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Luke Chapter 17

    Chapter 17

THE INTERNAL SENSE.

  1. BUT he said to the disciples, it is impossible but that offences will come, but wo to him by whom they come.

THAT though the Divine providence cannot prevent the operation of evils and falses, yet the fault is not in providence, but in those who cherish evils and falses, vs 1.

  1. It were better for him if an ass's millstone was hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

Therefore it is better for a man not to have known what is good and true, but only what is evil and false, than to pervert those who acknowledge the lord, vs 2.

  1. Take heed to yourselves; but if your brother sin against you, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
  2. And if he sin against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to you, saying, I repent, you shall forgive him.

Thus there is need of caution, that if another commit evil, he may he convinced of his evil, and if on conviction he turns away from evil, that evil be no longer imputed to him, and this on all occasions as often as he turns away from evil, vs 3, 4.

  1. And the Apostles said to the Lord, increase our faith.
  2. But the Lord said, if you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this sycamine tree, be you rooted up, and be you planted in the sea, and it would obey you.

All therefore ought to pray that they may abide in the lord, that so by virtue of faith derived from the lord, and not from themselves, they may be enabled to cast out from themselves the faith of what is false grounded in evil, v, 5, 6.

  1. But who of you having a servant ploughing, and taking care of cattle, will say to him immediately when he comes from the field, come, sit down to meat?
  2. But will not rather say to him, make ready with which I may dine, and being girded serve me, till I have eaten and drunken, and after this you may eat and drink?
  3. Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him! I conceive not.
  4. So likewise you, when you have done all things that are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do.

And in all their exploration of truth and of good, may submit themselves to Divine guidance and government, that so they may appropriate what is good and true from the lord, and thus ascribe all merit to Him, vs 7 to 11.

  1. And it came to pass as He went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
  2. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off:
  3. And they lifted up their Voices, saying Jesus master, have mercy upon us,
  4. And seeing he said to them go show yourselves to the Priest. And it came to pass as they went, they were cleansed.

And should they fall at any time into profanation of truth, they should then supplicate the Divine mercy of the lord for deliverance, and open their minds to the reception of that mercy, in which case deliverance would be effected, vs 11 to 15.

  1. But one of them, seeing that he was healed turned, with a great voice glorifying God.
  2. And fell upon his face at his feet, giving him thanks, and he was a Samaritan.
  3. But Jesus answering said, were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
  4. There were not found that returned to give glory to God, except this stranger.
  5. And He said to him, arise, go your way, your faith has saved you.

They should also confess in humility and gratitude that their deliverance is solely the result of that mercy, vs 15 to 20.

  1. But being questioned by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God comes, he answered them, and said, the kingdom of God comes not with observation.
  2. Neither shall they say, lo here! or lo there! for behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

For the Divine good and Divine truth of the lord, in which the angels are principled, are not out of man, but within him. vs 20, 21.

  1. But he said to the disciples, the days will come when you shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and shall not see.
  2. And they shall say to you, lo here! or lo there! go not after, nor pursue [them].

And in the end of the Church, there will be no longer any faith, because there is no charity, at which time all Divine Truth will perish, vs 22, 23.

  1. For as the lightning that lightens out of the one [part] under heaven, shines to the other [part] under heaven, so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
  2. But first he must suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

And as the lightening is instantly dissipated, so the internal worship of the lord will at that time be dissipated also, in consequence of opposition made to His Holy Word, vs 24, 25.

  1. And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

Thus the state of vastation of those who are of the Church will resemble that of the first or most ancient Church, whose last judgement is described by a flood, vs 26.

  1. They did eat, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

For they will appropriate what is evil and false, and will conjoin those principles in themselves, until they are entirely inundated by them, vs 27.

  1. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

Thus they will live to themselves and the world, and will procure to themselves evils and falses, and communicate them to others, and confirm themselves in such things, so as to live in them, vs 28.

  1. But on the day that Lot departed from Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
  2. According to these things shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

On which occasion the falsities and lusts of self-love shall have rule, to the entire destruction of heavenly love and truth, vs 29, 30.

  1. In that day whoever shall be upon the house top, and his furniture in the house, let him not come down to take it away; and he that is in the field let him likewise not return to things behind.
  2. Remember Lot's wife.

They therefore who are in the good of heavenly love ought not to take themselves thence to those things which are of the doctrinals of faith, inasmuch as those things are signified by Lot's wife, vs 31, 32.

  1. Whosoever shall seek to save his soul, shall lose it, and whoever shall lose it, shall preserve it alive.

But should rather renounce self-love and its guidance, that so they may be led of the Divine Love, vs 33.

  1. I say to you, in that night two shall be in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

Since when there is no faith, because no charity, they within the Church who live according to the doctrine of truth will be saved, and they within the Church who live contrary to the doctrine of what is true will be damned, vs 34.

  1. Two [women] shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

They also who confirm themselves in truths from the Word will be saved, and they who confirm themselves in falses will be damned, vs 35.

  1. Two shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

They too will be saved who are principled in truth of doctrine, and they will be damned who are principled in the false of doctrine, vs 36.

  1. And they answering said to him, where, Lord? But he said to them, where the body is there will the eagles be gathered together.

And confirmations of what is false will be multiplied in the vastated Church, vs 37.

Translation

  1. BUT he said to the disciples, it is impossible but that offences will come, but wo to him by whom they come.
  2. It were better for him if an ass's millstone was hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
  3. Take heed to yourselves; but if your brother sin against you, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
  4. And if he sin against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to you, saying, I repent, you shall forgive him.
  5. And the Apostles said to the Lord, increase our faith.
  6. But the Lord said, if you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this sycamine tree, be you rooted up, and be you planted in the sea, and it would obey you.
  7. But who of you having a servant ploughing, and taking care of cattle, will say to him immediately when he comes from the field, come, sit down to meat?
  8. But will not rather say to him, make ready with which I may dine, and being girded serve me, till I have eaten and drunken, and after this you may eat and drink?
  9. Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him! I conceive not.
  10. So likewise you, when you have done all things that are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do.
  11. And it came to pass as He went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
  12. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off:
  13. And they lifted up their Voices, saying Jesus master, have mercy upon us,
  14. And seeing he said to them go show yourselves to the Priest. And it came to pass as they went, they were cleansed.
  15. But one of them, seeing that he was healed turned, with a great voice glorifying God.
  16. And fell upon his face at his feet, giving him thanks, and he was a Samaritan.
  17. But Jesus answering said, were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
  18. There were not found that returned to give glory to God, except this stranger.
  19. And He said to him, arise, go your way, your faith has saved you.
  20. But being questioned by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God comes, he answered them, and said, the kingdom of God comes not with observation.
  21. Neither shall they say, lo here! or lo there! for behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
  22. But he said to the disciples, the days will come when you shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and shall not see.
  23. And they shall say to you, lo here! or lo there! go not after, nor pursue [them].
  24. For as the lightning that lightens out of the one [part] under heaven, shines to the other [part] under heaven, so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
  25. But first he must suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.
  26. And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
  27. They did eat, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
  28. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
  29. But on the day that Lot departed from Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
  30. According to these things shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
  31. In that day whoever shall be upon the house top, and his furniture in the house, let him not come down to take it away; and he that is in the field let him likewise not return to things behind.
  32. Remember Lot's wife.
  33. Whosoever shall seek to save his soul, shall lose it, and whoever shall lose it, shall preserve it alive.
  34. I say to you, in that night two shall be in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
  35. Two [women] shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
  36. Two shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
  37. And they answering said to him, where, Lord? But he said to them, where the body is there will the eagles be gathered together.

Chapter XVII. Extracts from the Theological Writings

OF

THE HON. EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

VERSE 2. It were better for him that an ass's millstone was hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. By offending one of the little ones who believe in Jesus, is signified to pervert those who acknowledge the Lord; by its being bettor that an ass's millstone should be hanged about his neck, is signaled that it would be better for him not to have known any thing good and true, but only what is evil and false; this latter is an ass's millstone, and to be hanged about the neck denotes interception to prevent his knowing what is good and true; by being cast into the sea is signified to be thrown down into hell; the reason why this is better is, because to know goods and truths and to pervert them is to profane. AE 1182.

Inasmuch as by a mill stone is signified the truth of the Word adulterated, and by the sea hell, therefore the Lord says, It were better for him that an ass's millstone was hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. AR 791.

Verse 4. And if he sin against you seven times in a day? and seven times in a day turn again to you, saying, I repent, you shall forgive him. To forgive seven times, if he should return seven times, is to forgive as often as he returns, thus on all occasions. Lest it should be supposed that only seven times is meant, the Lord explains to Peter what was meant by seven times, where he says, I say not to you until seven times, but until seventy times seven, Matt 18:21, 22, where seventy times seven denotes always and without number. AE 257.

Verse 6. But the Lord said, if you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this sycamine tree, be you rooted up, and be you planted in the sea, and it would obey you. By these words is described the power of those who are in the Lord; these do not will any thing, and thus do not ask any thing, but from the Lord, and whatever they will and ask from the Lord, this is done, for the Lord says, ''Without Me you cannot do any thing, abide in Me and, I in you;" such power have the angels in heaven, that if they only will any thing, they obtain it; nevertheless they do not will any thing but what is of use, and this they will as from themselves, but still from the Lord. AR 951.

That the above words are to be understood otherwise than according to their literal sense, may be manifest from this consideration, that it was said to the disciples, if they had faith as a grain of mustard seed, that they might pluck up a mountain and sycamore tree from their place, and cast them into the sea, also, as it is written in Mark, that they should receive whatever they should ask, when yet it is not of Divine order, that every one should receive what he asks for, provided he has faith; also that they should pluck up a mountain and a tree from its place, and cast it into the sea; but by faith is here meant faith from the Lord, wherefore it is called in Mark the faith of God; and he who is in faith from the Lord asks for nothing else, but what is conducive to the good of the Lord's kingdom and to his own salvation; other things he does not, will, for he says in his heart, why are things to be asked for which are not of such use? Wherefore he cannot have the faith of God, or faith from the Lord, in asking any thing but what is given to him from the Lord to ask; yea it is impossible for the angels of heaven to will any thing else, thus to ask any thing else, since if they do, they cannot have faith that they should receive it. The reason why the Lord compared such faith to the ability and power of casting a mountain or a sycamore tree into the sea, was because the Lord, in this as in other passages, spoke by correspondences, wherefore those words are also to be understood spiritually; for by a mountain is signified the love of self and of the world, thus the love of evil, and by a sycamore tree is signified the faith of that love, which is the faith of what is false grounded in evil, and by the sea is signified hell, wherefore by plucking up a mountain and casting it into the sea by the faith of God, is signified to cast out into hell those loves, which in themselves are diabolical, in like manner the faith of what is false grounded in evil, which is effected by faith from the Lord. The reason also why comparison is made of the power and ability of faith from the Lord with the plucking up and casting away of a mountain and a sycamore tree, is because in the spiritual world it is actually so done; those evil loves occasionally appear there as mountains, and the faith of what is false grounded in evil as a sycamore tree, and both of them may be rooted up and cast into hell by an angel through faith from the Lord. AE 815.

Verses 9, 10. Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I conceive not. So likewise you, when you have done all things that were commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants, we have done that which was our duty to do. It is said, that by the mouth of the beast speaking great things, is signified doctrine, and thence instruction, preaching, and reasoning, destroying the goods of the Word, wherefore it may be expedient to say by what he destroys; he destroys those goods principally by teaching that faith without good works justifies and saves, and he confirms what he says by this reasoning, because no one can do good of himself, and because the good which man does of himself must of necessity be meritorious; and this likewise he endeavours to establish from the Word, especially from the Pharisee and the Publican praying in the temple, on which occasion it is said, that the latter was justified by only saying, God be merciful to me a sinner; and that the Pharisee was not justified who said, that he was not rapacious, unjust and an adulterer, like other men, and that he fasted twice in a week, and gave tithe of all that he possessed, Luke 18:10-14; and likewise from these words of the Lord, "Does he thank that servant because he did the things which were commanded him? I conceive not; so likewise you, when you have done all things that were commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do; but they who conclude from these words that there is nothing of justification and salvation in good works, but in faith alone, are in the greatest error, for they do not know what good works are; for there are works which are done by man, which are not good, and there are works which are done from the Lord by man, and these are good; nevertheless both appear alike in the external form, but in the internal they are altogether dissimilar. The works which the Pharisee recounted were works from himself, and hence were likewise meritorious; in like manner the works which the servant did from command, who is nevertheless called unprofitable. Now therefore it shall be explained how works are done by man himself, and how works are done from the Lord with man, also how the latter are to be distinguished from the former. It was shown above that man has two minds, the one spiritual, the other natural; the spiritual mind is what is called the internal and spiritual man, and the natural mind is what is called the external and natural man; and whereas man has a spiritual internal principle and a natural external principle, and the internal principle is conjoined with heaven, and the external principle is conjoined with the world, it follows that whatever a man does from that internal principle by the external, this he does from heaven, that is, by heaven from the Lord; but whatever man does from the external principle without the internal, this he does from himself. AE 794.

Verses 20, 21. But being questioned by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God comes, he answered them, and said, the kingdom of God comes not with observation; neither shall they say, lo here! or lo there! for behold, the kingdom of God is within you. By the kingdom of God, in the universal sense, is meant the universal heaven; in a sense less universal the true Church of the Lord; in a particular sense every one who is of a true faith, or who is is regenerate by the life of faith, wherefore he likewise is called heaven, because heaven is in him; also the kingdom of God, because the kingdom of God is in him, which the Lord teaches in the above words, "Being questioned by the Pharisees," &c. AC 29.

It is a known thing that there are three heavens, and that the inmost heaven is called the third heaven, the middle heaven the second heaven, and the lowest the first heaven, wherefore the Word, when it ascends or descends, in the Lord is Divine, in the third heaven is celestial, for that heaven is the celestial heaven; in the second heaven is spiritual, for that heaven is the spiritual heaven, but in the first heaven is celestial and spiritual-natural, and the same heaven takes its name accordingly. But in the Church with man, the Word is, as to the sense of the letter, natural, that is worldly and terrestrial; hence it is evident what is the quality of the Word, and how it is with the Word whilst it is read by man who is in a holy principle, that is, who is in good and truth, for in such case it appears to him as worldly, or as historical, in which nevertheless is a holy principle, whereas in the first heaven it appears as celestial and spiritual-natural, in which nevertheless is the Divine [principle]; but in the second heaven it is spiritual; and in the third heaven it is celestial; and in the Lord it is Divine.

The sense of the Word is according to the heavens; the supreme sense of the Word, in which the Lord is treated of, is for the inmost or third heaven; its internal sense, in which the kingdom of the Lord is treated of, is for the middle or second heaven, but the inferior sense of the Word, in which the internal sense of the Word is determined to the nation which is there named, is for the lowest or first heaven; but the lowest or literal sense is for man, whilst he yet lives in the world; which sense is nevertheless such that an interior sense may be communicated to it, also the internal or supreme sense, for man communicates with the three heavens, being created for an image of the three heavens, insomuch that whilst he lives in love to the Lord, and in charity towards the neighbour, he is a heaven in the least form; hence it is, that the kingdom of the Lord is within that man, as the Lord Himself teaches in Luke, "Behold, the kingdom of God is within you" AC 4279. Moreover the Lord is present with man and is conjoined to him by the Word, inasmuch as the Lord is the Word, and in it as it were speaks with man, also because the Lord is Divine truth itself, and the Word is likewise the same. From this consideration it is evident that the Lord is present with man, and at the same time conjoined to him, according to his understanding of the Word, for according to that understanding man has truth and hence faith, also love and thence life. But the Lord is present with man by the reading of the Word, whereas he is conjoined to him by the understanding of truth from the Word, and according to it; and so far as the Lord is conjoined to man, so far the Church is in man. The Church is in man; the Church which is out of him, is the Church belonging to several in whom the Church is; this is meant by the Lord's words to the Pharisees, "The kingdom of God is within you," where by the kingdom of God is meant the Lord, and the Church from Him. SS 78.

There are three degrees of interior things belonging to every one both angel and spirit, and likewise to man; they with whom the third degree is open are in the inmost heaven; they with whom the second, or only the first is open, are in the middle or ultimate heaven. Interior things are opened by the reception of Divine Good and Divine Truth; they who are affected with Divine Truths, and admit them immediately into the life, thus into the will and thence into act, are in the inmost or third heaven, and have a place there according to the reception of good from the affection of truth; but they who do not admit truths immediately into the will, but into the memory and thence into the understanding, and from that source will and do them, are in the middle or second heaven; whereas they who live morally, and believe in a Divine [being or principle], without any great concern about instruction, are in the ultimate or first heaven. Hence it may be manifest that states of interior things make heaven, and that heaven is within every one, and not out of him, which also the Lord teaches when He says, "The kingdom of God comes not with observation, neither shall they say lo here or lo there, for behold the kingdom of God is within you." HH 33.

That the abodes of the angels are with men in their affections of good and of truth, is understood by these words of the Lord, He who loves Me, keeps My saying, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make abode with him" John 14:23, in which words by Father and Lord is also meant heaven, for when the Lord is, there is heaven, inasmuch as the Divine Principle proceeding from the Lord makes heaven: the same is likewise understood by these words of the Lord, "The Comforter, the Spirit of Truth abides with you, and shall be in you," John 14:17, where the Comforter is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, whence also he is called the Spirit of Truth; and the Divine truth makes heaven, and likewise the angels, because they are recipients. The like is also meant by these words of the Lord, "The kingdom of God is within you," where the kingdom of God is the Divine good and truth, in which the angels are principled. Last Judgement LJ 9.

Verses 22, 23, But he said to the disciples, the days will come when you shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and shall not see. And they shall say to yon, to here! and lo there! go not after, nor pursue them. To desire to see one of the days of the Son of man is to desire to see Truth Divine which is genuine as to somewhat of it; in these words is meant the end of the Church, when there is no longer any faith, because there is no charity, at which time all Divine Truth will perish; and whereas Truth Divine is signified by the Son of man, therefore it is said, "Then shall they say, lo here! or lo there! pursue not." AE 63.

In the above words the consummation of the age is treated of, or the last time of the Church, when there is no longer any faith AC 3863.

To desire to see one of the days of the Son of man denotes one of the states of Truth Divine, which is genuine; the subject treated of is concerning the end of the Church, when there is no longer any faith, because there is no charity, at which time all genuine Truth Divine will perish; and whereas Truth Divine is signified by the Son of man, therefore it is said, then shall they say, lo here! or lo there! pursue not, which may be said of Truth Divine from the Lord, but not of the Lord Himself. AC 9807.

Verse 25. But first He must suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. By the Son of man suffering and being put to death, was signified that the Divine Truth would be so treated, consequently the Lord, who was Divine Truth itself, which thing also He Himself teaches in Luke, where he says, but first He must suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. AE 63.

