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Mark Chapter 14

verse 1. After two days was the feast of the passover and unleavened bread.—" Bread," in the Word, signifies in general all celestial and spiritual food, thus in general all celestial and spiritual things, see AC 276, 680, 1798, 2165, 2177; and that these things might be free from impurities, was represented by unleavened bread, - for "leaven "signifies what is evil and false, by which celestial and spiritual things are rendered impure and profane; on account of this representation, commandment was given to those who were of the representative church, that in the sacrifices they should not offer any bread or cake but what was without leaven, or unleavened, as is manifest from Moses,—" Every cake which you shall bring for Jehovah, shall not be made up with leaven." (Lev 2:11.) On this account, commandment was also given that, on the seven days of the passover, they should not eat any other bread than what was without leaven, or unleavened. Hence the passover is called the "feast of unleavened things." That this "feast" represented the glorification of the Lord, and thus the conjunction of the Divine [Being or Principle] with the human race, will be shown elsewhere by the Divine Mercy of the Lord; and whereas the conjunction of the Lord with the human race is effected by love and charity, and the faith thence derived, those celestial and spiritual things were represented by the unleavened bread which they were to eat on the days of the passover, on which occasion, lest they should be contaminated by anything profane, everything leavened was so severely forbidden, that whoever ate it, was to be cut off; for they who profane celestial and spiritual things, must of necessity perish. Every one may see that, separate from this arcanum, this ceremonial would never have been enacted with such severe penalties. AC 2342.

By the "feast of unleavened bread" is signified the worship of the Lord and thanksgiving on account of deliverance from evil, and from the false principles of evil, as is manifest from the signification of a feast, as denoting worship and thanksgiving, see AC 7093, 9286, 9287; and from the signification of unleavened things, as denoting those things which are purified from evil and from the false principles of evil, see AC 9992; hence by the "feast of unleavened bread" is signified worship and thanksgiving on account of deliverance from evil and from false principles of evil; that this was signified by this feast, see AC 9286—9292. As to what concerns this feast, it is to be noted that it properly signifies the glorification of the Lord's Humanity, thus the remembrance of it, and thanksgiving on account of it; for by it, and by the subjugation of the hells by the Lord, man has deliverance from evils, and thus salvation. For the Lord glorified His Humanity by combats against the hells, and on this occasion by continual victories over them; the last combat and victory was on the cross, wherefore He then fully glorified Himself, as He Himself also teaches in John,—"After that Judas was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God be glorified in Him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself, and shall straightway glorify Him." (John 13:31, 32.) Again in the same Evangelist,—"Jesus lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify Your Son, that Your Son may also glorify You. And now, O Father, glorify You Me with Yours own self, with the glory which I had with You before the world was." (John 17:1, 5.) To "glorify the Son of Man," is to make the Human [Principle] Divine; that those words were spoken of the passion of the cross is evident. That by that last combat, which was the passion of the cross, the Lord fully subjugated the hells, He also teaches in John,—"Jesus said, The hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Now is my soul troubled. And He said, Father, glorify Your name. And there came forth a voice from heaven, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. And Jesus said, Now is the judgement of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all to Myself. This He said, signifying what death He should die." (John 12:23, 27, 28, 31, 32, 33.) Hell in all its complex is what is called the "prince of the world and the devil;" from which considerations it is evident that the Lord, by the passion of the cross, not only conquered and subjugated the hells, but also fully glorified His Humanity; hence the human race had salvation; for this also the Lord came into the world, as He also teaches in John 12:27. For the sake of the remembrance of this work, the feast of unleavened bread, or of the passover, was principally instituted, wherefore He rose again on this festival. The reason why it was also for the sake of deliverance from evil and from the false principles of evil is, because by the subjugation of the hells by the Lord, and by the glorification of His Human [Principle], all deliverance of evil is effected, and separate from those acts there is no deliverance; for man is ruled by spirits from hell, and by angels out of heaven from the Lord; wherefore, unless the hells had been altogether subjugated, and unless the Human [Principle] of the Lord had been altogether united to the Divine Itself, and thereby likewise made Divine, no man could have been delivered from hell and saved, for the hells would always have prevailed, since man is become of such a quality, that of himself he thinks nothing but what is of hell. AC 10655.

Verse 3. And when He was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster-box of ointment of pure spikenard, very precious; and breaking the box, she poured it on His head.— By "ointment" is signified celestial good and spiritual good, or the good of love to the Lord, and the good of charity towards the neighbour. AE 375.

Verse 8. She has beforehand anointed My body to the burying.—By "burying," or burial, whenever it is mentioned in the Word, the angels understand resurrection, because it is a plenary putting off of what is human, and a putting on of what is heavenly. AC 3016.

Verse 14. Where is the guest-chamber [or inn], &c.—By an "inn" is signified a place of instruction, as also in Luke 10:34; 22:11; Mark 14:14. AE 706.

Where I may eat the passover with My disciples?—The "passover" signifies the presence of the Lord, and the deliverance of those who are of the spiritual church by the Divine Human of the Lord, when He rose again. AC 7867.

The "feast of the passover," or the paschal supper, represented consociations in heaven. AC 7836, 7997.

Verse 21. The Son of Man, &c.—What is meant by the "Son of Man," see chap. iii. 28, 29, Exposition.

Verse 22. And as they did eat, Jesus taking bread, and having blessed it, break it, &c.—By the Lord "blessing the bread and giving it to His disciples," was signified the communication of His Divine Principle, and by it, conjunction with them by goods and truths, which are signified by "bread and wine," for by the Holy Supper instituted by the Lord, the angels understand the same thing as by the paschal supper, bread and wine being received in the former, instead of the paschal lamb of the latter; for the Lord said, in instituting the Holy Supper, that "the bread was His flesh," and "the wine was His blood;" and everyone knows, or may know, that bread and wine are things which nourish the body, bread as meat, and wine as drink; and that in the Word, which in its bosom is spiritual, they are also spiritually to be understood; thus bread for all spiritual meat, and wine for all spiritual drink. Spiritual meat is every good which is communicated and given to man from the Lord, and spiritual drink is every truth which is communicated and given to man from the Lord. These two, namely, good and truth, or love and faith, constitute the spiritual man; it is said, "or love and faith," because all good is of love, and all truth is of faith; hence it may be manifest, that by bread is meant the Divine Good of the Lord's Divine Love, and, in respect to man, is meant that good received by him. Inasmuch as the Lord says that "His flesh is bread," and "His blood is wine," it may be manifest that by the "flesh of the Lord" is meant the Divine Good of His Divine Love, and by "eating it" is meant to receive it, to appropriate to one's self, and thereby to be conjoined to the Lord; and that by the "blood of the Lord" is meant the Divine Truth proceeding from the Divine Good of His Divine Love, and by "drinking it" is meant to receive it, to appropriate to one's self, and thereby to be conjoined to the Lord. Spiritual nourishment also is from the good and truth which proceed from the Lord, as all nourishment of the body is from meat and drink; hence also is their correspondence, which is of such a nature, that wherever in the Word anything of meat, and of what serves for meat, is named, good is understood; and wherever anything of drink, and of what serves for drink, is named, truth is understood. From these considerations it may be manifest that by the "blood" which the sons of Israel were ordered to sprinkle from the paschal lamb upon the two posts, and on the threshold of their houses, is meant the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord; this also, when received in faith and life, protects man against the evils which arise out of hell, since the Lord in His Divine Truth is with man; for His Divine Truth is of the Lord Himself with man, yea, it is Himself with man. Who that thinks from sound reason, cannot see that the Lord is not in His blood with any one, but in His Divine Principle, which is the good of love and the good of faith received by man? AE 329, 340.

