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617. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up.- That this signifies that he should read, perceive, and explore the Word, as to its interior and exterior qualities, is evident from the signification of He said to me, take the little book, as denoting to impart the power of perceiving the quality of the Word, that is, the quality of the understanding of the Word now in the church (see the preceding article, n. 616); and from the signification of devouring or eating up, as denoting to conjoin or appropriate to one's self, and because the Word is conjoined to man by reading and perception, therefore here eating up signifies reading and perception. The reason why eating up here also signifies to explore, is, that it is afterwards said that the little book would make his belly bitter, and would be in his mouth sweet as honey, which means the exploration of the quality of the Word as to the understanding of its interior and exterior. Its interior quality is signified by the belly and its bitterness, and its exterior, by the mouth where it was perceived to be sweet as honey. It is clear from these things that these words, And he said unto me, Take the little book, and eat it up, signify, that he should read, perceive, and explore the Word, as to its interior and exterior quality.
[2] In the Word, mention is frequently made of eating and drinking, and he who does not know the spiritual sense supposes that these expressions signify nothing more than natural eating and drinking; whereas they signify to nourish oneself spiritually, consequently, the appropriation to oneself of good and truth, eating signifying to appropriate good to oneself, and drinking, to appropriate truth to oneself. Any one, who believes that the Word is spiritual, can see that by eating and drinking, just as by bread, food, wine, and drink, is signified spiritual nourishment; for if this were not meant, the Word would be merely natural and not spiritual, thus merely for the natural man, and not for the spiritual man, much less for angels. That by bread, food, wine, and drink, in the spiritual sense, is meant the nourishment of the mind has been frequently shown above, and also that the Word is everywhere spiritual, although natural in the sense of the letter. To be spiritually nourished is to be instructed and imbued, consequently it is to know, to understand, and to be wise; unless man enjoys this nourishment together with the nourishment of the body, he is not a man, but a beast. This is the reason why those who find all their pleasure in feastings and banquetings, and daily indulge their palates, are stupid as to things spiritual, however well they may be able to reason concerning the things of the world and the body; therefore, after their departure from this world, they live rather a bestial than a human life, for instead of intelligence and wisdom they have insanity and folly. These things are mentioned, in order that it may be known, that here, by devouring or eating up the little book, is signified to read, to perceive, and to explore the Word, for the little book, which was in the hand of the angel coming down out of heaven, means the Word, as stated above. Besides, no one can naturally eat or devour any little book, thus not the Word, and from this also it is evident, that eating here signifies to be spiritually nourished.
[3] That eating and drinking, in the Word, also signify to eat and drink spiritually, which is to be instructed, and by instruction both to infill the life, and appropriate to oneself good and truth, consequently intelligence and wisdom, is further evident from the following passages.
Thus in Jeremiah:
"Thy words shall be found, that I may eat them, and thy word be unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart" (15:16).
Here, eating evidently denotes to eat spiritually, which is to know, to perceive, and to appropriate to oneself, for it is said, "that I may eat thy words, and thy Word be to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart." The words of God signify precepts or Divine truths. This is similar in meaning to what the Lord said to the tempter, that man does not live by bread only, "but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:3, 4; Luke 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3).
And again:
"Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto eternal life" (John 6:27).
Similarly in regard to the words of the Lord to the disciples:
"His disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. The disciples said one to another, Hath any one brought him anything to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (John 4:31-34).
[4] From these passages it is also evident, that to eat, in the spiritual sense, signifies to receive in the will, and to do, whence comes conjunction. For the Lord, by doing the Divine will, conjoined the Divine which was in Him with His Human, so that He appropriated the Divine to His Human. It was for the same reason also, that the Lord fed five thousand men, besides women and children, with five loaves and two fishes, and that after they had eaten and were filled they took up twelve baskets of fragments (Matthew 14:15-21; John 6:5, 13, 23); and that He fed four thousand men, from seven loaves and a few fishes (Matthew 15:32, and the following verses). This miracle was performed because the Lord had previously been teaching them, and because they received and appropriated to themselves His doctrine. This was what they spiritually ate, from this the natural eating followed, that is, it flowed in with them out of heaven unknown to themselves, as the manna with the children of Israel. For at the will of the Lord, spiritual food, which is also real food, but only for spirits and angels, is turned into natural food, just as it was turned into manna every morning.
[5] The same is signified by eating bread in the kingdom of God, in Luke:
"And I appoint unto you a kingdom that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom" (22:28, 29, 30).
In these words also eating and drinking signify to eat and drink spiritually, consequently to eat denotes to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself the good of heaven from the Lord, and to drink denotes to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself the truth of that good. For to eat is used in reference to good, because bread signifies the good of love, and to drink is used in reference to truth, because water and wine (vinum) signify the truth of that good.
So again, in Luke:
"Blessed is he that eateth bread in the kingdom of God" (14:15).
For this reason the Lord there likened the kingdom of God to a great supper, to which those who were invited did not come, and which was attended only by those who were brought in from the streets (verses 16-24).
[6] Spiritual eating, by which the soul is nourished, is also signified by eating in the following passages of the Word.
Thus in Isaiah:
"If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat good" (1:19).
Here by eating good is signified spiritual good, hence it is said, "If ye be willing and obedient," that is, if ye act; for spiritual food is given, conjoined, and appropriated, to man, by his willing and therefore by his doing it.
And in David:
"Blessed is every one that feareth Jehovah; that walketh in his ways. Thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands; blessed art thou, and it is good to thee" (Psalm 128:1, 2).
By eating the labour of his hands is signified the celestial good which man receives by a life according to Divine truths from the Lord, and as it were acquires to himself by his own labour and study, wherefore it is said that "he who feareth Jehovah and walketh in His ways" shall eat, and afterwards, "Blessed art thou, and it is good to thee."
[7] Again, in Isaiah:
"Say ye to the just, that it is good; for they shall eat the fruit of their works" (3:10).
By eating the fruit of their works is signified the same as by eating the labour of their hands, mentioned above.
So in Ezekiel:
"Thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil; whence thou didst become exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper even to a kingdom" (16:13).
This was spoken of Jerusalem, by which the church is signified, in the present case the Ancient Church, which was in truths and in spiritual good, and at the same time in natural good. Fine flour signifies truth, honey, natural good, or the good of the external man, and oil, spiritual good, or the good of the internal man. The reception, perception, and appropriation of these, is signified by eating fine flour, honey, and oil. That she [the church] became intelligent therefrom, is signified by whence thou didst become exceeding beautiful, beauty denoting intelligence; that consequently she became a church, is signified by her prospering into a kingdom, a kingdom denoting a church.
[8] Again, in Isaiah:
"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name God-with-us. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child knoweth to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings" (7:14, 15, 16).
That the son whom the virgin should conceive and bring forth, and whose name should be called God-with-us, is the Lord as to His Human, is manifest. The appropriation of Divine Good, spiritual and natural, as to the Human, is meant by "butter and honey shall he eat," spiritual Divine Good, by butter, and natural Divine Good, by honey, and appropriation, by eating. And because so far as it is known how to refuse evil, and choose good, so far Divine Good, spiritual and natural, is appropriated, therefore it is said, "that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good." That the church was rendered destitute and vastated as to all good and truth by means of scientifics falsely applied, and by reasonings therefrom, is signified by, "the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings;" the land signifies the church; its being vastated and rendered destitute is meant by its being abhorred and forsaken. And the two kings, who are the king of Egypt and the king of Assyria, signify scientifics wickedly applied, and reasonings therefrom, the king of Egypt signifies those scientifics, and the king of Assyria, those reasonings. That these are the kings who are here meant, is evident from what presently follows in the same chapter (verses 17, 18), where Egypt and Assyria are named. These are also the things that principally vastate the church. That the Lord came into the world when there was no longer any good and truth in the church, thus when there was nothing of the church remaining, has been several times shown above.
[9] Again, in the same prophet:
"It shall come to pass for the abundance of milk one shall eat butter; for butter and [honey] shall every one eat that is left in the land" (7:22).
The subject here treated of is the new church to be established by the Lord; and by butter and honey is signified spiritual and natural good, and by eating is signified to appropriate to oneself, as above, by milk is signified the spiritual from the celestial, from which those goods are.
[10] So again:
"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without silver and without price. Wherefore do ye weigh silver for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat good, that your soul may be delighted in fatness" (55:1, 2).
That to eat here signifies to appropriate to oneself from the Lord, is very evident, for it is said, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy, and eat." This signifies, that every one who desires truth, and who had not truth before, may procure and appropriate it to himself from the Lord; to thirst signifies to desire, water denotes truth, silver, the truth of good, here one who had no truth of good; to come, denotes to go to the Lord, to buy denotes to procure for oneself, and to eat denotes to appropriate to oneself. Come ye, buy wine and milk without silver and without price, signifies to procure spiritual Divine Truth and natural Divine Truth apart from [one's] own intelligence, wine (vinum) denoting spiritual Divine Truth, and milk, spiritual-natural Divine Truth. Wherefore do ye weigh silver for that which is not bread? and your labour [for that] which satisfieth not? signifies, that it is in vain to endeavour from the proprium to procure to oneself the good of love, and that which nourishes the soul, silver here denoting truth (verum) from the proprium, or from [man's] own intelligence; similarly labour. Bread denotes the good of love, and that which satisfies denotes that which nourishes the soul, in the present case, that which does not nourish. Hearken diligently unto me, signifies, that those things are from the Lord alone; and eat good, that your soul may be delighted in fatness, signifies, that they may appropriate to themselves celestial good from which all the delight of life proceeds, to delight in fatness denoting to be delighted from good, while "soul" signifies life.
[11] Again, in the same prophet:
"For the merchandize" of Tyre "shall be for them that dwell before Jehovah, to eat to satiety, and to him that covereth himself with what is ancient" (23:18).
By the merchandize of Tyre are signified the cognitions of good and truth of every kind. To dwell before Jehovah, signifies to live from the Lord; to eat to satiety signifies to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself the cognitions of good sufficiently for the nourishment of the soul. To cover oneself with what is ancient, signifies to drink in the cognitions of genuine truth; for to cover, is used in reference to truths, because garments signify truths clothing good, while ancient, is used in reference to what is genuine, because there were genuine truths with the ancients. The same is signified in Moses by eating to the full, and by eating the old store long kept (Leviticus 26:5, 10).
Again:
"Thou shalt eat and be satisfied in a good land" (Deuteronomy 11:15).
And again:
They should eat, and not be satisfied (Leviticus 26:26).
[12] And in Isaiah:
"And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat" (65:21, 22).
Everyone knows what is signified by these words in the sense of the letter, but because the Word in its bosom is spiritual, therefore spiritual things are also meant by them, that is, such things as pertain to heaven and the church, for these are spiritual things. By building houses and inhabiting them, is signified to fill the interiors of the mind with the goods of heaven and the church, and to enjoy celestial life by means of them, houses denoting the interiors of the mind, and to inhabit denoting celestial life therefrom. Planting vineyards and eating the fruit of them, signifies to enrich themselves with spiritual truths, and to appropriate to themselves the goods thence, vineyards denoting spiritual truths, fruit the goods resulting therefrom, and to eat denotes to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself; for all good is appropriated to man by means of truths, namely, by a life according to them. The signification of the words, "They shall not build and another inhabit, they shall not plant and another eat," is therefore now evident. Another signifies the falsity and evil which destroy truth and good; for when truths and goods perish with man, falsities and evils enter.
Thus also in Jeremiah:
"Build ye houses, and dwell in them, and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them" (29:5, 28).
The signification of these words is similar to that of those which precede.
[13] Again, in Moses:
There shall be given in the land great and goodly cities, which they built not, and houses full of every good thing, which they filled not, and wells digged, which they digged not, vineyards and olive trees, which they planted not; they shall eat to satiety" (Deuteronomy 6:10, 11).
The natural man understands these things only according to the sense of the letter, but if there were not a spiritual sense in every detail, the Word would be merely natural, and not spiritual, and consequently it might be supposed that it is only worldly riches and abundance that are freely given to those who live according to the Divine precepts; but what would it profit a man if he were to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Indeed what would it profit him if houses full of every kind of good thing, and also wells, olive trees, and vineyards, were given to him and he were to eat of them to satiety? But the fact is, these worldly riches are mentioned to denote spiritual riches, from which man has life eternal. The great and goodly cities to be given [to them], signify doctrinals from genuine truths and goods; houses full of every good thing, signify the interiors of the mind full of love and wisdom; wells digged, signify the interiors of the natural mind full of the knowledges of good and truth; vineyards and olive gardens, signify all things both as to truths and goods pertaining to the church, a vineyard denoting the church as to truth, and an olive garden the church as to good; for wine (vinum) signifies truth, and oil good; to eat to satiety, signifies full reception, perception, and appropriation.
[14] Again, in Isaiah:
Delight shall be found in Jehovah, "and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob" (58:14).
By causing them to ride upon the high places of the earth, is signified to give them the understanding of higher or interior truths concerning the things of the church and heaven; and by feeding them with the heritage of Jacob, is signified to endow them with everything pertaining to heaven and the church. For the heritage of Jacob means the land of Canaan, and by that land is meant the church, and, in a higher sense, heaven.
[15] Since eating signifies to appropriate to oneself, the signification of eating of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise (Apoc. 2:7), is evident, namely, the appropriation to oneself of celestial life. Also the signification of eating of the tree of knowledge in Genesis, is evident:
"Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (2:16, 17).
The tree of the knowledge (scientia) of good and evil, signifies the knowledge of natural things, by means of which [knowledge] it is not allowable to enter into things celestial and spiritual which pertain to heaven and the church, for this is to enter from the natural man into the spiritual, which is an inverted way, and does not therefore lead to wisdom, but destroys it. By Adam and his wife is meant the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial church. Because the men of that church were in love to the Lord, they had Divine Truths inscribed upon them, and therefore they knew from influx the correspondences in the natural man, which are called scientifics. In a word, the men of that church enjoyed spiritual influx, which is from the spiritual mind into the natural, and consequently into the things that are therein; these things they saw, according to their quality, as in a mirror, from correspondence.
[16] Spiritual things with them were quite distinct from natural things, the former being in their spiritual mind, and the latter in their natural mind, and therefore they did not immerse anything spiritual in their natural mind, as spiritual-natural men are in the habit of doing. If therefore they had committed spiritual things to the natural memory, and had thus appropriated them to themselves, that which was implanted in them would have perished, and they would have begun to reason from the natural man concerning spiritual things, and have formed their conclusions therefrom, which [the celestial] never do. This also would have resulted in a desire to be wise from [their] own intelligence, and not from Divine intelligence, as previously, and by this means they would have extinguished all their celestial life, and also formed natural ideas concerning spiritual things. That they should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and if they did eat, that they should surely die, has therefore this signification. The case in regard to the most ancient people, meant by Adam, is similar to what it is with those who are in the celestial kingdom of the Lord, who, if they imbue the natural man and its memory with the cognitions of spiritual truth and good, and desire to be wise therefrom, become stupid, although they are the wisest of all in heaven. More may be seen on this subject in Heaven and Hell 20-28), where the two kingdoms, called celestial and spiritual, into which heaven is in general distinguished, are treated of.
[17] Again, it is said in David:
He who "did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me" (Heaven and Hell 59, 102, also n. 200-212).
[18] Thus also in Luke:
"They shall begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, ye workers of iniquity" (13:26, 27).
By their saying when brought to judgment, that they had eaten and drunk in the presence of the Lord, is signified that they had read the Word, and received therefrom the cognitions of good and truth, supposing that they should thereby be saved, therefore the words follow; "thou hast taught in our streets," denoting that they were instructed in truths from the Word, thus from the Lord. But that to read the Word and receive instruction from it could avail them nothing as to salvation, without a life according to it, is signified by the answer which He gave, "I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, ye workers of iniquity"; for it is of no avail to salvation to enrich the memory from the Word, and from the doctrinals of the church, unless these things are committed to life.
[19] In Matthew:
The King said unto them on his right hand, "I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink." And to them on the left hand, "I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink" (Matthew 25:34-42).
These words also signify spiritual hunger and thirst, also spiritual eating and drinking. Spiritual hunger and thirst are the affection and desire for good and truth and spiritual eating and drinking are instruction, reception, and appropriation. It is here said of the Lord, that He hungered and thirsted, because from Divine Love He desires the salvation of all; and of men it is said that they gave Him to eat and to drink; which is the case when, from affection, they receive and perceive good and truth from the Lord, and appropriate them to themselves by means of the life. It will be said in like manner of the man who, from his heart, loves to instruct man, and desires his salvation; it is therefore charity, or the spiritual affection for truth, which is described by these words, and also by those which follow.
[20] From what has been said, the signification of eating bread and drinking wine, in the spiritual sense, in the holy supper (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22) is now evident; where it is also said, that the bread is the Lord's body, and the wine (vinum) His blood. That bread there signifies the good of love, and wine the truth from that good, which is also the good of faith, and that the same is signified by flesh and blood, also that by eating are signified conjunction with the Lord and appropriation, is evident from what is said and shown in the 6:49-58).
That neither flesh and blood, nor bread and wine, are here meant, but the Divine proceeding from the Lord, can be seen only by one who enjoys the power of thinking interiorly; for it is the proceeding Divine, which is Divine Good and Divine Truth, that imparts eternal life to man, and causes the Lord to abide in man, and man in the Lord. For the Lord is in man in his own Divine, and not in the proprium of man, this being nothing but evil; and the Lord is in man, and man in the Lord, when the proceeding Divine is appropriated to man by a right reception thereof. The appropriation itself is signified by eating; the proceeding Divine Good, by flesh and by bread, and the proceeding Divine Truth, by blood and by wine. Similarly in the sacrifices, in which the flesh and the meat-offering, which was bread, signified the good of love, and the blood and the wine, which were the drink-offering, signified the truth from that good, both from the Lord. Since by flesh and bread is signified the proceeding Divine Good, and by blood and wine, the proceeding Divine Truth, therefore, bread and flesh mean the Lord Himself as to Divine Good, and blood and wine the Lord Himself as to Divine Truth. The reason why the Lord Himself is meant by those things, is, that the proceeding Divine is the Lord Himself in heaven and in the church; therefore the Lord says concerning Himself, "This is the bread which cometh down from heaven;" also, "He who eateth and drinketh these, dwelleth in me, and I in him."
[21] Since bread signifies the Lord as to Divine Good, and to eat it signifies appropriation and conjunction, therefore when the Lord showed Himself to His disciples after death and when He broke bread and gave to them, "their eyes were opened, and they knew him" (Luke 24:30, 31). From this fact it is also evident that to eat bread given by the Lord, signifies conjunction with Him, in consequence of which the disciples, being enlightened, knew Him. For eyes in the Word correspond to, and therefore signify, the understanding, and it is this which is enlightened; hence it is said their eyes were opened. By breaking bread, in the Word, is signified to communicate one's good to another.
[22] The reason why the Lord ate with publicans and sinners, at which the Jews murmured and were offended (Mark 2:15, 16; Luke 5:29, 30; 7:33-35), was, that the Gentiles, meant by the publicans and sinners, received the Lord, drank in His precepts, and lived according to them, and in consequence the Lord appropriated to them the goods of heaven, which is signified in the spiritual sense by eating with them.
[23] Since eating signified to be appropriated, therefore it was granted to the sons of Israel to eat of the holy things, or the sacrifices; for the sacrifices signified celestial and spiritual Divine things, and therefore eating of them signified the appropriation of them. And because the appropriation of holy things was signified by such eating, therefore various laws were given concerning who should eat and where they should eat, and of what sacrifices. Thus what Aaron and his sons should take from the sacrifices and eat (Exodus 29:31-33; Leviticus 6:16-18; 7:6, 7; 8:31-33; 10:13-15); that they should eat the shewbread in the holy place (Leviticus 24:5-9); that the daughter of a priest, being married to a stranger, should not eat of things sanctified, but that the daughter of a priest, being a widow, or divorced, who had no offspring and had returned to the house of her father, might eat of them (Leviticus 22:12, 13); that certain of the people should eat (Num. 18:10, 11, 13, 19); that a stranger, a sojourner or hired servant of a priest should not eat of them, but that he who was bought with silver should eat (Leviticus 22:10-12); that the unclean should not eat (Leviticus 7:19-21; 21:16 to end; 22:2-8); that they should not eat any part of the burnt offerings, but of the peace sacrifices, and should rejoice before Jehovah (Deuteronomy 12:27; 27:7).
In these and many other statutes and laws concerning the eating of things sanctified, there are contained interior truths concerning the appropriation of Divine Good and Divine Truth, and of conjunction thence with the Lord; but this is not the place to explain the details; only let it be understood from the passages quoted, that to eat signifies to be appropriated and conjoined. Therefore also when the sons of Israel were conjoined to the Lord by the blood of the covenant, and after Moses had read the book of the law before them, and they soon after saw the God of Israel, it is said, "They did eat and drink" (Exodus 24:6-11).
[24] That to eat flesh and drink blood signifies the appropriation of spiritual good and truth, is evident from the following passages in Ezekiel:
"Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel that ye may eat flesh and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth. And ye shall eat fat to satiety, and drink blood to drunkenness, of my sacrifice which I sacrifice for you. Ye shall be satiated at my table with horse and with chariot, with the mighty man, and with every man of war. So will I give my glory among the nations" (39:17-21).
The subject here treated of is the gathering together of all to the kingdom of the Lord, and specifically concerning the establishment of the church with the Gentiles, for it is said, "So will I give my glory among the nations." Eating flesh and drinking blood, mean that they should appropriate to themselves Divine Good and Divine Truth, flesh denoting the good of love, and blood the truth of that good. By the mighty, or oxen, are signified the affections for good; by the princes of the earth, the affections for truth. The full fruition of these is signified by eating fat to satiety, and drinking blood to drunkenness. Fat signifies interior goods, and blood, interior truths, which were manifested by the Lord when He came into the world, and were appropriated by those who received Him.
[25] Before the coming of the Lord into the world to eat fat and to drink blood was forbidden, because the sons of Israel were only in externals, for they were natural-sensual men, and not in things internal or spiritual at all, therefore if they had been allowed to eat fat and drink blood, which signified the appropriation to themselves of interior goods and truths, they would have profaned these, and consequently to eat those things signified profanation. The signification of being satiated at the table of the Lord with horse, with chariot, with the mighty man, and every man of war, is similar. By horse is signified the understanding of the Word, by chariot, doctrine from the Word, by the mighty man and the man of war are meant good and truth combating with evil and falsity, and destroying them. By the mountains of Israel, upon which they should eat, is signified the spiritual church, in which the good of charity is the essential. From this it is clear, that eating signifies to appropriate to oneself, and that by flesh, blood, the mighty man, the princes of the earth, the horse, the chariot, and the man of war, are signified spiritual things which are to be appropriated, and by no means natural things, for to eat such things naturally would be wicked and diabolical. Similar things are signified by eating the flesh of kings, of captains of thousands, of horses, and of them that sit on them, both free and bond (Apoc. 19:18).
[26] Since most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so also have eating and drinking, and in that sense they signify to appropriate to oneself evil and falsity, and thence to be conjoined with hell, as is evident from the following passages.
Thus in Isaiah:
"In that day will the Lord Jehovih of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth; behold, joy and gladness in slaying an ox, and killing a sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die" (22:12, 13).
The vastation of the church, and lamentation over it, are described by being called in that day to weeping, mourning, baldness, and the putting on of sackcloth. Lamentation over the destruction of truth is signified by weeping; lamentation over the destruction of good, by mourning; over the destruction of all affection for good, by baldness, and over the destruction of affection for truth, by sackcloth. By slaying an ox and killing a sheep, is signified, to extinguish natural good and spiritual good. By eating flesh and drinking wine (vinum), is signified to appropriate to oneself evil and falsity, flesh, in this place, denoting evil, and wine, the falsity of evil; while to eat and drink these signifies to appropriate them to oneself.
[27] Again, in Ezekiel:
"It was told the prophet that he should eat food by weight and with solicitude; and drink water by measure, and with astonishment. And should eat a barley cake made with dung. That thus should the sons of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither they should be driven, and lack bread and water, and be desolated a man (vir) and his brother, and consume away on account of their iniquity" (4:10-17).
These words in the prophet represented the adulteration of Divine Truth, or the Word with the Jewish nation. The barley cake made with dung signifies that adulteration, a barley cake denoting natural good and truth, such as is the Word in the sense of the letter, and dung infernal evil; it is therefore said, "Thus shall the sons of Israel eat their defiled bread," bread defiled denoting good defiled with evil, or adulterated. That they should want bread and water amongst the nations whither they should be driven signifies, that they would no longer have any good and truth on account of their being in evils and falsities, nations denoting evils and falsities, while to be driven thither denotes to be delivered up to them. By a man and brother who should be desolated, are signified faith and charity, man (vir) denoting the truth of faith, and brother, the good of charity, and to be desolated denoting the complete extinction of both. Because such things are signified by eating bread, and drinking water, it is therefore said that they shall consume away on account of their iniquity; to consume away is said of spiritual life, when it perishes.
[28] Because beasts signify the affections, some of them good affections, and some evil affections, therefore laws were laid down for the sons of Israel, with whom was the representative church, concerning the beasts that might be eaten and those that might not be eaten (Leviticus 11:1-47). These signified what kind of beasts represented good affections that should be appropriated, and what kind of evil affections that should not be appropriated, for good affections render a man clean, but evil affections unclean. Everything said in that chapter in regard to particular beasts and birds, and in reference to their hoofs, feet, and cud, by which the clean are distinguished from the unclean, is significative.
[29] Again, in Isaiah:
"And if he cut off on the right hand, he shall yet be hungry, and if he eat on the left hand, they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm; Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh" (386:2, 600:13).
[30] The consumption of all truth and good is also signified by the declaration that they should eat the flesh of their sons and daughters (Leviticus 26:29); also by the words: "The fathers shall eat the sons, and the sons shall eat the fathers" (5:10). The fathers signify the goods of the church, and in the opposite sense, its evils; sons signify the truths of the church, and in the opposite sense, its falsities. By daughters are signified affections for truth and good, and in the opposite sense, desires for falsity and evil; their mutual consumption and extinction are signified by their eating them. It is therefore evident that these things must be understood otherwise than according to the sense of the letter.
[31] Again, in Matthew:
In the consummation of the age it shall be as it was before the flood, "eating and drinking, contracting marriage and giving in marriage" (24:38; Luke 17:26-28).
Eating and drinking, contracting marriage and giving in marriage, do not here mean eating and drinking, and contracting marriage and giving in marriage; but by eating is meant the appropriation of evil to oneself, by drinking, the appropriation of falsity to oneself. Contracting marriage and giving in marriage, signify to conjoin falsity with evil, and evil with falsity; for the subject there treated of is the state of the church when the Last Judgment is at hand, for this is signified by the consummation of the age; that both the good and the evil will then eat and drink, is evident, because there is nothing evil in eating and drinking. They did so before the flood, yet did not die as a consequence; but they perished because they appropriated to themselves evil and falsity, and conjoined these in themselves. This is the signification of eating and drinking, of contracting marriage and giving in marriage.
[32] Again, in Luke, the rich man said to his soul:
"Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink" (12:19).
And again:
"If the servant say in his heart, my Lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the servants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken" (12:45).
Also concerning surfeiting and drunkenness in the same:
Jesus said, "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness" (21:34).
It appears as though eating and drinking and surfeiting in these passages mean the luxury and intemperance of those who indulge their appetites only, but this is the literal natural sense of these words, whereas, in the spiritual sense, they denote the appropriation to oneself of evil and falsity, as is evident from the passages quoted above, where eating and drinking have that signification, also from this fact, that the Word in the letter is natural, but interiorly spiritual, the latter sense being for angels, and the former for men.
[33] Many other passages, besides these, might be quoted from the Word, to testify and confirm the signification of eating, as denoting the reception, perception, and appropriation of those things that serve for the nourishment of the soul. For, to eat spiritually is nothing else than supplying the mind with its own food, which is the desire of knowing, understanding, and becoming wise in things pertaining to eternal life. That this is the signification of eating is also evident from the signification of bread and food, of hunger and thirst, of wine and water, which have been treated of above in their proper places. Since eating signifies to perceive the quality of a thing, and this is perceived by its taste, it is therefore from correspondence that in human languages taste (sapor) and to taste (sapere), are used in reference to the perception of a thing, whence also we have the word wisdom (sapientia).
617. And he said unto me, Take and eat it up, signifies that he should read, perceive, and explore the Word, of what quality it is within and what it is without. This is evident from the signification of "he said unto me, Take the little book," as being the faculty given to perceive of what quality the Word is, that is, what the understanding of the Word now is in the church (See the preceding article, n. 616; and from the signification of "to eat up" (or devour), as being to conjoin and appropriate to oneself, and as the Word is conjoined to man by reading and perception, here "to eat up" or "to devour" signifies to read and perceive. "To eat up" here signifies also to explore, because it is added that "the little book made his belly bitter," and was perceived to be "in his mouth sweet as honey," and by this it was ascertained what the Word, as regards its understanding, is within and without; what it is within is signified by "the belly and its bitterness," and what it is without by the "mouth" in which it was perceived to be sweet as honey. From this it can be seen that "he said unto me, Take and eat it up," signifies that he should read, perceive, and explore the Word, of what quality it is within and of what it is without.
[2] "To eat" and "to drink" are often mentioned in the Word, and those who have no knowledge of the spiritual sense can have no other idea than that natural eating and drinking are thereby meant; but "to eat" and "to drink" signify to nourish oneself spiritually, consequently to appropriate to oneself good and truth, "to eat" signifying to appropriate to oneself good, and "to drink" to appropriate to oneself truth. Anyone who believes that the Word is also spiritual may know that "to eat" and "to drink," likewise "bread," "food," "wine," and "drink" mean spiritual nourishment; if they did not mean this the Word would be merely natural and not at the same time spiritual, thus merely for the natural man and not for the spiritual man, much less for angels. That "bread," "food," "wine," and "drink" mean in the spiritual sense the nourishment of the mind, has been frequently shown above; also that the Word is spiritual throughout, although in the sense of the letter it is natural. To be nourished spiritually is to be instructed and imbued, consequently to know, to understand, and to be wise. Unless a man enjoys this nourishment together with the nourishment of the body, he is not a man but a beast; and this is why those who place all delight in feastings and banquetings and daily indulge their palates are dull in spiritual things, however they may be able to reason respecting the things of the world and of the body; therefore after death they live a life that is beastly rather than human, for instead of intelligence and wisdom they have insanity and folly. This has been said to make known that here "to devour or eat up the little book" signifies to read, to perceive, and to explore the Word, for "the little book" that was in the hand of the angel coming down from heaven means the Word, as has been said above. Moreover, one cannot eat or devour a book naturally, thus not the Word; and this, too, makes clearly evident that "to eat" here signifies to be spiritually nourished.
[3] That "to eat" and "to drink" signify in the Word to eat and drink spiritually, which is to be instructed, and by instruction and living to imbue oneself with good and truth and to appropriate this, consequently intelligence and wisdom, can be seen from the following passages. In Jeremiah:
Thy words shall be found, that I may eat them, and Thy Word be to me for joy and for the gladness of my heart (Jeremiah 15:16).
Here "to eat" manifestly stands for spiritual eating, which is to know, to perceive, and to appropriate to oneself, for it is said, "that I may eat Thy words, and Thy Word be to me for joy and for the gladness of my heart;" the "words of God" signify His precepts or Divine truths. This is similar to what the Lord said to the tempter:
That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:3, 4;Luke 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3).
Again:
Work not for the food that perisheth, but for the food that abideth unto eternal life (John 6:27).
So, too, with the words of the Lord to the disciples:
The disciples said, Rabbi, eat. But He said, I have food to eat that ye know not. The disciples said one to another, Hath anyone brought Him aught to eat? Jesus said unto them, My food is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to accomplish His work (John 4:31-34).
[4] From this, too, it is evident that "to eat" signifies in the spiritual sense to receive in the will and to do, from which is conjunction; for the Lord by doing the Divine will conjoined the Divine that was in Him with His Human, and thus appropriated the Divine to His Human. To this may be referred:
The Lord's feeding the five thousand men, besides women and children, with five loaves and two fishes, and when they had eaten and were filled they took up twelve baskets of fragments (Matthew 14:15-22; John 6:5, 6, 13, 23).
Also His feeding four thousand men from seven loaves and a few fishes (Matthew 15:32, et seq .).
This miracle was done because previously the Lord had been teaching them, and they had received and appropriated to themselves His doctrine; this is what they ate spiritually; therefore natural eating followed, that is, flowed in out of heaven with them as the manna did with the sons of Israel, unknown to them; for when the Lord wills, spiritual food which also is real food but only for spirits and angels, is changed into natural food, just as it was turned into manna every morning.
[5] The like is signified by "eating bread in the kingdom of God" in Luke:
I appoint unto you a kingdom that ye may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom (Luke 22:27, 29, 30).
Here also "to eat" and "to drink" signify to eat and drink spiritually, therefore "to eat" there signifies to receive, to perceive; and to appropriate to oneself the good of heaven from the Lord, and "to drink" signifies to receive, to perceive, and to appropriate to oneself the truth of that good; for "to eat" is predicated of good because "bread" signifies the good of love, and "to drink" is predicated of truth because "water" and "wine" signify the truth of that good. The like is signified elsewhere in Luke:
Blessed is he that eateth bread in the kingdom of God (Luke 14:15).
This is why the Lord there likened the kingdom of God:
To a great supper, to which those invited did not come, and to which only those came who were brought in from the streets (verses Luke 14:16-24).
[6] Spiritual eating, by which the soul is nourished, is also signified by "eating" in the following passages.
In Isaiah:
If ye will be willing and obedient ye shall eat good (Isaiah 1:19).
"To eat good" signifies spiritual good, therefore it is said, "If ye will be willing and obedient," that is, if ye will do; for spiritual food is given, conjoined, and appropriated to man by his willing and his doing therefrom.
In David:
Blessed is everyone that feareth Jehovah, that walketh in His ways. Thou shalt eat the labor of thy hands; blessed art thou, and it is good with thee (Psalms 128:1, 2).
"To eat the labor of his hands" signifies the celestial good that man receives from the Lord by a life according to Divine truths, and acquires as it were by his own labor and zeal, therefore it is said that he shall eat "who feareth Jehovah and walketh in His ways," and it is added "Blessed art thou, and it is good with thee."
[7] In Isaiah:
Say to the righteous that it is good, for they shall eat the fruit of their works (Isaiah 3:10).
"To eat the fruit of their works" has a similar signification as "eating the labor of their hands," mentioned above.
In Ezekiel:
Thou didst eat fine flour, honey, and oil; whence thou didst become exceeding beautiful, and didst prosper even to a kingdom (Ezekiel 16:13).
This was said of Jerusalem, which signifies the church, here the Ancient Church, which was in truths and in spiritual good, and at the same time in natural good; "fine flour" signifies truth, "honey" natural good, or the good of the external man; and "oil" spiritual good, or the good of the internal man; the reception, perception, and appropriation of these goods is signified by "eating fine flour, honey, and oil;" that from these the church became intelligent is signified by "whence thou didst become exceedingly beautiful," "beauty" signifying intelligence; that from these it became a church is signified by "thou didst prosper even to a kingdom," "kingdom" signifying the church.
[8] In Isaiah:
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name God with us; butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good. For before the boy knoweth to reject the evil and to choose the good the land which thou abhorrest shall be forsaken from before its two kings (Isaiah 7:14-16).
It is evident that the "Son" whom the virgin shall conceive and bear, and whose name shall be called "God with us," is the Lord in respect to His Human; the appropriation, in respect to the Human, of spiritual and natural Divine good is meant by "butter and honey shall He eat," spiritual Divine good by "butter," natural Divine good by "honey," and appropriation by "eating;" and because so far as it is known how to reject evil and to choose good, so far spiritual and natural Divine good is appropriated, therefore it is said, "that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good." That the church was deserted and vastated in respect to all good and truth by knowledges falsely applied, and by reasonings therefrom, is signified by "the land which thou abhorrest shall be forsaken from before its two kings," "land" signifying the church; the desertion and devastation of it are meant by "it shall be forsaken and abhorred;" and "the two kings," who are the king of Egypt and the king of Assyria, signify knowledges wrongly applied, and reasonings therefrom, "the king of Egypt" such knowledges, and "the king of Assyria" reasonings therefrom. That these kings are meant is evident from what follows in verses 17 and 18, where Egypt and Assyria are mentioned; moreover, these things also are what chiefly devastate the church. That the Lord came into the world when there was no longer any truth and good in the church, thus when there was nothing of the church remaining, has been said several times above.
[9] In the same prophet:
It shall come to pass by reason of the abundance of milk that one shall eat butter; for butter and honey shall everyone eat that remains in the land (Isaiah 7:22).
This is said of a new church to be established by the Lord; and "butter and honey" signify spiritual good and natural good, and "to eat" signifies to appropriate (as above); "milk" signifies the spiritual from the celestial, from which these goods are.
[10] In the same:
Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without silver and without price. Wherefore do ye weigh silver for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? In hearkening hearken unto Me, 1and eat good, that your soul may delight itself in fatness (Isaiah 55:1, 2).
It is very clear that "to eat" signifies here to appropriate to oneself from the Lord, for it is said, "Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy and eat," which signifies that everyone who desires truth, and who had not truth before, may acquire and appropriate it from the Lord; "one that thirsts" signifies one who desires, "water" truth, "silver" the truth of good, here one who has no truth of good is meant; "to come" means to come to the Lord, "to buy" means to acquire for oneself, and "to eat" to appropriate. "Come ye, buy wine and milk without silver and without price," signifies that spiritual Divine truth and natural Divine truth may be acquired without self-intelligence, "wine" signifying spiritual Divine truth, and "milk" spiritual-natural Divine truth. "Wherefore do ye weigh silver for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not?" signifies that it is useless to endeavor to acquire from what is one's own [proprium] the good of love and that which nourishes the soul; "silver" as well as "labor" means here truth from what is one's own [proprium], or from self-intelligence, "bread" means the good of love, and "that which satisfies" that which nourishes the soul, here that which does not nourish; "In hearkening hearken unto Me" signifies that these things are from the Lord alone; "and eat ye good, that your soul may delight itself in fatness," signifies that they may appropriate to themselves celestial good, from which is every enjoyment of life, "to delight in fatness" signifying to have enjoyment from good, and "soul" signifying life.
[11] In the same:
The merchandise of Tyre shall be for them that dwell before Jehovah, to eat to satiety and for a covering with what is ancient (Isaiah 23:18).
"The merchandise of Tyre" signifies the knowledges of good and truth of every kind; "to dwell before Jehovah" signifies to live from the Lord; "to eat to satiety" signifies to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself knowledges of good sufficient for nourishing the soul; "for a covering with what is ancient" signifies to be imbued with knowledges of genuine truth; for "to cover" is predicated of truths, because "garments" signify truths clothing good, and "ancient" is predicated of what is genuine, since there were genuine truths with the ancients. The signification is similar in Moses:
That they should eat to the full, and should eat the old store long kept (Leviticus 26:5, 10).
In the same:
That they should eat and be full in the good land (Deuteronomy 11:15).
Then also that they should eat and not be satisfied (Leviticus 26:26).
[12] In Isaiah:
They shall build houses and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build that another may inhabit, they shall not plant that another may eat (Isaiah 65:21, 22).
Everyone knows what is signified by these words in the sense of the letter; but as the Word in its bosom is spiritual, spiritual things also are meant, that is, such things as belong to heaven and the church, for these are spiritual things. "To build houses and to inhabit them" signifies to fill the interiors of the mind with the goods of heaven and the church, and thereby to enjoy celestial life, "houses" signifying the interiors of the mind, and "to inhabit" celestial life therefrom. "To plant vineyards and to eat the fruit of them" signifies to enrich themselves with spiritual truths, and to appropriate to themselves goods therefrom; "vineyards" mean spiritual truths, "fruits" goods therefrom; and "to eat" to receive, perceive, and appropriate to themselves, for every good is appropriated to man by means of truths, that is, by a life according to them. This that has been said makes evident what is signified by "they shall not build that another may inhabit, they shall not plant that another may eat," "another" signifying falsity and evil destroying truth and good; for when truths and goods perish with man falsities and evils enter. In Jeremiah:
Build ye houses and inhabit them, and plant gardens and eat the fruit of them (Jeremiah 29:5, 28).
These words have a similar meaning as those just explained.
[13] In Moses:
That there shall be given in the land great and good cities which they builded not, houses full of every good thing which they did not fill, cisterns hewed out which they did not hew, vineyards and olive gardens which they did not plant; they shall eat to satiety (Deuteronomy 6:10, 11).
The natural man understands these things only according to the sense of the letter, but if the particulars contained no spiritual meaning the Word would be merely natural and not spiritual, and thus it might be believed that merely worldly opulence and abundance are promised to those who live according to the Divine commandments. "But what would it profit a man if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" In other words, what would it profit a man to be given houses full of every good thing, likewise cisterns, and to have vineyards and olive gardens given him from which he might eat to satiety? But these riches enumerated are worldly riches by which are meant spiritual riches, from which man has eternal life. The "great and good cities to be given" signify doctrinals from genuine goods and truths; "houses full of every good thing" signify the interiors of the mind full of love and wisdom; "cisterns hewn" signify the interiors of the natural mind full of the knowledges of good and truth; "vineyards and olive gardens" signify all things of the church, both its truths and its goods, "vineyards" meaning the church in respect to truths, and "olive gardens" the church in respect to goods, since "wine" signifies truth, and "oil" good; "to eat to satiety" signifies full reception, perception, and appropriation.
[14] In Isaiah:
He shall delight in Jehovah; and I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob (Isaiah 58:14).
"To make to ride upon the high places of the earth" signifies to give an understanding of higher or interior truth respecting the things of the church and of heaven; and "to feed with the heritage of Jacob" signifies to bestow all things of heaven and the church; for "the heritage of Jacob" means the land of Canaan, and that land signifies the church, and in a higher sense heaven.
[15] As "to eat" signifies to appropriate to oneself, it can be seen what is signified by:
Eating of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise (Revelation 2:7);
namely, to appropriate to oneself celestial life; also what is signified by "eating of the tree of knowledge" in Genesis:
Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden eating thou shalt eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, of this thou shalt not eat, for in the day that thou shalt eat of it dying thou shalt die (Genesis 2:16, 17).
The "tree of the knowledge (scientia) of good and evil" signifies the knowledge of natural things, through which it is not permitted to enter into the celestial and spiritual things which belong to heaven and the church, thus to enter from the natural man into the spiritual, which is the inverse way, and therefore does not lead to wisdom, but destroys it. "Adam and his wife" mean the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial church. Because the men of that church were in love to the Lord they had Divine truths inscribed on them, and thence they knew from influx the corresponding things in the natural man, which are called knowledges [scientifica]; in a word, there was with them spiritual influx, that is, influx from the spiritual mind into the natural, and thus into the things that are in it, and what these were they saw by correspondence as in a mirror.
[16] With them spiritual things were entirely distinct from natural things; spiritual things had their seat in their spiritual mind, and natural things in their natural mind, and thus they did not immerse what is spiritual in their natural mind, as spiritual-natural men are wont to do. For this reason, if they had consigned spiritual things to the natural memory, and had appropriated them to themselves in that way, that which was implanted with them would have perished, and they would have begun to reason about spiritual things from the natural man, and thus to form conclusions, which celestial men never do. This, moreover, would have been wishing to be wise from self-intelligence, and not from Divine intelligence, as before, and by this they would have extinguished all their celestial life, and they would have entertained natural ideas even about spiritual things. This, therefore, is what is signified by their "not eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil," and if they did eat, "dying they should die." The like is true of those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom as of these most ancient people meant by "Adam." If these were to imbue the natural man and its memory with knowledges of spiritual truth and good, and should wish to be wise from these, they would become stupid, while yet they are the wisest of all in heaven. (On this more may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28, where the Two Kingdoms, Celestial and Spiritual, into which Heaven is in general distinguished, are treated of.)
[17] In David:
He that did eat of My bread hath lifted up his heel against Me (Heaven and Hell 59-102, and n. 200-212).
[18] In Luke:
They shall begin to say, We did eat before Thee and drink before Thee, and Thou didst teach in our streets. But He shall say, I know you not whence ye are; depart, ye workers of iniquity (Luke 13:26, 27).
Their saying, when presented for judgment, that they "ate and drank before the Lord," signifies that they had read the Word and drawn from it the knowledges of good and truth, supposing that this would save them; therefore it follows, "Thou didst teach in our streets," which signified that they had been instructed in truths from the Word, thus by the Lord. But that reading the Word and being instructed from it is of no avail for salvation, without at the same time a life according to it, is signified by the answer, "He shall say, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity;" for it is of no avail for salvation to enrich the memory from the Word and from the doctrinals of the church, unless they are committed to life.
[19] In Matthew:
The king said to them on his right hand, I was an hungered and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty and ye gave me to drink. And to those on the left hand, I was an hungered and ye gave me not to eat; I was thirsty and ye gave me not to drink (Matthew 25:34, 35, 41, 42).
By these words also spiritual hunger and thirst and spiritual eating and drinking are signified; spiritual hunger and thirst are the affection and desire for good and truth, and spiritual eating and drinking are instruction, reception, and appropriation. It is said here that the Lord hungered and thirsted, because from His Divine love He desires the salvation of all; and it is said that men gave Him to eat and to drink; which is done when from affection they receive and perceive good and truth from the Lord, and by means of the life appropriate them to themselves. The like may be said of a man who from his heart loves to instruct man and desires his salvation; therefore it is charity, or the spiritual affection of truth, that is described by these words and those that follow.
[20] From what has been said it can now be seen what is signified in the spiritual sense by eating bread and drinking wine in the Holy Supper, The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 210-222). That such is the signification of "bread and wine," and "body and blood," also of "eating," becomes still more evident from the Lord's words in John:
Your 2fathers did eat the manna in the wilderness, and they are dead. This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven; if anyone shall eat of this bread he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. Verily I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood ye have not life in you. He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood abideth in Me and I in him. This is that bread that came down out of heaven. He that eateth of this bread shall live forever (John 6:49-58).
Anyone who has the ability to think interiorly can see that neither flesh nor blood nor bread nor wine, are here meant, but the Divine proceeding from the Lord; for it is the Divine proceeding, which is Divine good and Divine truth, that gives eternal life to man, and causes the Lord to abide in man, and man in the Lord; for the Lord is in man in His own Divine and not in what is man's own [proprium], for this is nothing but evil; and the Lord is in man, and man in the Lord, when the Divine proceeding is appropriated to man by a right reception. The appropriation itself is signified by "eating," the Divine good proceeding, by "flesh" and "bread," and the Divine truth proceeding, by "blood" and "wine." It was similar in the sacrifices, in which the "flesh" and the "meal-offering," which was bread, signified the good of love, and the "blood" and "wine," which were the drink-offering, signified truth from that good, both from the Lord. Since "flesh" and "bread" signify the Divine good proceeding, and "blood" and "wine," the Divine truth proceeding, "flesh" and "bread" mean the Lord Himself in relation to Divine good, and "blood" and "wine," the Lord Himself in relation to Divine truth. The Lord Himself is meant by these, because the Divine proceeding is the Lord Himself in heaven and in the church; therefore the Lord says of Himself, "This is the bread that cometh down out of heaven;" also "He that eateth and drinketh these abideth in Me, and I in him."
[21] Because "bread" signifies the Lord in relation to Divine good, and "to eat it" signifies appropriation and conjunction:
When the Lord manifested Himself to the disciples after His death, when He brake bread and gave to them, their eyes were opened and they knew Him (Luke 24:30, 31).
This, too, shows that "to eat bread" given by the Lord signifies conjunction with Him. Enlightened by this the disciples knew Him; for "eyes" in the Word correspond to the understanding and thence signify it, and this is what is enlightened; and thence "their eyes were opened." "To break bread" signifies in the Word to communicate one's good to another.
[22] The Lord ate with publicans and sinners:
At which the Jews murmured and were offended (Mark 2:15, 16; Luke 5:29, 32; 7:33-35);
because the Gentiles that are meant by "publicans and sinners" received the Lord, imbibed His precepts, and lived according to them, and by this means the Lord appropriated to them the goods of heaven, and this is signified in the spiritual sense by "eating with them."
[23] Because "to eat" signifies to be appropriated, it was granted to the sons of Israel to eat of the sanctified things or of the sacrifices, for the "sacrifices" signified Divine celestial and spiritual things, and thus "eating" of them signified their appropriation. Because the appropriation of holy things was signified by such "eating," various laws were given, prescribing who should eat and where they should eat and of what sacrifices, thus:
What Aaron and his sons should receive and eat of the sacrifices (Exodus 29:31-33; Leviticus 6:16-18; 7:6, 7; 8:31-33; 10:13-15);
That they should eat the shew-bread in the holy place (Leviticus 24:5-9);
That the daughter of a priest married to a stranger should not eat of the holy things, but that the daughter of a priest being a widow or divorced, who had no child, but was returned to the house of her father, might eat (Leviticus 22:12, 13);
Who of the people might eat (Numbers 18:10, 11, 13, 19);
That a stranger, a sojourner, a hired servant of a priest, should not eat of them, but that one bought with silver might eat (Leviticus 22:10-12);
That one who was unclean must not eat (Leviticus 7:19-21; 21:16-24 end; Leviticus 22:2-8);
That they should eat no part of the burnt-offerings, but of the eucharistic sacrifices they should eat and be glad before Jehovah (Deuteronomy 12:27; 27:7).
In these and many other statutes and laws respecting the eating of things sanctified are contained arcana respecting the appropriation of Divine good and Divine truth, and thus of conjunction with the Lord; but this is not the place to unfold the particulars, only let it be known from the passages cited, that "to eat" signifies to be appropriated and conjoined. So again:
When the sons of Israel were joined to the Lord by the blood of the covenant, and when Moses had read the book of the law before them, and they presently saw the God of Israel, it is said that they did eat and drink (Exodus 24:6-11).
[24] That "to eat flesh and drink blood" signifies the appropriation of spiritual good and truth, can be seen in Ezekiel:
Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Gather yourselves from every side to My sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty and drink the blood of the princes of the earth. And ye shall eat fat to satiety, and drink blood even to drunkenness, of My sacrifice which I sacrifice for you. Ye shall be satiated at My table with horse and with chariot, with the mighty man and with every man of war. So will I give My glory among the nations (Ezekiel 39:17-21).
This treats of the calling together of all to the Lord's kingdom, and in particular the establishment of the church with the Gentiles, for it is said, "so will I give My glory among the nations." "To eat flesh and drink blood" means to appropriate to oneself Divine good and Divine truth, "flesh" signifying the good of love, and "blood" the truth of that good; "the mighty" (or oxen) signify the affections of good, "the princes of the earth" the affections of truth. The full fruition of these is signified by "eating fat to satiety, and drinking blood to drunkenness," "fat" signifying interior goods, and "blood" interior truths, which were disclosed by the Lord when He came into the world, and were appropriated by those who received Him.
[25] Before the Lord's coming into the world, to eat fat and drink blood was forbidden, because the sons of Israel were in externals only, for they were natural-sensual men, and not at all in things internal or spiritual, consequently if they had been permitted to eat fat and blood, which signifies the appropriation of interior goods and truths, they would have profaned them, therefore "eating fat and blood" signified profanation. "To be satiated at the Lord's table with horse and with chariot, with the mighty man and with every man of war" has a similar signification; "horse" signifying the understanding of the Word; "chariot," the doctrine from the Word; "the mighty man and the man of war," good and truth fighting against evil and falsity and destroying them, and "the mountains of Israel upon which they should eat," the spiritual church in which the good of charity is the essential. All this makes very clear that "to eat" signifies to appropriate to oneself, and that "flesh," "blood," "mighty man," "princes of the earth," "horse," "chariot," and "man of war," signify the spiritual things that are to be appropriated, and by no means natural things, for to eat such things naturally would be abominable and diabolical. Similar things are signified by:
Eating the flesh of kings, of commanders of thousands, of horses, and of them that sit upon them, free and bond (Revelation 19:18).
[26] As most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so have "to eat" and "to drink;" and in that sense they signify to appropriate evil and falsity, and thus to be conjoined to hell; as can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:
In that day will the Lord Jehovih call to weeping and to lamentation, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth; and behold, gladness and joy in slaying an ox and slaughtering a sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die (Leviticus 22:12, 13).
The devastation of the church and lamentation over it are signified by "to be called in that day to weeping, lamentation, baldness, and girding with sackcloth;" lamentation over the destruction of truth is signified by "weeping," over the destruction of good by "lamentation," over the destruction of all affection of good by "baldness," and over the destruction of the affection of truth by "sackcloth;" "to slay an ox and to slaughter a sheep" signifies to extinguish natural good and spiritual good; "to eat flesh and drink wine" signifies to appropriate evil and falsity, "flesh" here signifying evil, "wine," the falsity of evil, and "to eat and drink" these, to appropriate to oneself.
[27] In Ezekiel:
The prophet was told to eat food by weight and with care, and to drink water by measure and with astonishment; and that he should eat a cake of barley made with dung; and that thus shall the sons of Israel eat their bread unclean among the nations whither they shall be thrust out, and they shall be in want of bread and water, and be made desolate, a man and his brother, and shall waste away for their iniquity (Ezekiel 4:10-17).
These words in the prophet represented the adulteration of Divine truth, or of the Word, with the Jewish nation; "the cake of barley made with dung" signifies such adulteration, "a cake of barley" meaning natural good and truth, such as the Word is in the sense of the letter, and "dung," infernal evil; therefore it is said, "thus shall the sons of Israel eat their bread unclean," "bread unclean" meaning good defiled with evil, that is, adulterated. That "they would be in want of bread and water among the nations whither they should be driven" signifies that they would no more have good and truth because of being in evils and falsities, "nations" signifying evils and falsities, and "to be thrust out thither," to be delivered up to these; "man and brother" who shall be made desolate, signify faith and charity, "man" signifying the truth of faith, and "brother," the good of charity, and "to be made desolate," the complete extinction of both. This being the signification of "eating bread and drinking water" it is said that "they shall waste away for their iniquity;" "to waste away" is predicated of spiritual life, when it is perishing.
[28] As "beasts" signify affections, some beasts good affections and others evil affections, there were laws established for the sons of Israel, with whom the church was representative, as to what beasts should be eaten and what should not be eaten (Leviticus 11); and these signified what beasts represented good affections that should be appropriated, and what beasts evil affections that should not be appropriated, since good affections render a man clean, while evil affections render him unclean. All things in that chapter relating to particular beasts and birds, and to their hoofs, feet, and cud, by which the clean are distinguished from the unclean, are significative.
[29] In Isaiah:
If he shall cut down 3on the right hand he shall still be hungry, and if he shall eat on the left hand they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm; Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh (386, 600.)
[30] The consumption of all truth and good is signified by:
Their eating the flesh of their sons and daughters (Leviticus 26:29).
Also by:
The fathers shall eat the sons, and the sons shall eat the fathers (Ezekiel 5:10).
"Fathers" signify the goods of the church, and in the contrary sense its evils; "sons" signify the truths of the church, and in the contrary sense its falsities; "daughters," the affections of truth and good, and in the contrary sense the desires for falsity and evil; the consumption and extinction of these one by another are signified by their "eating one another." This makes evident that these things must be understood otherwise than according to the sense of the letter.
[31] In Matthew:
In the consummation of the age it shall be as it was before the flood, eating and drinking, contracting marriage, and giving in marriage (Matthew 24:38; Luke 17:26-28).
"To eat and drink, to contract marriage, and give in marriage" does not mean here to eat and drink, nor to contract marriage, and give in marriage, but "to eat" means to appropriate evil, "to drink" to appropriate falsity, "to contract marriage and give in marriage," to conjoin falsity with evil, and evil with falsity; for this treats of the state of the church when the Last Judgment is at hand; for this is signified by "the consummation of the age." Evidently the good as well as the evil will then be eating and drinking, for there is nothing evil in eating and drinking, and this they also did before the flood, and it was not on this account that they perished, but because they appropriated to themselves evil and falsity, and conjoined these in themselves; this, therefore, is what is here signified by "eating and drinking, and by contracting in marriage and giving in marriage."
[32] In Luke:
The rich man said to his soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thy rest, eat, drink (Luke 12:19).
If that servant shall say in his heart, The Lord delayeth to come; and shall begin to beat the servants, to eat, to drink, and to be drunken (Luke 12:45).
So, too, by surfeiting and drunkenness, in the same:
Jesus said, Take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with surfeiting and drunkenness (Luke 21:34).
It seems as if "eating and drinking" and "surfeiting" in these passages mean such luxury and intemperance as those indulge in who follow appetite only; this is indeed the natural literal sense of these words; but in their spiritual sense they mean the appropriation of evil and falsity, as can be seen from the passages cited above, where this is signified by "eating and drinking," also from this, that the Word in the letter is natural, but interiorly is spiritual; the spiritual sense is for the angels, and the natural for men.
[33] Besides these many other passages might be cited from the Word, testifying and confirming that "to eat" signifies to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself such things as nourish the soul; for "to eat" spiritually is simply to imbue the mind with its own food, which is to wish to know, understand, and become wise in such things as pertain to eternal life. That this is the signification of "to eat" can be seen also from the signification of "bread" and "food," as also of "famine" and "hunger," and of "wine" and "water," which have been treated of above in their proper places. Since "to eat" means to perceive the quality of a thing, and this is perceived by its taste, it is from correspondence that in human language taste [sapor] and to have a taste [sapere] are predicated of the perception of a thing, and from this comes wisdom [sapientia].
Footnotes:
1. Latin has "from Me," the Hebrew "unto Me," as also found in the explanation below.
2. Latin has "Our," the Greek "Your," as also found in AE 899; AC 680, 8464.
3. Latin has "fall," the text as quoted just above has "cut down. "
617. "Et dixit mihi, Accipe et devora illum." - Quod significet ut legeret, periperet et exploraret Verbum quale est intra et quale est extra, constat ex significatione "Dixit mihi, Accipe libellum", quod sit facultas data percipiendi quale est Verbum, hoc est, qualis est intellectus Verbi nunc in ecclesia (de qua in articulo mox praecedente, n. 616); et ex significatione "devorare" seu comedere, quod sit conjungere et appropriare sibi; et quia Verbum conjungitur homini per lectionem et perceptionem, ideo hic per "devorare" seu cornedere significatur legere et percipere: quod etiam "devorare" hic significet explorare, est quia sequitur quod "libellus amaricaverit ventrem illius", et quod "in ore sentitus sit dulcis sicut mel", per quae exploratum est quale Verbum est quoad intellectum intra et quale est extra; intra significatur per "ventrem" et ejus americationem, et extra per "os" in quo sentitus dulcis sicut mel: ex his constare potest quod per "Dixit mihi, Accipe et devora libellum", significetur ut legeret, perciperet et exploraret Verbum quale est intra et quale est extra.
[2] Pluries in Verbo dicitur "edere" et "bibere"; et qui non aliquid de sensu spirituali novit, non aliter scire potest quam quod per illa significetur edere et bibere naturaliter; cum tamen per illa significatur nutrire se spiritualiter, proinde appropriare sibi bonum et verum; per "edere" appropriare sibi bonum, et per "bibere" appropriare sibi verum. Quisque scire potest qui credit quod Verbum etiam sit spirituale, quod nutritio spiritualis per "edere" et "bibere", sicut per "panem", "cibum", "vinum" et "potum", intelligatur; quae si non intelligerentur, foret Verbum mere naturale, et non simul spirituale, ita solum pro naturali homine et non pro spirituali, et minus pro angelis. Quod per "panem, "cibum", "vinum", et "potum", nutritio mentis in sensu spirituali intelligatur, supra passim ostensum est; et quoque quod Verbum ubivis sit spirituale, tametsi in sensu litterae naturale. Spiritualiter nutriri est instrui et imbui, proinde scire, intelligere et sapere; homo nisi hac nutritione simul cum nutritione corporis fruatur, non est homo sed est bestia; quae causa est quod illi qui omne jucundum ponunt in comessationibus et epulis, ac quotidie indulgent gulae, quoad spiritualia obesi sint, utcunque ratiocinari possunt de rebus mundi et corporis; unde post obitum ferinam potius quam humanam vitam agunt, nam loco intelligentiae et sapientiae est illis insania et stultitia. Haec dicta sunt, ut sciatur quod hic per "devorare" seu comedere "libellum", significetur legere, percipere et explorare Verbum; nam per "libellum", qui in manu angeli descendentis e caelo erat, intelligitur Verbum, ut supra dictum est. Praeterea nemo potest edere aut devorare aliquem libellum, sicut nec Verbum, naturaliter; ex quo etiam manifeste constare potest quod per "comedere" hic significetur spiritualiter nutriri.
