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Luke Chapter 23

1. AND the whole multitude of them arising led Him to Pilate.
2. But they began to accuse him, saying, we found this [man] perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying, that he himself is Christ a king.
3. But Pilate asked him, saying, are you the king of the Jews? But he answering said to him, you say.
4. But Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, I find no fault in this man.
5. But they were urgent, saying, he stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.
6. But when Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean.
7. And when he knew that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was in Jerusalem in those days.
8. But Herod, seeing Jesus, was exceedingly rejoiced, for he was desirous to see him of a long time, because he had heard many things of him, and hoped to see some sign done by him.
9. But he questioned him in many words; but he answered him nothing.
10. But the chief priests and scribes stood vehemently accusing him.
11. And Herod deriding him with his soldiery, and mocking, putting on him a gorgeous robe, sent him again to Pilate.
12. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together, for before they were at enmity between themselves.
13. But Pilate, having called together the chief priests, and the rulers, and the people,
14. Said to them, you have brought to me this man as one that perverts the people, and behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof you accuse him.
15. No, nor yet Herod, for I sent you to him, and lo, nothing worthy of death has been done by him.
16. When therefore I have chastised him I will release him.
17. For of necessity he must release one to them at the feast.
18. But they cried out all at once, away with this [man], but release to us Barabas,
19. Who for a certain sedition made in the city and for murder, was cast into prison.
20. Again therefore Pilate spoke to them, being willing to release Jesus.
21. But they cried out saying, crucify, crucify him.
22. But he said to them a third time, why, what evil has he done? I have found no cause of death in him, when therefore I have chastised him, I will release him.
23. But they were instant with loud voices, requesting that he might be crucified; and the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed,
24. And Pilate assented that it should be as they required
25. And he released to them him who for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired? but he delivered Jesus to their will.
26. And as they led him away, laying hold on one Simon a Cyrenian coming out of the country, they set the cross on him, that he might bear it after Jesus.
27. But there followed him much multitude of people and of women, who also bewailed and lamented him.
28. But Jesus turning to them said, daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
29. For behold, the days are coming in which they shall say, blessed are the barren, and the wombs which never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
30. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, fall on us, and to the hills, cover us.
31. For if they do those things in the green [moist] tree, what shall be done in the dry?
32. But there were two others, [who were] malefactors, led with him to be crucified.
33. And when they were come to a place called a Skull, there they crucified him and the malefactors, one on the right hand but the other on the left.
34. But Jesus said, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do: and dividing his garments they cast lots.
35. And the people stood beholding. But the rulers with them also derided, saying, he saved others, let him save himself, if he be the Christ the chosen of God.
36. But the soldiers also mocked him, coming and offering him vinegar,
37. And saying, if you be the king of the Jews, save yourself.
38. But a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, this is the king of the Jews.
39. But one of the malefactors, which were hanged, blasphemed him, saying, if you be the Christ, save yourself and us.
40. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, do not you fear God, when you are in the same condemnation?
41. And we indeed justly, for we receive what our deeds deserve, but this [man] has done nothing amiss.
42. And he said to Jesus, remember me, Lord, when you comest in your kingdom.
43. And Jesus said to him, verily I say to you, today shall you be with me in paradise.
44. But it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour.
45. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
46. And Jesus crying out with a great cry said, Father into your hands, I commit my spirit, and saying these things he expired.
47. But when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying certainly this man was just.
48. And all the multitudes who came together to that sight, seeing the things that were done, smiting their breasts returned.
49. But all his acquaintance stood afar off, and the women who followed him from Galilee, beholding these things.
50. And behold, a man named Joseph, a counsellor, a good man and a just.
51. He had not consented to the counsel and deed of them, being of Arimathea a city of the Jews, who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.
52. This [man] going to Pilate, begged the body of Jesus.
53. And taking it down he wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, in which never man before was laid.
54. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath began to dawn.
55. But the women also who followed, who accompanied him from Galilee, beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.
56. And returning they prepared spices and myrrh, and rested the sabbath-day according to the commandment.

Chapter XXIII. Extracts from the Theological Writings

OF

THE HON. EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.

VERSE 29. For behold the days are coming, in which they shall say, blessed are the barren, and the wombs which never bare, and the paps which never gave suck, By the barren are meant the Gentiles, who are invited to the church, and to whom the church is transferred, when an old church ceases, that is, when they who before were of the church are no longer in faith, because in no charity. AC 9325.

By the barren and the wombs which never bare are signified those who have not received genuine truths, that is, truths grounded in the good of love, and by the paps which never gave suck are signified who have not received genuine truths grounded in the good of charity; for all truths are from good, and goods are of a twofold kind, celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord, and spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour; by paps the same is signified as by milk, namely truth derived from good. AE 710.

Verse 30. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, fall on us, and to the hills, cover us. Conscience is a new will and a new understanding from the Lord, thus it is the presence of the Lord with man, and this the nearer, in proportion as man is more in the affection of good and of truth. If the presence of the Lord be nearer, then according to the proportion as man is affected by good or by truth, man comes into temptation; the reason is, because the evils and falses belonging to man, tempered with goods and truths belonging to him, cannot endure a nearer presence. This may be manifest from the things which exist in the other life, namely that evil spirits cannot in any wise approach to any heavenly society, but they begin to be tortured and tormented; also that evil spirits cannot endure that angels should inspect them, for instantly they are tortured, and fall into a swoon; and likewise from this consideration, that hell is remote from heaven, by reason that the former cannot endure the latter, that is, the presence of the Lord which is in heaven. Hence it is, that in the Word it is said of them, "Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, fall on us, and to the hills, cover us," AC 4299.

By mountains and hills are signified the loves of evil, thus evils; and by falling on us and covering us is signified to defend against the influx from heaven; and since this is effected by confirmations of what is evil by what is false, and of what is false from what is evil, therefore these things are signified. AR 339.

Verses 33, 39 to 43. By the two thieves, who were crucified with the Lord, one on the right hand, the other on the left, the same is meant as by the sheep and by the goats, wherefore to the one who acknowledged the Lord it was said, today shall you be with Me in paradise. AE 600.

Verse 43. Verily I say to you, today shall you be with Me in paradise. They who are principled in faith separate from charity cannot believe otherwise than that they are to rise again with the material body, and not till the day of judgement, which they also confirm from several passages of the Word explained according to the sense of the letter, not considering at all what the Lord had said

concerning the rich man and Lazarus, Luke 16:22-31, and what He said to the thief, Luke 23:43, and what He said also in many other passages. The reason why they who are in faith separate from charity believe this, is because if they were told that the body was not to rise again, they would altogether deny a resurrection, not knowing or comprehending what the internal man is, for no one can know what the internal man is and his life alter death, but he who is in charity, for charity is of the internal man. AC 4783.

Men after death, who are then called spirits, and who are angels if they have lived in good, are greatly surprised that the man of the church believes that he shall not see eternal life till the last day, when the world is to be destroyed, and that then he is to be clothed again with the dust that had been rejected, when yet the man of the church is well aware that he rises again after death. For who does not say, when a man dies, that his soul or spirit is afterwards in heaven or in hell? And who does not say concerning his infants who are dead, that they are in heaven? And who does not comfort a sick person, or even one condemned to death, by saying that he will shortly come into the other life? For who does not know what the Lord said to the thief, "Today shaft you be with Me in paradise," and what He said also concerning the rich man and Lazarus, that the former was carried into hell, but the latter by angels into heaven? And who does not know what the Lord taught concerning the resurrection, that He is not the God of the dead but of the living? These things man knows, and he likewise so thinks and so speaks, when he thinks and speaks from the spirit, but when he thinks and speaks from what is doctrinal, he professes another opinion, namely that he shall not rise again till the last day, when yet the last day to every one is the day when he dies, and then also is his judgement. AC 5078.

That heaven and hell are from the human race, might have been known to the church from the Word, and thus have become a tenet of doctrine, if the church had admitted illustrations from heaven, and had attended to the Lord's words to the thief, Today shall you be with Me in paradise, and to what he said concerning the rich man and Lazarus, that the former went into hell, and thence discoursed with Abraham, and that the latter was taken into heaven; also what the Lord spoke to the Saddueees concerning the resurrection, that God is not the God of the dead but of the living. Last Judgement LJ 19.

Verse 44. But it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour. The falsities of the last times, which are here called darkness, or of which the terror of great darkness is predicated, were represented and signified by the great darkness brought over the whole earth from the sixth hour even to the ninth; also by the sun being darkened on the occasion, by which was represented and signified that then there would be no longer any love, or any faith, Matt 27:45. Mark 15:33. Luke 23:44, 45. AC 1839.

This was for a sign and proof that the Lord was denied, and that hence there was not any good or truth belonging to those who were of the church, for all signs from the heavens with them represented and signified such things as are of the church, by reason that the church with them was a representative church, or consisted of such things in externals as represented and thence signified the internal things of the church. That darkness was brought over the whole earth, signified that nothing prevailed amongst those who were of the church but the falses of evil; the whole earth denotes the whole church, and darkness signifies falses. The continuation of this for three hours, namely from the sixth hour to the ninth, signified that the mere false prevailed, and not any truth at all, for three signify what is full, the whole and altogether, and six and nine signify all things in the complex, in this case falses and evils; and since falses and evils appertained to them because the Lord was denied, therefore it is, there was darkness and the sun was darkened, for by the sun which was darkened is meant the Lord, who is said to be darkened when falses so far prevail in the church that He is not acknowledged, and when evils so far prevail that He is crucified. AE 401. See also AE 526.

Verse 45. And the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. Hence it may be manifest what is signified by the veil of the temple being rent, Matt 27:51. Mark 15:38. Luke 23:45. namely that the Lord entered into the Essential Divine [principle] through the rending to pieces of all appearances, and that at the same time he opened a passage to the Divine [principle] itself by [or through] His Human [principle] made Divine. AC 2576.

That by Jacob is here represented not only the ancient church, but also the primitive, that is, the Christian church at its beginning, is grounded in this consideration, that the churches were the same as to internals, but only different as to externals. The externals of the ancient church were all representative of the Lord and of the celestial and spiritual things of His kingdom, that is, of love and charity and thence of faith, consequently such things as are of the Christian church. Hence it is that when the externals of the ancient church, and likewise of the Jewish, are unfolded, and the swaddling clothes as it were removed, the christian church is made manifest; this was also signified by the veil of the temple being rent. AC 4772.

Verse 56. And returning they prepared spices and myrrh, &c. Inasmuch as myrrh signified truth most external which is sensual truth, and its perception, therefore the bodies of the dead were formerly anointed with myrrh and aloes, by which anointing was signified the preservation of all the goods and truths belonging to man; and likewise the resurrection. On which account also such an article was applied, as signified the ultimate principle of life belonging to man, which ultimate principle is called sensual life. That the body of the Lord was anointed with such ointments, and was thus wrapped up in linen, and that this custom prevailed among the Jews, may be seen in John 19:39. 40, also in Luke 23:55, 56. It is however to be noted, that the things which are said of the Lord himself in the Word, are to be understood in a supereminent sense, wherefore they there signify His Divine life in the sensual principle, which is the life proper to the body, and likewise the resurrection of this latter. That the Lord rose again with the whole body which He had in the world, otherwise than other men, is a known thing, for He left nothing in the sepulchre. Wherefore also He said to the Disciples, who supposed that they saw a spirit when they saw the Lord, "Why are you troubled? Behold My hands and My feet; handle Me and see, for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see Me have." AC 10252.

Chapter XXIII. Translators Notes and Observations.

VERSE 15. And lo! nothing worthy of death has been done by him. In the common version of the New Testament this passage is rendered, nothing worthy of death is done to him, but the original Greek is, aden axion thanata esti omepragmenon auto, which, according to the opinion of Parkhurst, Raphalius, and Wetstein, ought to be rendered, Nothing worthy of (or deserving) death, has (in the opinion of Herod) been done by Him.

Verse 42. And he said to Jesus, remember me, Lord, when you comest in your kingdom. In the common version of the New Testament, what is here rendered in your kingdom, is expressed by into your kingdom, but the original Greek is en te basileia sa, which is literally in your kingdom, thus intimating, not his entrance into his kingdom, but his coming in Divine power and glory to establish His Church here on earth.