When the term "bread" is used in the Word, the angels do not know what material bread is, but what spiritual bread is, thus instead of bread they perceive the Lord, who, that He is "the Bread of Life," Himself teaches in John 6:33, 35; and inasmuch as they perceive from the Lord, they perceive those things which are from the Lord, consequently His love towards the universal human race, and together therewith they perceive at the same time the reciprocal love of man to the Lord; for these things cohere in one idea of thought and affection. In a way not unlike to this man thinks, who is in a holy principle when he receives the bread of the Sacred Supper, for he thinks on such occasion not of bread, but of the Lord and of His mercy, and of those things which relate to love to Him and to charity towards his neighbour, because he thinks of repentance and amendment of life, but this with a variety according to the holiness in which he is principled, not only as to thought, but also as to affection. Hence it is evident that "bread," as mentioned in the Word, does not suggest the idea of any bread with the angels, but suggests the idea of love, together with things innumerable which relate to love. In like manner "wine," when it is read in the Word, and also is received in the Sacred Supper; on such occasions the angels do not think at all of wine, but of charity towards their neighbour; and this being the case, and this the ground of man's connection with heaven, and by heaven with the Lord, therefore bread and wine were made symbols, and unite man, who is principled in what is holy, with heaven, and by heaven with the Lord. The case is the same with every single thing contained in the Word, wherefore the Word is the uniting medium between man and the Lord, and unless such a uniting medium existed, it would be impossible for heaven to flow in with man; for without a medium there could be no unification, but heaven would remove itself from man; and if heaven was removed, it would be impossible for any one any longer to be led to good, not even to corporeal and worldly good, but all restraints, even external ones, would be broken. For the Lord governs man, who is principled in good, by internal restraints, which are those of conscience; but if man be principled in evil, the Lord governs him only by external restraints, and if these were broken, every one would become insane, as he is insane who is without fear of the law, without fear of death, and without fear of the loss of honour and gain, and thence of reputation, for these are external restraints; thus the human race would perish. Hence it may appear why the Word is, and what is its quality. That the church of the Lord, where the Word is, is like a heart and like lungs; and that the church of the Lord, where the Word is not, is like the rest of the viscera, which live from the heart and lungs, may be seen, AC 637, 931, 2054, 2853. AC 4217.

By "breaking bread and giving it to the disciples," in the spiritual world, is signified to instruct in the good and truth of faith, by which the Lord appears; for spiritual meat is all the good of faith from which comes wisdom, and spiritual drink is all the truth of faith from which comes intelligence. AC 9112.

Verse 22. This is my body.—" Body," in the genuine sense, signifies the good which is of love, and the reason is, because the body, or the whole man which is meant by the body, is a receptacle of life from the Lord, thus the receptacle of good, for the good of love constitutes life itself in man; for the vital heat, which is love, is the vital heat itself, and unless this heat be in man, he is as somewhat dead. Hence now it is that by "body," in the internal sense, is meant the good of love; and although with man there is not celestial love, but infernal love, still the inmost principle of his life is from celestial love, for this love continually flows in from the Lord, and constitutes with man vital heat in its beginning, but in its progress it is perverted by man, whence comes infernal love, and from there unclean heat; hence it may be manifest what is meant by the "body" of the Lord, namely, the Divine Love, in like manner as by His "flesh." The body itself also of the Lord, when glorified, that is, when made Divine, is nothing else; for what else can be supposed concerning the Divine Principle which is infinite? From these considerations it may be known that by "body," in the Holy Supper, nothing else is meant than the Divine Love of the Lord towards the universal human race. AC 6135. See also AC 10033.

Verses 22, 24. This is My Body; this is My Blood.—When a man, in the Holy Supper, simply thinks of the Lord from His words,—" This is My Body, and this is My Blood," the angels with him are in the idea of love to the Lord, and of charity to the neighbour; for love to the Lord corresponds to the Body of the Lord and to bread, and charity towards the neighbour corresponds to Blood and to wine, 1798, 2165, 2177; and because such is the correspondence, there flows out of heaven through the angels into that holy principle in which the man then is, an affection which he receives according to the goodness of his life. For the angels dwell with every one in the affection of his life, thus they flow into the affection of the doctrines according to which he lives, and by no means of those doctrines with which his life disagrees; if his life disagrees, as if he be in the affection of gaining honours and wealth by doctrines, the angels then recede from him, and infernals come and dwell in that affection, who either infuse into him a confirmation of such doctrines for the sake of self and the world, thus a persuasive faith which is of such a nature as not to care whether they be true or false, provided only they are popular; or they take away from him all faith, and then the doctrine of his mouth is only a sound excited and modified by the fire of those selfish and worldly loves. AC 3464.

Verses 23, 24. And taking the cup, when He had given thanks, He gave [it] to them: and they all drank of it. And He said to them, This is My blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many.— Mention is here made of "cup," not of wine, because "wine" is predicated of the spiritual church, but "blood" of the celestial church, although each signifies holy truth proceeding from the Lord,—in the spiritual church the holy principle of faith grounded in charity towards the neighbour, but in the celestial church the holy principle of charity grounded in love to the Lord. The spiritual church is distinguished from the celestial in this,—that the former is in charity towards the neighbour, but the latter in love to the Lord, and the Holy Supper was instituted that it might represent and signify the love of the Lord towards the universal human race, and the reciprocal love of man towards Him. AC 5120.

Verse 24. This is My blood of the New Testament, &c.— Inasmuch as the Lord called "His blood," by which is meant the Divine Truth proceeding from Him, "the blood of the New Testament" [or covenant], it may be expedient briefly to say what is meant by the Old Testament [or covenant], and what by the New. By the "Old Testament" [or covenant], is meant conjunction by Divine Truth, such as was given to the sons of Israel, which was external, and hence representative of internal Divine Truth. The sons of Israel had no other Divine Truth, because they could not receive any other, for they were external and natural men, and not internal or spiritual, as may be manifest from this consideration, that they who knew anything concerning the Lord's coming, had no other thought respecting Him than that He was to be a king, who would exalt them above all people in the universe, and thus who would establish a kingdom on earth with them, and not in the heavens, and thence in the earths, with all who believe in Him. Wherefore the "Old Testament" [or covenant] was conjunction by such Divine Truth as is contained in the Books of Moses, and was called precepts, judgements, and statutes, in which nevertheless lay inwardly concealed the Divine Truth such as it is in heaven, which is internal and spiritual. This Divine Truth was opened by the Lord when He was in the world, and whereas by it alone there is conjunction of the Lord with men, therefore it is meant by the "New Testament" [or covenant], and also it is meant by His "blood," which is hence called the "blood of the New Testament" [or covenant]; the like is also meant by "wine." This new covenant, which was to be entered into by the Lord when He was to come into the world, is treated of in the Word of the Old Testament [or covenant] throughout. AE 701, 329.

Verse 25. Verily I say to you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.—By the "vine" is signified the new or regenerate intellectual principle so made by good from truth, and by truth from good, which is signified by the product of the vine, the appropriation of which is signified by drinking. That this is not fully effected except in the other life, is signified by the words, "until that day when I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God." AC 5113.

By the "fruit of the vine" which they were to drink new in the heavenly kingdom, nothing else is meant but the Truth of the New Church and heaven; wherefore also the church, in many passages of the Word, is called a "vineyard," as in Isaiah 5:1, 2, 4; Matt 20:1-13; and the Lord calls Himself the "true vine," and the men who were engrafted in it "branches." (John 15:1, 5.) TCR 708.

To "drink," in this passage, as applied to the Lord, denotes to instruct to the life concerning truths, and to give perception of good and of truth. AC 3069.

From what has been above said, it may be manifest what is meant by the flesh and blood of the Lord, and by bread and wine, in a threefold sense,—natural, spiritual, and celestial. Every man imbued with religion in Christendom may know, and if he does not know, may learn, that there is given both natural nourishment and spiritual nourishment, and that natural nourishment is for the body, but spiritual nourishment for the soul, for the Lord Jehovah says in Moses,— "Man does not live by bread alone, but by everything which comes forth from the mouth of Jehovah does man live." (Deut 8:3.) Now whereas the body dies, and the soul lives after death, it follows that spiritual nourishment is for eternal salvation. Who then does not see that those two nourishments ought not to be at all confounded, and that if any one confounds them, he must necessarily assume to himself natural and sensual ideas, which are material, corporeal, and carnal, concerning the flesh and blood of the Lord, and concerning the bread and wine, which ideas suffocate all spiritual ideas concerning this most holy Sacrament. But if any one be so simple that he cannot raise his understanding to anything but what he sees with his eye, I would advise him to think with himself concerning the Holy Supper, when he takes the bread and wine, and hears the flesh and blood of the Lord named on the occasion, that it is the most holy rite of worship, and to recollect the passion of Christ, and His love for the salvation of man, for He says,—"Do this in remembrance of Me." (Luke 22:19.) Also,—" The Son of Man came to give His soul a redemption for many." (Matt 20:28.) TCR 709.

Verse 26. And when they had sung a hymn.—Gladness of heart is testified not only by musical instruments and by singing, but also by dances; for the joys of the heart, or interior joys, go forth in the body into various acts, as into singing and into dances; and whereas the states of gladness, which, in ancient times, excelled all others, were derived from the affections of spiritual loves, which were those of Good and Truth, wherefore it was at that time allowed to adjoin dances to songs, &c., and by these means to testify joy. Hence it is that dances are named in the Word. AC 8339.

He went out into the Mount of Olives.—See chap. xiii. 3, Exposition.

Verse 27. And Jesus says to them, All you shall be offended because of Me this night, &c.—" Night" here signifies the last time of the old church, and the first of the New; and by the Lord being pleased to be "taken in the night," was signified, that Divine Truth was then in the obscurity of night, and that the false principle derived from evil was in its place; and by Peter in that "night" thrice denying the Lord, was represented the last time of the church, when the truth of faith is indeed taught, but is not believed, which time is night, because the Lord is then absolutely denied in the hearts of men. AC 6000.

Verse 30. And Jesus says to him, Verily I say to you, That today, in this night, before the cock crow twice, you shall deny Me thrice.—By these words is signified, that in the last time of the church there was no faith in the Lord, because no charity, for "cock-crowing," alike with morning, signifies the last time of the church; and "three," or three times, signifies what is complete to the end. AE 9, 250. See also NJHD 122.

Verses 32—42. And they came to a place called Gethse-mane, &c.—In these verses are described the Lord's temptations, which were most direful and cruel, so that He was driven to despair; for all temptation has with it some species of desperation, otherwise it is not temptation; wherefore also consolation follows. He who is tempted is brought into anxieties which induce a state of desperation concerning the end; the combat itself of temptation is nothing else; he who is in assurance concerning victory, is not in anxiety, thus neither in temptation. AC 1787. See also AC 8164.

Verse 36. Yet not what I will, but what You [will]. — Inasmuch as Jehovah, or the Father, was in the Lord, or He in the Father and the Father in Him, therefore by those words is meant, that the Lord united the Divine Principle to the Human by temptations, through His own proper power, which also is manifest from the Lord's words in John,—"As the Father knows Me, I also know the Father: and I lay down My soul for the sheep. For this the Father loves Me, that I lay down My soul, that I may take it again. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment I have received of My Father." (John 10:15, 17, 18.) That the Lord united His Divine Essence to the Human Essence by temptations, through His own proper power, see AC 1663, 1668, 1690, 1691, 1725, 1729, 1733, 1737, 1787, 1789, 1812, 1820, 2776, 3318. AC 3381.

Verse 38. Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.— That the Lord had the most grievous and inmost temptations, which are described in the internal sense of this chapter, (Gen. xxii.) will be evident. Why, however, it is said that God tempts, is according to the sense of the letter, in which temptation and similar things are attributed to God, but according to the internal sense, God tempts no one; in that sense He is constantly in the act of delivering from temptations, as much as possible, or as much as the deliverance will not cause evil, for He is constantly regarding good, into which He leads the man who is in temptations. For God never otherwise concurs with temptations. And although it is said of God, that He permits, still it is not according to the idea which man has of permission, namely, that He concurs by permitting; for man cannot otherwise understand than that he who permits, also wills [or concurs in] the permission, but it is the evil with man which does this, also which leads into temptation,—the cause of which is by no means in God; as there is no cause in a king or judge that a man should do evil, and on that account suffer punishment. For whoever separates himself from the laws of Divine order, all which have relation to what is Good and True, casts himself into the laws opposite to Divine order, all which have relation to the evil and the false, and hence into the laws of punishments and torments. AC 2768.

Verse 43. And immediately, while He yet spoke, comes Judas, being one of the twelve, and with him much multitude with swords and staves, &c.—By "swords" in this passage are signified false principles destroying truths, and by "staves" are signified evils destroying good; therefore this was done at the command of the High Priest, because all things relating to the Lord's passion were representative of the destruction of Good and of Truth by the Jews. AE 1145.

Verse 62. And you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.— To "sit on the right hand of power," signifies the Divine Omnipotence of the Lord over the heavens and over the earths, after that He had subdued the hells and glorified His Humanity; to "come with the clouds of heaven," signifies by Divine Truth in the heavens; for after the Lord had united the Human Principle to the Divine Itself, then the Divine Truth proceeded from Him, and He is with angels and with men in that Truth, because in the Word, in which and from which there is Divine Omnipotence. AE 687.

"The Son of Man" denotes the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord; to "sit on the right hand of power" denotes that He has omnipotence, for Divine Good has omnipotence by Divine Truth; by its being said, that "now on they should see this," is signified that the Divine Truth was in its omnipotence, when the Lord in the world had conquered the hells, and had reduced all things there and in the heavens into order; and that thus they might be saved who should receive Him by faith and love, see AC 9715. That to "sit on the right hand" denotes omnipotence, see AC 3387, 4592, 4933, 7518, 8281, 9133; that all power of good is by truth, see AC 6344, 6413, 8304, 9327, 9410, 9639, 9643; that the Divine Power itself is the Divine Truth, see AC 6948. That the "cloud" in which the Son of Man, that is, the Divine Truth, was to come, denotes the Word in the letter, see preface to chapter xviii., Genesis, AC 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343, 6752, 8443, 8781; and that "glory" is the Divine Truth itself, see preface to chapter xviii., Genesis, AC 4809, 5922, 8627, 9429. AC 9807.

That the letter of the Word is signified by a "cloud," may appear strange to some, since by those who comprehend all things according to the sense of the letter of the Word, nothing else can be seen but that a "cloud" signifies a cloud, and not anything spiritual such as the Word is, because this does not appear to have any relation to or agreement with a cloud; nevertheless it is the Divine Truth in ultimates, such as the Word is in the letter, which is signified, and the reason is, because in the spiritual world the Divine Truth, flowing down from the superior heavens into the inferior, appears as a cloud. It has also been seen by me, and from it and its variegations I could conclude concerning the quality of the truth, about which the angels of the superior heavens were discoursing. By the "Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven," in this and other passages, is meant the manifestation of the Lord in the Word, for after His coming they manifestly saw predictions concerning Him, in the propheticals of the Word, which they had not seen before, and still more manifestly at this day, when the spiritual sense of the Word is opened, which, in the supreme sense, treats throughout of the Lord, of the subjugation of the hells by Him, and of the glorification of His Humanity; this sense is meant by the "glory" in which He is about to come. AE 906.

The power of Divine Truth is principally against false and evil principles, thus against the hells, the combats against which ought to be waged by truths, derived from the sense of the letter of the Word; by truths belonging to man the Lord also has power to save him, for man, by truths derived from the sense of the letter of the Word, is reformed and regenerated, and in such case is taken out of hell, and introduced into heaven; this power the Lord assumed even as to His Divine Human Principle, after that He had fulfilled all things of the Word, even to its ultimates; wherefore the Lord said to the High Priest,—" Henceforth you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." SS 49.

Verses 63, 64. Then the High Priest rending his clothes, says, What need we any further witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy, &c.—By "rending the clothes" is signified mourning on account of the destruction of truth; by the High Priest therefore "rending his clothes, and saying that the Lord blasphemed, because He confessed that He was the Christ the Son of God," is signified that he believed no otherwise than that the Lord spoke against the Word, and thus against Divine Truth. AC 4763.

Angels and spirits appear clothed in garments, and every one according to his truths; they who are in genuine Divine Truths appear clothed in white shining garments, and others in others. Some spirits do not know whence garments come to them, but they are put on whilst they are ignorant of it; and also their garments vary according to the changes of their state as to truths. In a word, their intellectual principle is what is exhibited and represented by garments: for the intellectual principle of every one is formed by truths, and becomes of a quality such as the truths from which it is formed. The intellectual principle belonging to the angels of heaven is in their internal, hence they have white shining garments,— the shining is from the Divine Good, and the whiteness is from the light of heaven, which is the Divine Truth. But the garments of those who are in things external without an internal principle, are dirty and tattered, like those of beggars in the streets and of robbers in forests. What is signified by the "garments" of Aaron and his sons, see AC 9814, 10068. AC 10536.

Verse 65. And some began to spit upon Him, and to cover His face, and to buffet Him, &c.—By this was represented and signified that the Jewish nation were in the externals of the Word, of the church, and of worship, without internals; for all things which are mentioned in the Word concerning the Lord's passion, represent and signify arcana of heaven and of the church, and specifically of what quality the Jews were as to the Word, the church, and worship. AE 412.

The Lord, when He was in the world, was the Divine Truth Itself, and whereas the Divine Truth was altogether rejected by the Jews, therefore also the Lord, who was that Truth, suffered Himself to be crucified; such things are signified by all that is related in the Evangelists concerning the Lord's Passion. Singular the things even to the most singular involve it; wherefore, where the Lord speaks of His passion, He calls Himself the Son of Man, that is, the Divine Truth; every single thing therefore concerning His passion, signifies how the Divine Truth, which was from the Word, was treated by the Jews. For being delivered to the Gentiles, being mocked, being spit upon, being beaten with rods, being slain, are wicked methods by which they [correspondently] treated the Divine Truth; and whereas the Lord was the Divine Truth Itself, because the Word, and it was predicted in the Prophets that in the end of the church this Truth would be so affected, therefore it is said that "all things should be accomplished which were predicted by the prophets concerning the Son of Man." AE 83.

Verse 72. Before the cock crow twice, you shall deny Me thrice, &c.—That in the last times there would be no faith in the Lord, because no charity, was represented by Peter's "denying the Lord three times, before the cock crew twice;" for Peter there, in a representative sense, is faith, see AC 6000, 6073. That "cock-crowing," as well as twilight, signifies, in the Word, the last time of the church, see AC 10134; and that "three," or "thrice," signifies completion to the end. AC 2788, 4495.

There are some within the church who believe that the Lord by the passion of the cross took away sins, and satisfied the Father, and thus did the work of redemption; some also that He transferred upon Himself the sins of those who have faith in Him, that He carried them, and cast them into the depth of the sea, that is, into hell. It may therefore be expedient to say, first, what is meant by "bearing or carrying iniquities;" and afterwards, what is meant by "taking them away." By "bearing or carrying iniquities," nothing else is meant but sustaining grievous temptations, also suffering the Jews to do with Him as they had done with the Word, and to treat Him in like manner, because He was the Word; for the church, which at that time was amongst the Jews, was altogether devastated, and it was devastated by this, that they perverted all things of the Word, insomuch that there was not any truth remaining among them, wherefore neither did they acknowledge the Lord. This was meant and signified by all things of the Lord's passion. In like manner it was done with the Prophets, because they represented the Lord as to the Word, and hence as to the church, and the Lord was the real Prophet Himself. His being "betrayed by Judas," therefore, signified that He was betrayed by the Jewish nation, amongst whom at that time the Word was, for Judas represented that nation. His being "seized and condemned by the chief Priests and Elders," signified that He was so treated by all that church; His being "beaten with rods," His face "spit upon," being "struck with fists," and "smitten on His head with a reed," signified that it was so done by them with the Word, as to its Divine Truths, which all treat of the Lord; by "crowning Him with thorns," was signified that they falsified and adulterated those truths; by "dividing His garments, and casting lots upon His coat," was signified that they dispersed all the truths of the Word, but not its spiritual sense, which sense was signified by the Lord's "coat;" by their "crucifying Him" was signified that they destroyed and profaned the whole Word; by their "offering Him vinegar to drink," was signified that they offered Him merely things falsified and false, wherefore He did not drink it, and then said—"It is finished!" by their "piercing His side," was signified that they absolutely extinguished all the truth of the Word and all its good; by His being "buried," was signified the rejection of the Human Principle remaining from the Mother; by His "rising again on the third day," was signified glorification. Similar things are signified by those things in the Prophets, and in David, where they are predicted. Wherefore after that He was scourged and led forth, carrying the crown of thorns and the purple garment put on by the soldiers, He said—"Behold the Man!" (John 19:1, 5.) This was said because by "the Man" was signified the church, for by "the Son of Man" is signified the truth of the church, thus the Word. From these considerations it is now evident that, by "bearing iniquities," is meant to represent and effigy in Himself, sins against the Divine Truths of the Word. That the Lord sustained and suffered such things as the Son of Man, and not as the Son of God, will be seen in what follows; for "the Son of Man "signifies the Lord as to the Word.

It may now be expedient to say something concerning what is meant by taking away sins. By "taking away sins," the like is meant as by redeeming man and saving him, for the Lord came into the world that man might be saved; without His coming no mortal could have been reformed and regenerated, thus saved; but this can be effected, since the Lord has taken away all power from the devil, that is, from hell, and has glorified His Human Principle, that is, has united it to the Divine Principle of His Father. Unless these things had been effected, no man could have received any Divine Truth so as to abide with him, and still less any Divine Good, for the devil, who before had superior power, would have plucked them away from the heart. From these considerations it is evident that the Lord, by the passion of the cross, did not take away sins, but that He takes them away, that is, removes them with those who believe in Him, by living according to His precepts, as also the Lord teaches in Matthew,—" Do not suppose that I am come to dissolve the Law and the Prophets. Whosoever shall loosen the least of these precepts, and teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but he who does and teaches, shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens." (Matt 5:17, 19.) Every one may see from reason alone, if he be in any illustration, that sins cannot be taken away from man except by actual repentance, which consists in man seeing his sins, and imploring the Lord's aid, and desisting from them. To see, believe, and teach anything else, is not from the Word, neither is it from sound reason, but from lusts and a depraved will, which are the selfhood of man, by virtue whereof the understanding is infatuated. D. Lord. 15—18.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS.

Chapter XIV.

verse 72. And when he thought thereon, he wept.—What is here rendered "he thought thereon," is expressed in the original Greek by the term epibalwn, which expression is frequently applied by the best Greek writers to denote the putting on of a mantle or covering, and therefore, in the present instance, may be interpreted as signifying that Peter covered his face with a garment, which was a usual ceremony in cases of extreme and bitter grief. Thus we read in the Old Testament concerning David, that, when he wept, he "covered his head, or face," (2 Samuel 15:30; 19:4.) which same custom, we learn, prevailed among other nations. The reader therefore will adopt the meaning which is in most agreement with his own ideas.