Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture · 4 of 14

Divine Truth in the Letter Is in Its Fullness

37.IV DIVINE TRUTH IN THE SENSE OF THE LETTER OF THE WORD IS IN ITS FULLNESS, IN ITS HOLINESS, AND IN ITS POWER The reason why the Word in the sense of the letter is in its fullness, in its holiness, and in its power, is that the two prior or interior senses, which are called the spiritual and the celestial, are together or simultaneous [sunt simul] in the natural sense, which is the sense of the letter, as was said above (n. 28). But how they are simultaneous in that sense shall now be told in a few words.

38.There are in heaven and in this world a successive order and a simultaneous order. In successive order one thing succeeds and follows another from highest to lowest; but in simultaneous order one thing is next to another from inmost to outmost. Successive order is like a column with successive parts from the top to the bottom; but simultaneous order is like a connected structure with successive circumferences from center to surface. It shall now be told how successive order becomes simultaneous order in the ultimate. It is in this way: The highest things of successive order become the inmost ones of simultaneous order, and the lowest things of successive order become the outermost ones of simultaneous order. Comparatively speaking it is as if the column of successive parts were to sink down and become a connected body in a plane. [2] Thus is the simultaneous formed from the successive, and this in all things both in general and in particular of the natural world, and also of the spiritual world; for everywhere there is a first, a middle, and an ultimate, and the first aims at and goes through the middle to its ultimate. Apply this to the Word. The celestial, the spiritual, and the natural proceed from the Lord in successive order, and in the ultimate are in simultaneous order; and it is in this way that the celestial and spiritual senses of the Word are simultaneous in its natural sense. When this is comprehended, it may be seen how the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of the letter, is the basis, containant, and support of its spiritual and celestial senses; and how in the sense of the letter of the Word Divine good and Divine truth are in their fullness, in their holiness, and in their power.

39.From all this it is evident that in the sense of the letter the Word is the very Word itself, for within this sense there are spirit and life, the spiritual sense being its spirit, and the celestial sense its life. This is what the Lord says: The words that I speak unto you are spirit and are life (John 6:63). The Lord spoke His words before the world, and in the natural sense. The spiritual sense and the celestial sense without the natural sense which is the sense of the letter, are not the Word; for without it they are like spirit and life without a body; and are (as before said, n. 33) like a palace without a foundation.

40.The truths of the sense of the letter of the Word are in part not naked truths, but appearances of truth, and are as it were likenesses and comparisons taken from things such as exist in nature, and thus accommodated and adapted to the apprehension of the simple and of little children. But being correspondences they are receptacles and abodes of genuine truth; and are like enclosing and containing vessels, as a crystal cup encloses noble wine, and as a silver plate holds palatable food. They are also like garments which clothe, as swathings do an infant, and a pretty dress a maiden. They are also like the memory-knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man which contain within them perceptions and affections of truth of the spiritual man. The naked truths themselves which are enclosed, held, clothed, and contained, are in the spiritual sense of the Word; and the naked goods are in its celestial sense. [2] But let this be illustrated from the Word. Jesus said: Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, because ye cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside thereof may be clean also (Matt. 23:25-26). The Lord here spoke by means of ultimate things which are containants, and said “cup and platter”; and “cup” means wine, and “wine” the truth of the Word; and “platter” means food, and “food” the good of the Word. To “cleanse the inside of the cup and platter” means to purify by means of the Word the interior things which belong to will and thought and thus to love and faith. “That the outside may be clean also” means that in this way, exterior things, which are the actions and the conversation, will have been made pure, for these derive their essence from the interior things. [3] Again, Jesus said: There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in crimson and fine linen, and living in mirth and splendor every day; and there was a certain poor man, named Lazarus, who was laid at his porch, full of sores (Luke 16:19-20). Here also the Lord spoke by means of natural things that were correspondences, and contained spiritual things. The “rich man” means the Jewish nation, which is called “rich” because it possessed the Word, in which are spiritual riches. The “crimson and fine linen” with which he was clothed signify the good and truth of the Word; “crimson” its good, and “fine linen” its truth. To “live in mirth and splendor every day” signifies the delight they had in possessing and reading the Word. The “poor man Lazarus” means the Gentiles who had not the Word; and that these were despised and scorned by the Jews, is meant by Lazarus lying at the rich man’s porch full of sores. [4] The reason the Gentiles are meant by “Lazarus” is that the Gentiles were beloved by the Lord, as Lazarus, who was raised from the dead was beloved by the Lord (John 11:3, 5, 36), and is called His friend (John 11:11), and reclined with the Lord at table (John 12:2). From the two foregoing passages it is evident that the truths and goods of the sense of the letter of the Word are as vessels and as garments for the naked truth and good that lie hidden in its spiritual and celestial senses.

41.Such being the Word in the sense of the letter, it follows that they who are in Divine truths, and in the faith that the Word within, in its bosom, is Divine holiness - and much more they who are in the faith that it is from its spiritual and celestial senses that the Word is Divine holiness - see Divine truths in natural light while reading the Word in enlightenment from the Lord. For the light of heaven (in which is the spiritual sense of the Word) flows into the natural light in which is its sense of the letter, and illumines man’s intellectual called the rational, and causes him to see and recognize Divine truths, both where they stand in plain view, and where they lie concealed. With some these Divine truths flow in along with the light of heaven; sometimes even when they are not aware of it.

42.As, in its inmost bosom, from its celestial sense, our Word is like a flame that enkindles; and as, in its middle bosom, from its spiritual sense, it is like a light that enlightens; it follows that in its ultimate bosom, from its natural sense which has within it the two more interior senses, the Word is like a ruby and a diamond; like a ruby from its celestial flame, and like a diamond from its spiritual light. And as from its transparency the Word is like this in the sense of the letter, the Word in this sense of the letter is meant by the foundations of the wall of the New Jerusalem; by the Urim and Thummim in Aaron’s ephod; by the garden of Eden in which had been the king of Tyre; by the curtains and veils of the Tabernacle; and by the externals of the Temple at Jerusalem. But in its very glory the Word was represented by the Lord when He was transfigured.

43.That the truths of the Word’s sense of the letter are meant by the foundations of the wall of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21), follows from the fact that the “New Jerusalem” means the New Church as to doctrine (as has been shown in Doctrine of the Lord, n. 62-63); so that its “wall,” and the “foundations of the wall,” can mean nothing but the external of the Word which is the sense of the letter, for this is the source of doctrine, and through doctrine of the church, and this sense is like a wall with its foundations that encloses and protects a city. Concerning the wall of the New Jerusalem and its foundations we read in Revelation: The angel measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, which was the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. And the wall had twelve foundations, adorned with every precious stone. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst (Rev. 21:17-20). The number “144” signifies all the truths and goods of the church derived from doctrine that is drawn from the sense of the letter of the Word. The like is signified by “12.” A “man” signifies intelligence; an “angel,” Divine truth the source of intelligence; “measure,” the quality of these; the “wall” and its “foundations,” the sense of the letter of the Word; and the “precious stones,” the truths and goods of the Word in their order, which are the source of doctrine, and through doctrine of the church.

44.The truths and goods of the sense of the letter of the Word are meant by the Urim and Thummim. The Urim and Thummim were on the ephod of Aaron, whose priesthood represented the Lord as to Divine good and as to the work of salvation. The garments of the priesthood or of holiness represented Divine truth from Divine good. The ephod represented Divine truth in its ultimate, thus the Word in the sense of the letter, for this, as before said, is Divine truth in its ultimate. Consequently the twelve precious stones bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (which were the Urim and Thummim) represented Divine truths from Divine good in their whole complex. [2] Concerning these we read in Moses: They shall make the ephod of [gold], hyacinthine blue, and bright crimson, of scarlet double dyed, and fine linen intertwined. And thou shalt make a breastplate of judgment according to the work of the ephod; and thou shalt set it with settings of stones, four rows of stones: the first row a ruby, a topaz, and an emerald; the second row a chrysoprase, a sapphire, and a diamond; the third row a cyanus, an agate, and an amethyst; the fourth row a thalassius, a sardius, and a jasper. These stones shall be according to the names of the sons of Israel; the engravings of a signet according to his name shall be for the twelve tribes. And Aaron shall carry upon the breastplate of judgment the Urim and Thummim and let them be upon the heart of Aaron when he goeth in before Jehovah (Exod. 28:6, 15-21, 29-30). [3] What was represented by Aaron’s garments - his ephod, robe, vest, miter, belt - has been unfolded in Arcana Coelestia on this chapter, where it is shown that the ephod represented Divine truth in its ultimate; the precious stones in it, truths pellucid from good; the twelve precious stones, all ultimate truths pellucid from the good of love in their order; the twelve tribes of Israel, all things of the church; the breast-plate, Divine truth from Divine good; the Urim and Thummim, the shining forth in ultimates of Divine truth from Divine good (for Urim means a shining fire; and Thummim, in the angelic language, means a shining forth, and in the Hebrew, entirety). Besides many other things, it is there shown also that answers were given by variegations of light and a simultaneous tacit perception, or by a living voice. From all this it is evident that these precious stones signified truths from good in the ultimate sense of the Word; nor are answers from heaven given by other means, for in this sense the Divine proceeding is in its fullness. [4] That precious stones and diadems signify Divine truths in their ultimates, such as are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, has been made very evident to me from precious stones and diadems in the spiritual world, among the angels and spirits there whom I have seen wearing them - I have seen them in their caskets also - and it has been given me to know that they correspond to truths in ultimates, and, what is more, that from these truths they exist and come into view. As these truths are signified by diadems and precious stones, John saw diadems Upon the head of the dragon (Rev. 12:3); Upon the horns of the beast (Rev. 13:1); And precious stones upon the harlot that sat on the scarlet beast (Rev. 17:4). Diadems and precious stones were seen upon the dragon, the beast, and the harlot, because these signify the people in the Christian world who are in possession of the Word.

45.The truths of the sense of the letter of the Word are meant by the precious stones in the garden of Eden, in which, in Ezekiel, the king of Tyre is said to have been. We read in Ezekiel: King of Tyre, thou sealest up thy sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the ruby, the topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the sardonyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the chrysoprase, and the emerald, and gold (Ezek. 28:12-13). “Tyre,” in the Word, signifies the knowledges of truth and good; a “king,” the truth of the church; the “garden of Eden,” wisdom and intelligence from the Word; “precious stones,” truths pellucid from good such as are in the sense of the letter of the Word. As the stones signify these truths, they are called his “covering.” That the sense of the letter covers up the interiors of the Word, may be seen in a preceding chapter.

46.The sense of the letter of the Word is signified by the curtains and veils of the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle represented heaven and the church, and therefore the form of it was shown by Jehovah upon Mount Sinai. Consequently all things in the Tabernacle - the lampstand, the golden altar for incense, and the table whereon were the loaves of faces - represented and consequently signified holy things of heaven and the church. The Holy of holies wherein was the ark of the covenant represented and consequently signified what is inmost of heaven and the church; and the Law itself written on the two tables of stone and enclosed in the ark signified the Lord as to the Word. Now, as external things derive their essence from internal things, and both of these from the inmost, which in this case was the Law, it follows that holy things of the Word were represented and signified by all things of the Tabernacle. Therefore the ultimate things of the Tabernacle which were the curtains and veils (and thus its coverings and containers), signified the ultimate things of the Word, which are the truths and goods of the sense of the letter. And because these ultimates of the Word were signified, All the curtains and veils were made of fine linen intertwined, of hyacinthine blue and bright-crimson, and of scarlet double dyed, with cherubim (Exod. 26:1, 31, 36). What the Tabernacle and all things in it represented and signified generally and specifically, has been unfolded in Arcana Coelestia on this chapter of Exodus. It is there shown that the “curtains” and “veils” represented external things of heaven and the church, and therefore of the Word; and that “fine linen” signified truth from a spiritual origin; “hyacinthine blue,” truth from a celestial origin; “bright crimson,” celestial good; “scarlet double dyed,” spiritual good; and “cherubim,” guards of the interior things of the Word.

47.The external things of the Temple at Jerusalem represented external things of the Word, which belong to the sense of its letter. This is because the Temple represented the same as did the Tabernacle, namely, heaven and the church, and consequently the Word. That the Temple at Jerusalem represented the Lord’s Divine Human, He Himself teaches in John: Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up; He spake of the Temple of His Body (John 2:19, 21). Where the Lord is meant, there also is meant the Word, for the Lord is the Word. Now as the interior things of the Temple represented interior things of heaven and the church (and therefore of the Word), its exterior things represented and signified exterior things of heaven and the church, and therefore exterior things of the Word, which belong to the sense of its letter. Concerning the exterior things of the Temple we read: That they were built of whole stone, not hewn, and within of cedar; and that all its walls within were carved with cherubim, palm trees, and openings of flowers; and that the floor was overlaid with gold (1 Kings 6:7, 29-30); all of which things also signify external things of the Word, which are holy things of the sense of the letter.

48.The Word in its glory was represented by the Lord when He was transfigured. Concerning the Lord as transfigured before Peter, James, and John, we read: That His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as the light. That Moses and Elias appeared talking with Him. That a bright cloud overshadowed the disciples; and that a voice was heard out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son, hear ye Him (Matt. 17:1-5). I have been instructed that the Lord then represented the Word; “His face that did shine as the sun,” His Divine good; “His garments that became as the light,” His Divine truth; “Moses and Elias,” the historical and the prophetical Word; “Moses,” the Word that was written by him and the historical Word in general, and “Elias,” the prophetical Word; and the “bright cloud that overshadowed the disciples,” the Word in the sense of the letter; and therefore a voice was heard from this cloud which said, “This is My beloved Son, hear ye Him.” For all utterances and answers from heaven are made exclusively by means of ultimate things such as are in the sense of the letter of the Word. For they are made in fullness, from the Lord.

49.So far we have shown that the Word in the natural sense, which is the sense of the letter, is in its holiness and its fullness. Something shall now be said to show that in this sense the Word is also in its power. How great and of what nature is the power of Divine truth in the heavens and also on earth, is evident from what has been said in Heaven and Hell concerning the power of the angels of heaven (n. 228-233). The power of Divine truth is directed especially against falsities and evils, thus against the hells. The fight against these must be waged by means of truths from the sense of the letter of the Word. Moreover it is by means of the truths in a man that the Lord has the power to save him; for man is reformed and regenerated and is at the same time taken out of hell and introduced into heaven, by means of truths from the sense of the letter of the Word. This power the Lord took upon Himself, even as to His Divine Human, after He had fulfilled all things of the Word down to its ultimates. [2] Therefore when by the passion of the cross He was about to fulfill those which remained, He said to the chief priest, Hereafter ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven (Matt. 26:64; Mark 14:62). The “Son of man” is the Lord as to the Word; the “clouds of heaven” are the Word in the sense of the letter; to “sit at the right hand of God” is omnipotence by means of the Word (as also in Mark 16:19). The Lord’s power from the ultimate things of truth was represented by the Nazirites in the Jewish Church; and by Samson, of whom it is said that he was a Nazirite from his mother’s womb, and that his power lay in his hair. Nazirite and Naziriteship also mean the hair. [3] That Samson’s power lay in his hair, he himself made plain, saying, There hath not come a razor upon my head, because I have been a Nazirite from my mother’s womb; if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man (Judges 16:17). No one can know why the Naziriteship (by which is meant the hair) was instituted, or whence it came that Samson’s strength was from the hair, unless he knows what is signified in the Word by the “head.” The “head” signifies the heavenly wisdom which angels and men have from the Lord by means of Divine truth; consequently the “hair of the head” signifies heavenly wisdom in ultimate things, and also Divine truth in ultimate things. [4] As, from correspondence with the heavens, this is the signification of the “hair,” it was a statute for the Nazirites that: They should not shave the hair of their heads, because this is the Naziriteship of God upon their heads (Num. 6:1-21). And for the same reason it was ordained that: The high priest and his sons should not shave their heads, lest they should die, and wrath should come upon the whole house of Israel (Lev. 10:6). [5] As, on account of this signification, which is from correspondence, the hair was so holy, the Son of man, who is the Lord as to the Word, is described even as to his hairs: That they were white like wool, as white as snow (Rev. 1:14). In like manner the Ancient of days (Dan. 7:9). (On this subject see also above, n. 35.) In short, the reason why the power of Divine truth or of the Word is in the sense of the letter, is that there the Word is in its fullness and it is also because in that sense are, at the same time and together [simul], the angels of both the Lord’s kingdoms and men on earth.