Ukuqaphela uMesiya

---

1. AbaFarisi nabaSadusi beza bemlinga, bamcela ukuba ababonise isibonakaliso esivela ezulwini.

2 Waphendula, wathi kubo: “Kusihlwa nithi: Kuyakuba nokuthula, ngokuba izulu libomvu;

3. Ekuseni, Namuhla kuyoba isiphepho sasebusika, ngokuba izulu libomvu, liguqubele. Bazenzisi! niyakwazi ukwahlukanisa ubuso bezulu, kepha izibonakaliso zesikhathi anikwazi ukuzazi.

4. Isizukulwane esibi nesiphingayo sifuna isibonakaliso, kepha asiyikunikwa sibonakaliso, kuphela isibonakaliso sikaJona umprofethi. Wabashiya wahamba.

---

Esiqeshini esidlule, uJesu wondla abantu abayizinkulungwane ezine ngezinkwa eziyisikhombisa nezinhlanzi ezimbalwa. Leso simangaliso senzeke esiqongweni sentaba ezweni labezizwe. Manje, njengoba lesi siqephu esilandelayo siqala, uJesu usebuyele ezweni lakwa-Israyeli. Isimo sisogwini olusentshonalanga yoLwandle LwaseGalile esifundeni saseMagdala. Kulapha lapho abaholi benkolo bephinda bebhekana khona noJesu. Kulokhu bamcela “isibonakaliso esivela ezulwini” (16:1). Kungenzeka abazazi izimangaliso uJesu azenzile, noma abaqiniseki.

Lokhu kufanekisa okuthile okungenzeka kulowo nalowo kithi. Kuphakathi kokuthi sikhohlwe noma asizazi izindlela ezimangalisayo uNkulunkulu ashintsha ngazo isimo sethu, esikhipha osizini nasekuphelelweni ithemba, ngisho nangaphandle kokushintsha izimo zethu zangaphandle. Nokho, nathi, singahlala singanakile noma singakholwa ngamandla amangalisayo eNkosi okuvuselela izingqondo zethu futhi avuselele imiphefumulo yethu.

Eqaphela ukuthi abaholi benkolo basafuna ukumehlisa isithunzi, uJesu uthi, “Ngokuhlwa nithi: 'Izulu lizolile, ngokuba izulu libomvu.' Futhi ekuseni nithi, 'Namuhla izulu lizoba nesiphepho, ngoba isibhakabhaka sibomvu futhi limnyama.' Bazenzisi. Niyakwazi nokuchaza ubuso bezulu, kepha izibonakaliso zezikhathi anikwazi ukuzichaza.”16:2-3).

Ngala mazwi, uJesu usikisela ukuthi laba baholi benkolo bayakwazi ukubikezela ngokunembile isimo sezulu, kodwa abakwazi ukuqonda okungokoqobo okungokomoya. Kwabonwa kusengaphambili ngabaprofethi, futhi babikezela emibhalweni yabo engcwele, uMesiya wayesefikile futhi manje wayesemi phakathi kwabo impela, kodwa abakwazanga ukukubona. Lesi senzakalo osekunesikhathi silindelwe, esibaluleke kakhulu ukwedlula noma yisiphi isibikezelo sezulu, manje senzeka phambi kwamehlo abo. Nokho, njengoba uJesu asho esahlukweni esandulele, “bangabaholi abayizimpumputhe”15:14). Ngamanye amazwi, bayenqaba ukubona lokho abangafuni ukukubona. Kulokhu, isifiso sabo sobugovu sokuhlala sisemandleni sibavimbela ukuba baqaphele ukuthi uJesu, omi phambi kwabo, uwukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sasendulo.

Isimo asifani nesethu. Njengoba sigxile ekukhathazekeni ngezinto ezibonakalayo ngekusasa lethu, sifunda ngezibikezelo zesimo sezulu, izitayela zezombangazwe, nezibikezelo zezimakethe zamasheya, singazi lutho ngezimangaliso eziningi ezenzeka esikhathini samanje. Ngokuphathelene nalokhu, sifana nabaholi benkolo abanekhono lokubikezela isimo sezulu kodwa abangakwazi ukubona uJesu njengoMesiya othenjisiwe. Ukungakwazi kwabo ukubona ngale kokuzibona belungile kuye kwabenza bangaboni iqiniso laphezulu eliphambi kwabo. Nathi, futhi, kwesinye isikhathi asiboni izindlela ezimangalisayo iNkosi esihola ngayo umzuzu nomzuzu, isinika lokho okufanele sikucabange nokuthi yini okufanele sikuzwe ngenkathi ikhuthaza izenzo ezinhle. Ngokwamazwi ombhalo ongcwele, lokhu kuhola okuyimfihlo kubizwa ngokuthi “isinkwa sethu semihla ngemihla.”

Lezi zimpawu ezengeziwe zangaphakathi zokusebenza kukaNkulunkulu akuzona ezifunwa abaholi bezenkolo. Bafuna izibonakaliso zangaphandle, izibonakaliso zamandla amakhulu, izimpawu zokuthi ngempela uJesu uthunywe evela ezulwini. Nokho, uJesu usezenzile izimangaliso eziningi. Nokho, abaholi benkolo basheshe balulaza, balulaza, futhi bazichaza lezo zimangaliso. Isibonelo, ngenkathi uJesu ekhipha amadimoni, abaholi bezenkolo bathi amandla Akhe okwenza lokho ayevela kudeveli (bheka 9:34 futhi 12:24). Ngamanye amazwi, ngenxa yokuthi abaholi benkolo base bezimisele kakade ukubhubhisa uJesu, akusekho okunye angabenzela kona. Asikho isibonakaliso esiyobaqinisekisa ukuthi uJesu unguMesiya ngempela.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, kuphambene nomyalo waphezulu ukukholisa umuntu ngenkani. Nakuba izimpawu nezimangaliso zangaphandle zingaphoqelela ukukholelwa okwesikhashana, uNkulunkulu akaphoqi muntu. Ngamunye wethu ugcinwe enkululekweni ukuze sikhethe ngokukhululekile ukwenqaba noma ukwamukela uJesu. Futhi siyamamukela lapho siphila ngokwezimfundiso Zakhe, sikholelwa ukuthi nguye yedwa ongasinika amandla okwenza lokho. Uma senza lokhu, izimangaliso zangaphakathi ziyokwenzeka nakanjani. Inhliziyo yetshe ingaba inhliziyo yenyama. njengokulotshiweyo emibhalweni yesiHeberu ukuthi: “Ngiyakuninika inhliziyo entsha, ngifake kini umoya omusha; Ngizokhipha inhliziyo yakho yetshe kuwe futhi ngikunike inhliziyo yenyama.”Hezekeli 36:26). ¹

Ngaleso sikhathi siya ngokuya sixhumene neNkosi. Le nqubo ibizwa ngokuthi ukuzalwa kabusha. Ukubeka phansi ukuphila kwethu endala, ukuze sizalwe kabusha ekuphileni okusha. Ayikho enye indlela, futhi akukho “sibonakaliso” sangaphandle esingafakazela leli qiniso elingaphakathi kithi. Njengoba uJesu esho, “Isizukulwane esibi nesiphingayo sifuna isibonakaliso. Kodwa kasiyikunikwa sibonakaliso ngaphandle kwesibonakaliso sikaJona umprofethi.”16:4). ²

Njengoba sesishilo ngaphambili, “isibonakaliso somprofethi uJona” siwukuhlangenwe nakho kwethu ngabanye kokuphindukuzalwa njengoba silwela ukuphila ngokwezimfundiso zenkolo yethu (bona 12:39). Ngezinga esenza ngalo lokhu, siqala ukubona izinguquko ezicashile kodwa ezibalulekile esimilweni sethu—izinguquko ezingatholwa yilabo abalwela ukuphila inkolo yabo kuphela. ³

Njengoba sikhula kusukela ebuntwaneni, ebuntwaneni, ekubeni abantu abadala, izinguquko kancane kancane ekubukekeni kwethu ngokomzimba zibonakala ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, izinguquko eziningi ezenzeka esimilweni sethu sangaphakathi, esingokomoya azibonakali kancane. Lezi zinguquko ebuntwini ziphathelene noshintsho ekuqondeni kwethu kanye noshintsho othandweni lwethu njengoba sikhula ngokuhlakanipha futhi nothando ngokwengeziwe. Uma nje siqhubeka sifunda futhi siphikelela ekusebenziseni esikufundayo ekuphileni, isimilo sethu esingokomoya singaqhubeka sikhula ingunaphakade. ⁴

Endleleni, kunezimpawu ezimangalisayo zokuthi intuthuko iyenzeka. Ezinye zazo zingase zihlanganise isifiso esikhulayo sokufunda iqiniso nokulisebenzisa ekuphileni komuntu, ukuzwela okwengeziwe ezidingweni zabanye, isimo sengqondo sokuthethelela, isimo sokubekezela, ukukhululeka okukhulayo ekuvumeni amaphutha, ukujula kokwaneliseka, ukuthamba. inhliziyo, ikhono elikhulayo lokubona ubuhle kwabanye, amazwi okubonga njalo, kanye nekhono elikhulayo lokwamukela imiphumela noma ngabe ivuna thina noma cha. Lezi, nezinye eziningi, “izibonakaliso zikaJona umprofethi” (16:4).

Ekugcineni, inkolo ayiyona into yokukholelwa nje kuphela—kumelwe iphile. Uma silinda ukuba kuqinisekiswe ukufaneleka kwayo nganoma iyiphi enye indlela, isibonelo, ngokulinda izimangaliso zangaphandle, sizolinda ize. Ukube abaholi benkolo babeyilandela ngempela inkolo yabo, bephila ngomoya womthetho kaNkulunkulu hhayi nje incwadi yomthetho, babeyoba nazo zonke izimpawu ababezidinga. Ngokuphila ukuphila okungokomoya okujulile, abaholi benkolo babeyobe sebephenduke baze baqaphela ukuthi uJesu unguMesiya.

Kodwa kwakungenjalo. Babengeke—ngakho-ke babengeke—babone ngale kokubandlulula kwabo kanye nemibono yabo. Ngenxa yalokho, kwakukuncane kakhulu uJesu ayengabenzela kona. Ngakho, “wabashiya, wahamba” (16:4). ⁵

Isicelo esingokoqobo

Ngokwengxenye enkulu, umsebenzi weNkosi wokwenza kabusha uqhubeka ngaphakathi kwethu ngasese, ngaphandle kokuqaphela kwethu. Noma kunjalo, sinikezwa amazwibela ezinzuzo esizizuzile endleleni. Lapho ubhekene nokudumala, ukubambezeleka, ukulahlekelwa, noma ukwehluleka, kukuthatha isikhathi esingakanani ukululama? Njengesicelo esisebenzayo, phawula indlela osabela ngayo lapho izinto zingenzeki ngokushesha obungathanda, noma lapho uphazanyiswa, noma lapho izinhlelo zakho ziphazamisekile. Okokuqala, qaphela futhi umelane nemikhuba yakudala yokukhononda, ukugxeka, nokusola. Khona-ke, khetha ukusabela ngezindlela ezintsha—okungukuthi, ngezindlela ezibonisa imicabango ephakeme nothando olunomusa ngokwengeziwe. Njengoba uqhubeka nokwenza lokhu kuziphatha okungokomoya, wethemba ukuthi iNkosi inawe, qaphela ukuthi ukubekezela kwakho kuqhubeka kanjani kukhula, nokuthi ukwazi ngokushesha kangakanani ukumelana nezimo ezikukhathazayo. Lokhu kuvuka okuncane “kuyizibonakaliso zomprofethi uJona” ezenzeka kuwe. ⁶

Okungaphezu Kokwanele

---

5 Kwathi abafundi bakhe sebewelela ngaphesheya, babekhohliwe ukuphatha izinkwa.

6. UJesu wathi kubo: “Bhekani, nixwaye imvubelo yabaFarisi nabaSadusi.

7 Basebekhulumisana phakathi kwabo, besithi: Ngoba kasithathanga izinkwa.

8 UJesu ekwazi wathi kubo: Nina eninokukholwa okuncane, kungani nizindla phakathi kwenu ngokuthi anithathanga izinkwa na?

9 Anikacabangi yini, futhi anikazikhumbuli izinkwa eziyisihlanu zezinkulungwane eziyisihlanu nokuthi zingaki obhasikidi enazithatha na?

10 Ngisho nezinkwa eziyisikhombisa zezinkulungwane ezine nokuthi zingaki amaqoma enawathatha?

---

Ngemva kokumuka Kwakhe kubaholi bezenkolo, uJesu nabafundi Bakhe bawela ulwandle futhi baya endaweni eqhelile eduze kwaseKhesariya Phillipi, cishe amamayela angamashumi amabili nanhlanu enyakatho yoLwandle LwaseGalile. Njengoba befika kule ndawo entsha, abafundi baqaphela ukuthi bakhohlwe ukuthatha izinkwa. Ephendula, uJesu uthi: “Qaphelani niqaphele imvubelo yabaFarisi nabaSadusi.”16:6). Bedidekile ngamazwi kaJesu, abafundi bayacabanga, “Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi sikhohliwe ukuthatha izinkwa” (16:7). Ekwazi lokho abakucabangayo, uJesu uthi: “O, nina eninokukholwa okuncane, kungani nicabanga ukuthi aninazinkwa na? (16:8).

UJesu ube esebakhumbuza ngezimangaliso ezimbili zangaphambili ezihilela isinkwa. Njengoba uJesu esho, “Anikaqondi namanje? Anizikhumbuli yini izinkwa eziyisihlanu zezinkulungwane eziyisihlanu nokuthi nabutha obhasikidi abangaki na? Noma izinkwa eziyisikhombisa zezinkulungwane ezine nokuthi bangaki obhasikidi abagcwele na? (16:9-10).

Iphuzu likaJesu lilula. Esikhundleni sokuba ngamadoda “okholo oluncane,” kufanele kube amadoda okholo olukhulu. Okungukuthi, kufanele kube amadoda akhumbula konke uJesu abenzele kona, konke uJesu angabenzela khona, nakho konke uJesu azobenzela kona. Uma bengakwenza lokhu, bebengeke bakhathazeke ngokuswelakala kwesinkwa.

Ngokujule nakakhulu, isinkwa senyama sihambisana nokudla okungokomoya, ikakhulukazi uthando olungena ngokungapheli luvela kuNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke, uma nje siphila ngokwezimfundiso zeNkosi, asisoze saphelelwa isinkwa—okungukuthi, ngeke siphelelwe uthando nokuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu. Lokho kungenxa yokuthi ukunikezwa kungaphezu kwalokho esingakusebenzisa, njengoba kuvezwe izingcezu ezisele kubhasikidi. ⁷

Yilokhu futhi okushiwo eMthandazweni WeNkosi lapho sithi, “Siphe namuhla isinkwa sethu semihla ngemihla” (6:11). Ngomqondo womoya, lawa mazwi ayisicelo sokuzithoba sokuthi iNkosi ingasigcwalisa ngalokho okumele sikucabange kanye nalokho okumele sikuzwe ngaso sonke isikhathi, ngisho namanje, naphakade. ⁸

Isicelo esingokoqobo

Lapho abafundi beqaphela ukuthi babekhohliwe ukuletha izinkwa, uJesu wasebenzisa leli thuba njengethuba lokufundisa isifundo esijulile ngokuthembela kuYe. Lapho ekhumbuza abafundi ngezimangaliso ezimbili ezandulele lapho anikeza khona isinkwa esanele ukondla izinkulungwane zabantu, uJesu wayebaqinisekisa ngokuthi akukho okufanele bakhathazeke ngakho uma nje esekhona. Icala liyafana komunye nomunye wethu. Kunezikhathi lapho kungase kube sengathi siphelelwe uthando nozwelo. Mhlawumbe isimo esithile esinzima siye safinyelela umkhawulo, futhi asisakwazi ukubonisa uthando. Lesi yisikhathi sokukhumbula ukuthi uthando lukaNkulunkulu luhlala lutholakala ngobuningi. Usinika lokho okufanele sikucabange nalokho okufanele sikuzwe ngaso sonke isikhathi. Ngakho-ke, njengesicelo esiwusizo, qaphela lezo zikhathi lapho kubonakala sengathi uphelelwe isineke, uphelelwe ukubekezelelana, futhi uphelelwe ububele. Kungenzeka ukuthi uzitshela into enjengokuthi, “Ngeke ngisakwazi ukwenza lokhu” noma “Lokhu kuyangicasula ngempela” noma “Sengifinyelele umkhawulo wami. Akusekho lutho.” Unganqotshwa yile micabango emibi. Kunalokho, khumbula ukuthi iNkosi ikhona ukuze ikunikeze uthando nokuhlakanipha okuningi njengoba ukudinga. Thandazela ukuthi uthando Lwakhe lungene enhliziyweni yakho, wazi ukuthi uyakwazi ukukunikeza konke okudingayo nokunye okwengeziwe.

Imvubelo yabaFarisi nabaSadusi

---

11. Anazi kanjani ukuthi angisho ngesinkwa engithe kini: Xwayani imvubelo yabaFarisi nabaSadusi na?

12. Base beqonda ukuthi wayengashongo ukuthi baxwaye imvubelo yesinkwa, kodwa imfundiso yabaFarisi nabaSadusi.

---

Kungalesi sikhathi lapho uJesu etshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi akakhulumi ngesinkwa senyama. Njengoba uJesu esho, “Aniqondi ngani ukuthi bengingakhulumi kini ngesinkwa, kodwa ukuba nixwaye imvubelo yabaFarisi nabaSadusi na? (16:11). Yilapho-ke beqonda khona incazelo ejulile yamazwi kaJesu. Njengoba kulotshiwe: “Khona baqonda ukuthi wayengasho ukuthi mabaqaphele imvubelo esetshenziswa ezinkwa, kodwa isifundiso sabaFarisi nabaSadusi.”16:12).

Lapho uJesu exwayisa abafundi bakhe ukuba baqaphele imvubelo yabaFarisi nabaSadusi, wayebhekisela ezimfundisweni zamanga nemikhuba yenkolo eyayidlange ngaleso sikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo, abantu babefundiswa ukuba bakholelwe ukuthi izono zabo zingathethelelwa kuphela ngeminikelo yasethempelini. Lokhu kwakuhlanganisa iminikelo eminingi ehlanganisa imihlatshelo yezinkunzi, izinkabi, izimbuzi, izimvu, namajuba. Isibonelo esidume kakhulu yindaba yembuzi yomhlatshelo okwabekwa phezu kwayo izono zabantu ngaphambi kokuba iqhutshelwe ehlane. Lo mcimbi, owaziwa ngokuthi uSuku Lokuhlawulela, noma i-Yom Kippur, wawuthathwa njengomcimbi ongcwele kakhulu onyakeni (bheka Levitikusi 16:8-10).

Nokho, uJesu weza ukuze afundise ukuthi ukuzidela kweqiniso kumayelana nokulahla izimo zengqondo ezingakhi, ukushiya izinkolelo zamanga, ukudedela izifiso eziluthayo, nokulahla imikhuba elimazayo. Embusweni kaNkulunkulu ozayo, lezi kwakuyoba izinhlobo zomnikelo weqiniso. Kulowo mbuso izono zazithethelelwa kuphela ngokuzibonakalisa, ukuzivuma, ukuthandazela amandla okuzifulathela, nokuqala impilo entsha. Umprofethi uMika wabhekisela kulokhu lapho ethi: “Ukubonisile, muntu, okuhle; Futhi uJehova ufunani kuwe? Ukwenza ukulunga, nokuthanda umusa, nokuhamba noNkulunkulu wakho ngokuthobeka.”Mika 6:8). ⁹

AbaFarisi nabaSadusi nabo babefundisa ukuthi ukuziphindiselela nokuziphindiselela kwakunendawo yakho efanele ezindabeni zesintu. Uma nje inani nobukhulu bokuphindisela bekungedluli icala lasekuqaleni, abantu babenelungelo lokuziphindiselela. Njengoba kulotshiwe emibhalweni yesiHebheru ukuthi: “Umuntu olimaza umakhelwane wakhe uyakulimala ngendlela efanayo: ithambo eliphukile ngethambo eliphukile, iso ngeso, izinyo ngezinyo. Njengoba nje alimaze omunye umuntu, kumelwe kwenziwe okufanayo nakuye.”Levitikusi 24:20).

Nokho, uJesu weza ezofundisa isigijimi esihluke kakhulu. Njengoba asho lapho enikeza iNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni, “Nizwile kwathiwa, 'Iso ngeso, izinyo ngezinyo.' Kepha mina ngithi kini: Ningamelani nokubi; Uma umuntu ekumpama esihlathini sokunene, mphendulele nesinye isihlathi…. Thandani izitha zenu, nibabusise abaniqalekisayo, nenze okuhle kwabanizondayo, nibakhulekele abaniphatha kabi, banizingele.”5:38-39; 44).

Njengoba sichazile esahlukweni sesihlanu, “ukuphendula isihlathi” kuyinto esiyenza ngaphakathi lapho izinkolelo zethu zihlaselwa. Nakuba lokhu kuhlasela kungavela ngabanye abantu, kungavela futhi ngamandla kamoya angabonakali azama ukucekela phansi ukholo lwethu kuNkulunkulu futhi alulaze ukuthembela kwethu emandleni eqiniso Lakhe. Ngakho-ke, noma nini lapho siphendulela isihlathi ngaphakathi, sihlala siqinile kulokho esikwaziyo ukuthi kuyiqiniso.

Ezikhathini ezinjalo, siyazi ukuthi awekho amazwi akhulunywayo, amahlebezayo, noma ukunyenyiselwa okungasilimaza noma kucekele phansi ukholo lwethu. Uma nje singavumeli ububi busidonsele empini, singaphansi kwesivikelo sikaNkulunkulu. Uma nje sihlala ebuhleni naseqinisweni leNkosi, ububi abunakusilimaza ngokomoya. Ngakho-ke, akufanele simelane nakho. ¹⁰

Imfundiso yesithathu yamanga, esadlangile nanamuhla, iwumqondo wokuthi uma silalela imiyalo kaNkulunkulu, uyobusisa ukuphila kwethu ngempumelelo yezinto ezibonakalayo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi impilo engokwenyama, impahla enkulu, noma ukunqoba izitha zethu. Ngezinye izikhathi lo mbono ubizwa ngokuthi “ivangeli lokuchuma,” usekelwe ekuchazeni iBhayibheli ngokwezwi nezwi nezwi nezwi. Njengoba kulotshiwe emiBhalweni yesiHeberu, “Uma nihamba ngezimiso zami, nigcine imiyalo yami, niyenze, ngiyakuninika imvula ngesikhathi sayo, izwe lithele izithelo zalo, nemithi izithelo zayo . . . Niyakudla isinkwa, nisuthe, nihlale ezweni ngokulondeka…. Niyakuxosha izitha zenu, ziwe ngenkemba phambi kwenu.”Levitikusi 26:3-4; 5-8).

Uma zithathwa njengoba zinjalo, izimfundiso ezinjengalezi zisekela umbono wokuthi ingcebo nempilo enhle kuyizimpawu zesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu nokwamukelwa, kuyilapho ubumpofu nokugula kuyizimpawu zesiqalekiso nokulahlwa kukaNkulunkulu. Kodwa uJesu weza ezofundisa umlayezo ohlukile. Njengoba asho eNtshumayelweni Yakhe yaseNtabeni, “Wenza ilanga Lakhe liphumele ababi nabahle, futhi unisa imvula phezu kwabalungileyo naphezu kwabangalungile.”5:45).

Ngamanye amazwi, uNkulunkulu uthanda bonke ngokulinganayo nangesilinganiso esilinganayo. Uthando lwakhe, olumelelwa yilanga, lutholakala kuwo wonke umuntu ngaso sonke isikhathi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi muhle noma mubi. Futhi iqiniso laKhe litholakala ngokulinganayo kubo bonke, njengoba imvula inela kwabalungileyo nabangalungile. Uma singalutholi uthando lukaNkulunkulu neqiniso, kungenxa yokuthi sihlubuke kuNkulunkulu, hhayi ngoba uNkulunkulu usifulathele. Uma sikhetha ukuphila impilo ephambene nentando Yakhe—okungukuthi, impilo engakwazi ukuthola lokho uNkulunkulu ahlala efisa ukusinika kona—ngeke sikwazi ukuthola izibusiso zangempela zasezulwini. Lezi zibusiso azikho ngengcebo, ukunqoba izitha zemvelo, noma ukuchuma ngokomzimba. Kunalokho, ziphathelene nengcebo yeqiniso elingokomoya, ukunqoba izitha ezingokomoya, nokuthula okuba khona lapho sithembela kuNkulunkulu.

Lezi ngezinye zezimfundiso zamanga zabaFarisi nabaSadusi. Singase futhi sikhulume ngezimfundiso zabo ezingamanga mayelana nolaka lukaNkulunkulu, ukukhathalela kwabo umbhalo womthetho kunomoya wawo, umqondo wokuthi babengabantu abakhethiwe kuyilapho bonke abanye bedelelwa, nokuphikelela kwabo kokuthi uJesu wayengumuntu oyingozi. kunoMesiya uqobo lwaKhe. Konke lokhu, nokunye okuningi, kwakuphakathi kwezimfundiso zamanga zabaFarisi nabaSadusi.

Ngaphandle kwezimfundiso zabo zamanga, uJesu wayenokuningi ayekusho ngesimo sengqondo sokuzidla, sokwedelela sabaholi benkolo. Lapho bekhononda ngokuthi abafundi bakaJesu abazange bageze izandla zabo ngaphambi kokuba badle, uJesu wababiza ngokuthi bangabazenzisi abadumisa uNkulunkulu ngezindebe zabo kuyilapho izinhliziyo zabo zikude Naye (bheka. 15:8). UJesu wabe esethi: “Akukhona okungena emlonyeni okungcolisa umuntu, kodwa okuphuma emlonyeni. Yilokhu okungcolisa umuntu” (15:11).

Lezi zixwayiso ezingaphelelwa isikhathi azigcini nje ngokuphathelene nabaholi benkolo, futhi akuzona nje ezabafundi bakaJesu. Ezawo wonke umuntu. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi abaholi bezenkolo bamele izimo zengqondo nokuziphatha sonke esingawela kukho. Noma nini lapho sizizwa sidelela abanye, sizizwa siphakeme ngandlela-thile, noma sikholelwa ukuthi abanye kufanele bacabange ngendlela esenza ngayo futhi siziphathe ngendlela esibheka ngayo njengabalungile, sisuke futhi sizitika ‘ngemvubelo yabaFarisi nabaSadusi. .” Le “mvubelo” uJesu asitshela ukuba “siyiqaphele” ingasigcwalisa ngasese ukuzethemba kwethu kunokuthembela kuNkulunkulu, isivuthele imizwa yokuzidla, futhi isikhohlise ekucabangeni ukuthi siphakeme kunabanye.

Ngakho-ke, empeleni, uJesu wayengakhulumi nabafundi Bakhe ngesinkwa senyama. Kunalokho, wayekhuluma ngezimfundiso ezidukisayo nesimo sengqondo sokuzidla sabaFarisi nabaSadusi. Uma abafundi bebelandela izimfundiso nezimo zengqondo zabaFarisi nabaSadusi, bonke “abavutshelwe” ngokuzidla nokudelela, bebeyoduka ngokudabukisayo. ¹¹

Isicelo esingokoqobo

Isixwayiso sikaJesu ngemvubelo yabaFarisi nabaSadusi asisona isixwayiso ngesinkwa esingokoqobo. Kunalokho, kuyisixwayiso ngezinkolelo ezingamanga. Lokhu kuhlanganisa izimfundiso ezingamanga ngobunjalo bukaNkulunkulu, izimfundiso ezidukisayo mayelana nencazelo yokuchuma ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo, nemibono eyiphutha ngendlela izono ezithethelelwa ngayo. Ngokujule ngokwengeziwe, kudingeka futhi sicabangele amathonya esihogo ageleza ezingqondweni zethu ukuze ahlanekezele indlela esibona ngayo izinto. Ngokwesibonelo, la mathonya esihogo angase azame ukusigcina sigxile entweni eyodwa embi kunokuba sithathe isithombe esikhulu. Bangase basikhumbuze iphutha esalenza esikhathini esidlule futhi bakwenze kubonakale sengathi iphutha elilodwa liye lachaza ukuphila kwethu konke. Bangase babambe impikiswano eyodwa, noma igama elilodwa elingakhulunywanga kahle, futhi balikhiphe ngokulingana, balisuse iphutha elincane libe inhlekelele enkulu. Njengemvubelo, inkumbulo embi, umbono ongamanga, ukukhathazeka, noma ukwesaba kungasakazeka ezingqondweni zethu. Kungaba ukuthatheka okudla konke okonakalise isinkwa sonke. Lawa mathonya onakalisayo angaveza izizathu nezizathu ezisigcina sivalelwe entukuthelweni, ekweyisayo, noma ekuzidabukeleni. Ngakho-ke, njengesicelo esiwusizo, qaphela lolu hlobo lwemvubelo. Phawula ukuthi umcabango owodwa, uma uvunyelwe ukuba ungene, ungonakalisa kanjani sonke isinkwa—okungukuthi, ukugcwalisa ingqondo yakho yonke ngemibono engamanga nemizwelo engemihle. Njengekhambi, lalela isixwayiso sikaJesu, “Qaphelani imvubelo yabaFarisi nabaSadusi.”

Isivumo Sokholo SikaPetru

---

13. Kwathi uJesu esefikile emaphandleni aseKesariya Filiphu, wancenga abafundi bakhe, wathi: “Abantu bathi mina iNdodana yomuntu ngingubani na?

14 Basebesithi: Abanye bathi uJohane uMbhabhathizi; abanye ngu-Eliya; abanye uJeremiya, noma omunye wabaprofethi.

15 Wathi kubo: “Kepha nina nithi ngingubani na?

16 USimoni Petru waphendula wathi: “Wena unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.”

17 UJesu waphendula, wathi kuye: “Ubusisiwe wena Simoni kaJona, ngokuba inyama negazi akukwambulelanga lokhu, kodwa uBaba osezulwini.

18. Nami ngithi kuwe: Wena unguPetru, phezu kwaleli dwala ngiyakulakha ibandla lami, namasango esihogo awayikulahlula.

19. Futhi ngiyakukunika izihluthulelo zombuso wezulu, futhi konke oyakubopha emhlabeni kuyoba kuboshiwe emazulwini; futhi konke oyakukhulula emhlabeni koba kukhululiwe nasezulwini.”

20. Wabayala abafundi bakhe ukuba bangatsheli muntu ukuthi unguJesu Kristu.

---

Esigabeni esidlule, uJesu waxwayisa abafundi bakhe ukuba baqaphele imvubelo yabaFarisi nabaSadusi. Sathi le mvubelo imelela izimfundiso zamanga, imikhuba nezimo zengqondo zabaholi benkolo. Nokho, kufanele kuphawulwe ukuthi imvubelo ingaba usizo. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi iqala inqubo yokuvubela lapho ukungcola kuhlukaniswa khona futhi kulahlwe. Njengoba nje isinkwa sikhuphuka ngale nqubo, nathi, singakhuphukela emazingeni aphezulu. Njengoba uJesu asho ngaphambili kulelivangeli, “Umbuso wezulu ufana nemvubelo ayithatha owesifazane, wayifaka ezilinganisweni ezintathu zempuphu, yaze yabila yonke.”13:33).

Ngaleso sikhathi, sabonisa ukuthi imvubelo ifana nalokho okwenzeka kithi phakathi nezikhathi ezilingayo ezingokomoya. Imvubelo eyathathwa owesifazane wayifihla ezilinganisweni ezintathu zempuphu imelela ukuhlanjululwa kothando, imicabango, nezenzo zethu ngenqubo yokuvutshelwa okungokomoya. Njengoba kungekho ukuzalwa kabusha ngaphandle kwesilingo, le nqubo yokuvutshelwa iyisigaba esibalulekile ekukhuleni kwethu ngokomoya. ¹²

Nokho, ukuze sinqobe ezimpini zezilingo, sidinga ukwazi ukuthi lezi zimpi ziyeza, ezingenakugwema, nokuthi kukhona amaqiniso kamoya okubhekana nazo. Kuwo wonke amaqiniso akhona ukuze adlule ngempumelelo kulezi zikhathi zokulingwa kukamoya, iqiniso elilodwa, ngaphezu kwakho konke, elidingekayo. Lesi siqephu esilandelayo simayelana naleli qiniso eliyisisekelo. ¹³

Njengoba lesi senzakalo siqala, uJesu nabafundi bakhe basemagqumeni eNtaba iHermoni, esifundeni saseKesariya Filipi. Kulapho uJesu athi kubafundi bakhe: “Abantu bathi mina, iNdodana yomuntu, ngingubani na? (16:13). Bebika lokho abakuzwile abanye, baphendula bathi: “Abanye bathi uJohane uMbhapathizi, abanye u-Eliya, abanye bathi uJeremiya noma omunye wabaprofethi.”16:14). Lokhu, vele, kuyinzwabethi—imibono yabanye, inhlebo namahemuhemu ayehamba ngaleso sikhathi. Ngakho-ke, uJesu uthi, “Kepha nina nithi ngingubani na? (16:15).

Ngaphandle kokungabaza nakancane, uPetru uthi, “Wena unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo” (16:16).

Ngala mazwi, uPetru uvuma ukuthi ngempela uJesu unguMesiya okwase kuyisikhathi eside elindelwe, lowo othenjisiwe okwakhulunywa ngaye abaprofethi. Njengoba kulotshiwe emiBhalweni yesiHeberu, “UNkulunkulu wezulu uyomisa umbuso ongasoze wachithwa . . . Uyochoboza yonke eminye imibuso, wona uqobo ume phakade.”Daniyeli 2:44). Ngomqondo ongokoqobo, la mazwi abhekisela ekufikeni kwenkosi enkulu nenamandla ezoholela abantu bayo ekunqobeni zonke izitha zemvelo. Lesi senzakalo okwase kuyisikhathi eside silindelwe sabizwa ngokuthi ‘ukuza kukaMesiya.

Isiqu esithi “Mesiya” yigama lesiHeberu elisho “ogcotshiweyo.” Ngokuvamile, libhekisela ekubusisweni nguNkulunkulu ngesipho esikhethekile noma ubizo, njengalapho kuthiwa umuntu “ugcotshiwe” ukushumayela, noma ukuphulukisa, noma ukuhola. Ezikhathini zeBhayibheli, amakhosi ayegcotshwa ngamafutha ekugcotshweni kwawo ukuze abonise ukuthi ukubekwa kwawo akuveli kubantu kodwa kuNkulunkulu. NgesiGreki, igama elithi “ogcotshiweyo” lithi Christos [χριστός], okusho ukuthi “uKristu.” Ngakho-ke, lapho uPetru ethi, “Wena unguKristu,” ubhekisela kuJesu njengoMesiya othenjisiwe, “ogcotshiweyo,” oyoba umbusi wazo zonke izizwe nayo yonke imibuso—iNkosi yamakhosi.

Lapho uPetru ethi uJesu unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo, uJesu unikeza isiqinisekiso esinamandla sokuvuma kukaPetru. UJesu wathi: “Ubusisiwe wena, Simoni Bar-Jona, ngokuba inyama negazi akukwambulelanga lokhu, kodwa uBaba osezulwini.”16:17). Ngenxa yokuthi uPetru waphendula kahle, uJesu uthi: “Wena unguPetru, phezu kwaleli dwala ngizokwakha ibandla Lami, futhi amasango esihogo ngeke alehlule.”16:18).

Ngamafuphi, uJesu uthi ukuqashelwa kobunkulunkulu Bakhe kuyitshe legumbi lapho wonke amanye amaqiniso eyohlala phezu kwawo. ‘Yidwala’ okuyokwakhiwa phezu kwalo konke okunye okunokholo. KuPetru, nakulowo nalowo kithi, lokhu kuyimfundiso eyisisekelo okufanele siyikhumbule njengoba sidlula ekulweni kwethu nezilingo. Kuwukuba nokholo oluphilayo ebunkulunkulwini bukaJesu Kristu. ¹⁴

Lapho uJesu ephetha iNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni, wabhekisela nakuleli qiniso elikhulu, kodwa akazange acacise ukuthi lalisho ukuthini. Kwakuyindaba yendoda eyakha indlu yayo phezu kwedwala. Njengoba uJesu asho ngalesosikhathi, “Lana imvula, kwafika izikhukhula, kwavunguza imimoya, yayishaya kuleyondlu; futhi ayizange iwe, ngoba yayisekelwe phezu kwedwala.”7:25).

Manje, njengoba uJesu elungiselela abafundi Bakhe ukulwa nezilingo, wembula ukwaziswa okwengeziwe ngohlobo lwedwala abafundi okuyodingeka bame kulo njengoba belungiselela ukuzivikela imvubelo yabaFarisi nabaSadusi. Leli dwala liwukuvuma ukuthi uJesu ‘unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo. Leli qiniso linamandla kangangokuthi “amasango eHayidese awayikulahlula” (16:18).

Nokho, kufanele kuphawulwe ukuthi nakuba uPetru ebhekisela kuJesu njengoKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo, akasho ukuthi uJesu unguNkulunkulu uqobo Lwakhe. Okwamanje, lokhu kwanele. UJesu utshela uPetru ukuthi lokhu kuqonda kokuqala kuzovula umnyango wamaqiniso ajulile, ngoba kuyisihluthulelo sombuso wezulu. Njengoba uJesu esho, “ngiyokunika izihluthulelo zombuso wezulu, futhi noma yini oyoyibopha emhlabeni iyobe kuboshiwe nasezulwini, futhi noma yini oyikhulula emhlabeni iyobe ikhululiwe nasezulwini.”16:19).

Nakuba lesi siqephu ngokuvamile siqondwa ngokuthi sisho ukuthi uPetru uyokwazi ngempela ukuvula nokuvala amasango ezulu, kunencazelo ejulile, yendawo yonke. Akukona ngoPetru emi kulokho abanye abakubiza ngokuthi “amasango amaparele” enquma ukuthi uyasingenisa noma cha ezulwini. Kunalokho, kumayelana namaqiniso kamoya esiwanikezwa eZwini leNkosi. Noma nini lapho la maqiniso efakwa engqondweni, ethandwa, futhi ephila, aba “izihluthulelo” ezivala umnyango wesihogo—angavumeli lutho olubi noma amanga ukuba lungene ezingqondweni zethu.

Ngesikhathi esifanayo, lezi zihluthulelo zingavula umnyango wezulu, zivumele konke okuhle nokuyiqiniso kugeleze phakathi. Noma yini elimaza umoya wethu 'iyoboshwa'; futhi noma yini ethuthukisa ukuphila komoya wethu “iyothukululwa.” Futhi “isihluthulelo sezihluthulelo,” idwala leqiniso ami phezu kwalo wonke amanye amaqiniso, siwukuvuma ukuthi uJesu ‘unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo. ¹⁵

Isicelo esingokoqobo

Lesi yisikhathi sokuqala lapho uJesu eziveza khona kubafundi Bakhe ‘njengoKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo. Nakuba uJesu engakasho lokhu ngokwakhe, uqinisekisa isivumo sikaPetru ngokuthi kuye, “Inyama negazi akukwambulelanga lokhu, kodwa uBaba osezulwini.” Ngamanye amazwi, kukhona ezinye izinto ezedlula indlela yokucabanga yomuntu esekelwe nje ebufakazini bezinzwa. Lezi yizinto ‘ezingembulelwa nguBaba wethu osezulwini’ kuphela. Lokhu kubhekise ohlotsheni lwesambulo eseqa imfundiso yabaFarisi nabaSadusi. Ngakho-ke, njengokusebenza okuwusizo, cabangela umehluko phakathi kokubona uJesu njengomuntu nje, njengoba kwenza abaFarisi nabaSadusi, ‘njengoKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo,’ njengoba kwenza uPetru. Vumela umqondo wobunkulunkulu bukaJesu ukuba ube nomthelela endleleni ofunda ngayo amazwi Akhe futhi ubuke izenzo Zakhe. Ngezinga ovuma ngalo ubunkulunkulu bukaJesu, amazwi Akhe azothatha amandla andayo empilweni yakho. Njengoba kulotshiwe emiBhalweni yesiHeberu, “Wathumela izwi lakhe, wabaphulukisa, wabakhulula ekubhujisweni” (AmaHubo 107:20). Futhi, “Amazwi akho aba intokozo kimi, nentokozo yenhliziyo yami” (Jeremiya 15:16).

Indlela Yesiphambano

---

21 Kusukela lapho uJesu waqala ukubonisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi umelwe ukuya eJerusalema, ahlushwe ngokuningi ngamalunga nabapristi abakhulu nababhali, abulawe, avuswe ngosuku lwesithathu.

22 UPetru wamthatha, waqala ukumkhuza, ethi: “Zihawukele, Nkosi; lokhu akuyikubakho kuwe.”

23 Kodwa waphenduka wathi kuPetro: Suka emva kwami, Sathane; uyisikhubekiso kimi, ngokuba awuhlakaniphile okukaNkulunkulu, kodwa okwabantu.”

24 UJesu wayesethi kubafundi bakhe: “Uma umuntu ethanda ukungilandela, makazidele, athabathe isiphambano sakhe, angilandele.

25. Ngokuba yilowo nalowo othanda ukusindisa umphefumulo wakhe, uyakulahlekelwa yikho, kepha olahlekelwa ngumphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yami uyakuwufumana.

26 Umuntu anganikela ngani kube yisihlengo somphefumulo wakhe?

27 Ngoba iNdodana yomuntu izakuza ngenkazimulo kaYise kanye lezingilosi zayo; khona izabuyisela kulowo lalowo njengokwenza kwakhe.

28. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Bakhona abanye kwabemi lapha, abangayikuzwa ukufa, baze bayibone iNdodana yomuntu iza embusweni wayo.

---

UJesu ubelokhu elungiselela abafundi bakhe kancane kancane izilingo ezingenakugwenywa abazobhekana nazo. Kulesi siqephu esilandelayo, uqala ukukhuluma ngokusobala ngezilingo Zakhe kanye nokuhlupheka Yena mathupha asezokubekezelela. Njengoba kulotshiwe, “Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi uJesu waqala ukubonisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi umelwe ukuya eJerusalema futhi ahlushwe ngokuningi ... futhi abulawe … futhi avuswe ngosuku lwesithathu”16:21).

UPetru akakuthathi kahle. Nakuba engowokuqala kubafundi ukuvuma ubunkulunkulu bukaJesu, akakwazi ukuthwala umcabango wokuthi kufanele uJesu ahlupheke futhi afe. Ngakho-ke, uPetru uyamemeza, “Makube kude nawe, Nkosi; lokhu akusoze kwenzeka kuwe” (16:22).

Njengabanye abafundi, uPetru ulazisa ithemba lokuthi ngokushesha uJesu uzoba umlweli wabo omkhulu futhi abaholele ekunqobeni zonke izitha zabo zemvelo. Bebelokhu bebheke phambili osukwini lapho uJesu eyozibeka khona njengenkosi efanelekayo, uMesiya osekukade elindelwe oyokhulula abantu baKhe futhi abe umbusi wazo zonke izizwe. Kungenzeka ukuthi babejwayelene nesiprofetho esilotshwe kuDaniyeli. Njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Embonweni wami ebusuku ngabona, bheka, phambi kwami kwakukhona onjengendodana yomuntu iza namafu ezulu. . . . Yanikwa ukubusa, nenkazimulo, nombuso, ukuze bonke abantu, nezizwe, nezilimi bayikhonze. Umbuso wakhe umi phakade naphakade, nombuso wakhe awuyikuchithwa naphakade.”Daniyeli 7:13-14).

Kulula ukucabanga ukuthi kungenzeka ukuthi uPetru ucabanga ngemivuzo yasemhlabeni kunemivuzo yasezulwini. Bekungaba ngokwemvelo ngaye ukuba namathemba aphakeme ngalombuso omusha nokhazimulayo, uJesu eyinkosi. Okungenani, kwakuyoba ukuphela kokubusa kwamaRoma, nesiqalo esisha kubantu bakwa-Israyeli. Kungase kube nendawo ekhethekile kaPetru embusweni omusha.

Kodwa lokhu kuwukungaqondi injongo yangempela yokuphila kukaJesu emhlabeni. Umgomo wangempela womsebenzi kaJesu uwukunqoba nokunqoba izitha ezingokomoya, hhayi ezemvelo. Phela, ivangeli liqala ngesiphrofetho esithi, “Uyosindisa abantu bakhe ezonweni zabo”—hhayi kubacindezeli babo benyama (bona 1:21).

Lolu uhlobo olusha nolwehlukile lwensindiso, oluhluke kakhulu kulokho okwakulindelwe kuMesiya. Lolu hlobo lwensindiso lungafezwa kuphela ngokulwa kukaJesu nabo bonke ububi obungake buhlasele isintu. Ukuphika isidingo salenqubo, ukucabanga ukuthi kukhona enye indlela, elula, ukuphika yona kanye inhloso yokufika kweNkosi. Ngakho, lapho uPetru ethi kuJesu, “Lokhu ngeke kwenzeke kuwe, Nkosi,” kufana nokuphika lenqubo ebalulekile. Ngakho-ke, uJesu uthi kuPetru, “Suka emva kwami, Sathane; Uyisikhubekiso kimi, ngokuba awuqondi okukaNkulunkulu, kodwa okwabantu.”16:23).

Kungokwemvelo ukukhetha indlela elula, engenamsebenzi. Kodwa ngaphandle kwezilingo ezingokomoya nokulwa, akukho ukukhula okungokomoya. Lokhu ngezinye izikhathi kubizwa ngokuthi, "Indlela Yesiphambano." Kubo bobabili uJesu nakubalandeli Bakhe, isilingo esingokomoya sasingenakugwenywa. Ngakho-ke, uJesu uthi, “Uma umuntu ethanda ukungilandela, makazidele, athabathe isiphambano sakhe, angilandele. Ngokuba yilowo nalowo othanda ukusindisa ukuphila kwakhe uyakulahlekelwa yikho, kepha olahlekelwa ngukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yami uyakukufumana. Ngokuba kuyakumsizani umuntu, uma ezuza izwe lonke, kodwa alahlekelwe ukuphila kwakhe na? Kumbe umuntu anganikela ngani ukuze ahlenge umphefumulo wakhe?” (16:24-26). ¹⁶

Noma ngabe lezi zindaba zingajabulisi noma zingamukeleki kangakanani, yilokhu abafundi okudingeka bakuzwe ngalesi sikhathi ekukhuleni kwabo ngokomoya. UJesu ukwenza kucace kubo ukuthi isilingo akufanele sigwenywe. Kufanele sikhumbule ukuthi uPetru uthathe isinyathelo sokuqala sokuba umKristu weqiniso. Uvumile ukuthi uJesu unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo. Kodwa ukuze enze lesi sivumo sokholo sibe ngokoqobo, kumelwe, kusukela manje kuqhubeke, alwele ukuthola imivuzo yasezulwini, hhayi nje esemhlabeni. Kumelwe azimisele ngisho nokubeka phansi intando yakhe endala ngaphambi kokuba athole incwadi yefa entsha. Lena incazelo ejulile yamazwi kaJesu, “Yilowo nalowo ofuna ukusindisa ukuphila kwakhe uyolahlekelwa yikho, futhi noma ubani olahlekelwa ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa Yami uyokuthola” ( Joh.16:25). ¹⁷

UJesu ube esenezela isithembiso esikhulu kanye nesiqiniseko sokuthi umbuso Wakhe uyeza maduze. Uthi: “Ngokuba iNdodana yomuntu iyakuza ngenkazimulo kaYise kanye nezingelosi zayo, khona-ke iyovuza yilowo nalowo ngokwemisebenzi yakhe. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Bakhona abanye kwabemi lapha abangayikukuzwa ukufa, baze babone iNdodana yomuntu iza embusweni wayo.”16:27-28).

Kubafundi, abawaqondayo la mazwi ngokwezwi nezwi, uJesu ubonakala ethi usezomisa umbuso Wakhe wenyama, nokuthi kuzokwenzeka ngesikhathi sokuphila kwabo. Ngamanye amazwi, ngaphambi kokuba bafe, noma “banambitha ukufa,” uJesu uyomisa umbuso Wakhe omusha. Kodwa uJesu ukhuluma ngokunye okungaphakathi. Ukhuluma ngendlela umbuso wasezulwini ongamiswa ngayo komunye nomunye wethu, ngisho namanje ngaphambi kokuba sikunambithe ukufa kwenyama.

Ukusungulwa kwalowo mbuso kuqala ngesinqumo sokusebenzisa amandla ethu esiwanikwe nguNkulunkulu ukuphakamisa izingqondo zethu ngaphezu kwezinga lemvelo lempilo yethu ukuze siqonde imithetho yeqiniso likamoya. Leli khono, elifakwe kuwo wonke umuntu kusukela endalweni, lisenza sikwazi ukuvula amehlo ethu angokomoya ukuze sibone futhi siqonde iqiniso laphezulu ekuphileni kwethu.

Noma nini lapho sisebenzisa leli khono, siphakamisa ukuqonda kwethu ngaphezu kwezinto ezibonakalayo, siba nokuqonda okusha. Zonke izinto sizibona ekukhanyeni okukhanyayo kweqiniso eliphakeme. Yilo mbono ongaphakathi nakakhulu uJesu akhuluma ngawo lapho ethi: “Bakhona abanye kwabemi lapha abangayikuzwa ngempela ukufa baze babone iNdodana yomuntu iza embusweni wayo.”16:28). ¹⁸

Isicelo esingokoqobo

Isithembiso sikaJesu sokuthi abanye abantu ngeke “banambitha ukufa” baze bambone eza embusweni Wakhe sibonakala sisho ukuthi maduze uzomisa umbuso Wakhe wasemhlabeni. Ngamanye amazwi, lokhu kuzokwenzeka phakathi nokuphila kwabo. Uma kuqondwa ngokujule, kusho ukuthi uJesu umisa umbuso Wakhe njengamanje, ngaphakathi komunye nomunye wethu. Ngakho-ke, njengesenzo esingokoqobo, vula indawo yokumiswa kwalowo mbuso enhliziyweni yakho. Qala ngokufunda imithetho yalowombuso njengoba ifundiswa eZwini. Khona-ke phila ngokuvumelana naleyo mithetho ngokuvumela intando kaNkulunkulu ukuba yenziwe kuwe futhi isebenze ngawe. Njengosizo ekusizeni iNkosi ukuthi imise umbuso Wayo kuwe, zindla ngamazwi Awanikeza abafundi Bakhe lapho ebafundisa ukuthi bathandaze kanjani. Gxila kakhulu emazwini athi, “Umbuso wakho mawufike, intando yakho mayenziwe” (6:10).

Footnotes:

556. And their teeth were as those of lions, signifies that sensual things, which are the ultimates of the intellectual life, seem to them to have power over all things. This is evident from the signification of "teeth," as being the sensual things which are the ultimates of the natural life in respect to the understanding (of which presently); and from the signification of "lions," as being the truths of the church in respect to power, but here falsities destroying truths, thus also these in respect to power (of which above, n. 278). Here falsities are meant, because "locusts" signify the corporeal-sensual who are in the falsities of evil. These seem to themselves to have understanding, and thereby power over all things, because that persuasiveness which has been treated of above has its seat in the sensual, which is the ultimate of the natural life; for this sensual, or the sensual man, is in self-confidence, and in the belief that he is wiser than all others, for he is unable to weigh and explore himself, because he does not think interiorly; and when he has persuaded himself of this, then such confidence and belief are in all things that he speaks. And because his speech takes its tone from these, it fascinates and infatuates the minds of others, for the tone of confidence and belief produces such an effect; and this is especially manifest in the spiritual world, where man speaks from his spirit; for the affection of self-confidence and of the consequent belief that a thing is so is in man's spirit, and a man's spirit speaks from his affection. In the natural world it is different. There man's spirit discourses by means of the body, and for the sake of the world brings forth such things as are not of the affection of his spirit, which he rarely exhibits, that its character may not be known. For this reason it is unknown in the world that there is such an infatuating and suffocating persuasiveness as exists in the spirit of the sensual man, who believes himself to be wiser than others. From this it can be seen why "their teeth were as those of lions" signifies that sensual men seem to themselves to have understanding, and thereby power over all things. That "teeth" signify sensual things, which are the ultimates of the natural life in respect to knowledge [scientia] can be seen from the correspondence of "teeth," as described in the work on Heaven and Hell (n. 575), and in the Arcana Coelestia (n. 5565-5568).

[2] That "teeth" have this signification can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In David:

My soul, I lie in the midst of lions; their teeth are spear and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword (Psalms 57:4).

"Lions" signify those who by means of falsities destroy the truths of the church; "their teeth which are spear and arrows" signify the knowledges that are applied to confirm falsities and evils, and thus to destroy the truths and goods of the church; "their tongue a sharp sword" signifies crafty reasonings from falsities, which are called "a sharp sword" because a "sword" signifies falsity destroying truth.

[3] In the same:

O God, break off their teeth in their mouth; remove ¹ the jaw teeth of the young lions (Psalms 58:6).

"Teeth in their mouth" signify the knowledges from which they produce falsities; "the jaw teeth of the young lions," signify the truths of the Word falsified, which in themselves are falsities, and which are especially effective in destroying the truths of the church.

[4] In Joel:

A nation cometh up upon my land, vigorous and without number; its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and it hath the jaw teeth of an immense lion. It maketh ² my vine to a waste, and my fig tree to froth (Joel 1:6, 7).

"A nation that cometh up upon the land" signifies evil devastating the church, "nation" meaning evil, and "land" the church; "vigorous and without number" signifies powerful and manifold; "vigorous" is predicated of the power of evil, and "without number" of the power of falsity; "its teeth are the teeth of a lion" signifying destroying falsities; "the jaw teeth of an immense lion" signify truths falsified; "it reduceth the vine to a waste, and the fig tree to froth," signifies the destruction of spiritual and natural truths; spiritual truths are those of the spiritual sense of the Word, and natural truths those of the sense of its letter (See also above, n. 403, where this is explained). The "teeth of lions" in these passages have a similar signification as "teeth as those of lions" here in Revelation. "Teeth" properly signify such things as are merely in the memory and are brought forth therefrom, for the things that are in the memory of the sensual man correspond to bones and teeth.

[5] In Daniel:

There came up out of the sea a second beast like to a bear; three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and they said unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After this there came up a fourth beast, dreadful, and terrible, and exceedingly strong, and it had great teeth of iron; it devoured and crushed, and trampled the remnant with its feet (Daniel 7:5, 7).

"A beast from the sea" means the love of dominion, to which holy things serve as means, and the "four beasts" signify its successive increase; this "second beast like to a bear" signifies the second state, when such dominion is confirmed by means of the Word; those who do this appear in the spiritual world like bears. "Three ribs in the mouth between the teeth" signify all things of the Word which they apply, and which they understand merely according to the letter, "three ribs" meaning all things of the Word, "in the mouth" meaning, which they apply in teaching; "between the teeth" meaning which they understand merely according to the letter, that is, as the sensual man does; "they said unto it, Arise, devour much flesh," signifies that they applied many things and thereby destroyed the genuine sense of the Word; "the fourth beast that came up out of the sea, dreadful, and terrible, and exceedingly strong," signifies the fourth and last state, when by holy things as means they established for themselves dominion over heaven and earth; because this state is profane and powerful it is called "dreadful, and terrible, and exceedingly strong;" "it had great teeth of iron" signifies falsities from the sensual man hard against the truths and goods of the church; "it devoured and crushed" signifies that it perverted and destroyed; "and trampled the remnant with its feet" signifies that what they could not pervert and destroy they defiled and blotted out by the evils of natural and corporeal loves. (The rest respecting these beasts may be seen explained above, n. 316.)

[6] In Moses:

The tooth of beasts I will send upon them, with the poison of the creeping things of the earth (Deuteronomy 32:24).

This evil, among others, was denounced upon the Israelitish and Jewish people if they did not keep and do the statutes and commandments; "the tooth of beasts" signifies falsities from evils of every kind, and "the poison of the creeping things of the earth" signifies the things that destroy and utterly extinguish spiritual life; "beasts" signify in the Word such things as belong to the natural man, and "the creeping things of the earth" the things belonging to the sensual man; both these when separated from the spiritual man are mere falsities from evils, because they are merely such things as belong to the body to which they adhere, and as belong to the world to which they stand nearest; and from the body and the world all thick darkness in spiritual things arises.

[7] In David:

Arise, O Jehovah; save me, O my God; for Thou smitest all mine enemies upon the cheek; Thou breakest the teeth of the wicked (Psalms 3:7).

"To smite the enemies upon the cheek" signifies to destroy interior falsities with those who are opposed to the goods and truths of the church; such persons and their falsities of evil are meant in the Word by "enemies;" "to break the teeth of the wicked" signifies to destroy exterior falsities, which are such as are based on the fallacies of the senses and are confirmed by them.

[8] As the expressions in David, "to smite the cheek" and "to break the teeth" signify the destruction of interior and exterior falsities, it can be seen what is meant by "smiting on the cheek" in Matthew:

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth; but I say unto you, Resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also. And if any man wisheth to sue thee at the law and to take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also; and whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two. Give to everyone that asketh thee, and from him that wisheth to borrow of thee turn not thou away (Matthew 5:38-42).

That these words are not to be understood according to the letter is evident to everyone; for who is bound by Christian love to turn the left cheek to him who smites the right, or to give the cloak to him who would take away the coat? In a word, who is there to whom it is not allowable to resist evil? But as all things that the Lord said were in themselves Divine-celestial, it can be seen that these words, as well as the others which the Lord spoke, contain a heavenly sense. The sons of Israel had this law that they should give "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" (Exodus 21:23, 24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21), because they were external men, and thus were only in the representatives of heavenly things, and not in heavenly things themselves, thence not in charity, in mercy, in patience, nor in any spiritual good; consequently they were under the law of retaliation; for the heavenly law and thence the Christian law is that which the Lord taught in the Gospels:

All things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye to them; this is the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31).

Because this is the law in heaven, and from heaven in the church, therefore every evil carries with it a corresponding punishment, which is called the punishment of evil, and is in the evil as if joined with it; and from this springs the punishment of retaliation which was prescribed for the sons of Israel, because they were external and not internal men. Internal men, as the angels of heaven are, do not wish the retaliation of evil for evil, but from heavenly charity they forgive freely; for they know that the Lord protects from the evil all who are in good, and that He protects according to the good with them, and that He would not protect if on account of the evil done to them they should burn with enmity, hatred, and revenge, for these drive away protection.

[9] These things, therefore, are involved in what the Lord here said; but their signification shall be given in order: "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," signifies that so far as anyone takes away from another the understanding of truth and the sense of truth, so far are they taken away from him, the "eye" signifying the understanding of truth, and "tooth" the sense of truth, for a "tooth" means truth or falsity such as the sensual man has. That one who is in Christian good will permit an evil person to take these away as far as he can, is described by what the Lord says in reply on the same subject. "Resist not him that is in evil" signifies that there should be no fighting back of retaliation; for angels do not fight with the evil, much less do they return evil for evil, but they allow it to be done, since they are protected by the Lord, and therefore no evil from hell can do them harm. "Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also" signifies if anyone wishes to do harm to the perception and understanding of interior truth, it may be allowed to the extent of the effort; "the cheek" signifies the perception and understanding of interior truth, the "right cheek" affection for it and consequent perception of it, and the "left cheek" understanding of it, and as the "cheek" is mentioned, so is "smiting," which means doing harm to; for all things pertaining to the mouth, as the throat, the mouth itself, the lips, the cheeks, the teeth, signify such things as belong to the perception and understanding of truth, because they correspond to them, therefore by these objects in the sense of the letter of the Word, which consists of pure correspondences, these things are expressed; "if any man wisheth to sue thee at the law and to take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also," signifies if anyone wishes to take away truth interiorly with thee, it may be allowed him to take away also exterior truth, "coat" signifying interior truth, and "cloak" exterior truth. This also is what angels do when they are with the evil, for the evil can take away nothing of good and truth from angels, but they can from those who on that account burn with enmity, hatred, and revenge, for these evils avert and repel protection by the Lord; "whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two," signifies whoever wishes to lead away from truth to falsity and from good to evil, since he cannot do it, may be left unopposed, a "mile" having a similar signification as a "way," namely, that which leads away or leads; "give to everyone that asketh thee" signifies that it is to be permitted; "and from him that wisheth to borrow of thee turn thou not away" signifies that if anyone wishes to be instructed he may be instructed, for the evil desire this that they may pervert and take away, and yet they cannot. This is the spiritual sense of these words, in which are stored up the hidden things that have now been said, which are especially for the angels; who perceive the Word only according to its spiritual sense; they are also for men in the world who are in good, when the evil are trying to lead them astray. That the opposition of the evil to those whom the Lord protects is such it has been granted me to know by much experience; for they have continually striven in every way and with all their might to take away from me truths and goods, but in vain. From what has been presented it can also in some degree be seen that a "tooth" signifies truth or falsity in the sensual, which is the ultimate of the intellectual life with man; that this is the signification of "tooth" is evident from the Lord's reply, in which the perception and understanding of truth are treated of, which the evil strive to take away from the good.

[10] That this is the signification of "teeth" can be seen further from the following passages. In Jeremiah:

In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the teeth of the sons are set on edge. But every man shall die in his own iniquity; every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge (Jeremiah 31:29, 30; Ezekiel 18:2-4).

This involves evidently that the sons and descendants shall not incur punishment on account of the evils of parents, but everyone on account of his own evil; "to eat the sour grape" signifies to appropriate to oneself the falsity of evil, for a "sour grape," which is a bitter and bad grape, signifies the falsity of evil, and "to eat" signifies to appropriate to oneself; and "the teeth set on edge" signifies to be in the falsity of evil therefrom, for "teeth" here as above signify falsities in ultimates or in the sensual man, in which the evils of parents, which are called hereditary evils, especially lie hidden in children, and "to be set on edge" signifies the appropriation of falsity from evil; for a man is not punished on account of hereditary evils but on account of his own and so far as he makes hereditary evils actual in himself; therefore it is said that "everyone shall die in his own iniquity; and every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge."

[11] In Job:

All men abhor me; my bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh; I have escaped with the skin of my teeth (Acts of the Apostles 19:19, 20).

In the sense of the letter this means that he became thus lank and lean; but in the spiritual sense it signifies that temptations so suppressed the interiors of his mind that he became sensual, and thought only in things most external, and yet that he thought truths and not falsities; this is signified by "I have escaped with the skin of my teeth," "teeth" without skin signifying falsities, but with skin not falsities, since they are still in some degree clothed.

[12] In Amos:

I have given to you emptiness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places (Amos 4:6).

"Emptiness of teeth in the cities" stands for a scarcity of truth in doctrines, and "want of bread in all places" for scarcity of good from doctrines in the life.

[13] In Zechariah:

I will take away his bloods out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth (Zechariah 9:7).

This is said of Tyre and Sidon, which signify the knowledges of truth and good, here these falsified; "bloods out of the mouth" signify the falsifications of the knowledges of truths; and "the abominations from between the teeth" signify the adulterations of the knowledges of good; the knowledges of good are also truths, for to know goods is from the understanding, and the understanding is of truth.

[14] In David:

The waters had overwhelmed us, the presumptuous waters had passed over our soul. Blessed be Jehovah, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth (Psalms 124:4-6).

The "waters that had overwhelmed" signify falsities that flow in, and as it were overwhelm man when he is in temptations; therefore it is said, "Blessed be Jehovah, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth," that is, to the hells that destroy truths by falsities, thus to destructive falsities.

[15] In Job:

I brake the jaw teeth of the wicked, and plucked the prey out of his teeth (Job 29:17).

This Job says of himself. "I brake the jaw teeth of the wicked" signifies that he fought against falsities and conquered them, "jaw teeth" signifying knowledges [scientifica] from the sense of the letter of the Word, adapted to confirm the falsities by which truths are destroyed; and "I plucked the prey out of his teeth" signifies that he delivered others from falsities by instructing them.

[16] Because the "teeth" signify falsities in things most external, "gnashing of teeth" signifies to fight with vehemence and anger from falsities against truths, in the following passages. In Job:

He teareth me in his wrath, and hateth me; mine enemy gnasheth upon me with his teeth, he sharpeneth his eyes against me (Job 16:9).

In David:

The halt whom I know not gather themselves together against me, they rend, nor are they silent. They gnash upon me with their teeth (Psalms 35:15, 16).

In the same:

The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth (Psalms 37:12).

In the same:

The wicked shall see and be provoked; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt ³ away (Psalms 112:10).

In Micah:

Against the prophets that lead the people astray, that bite with their teeth (Micah 3:5).

In Lamentations:

All thine enemies opened their mouth against thee, O daughter of Jerusalem, they hissed and gnashed the teeth (Lamentations 2:16).

In Mark:

One said to Jesus, I have brought unto thee my son, who hath an evil ⁴ spirit; and wheresoever it taketh him it teareth him; and he foameth and grindeth his teeth, and pineth away; and I spake to Thy disciples that they should cast it out, but they were not able. And Jesus said unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I command thee come out of him, and enter no more into him (Mark 9:17, 18, 25).

One who is ignorant of the spiritual sense of the Word might suppose that they are said "to gnash the teeth" merely because they were angry and intent on evil, since men then press the teeth together; but they are said "to gnash the teeth" because the endeavor to destroy and the act of destroying truths by means of falsities are meant by it; this is said in the Word because "teeth" signify falsities in things most external, and "gnashing" signifies vehemence in fighting for them; this effort and act are also from correspondence.

[17] Moreover, such was the deaf and dumb spirit that the Lord cast out; for all spirits are from the human race; this spirit was from that kind of men who had vehemently fought for falsities against truths; consequently the one obsessed by him "foamed and gnashed his teeth." He is called by the Lord "deaf and dumb" because he was unwilling to perceive and understand the truth, for such are signified by "the deaf and the dumb." And because this spirit was determined and obstinate against truths, and had confirmed himself in falsities, the disciples were not able to cast him out, for the falsities for which he had fought they were not yet able to dispel because they had not yet reached the proper state, and it was for this also that the disciples were rebuked by the Lord. That this spirit was such, and the one obsessed by him was not such, is signified by "the spirit tearing him," and the obsessed "pining away;" and the Lord's commanding the spirit "to enter no more into him."

[18] All this makes clear what is signified by:

Gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28).

"Gnashing of teeth" in the hells means continual disputation and combat of falsities with each other and against truths, and thus of those who are in falsities, joined with contempt of others, enmity, jeering, derision, blaspheming, and these also burst forth into attempts to tear each other in pieces, for everyone fights for his own falsity from love of self, of learning, and of fame. These disputations and contests are heard outside of these hells as gnashings of teeth, and are also turned into gnashings of teeth when truths flow in thither out of heaven. (But more on this subject may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 575.)

[19] Because with the evil the teeth correspond to the falsities they have in the ultimates of their intellectual life, which are called corporeal-sensual, therefore the spirits who are such appear deformed in the face, the greater part of which is made up of the teeth standing widely apart like gratings, and in a broad grin, and this because such gaping of teeth corresponds to the love and eagerness for fighting for falsities against truths.

[20] Because the teeth correspond to the ultimates of man's intellectual life, which are called sensual, and these when separated from the truths of the interior understanding, which are called spiritual, are in the falsities of evil, but the same when not separated correspond to the truths of good in the sensual, so "teeth" in the Word signify also ultimate truths (as in Job 19:19, 20; Amos 4:6, which may be seen explained above).

[21] And because the Lord glorified His entire Human, that is, made it Divine, therefore it is said of Him in Moses:

His eyes shall be red with wine, and His teeth white with milk (Genesis 49:12).

"Eyes red with wine" signifies that His intellectual was Divine truth from Divine good; and "teeth white with milk" signifies that His sensual was likewise Divine truth from Divine good; for "Shiloh" here (verse Genesis 49:10) means the Lord.

[22] Because "teeth" correspond to the ultimates of the intellectual life, which are called sensual, good spirits and angels have teeth the same as men, but with them the teeth correspond to truths in the ultimate sensual, for with them the sensual is not separated from the truths of the interior understanding which are called spiritual.

Footnotes:

401. And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood, signifies that all the good of love was separated, and thence all the truth of faith falsified. This is evident from the signification of "sun" as being in the highest sense the Lord in respect to Divine love, and thence with man the good of love to the Lord from the Lord (of which presently); also from the signification of "black as sackcloth of hair," as being separated; "black" is predicated of thick darkness, thus of what does not appear from any light. It is said "as sackcloth of hair," because it means the sensual of man, which is the lowest of the natural, and is thus round about the interiors, in which it induces thick darkness. Man has two minds, a spiritual and a natural; the spiritual mind thinks and perceives from the light of heaven, but the natural mind thinks and perceives from the light of the world; from the latter, man has a light that is called natural light [lumen]. This natural mind is what is called the natural man, but the spiritual mind is what is called the spiritual man. As the natural mind is below or outside of the spiritual mind it is also round about it, for it enwraps it on every side; therefore it is called "sackcloth of hair" or "hairy;" for when the spiritual mind, which is the higher and interior mind, is closed, then the natural mind, which is the lower and exterior, is in thick darkness in respect to all things of heaven and the church; for all the light that the natural mind has, and that constitutes its intelligence, is from the light of his spiritual mind, and this light is the light of heaven. The sensual, which is the ultimate of the natural, is also in the light of heaven like something hairy; from this it is that "hair" signifies the ultimate of the natural man, which is the sensual (See Arcana Coelestia n. 3301, 5247, 5569-5573). These things have been said that it may be known why it is that "the sun became black as sackcloth of hair."

[2] The above is evident also from the signification of the "moon" as being spiritual truth, which is called the truth of faith (of which presently); also from the signification of "became as blood," as being that truth was falsified; for "blood" in the genuine sense signifies Divine truth, and in the contrary sense, violence offered to Divine truth, thus Divine truth falsified (that this is the signification of "blood" in the Word, see above, n. 329; this makes clear what "the moon became as blood" signifies. "The sun" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine love, and thus with man the good of love to the Lord from the Lord, and "the moon" signifies spiritual truth, because the Lord in the heaven of celestial angels appears as a sun, and in the heaven of spiritual angels as a moon. His appearing as a sun is from His Divine love, for Divine love appears as a fire, from which angels in the heavens have their heat; consequently celestial and spiritual "fire" means in the Word, love. The Lord's appearing as a moon is from the light that is from that sun, for the moon derives her light [lumen] from that sun, and light in heaven is Divine truth, consequently "light" in the Word signifies Divine truth. (But of the Sun and the Moon in the Heavens, and the Heat and Light Therefrom, see what is shown in the work on Heaven and Hell (116-125, 126-140)

[3] That in the Word "sun" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine love, and with man the good of love to the Lord, and the "moon" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth spiritual, is evident from the following passages. In Matthew:

When Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became as light (Matthew 17:1-2).

Because the Lord was then seen in His Divine, He appeared in respect to His face "as the sun," and in respect to His garments "as the light," because the face corresponds to love, and "garments" correspond to truths; and "His face did shine as the sun" because Divine love was in Him, and "His garments became as light" because Divine truth was from Him; for the light in Heaven is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as a sun. (That "the face" in reference to the Lord means love and every good, see Arcana Coelestia 5585, 9306, 9546, 9888; and that "garments" in reference to the Lord signify Divine truth, see above, n. 64, 195.) In like manner the Lord appears in heaven before the angels when He presents Himself before them, but He then appears out of the sun. He was therefore seen in like manner by John when he was in the spirit, as appears in Revelation, where it is said that:

The face of the Son of man was seen as the sun shineth in his power (Revelation 1:16).

It was evidently the Lord who was seen (See above, n. 63).

[4] Likewise when the Lord was seen by John as an angel, respecting which we read:

And I saw a strong angel coming down out of heaven, encompassed with a cloud, and a rainbow about his head, and his face was as the sun (Revelation 10:1);

for "angels" in the Word in its spiritual sense do not mean angels, but something Divine from the Lord, since the Divine that appears from them is not theirs, but the Lord's with them. So, too, the Divine truth they speak, which is full of wisdom, they do not speak from themselves, but from the Lord, for they have been men, and men have all wisdom and intelligence from the Lord. This makes clear that in the Word "angel" means the Lord, who also then appeared as a sun. (That in the Word, "angel" means something Divine from the Lord, see Arcana Coelestia 1925, 2821, 3039, 4085, 6280, 8192; that this is why in the Word angels are called gods, n. 4295, 4402, 7268, 7873, 8301, 8192.)

[5] So, too, when the church was represented as a woman, the sun also then appeared around her; which is thus described in Revelation:

A great sign was seen in heaven; a woman encompassed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars (Revelation 12:1).

That "the woman" here signifies the church will be seen in the explanation that will be given in what follows. (That "woman" signifies the church, see Arcana Coelestia 252, 253, 749, 770.) And because the church is from the Lord she was seen encompassed with the sun. What is signified by "the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars," will also be shown in that explanation.

[6] It is therefore said by David:

The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, As the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, a morning without clouds, from the brightness after rain (2 Samuel 23:3-4

"The God of Israel" and "Rock of Israel" here mean the Lord in relation to the church, and in relation to Divine truth therein, "the God of Israel" in relation to the church, and "Rock of Israel" in relation to Divine truth therein; and as the Lord is the sun of the angelic heaven, and the Divine truth proceeding from Him is the light of that heaven, therefore it is said of the Divine which He spoke, which is Divine truth, that it is "as the light of the morning when the sun riseth;" because this is pure, and proceeds from His Divine love, it is added, "a morning without clouds, from brightness after rain," for the brightness of the light, or of Divine truth proceeding from Him, is from Divine love; "after rain" signifies after communication and reception, for its brightness is then with angels and men to whom it is communicated and by whom it is received. (That "the Rock of Israel," and "the Stone of Israel," mean the Lord in relation to Divine truth, see Arcana Coelestia 6426, 8581, 10580; and that "light" is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as a sun, thus out of His Divine love, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 126-140.)

[7] In like manner it is said of those who love Jehovah, in the book of Judges:

Let them that love Him be as the going forth of the sun in his might (Judges 5:31).

That in the Word "Jehovah" means the Lord in relation to the Divine good of the Divine love may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 1736, 2921, 3035, 5041, 6303, 6281, 8864, 9315, 9373, 10146). Of those who love Him it is said, "as the going forth of the sun in his might," which signifies the Lord's Divine love in them. Of such it is also said that "they shall shine as the sun," in Matthew:

The righteous shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of My ¹ Father (Matthew 13:43).

In the Word those are called "righteous" who love the Lord, that is, from love do His commandments; and in respect to their faces they shine with an effulgence like that of the sun, because the Lord's Divine love is communicated to them and received by them, whereby the Lord is in their midst, that is, in their interiors, which manifest themselves in the face. (That those who are in good of love to the Lord are called "righteous," see above, n. 204)

[8] In David:

His seed shall be to eternity, and His throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established as the moon to eternity, and as a faithful witness in the clouds (Psalms 89:36-37).

This is said of the Lord, and of His heaven and church, for by "David," who is here treated of in the sense of the letter, is meant the Lord (See above, n. 205); "his seed which shall be to eternity" signifies Divine truth, and also those who receive it; "his throne as the sun before Me" signifies the heaven and church of the Lord, which are in celestial good, which is the good of love; "the throne established as the moon to eternity" signifies the heaven and the church that are in spiritual good, which is Divine truth; "a faithful witness in the clouds" signifies the Word in the sense of the letter, which is called "a witness" because it witnesses, "clouds" meaning the sense of the letter of the Word.

[9] In the same:

They shall fear Thee with the sun and before the moon, a generation of generations. In His days shall the righteous flourish; and much peace till the moon be no more. His name shall be to eternity; before the sun shall He have the name of Son; and all nations shall be blessed in Him (Psalms 72:5, 7, 17).

This, too, is said of the Lord, for this whole Psalm treats of Him; and as the Lord appears in heaven to those who are in His celestial kingdom as a sun, and to those who are in His spiritual kingdom as a moon, it is said "they shall fear Thee with the sun and before the moon, a generation of generations;" "in that day the righteous shall flourish, and much peace till the moon be no more," signifies that those who are in love to the Lord will be in truths from that good, for with those who are in the celestial kingdom, that is, in love to the Lord, truths are implanted; those are called "righteous" who are in the good of love, and "peace" is predicated of that good. But that it may be known how this is to be understood, "till the moon be no more," it shall be told. The light proceeding from the Lord as a sun differs from the light proceeding from the Lord as a moon in the heavens, as the light of the sun in the world by day differs from the light of the moon in the world by night; the intelligence of those who are in the light of the sun of heaven differs in like manner from the intelligence of those who are in the light of the moon there; wherefore those who are in the light of the sun there are in pure Divine truth; but those who are in the light of the moon there are not in pure Divine truth, for they are in many falsities, which they have derived from the sense of the letter of the Word not understood, and yet these falsities appear to them as truths. From this it can be seen that "till the moon be no more" signifies till there no longer exists with them falsity appearing as truth, but pure truth which makes one with the good of love. It must be known however, that the falsities of those who are in the light of the moon in the heavens are falsities in which there is no evil, and that such falsities, therefore, are accepted by the Lord as if they were truths (respecting these falsities, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 21). This, therefore, is what is signified by "till the moon be no more," that is, with those who are meant by "the righteous in whom there is much peace." But in the highest sense, by these words the Lord in relation to His Divine Human, that this shall be the Divine good of the Divine love, is meant, therefore it is also added, "before the sun He shall have the name of Son," "Son" meaning the Lord's Divine Human. And as "nations" mean all who are in good, or who receive the good of love from the Lord, it is said, "and all nations shall be blessed in Him." (That "nations" signify those who are in good, and "peoples" those who are in truths, may be seen above, n. 331.)

[10] In Isaiah:

There shall be upon every high mountain and upon every lofty hill streams, rivulets of waters, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers shall fall. And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days (Isaiah 30:25-26).

This is said of the Last Judgment, which is meant by "the day of great slaughter, when the towers shall fall," "the towers that shall fall" meaning those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom, in particular, those who are in the love of ruling by means of the holy things of the church (See in the work on The Last Judgment 56, 58). That to those who are in love to the Lord and in charity towards the neighbor it shall then be given to understand truths, is signified by "there shall be upon every high mountain and upon every lofty hill streams, rivulets of waters." Those "upon a high mountain" mean those who are in the good of love to the Lord, "high mountain" signifying that good; those "upon the lofty hill" mean those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbor, "hill" signifying that good; "streams, rivulets of water" signify intelligence from truths. That there shall then be truth in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, as before there was truth in the celestial kingdom, and that the truth in the celestial kingdom shall then become the good of love is meant by "the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days;" for "light" means Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, "the light of the moon" Divine truth in the spiritual kingdom, and "the light of the sun" Divine truth in the celestial kingdom; "sevenfold" signifies full and perfect, and truth is full and perfect when it becomes good, or good in form. It can be seen that this means, not the sun and moon on the earth, but the sun and moon in the heavens. It is to be known that when a last judgment is being effected the Lord appears in the heavens in much greater effulgence and splendor than at other times, and this because the angels there must be more powerfully defended; for lower things, with which the exteriors of the angels have communication, are then in a state of disturbance. Therefore, as the Last Judgment is here treated of, it is said, "the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days;" and therefore it is also said that "there shall be streams, rivulets of waters, upon every high mountain, and upon every lofty hill," which signifies abundant intelligence with those who are upon the higher mountains and higher hills, for on the lower mountains and hills is where the judgment then takes place. (That the Lord appears to those who are in His celestial kingdom as a sun, and to those who are in his spiritual kingdom as a moon, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 116-125; and that the light from these is Divine truth, n. 127-140)

[11] In the same:

Thy sun shall no more go down, and thy moon shall not withdraw; for Jehovah shall be unto thee for a light of eternity, and the days of thy mourning shall be fulfilled (Isaiah 60:20).

This treats of the Lord, and of the new heaven and new earth, that is, of the church to be established by Him. That to those in that church the good of love to the Lord and the good of charity towards the neighbor should not perish is meant by "thy sun shall no more go down, and thy moon shall not withdraw;" for to those who are in the good of love to the Lord He appears as a sun, and to those who are in truths from the good of charity towards the neighbor He appears as a moon; so "thy sun" signifies the good of love to the Lord, and "thy moon" the good of charity, which, in its essence, is truth from good. That they shall continue to eternity in truths from the good of love, and in truths from the good of charity is meant by "Jehovah shall be unto thee for a light of eternity, and the days of thy mourning shall be fulfilled," "the light of eternity" is predicated of those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and "fulfilling the days of mourning" of those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbor, or in truths from good; for with those who were of the ancient churches, "mourning" represented grief on account of the loss or destruction of truth and good; "fulfilled" signifies ended, thus that they shall be in truths from good. From this the signification of "the sun became as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood," can be seen, namely, that the good of love to the Lord was separated, and thus truth was falsified.

[12] Nearly the same is signified in the following passages. In Isaiah:

Behold the day of Jehovah cometh, cruel with indignation and the glow of anger, to lay the earth waste; and He shall destroy its sinners out of it. For the stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof do not shine with their light; the sun is darkened in its rising, and the moon maketh not her light to be bright. I will visit evil upon the world, and upon the wicked their iniquity (Isaiah 13:9-11).

"The day of Jehovah, cruel with indignation and the glow of anger," signifies the day of the Last Judgment; "the stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof do not shine with their light, the sun is darkened in its rising, and the moon maketh not her light to be bright," signifies that the knowledges of good and truth have perished, as well as the good of love to the Lord, and the good of charity towards the neighbor, and thence the truth that is called the truth of faith; for "stars" signify the knowledges of good, "constellations" the knowledges of truth, "the sun" the good of love to the Lord, and "the moon" the good of charity towards the neighbor, which, in its essence, is truth from good, and is called the truth of faith. The sun is said "to be darkened in its rising," and the moon "not to make her light to be bright;" not that the sun and moon in the angelic heavens are darkened, for the sun there is always in its effulgence, and the moon in its splendor; but before those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom, goods and truths are thus obscured; it is therefore according to the appearance that it is so said, for those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom turn themselves away from the good of love and charity, consequently from the Lord, and then they will nothing but evil and think nothing but falsity, and those who will and think no other, see nothing but thick darkness and darkness in such things as pertain to heaven and the church. Because such are meant by those with whom "the sun is darkened, and the moon maketh not her light to be bright," it is said, "to lay the earth waste, and He shall destroy its sinners out of it," and afterwards, "I will visit evil upon the world, and upon the wicked their iniquity," "earth" and "world" signifying the church, "laying it waste" signifying that there is no longer any good, and "visiting evil upon the world, and upon the wicked their iniquity," signifying the Last Judgment.

[13] In Ezekiel:

When I shall extinguish thee I will cover the heavens and make the stars thereof black; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not make her light to shine; all the luminaries of light in the heavens will I make black over thee, and I will give darkness upon thy land (Ezekiel 32:7-8).

This is said of Pharaoh king of Egypt, by whom is here signified the natural man separate from the spiritual; which when it is separated is wholly in thick darkness and in darkness in regard to all things of heaven and the church, and so far as it is separated denies them; for the natural man sees nothing in such things from itself, but only through the spiritual man from the Lord, since the natural man is in the heat and light of the world, while the spiritual man is in the heat and light of heaven. From this it is clear what is meant by the particulars here, namely, "When I extinguish thee I will cover the heavens" signifies the interiors, which are in the light of heaven; "I will make the stars thereof black" signifies the knowledges of good and truth; "I will cover the sun with a cloud" signifies the good of love to the Lord; "the moon shall not make her light to shine" signifies the good of charity towards the neighbor and the truth of faith therefrom; "all the luminaries of light will I make black over thee" signifies all truths; and "I will give darkness upon thy land" signifies falsities.

[14] In Joel:

The day of Jehovah cometh. A day of darkness and of thick darkness, a day of cloud and obscurity. Before Him the earth trembleth, the sun and the moon were black, and the stars withdrew their brightness (Joel 2:1-2, 10).

In the same:

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh (Joel 2:31).

In the same:

The day of Jehovah is near in the valley cut off. The sun and the moon were made black, and the stars withdrew their brightness (Joel 3:14-15).

In the Gospels:

Immediately after the affliction of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven (Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24-25).

In Revelation:

The fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; and the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for the third part of it, and the night likewise (Revelation 8:12).

In another place:

Out of the pit of the abyss there went up a smoke as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun was darkened and the air by the smoke (Revelation 9:2).

It is clear from what has been said above, that in these passages "the sun and moon made black and darkened" means that there was no longer any good or any truth; therefore they are not further explained.

[15] Because such things are signified by "the sun darkened," therefore the sun was darkened when the Lord was upon the cross, because He was entirely rejected by the church that then was with the Jews, who were consequently in dense darkness, or in falsities. This is thus described in Luke:

At the sixth hour darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour, for the sun was darkened (Luke 23:44-45).

This was done as a sign and token that the Lord was denied, and that thence there was no good nor truth with those who were of the church; for with them all signs from the heavens represented and signified such things as are of the church, because the church with them was a representative church, or consisted of such things in externals as represented and thus signified the internal things of the church. That "darkness came over all the land" signified that with those who were of the church there was nothing except the falsities of evil, "all the land" meaning all the church, and "darkness" signifying falsities; that it continued for three hours, namely, "from the sixth to the ninth hour," signifies that there remained mere falsity, and no truth whatever, for "three" signifies full, whole, and entirely, and "six" and "nine" signify all things in the complex, here falsities and evils; and because there were falsities and evils with them, from the Lord's having been denied, therefore it is said, "and darkness came, and the sun was darkened;" "the sun" that was obscured, meaning the Lord, who is said to be "obscured" when falsities so prevail in the church that He is not acknowledged, and evils so prevail that He is crucified. (That each and every thing related in the Word concerning the Lord's passion is significative may be seen above, n. 64, 83, 195 c at the end.)

[16] In Micah:

Jehovah said against the prophets that cause the people to err, It shall be night unto you for vision; and darkness shall be to you for divination; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall grow black over them (Micah 3:5-6).

What these words signify in the spiritual sense, may be seen above n. 372, where they are explained. In Amos:

It shall come to pass in that day, that I will cause the sun to set at noon, and I will darken the earth in a day of light (Amos 8:9).

This signifies that in the church, where the Word is from which it might be known what is good and true, there is nevertheless nothing but evil and falsity. "To cause the sun to set," and "to darken the earth" signify the evil of life, and the falsity of doctrine in the church; for "the rising of the sun" signifies the good of love, which is the good of the life, and "the setting of the sun" signifies the evil of love, which is the evil of the life; and "the darkening of the earth" signifies the consequent falsity of doctrine, "darkness" signifying falsities, and "the earth" the church; "at noon," and "in the day of light" signify when there might be the knowledges of good and truth, because they have the Word, "noon" signifying where there are the knowledges of good, and the "day of light" where there are the knowledges of truth. Such knowledges as are from the Word are meant, because it is the church where the Word is that is here treated of.

[17] In Habakkuk:

The mountains were moved; the overflowing of waters passed by. Sun and moon stood in their habitation; Thine arrows go forth in light, the lightning of Thy spear in brightness (Habakkuk 3:10-11).

This chapter treats of the Lord's coming and of the Last Judgment then accomplished by Him; "the mountains were moved, the overflowing of waters passed by" signifies that those who were in the love of self and the world were cast out by the falsities of evil into which they were let; "mountains" signifying the loves of self and the world, and "the overflowing of waters" to be let into falsities from those loves, "waters" meaning falsities, and "overflowing" to be let into them. That by those in that state genuine truths and goods are not seen, but instead of these, fatuous truths and goods, which in themselves are falsities and evils is signified by, "Thine arrows go forth in light, the lightning of Thy spear in brightness;" "arrows" or "lightnings" signifying fatuous truths, which in themselves are falsities, and "the lightning of the spear" signifying fatuous goods which in themselves are the evils of falsity. Moreover, such signs appear in the spiritual world, in the case of those who are in falsities from the loves of self and the world, when the Last Judgment takes place, and these are cast out.

[18] As in this prophecy it is said, "Sun and moon stood in their habitation," the significance of the sun's resting in Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of Aijalon shall also be explained, which is thus described in Joshua:

Then spoke Joshua to Jehovah, and he said in the eyes of Israel, Sun, rest thou in Gibeon; and thou, moon, in the valley of Aijalon; and the sun rested, and the moon stayed, until the nation was avenged upon its enemies. Is not this written upon the book of the Upright? And the sun stood in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day (Jos. Joshua 10:12-13).

That the sun is said to have stood in Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of Aijalon, signifies that the church was altogether vastated in respect to all good and truth, for a battle was then going on against the king of Jerusalem and the kings of the Amorites; and "the king of Jerusalem" signifies the truth of the church wholly vastated by falsities, and "the kings of the Amorites" signify the good of the church vastated by evils; therefore those kings were smitten with hailstones, which signify the dire falsities of evil. It is said that the sun and the moon stood in their place, that is, before the sons of Israel, that they might see their enemies; but this, although it is told as history is a prophecy, as is evident from its being said, "Is not this written upon the book of the Upright?" which was a prophetical book from which this was taken; so it was from the same book that it was said, "Until the nation was avenged upon its enemies," and not, "Until the sons of Israel were avenged upon their enemies," the term "nation" being used prophetically. This is evident also from the fact that if this miracle had occurred altogether in this way, the whole nature of the world would have been inverted, which is not the case with the other miracles in the Word. That it might be known, therefore, that this was said prophetically, it is added, "Is not this written upon the book of the Upright?" And yet it is not to be doubted, that there was given to them a light out of heaven, a light in Gibeon like that of the sun, and a light in the valley of Aijalon like that of the moon.

[19] In Jeremiah:

She that hath borne seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul; her sun shall go down while it is yet day, it shall be ashamed and blush; and the remnant of them will I give to the sword before their enemies (Jeremiah 15:9).

"She that hath borne seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul," signifies that the church to which the Word is given and through it all truths, is about to perish; "to bear seven" meaning to be gifted with all the truths of the church (as in the first book of Samuel, 1 Samuel 2:5, see above, n. 257. "Her sun shall go down while it is yet day" signifies that the good of the church is about to perish, although the church has the Word, and might through the Word be in light; "it, namely, the sun, shall be ashamed and blush" signifies because good and truth are not received, but evil and falsity (as is evident also from the next quotation from Isaiah); "the remnant of them will I give to the sword before their enemies" signifies that all the remaining good and truth will perish through the falsity from evil; "remnant" meaning all that remains; "to be given to the sword" meaning to perish on account of falsities; "enemies" meaning evils.

[20] In Isaiah:

Jehovah will visit upon the host of the height in the height, and upon the Kings of the earth who are upon the earth. Then the moon shall blush, and the sun be ashamed (Isaiah 24:21, 23).

"To visit" signifies to destroy, because visitation precedes judgment, when those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom are destroyed; "the host of the height in the height" signifies all evils that are from the love of self, "host" signifying all evils; "the kings of the earth" falsities of every kind, and "the earth" the church. This makes clear the signification of "Jehovah will visit upon the host of the height in the height, and upon the kings of the earth who are upon the earth." It is said "upon the host of the height in the height" because those who are in the love of self seek in the spiritual world high places; "then the moon shall blush, and the sun be ashamed," signifies that there is no longer any reception of Divine truth and Divine good, "moon" and "sun" signifying the truth of faith and the good of love, and these are said "to blush and be ashamed" when they are no longer received, but falsity and evil are received in their place.

[21] In David:

Jehovah, who hath made the heavens by His intelligence, who hath spread out the earth upon the waters; who hath made great luminaries, the sun for rule by day, the moon and stars for rule by night: Who hath smitten Egypt in their firstborn, and hath brought out Israel from the midst of them (Psalms 136:5-11).

He who knows nothing of the spiritual sense of the Word must suppose that there is nothing involved in these words except what appears in the sense of the letter; and yet every particular involves such things as pertain to angelic wisdom, which are all celestial Divine and spiritual Divine things. This describes the new creation, or regeneration of the men of the church, of whom the church consists; "the heavens" which Jehovah hath made by His intelligence, signify the internal things of the men of the church, which, in one expression, are called the spiritual man, where intelligence has its seat, and where their heaven is; "the earth" which He hath spread out upon the waters, signifies the external of the church, which in one expression, is called the natural man; this is said to be "spread out upon the waters" because there the truths are by which man is regenerated, "waters" meaning truths; "the great luminaries, the sun, moon, and stars," signify the good of love, truth from that good, and the knowledges of good and truth, "the sun," the good of love, "the moon" truth from that good, and "the stars" the knowledges of good and truth. The sun is said to have been made "for rule by day," because "day" signifies the light of the spiritual man, for the spiritual man has illustration and perception from the good of love; the moon and the stars are said to have been made "for rule by night," because "night" signifies the light of the natural man, and its light, as compared with the light of the spiritual man, is like the light of night from the moon and the stars as compared with the light of day from the sun. Because this treats of the regeneration of the men of the church it follows, "who hath smitten Egypt in their firstborn, and hath brought out Israel from the midst of them;" "Egypt" signifying the natural man, such as it is by birth, namely, in mere falsities from evil; "their firstborn" mean primary things; the destruction of these while man is being regenerated is meant by "who hath smitten Egypt in their firstborn;" "Israel" signifies the spiritual man; and "to bring him out from the midst of them" signifies to open the spiritual man, and thus to regenerate; for the Lord regenerates the man of the church by dispersing the falsities from evils that are in the natural man, and by opening the spiritual man, and this is effected by the Lord by means of spiritual light, which is Divine truth.

[22] Like things are signified by these words in Genesis:

God made two great luminaries; the great luminary to rule by day, and the lesser luminary to rule by night, and the stars (Genesis 1:16).

For that chapter treats of the new creation, or the regeneration of the men of whom the Most Ancient Church consisted, and this is described in the sense of the letter, by the creation of heaven and earth. Like things are signified, too, by these words in Jeremiah:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih ² who giveth the sun for light by day, the statutes of the moon and stars for light by night (Jeremiah 31:35).

"The statutes of the moon and stars" signify all things that are done in the natural man according to the laws of order.

[23] In David:

Praise ye Jehovah, all His angels; praise ye Him, all His hosts; praise ye Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all ye stars of light; praise Him, ye heavens of heavens (Psalms 148:2-4).

"To praise Jehovah" signifies to worship Him; "angels" signify those who are in Divine truths from the good of love, for such are angels; "all the hosts" signify goods and truths in the whole complex; "sun and moon" signify the good of love and the truth from that good; "the stars of light" signify the knowledges of truth from good; "the heavens of heavens" signify goods and truths both internal and external; and as man worships the Lord from those things that are with him from the Lord, thus from the goods and truths that are with him, and as man is a man from these, therefore it is said to them, namely, to the sun, moon, and stars, which signify goods and truths, that they "shall praise," that is, worship, Jehovah. Who does not know that the sun, moon, and stars do not praise, that is, worship?

[24] In Moses:

Of Joseph he said, Blessed of Jehovah be His land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that lieth beneath, and for the precious things of the increase of the sun, and for the precious things of the produce of the months (Deuteronomy 33:13, 14).

This is said in the blessing of the sons of Israel by Moses; and because "Joseph" means the spiritual-celestial, who are those that are highest in the spiritual kingdom, and thus most closely communicate with those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, "His land" signifies that spiritual kingdom, likewise the church that consists of such; "the precious things of heaven, the dew, and the deep also that lieth beneath" signify things spiritual-celestial in the internal and the external man; "the precious things of the increase of the sun, and the precious things of the produce of the months," signify all things that proceed from the Lord's celestial kingdom, and all things that proceed from His spiritual kingdom, thus the goods and truths therefrom, "the sun" signifying the good of love to the Lord from the Lord which is the good that those have who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, "its increase" signifying all things that proceed from it; "the produce of the months" signifies all things that proceed from the Lord's spiritual kingdom, "months" here signifying the like as "the moon," namely, truths from good, for the same word is used for both in the original. But this that has been said must seem obscure to one who knows nothing about the two kingdoms of heaven, the celestial and the spiritual, and about their conjunction by intermediates. (But respecting these kingdoms and the intermediates, see what is said in Heaven and Hell 20-28.)

[25] In Isaiah:

I will make thy suns a ruby, and thy gates of stones of carbuncles, and all thy border of stones of desire (Isaiah 54:12).

This is said of the nations outside of the church, from whom a new church was to be established by the Lord. "I will make thy suns a ruby" signifies that goods will be brilliant from the fire of love, "suns" here meaning the goods of love, and "the ruby" meaning a brilliance as from fire; "I will make thy gates of stones of carbuncles" signifies that truths will be resplendent from good, "gates" meaning introductory truths, in particular the doctrines that are from good, for all truths of doctrine that are genuine proceed from good, and are of good; and "stones of carbuncles" signify their brightness from good; in fact, all precious stones signify truths from good, and their color, brightness, and fire indicate the quality of the truth from good. "I will make all their border of stones of desire" signifies that true knowledges, which belong to the natural man, will be pleasant and enjoyable from good; for "border" has the same meaning as "foundation," and this means the natural man, for in the things in it the goods and truths of the spiritual man are terminated, and "stones of desire" mean truths pleasant and enjoyable from good; by these are meant the goods and truths of the Word which those who constitute the new church will have, and which will be such. That the "sun" signifies the good of love is evident, too, from their being called "suns," in the plural.

[26] In Job:

Was I glad because my means were great, and because my hand had found much? did I behold the light that it shone, and the moon that it walked in brightness? and hath my heart secretly misled itself, and my hand kissed my mouth? (Job 31:25-28).

These words mean in the spiritual sense that he had not acquired for himself intelligence from what was his own [ex proprio], and had taken no merit to himself for his intelligence, and had not gloried in it; for "Was I glad because my means were great, and because my hand had found much?" signifies, had he gloried over having intelligence, and having acquired it for himself from what was his own "means" signify the knowledges of good and truth, by which intelligence is gained; "and because my hand had found much" signifies to have acquired from what is one's own; "did I behold the light that it shone, and the moon that it walked in brightness" signifies to have spiritual truths, which constitute intelligence, "light" and the "moon" signifying spiritual truths; "hath my heart secretly misled itself, and my hand kissed my mouth?" signifies, have I therefore gloried inwardly, and have I claimed them to myself?

[27] In Matthew:

That ye may be sons of your Father who is in the heavens; who maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45).

This treats of charity towards the neighbor, as is evident from what there precedes and follows, and, in particular of the Jews, who accounted the Gentiles as enemies, and their own people as friends. That they ought to love the Gentiles the same as their own people the Lord makes clear by this comparison; but as all comparisons in the Word are from correspondences, and from that are significative, as other things are that are not said comparatively, so it is with this comparison; and "the Father in the heavens maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" signifies that the Lord flows in from heaven with the Divine good of love and with Divine truth, with those who are outside of the Jewish church as much as with those who are within it, "sun" also here signifying the good of love, and "rain" the Divine truth. "The evil and the unjust" signify in the internal sense those who were of the Jewish Church, since they did not receive; and "the good and the just" signify those who were outside of that church and did receive. In general, all the evil and the good, and the just and the unjust, are here meant, for the Lord flows in with good and truth equally with all, but all do not receive equally.

[28] Because "the sun" signifies the Lord in relation to Divine love, He is called "the Sun of righteousness (in Malachi 4:2); and "a Sun and Shield" (in David, Psalms 84:11). Because "the sun" signifies the good of love to the Lord with man, "from the rising of the sun unto its going down" signifies all who are in the good of love to the Lord, from the first to the last; "from the rising of the sun" meaning from the first, and "unto the going down of the sun" meaning to the last, as in the following passages. In Malachi:

From the rising of the sun even unto its going down is My name great among the nations (Malachi 1:11).

In David:

From the rising of the sun unto its going down the name of Jehovah is to be praised (Psalms 113:3).

In the same:

God, Jehovah God speaketh, and shall call the earth from the rising of the sun unto its going down (Psalms 50:1).

In Isaiah:

That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from its going down, that there is none beside Me (Isaiah 45:6).

In the same:

From the going down of the sun shall they fear the name of Jehovah, and His glory from the rising of the sun (Isaiah 59:19).

I shall raise up one that shall come from the north, and from the rising of the sun one who shall call upon My name (Isaiah 41:25).

"From the rising of the sun unto its going down" signifies all, from the first to the last, who are in the good of love to the Lord, because all in heaven dwell according to quarters. Those who are in the good of love to the Lord dwell from the east to the west; those who dwell in the east are those who are in a clear good of love, and those who dwell in the west are those who are in an obscure good of love. This is why "from the rising of the sun unto its going down" signifies all, from the first to the last, who are in the good of love. The words in Isaiah, "I will raise up one that will come from the north and from the rising of the sun" signify those who are outside of the church, and those who are inside of it; for "the north" signifies the obscurity of truth, thus those who are outside of the church, because they are in obscurity in regard to truths from not having the Word, and thence not knowing anything about the Lord; and "the rising of the sun" signifies those who are within the church, because they have the Word, in which the Lord is always present, and so in His rising. (That "the east" or "the rising of the sun," and "the west" or "the setting of the sun," mean the good of love in clearness and the good of love in obscurity, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 141, 148-150; and that "the north" means truth in obscurity, in the same chapter, n 148-150; for the Four Quarters in the Spiritual World are there treated of.)

Again, "the setting of the sun" signifies the state of the church when it is in ignorance, which is its first state; and "the rising of the sun" signifies its state when it is in light. "The setting of the sun" also signifies the state of the church when it is in evils and falsities therefrom; and "the rising of the sun" when it is in goods and in truths therefrom.

[29] The first state of the church, when it is still in ignorance, is signified by the commencement of the passover in the evening when the sun was set, according to these words of Moses:

Thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, when the sun shall have set in the stated time of thy going forth out of Egypt (Deuteronomy 16:6).

For "the feast of the passover" signified the celebration of the Lord on account of deliverance from damnation, which is effected by regeneration; and in the highest sense a remembrance of the glorification of the Lord's Human, because deliverance is from that (See Arcana Coelestia 7093, 7867, 9286-9292, 10655). And because the first state of regeneration is a state of ignorance, the beginning of that feast was "at even, when the sun had set." Again, that state is signified by "the going forth of the sons of Israel out of Egypt," for in Egypt they were in a servile state, and thus in a state of ignorance; therefore it is said, "in the stated time of the going forth out of Egypt."

[30] The last state of the church, when the church is in falsities and evils, for this state is its last, is signified by "the setting of the sun" in Moses:

When the sun was about setting, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and lo, a horror and great darkness fell upon him. At length, when the sun had set, and it had become dark, behold, a furnace of smoke, and a torch of fire that passed through between these pieces (Genesis 15:12, 17).

These things are said of the posterity of Abram from Jacob, that is, of the Israelitish and Jewish nation; and "when the sun was about setting," and "at length, when the sun had set," signify the last state of the church in that nation, that they were in mere falsities and evils; "great darkness" and "a furnace of smoke," signify falsities from evil; and "a torch of fire" signifies the dire love of self, from which came their evils and falsities.

[31] As most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so have "sun" and "moon" and in that sense "sun" signifies the love of self, and "moon," the falsities therefrom. "Sun and moon" have this signification because those who are in natural thought only, and not in spiritual thought, do not think beyond nature; therefore when they see that from these two luminaries, or from their light and heat, all things arise and, as it were, live upon the earth, they suppose that these luminaries rule the universe; above this they do not raise their thoughts. This all do who are in the love of self and in the evils and falsities therefrom, for such are merely natural and sensual men, and the merely natural and sensual man does not think beyond nature, for what he does not see and touch he believes to be nothing.

With the ancients, all things of the church consisted of the representatives of spiritual things in natural; with them therefore, "the sun" signified the Lord in relation to Divine good, and "the moon" the Lord in relation to Divine truth, consequently in worship they turned their faces to the rising of the sun; and those among them who were in the love of self, and were therefore merely natural and sensual, began to worship as their highest gods the sun and the moon that they saw with their eyes; but because those alone did this, or persuaded others to do it, who were in the love of self and in the evils and falsities therefrom, therefore "the sun" signifies the love of self, and "the moon" the falsity therefrom. This becomes still more evident in the case of spirits in the other life who in the world had been such; these turn the face away from the Lord, and turn it towards something there that is dark and in thick darkness, which is in the place of the sun and moon of the world, over against the sun and moon of the angelic heaven (on which more may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 122, 123). By persons like this the worship of the sun and moon was instituted in ancient times, when all Divine worship was representative; but at this day, when representatives have ceased, the worship of the sun and moon does not exist in the Christian world, but in its place the worship of self, which exists with those in whom the love of ruling predominates. This makes clear the signification of "sun and moon" in the contrary sense.

[32] That in ancient times the sun and moon were worshiped is evident from the fact that the Gentiles dedicated shrines to them, which are spoken of in many histories. That the Egyptians as well as the Jews and Israelites worshiped the sun and moon is evident from the Word. That the Egyptians did, see in Jeremiah:

The King of Babylon shall come, and shall smite the land of Egypt, and shall break in pieces the pillars of the house of the sun in the land of Egypt (Jeremiah 43:11, 13).

That the Jews and Israelites did, see in Ezekiel:

I beheld their faces towards the east; and the same bowed themselves towards the rising of the sun (Ezekiel 8:16).

This treats of the abominations of Jerusalem. In the second book of Kings:

Josiah ³ the King put down the idolatrous priests, them that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, to the moon, and to the stars, and to all of the hosts of the heavens. He furthermore took away the horses that the kings of Judah had set up to the sun at the entering in of the house of Jehovah, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire (2 Kings 23:5, 11).

In Jeremiah:

They shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of his princes, and the bones of his priests, and the bones of his prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and they shall spread them to the sun and the moon and all the host of the heavens, which they have loved, and which they have served (Jeremiah 8:1-2);

and also Jeremiah 44:17-19, 25; Deuteronomy 4:19; 17:3, 5.

[33] Because "Moab" in the Word signifies those who are in a life of falsity from the love of self, and their worship signifies the worship of self, therefore when the Israelitish people drew near to the worship of the Moabitish people, it was commanded that the chiefs of the people should be hung up before the sun; respecting which it is thus written in Moses:

The daughters of Moab called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. Especially did Israel join himself unto Baalpeor; therefore Jehovah said unto Moses, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up before the sun (Numbers 25:1-4).

"Moab" signifies those who are in a life of falsity from the love of self, and who consequently adulterate the goods of the church (See Arcana Coelestia 2468, 8315).

[34] From this it is also clear that the sun of the world signifies the love of self. Because the love of self lets man down into what is his own [proprium] and holds him there, for it looks continually to self, and man's own is nothing but evil, and from evil comes every falsity, therefore "the heat of the sun" signifies adulterated truth, which in its essence is the falsity of evil. This is signified by "the heat of the sun" in the following passages. In Revelation:

The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun; and it was given unto him to scorch men with fire (Revelation 16:8).

And elsewhere:

They shall hunger no more, neither shall the sun fall on them, nor any heat (Revelation 7:16).

In David:

The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. Jehovah shall keep thee from all evil, He shall keep thy soul (Psalms 121:6, 7).

The "sun" here means the love of self, and the "moon" the falsity therefrom; because from that love is all evil, and from evil all falsity, therefore it is said, "Jehovah shall keep thee from all evil, and He shall keep thy soul," "soul" signifying the life of truth.

[35] In Matthew:

Other seeds fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much earth; and when the sun was risen they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away (Matthew 13:5-6; Mark 4:5-6).

"Seeds" signify the truths from the Word, that is, the truths man receives from the Lord, for it is afterwards said, that it is "the Son of man that soweth." "Rocky places" signify a historical faith, which is another's faith in oneself, which is believing a thing to be true, not because one sees it in himself, but because another in whom he has confidence has said it. "Earth" signifies spiritual good, because this receives truths as soil does seeds; "the sun's rising" signifies the love of self; and "to be scorched" and "to wither away" signify to be adulterated and to perish. This makes clear what is signified by these words of the Lord in series, namely, that the truths that are implanted from infancy from the Word or from preaching, when man begins to think from himself, are adulterated and perish by lusts from the love of self. All things in the Word are, indeed, truths, but they are adulterated by the ideas of thought concerning them, and by the way they are applied, consequently with such persons truths are not truths except in respect to the mere utterance of them. This is so because all the life of truth is from spiritual good, and spiritual good has its seat in the higher or interior mind, which is called the spiritual mind. This mind cannot be opened with those who are in the love of self, for in everything they look to self. If they lift their eyes to heaven, still the thought of their spirit is held in the consideration of self; consequently from the fire of its own glory it incites the external and corporeal sensual things which have been taught from childhood, to the imitation of such affections as belong to the spiritual man.

[36] It is written in Jonah that "the gourd that came up over him withered, and that the sun beat upon his head, so that he fell sick." As this cannot be understood without explanation by the internal sense, it shall be explained in a few words. It is thus told in Jonah:

Jehovah prepared a gourd that came up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head to deliver him from his evil, and Jonah was glad over the gourd. And God prepared a worm, when the dawn came up the following day, and it smote the gourd that it dried up. And it came to pass when the sun arose that God prepared a scorching east wind; and the sun smote upon the head of Jonah, and he fell sick so that he asked that his soul might die. Then God said to Jonah, is it well for thee to be angry over the gourd? He said, It is well for me to be angry, even unto death. Jehovah said, Thou wouldest spare the gourd, for which thou hast not labored, nor didst thou make it grow up, because thou didst become the son of the night ⁴ and the son of night perisheth; shall not I spare Nineveh, the great city, in which are more than twelve myriads ⁵ of men? (Jonah 4:6-11).

This is a description of the genius of the Jewish nation, that they are in the love of self and in falsities therefrom. Jonah was of that nation, and therefore also was sent to Nineveh; for the Jewish nation had the Word, and was therefore able to teach those who were outside of the church and who are called Gentiles; these are signified by "Nineveh." Because the Jewish nation was, above others, in the love of self and in the falsities from that love, they did not wish well to any but themselves, thus not to the Gentiles, but these they hated. Because that nation was such, and Jonah represented it, he was very angry that Jehovah should spare Nineveh, for it is said:

Jonah was ill with a great illness, so that he was angry, and from the illness of anger he said, Take, O Jehovah, my soul from me, for my death is better than my life (Jonah 4:1, 3).

This evil in that nation is signified by the gourd which the worm smote so that it dried up. "The sun that smote upon the head of Jonah" signifies the love of self which was in that nation; and "the scorching east wind" the falsity therefrom; and "the worm that smote the gourd" signifies the destruction of this evil and the falsity thence. That this is the signification of "the gourd" is evident from its being said in this description that Jonah at first "was glad over the gourd," and after the gourd had been smitten by the worm and had dried up that "he was angry over it, even unto death," and also from its being said that "he had pity over the gourd." That the Jewish nation, because it was in such a love and in such falsity therefrom was liable to damnation is meant by these words to Jonah, "thou didst not cause it to grow up, because thou didst become a son of night, ⁶ and a son of night perisheth." (That such was the Jewish nation, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 248.)

[37] The love of self is signified here and in the preceding passages, because "the sun" in the genuine spiritual sense signifies love to the Lord, and the love of self is the opposite of this love.

Moreover, the Lord's Divine love, which is present with everyone, is turned into the love of self with the evil; for everything that flows in is changed in the recipient subject into what agrees with its own nature; as the pure heat of the sun is turned into an offensive smell in subjects of such a nature, and the pure light of the sun into hideous colors in objects of such reception; this is why "the sun that smote upon the head of Jonah" signifies the love of self that is in him; likewise "the sun that was risen" by which the seeds were scorched upon the rocky places, mentioned in Matthew.

[38] In Revelation:

The city New Jerusalem hath no need of the sun and moon to shine in it, for the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof (Revelation 21:23; 22:5).

"The sun" here, of which the city New Jerusalem shall have no need, signifies natural love, which, viewed in itself is the love of self and the world; and "the moon" signifies natural light, for natural light, viewed in itself is from natural love, and the quality of the light is according to the quality of the love; while spiritual love and spiritual light are signified by "the glory of God shall lighten it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof."

[39] That such is the sense of these words is very evident from the following from Isaiah:

The sun shall be no more a light to thee by day, and for brightness the moon shall not give light unto thee; but Jehovah shall be unto thee for a light of eternity, and thy God for thine adornment. Thy sun shall no more go down, and thy moon shall not withdraw; for Jehovah shall be unto thee for a light of eternity, and the days of thy mourning shall be fulfilled (Isaiah 60:19-20).

In the first part of this passage "the sun and moon" have the same meaning as above in Revelation, namely, "the sun" signifies merely natural love, and "the moon" natural light therefrom; but in the latter part of the passage "the sun and moon" mean the sun and moon of the angelic heaven, and that sun signifies the Lord's Divine love, and the moon Divine truth, as was explained above. For it is first said, "the sun shall be no more a light to thee by day, and for brightness the moon shall not give light unto thee;" and afterwards it is said, "thy sun shall no more go down, and thy moon shall not withdraw." From all this it is now evident what "sun and moon" signify in both senses.

Footnotes: