4650. [A discussion] with Jews about the Inward person
There were some Jews, not of the worst sort, who would listen to reason as well. At first they did not want to hear the inner person mentioned. I perceived that this was because Christians so often speak of the Inner person. They said, "Is it not enough to worship God with the outer worship that was commanded?" But it was said to them that they must be humble before God inwardly just as they are outwardly. They did not comprehend this, but when it was said that they must also be humble at heart, they began to understand somewhat. Then a comparison was made with a comic actor on the stage: he behaves very humbly in front of someone playing the part of the king and yet despises him at heart. I asked whether they would want to be like such actors. They said "oԬ but that they ought to be wholly humble before God. In this way they better understood what the inward [person is], namely that they also should think humbly before God. It was said that outer things are only gestures symbolizing inward ones, which if separated from them look ridiculous. It was said further that in the Word it says: This people worships me with the mouth, but their heart is far from me [Isa. 29:13, Matt. 15:8, Mark 7:6]. From this statement they understood that the heart also needs to be there, and that then this would be inward worship. They then declared that they now knew what the inner person is. They added that they had supposed that those who are inward persons did almost nothing with the body, scarcely spoke but only thought, and so that this was fantasy.
[2] Nor did they understand what faith is: they thought that it was [simply] thinking and wondered that this could accomplish anything. It was said to them that faith embraces that which must be known, acknowledged and done. For example: because Jehovah is the only God, that He is acknowledged as the only God, that this is a part of faith, and they must believe from the Word that the Messiah is going to come and that He is going to save, and they must conduct themselves humbly before Jehovah, that this is a component of faith, that is to say, it must be known, acknowledged, and done. I wanted to say that this must be believed, but they would not to allow that word.
4650. [A CONVERSATION] WITH THE JEWS CONCERNING THE INTERNAL MAN.
There were Jews, who were not of the worst sort, and who also listened to reasons. At first, they were not willing to hear the internal man named. I perceived that this was because Christians so often speak concerning the internal man. They asked whether it is not enough to worship God with the external worship enjoined; but they were told that they must also be humble before God, interiorly as well as exteriorly. They did not understand this; but when it was said that they should also be humble in heart, they began to understand somewhat. Then I made use of a comparison, to wit, of a comedian on the stage, who carries himself most humbly in presence of some one who acts the king, and, yet, in his heart, utterly despises him. It was asked whether they wished to be like such comedians; they said, No, but that they ought to be entirely humble in the presence of God. In this way they better understood what the internal is, to wit, [that they have it] who thought [as well as acted] humbly, before God. It was said that externals are but gestures significant of the internal: if these were separated it would appear ridiculous. It was said, moreover, that we read, in the Word, that this people worship me with the mouth, but their heart is far from me. From this saying, they understood that the heart ought to be in unison [with the mouth], and then the state would be internal. They then declared that they now knew what the internal man is. They added that they had supposed that those who are internal men did almost nothing with the body, that they scarcely spoke, but only thought, and, so, that the thing was a phantasy. Nor did they understand what faith is. They supposed it was to think, and wondered that this should effect anything. It was said to them that faith embraces that which ought to be known, acknowledged and done: as, for instance, that Jehovah is the only God, and that He is to be acknowledged as the only God - this belongs to faith; also, that they should believe, from the Word, that Messiah is to come and save; likewise, that they ought to comport themselves humbly in the presence of Jehovah - this is of faith, namely, it ought to be known, acknowledged and done. I wished to say that this ought to be believed; but they were not willing to allow that word.
4650. Cum Judaeis de Interno homine
Erant Judaei qui non pessima sorte, qui etiam audiebant rationes, primum nolebant audire nominari internum hominem, percepi quod ideo quia Christiani toties loquuntur de Interno homine, dicebant annon satis sit colere Deum cultu externo mandato, sed dictum illis, quod etiam interius erunt humiles coram Deo sicut exterius, hoc non intelligebant, sed cum dicebatur quod corde etiam humiles essent, aliquantum coeperunt intelligere; tunc utebatur comparatione, sicut comoedus super theatro, qui coram aliquo qui agit regem, humillime se gerit, et tamen corde illum prorsus contemnit, quaerebatur num vellent esse sicut comoedi tales, dicebant non, sed quod toti debent esse humiles coram Deo, ita magis intelligebant quid internum, nempe quod etiam humiliter coram Deo cogitarent, dictum quod externa sint modo gestus significantia internum, quae si separantur, ridiculosum appareret; dictum insuper quod in Verbo legatur, quod populus iste ore me colunt, sed cor longe abest [Esaj. XXIX: 13, Matth. XV: 8, Marc. VII: 6], ex hoc dicto intelligebant quod cor simul esse deberet, et tunc hoc internum esset; declaraverunt dein quod nunc scirent quid internus homo: addebant quod putaverint quod qui interni homines nihil paene corpore agerent, vix loquerentur, sed modo cogitarent, et sic quod hoc phantasia esset. [2] Nec intelligebant quid fides, putabant esse cogitare, et mirati quod hoc aliquid efficeret; dicebatur ad illos, quod des complectatur id quod sciendum, agnoscendum et faciendum, sicut quod Jehovah est unicus Deus, quod Ille agnoscatur pro unico Deo, quod hoc sit fidei; tum quod credent ex Verbo, quod Messias venturus, et salvaturus; tum quod humiliter se gerendum coram Jehovah, quod hoc sit dei, nempe sciendum, agnoscendum, et faciendum; volui dicere quod hoc credendum, sed non volebant vocem illam admittere.