Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 26:32-33
[2] For they who are solely in the doctrinal things of faith, and in a life according to them, are in a certain conjunction, but a remote one, for the reason that they do not know from any affection what charity toward the neighbor is, and still less what love to the Lord is, but only from a certain idea of faith; thus neither are they in any perception of good, but in a species of persuasion that what their doctrinal things dictate is true and thus good, and when they are confirmed in these doctrinal things, they may be in what is false equally as in what is true for nothing but good confirms a man in regard to what is truth. Truth indeed teaches what good is, but without perception whereas good teaches what truth is from perception.
[3] Every one may know how this is, and also what is the nature and quality of the difference, merely from this common precept of charity:--
All things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them (Matt. 7:12).
He who acts from this precept does indeed do what is good to others, but because it is so commanded, thus not from the affection of the heart; and whenever he does it, he begins from himself, and also in doing good thinks of merit; whereas he who does not act from precept, but from charity, that is, from affection, acts from the heart, and thus from freedom; and whenever he acts, he begins from really willing what is good, thus for the reason that it is delightful to him; and as he has recompense in the delight, he does not think of merit,
[4] From this then can be seen what the difference is between doing good from faith, and doing good from charity; and that those who do good from faith are more remote from good itself which is the Lord than those who do it from charity; neither can the former be easily introduced into the good of charity so far as to have a perception of it, because they are but little in truths for no one can be introduced into this good unless things not true are first eradicated, which is impossible while such things are inrooted even to persuasion.
. And showed him concerning the well which they had digged; and they said, We have found waters. That this signifies interior truths by means of these things, is evident from the signification of a "well," as being the Word (n. 3424); and from the signification of "waters," as being truths (n. 2702), that is, truths which are from the Word; thus to " show him concerning the well which they had digged," signifies concerning the Word from which they had doctrinal things "and they said, Me have found waters," signifies that in them, that is, in the doctrinal things, there were interior truths. For as before said, there are interior truths in all the doctrinal things that are drawn from the literal sense of the Word, because the literal sense of the Word is like a well that contains water; for in each and everything of the Word there is an internal sense, which is also in the doctrinal things that are from the Word.[2] As regards the doctrinal things that are from the literal sense of the Word, the case is this: When a man is in them, and at the same time in a life according to them, he has a correspondence in himself; for the angels who are with him are in interior truths, while he is in exterior ones, and thus through the doctrinal things he has communication with heaven, but according to the good of his life. As for example, when in the Holy Supper he thinks in simplicity of the Lord from the words then used - " This is My body, and this is "My blood" the angels with him are in the idea of love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor; for love to the Lord corresponds to the Lord‘s body, and to bread and charity toward the neighbor corresponds to the blood, and the wine (n. 1798, 2165, 2177, 2187); and because there is such a correspondence, there flows an affection out of heaven through the angels into that holy state in which the man then is, which affection he receives in accordance with the good of his life.
[3] For the angels dwell with every one in his life’s affection, thus in the affection of the doctrinal things according to which he lives; but in no case if his life disagrees therewith; for if the life disagrees, as for instance if he is in the affection of gaining honors and riches by means of doctrinal things, then the angels retire, and infernals dwell in this affection, who either infuse into him confirmations of the doctrinal things for the sake of self and the world, thus a persuasive faith - which is such that it is regardless whether a thing is true or false provided it captivates the minds of others - or else they take away all faith, and then the doctrine of his lips is only a sound excited and modified by the fire of these loves.
. And he called it Shibah. That this signifies the conjunction of confirmed truth by means of these things, is evident from the signification of "calling by name," as being the quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 3421) and that "names" thus signify a thing or state, (n. 1946, 2643, 3422), here therefore the conjunction of confirmed truth by means of doctrinal things for in the original tongue " Shibah" means "an oath," which signifies confirmation (n. 2842, 3375). That is called the conjunction of confirmed truth, when interior truths conjoin themselves with exterior truth, which are doctrinal things from the literal sense of the Word. That with such persons there is conjunction by means of the truths which are of faith, and not so much by means of the goods which are of charity, was stated above (n. 3463). . Therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba. That this signifies the quality of the doctrine thence derived, is evident from the signification of "name," as being the quality (n. 3465); and from the signification of "city" as being doctrine (n. 402, 2449, 2712, 2943, 3216); hence comes " Beer-sheba," which in the original tongue means "the well of the oath," thus the doctrine of confirmed truth. "Beer-sheba" is doctrine (n. 2723, 2858, 2859). In (Gen. 21:30, 31), it is said:--Because these seven ewe-lambs shalt thou take from my hand, that it may be a witness unto me that I have digged this well. Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba, because there they sware both of them; where by "Beer-sheba" was signified the state and quality of doctrine, that it was from the Divine, and that by means of it there was conjunction; and because the interiors of that church are there treated of, it is said that "that place" was called Beer-sheba; whereas here, because the exteriors of that church are treated of, it is said that "the city" was so called; for of interior things is predicated state, which is signified by "place" (n. 2625, 2837, 3356, 3387); but of exterior things is predicated doctrine, which is signified by "city;" for all doctrine has its state and its quality from its interiors. . Unto this day. That this signifies the perpetuity of the state, is evident from the signification of "unto this day," as being perpetuity of state (n. 2838). GENESIS 26:32-33 previous - next - text - summary - Genesis - Full Page
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |