Water into Wine

1. And on the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

2. And both Jesus was called and His disciples to the wedding.

3. And when the wine was lacking, the mother of Jesus says to Him, They have no wine.

4. Jesus says to her, What [is there] to Me and to thee, woman? my hour is not yet come.

5. His mother says to those ministering, whatever He shall say to you, do.

6. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the purification of the Jews, containing two or three measures apiece.

7. Jesus says to them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the top.

8. And He says to them, Draw out now, and bring to the chief of the feast; and they brought [it].

9. And when the chief of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was (but those ministering who drew the water knew), the chief of the feast calls the bridegroom,

10. And says to him, Every man first puts out the good wine, and when they have had enough, then the lesser; thou hast kept the good wine until now.

11. This beginning of signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

A promise fulfilled

At the end of the previous chapter, Nathanael is described as “a man without deceit” (1:47). Amazed that Jesus knows all about him, Nathanael exclaims, “You are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel” (1:49). In response, Jesus promises Nathanael that he will see even greater things. “Did you believe because I saw you under the fig tree?” says Jesus. “You will see greater things than this. You will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” (1:51). This promise takes place in the spirit of everyone who, like Nathanael, is “without deceit,” recognizes that Jesus is the Son of God, and strives to live according to what Jesus teaches.

Accordingly, the next episode provides deeper insight about how this promise can take place in each of our lives. It begins with the words, “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee” (2:1). A wedding, which celebrates one of the most significant transitions in human life, also represents a corresponding transition in our spiritual life. Just as a marriage begins when a man and a woman come before the Lord promising to be united in a life of love and faithfulness, spiritual life begins with a commitment to unite the truth we know with an effort to live according to it. Up to this point, truth may have been believed, but it was separated from goodness.

Gradually, however, as truth is put into practice, we come to see and feel the goodness of it. This is when the spiritual wedding takes place. What we once compelled ourselves to do, now becomes the desire of our heart. Truth and goodness are united. In other words, as we strive upwards to live according to the truth that we know, God descends into that truth with His goodness bringing about what is called the “heavenly marriage.” This wedding of truth ascending and goodness descending is what Jesus meant when He said to Nathanael, “You will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

It is also significant that the wedding at Cana takes place “on the third day.” While the phrase “on the third day,” often refers to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, it also refers to the process of spiritual development which can take place in every human being. The three stages of spiritual development are repentance, reformation, and regeneration.

Repentance involves both the acknowledgment of God and the recognition of our sins. In reformation we focus on learning truth from the Word of the Lord so that we might reform our understanding. Then, “on the third day” of our spiritual development, we enter the stage of regeneration. In this stage, we not only learn the truth but also apply it to our lives. In the process, the truth we have learned is united with goodness. In this stage, the Lord is working through our reformed understanding to build a new will within us.

“Whatever He says, do it”

In the original Greek, it is written that Jesus and His disciples were “called” to the wedding. This suggests that if we are to have an internal wedding of truth and goodness, we cannot do it by ourselves. We need to call upon the Lord, inviting Him to be present along with the many principles of truth and goodness represented by His disciples. In addition, it is written that “the mother of Jesus was there” (2:2). Her presence signifies the affection for truth in each of us. It is the desire to understand what is true so that we might do what is good.

At a certain point during the wedding celebration, Jesus’ mother turns to Him and says, “They have run out of wine” (2:3). The affection for truth in each of us, represented by Jesus’ “mother,” is that part of us that thirsts for true wisdom. It is, therefore, the first to notice when truth is lacking. In the language of sacred scripture, we have “run out of wine.” Jesus then replies, “What is that to Me or you, woman? My hour has not yet come” (2:3-4). When Jesus refers to Mary as “woman” rather than mother, He is referring to His divine rather than His human identity. And when He adds the words, “My hour has not yet come,” He is referring to a specific time when He will fully manifest His glory, revealing that He is no longer the son of Mary but the Son of God. Therefore, in calling His mother “woman,” Jesus is responding from His divine nature rather than from His human nature.

On another level, Jesus is saying that He cannot perform miracles within us unless we also do our part. His “hour” comes as soon as we take the first step. This first step begins when Jesus’ mother turns to the servants and says to them, “Whatever He says, do it” (2:5). These five words contain a timeless message. As it was stated in the first chapter of this gospel, Jesus is “the Word made flesh” (1:14). To do whatever Jesus says is to do whatever the Word teaches. Each of us begins our spiritual journey in simple obedience. Eventually, faithful obedience turns into loving obedience, and finally into a life of loving to do what the Word teaches. This is when we become fully human. But at this point in the episode, we are not there yet. At this point, which is an initial state, our task is simply to do what Jesus teaches. Therefore, Mary says to the servants, “Whatever He says, do it.” ¹

“Fill the waterpots with water”

It is at this point in the divine narrative that we learn more about the wedding venue. As it is written, “And there were set there six waterpots of stone for the Jewish rites of purification, containing twenty to thirty gallons apiece” (2:6). In biblical times, it was customary to wash one’s hands and feet before entering someone’s home or attending a celebration. This historical ritual of purification represented the eternal need for spiritual purification, that is, the removal of evil desires and false thoughts. In the context of eternity, the large stone vessels, each able to contain up to twenty to thirty gallons of water, signify the foundational truths of the Word, the most general truths that serve as divine containers for more specific truths. These are the truths that are “set in stone.” They are the immoveable, timeless truths that cannot be shaken. They are the Ten Commandments given through Moses at Mount Sinai, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, the two Great Commandments, and every truth that leads us to spiritual purification.

These perennial truths, when taken into the human mind, serve as rugged stone vessels that are able to contain more specific truths, just as stone pots contain water. When we understand that the stone water pots signify the human mind filled with foundational truths, and water signifies cleansing truth from the Word of the Lord, we are prepared to see the significance of Jesus’ first command. He says, “Fill the waterpots with water” (2:7). Accordingly, the servants fill the waterpots to the brim. This represents the way each of us should keep our minds “filled to the brim” with teachings from the Lord’s Word. ²

“Draw some out and take it to the master of the feast”

While it is wonderful to have our minds filled to the brim with truth from the Word of the Lord, this is not the end of the process. Therefore, Jesus’ next command is, “Draw some out and take it to master of the feast” (2:8). In the literal narrative, the master of the feast is the person who rules over the feast, making sure that all arrangements are in place and that the guests are supplied with plenty of food and wine. In the highest sense, however, this wedding corresponds to the heavenly marriage of goodness and truth to which we are all invited, a wedding where there is plenty of spiritual food and where the wine never runs out. The “ruler” at this wedding, or to use the language of the divine narrative, “the master of the feast,” is the Lord Himself.

With this in mind, the words “take it to the master of the feast” take on greater significance. They remind us that every time we draw out some truth from the Word, striving to put it to use, we must first ask for the Lord’s blessing on our efforts. Otherwise, we might tend to believe that the true thoughts we think and the good things we do are self-generated. This is why it is necessary to take it to “the Master of the Feast” — the Lord Himself — asking for His blessing. As it written in the Hebrew scriptures, “May the favor of the Lord our God be upon us to confirm the work of our hands” (Psalms 90:17).

Whenever we do this, the Lord’s love and guidance flows into the truth that we know and the efforts that we make to put that truth into our lives. As Jesus said to Nathanael, “You will see heaven opened” (1:51). We see new applications that we would not have seen before, we feel a surge of renewed energy that we did not think we had, and we experience a change of heart. It is at this point in our lives that we realize that something truly miraculous has happened. The water of our natural lives has been transformed into the wine of spiritual life. ³

“You have saved the good wine until now”

In the literal narrative, the servants did exactly what Jesus said. They drew out the water and took it to the master of the feast. When he tastes the water, he discovers that it is not water at all, but rather a most exquisite wine. Not knowing where the wine came from, or how the water in the stone pots had been turned into wine, he assumes that the bridegroom has saved the best wine for last. So, he summons the bridegroom and says to him, “Everyone sets out the good wine first, and then sets out the inferior wine after the guests have had too much to drink. But you have saved the good wine until now” (2:10).

This miracle shows what can happen within every human being when the truths of the literal sense of the Word are transformed into spiritual truths. This is when the Word of God reveals its deeper meaning to us, and we see the goodness within the truth. This episode, then, teaches us that when we fill our mind to the brim with truth from the Lord’s Word, draw some out for spiritual cleansing, and take it to the Lord for His blessing, the water of natural life will be turned into the wine of spiritual life. As it is written in the closing words of this episode, “You have kept the good wine until now.” ⁴

The beginning of signs

After the turning of water into wine, it is written that “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him” (2:11). It is important to note that the Gospel According to John consistently uses the Greek word σημεῖον [say-mi'-on] which means “sign” instead of the Greek word δύναμις [doo'-nam-is] which means “miracle” or “miraculous power.” In this regard, a sign is not the same as a miracle. While a miracle can amaze and dazzle us momentarily, a sign points to a deeper truth about Jesus and about our inner lives. Signs testify to what the Lord can do not only in the outer world, but also in our inner life.

To put it briefly, miracles may astonish us, but signs teach us. Signs, as the term itself suggests, signify a deeper spiritual reality. Miracles, then, have a certain external power. They can get our attention. But if we are good at heart, we allow these miracles to become signs that point us toward deeper realities. They can teach us about our inner world, cause us to examine ourselves, and lead us to deeper understanding. We begin to see signs that the Lord is working within us. ⁵

A practical application

While external miracles can serve to get our attention, the Lord wants us to believe in Him because He performs inner miracles — changes in our inner life. It’s as if the Lord is saying to each of us, “I want you to believe in Me because you have heard my teachings, lived according to them, asked for My blessing, and, as a result, you have seen your life being transformed.” With this in mind, notice those times when you have good thoughts about the Lord and about the neighbor. Notice those times when thoughts about doing kind things or performing useful services arise in you, and you act on them. Notice those times when you feel genuine empathy for others, especially those who suffer physically and spiritually, and you do something to help. Notice, especially, those times when you have conquered in temptation because the Lord has been fighting for you, and within you. These are all precious moments when Jesus is turning the water of natural life into the wine of spiritual life. This is how the Lord manifests His glory in you. And, like the early disciples, you may find yourself believing in Him ever more deeply, even as good wine becomes finer and finer over the years. ⁶

Cleansing the Temple

12. After this He came down into Capernaum, He, and His mother, and His brothers, and His disciples; and there they remained not many days.

13. And the Passover of the Jews was near; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

14. And found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the coin merchants, sitting.

15. And having made a whip out of cords, He cast them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen, and spilled out the coin of the moneychangers, and overturned the tables.

16. And to those selling doves, He said, Take these away from here! Make not My Fathers house a house of merchandise.

17. And His disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thy house has eaten me up.

18. Then answered the Jews and said to Him, What sign dost Thou show us that Thou doest these things?

19. Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

20. Then the Jews said, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt Thou raise it up in three days?

21. But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

22. When therefore He was risen from [the] dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

After attending the wedding ceremony in Cana of Galilee, Jesus goes down to Capernaum for a few days and then up to Jerusalem and into the temple to celebrate the Passover. The temple in Jerusalem is the place where people went to read, study, and discuss the Word. It is where sacrifices were practiced and rituals took place, all in an effort to worship the Lord. Over time, however, the temple leaders allowed merchants to sell animals for sacrificial rituals, turning the temple into a house of merchandise rather than a house of prayer. Worship was no longer a time for holy sacrifices but rather a time for business transactions. As it is written, “In the temple, Jesus found the people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables” (2:13).

Seeing this, Jesus makes a whip of cords, drives the animals out of the temple along with the merchants, and overturns the tables of the moneychangers. Addressing those who are selling doves, He says, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise” (2:16).

As we have pointed out, the temple signifies the human mind. While it should be a house of prayer, a holy place where we learn truth and act on it, our minds are sometimes occupied by selfish and worldly concerns, symbolized by the moneychangers. To the extent that we dwell on these lower, more external things, forgetting to praise and honor God, our mind becomes “a house of merchandise,” a place of business rather than a house of God. ⁷

The picture of Jesus driving out the animals with a whip of cords and overturning the tables of the moneychangers is a powerful one. This is another side of the omniscient Jesus who welcomed Nathanael as a disciple. It is also another side of the omnipotent Jesus who transformed water into wine. This time we see a very zealous Jesus who is greatly concerned about what is happening in the temple. Noticing this, His disciples remember the words of Psalms 69. As it written, “Zeal for Your House has eaten Me up” (2:16; Psalms 69:9). In that same psalm, David goes on to say, “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord better than an ox or a bull” (Psalms 69:30-31).

David’s words are prophetic. They point to a time when God will be worshipped in song, thanksgiving, praise, and, most importantly, through a life of useful service — not through the sacrifice of innocent animals. Jesus’ zealous action, therefore, is a powerful indication that the time of animal sacrifice is over, and that a new era is beginning. Shocked and confused by Jesus’ behavior, the people say, “What sign are you going to show us to prove Your authority to do these things” (2:18). In response, Jesus says to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (2:19).

The people, as yet, do not understand. They think Jesus is referring to the physical temple which took forty-six years to build. They can’t understand how Jesus could rebuild that temple in three days. They do not understand that Jesus is “speaking of the temple of His body” (2:21). In the literal sense, this is a reference to His resurrection “on the third day” after His crucifixion. It is written, therefore, that “when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the scriptures and the word which Jesus had said” (2:22).

More deeply, when Jesus says that He will “raise up the temple in three days,” He is not only speaking about His resurrection after three days. He is also speaking about the establishment of a “new temple” or a “new church” in each of us — a temple that will take “three days” to establish. The phrase, “three days,” as we have mentioned, refers to the three essential stages of our spiritual development. This is the process of repentance, reformation, and regeneration. It is a process that takes place within each of us as we turn to the Lord, learn truth from His Word, and begin a new life. This wondrous process begins when we decide to cooperate with the Lord in driving out the evils of our lower nature so that the He might enter the temple of our minds and dwell in the sanctuary of our hearts. ⁸

A practical application

One of the main activities of temple worship was animal sacrifice. More specifically, it involved the sacrifice of several different kinds of animals such as lambs, doves, rams, goats, bulls, and oxen. Every sacrificed animal represented a specific evil or a falsity that needed to be given up so that the person making the sacrifice could be purified from that sin. Of course, we realize that the sacrifice of an animal can never take away human sin. True sacrifice has nothing to do with the slaughter of innocent animals. In fact, the word “sacrifice” comes from two Latin words that mean “to make holy” [sacre = holy + facere = to make]. Therefore, we make a sacrifice whenever we give up selfish desires, false beliefs, and ego concerns. You can start today by clearing the temple of whatever prevents the Lord from being fully present in your life. Just as Jesus used a whip to drive out the oxen, you will need to use powerful truths to drive out the stubborn attitudes and persistent desires of your lower/animal nature. This would be a true and holy sacrifice, the kind we are called to make in the temple of our inner spirit.

Saving Faith

23. And when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, at the festival, many believed in His name, beholding His signs which He did.

24. But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all [men],

25. And needed not that any should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

The next episode begins with the words, “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did” (2:23). This describes an initial, but shallow, stage of faith. As it is written, “many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.” Faith that is based on miracles may be useful in the beginning of our spiritual development, but it is not genuine faith or what is called “saving faith.” In the initial stages of faith, we are like innocent children who believe because we hear how God created the world, parted the Red Sea, saved Jonah from the belly of a whale, and rescued Daniel from the mouth of the lions.

In this initial stage, we accept the Word as literally true, without question. Even a statement like “many believed in His name” is taken at face value, meaning that the mere belief in the Lord’s name can bring about salvation. In this regard, when a child is taught to “call upon the name of Jesus,” it can be understood to mean that the name “Jesus” must be used frequently, that the name “Jesus” has the power to frighten away bad spirits, and that the recitation of the name “Jesus” has the power to unlock the doors of heaven. There are numerous teachings from the literal sense of the Word that tend to support this interpretation. As Paul says in his letter to the Romans, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

As faith develops, we move from a simple child-like belief in the name “Jesus” to a more mature belief in what it means to call upon the name of the Lord. We begin to understand that to “believe in His name,” means to believe in the qualities that are signified by a name. This includes every divine quality that is available to us. For example, when we pray for the quality called “patience,” we are calling upon the name of the Lord. When we pray for the quality called “forgiveness,” we are calling upon the name of the Lord. When we pray for the quality called “tranquility,” we are calling upon the name of the Lord. These qualities are always present, available for the asking, and should never be taken in vain. And when we strive to live according to these qualities, practicing patience, forgiveness, and peace, these qualities can become a part of our character. This is what it means to “believe in His name.” ⁹

Similarly, as our faith deepens, we begin to see that every biblical event, even every word, has a deeper meaning that relates to our spiritual development. Just as the word “name” has deeper meaning, so too, do the stories. We begin to understand that the days of creation are not just about the physical creation of the universe, but rather about the successive states of our internal growth; we begin to see that the miraculous parting of the Red Sea is not just about the Lord leading the children of Israel out of Egypt, but rather about how the Lord leads us through seemingly impossible situations. We begin to realize that Jonah being saved from the whale or Daniel being delivered from the lions are not just stories about how the Lord saves faithful people from physical danger, but, more deeply, how the Lord, through His Word, is continually saving us from being swallowed up by falsity or eaten up by resentment. ¹⁰

As our understanding deepens through application of truth to our life, so, too, does our faith. We begin to see that these stories are not just about people who lived long ago. They are also stories about the wonders that the Lord can work within us when we live according to His teachings. ¹¹

Doing our part

As we have pointed out, true faith arises when we first do our part. It begins by turning to the Lord, repenting of our sins, allowing the Lord to reform our understanding through the truths of His Word, and then doing the good things that the Word teaches. In the language of sacred scripture, and in the divinely ordered sequence of episodes in this chapter, this means that we must first “fill the waterpots to the brim,” then “cleanse the inner temple,” and finally, live a life of charity towards others. When this happens, a faith based on external miracles becomes a faith based on personal transformation. We believe, not because of the external miracles that we have seen or heard about. Rather, we believe because we have been willing to be led by the Lord, have striven to put His truth into our lives, and, as a result, have seen miraculous changes within ourselves. This is called “saving faith.” And we can only experience it when we have done our part. ¹²

The testimony of man vs the testimony of God

In the verse that follows, it is written that Jesus “did not commit himself to them because He knew all men and had no need that anyone should testify of man because He knew what was in man” (2:24-25). The “testimony of man” is inconsistent, and fickle. As long as everything is going well, and our physical needs are being met, we have no complaints. We trust in God and believe that we are honoring His name.

But when things do not go according to our plans, when our ambitious desires seem to be thwarted, and our prayers for material prosperity are not being answered, our faith wavers. The same people who initially believed in Jesus because of the miraculous signs eventually turned on Him when He failed to provide the material prosperity they were seeking. They wanted an earthly king, not a heavenly one. They believed in His miracles, but did not believe in Him. They believed in His “name,” but not in living according to the qualities signified by His name.

It is written, therefore, that Jesus “did not entrust Himself to them because He knew all men” (2:24). Just as Jesus knew the heart of Nathanael, He knows the hearts of all men. He knows how unreliable and inconsistent people can be, how people can honor Him one moment and despise Him the next. It is for this reason that Jesus “did not entrust Himself to them.” This case is similar with each of us. If we truly desire a relationship with God, we must be trustworthy. Whatever happens, whether it appears to be according to our wishes or against them — for better or for worse — we must remain constant in our faith, trusting that the Lord is leading us to a good end. ¹³

Whenever we do this, living in the assurance that God will never leave us or abandon us, we will be able to provide a true testimony. Rather than being a “testimony of man,” about how the Lord has satisfied our worldly ambitions, it will be a “testimony of God.” This is a humbler testimony about how God has delivered us from the evil of our lower nature, inspired us with His truth, and empowered us to do good in His name.

Genuine testimony, then, is about the wonderful ways that God is working within us as we strive to live according to His teachings. The result of this kind of inner work is truly “of God” and not “of man.” It is about the gradual but wondrous changes that takes place within us as we persevere in keeping the commandments. ¹⁴

A practical application

As you continue to keep the commandments, trusting in God to give you the power to do so, notice the way God’s qualities begin to arise within you as if they are your own. For example, notice how you are becoming more patient, even in trying circumstances. Notice how you can remain peaceful, even when you are in the midst of an emotional storm. Notice how your confidence in the Lord remains firm, even when your plans are upset, and the outcomes you desire are not achieved. Notice how quickly you can recover from an emotional upset, apologize for your part, and, without defensiveness, resolve to be better next time. Pay attention to these quiet miracles that point to the significant changes that are taking place within you. Add your own examples to the list of how the Lord is giving you the power to break old patterns and start new practices. ¹⁵

Bilješke:

653. Which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, signifies through the evils of the love of self and the falsities therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "Sodom," as being the love of self and evils of every kind therefrom (of which presently); also from the signification of "Egypt," as being the natural man separated from the spiritual, and falsity of evil of every kind therefrom (of which also presently). Evidently "Sodom and Egypt" mean Jerusalem, and thus the church, in which the goods of love are adulterated and the truths of doctrine are falsified, for it is next said "where also our Lord was crucified;" for the evils of the love of self and the falsities of doctrine are what crucify the Lord, therefore He was crucified by the Jews, because they were in those evils and falsities; but of this more hereafter.

[2] First let it be shown here that "Sodom" signifies in the Word the love of self, and thence every evil; for evils of every kind flow forth from the love of self; since he who loves himself only loves what is his own [proprium], and therefore immerses all things of his will and his understanding in what is his own [proprium], even so that it is impossible for him to be elevated from it to heaven and to the Lord; consequently he sees nothing from the light of heaven, but solely from the light of the world, which light, separated from the light of heaven, is mere darkness in spiritual things, which are the things of heaven and the church; and for this reason also the more a man loves himself the more he despises, yea, denies spiritual things. In consequence also of this the internal spiritual mind, by which man is in the light of heaven, is closed up, and this causes the man to be merely natural, and the merely natural man is inclined to evils of every kind. For the evils into which man is born have their seat in the natural man, and these are removed from him only to the extent in which his interior mind, which receives the light of heaven, is opened; moreover, what is man's own [proprium] has its seat in the natural man, and what is man's own [proprium] is nothing but evil.

[3] That "Sodom" therefore signifies the love of self, and thus evils of every kind, can be seen from the passages in the Word where "Sodom" is mentioned; as in the following. In Ezekiel:

Thy elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters dwelling at thy left hand; but thy younger sister, dwelling at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters; thou hast corrupted thyself more than they in all thy ways; Sodom thy sister hath not done, she and her daughters, as thou hast done and thy daughters. Behold, this was the iniquity of Sodom, pride, satiety of bread, and tranquillity of quiet was hers and her daughters, and she strengthened not the hand of the afflicted and needy; therefore they became lofty, and committed abomination before Me (Ezekiel 16:46-50).

This treats of the abominations of Jerusalem, which were chiefly that they adulterated the goods and truths of the Word and of the church; "Samaria," where the Israelites were, signifies the spiritual church, in which spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbor, is the essential; but "Jerusalem," where the Jews were, signifies the celestial church, in which celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord, is the essential. For there are two kingdoms into which heaven and thence the church is divided, the spiritual kingdom and the celestial kingdom (respecting these kingdoms see in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28). These kingdoms were represented by the Israelites whose metropolis was Samaria, and by the Jews whose metropolis was Jerusalem.

[4] Spiritual good, which is the good of charity toward the neighbor, is the opposite of infernal evil, which is the evil of the love of the world; and celestial good is the opposite of diabolical evil, which is the evil of the love of self. From the love of self flow forth evils of all kinds, and much worse than those from love of the world (See the New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine, n. 65-83). This is why more direful and abominable things are related of Jerusalem than of Samaria; and this is why Jerusalem is not only called "Sodom," but it is said that she did worse things than Sodom, as it is here said "Sodom hath not done as thou hast done and thy daughters." That the evil of the love of self was the evil of Sodom, is thus declared, "This was the iniquity of Sodom, pride, satiety of bread, tranquillity of quiet, and she strengthened not the hand of the afflicted and needy," "pride" meaning the love of self, "satiety of bread," the contempt of all good and truth of heaven and the church, even to loathing of them, "tranquillity of quiet," security and no anxiety on account of any evil; and "not strengthening the hands of the afflicted and needy" signifies unmercifulness. Because the love of self was the love of Sodom it is said that her daughters "became lofty and committed abomination before Jehovah," the "daughters" that became lofty signifying the cupidities of that love, and the "abomination before Jehovah" signifying every evil against the Divine Itself.

[5] Because the "Chaldeans" signify the profanation and adulteration of the truth of doctrine from the Word, and "the inhabitants of Babylon" the profanation and adulteration of the good of love, therefore the overthrow of these is also compared to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Jeremiah:

A sword against the Chaldeans, and against the inhabitants of Babylon, according to God's overthrowing Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring cities thereof, not a man shall dwell there, nor shall a son of man sojourn therein (Jeremiah 50:35, 40).

And in Isaiah:

So shall Babylon, the ornament of kingdoms, the splendor of the magnificence of the Chaldeans, be as God's overthrowing Sodom and Gomorrah (Isaiah 13:19).

"Sodom" signifies the evil of the love of self, and "Gomorrah" the falsity of that love; and as the love of self does not acknowledge any truth of the church, it is said, "not a man shall dwell there, nor shall a son of man sojourn therein," "man" signifying intelligence, and "son of man," the truth of the church.

[6] Because "Edom" signifies the natural man, who is in falsities from the love of self, and therefore adulterates the goods of the church, her vastation is compared to the overthrowing of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Jeremiah:

Edom shall be a desolation, as the overthrowing of Sodom and Gomorrah, no man [vir] shall dwell there, neither shall a son of man sojourn therein (Jeremiah 49:17, 18).

In Zephaniah:

Moab shall be as Sodom, and the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah, a place abandoned to nettles, and a pit of salt, a waste forever (Zephaniah 2:9).

"Moab," as has been said, means the natural man, who from the love of self adulterates the goods of the church, and "the sons of Ammon" mean those who falsify the truths of the church; and as thence is the devastation of all good and truth it is said, "a place abandoned to nettles, and a pit of salt, a waste forever;" the devastation of all good is signified by "a place of nettles," and the devastation of all truth, by "a pit of salt;" like things are signified by "Sodom and Gomorrah."

[7] Because "Judah" signifies celestial love, which is love to the Lord, from which is all good, and in the contrary sense diabolical love, which is the love of self, from which is all evil, the devastation of the church, which is signified by "Judah and Jerusalem," is also compared to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Isaiah:

Jerusalem hath stumbled, and Judah hath fallen; the hardening of their faces doth witness against them, and their sin is as Sodom's (Isaiah 3:8, 9).

Hear the word of Jehovah, ye princes of Sodom; give ear to the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah (Isaiah 1:10). "The Word of Jehovah" means Divine good, and "the law of God" Divine truth, for where good is treated of the name "Jehovah" is used, but where truth is treated of the name "God" is used; and as Divine good, to those who are in the love of self, is evil, it is said "their sin is as Sodom's," and "hear the Word of Jehovah, ye princes of Sodom;" and as Divine truth to those who are in the evil of the love of self is falsity, it is said, "give ear to the law of God, ye people of Gomorrah."

[8] In Moses:

Their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and their grapes are of the field of Gomorrah, grapes of gall, their clusters are of bitterness (Deuteronomy 32:32).

This is said of the direful falsities that exist with the posterity of Jacob, springing from the evils of the love of self. But this is explained above n. 519. In Lamentations:

They that did eat delicacies are laid waste in the streets, they that were brought up in crimson have embraced dunghills; the iniquity of My people is become greater than the sin of Sodom, that was overturned as in a moment (Lamentations 4:5, 6).

This is said of those who are of the Lord's celestial kingdom and church when they are changed into the opposite, for it is celestial love that is turned into the love of self, which is a diabolical love; of those who have been so changed the above is said. What is signified by "eating delicacies," "brought up in crimson," "laid waste in the streets," and "embracing dung-hills," has been explained in the article above n. 652. It is said that their iniquity "is become greater than the sin of Sodom," because they had the Word, from which they could know the truths and goods of heaven and the church, or of doctrine and life, and adulterated them, and this the inhabitants of Sodom could not do; for he who knows the will of the Lord and does it not, sins more than he who does not know it. Moreover, all those with whom the love of self is dominant despise the holy things of heaven and the church, and deny the Divine of the Lord; and to confirm the evils flowing forth from that love they either adulterate the Word or reject it as a writing that is holy only from having been so accepted. Those, therefore, who do this from the love of self are compared to Sodom and Gomorrah.

[9] That those who are taught by the Lord respecting the truths and goods of the church, and yet reject and deny them, do worse than those in Sodom, is evident from the Lord's words respecting Capernaum, in Matthew:

Thou Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down unto hell; for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in thee it would have remained until this day; I say unto thee ¹ that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee ¹ (Matthew 11:23, 24).

For the Lord after He left Nazareth abode in Capernaum (Matthew 4:13).

And there did miracles (Matthew 8:5-14; John 4:46-54 to the end).

Like things were said by the Lord of the cities in which the disciples preached His coming or the Gospel and were not received. As in these words in Matthew:

Whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words, when ye go forth out of that house or city shake off the dust of your feet; verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city (Matthew 10:14, 15; Mark 6:11; Luke 10:10-12).

For no one rejects the holy things of the church and denies the Divine of the Lord more interiorly than those do who are in the love of self; those who are in the love of the world and in the evils therefrom may reject the holy things of the church, but not so interiorly, that is, from the confirmation of the heart.

[10] Like things are said of the prophets and the people who adulterate the truths and goods of the Word to confirm evils and falsities. In Jeremiah:

In the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible stubbornness, in adulterating and walking in a lie, while they have strengthened the hands of the evil that no man doth return from his wickedness; they are become to Me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah (Jeremiah 23:14).

By "prophets" here those are meant who teach the truths and goods of doctrine, and in an abstract sense, which is the genuine spiritual sense, doctrine from the Word is meant, thus also the Word in respect to doctrine, therefore "a horrible stubbornness" signifies confirmation of heart against the truths and goods of the Word; "to adulterate and walk in a lie" signifies to pervert the goods and truths of the Word; "to adulterate" signifies to pervert the goods of the Word by evils and falsities, a "lie" means falsity, and "to walk in a lie" means to live in falsities. "To strengthen the hands of the evil" signifies to confirm evils and thence their power over goods; and "no man doth return from his wickedness" signifies to persist in the evils and falsities of doctrine; therefore it is said "they are become as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah," "as Sodom" signifying to be in evils springing from the love of self, and "the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah" signifying an evil life from the falsities of doctrine.

[11] The evil that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah is described as follows in Moses:

That they wished to offer violence to the angels, and were therefore smitten with blindness, so that they could not find the door where the angels were; and that therefore Jehovah caused brimstone and fire to rain upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and overthrew those cities and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which sprang up from the ground (Genesis 19:1-28).

"Their wishing to offer violence to the angels" means to Divine good and Divine truth, for these are signified by "angels;" the "blindness" with which they were smitten so that they could not find the door signified the complete rejection and denial of the Divine and of the holy things of heaven and the church, even so far as to be unable to see and acknowledge anything of heaven or the church, which is signified by "not finding the door" where the angels were; "brimstone" signifies the lust of destroying the goods and truths of the church by falsities, and "fire" signifies the love of self and every evil that destroys, here the destruction of goods and truths.

[12] That "Sodom and Gomorrah" mean all evils and falsities flowing forth from the love of self has been told me from heaven; for when they who are in evils from that love perish, which occurred at the time of the last judgment, there was an appearance of brimstone and fire raining down from heaven; this I also witnessed. That this would occur at the time of the Last Judgment was also predicted by the Lord in Luke:

Likewise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot, on the day that he went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all; after the same manner shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed (Luke 17:28-30).

[13] Because those who from the love of self confirm themselves by means of falsities in evils against the truths and goods of heaven and the church, completely root out with themselves every truth of doctrine and of the Word and every good of spiritual and celestial love, there takes place in them a total vastation, which is thus described in Moses:

The whole land shall be brimstone and salt, a burning; it shall not be sown, neither shall it spring forth, nor shall any herb come up thereon, according to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, of Admah and Zeboiim (Deuteronomy 29:23).

"Brimstone" signifies the vastation of all good by lusts from evils; "salt" signifies the vastation of all truth by falsities from those lusts; "the burning of the whole land" signifies the devastation of the church by the love of self; "it shall not be sown, neither spring forth, nor shall any herb come up thereon," signifies that there will be no capacity whatever to receive the truth of the church, "herb" signifying the truth of the church when it first springs forth. And because such is the devastation of good and truth from the love of self it is said, "like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, of Admah and Zeboiim," "Admah and Zeboiim" signifying the knowledges of evil and falsity. That such things are to occur at the time of the Last Judgment is what is signified by "in the day when the Son of man is revealed."

Bilješke: