sanantur, in salem abeunt" (47:1, 8-11):
agitur ibi de Domo Dei, per quam significatur caelum et ecclesia; et per "aquas quae exeunt e Domo Dei versus orientem", significatur Divinum Verum reformans et regenerans: per "planitiem" et per "mare" in quae descendunt aquae, significantur ultima caeli et ecclesiae, quae apud homines ecclesiae sunt illa quae sunt naturalis et sensualis hominis, per "planitiem" interiora ejus, et per "mare" exteriora ejus; quod tam cognitiones ex Verbo quam scientifica confirmantia vitam spiritualem per Divinum id Verum accipiant, significatur per quod "aquae maris sanentur " inde, et quod "vivet omnis anima quae reptat", et quod "erit piscis multus valde": quod inde omnis generis scientifica vera et viva sint, significatur per "Juxta speciem erit piscis eorum, piscis sicut maris magni multus valde": illi qui reformantur et inde intelligentes fiunt, intelliguntur per "piscatores ab En-gedi usque ad En-eglaim"; qui non reformari possunt quia in falsis mali sunt, significantur per "caenosa et paludes quae non sanantur, et abeunt in salem." Quod hic non intelligantur pisces, qui ex aquis exeuntibus e Domo Dei multiplicantur, quisque videre potest; sed quod per "pisces" intelligantur illa apud hominem quae reformari possunt; quoniam per "Domum Dei" intelligitur caelum et ecclesia, et per "aquas" inde exeuntes Divinum Verum reformans.
[8] In Verbo passim dicitur "bestia terrae", "avis caeli" et "piscis maris"; et qui non scit quod per "bestiam terrae" seu "agri" intelligatur voluntarium hominis, per "avem caeli" intellectuale ejus, et per "piscem maris" scientificum ejus, prorsus non scire potest quis illorum locorum sensus est; ut in sequentibus:
- Apud Hoscheam,
"Lis Jehovae cum habitatoribus terrae, quia non Veritas, non misericordia, et non cognitio Dei in terra;.... propterea lugebit terra, et contabescet omnis habitans in ea, inter bestiam agri, et inter avem caelorum, etiamque pisces maris colligentur" (4:1, 3);
apud Zephaniam,
"consumam hominem et bestiam, consumam avem caelorum, et pisces maris, et offendicula cum impiis" (1:3);
apud Ezechielem,
"In die quo veniet Gog super terram Israelis, .... erit terrae motus magnus super terra Israelis, et contremiscent coram Me pisces maris, et avis caelorum, et bestia agri" (38:18-20);
apud Hiobum,
"Quaere bestias et docebunt te, aut aves caeli et annuntiabunt tibi, aut virgultum terrae et docebit te, et narrabunt tibi pisces maris: quis non novit ex his omnibus, quod manus Jehovae faciat illud?" (12:7-9.)
In his locis per "bestiam agri" intelligitur voluntarium hominis, per "avem caeli" intellectuale ejus, et per "piscem maris" scientificum ejus. Quid alioqui foret quod "bestiae docerent te, aves caeli annuntiabunt tibi, et pisces maris narrabunt, quod manus Jehovae faciat illud"? Dicitur etiam, "Quis non novit ex his omnibus?"
[9] Similiter apud Davidem,
"Dominari Eum fecisti super opera manuum tuarum, omnia posuisti sub pedes Ejus, gregem et armenta omnia, bestias agrorum, avem caeli, et piscem maris, transeuntem vias marium" (Psalms 8:7-9 [B.A. 6-8]):
haec dicta sunt de Domino, ac de Ipsius dominio; quod dominium Ipsi sit in caelis super angelos et in terris super homines notum est ex Verbo, dicit enim Ipse quod Ipsi "omnis potestas data sit in caelo et in terra" (Matthaeus 28:18); quod autem dominium Ipsi datum sit super animalia, aves et pisces, non tanti est ut memoretur in Verbo, ubi omnia et singula spectant caelum et ecclesiam. Inde constare potest quod per "gregem et armenta, bestias agrorum, avem caeli et piscem maris", talia quae sunt caeli apud angelum et ecclesiae apud hominem intelligantur: per "gregem et armenta" significantur in genere spiritualia et naturalia, per "gregem" spiritualia et per "armenta" naturalia quae apud hominem, seu quae sunt mentis spiritualis et mentis naturalis apud illum; per "bestias agrorum" significantur voluntaria quae sunt affectionum; per "aves caeli" intellectualia quae sunt cogitationum; et per "pisces maris" scientifica, quae sunt naturalis hominis.
[10] Similia significantur per haec in primo capite Geneseos,
"Dixit Deus, Faciamus hominem in imagine nostra, secundum similitudinem nostram, ut dominetur in piscem maris, et in avem caeli, .... et in omne animal repens super terra" (vers. 26, 28):
agitur in illo capite in sensu interno spirituali de instauratione Ecclesiae Antiquissimae, ita de nova creatione seu regeneratione hominum illius ecclesiae: quod datum sit illis percipere omnia suae affectionis quae voluntatis, ac videre omnia suae cogitationis quae intellectus, et sic regere illa, ne abirent in concupiscentias mali et in falsitates, intelligitur per "ut dominetur in piscem maris, avem caeli et omne animal terrae": et dominatur homo in illa quando Dominus dominatur super hominem; nam homo ex se non super aliquid apud se dominatur: quod per "piscem maris, avem caeli et bestiam agri" talia significentur, est quia correspondent. Correspondentiae interiorum hominis cum illis ad manifestum visum sistuntur in mundo spirituali, nam ibi apparent omnis generis bestiae, tum aves, ac in maribus pisces, quae tamen non aliud sunt quam ideae cogitationis profluentes ex affectionibus, quae sub talibus formis sistuntur quia correspondent.
[11] Quoniam per "pisces" significantur scientifica et cogitationes quae naturalis hominis, quae inserviunt spirituali homini pro mediis sapiendi, inde per "piscatores" in Verbo intelliguntur qui modo in cognitionibus sunt, ac qui cognitiones sibi comparant, tum qui alios docent, et per cognitiones reformant; opera eorum intelliguntur per "emissiones et expansiones retium"; ut in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Esaiam
"Lugebunt piscatores, et tristes erunt omnes projicientes in flumen hamum, et expandentes rete super facies aquarum languescent" (19:8):
hic per "piscatores projicientes in flumen hamum, et expandentes rete", intelliguntur qui sibi cognitiones, et per illas intelligentiam, volunt comparare: hic quod non possint, quia non alicubi cognitiones veri.
[12] Apud Jeremiam,
"Reducam" filios Israelis "super terram eorum; mittam ad piscatores multos qui piscabuntur illos; tum mittam ad multos venatores qui venabuntur eos desuper omni monte, et desuper omni colle, et ex foraminibus petrarum" (16 [15,] 16):
quod per "mittere ad piscatores qui piscabuntur illos, et ad venatores qui venabuntur illos", intelligatur convocare et instaurare ecclesiam apud illos qui in bono naturali et in bono spirituali sunt, videatur supra (n. 405 [c]).
[13] Apud Habakuk,
"Quare facis hominem sicut pisces maris, sicut reptile cui non dominans? 4
Omnes hamo extrahat et congreget eum in rete suum;.... ergone evacuabit rete suum, et jugiter occidere gentes non parcet?" (1:14, 15, 17):
haec dicta sunt de gente Chaldaea vastante et destruente ecclesiam: per "gentem Chaldaeam" significatur profanatio veri et vastatio ecclesiae: "facere homines sicut pisces maris, et sicut reptile cui non dominans", significat facere hominem ita naturalem ut ejus scientifica sint absque spirituali vero, et jucunda absque spirituali bono; in naturali enim homine sunt scientifica per quae cogitationes, et jucunda per quae affectiones, super quas si non dominatur spirituale, sunt tam cogitationes quam affectiones vagae; ita homo absque intelligentia quae ducet et reget: quod tunc omne falsum et malum illos in suas partes trahere possit, et sic prorsus perdere, significatur per quod " 5
omnes hamo extrahat et congreget in rete suum, et postea occidet"; "extrahere" est ex vero et bono; "in rete suum" est in falsum et malum, et "occidere" est perdere.
[14] Apud Amos,
"Dies venient quibus extrahent vos aculeis, et posteritatem vestram hamis piscatoriis" (4:2);
per quae significatur quod per acutas ratiocinationes ex falsis et fallaciis educturi sint et abalienaturi a veris; haec dicta sunt de illis qui abundant cognitionibus quia habent Verbum et prophetas; illi ibi intelliguntur per "vaccas Baschanis in monte Samariae."
[15] Ex his nunc constare potest quid per "piscatores", per "pisces" et per "retia"; quae toties memorantur in Novo Testamento, intelligitur; ut in his sequentibus: -
"Jesus.. videns duos fratres, Simonem dictum Petrum, et Andream fratrem ejus, jacientes rete in mare, erant enim piscatores; et dixit illis, Venite post Me, et faciam vos piscatores hominum" (Matthaeus 4:18, 19; Marcus 1:16, 17);
et alibi,
Jesus ingressus in navigium Simonis, et docebat turbam; et postea dixit Simoni ut emitteret retia sua in captum, et concluserunt piscium multitudinem ingentem, ut navigia implerentur, et minarentur mergi; et stupor apprehendit omnes super captum piscium, dixit ad Simonem, Ne timeto, ex nunc homines eris capiens (Luca 5:3-10):
his quoque similis sensus spiritualis inest sicut reliquis Verbi: quod Dominus elegerit illos piscatores, et dixerit quod "piscatores hominum fierent", significabat quod congregarent ad ecclesiam: per "retia quae expanderent, et quibus concluserunt ingentem multitudinem piscium, ut navigia minarentur mergi", significabatur reformatio ecclesiae per illos; nam per "pisces" ibi significantur cognitiones veri et boni per quas reformatio, tum multitudo hominum qui reformarentur.
[16] Similia quoque significantur per capturam piscium a discipulis post resurrectionem Domini, de qua re ita apud Johannem,
Dixit Jesus, dum manifestavit Se discipulis qui piscabantur, ut mitterent rete in dextras partes navigii: et acceperunt ut non amplius trahere valerent rete prae multitudine piscium. Postquam descenderunt in terram, vident focum positum, et pisciculum superjacentem, et panem, et dedit illis Jesus panem et pisciculum similiter (21:2-13):
quod Dominus manifestaverit Se dum piscabantur, erat causa quia "piscari" significabat docere cognitiones veri et boni, et sic reformare; quod jusserit "ut emitterent rete in dextras partes navigii" significabat quod ex bono amoris et charitatis omnia, "dextrum" enim significat bonum illud ex quo; cognitiones enim quantum ex bono trahunt, tantum vivunt et tantum multiplicantur; dicebant etiam quod "tota nocte laboraverint et nihil acceperint", per quod significabatur quod a semet seu proprio nihil, sed a Domino omnia: simile etiam significabatur per "focum super quo pisciculus" et per "panem"; per "panem" enim significabatur Dominus et bonum amoris ab Ipso, et per "pisciculum super focum" cognitio veri ex bono; per "pisciculum" cognitio veri, per "focum" seu "ignem" bonum. Eo tempore non erant aliqui spirituales homines, quia ecclesia prorSus vastata fuit, sed omnes naturales; horum reformatio repraesentabatur per piscaturam illam, et quoque per piscem super foco. Qui credit quod piscis super foco et panis, qui dati discipulis ad comedendum, non significativum alicujus rei superioris fuerit, maxime fallitur; singula enim quae Dominus egit, et quae locutus est, significativa Divinorum caelestium fuerunt, quae unice patent per sensum spiritualem.
Quod "focus" et "ignis" sit bonum amoris, et quod "panis" sit Dominus quoad id bonum, supra ostensum est; et quod "piscis" sit cognitio veri et scientificum quod naturalis hominis, ex dictis et ostensis in hoc articulo patet.
[17] Dicit etiam Dominus quod
"Regnum caelorum simile sit sagenae jactae in mare; et ex omni genere piscium contrahenti, quae postquam impleta est, subduxit in litus, et collegit bonos in vasa, et malos foras ejecit; sic erit in consummatione saeculi" (Matthaeus 13:47-49):
separatio bonorum et malorum assimilatur hic "sagenae missae in mare contrahenti ex omni genere piscium", ex causa quia "pisces significant naturales homines quoad scientifica et cognitiones, et illi in consummatione saeculi seu tempore ultimi judicii separantur ab invicem; sunt enim naturales boni et naturales mali: horum separatio apparet in mundo spirituali sicut rete seu sagena emissa in mare contrahens et subducens in litus pisces; haec apparentia etiam est ex correspondentia; quare a Domino assimilatur regnum caelorum "sagenae contrahenti pisces"; quod separatio bonorum a malis ita appareat, etiam mihi visum est.
