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Luke Chapter 5

Chapter 5	THE INTERNAL SENSE
AND it came to pass, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing near the lake of Genesareth. And he saw two ships standing near the lake; but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were wishing their nets. But going up into one of the ships, which was Simon's, he requested him to thrust out a little from the land, and sitting down He taught the multitude from the ship.	THAT by and from the knowledges of truth and good, the lord, as to His Human principle, enters into the doctrine of faith, and gives instruction from that doctrine, vs 1 to 4.
But when he had left off speaking, He said to Simon, launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a drain. And Simon answering said to Him, Master, [Epizata, Overseer] labouring through the whole night, we have taken nothing, but at your saying I will let down the net; And when they had done this, they enclosed much multitude of fishes; but their net broke. But they beckoned to their partners in the other ship, that they should come and help the. And they came, and filled both ships, so that they began to sink.	Teaching that by those knowledges the Church was to be reformed, provided those knowledges were seen in connection with the holy word, and maintained in conjunction with charity, vs 4 to 8.
But Simon Peter seeing fell down at the knees of Jesus, saying, depart from me, for I am a sinful man O Lord. For amazement seized him and all that were with him, at the drain of the fishes which they had taken; And in like manner James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, fear not; from now on you shall catch men alive. And bringing their ships to land, forsaking all, they followed Him.	Which effect of knowledges excites humiliation and self-abasement in all those who are principled in faith and charity, vs 8 to 11.
And it came to pass when He was in one of the cities, and behold, a man full of leprosy. But seeing Jesus, falling on his face, he entreated Him, saying, Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.	So that they renounce all the evils of selfish and worldly love, under the influence of heavenly love and faith in the lord. vs 12.
And stretching forth the hand He touched him, saying, I will, be you cleansed; and immediately the leprosy departed from him.	They also, who had been defiled through the falsification of truth, are cleansed from such defilement through faith in the lord's Divine Human principle, vs 12, 13.
And He charged him to tell no one, but going away show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing according as Moses commanded for a testimony to them.	On which occasion they are instructed, that truth rescued from falsification ought to open itself to the reception of heavenly good, vs 14.
But the word concerning Him went the more abroad, and many multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. But He withdrew into the deserts, and prayed.	That on this occasion the lord's Human principle is the more believed in and acknowledged as the sole remedy for all human disorders, and is thus excited to seek a closer union with the Divine principle, vs 15, 16.
And it came to pass on one of the days, and He was teaching, and there were Pharisees and Doctors of the law sitting by, who were come out of every town of Galilee and Judea, and Jerusalem; and there was power of the Lord to heal them.	And is made the medium of communication of the light of Divine Truth to every Doctrine of the Church, vs 17.
And behold men bearing on a bed a man who was paralytic; and they sought to bring him in, and to set [him] before Him. And not finding by what means they might bring him in, because of the multitude, climbing up to the house-top they let him down through the tiling with the couch into the midst before Jesus. And seeing their faith, He said to him, man, your sins; are remitted to you.	So that, through faith in its omnipotence, a check is given to the disjunction of good and truth in the Church, and by that check all the evil of sin is eradicated, vs 18 to 21.
And the Scribes and Pharisees began to reason, saying, who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can remit sins but God alone?	Yet they who are not grounded in such faith conceive this to be contrary to Divine order, since the evil of sin, they urge, can only be eradicated by a Divine power, vs 21.
But Jesus knowing their reasonings, answering said to them, what reason you in your hearts? Whether is easier to say, your sins are remitted to you, or to say, arise and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to remit sins, (He said to the paralytic) I say to you, arise, and taking up your couch, go to your house.	Until they are instructed, that the eradication of the evil of sin is one and the same thing with instruction in doctrinals and accordant life, and consequently He who has power to effect the latter, has power also to effect the former, vs 22 to 26.
And immediately arising before them, taking up [that] whereon he lay, he departed to his house, glorifying God. And an ecstasy seized them all, and they glorified God; and they were filled with fear, saying, we have seen wonderful things today.	Hence the conjunction of good and truth in the Church is seen to proceed from the omnipotence of the lord's Divine Human principle, and hence holy worship and adoration in the Church, from a perception of the union of the lord's Human principle with the Divine, vs 25, 26, 27.
And after these things He departed, and saw a publican named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom, and He said to him, follow Me. And leaving all things, rising up, he followed him. And Levi made a great feast for Him in his house; and there was much multitude of publicans and of others who were sitting with them.	That the Gentiles, who are meant by publicans and sinners, receive the lord, imbibe His precepts, and live according to them, so that the lord appropriates to them the goods of heaven, vs 27 to 30.
And their Scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said to them, they that are in good health have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the just, but sinners to repentance.	Which gives offence to those who are in hypocritical worship, until they are instructed, that the lord came not to save the celestial, or those who are in orderly love, but the spiritual, or those who are in disorderly love, yet under the influence of the affection of truth, vs 30 to 33.
But they said to him, why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and in like manner the [disciples] of the Pharisees, but your eat and drink? But He said to them, can you make the sons of the bride-chamber fast, whilst the Bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then they shall fast in those days. But He spoke also a parable to them, No one puts a piece of a new garment upon an old garment; if otherwise, even the new makes a rent, and the piece from the new agrees not with the old.	And who, by receiving the internal truths of the Church in that affection, are blessed and happy so long as good is conjoined to their truths, but unblessed and unhappy when they are in truths without good, vs 33 to 36
And no one puts new wine into old bottles; if otherwise, the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles will perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles, and both are preserved. And no one, having drank old, straightway desires new, for he says the old is more excellent.	That these things were unknown in the Jewish Church, which was a Church representative of spiritual things, and that therefore the truths of that Churchdo not accord with the truths of the Christian Church, which are spiritual truths themselves, consequently spiritual truths are not received by those who are principled in representative truths. vs 37 to the end

Translation

AND it came to pass, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing near the lake of Genesareth.
And he saw two ships standing near the lake; but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were wishing their nets.
But going up into one of the ships, which was Simon's, he requested him to thrust out a little from the land, and sitting down He taught the multitude from the ship.
But when he had left off speaking, He said to Simon, launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a drain.
And Simon answering said to Him, Master, [Epizata, Overseer] labouring through the whole night, we have taken nothing, but at your saying I will let down the net;
And when they had done this, they enclosed much multitude of fishes; but their net broke.
But they beckoned to their partners in the other ship, that they should come and help the. And they came, and filled both ships, so that they began to sink.
But Simon Peter seeing fell down at the knees of Jesus, saying, depart from me, for I am a sinful man O Lord.
For amazement seized him and all that were with him, at the drain of the fishes which they had taken;
And in like manner James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, fear not; from now on you shall catch men alive.
And bringing their ships to land, forsaking all, they followed Him.
And it came to pass when He was in one of the cities, and behold, a man full of leprosy. But seeing Jesus, falling on his face, he entreated Him, saying, Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.
And stretching forth the hand He touched him, saying, I will, be you cleansed; and immediately the leprosy departed from him.
And He charged him to tell no one, but going away show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing according as Moses commanded for a testimony to them.
But the word concerning Him went the more abroad, and many multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.
But He withdrew into the deserts, and prayed.
And it came to pass on one of the days, and He was teaching, and there were Pharisees and Doctors of the law sitting by, who were come out of every town of Galilee and Judea, and Jerusalem; and there was power of the Lord to heal them.
And behold men bearing on a bed a man who was paralytic; and they sought to bring him in, and to set [him] before Him.
And not finding by what means they might bring him in, because of the multitude, climbing up to the house-top they let him down through the tiling with the couch into the midst before Jesus.
And seeing their faith, He said to him, man, your sins; are remitted to you.
And the Scribes and Pharisees began to reason, saying, who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can remit sins but God alone?
But Jesus knowing their reasonings, answering said to them, what reason you in your hearts?
Whether is easier to say, your sins are remitted to you, or to say, arise and walk?
But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to remit sins, (He said to the paralytic) I say to you, arise, and taking up your couch, go to your house.
And immediately arising before them, taking up [that] whereon he lay, he departed to his house, glorifying God.
And an ecstasy seized them all, and they glorified God; and they were filled with fear, saying, we have seen wonderful things today.
And after these things He departed, and saw a publican named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom, and He said to him, follow Me.
And leaving all things, rising up, he followed him.
And Levi made a great feast for Him in his house; and there was much multitude of publicans and of others who were sitting with them.
And their Scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
And Jesus answering said to them, they that are in good health have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.
I came not to call the just, but sinners to repentance.
But they said to him, why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and in like manner the [disciples] of the Pharisees, but your eat and drink?
But He said to them, can you make the sons of the bride-chamber fast, whilst the Bridegroom is with them?
But the days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then they shall fast in those days.
But He spoke also a parable to them, No one puts a piece of a new garment upon an old garment; if otherwise, even the new makes a rent, and the piece from the new agrees not with the old.
And no one puts new wine into old bottles; if otherwise, the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles will perish.
But new wine must be put into new bottles, and both are preserved.
And no one, having drank old, straightway desires new, for he says the old is more excellent.

Chapter V.

Extracts from the Theological Writings

THE HON. EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.

VERSE 1 to 9. Jesus was standing neat the lake of Genesareth, and He saw two ships standing near the lake; then He entered into one of the ships which was Simon's, and requested him to thrust out a little from the land, and sitting down He taught the multitude from the ship. In each of these expressions there is a spiritual sense, namely in His standing near the sea and at the shore of Genesareth, also in His entering into the ship of Simon, and thence teaching many things. This was done, because by the sea, and by the lake of Genesareth, when spoken of the Lord, are signified the knowledges of truth and good in every complex, and by the ship of Simon the doctrinals of faith, hence by teaching from the ship was signified that He taught from doctrine. AE 514.

Verse 10. From now on you shall catch men. That the Lord chose those fishermen, and said that they should become fishers of men, signified that they should gather together [men] to the Church; by the nets which they spread, and in which they enclosed a great multitude of fishes, so that the ships began to sink, was signified the reformation of the Church by them, for by fishes are there signified the knowledges of truth and good by which reformation is effected, also the multitude of men who were to be reformed. AE 518.

Verse 26. And they were filled with fear. By fear is here meant holy fear, such as is the fear of those, who by the truth of faith are initiated into the good of love. AC 2826.

Verses 29, 30. And Levi made a great feast for Him in his house; and there was much multitude of publicans, and of others who were sitting with them. And their Scribes and the Pharisees murmured against His Disciples, saying, why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners? The reason why the Lord did eat with publicans and sinners, on which occasion the Jews murmured and were offended, was, because the Gentiles, who were meant by publicans and sinners, received the Lord, imbibed his precepts, and lived according to them, by which the Lord appropriated to them the goods of heaven, which is signified in the spiritual sense by eating with them. AE 617.

Verses 31, 32. They that are in good health have no need of a physician, but they that are sick; I came not to call the just but sinners to repentance. A physician here means a preserver from evils, for by those in health are meant the just, and by the sick are meant sinners. AC 6502.

Verse 34. Can you make the sons of the bride chamber fast whilst the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then shall they fast in those days. They are called the sons of the bride chamber, who are in the truths of the Church and receive good, for good, which is from the Lord, is the bridegroom. Their not mourning so long as the bridegroom is with them, denotes that they are in a blessed and happy state, thus with the Lord, when they are in truths conjoined to their good. Their fasting, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, denotes that they are in an unhappy state, when good is no longer conjoined to truths; this latter state is the last state of the Church, hut the former the first state. AC 9182.

The Lord here calls Himself the bridegroom, and the men of the Church. He calls sons of the bride chamber; by fasting is signified to mourn by reason of a defect of truth and good. AE 1189.

Verse 36. No one puts a piece of a new garment upon an old garment; if otherwise, even the new makes a rent, and the piece from the new agrees not with the old. The Lord used this similitude to describe the truth of the New Church, and the truth of the old Church, for garment denotes truth; to sew, or put a piece of one upon the other is to destroy both; for the truth of the New Church is interior truth, thus truth for the internal man; whereas the truth of the old Church is exterior truth, thus truth for the external man; in this latter truth the Jewish Church was principled, for this Church by things external represented things internal, but the Church at this day is in the internal truths which were represented, for the Lord revealed those truths; that these latter do not agree with external truths so as to be together, is signified by the above words of the Lord; hence likewise it in evident, that garment signifies the truth of the Church. AC 9212.

Inasmuch as garment signifies truth, therefore the Lord compares the truths of the former Church, which were external and representative of spiritual things, to a piece of an old garment, and the truths of the New Church, which were internal and spiritual, to a piece of a new garment. AR 166.

Verse 37. And no one puts new wine into old bottles:, &c. &c. That a new heaven must be first formed before a new church is formed in the earths, is according to Divine order; for the church is internal and external, and the internal church makes one with the church in heaven, thus with heaven, and the internal must be first formed before the external, and afterwards the external by the internal; that this is the case, is known to the clergy in the world. As this new heaven, which makes the internal of the church with man, increases, in the same degree from that heaven descends the New Jerusalem, that is, the New Church; wherefore this cannot be effected in a moment, but in proportion as the falses of the former church are removed; for what is new cannot enter where falses have been before admitted, unless these latter be eradicated, which must be effected amongst the clergy, and thus amongst the laity; for the Lord said, "No one puts new wine into old bottles," &c. TCR 784.

New wine is the Divine Truth of the New Testament, thus of the New Church, and old wine is the Divine Truth of the Old Testament, thus of the Old Church. AR 316. See also AE 195.

Chapter V. Translator's Notes and Observations.

VERSE 6. They enclosed much multitude of fishes. What is here rendered much multitude, is expressed in the comraori version of the New Testament by great multitude; but it ought to be recollected that the original term is oolu which is a noun of number, and which therefore is applied whenever the subject treated of, as in the present case, is concerning truth, whereas the term great, (in the original megas) has more relation to good, and is accordingly applied whenever the principle of good is the subject treated of.

Verse 10. From now on you shall catch men alive. In the common version of the New Testament no notice is taken of the term alive,which is here added to the term men, when yet the whole passage is thus expressed in the original, apo tanun anthropas esu zogron, which is literally, from now on you shall catch alive men, the term zogron being derived from zoos alive, and agreo to take.

Verge 27. And saw a publican named Levi. The Greek term, which is here, and in the common version of the New Testament, rendered saw, is etheasato, from theaomai, which properly signifies to behold or view steadily or attentively, being derived from theo to set, or fix, namely the eyes. It would hence appear therefore, that the blessed jesus looked at different men and different things with different degrees of intensity, and this possibly in proportion to the intensity of affection excited by each.

Verse 38. But new wine must be put into new bottles. It is remarkable that, in the original Greek, two different terms are here applied to express the idea of new, the first term, as applied to wine, being neos, and the second, as applied to bottles, chainos, whence it would appear, that the term neos expressed a more interior idea than the term chainos.

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