379.“用羔羊的血使他们的袍子洁白”表并通过真理将自己从邪恶的虚假中洁净，从而被主改造。既有虚假的邪恶，也有邪恶的虚假；那些出于宗教信仰认为只要口头上承认自己是罪人，邪恶就不会判罚之人就具有虚假的邪恶；那些确认自己身上邪恶的人则具有邪恶的虚假。此处“袍子”表示来自圣言的一般真理，这些一般真理构成他们的宗教信仰准则，如前所述（378节）。经上之所以说“用羔羊的血使他们的袍子洁白”，是因为“白”论及真理（167，231，232节）；因此，他们通过真理洁净虚假。这句话还表示他们因此被主改造，因为所有在世时与邪恶争战，并相信主的人离世后都由主教导，通过真理从其宗教信仰的虚假中退出，从而得以改造。原因在于，凡避恶如罪的人都处于生活的良善；而生活的良善渴望真理，承认并接受它们；而生活的邪恶永远不会。在此处以及圣言的其它地方，“羔羊的血”被以为表示主的十字架受难；但十字架受难是最后的试探，主通过这个试探完全征服地狱，完全荣耀了祂的人性，并凭这二者拯救人类；对此，可参看《新耶路撒冷教义之主篇》（12-14，15-17；6，以及本书前面的67节）。 而且，正因为主由此完全荣耀了祂的人性，也就是使其变成神性，所以祂的“肉”和“血”除了表示在祂里面并来自祂的神性外，不可能表示别的；“肉”表示神性之爱的神性良善；“血”表示源于这良善的神性真理。
“血”在圣言经常被提及，无论在哪里，在属灵意义上都表示主的神性真理，也就是圣言的神性真理；在反面意义上则表示被歪曲或亵渎的圣言神性真理，这一切从下面的经文明显看出来。首先：“血”表示主或圣言的神性真理。这一点从这些考虑明显可知：“血”被称为“立约的血”，“约”就是结合，这结合由主凭祂的神性真理来实现；例如撒迦利亚书：
我因与你立约的血，将被掳而囚的人从无水的坑里释放出来。（撒迦利亚书9:11）
摩西五经：
摩西在百姓耳边念了这律法书后，将血一半洒在百姓身上，说，看哪，耶和华按这一切话与你们所立的立约的血。（出埃及记24:3-8）
还有：
耶稣拿起杯来，递给他们，说，你们都喝这个；这是我的血，是新约的血。（马太福音26:27-28；马可福音14:24；路加福音22:20）
“新约的血”或新约无非表示圣言，也就是所谓的“旧约”和“新约”，因而表示其中的神性真理。
因为“血”有这样的含义，所以主将葡萄酒递给他们时，说“这是我的血”；“葡萄酒”表示神性真理（316节）；也正因如此，“葡萄酒”被称为“葡萄血”（创世记49:11；申命记32:14）。这一点同样从主的这些话明显看出来：
我实实在在告诉你们，你们若不吃人子的肉、喝人子的血，就没有生命在你们里面。因为我的肉真是可吃的，我的血真是可喝的。吃我肉、喝我血的人在我里面，我也在他里面。（约翰福音6:53-56）
显而易见，此处“血”表示神性真理，因为经上说，喝的人拥有生命，并且在主里面，主也在他里面。神性真理和照之的生活起到这种效果，圣餐则确认它，这在教会是众所周知的。
由于“血”表示主的神性真理，也就是圣言的神性真理，而这就是新旧约本身，故在每一个事物都是对应属灵事物的以色列教会，“血”是最神圣的代表；如：
他们取了逾越节羔羊的血，涂在门框和门楣上，以免灾祸临到他们。（出埃及记12:7，13，22）
燔祭的血洒在祭坛，坛的底座，亚伦和他的儿子及其圣衣上（出埃及记29:12，16，20，21；利未记1:5；11，15；3:2，8，13；4:25，30，34；5:9；8:15，24；17:6；民数记18:17；申命记12:27）；还洒在约柜上面的幔子上，洒在施恩座、香坛的四个角上（利未记4:6，7，17-18；16:12-15）。
在以下启示录经文中，“羔羊的血”所表相同：
在天上就有了争战；米迦勒同他的使者与龙争战，因羔羊的血和自己所见证的道胜过他。（启示录12:7，11）
人们不可能认为米迦勒和他的使者胜过龙靠的是别的什么，而是靠着圣言中主的神性真理；事实上，天上的天使不会想到任何血，也不会想到主的受难，只会想到神性真理和祂的复活。因此，当世人想到主的血时，天使只会觉察到祂的神性真理；当世人想到主的受难时，天使只会觉察到祂的荣耀，然后只想到祂的复活。我被恩准通过大量经历得知这一切。
“血”表示神性真理，这从以下诗篇里的话明显看出来：
神要拯救穷苦人的性命，他们的血在祂眼中看为宝贵；他们要存活，祂要给他们示巴的金子。（诗篇72:13-15）
“在神眼中看为宝贵的血”是为了他们所具有的神性真理；“示巴的金子”是指来自神性真理的智慧。以西结书：
你们聚集到以色列山上献大祭之地，好叫你们吃肉喝血；你们必喝地上首领的血，你们吃我为你们所献的祭，必喝醉了血；我要在列族中彰显我的荣耀。（以西结书39:17-21）
此处“血”不可能是指血，因为经上说“他们必喝地上首领的血”，还要“喝醉了血”。但当“血”被理解为神性真理时，圣言的真正意义就浮现出来了。此处论述的是主的教会，祂即将建在外邦人当中。
其次：“血”表示神性真理。这一点从它的反面意义清楚看出来，它在反面意义上表示被歪曲或亵渎的神性真理。这从以下经文明显看出来：
塞耳不听流血的话，闭眼不看邪恶事的。（以赛亚书33:15）
说谎言的，你必灭绝；好流人血弄诡诈的，都为耶和华所憎恶。（诗篇5:6）
主以公义的灵和洁净的灵，将耶路撒冷中杀人的血除净，那时，一切住耶路撒冷，在生命册上记名的。（以赛亚书4:3-4）
你初生的日子，我见你滚在血中；我说，你虽在血中，仍可存活；我洗涤你，洗净你身上的血。（以西结书16:5，6，9，22，36，38）
他们在街上如瞎子乱走，又被血玷污，以致素常不当触着的，如今竟用服装去触着了。（耶利米哀歌4:13-14）
滚在血中的衣服。（以赛亚书9:5）
并且你的衣襟上有无辜灵魂的血。（耶利米书2:34）
你们的手都满了血；你们要洗濯，自洁，除掉你们的恶行。（以赛亚书1:15，16）
你们的手被血沾染，你们的手指被罪孽玷污；你们的嘴唇说谎言，他们急速流无辜人的血。（以赛亚书59:3，7）
耶和华出来，要刑罚地的罪孽，地也必露出它的血。（以赛亚书26:21）
凡接待祂的，祂就赐他们权柄作神的儿女，这等人不是从血（气）生的。（约翰福音1:12，13）
先知和圣徒的血都在巴比伦发现了。（启示录18:24）
海就变成好像死人的血，众水的泉源就变成血。（启示录16:3-4；以赛亚书15:9；诗篇105:29）；
变成血的埃及的河、池和水塘（出埃及记7:15-25）所表相同。
在耶和华的大日未到以先，月亮要变为血。（约珥书2:31）
月亮变成血。（启示录6:12）
在这些以及许多其它地方，“血”表示被歪曲，以及被亵渎的圣言真理；这一点通过阅读圣言中这一系列的经文，会看得更清楚一些。由于“血”在反面意义上表示被歪曲或亵渎的圣言真理，故显而易见，“血”在真正意义上表示未被歪曲的圣言真理。
379. "And made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb." This symbolically means, and by truths have purified those religious beliefs from the falsities accompanying evil, and so have been reformed by the Lord.
