600# “他右脚踏海，左脚踏地”表示属世的字义，天堂和教会的一切事物都在字义中。这从“脚”、“踏海的右脚和踏地的左脚”的含义清楚可知。“脚”当论及表示圣言方面的主的天使时，是指终端中的神性真理，或属世意义，也就是字义上的圣言(参看AE 65, 69节)。“脚”在一般意义上表示属世事物，因为人从头到脚底都对应于天堂，天堂整体上呈现为一个人；头对应于至内层或第三层天堂，其天使是属天的；胸往下直到腰对应于中间或第二层天堂，其天使被称为属灵的，脚对应于终端或第一层天堂，其天使是属天-属世和属灵-属世的；脚底对应于世界，世界上的一切都是属世的。这清楚表明，为何“脚”表示属世事物(关于这种对应关系，详情可参看《天堂与地狱》，59–86, 87–102节)。
由此明显可知，为何在此代表圣言方面的主的天使的“脚”表示圣言的属世意义，也就是圣言的字义。“踏海的右脚和踏地的左脚”是指天堂和教会的一切事物；因为“右”表示作为真理源头的良善的一切事物，“左”表示来自良善的真理的一切事物；“海和地”表示天堂和教会的一切事物，无论外层还是内层，“海”表示外层事物，“地”表示内层事物。由于天堂和教会的一切事物都与良善和真理有关，也与外层事物和内层事物有关，所以这些话表示总体上天堂和教会的一切事物。天使之所以被看见“踏海踏地”，是因为灵界的外在表象与自然界的事物的表象很相似；例如，灵界和自然界一样有海，陆地，环海和它们之间的陆地(参看AE 275, 342, 538a,c节)。这表明为何“海和地”表示天堂和教会的一切事物。
由于圣言中的许多经文提到了“右和左”，有些地方只提到“右”或“左”，所以我要用几句话解释一下它们各自表示什么，以及两者一起表示什么。这一点可从灵界的方位得知，在那里，南方在右，北方在左，东方在前，西方在后。天使始终面向显为太阳的主，故在他前面的是主的东方，在他后面的是主的西方，他右手边是南方，左手边是北方。正是由于这种面向的方式，“右”表示在光中的真理，“左”表示在荫中的真理；或也可说，“右”表示属灵良善，也就是在光中的真理，“左”表示属灵真理，也就是在荫中的真理；因此，“右”也表示作为真理的源头或真理所来自的良善，“左”表示来自良善的真理。这就是身体和头部的所有右边部位和左边部位的含义；如右眼和左眼，右手和左手，右脚和左脚，等等，每个肢体或部位仍旧保留其特有的含义。从这几句话可知，在新旧约圣言中，“右”和“左”表示什么，无论总体还是具体，如以下经文。
马太福音：
你施舍的时候，不要叫左手知道右手所作的，好叫你的施舍可以在隐秘中。(马太福音6:3, 4)
这些话表示必须出于良善并为了良善，而不是由于自我和世界，为了表现或被看见而行良善；“施舍”表示一切善行；“不要叫左手知道右手所作的”表示必须出于良善本身行善，而不是不与良善一起行善，因为这不是良善。“右手”表示作为真理的源头或真理所来自的良善，“左手”表示来自良善的真理，如前所述；这些在那些处于爱与仁之良善的人里面行如一体，但在那些在所行的良善中关注自我和世界的人里面却不行如一体；因此，“左手”在此表示知道，并且不与良善一起行动。“好叫你的施舍可以在隐秘中”表示好叫它不是为了表现的缘故。
同一福音书：
王把绵羊安置在祂的右手边，山羊在左手边；祂向那右手边的说，你们这蒙我父赐福的，可来承受那创世以来为你们所预备的国。王又要向那左手边的说，你们这被咒诅的人，离开我，进入那为魔鬼和他的使者所预备的永火里去。(马太福音25:33, 34, 41)
人若不知道“绵羊”和“山羊”严格意义上表示什么，可能会以为“绵羊”是指所有善人，“山羊”是指所有恶人；但严格意义上说，“绵羊”表示那些处于对邻之仁的良善，由此处于信的人，“山羊”表示那些处于与仁分离之信的人，因而表示在教会的末期，所有面临审判的人。因为所有处于对主之爱的良善，并因此处于仁与信之良善的人都已经在最后审判之前被提到天堂；而所有未处于仁之良善，并因此未处于信的人，因而所有内在邪恶，同时外在也邪恶的人在最后审判之前都已经被扔进地狱；但那些内在良善，外在却不同样良善的人，以及那些内在邪恶，但外在良善的人都一直留到最后的审判；届时，那些内在良善的人被提到天堂，而那些内在邪恶的人则被扔进地狱(对此，可参看小著《最后的审判》中根据耳闻目睹的事所说的)。由此可见，“山羊”表示那些处于与仁分离之信的人；例如：但以理书(8:5–25)和以西结书(34:17)中的公山羊。这清楚表明，“绵羊”所在的“右手边”表示仁和由此而来的信之良善，“山羊”所在的“左手边”表示与仁分离之信。论到绵羊，经上说他们“可来承受那创世以来为他们所预备的国”，因为在天堂，南方在右边，所有处于来自良善的真理之人都在那里；因为在南部，发出的神性本身就具有诸如“那创世以来所预备的国”所表示的那种品质；因此，他们也被称为“蒙我父赐福的”，“父”表示神性良善，天堂的一切事物都来自神性良善。但论到左手边的“山羊”，经上没有说“那创世以来所预备的国”，而是说“那为魔鬼和他的使者所预备的永火”，因为恶人为自己预备或制造地狱。他们被称为“被咒诅的人”；在圣言中，“被咒诅的人”表示所有转身离开主的人，因为这些人弃绝教会的仁与信。至于“永火”表示什么，可参看《天堂与地狱》(566–575节)。
在十字架上被钉在主的右手边和左手边的“两个强盗”与“绵羊”和“山羊”具有相同的含义；因此，主对那承认祂的强盗说，他要与祂同在乐园里(马太福音27:38; 马可福音15:27; 路加福音23:39–43)。
约翰福音：
耶稣对正在打鱼的门徒说，你们把网撒在船的右边，就必得着。于是他们撒下网去，竟拉不上来了，因为鱼很多。(约翰福音21:6)
由于在圣言中，“打鱼”表示处于外在或属世良善，处于外在或属世良善之人所受的教导和他们的皈依，那时大多数外邦人就处于这良善，“鱼”表示属世人的事物，“船”表示取自圣言的教义，所以“船的右边”表示生活的良善。这清楚表明，主吩咐他们“把网撒在船的右边”表示什么，即表示他们要教导生活的良善。他们得着很多，以至于“网竟拉不上来了，因为鱼很多”表示他们将如此使外邦人皈依教会。谁都能看出，主不会吩咐他们“把网撒在船的右边”，除非“右边”具有意义。
马太福音：
若是你的右眼叫你跌倒，就把它剜出来，从你身上扔掉。若是右手叫你跌倒，就把它砍掉，从你身上扔掉。(马太福音5:29, 30)
主所说的“右眼”和“右手”不是指右眼和右手，谁都能从以下事实看出这一点：经上说，若叫人跌倒，眼睛就必须“剜出来”，手必须“砍掉”。但由于“眼睛”在灵义上表示属于理解力和由此而来的思维的一切，“右手”表示属于意愿和由此而来的情感的一切，所以很明显，“若是右眼叫你跌倒，就把它剜出来”表示如果一个人思想邪恶，那么这邪恶必须从思维中被弃绝；“若是右手叫你跌倒，就把它砍掉”表示如果意愿邪恶，那么这意愿的邪恶就必须被抛弃。因为眼睛本身不能叫人跌倒，右手也不能，能叫人跌倒的，是它们所对应的理解力的思维和意愿的情感。经上说“右眼”和“右手”，而不说“左眼”和“左手”，是因为“右手”表示良善，在反面意义上表示邪恶，而“左手”表示真理，在反面意义上表示虚假，跌倒的一切原因都来自邪恶，而非来自虚假，除非这虚假是邪恶之虚假。这些话论及内在人，而不是论及外在人；内在人的功能是思考和意愿，而外在人的功能是看见和行动，这一点从前面论到别的妇女的话也明显看出来，即：只是出于淫欲看她，就已经犯通奸罪了。
600b.福音书：
西庇太儿子的母亲求耶稣，叫她儿子在祂国里，一个坐在右手边，一个坐在左手边。耶稣说，你们不知道所求的是什么；坐在我的右手边和左手边，不是我可以赐的，乃是赐给我父所赐给的人。(马太福音20:20–23; 马可福音10:35–40)
“西庇太儿子，即雅各和约翰的母亲”之所以提出这个要求，是因为“母亲”表示教会；“雅各”表示仁，“约翰”表示行为上的仁之良善；在天上，这两者，或那些处于这两者的人就在主的右手边和左手边；那里的右边是南方，左边是北方；在南方的，是那些处于来自清晰良善的真理之光的人，在北方的，是那些处于来自模糊良善的真理之光的人。从显为太阳的主发出的神性本身在这些方位上产生具有这种性质的一个神性气场；因此，除了那些处于来自良善的这些真理的人外，没有人能住在那里。这就是只有我父所赐给或预备的人才能“坐在主的右手边和左手边”的含义；“父”表示神性之爱的神性良善，天堂和天堂的一切都来自这神性良善。因此，主的这些话意思是说，主赐给那些自创世以来被预备得着在南方和北方的产业之人在天堂坐在祂的右手边和左手边。
“右手”表示天堂里的南方，这一点在大卫诗篇是显而易见的：
天是你的，地也是你的；世界和其中所充满的，都是你建立的；北方和右手边是你创造的。(诗篇89:11, 12)
“天和地”表示高层天堂和低层天堂，同样表示内在和外在教会；“世界和其中所充满的”表示总体上的良善和真理方面的天堂和教会；“世界”表示良善方面的天堂和教会，“其中所充满的”表示真理方面的天堂和教会；由于这些原则，或那些处于这些原则的人都在北方和南方，南方在主的右手边，所以经上说“北方和右手边”；由于在这些方位上，与神性良善合一的神性真理自创世以来就是这样，如前所述，所以经上说，“你建立”、“你创造”。
以赛亚书：
主虽然给你艰难饼和困苦水；你的教师却不再离开，你的眼睛必再看见你的教师；当你或向右走、或向左走时，你的耳朵必听见有话说，这就是路，你要行在其中。(以赛亚书30:20, 21)
这些话论述了那些处于试探，通过试探并在试探之后在教义真理上承认和接受教导的人；“艰难饼和困苦水”表示试探本身，“困苦饼”表示爱之良善方面的试探，“困苦水”表示信之真理方面的试探；因为试探分为两种，即属于爱的良善方面的试探和属于信的真理方面的试探；“饼”表示爱之良善，“水”表示信之真理，“艰难”和“困苦”表示试探的状态。“你的眼睛必再看见你的教师”表示教义真理上的教导，“眼睛”表示理解力和信，“教师”表示教义。“你的耳朵必听见话”表示符合教义真理的生活良善，“耳朵”表示服从，由于服从属于生活，所以“听见话”表示符合教义真理的生活。“说，这就是路，你要行在其中”进一步描述了教导和服从；“路”表示引导的真理，“向右走”表示引向天上的南方的真理，“向左走”表示引向天上的北方的真理。
同一先知书：
要扩张你帐幕之地，伸展你居所的幔子；不要阻碍；要放长你的绳子，坚固你的橛子；因为你要向右向左突破；你的种必得列族为业，使荒凉的城邑有人居住。(以赛亚书54:2, 3)
