Chapter Nineteen
Teachings About Marriage
1. And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these words, He departed from Galilee, and came into the borders of Judea, across the Jordan.
2. And many crowds followed Him; and He cured them there.
3. And the Pharisees came to Him, tempting Him, and saying to Him, “Is it permitted for a man to send away his wife for every cause?”
4. And He answering said to them, “Have you not read that He who made [them] from the beginning made them male and female,
5. And said, ‘On this account shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?’
6. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What, therefore, God has joined together, let not man put asunder.”
7. They say unto Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a document of divorce, and to send her away?”
8. He says to them, “Moses, because of your hard-heartedness, permitted you to send away your wives; but from the beginning it was not so.”
In the previous chapter, Jesus taught His disciples what it means to be “great” in the kingdom of heaven. He illustrated this by placing a child in their midst, and then telling His disciples to become as little children, that is, as children who are humble and willing to be led. For the disciples, this kind of humble, innocent attitude would be the very opposite of any attempt to arrogantly exalt themselves above others.
In their early years, little children are open to the gentle and direct influences of heaven. As Jesus said in the previous chapter, “their angels continually look at the face of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 18:10). The tenderness of children is then contrasted with the hard-heartedness of the unforgiving servant — a man who has been forgiven an enormous sum of money, but is unwilling to forgive a relatively minor debt.
The parable of the hard-hearted servant who is unwilling to forgive a debt brings to mind the words that Jesus spoke earlier in this gospel when He taught His disciples to pray, saying, “Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). It is in the context of these important teachings about humility and forgiveness that the divinely arranged narrative now turns to the subject of marriage.
Why men were permitted to divorce their wives
As Jesus comes into the land of Judea, He is approached by the religious leaders who ask, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?” (Matthew 19:3). Their question regards the proper interpretation of a well-known law. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “When a man takes a wife and marries her, and if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, let him write her a certificate of divorce, put it in her hand, and send her out of his house” (Deuteronomy 24:1).
In the original Hebrew, the word which is translated as “uncleanness” is erwat [עֶרְוַ֣ת], meaning “nakedness.” Some rabbis took this to mean an indecency that is specifically related to nakedness, that is, adultery. Other rabbis, however, understood this teaching to mean anything at all that the husband found objectionable.
Therefore, when the Pharisees ask Jesus if a man can divorce his wife for any reason, their question is designed to trap Jesus into taking one of the sides in the debate. Because it was a controversial issue at the time, Jesus’ answer will be sure to offend someone. Therefore, instead of getting trapped in this debate, Jesus takes advantage of this opportunity to teach a higher lesson. “Have you not read,” He says, “that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female’ and said ‘for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:4-6).
This teaching about the sacred union between one man and one wife has both a literal and spiritual meaning. In the language of sacred scripture, a “man” generally corresponds to the understanding of all that is true and good, while a “wife” generally corresponds to an affection for all that is true and good. Therefore, when this teaching is spiritually understood, it applies to the relationship between truth and goodness. In brief, truth should always be united to goodness, and goodness should always be united to truth. Because they are meant to be united in a spiritual marriage, and never separated, it is written that “What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” 1
Not content with Jesus’ answer, the Pharisees press on, saying, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce and put her away?” (Matthew 19:7). Jesus’ response is simple and straightforward. He says, “Because of the hardness of your hearts, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives. But from the beginning it was not so” (Matthew 19:8).
Jesus here refers to the “hardness of heart” that had set in over the years. In God’s original plan of creation, marriage was His first blessing. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them, and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply’” (Genesis 1:27-28). In describing this first blessing, God said, “A man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. And the two shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).
Over time, however, the beautiful ideal of two souls becoming as one was gradually forgotten. The idea of marriage as a sacred blessing from God began to fade, and marriage was no longer seen in its original sanctity. As hearts began to harden, husbands and wives no longer regarded each other as their noble companions, and marriage was no longer seen as life’s most precious treasure. 2
As a concession to this change in the human condition, men were allowed to divorce their wives. This, however, was not in accordance with God’s original plan. As Jesus says to the religious leaders, “Because of the hardness of your hearts, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives. But from the beginning, it was not so.”
Jesus is very careful about His choice of words. He says that Moses permitted it — not that Moses commanded it. This is to make it clear that this law came from Moses as a permission, and not as a commandment. These permissions were given in accommodation to the state of the people at that time, and did not necessarily reflect the Lord’s will for all people at all times. 3
For example, the Hebrew scriptures contain laws that permit people to take revenge on their enemies, and to sacrifice animals. But it should be understood that these permissions were given to avoid more grievous evils, and to gradually lead people to higher truths. To be more specific, the ancient law regarding revenge, “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” (Leviticus 24:20), was given so that human beings, in their cruelty, would not retaliate beyond the offense that was given. Similarly, the many laws about animal sacrifice were given, not because God delights in the slaughter of animals, but because it was less barbaric than the sacrifice of children. 4
All of these permissions were granted because of the hardness of people’s hearts, and to prevent more grievous evils. When there is hardness of heart, people become unyielding and rigid, unwilling, and therefore unable to see anything beyond their own opinion, perspective, or world view. As a result, there is no understanding of others, no mercy, and no forgiveness. In the Word, this condition is called a “heart of stone.” (Ezekiel 36:26). 5
One indication of hardness of heart is a propensity to focus on our own understanding, believing that we alone know the truth. Whenever we do this, we have a tendency to become stern, austere, harsh, and unyielding. A mere understanding of truth, when divorced from its spiritual partner, which is goodness, is to separate what God has joined together.
The marriage relationship, then, between one man and one woman represents the deeper spiritual relationship between truth and goodness that should take place in every human soul. To the extent that the truth we know is united with goodness, we become more and more a human being — more and more an image of God. As it is written, “Male and female He created them. In the image of God He created them” (Genesis 1:27).
In brief, in order to “be fruitful and multiply,” truth must be united with goodness. If we were to “put away our wife” (goodness) for any reason, our hearts would remain hard, proud, unyielding, and full of self-love. On the other hand, as we become “one flesh” with the qualities represented by a “wife,” that is, love, compassion, mercy, and forgiveness, we become humble and receptive to what flows in from the divine. It is only then that we can be fruitful and multiply — ever multiplying our understanding of truth as we grow in goodness. 6
Overcoming hard-heartedness
In the previous chapter, Jesus instructed His disciples about the importance of humility and forgiveness. Without these essential virtues, a marriage relationship will inevitably deteriorate into criticism, contempt, and the effort to exert control. This can lead to heated arguments and bitter strife, or to stubborn resistance and cold silence. Either way, instead of striving for a union of wills, there is a clash of selfish desires. 7
But this need not be the case. As Jesus says, “From the beginning it was not so.” The beginning of a marriage, like the infancy of our lives, is a time of tender, spontaneous love. Hearts are soft and forgiving. But over the course of time, especially as selfishness sets in, hearts can begin to harden and grow cold; two people who once promised to love each other forever now begin to think about separation and divorce.
How, then, do we overcome this hardness of heart? Or to say it differently, how can we replace a contemptuous, haughty attitude with an attitude that is humble, respectful, forgiving, and willing to follow the Lord? The answer can be found in the process of temptation — the struggle between truth and falsity, good and evil. It is in and through the combats of temptation that the love of self is subdued, contempt for others is put aside, and the Lord’s mercy flows in. In the language of sacred scripture, a “heart of stone” is taken away, and a “heart of flesh” is given. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26). 8
We can see, then, that Jesus uses this opportunity to teach eternal lessons about marriage — not only about the marriage between one man and one woman, but also about the marriage of truth and goodness that must take place within every individual. Whether married or not, this internal marriage takes place through the process of spiritual temptation, the perennial combat of truth against falsity, and good against evil.
These temptations, which are so necessary for our regeneration, serve to break up our arrogant self-will and our “hardness of heart.” In sacred scripture, this deeply seated hardness of heart is called our “old life.” During these times of trial, we have the opportunity to make use of the truth we know, even when our hard-hearted nature is stubbornly resistant. It is through this process, although painful and difficult, that we turn to the Lord, rise above old patterns, and receive a new, heavenly nature, that is, a “new life.” 9
Whenever we are successful in using truth to fight against falsity and thereby triumph over evil, the result is an internal marriage of the truth we know with a desire to live according to it. This is the marriage that God had in mind from the beginning of creation — a heavenly marriage of goodness and truth within us. This, then, is the spiritual meaning of the words “What God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:9). 10
A practical application
When we stubbornly believe that our view is the only view, we tend to shut out other perspectives, isolating ourselves from what might perhaps be a broader outlook. We may see ourselves as wise as a serpent whose vision is circumspect, but we lack the gentleness of a dove who has a higher vantage point (see Matthew 10:16). For example, if someone has offended us, we might feel that we have a right to remain resentful, and even to retaliate. But this is a view from the ground. It says, “I have every right to be angry.” While this may be true, it is a truth that is divorced from goodness. In other words, we also have a right to be understanding, kind, and forgiving. As a practical application, then, if you find yourself in a disagreement with someone, do not divorce yourself from your “wife” — that is from the qualities of humility, compassion, forgiveness, and mercy. While it’s important to be as wise as a serpent — knowing what is going on around you — do not reject the higher, dove-like view. Anger and resentment, whether justified or not, is not a reason to divorce yourself from higher principles. As Jesus said, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives. But from the beginning it was not so” (Matthew 19:8).
Is it Better Not to Marry?
9. And I say unto you that whoever shall send away his wife, except over scortation, and shall marry another, commits adultery; and he who marries her that is sent away commits adultery.”
10. His disciples say to Him, “If the case of the man be so with the wife, it is not expedient to wed.”
11. But He said to them, “All do not take in this word, but [they] to whom it is given.
12. For there are eunuchs who were so born from the mother’s womb; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of the heavens. He that is able to take it in, let him take it in.”
As we have seen, Jesus uses external situations to teach more interior spiritual lessons. In this case, He is teaching not only about the external marriage between a man and a woman, but also about the internal marriage of truth (represented by a “man”) and goodness (represented by a “woman”). This is the internal marriage that can take place within every individual.
Therefore, when Jesus teaches that “a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife,” we need to understand this at a deeper level. The spiritual message is that every human being must leave behind the self-centered tendency to love oneself above others, and the arrogant inclination to regard one’s intellect as superior to that of others. To the extent that we leave these tendencies behind, we receive a new will, that is, a will that loves what is true and strives to do what is good. In the language of sacred scripture, this new will is called “a wife.” 11
These are some of the deeper truths contained within Jesus’ literal teachings. These deeper truths, however, were beyond the understanding of the religious leaders. Instead, they demanded specific “yes” and “no” answers for their questions. So, Jesus speaks to them more plainly, and at their level of understanding, saying, “Whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery. And whoever marries her who has been put away also commits adultery” (Matthew 19:9).
Jesus knows how destructive it would be for society if wives were simply put away for any reason. Therefore, He makes it clear that marriages should be covenants for life, with the only exception being adultery. On one level, it makes sense that if a wife is put away for trivial reasons, she is still married to her husband. A piece of paper, even if it is called “a bill of divorcement,” cannot separate what God has joined together. And if someone marries a woman who has been “put away” for trivial reasons, it could be considered adultery in the sense that she is still married to her husband. 12
While Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees at a natural level, and in language accommodated to their understanding, He is also speaking about our relationship with the Lord and our tendency to backslide. If we persist in turning away from that relationship, doing our own will instead of the Lord’s, and believing our own truth instead of what the Lord reveals to us, we are committing spiritual adultery.
To put it in terms of a marriage relationship, we are committing spiritual adultery whenever we are receiving the seeds of evil and falsity rather than the seeds of goodness and truth. Nevertheless, the Lord is continually reaching out to us, urging us to return to Him. As it is written through the prophet Jeremiah, “Return to Me, O backsliding children, for I am married to you” (Jeremiah 3:14).
The Pharisees, however, are not thinking about the heavenly marriage. They are looking for a specific answer to their question about the lawfulness of divorce. Jesus’ response to their question is straightforward and to the point. He tells them that adultery is the only reason for divorce, and he who marries her who has been put away also commits adultery. It’s easy to imagine that the disciples are confused by Jesus’ clear teaching about marriage as a lifetime covenant, especially at a time when marriages were easily dissolved at the good pleasure of the husband. Therefore, the disciples say to Jesus, “If such is the case, it is better not to marry” (Matthew 19:10).
Chastity in marriage
This idea, that it is better not to marry, is a familiar one in the history of the Christian church. Many have believed that a celibate life is a higher spiritual path than a married one. For example, the apostle Paul, who chose celibacy over marriage, said, “I wish that all men were as I myself … and I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion” (1 Corinthians 7:7-9).
Some argue that Paul recommends celibacy only because of the persecutions of Christians and the uncertainty of the times. Others claim that Paul definitely teaches that celibacy is a higher path — not just for his time, but for all time. This is perhaps because Jesus Himself, after speaking about marriage and divorce, seems to teach about the virtue of celibacy. As Jesus says, “There are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake” (Matthew 19:12).
In the literal sense, Jesus is referring to three types of men: those who have no sexual lust because they were born with undeveloped testes (“eunuchs who were born thus”); those who no longer have sexual lust because their testes were removed by others (“eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men”); and men who no longer have sexual lust because they have removed their own testes (“eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake”). In each of these cases, the common factor is the removal of sexual lust.
These three types of eunuchs describe three ways of achieving a marriage relationship that is free of sexual lust and licentious desires. In the highest, most heavenly way, the love in that marriage flows from a new heart — that is, a new will that is given by the Lord. The relationship is innocent, chaste, and pure — without lust. Although there are sexual feelings, these feelings are focused on the beloved alone, and are accompanied by the fullest, sweetest, most tender desire to become “as one.” All of this is described by the phrase, “eunuchs who are born thus from their mother’s womb.” 13
The next type of eunuch describes individuals who learn the truths of revelation and apply them to their lives. These are the people who use their understanding of truth to help them rise above every evil affection, especially those lusts that would destroy a marriage relationship. Because the term “men” in the Word signifies “truths,” these are the kinds of people who are described as “eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men.” 14
The third type of eunuch describes individuals who commit themselves to marriage out of obedience. This is not the same as rising above licentiousness through the understanding of truth (“made eunuchs by men”); nor is it the same as developing a new heart that is averse to the very thought of adultery (“made eunuchs from birth”). These are “eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs out of obedience (“for the kingdom of heaven’s sake”). 15
The description of three kinds of eunuchs is Jesus’ response to the statement of the disciples who said to Him, “If such be the case, it is better not to marry.” While deeply embedded in spiritual language about eunuchs, Jesus’ response is clear. According to Jesus, it’s better to marry, but it’s even better to cultivate a chaste love for one’s spouse, purified of lustful desire. In His description of the eunuchs, Jesus is not talking about sexual abstinence. Rather, He is talking about cultivating a love for one’s spouse, devoid of licentiousness, and in accordance with the commandment, “You shall not commit adultery.” 16
The term “eunuch,” then, suggests spiritual purity, not sexual abstinence. Therefore, in sacred symbolism a “eunuch” represents those who love without lascivious desires. More deeply, they have no desire to be united with evil or be led astray by falsity. Because they desire to do God’s will, they are without any hardness of heart. Because of this, they do not think about divorcing their wives or taking several wives. 17
Jesus, of course, knows that most of this is beyond the understanding of His disciples, so He ends this illustration with the words, “He who is able to comprehend, let him comprehend” (Matthew 19:12).
A practical application
Over the years, sincere believers have struggled to understand what have come to be known as Jesus’ “hard teachings” about divorce and remarriage. When cruelty, abuse, and neglect seem to be legitimate reasons for divorce, Jesus is saying that adultery is the only cause for divorce. When understood, however, as a deliberate turning away from God and towards evil and falsity, adultery takes on new meaning. The solution, then, is to keep our focus on our marriage to the Lord. When a married couple both look to the Lord, striving to keep the commandments as best they can, the Lord will gradually unite their hearts and minds. The closer they grow towards Him, the closer they grow together. As a practical application, then, focus on growing together in the Lord. Weather storms together. Read the Word together. Rejoice together. In the process, you will discover that you are gradually being re-born for each other, and becoming one. True marriage can only happen when the Lord is at the center, filling your hearts with His love, and purifying your minds with His truth. This is what marriage was intended to be from the beginning. 18
Let the Little Children Come to Me
13. Then were there brought to Him little children, that He should lay [His] hands on them, and pray; but the disciples rebuked them.
14. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of the heavens.”
15. And laying hands on them, He went thence.
In the preceding episode, Jesus spoke about people who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake, people who have been made eunuchs by men, and people who have been eunuchs from birth. In each case, we saw that this represents a certain level of sexual purity separated from licentious desire.
Similarly, as we progress through the stages of our spiritual development — from simple obedience, to a new understanding, to a new will — we return to that beginning state in which we are once again like innocent, trusting children. Therefore, the next episode begins with these words: “Then little children were brought to Him that He might lay His hands on them and pray for them” (Matthew 19:13). This pictures the Lord’s blessing upon our innocent, trusting states — the “little ones” that Jesus spoke of in the preceding chapter.
These “little ones” never leave us, though they may be forgotten, apparently lost, and covered over by the love of self and the cares of the world. It is therefore necessary that these tender states in us be once again drawn out; this happens whenever we feel touched by the hand of the Lord. As it is written, “Then little children were brought to Him, that He might lay His hands on them.”
The disciples are still confused and do not fully understand what Jesus is doing. Like Peter, who rebuked the Lord for saying that He would have to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things (see Matthew 17:21), the disciples now rebuke those who bring little children to Jesus. Peter did not understand that the Lord’s temptations would be necessary for the salvation of the human race, just as our temptations are necessary for our regeneration. Nor did the disciples realize that the “little children” that Jesus touched represent those tender aspects of ourselves that the Lord touches from time to time.
This occurs especially after the combats of temptation when we realize that we have no power of our own, and that we are completely dependent upon the Lord — very much like little children who are completely dependent on their parents. This is our return to innocence, where we are once again like little children. Therefore, Jesus says, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14).
Jesus’ words are an invitation to each of us to come to the Lord, as His children, entirely dependent on Him for our spiritual sustenance. As the “little ones” in us feel the touch of His spirit, we receive His life, knowing that He is not only leading and guiding us, but also blessing us. All of this is through “the touch of His hands.” Therefore, this episode ends with the repetition of the fact that Jesus laid His hands on the little children and blessed them. As it is written, “And after laying His hands on them, He departed from there” (Matthew 19:15).
A practical application
When Jesus lays His hands on the little children and prays for them, it represents the Lord’s blessing upon each of us as He touches, reawakens, and draws forth child-like states of innocence. Innocence, as we have said, is the willingness to be led by the Lord. As a practical application, then, imagine that the Lord is touching you, even now, just as He touches the heads of the little children and prays for them. He is calling to mind those states of innocence and trust that were instilled in you as a child and were further developed as you grew in wisdom. As you form a mental picture of Jesus touching the heads of the little children, see Him touching you as well, bringing you into youthful, innocent states of happiness and joy. 19
“What Shall I Do That I May Have Eternal Life?”
16. And behold, one coming said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
17. And He said to him, “Why callest thou Me good? None is good except One, God; but if thou willest to enter into the life, keep the commandments.”
18. He says to Him, “Which?” And Jesus said, “This, that thou shalt not murder, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness,
19. Honor thy father and mother; and, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
20. The young man says to Him, “All these things have I guarded from my youth; in what am I yet lacking?”
21. Jesus declared to him, “If thou willest to be perfect, go, sell thy belongings, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
22. But when the young man heard the word, he went away sorrowful; for he had many possessions.
The innocence that is represented by little children is the willingness to be led by the Lord and to follow Him. At the most basic level, this is simply a matter of doing what the Lord says, even as an obedient child does what a parent says. Therefore, as the divine narrative continues, this state of simple obedience is represented by a young man who comes to Jesus and says, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16).
While this young man’s question comes from simple obedience, perhaps even innocence, it should be noted that his emphasis is upon action rather than attitude. He seems to believe that heaven can be merited by certain external actions, rather than a fundamental change of attitude. Therefore, he asks, “What good thing shall I do?”
The young man’s need for a change of attitude is made clear in Jesus’ response to his question. When the young man addresses Jesus as “Good Teacher,” Jesus points out that no person, from oneself, is good. All goodness is from God alone. Therefore, Jesus says, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God” (Matthew 16:17). In other words, since all good comes from God, we should not take merit for the good that the Lord does through us. This idea, that all good comes from God and not from individuals can lead to a fundamental change in attitude about who we are and who God is.
After establishing that no one is good except God, Jesus says to the young man, “But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17). This catches the young man’s attention, for he certainly seems desirous of doing the right thing so that he might earn his way into heaven. Therefore, the young man asks, “Which ones?”
In response, Jesus says: “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honor your father and your mother, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 19:19). Interestingly, the commandments about not murdering, not committing adultery, not stealing, and not lying are not about doing good. Rather, they are about first shunning evil. Only then can good be done. 20
Believing that he has kept all these things from his youth, the young man says, “What do I still lack?” (Matthew 19:20). The young man’s question can also be translated, “What else must I do?” In other words, the young man still believes that he can merit heaven by all of his “doing.” He does not yet realize that any good that he does comes from God, and that without God, He can do nothing.
It is this humble attitude that the young man lacks. Humility is a state of being, not a state of doing. It is an attitude we can adopt while serving selflessly, with no thought of reward. But rather than say this directly, Jesus responds in the language of parable, saying, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me” (Matthew 19:21).
In the literal sense, this is a simple invitation to become a disciple. This is also a call to each of us. It is a call to humbly follow Jesus, putting His example and teachings above any worldly ambition or possession. At a deeper level, the words, “Sell what you have and give to the poor,” mean that the young man should rid himself of the belief that his “great possessions” — including his achievements and accomplishments — are his own. Instead, he needs to recognize and acknowledge that without God he can do nothing. In other words, no matter how much wealth he has accumulated, no matter how much truth he has acquired, and no matter how many commandments he has kept, without acknowledging that God alone is good, the young man is still spiritually impoverished.
This, then, is what Jesus means when He says to him, “Sell what you have and give to the poor” (acknowledge your spiritual poverty), “and you will have treasure in heaven” (God will fill you with spiritual blessings). But this is difficult for the young man. Therefore, it is written that, “he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Matthew 19:22).
A practical application
We all begin our spiritual lives with an attitude similar to that of the young man. In simple obedience, we do what the Lord asks us to do. We keep His commandments. We do not, as yet, realize that the very desire to keep the commandments and the power to do so is from the Lord alone. Instead, we ask “What good thing shall I do?” thinking that this will give us eternal life. As a practical application, then, consider how important it is to acknowledge that you cannot do any good without God. As you strive to keep the commandments, call upon the Lord for the power to do so, and notice how this changes your attitude and your life. This is what it means to “sell what you have and give to the poor” so that you might have “treasure in heaven.”
Who Then Can Be Saved?
23. And Jesus said to His disciples, “Amen I say to you that with difficulty shall a rich [man] enter into the kingdom of the heavens.
24. And again, I say to you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”
25. And when His disciples heard [it], they wondered greatly, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
26. But Jesus looking at [them] said to them, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”
The young man knew many truths and had kept them from his youth. In this regard, he was spiritually rich. We, too, are blessed to know spiritual truth, and even more blessed when we live according to it. But true blessing only comes when we acknowledge that every truth we have, along with the ability to understand it, and the power to apply it, is from the Lord alone. As long as we remain puffed up with pride and self-importance, no matter how much we know (spiritual riches), it is difficult to enter the kingdom of God. As Jesus puts it, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24).
Earthly wealth is not necessarily a hindrance to the kingdom of God. Nor is physical poverty necessarily a guarantee of admission. What keeps us out of heaven is arrogant pride, and what opens heaven’s gates is genuine humility. Ultimately, all of our knowledge, along with our achievements and successes, is useless unless we acknowledge that it is all from the Lord. This is what Jesus means when He says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” 21
When the disciples hear this, they are “exceedingly amazed” and say, “Who then can be saved?” (Matthew 19:25). The disciples are amazed because they have never thought beyond the idea of personal merit. They have grown up in the traditional belief that people are saved by a rigid and righteous adherence to religious laws. Moreover, they have believed that this kind of righteousness would bring them wealth and riches.
But Jesus is teaching them something new. He is teaching them about a kind of righteousness that “exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees” (see Matthew 5:20), that is, a righteousness that is not simply about a rigorous adherence to keeping the commandments, but rather an attitude of humility while keeping them.
The young man has kept all the commandments. That’s good, but it’s not enough. Something more is needed. Or to put it in the words of the young man, something is “lacking.” While keeping the commandments is commendable, they need to be kept with a right attitude. And that attitude is the humble acknowledgment that even the power to keep the commandments is from the Lord. It is for this reason that Jesus responds to their question, “Who then can be saved?” with this answer, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). 22
A practical application
The statement, “With God all things are possible,” has been used in various ways, and for various purposes. For example, an athletic team might attempt to build their confidence about winning the next game by remembering that “with God all things are possible.” A person hoping to get a particular job, but feeling anxious, might remember that “with God all things are possible.” A person buying a lottery ticket might feel that the chances of winning might be remote, but “with God all things are possible.” This kind of prayer can be useful. After all, it does acknowledge that God exists, and that we need God’s help. Moreover, if we win the game, or get the job, or hit the jackpot, it’s an opportunity to glorify God rather than ourselves. Over time, however, as we move towards deeper levels of spirituality, we can also pray for the quality of acceptance, regardless of the outcome. We can pray for the quality of perseverance, no matter how difficult the challenge. We can pray for the ability to forgive our enemies, even when that feels impossible. As a practical application, then, remember that with God all these higher states of consciousness are available. As it is written, “With man this is impossible. But with God all things are possible.”
Sitting on Thrones
27. Then Peter answering said to Him, Behold, we have left all and followed Thee; what then shall we have?
28. And Jesus said to them, Amen I say to you, that you who have followed Me in the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of His glory you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29. And everyone that has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or fields, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life.
30. But many [who are] first shall be last, and the last first.
Peter is watching and listening intently. Remembering that Jesus said to the young man, “Sell what you have, give to the poor … and come, follow Me,” Peter says to Jesus, “See, we have left all and followed You.” Peter then adds, “Therefore what shall we have?” (Matthew 19:27).
Peter’s question, “What shall we have?” reveals that he still does not understand Jesus’ central message. Peter still thinks of heaven as a reward he will receive for doing the right thing. Therefore, Peter’s question is not very different from that of the young man who asks, “What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” For both Peter and the young man — as for each of us — it takes time and maturity to discover that the rewards of heavenly life consist in the delights of doing good without any thought of reward. 23
Jesus, nevertheless, does not want to discourage Peter or the disciples. Therefore, Jesus says, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28).
For the disciples, who had been hoping that Jesus would fulfill His role as Messiah and become the new King of Israel, this declaration must have sounded like wonderful news. In addition, Jesus tells them that each of them will sit on a throne “judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Though they have been with Jesus for quite some time, and have been listening to His preaching about humility, they are still in a natural state, susceptible to worldly ambition, and probably delighted to hear that they will be sitting on thrones in the coming kingdom. 24
Jesus often speaks in accommodation to the merely natural state of His disciples. While He knows that the future holds no literal thrones for them, He also knows that as they regenerate, they will indeed sit on a different kind of throne — the throne of divine truth. From these thrones, they will have new perceptions. They will be able to identify evil tendencies in themselves, and notice false ideas arising in their minds. And then, like kings summoning their soldiers to battle, they will summon up truth to combat and overcome these spiritual invaders. 25
Therefore, when Jesus says, “You will sit on twelve thrones,” He means that whenever we are willing to be led by the divine truth (the Son of Man), we will be able to dispel the evils and falsities that attempt to invade our mind. Our power will be like that of a king, for it will be power from divine truth. Nevertheless, we must never claim that power as our own. The moment we do so, we will instantly lose all power. 26
As the disciples come to realize that all power is from the Lord, they will have true spiritual power. From divine truth, they will have the power to identify evils as they arise, refute falsities, and cast out demons. This is what Jesus promises the disciples, even though His language is clothed in worldly appearances. Jesus’ words contain a great and wonderful promise for each of us — not just for the disciples.
Inheriting everlasting life
As we continue our spiritual development, successively letting go of our attachments to honor, reputation, and materialistic gain, we will receive, in exchange, wondrous heavenly blessings. This is what Jesus means when He says in the next verse, “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit everlasting life” (Matthew 19:29). 27
Returning to the connections between episodes, it should be noted that Jesus has just delivered a wonderful discourse on the beauty and sanctity of marriage (see Matthew 19:4-8). Therefore, it would not be reasonable for Jesus to suddenly contradict Himself and now speak against marriage, encouraging husbands to leave their wives in order to follow Him. Unfortunately, in the history of Christianity, people have taken these words literally. People have left their homes, given up on their marriages, and abandoned their children in order to follow Jesus.
It should be remembered that Jesus always speaks in parables, using physical objects (seeds, water, houses, etc.) and relationships (wife, brother, father, etc.) to signify spiritual realities. In this case Jesus is speaking about the false concepts and negative emotions that we are to leave behind in order to follow Him. 28
To be more specific, the “houses” we are to leave behind signify our false and self-serving belief systems. The phrase, “brothers or sisters,” refers to the specific thoughts and affections that are within those belief systems. The phrase, “father or mother,” signifies the inherited tendencies toward falsity and evil we have acquired from parents. And the phrase, “wife or children or lands” signify additional tendencies toward falsity and evil acquired and passed on during our lives.
Thus, in order to follow Jesus, all this must be left behind — not literally our fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, wives and children, but rather everything signified by these terms. This includes our selfish habits of thought, our focus on earthly rather than heavenly rewards, and our tendencies towards evils of every kind. All this is what we must leave behind before we can inherit “everlasting life” (Matthew 19:29).
Clearly, then, leaving behind all these family relationships must have a spiritual meaning, for everywhere else Jesus urges us to love one another, especially parents, spouses, children, neighbors — and even our enemies. Jesus, then, is not calling us away from loving others; rather He is calling us away from those selfish loves that destroy our relationships with others.
As this episode draws to a close, Jesus provides the answer that the young man has been seeking. The original question was, “What good thing shall I do that I might have eternal life?” And the answer is simple: the young man must, of course, keep the commandments. But he must also be willing to give up everything that prevents him from receiving the kingdom of heaven. That is, he must give up his old ways of thinking, his ingrained negative tendencies, and, especially, his belief that he can do good without God.
This means that he must become as a child — humble, obedient, and willing to be led. Certainly, this is the very opposite of what the disciples understand by “sitting on thrones” where they envision themselves as judging, commanding, and ruling over others. But the disciples are still in training, and Jesus is patient with them — just as He is with us. For now, it is enough for them to look forward to pre-eminence and glory in His coming kingdom.
But it will be like no kingdom on earth, and they should expect surprises. Therefore, Jesus closes this episode with a warning about seeing themselves as “first” in the coming kingdom. As Jesus says, “Many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Matthew 19:30).
A practical application
In the closing scene of this chapter, Jesus promises His disciples that they will “sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” While this might appeal to their desire for wealth, fame, and power, Jesus is speaking about something quite different from what they imagine. In sacred scripture, “sitting on a throne” pictures the ability to rule over our thoughts, deciding which thoughts to welcome and which thoughts to banish. While it can be quite easy to welcome thoughts, it is more difficult to banish them. And yet, this can be done most powerfully through divine truth as it comes to us through revelation. As a practical application, then, whenever an unwanted thought arises, bring to mind a passage of sacred scripture, or a story from the Word. For example, Jesus’ promise to His disciples that they will “sit on thrones” can serve to remind you that intrusive, unwanted thoughts can be banished through the power of sacred scripture. In fact, divine truth has the power to send those unwanted thoughts fleeing in every direction. 29
Фусноти:
1. Apocalypse Explained 710:25: “Men are born to act from the understanding, but women from affection, and the understanding with men is the understanding of truth and good, and the affection with women is the affection of truth and good. As all understanding derives its life from affection, therefore the two are joined together, as the affection which belongs to the will is joined with the correspondent thought which belongs to the understanding.” See also Arcana Coelestia 1904: “There are two affections distinct from each other — the affection of goodness, and the affection of truth. When people are being regenerated the affection of truth takes the lead. This because people are then affected with truth for the sake of goodness. But when people have been regenerated, the affection of goodness takes the lead, and from goodness they are affected with truth. The affection of goodness is of the will, and the affection of truth is of the understanding….The comparison of goodness and truth with marriage has its origin in the heavenly marriage.”
2. Conjugial Love 457: “The conjugial union of one man with one wife is the precious jewel of human life and the repository of Christian religion…. This is because the character of a person’s life is such as the character of that love in a person, that love forming the inmost element of a person’s life. For it is the life of wisdom dwelling together with its love, and of love dwelling together with its wisdom, and thus it is the life of the delights of both. In a word, a person is a living soul as a result of that love. That is why the conjugial union of one man with one wife is the precious jewel of human life.”
3. Conjugial Love 340: “The Lord says, ‘Moses, because of the hardness of their hearts, permitted them to divorce their wives, but from the beginning it was not so’ (Matthew 19:8). He says Moses permitted it, to make known that it was not the Lord.” See also Apocalypse Explained 1073:2: “In its origin, the Word is the divine itself that proceeds from the Lord, and is called the divine truth. When this truth descends to people in the world, it passes through the heavens …and in each heaven it is written there in accommodation to the wisdom and intelligence of the angels. Finally, when it is brought down from the Lord through the heavens to people on earth, it is written and promulgated in accommodation to their understanding and apprehension.” See also Arcana Coelestia 8783: “ Truth divine is not received by anyone unless it has been accommodated to one’s apprehension.”
4. Apocalypse Explained 423: “There are also divine commands not from the divine will, but of leave and permission, many of which were given to the sons of Israel. They were permitted, for example, to have several wives, and to give them bills of divorcement, besides other things of a similar nature. Those commands were of permission, and were given because of the hardness of their hearts.” See also Arcana Coelestia 2818: “That it was known from the most ancient time that the Lord was to come into the world, and was to suffer death, is evident from the fact that the custom prevailed among the gentiles of sacrificing their sons, believing that they were thus purified, and propitiated to God; in which abominable custom they could not have placed their most important religious observance, unless they had learned from the ancients that the Son of God was to come, who would, as they believed, be made a sacrifice. To this abomination even the sons of Israel were inclined, and Abraham also; for no one is tempted except by that to which he is inclined. That the sons of Jacob were so inclined is evident in the Prophets; but lest they should rush into that abomination, it was permitted to institute burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
5. Arcana Coelestia 9377: “The divine of the Lord cannot flow into a proud heart, that is, into a heart full of the love of self, for such a heart is hard; and is called in the Word a ‘heart of stone.’ But the divine of the Lord can flow into a humble heart, because this is soft, and is called in the Word a ‘heart of flesh’”(Arcana Coelestia 9377). See also Spiritual Experiences 4754: “The love of self is hard; and love to the divine is soft.”
6. Arcana Coelestia 55: “Because the earliest people called the union of understanding and will or of faith and love a marriage, they called the generation of any good that came from that marriage ‘fruitfulness.’ And they called the generation of any truth that came from that marriage multiplication.” See also Arcana Coelestia 4566: “The words “be fruitful and multiply” signify goodness and the truth that comes from that goodness.” See also Arcana Coelestia 6647: “To be ‘fruitful’ means to increase in goodness.”
7. Conjugial Love 248: “Conjugial love looks to the union of wills and thus to freedom of decision. Rivalry for supremacy or rule, casts both of these out of the marriage; for it divides and cleaves asunder the wills and turns the freedom of decision into servitude.” See also Last Judgement \(posthumous\) 22: “The desire of ruling in marriage takes away conjugial love.” [Note: The term “conjugial” as used by Swedenborg usually refers to a special love between one man and one woman that will continue to eternity. But Swedenborg also uses it to refer to marriage in general.]
8. Arcana Coelestia 8179:2: “If people do not fight as if in their own strength, they do not make their own the goodness and truth which flow in from the Lord by way of heaven. But when they do fight as if in their own strength and yet believe that they do so in the Lord’s strength, they do make those things their own. This gives them a new proprium or selfhood, called a heavenly proprium, which is a new will.” See also Arcana Coelestia 9818:4: “The term ‘a new heart’ means a new will and a ‘new spirit’ means a new understanding.”
9. Arcana Coelestia 8403:2: “They who have not been instructed about regeneration suppose that people can be regenerated without temptation; and some suppose that they have been regenerated when they have undergone one temptation. But it should be known that without temptation people cannot be regenerated, and that many temptations follow on, one after another. The reason is that regeneration takes place to the end that the old life may die, and a new, heavenly life be instilled. In order for this to take place, it is necessary that a fight take place. This is because the old life resists, and is not willing to be extinguished, and the new, heavenly life cannot enter except where the old life has been extinguished. Hence it is evident that there is a fight on both sides, and this fight is a fiery one, because it is for life.”
10. Arcana Coelestia 3318: “A person is nothing but an organ, or vessel, which receives life from the Lord; for a person does not live from oneself. The life which flows in from the Lord is from His divine love. This love inflows and applies itself to the vessels which are in a person’s rational mind… But these vessels are not obedient, being obstinately resistant, and hardening themselves against the heavenly order…. Therefore, before they can be rendered compliant and fit to receive anything of the life of the Lord’s love, they must be softened. This softening is brought about by no other means than by temptations; for temptations remove all that is of the love of self and of contempt for others in comparison with self, consequently all that is of self-glory, and also of hatred and revenge. When therefore the vessels have been somewhat tempered and subdued by temptations, they begin to become yielding to and compliant with the life of the Lord’s love, which continually flows in with a person. This is the reason why people are regenerated, that is, made new, by temptations; or what is the same, by spiritual combats; and that they are afterwards gifted with another nature; being made mild, humble, single-minded, and contrite in heart.”
11. Conjugial Love 156. r [repeated]: “An inclination and also a capacity for conjunction as though into one was implanted in man and woman from creation, and man and woman still have this inclination and capacity in them. That this is so appears from the book of creation [where it is written] … ‘A man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and they shall be as one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). See also Conjugial Love 194: “In order that this might come about [the blessedness of marriage] it was enjoined on man that he leave father and mother and cling to his wife. The father and mother a man is to leave mean, in a spiritual sense, the inherent nature of his will and the inherent nature of his intellect (the inherent nature of a person’s will being to love itself, and the inherent nature of a person’s intellect being to love its own wisdom). And ‘to cleave’ means to devote himself to the love of his wife. These two inherent natures are evil and deadly to a man if they remain in him. But the love arising from two is turned into conjugial love as a man cleaves to his wife, that is, as he acquires a love for her.”
12. Conjugial Love 276:2: “If it were allowable for husbands to divorce their wives for any reason, it would lead to broken marriages, and from that to monstrous and destructive ruinations of society.”
13. Conjugial Love 147: “Chastity in marriage comes about through total renunciation of licentious relationships in accordance with religion. The reason is that chastity is the removal of unchasteness. It is a universal rule that to the extent anyone removes evil, to the same extent an opportunity is given for goodness to succeed it. And furthermore, to the extent people hate evil, to the same extent they love goodness. The reverse is also the case as well. Consequently, it follows that to the extent people renounce licentiousness, to the same extent they allow the chastity of marriage to enter…. Conjugial love is purified and refined according to one’s renunciation of licentious relationships.”
14. Arcana Coelestia 8338: “’Women’ signify affections of good, and ‘men’ signify affections of truth.”
15. Conjugial Love 156:2 “Eunuchs who make themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of God” mean spiritual eunuchs, and these are people who in their marriages abstain from the evils of licentious relationships.” See also Arcana Coelestia 394: “Those in the heavenly marriage are called ‘eunuchs’; those so ‘born from the womb’ are such as resemble the celestial angels; those ‘made of men’ are such as are like the spiritual angels; and those ‘made so by themselves’ are like angelic spirits, who act not so much from charity as from obedience.”
16. Conjugial Love 145 “Conjugial love is more and more purified and becomes chaste in people who become spiritual from the Lord.”
17. Apocalypse Explained 710:28: “Eunuchs” [spiritually understood] mean those who have no desire to enter into marriage, that is, they have no desire to be conjoined with the affection of evil, because the understanding of truth and good would thus be perverted and dissipated…. Such are called ‘eunuchs’ because they have no lasciviousness, such as those have who, from the hardness of heart … take several wives, and divorce them for any cause.”
18. Conjugial Love 305: “There are in human minds three regions, the highest of which is called celestial, the intermediate one spiritual, and the lowest one natural. A person dwells by birth in the lowest region, but ascends into the next higher one, called spiritual, by living according to truths of religion, and into the highest one by achieving a marriage of love and wisdom. All kinds of evil and lascivious lusts reside in the lowest region, which is called natural. In the next higher region, however, which is called spiritual, there are no evil and lascivious lusts, for this is the region into which a person is led by the Lord when being born anew. And in the highest region, which is called celestial, one finds conjugial chastity surrounded by its love. A person is raised into this last region by a love of serving useful ends, and because marriage serves the most excellent ends of all, by truly conjugial love.”
19. Heaven and Hell 231: “All of a person’s power passes into the arms, and by means of these the whole body expresses its power. It is for this reason that in the Word ‘arms’ and ‘hands’ signify power.” See also Arcana Coelestia 10058: “The ‘laying on of hands’ [on the head of the ram] represents the transmission, transference, and reception of power, and the ‘head” represents the whole with all its parts.” See also Arcana Coelestia 2736: “Genuine conjugial love is innocence itself, which resides in wisdom. With those who have lived in conjugial love, wisdom exists more than with all others in heaven. And yet, when others look at them, they are seen as little children in the bloom and springtime of their life. And whatever happens, it is joy and happiness to them. They are in the inmost heaven, which is called the heaven of innocence. Through that heaven the Lord flows into conjugial love, and angels from it are present with men and women who live in that love. They are present also with little children in the first years of their life.” See also Conjugial Love 75[4]: “I saw in the distance three boys and three girls sitting at the entrance to one of the tents. But when we drew near, they looked like men and women of average height. The angel said, ‘All the inhabitants on this mountain appear at a distance like children because they are in a state of innocence, and early childhood is the way innocence appears.’”
20. Apocalypse Explained 936: “There are two things necessary before good can be done, namely, that the divine of the Lord must be acknowledged, and that the evils forbidden in the Decalogue must be shunned as sins. The evils enumerated in the Decalogue include all the evils that can ever exist. Therefore. the Decalogue is called the Ten Commandments, because ‘ten’ signifies all…. Anyone can see that eight of the commandments contain the evils that must be shunned, and not the goods that must be done.”
21. Heaven and Hell 365: “From this it can be established that the rich and the poor alike come into heaven, the one as easily as the other. The belief that the poor enter heaven easily and the rich with difficulty comes from not understanding the Word where the rich and the poor are mentioned. In the Word, those who have an abundance of cognitions of good and truth, thus who are within the church where the Word is, are meant in the spiritual sense by the ‘rich’; while those who lack these cognitions, and yet desire them, thus who are outside the church and where there is no Word, are meant by the ‘poor.’”
22. Arcana Coelestia 9244: “All who are governed by heavenly love have confidence that the Lord saves them. This is because they believe that the Lord came into the world to impart eternal life to those who believe and lead lives in keeping with what He taught and prescribed, that He regenerates those people and so makes them fit for heaven, and that He alone does this without anyone’s aid, out of pure mercy. This is what believing in the Lord means.”
23. Arcana Coelestia 8037: “Those who have self-love and love of the world as their end in view cannot have any charity or faith at all within them. People ruled by those loves do not even know what charity is or what faith is; they do not begin to understand that when people desire their neighbor’s good without thought of reward they have heaven within themselves, or that this affection brings happiness as great as that enjoyed by the angels, which is indescribable. For those people think that if they are deprived of the joy received from the glory of holding important positions and possessing wealth, no joy at all exists any longer. But that is just when heavenly joy begins; and this joy is infinitely superior.”
24. Arcana Coelestia 3417: “[Jesus tells His disciples] ‘Ye shall sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel’ for at that time they did not know that heavenly delight is not the delight of greatness and preeminence, but is the delight of humility and of the affection of serving others; thus, of desiring to be least, and not greatest.”
25. Arcana Coelestia 6397:3: “In the Word one reads that the twelve apostles will sit on thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. A person with no knowledge of the internal sense of the Word will think that precisely that is going to happen. But how those descriptions should be understood becomes clear when one knows from the internal sense what the ‘twelve apostles,’ and also ‘thrones’ mean, namely all truths in their entirety, in accordance with which judgment takes place. The same goes for one’s understanding here of ‘judging his people as one of the tribes of Israel.’ The meaning is not that they will act as judges, but that the actual truths meant by them, therefore the Lord alone since every truth that comes forth from Him will do so.”
26. Apocalypse Explained 333: “The angels indeed possess great power, but still they have no power from themselves; nay if anyone in heaven believes that he has power from himself, he is instantly deprived thereof, and then he is altogether impotent.”
27. Arcana Coelestia 4637: “The things which the Lord spoke in parables appear in the outward form like ordinary comparisons; but in their inward form they are of such a nature as to fill the universal heaven. For there is an internal sense within every detail.” See also Apocalypse Explained 724:5: “Evils and falsities are signified by father and mother, wife, children, brethren, and sisters. This is because all those things which belong to the love and life of people, or to the affection and the thought therefrom, or to the will and thus to the understanding, are formed and conjoined like generations, descending from one father and one mother, and are also distinguished as into families and houses. The love of self and consequent love of the world are their father and mother, and the desires arising therefrom, and their evils and falsities are the children, which are brethren and sisters.”
28. Arcana Coelestia 4637: “It is very evident that each and all things the Lord spoke in parables are representative and significative of spiritual and celestial things of His kingdom, and in the highest sense, of the divine things with Him. Therefore, people who do not know this must suppose that the Lord’s parables have no more in them than ordinary comparisons…. In their inward form, however, these parables are of such a nature as to fill the universal heaven. For there is an internal sense in every particular, which is of such a nature that its spiritual and celestial diffuses itself through the heavens in every direction like light and flame. This sense is quite uplifted above the sense of the letter, and flows from the several expressions, and from the several words, nay, from every jot.”
29. Arcana Coelestia 8200: “The phrase, ‘the rule of the power of truth divine,’ means that all divine power is through the truth which proceeds from the Lord…. In short, divine truth has in it all power, insomuch that it is power itself. There are some in the other life who are in truth in advance of others, and they are in such power therefrom that they can pass through the hells without any danger. They who are in the hells flee in every direction at their presence.” See also Apocalypse Explained 25: “The ‘throne of God’ signifies divine truth proceeding from the Lord.”
