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Mark Chapter 15

Verse 2. Art You the King of the Jews? And He answering, said to him, You say.—There are two things which are predicated of the Lord, namely, that He is a King, and that He is a Priest. "King," or what pertains to royalty, signifies holy truth; "Priest," or what pertains to the priesthood, signifies holy good; the former is the Divine-Spiritual Principle, the latter is the Divine-Celestial. The Lord as a King governs all things, yea, every particular in the universe, by virtue of Divine Truth, and as a Priest, by virtue of Divine Good. Divine Truth is the very essential order of His universal kingdom, all the laws whereof are true, or are eternal truths. Divine Good is the very essential of order, all things belonging to which are of mercy; each is predicated of the Lord. If only Divine Truth was predicable of Him, no flesh could be saved, for truths condemn every one to hell; but Divine Good, which is of mercy, elevates from hell to heaven. This is what was represented by kings and priests in the Jewish church, and what was also represented by Melchizedec as king of Salem, and priest to God Most High. AC 1728. See also AC 2015.

That by "King," in the Word, is meant the Lord as to Divine Truth, is evident from the above words of the Lord Himself to Pilate. From Pilate's question, "What is Truth?" it is evident that he understood that the Lord called Truth a king, but whereas he was a Gentile, and knew nothing of the Word, he could not be instructed that Divine Truth was from the Lord, and that He was Divine Truth; therefore after the question, he immediately went out to the Jews, saying,— "I find no fault in Him;" and afterwards set over the cross, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews;" and when the chief Priests said to him,—"Write not, The King of the Jews; but that He said, I am the King of the Jews," Pilate replied,— "What I have written, I have written." AE 31.

Verse 17. And put on Him a crown of thorns, which they platted.—By the "head" of the Lord is meant the Divine Truth and Divine Wisdom, and by "crowning it with thorns" is signified that they so contumeliously treated the Divine Truth and Divine Wisdom; for the Word, which is the Divine Truth, and in which is Divine Wisdom, they falsified and adulterated by traditions, and by applications to themselves,—thus being willing to have a king who should exalt them over all in the universal earth; and whereas the kingdom of the Lord was not earthly, but heavenly, therefore they perverted all things of the Word which were said concerning Him, and laughed at the things which were predicted of Him. This was what was represented by their "setting a crown of thorns upon His head," and by their "smiting His head." AE 577.

Verse 19. And they smote Him on the head with a reed.— He who does not know the spiritual sense of the Word, may believe that these and several other things, which are related concerning the Lord's passion, involve no more than vulgar methods of mockery, as that they "put a crown of thorns upon His head," that they "parted His garment, and not His coat," that they "bended the knees before Him for the sake of mocking," and also this, that they "put a reed into His right hand, and then smote His head with it," also that they "filled a sponge with vinegar, or wine mixed with myrrh, and gave it Him to drink;" but it is to be noted that all things which are related concerning the Lord's passion, signify the mockery of Divine Truth, consequently the falsification and adulteration of the Word, inasmuch as the Lord, when He was in the world, was Divine Truth Itself, which in the church is the Word; and because the Lord was that Divine Truth in the world, He permitted the Jews to treat Himself as they treated the Divine Truth or the Word, by its falsification and adulteration. For they applied all things of the Word to favour their own loves, and laughed at all truths which disagreed with their loves, as at the Messiah Himself, because He would not be king over the whole world, according to their explication and religion, and would not exalt them to glory above all people and nations. That all things which are related concerning the Lord's passion have such a signification, see above, AE 64, 83, 195; but by "putting a reed into the Lord's hand," and then "smiting His head with it," was signified that they falsified the Divine Truth or Word, and that they altogether made a mock at the understanding of Truth and the Divine Wisdom. By a "reed" is signified the false principle in extremes, and by "smiting the head" is signified to reject and mock at the understanding of Truth and Divine Wisdom, signified by the Lord's "head;" and whereas they "gave the Lord vinegar to drink," by which is signified what is falsified, therefore also they "put a sponge filled with it on a reed," by which is signified the false principle in extremes, which is the false principle sustaining. AE 627.

