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661. And shall send gifts one to another.- That this signifies their consociation, is evident from the signification of sending gifts, as denoting to be consociated from love and friendship; for gifts from such an affection and disposition bring together both the well-disposed and the ill-disposed; in this case, those who are opposed to the goods of love and truths of doctrine, signified by the two witnesses who were slain and cast out into the street of the great city, which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt. It is to be observed that nothing is more delightful to the ill-disposed and the wicked than to destroy the goods of love and the truths of doctrine wherever these are, and to do evil to those in whom they are; for they burn with hatred against such things, and for this reason there continually exhales from the hell, where such persons are, a deadly hatred against celestial love and spiritual faith, consequently against heaven, and especially against the Lord Himself; and they are in the delight of their heart as often as they are permitted to do evil. Such is the wild-beast nature of those who are in hell. This therefore is what is meant by, they shall rejoice and shall be glad over them. The ill-disposed also enter into friendships and band together for the purpose of doing injury to the well-disposed; the delight of hatred, which is the delight of their love, unites them together, and then they appear to be friends in heart, although they are enemies. This, therefore, is the signification of sending gifts one to another.
[2] Since gifts captivate the mind and bring about consociation, therefore in ancient times it was customary to give gifts to priests and prophets, also to princes and kings, when they were approached (1 Sam. 9:7, 8). And it was also a statute that they should not appear empty, that is, without gifts, before Jehovah, but that in their feasts every one should bring a gift according to his blessing (Exodus 23:15; 34:20; Deuteronomy 16:16, 17); and therefore the wise men from the east brought gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh, to the Lord as soon as He was born (Matthew 2:11), according to the prediction in David (Psalm 72:10); and for the same reason, the oblations upon the altar, which were sacrifices, and also the meat-offerings and drink-offerings, were called gifts (Isaiah 18:7; 57:6; 66:20; Zeph. 3:10; Matthew 5:23, 24; and elsewhere), and this because external gifts signified internal or spiritual gifts, namely, such as proceed from the heart, and thus belong consequently to affection and faith; and because conjunction is effected by means of these, therefore gifts, in the spiritual sense, signify conjunction when used in reference to God, and consociation when used in reference to men.
661. And shall send gifts one to another, signifies their consociation. This is evident from the signification of "to send gifts," as being to be consociated by love and friendship through good will; for gifts from such an affection and disposition bring together both the well-disposed as well as the ill-disposed; here those are meant who are opposed to the goods of love and the truths of doctrine, which are signified by "the two witnesses" who were killed and cast forth into the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt. It is to be known that to the ill-disposed and wicked nothing is more delightful than to destroy the goods of love and the truths of doctrine wherever they are, and to do evil to those with whom these are; for such burn with hatred against these; consequently from the hell where such are there continually breathes forth a deadly hatred against celestial love and spiritual faith, and therefore against heaven, and especially against the Lord Himself; and as often as they are permitted to do evil they are in the delight of their heart. Such is the brutal nature of those who are in hell.
This, therefore, is what is meant by "they shall rejoice over them and shall be glad." Moreover, the wicked enter into friendships and consociate themselves for doing harm to the well disposed; they are consociated by the delight of hatred, which is the delight of their love; this makes them appear as if friends in heart, when yet they are enemies. This, therefore, is the signification of "shall send gifts one to another."
[2] Because gifts captivate the mind and consociate, it was a custom in ancient times to give gifts to the priest and the prophet, as also to the prince and the king, when they were approached (1 Samuel 9:7, 8); and it was also a statute:
That they should not appear empty (that is, without a gift) before Jehovah, but in their feasts everyone should bring a gift according as he had been blessed (Exodus 23:15; 34:20; Deuteronomy 16:16, 17).
So too:
The wise men from the east brought gifts to the Lord just born, gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11);
according to the prediction in David (Psalms 72:10). So again:
The oblations upon the altar, which were sacrifices, and also the meal offerings and drink-offerings, were called gifts (Isaiah 18:7; 57:6; 66:20; Zephaniah 3:10; Matthew 5:23, 24; and elsewhere);
and this because external gifts signified internal or spiritual gifts, namely, such as go forth from the heart, and thence are of the affection and faith; and as by these conjunction is effected, in the spiritual sense "gifts" in reference to God signify conjunction, and in reference to men consociation.
661. "Et munera mittent invicem." - Quod significet consociationem eorum, constat ex significatione "mittere munera", quod sit consociari ex amore et ex amicitia per benevolentiam, nam munera ex ea affectione et ex eo animo consociant tam probos quam improbos; hic illos qui contra bona amoris et vera doctrinae sunt, quae significantur per "binos testes occisos et projectos in plateam urbis magnae, quae vocatur spiritualiter Sodoma et Aegyptus." Sciendum est quod improbis et impiis nihil jucundius sit quam destruere bona amoris et vera doctrinae ubicunque sunt, et malefacere illis apud quos sunt: ardent enim odio contra illa; inde est quod ab inferno, ubi tales sunt, jugiter exspiret odium internecinum contra caelestem amorem et spiritualem fidem, proinde contra caelum, et imprimis contra Ipsum Dominum; et quoties permittitur malefacere, in sui cordis jucundo sunt: talis ferina natura est illis qui in inferno sunt; hoc itaque intelligitur per quod "gaudeant super illis et laetentur." Improbi etiam ineunt amicitias et consociantur ad damnum inferendum probis; jucundum odii, quod est amoris eorum, consociat, et tunc apparent sicut corde amici forent, cum tamen sunt hostes; hoc itaque est quod significatur per quod "munera mittant invicem."
[2] Quoniam munera captant animos et consociant, ideo antiquis temporibus solenne fuit munera dare sacerdoti et prophetae, tum principi et regi, cum illos adirent (1 Samuelis 9:7, 8); et quoque statutum fuit
Quod non vacui (hoc est, absque munere) comparerent coram Jehovah, sed in festis quisque secundum benedictionem suam munus adferret (Exodus 23:15; 34:20; Deuteronomius 16:16, 17);
et ideo
Sapientes ex orientalibus attulerunt Domino recens nato munera, aurum, thus et myrrham (Matthaeus 2:11),
secundum praedictionem apud Davidem (Psalms 72:10); et ideo quoque,
Oblationes super altari, quae erant sacrificia, et quoque minchae et libamina, vocabantur munera ( 1
Esai. 18:7; 57:6; 66:20; Zephanias 3:10; Matthaeus 5:23, 24: et alibi);
et hoc quia munera externa significabant munera interna seu spiritualia, quae nempe procedunt ex corde, et quae inde sunt affectionis et fidei; et quia per haec fit conjunctio, ideo per "munera" in spirituali sensu significatur conjunctio quando de Deo, et consociatio quando de hominibus.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.