[18] Quod naturales homines per "pisces" significentur, constat ex hoc Domini miraculo:
"Accesserunt qui didrachma acciperent": Jesus dixit ad Simonem, "Reges terrae a quibus accipiunt tributum et censum? a filiis suis, an ab alienis? Dixit Ipsi Petrus, Ab alienis: dixit illi Jesus, Ergo liberi sunt filii: verum ne simus illis offendiculo, abi ad mare, et mitte hamum, et extractum primo piscem tolle, et aperi os ejus, et invenies staterem; eum accipe, da illis pro Me et pro te" (Matthaeus 17:24-27):
per "dare tributum et censum", significabatur subjectus esse et servire; quare alienis, qui non erant ex filiis Israelis, imponebantur tributa, ut patet ex historicis Verbi; per "filios Israelis", apud quos erat ecclesia, significabantur spirituales, et per "alienos" naturales; et naturale est subjectum spirituali, et ei servit; est enim spiritualis homo sicut dominus, et naturalis homo sicut servus: et quia naturales sunt servi, et inde intelliguntur per "tributarios", ideo factum est quod non Dominus nec Petrus darent tributum, sed "piscis", per quem significatur naturalis homo.
[19] Quod Dominus glorificaverit Humanum suum usque ad ultimum ejus, quod naturale et sensuale vocatur, significatur per haec,
Jesus discipulis manifestatus dixit, "Videte manus meas et pedes meos, quod Ego sim; palpate Me et videte, quia spiritus carnem et ossa non habet, sicut Me videtis habere; et.... ostendit illis manus et pedes:.... et dixit illis, Habetisne aliquid edulii hic? Illi dederunt Ipsi piscis assi partem, et de favo apiario, quae accipiens coram illis comedit" (Luca 24:38-43):
quod Dominus glorificaverit Humanum suum usque ad ultimum ejus, quod vocatur naturale et sensuale, manifestavit per quod ostenderit manus et pedes, et per quod discipuli palpaverint illa, et per quod dixerit quod spiritus non carnem et ossa habeat sicut Ipse; et quod ederit de pisce asso et de favo apiario; per "manus et pedes" significantur ultima hominis, similiter per "carnem et ossa"; et per "piscem assum" significatur naturale quoad verum ex bono, et per "mel" significatur naturale quoad bonum ex quo verum: haec comedebantur in praesentia discipulorum, quia correspondebant naturali homini, et inde illum significabant; nam "piscis", ut in hoc articulo ostensum est, ex correspondentia significat naturale quoad scientificum; quapropter etiam piscis in Verbo significat scientificum et cognitivum quod est naturalis hominis et "piscis assus" scientificum quod ex bono naturali; apud Dominum autem significabat Divinum Naturale quoad verum ex bono; et quod "mel" significet bonum naturale, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus (n. 5620, 6
6857, 10137, 10530). Qui non scit quod in singulis Verbi sit sensus spiritualis, et quod sensus litterae, qui est sensus naturalis, consistat ex correspondentiis cum spiritualibus, non scire potest arcanum cur Dominus in praesentia discipulorum comedit de pisce asso et de favo apiario, tum supra cur dedit discipulis piscem assum et panem; cum tamen omnia et singula quae Dominus locutus est et egit Divina fuerunt, quae interius latent in singulis quae scripta Sunt in Verbo.
[20] Ex his nunc constare potest quid significatur per quod "mortua sit tertia pars creaturarum in mari habentium animas", quod nempe perierit omne scientificum vivum in naturali homine, seu quod idem, quod naturalis homo quoad scientifica ibi mortuus sit: ille dicitur mortuus quando non vivificatur e spirituali homine, hoc est, per influxum e caelo a Domino per spiritualem hominem; nam Dominus influit per spiritualem hominem in naturalem: quare cum non amplius aliquod verum caeli agnoscitur, et non aliquod bonum caeli afficit, tunc spiritualis mens, quae vocatur spiritualis homo, clausa est, et naturalis mens recipit mere falsa ex malo; et falsa ex malo sunt spiritualiter mortua, sunt enim vera ex bono spiritualiter viva.
[21] Dicitur "tertia pars creaturarum", quia per "creaturas" et "animalia" in Verbo significantur affectiones et inde cogitationes apud hominem; proinde intelliguntur ipsi homines quoad illas. Similiter per "creaturas" apud Marcum, Jesus dixit discipulis,
"Euntes in mundum universum praedicate Evangelium omni creaturae" (16:15);
et quoque supra in Apocalypsi,
"Et omnis creatura, quae est in caelo, et in terra, et sub terra, et in mari quae sunt, et quae in illis omnia, audivi dicentes, Sedenti super throno et Agno benedictio et honor et gloria, et robur in saecula saeculorum" (cap. 5:13):
quod ibi per "omnem creaturam" intelligantur tam angeli quam homines, patet; nam dicitur quod "audiverit illos dicentes." (videatur supra, n. 342-346, ubi illa explicata sunt.)
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