Some evils are evils that accompany falsity, and some falsities are falsities that accompany evil. Evils that accompany falsity are found among people who, in accord with their religion, believe that evils do not condemn, provided they orally confess that they are sinners. And falsities that accompany evil are found among people who justify the evils they harbor.
As in no. 378 above, robes here symbolize general truths drawn from the Word, which constitute the people's religious beliefs. They are said to have made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb because the color white is predicated of truths (nos. 167, 231, 232), meaning therefore that they used truths to purify their falsities.
This symbolically means also that thus they were reformed by the Lord, because all who have fought against evils in the world and have believed in the Lord are, after their departure from the world, taught by the Lord and led by truths away from the falsities of their religion. And so they are reformed. That is because people who refrain from evils as being sins possess goodness of life, and goodness of life desires truths, and acknowledges and accepts them. But this is never the case with evil of life.
People believe that the blood of the Lamb here and elsewhere in the Word symbolizes the Lord's suffering of the cross. But the suffering of the cross was the final temptation or trial by which the Lord completely overcame the hells and fully glorified His humanity. By these two means He saved mankind (see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord, nos. 12-14, 15-17, and also no. 67 above). Moreover, because by His suffering of the cross the Lord fully glorified His humanity, which is to say, made it Divine, therefore nothing else can be meant by His flesh and blood but the Divinity in Him and emanating from Him - His flesh meaning the Divine goodness of His Divine love, and His blood meaning the Divine truth emanating from that goodness.
[2] Blood is mentioned many times in the Word, and everywhere it symbolizes, in the spiritual sense, either the Lord's Divine truth, which is the same as the Divine truth of the Word, or in an opposite sense, the Divine truth of the Word falsified or profaned, as can be seen from the following passages.
First, that blood symbolizes the Lord's Divine truth or the Divine truth of the Word can be seen from these passages:
Blood was called the blood of the covenant, and a covenant conjoins, a conjunction that the Lord accomplishes by His Divine truth. So, for example, in Zechariah:
By the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the pit... (Zechariah 9:11)
After Moses read the Book of the Law in the hearing of the people, he sprinkled half the blood on the people and said,
This is the blood of the covenant which Jehovah has made with you in accordance with all these words. (Exodus 24:3-8)
Moreover,
(Jesus) took the cup..., and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. ...this is My blood, the blood of the new covenant... (Matthew 26:27-28, cf. Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20)
The blood of the new covenant or testament symbolizes nothing else than the Word, which is called a covenant or testament - the Old Covenant or Testament, and the New Covenant or Testament - thus symbolizing the Divine truth in it.
[3] Since blood has this symbolic meaning, the Lord therefore gave His disciples wine, saying, "This is My blood" - wine symbolizing Divine truth (no. 316). Wine is also on that account called "the blood of grapes" (Genesis 49:11, Deuteronomy 32:14).
This is still further apparent from these words of the Lord:
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you will have no life in you... For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. (John 6:53-56).
It is clearly apparent that blood here means Divine truth, because the text says that he who drinks has life, and abides in the Lord, and the Lord in him. This is the effect of Divine truth and a life in accordance with it, and an effect confirmed by the Holy Supper, as everyone in the church may know.
[4] Since blood symbolizes the Lord's Divine truth, which is the same as the Divine truth of the Word, and this is the essence of the Old and New Covenants or Testaments, therefore blood was the holiest representative symbol in the Israelite Church, in which every single thing corresponded to something spiritual. So, for example, the people were to take some of the blood of the paschal lamb and put it on the doorposts and lintel of their houses to keep the plague from coming upon them (Exodus 12:7, 13, 22). The blood of the burnt offering was to be sprinkled on the altar, at the base of the altar, on Aaron and his sons, and on their vestments (Exodus 29:12, 16, 20-21).
[5] The blood of the Lamb has a like symbolism in the following verses in the book of Revelation:
...war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon... And they overcame it by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony... (Revelation 12:7, 11)
For no one can think that Michael and his angels overcame the dragon with anything other than the Lord's Divine truth in the Word. Angels in heaven, indeed, cannot think of any blood, nor do they think of the Lord's suffering, but of His Divine truth and resurrection. Consequently, when a person thinks about the Lord's blood, angels perceive His Divine truth, and when a person thinks about the Lord's suffering, they perceive His glorification, and then only His resurrection. I have been granted to know the reality of this by much experience.
[6] That blood symbolizes Divine truth is apparent also from these verses in the book of Psalms:
(God) will save the souls of the needy... Precious shall be their blood in His sight. And they shall live, and He will give them the gold of Sheba. (Psalms 72:13-15)
The blood, precious in the sight of God, stands for Divine truth among those people. The gold of Sheba is the resulting wisdom.
In Ezekiel:
Gather together... to My great sacrifice... on the mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh and drink blood. You shall... drink the blood of the princes of the earth... You shall... drink blood till you are drunk at My sacrifice which I am sacrificing for you... (Thus) I will set My glory among the nations. (Ezekiel 39:17-21)
Blood here does not mean blood, because the statement is that they will drink the blood of the princes of the earth and that they will drink blood till they are drunk. But the true meaning of the word emerges when blood is understood to mean Divine truth. The subject there, too, is the Lord's church, which He would establish among gentiles.
[7] Second, that blood symbolizes Divine truth can be clearly seen from its opposite meaning, in which it symbolizes the Divine truth of the Word falsified or profaned, as is apparent from these passages:
He who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil... (Isaiah 33:15)
You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; Jehovah abhors the bloody and deceitful man. (Psalms 5:6)
...everyone recorded for life in Jerusalem, when the Lord has... rinsed away (her) blood... from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of purification. (Isaiah 4:3-4)
...on the day you were born... I saw you trampled in your blood, and I said to you in your blood, "Live!" ...I washed you and rinsed away the blood upon you... (Ezekiel 16:5-6, 9, 22, 36, 38)
They wandered blind in the streets; they have defiled themselves with blood, and what they cannot touch, they touch with their garments. (Lamentations 4:13-14)
The garment is polluted with blood. (Isaiah 9:5)
Also on your skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent... (Jeremiah 2:34)
Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings... (Isaiah 1:15-16)
...your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken a lie... They make haste to shed innocent blood. (Isaiah 59:3, 7)
...Jehovah is coming out... to visit the iniquity... of the earth; then the earth will disclose her blood... (Isaiah 26:21)
...as many as received Him, to them He gave the ability to be children of God..., who were born, not of blood... (John 1:12-13)
In (Babylon) was found the blood of prophets and saints... (Revelation 18:24)
...the sea... became as the blood of a dead man... ...the springs of water... became blood. (Revelation 16:3-4. Cf. Isaiah 15:9, Psalms 105:29)
The like is symbolized by the rivers, ponds, and pools of water in Egypt being turned into blood (Exodus 7:15-25).
...the moon (shall be turned) into blood, before the coming of the great... day of Jehovah. (Joel 2:31)
...the moon became... blood. (Revelation 6:12)
In these places and many others, blood symbolizes the truth of the Word falsified, and also profaned. But this can be seen more clearly when these passages in the Word are read in context.
So, then, since blood in an opposite sense symbolizes the truth of the Word falsified or profaned, it is apparent that blood in a true sense symbolizes the truth of the Word not falsified.
379. 'And have made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb' signifies and have purified them from untruths of evil by means of truths, and so have been reformed by the Lord. There are evils of untruth and untruths of evil; evils of untruth with those who by reason of religion believe that evils do not condemn, provided they confess orally that they are sinners; and untruths of evil with those who confirm the evils pertaining to themselves. Here, as above (378), by 'robes' are signified the general truths out of the Word that make their religious principles (religiosa). It is said that they 'have made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb' because 'white' is said of truths (167, 231-232), thus that they have purified untruths by means of truths. It is also signified that they have been reformed in this manner by the Lord, because all who have fought against evils in the world, and have believed in the Lord are, after their departure out of the world, taught by the Lord and led away from untruths of religion by means of truths, and thus are reformed. This is because those who shun evils as sins are in good of life, and good of life desires truths and acknowledges and accepts them; but evil of life never does this. It is believed that by 'the blood of the Lamb,' here and elsewhere in the Word, is signified the Lord's passion of the cross; but the passion of the cross was the last temptation, by which the Lord fully overcame the hells and fully glorified His Human. By these two [achievements] He has saved man; see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord 11-17 1, also above (67). And because the Lord by that means fully glorified His Human, that is, made it Divine, therefore nothing else can be understood by His flesh and blood than the Divine in Him and from Him, by 'flesh' the Divine Good of the Divine Love, and by 'blood' the Divine Truth from that Good.
[2] 'Blood' is mentioned in many places in the Word, and everywhere in the spiritual sense by it is signified the Lord's Divine Truth, which is also the Divine Truth of the Word, and in the opposite sense the Divine Truth of the Word falsified or profaned, as can be established by the following passages:
FIRSTLY; that by 'blood' is signified the Lord's Divine Truth or Word, from these considerations; that 'blood' was termed 'blood of the covenant,' and covenant is conjunction, and this is effected by the Lord by means of His Divine Truth, as in Zechariah:
By the blood of thy covenant I will send forth the bound out of the pit, Zechariah 9:11; and in Moses:
Moses, after he had read the book of the law in the ears of the people, sprinkled half of the blood upon the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which Jehovah has made with you upon all these words, Exodus 24:3-8.
And Jesus, having taken the cup, gave it to them, saying, All drink of it, this is My blood, that of the New Covenant. Matthew 26:27-28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20.
By the 'blood of the New Covenant' or Testament is signified nothing but the Word, which is called 'Covenant' and 'Testament,' Old and New, thus the Divine Truth there.
[3] Since this is signified by 'blood,' therefore the Lord gave them wine, saying, 'This is My blood,' and 'wine' signifies Divine Truth (316); and it is also therefore called 'the blood of grapes' (Genesis 49:11; Deuteronomy 32:14). This is still more plain from these words of the Lord:
Amen, Amen, I say unto you, Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of
Man, and drink His Blood, you shall have no life in you, for My flesh is truly food and My blood is truly drink. He who eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, abides in Me and I in Him. John 6:50-58.
It is quite plain that by 'blood' here is understood Divine Truth, because it is said that he who drinks has life and abides in the Lord and the Lord in Him. That Divine Truth effects this and a life in accordance therewith, and that the Holy Supper confirms it, can be known in the Church.
[4] Since 'blood' signifies the Lord's Divine Truth, which is also the Divine Truth of the Word, and this is the Covenant itself, or Old and New Testament, therefore 'blood' was the most holy representative in the Israelitish Church, in which all things jointly and severally were correspondences of spiritual things, as:
That they used to take of the paschal blood, and put it upon the posts and lintels of their houses, that the plague might not come upon them, Exodus 12:7, 13, 22.
That the blood of the burnt-offering used to be sprinkled upon the altar, on the foundations of the altar, upon Aaron, his sons, and their garments, Exodus 29:12, 16, 20-21; Leviticus 1:5, 11, 15; 3:2, 8, 13; 4:25, 30, 34; 5:9; 8:15, 24; 17:6; Numbers 18:17; Deuteronomy 12:27.
Also upon the veil that was over the ark, upon the propitiatory there, and upon the horns of the altar of incense. Leviticus 4:6-7, 17-18; 16:12-15.
[5] A similar thing is signified by 'the blood of the Lamb' in the following [words] in the Apocalypse:
And there was war in heaven, Michael and [his] angels fought against the dragon, and overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of their testimony. Revelation 12:7, 11.
For it cannot be thought that Michael and his angels overcame the dragon by other means than by the Lord's Divine Truth in the Word; for angels in heaven cannot think of any blood, nor do they think of the Lord's passion, but of the Divine Truth and of His resurrection. Therefore when a man thinks of the Lord's blood the angels perceive His Divine Truth, and when of the Lord's passion they perceive His glorification, and then only the resurrection. That this is the case it has been given [me] to know by much experience.
[6] That 'blood' signifies Divine Truth is plain also from these [words] in David:
God will preserve the souls of the needy, precious shall their blood be in His eyes; and they shall live, and He shall give them of the gold of Sheba. Psalms 72:13-15.
'Blood precious in the eyes of God' [stands] for the Divine Truth with them; 'the gold of Sheba' is wisdom therefrom. In Ezekiel:
Gather yourselves to a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh and drink blood; the blood of the princes of the land shall you drink, and you shall drink blood even to drunkenness, of My sacrifice which I sacrifice for you: thus will I give My glory among the nations. Ezekiel 39:17-21.
By 'blood' here cannot be understood blood because it is said that they are going to drink 'the blood of the princes of the land' and that they are going to drink 'even to drunkenness.' The true sense of the Word results, however, when by 'blood' is understood Divine Truth: it also treats there of the Lord's Church that is going to be restored among the nations.
[7] SECONDLY that 'blood' signifies Divine Truth can be clearly seen from the opposite sense thereof in which it signifies the Divine Truth of the Word falsified or profaned; and this is plain from these passages:
He who stops his ears lest he hear bloods, and shuts his eyes lest he see evil. Isaiah 33:15.
Thou shalt destroy those speaking a lie, Jehovah abhors a man of bloods and deceit. Psalms 5:6; [H.B. 7].
Every one who is written among the living (ad vitam) in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall wash away its bloods out of the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of purifying. Isaiah 4:3-4.
In the day that thou wast born, I saw thee trampled in bloods, and I said, In thine own bloods live; I have washed thee, and washed away the bloods from upon thee. Ezekiel 16:5-6, 9, 22, 36, 38.
The blind have wandered in the streets, they have been polluted with blood, and the things they are unable [to touch], they touch with their garments, Lamentations 4:13-14.
The garment is polluted with blood. Isaiah 9:4.
Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocents. Jeremiah 2:33-34.
Your hands are full of bloods, wash you, purify you, put away the wickedness of your doings. Isaiah 1:15-16.
Your hands are polluted with blood, and your fingers with iniquity, your lips have spoken a lie, they make haste to shed innocent blood. Isaiah 59:3, 7.
Jehovah going forth to visit the iniquity of the land, then shall the land reveal its bloods. Isaiah 26:21.
As many as have received Him, to them He has given power that they might be the sons of God, who are not [born] out of bloods. John 1:12-13.
In Babylon was found the blood of prophets and of saints. Revelation 18:24.
The sea became as the blood of the dead, and the fountains of waters became blood. Revelation 16:3-4; Isaiah 15:6, 9; Psalms 105:23, 28-29.
Something similar is signified by the fact that:
The streams, gatherings and swamps of waters in Egypt were turned into blood, Exodus 7:15-25.
The moon shall be turned into blood before the great day of Jehovah comes. Joel 2:31 [H.B. 3:4].
The moon became blood. Revelation 6:12.
In these places and many others 'blood' signifies the truth of the Word falsified, and also profaned; and this can be seen yet more manifestly from those passages in the Word read in [their] series. Since therefore by 'blood' in the opposite sense is signified the Truth of the Word falsified or profaned, it is plain that in the genuine sense the truth of the Word not falsified is signified.
Footnotes:
1. In the Original the numbers are given as 22-27, but it is clear that the above sections are intended.
379. And made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb, signifies, and have purified them from the falsities of evil by truths, and thus are reformed by the Lord. There are evils of falsity and falsities of evil; evils of falsity with those who from religion believe that evils do not condemn, provided they confess with their lips that they are sinners; and falsities of evil with those who confirm evils in themselves. By "robes" are here signified general truths from the Word, which constitute their religious principles as above, (378). It is said, "they made white their robes in the blood of the Lamb," because "white" is predicated of truths, (167[1-2], 231, 232); thus, that they purified falsities by truths. It also signifies that thus they were reformed by the Lord; because all who have fought against evils in the world, and have believed in the Lord, after their departure out of the world, are taught by the Lord, and are withdrawn from the falsities of their religion by truths, and thus are reformed. The reason is because they who shun evils as sins are in the good of life; and the good of life desires truths, and acknowledges and accepts them; but evil of life never. By "the blood of the Lamb" here, and in other parts of the Word, it is believed that the Lord's passion of the cross is signified; but the passion of the cross was the last temptation, by which the Lord fully conquered the hells, and fully glorified His Human, by which two He saved man; see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem respecting the Lord 12-14, 15-17 1; also above 67). And because the Lord thus fully glorified His Human, that is made it Divine, therefore nothing else can be meant by His "flesh," and "blood" but the Divine in Him and from Him; by "flesh," the Divine good of the Divine love; and by "blood," the Divine truth from that good.
[2] "Blood" is mentioned in many places in the Word, and everywhere signifies, in the spiritual sense, the Divine truth of the Lord, which also is the Divine truth of the Word; and, in the opposite sense, the Divine truth of the Word falsified or profaned, as may appear from the following passages:
First: that "blood" signifies the Divine truth of the Lord or of the Word is manifest from these considerations: that blood was called "the blood of the covenant," and "covenant" is conjunction, and this is effected from the Lord by His Divine truth; as in Zechariah:
By the blood of thy covenant I will send forth the bound out of the pit, (Zechariah 9:11).
And in Moses:
Moses, after he had read the book of the Law in the ears of the people, sprinkled half of the blood upon the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which Jehovah hath made with you concerning all these Words, (Exodus 24:3-8).
And Jesus took the cup, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is My blood, that of the New Covenant, (Matthew 26:27-28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20).
By "the blood of the New Covenant" or Testament, nothing else is signified but the Word, which is called "Covenant" and "Testament," Old and New, thus the Divine truth therein.
[3] As this is signified by "blood," therefore the Lord gave them the wine, saying, "This is my blood;" and "wine" signifies the Divine truth, (316); it is also on this account called "the blood of grapes" (Genesis 49:11; Deuteronomy 32:14). This is again evident from these words of the Lord:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. For my flesh is truly food, and my blood is truly drink. He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood, abideth in Me, and I in him, (John 6:53-56).
That by "blood" is here meant the Divine truth, appears manifestly, because it is said that he who drinks has life, and abideth in the Lord, and the Lord in him. That the Divine truth and a life according to it effects this, and that the Holy Supper confirms it, can be known in the church.
[4] Since "blood" signifies the Divine truth of the Lord, which is also the Divine truth of the Word, and this is the Old and New Covenant or Testament itself, therefore blood was the most holy representative in the Israelitish church, in which each and all things were correspondences of spiritual things; as that:
They should take of the paschal blood, and put it upon the posts and the lintels of the houses, that the plague might not come upon them, (Exodus 12:7, 13, 22).
The blood of the burnt-offering should be sprinkled upon the altar, on the foundations of the altar, upon Aaron, his sons, and their garments, (Exodus 29:12, 16, 20-21; Leviticus 1:5, 11, 15; 3:2, 8, 13; 4:25, 30, 34; 5:9; 8:15, 24; 17:6; Numbers 18:17; Deuteronomy 12:27). Also upon the veil which was over the ark, upon the mercy-seat, and upon the horns of the altar of incense, (Leviticus 4:6-7, 17-18; 16:12-15).
[5] The same is signified by "the blood of the Lamb" in the following passage in Revelation:
And there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, (Revelation 12:7, 11).
For it cannot be thought that Michael and his angels overcame the dragon by anything else than the Divine truth of the Lord in the Word; for, in heaven, the angels cannot think of any blood; nor do they think of the Lord's passion, but of the Divine truth and of His resurrection. Therefore, when man thinks of the Lord's blood, the angels perceive His Divine truth; and when he thinks of the Lord's passion, they perceive His glorification, and then His resurrection only. It has been granted me to know this by much experience.
[6] That "blood" signifies the Divine truth is also evident from these words in David:
God will preserve the souls of the needy, and precious shall their blood be in His eyes; and they shall live, and He shall give them of the gold of Sheba, (Psalms 72:13-15).
"Blood precious in the eyes of God" is for the Divine truth with them; "the gold of Sheba" is wisdom from it. In Ezekiel:
Gather yourselves together to the great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh and drink blood; ye shall drink the blood of the princes of the earth, and ye shall drink blood even to drunkenness, of My sacrifice which I sacrifice for you; thus I will give My glory among the nations, (Ezekiel 39:17-21).
By "blood" here cannot be meant blood, because it is said that "they shall drink the blood of the princes of the earth," and that "they shall drink blood even to drunkenness." But the true sense of the Word results, when by "blood" is understood the Divine truth. The Lord's church also is there treated of, which He was about to establish with the Gentiles.
[7] Secondly: that "blood" signifies the Divine truth, may be clearly seen from its opposite sense, in which it signifies the Divine truth of the Word falsified or profaned, as is evident from the following passages:
Who stoppeth his ears lest he hear of blood, and shutteth his eyes lest he see evil, (Isaiah 33:15).
Thou shalt destroy them that speak a lie; Jehovah abhorreth the man of blood and deceit, (Psalms 5:6).
Everyone that is written for life in Jerusalem when the Lord shall have washed away the blood thereof from the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of purifying, (Isaiah 4:3-4).
In the day that thou wast born, I saw thee trampled down in blood; and I said, In thine own blood live; I washed thee, and washed away the blood from off thee, (Ezekiel 16:5-6, 9, 22, 36, 38).
The blind wandered in the streets, they were polluted with blood, and what they cannot do, they touch with their garments, (Lamentations 4:13-14).
The garment is polluted with blood, (Isaiah 9:5).
Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocents, (Jeremiah 2:34).
Your hands are full of blood; wash you, purify you; put away the wickedness of your doings, (Isaiah 1:15-16).
Your hands are polluted with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken a lie, they make haste to shed innocent blood, (Isaiah 59:3, 7).
For Jehovah goeth out to visit the iniquity of the earth; then the earth shall reveal its blood, (Isaiah 26:21).
As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, who were not of blood, (John 1:12-13).
In Babylon was found the blood of the prophets and saints, (Revelation 18:24).
The sea became as the blood of one dead, and the fountains of waters became blood, (Revelation 16:3-4; Isaiah 15:9; Psalms 105:29).
The same is signified by the rivers, collections, and lakes of waters in Egypt being turned into blood, (Exodus 7:15, 25).
The moon shall be turned into blood before the great day of Jehovah cometh, (Joel 2:31).
The moon became blood, (Revelation 6:12).
In these places, and many others, "blood" signifies the truth of the Word falsified, and also profaned; which yet may be seen more manifestly still by reading those passages in the Word in their series. Since therefore by "blood," in the opposite sense, is signified the truth of the Word falsified or profaned, it is evident that by "blood," in the genuine sense, is signified the truth of the Word not falsified.
Footnotes:
1. Coulson, in his English translation, notes that the Latin edition cites passages 22-24, and 25-27, but that Swedenborg is clearly referring to passages 12-14, and 15-17, in Doctrine of the Lord.