[3] Quod per "comedere" et "bibere" in Verbo etiam significetur spiritualiter comedere et bibere, quod est instrui et per instructionem et vitam imbuere et appropriare sibi bonum et verum, proinde intelligentiam et sapientiam, constare potest ex sequentibus locis:
- Apud Jeremiam,
"Invenientur verba tua, ita ut comedam ea, et sit Verbum tuum mihi in gaudium et in laetitiam cordis mei" (15:16):
hic "comedere" manifeste pro spiritualiter comedere, quod est scire, percipere et sibi appropriare; nam dicitur, "ut comedam verba tua, et sit Verbum tuum mihi in gaudium et laetitiam cordis"; "verba" Dei significallt praecepta seu Divina Vera. Hoc simile est cum illis quae Dominus dixit tentatori,
Quod homo non e pane solo vivat, "sed ex omni verbo quod exit ex ore Dei" (Matthaeus 4:3, 4; Luca 4:4; Deuteronomius 8:3);
tum,
"Ne Operemini cibum qui perit, sed cibum qui manet in vitam aeternam" (Johannes 6:27);
simile etiam cum Domini verbis ad discipulos,
"Discipuli dicebant, Rabbi, ede; Ipse vero dixit, Cibum habeo quem edam, quem vos nescitis: dicebant discipuli ad se invicem, Num quis attulit Ipsi quod comederet? Dixit illis Jesus, Cibus meus est ut faciam voluntatem Ipsius qui misit Me, et perficiam Ipsius opus" (Johannes 4:31-34):
[4] ex his etiam patet quod "comedere" in sensu spirituali significet recipere voluntate et facere, unde conjunctio; nam Dominus per id quod fecerit Divinam voluntatem conjunxit Divinum quod in Ipso cum Humallo suo, ita quod Divinum appropriavit suo Humano. Huc etiam referri potest
Quod Dominus cibaverit quinquiens mille viros praeter mulieres et pueros quinque panibus et duobus piscibus, et postquam comederant et saturati fuerant, sustulerint duodecim cophinos fragmentorum (Matthaeus 14:15-22; Johannes 6:5, 13, 23).
Et quod cibaverit quater mille homines ex septem panibus et paucis piscibus (Matthaeus 15:32, seq.):
hoc miraculum factum est quia Dominus prius illos docuerat, et quia illi doctrinam Ipsius receperunt et sibi appropriaverunt; hoc erat quod spiritualiter comederint; inde naturalis esus sequebatur, nempe e caelo influebat apud illos sicut manna apud filios Israelis, illis nescientibus; nam Domino volente vertitur cibus spiritualis, qui etiam realis cibus est sed modo pro spiritibus et angelis, in naturalem, similiter ut in mannam quovis mane.
[5] Simile significatur per "comedere panem in regno Dei apud Lucam,
"Dispono Vobis regnum, .... ut comedatis et bibatis super mensa mea in regno meo" (22:27, 29, 30):
hic quoque per "comedere" et "bibere" significatur spiritualiter comedere et bibere; quare per "comedere" ibi significatur a Domino recipere, percipere et appropriare sibi bonum caeli; et per "bibere" significatur recipere, percipere et appropriare sibi verum illius boni; iiam "comedere" dicitur de bono quia "panis" significat bonum amoris, et "bibere" dicitur de vero quia "aqua" et "villum" significant verum illius boni. Simile significatur alibi apud Lucam,
"Beatus qui comedit panem in regno Dei" (14:15):
inde est, quod Dominus ibi assimilaverit regnum Dei
Magnae cenae, ad quam invitati non venerunt, sed solum qui e plateis introducti sunt (vers. 16-24).
[6] Esus spiritualis, ex quo nutritur anima, etiam significatur per "edere" in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Esaiam,
"si volueritis et auscultaveritis, bonum.. comedetis" (1:19):
per "bonum comedere" hic significatur bonum spirituale; quare dicitur, "Si volueritis et auscultaveritis", hoc est, Si feceritis: bonum spirituale ellim datur, conjungitur et appropriatur homini, per velle ejus et inde facere ejus.
Apud Davidem,
"Beatus omnis timens Jehovae, qui ambulat in viis Ipsius; laborem manuum tuarum comedes, beatus tu et bonum tibi" (Psalms 128:1, 2):
per "comedere laborem manuum suarum" significatur bonum caeleste quod homo per vitam secundum Divina vera a Domino recipit, et quasi suo labore et studio sibi acquirit; quare dicitur quod is comedet "qui timet Jehovae et ambulat in viis Ipsius"; et postea, "Beatus tu et bonum tibi."
[7] Apud Esaiam,
"Dicite justo quod bonum, quia fructum operum suorum comedent" (3:10):
per "fructum operum comedere" simile significatur quod per "comedere laborem manuum suarum", de quo nunc supra.
Apud Ezechielem,
"Similam, mel et coleum comedisti; unde pulchra facta es valde, et prosperata usque ad regnum" (Ezech. 16:13 1
):
haec de Hierosolyma, per quam significatur ecclesia, hic Ecclesia Antiqua, quae in veris et in bono spirituali et simul naturali fuit; per "similam" significatur verum, per "mel" bonum naturale seu externi hominis, et per "oleum" bonum spirituale seu interni hominis; illorum receptio, perceptio et appropriatio significatur per "comedere similam, mel et oleum"; quod ex illis intelligens facta sit, significatur per "unde pulchra facta es valde admodum" ("pulchritudo" significat intelligentiam); quod inde ex illis facta sit ecclesia, significatur per "Prosperata es usque ad regnum" ("regnum" significat ecclesiam).
[8] Apud Esaiam,
"Ecce virgo concipiet et pariet Filium, et vocabit nomen Ipsius Deus nobiscum: butyrum et mel comedet, ut sciat reprobare malum et eligert bonum; nam antequam scit puer reprobare malum et eligere bonum, deseretur terra quam tu fastidis a coram duobus regibus ejus" (7:14-16):
quod "Filius" quem virgo concipiet et pariet, et cujus nomen vocabitur "Deus nobiscum", sit Dominus quoad Humanum, collstat: appropriatio Divini Boni spiritualis et naturaiis quoad Humanum, intelligitur per "butyrum et mel comedet"; Divinum Bonum spirituale per "butyrum", et Divinum Bonum naturale per "mel", et appropriatio per "comedere": et quia tantum scitur reprobare malum et eligere bonum, quantum appropriatur Divinum Bonum spirituale et naturale, ideo dicitur, "ut sciat reprobare malum et eligere bonum": quod ecclesia deserta et vastata fuerit quoad omne bonum et verum per scientifica false applicata et per ratiocinia inde, significatur per quod "tunc deseretur terra quam fastidient a coram duobus regibus ejus"; "terra" significat ecclesiam, desertio et vastatio ejus intelligitur per quod "deseretur et fastidietur", et "duo reges", qui sunt rex Aegypti et rex Assyriae, significant scientifica male applicata et inde ratiocinia; "rex Aegypti" scientifica illa, et "rex Assyriae" ratiocinia inde. Quod illi reges intelligantur, patet a mox sequentibus in versu 17 et 18, ubi Aegyptus et Assyria nominantur; haec quoque sunt quae praecipue ecclesiam vastant. Quod Dominus in mundum venerit quando in ecclesia amplius non Yerum et bonum esset, ita quando non aliquod ecclesiae superesset, supra aliquoties dictum est.
[9] Apud eundem,
"Fiet... prae multitudine faciendi lac comedet quisque butyrum, nam butyrum et [mel] comedet omnis residuus in. . terra" (7:22):
haec de nova ecclesia a Domino instauranda; et per "butyrum et mel" significatur bonum spirituale et bonum naturale, et per "comedere" illa significatur appropriare sibi (ut supra); per "lac" significatur spirituale a caelesti, ex quo bona illa.
[10] Apud eundem,
"Heu omnis sitiens, ite ad aquas; et cui non argentum, ite, emite et comedite: et ite et emite sine argento et sine pretio vinum et lac: quare appenditis argentum pro eo quod non panis, et laborem vestrum pro eo quod non ad satietatem? Attendite attendendo 2
ad Me, et comedite bonum, ut delicietur in pinguedine anima vestra" (55:1, 2):
quod "comedere" hic significet appropriare sibi a Domino, manifeste patet; nam dicitur, "Omnis sitiens, ite ad aquas; et cui non argentum, ite, emite et comedite", per quac significatur quod omnis qui desiderlt verum, cui non verum prius, comparet et appropriet id sibi a Domino; "sitiens" significat desiderantem, "aqua" verum, "argentum" verum boni, ibi cui non est verum boni; "ire" est ad Dominum, "emere" significat comparare sibi, et "comedere" appropriare sibi: "ite, emite sine argento et sine pretio vinum et lac", significat ut absque propria intelligentia comparetur Divinum Verum spirituale et Divinum Verum naturale; "vinum" significat Divinum Verum spirituale, et "lac" Divinum Verum spirituale naturale: "quare appenditis argentum pro eo quod non panis, et laborem vestrum [pro eo] quod non ad satietatem?" significat quod irritum sit ex proprio comparare sibi bonum amoris, et ex proprio id quod animam nutrit; per "argentum" hic significatur verum ex proprio seu propria intelligentia, similiter per "laborem"; per "panem" bonum amoris, per "satietatem" id quod nutrit animam, hic quod non nutrit: "attendite attendendo ad Me" significat quod illa solum a Domino; "et comedite bonum, ut delicietur in pinguedine anima vestra", significat ut approprient sibi bonum caeleste, ex quo omne jucundum vitae; "deliciari in pinguedine" significat jucundari ex bono, et "anima" significat vitam.
[11] Apud eundem,
"Habitantibus coram Jehovah erit mercatura" Tyri "ad comedendum ad satietatem, et tegenti se antiquo" (23:18):
per "mercaturam Tyri" significantur cognitiones boni et veri omnis generis; "habitare coram Jehovah" significat vivere a Domino, "comedere ad satietatem" significat cognitiones boni recipere, percipere et appropriare sibi quantum satis ad nutritionem animae: "tegere se antiquo" significat cognitiones genuini veri imbuere; "tegere" enim praedicatur de veris, quia "vestes" significant vera induentia bonum, et "antiquum" dicitur de genuino, quoniam genuina vera erant apud antiquos. Simile significatur apud Mosen,
Quod ederent ad satietatem, et quod ederent vetus vetustum (Leviticus 26:5, 10);
apud eundem,
Comedes et satiaberis in terra bona (Deuteronomius 11:15);
Tum quod ederent et non satiarentur (Leviticus 26:26);
[12] apud Esaiam,
"Aedificabunt domus et inhabitabu1t, et plantabunt "ineas et comedent fructum earum; non aedificabunt ut alius inhabitet, non plantabunt ut alius comedat" (65:21, 22):
quisque scit quid in sensu litterae per illa verba significatur; sed quia Verbum in sinu suo est spirituale, etiam per illa intelliguntur spiritualia, nempe talia quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt, nam haec sunt spiritualia: per "aedificare domos et inhabitare" significatur interiora mentis implere bonis caeli et ecclesiae, et per id frui vita caelesti; "domus" significant interiora mentis, et "inhabitare" significat vitam caelestem inde: per "plantare vineas et comedere fructum earum" significatur ditare se veris spiritualibus, et appropriare sibi bona inde; "vineae" sunt vera spiritualia, "fructus" sunt bona inde, et "comedere" est recipere, percipere et appropriare ~ibi; nam omne bonum appropriatur homini per vera, nempe per vitam secundum illa: ex dictis nunc patet quid significatur per "non aedificabunt ut alius inhabitet, non plantabunt ut alius comedat"; "alius" significat falsum et malum destruens verum et bonum, nam cum vera et bona pereunt apud hominem, intrant falsa et mala.
Apud Jeremiam,
"Aedificate domos et inhabitate, et plantate hortos et comedite fructum eorum" (29:5, 28);
haec similiter intelligenda sunt sicut illa quae nunc explicata sunt.
[13] Apud Mosen,
Dabuntur in terra urbes magnae et bonae quas non aedificaverunt, domus plenae omni bono quas non impleverunt, cisternae effossac quas non effodervnt, vineae et oliveta quae non plantaverunt, edent ad satietatem (Deutr. 6 [10,] 11):
haec naturalis homo non aliter intelligit quam secundum sensum litterae; sed si non spiritualis sensus singulis inesset, foret Verbum mere naturale et non spirituale, et sic crederetur quod foret modo opulentia et abundantia mundana quae spondetur illis qui secundum Divina praecepta vivunt; sed quid homini si lucraretur universum mundum, et jacturam animae faceret? videlicet quid homini si domus ei darentur plenae omni bono, similiter cisternae, et si ei vineae et oliveta, et ex illis ederet ad satietatem? Sed hae opes recellsitae sunt opes mundanae per quas intelliguntur opes spirituales, ex quibus homini vita aeterna; per "urbes magnas et bonas" quae dabuntur, significantur doctrinalia ex genuinis bollis et veris; per "domus plenas omni bono" significantur interiora mentis plena am ore et sapientia; per "cisternas efiossas" significantur interiora mentis naturalis plena cognitionibus boni et veri; per "vineas et oliveta" significantur omnia ecclesiae, tam vera quam bona ejus; ("vinea" est ecclesia quoad verum, et "olivetum" ecclesia quoad bonum, nam "vinum" significat verum, et "oleum" bonum;) "edere ad satietatem" significat receptionem, perceptionem et appropriationem plenariam.
[14] Apud Esaiam,
Deliciabitur in Jehovah, "et equitare te faciam super excelsa terrae, et cibabo te hereditate Jacobi" (58:14):
per "equitare facere super excelsa terrae" significatur dare intellectum veritatum superiorum seu interiorum de rebus ecclesiae et caeli: et per "cibare hereditate Jacobi" significatur donare omnibus caeli et ecclesiae; per "hereditatem Jacobi" intelligitur terra Canaan, et per illam terram significatur ecclesia, et in superiori sensu caelum.
[15] Quoniam "comedere" significat appropriare sibi, constare potest quid significatur per
Comedere ex arbore vitae quae in medio Paradisi (Apocalypsis 2:7);
quod nempe sit appropriare sibi vitam caelestem: tum quid significatur per "comedere ex arbore scientiae" in Genesi,
"Praecepit Jehovah Deus homini, dicendo, De omni arbore horti comedendo comedes, at de arbore scientiae boni et mali, de hac non comedes, quia quo die comederis de ea, moriendo moriemini" (2:16, 17):
per "arborem scientiae boni et mali" significatur scientia rerum naturalium, per quam non licet intrare in caelestia et spiritualia quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt, proinde a naturali homine in spiritualem; quae via inversa est, et sic non ducit ad sapientiam, sed destruit illam. Per "Adamum et ejus uxorem" intelligitur Ecclesia Antiquissima, quae fuit ecclesia caelestis. Homines illius ecclesiae, quia in amore in Dominum fuerunt, habuerunt Divina Vera sibi inscripta, et inde ex influxu noverunt correspondentia in naturali homine, quae vocantur scientifica; verbo, erat apud illos infiuxus spiritualis, ita a spirituali mente in naturalem, et sic in illa quae ibi, quae viderunt qualia erant sicut in speculo ex correspondentia.
[16] Spiritualia apud illos prorsus distincta erant a naturalibus; spiritualia residebant in mente eorum spirituali, et naturalia in mente eorum naturali, et inde non aliquid spirituale immerserunt menti naturali, ut solent spirituales naturales homines: quapropter si spiritualia tradidissent memoriae naturali, et eo modo appropriavissent sibi illa, periisset insitum quod apud illos, et cepissent ex naturali homine ratiocinari de spiritualibus, et inde concludere illa, quod nusquam faciunt; id etiam foret ex propria intelligentia velle sapere, et non ex Divina, ut prius, et per id exstinxissent omnem vitam suam caelestem, ac cepissent naturales ideas etiam de spiritualibus. Hoc itaque significatur per quod "non comederent ex arbore scientiae boni et mali", et si comedissent, quod "moriendo morirentur." Similis res cum antiquissimis illis, qui per "Adamum" intelliguntur, fuit, quae cum illis qui in regno caelesti Domini sunt; hi si naturalem hominem et ejus memoriam imbuunt cognitionibus veri et boni spiritualis, et ex illis volunt sapere, fiunt stupidi; cum tamen sunt omnium sapientissimi in caelo. (sed de his videantur plura in opere De Caelo et Inferno 20-28, ubi actum est De Binis Regnis, caelesti et spiritual, in quae Caelum in communi distinctum est.)
[17] Apud Davidem,
"Qui comedit meum panem, sustulit super Me calcaneum suum" (Psalms 41:10 [B.A. 9]):
haec dicta sunt de Judaeis, apud quos erant Divina vera, quia habebant Verbum, ut constare potest apud Johannem (13:18), ubi illa verba Judaeis applicata sunt; quare per "comedere panem" Domini significatur appropriatio Divini Veri; ibi communicatio ejus, quia id eis non potuit appropriari: "panis" significat Verbum, ex quo nutritio spiritualis: "tollere calcaneum super Ipsum" significat pervertere sensum litterae Verbi usque ad negationem Domini et ad falsificationem omnis veri: nam Divinum Verum sistitur in imagine sicut Homo; unde caelum in toto complexu vocatur Maximus Homo, et correspondet omnibus hominis, caelum enim formatum est secundum Divinum Verum procedens a Domino; et quia Verbum est Divinum Verum, ideo etiam hoc coram Domino est in imagine sicut Divinus Homo; ideo ultimus ejus sensus, qui est mere sensus litterae, correspondet calcaneo: perversio Verbi seu Divini Veri per applicationem sensus litterae ad falsitates, quales fuerunt traditiones Judaeorum, significatur per "tollere super Dominum calcaneum." Quod universum caelum sit in imagine sicut Homo, et quod inde correspondeat omnibus hominis, et quod caelum tale sit quia creatum et formatum est a Domino per Divinum Verum procedens ab Ipso, quod est Verbum ex quo omnia facta sunt (Johannes 1:1-3), videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno, (n. 59-102, tum n. 200-212).
[18] Apud Lucam,
"Incipient dicere, Edimus coram Te, et bibimus coram Te, et in plateis nostris docuisti; sed dicet Non novi vos unde estis; discedite... operarii iniquitatis" (13:26, 27):
quod dicturi sint, quando sistentur ad judicium, quod "ederint" et quod "biberint" coram Domino, significat quod legerint Verbum et hauserint cognitiones boni et veri inde, putantes quod ex eo salvarentur; quare sequitur, "In plateis nostris docuisti", per quod significatur quod instructi fuerint in veris ex Verbo, ita a Domino: sed quod legere Verbum, ac instrui ex illo, nihil faciat ad salutem nisi simul vivatur secundum illud, significatur per responsum, quod dicet "Non novi vos unde estis; discedite a Me, operarii iniquitatis"; nihil enim facit ad salutem ditare memoriam ex Verbo, et ex doctrinalibus ecclesiae, nisi illa mandentur vitae.
[19] Apud Matthaeum,
Dixit Rex iis a dextris, "Esurivi et dedistis Mihi quod ederem, sitivi et potastis Me." .... Et illis a sinistris, "Esurivi et non dedistis Mihi quod ederem, sitivi et non potastis Me" (25:35, 42):
per haec quoque spiritualis esuritio et sitis, tum spiritualis esus et potus significatur; spiritualis esuritio et sitis est affectio et desiderium ad bonum et verum, ac spiritualis esus et potus est instructio, receptio et appropriatio. De Domino ibi dicitur quod esuriat et sitiat, quia ex Divino Amore desiderat omnium salutem; et de homine, quod dederint quod ederet, et quod potaverint Ipsum, quod fit quando ex affectione a Domino recipiunt et percipiunt bonum et verum, et illa sibi per vitam appropriant. Similiter dicetur de homine qui ex corde amat hominem instruere, et vult salvationem ejus; est itaque charitas, seu affectio veri spiritualis, quae per illa verba et reliqua etiam describitur.
[20] Ex dictis nunc constare potest quid in spirituali sensu per comedere panem et bibere vinum in Sacra Cena, Matthaeus 26:26; Marcus 14:22, significatur; ubi etiam dicitur quod "panis sit corpus Ipsius", et "vinum, sanguis"; quod pei "panem" ibi significetur bonum amoris, et. per "vinum" verum ex illo bono, quod etiam est bonum fidei, et quod simile per "carnem et Sanguinem", tum quod per "manducationem" significetur appropriatio et conjunctio cum Domino, constare potest ex illis quae in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae (n. 210-222) dicta et ostensa sunt. Quod talia significentur per "panem et vinum", perque "corpus et sanguinem", tum per "manducationem", adhuc evidentius constare potest ex Domini verbis apud Johannem,
"Patres 3
vestri comederunt mannam in deserto, et mortui sunt. Hic est panis qui e caelo descendit;.... si quis comederit ex hoc pane, vivet in saeculum; panis vero quem Ego dabo caro mea est, quam Ego dabo pro mundi vita. .... Amen dico vobis, nisi comederitis carnem Filii hominis, et biberitis Ipsius sanguinem, non habebitis vitam in vobis; qui manducat meam carnem, et bibit meum sanguinem, habet vitam aeternam, et resuscitabo eum extremo die: .... qui manducat meam carnem, et bibit meum sanguinem, in Me manet et Ego in illo. .... Hic est panis qui e caelo descendit; .... qui manducat hunc panem, vivet in aeternum (6:49-58):
quod non caro nec sanguis, tum non panis nec vinum, hic intelligatur, sed Divinum procedens a Domino, nullus non, qui facultate interius cogitandi gaudet, videre potest; est enim Divinum procedens, quod est Divinum Bonum et Divinum Verum, quae homini dant vitam aeternam, ac faciunt ut Dominus in homine et homo in Domino maneat, quoniam Dominus in homine est in suo Divino, et non in proprio hominis; hoc enim non est nisi quam malum; et Dominus in homine est, et homo in Domino, quando Divinum procedens per justam receptionem appropriatur homini: ipsa appropriatio significatur per "manducationem"; Divinum Bonum procedens, per "carnem" et per "panem"; et Divinum Verum procedens, per "sanguinem" et per "vinum": similiter quod in sacrificiis, in quibus "caro" et "mincha", quae erat panis, significabant bonum amoris; ac "sanguis" et "vinum", quod erat libamen, significabant verum ex illo bono; utrumque a Domino. Quoniam per "carnem" et "panem" significatur Divillum Bonum procedens, ac per "sanguinem" et "villum" Divinum Verum procedens, ideo per "carnem" et "panem" intelligitur Ipse Dominus quoad Divinum Bonum, ac per "Sanguinem" et "vinum" Ipse Dominus quoad Divinum Verum: quod Ipse Dominus intelligatur per illa, est quia Divinum procedens est Ipse Dominus in caelo et in ecclesia; quare dicit Dominus de Se, "Hic est panis qui e caelo descendit"; tum, "Qui comedit et bibit illa, in Me manet et Ego in illo."
[21] Quoniam "panis" significat Dominum quoad Divinum Bonum, et "comedere" illum significat appropriationem et conjunctionem, ideo
Cum Dominus Se coram discipulis post mortem manifestavit, quando panem fregit et dedit illis, "aperti sunt oculi eorum, et cognoverunt Ipsum" (Luca 24:30, 31):
ex eo etiam patet quod "comedere panem" datum a Domino significet conjunctionem cum Ipso; ex qua illustrati cognoverunt Ipsum; nam "oculi" in Verbo correspondent intellectui, et inde significant illum; et hic est qui illustratur, et inde "oculi aperiuntur": per "frangere panem" in Verbo significatur communicare suum bonum cum altero.
[22] Quod Dominus cum publicanis et peccatoribus comederit,
De quo Judaei murmurabant et scandalizabantur (Marcus 2:15, 16; Luca 5:29, 30; 7:33-35),
est quia gentes, quae intelliguntur per "publicanos et peccatores", receperunt Dominum, hauserunt praecepta Ipsius, et vixerunt secundum illa; per quae Dominus appropriavit illis bona caeli, quod in sensu spirituali significatur per "comedere cum illis."