Verse 28. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded. By eating and drinking is here signified to live to themselves and the world, and to appropriate to themselves evils and falses; by buying and selling is signified to procure those things to themselves, and to communicate them to others; by planting and building is signified to confirm themselves in those things, and to live in them. AE 840.

Verses 29, 30. But on the day that Lot departed from Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. According to these things shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.. That fire and brimstone shall not then rain, must be obvious to every one, but that the falsities and lusts of self love shall then have rule, which are signified by fire and brimstone, and which make the hells. AC 2446. See also AR 452, 494, 504.

By those who were in Sodom and Gomorrah, are meant those who were in the falses of evil originating; in self love; and whereas the falses of evil originating in that love destroyed them, therefore it rained brimstone and fire, brimstone from the craving of destroying the Church by the cravings of evil, and fire because that craving originated in self love. That this will be the case when the Son of Man shall be revealed, signifies that on that occasion also the falses of evil grounded in self love will destroy the Church. Such rain also appears in the spiritual world, when the wicked, who are in falses derived from that love, are cast down into hell. AE 578.

That by Sodom and Gomorrah are meant all evils and falses flowing from the love of self, has been told me from heaven, for when they who are in evils grounded in that love perish, as was the case in the day of the last judgement, there appeared as it were sulphur and fire raining from heaven, which was also seen by me. That such will be the case also in the day of the last judgement, is predicted by the Lord in the above words. AE 653.

Verses 31, 32. In that day whoever shall be upon the house top, and his furniture in the house, let him not come down to take it away; and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return to things behind. Remember Lot's wife. These words of the Lord are altogether unintelligible without the internal sense, thus unless it be known what is signified by being on the housetop, what by furniture in the house, what by coming down to take it away, what by field, and lastly what by returning to things behind. According to the internal sense, to be on the house top denotes to be in good, for that house denotes good, see AC 710, 2233, 2234; furniture in the house denotes the truths which are of good, for that truths are vessels of good, see AC 1496, 1832, 1900, 2063, 2269; to go down to take them away denotes to avert himself from good to truth, which is evident, for good, as it is prior, is also superior, and truth, as it is posterior, is also inferior; that field denotes the Church, so called from the seed which it receives, consequently that they are fields who are in the good of doctrine, is manifest from many passages in the Word; hence it is evident what is signified by returning to things behind, namely turning away from good, and looking to doctrinals, wherefore, inasmuch as those things are signified by Lot's wife, it is added, remember Lot's wife. AC 2454.

All spiritual good either proceeds from faith, that is, by faith, or proceeds from love; during man's regeneration, the good belonging to him at that time proceeds from the truth of faith, for he then acts according to truth, not from the affection of truth, but from obedience, because it is so commanded; but afterwards, when he is regenerated, he does good from affection, thus from love. These two States belonging to man are carefully distinguished in the Word, by reason that man cannot be in both states at the same time; he who is in the first state cannot enter into the second until he be regenerated; and he who is in the second state must not take himself to the former; if he so betakes himself, he then loses the affection of doing good from love, and falls back into the state of faith, which had served to introduce him to good, and likewise out of that state. This, in the internal sense, is meant by the Lord's words concerning the last judgement in Matthew, "Then he that is on the house top, let him not go down to take away any thing out of his house; and he that is in the field, let him not return back to take away his clothes," Matt 24:17, 18; and likewise by Lot's wife, in that she looked back behind her, Luke 17:31, 32. AC 7857.

It may be expedient briefly to say how the case herein is; man before regeneration acts from truth, and by it is acquired good; for truth then becomes good with him when it becomes of his will and thus of his life; but after regeneration he acts from good, and by it truths are procured. That this may be better understood, it may be observed, that man before regeneration acts from obedience, but after regeneration from affection; those two states are the inverse of each other, for in the former state truth has dominion, but in the latter good has dominion, or in the former state man looks downwards or backwards, but in the latter upwards or forwards. When man is in the latter state, namely when he acts from affection, he is not allowed any longer to look back and to do good from truth, for then the Lord flows in to good, and leads him by good; in this case, if he was to look back or to do good from truth, he would act from something of his own, for he who acts from truth leads himself, but he who acts from good is led of the Lord. These are the things which are meant by the Lord's words in Matthew, "When you shall see the abomination of desolation, let not him, who is on the house, go down to take any thing out of his house; and he, who is in the field, let him not return back to take his garments," Matt 24:15, 17, 18; and in Luke, "In that day whoever shall he upon the house top, and his furniture in the house, let him not go down to take them away; and whoever is in the field, let him likewise not return to things behind him; remember Lot's wife." AC 8505.

When good and truth desire to be conjoined reciprocally the one to the other, that is, good to truth and truth to good, then they mutually respect each other; but when truth plucks itself away from good, in such case they mutually turn away from each other, and look back or behind them; this is signified by Lot's wife in Luke, "Whosoever shall be on the house top, and his furniture in the house, let him not go down to take it away; and whosever is in the field, let him likewise not return to things behind him, remember Lot's wife." AC 6207. See also AC 10184, and the Heavenly Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, 186.

Inasmuch as the conjunction of the heaven is effected by influx from the Lord alone, therefore the greatest care is taken, lest any angel of a superior heaven should look down into a society of an inferior one, and speak with any one there; for when this is the case, the angel is instantly deprived of his intelligence and wisdom: the reason is because every angel has three degrees of life, as there are three degrees of heaven; to those who are in the inmost heaven, the third or inmost degree is open, and the second and first are closed; to those who are in the middle heaven the second degree is open, and the first and third are closed; and to those who are in the ultimate heaven the first degree is open, and the second and third closed: as soon therefore as an angel of the third heaven looks down into a society of the second, and speaks with any one there, his third degree is closed, and when this is closed, he is deprived of his wisdom, for his wisdom resides in the third degree, and he has none in the second and first. These are the things which are understood by the Lord's words in Matthew, "Let not him, who is on the house top, go down to take any thing out of his house ; and he who is in the field let him not return back to take his garments." And in Luke, "In that day, he that is on the house top, and his furniture in the house, let him not go down to take it away; and he that is in the field let him not return to things behind him: remember Lot's wife. HH 208.

Verses 34, 35, 36. I say to you, in that night two shall be in one bed; the one shall be taken and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. That by the consummation of the ago, the end of days, or the Last Judgement, nothing else is meant but, the state of the Church when it is vastated, or when there is no longer in it any faith, consequently not the destruction of the world, is very manifest from the above words of the Lord in Luke, where the last time is called night, because there is no faith, that is, charity; and that some shall be left, by which is plainly declared that the world shall not then perish. AC 931. See also AC 2353.

Two shall be in one bed, &c. By bed is signified doctrine, and this from correspondence, since as the body lies down in its bed, so the mind reposes in its doctrine; but by bed is signified the doctrine which every one procures to himself either from the Word, or from his own proper intelligence, for in that his mind rests and as it were sleeps. The beds, which are used for lying down upon in the spiritual world, are from no other origin; every one has there a bed according to the quality of his science and intelligence, the wise having magnificent beds, the unwise vile beds, and those who are in falses, sordid beds. This is signified by bed in Luke, "I say to you, in that night two shall be in one bed, the one shall be taken, the other shall be left, speaking of the last judgement; two in one bed denote two in one doctrine, but not in similar life. AR 137.

In the above words the consummation of the age is treated of, which is the last time of the Church, when judgement comes; to be in one bed, is to be in one doctrine of the Church; two women grinding together denote those who collect and learn such things as are serviceable to faith; two in the field denote those in the Church who apply to themselves truths and goods. AE 163.

Verse 37. And they answering said to Him, where, Lord? But He said to them, where the body is, there will the eagles be gathered together. By body is here signified the spiritual world, where all men both good and bad are together, and by eagles are signified those who are in truths, and who are in falses, thus who are in true intelligence, and who are in false intelligence; the latter intelligence is from the proprium of man, but true intelligence is from the Lord by [or through] the Word. AE 281.

It is written in Matthew, wherever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together, Matt 24:28, by which words is signified that confirmations of what is false will be multiplied by reasonings in the vastated Church. The Church, when it is without good and the truth of faith thence derived, or when it is vastated, is then said to be dead, for its life is from good and from truth, hence, when it is dead, it is compared to a carcase; reasonings concerning goods and truths to prove they do not exist but so far as they are comprehended, and confirmations of what is evil and false by such reasonings, are eagles, as may be evident from what will be said presently; that carcase in this passage denotes the Church as void of the life of charity and faith is manifest from the Lord's words in Luke, speaking of the consummation of the age, "The disciples said, where, Lord? [namely where would be the consummation of the age or the last judgement?] Jesus said to them, where the body is, there will the eagles be gathered together; it is here called body instead of carcase, for it is a dead body which is here meant, and it signifies the Church, inasmuch as it is evident from the Word throughout, that judgement must first begin at the house of God, or at the Church. The ground and reason why the last state of the Church it compared to eagles gathered together to a carcase or a body is because by eagles are signified man's rational principles, which, when predicated of the good, are true rational principles, but when predicated of the wicked, are false rational principle, or principles of mere ratiocination. Birds in general signify man's knowledges both in a good and in a bad sense; and each species signifies some particular species of knowledge; eagles, as flying aloft and being sharp sighted, signify rational principles. That this is the case, may be evident from several passages in the Word. AC 3901.

Chapter XVII. Translator's Notes and Observations.

VERSE 2. It were better for him if an ass's millstone was hanged about his neck, &c. In the common version of the New Testament no notice whatever is taken in this passage of the Greek term onichos, which is here rendered ass's, or belonging to an ass, because formerly the larger kinds of millstones were turned by asses. It is however of importance that the onichos should be retained and expressed, especially on account of the internal sense. [See the extract on this passage].

Verse 22. The days will come, when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and shall not see. It is remarkable that in the original Greek two distinct terms are here applied to express the act of seeing, for when it is said, you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, the term idein is used, but when it is said, and shall not see, the term opseze is used. This distinction of terms can only be accounted for from the internal sense and meaning of each term, the latter being designed to express a more interior sight than the former, so that it is the same thing as if the Lord had said, The days will come, when you will desire to see [according to your external notion of seeing] one of the days of the Son of Man, and shall not see [shall not be able by such external sight to apprehend what can only be seen, or apprehended by more interior vision]. For such, it would appear, was the nature and quality of sight amongst the Jews, at the time that the incarnate god appeared among them. Many of them, possibly, desired to see [idein] his day, but did not see [theazai] it, inasmuch as they were looking for His manifestation in a different form from that which He was pleased to assume, and thus, for want of interior vision, were not able to see Him in the form in which He appeared. Such too, it is not improbable, may be the case amongst Christians at this day of the lord's second advent, since it may easily be supposed that many, according to their external views of that advent, would be desirous to see it, who yet, not having the interior discernment to discover it, according to its true nature and spiritual reality of power and glory, will not see it.

Verse 23. And they shall say to you, lo here! or lo there! go not after nor pursue [them]. The enlightened author of the extracts, in quoting this passage, renders it go not after, nor investigate, thus expressing the original Greek, which is literally, go not after nor pursue, by a term which marks the internal or spiritual sense of pursuing, namely investigating,since to pursue a truth, which is the subject here treated of, is to investigate it.

Verse 31. Let him not return to things behind. This is a literal rendering of the original Greek, me episrepsato eis ta opiso.

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