Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 48:10-14
[2] The reason why the spiritual so believe is that they are introduced to good by means of truth (n. 2954), and when they are being introduced, they do not perceive good, because it flows into the affection of truth from within, thus not into perception until they have been regenerated. Hence also it is that they call the goods of charity the fruits of faith; and yet those are but little solicitous about fruits who assert that faith alone saves without good works, even in death’s last hour, no matter how the man had previously lived. It is evident that this is an obscure perception with respect to good and truth. Nevertheless the case is as follows: those who from principles derived from doctrine set faith before charity, and yet live a life of charity, are they who are of the Lord‘s spiritual church, and are saved; for in their life they set the good of charity first, but in doctrine the truth of faith.
. With old age. That this signifies because at the end of the representation, is evident from the signification of "old age," as being newness of representation (n. 3254), thus the end of the former one. . He could not see. That this signifies no advertence, is evident from the signification of "seeing," as being perception (n. 6249), thus also advertence. . And he brought them near unto him. That this signifies presence, is evident from the signification of "bringing," as being to make present. . And he kissed them. That this signifies conjunction from the affection of truth, is evident from the signification of "kissing," as being conjunction from affection (n. 3573, 3574, 4215, 4353, 5929). That it is from the affection of truth, is because it follows that "he embraced them," by which is signified conjunction from the affection of good, for "embracing" denotes a more interior and therefore a closer affection than "kissing," as is the affection of good compared with the affection of truth. . And embraced them. That this signifies conjunction from the affection of good, is evident from the signification of "embracing," as being the conjunction of love (n. 4351), thus conjunction from the affection of good (n. 6260). That "embracing" denotes this affection is very evident from the testifying of love by an embrace, which is an act that flows from this; for every spiritual affection has a gesture in man’s body that corresponds to it, and this gesture is representative of the affection. That this is also true of kissing is known. . And Israel said unto Joseph. That this signifies elevation to the internal, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being perception, and also influx. That it denotes elevation is because the subject treated of in this verse is the influx of love, and thus of good and truth from the internal, which influx is elevation to the internal; for the external cannot be in love toward the internal, except by means of influx and elevation from the internal. For the very love which is felt in the external is of the internal, and because in order to the producing of any effect every acting must have its reacting or reciprocal, and the acting is the cause, and the reacting is the thing caused, therefore reaction is also of action, as the thing caused is of the cause; for all the force in the thing caused is from the cause. This is the case with reaction in every single thing in universal nature. . I had not thought to see thy faces. That this signifies that he had no hope of the influx of his love, is evident from the signification of "faces," as being the interiors (n. 358, 2434, 3527, 3573, 4066, 4796, 4798, 5695), thus the affections, for these shine forth chiefly from the face (n. 4796, 5102), hence the "face of God" denotes the Divine love, consequently mercy (n. 5585); and from the signification of "I had not thought," as being that he had had no hope. That it is the influx of love which is signified by "seeing the face," is also plain from what precedes and what follows. . And lo God hath made me see thy seed also. That this signifies that not only was the influx of love perceived, but also good and truth thence derived, is evident from the representation of Manasseh and Ephraim, who here are the "seed," as being the good of the will and the truth of the intellectual (n. 5354, 6222); and also from the signification of "seed," as also being good and truth (n. 1610, 2848, 3310, 3373, 3671); and because it is said, "I had not thought to see thy faces, and lo God hath made me see thy seed also," it is signified that not only was the influx of love perceived, but also the good and truth thence derived; for by "seeing the faces" is signified the influx of love (n. 6263). . And Joseph brought them away from his thighs. That this signifies the good of the will and the truth of the intellectual from the affection of love on the part of spiritual good, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (n. 5869, 5877); from the representation of Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Joseph brought away, as being the good of the will and the truth of the intellectual (n. 5354, 6222); and from the signification of "thighs," as being the affection of love (n. 3021, 4277, 4280, 4575, 5050-5062). That it was "on the part of spiritual good" is because they were brought away from Israel, who is spiritual good (n. 6253). By these things is signified that the internal celestial removed the good of the will and the truth of the intellectual from spiritual good, that is, from the affection of love thereof, because Israel, by whom is represented spiritual good, had caused this good and truth to approach to himself; besides their being brought to him by Joseph, by whom is represented the internal celestial; for which reason they were brought away, and were afterward brought again by Joseph, as follows. The reason is, that there is in this way an influx of love from the internal celestial through spiritual good into them. For this is according to order, and hence this external ritual had to be rigidly observed when they were to be blessed; for they were then being presented before the Lord, from whom is the prediction here signified by the "blessing" (n. 6254). Hence then it is that Joseph brought his sons from the thighs of his father, and himself afterward brought them thither. . And he bowed himself with his face to the earth. That this signifies their humiliation, is evident from the signification of "bowing himself with his face to the earth," as being interior humiliation (n. 5682); for such bowing is a bodily act that corresponds to humiliation of mind; hence they who adore God from the heart, thus bow themselves. It is said "he bowed himself," because Joseph was in their stead, not then before Israel, but before the Lord, from whom was the blessing by Israel. That this was done by Joseph in their stead, is because such is the case in things spiritual; the good of the will and the truth of the intellectual in the natural cannot from themselves humble themselves before the Lord, but only from the internal by means of influx; for without influx through the internal into the natural, there is nothing of will and understanding therein, and not even anything of life; for the internal is the intermediate through which is life from the Lord therein. . And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand on Israel‘s left hand. That this signifies the truth of the intellectual as in the second place; and that Manasseh in his left hand on Israel’s right hand signifies the good of the will in the first place, is evident from the representation of Ephraim, as being the truth of the intellectual, and from the representation of Manasseh, as being the good of the will (n. 5354, 6222); and from the signification of the "right hand," as being to be in the first place; and of the "left hand," as being to be in the second place; as is manifest from all the usage in life. How the case herein is will be shown in what follows. . And brought them near unto him. That this signifies adjunction, is evident without explication. . And Israel put forth his right hand, and put it upon Ephraim‘s head. That this signifies that he accounted truth as being in the first place, is evident from the signification of "putting forth his right hand," as being to account in the first place (that the "right hand" denotes in the first place, is manifest); and from the representation of Ephraim, as being the intellectual, thus also the truth of faith, for this dwells in man’s intellectual part when there is sight there from the light of heaven, thus spiritual sight (n. 6222). It is set forth in this verse (verse 14), and also in (verses 17-19), that Israel put his right hand on Ephraim‘s head, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head; and by this is signified that he accounted the truth of faith as being in the first place, and the good of charity in the second. The reason was that until he has been regenerated, the spiritual man, who is represented by Israel (n. 4286, 6256), supposes no otherwise; for he has a sensible apprehension of what the truth of faith is, but not what the good of charity is; because the latter flows in by an interior way, but the former, by an exterior way just as does memory-knowledge.[2] But they who are not being regenerated say absolutely that faith is in the first place, that is to say, that it is the essential of the church, because in this way they can live as they desire, and still say that they have hope of salvation. Hence also at this day charity has so disappeared that the nature of it is known to scarcely anyone, and consequently so has faith, for the one is not possible without the other. If charity were in the first place, and faith in the second, the aspect of the church would be different; for then no others would be called Christians than those who live a life according to the truth of faith, that is, a life of charity; and they would then also know what charity is. Then too they would not make a number of churches by making a distinction among them according to opinions about the truths of faith; but they would say that there is one church, in which are all who are in the good of life, not only those within the region where the churches are, but also those who are outside of it. In this manner the church would be in illustration about such things as belong to the Lord‘s kingdom; for charity enlightens, and never faith without charity; and the errors that are brought in by means of faith separated would be clearly seen.
[3] Hence it is evident how different an aspect the church would have if the good of charity were in the first place, that is, were the essential, and the truth of faith in the second, that is, its formal. The aspect of the church would then be like that of the Ancient Church, which made the church consist in charity, and had no other doctrinals of the church than those of charity: from this they had wisdom from the Lord. The quality of that church is described in these words in Moses:--
Jehovah led him about, He instructed him, He guarded him as the pupil of His eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, He took him, He bare him upon His wings; Jehovah alone did lead him, neither was there any strange god with him. He made him ride on the high places of the earth, and fed him with the increase of the fields; He made him suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flint of the rock; butter of the herd, and milk of the Seek, with fat of lambs, and of rams the sons of Bashan, and of he-goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and of the blood of the grape thou drinkest pure wine (Deut. 32:10-14).
Wherefore they who were of that church are in heaven, and in all happiness and glory there.
. And he was the younger. That this signifies although it is in the second place, is evident from the signification of the "younger," as being to be in the second place. . And his left hand upon Manasseh’s head. That this signifies that he accounted good as being in the second place, is evident from the signification of "putting his left hand," as being to account in the second place; and from the representation of Manasseh, as being the will, thus also the good of charity. How the case herein is may be seen above (n. 6269). . He put forth his hands crosswise. That this signifies, thus not according to order, is evident from the signification of "putting forth the hands crosswise," as being not according to order; for thereby he makes the younger the firstborn, and the reverse; consequently the truth of faith prior and higher; and the good of charity posterior and lower; for "birthright" denotes priority and superiority (n. 3325). It is evident how much evil this introduces into the church; for thereby its people get into such obscurity that they do not know what good is, thus neither what truth is; for good is like flame, and truth like the light from it: if you take away the flame, the light also perishes; and if any light appears, it is like a deceptive light that is not from flame. Hence it is that churches are at variance with one another, and dispute about truth, and one congregation asserts a thing to be true, which another asserts to be false. And what is still worse, when once they have set faith in the prior place in the assemblage of the church, they next begin to separate faith from charity, and to make the latter of comparatively no account, and thus to care nothing for the life, a thing to which man naturally inclines. Hence the church perishes, for it is the life which makes the church with man, but not doctrine without life; thus not confidence, which is eminent faith; for genuine confidence is possible with those only who are in charity, from which is the life of confidence. Moreover the good of charity is actually the firstborn, that is, in the prior place, and the truth of faith appears to be so, (n. 3324, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4243, 4244, 4247, 4337, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930, 4977). . For Manasseh was the firstborn. That this signifies since indeed good is in the prior place, is evident from the representation of Manasseh, as being the good that is of the will; and from the signification of "birthright," as being priority and superiority (n. 3325), thus the "firstborn" is one who is in the prior place. Who cannot see from natural light alone, provided it is enlightened a little, that good is in the prior place, as is also man‘s will; and that truth is in the posterior place, as is also man’s thinking? And also that man‘s will causes him to think one way and not another, consequently that the good with a man causes this or that to be true; thus that truth is in the second place, and good in the first? Think and reflect whether the truth that is of faith can take root except in good, and whether faith is faith unless it is therein rooted. Hence you may conclude what is primary or essential to the church, that is, to the man in whom the church is. GENESIS 48:10-14 previous - next - text - summary - Genesis - Full Page
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