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746. Because the accuser of our brethren is cast down.- That this signifies after those have been separated from heaven, and condemned to hell, who fought against the life of faith, which is charity, is evident from the signification of being cast down, when said of the dragon, as denoting that those meant by the dragon were separated from heaven and condemned to hell (concerning which see above, n. 739, 742), and from the signification of the accuser of our brethren, as denoting those who fought against the life of faith, which is charity. For an accuser signifies one who attacks, rebukes, and reproaches, for he who accuses also attacks, rebukes, and reproaches; moreover, in the original, an adversary and one who reproaches are expressed by the same word. What is wonderful, although those who are dragons make no account of life, yet they accuse the faithful in the spiritual world, if they observe [in them] any evil of ignorance, for they inquire into their life in order that they may reproach and condemn them, and therefore they are called accusers.
[2] But by the brethren whom they accuse are meant all those in the heavens, and also all those on earth who are in the good of charity. Such are called brethren because they all have one Father, that is, the Lord; and those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and in the good of charity towards the neighbour, are His sons, and are also called sons of God, sons of the kingdom, and heirs. It follows, therefore, that since they are the sons of one Father, they are also brethren. Moreover, it is the chief commandment of the Lord the Father, that they should love one another, consequently it is love that makes them brethren; love also is spiritual conjunction. From this it came to pass that with the ancients, in the churches in which charity was the essential, all were called brethren; the same was the case in our Christian Church at its beginning. This is why brother, in the spiritual sense, signifies charity. That formerly all those who were of one church called themselves brethren, and that the Lord calls those brethren, who are in love to Him and in charity towards the neighbour, is evident from many passages in the Word. But in order that what is signified by brother may be distinctly seen, it shall be illustrated from the Word.
[3] (I.) All who were of the Israelitish Church called themselves brethren, as is clear from the following passages.
In Isaiah:
"Then shall they bring all your brethren, out of all nations, a gift to Jehovah" (66:20).
In Jeremiah:
"No one shall cause a Jew, his brother, to serve" (34:9).
In Ezekiel:
"Son of man, thy brethren, thy brethren, the sons of thy kindred and the whole house of Israel" (11:15).
In Micah:
"Until the remnant of his brethren return unto the sons of Israel" (5:3).
In Moses:
"Moses went out unto his brethren, that he might see their burdens" (Exodus 2:11):
Moses said unto Jethro his father-in-law,
"I will return to my brethren, who are in Egypt" (Exodus 4:18);
"When thy brother shall be impoverished" (Leviticus 25:25, 35, 47).
"But as to your brethren, the sons of Israel, a man shall not rule over his brother with rigour" (Leviticus 25:46);
"Would to God that we had died when our brethren died before Jehovah" (Numbers 20:3).
"Behold, a man of the sons of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman" (Numbers 25:6).
"Thou shalt open thine hand to thy brother; when thy brother, a Hebrew man or Hebrew woman, shall be sold to thee, he shall serve thee six years" (Deuteronomy 15:11, 12).
"If any man shall steal the soul (animam) of his brethren and shall make gain thereof" (Deuteronomy 24:7).
"Forty times shall he strike him, and not exceed, lest thy brother be accounted vile in thine eyes" (Deuteronomy 25:3; and elsewhere).
It is evident from these passages that the sons of Israel were all called brethren among themselves; the chief reason of their being so called was that they were descended from Jacob, who was their common father; but a reason more remote was that brother signifies the good of charity, and as this good is the essential of the church, also all are spiritually conjoined by it. Another reason is that Israel, in the highest sense, signifies the Lord, and consequently the sons of Israel signify the church.
[4] (II.) They also called themselves man and brother, and also companion and brother, as in the following passages.
In Isaiah:
"The land is darkened and the people are become as fuel for the fire; they shall not spare a man (vir) his brother, they shall eat a man (vir) the flesh of his own arm, Menasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Menasseh" (386:2, 440:4, 600:13, 617:29).
[5] In the same:
"I will mingle Egypt with Egypt, that they may fight, a man (vir) against his brother, and a man against his companion, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom" (19:2).
Egypt here signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual; and because this is in no light of truth, it is continually disputing about good and evil, and about truth and falsity; and such disputation is signified by "I will mingle Egypt with Egypt, that they may fight, a man against his brother, and a man against his companion," brother and companion signifying good from which is truth, and truth from good, and in the opposite sense, evil from which is falsity, and falsity from evil. Therefore it is also said, "City against city, and kingdom against kingdom, city denoting doctrine, and kingdom the church from doctrine, which will contend in a similar manner.
[6] In the same:
"They help a man his companion, and one saith to his brother, Be strong" (41:6).
The signification of companion and brother is similar to that explained above.
In Jeremiah:
"Take ye heed a man of his companion, and trust not in any brother; for every brother supplanteth, and every companion slandereth" (Jeremiah 60:4).
In the same:
"I will scatter them, a man with his brother" (13:14).
In the same:
"Thus shall ye say a man to his companion, and a man to his brother, What hath Jehovah answered" (23:35).
In the same:
"Ye have not hearkened unto me, to proclaim liberty a man to his brother, and a man to his companion" (34:9, 17).
In Ezekiel:
"A man's sword shall be against his brother" (38:21).
In Joel:
"They shall not drive forward, a man his brother" (2:8).
In Micah:
"They all lie in wait for bloods, they hunt, a man his brother, with a net" (7:2).
In Zechariah:
"Show kindness and compassion, a man to his brother" (7:9).
In Malachi:
"Wherefore do we deal treacherously, a man against his brother" (2:10).
In Moses:
"There was a thick darkness of darkness over all the land of Egypt, a man saw not his brother" (Exodus 10:22, 23).
In the same:
"At the end of seven years every creditor shall withhold his hand when he hath loaned anything to his companion, neither shall he urge his companion or his brother" (Deuteronomy 15:1, 2).
In the nearest sense a man means every one, and brother one of the same tribe, because in blood relationship; and companion means one who is of another tribe, because so only by alliance. But in the spiritual sense a man signifies every one who is in truths, and in the opposite sense, every one who is in falsities; brother signifies every one who is in the good of charity, and, in an abstract sense, that good itself, while companion signifies every one who is in truth from that good, and, in an abstract sense, that truth itself; and in the opposite sense these signify the evil opposite to the good of charity, and the falsity opposite to the truth from that good. The terms brother and companion are both used, because there are two things that make the church - charity and faith, just as there are two things that make the life of man, will and understanding. There are in man two things which act as one, as the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, two hands and feet, two lobes of the lungs, two chambers of the heart, two hemispheres of the brain, and so on, of which one has reference to good from which is truth, and the other to truth from good. This is why it is said brother and companion, and why brother signifies good, and companion its truth.
[7] (III.) The Lord calls those of His church who are in the good of charity brethren, as is clear from the following passages.
In the Evangelists:
Jesus "stretching out his hand over his disciples, said, Behold my mother and my brethren; whosoever shall do the will of my Father, he is my brother and sister and mother" (Matthew 12:49, 50; Mark 3:33-35).
The disciples over whom the Lord stretched out His hand signify all those who are of His church; His brethren signify those who are in the good of charity from Him; sisters, those who are in truths from that good; while mother signifies the church from these.
[8] In Matthew:
Jesus said to Mary Magdalene and to the other Mary, "Fear not, go ye, tell my brethren to go into Galilee, and there they shall see me" (28:10).
Here also brethren mean the disciples, who signify all those of the church who are in the good of charity.
In John:
Jesus said to Mary, "Go to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend to my Father" (20:17).
Similarly here the disciples are called brethren, because the disciples, equally as brethren, signify all those of His church who are in the good of charity.
[9] In Matthew:
"The King answering said unto them, I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (25:40).
That those who have done the good works of charity are here called by the Lord brethren is evident from the words which precede the above. It must, however, be understood that although the Lord is their Father, still He calls them brethren; but He is their Father from the Divine Love, and brother from the Divine which proceeds from Him. The reason is that all in the heavens are recipients of the Divine which proceeds from Him, and the Divine which proceeds from the Lord, of which they are recipients, is the Lord in heaven and also in the church; and this is not of angel or man, but of the Lord in them; therefore the good of charity itself in them, which is the Lord's own, He calls brother, as He also calls angels and men, because they are the recipient subjects of that good. In a word, the proceeding Divine, which is the Divine of the Lord in the heavens, is the Divine born of the Lord in heaven; therefore from that Divine, angels, who are its recipients, are called Sons of God, and since these are brethren, because of the Divine received in themselves, it is therefore the Lord in them who says "brother," for angels, when they speak from the good of charity, do not speak from themselves, but from the Lord.
This then is why the Lord says, "Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." The goods of charity, enumerated in the verses preceding, are therefore, in the spiritual sense, the brethren of the Lord, and are called brethren by the Lord, for the reason just given. The King, also, who thus calls them, signifies the proceeding Divine, which in one word is called Divine Truth or the Spiritual Divine, which in its essence is the good of charity.
[10] It must therefore be born in mind, that the Lord did not call them brethren because He was a man like themselves, according to an opinion received in the Christian world; for this reason it follows that it is not allowable for any man to call the Lord brother, for He is God even as to the Human, and God is not a brother, but a Father. The Lord is called brother in the churches on earth because the idea which they have of His Human is the same as that which they have of the human of another man; nevertheless the Lord's Human is Divine.
[11] Because kings formally represented the Lord as to Divine Truth, and as Divine Truth received by angels in the spiritual kingdom of the Lord is the same as Divine spiritual good, and as spiritual good is the good of charity, therefore the kings appointed over the sons of Israel called their subjects brethren, although on the other hand, the subjects were not permitted to call their king brother; much less should the Lord, who is King of kings and Lord of lords be so called.
So in David:
"I will declare thy name to my brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee" (Psalm 22:22).
In the same:
"I am become an alien to my brethren, and a stranger to my mother's sons" (Psalm 69:8).
In the same:
"For my brethren and companions' sake I will say peace be unto thee" (Psalm 122:8).
David spoke these things as though they were about himself, yet David, in the representative spiritual sense, here means the Lord.
In Moses:
"Thou shalt set over them a king from the midst of thy brethren; thou mayest not set over them a man that is a stranger, who is not thy brother; but let him not lift up his heart above his brethren" (Deuteronomy 17:15, 20).
The brethren out of whom a king might be set over them, signify all who are of the church, for it is said, "Thou mayest not set over them a man that is a stranger," a man that is a stranger signifying one not of the church.
[12] In the same:
"Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet out of the midst of thee from thy brethren, like unto me; him shall ye obey" (Arcana Coelestia 4859 at end, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 9372, 10234).
[13] (IV.) That all those who acknowledge Him, and are in the good of charity from Him, are called brethren by the Lord, follows from this, that the Lord is the Father of all and the teacher of all, and from Him, as a Father, is all the good of charity, and from Him, as a teacher, all the truth of that good; therefore the Lord says in Matthew:
"Be not ye called teacher, for one is your teacher, the Christ, but all ye are brethren. And call [no man] your Father upon earth, for one is your Father who is in the heavens" (23:8, 9).
It is manifestly clear from this that the Lord's words must be spiritually understood. For what teacher is there who may not be called teacher? or what father is there who is not called father? But because father signifies good, and the Father in the heavens the Divine Good, and as teacher or Rabbi signifies truth, and the "teacher, the Christ," the Divine Truth, therefore, on account of the spiritual sense in all things of the Word, it is said that they should not call a father on earth their father, nor anyone teacher. This refers to the spiritual sense, but not to the natural sense. In the natural sense men may be called teachers and fathers, but representatively, that is to say, teachers in the world do indeed teach truths, but from the Lord, not from themselves; and fathers in the world are indeed good, and lead their children to good, but from the Lord, not from themselves. It therefore follows, that although they are called teachers and fathers, still they are not teachers, and fathers, but the Lord alone is Teacher and Father. To call, and to call any one by a name also signifies, in the Word, to recognise the quality of any one. Because all in heaven and in the church are disciples and sons of the Lord as their Teacher and Father, therefore the Lord says, "All ye are brethren"; for the Lord calls all in heaven and in the church sons and heirs, from their consociation by love from Him, and thus by mutual love which is charity. It is consequently from the Lord that they are brethren; in this way must the common saying be understood that all are brethren in the Lord.
[14] From these considerations also it is evident that the Lord means by brethren all those who acknowledge Him, and are in the good of charity from Him, consequently those who are of His church. Such also the Lord means by brethren in the following passages.
In Luke:
Jesus said to Peter, "When thou hast turned again, strengthen thy brethren" (Luke 22:32).
Brethren here do not mean the Jews, but all those who acknowledge the Lord and are in good from charity and faith, thus all who should receive the gospel through Peter, both Jews and Gentiles; for Peter, in the Word of the Evangelists, means truth from good, consequently also faith from charity, but here Peter means faith separated from charity, for just previously it is said of him, "Simon, lo, Satan hath demanded you, that he may sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not" (verses 31, 32); and afterwards it is said to him, "I say unto thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day until thou hast thrice denied that thou knowest me" (verse 34). Such also is faith without charity. But by Peter turned again is signified truth from good, which is from the Lord, or faith from charity, which is from the Lord, therefore it is said, "When then thou hast turned again, strengthen thy brethren."
[15] In Matthew:
"Peter said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?" (18:21).
In the same:
"So also will my heavenly Father do to you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses" (18:35).
In the same:
"If thy brother hath sinned against thee, go and accuse him between thee and him alone; if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother" (18:15).
Here brother means the neighbour in general, thus every man, but specifically one whoever he may be who is in the good of charity and thus in faith from the Lord; for these passages treat of the good of charity, since to forgive one who sins against you is of charity. It is also said, "If he hear, thou hast gained thy brother," which signifies if he acknowledges his trespasses, and turns again.
[16] Again in Matthew:
"Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye, when yet there is a beam in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye" (7:3-5).
Here also the term brother is used, because the subject treated of is charity; for to cast out the mote out of a brother's eye signifies to give instruction about falsity and evil, and to reform. The reason why the Lord said "a mote out of thy brother's eye," and "a beam out of one's own eye," is that a spiritual sense is contained in every thing which the Lord spoke; for without that sense, of what consequence would it be to see a mote in the eye of another, and not consider a beam in one's own eye, or to cast a beam out of one's own eye before one casts a mote out of another's eye? For a mote signifies a small falsity of evil, and a beam a great falsity of evil, while the eye signifies the understanding and also faith. Mote and beam signify the falsity of evil because wood signifies good; thus a beam signifies the truth of good, and, in the opposite sense, the falsity of evil, and the eye the understanding and faith. It is therefore plain what is signified by seeing the mote and the beam, and by casting them out of the eye. That wood signifies good, and, in the opposite sense, evil, may be seen in the Genesis 19:8; 2 Kings 6:2, 5, 6; Habak. 2:11; Cant. 1:17.
[17] Again in Matthew:
"He who doeth and teacheth shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. I say unto you, Except your justice shall exceed the justice of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill, but whosoever shall kill shall be liable to the judgment; but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother rashly shall be liable to the judgment; but whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the council; but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be liable to the gehenna of fire. If thou offer thy gift upon the altar, and there remember that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift" (5:19-24).
In the whole of that chapter the subject treated of is the interior life of man, which is that of his soul, consequently of his will and the thought therefrom, thus it treats of the life of charity, which is the spiritual moral life. Of this life the sons of Jacob knew nothing before, because even from their fathers downward they were external men. On this account also they were kept in the observance of external worship, according to external statutes that represented the internal things of worship and of the church. But the Lord in this chapter teaches that the interior things of the church ought not only to be represented by external acts, but must also be loved and done from the soul and heart. Therefore that whosoever from interior life teaches and does the external things of the church will be saved, is signified by "He who doeth and teacheth shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens." "Except your justice shall exceed the justice of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of the heavens," signifies that unless the life be internal, and from that, external, heaven is not in man and man is not received into heaven; justice signifies the good of life from the good of charity, and to exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees signifies that the life must be internal, and not external without the internal. The Scribes and Pharisees were only in representative externals, and not in internals.
External from internal life is taught in the commandment of the decalogue, "Thou shalt not kill." But they did not know that wishing to kill a man is the same as killing him, therefore it is first said, "Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be liable to the judgment." For the opinion had prevailed among the Jews from ancient time, that it was lawful to kill those who injured them, especially the Gentiles, and that they were only to be punished for it lightly or grievously according to the state of the case in regard to the enmity manifested, consequently only as to the body and not as to the soul; this is meant by being liable to the judgment.
[18] That he who without adequate cause thinks ill of his neighbour, and turns himself away from the good of charity, will be punished lightly as to the soul, is signified by Whosoever is angry with his brother rashly shall be liable to the judgment; to be angry signifies to think ill, for it is distinguished from "to say Raca," and "to say Thou fool." Brother means the neighbour, and also the good of charity, and to be liable to the judgment means to be examined and punished according to circumstances. That he who from evil thought slanders his neighbour, and thus holds the good of charity in contempt as of no account, will be grievously punished, is signified by Whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the council, - for to say Raca signifies from evil thought to slander the neighbour, thus to hold in contempt the good of charity as of no account, to say Raca signifying to account as nothing, thus of no account, and brother the good of charity. That he who hates the neighbour, that is he who altogether turns away from the good of charity, is condemned to hell, is signified by Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be liable to the gehenna of fire, - to say "Thou fool" denoting entire aversion, brother denoting the good of charity, and gehenna of fire denoting the hell where those are who hate that good and thus the neighbour. Three degrees of hatred are described by these three, the first is that of evil thought, which is "to be angry," the second is that of a consequent evil intention, which is "to say Raca," and the third is that of an evil will, which is "to say Thou fool." All these are degrees of hatred against the good of charity; for hatred is the opposite of this good. The three degrees of punishment are signified by the judgment, the council, and the gehenna of fire, punishments for the evils of a lighter kind being signified by the judgment, punishments for those of a more grievous kind by the council, and for the most grievous of all, by the gehenna of fire.
[19] Since the whole of heaven is in the good of charity towards the neighbour, and the whole of hell is in anger, enmity, and hatred against the neighbour, and as these are the opposites of that good, and as the worship of the Lord when it is internal is worship from heaven, but is not worship if anything of it is from hell, and yet external worship without internal is from hell, therefore it is said, "If thou offer thy gift upon the altar, and there remember that thy brother hath aught against thee, go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift upon the altar." The gift upon the altar signifies the worship of the Lord, from love and charity; brother means the neighbour, and in the abstract, the good of charity; to have aught against thee signifies anger, enmity or hatred, and to be reconciled signifies the dispersion of these, and consequent conjunction by love.
[20] It is evident from these things that the Lord meant by brother the same as by neighbour; and neighbour, in the spiritual sense, signifies good in its whole extent; and good in its whole extent is the good of charity. Brother has a similar meaning in the spiritual sense in many passages in the Old Testament.
As in Moses:
"Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart" (Leviticus 19:17).
In David:
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity" (Psalm 133:1).
In this sense also, Lot called the inhabitants of Sodom brethren (Genesis 19:7); and this is also meant by "the covenant of brethren" between the sons of Israel and Edom (Amos 1:9); and by "the brotherhood between Judah and Israel" (Zech. 11:14). For by the sons of Israel and Edom, also by Judah and Israel, are not meant these in the spiritual sense, but the goods and truths of heaven and the church, which are all conjoined one with another.
746. For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, signifies when those have been separated from heaven and condemned to hell who have assaulted the life of faith, which is charity. This is evident from the signification of "cast down," as being, in reference to the dragon, that those who are meant by "the dragon" have been separated from heaven and condemned to hell (of which above, n. 739, 742); also from the signification of "the accuser of our brethren," as being those who have assaulted the life of faith, which is charity, for an "accuser" signifies one who attacks, denounces, and reproaches, for he that accuses also attacks, denounces, and reproaches. Moreover, the same term in the original tongue means an adversary and one who reproaches; and what is wonderful, those who are "dragons," although they make no account of the life, yet in the spiritual world they accuse the faithful if they observe any evil of ignorance, for they inquire into their life for the purpose of arraigning and condemning, and thence they are called accusers.
[2] But "the brethren" whom they accuse mean all who are in the heavens as well as all on the earth who are in the good of charity; such are called "brethren" because they all have one Father, namely, the Lord, and those who are in the good of love to the Lord and in the good of charity towards the neighbor are His sons, and are called "sons of God," "sons of the kingdom," and "heirs." It follows, therefore, that as they are the sons of one Father they are brethren. Moreover, it is the primary commandment of the Lord, the Father, that they should mutually love one another, consequently it is love from which they are brethren; and love also is spiritual conjunction. From this it came that with the ancient people in the churches in which charity was the essential, all were called brethren, so likewise in our Christian Church at its beginning. This is why "brother" in the spiritual sense signifies charity. That formerly all who were of one church called themselves brethren and that the Lord calls those brethren who are in love to Him and in charity towards the neighbor, can be seen from many passages in the Word. But in order that what is signified by "brother" may be distinctly perceived it shall be illustrated from the Word.
[3] 1. That all who were of the Israelitish Church called themselves "brethren" can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:
Then shall they bring all your brethren out of all nations an offering unto Jehovah (Isaiah 66:20).
In Jeremiah:
No one shall cause a Jew to serve his brother (Jeremiah 34:9).
In Ezekiel:
Son of man, thy brethren, thy brethren, the sons 1of thy kindred, and the whole house of Israel (Ezekiel 11:15).
In Micah:
Until the remnant of his brethren return unto the sons of Israel (Micah 5:3).
In Moses:
Moses went out unto his brethren that he might see their burdens (Exodus 2:11).
Moses said unto Jethro his father-in-law, Let me return to my brethren that are in Egypt (Exodus 4:18).
When thy brother shall be waxen poor (Leviticus 25:25, 35, 47).
But in reference to your brethren, the sons of Israel, a man shall not rule over his brother with rigor (Leviticus 25:46).
Would that we had died when our brethren died before Jehovah (Numbers 20:3).
Behold a man of the sons of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman (Numbers 25:6).
Thou shalt open thine hand to thy brother; when thy brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, shall be sold to thee he shall serve thee six years (Deuteronomy 15:11, 12).
If anyone shall steal a soul of his brethren, and he shall make gain of him (Deuteronomy 24:7).
Forty times thou shalt strike 2him, and he shall not add, lest thy brother be accounted vile in thine eyes (Deuteronomy 25:3; and elsewhere).
From this it can be seen that all the sons of Israel were called brethren among themselves; the primary reason of their being so called was that they were all descendants of Jacob, who was their common father; but the remote reason was that "brother" signifies the good of charity, and as this good is the essential of the church, all are also spiritually conjoined by it. Another reason is that "Israel" in the highest sense signifies the Lord, and thence "the sons of Israel" signify the church.
[4] 2. They also called themselves "man and brother," likewise "companion and brother," as in the following passages. In Isaiah:
The land has been darkened, and the people have become as food of the fire; they shall not spare a man his brother; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm, Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh (386, 440, 600, 617.)
[5] In the same:
I will commingle Egypt with Egypt, that they may fight a man against his brother and a man against his companion, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom (Isaiah 19:2).
"Egypt" here signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual; and because this is in no light of truth it is continually contending about good and evil and truth and falsity, and this contention is signified by "I will commingle Egypt with Egypt, that they may fight a man against his brother and a man against his companion," "brother and companion" signifying good from which is truth and truth from good, and in the contrary sense evil from which is falsity and falsity from evil; therefore it is added, "city against city, and kingdom against kingdom;" "city" signifying doctrine, and "kingdom" the church from doctrine, which will contend in like manner.
[6] In the same:
They help a man his companion, and he saith to his brother, Be strong (Isaiah 41:6).
"Companion and brother" have here a similar signification as above. In Jeremiah:
Take ye heed a man of his companion, and trust ye not in any brother; for every brother supplanteth, and every companion doth slander (Jeremiah 9:4).
In the same:
I will scatter them, a man with his brother (Jeremiah 13:14).
In the same:
Thus shall ye say a man to his companion and a man to his brother, What hath Jehovah answered? (Jeremiah 23:35)
In the same:
Ye have not hearkened unto Me, to proclaim liberty a man to his brother and a man to his companion (Jeremiah 34:9, 17).
In Ezekiel:
A man's sword shall be against his brother (Ezekiel 38:21).
In Joel:
They shall not thrust forward a man his brother (Joel 2:8).
In Micah:
They all lie in wait for bloods, they hunt a man his brother with a net (Mic. Micah 7:2).
In Zechariah:
Do mercy and compassion a man with his brother (Zechariah 7:9).
In Malachi:
Wherefore do we deal treacherously a man against his brother? (Malachi 2:10)
In Moses:
There was thick darkness of darkness over all the land of Egypt; a man saw 3not his brother (Exodus 10:22, 23).
In the same:
At the end of seven years every creditor shall remit his hand when he hath loaned anything to his companion, and he shall not exact from his companion or his brother (Deuteronomy 15:1, 2);
and elsewhere. In the nearest sense a "man" means everyone, and "brother" one of the same tribe because in blood-relationship, "and companion" one of another tribe because allied only by affinity; but in the spiritual sense "man" signifies anyone who is in truths, then also anyone who is in falsities; "brother" signifies anyone who is in the good of charity, and in an abstract sense that good itself, and "companion" anyone who is in truth from that good, and in an abstract sense that truth itself; and in the contrary sense these signify the evil opposite to the good of charity and the falsity opposite to the truth from that good. Both terms, "brother" and "companion," are used because 4there are two things, namely, charity and faith, that constitute the church, as there are two things that make up the life of man, will and understanding; so there are two parts that act as one, as the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, two hands, two feet, two lobes of the lungs, two chambers of the heart, two hemispheres of the brain, and so on, of which the one has reference to good from which is truth, and the other to truth from good. This is why it is said "brother and companion," and why "brother" signifies good, and "companion" its truth.
[7] 3. The Lord calls those of His church "brethren" who are in the good of charity, as can be seen from the following passages. In the Gospels:
Jesus stretching out His hand over His disciples said, Behold My mother and My brethren; whosoever shall do the will of My Father, he is My brother and sister and mother (Matthew 12:49, 50; Mark 3:33-35).
The "disciples" over whom the Lord stretched out his hand signify all who are of His church; "His brethren" signify those who are in the good of charity from Him, "sisters" those who are in truths from that good, and "mother" the church constituted of these.
[8] In Matthew:
Jesus said to Mary Magdalene and to the other Mary, Fear not; go tell My brethren to go into Galilee, and there shall they see Me (Matthew 28:10).
Here, too, "brethren" mean the disciples by whom are signified all those of the church who are in the good of charity. In John:
Jesus said to Mary, Go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father (John 20:17).
The disciples are here again called "brethren" because "disciples," the same as "brethren," signify all those of His church who are in the good of charity.
[9] In Matthew:
The King answering said unto them, I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these My brethren ye did it unto Me (Matthew 25:40).
It is evident from what there precedes that those whom the Lord here calls "brethren" are such as have done the good works of charity; but let it be known that although the Lord is their Father He still calls them "brethren;" He is their Father from the Divine love, but brother from the Divine that proceeds from Him. This is because all in the heavens are recipients of the Divine that proceeds from Him; and the Divine that proceeds from the Lord, of which they are recipients, is the Lord in heaven and also in the church; and this is not of angel or man, but is of the Lord with them; consequently the good of charity itself with them, which is the Lord's, He calls brother, in like manner also angels and men, because they are the recipient subjects of that good. In a word, the Divine proceeding, which is the Divine of the Lord in the heavens, is the Divine born of the Lord in heaven; from that Divine, therefore, angels who are recipients of it are called "sons of God," and as these are brethren because of that Divine received in themselves, it is the Lord in them who says "brother," for when angels speak from the good of charity they speak not from themselves but from the Lord. This, then, is why the Lord says, "Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these My brethren ye did it unto Me." So in the spiritual sense the brethren of the Lord are the goods of charity that are enumerated in the verses preceding, and these are called by the Lord "brethren" for the reason just given. Moreover, "the King," who so calls them, signifies the Divine proceeding, which in one word is called Divine truth or the Divine spiritual, which in its essence is the good of charity.
[10] It is therefore to be kept in mind that the Lord did not call them "brethren" because He was a man like them, according to an opinion that is received in the Christian world; and for this reason it is not allowable for any man to call the Lord "brother," for He is God even in respect to the Human, and God is not a brother, but the Father. In the churches on the earth the Lord is called brother, because the idea of His Human which they have formed is the same as their idea of any other man's human, when yet the Lord's Human is Divine.
[11] As "kings" formerly represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and as Divine truth received by angels in the Lord's spiritual kingdom is the same as Divine spiritual good, and as spiritual good is the good of charity, therefore the kings appointed over the sons of Israel called their subjects "brethren," although on the other hand the subjects were not permitted to call their king "brother," still less should the Lord be so called, who is the King of kings and Lord of lords. So in David:
I will declare Thy name to my brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee (Psalms 22:22).
In the same:
I am become a stranger to my brethren, and an alien to my mother's sons (Psalms 69:8).
In the same:
For the sake of my brethren and companions I will speak, Peace be in thee (Psalms 122:8).
This was said by David as if respecting himself, and yet in the representative spiritual sense David here means the Lord. In Moses:
Out of the midst of thy brethren shalt thou set a king over them; 5thou mayest not put a man that is an alien over them, who is not thy brother; but let him not exalt his heart above his brethren (Deuteronomy 17:15, 20).
The "brethren" from whom a king might be set over them signify all who are of the church, for it is said, "Thou mayest not put over them a man that is an alien;" "a man that is an alien" and a "stranger" signifying one who is not of the church.
[12] In the same:
Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren like unto me; unto him shall ye hearken (Arcana Coelestia 4859 at the end, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 9372, 10234.)
[13] 4. That all those are called "brethren" by the Lord who acknowledge Him and are in the good of charity from Him, follows from this, that the Lord is the Father of all and the Teacher of all, and from Him as Father is every good of charity, and from Him as Teacher is every truth of that good. Therefore the Lord says in Matthew:
Be ye not called teacher, for one is your Teacher, Christ; but all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon earth, for one is your Father who is in the heavens (Matthew 23:8, 9).
From this it is clearly evident that the words of the Lord must be understood spiritually; for who that is a teacher may not be called teacher? Or who that is a father may not be called father? But as "father" signifies good, and "the Father in the heavens" Divine good, and as "teacher" or "rabbi" signifies truth, and "the Teacher, Christ," Divine truth, so on account of the spiritual sense in all things of the Word it is said, "Call no man your father upon earth, nor anyone teacher," that is, in the spiritual sense, not in the natural sense. In the natural sense men may be called teachers and fathers, but representatively; that is to say, teachers in the world teach truths indeed, but from the Lord, not from themselves, and fathers in the world are good, and lead their children to good, but from the Lord, not from themselves. From this it follows that although they are called teachers and fathers still they are not teachers and fathers, but the Lord alone is Teacher and Father. "To call" and "to call by a name" signifies in the Word to recognize the quality of anyone. Because all in heaven and in the church are disciples and sons of the Lord, who is their Teacher and their Father, the Lord says, "all ye are brethren;" for the Lord calls all in heaven and in the church "sons and heirs" from their consociation by love from Him, and thus by mutual love, which is charity; therefore it is from the Lord that they are brethren. In this way the common saying that all are brethren in the Lord is to be understood.
[14] From this also it is clear whom the Lord means by "brethren," namely, all who acknowledge Him and are in the good of charity from Him, consequently who are of His church. Such are meant by the Lord by "brethren" in the following passages. In Luke:
Jesus said to Peter, When thou shalt be converted strengthen thy brethren (Luke 22:32).
The term "brethren" here does not mean the Jews, but it means all who acknowledge the Lord and are in good from charity and faith, thus all who were to receive the gospel through Peter, both Jews and Gentiles, for "Peter" in the Word of the Gospels means truth from good, thus also faith from charity; but here "Peter" means faith separated from charity, for just before it is said of him:
Simon, behold Satan demanded you that he might sift you as wheat. But I prayed for you that your faith fail not (Luke 22:31-32);
and afterwards it is said to him:
I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day until thou hast thrice denied that thou knowest Me (Luke 22:34).
Such is faith without charity. But "Peter converted" signifies truth from good, which is from the Lord, or faith from charity, which is from the Lord; therefore it is said, "When thou shalt have been converted strengthen thy brethren. "
[15] In Matthew:
Peter said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me and I should forgive him? (Matthew 18:21)
In the same:
So also shall My heavenly Father do to you if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses (Matthew 18:35).
In the same:
If thy brother hath sinned against thee go and reprove him between thee and him alone; if he hear thee thou hast gained thy brother (Matthew 18:15).
Here "brother" means the neighbor in general, thus every man; but in particular it means one who is in the good of charity and thence in faith from the Lord, whoever he may be; for these passages treat of the good of charity, since to forgive one who sins against you is of charity; also it is said, "if he hear, thou hast gained thy brother," which signifies, if he acknowledges his trespasses and is converted.
[16] In the same:
Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say unto thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye, when yet there is a beam in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye (Matthew 7:3-5).
Here too, because this treats of charity the term "brother" is used, for "to cast out the mote out of a brother's eye" signifies to instruct respecting falsity and evil, and to reform. It is said by the Lord, "a mote out of the brother's eye," and "a beam out of one's own eye," because of the spiritual sense in every particular of what the Lord said; for without that sense, of what consequence would it be to see a mote in the eye of another and not consider a beam in one's own eye, or to cast a beam out of one's own eye before he casts a mote out of another's eye? A "mote" signifies a slight falsity of evil, and a "beam" a great falsity of evil, and the "eye" signifies the understanding and also faith. "Mote" and "beam" signify the falsity of evil, because "wood" signifies good; and thus a "beam" signifies the truth of good, and in the contrary sense the falsity of evil, and the "eye" signifies the understanding and faith. This shows what is signified by "seeing the mote and the beam," and by "casting them out of the eye." (That "wood" signifies good, and in the contrary sense evil, may be seen in (Genesis 19:8; 2 Kings 6:2, 5, 6; Habakkuk 2:11; Song of Solomon 1:17).
[17] In the same:
Whosoever doeth and teacheth, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. I say unto you, Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees ye shall not enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill, but whosoever shall kill shall be liable to the judgment. But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be liable to the judgment; but whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the council; but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be liable to the hell of fire. If thou offer thy gift upon the altar, and shalt there remember that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there 6the gift before the altar, and go, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming offer thy gift (Matthew 5:19-24).
This whole chapter treats of the interior life of man, which is the life of his soul, consequently of his will and thought therefrom; thus it treats of the life of charity, which is the spiritual moral life. This life the sons of Jacob knew nothing about before, because from their fathers down they were external men. For this reason also they were kept in the observance of external worship, according to statutes that were external, representing the internal things of worship and of the church. But in this chapter the Lord teaches that the interior things of the church must not only be represented by external acts, but must also be loved and done from the soul and heart; therefore "whosoever doeth and teacheth, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens," signifies that he will be saved who from interior life does and teaches the external things of the church. "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees ye shall not enter into the kingdom of the heavens," signifies that unless the life is internal, and from that is external, heaven is not in man and man is not received into heaven; "righteousness" signifies the good of life from the good of charity, and "to exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees" signifies that the life must be internal, and not external without internal. The scribes and Pharisees were only in representative externals, and not in internals. External life from the internal is taught in the commandment of the Decalogue, "Thou shalt not kill;" but they did not know that wishing to kill a man is killing him; therefore it is first said, "Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be liable to the judgment;" for the doctrine had prevailed with the Jews from ancient time, that it was admissible to kill those who injured them, especially the Gentiles, and that they were to be punished for this lightly or grievously according to the circumstances of the hostility, consequently in reference to the body only and not as to the soul; this is meant by "he shall be liable to the judgment."
[18] That one who thinks ill of his neighbor without adequate cause, and turns himself away from the good of charity, will be punished lightly as to his soul, is signified by "Whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be liable to the judgment;" "to be angry," signifies to think ill, for it is distinguished from "saying Raca," and "saying, Thou fool." "Brother" means the neighbor, and also the good of charity, and "to be liable to the judgment" means to be examined and to be punished according to circumstances. That one who from wrong thought slanders the neighbor, and thus despises the good of charity as of little value, will be punished grievously, is signified by "whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the council," for "to say Raca" signifies to slander the neighbor from evil thought, thus to hold the good of charity to be of little value, for "to say Raca" means to hold as useless and as of little value, and "brother" means the good of charity. That one who hates the neighbor, that is, one who is altogether averse to the good of charity, is condemned to hell, is signified by "whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be liable to the hell of fire," to say "Thou fool" meaning to be altogether averse to, "brother" meaning the good of charity, and "the hell of fire" the hell where those are who hate that good and thence the neighbor. These three describe three degrees of hatred: the first is from evil thought, which is "to be angry," the second is from consequent evil intention, which is "to say Raca," and the third is from an evil will, which is "to say Thou fool." All these are degrees of hatred against the good of charity, for hatred is the opposite of the good of charity. The three degrees of punishment are signified by "the judgment," "the council," and "the hell of fire;" the punishments for lighter evils are signified by "the judgment," the punishments for the more grievous evils, by "the council," and the punishments for the most grievous evils, by "the hell of fire."
[19] As the universal heaven is in the good of charity towards the neighbor, and the universal hell is in anger, enmity, and hatred against the neighbor, and hence these are the opposites of that good; and as worship of the Lord because it is internal is worship from heaven, but it is no worship if anything of it is from hell, and yet external worship without internal is from hell, therefore it is said, "If thou offer thy gift upon the altar, and shalt there remember that thy brother hath aught against thee, go, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming offer thy gift upon the altar;" "the gift upon the altar" signifying the worship of the Lord from love and charity, "brother" meaning the neighbor, and in an abstract sense the good of charity; "having aught against thee" signifying anger, enmity, or hatred, and "to be reconciled" the dispersion of these and the consequent conjunction by love.
[20] From this it can be seen that the Lord means by "brother" the like as by "neighbor," and "neighbor" signifies in the spiritual sense good in the whole complex, and good in the whole complex is the good of charity. "Brother" has a similar meaning in the spiritual sense in many passages in the Old Testament. As in Moses:
Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart (Leviticus 19:17).
In David:
Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity (Psalms 133:1).
In this sense, also:
Lot called the inhabitants of Sodom brethren (Genesis 19:7).
And this is meant by:
The covenant of brethren between the sons of Israel and Edom (Amos 1:9).
And by the brotherhood between Judah and Israel (Zechariah 11:14).
For by "the sons of Israel and Edom," as also by "Judah and Israel," these are not meant in the spiritual sense, but the goods and truths of heaven and the church, all of which are conjoined with each other.
Footnotes:
1. The Hebrew has "men. "
2. The Hebrew has "he shall strike," as found in 633; Arcana Coelestia 9437.
3. The Latin has "hated," but the Hebrew has "saw," as found in Arcana Coelestia 7716.
4. The Latin has "which."
5. The Hebrew has "thee."
6. The Latin has "for thee;" as found in Arcana Coelestia 2360, 9293.
746. "Quia projectus est accusator fratrum nostrorum." - Quod significet postquam separati a caelo sunt ac damnati inferno illi qui impugnaverunt vitam fidei quae est charitas, constat ex significatione "projectus esse", cum de dracone, quod sit quod illi qui per "draconem" intelliguntur, sint separati a caelo, ac damnati inferno (de qua supra, n. 739 [a] , 742): ex significatione "accusatoris fratrum nostorum", quod sint qui impugnarunt vitam fidei, quae est charitas; per "accusatorem" enim significatur impugnator, objurgator, et increpator; nam qui accusat, etiam impugnat, objurgat et increpat; eadem quoque vox in lingua originali significat adversarium et increpatorem; et quod mirum est, illi qui dracones sunt, tametsi vitam nihili faciunt, usque in mundo spirituali accusant fideles si aliquod ignorantiae malum animadvertunt, inquirunt enim eorum vitam, ut probro afficiant ac condemnent; inde accusatores vocantur;
[2] per "fratres" autem, quos accusant, intelliguntur omnes qui in caelis sunt, tum omnes qui in terris, qui in bono charitatis sunt; causa quod dicantur "fratres", est, quia unus est omnibus illis Pater, nempe Dominus; ac qui in bono amoris in Dominum sunt, et in bono charitatis erga proximum, sunt Ipsius filii, et quoque vocantur "filii Dei", "filii regni", et "heredes"; inde sequitur, quod quia sunt filii unius Patris, etiam fratres sint. Etiam mandatum ex Domino Patre primarium est, ut se mutuo ament; inde amor est ex quo sunt fratres: amor quoque est conjunctio spiritualis. Ex hoc derivatum est, quod apud antiquos in ecclesiis in quibus charitas fuit essentiale, omnes vocati sint fratres; similiter in Ecclesia nostra Christiana in principio ejus. Inde nunc est, quod "frater" in spirituali sensu significet charitatem. Quod omnes qui ab una ecclesia olim fuerunt, se vocaverint fratres, et quod Dominus illos qui in amore in Ipsum et in charitate erga proximum sunt, nominet fratres, constare potest ex multis locis in Verbo sed ut distincte percipiatur quid significat "frater", ex Verbo illustrabitur.
[3] (1) Quod omnes qui ab Ecclesia Israelitica fuerunt, vocaverint se "fratres", constat ex sequentibus his locis:
- Apud Esaiam,
"Tunc adducent omnes fratres vestros, ex omnibus gentibus, munus Jehovae" (66:20);
apud Jeremiam,
"Non servire facient Judaeum fratrem suum quisquam" (34:9);
apud Ezechielem,
"Fili hominis, fratres tui, fratres tui, 1
filii cognationis tuae, et tota domus Israelis" (11:[153]);
apud Mosen,
"Moses exivit ad fratres suos, ut videret onera illorum" (Exod. 2:11 2
);
Dixit Moses ad Jethronem socerum suum, "Revertar ad fratres meos qui in Aegypto" (Exodus 4:18);
"Quando depauperabitur frater tuus" (Leviticus 25:25, 35, 47);
"Quod ad fratres vestros filios Israelis, vir in fratrem suum non dominabitur cum saevitia" (Leviticus 25:46);
"Utinam emortui essemus, cum mortui sunt fratres nostri coram Jehovah" (Numeri 20:3);
Ecce "vir de filiis Israelis venit et adduxit ad fratres suos Midianitidem" (Numeri 25:6);
"Aperies manum tuam fratri tuo; .... quando venditur tibi frater tuus Hebraeus aut Hebraea, serviet tibi sex annos" (Deuteronomius 15:11, 12);
"Si quis furatus fuerit animam de fratribus suis, ...et questum fecerit in eo" (Deutr. 24:7 3
);
"Quadragies 4
percutiet eum, nec addet ne vilis habeatur frater tuus in oculis tuis" (Deuteronomius 25:3, et alibi):
ex his constare potest quod filii Israelis omnes inter se dicti fuerint fratres: quod ita dicti sint, fuit causa proxima, quia omnes fuerunt ex Jacobo, qui communis eorum pater fuit; at causa remota fuit, quia "frater" significat bonum charitatis, quod bonum, quia est essentiale ecclesiae, etiam omnes spiritualiter conjungit; tum quia "Israel" in supremo sensu significat Dominum, ac inde "filii Israelis" ecclesiam.
[4]): per "virum et fratrem" significatur verum et bonum, ac in opposito sensu falsum et malum; quare etiam dicitur, "Menascheh comedet Ephraimum, et Ephraimus Menaschen", per "Menascheh" enim significatur bonum voluntarium, et per "Ephraimum" verum intellectuale, utrumque ecclesiae externae, ac in opposito sensu malum et falsum. (Sed haec videantur explicata supra, n. 386 [b] 440 [b] 600 [b] 617 [c] .)
[5] Apud eundem,
"Commiscebo.. Aegyptum cum Aegypto, ut pugnent vir contra fratrem suum, et vir contra socium suum, urbs contra urbem, et regnum contra regnum" (19:2):
per "Aegyptum" hic significatur naturalis homo separatus a spirituali; qui quia in nulla luce veri est, disceptat continue de bono et malo, ac de vero et falso; disceptatio illa significatur per "Commiscebo Aegyptum cum Aegypto, ut pugnent vir contra fratrem suum, et vir contra socium suum"; per "fratrem" et "socium" significatur bonum ex quo verum, ac verum ex bono, et in opposito sensu malum ex quo falsum, ac falsum ex malo; quare etiam dicitur, "urbs contra urbem, et regnum contra regnum"; per "urbem" significatur doctrina, et per "regnum" ecclesia ex illa, quae similiter pugnaturae sunt.
[6] Apud eundem,
"Vir socium suum adjuvant, et fratri suo dicit, Confirma te" (41:6):
apud eundem,
"Dispergam eos, virum cum fratre suo" (13:14);
apud eundem,
"Sic dicetis vir ad socium suum, et vir ad fratrem suum, Quid respondit Jehovah?" (23:35);
apud eundem,
"Non obedivistis Mihi, ut proclamaretis libertatem vir fratri suo, et vir socio suo" (34:9, 17);
apud Ezechielem,
"Gladius viri contra fratrem suum erit" (Ezech. 38:21 5
);
apud Joelem,
"Non vir fratrem suum propellunt" (Joel. 2:8 6
);
apud Micham,
"Omnes sanguinibus insidiantur, vir fratrem suum venantur in reti" (7:2):
apud Sachariam,
"Benignitatem et misericordiam facite vir cum fratre suo" (7:9);
apud Malachiam,
"Quare perfide agimus, vir contra fratrem suum?" (2:10);
apud Mosen,
"Facta est caligo tenebrarum in omni terra Aegypti.., nec 7
vidit vir fratrem suum" (Exod. 10 [22,] 23);
apud eundem,
"A fine septem annorum.... remittet omnis creditor manum suam, quando credidit quid socio suo, nec urgeat socium suum, nec fratrem suum" (Deuteronomius 15:1, 2);
et alibi. In sensu proximo per "virum" intelligitur quisque, per "fratrem" qui ex eadem tribu, quia in cognatione, et per "socium" qui ex alia tribu, quia solum in affinitate; at in sensu spirituali per "virum" significatur omnis qui in veris est, tum qui in falsis, per "fratrem" omnis qui in bono charitatis est, et abstracte ipsum illud bonum, et per "socium" omnis qui in vero ex illo bono est, et abstracte ipsum illud verum; et in opposito sensu malum oppositum bono charitatis, ac falsum oppositum vero ex illo bono: quod "frater" et "socius" dicantur, est 8
quia duo sunt quae faciunt ecclesiam, nempe charitas et fides, sicut duo quae faciunt vitam hominis, voluntas et intellectus; inde etiam sunt duo quae sicut unum agunt; prout duo oculi, duae aures, duae nares, duae manus, duo pedes, duo lobi pulmonum, duae camerae cordis, duo hemisphaeria cerebri, et sic porro, quorum unum se refert ad bonum ex quo verum, et alterum ad verum ex bono; inde est quod dicatur "frater" et "socius", et quod "frater" significet bonum et "socius" verum ejus.
[7] (3) Quod Dominus illos qui ab ecclesia Ipsius in bono charitatis sunt, nominet "fratres", constat ex his:
- Apud Evangelistas,
Jesus "extendens manum suam super discipulos suos dixit, Ecce mater mea, et fratres mei; quisquis.. fecerit voluntatem Patris mei, ...ille meus frater et soror et mater est" (Matthaeus 12:49; Marcus 3:33-35):
per "discipulos", supra quos Dominus, extendit manum, significantur omnes qui ab ecclesia Ipsius; per "fratres Ipsius" significantur qui in bono charitatis ab Ipso sunt; per "sorores" qui in veris ex illo bono; et per "matrem" significatur ecclesia ex illis.
[8] Apud Matthaeum,
Jesus dixit Mariae Magdalenae et alteri Mariae, "Ne timetote; abite, annuntiate fratribus meis, ut abeant in Galilaeam, et ibi Me videbunt" (28:10):
per "fratres" etiam hic intelliguntur discipuli, per quos significantur omnes qui ab ecclesia in bono charitatis sunt.
Apud Johannem,
Jesus dixit Mariae, "Abi ad fratres meos, et dic illis, Ascendo ad Patrem meum" (20:17);
similiter hic discipuli vocantur "fratres", quia per "discipulos" aeque ac per "fratres" significantur omnes qui ab ecclesia Ipsius in bono charitatis sunt.
[9] Apud Matthaeum,
"Respondens Rex dixit illis, Dico vobis, in quantum fecistis uni ex his fratribus meis minimis, Mihi fecistis" (25:40):
quod illi qui bona charitatis praestiterunt hic dicantur a Domino "fratres", constat ex praecedentibus ibi; at sciendum est quod Dominus, tametsi illorum Pater est, usque nominet illos "fratres"; sed illorum Pater est ex Divino Amore, sed Frater ex Divino quod procedit ex Ipso: causa est, quia omnes in caelis sunt receptiones Divini quod procedit ex Ipso, ac Divinum quod procedit ex Domino, cujus receptiones sunt, est Dominus in caelo, et quoque in ecclesia; et hoc non est angeli nec hominis, sed Domini apud illos; quare Dominus ipsum bonum charitatis apud illos, quod est suum, vocat Fratrem; proinde etiam angelos et homines, quia sunt subjecta recipientia illius boni. Verbo, Divinum procedens, quod est Divinum Domini in caelis, est Divinum natum a Domino in caelo; quare ex illo Divino, angeli qui sunt recipientes ejus, vocantur "filii Dei"; et quia hi ex illo Divino apud se recepto sunt fratres, est Dominus in illis qui dicit "Frater"; angeli enim non loquuntur ex se sed ex Domino, dum ex bono charitatis: inde nunc est quod Dominus dicat, "In quantum fecistis uni ex his fratribus meis minimis, Mihi fecistis"; sunt itaque bona charitatis, quae in praecedentibus enumerantur, quae in sensu spirituali sunt Domini fratres, et quae propter praedictam causam vocantur a Domino "fratres": per "Regem" etiam, qui ita illos vocat, significatur Divinum procedens, quod una voce vocatur Divinum Verum, seu Divinum spirituale, quod in sua essentia est bonum charitatis.
[10] Tenendum itaque est quod Dominus non vocaverit illos "fratres" ex eo quod Ipse Homo fuerit sicut illi, secundum opinionem in Christiano orbe receptam; ex quo sequitur quod ideo non liceat alicui homini vocare Dominum fratrem; est enim Deus etiam quoad Humanum, et Deus non est frater, sed est Pater. Quod Dominus dicatur frater in ecclesiis in terris, est quia de Humano Ipsius non aliam ideam captaverunt quam sicut de humano alius hominis, cum tamen Humanum Domini est Divinum.
[11] Quoniam reges olim repraesentabant Dominum quoad Divinum Verum, ac Divinum Verum receptum ab angelis in regno Domini spirituali est idem cum Divino Bono spirituali, ac Bonum spirituale est Bonum charitatis, ideo etiam reges super filios Israelis vocabant subditos suos "fratres"; tametsi non licuerit vicissim subditis vocare regem suum fratrem; minus Dominum, qui est Rex regum et Dominus dominorum:
- Ut apud Davidem,
"Enarrabo nomen tuum fratribus meis, in medio congregationis laudabo Te" (Psalms 22:23 [B.A. 22]);
apud eundem,
"Alienus factus sum fratribus meis, et extraneus filiis matris meae" (Psalms 69:9 [B.A. 8]);
apud eundem,
"Propter fratres meos, et socios meos, loquar.. pacem in Te" (Psalms 122:8):
haec locutus est David sicut de se, sed usque per "Davidem" ibi in sensu repraesentativo spirituali intelligitur Dominus.
Apud Mosen,
"E medio fratrum tuorum pones super 9
eos regem, non poteris dare super 10
eos virum alienigenam, qui non frater tuus sit: .... sed ne efferat se cor ejus prae fratribus ejus" (Deuteronomius 17:15, 20):
per "fratres", ex quibus poneretur rex, significantur omnes qui ab ecclesia sunt: nam dicitur, "Non potes dare super 11
eos virum alienigenam"; per "virum alienigenam" et per "alienum" significatur qui non ab ecclesia est.
[12] Apud eundem,
"Prophetam e medio tui, de fratribus tuis, sicut me excitabit tibi Jehovah Deus tuus; Huic obedietis" (Deuteronomius 18:15, 20):
prophetia de Domino, qui intelligitur per "Prophetam", quem Jehovah Deus excitabit de fratribus; qui "fratres tui", ita Mosis, vocantur, ex eo quod per "Mosen" in sensu repraesentativo intelligatur Dominus quoad Verbum, ac per "prophetam" docens Verbum, ita quoque Verbum et doctrina e Verbo; inde est, quod dicatur, "Sicut me excitabit." (Quod Moses repraesentaverit Dominum quoad Legem, ita quoad Verbum, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 4859 fin. , 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 9372, 10234.)
[13] (4) Quod omnis illi "fratres" a Domino dicantur, qui Ipsum agnoscunt, et in bono charitatis ab Ipso sunt, sequitur ex eo, quod Dominus sit omnium Pater, et omnium Doctor, et ex Ipso ut Patre est omne bonum charitatis, et ex Ipso ut Doctore est omne verum illius boni. Quare dicit Dominus apud Matthaeum,
"Vos nolite vocari Doctor; unus enim est vester Doctor, Christus; omnes autem vos fratres estis. Et Patrem Vestrum ne vocetis in terra; unus namque est Pater vester qui in caelis est" (23:8, 9):
ex his manifeste patet quod verba Domini spiritualiter intelligenda sint; nam quis non potest vocari Doctor, qui doctor est? et quis non Pater, qui est pater? At quia per "patrem" significatur bonum, et per "Patrem in caelis" Divinum Bonum, et quia per "doctorem" seu "rabbi" significatur verum, et per "Doctorem Christum" Divinum Verum, ideo, propter spiritualem sensum in omnibus Verbi, dicitur quod "non patrem in terra vocarent Patrem, nec aliquem Doctorem"; nempe in spirituali sensu, non autem in naturali: in naturali sensu vocari possunt doctores et patres, sed repraesentative; nempe quod doctores mundi quidem' doceant verum, sed non a se sed a Domino; et quod patres mundi quidem sint boni, et ducant liberos ad bonum, sed non a se sed a Domino: inde sequitur quod tametsi vocantur doctores et patres, usque non sint doctores et patres, sed solum Dominus: "vocare" et "vocare nomine" aliquem, in Verbo etiam significat agnoscere quale alicujus. Quia omnes in caelo et in ecclesia discipuli et filii Domini sunt ut Doctoris ac ut Patris, ideo dicit Dominus, "Omnes vos fratres estis"; Dominus enim omnes in caelo et in ecclesia, ex consociatione per amorem ab Ipso, et inde per amorem mutuum, qui est charitas, vocat illos "filios" et "heredes"; inde est quod a Domino sint "fratres"; ita intelligendum est, quod usitato dicitur, quod omnes fratres sint in Domino.
[14] Ex his quoque constare potest quinam per "fratres" a Domino intelliguntur, nempe omnes qui agnoscunt Ipsum, ac in bono charitatis ab Ipso sunt, proinde qui ab ecclesia Ipsius sunt. Hi etiam per "fratres" a Domino intelliguntur in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Lucam,
Jesus dixit ad Petrum, "Tu quando conversus fueris, confirma fratres tuos" (22:32):
per "fratres" hic non intelliguntur Judaei, sed intelliguntur omnes qui Dominum agnoscunt, et in bono sunt ex charitate et fide, ita omnes qui per Petrum recepturi sunt Evangelium, tam Judaei quam gentes; nam per "Petrum" in Verbo Evangelistarum intelligitur verum ex bono, proinde etiam fides ex charitate: at ibi per "Petrum" intelligitur fides separata a charitate; nam mox prius de eo dicitur,
"Simon, ecce Satanas expostulavit vos, ut cribraret vos sicut triticum; Ego vero oravi pro te, ut non desinat fides tua" [ (vers. 31, 32)] ;
et dein ad illum dicitur,
"Dico tibi, Petre, non canet hodie gallus, priusquam ter abnegaveris, non te nosse Me" [ (vers. 34)] :
talis etiam est fides absque charitate: at per "Petrum conversum" significatur verum ex bono quod a Domino, seu fides a charitate quae a Domino; ideo dicitur, "Tu ergo quando conversus fueris, confirma fratres tuos."
[15] Apud Matthaeum,
"Dixit Petrus.., Domine, quoties peccabit in me frater meus, et remittere debeo illi?" (18:21);
apud eundem,
"Sic et Pater meus caelestis faciet vobis, si non remiseritis suo quisque fratri ex cordibus.. delicta eorum" (18:35);
apud eundem,
"Si.. peccaverit in te frater tuus, abi et argue illum inter te et illum solum; si te audierit, lucratus es fratrem tuum" (18:15):
hic per "fratrem" intelligitur in genere proximus, ita omnis homo; in specie autem qui in bono charitatis et inde fide a Domino est, quicunque sit; nam in illis locis de bono charitatis agitur, nam remittere alicui qui peccat contra illum, est charitatis; tum, "Si audierit, lucratus es fratrem", per quod significatur, si agnoscit delicta sua, et conversus fuerit.
[16] Apud eundem,
"Cur.. cernis festucam quae in oculo fratris tui, illam vero, quae in oculo tuo, trabem non animadvertis? Aut quomodo dices fratri tuo, Sine, ejiciam festucam ex oculo tuo, cum tamen trabs sit in oculo tuo? Hypocrita, ejice prius trabem ex oculo tuo, et tunc circum spicies ejicere festucam ex oculo fratris tui" (7:3-5):
hic quoque, quia de charitate agitur, dicitur "frater"; nam per "ejicere festucam ex oculo fratris" significatur informare de falso et malo, ac reformare: quod a Domino dicatur "festuca ex oculo fratris", et "trabs in oculo ejus", est propter sensum spiritualem in singulis quae Dominus locutus est; nam absque eo sensu, quid foret videre festucam in oculo alterius, et non animadvertere trabem in oculo suo? tum ejicere trabem ex suo oculo, antequam festucam ex oculo alterius? Per "festucam" enim significatur exile falsum mali, ac per "trabem" magnum falsum mali, ac per "oculum" significatur intellectus et quoque fides; quod per "festucam" et "trabem" significetur falsum mali, est quia per "lignum" significatur bonum, ac inde per "trabem" verum boni, ac in opposito sensu falsum mali, perque "oculum" intellectus et fides; inde patet quid per "videre festucam et trabem", ac per "ejicere illas ex oculo" significatur.
(Quod "lignum" significet bonum, et in opposito sensu malum, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 643, 3720, 4943, 8354, 8740: et quod "oculus" significet intellectum et quoque fidem, n. 2701, 4403-4421, 4523-4534, 9051, 10569, ibi; et quoque supra, n. 37, 152:
etiam "trabs" aliquibus in locis nominatur, et per illam significatur falsum mali, ut Genesis 19:8; 2 Regnum 6:2, 5, 6; Habakuk 2:11; Cant. 1:17.)
[17] Apud eundem,
"Qui facit et docet, is magnus vocabitur in regno caelorum. Dico.. vobis, nisi abundaverit justitia vestra supra scribarum et Pharisaeorum, non intrabitis in regnum caelorum. Audivistis quod veteribus dictum sit, Non occides; quisquis autem occiderit, obnoxius erit judicio; Ego vero dico vobis, quod quisquis irascitur fratri suo temere, obnoxius erit judicio; quisquis vero dixerit fratri suo, Raka, obnoxius erit synedrio; quicunque autem dixerit, stulte, obnoxius erit gehennae ignis. Si obtuleris manus tuum super altare, et apud hoc recordatus fueris quod frater tuus habeat aliquid contra te, relinque 12
ibi manus coram altari, et abi, prius reconciliare fratri, et tunc veniens offer munus tuum" (5:19-24):
in toto illo capite agitur de vita interiore hominis, quae est ejus animae, proinde ejus voluntatis et inde cogitationis; ita de vita charitatis, quae est vita spiritualis moralis; quam vitam filii Jacobi prius ignorarunt, ex causa, quia externi homines usque a patribus eorum fuerunt: ideo etiam tenebantur vivere in cultu externo, secundum statuta, quae erant externa repraesentantia interna cultus et ecclesiae. At Dominus in hoc capite docet quod non solum per facta externa repraesentanda essent interiora ecclesiae, sed etiam quod anima et corde amanda et facienda; quare qui ex interiore vita externa ecclesiae facit et docet quod salvaretur, significatur per "Qui facit et docet, magnus vocabitur in regno caelorum": quod nisi interna vita sit et inde externa, non in homine caelum sit, et inde in caelo non recipiatur, significatur per "Nisi abundaverit justitia vestra supra Scribarum et Pharisaeorum, non intrabitis in regnum caelorum"; per "justitiam" significatur bonum vitae ex bono charitatis; et per "abundare super Scribarum et Pharisaeorum", significatur quod interna vita erit, et non externa absque interna; Scribae et Pharisaei solum in externis repraesentativis erant, et non in internis: vita externa ex interna docetur in praecepto Decalogi, quod "non occidendum"; sed nesciebant quod velle occidere hominem sit illum occidere; quare primum dicitur, "Audivistis quod veteribus dictum sit, Non occides, et quisquis occiderit, obnoxius erit judicio"; invaluerat enim apud Judaeos ab antiquo tempore dogma quod propter injurias sibi factas liceret occidere, imprimis gentes, et quod propter id punirentur modo leviter aut graviter secundum circumstantias quoad inimicitias, consequenter solum quoad corpus, et non quoad animam; hoc intelligitur per quod "obnoxius erit judicio."
[18] Quod qui absque sontica causa cogitat prave de proximo, ac se avertit a bono charitatis, quoad animam leviter plectetur, significatur per quod "quisquis irascitur fratri suo temere, obnoxius erit judicio"; "irasci" significat prave cogitare, nam distinguitur a "dicere raka", et "dicere stultum"; "frater" est proximus, et quoque bonum charitatis, et "obnoxius judicio" est inquiri et secundum circumstantias plecti: quod qui ex prava cogitatione contumelias afficit proximum, ita qui bonum charitatis sicut vile contemnit, is gravius plecteretur, significatur per "Quisquis dixerit fratri suo, Raka, obnoxius erit synedrio"; per "dicere raka" significatur ex cogitatione prava contumelias afficere proximum, ita vile habere bonum charitatis; nam "dicere raka" significat pro vacuo habere, ita pro viii, et "frater" est bonum charitatis; [quod] qui odio habet proximum, ita qui prorsus aversatur bonum charitatis, damnatus sit inferno, significatur per "Quicunque dixerit, Stulte, obnoxius erit gehennae ignis; "dicere stultum" est prorsus aversari, "frater" est bonum charitatis, et "gehenna ignis" est infernum, ubi illi qui id bonum et inde proximum odio habent. Tres gradus odii per illa tria describuntur; primus est pravae cogitationis, quod est "irasci"; alter est pravae intentionis inde, quod est "dicere, Raka"; et tertius est pravae voluntatis, quod est "dicere, Stulte"; omnes hi gradus sunt gradus odii contra bonum charitatis, nam odium est bono charitatis oppositum: et tres gradus punitionis significantur per "judicium", "synedrium", et "gehennam ignis"; punitiones pro malis levioribus significantur per "judicium", punitiones pro malis gravioribus per "synedrium", et punitiones pro malis gravissimis per "gehennam ignis."
[19] Quoniam universum caelum est in bono charitatis erga proximum, et universum infernum est in iracundia, inimicitia et odio contra proximum, et inde haec sunt opposita illi bono; et quia cultus Domini est cultus ex caelo, quia est internus, ac nullus cultus si ejus aliquid est ex inferno, et tamen ex inferno est cultus externus absque interno, ideo dicitur, "Si obtuleris munus tuum super altari, et apud hoc recordatus fueris quod frater tuus habeat aliquid contra te, abi, prius reconciliare fratri, et tunc veniens offer munus super altare"; per "munus super altari" significatur cultus Domini ex amore et charitate, per "fratrem" intelligitur proximus, et abstracte significatur bonum charitatis, per "habere contra te" significatur iracundia, inimicitia seu odium, et per "reconciliari" significatur dissipatio eorum, et inde sequens conjunctio per amorem.
[20] Ex his constare potest quod per "fratrem" a Domino intelligatur simile quod per "proximum"; et per "proximum" in spirituali sensu significatur bonum in omni complexu; et bonum in omni complexu est bonum charitatis. Simile per "fratrem" in Veteri Testamento in multis locis in sensu spirituali intelligitur:
- Ut apud Mosen,
"Non odio habebis fratrem tuum corde tuo" (Leviticus 19:17);
apud Davidem,
"Ecce quam bonum et quam jucundum habitare fratres una" (Psalms 133:1).
In hoc sensu etiam
Lothus habitatores Sodomae appellavit "fratres" (Genesis 19:7):
et quoque intelligitur
Per "foedus fratrum" inter filios Israelis et Edomum (Amos 1:9);
Ac per "fraternitatem inter Jehudam et Israelem" (Sach. 11:14 13
):
nam per "filios Israelis ac Edomum", tum per "Jehudam et Israelem" in sensu spirituali non intelliguntur illi, sed bona et vera caeli et ecclesiae, quorum omnia inter se conjuncta sunt.
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