[23] Quoniam per "comedere" significabatur appropriari, ideo concessum est filiis Israelis comedere ex sanctificatis, seu ex sacrificiis; nam per "sacrificia" significabantur Divina caelestia et spiritualia, et inde per "comessationem" ex illis significabatur appropriatio illorum; et quia appropriatio sanctorum significabatur per comessationem illam, ideo plures leges latae sunt, quinam et ubinam comederent, et ex quibus sacrificiis; sic
Quid Aharon et filii ejus ex sacrificiis acciperent et comederent (Exodus 29:31-33; Leviticus 6:9-1116-[18] ; cap. 7:6, 7; 8:31-33; 10:13-15);
Quod illi panes propositionis comederent in loco sancto (Leviticus 24:5 [ -9]);
Quod filia sacerdotis nupta alienigenae non comederet ex sanciificatis; sed filia sacerdotis vidua aut repudiata, cui non proles, reversa ad domum patris comederet (Leviticus 22:12, 13);
Quinam ex populo comederent (Numeri 18:10, 11, 13, 19);
Quod alienus, inquilinus, mercenarius sacerdotis, non comederent ex illis, sed quod emptus argento comederet (Leviticus 22:10-12);
Quod immundus non comederet (Leviticus 7:19-21; 21:16 ad fin. ; cap. 22:2-8);
Quod nihil ederent ex holocaustis, sed quod ex sacrificiis eucharisticis ederent et laetarentur coram Jehovah (Deuteronomius 12:27; 27:7).
In his et in pluribus aliis statutis et legibus de comessatione ex sanctificatis, continentur arcana approptiationis Divini Boni et Divini Veri, et inde conjunctionis cum Domino; sed singula evolvere, non hujus loci est; modo ex allatis sciatur quod "comedere" significet appropriari et conjungi. Quare etiam
Cum filii Israelis conjuncti fuerunt Domino per sanguinem foederis, et postquam Moses legerat Librum Legis coram illis, et mox viderunt Deum Israelis, dicitur quod comederint et biberint (Exodus 24:6-11).
[24] Quod "comedere carnem et bibere sanguinem" significet appropriationem spiritualis boni et veri, constare potest apud Ezechielem,
"Sic dixit Dominus Jehovih, .... Congregate vos a circuitu super sacrificium meum quod Ego sacrifico vobis, sacrificium magnum super montibus Israelis, ut comedatis carnem et bibatis sanguinem, carnem fortium comedetis, et sanguinem principum terrae bibetis;.... et comedetis adipem ad satietatem, et bibetis sanguinem ad ebrietatem, de sacrificio meo quod sacrifico vobis: satiabimini super mensa mea equo et curru, forti et omni viro belli.... : sic dabo gloriam meam inter gentes" (39:17-21):
agitur ibi de convocatione omnium ad regnum Domini, et in specie de instauratione ecclesiae apud gentes; nam dicitur, "Sic dabo gloriam meam inter gentes" per "comedere carnem et bibere sanguinem" intelligitur quod appropriarent sibi Divinum Bonum et Divinum Verum; "caro" significat bonum amoris, et "sanguis" verum illius bolli: per "fortes" seu boves significantur affectiones boni, per "principes terrae" affectiones veri: plenaria fruitio eorum significatur per "comedere adipem ad satietatem, et bibere sanguinem ad ebrietatem"; per "adipem" signi'ficantur interiora bona, et per "Sanguinem" interiora vera, quae manifestata sunt a Domino quando in mundu1n venit, et appropriata illis qui Ipsum receperunt:
[25] ante adventum Ipsius in mundum prohibitum fuit edere adipem et bibere sanguinem, ex causa quia filii Israelis solum in externis fuerunt; erant naturales sensuales homines, et prorsus non in internis seu spiritualibus; quare si licuisset eis edere adipem et sanguinem, per quae significabatur appropriare sibi interiora bona et vera, profanavissent illa; ideo per "comedere" illa significabatur profanatio: similia significantur per "satiari super mensa" Domini "equo, curru, forti et omni viro belli": per "equum" significatur intellectus Verbi, per "currum" doctrina ex Verbo, per "fortem et virum belli" bonum et verum pugnans cum malo et falso et destruens illa; per "montes Israelis", super quibus comederent, significatur ecclesia spiritualis, in qua bonum charitatis est eSsentiale. Ex his manifeste patet quod per "comedere" significetur appropriare sibi; ac quod per "carnem", "sanguinem", "fortem", "principes terrae" "equum", "currum", "virum belli", significentur spiritualia quae approprianda; et nequaquam naturalia, nam naturaliter illa edere foret nefarium et diabolicum. Similia significantur per
Comedere carnes regum, chiliarchorum, equorum, et sedentium super illis, liberorum et servorum (Apoc. 19:18 4
).
[26] Quoniam pleraque in Verbo etiam oppositum sensum habent, ita quoque "comedere" et "bibere"; et in eo sensu significant appropriare sibi malum et falsum, et inde conjungi inferno; ut constare potest ex sequentibus locis:
- Apud Esaiam,
"Vocabit Dominus Jehovih in die illo ad fletum et ad planctum, et ad calvitiem et ad induendum saccum; ecce laetitia et gaudium occidere bovem et mactare pecudem, comedere carnem et bibere vinum; comedendum et bibendum est, cras enim moriemur" (22:12, 13):
vastatio ecclesiae, et lamentatio super ea, describitur per "vocari in die illo ad fletum, planctum, calvitiem et induitionem sacci"; lamentatio quod verum deperditum sit significatur per "fletum", quod bonum per "planctum", quod omnis affectio boni per "calvitiem", quod affectio veri per "saccum": per "occidere bovem et mactare pecudem" significatur exstinguere bonum naturale et bonum spirituale: per "comedere carnem et bibere vinum" significatur appropriare sibi malum et falsum; "caro" hic significat malum, "vinum" falsum mali, ac "comedere et bibere" illa appropriare sibi.
[27] Apud Ezechielem,
Dictum est Prophetae ut comederet cibum pondere et cum sollicitudine, et quod biberet aquam in mensura et cum stupore; et quod comederet placentam hordeorum factam cum stercore: quod sic comedent filii Israelis panem suum immundum inter gentes quo depellentur, et carebunt pane et aqua, et desolabuntur vir et frater ejus, et contabescent propter iniquitatem (4:10-17):
per haec apud Prophetam repraesentabatur adulteratio Divini Veri seu Verbi apud gentem Judaicam: "placenta hordeorum facta cum stercore" significat adulteratioiiem illam, "placenta hordeorum" bonum et verum naturale, quale Verbum est in sensu litterae, "stercus" malum infernale; quare dicitur quod "filii Israelis sic comedent panem suum immundum"; "panis immundus" significat bonum conspurcatum malo, seu adulteratum: quod "carituri pane et aqua inter gentes quo depellentur", significat quod non illis bonum et verum amplius, quia in malis et falsis; "gentes" significant mala et falsa, "depelli" illuc est tradi illis: per "virum et fratrem", qui desolabuntur, significatur fides et charitas; "vir" significat verum fidei, et "frater" bonum charitatis, et "desolari" plenariam exstinctionem utriusque: quoniam illa significantur per "comedere panem et bibere aquam", ideo dicitur quod "contabescent propter iniquitatem"; "contabescere" dicitur de vita spirituali quando perit.
[28] Quia "bestiae" significant affectiones, quaedam affectiones bonas et quaedam affectiones malas, ideo leges latae sunt pro filiis Israelis, apud quos erat ecclesia repraesentativa, quaenam bestiae comederentur, et quaenam non comederentur (Leviticus 11:1 ad fin. ); per quae significabatur quaenam bestiae repraesentabant affectiones bonas quae appropriarentur, et quaenam malas quae non appropriarentur, quoniam affectiones bonae mundum reddunt hominem, at affectiones malae immundum. Omnia quae in eo capite sunt, quoad singulas bestias et aves, et quoad illarum ungulas, pedes et rumen, per quae distinguuntur munda ab immundis, significativa sunt.
[29]); per haec describitur exstinctio boni per falsum, ac veri per malum; exstinctio omnis boni et veri, utcunque inquiruntur, significatur per "Si deciderit ad dextram, esuriet tamen et si comederit ad sinistram, non saturabuntur"; " 5
caedere" et "comedere" ad illas est illquirere, "esurire et non saturari" est non inveniri, et si invenitur usque non posse recipi; "vir carnem brachii sui comedent" significat quod falsum consumet bonum ac malum verum in naturali homine; "Menascheh Ephraimum et Ephraimus Menaschen", significat quod voluntas mali consumet intellectum veri, et quod intellectus falsi conSumet voluntatem boni. (Sed haec videantur etiam supra, n. 386 [b] et 600 [b] , explicata.)
[30] Consumptio omnis veri et boni etiam significatur
Per quod ederent carnem filiorum et filiarum (Leviticus 26:29);
Tum per quod "patres comedent filios..., et filii comedent patres" (Ezechiel 5:10):
"patres" significant bona ecclesiae, et in opposito sensu mala ejus; "filii" vera ecclesiae, et in opposito sensu falsa ejus; et "filiae" affectiones veri et boni, et in opposito sensu cupiditates falsi et mali: consumptio et exstinctio eorum mutua significatur per "comedere" illos. Exinde patet quod haec aliter quam secundum litteram intelligenda sint.
[31] Apud Matthaeum,
In consummatione saeculi erit sicut ante diluvium, "edentes et bibentes, contrahentes matrimonium et nuptui dantes" (24:38; Luc. 17:26-28 6
):
per "edere et bibere", perque "contrahere matrimonium et nuptui dare", hic non intelligitur edere et bibere, nec contrahere matrimonium et nuptui dare; sed per "edere" significatur appropriare sibi malum, per "bibere" appropriare sibi falsum, per "contrahere matrimonium et nuptui dare" significatur conjungere falsum malo et malum falso; nam agitur ibi de statu ecclesiae quando instat ultimum judicium, hoc enim significatur per "consummationem saeculi": quod tunc esuri et bibituri sint tam boni quam mali, quia in edere et bibere nihil mali inest, patet; et quoque quod similiter fecerint ante diluvium, et quod ideo non perierint, sed quod malum et falSum Sibi appropriaverint, et quod illa apud se conjunxerint; haec itaque sunt quae ibi per "edere et bibere", perque "contrahere matrimonium et nuptui dare", significantur.
[32] Apud Lucam,
Dives dixit animae suae, "Anima, habes multa bona reposita in annos multos; requiesce, ede, bibe" (12:19);
apud eundem,
"Si dixerit servus corde suo, Moratur Dominus venire, et coeperit verberare servos..., edere, bibere, inebriari.... ." (12:45):
tum per "comessationem" et "ebrietatem", apud eundem,
Jesus dixit, "Cavete vobic, ne graventur corda vestra comessatione et ebrietate" (21:34):
apparet sicut per "edere et bibere", et per "comessationem", bin illis locis intelligatur luxuria et internperantia, quales sunt illis qui solum genio indulgent; verum is sensus est sensus naturalis litteralis istorum verborum, at sensus spiritualis illorum est appropriare sibi malum et falsum; ut constare potest ex locis supra allatis, ubi "edere" et "bibere" talia significant; et ex eo, quod Verbum in littera sit naturale, ac interius spirituale, hoc pro angelis, et illud pro hominibus.
[33] Praeter haec loca e Verbo etiam perplura alia possunt adduci, testantia et confirmantia quod "comedere" significet recipere, percipere et appropriare sibi talia quibus nutritur anima; "edere" enim spiritualiter non aliud est quam imbuere mentem suo victu, qui est velle scire, intelligere et sapere talia quae Yitae aeternae sunt: quod "comedere" illa significet, constare etiam pot est ex significatione "panis" et "cibi", tum ex significatione "famis" et "esuritionis", ut et "vini" et "aquae", de quibus supra in suis locis actum est. Quoniam "comedere" significat percipere quale est, et hoc percipitur per saporem, inde ex correspondentia est quod in linguis humanis "sapor" et "sapere" etiam praedicetur de perceptione rei; unde quoque dicitur "sapientia."
Footnotes:
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