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Matthew Chapter 22

Chapter XXII

1. And Jesus answering, again said to them in parables, saying,
2. The kingdom of the heavens is like a man a king, who made a marriage for his son,
3. And sent forth his servants to call them that were called to the marriage: and they were not willing to come.
4. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Say to them that were called, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and fatlings are sacrificed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage.
5. But they making light of it went away; one to his own field, and another to his merchandize:
6. But the rest, laying hold of his servants, treated [them] contemptuously, and slew [them].
7. But when the king heard, he was angry; and sending his armies, he destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
8. Then says he to his servants, The marriage truly is ready, but they who were bidden were not worthy.
9. Go you therefore into the cross-ways of the ways, and as many as you find call to the marriage.
10. And those servants going out into the ways, gathered together all as many as they found, both evil and good: and the marriage was filled with guests.
11. But when the king came in to view the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment:
12. And he says to him, Companion, how earnest you in here not having on a wedding garment? But he was speechless.
13. Then said the king to the ministers, When you have bound him feet and hands, take him, and cast him out into the darkness the most outward; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14. For many are called, but few chosen.
15. Then the Pharisees departing, took counsel together how they might ensnare Him in word [or discourse].
16. And they sent out to Him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth, and carest not for any one: for You lookest not to the face of men.
17. Tell us therefore, What think You? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?
18. But Jesus knowing their wickedness, said, Why tempt you Me, hypocrites?
19. Show Me the tribute money. And they brought to Him a penny.
20. And He says to them, Whose is this image and inscription?
21. They say to Him, Caesar's. Then says He to them, Render therefore to Caesar the things [which are] Caesar's, and to God the things [which are] God's.
22. And when they heard, they marvelled; and leaving Him went away.
23. In that day the Sadducees came to Him, who say that there is no resurrection, and asked Him,
24. Saying, Master, Moses said, If any one die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and shall raise up seed to his brother.
25. But there were with us seven brethren; and the first, having married, deceased, and not having seed, left his wife to his brother:
26. In like manner also the second, and the third, to the seventh.
27. But last of all the woman died also.
28. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
29. But Jesus answering said to them, You do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.
30. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
31. But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was declared to you by God, saying,
32. I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
33. And the multitudes hearing, were astonished at His doctrine.
34. But the Pharisees, hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, were gathered together for this same [thing].
35. And one of them, a lawyer, asked, tempting Him, and saying,
36. Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37. But Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God in your whole heart, and in your whole soul, and in your whole thought.
38. This is the first and great commandment.
39. But the second is like it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
40. On these two commandments hang the whole law and the prophets.
41. But the Pharisees being gathered together, Jesus asked them,
42. Saying, What think you of the Christ? whose Son is He? They say to Him, [the Son] of David.
43. He says to them, How then does David in spirit call Him, Lord, saying,
44. The Lord said to My Lord, Sit You on My right hand, until I place Yours enemies Your footstool?
45. If David then call Him Lord, How is He His Son?
46. And no one could answer Him a word, neither dared any one from that day question Him any longer.

EXPOSITION,

Chapter XXll.

verses 1-15.The parable of the marriage-feast.-By the marriage-feast, is here meant the church and heaven; by those who were invited, and who excused themselves, are meant the Jews with whom the church was at that time, for where the Word is known, and the Lord by means of the Word, there the church exists specifically. The reason why heaven and the church are likened to a feast and to marriage, is because heaven is the conjunction of the angels with the Lord by love, and their consociation one with another by charity, and hence a communication of all delights and happiness; the same is true of the church, because the church is the heaven of the Lord on the earth; that heaven is the conjunction of angels with the Lord by Love, and also their mutual consociation by charity, see the Treatise on Heaven and Hell, HH13-19; and hence a communication of all delights and happiness, HH 396-400. Mention is made, in the Word throughout, of feasting together in heaven, and by it, in the spiritual sense, is meant that they enjoy blessedness and happiness. AE 252.

