MATTHEW 3      Other translations  -  previous  -  next  -  meaning  -  Matthew  -  BM Home  -  Full Page

Matthew Chapter 3

    Chapter 3

THE INTERNAL SENSE.

  1. And in those days John the Baptist presented himself, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

the state of the church is represented as being without any truth, because without good, in consequence of adulterating the Word. Verse 1.

  1. And saying, Repent you; for the kingdom of heaven is near.

Which Word teaches that men ought to shun evils as sins against god, and believe in the lord's Divine Humanity. Verse 2.

  1. For this is he that was declared by Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the lord, make His paths straight.

And thereby prepare themselves to receive good and truth from the lord. Verse 3.

  1. But the same John had his clothing of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

The ultimates of the Word, which are natural, are described. Verse 4.

  1. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan,

To which all within the church have access. Verse 5.

  1. And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

And are thereby initiated into knowledges concerning the lord, His coming, and salvation by Him, and are thus reformed and regenerated. Verse 6.

  1. But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, O generations of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the anger to come?

Being taught that of themselves they are nothing but evil, and that they ought to explore the Divine origin of that Word, which would make it manifest. Verse 7.

  1. Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance:

And to renounce their natural corruptions. Verse 8.

  1. And think it not right to say in yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; for I say to you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

And not to depend upon external sanctification, which may be communicated to the lowest principles and things. Verse 9.

  1. And now also the axe is laid to the root of the trees; therefore every tree, which brings not forth good fruit, is cut down, and cast into the fire.

But to apply the Divine truths of the Word, to the removal of self-love, otherwise they will perish eternally, being left without love to the lord, and without charity. Verse 10.

  1. I indeed baptize you in water to repentance; but he that cometh after me, is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry: He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire:

Whereas, if they suffer themselves to be led by truth to shun the evils of self-love, they will become receptive of the internal Word,which is the lord, and be initiated into truth and good from Him. Verse 11.

  1. Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

From whom alone comes radical purification, and conjunction of goods and truths with heaven, through the removal of all evils and falses into hell. Verse 12.

  1. Then comes Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to John, to be baptized of him.

The lord, as to His Human essence, submits to be initiated into the external truths of the Word. verse 13.

  1. But John forbad Him, saying I have need to be baptized of You, and comest You to me?

Although, as to His Divine Essence He was the essential Word itself. Verse 14.

  1. And Jesus answering, said to him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becomes us to fulfill all justice. Then he suffered Him.

Thus He made Himself the Word in its ultimates, as He was the Word in its first principles. Verse 15.

  1. And Jesus being baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and lo, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him;

But ascending rapidly out of external truths, He enters into the interior truths and goods of the Word, even to the Divine Truth in Himself. Verse 16.

  1. And lo a voice from the heavens saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

And also to the Divine Good in Himself. Verse 17.

Chapter III.

  1. and in those days John the Baptist presented himself, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
  2. And saying, Repent you; for the kingdom of heaven is near.
  3. For this is he that was declared by Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the lord, make His paths straight.
  4. But the same John had his clothing of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
  5. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan,
  6. And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
  7. But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, O generations of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the anger to come?
  8. Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance:
  9. And think it not right to say in yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; for I say to you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
  10. And now also the axe is laid to the root of the trees; therefore every tree, which brings not forth good fruit, is cut down, and cast into the fire.
  11. I indeed baptize you in water to repentance; but he that comes after me, is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry: He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire:
  12. Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
  13. Then comes Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to John, to be baptized of him.
  14. But John forbad Him, saying I have need to be baptized of You, and comest You to me?
  15. And Jesus answering, said to him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becomes us to fulfill all justice. Then he suffered Him.
  16. And Jesus being baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and lo, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him;
  17. And lo a voice from the heavens saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

EXPOSITION. Chapter III.

verses 1, 2, 3. In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness, &c. - Inasmuch as with the Jewish nation all things of the Word were adulterated, and there was no longer any truth with them, because there was no good; therefore John the Baptist was in the wilderness, by which was represented the state of that church; wherefore also the Lord, speaking of Jerusalem, by which is meant the church as to doctrine, said, "Your house shall be left a wilderness,'" Luke 13:35; where a house a wilderness, signifies a church without truths, because without good. AE 730.

The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, &c.- These words relate to the Lord's coming, and to the last judgement on the occasion; and by "the voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of Jehovah," is signified that they should prepare themselves to receive the Lord: a wilderness signifies where there is no good because no truth, thus, where there is as yet no church; by every valley being exalted, and every mountain and hill being humbled, is signified that all the humble in heart, or they who are in goods and truths, are received, for they who are received by the Lord, are exalted to heaven; and by every mountain and hill being humbled, is signified that all who are lofty in mind, or they who are in self-love and the love of the world, are depressed. AE 405.

Verse 3. The church at that time was altogether vastated, so that there was no longer remaining anything good or anything true, as appears evident from this consideration, that no one at that time knew that man had any internal principle, nor that there was anything internal in the Word; consequently, they did not know that the Messiah or Christ was to come to save them for ever. Hence, also, it is manifest what is signified by John's being in the wilderness until the days of his appearing to Israel, Luke 1:80; and by his preaching in the wilderness of Judea, Matt 3:1; and by his baptizing in the wilderness, Mark 1:4; for hereby he represented the state of the church. From this signification of wilderness it may also appear why the Lord so often retired into the wilderness, &c. AC 2708.

Verse 4. John had his clothing of camel's hair, &c. - John the Baptist represented the like with Elias, wherefore also it is said that Elias was come, by whom is meant John; Elias represented the Lord as to the Word, or the Word which is from the Lord, in like manner John: and whereas the Word teaches that Messiah, or the Lord, was to come, therefore John was sent before, to preach concerning the coming of the Lord, according to the predictions in the Word: and whereas John represented the Word, therefore, the ultimates of the Word, which are natural, were represented by John's clothing, and also by his food, namely, by clothing of camel's hair, and by a leathern girdle about his loins; camel's hair signifying the ultimates of the natural man, such as are the exteriors of the Word; and a leathern girdle about the loins signifying their external bond and connection with the interiors of the Word, which are spiritual: similar things are signified by locust and wild honey; by locust, the truth of the natural man, and by wild honey the good thereof; whether we say the truth and good of the natural man, or natural truth and good, such as the Word is in its ultimate sense, which is called the sense of the letter or natural sense, it is the same thing, for John represented it by his clothing and food. AE 619. See also AC 9372.

Raiment of camel's hair signifies the Word, such as is its literal sense as to truth, which sense is a clothing for the internal sense, viz., that it is natural, for what is natural is signified by hair, and also by camels; and his meat being locusts and wild honey, signifies the Word such as is its literal sense as to good, the delight of which is signified by wild honey. AC 5620.

The reason why John the Baptist was thus clothed, was because he represented the Word, in like manner as Elias; and by clothing of camel's hair, and by a leathern girdle, and by eating of locusts and wild honey, he represented its ultimate sense, which, as was said, is natural-sensual, because for the natural-sensual man; by clothing is signified truth clothing good; by camel's hair is signified the ultimate principle of the natural man, which is sensual; by locusts and wild honey is also signified the same as to appropriation, - by locusts the sensual principle as to truth, and by wild honey the sensual principle as to good, and by eating, the appropriation thereof. It is to be observed that, in ancient times, when churches were representative churches, all who were in ministries were clothed according to their representations, and also did eat according thereto. AE 543; see also AE 619.

Verse 6. And were baptized of him in Jordan, &c. - The reason why John baptized in Jordan was, because by [or through] that river there was entrance into the land of Canaan,, and by the land of Canaan was signified the church, because the church was in that land; and hence by Jordan was signified introduction into it; that that land signified the church, and Jordan introduction into it, see the Apocalypse Revealed, 285. TCR 677; see also AC 4255.

Verse 10. And now also the axe is laid to the root of the trees, &c.-Inasmuch as the proprium,or selfhood of man, constitutes the first root of his life, it is evident what sort of a tree man would become, if that root were not to be extirpated, and a new one implanted: he would be a rotten tree, of which it is said, that it "is to be cut down and cast into the fire." Matt 3:10; 7:19. This root is not removed, and a new one implanted in its stead, unless man regards the evils, which constitute the root, as destructive to his soul, and is on that account desirous of removing them: but inasmuch as they appertain to his proprium, and are consequently delightful to him, he cannot effect their removal but with a degree of unwillingness and of struggle against them, and thus of combat. DLife 93.

Inasmuch as trees in general signify such things as appertain to man, and constitute the interiors which are of his mind, and thus the spiritual things which are of the church, and both the one and the other are various, therefore, so many species of trees are mentioned in the Word, and every species signifies somewhat different. Moreover, the things which are upon trees, as leaves and fruits, signify such things as appertain to man; leaves the truths belonging to him, and fruits the goods, as in Jeremiah 17:8; Ezek 47:12; Apoc 22:2. By fruits are signified goods of love, or what is the same, goods of life, which are also called works, as likewise in these passages: "The axe is laid to the root of the trees; therefore every tree which brings not forth good fruit, is cut down, and cast into the fire. Either make the tree good, and the fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and the fruit corrupt; for the tree is known from its fruit." Matt 3:10; 12:33. AE 109.

Infernal fire is nothing else but hatred, revenge, and cruelty, or, what is the same thing, self-love, which in another life thus manifest themselves: man during his life in the body, who has such an evil nature and quality, however he may outwardly appear to other men, yet if he was viewed near by the angels, he would appear in their eyes exactly according to the description here given, namely, his hatreds would appear as torches of fire, and his falses thence derived as furnaces of smoke. Of this fire the Lord thus speaks in Matthew, "Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." Matt 3:10. AC 1861.

Verses 11-16. I indeed baptize you in water to repentance, &c.-Inasmuch as by the waters of Jordan were signified truths introducing into the church, which are the knowledges of truth and good derived from the Word, and by washing in those waters was signified purification from falses, and hence reformation and regeneration from the Lord; therefore baptism was instituted, which was first done in Jordan by John, by which was signified, that they were to be initiated into knowledges derived from the Word concerning the Lord, His coming, and salvation by Him; and whereas man, by truths derived from the Word, is reformed and regenerated of the Lord, therefore baptism was commanded by the Lord. Matt 28:19. For truths from the Word are those by which man is reformed and regenerated, and the Lord is He who reforms and regenerates. See NJHD 202-210. John said that "he baptizes with water, but that the Lord baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire," Luke 3:16; by which is meant, that John only inaugurated them into knowledges derived from the Word concerning the Lord, and thereby prepared them to receive the Lord, but that the Lord himself regenerates man by the Divine truth and the Divine good proceeding from Him; for John represented the like as Elias, namely, the Word; the waters with which John baptized, signified truths introducing, which are knowledges concerning the Lord derived from the Word; the Holy Spirit signifies the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and fire signifies the Divine good proceeding from Him, and baptism signifies regeneration effected of the Lord, by Divine truths derived from the Word. He who believes that baptism contributes anything to the salvation of man, unless he be at the same time in the truths of the church, and in a life according" to them, is much deceived; for baptism is an external [ceremony], which, without an internal principle, is of no effect to salvation; but is of effect, where what is external is conjoined with what is internal. The internal of baptism is, that by truths derived from the Word, and by a life according to them, falses and evils may be removed of the Lord, and thereby man may be regenerated, as the Lord also teaches in Matt 23:26,27. AE 475.

The spiritual angels are they who are said to be regenerated by water and the spirit, whereas the celestial angels are regenerated by fire. AC 1042.

As to what concerns the baptism of John, it represented the cleansing of the external man, whereas the baptism which is administered at this day among Christians, represents the cleansing of the internal man, which is regeneration; wherefore it is written, that John baptized with water, but that the Lord baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire, and on this account the baptism of John is called the baptism of repentance. Matt 3:11; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3; John 1:25, 26, 33. TCR 690.

Verse 11. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.-To baptize is to regenerate; with the Holy Spirit, is by Divine Truth; and with fire, is from the Divine Good of the Divine Love. AC 9818.

Verse. 12. He will gather the wheat into the garner, but will burn up the chaff, &c. - Wheat denotes the goods of love and charity; chaff denotes what contains nothing of good. AC 3941.

By baptizing with the Holy Spirit and with fire is signified to reform the Church, and to regenerate the man of the church by Divine Truth and Divine Good; to baptize signifies to reform and to regenerate ; the Holy Spirit the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, and fire the Divine Good of His Divine Love; by the wheat which He shall gather into the barn, and by the chaff which He will burn up with unquenchable fire, is signified good of every kind which is of heavenly origin, that it shall be preserved to eternity, consequently those who are principled in such good; and the false of every kind, which is of infernal origin, that it shall be destroyed, consequently those who are principled therein; by reason of wheat, barn and chaff, being made use of to denote such things, therefore mention is also made of fan and floor, and by fan is signified separation, and by the floor, is denoted where the separation takes place. AE 374.

Verse 15. Thus it becomes us to fulfill all justice, &c. - It may be expedient briefly to say why the Lord, when He was in the world, was Himself also willing to be baptized, when yet by baptism is signified the regeneration of man from the Lord; the reason was, because the baptism of the Lord Himself signified the glorification of His Humanity; for that which in the Word signifies the regeneration of man, signifies also the glorification of the Humanity of the Lord, for the regeneration of man is an image of the glorification of the Lord: therefore, when the Lord permitted John to baptize Him, He said, "Thus it becomes us to fulfill all justice;" to fulfill all justice is to subjugate the bells, and to reduce them and the heavens into order, by His own proper power, and at the game time to glorify His Humanity; which things were done, by temptations admitted into Himself, thus by continual combats with the hells even to the last on the cross; that this is the justice which the Lord fulfilled, see AC 9486, 9715, 9809, 10019, 10152, 10239. See also TCR 95, 96.

Verse 16. We read that when Jesus was baptized the heavens were opened, and John saw the Holy Spirit descending as a dove: Matt 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:21; John 1:32, 33; this was done because baptism signifies regeneration and purification, in like manner as a dove signifies: who cannot perceive that the dove was not the Holy Spirit, neither was the Holy Spirit in the dove? In heaven doves frequently appear, and as often as they appear, the angels know that they are correspondences of affections, and thence of thoughts concerning regeneration and purification, with some who stand in the neighbourhood; wherefore as soon as they come to them, and speak to them about some other thing than what was in their thoughts when that appearance was presented, the doves instantly vanish: the case herein is similar to that of many others, where things were seen by the prophets, and when a lamb was seen by John upon mount Zion, Rev 14:1, and in other places; who does not know, that the Lord was not that lamb, neither was in the lamb, but that the lamb was a representation of His innocence; hence is manifest the error of those, who, from the dove being seen over the Lord when He was baptized, and from the voice heard out of heaven on the occasion, "This is my beloved Son," deduce three persons of the Trinity. That the Lord regenerates man by faith and charity, is meant by what John the Baptist said, "I baptize you with water to repentance, but He who is about to come after me, shall baptize with the holy spirit and with fire," Matt 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; to baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire, denotes to regenerate by the Divine Truth which is of faith, and by the Divine Good which is of charity. The like is signified by these words of the Lord, "Except any one be begotten of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 3:5. By water here, as in other parts of the Word, is signified truth in the natural or external man; and by spirit truth derived from good in the spiritual or internal man. TCR 144. See also B.E. 31-38, and AC 870.

Verse 17. And lo a voice from heaven, &c.-By the Son, of God, whose future advent was predicted, nothing can be meant but the Human which the Lord assumed in the world. Hence, too, it follows that the Human was what was meant, when Jesus at His baptism was called by Jehovah, in a voice from heaven, His Son: "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased," Matt 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22; for it was His Human that was baptized. D.L. 19.

TEANSLATOR'S NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS.

Chapter III.

verse 2.Repent you, &c. - In the original Greek there are two expressions to denote the act of repentance; metanoeo, which is the expression here used, and metameleomai, which occurs in Matt 21:29, 27:3, and Heb 7:21. The first expression appears to relate more to a change of thought in the understanding,and the second to a change of affection in the will.

Verse 11. He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.-Another instance here occurs of reference to the heavenly marriage, pointed at in the note at verse 18 of the preceding chapter: for to baptize, means to regenerate; with the Holy Spirit, means by Divine Truth; and with fire, means from the Divine Good of the Divine Love.

MATTHEW 3    Other translations  -  previous  -  next  -  meaning  -  Matthew  -  BM Home  -  Full Page