379. "Et dealbaverunt stolas Suas in Sanguine Agni," significat et purificaverunt illa a falsis mali per vera, et sic at Domino reformati sunt. - Sunt mala falsi et falsa mali; mala falsi apud illos qui ex religione credunt quod mala non damnent, modo ore confiteantur quod peccatores sint; et falsa mali apud illos qui mala apud se confirmant. Per "stolas" significantur hic ut supra (378) communia vera ex Verbo, quae faciunt religiosa illorum: quod dicatur quod "dealbaverint stolas suas in sanguine Agni" est quia "album" dicitur de veris (167, 231, 232), ita quod purificaverint falsa per vera: quod etiam significetur, quod sic a Domino reformati sint, est quia omnes qui pugnarunt contra mala in mundo, et crediderunt in Dominum, post excessum e mundo docentur a Domino, et a falsis religionis suae per vera abducuntur, et sic reformantur; causa est, quia illi qui fugiunt mala ut peccata, in bono vitae sunt, et bonum vitae desiderat vera, et agnoscit et acceptat illa; at nusquam malum vitae. Creditur quod per "Sanguinem Agni," hic et alibi in Verbo, significetur Passio crucis Domini; sed Passio crucis fuit ultima Tentatio, per quam Dominus plene vicit Inferna, et plene glorificavit Humanum Suum, per quae duo salvavit hominem, videatur Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Domino 22-27, tum supra (67); et quia Dominus per illam plene glorificavit Humanum Suum, hoc est, Divinum fecit, ideo non potest aliud per "Carnem" et "Sanguinem" Ipsius intelligi quam Divinum in Ipso et ab Ipso; per "Carnem" Divinum Bonum Divini Amoris, et per "Sanguinem" Divinum Verum ab illo Bono. In multis locis in Verbo nominatur "Sanguis," et per illum ubivis in Sensu spirituali significatur Divinum Verum Domini, quod etiam est Divinum Verum Verbi, et in opposito sensu Divinum Verum Verbi falsificatum aut prophanatum, ut constare potest a sequentibus locis. Primo, quod per "Sanguinem" significetur Divinum Verum Domini seu Verbi, ex his; quod Sanguis dictus fuerit "Sanguis foederis," et "foedus" est conjunctio, et haec fit a Domino per Divinum Verum Ipsius; ut apud Sachariam:
"Per Sanguinem Foederis tui emittam vinctos e fovea," (9:11);
et apud Mosen:
Moses postquam legerat Librum legis in auribus populi, sparsit dimidium Sanguinis super populum, "et dixit, Ecce Sanguis foederis, quod pepigit Jehovah cum vobis super omnia verba haec," (Exodus 24:3-8; 1
"Et Jesus accipiens poculum, et dedit illis dicens, Bibite ex eo omnes, hoc est Sanguis Meus, ille Novi Foederis," (Matthaeus 26:27-28; 2Marcus 14:24; Luca 22:20);
Per "Sanguinem Novi Foederis" seu Testamenti, non aliud significatur quam Verbum, quod vocatur "Foedus" et "Testamentum," Vetus et Novum, ita Divinum Verum ibi. Quoniam per "Sanguinem" id significatur, ideo Dominus dedit illis Vinum, dicens "Hoc est Sanguis Meus," et "Vinum" significat Divinum Verum (316); quare etiam vocatur Sanguis uvarum, (Genesis 49:11; Deuteronomius 32:14).
Hoc patet adhuc ex his Domini verbis:
"Amen, amen, dico vobis, nisi comederitis Carnem Filii Hominis, et biberitis Ipsius Sanguinem, non habebitis vitam in vobis; nam Caro Mea est vere Cibus, et Sanguis Meus est vere potus: qui comedit Meam Carnem, et bibit Meum Sanguinem, ille in Me manet et Ego in illo," (Johannes 6:53-56). 3
Quod per "Sanguinem" hic intelligatur Divinum Verum, patet manifeste, quia dicitur quod ille qui bibit, habeat vitam, ac maneat in Domino et Dominus in illo; quod hoc faciat Divinum Verum et vita secundum illud, et quod Sancta Caena confirmet illud, notum potest esse in Ecclesia. Quoniam "Sanguis" significabat Divinum Verum Domini, quod etiam est Divinum Verum Verbi, et hoc est Ipsum Foedus seu Testamentum Vetus et Novum, ideo fuit Sanguis sanctissimum Repraesentativum in Ecclesia Israelitica, in qua omnia et singula erant Correspondentiae spiritualium; ut quod Sumerent de Sanguine Paschali, "et darent super postes et superliminaria domuum," ne veniret super illos plaga, (Exodus 12:7, 13, 22);
Quod Sanguis holocausti spargeretur super Altare, ad fundamenta Altaris, super Aharonem, filios ejus, et vestes eorum, (Exodus 29:12, 16, 20-21; Leviticus 1:5, 11, 15; 3:2, 8, 13; 4:25, 30, 34; 5:9; 8:15, 24; 17:6; Numeri 17:17 [NCBSP: Numeri 18:17]; 4Deuteronomius 12:27);
Tum super Velum quod super Arca, super Propitiatorium ibi, et super cornua Altaris suffitus, (Leviticus 4:6-7, 17-18; 16:12-15).
Per "Sanguinem Agni" simile significatur in sequentibus in Apocalypsi:
"Factum est bellum in Caelo, Michael et Angeli pugnarunt contra Draconem, et vicerunt illum per Sanguinem Agni, et per Verbum testimonii sui," (12:7, 11);
non enim cogitari potest, quod Michael et Angeli ejus per aliud vicerint draconem, quam per Divinem Verum Domini, in Verbo; nam Angeli in Caelo non cogitare possunt de aliquo Sanguine, nec cogitant de Passione Domini, sed de Divino Vero et de Resurrectione Ipsius; quare cum homo cogitat de Sanguine Domini, Angeli percipiunt Divinum Verum Ipsius, et cum de Passione Domini percipiunt Glorificationem Ipsius, et tunc solum Resurrectionem; quod ita sit, datum est per multam experientiam nosse. Quod "Sanguis" significet Divinum Verum, patet etiam ex his apud Davidem:
Deus "animas egenorum servabit, pretiosus erit Sanguis illorum in oculis Ipsius; et vivent, et dabit illis de auro Schebae," (Psalm 72:13-15); 5
"sanguis pretiosus in oculis Dei" pro Divino vero apud illos; "aurum Schebae" est sapientia inde. apud Ezechielem:
"Congregate vos ad Sacrificium magnum super montibus Israelis, ut comedatis Carnem et bibatis Sanguinem, Sanguinem principum terrae bibetis, et bibetis Sanguinem usque ad ebrietatem, de sacrificio Meo quod sacrifico vobis: sic dabo gloriam Meam inter gentes," (39:17-21);
per "sanguinem" hic non potest intelligi sanguis, quia dicitur quod "bibituri sint sanguinem principum terrae," et quod "bibituri sint sanguinem usque ad ebrietatem;" sed tunc verus sensus Verbi resultat, dum per "Sanguinem" intelligitur Divinum Verum, agitur etiam ibi de Ecclesia Domini, quam apud gentes instauraturus est.
Secundo, quod "Sanguis" significet Divinum Verum, clare videri potest ex sensu ejus opposito, in quo significat Divinum Verum Verbi falsificatum aut prophanatum, quod patet ex his:
Qui "obturat aures suas, ne audiat Sanguines, et occludit oculos, ne videat malum, (Esaias 33:15).
"Perdes loquentes mendacium, virum Sanguinum et doli abominatur Jehovah," (Psalm 5:7 (B.A. 6));
Omnis scriptus ad vitam in Hierosolyma, cum Dominus abluerit Sanguines ejus e medio ejus per spiritum judicii et per spiritum expurgationis, (Esajas 4:2-3, 4); 6
"In die quo nata es vidi te conculcatam in Sanguinibus, et dixi, In Sanguinibus tuis vive; lavi et ablui Sanguines a super te," (Ezechiel 16:5-6, 9, 22, 36, 38);
"Errarunt Caeci in plateis, polluti sunt Sanguine, et quae non possunt, tangunt vestimentis suis," (Threni 4:13-14);
"Vestis est polluta Sanguinibus," (Esaias 9:4 (B.A. 5));
"Etiam in alis tuis inventus est Sanguis animarum innocentium," (Jeremias 2:34); 7
"Manus vestrae Sanguinibus plenae sunt, lavate vos, purificate vos, removete malitiam operum vestrorum," (Esaias 1:15-16);
"Manus vestrae pollutae sunt Sanguine, et digiti vestri iniquitate, labia vestra locuta sunt mendacium, festinant ad effundendum Sanguinem innocentem," (Esaias 59:3, 7);
"Jehovah exiens ad visitandum iniquitatem terrae, tunc revelabit terra Sanguines suos," (Esaias 26:21; 8
"Quotquot Ipsum receperunt, dedit illis potestatem ut filii Dei essent, qui non ex Sanguinibus," (Johannes 1:12-13);
In Babylonia "Sanguis Prophetarum et Sanctorum inventus est," (Apocalypsis 18:24); 9
"Mare factum est tanquam Sanguis mortui, et fontes aquarum facti sunt Sanguis," (Apocalypsis 16:3-4; Esaias 15:9; 10Psalm 105:29); 11
Simile significatur per quod flumina, collectiones et stagna aquarum in Aegypto versa sint in Sanguinem, (Exodus 7:15-25); 12
"Luna vertetur in Sanguinem antequam venit dies Jehovae magnus," (Joel 3:4 (B.A. 2:31)); 13
"Luna facta est Sanguis," (Apocalypsis 6:12).
In his locis et pluribus aliis, "Sanguis significat Verum Verbi falsificatum, et quoque prophanatum; quod tamen manifestius videri potest ex illis locis in Verbo in serie lectis. Cum itaque per "Sanguinem" in opposito sensu significatur Verum Verbi falsificatum aut prophanatum, patet quod per "Sanguinem" in genuino sensu significetur Verum Verbi non falsificatum.
Footnotes:
1. 3-8 pro "3 ad n."
2. xxvi. pro "xxvii."
3. 53-56 pro "50 ad 58"
4. 17 pro "8"
5. 13-15 pro "13, 14, 15, 16"
6. iv. pro "iii."
7. 34 pro "33, 34"
8. 21 pro "20"
9. xviii. pro "xvii."
10. 9 pro "6, 9"
11. 29 pro "23, 28, 29"
12. 25 pro "27"
13. 3:4 pro "3:34"