Verse 2. Made a marriage for his son.-Inasmuch as by marriage is signified the conjunction of truth and good, and of good and truth, it may appear what is signified by husband and wife, by sons and daughters; for these expressions have relation to marriage. He who is not acquainted with the internal sense of the Word, may suppose that such expressions in the Word are only comparative, like many which occur in common discourse, and hence that the church is compared to a daughter, to a virgin, and to a wife, and that thus the things relating to faith and charity are compared to those things which relate to marriage. But in the Word all things are representative of spiritual and celestial things, and they are real correspondences; for the Word descended from heaven, and because it descended from there, in its origin it is divine-celestial and divine-spiritual, to which those things, which are of the literal sense, correspond. Hence it is that the things relating to the heavenly marriage, which is the conjunction of good and truth, fall into correspondences, thus into those things which relate to marriages on the earth. Hence also it is that the Lord likened the kingdom of the heavens, that is, His kingdom in the heavens, and His kingdom on the earth, which is the church, to "a man a king, who made a marriage for his son," to which he invited many. Matt 22:2, and following verses. AC 4434. See also TCR 358.AE 812.

Verse 5. They made light of it, &c. - The natural man makes light of and rejects whatever he views as separate from himself, and esteems and accepts whatever he views as conjoined to himself, neither knowing nor caring to know that it is spiritual to view as conjoined to himself every one who is in good, whether he be known or unknown, and to view as separate from himself every one who is in evil, whether he be known or unknown; for in such case he is conjoined with those who are in heaven, and disjoined from those who are in hell. The natural man, however, is not hence made sensible of pleasure, inasmuch as he is not receptive of spiritual influx; he therefore regards it as altogether vile and servile, thus as of no account in respect to the pleasure he experiences through the bodily senses, and the lusts of self-love and the love of the world; but this pleasure is dead, because it is from hell, whereas the pleasure derived from spiritual influx is alive, because it is from the Lord through heaven. AC 5025.

Verse 11. When the king came, &c. - See Exposition, chap. 2:5, xxi. 5, 8.

Verses 11, 12, 13. The king saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment, &c. - Garments, in the Word, signify truths, and intelligence derived from truths, as in Rev 3:4, 5, 16:15; but he who is not in truths, is said not to have on a wedding garment; by the house of the marriage is meant heaven and the church, from the conjunction of the Lord with them, by His Divine Truth; wherefore the Lord, in the Word, is called the Bridegroom and Husband, and heaven with the church the bride and wife. HH180.

Those who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, that is, by the Divine Truth of faith, are distinguished in the heavens from those who are regenerated by fire, that is, by the Divine Good of love. Those who are regenerated by the Divine Truth of faith are in heaven clad in garments of fine white linen, and are called spiritual angels; but those who are regenerated by the Divine Good of love, are clad in purple garments, and are called celestial angels. Those who are clothed in white garments are thus described: "They follow the Lamb clothed in fine linen, white and clean," Rev 19:14; "They shall walk with Me in white," Rev 3:4. The angels at the Lord's sepulchre, who appeared in white and shining garments, Matt 28:3, Luke 24:4, were of this kind; for it is expressly declared that fine linen signifies the righteousness of the saints, Rev 19:8. That garments, in the Word, signify truths, and that white garments of fine linen signify Divine Truths, may be seen in the AR 379. The reason why those who are regenerated by the Divine Good of love are clad in purple garments, is because purple is the colour of love, deriving it from the fire of the sun and its redness, which signifies love, as may be seen in the AR 468, 725. Because garments signify truths, therefore the man who came to the wedding, and had not on a wedding garment, was cast out into outer darkness, Matt 22:11-13. TCR 686.

A wedding garment signifies the intelligence of the spiritual man, which is derived from the knowledges of truth and good; but he who had not on a wedding garment, signifies a hypocrite, who, by moral life, assumes the semblance of spiritual life, when yet it is merely natural; to bind him feet and hands, signifies the privation of knowledges derived from the Word, by which he pretended to be a spiritual man; to be cast into outmost darkness, signifies amongst those who are in falses derived from evil; outmost darkness denotes such falses. AE 195.

It is said in the Word, that there came in one who had not on a wedding garment, and that he was cast out; how this case is, has been also shown me: there are some who, during their life in the body, have been tinctured with deceit, so as to be able to assume the semblance of being angels of light, and when they are in such an hypocritical state in the other life, they can also insinuate themselves into the next heavenly societies; but they do not stay there long, for when they perceive the sphere of mutual love, which is there, they are instantly seized with fear and horror, and cast themselves thence headlong; and in this case it appears, in the world of spirits, as if they were cast down, some towards a lake, some towards gehenna, some into some other hell. AC 2132. See also AC 10284, 10286. HH 48.

By much experience in the spiritual word, it has been given me to know that man possesses in himself the faculty of understanding the arcana of wisdom, like the angels themselves; for I have seen fiery devils, who, when they have heard the arcana of wisdom, not only understood them, but also from their rationality discoursed about them, yet as soon as they returned to their diabolical love, they did not understand them, but instead thereof they understood things contrary, which were insanities, and these on such occasion they called wisdom. Yea, it has been granted me to hear, that when they were in a state of wisdom, they laughed at their own insanity, and when they were in a state of insanity, they laughed at wisdom. The man who in the world has been of such a character, after death, when he becomes a spirit, is generally let into an alternate state of wisdom and insanity, that he may see the latter from the former. But although people of this description see from wisdom that they are insane, still, when the choice is given them, as it is to every one, they let themselves. into a state of insanity, and love it, and in such case they hate a state of wisdom: the reason is, because their internal principle was diabolical, and their external appearing as divine. These are they who are meant by the Devils, who make themselves angels of light, and by him, who, in the house of marriage, had not on a wedding garment, and was cast out into outer darkness. DP 223.

All who honour the Lord as a Redeemer and Saviour only with the mouth and lips, whilst with the heart and spirit they look at Him as a mere man, are meant by him who entered into the marriage, not having on a wedding garment; the wedding garment is faith in the Lord as the Son of God, the God of heaven and earth, and one with the Father. TCR 380.

Verse 13. And cast him out into darkness the most outward; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.-The reason why it [speaking a word against the Holy Ghost] will not be remitted to them is, because hypocrisy or deceit respecting holy Divine things infects the interiors of man, and destroys the all of spiritual life belonging to him, as was said above, inasmuch that at length there is no soundness in any part of him. For the remission of sins is the separation of evil from good, and the rejection of evil to the sides, AC 8393, which effect cannot have place with him in whom all good is destroyed. Therefore it is said, " It shall not be remitted to him, neither in this age nor in the future." Such also are they who are meant by him that had not on a wedding garment, who was bound hand and foot and cast into outer darkness, Matt 22:11, 12, 13. AC 9013.

A wedding garment signifies the intelligence of the spiritual man, which is derived from the knowledge of truth and good; but by him who had not on a wedding garment is signified a hypocrite, who by a moral life feigns the spiritual, when yet it is merely natural; to bind him feet and hands, signifies a privation of knowledges from the Word, by which he hath counterfeited the spiritual man; to cast him out into outermost darkness, signifies among those who are in falses from evil. AE 195. See also Exposition, chap. 8:12.

Verse 14. Many are called, but few chosen.-See Exposition, chap. 19:80, and AR 744, 816.

Verses 24, 25. Brother-brethren. See Exposition, chaps, 5:19-24; 12:49, 50; 18:15.

Verses 23-32. In that day the Sadducees came to Him, who say that there is no resurrection, &c. - There are two things which the Lord taught by these words; first, that man rises again after death; and, secondly, that they are not given in marriage in heaven. That man rises again after death, He taught by these words, that "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." and that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are living. Secondly, that they are not given in marriage in heaven, by these words, "In the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage." That no other marriages, are here meant but spiritual marriages, is manifest from the words which immediately follow, that "they are as the angels of God in heaven:" by spiritual marriage is meant conjunction with the Lord, and this is effected on the earth; and when this conjunction is effected on the earth, it is also effected in the heavens, wherefore in the heavens the marriage is not again effected, neither are they given in marriage: this is also meant by these words in Luke, "The sons of this age marry, and are given in marriage; but they who are accounted worthy to attain the other age, neither marry, nor are given in marriage," Luke 20:34, 35; the latter are also called by the Lord, "the sons of the marriage," Matt 9:15, Mark 2:19; and sometimes angels, sons of God, and sons of the resurrection. That 'to marry' denotes to be conjoined to the Lord, and that to enter into the marriage, denotes to be received into heaven by the Lord, is evident from the following passages: "The kingdom of the heavens is like a man a king, who made a marriage for his son, and sent forth servants, and invited to the marriage," Matt 22:1-14.; " The kingdom of the heavens is like ten virgins, who went forth to meet the bridegroom, of whom five, being prepared, entered into the marriage," Matt 25:1, and the following verses. That the Lord here meant Himself, is evident from verse 13 of the same chapter, where it is said, "Watch, because you know not the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is about to come." Also from the Apocalypse, "The time of the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has prepared herself. Blessed are they who are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb," Rev 19:7, 9. C.S.L. 41.

There are marriages granted in the heavens, as on the earth, but to no others there, except to those in whom there is the marriage of good and truth, neither are any others angels, wherefore spiritual marriages, which are those of good and truth, are there meant. These spiritual marriages are given on the earth; and not after man's decease, thus not in the heavens; as it is said of the five foolish virgins, who were also invited to the marriage, that they could not enter, because they had not the marriage of good and truth, for they had no oil, but only lamps; by oil is meant good, and by lamps truth; and to be given in marriage is to enter into heaven, where there is the marriage of good and truth. C.S.L. 44.

Verse 32. I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.-That hereby is signified the Divine [principle] Itself, and the Divine Human, thus the Lord, is manifest from the representation of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, as denoting the Divine Itself and the Divine Human of the Lord; that Abraham represents the Lord as to the Divine Itself, Isaac as to the Divine Rational, and Jacob as to the Divine Natural, see AC 1893, 2011, 2066, 2072, 2089, 2245, 2251, 2630, 3144, 3210, AC 3305, 3439, 3704, 4180, 4286, 4538, 4570, AC 4615, 6098, 6185, 6276, 6424, 6804; by God is signified the divine ; and by their names what is representative, hence those things in the Lord are what are meant by the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. AC 6847.

God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.-It is manifest from these words, that heaven and hell are from the human race, and the church might have known it, if she had admitted illustration from heaven, and attended to these words of the Lord, and to those to the thief on the cross, "That today he should be with Him in paradise," Luke 23:43; and to what the Lord said concerning the rich man and Lazarus, "That the former went into hell, and thence discoursed with Abraham, and that the latter went into heaven," Luke 16:19-31. L.J.19.

There are few who will believe it possible for any one to see the things which exist in the other life, and be thence enabled to give an account of the state of souls after death. The reason of this incredulity is because few believe in a resurrection; and of the learned, fewer than of the simple. They affirm, indeed, with their lips, that they shall rise again, because it is agreeable to the doctrine of faith; but still they deny it in their hearts. Nay, some even openly avow that if any one should rise from the dead, and that they should see and hear and touch him, they would then believe, but not till then. Were this, however, even granted, it must be repeated for the satisfaction of every individual; and, after all, not a single person who in heart denies a resurrection would be persuaded, but a thousand objections would arise in his mind, which would confirm him in his negative conclusion. Some profess to believe that they shall rise again, but not till the day of the last judgement; and the notion they have conceived of that day is, that all things belonging to the visible world are to be destroyed. As, however, that day has been expected in vain for so many ages, they still have doubts as to any resurrection ever taking place. But what is meant in the Word by the last judgement, will be briefly shown, by the Divine mercy of the Lord, at the end of chapter xvii. (Gen.) Hence it may appear what sort of persons there are at this day in the Christian world. The Sadducees, spoken of in Matt 22:22, openly denied a resurrection: yet they did better than those at this day, who profess not to deny, because it is an article of faith, and yet deny in their hearts; so that their profession is contrary to their belief, and their belief to their profession. Preface to Genesis, chapter xvi. AC

Verses 35-38. You shall love the Lord your God in your whole heart, and in thy whole soul, &c. - By loving Jehovah God with the whole heart and the whole soul, is meant with all the will and all the understanding, also with all the love and all the faith., for heart signifies the love and the will, and soul signifies faith and the understanding; the reason why the heart signifies those two principles, viz., the love and the will, is because man's love is of his will; and the reason why the soul signifies also two principles, namely, faith and the understanding, is because faith is of the understanding; the reason why heart and soul have such signification, is because the heart of man corresponds to the good of love which is of the will, and the soul or breath of the lungs corresponds to the truth of faith which is of the understanding. AE 750.

The reason why the state of the internal man is called spiritual is, because that man is affected with the truths which are of the light of heaven, and with the good which is of the heat of that light, which is love; that light is called spiritual light, because it illuminates the intellectual principle, and that heat is called" spiritual heat, which is love, and enkindles the will principle; hence it is that the state of the internal man is called the spiritual state: but the reason why the state of the external man is called the natural state is, because that man is affected with the truths which are of the natural world, and with the good which is of the heat of that light, which also is love, but the love of such things as are in the world; for all the heat of life is love; hence it is that the state of the external man is called natural; those things which are of the life in the natural state are meant by judgements, but those things which are of the life in the spiritual state are meant by the words of Jehovah. The reason why it denotes those things which are of the Word is, because in the Word are all things that are of life, for in themselves they have life itself. Hence it is that all things which are of the Word are of life, because also all things therein have reference to life, as may be manifest from the two precepts, on which all things of the Word are founded, concerning which it is written in Matthew 22:35-40. AC 9383.

Inasmuch as the understanding corresponds to the lungs, and thence thought corresponds to the respiration of the lungs, therefore by soul and spirit, in the Word, is signified understanding, as in Matt 22:37. DLW 383.

Verse 39. You shall love your neighbour as yourself,-See Exposition, chap. 5:43-45.

Verse 40. On these two commandments hang the whole law and the prophets.-By the law is meant the historical Word, and by the prophets the prophetical Word. AC 6752.

Inasmuch as a covenant denotes the conjunction of the Lord with man by love, it follows that it is effected also by all things which are of the love, which are the truths of faith, and are called precepts; for all the precepts, yea, the law and the prophets, are founded in one single law, that man should love the Lord above all things and his neighbour as himself.' AC 1038. See also Exposition, chap. 19:16, 17-22.

In the other life, the science of the knowledges of faith is of no account, for the very worst, yea, the infernals, may have the science of those knowledges, sometimes above others; but it is a life according to knowledges which is of account, for all knowledges have life for their end; unless they were learnt for the sake of life, they would be of no use, except to enable a person to discourse about them, and hence to be accounted learned in the world, to be raised to honours, and to gain reputation and wealth; hence it is manifest that the life of the knowledges of faith is no other than the life of charity, for the law and the prophets, that is, the universal doctrine of faith with all its knowledges, consists in love to the Lord, and in love towards the neighbour, as must be manifest to every one from the Lord's words in the verse above; nevertheless the doctrinals or knowledges of faith are still most necessary to form the life of charity. which cannot be formed without them. AC 2049. That all things of heaven and of the church are from the good of love, and that the good of love is from the Lord, cannot be seen, and hence cannot be known, unless it be demonstrated; the reason why it is not known because it is not seen is because good does not enter the thought of man like truth, for truth is seen in the thought, because it is from the light of heaven, whereas good is only felt, because it is from the heat of heaven, and it rarely happens that any one, whilst he reflects on those things which he thinks, attends to those which he feels, but to those which he sees. This is the reason why the learned have attributed all things to thought, and not to affection, and why the church has attributed all things to faith, and not to love; when yet the truth, which at this day in the church is said to be of faith, or is called faith, is only the form of the good which is of love; now whereas man does not see good in his thought, for good, as was said, is only felt, and is felt under various species of delight, and whereas man does not attend to that which he feels in thought, but to what he sees therein, therefore he calls all that good which he feels from delight, and from delight he feels evil, because this is in-born from his nativity, and proceeds from the love of self and of the world; this is the reason why he does not know that the good of love is the all of heaven and of the church, and that this good is not in man, except from the Lord, and that it does not flow in from the Lord with any others but those who shun evils, with their delights, as sins. This is what is meant by the Lord's words that the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.

"You shall love god above all things, and the neighbour, as yourself :" and I can assert that there is not a grain of truth given, which in itself is truth, with man, only so far as it is from the good of love from the Lord, and hence not a grain of faith, which in itself is faith, that is, living, saving, and spiritual, unless so far as it is grounded in charity, which is from the Lord. AE 908.

When love to the Lord becomes the ruling love, it enters into all the particulars of man's life; as he who loves his king, or his parent, manifests this love in their presence by its shining forth from every expression of his countenance, by its being heard in every particular of his speech, and by its appearing in all things of his gesture. This is meant by having God continually before the eyes, and by loving Him above all things with the whole soul and with the whole heart. AC 8857.

By heart is meant the life of love, and by soul the life of faith, and by thought those things which proceed from the life of faith, thus which proceed from the soul or the understanding enlightened. That these things are signified by heart and soul in the Word, is known to few at this day within the church, by reason that it has not been considered that man has two faculties, which are distinct from each other, namely, the will and the understanding, and that those two faculties must constitute one mind, that man may be truly man. Neither has it been considered that all things in the universe, as well in heaven as in the world, have reference to good and truth, and that these principles must be joined together before they can be and produce anything. In consequence of ignorance on these subjects, man has separated faith from love, for he who is ignorant of those universal laws cannot know that faith has reference to truth, and love to good, and that unless they be joined together they are not anything; for faith without love is not faith. and love without faith is not love, for love has its quality from faith, and faith its life from love, hence faith without love is dead, and faith with love is alive. AC 9050.

It is said that God should be loved from the whole heart, from the whole soul, and from all the strength, by which is signified that He should be loved from all things belonging to man; from the heart, denotes from the will where the good of love is; from the soul, denotes from the understanding where the truth of faith is, thus it denotes from faith; which two principles are of the internal man: from all the strength, denotes from those things which are of the understanding and of the will in the external man. AC 9936.

That love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour comprehend in them all Truths Divine, may be manifest from what the Lord spoke concerning those two loves, saying, "You shall love your God from your whole heart and from thy whole soul; this is the greatest and first commandment. The second, which is like it, is, you shall love your neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang the law and the prophets." The law and the prophets are the whole Word, thus all Truth Divine. HH 19.

In the beginning, when any church is established, the Word is at first closed to them, but afterwards it is unclosed, the Lord so providing, and hence it is learnt that all doctrine is founded on these two precepts, that the Lord is to be loved above all things, and a man's neighbour as himself. When these two precepts are regarded as an end, then the Word is unclosed, for all the law and all the prophets, that is, the whole Word, depend upon them, insomuch that all things are derived from those two precepts, and all things have reference to them; and whereas in such case the members of the church are in the principles of truth and good, they are enlightened in all the particulars which they see in the Word, for the Lord is then present with them by the angels, and teaches them, although they are ignorant of it, and also leads them into the life of truth and good. AC 3773.

It is said by the Lord in the Old Testament, and confirmed in the New, that all the law and all the prophets are founded in love to God, and in love towards the neighbour, thus in the very life, but not in faith without life, thus in nowise in faith alone, consequently neither in confidence, for this cannot exist without charity towards the neighbour. AC 5826.

Verses 41 - 46. That the Lord put off the human from the mother, and put on a Human from the Divine in Himself, which is called the Father, may also be concluded from this circumstance, that whenever He spoke to her or of her, He did not give her the title of mother. There are but three occasions recorded in the Evangelists in which the Lord addressed her or mentioned her, and on two of these He called her woman, and the third time He declined to acknowledge her as His mother. That He twice called her woman, we read in John 2:8, 4, 19:26, 27; that He once declined to acknowledge her, we read in Luke 8:20, Matt 12:46, 49, Mark 3:31, 35. In other places Mary is called His mother, but not from His own mouth. The same truth is also confirmed from this circumstance, that He would not acknowledge Himself to be the Son of David; for we read in the Evangelists, "Jesus asked the Pharisees, saying, What think you of Christ ? whose Son is He? They say unto Him, [the Son] of David. He says to them, How then does David in spirit call Him Lord, saying, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit you on My right hand, till I make Yours enemies Your footstool? If David then called Him Lord, how is He His Son? And no man was able to answer Him a word." Matt 22:41-45. Thus it is evident that the Lord, in respect to His glorified Human, was neither the Son of Mary nor of David. D.L. 35.

That there is an internal sense in the Word throughout, treating solely of the Lord, of His kingdom in the heavens, of His church in the earths, and with every individual person in particular, consequently treating of the good things of love and of the truth of faith, may appear to every one from the passages out of the Old Testament cited by the Evangelists, as in Matthew: "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit You on My right hand, until I make Your foes Your footstool," Matt 22:44; Psalm 110:1. That these words relate to the Lord, does not appear from the literal sense of the passage as it stands in the hook of Psalms, and yet that the Lord alone is meant, He Himself teaches in Matt 22:41-46. AC 2135.

Verse 42-45. They say to Him, the Son of David, &c.- That David might represent the Lord as to Divine Truth, the Lord was willing to be born of the house of David, and also to be called the Son, the stem and the offspring of David, likewise the root of Jesse; but when the Lord put off the Humanity derived from the mother, and put on the Humanity derived from the Father, which is the Divine Human, He was then no longer the Son of David. This is meant by the Lord's words to the Pharisees in the above verses; hence it is that He was not the Son of David, as neither the Son of Mary, whom therefore He did not call His mother, but woman. Matt 12:46, 47, 48, 49; Mark 3:31, to the end; Luke 8:19, 20, 21; John 2:4. AE 205.

It is believed that the Lord, as to His Humanity, not only was, but also is, the Son of Mary, but in this the Christian world is mistaken. That He was the Son of Mary is true, but that He still is the Son of Mary, is not true; for by acts of redemption He put off the Humanity derived from the mother, and put on the Humanity derived from the Father, hence it is that the Humanity of the Lord is Divine, and that in Him God is man and man is God. This is also confirmed by this consideration, that He did not acknowledge Himself to be the Son of David; for we read in the Evangelists, "Jesus asked the Pharisees, saying, What think you of the Christ? whose Son is He?" &c. TCR 102. See also AC 2649.

Verse 44. Sit Thou on My right hand, until I place Yours enemies Your footstool.-By right hand, when applied to the Lord, is signified both Omnipotence and Omniscience, the reason is, because to the right, in heaven, is the south, and to the left, is the north, and by the south is signified Divine Truth in the light, and by the north Divine Truth in the shade; and whereas all power appertains to Divine Good by Divine Truth, therefore by the right hand, when applied to the Lord, is signified Omnipotence. Whereas all intelligence and wisdom appertains to Divine Good by Divine Truth, and to the right, in heaven, is Divine Truth in the light, as was said, therefore by the right hand, when applied to the Lord, is also signified Omniscience. By the above words is described the Lord's combat in the world against the hells, and their subjugation, which was effected from the Divine Good by the Divine Truth; the right hand signifies the Divine Truth, wherefore it is said, "Until I place Yours enemies Your footstool," where by enemies are signified the hells, and by placing them a footstool, is signified altogether to subdue." AE 298.

To sit on the right hand is spoken from the idea of place, thus according to the appearance, when, nevertheless, it is the state of the Divine power of the Lord which is thus described. AC 3387. See also Exposition, chap. 19:28.

By footstool,are here signified things natural, both sensual things and scientific, and hence the rational things of man; which are called enemies, when they pervert worship, and this from the literal sense of the Word, so that there is worship only in things external, and no internal worship but what is filthy. AC 2162.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS.

Chapter XXII.

verse 2. Like to a man a king.-See note at chap, 18:23.

Verse 4. My oxen and failings are sacrificed.-What is here rendered are sacrificed, in the common version of the New Testament is translated are killed, but the original expression is tehumena,which is derived from thuo,properly signifying to sacrifice.

Verse 5. One to his own field.-There is a peculiar force and meaning in what is here called his own field (in the original idion agron), which can only be seen from the internal sense, according to which sense field has more immediate reference to what is of the will, as merchandize has to what is of the understanding. His own field, therefore, emphatically denotes his own proper will, and the things belonging to it, whilst both expressions, namely, field and merchandize,have reference to the marriage so often spoken of above.

Verse 7. The king was angry; and sending his armies, he destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.-The Lord here again speaks in reference to marriage, but in this case to the infernal marriage, because He is speaking of those who reject the heavenly marriage; for the king being angry has respect to evils in the will, and sending his armies has respect to falses in the understanding. In like manner, destroying the murderers, has respect to the effect of evil in destroying all good in the will, and burning their city, has respect to the effect of what is false in destroying all truth in the understanding. This passage also supplies another remarkable example of the Lord's mode of speaking according to a connection of ideas in the internal sense, when yet they appear scattered and unconnected in the sense of the letter.

Verse 9. Go ye therefore into the cross-ways of the ways.-The expression here rendered cross-ways of the ways, is in the original diexodous ton odon, which, in the common version of the New Testament, is rendered highways, but signifies more properly the places where several ways meet by crossing each other. There is every reason to conclude that the expression was adopted in reference to the internal sense, in which sense it applies to those who are principled in falses, or in truths not genuine, which may properly enough be called cross-ways.

Verse 12. And he says to him, Companion, &c. - See note at chap. xx. verse 13.

Verse 29. You do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.-To err denotes to be in false principles; not knowing the Scriptures, denotes from ignorance of the Divine Truth; nor the power of God, denotes from ignorance of the Divine Good, thus both expressions conjoined denote the heavenly marriage so perpetually referred to by the great Saviour.

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