此处论述的主题是教会在外邦人当中的建立；“扩张你帐幕之地”表示教会在出于良善的敬拜方面的增长；“伸展居所的幔子”表示教会在教义之真理方面的增长；“放长绳子”表示这些真理的延伸；“坚固橛子”表示来自圣言的确认；“向右向左突破”表示在仁之良善和信之真理方面的扩张；“向右”表示在仁之良善方面，“向左”表示在来自这良善的信之真理方面；“必得列族为业的种”表示真理，通过真理而有良善；“种”表示真理，“列族”表示良善；“列族使之有人居住的荒凉的城邑”表示来自生活良善的真理；“荒凉的城邑”表示以前没有真理的教义之真理；“列族”表示真理所来自的生活良善，“居住”表示生活。
又：
因万军之耶和华的烈怒，地已变黑，百姓变得像火的燃料；人不怜惜弟兄；他若右手边抢夺，仍受饥饿；若左手边吞吃，仍不饱足；他们各人要吃自己膀臂上的肉。(以赛亚书9:19–21)
这些话描述了虚假对良善的灭绝，邪恶对真理的灭绝；“他若右手边抢夺，仍受饥饿；若左手边吞吃，仍不饱足”表示一切良善和真理的灭绝，无论如何寻求它们；“右手”表示真理所来自的良善；“左手”表示来自良善的真理；“抢夺，吞吃这些”表示寻求；“仍受饥饿，仍不饱足”表示找不到，或即便被找到，仍不被接受。其余的，可参看前面的解释(AE 386b节)。
以西结书：
基路伯脸的形像是这样，四个都有人的脸，右面有狮子的脸，左面都有牛的脸；四个也都有鹰的脸。(以西结书1:10)
至于“基路伯”，以及它们像人、狮子、牛和鹰的脸的“脸”表示什么，可参看前文(AE 277–281节)。人和狮子的脸出现在“右面”，是因为“人”表示在光中的神性真理，以及聪明，“狮子”表示由此而来的在能力中的神性真理，就是诸如它在天上南方的样子；牛的脸出现在“左面”，是因为“牛”表示属世人的良善，对那些住在天上北方的人来说，该良善处于模糊之中。
撒迦利亚书：
那日，我必使犹大的族长如木柴中的火炉，又如禾捆里的火把，使他们向右向左吞灭四围所有的百姓，却叫耶路撒冷仍住在本处，仍在耶路撒冷。(撒迦利亚书12:6)
此处论述的主题是一个属天教会，或一个将处于对主之爱的良善的教会的建立；“犹大家”表示该教会。她的“族长”表示该教会的良善连同真理；他们必变得“如木柴中的火炉，又如禾捆里的火把”、“他们向右向左吞灭四围所有的百姓”表示这些对邪恶和虚假的驱散；“如木柴中的火炉，又如禾捆里的火把”表示该教会将要驱散的邪恶；“他们吞灭四围所有的百姓”表示也将要被驱散的虚假；“耶路撒冷仍住在本处，仍在耶路撒冷”表示该教会将免受邪恶和虚假的侵扰，并照着教义之真理活在生活的良善中；“住”论及生活的良善，“耶路撒冷”表示教义真理方面的教会。
以西结书：
我要将剑尖指向他们一切的城门；这剑造得像闪电，磨得尖利，要行杀戮。你们聚集起来，转到右边，把自己摆在阵中，转到左边，无论你面向哪一方。(以西结书21:15, 16)
这些话描述了可怕的虚假对真理的摧毁；“剑”表示摧毁真理的那些虚假，“这剑造得像闪电，磨得尖利，要行杀戮”描述了这虚假的可怕和严重性；“你们聚集起来，转到右边，把自己摆在阵中，转到左边，无论你面向哪一方”表示那些处于这种虚假的人没有任何良善和真理，无论他们多么热情地寻求它。
撒迦利亚书：
丢弃羊群的无用牧人有祸了！剑必临到他的膀臂和右边的眼上；他的膀臂必全然枯干，他右边的眼也必完全昏暗。(撒迦利亚书11:17)
“丢弃羊群的无用牧人”表示那些不教导真理，并通过真理引向生活的良善，不关心他们所教导的是真理还是虚假的人；“临到他膀臂的剑”表示摧毁意愿的一切良善的虚假，“临到右边眼上的剑”表示摧毁理解力的一切真理的虚假；“他的膀臂必全然枯干，他右边的眼也必完全昏暗”表示他们将被剥夺一切良善和真理。前面进一步解释了这些话(可参看AE 131b, 152节)。
600c.由于身体右侧和右侧的部位表示良善，通过良善而有真理，所以当亚伦和他儿子被祝圣，就任祭司职分时，经上吩咐：
你要宰这公绵羊，取点这公绵羊的血抹在他们的右耳垂上，又抹在他们右手的大拇指上和右脚的大脚趾上。(出埃及记29:20)
经上如此吩咐，是因为“血”表示爱之良善所藉的神性真理， 因为“亚伦”代表该良善，“他儿子”表示真理；由于为了代表爱之神性良善的一切祝圣都通过神性真理实现，所以“血抹在右耳垂上，右手的大拇指上和右脚的大脚趾上。”“右耳垂”表示出于感知的服从；“右手的大拇指”表示意愿中的良善；“右脚的大脚趾”表示行为中的良善。
由于“麻风病”表示被虚假吞噬的良善，所以按灵义来理解的洁净麻风病人的过程描述了通过神性手段医治这种恶的方法，我从中只引用以下经文：
祭司要取些赎愆祭牲的血，抹在求洁净人的右耳垂上，和右手的大拇指上，并右脚的大脚趾上；祭司要从那一罗革油中取些倒在自己的左手掌里；祭司要用右手指蘸在他左手掌的油里，在耶和华面前用右手指弹油七次。(利未记14:14–17, 24–28)
此处“右耳垂”、“右手的大拇指”、“右脚的大脚趾”与前面的具有相同的含义；“血”也是，即表示神性真理，因为这就是那把人从吞噬他里面的良善的虚假中洁净出来的；当他从这些虚假中被洁净出来时，良善就能通过真理被产生，这个人的麻风病因此治愈。由此可见，“右和左”表示真理所来自的良善和来自良善的真理，如前所述。否则，把血抹在这些部位的右边，油倒在左手掌里，用右手指弹还有其它原因吗？
同样：
先知以西结书被吩咐向左侧卧，承当以色列家的罪孽。(以西结书4:4)
因为“先知”表示一个教导的人，在抽象意义上表示教会的教义；“左侧”表示来自良善的真理的教义，人正是通过来自良善的真理而从他的罪孽中被洁净出来。
所罗门把盆：
五个安在房屋的右边，五个安在房屋的左边，又把铜海安在房屋的右旁，在东南边。(列王纪上7:39)
原因在于，“房屋或殿”代表天堂和教会；“盆”代表从虚假和邪恶中洁净，因而代表进入天堂和教会的预备；“房屋的右边”表示天堂的南方，在那里，神性真理处于它的光中，“左边”表示北方，在那里，神性真理处于它的荫中。因此，这些“盆”表示洁净的一切事物和所有被洁净的人，“五个安在这一边，五个安在那一边”表示真理处于光中的那些人或那种人，或真理处于荫中的那些人或那种人；“十”表示所有事物和所有人，“五”表示一部分或一种。铜海代表普遍的洁净。这铜海之所以被安在“房屋的右旁，在东南边”，是因为洁净的神性真理从主的神性之爱发出；东方是主显为太阳所在的地方；神性真理，也就是来自那太阳的天堂之光，在南方处于其清晰和光明中。这就是为何普遍的洁净器皿被安在“东南边”。世人不可能知道圣言的这些奥秘，除非明白天上的方位，天上的方位不同于世上的方位。关于天上的方位，可参看根据耳闻目睹的事所说的(《天堂与地狱》，141–153节)。
在灵界，每个人都进入并行在通向那些处于相似的主导爱之人的路上，每个人都可以自由地走他想要的任何路，因而走上他的爱把他引向和经由的任何路，向右或向左的这些路倾向于这一种或那一种爱，也就是倾向于已经被植入的爱；因此，“右和左”也表示令人愉悦、自由、渴望或受欢迎的东西。因此，在创世记：
亚伯拉罕对罗得说，请你与我分离；你向左，我就向右；你向右，我就向左。(创世记13:9)
当亚伯拉罕的仆人为以撒求取利百加为妻子时，他对拉班说：
就告诉我，叫我可以或向右或向左看。(创世记24:49)
不要退到或转向右手边或左手边也表示除了主自己所引导，天堂和教会的良善和真理所引导的路外，不可走其它任何路，因而表示不可误入歧途，如：
他们不可偏离祭司利未人和士师的话，也不可偏离圣言中的诫命，或偏右或偏左。(申命记17:11, 20; 28:14; 约书亚记1:7; 撒母耳记下14:19)
民数记：
以色列人从以东地经过时，不可偏左右，只走王的大道。(民数记20:17)
申命记：
他们从西宏王的地经过时，也是如此。(申命记2:27)
此处，“右边或右手边”表示完全的能力，当论及主时，表示神性全能(可参看AE 298a,b节)。
600. And he set his right foot upon the sea, and the left upon the earth. - That this signifies the sense of the letter, which is natural, in which are all things of heaven and the church, is evident from the signification of feet, when used in reference to the angel, who means the Lord as to the Word, as denoting the Divine Truth in ultimates, or the Word in the natural sense, which is the sense of the letter (see above, n. 65, 69); feet, in a general sense (communi sensu), signify natural things, because man, from the head to the soles of the feet, corresponds to heaven, which in its whole compass has reference to one Man (unum Hominem); the head corresponds to the inmost or third heaven, the angels of which are celestial; the breast even to the loins corresponds to the middle or second heaven, the angels of which are called spiritual, while the feet correspond to the ultimate or first heaven, the angels of which are celestial-natural and spiritual-natural; but the soles of the feet correspond to the world, in which everything is natural; the reason why the feet signify natural things, is evident from these facts. More may be seen concerning this correspondence, in Heaven and Hell 59-86, and Heaven and Hell 87-102).
[2] It is therefore evident, why the feet of the angel, by whom the Lord as to the Word is represented, signify the natural sense of the Word which is the sense of its letter; and from the signification of his right foot upon the sea, and the left foot upon the earth, as denoting all things of heaven and the church; for by the right are signified all things of good from which is truth, and by the left, all things of truth from good, and by the sea and the earth are signified all things exterior and interior, pertaining to heaven and the church, by the sea, exterior things, and by the earth, interior things. And because all things of heaven and the church have reference to good and to truth, and also to things exterior and interior, therefore these words signify generally all things pertaining to heaven and the church. The reason why the angel was seen to stand upon the sea, and upon the earth, is, that the outward appearance of things, in the spiritual world, is similar to that of things in the natural world; for example, in the former as in the latter there are seas, and also lands, circumflowing seas, and lands between them (see above, n. 275, 342, 538). From this fact it is clear, that by sea and earth are signified all things of heaven, and also of the church.
[3] Since right and left are mentioned in the Word throughout, and in some places, the right alone, or the left alone is named, I desire to explain, in a few words, the signification of each used separately, and of both together. This may be known by the position of the quarters in the spiritual world, where to the right is the south, to the left the north, in front the east, and behind the west. For an angel is continually turned to the Lord as the Sun, therefore before him is the Lord as the east, and behind him is the Lord as the west, and at his right hand is the south, and at his left hand the north. It is in consequence of this turning, that the right signifies truth in light, and the left, truth in shade; or, what is the same thing, that the right signifies spiritual good, which is truth in light, and the left spiritual truth, which is truth in shade; thus also the right signifies good from which is truth, and the left, truth from good. Such things are signified by all the right and left parts of the body, and also by the right and left parts of the head; as by the right and left eye, the right and left hand, the right and left foot, and so on, the signification peculiar to each member or part being still retained. The general and particular signification of right and left, in the Word of both the New and the Old Testaments, is clear from these few observations, as in the following places.
[4] Thus in Matthew:
"When thou doest thine alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth; that thine alms may be in secret" (6:3, 4).
These words signify that good must be done from good, and for the sake of good, and not for the sake of self and the world in order to be seen; by alms is meant every good work; and let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, signifies that good must be done from good itself, and not without good, for otherwise it is not good. The right hand signifies good from which [is truth], and the left hand, truth from good, as stated above; these act as one with those who are in the good of love and charity, but not so with those who in their good actions consider themselves and the world, therefore the left hand here means to know, and to act without good. That thine alms may be in secret, signifies that it may not be for the sake of appearance.
[5] Again:
"And" the king "shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. And he shall say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. And he shall say unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (25:33, 34, 41).
He who does not know the signification of sheep and goats in the proper sense, may suppose, that sheep mean all the good, and goats all the evil; but in the proper sense, the sheep mean those who are in the good of charity towards their neighbour, and consequently in faith, and the goats those who are in faith separated from charity, thus all those upon whom judgment is to take place in the last time of the church.
For all those who were in the good of love to the Lord, and therefore in the good of charity and faith, were taken up into heaven before the Last Judgment, and all those who were not in the good of charity, and therefore not in faith, consequently all those who were interiorly and at the same time exteriorly evil, were cast down into hell before the Last Judgment; but those who were interiorly good and not equally so exteriorly, also those who were interiorly evil but exteriorly in good, were all left till the Last Judgment, then those who were interiorly good were taken up into heaven, and those who were interiorly evil were cast down into hell. See what is said upon this fact, from things heard and seen, in the small work on the Last Judgment. From these things it is evident, that goats mean those who were in faith separated from charity, and this is also meant by the he-goat in Daniel (8:5-25); and in Ezekiel (34:17). It is therefore evident, that by the right hand, where the sheep are, is meant the good of charity and of faith therefrom, and the left hand, where the goats are, means faith separated from charity. The reason why it is said to the sheep, that they should inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world, is, that, in the heavens, at the right hand is the south, where are all those who are in truths from good, for in the southern part the proceeding Divine itself is of such a quality, as is meant by the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world, therefore they are also called "the blessed of my Father." By the Father is meant the Divine Good, from which are all things of heaven. It is not said of the goats at the left hand, "prepared from the foundation of the world," but "eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels," because the evil make hell for themselves. They are called cursed, because the cursed in the Word mean all those who turn themselves away from the Lord, for such reject the charity and faith of the church. The signification of eternal fire may be seen in Heaven and Hell 566, 575).
[6] The two robbers who were crucified, one on the right, and the other on the left of the Lord, have a similar signification to the sheep and the goats; therefore it was said to the one who acknowledged the Lord, that he should be with Him in paradise (Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27; Luke 23:39-43). And in John,
Jesus said to His disciples who were fishing, "Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and were no longer able to draw it for the multitude of fishes" (21:6).
[7] Since fishing, in the Word, signifies the instruction and conversion of men who are in external or natural good, in which good most of the Gentiles were at that time, for fish signify the things pertaining to the natural man, and a ship signifies doctrine from the Word, therefore the right side of the ship signifies the good of life. It is therefore evident that the signification of the Lord's commanding them to cast the net on the right side of the ship, is, that they should teach the good of life. That thus they would convert the Gentiles to the church, is signified by their finding in such abundance that they could not draw the net for the multitude of fishes. It must be clear to every one, that the Lord would not have commanded them to cast the net on the right side of the ship, if the right side had not been significative.
[8] Again, in Matthew:
"And if thy right eye hath caused thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. And if thy right [hand] hath caused thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee" (Matthew 5:29, 30).
That by the right eye and the right hand the Lord did not mean the right eye and the right hand, every one can see from this fact, that the eye was to be plucked out, and the hand to be cut off, if they caused to stumble. But because the eye, in the spiritual sense, signifies everything pertaining to the understanding and thought therefrom, and the right hand everything pertaining to the will and affection thence, it is obvious that by plucking out the right eye, if it caused to stumble, is signified, that if evil be thought, it must be rejected from the thought; and that by cutting off the right hand, if it caused to stumble, is signified, that if evil be willed, it must be shaken off from the will. For neither the eye nor the right hand can cause to stumble, but the thought of the understanding and the affection of the will to which they correspond, can cause to stumble. The reason why the right eye and the right hand are mentioned, and not the left eye and the left hand, is, that by the right is signified good, and in the opposite sense evil, but by the left is signified truth, and, in the opposite sense falsity, and every cause of stumbling is from evil, but not from falsity, unless the falsity be the falsity of evil.
That these things are said concerning the internal man, whose function is to think and will, and not concerning the external, whose function is to see and act, is evident also from the words which immediately precede concerning the woman of another, that merely to look upon her to lust after her is to commit adultery.
[9] In the Gospels, the mother of the sons of Zebedee asked Jesus that one of her sons should sit on His right hand and the other on the left in His kingdom; "Jesus said, Ye know not what ye ask, to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, except to those whom it is granted by the Father" (Matthew 20:20-23; Mark 10:35-40).
The reason why the mother of Zebedee's children, James and John, made this request was, that by mother is meant the church, by James, charity, and by John, the good of charity in act. These two, or those who are in them, in heaven are at the right and left hand of the Lord. There to the right hand is the south, to the left the north, and in the south are those who are in the clear light of truth from good, while in the north are those who are in the obscure light of truth from good. The Divine itself, proceeding from the Lord as the Sun, produces a Divine sphere of such a nature in those quarters, on which account none can possibly dwell there but those who are in such truths from good. This is signified by its being said, that to sit on the right hand, and on the left hand of the Lord, is only for those to whom it is given or prepared by the Father. By the Father is meant the Divine Good of the Divine Love, from which is heaven, and everything pertaining to heaven. These words of the Lord therefore mean, that the Lord gives to sit on His right hand and on His left in the heavens to those for whom an inheritance in the south and north has been prepared from the foundation of the world.
[10] That the right hand means the south in the heavens, is evident in David:
"The heavens are thine, and the earth is thine; thou hast founded the world, and the fulness thereof. The north and the right hand thou hast created them" (Psalm 89:11, 12).
The heaven and the earth mean the higher and lower heavens, and also the internal and external church. The world and the fulness thereof, mean the heavens, and the church in general as to good and truth, the world means heaven and the church as to good, and the fulness thereof, heaven and the church as to truth. And because these, or those who are in them, are in the north and in the south, and the south is at the right hand of the Lord, therefore it is said, the north and the right hand; and since such is the quality of Divine Truth united to Divine Good in those quarters from the foundation of the world, as said above, it is therefore said, "thou hast founded" and "thou hast created."
[11] And in Isaiah:
"The Lord gave you the bread of adversity, and the waters of affliction, but shall not thy teachers be forced to fly away any more, and thine eyes shall again look to thy teachers; and thine ears shall hear the word saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye go to the right hand, and when ye go to the left" (30:20, 21).
These words treat of the state of those who are in temptations, and who, by means of temptations, and after they are past, admit and receive instruction in the truths of doctrine. The temptations themselves are signified by the bread of adversity, and the waters of affliction; by the bread of adversity are signified temptations as to the good of love, and by waters of affliction are signified temptations as to the truths of faith.
For temptations are of two kinds, as to good which is of love, and as to truth which is of faith; bread signifies the good of love, and waters signify the truths of faith, while adversity and affliction signify states of temptation. Instruction in the truths of doctrine is signified by, thine eyes shall again look to thy teachers, eyes denoting understanding and faith, and teachers doctrine. The good of life according to truths of doctrine is signified by, thine ears shall hear the word, ears denoting obedience, and since obedience is of the life, therefore by hearing the word is signified a life according to the truths of doctrine. Instruction and obedience are further described by the words, "saying, This is the way, walk, ye in it, when ye go to the right hand, and when ye go to the left;" by way is signified truth leading; truth leading to the south in heaven is meant by going to the right, and truth leading to the north there is signified by going to the left.
[12] Again, in the same prophet:
"Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations; hinder not, lengthen thy cords, and make firm thy nails; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the nations, and they shall cause the desolate cities to be inhabited" (54:2, 3).
The subject here treated of is the establishment of the church among the Gentiles. To enlarge the place of the tent, signifies the increase of the church in regard to worship from good. To stretch forth the curtains of the habitations, signifies the increase of the church as to truths of doctrine. To lengthen the cords, signifies the extension of those doctrines; to make firm the nails, signifies confirmation from the Word. By breaking forth on the right and on the left, is signified amplification as to the good of charity, and the truth of faith, on the right denoting as to the good of charity, and on the left, as to the truth of faith from that good. By the seed which shall inherit the nations, is signified truth by means of which there are goods, seed denoting truth, and nations goods; and by the desolate cities, which the nations shall cause to be inhabited, are signified truths from the goods of life, desolate cities denoting truths of doctrine, where truths did not exist before, nations denoting the goods of life from which are truths, and to dwell denoting to live.
[13] So again:
"In the wrath of Jehovah of hosts is the land darkened, and the people are become as fuel for the fire; they shall not spare a man (vir) his brother. And if he cut off on the right hand, he shall yet be hungry; and if he eat on the left hand, they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat a man (vir) the flesh of his own arm" (9:19-21).
These words describe the extinction of good by falsity, and of truth by evil; the extinction of all good and truth, however they may be enquired for, is signified by, if he cut off on the right hand, he shall yet be hungry, and if he eat on the left hand, they shall not be satisfied. The right hand denotes good from which truth comes; the left hand denotes truth from good; to cut and to eat towards those, signify inquiry; to be hungry and not to be satisfied, denotes not to be found, and if found, still not to be received. The rest of the passage is explained above (n. 386:2).
[14] And in Ezekiel:
"The likeness of the faces" of the cherubim, "they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side; and the face of an ox on the left side, and they four had the face of an eagle" (1:10).
The signification of the cherubim, and of their faces, which were as the face of a man, of a lion, of all ox, and of an eagle, may be seen above (n. 277-291). The reason why the face of a man and the face of a lion were seen on the right side, is, that by man is signified Divine Truth in light and intelligence, and by the lion, Divine Truth thence in power, such as it is in heaven in the south; and the face of the ox seen on the left side, signifies the good of truth in obscurity, for an ox signifies the good of the natural man, which is in obscurity with those who dwell in heaven to the north.
[15] So in Zechariah:
"In that day will I make the governors of Judah like a furnace of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they may devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left; that Jerusalem may yet dwell under herself in Jerusalem" (12:6).
The subject here treated of is the establishment of the celestial church, or the church which will be in the good of love to the Lord, and which is meant by the house of Judah. Her governors mean the goods together with the truths of that church; the dispersion of evils and falsities by these is signified by their being made like a furnace of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in the sheaf, and by their devouring all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left. The evils that shall be dispersed by that church are signified by the words, "like a furnace among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf;" and the falsities that shall also be dispersed, are signified by the people round about, whom they shall devour or consume. That that church shall be safe from the infestation of evils and falsities, and shall live in the good of life according to truths of doctrine, is signified by the words, "that Jerusalem shall yet dwell under herself in Jerusalem." To dwell is used in reference to the good of life, and Jerusalem signifies the church as to the truths of doctrine.
[16] Again, in Ezekiel:
"I will set the point of the sword against all their gates; it is made into lightning, it is sharpened for the slaughter. Gather thyself, turn to the right hand, arrange thyself, turn to the left hand, whither thy faces nod" (21:15, 16).
These words describe the destruction of truth by deadly falsities. The sword signifies such falsity destroying truth, while the deadly character and enormity of such falsity is denoted by the sword made into lightning, sharpened for the slaughter. That those who are in such falsity are destitute of any good and truth, although they may make diligent enquiry, is signified by, Gather thyself, turn to the right hand, arrange thyself, turn to the left hand, whither thy faces nod.
[17] And in Zechariah:
"Woe to the worthless shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword upon his arm, and upon his right eye; his arm shall be clean dried up, and the eye of his right side shall be utterly darkened" (11:17).
By the worthless shepherd that leaveth the flock, are meant those who do not teach truth and by it lead to the good of life, and who do not care, whether that which they teach be true or false. By the sword being upon his arm is signified falsity destroying all the good of the will, and by its being upon the eye of his right side falsity destroying all the truth of the understanding. That they shall be deprived of all good and truth is signified by, his arm shall be clean dried up, and the eye of his right side shall be utterly darkened. These words are further explained (n. 131[b], 152).
[18] Since the right side of the body, and the members of the right side, signify good by means of which there is truth, therefore when Aaron and his sons were inaugurated into the priesthood, it was commanded, that the blood of the ram should be taken, and put upon the tip (auricula) of their right ear, upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot (Exodus 29:20).
This was commanded, because blood signified Divine Truth, by means of which is the good of love, for the latter was represented by Aaron, and the former by his sons; and because for the purpose of representing the Divine Good of love, all inauguration is effected by Divine truth, therefore blood was put upon the tip of the right ear, upon the thumb of the right hand, and upon the great toe of the right foot. The tip of the right ear signifies obedience from perception; the thumb of the right hand signifies good in the will, and the great toe of the right foot, good in act.
[19] Since leprosy signifies good consumed by falsities, the way in which this evil can be remedied by Divine means is described by the process of the cleansing of the leper, understood according to the spiritual sense. We shall give only a brief summary of this. The priest was to take of the blood of the offering for sin and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that was to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, and the priest was to take of the oil from the log and pour it upon the palm of his left hand, and the priest was to dip his right finger in the oil which was in his left palm and sprinkle of the oil with his right finger seven times before Jehovah (Leviticus 14:14-17, 24-28). Similar things to those above are here signified by the tip of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the great toe of the right foot. The same is also signified by the blood, that is, the Divine Truth, for this purifies man from the falsities which have destroyed the goods pertaining to him; and when he is purified from these, good may be brought forth by means of truths and the man be thus cured of his leprosy.
From what has been stated then it is clear that the right and left signify good from which is truth, and truth from good, as shown above. What other reason could there be for sprinkling the blood upon the right part of those members, and for pouring the oil into the left palm, and sprinkling with the right finger?
[20] Similarly the prophet Ezekiel was commanded to lie upon his left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it (Ezekiel 4:4). A prophet signifies one who teaches, and, in the abstract sense, the doctrine of the church. The left side signifies the doctrine of truth from good, and by means of truths from good, man is purified from his iniquities.
[21] Solomon placed the lavers,
"five near the shoulder of the house on the right hand, and five near the shoulder of the house on the left hand; and he set the" brazen "sea at the right shoulder of the house eastward over against the south" (1 Kings 7:39).
The reason of this was, that the house or temple represented heaven and the church, and the lavers represented purifications from falsities and evils, and thus preparations for entrance into heaven and the church. The right shoulder of the house signified the south in the heavens, where Divine Truth is in its light, and the left shoulder signified the north, where Divine Truth is in its shade. Thus the ten lavers signified all things pertaining to purification, and all who are purified, and by five on the one side, and five on the other, were signified those, or that kind of men, with whom Divine Truth is in light, and with whom it is in shade. For ten signifies all things and all persons, and five, one part or one kind; the brazen sea represented the common purifier (purificatorium), and the reason why this was placed at the right shoulder of the house eastward over against the south, was, that the Divine Truth, which purifies, proceeds from the Divine Love of the Lord, for the east is where the Lord appears as the Sun; and the Divine Truth, which is the light of heaven from that Sun, is in its clearness and brightness in the south. This was the reason why the common purifier was placed eastward over against the south. These interior things (arcana) of the Word cannot be understood in the world, except from a knowledge of the quarters in heaven, which are different from those in the world. Concerning the quarters in heaven, see what has been said from things seen and heard, in Heaven and Hell 141-153).
[22] In the spiritual world, every one enters and walks in ways which lead to those who are in a similar ruling love, and every one is free to go which way he desires, thus in that way into which, and by which, his love leads him, and the ways to the right and the left tend to the one or to the other love, that is, to that which is implanted; for this reason therefore the right and left also signify what is pleasant, free, and desired. Thus in the book of Genesis:
Abraham said unto Lot, "Separate thyself; if to the left hand, I will go to the right; if to the right hand, I will go to the left" (Genesis 13:9).
And again, when Abraham's servant asked Rebecca as a wife for Isaac, he said to Laban:
"Tell me, that I may look to the right hand, or to the left" (Genesis 24:49).
By not departing and going to the right or to the left, is also signified not to go any other way than that in which the Lord Himself leads, and in which the good and truth of heaven and the church lead, thus not to walk erroneously, as that they should not depart from the word of the priest the Levite, and the judge, nor from the precepts in the Word, to the right hand or to the left (Deuteronomy 17:11, 20; 28:14; Joshua 1:7; 2 Samuel 14:19), and that the sons of Israel should not turn to the right hand or to the left, but should go by the way of the king when they passed through the land of Edom, (Num. 20:17); and also when they passed through the land of the king of Sihon (Deuteronomy 2:27). That the right hand signifies complete power, and, when used in reference to the Lord, the Divine Omnipotence, may be seen above (n. 298).
600. And he set his right foot upon the sea, and the left upon the earth, signifies the sense of the letter, which is natural, in which are all things of heaven and the church. This is evident from the signification of "feet," as being in reference to the angel, by whom is meant the Lord in relation to the Word, the Divine truth in ultimates, or the Word in the natural sense, which is the sense of the letter (See above 65, 69). "Feet" in a general sense signify natural things, because man from the head to the soles of the feet corresponds to heaven, which in its whole complex represents one man, the head corresponding to the inmost or third heaven, the angels of which are celestial, the breast down to the loins corresponding to the middle or second heaven, the angels of which are called spiritual, and the feet corresponding to the ultimate or first heaven, the angels of which are celestial-natural and spiritual-natural; and the soles of the feet corresponding to the world, in which everything is natural. This makes clear why the "feet" signify natural things (See more on this correspondence in the work on Heaven and Hell 59-86, and 87-102).
[2] From this it is now evident why "the feet of the angel," who here represented the Lord as to the Word, signify the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of its letter. The above is evident also from the signification of "the right foot upon the sea and the left upon the earth," as being all things of heaven and the church; for the "right" 1 signifies all things of good which is the source of truth, and the "left" all things of truth from good; and "the sea and the earth" signify all things of heaven and the church exterior and interior, the "sea" exterior things, and the "earth" interior things. And as all things of heaven and the church have relation to good and truth, also to things exterior and things interior, therefore these words signify in general all things of heaven and the church. The angel was seen to stand "upon the sea and upon the earth," because there is a similar appearance of things in the spiritual world as in the natural world; that is, in the spiritual world as in the natural world there are seas and lands, seas round about and lands between them (See above, n. 275, 342, 538). This shows why "sea and earth" signify all things of heaven and also of the church.
[3] As "right and left" are mentioned in many passages in the Word, and in some places "right" alone, or "left" alone, I will explain in a few words what is signified by each of them, and by the two together. This can be known from the quarters in the spiritual world, where the south is to the right, and the north to the left, and the east in front, and the west behind. An angel perpetually faces the Lord as a sun, therefore before him is the Lord as the east, and behind him the Lord as the west, and at his right hand is the south, and at his left hand the north. It is from this way of facing that the "right" signifies truth in light, and the "left" truth in shade; or what is the same, that the "right" signifies spiritual good which is truth in light, and the "left" signifies spiritual truth which is truth in shade; so, too, the "right" signifies good which is a source of truth, and the "left" truth from good. Such is the signification of all the right and left parts of the body, and also of the head; as the right and left eye, the right and left hand, the right and left foot, and so on, the proper signification of each member or part being preserved. From these few statements it can be known what "right" and "left" signify, in general and in particular, in the Word of both the New and the Old Testaments, as in the following passages.
[4] In Matthew:
When thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what the right hand doeth, that thine alms may be in secret (Matthew 6:3, 4).
This signifies that good is to be done from good and for the sake of good, and not on account of self and the world for the sake of appearance; "alms" mean every good work; and "let not the left hand know what the right hand doeth" signifies that good must be done from good itself, and not without good, since that would not be good. The "right hand" signifies good which is a source of truth, and the "left hand" truth from good, as has been said above; these act as one in those who are in the good of love and charity, but not as one in those who have regard to self and the world in the goods they do; therefore the "left hand" means here to know and to act without good. "That thine alms may be in secret" signifies that it may not be for the sake of appearance.
[5] In the same:
And the King shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left; and He shall say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, possess as inheritance the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. And He shall say unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:33, 34, 41).
He who does not know what is signified in the proper sense by "sheep" and what by "goats," might suppose that "sheep" mean all who are good, and "goats" all who are evil; but in the proper sense "sheep" mean those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbor, and thence in faith, and "goats" mean those who are in faith separated from charity; thus all upon whom the judgment in the last time of the church will come; for all who were in the good of love to the Lord, and thence in the good of charity and faith, had been taken up into heaven before the Last Judgment; while all who were in no good of charity, and in no faith therefrom, consequently all who were inwardly and at the same time outwardly evil, had been cast down into hell before the Last Judgment; but those who were inwardly good and not equally so outwardly, also those who were inwardly evil but outwardly in good, were all left until the Last Judgment, when those who were inwardly good were taken up into heaven, and those who were inwardly evil were cast into hell (respecting this see what has been said from things seen and heard, in the little work on The Last Judgment). From this it can be seen that "goats" mean those who have been in faith separated from charity; as for instance:
The he-goat in Daniel (Daniel 8:5-25), and in Ezekiel (Ezekiel 34:17).
This makes evident that the "right hand," where the "sheep" are, means the good of charity and of faith therefrom, and the "left hand," where the "goats" are, means faith separated from charity. It was said to the sheep that they should "possess as inheritance the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world," because in the heavens at the right is the south, where all those are who are in truths from good; for in the southern part the Divine proceeding itself is such as is meant by "the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world." So, too, they are called "the blessed of My Father," the "Father" meaning the Divine good, from which are all things of heaven. But respecting the "goats," that are on the left hand, it is not said "prepared from the foundation of the world," but "the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels," because the evil prepare their hell for themselves. They are called "cursed" because by the "cursed" in the Word are meant all who turn themselves away from the Lord, for such reject the charity and faith of the church. What the "eternal fire" signifies may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 566-575.
[6] The "two robbers who were crucified one of them on the right hand and the other on the left hand of the Lord" (Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27; Luke 23:39-43), have a similar signification as the "sheep" and the "goats;" therefore to the one who acknowledged the Lord it was said that he should be with Him in paradise.
[7] In John:
Jesus said to the disciples who were fishing, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, then ye shall find. They cast, therefore, and they were no longer able to draw it for the multitude of fishes (John 21:6).
Since "fishing" signifies in the Word the instruction and conversion of men who are in external or natural good, in which good were most of the Gentiles at that time, "fish" signifying the things of the natural man, and "boat" doctrine from the Word; therefore "the right side of the boat" signifies the good of life. This makes clear the signification of what the Lord said, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat," namely, that they should teach the good of life. That they would thus convert the Gentiles to the church is signified by their finding in such abundance that "they were not able to draw the net for the multitude of fishes." Anyone can see that the Lord would not have commanded them "to cast the net on the right side of the ship" unless the "right side" had been significative.
[8] In Matthew:
If thy right eye hath caused thee to stumble, pluck it out and cast it from thee. And if thy right hand hath caused thee to stumble, cut it off and cast it from thee (Matthew 5:29, 30).
That by the "right eye" and the "right hand" the Lord did not mean the right eye and the right hand, anyone can see from its being said that the eye "must be plucked out" and the hand "must be cut off" if they cause to stumble; but as the "eye" signifies in the spiritual sense everything belonging to the understanding and to thought therefrom, and the "right hand" everything belonging to the will and to affection therefrom, it is evident that "if the right eye hath caused thee to stumble it must be plucked out" signifies that if one thinks evil the evil must be rejected from the thought; also "if the right hand hath caused thee to stumble it must be cut off" signifies that if evil is willed the evil of the will must be cast out. For the eye itself cannot cause to stumble, nor can the right hand, but the thought of the understanding and the affection of the will, to which they correspond, can. It is said the "right eye" and the "right hand," and not the left eye and the left hand, because the "right" signifies good, and in the contrary sense evil, while the "left" hand signifies truth, and in the contrary sense falsity, and all cause of stumbling comes from evil, not from falsity, unless the falsity is the falsity of evil. That these things are said of the internal man, whose part it is to think and to will, and not of the external, whose part it is to see and to act, is evident also from the words that immediately precede respecting the "woman of another," that merely looking upon her from lust is committing adultery.
[9] In the Gospels:
The mother of the sons of Zebedee asked Jesus that one of her sons should sit on the right hand and the other on the left in His kingdom. Jesus said, Ye know not what ye ask; to sit on My right hand and on My left hand is not Mine to give except to those to whom it is given by the Father (Matthew 20:20-23; Mark 10:35-40).
"The mother of the sons of Zebedee," James and John, asked this, because by "mother" the church is meant; by "James" charity, and by "John" the good of charity in act; these two, or those who are in them, are at the right hand and the left of the Lord in heaven; to the right there is the south, and to the left is the north, and in the south are those who are in the light of truth from clear good, and in the north are those who are in the light of truth from obscure good. The Divine itself proceeding from the Lord as a sun produces such a Divine sphere in those quarters; for this reason none can possibly dwell there except those who are in those truths from good; this is the signification of "to sit on the right hand and on the left hand of the Lord is for those only to whom it has been given, or for whom it has been prepared by the Father;" "the Father" meaning the Divine good of the Divine love, from which is heaven and everything of heaven; so these words of the Lord mean that to sit on His right hand and on His left in the heavens is given by the Lord to those for whom it has been prepared from the foundation of the world to have an inheritance allotted to them in the south and in the north.
[10] That the "right hand" means the south in the heavens is clearly evident in David:
The heavens are Thine, and the earth is Thine; the world and the fullness thereof, Thou hast founded them; the north and the right hand Thou hast created (Psalms 89:11, 12).
"Heaven and earth" means the higher and lower heavens, likewise the internal and external church; the "world and the fullness thereof" means the heavens and the church in general as to good and truth; the "world" heaven and the church as to good, and the "fullness thereof" heaven and the church as to truth; and as these principles, or those who are in them, are in the north and in the south, and the south is at the Lord's right hand, it is said "the north and the right hand;" and as Divine truth united to Divine good in those quarters is such from the foundation of the world, as has been said above, it is said, "Thou hast founded" and "Thou hast created."
[11] In Isaiah:
The Lord hath given you the bread of distress and the waters of oppression; but thine instructors shall not be made to fly away anymore, and thine eyes shall look again to thine instructors; and thine ears shall hear the word saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye shall go to the right and when ye shall go to the left (Isaiah 30:20, 21).
This treats of those who are in temptations, and who, by means of temptations and after temptations, accept and receive instruction in the truths of doctrine; temptations themselves are signified by "the bread of distress and the waters of oppression," "bread of distress" signifying temptations in respect to the good of love, and "waters of oppression" temptations in respect to the truths of faith; for temptations are of two kinds, namely, in respect to the good which is of love, and in respect to the truth which is of faith; "bread" signifying the good of love, and "waters" the truths of faith, and "distress" and "oppression" states of temptation. Instruction in the truths of doctrine is signified by "thine eyes shall look again to thine instructors," "eyes" signifying the understanding and faith, and "instructors" doctrine. The good of life according to the truths of doctrine is signified by "thine ears shall hear the word," "ears" signifying obedience, and because obedience is of the life, so "to hear the word" signifies a life according to the truths of doctrine. Instruction and obedience are further described by "saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye shall go to the right hand and when ye shall go to the left;" "way" signifies truth leading, truth leading to the south in heaven is meant by "going to the right," and truth leading to the north there by "going to the left."
[12] In the same:
Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations; hinder not; make long thy cords, and make firm thy stakes; for on the right hand and on the left thou shalt break forth; and thy seed shall inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited (Isaiah 54:2, 3).
This treats of the establishment of the church among the Gentiles; and "Enlarge the place of thy tent" signifies the increase of the church in respect to the worship from good; "to stretch forth the curtains of the habitations" signifies the increase of the church in respect to the truths of doctrine; "to make long the cords" signifies the extension of these truths; "to make firm the stakes" signifies confirmation from the Word; "to break forth on the right hand and on the left" signifies enlargement in respect to the good of charity and the truth of faith; "on the right" meaning in respect to the good of charity, and "on the left" in respect to the truth of faith from that good; "the seed which shall inherit the nations" signifies truth through which are goods; "seed" meaning truth, and "nations" goods; "the desolate cities which the nations shall make to be inhabited," signify the truths from goods of life; "the desolate cities" meaning the truths of doctrine where there were no truths before; "nations" meaning the goods of life from which are truths, and "to inhabit" meaning to live.
[13] In the same:
In the wrath of Jehovah of Hosts the land has been obscured, and the people have become as the fuel of the fire; they shall not spare a man his brother; and if he shall cut down 2 on the right hand he shall still be hungry, and if he shall eat on the left hand they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm (Isaiah 9:19-21).
This describes the extinction of good by falsity, and of truth by evil; the extinction of all good and truth, however it is sought for, is signified by "if he shall cut down on the right hand he shall still be hungry, and if he shall eat on the left hand they shall not be satisfied;" "the right hand" meaning good from which is truth; "the left hand" truth from good; "to cut down and to eat of these" means to search for; "to be hungry and not to be satisfied" means not to be found, or if found, still not received. (The rest may be seen explained above, n. 386.)
[14] In Ezekiel:
This was the likeness of the faces of the cherubim, the four had the face of a man and the face of a lion on the right side, and the face of an ox on the left side; the four also had the face of an eagle (Ezekiel 1:10).
What is signified by the "cherubim" and by their "faces" which were like the faces of a man, of a lion, of an ox, and of an eagle, may be seen above (n. 277-281). The faces of the man and of the lion were seen "on the right side" because "man" signifies Divine truth in light and intelligence, and a "lion" Divine truth in power therefrom, such as it is in heaven in the south; and the face of the ox was seen "on the left side," to signify the good of truth in obscurity, for an "ox" signifies the good of the natural man, which is in obscurity in those who in heaven dwell to the north.
[15] In Zechariah:
In that day will I make the leaders of Judah like a furnace of fire among wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf, that they may devour all the peoples round about, on the right hand and on the left, that Jerusalem may yet dwell in her own place in Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:6).
This treats of the establishment of a celestial church, or of a church that will be in the good of love to the Lord; that church is meant by "the house of Judah." Her "leaders" mean the goods with the truths of that church; the dispersion of evils and falsities by these is signified by "they shall be made like a furnace of fire among wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf," and by "they shall devour all the peoples round about, on the right hand and on the left;" the evils that will be dispersed by that church are signified by "like a furnace among the wood, and like a torch in a sheaf;" and the falsities that will also be dispersed are signified by "all the peoples round about, whom they shall devour or consume;" that this church will be safe from the infestation of evils and falsities, and will live in the good of life according to the truths of doctrine, is signified by "Jerusalem shall yet dwell in her own place in Jerusalem;" "to be dwelt in" is predicated of the good of life, and "Jerusalem" signifies the church in respect to the truths of doctrine.
[16] In Ezekiel:
I will set the point of the sword against all their gates, it is made into lightning, it is sharpened for slaughter. Gather thee together, turn to the right, set thyself in array, turn to the left, whithersoever thy faces are set (Ezekiel 21:15, 16).
This describes the destruction of truth by direful falsities; "a sword" signifies such falsities destroying truth, and the direfulness and enormity of that falsity is described by "a sword made into lightning, and sharpened for slaughter;" that those who are in such falsity have nothing of good or truth, with however much zeal they may search for it, is signified by "Gather thee together, turn to the right, set thyself in array, turn to the left, whithersoever thy faces are set."
[17] In Zechariah:
Woe to the shepherd of naught forsaking the flock! A sword is upon his arm, and upon the eye of his right side; his arm in withering shall wither, and the eye of his right side in growing dim shall grow dim (Zechariah 11:17).
"A shepherd of naught forsaking the flock" means those who do not teach truth and by it lead to the good of life, and who do not care whether it is truth or falsity that they teach; "a sword upon his arm" signifies falsity destroying every good of the will, and "a sword upon the eye of his right side" signifies falsity destroying every truth of the understanding; that they will be deprived of all good and truth is signified by "his arm in withering shall wither, and the eye of his right side in growing dim shall grow dim." (This may be seen further explained, n. 131, 152.)
[18] As the right region of the body and the members of the right region signify good through which is truth, so when Aaron and his sons were consecrated to the priesthood it was commanded:
That the blood of the ram should be taken and should be put upon the tip of their right ear, upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot (Exodus 29:20).
This was commanded because "blood" signified Divine truth, by means of which is the good of love, for this good was represented by "Aaron," and truth by his "sons;" and because all consecration for representing the Divine good of love is effected by Divine truth, "blood was put upon the tip of the right ear, upon the thumb of the right hand, and upon the great toe of the right foot." The "tip of the right ear" signifies obedience from perception; the "thumb of the right hand" signifies good in the will; and the "great toe of the right foot" signifies good in act.
[19] Because a "leper" signifies good consumed by falsities, the way in which such an evil is to be cured by Divine means is described by the process of the cleansing of the leper, understood in the spiritual sense, from which I will cite only this:
That the priest should take of the blood of the guilt-offering and should put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot; and the priest should take oil from the log and pour it upon the palm of his left hand; and the priest should dip his left 3 finger in the oil that is in his left palm, and should sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before Jehovah (Leviticus 14:14-17, 24-28).
Here "the tip of the right ear," "the thumb of the right hand," and "the great toe of the right foot," have a similar signification as above; so has the "blood," namely, Divine truth, for this is what purifies man from the falsities that have consumed the goods in him; and when he is purified from these, good can be produced by means of truths, and the man be thus healed of leprosy. From all this it can be seen that "the right and the left" signify the good from which is truth and the truth that is from good (as has been said above). For what other purpose would the blood have been put upon the right part of those members, and the oil be taken from the left palm, and sprinkled with the left finger?
[20] Likewise:
The prophet Ezekiel was commanded to lie upon his left side, and to have laid upon him the iniquities of the house of Israel (Ezekiel 4:4).
For a "prophet" signifies one who teaches, and in an abstract sense the doctrine of the church; the "left side" signifies the doctrine of truth from good, and it is through truths from good that man is purified from his iniquities.
[21] Solomon set the lavers:
Five beside the shoulder of the house on the right, and five beside the shoulder of the house on its left; but he set the brazen sea by the right shoulder of the house eastward from the region of the south (1 Kings 7:39);
for the reason that the "house or temple" represented heaven and the church; the "lavers" the purifications from falsities and evils, and thus the preparations for entering into heaven and the church; "the right shoulder of the house" signified the south in the heavens, where Divine truth is in its light, and "the left shoulder" signified the north, where Divine truth is in its shade. Thus these "ten lavers" signified all things of purification and all who are purified, and "the five on one shoulder and the five on the other" signified those, or that kind of men, with whom Divine truth is in the light and with whom it is in the shade; "ten" signifying all things and all persons, and "five" one part or one kind. The brazen sea represented general purifying. This was placed by "the right shoulder of the house eastward from the region of the south," because purifying Divine truth proceeds from the Lord's Divine love; for the east is where the Lord appears as a sun; Divine truth, which is the light of heaven from that sun, in the south is in its clearness and sunshine; this is why the general purificator was placed "eastward from the region of the south." These arcana of the Word cannot be known in the world until the quarters in heaven are understood, which differ from the quarters in the world. (Respecting the Quarters in Heaven, see what has been said, from things seen and heard, in the work on Heaven and Hell 141-153.)
[22] Since everyone in the spiritual world enters and walks in ways that lead to those who are in a like ruling love, and everyone is free to go any way he wishes, thus into and by any way that his love leads him, and these ways to the right or to the left tend to one love or another, thus to the love that has become ingrafted, so "right and left" signifies pleasantly, freely, and of choice. Thus in the book of Genesis:
Abraham said to Lot, Separate thyself; if to the left I will go to the right, if to the right I will go to the left (Genesis 13:9).
And Abraham's servant said to Laban when he asked for Rebecca as a wife for Isaac:
Tell me, that I may look to the right or the left (Genesis 24:49).
Not to recede or to turn to the right hand or to the left, signifies also to go in no other way than that in which the Lord Himself leads, and in which the good and truth of heaven and the church lead, thus not to go astray, as:
That they should not turn aside from the word of the priest, the Levite, and of the judge, nor from the precepts in the Word, to the right hand or to the left (Deuteronomy 17:11, 20; 28:14; Joshua 1:7; 2 Samuel 14:19).
And that the sons of Israel should not turn aside to the right hand or to the left, but should go by the king's highway when they passed through the land of Edom (Numbers 20:17).
And when they passed through the land of King Sihon (Deuteronomy 2:27).
Moreover, "the right hand" signifies full power, and in relation to the Lord, Divine omnipotence (as may be seen above, n. 298.
Fotnoter:
1. Latin has "for the right and the left."
2. Latin has "fall," the text as quoted just above has "cut down. "
3. Latin has "left," the Hebrew "right," as is also found in Arcana Coelestia 7430, 10061.
600. "Et posuit pedem suum dextrum super mare et sinistrum super terram." - Quod significet sensum litterae qui naturalis, in quo sunt omnia caeli et ecclesiae, constat ex significatione "pedum", cum de angelo per quem intelligitur Dominus quoad Verbum, quod sit Divinum Verum in ultimis, seu Verbum in sensu naturali, qui est sensus litterae (de qua supra, n. 65, 69): (per "pedes" in communi sensu significantur naturalia, ex causa quia homo a capite ad plantas pedum correspondet caelo, quod in toto complexu refert unum Hominem; caput correspondet caelo intimo seu tertio, cujus angeli sunt caelestes; pectus usque ad lumbos correspondet medio seu secundo caelo, cujus angeli vocantur spirituales; ac pedes correspondent ultimo seu primo caelo, cujus angeli sunt caelestes naturales et spirituales naturales; at ipsae plantae pedum correspondent mundo, in quo omne est naturale: ex quibus patet unde est quod "pedes" significent naturalia (de qua correspondentia videantur plura in opere De Caelo et Inferno 59-86, et 87-102):
[2] inde nunc patet unde est quod [per] "pedes angeli", per quem hic repraesentatus est Dominus quoad Verbum, significetur sensus naturalis Verbi, qui est sensus litterae ejus: - ) et ex significatione "pedis dextri super mare et sinistri super terram", quod sint omnia caeli et ecclesiae; per " 1 dextrum" enim significantur omnia boni ex quo verum, et per "sinistrum" omnia veri ex bono; et per "mare" et "terram" significantur omnia caeli et ecclesiae exteriora et interiora, per "mare" exteriora et per "terram" interiora; et quia omnia caeli et ecclesiae se referunt ad bonum et ad verum, tum ad exteriora et interiora, ideo per illa verba communiter significantur omnia caeli et ecclesiae. Quod visus sit stare "super mari et super terra", est quia simili"; facies rerum apparet in mundo spirituali quae in mundo naturali, nempe quod sicut in hoc etiam in illo sint maria et quoque terrae; maria circumcirca, et terrae inter illa (videatur supra, n 275, 342, 538 [a, c]): ex quo constare potest quod per "mare et terram" significentur omnia caeli et quoque ecclesiae.
[3] Quoniam in Verbo passim dicitur "dextrum et sinistrum", et in aliquibus locis solum "dextrum" aut solum "sinistrum", velim paucis exponere quid per unum et alterum, et quid per utrumque simul, significatur. Hoc cognosci potest ex plagis in mundo spirituali: ad dextrum ibi est meridies et ad Sinistrum est septentrio, ac ante est oriens ac post est occidens: angelus enim perpetuo conversus est ad Dominum ut Solem; quare ante illum est Dominus ut oriens, et post illum est Dominus ut occidens; et a dextro est meridies, et a sinistro est septentrio. Ex hac conversione est quod "dextrum" significet verum in luce et "sinistrum" verum in umbra; seu quod idem, quod "dextrum" significet spirituale bonum quod est verum in luce, et "sinistrum" spirituale verum quod est verum in umbra; ita quoque "dextrum" significat bonum ex quo verum, ac "sinistrum" verum ex bono. Talia significantur per omnes partes corporis et quoque capitis dextras et sinistras, ut per dextrum et sinistrum oculum, per dextram et sinistram manum, per dextrum et sinistrum pedem, et sic porro; retenta usque propria significatione membri et partis. Ex his paucis sciri potest quid in Verbo tam Novi quam Veteris Testamenti in genere et in specie significatur per "dextrum" et "sinistrum", ut in sequentibus his locis:
[4] - Apud Matthaeum,
"Tu cum feceris eleemosynam, ne cognoscat sinistra tua quid fecerit dextra, ut sit tua eleemosyna in occulto" (6:34 2 ):
per hoc significatur quod bonum sit faciendum ex bono et propter bonum, et non propter semet et mundum ut appareat; per "eleemosynam" intelligitur omne bonum opus; et per "ne cognoscat sinistra quid fecerit dextra" significatur quod bonum faciendum sit ex ipso bono, et non absque bono, quoniam id non est bonum: per "dextram" significatur bonum ex quo, et per "sinistram" verum ex bono, ut supra dictum est; hoc unum agit apud illos qui in bono amoris et charitatis sunt, at non unum apud illos qui spectant semet et mundum in bonis quae agunt; quare per "sinistram" hic intelligitur scire et agere absque bono: "ut sit eleemosyna tua in occulto" significat ne sit propter apparentiam.
[5] Apud eundem,
"Et" Rex "statuet oves a dextris suis, hircos vero a sinistris; et dicet iis qui a dextris, Venite, benedicti Patris mei, tanquam hereditatem possidete paratum vobis regnum a fundatione mundi:.... et dicet iis a sinistris, Discedite a Me, maledicti, in ignem aeternum paratum diabolo et angelis ejus" (25:33, 34, 41):
qui non scit quid in proprio sensu per "oves" et quid per "hircos" significatur, opinari potest quod per "oves" intelligantur omnes boni, et per "hircos" omnes mali; sed in proprio sensu per "oves" intelliguntur illi qui in bono charitatis erga proximum sunt et inde in fide, et per "hircos" intelliguntur illi qui in fide separata a charitate sunt, ita omnes super quos judicium ultimo tempore ecclesiae futurum est; nam omnes qui in bono amoris in Dominum et inde in bono charitatis et fidei fuerunt, ante ultimum judicium in caelum sublati sunt; et omnes qui in nullo bono charitatis et inde fide, proinde omnes qui interius et simul exterius mali fuerunt, in infernum ante ultimum judicium conjecti sunt; at qui interius boni fuerunt, et non aeque exterius, et qui interius mali fuerunt at exterius in bono, omnes illi relicti sunt ad ultimum judicium; tunc qui interius boni fuerunt, sublati sunt in caelum, et qui interius mali fuerunt, conjecti sunt in infernum (de qua re videantur quae ex visis et auditis dicta sunt in opusculo De Ultimo Judicio): ex illis constare potest quod per "hircos" intelligantur illi qui in fide separata a charitate fuerunt; quemadmodum etiam per
"Hircum" apud Danielem (cap. 8:5-25), et apud Ezechielem (cap. xxxi5:17).
Inde constare potest quod per "dextram", ubi "oves", intelligatur bonum charitatis et inde fidei; et per "sinistram", ubi "hirci", intelligatur fides separata a charitate. Quod ovibus dictum sit quod "possiderent tanquam hereditatem paratum illis regnum a fundatione mundi", est quia in caelis a dextris est meridies, ubi sunt omnes qui in veris ex bono sunt; in ipsa enim meridionali parte est ipsum Divinum procedens tale, quod intelligitur per "regnum paratum a fundatione mundi": ideo quoque vocantur "benedicti Patris me", per "Patrem" intelligitur Divinum Bonum, ex quo omnia caeli. At de hircis, qui a sinistris, non dicitur "paratum a fundatione mundi", sed "ignis aeternus paratus diabolo et angelis ejus"; quia mali sibi ipsis parant infernum. Vocantur "maledicti" quia per "maledictos" in Verbo intelliguntur omnes qui se avertunt a Domino, nam illi rejiciunt charitatem et fidem ecclesiae. Quid per "ignem aeternum" significatur, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno (n. 566-575).
[6] Per
"Binos latrones", quorum unus a dextris et alter a sinistris Domini crucifixi fuerunt (Matthaeus 27:38; Marcus 15:27; Luca 23:39-43),
similes intelliguntur qui per "oves" et qui per "hircos"; quare uni, qui agnovit Dominum, dictum est, quod "cum Ipso esset in Paradiso."
[7] Apud Johannem,
Jesus dixit discipulis piscantibus, "Mittite in dextras partes navigii rete, tunc invenietis: miserunt itaque; et non amplius illud trahere potuerunt prae multitudine piscium" (21:6):
quoniam per "piscationem" in Verbo significatur instructio et conversio hominum qui in bono externo seu naturali sunt, in quo bono plures eo tempore ex gentibus fuerunt, per "pisces" enim significantur illa quae naturalis hominis sunt, et per "navigium significatur doctrina ex Verbo, quare per "dextras partes" ejus significatur bonum vitae; inde constare potest quid significatur per quod Dominus dixerit quod "mitterent rete in dextras partes navigii", nempe ut docerent bonum vitae: quod sic ad ecclesiam converterent gentes, significatur per quod "invenerint copiam, ut prae multitudine piscium non valerent trahere rete"; quisque potest videre quod Dominus non dixerit ut "in dextras partes mitterent rete", nisi "dextra pars" esset significativa.
[8] Apud Matthaeum,
"Si oculus dexter scandalizaverit te, erue illum et abjice abs te;.... et si dextra tua [manus] scandalizaverit, amputa illam et abjice abs te" (5:29, 30):
quod Dominus per "dextrum oculum" et per "dextram manum" non intellexerit dextrum oculum et dextram manum, quisque videre potest ex eo, quod dicatur quod oculus "eruendus sit", et quod manus "amputanda", si scandalizaverint; sed quia per "oculum" in senSu spirituali significatur omne id quod est, intellectus et inde cogitationis, et per "dextram manum" omne id quod est voluntatis et inde affectionis, constare potest quod per "Si oculus dexter scandalizaverit, eruendus sit", significetur si cogitaret malum quod id ex cogitatione rejiciendum Sit; et quod per "Si dextra manus scandalizaverit, amputanda sit", significetur si vellet malum quod id voluntatis excutiendum sit: ipse enim oculus non potest scandalizare, nec dextra manus, sed cogitatio intellectus et affectio voluntatis, quae correspondent, possunt. Quod dicatur "dexter oculus" et "dextra manus", et non sinister oculus et sinistra manus, est quia per "dextrum" significatur bonum et in opposito sensu malum, at per "sinistrum" significatur verum et in opposito sensu falsum; et omnis scandalizatio fit ex malo, non autem ex falso nisi falsum sit falsum mali: quod haec dicta sint de interno homine, cujus est cogitare et velle, et non de externo, cujus est videre et agere, constat quoque ex illis quae proxime ibi praecedunt de "muliere aliena", quod solum illam aspicere ex concupiscentia sit adulterium committere.
[9] Apud Evangelistas,
Mater filiorum Zebedaei petiit a Jesu, ut unus filiorum ejus sederet ad dextram, alter ad sinistram in regno Ipsius; dixit Jesus, "Nescitis quid petitis;.... sedere ad dextram meam et ad sinistram meam, non meum est dare, nisi iis quibus datum est a Patre" (Matthaeus 20:20, 21, 22,] 23; Marcus 10:35-40):
quod "mater filiorum Zebedaei", Jacobi et Johannis, 3 petierit illa, erat ut per "matrem" intelligatur ecclesia, per "Jacobum" charitas, et per "Johannem" bonum charitatis actu; haec duo, seu illi qui in iis sunt, in caelo ad dextram et ad sinistram Domini sunt; ad dextram ibi est meridies, et ad sinistram septentrio, et in meridie sunt qui in luce veri ex bono clara sunt, et in septentrione qui in luce veri ex bono obscura sunt: ipsum Divinum procedens a Domino ut Sole producit Divinam sphaeram talem in illis plagis; quapropter non alii ibi possunt esse quam qui in illis veris ex bono sunt; hoc significatur per quod "sedere ad dextram et ad sinistram Domini, non sit nisi iis quibus datum seu paratum est a Patre"; per "Patrem" intelligitur Divinum Bonum Divini Amoris, ex quo caelum et omne caeli; quare per illa Domini verba intelligitur quod Dominus det illis ad dextram et ad sinistram suam in caelis sedere, quibus a fundatione mundi paratum Est in meridie et in septentrione hereditatem sortiri.
[10] Quod per "dextram" intelligatur meridies in caelis, manifeste constat apud Davidem,
"Tui caeli et tua terra, orbem et plenitudinem ejus fundasti, septentrionem et dextram Tu creasti" (Ps. 89 [12,] 13, 13, 11, 12]):
per "caelum et terram" intelliguntur caeli superiores et inferiores, similiter ecclesia interna et externa; per "orbem et plenitudinem ejus" intelliguntur caeli et ecclesia in genere quoad bonum et quoad verum, per "orbem" caelum et ecclesia quoad bonum, et per "plenitudinem ejus" caelum et ecclesia quoad verum; et quia illa seu illi qui in illis sunt in septentrione et in meridie, et quia meridies est ad dextram Domini, ideo dicitur "septentrio et dextra"; et quia Divinum Verum unitum Divino Bono tale est in plagis illis a fundatione mundi, ut supra dictum est, ideo dicitur, "fundasti" et "creasti."
[11] Apud Esaiam,
"Dedit vobis Dominus panem angustiae, et aquas oppressionis, sed non avolare amplius cogentur doctores tui, sintque oculi tui respicientes doctores tuos, et aures tuae audient verbum.... , dicendo, Haec via, ite in ea, quando ad dextram abibitis, et quando ad sinistram" (30:20, 21):
agitur ibi de illis qui in tentationibus sunt, et qui per illas et post illas instructionem in veris doctrinae admittunt et recipiunt; ipsae tentationes significantur per "panem angustiae" et per "aquas oppressionis"; per "panem angustiae" significantur tentationes quoad bonum amoris, et per "aquas oppressionis" significantur tentationes quoad Vera fidei; sunt enim tentationes duplicis generis, nempe quoad bonum quod est amoris, et quoad verum quod est fidei; "panis" significat bonum amoris, et "aquae" significant vera fidei; "angustia" et "oppressio" significant status tentationum: instructio in veris doctrinae significatur per quod "oculi respicient ad doctores"; "oculi" significant intellectum et fidem, "doctores" significant doctrinam: bonum vitae secundum vera doctrinae significatur per quod "aures audient verbum"; per "aures" significatur obedientia; et quia obedientia est vitae, inde per "audire verbum" significatur vita secundum vera doctrinae: instructio et obedientia ulterius describitur per "dicendo, Haec via, ite in ea, quando ad dextram abibitis et quando ad sinistram"; per "viam" significatur verum ducens; verum ducens ad meridiem in caelo intelligitur per "abire ad dextram", et verum ducens ad septentrionem ibi per "abire ad sinistram."
[12] Apud eundem,
"Amplifica locum tentorii tui, et cortinas habitaculorum tuorum expandant, ne prohibeas: longos fac funes tuos, et clavos tuos firma; quia ad dextram et ad sinistram erumpes, et semen tuum gentes hereditabit, et urbes desolatas habitari facient" ( 4 54:2, 3):
agitur ibi de instauratione ecclesiae apud gentes; et per "amplificare locum tentorii" significantur incrementa ecclesiae quoad cultum ex bono; per "expandere cortinas habitaculorum" significantur incrementa ecclesiae quoad vera doctrinae; per "longos facere funes" significatur extensio illorum; per "firmare clavos" significatur confirmatio ex Verbo; per "erumpere ad dextram et ad sinistram" significatur amplificatio quoad bonum charitatis et quoad verum fidei, ("ad dextram" quoad bonum charitatis, et "ad sinistram" quoad verum fidei ex illo bono;) per "semen" quod "gentes hereditabit" significatur verum per quod bona ("semen" est verum et "gentes" sunt bona); et per "urbes desolatas" quas "gentes habitari facient" significantur vera ex bonis vitae; "urbes desolatae" sunt vera doctrinae ubi non prius vera, "gentes" sunt bona vitae ex quibus vera, et "habitare" est vivere.
[13] per haec describitur exstinctio boni per falsum ac veri per malum; exstinctio omnis boni et veri, utcunque inquiritur, significatur per "Si deciderit ad dextram esuriet tamen, et si comederit ad sinistram non saturabuntur"; "dextra" est bonum ex quo verum, et "sinistra" est verum ex bono; " 5 caedere et comedere" ad illas est inquirere, "esurire et non saturari" est non inveniri, et si invenitur usque non recipi. (Reliqua videantur supra, n. 386 [b] , explicata.)
[14] Apud Ezechielem,
"Similitudo facierum" cheruborum, "facies hominis et facies leonis ad dextram quatuor illis, ac facies bovis... ad sinistram, et facies aquilae quatuor illis" (1:10):
quid per "cherubos", et quid per "facies" eorum, quae sicut facies hominis, leonis, bovis et aquilae, significatur, videatur supra (n. 277-281); quod facies hominis et leonis "ad dextram" visae sint, est quia per "hominem" Significatur Divinum Verum in luce et intelligentia, et per "leonem" Divinum Verum in potentia inde, quale est in caelo in meridie; et quod facies bovis "ad sinistram "sit visa, significat bonum veri in obscuro, per "bovem" enim significatur bonum naturalis hominis quod in obscuro est illis qui in caelo ad septentrionem habitant.
[15] Apud Sachariam,
"In die illo ponam duces Jehudae sicut fornacem ignis in lignis, et sicut facem ignis in manipulo, ut comedant ad dextram et ad sinistram omnes populos circumcirca, ut habitet amplius Hierosolyma sub se in Hierosolyma" (12:6):
agitur ibi de instauratione ecclesiae caelestis, seu ecclesiae quae in bono amoris in Dominum erit; illa ecclesia intelligitur per "domum Jehudae": per "duces" ejus intelliguntur bona cum veris illius ecclesiae: dispersio malorum et falsorum ab illis, significatur per quod "ponentur sicut fornax ignis in lignis, et sicut fax ignis in manipulo", et per quod "comedent ad dextram et ad sinistram omnes populos circumcirca"; mala quae dispergentur ab illa ecclesia significantur per "sicut fornacem in lignis et sicut facem in manipulo"; et falsa, quae etiam dispergentur, significantur per "populos circumcirca" quos comedent seu consument: quod ecclesia illa tuta erit ab infestatione malorum et falsorum, et victura in bono vitae secundum vera doctrinae, significatur per quod "habitabit amplius Hierosolyma sub se in Hierosolyma"; "habitari" praedicatur de bono vitae, et "Hierosolyma" significat ecclesiam quoad vera doctrinae.
[16] : describitur per haec destructio veri per dira falsa; per "gladium" significatur tale falsum destruens verum; diritas et enormitas illius falsi describitur per quod "gladius factus sit in fulgur et exacutus ad mactationem"; quod non illis, qui in eo falso sunt, sit aliquod bonum nec verum, quocunque studio inquirunt, significatur per "Aduna te, ad dextram verte; dispone te, ad sinistram verte; quo facies tuae nutant."
[17] Apud 6 Sachariam,
"Vae pastori nihili deserenti gregem; gladius super brachio ejus, et super oculo dextrae ejus; brachium ejus arescendo arefiet, et oculus dextrae ejus caligando caligabit" (11:27):
per "pastorem nihili deserentem gregem" intelliguntur qui non docent verum et per id ducunt ad bonum vitae, quibus non curae est num verum sit vel falsum quod docent; per "gladium super brachio ejus" significatur falsum destruens omne bonum voluntatis; et per "gladium super oculo dextrae" significatur falsum destruens omne verum intellectus; quod deprivandi sint omni bono et vero, significatur per quod "brachium arescendo arefiet, et oculus dextrae caligando caligabit." (Videantur etiam haec explicata supra, n. 131 [b] , 152.)
[18] Quoniam dextra regio corporis, et dextrae regionis membra, significant bonum per quod verum, ideo cum inaugurarentur Aharon et filii ejus in sacerdotium, mandatum est,
Ut sumeretur sanguis ex ariete, et daretur super auriculam auris eorum dextrae, super pollicem manus eorum dextrae, et super pollicem pedis eorum dextri (Exodus 29:20):
hoc mandatum est quia "sanguis" significabat Divinum Verum per quod bonum amoris, hoc enim repraesentabatur per Aharonem, et illud per filios ejus; et quia omnis inauguratio ad repraesentandum Divinum Bonum Amoris fit per Divinum Verum, dabatur sanguis super auriculam auris dextrae, super pollicem manus dextrae, et super pollicem pedis dextri; per "auriculam auris dextrae" significatur obedientia ex perceptione, per "pollicem manus dextrae" significatur bonum voluntate, et per "pollicem pedis dextri" significatur bonum actu.
[19] Quoniam per "lepram" significatur bonum consumptum per falsa, hoc malum quomodo per Divina media restituendum sit, describitur per processum mundationis leprae in spirituali sensu intellectum; ex quo haec solum velim afferre,
Quod sacerdos acciperet de sanguine reatus, et daret super auriculam auris mundandi dextram, et super pollicem manus ejus dextrum, et super pollicem pedis ejus dextrum: et acciperet sacerdos e logo oleum, et effunderet super volam suam sinistram, et intingeret sacerdos digitum suum 7 dextrum oleo quod super vola ejus sinistra, et spargeret de oleo in digito suo septem vicibus coram Jehovah (Leviticus 14:14-17, 24-28):
similia hic per "auriculam auris dextram", "pollicem manus dextrum", et "pollicem pedis dextrum" significantur, quae supra; simile etiam per "sanguinem", nempe, Divinum Verum, hoc enim purificat hominem a falsis, quae consumpserunt bona apud illum; a quibus cum purificatus est, produci potest bonum per vera, et sic homo a lepra sanari. Ex his et illis constare potest quod per "dextrum" et "sinistrum" significetur bonum ex quo verum, et verum ex bono (ut supra dictum est). Quid alioqui foret quod sanguis daretur super dextram partem illorum membrorum, et quod oleum sumeretur vola sinistra, et spargeretur digito 8 dextro?
[20] Similiter
Quod propheta Ezechiel jussus sit cubare super latere sinistro, et quod ponerentur super illo iniquitates domus Israelis ([Ezech.] 4:4):
per "prophetam" enim significatur docens, et in sensu abstracto doctrina ecclesiae; per "latus sinistrum" significatur doctrina veri ex bono, et per vera ex bono homo ex iniquitatibus purificatur.
[21] Quod Salomo posuerit labra,
"Quinque juxta humerum domus a dextra, et quinque juxta humerum domus a sinistra ejus; mare autem" aeneum "ab humero domus dextro versus orientem e regione meridiei" (1 Regum 7:39),
erat causa, quia "domus" seu Templum repraesentabat caelum et ecclesiam, "labra" purificationes a falsis et malis, et sic praeparationes ad intrandum in caelum et in ecclesiam; "humerus dexter domus" significabat meridiem in caelis, ubi Divinum Verum est in sua luce; et "humerus sinister" ejus significabat septentrionem, ubi Divinum Verum est in sua umbra: ita per "decem" illa "labra" significabantur omnia purificationis et omnes qui purificantur, et per "quinque" ab hoc humero et ab altero significabantur illi seu illud genus hominum apud quos Divinum Verum est in luce et apud quos est in umbra; nam "decem" significant omnia et omnes, ac "quinque" unam partem seu unum genus: mare aeneum repraesentabat commune purificatorium; quod hoc positum fuerit "ab humero domus dextro versus orientem e regione meridiei", erat quia Divinum Verum purificans ex Divino Amore Domini procedit; oriens enim est ubi Dominus ut Sol apparet; Divinum Verum, quod est lux caeli ex illo Sole, in meridie est in suo claro et aprico: haec causa fuit quod commune purificatorium positum fuerit "versus orientem e regione meridiei." Haec arcana Verbi non sciri possunt in mundo, nisi ex cognitis plagis in caelo, quae aliter se habent quam in mundo. (Sed De Plagis in Caelo, videantur quae ex visis et auditis in opere De Caelo et Inferno 141-153, dicta sunt.)
[22] Quoniam in mundo spirituali quisque intrat et ambulat vias quae ducunt ad illos qui in simili regnante amore sunt, et cuique liberum est ire viam quam vult, et in quam et per quam ejus amor ducit eum, et viae illae ad dextrum et sinistrum tendunt ad unum vel ad alterum amorem, ita ad illum qui insitus est, ideo quoque per "dextrum" et "sinistrum" significatur lubitum, liberum, et optato:
Ut in Libro Geneseos,
Dixit Abraham ad Lothum, "Separa te;.... si sinistram, dextram petam; si dextram, sinistram ibo" (13:9);
Et servus Abrahami dixit ad Labanem, cum rogaret Rebeccam in uxorem Isaco,
"Indicate mihi, ut respiciam ad dextram vel ad sinistram" (24:49).
Per "non recedere et declinare ad dextram vel ad sinistram" significatur etiam non aliam viam ire quam illam quam Ipse Dominus, et quam bonum et verum caeli et ecclesiae ducunt, sic non erronee: ut
Quod non recederent a verbo sacerdotis Levitae ac judicis, nec a praeceptis in Verbo ad dextram vel ad sinistram (Deuteronomius 17:11, 20: cap. 28:14; Joshua 1:7:2 Samuelis 14:19);
Et quod filii Israelis non declinarent ad dextram aut ad sinistram; sed irent viam regis, cum pertransirent terram Edomi (Numeri 20:17);
et cum pertransirent terram regis Sichonis (Deuteronomius 2:27).
Praeterea quod "dextra" significet plenam potentiam, et cum de Domino Divinam omnipotentiam, videatur supra (n. 298 [a, b]).
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