Verse 23. And they gave Him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but He did not receive it.—All and singular the things which are related in the Evangelists concerning the Lord's passion, in the spiritual sense signify the state of the church at that time in regard to the Lord and the Word; for the Lord was the Word, because the Divine Truth, and the Jews, as they treated the Word or Divine Truth, so they treated the Lord; on which subject see above, AE 64, 195. By their "giving the Lord wine mingled with myrrh," which is also called "vinegar mixed with gall," was signified the quality of Divine Truth from the Word, such as was with the Jewish nation, namely, that it was mixed with the false principle of evil, and thus altogether falsified and adulterated, wherefore "He would not drink it;" but by their afterwards "giving the Lord vinegar, and encompassing it with hyssop," was signified the false principle, such as prevailed among the well-disposed Gentiles, which was the false principle grounded in ignorance of truth, wherein was what is good and useful, therefore He drank it, since this false principle is accepted of the Lord; by the "hyssop" with which they encompassed it, is signified its purification. By the Lord saying, "I thirst," is signified Divine spiritual thirst, which is that of Divine Truth and Good in the church, by which Truth and Good the salvation of the human race is effected. AE 519.

Inasmuch as the Jewish church had falsified all the truths of the Word, and the Lord, by all things of His passion, represented that church, permitting the Jews to treat Him as they had treated the Word, because He was the Word, therefore "they gave Him wine mixed with myrrh, but when He had tasted, He would not drink." AR 410.

Verse 24. And when they had crucified Him, they parted His garments, casting lots upon them, what every one would take.—He who reads these words, and is unacquainted with the internal sense of the Word, does not know that any arcanum lies concealed in them, when yet, in every single expression there is a Divine arcanum. The arcanum was, that Divine Truths were dissipated by the Jews, for the Lord was the Divine Truth, whence He is called "the Word;" (John 1:1.) the Word is Divine Truth. His "garments" represented truths in the external form, and His "coat" in the internal; the "division of the garments" represented the dissipation of the truths of faith by the Jews; that "garments" denote truths in the external form, see AC 2576, 5248, 5954, 6918; and that a "coat" denotes truth in the internal form, see AC 4677. Truths in the external form are such as are of the Word in the literal sense, but truths in the internal form are such as are of the Word in the spiritual sense. The "division of the garments into four parts," (John 19:23.) signifies total dissipation. AC 9093. See also AC 3812.

Verse 26. And the superscription of His accusation was written over, the king of the jews.—By this inscription on the cross was signified that the Divine Truth or the Word, was in such an aspect, and so treated by the Jews, with whom the church was. That all the things which were done to the Lord by the Jews, when He was crucified, signified states of their church as to the Divine Truth or the Word, see AC 9093. AC 9144.

Verse 27. And with Him they crucified two thieves; one on His right hand, and one on His left.—By the "two thieves" are here meant the same as by "the sheep and the goats," (Matt 25:33.) wherefore it is said to the one who acknowledged the Lord, that "he should be with Him in paradise." AE 600.

Verse 33. And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour.—By the "darkness over the whole earth" was represented that, in the universal church, there was nothing but evil and the false principle thence derived, together with the false principle and the evil thence derived; "three hours," also, or "from the sixth to the ninth hour," signify what is full and altogether. For all and singular the things which are related in the Evangelists concerning the Lord's passion, contain in them the arcana of heaven, and signify Divine celestial things, which are discoverable only by the internal spiritual sense. AE 526. See also AE 401.

The falsities of the last times were represented and signified by the "darkness over the whole earth, from the sixth hour even to the ninth," at the Lord's crucifixion. AC 1839.

By being "darkened" and by "darkness" is signified not to be seen and known by reason of evils grounded in falses and falses grounded in evils. Evils grounded in falses take place with those who assume false principles of religion, and confirm them till they appear as truths, and when they live according to them they do evils from false principles, or evils of the false. But falses grounded in evils take place with those who do not consider evils as sins, and still more with those who by reasonings from the natural man, and also from the Word, confirm in themselves that evils are not sins, which confirmations themselves are falses grounded in evils, and are called falses of evil. The reason why these are signified by "darkness," is, because "light" signifies truth, and when light is extinguished, darkness ensues. In proof of this many passages from the Word might be adduced. Darkness in spiritual things proceeds either from ignorance of the Truth, or from false doctrines, or from false principles of religion, or from a life of evil. Concerning those who are in false principles of religion and thence in evils of life, the Lord says,— "They shall be cast into outer darkness." (Matt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30.) AR 413.

Verse 34. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a great voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, Lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?— The passion of the cross was the last temptation which the Lord as the Grand Prophet sustained, and was the means of the glorification of His Human Principle, that is, of Union with the Divine Principle of the Father, and was not redemption. For there are two things, for the sake of which the Lord came into the world, and by which He saved men and angels, namely, redemption, and the glorification of His Human Principle; these two things are distinct from each other, but still they make one with respect to salvation. What redemption was, has been shown above, namely, that it was a combat with the hells, the subjugation of them, and afterwards the arrangement of the heavens into order; but glorification is the Unification of the Human Principle of the Lord with the Divine of His Father. This was effected successively and plenarily by the passion of the cross; for every man, on his part, ought to accede to God, and so far as man agrees, so far God on His part enters; the case herein is as with a temple, which must first be built, and this is done by the hands of men, and afterwards it must be consecrated, and lastly, prayer must be made that God may be present, and conjoin Himself with the church there. The reason why real Union was fully effected by the passion of the cross is, because it was the last temptation which the Lord underwent in the world, and by temptations conjunction is effected; for in temptations, man is left apparently to himself alone, although he is not left, for God is then most present in his inmost principles, and supports; wherefore when any one conquers in temptations, he is intimately conjoined to God, and the Lord on this occasion was intimately united with God His Father. That the Lord, during the passion of the cross, was left to Himself, is manifest from this His last exclamation at the time,—" My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" From these considerations it may now be manifest that the Lord did not suffer as to the Divine Principle, but as to the Human, and that on this occasion an intimate, and thereby plenary union was effected. This may be illustrated by this consideration,—that whilst man suffers as to the body, his soul does not suffer, but only grieves; but God takes away this grief after victory, and wipes it away, as a person wipes tears from the eyes. TCR 126.

Verse 38. And the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom.—By the "veil of the temple being rent in two," &c., was signified that the Lord made His Human Principle Divine, for within the veil was the ark in which was the testimony, and by the "testimony" was signified the Lord as to His Divine Human Principle, as may be seen above, AE 392; the "veil" signified the external of the church which was amongst the Jews and Israelites, and which covered their eyes, that they did not see the Lord and the Divine Truth or Word in its light. AE 400.

By the "veil of the temple being rent," was signified that the Lord entered into the Divine Principle itself, having shaken off all appearances, and that at the same time He opened a passage to the Divine Principle itself by or through His Human Principle made Divine. AC 2576.

By the "veil of the temple being rent in two," was also signified that the externals of the ancient church, and also of the Jewish, which were all representative of the Lord and of the celestial and spiritual things of His kingdom, that is, of love and charity, and thence of faith, were unfolded, and as it were unswathed, and that then the Christian church was manifested. AC 4772.

Verse 46. And laid Him in a sepulchre, &c.—Whereas "burial" signifies resurrection, it also signifies regeneration, for regeneration is man's first resurrection, inasmuch as he then dies as to the old man, and rises again as to the new. By regeneration man from being dead becomes alive; hence comes the signification of a "sepulchre" in the internal sense. That an idea of regeneration occurs to the angels, when an idea of a sepulchre is presented, is evident also from what was related concerning infants, AC 2299. The reason why "sepulchre," in an opposite sense, signifies death or hell, is, because the wicked do not rise again to life; and therefore when the subject treated of is concerning the wicked, and mention is made of a sepulchre, in this case there occurs to the angels no other idea than that of hell; this is the reason why hell, in the Word, is also called a "sepulchre." That "sepulchre" signifies resurrection and also regeneration, is evident from these words in Ezekiel,—" Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord Jehovah,—Behold, I will open your sepulchres, and will cause you to ascend out of your sepulchres, O my people, and will bring you to the ground of Israel. And you shall know that I am Jehovah, in My opening your sepulchres, and causing you to ascend out of your sepulchres, O my people; and I will give My spirit to you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own ground." (Ez 37:12-14.) In this passage the prophet treats of vivified bones, and in an internal sense of regeneration; that he treats of regeneration is very evident, for it is said,— "I will give My spirit to you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own ground." "Sepulchre" here denotes the old man, with his evil and false principles, which to open, and from which to ascend, is to be regenerated; thus the idea of a sepulchre perishes, and is, as it were, put off, when the idea of regeneration, or new life, succeeds. The same is implied by the "sepulchres being opened, and many bodies of sleeping saints rising, and going forth out of their sepulchres after the Lord's resurrection, and entering into the holy city, and appearing to many;" (Matt 27:52, 53.) denoting resurrection by virtue of the Lord's resurrection, and, in an interior sense, every particular resurrection. By the Lord's raising Lazarus from the dead, (John xi.) is also implied the raising up of a New Church from amongst the Gentiles, for all the miracles which were worked by the Lord, as being divine, involved states of His church. The like is implied also by what is related of the man, who, being "cast into the sepulchre of Elisha, came to life again on touching the prophet's bones;" (2 Kings 13:20, 21.) for by Elisha was represented the Lord. Inasmuch as "burial" signified resurrection in general, and every particular resurrection, therefore the ancients were especially solicitous about their burials and the places where they were buried, as appears from the case of Abraham, in that he was buried in Hebron in the land of Canaan, and also Isaac and Jacob with their wives; (Gen 47:29-31; 49:30-32.) and from the case of Joseph, in that his bones were carried from Egypt into the land of Canaan; (Gen. 1. 25; Exod 13:19; Joshua xxiv. 32.) and from the case of David and the kings after him, in that they were buried in Zion. (1 Kings 2:10; 11:43; 14:31; 15:8, 24; 22:50; 2 Kings 8:24; 12:21; 14:20; 15:7, 38; 16:20.) The reason was, because the "land of Canaan" and also "Zion" represented and signified the Lord's kingdom, and "burial" represented and signified resurrection; but that place contributes nothing to resurrection may be obvious to every one. That "burial" signifies resurrection to life, is manifest also from other representatives, as where it is ordered that "the wicked should not be bemoaned, neither buried, but should be cast out;" (Jer 8:2; 14:16; 16:4, 6; 20:6; 22:19; 25:33; 2 Kings 9:10; Rev 11:9.) and that "the wicked, who were buried, should be cast out from their sepulchres." (Jer 8:1, 2; 2 Kings 23:16-18.) But that "sepulchre," in an opposite sense, signifies death or hell, may be seen in Isaiah 14:19-21; Ezek 32:21, 22, 23, 25, 27; Psalm 88:5, 6, 11, 12; Numb 19:16, 18, 19. AC 2916.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS.

Chapter XV.

verse 2. And Pilate asked Him, Art You the King of the Jews? And He answering, said, You say.—The two expressions, "said" and "say," which are here applied, are from different expressions in the original Greek; the first, namely, "said," being from the Greek eipw, and the second, namely, "say," from the Greek legw. But the Greek eipw is expressive of a more interior speech than the Greek legw, and accordingly the former is applied, in this instance, to express the speech of the Lord, and the latter, to express the speech of Pilate.