Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 26:28-29
[2] But as regards the Lord‘s kingdom on earth, that is, His church, the case is that inasmuch as it has its doctrinal things from the literal sense of the Word, it cannot but be various and diverse in respect to these doctrinal things that is to say, one society will profess one thing to be a truth of faith, because it is so said in the Word, and another society will profess another thing, also because it is so said; and so on. Consequently, as the Lord’s church has its doctrinal things from the literal sense of the Word, it will everywhere differ, and this not only as to societies, but sometimes as to the individuals in a society. Nevertheless a difference in the doctrinal things of faith does not prevent the church from being one, provided there is unanimity as to willing well and doing well.
[3] For example if anyone should acknowledge as a matter of doctrine that charity is from faith, and at the same time lives in charity toward the neighbor, then indeed he is not in truth as to doctrine, but still he is in truth as to life; consequently there is in him the Lord‘s church or kingdom. And again if anyone should say that good works ought to be done in order that he may have recompense in heaven, according to the literal sense of the Word in (Matt. 10:41, 42; 25:34-46); and in other places and yet in doing good works never thinks of merit, he in like manner is In the Lord’s kingdom, because as to life he is in the truth; and because he is such as to life, he readily suffers himself to be instructed that no one can merit heaven, and that works wherein merit is placed are not good. And so in other cases. For the literal sense is such that in many passages it appears opposed to itself; but the reason is that in this sense there are appearances of truth accommodated to those who are in externals, consequently to those who are also in worldly and even in bodily loves.
[4] Here therefore by "Abimelech" those are treated of who are in the doctrinal things of faith, and who as before said are such as make faith that which is essential to salvation; and there is also treated of the agreement of their, doctrinal things with the internal sense; with whom also it is evident that conjunction is effected, but only with those who are in good, that is, with those who, although they make faith essential as to doctrine, still make charity essential as to life; for when with such there is confidence or trust in the Lord, which they call faith itself, then they are in the affection of love to the Lord, consequently as to life they are in good. But see what was said and shown above on this subject, namely: That what is doctrinal does not make the church, but charity (n. 809, 916, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844): That doctrinal things are of no account unless men live according to them (n. 1515): That the church is various as to truths, but is one through charity (n. 3267): That there is a parallelism between the Lord and man as to celestial things which are of good, but not as to spiritual things which are of truth (n. 1831, 1832): That there is one only doctrine, namely, that of love to the Lord and of charity toward the neighbor (n. 3445): That the church would be one if all had charity, although they differed as to worship and doctrinal things (n. 809, 1285, 1316, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844, 2982): That the church would be like the Lord‘s kingdom in the heavens, if all had charity (n. 2385): That in heaven there are innumerable varieties of good and truth, but that by harmony they nevertheless make a one, like the organs and members of the body (n. 684, 690, 3241).
. And we said, Now let there be an oath between us, between us and thee, and let us cut out a covenant with thee. That this signifies that regarded in themselves the doctrinal things of their faith should not be denied, that is, in so far as they are from the literal sense of the Word, is evident from the signification of "all oath between us," as being the agreement of the doctrinal things with the literal sense of the Word; from the signification of "between us and thee," as being the agreement with the internal sense; and from the signification of "let us cut out a covenant," as being that thus there might be conjunction. A "covenant" is conjunction, (n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 2003, 2021). The sense hence resulting is that because this is the case, regarded in themselves the doctrinal things of their faith should not be denied; for as before said no doctrinal things whatever are denied provided they are from the Word, for they are accepted by the Lord provided that he who is in them is in the life of charity, because with this life all things of the Word can be conjoined; but the interior things of the Word are conjoined with the life which is in the interior good of charity. See what has been stated and adduced above (n. 3224). . If thou shalt do evil to us, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace. This signifies that they had not done violence to the internal sense of the Word, and they would not do violence to it, which may be seen from the series of things in the internal sense, and from what was said at (verses 11, 22, 23). . Thou art now the blessed of Jehovah. That this signifies that it was from the Divine, is evident from the signification of "the blessed of Jehovah," when said concerning the Lord - or what is the same, concerning the internal sense of the Word, for the Lord is the Word - as being Divine truth (n. 3140), thus from the Divine therefore that they had not done violence to, and would not do violence to the internal sense, because it was from the Divine. But to do violence to the internal sense is to deny those things which are the principal things of this sense, and which are the essential holy things of the Word; and these are, the Divine Human of the Lord, love to Him, and love toward the neighbor. These three are the principal things of the internal sense, and are the holy things of the Word; they are also the internal and holy things of all doctrinal things that are from the Word; and are likewise the internal and holy things of all worship; for in them is the Lord’s kingdom itself. A fourth is, that the Word, as to all things therein both in general and in particular, nay, as to the smallest point, is Divine; thus that the Lord is in the Word. This is also confessed and acknowledged by all who have doctrinal things from the Word; and yet at heart those deny it who acknowledge no other holiness in the Word than that which appears in the letter; for such can perceive nothing holy in the historicals, nor in the propheticals, except only a slight external something, from its being called holy; when yet it must be interiorly holy if it he Divine as to the smallest point. GENESIS 26:28-29 previous - next - text - summary - Genesis - Full Page
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |