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Mark Chapter 6

    THE WORD.

THE INTERNAL SENSE.
  1. and He went out from thence, and came into His own country; and His disciples follow Him.
  2. And when it was the Sabbath, He began to teach in the Synagogue; and many hearing were astonished, saying, From whence has this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto Him, that even such mighty works are worked by His hands?
  3. Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Judah, and Simon? and are not His sisters here with us? And they were offended at Him.

that doubt is excited in the church respecting the origin of the lord's wisdom and power. (Verses 1—3.)
  1. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country, and among kinsfolk, and in his own house.
  2. And He could there do no mighty work, except that laying hands on a few sick people, He healed [them].

The reason of which is shown to be this, that the LORD, and the Divine Truth which is from Him, is less in heart received and loved within the church than out of it, so that the Divine Omnipotence is limited in its operation. (Verses 4, 5.)
  1. And He marvelled be cause of their unbelief. And He went round about the villages, teaching.
  2. And He called the twelve, and began to send them out by two and two, and gave them power over unclean spirits;

Nevertheless it is necessary that Divine Truth should be made known in the church, for which purpose all who are principled in goods and truths are gifted with power from the lord's Divine Human principle over all opposing evils and falses. (Verses 6, 7.)
  1. And exhorted them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in the purse;
  2. But be shod with sandals, and not put on two coats.

And are instructed that all goods and truths are not from themselves, but from the lord alone; and since Divine Truth is only one, namely, what is from the Divine Good, therefore they are to procure from that source both interior and exterior truth, and not to ascribe it partly to the lord and partly to themselves. (Verses 8, 9.)
  1. And He said to them, Wheresoever you enter into a house, there remain until you depart thence.
  2. And whoever will not receive you, nor hear you, when you depart thence, shake off the dust from under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement, than for that city.

And if the truths which they teach be not received in the will-principle, the loss of eternal life must be announced as the necessary consequence, since they who are in evil of life, and at the same time in ignorance of truth, are more excusable than those who know the truth, and yet cherish evil. (Verses 10, 11.)
  1. And having departed, they preached that men should repent.
  2. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

For the essential life of truth consists in renouncing evil love, and thus in rejecting infernal influence, and admitting the good of heavenly love in the place of that which is disorderly. (Verses 12, 13.)
  1. And Herod the king heard, for His name was made public: and he said that John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works are accomplished by him.
  2. Others said, that it is Elias. But others said, that it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.
  3. But when Herod heard, he said, It is John whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.

That they who are principled in what is evil and false, are instructed concerning the lord, and externally confess Him to be the Word, and to be endowed with Omnipotence. (Verses 14, 15, 16.)
  1. For Herod himself having sent forth, had laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison, on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife: be cause he had married her.
  2. For John said to Herod, It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.
  3. Therefore Herodias bare him spite, and was desirous to kill him; and was not able:

When yet they had before done violence to the Word, because it reproved their evil cravings. (Verses 17, 18, 19.)
  1. For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and holy, and protected him; and hearing him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

Nevertheless in their understandings they acknowledged the sanctity of the Word, and had an external delight in its precepts. (Verse 20.)
  1. And when a festive day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his grandees, and chief captains, and principal people of Galilee;
  2. And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said to the damsel, Ask of me whatever you will, and I will give you.
  3. And he swore to her, Whatsoever you shall ask of me, I will give you, to the half of my kingdom.
  4. But she departing, said to her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.
  5. And having come in immediately with haste to the king, she asked, saying, I will that you give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.
  6. And the king being very sorry, on account of his oath, and them that sat with him, was unwilling to reject her.
  7. And the king sending immediately one of his guards, he ordered his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison.
  8. And he brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.

Until the affection of what is false, operating on natural delights, leads them astray, and thus tempts them to deny the Word, and thereby destroy it. (Verses 21—29.)
  1. And when his disciples heard it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
  2. And the apostles gathered themselves together to Jesus, and told Him all things which they had done, and which they had taught.

But they, on the contrary, who are principled in what is good and true, apply the Word to the regeneration of their hearts and lives, and thus have approach to and communication with the lord. (Verses 29, 30.)
  1. And He said to them, Come you apart into a desert place, and rest awhile: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure to eat.
  2. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.

Yet these are instructed that the heavenly good of love and charity cannot be appropriated but by the apparent desolation of truth. (Verses 31, 32.)
  1. And the multitude saw them departing; and many knew Him, and ran thither on foot out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together to Him.
  2. And Jesus coming out, saw much multitude, and was moved with compassion to wards them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and He began to teach them many things.

On which occasion the affection of truth is excited anew, and with it the Divine mercy towards all who are in that affection. (Verses 33, 34.)
  1. And when the day was now far spent, His disciples coming to Him, said, This is a desert place, and the hour is now far advanced:
  2. Send them away, that going into the country and villages round about, they may buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
  3. But He answering said unto them, Give you them to eat. And they say to Him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?

So that in states of spiritual obscurity and desolation the lord provides for their support by the communication of truth and good from Himself. (Verses 35, 36, and part of 37.)

 

Which to the natural man appears impossible. (Verse 37, latter part.)
  1. But He says to them, How many loaves have you? go and see. And when they knew, they said, Five, and two fishes.
  2. And He commanded them to make all sit down by companies on the green grass.
  3. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.
  4. And taking the five loaves and the two fishes, He looked up to heaven, and He blessed and break the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them: and the two fishes He divided amongst them all.
  5. And they did all eat, and were satisfied.

Nevertheless through exploration of himself, operating to the right arrangement of interior goods and truths, and through benediction at the same time from the Divine Good, communication is opened with the [natural man. (Verses 38—43.)
  1. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.
  2. And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.

And heavenly good and truth are appropriated in all fullness to all those who are in truths derived from good. (Verses 43, 44.)
  1. And immediately He constrained His disciples to get into the ship, and to go before to the other side to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the multitude.

Who are instructed to acquire the knowledges of truth and good for the better restoration of order from the lord's Divine Human [principle] in inferior principles. (Verse 45.)
  1. And when He had bid them adieu, He departed into a mountain to pray.

Since when this is effected, a fuller communication and conjunction with the Divine Good has place. (Verse 46.)
  1. And when evening had come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land.
  2. And He saw them toiling in rowing: for the wind was contrary to them: and about the fourth watch of the night He comes to them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
  3. But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it to be a phantom, and cried out:
  4. For they all saw Him, and were troubled. And immediately He spoke with them, and says to them, Take courage: it is I; be not afraid.

So that the presence and influx of the lord are imparted to those who are in the ultimates of the church, and thereby in an unpacific state. (Verses 47—51.)
  1. And He went up to them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were above measure amazed in themselves, and wondered.
  2. For they were not attentive to [the miracle of] the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

Thus they who are in the knowledges of truth and good, have conjunction with the lord, and are restored to tranquillity, notwithstanding the weakness of their faith. (Verses 51, 52.)
  1. And when they had passed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.
  2. And when they came out of the ship, they immediately knew Him,
  3. [And] ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about on couches those that were sick, where they heard He was.
  4. And wherever He entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought Him that they might touch if it were but the border of His garment: and as many as touched Him [or it], were made whole.

So that evils and falses are more worked upon, and purification is effected by communication with the lord in lowest principles. (Verse 53, to the end of the chapter.)

Exposition

Chapter VI.

verse 2. It was the Sabbath, &c.—As to the meaning of the Sabbath, see above, Exposition, chap. 1:21.

Verse 4. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country, and among his kinsfolk, and in his own house.—By these words is signified that the Lord, and the Divine Truth which is from Him, is less in heart received and loved within the church, than out of it. He spoke to the Jews, amongst whom the church then was; and that He was there less received than by the Gentiles who were out of the church, is a known thing. The case is the same at this day in the church, which from Him is called Christian; in this church, indeed, the Lord is received in

doctrine, but still by few in acknowledgement of the heart, and by still fewer from affection of love. It is otherwise with the converted Gentiles out of the church; these worship and adore Him as their one only God, and say with the mouth and think with the heart, that they acknowledge Him to be God, because He appeared in a human form, AC 5256. The contrary is the case within the church, where, because He was born a man, the men of the church hardly acknowledge Him from the heart to be God;—making His Humanity like their own, although they know that His Father was Jehovah, and not a man. From these considerations it is evident what is meant in the internal sense by "no prophet being accepted in his own country." In that sense a "prophet" is the Lord as to Divine Truth, thus as to the doctrine of the church. That a "prophet" is one who teaches, and in the abstract sense, what is taught, and when spoken of the Lord, that it means the Divine Truth, or the Word, may be seen above, AC 9188. AC 9198.

Verse 5. Laying hands on a few sick people.—By the Lord "laying His hands on the sick," and also by the "touch," is meant the communication and reception of His divine virtue, as is evident from chap. 5:27. See Exposition, AC 10023.

Verses 7, 8, 9. And He called the twelve, and began to send them out by two and two, and gave them power over unclean spirits; and exhorted them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse; but be shod with sandals, and not put on two coats.—Inasmuch as Divine Truth is only One, namely, what is from the Divine Good, command was also given to the twelve disciples, when they were sent to preach the Gospel of the kingdom, that they should not have two coats; concerning which it is thus written in Luke:—"Jesus sent the twelve disciples to preach the Gospel of the kingdom, and said to them, Take nothing for the journey, neither staves, nor a purse, nor bread, nor silver; neither have two coats apiece." (Luke 9:2, 3.) And in Mark,—" He commanded them that they should take nothing for the journey, except a staff only; no purse, no bread, no money in their purse; but be shod with sandals, and not put on two coats." (Mark 6:8, 9.) And in Matthew,— "Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey; neither two coats, neither shoes, nor staves." (Matt 10:9, 10.) In the above passages singular things are representative of the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord's kingdom, to preach which they were sent. The reason why they were not to take with them gold, silver, brass, a scrip, and bread, was, because those things signified goods and truths, which are from the Lord alone; "gold" signifying good, AC 113, 1551, 1552; but "silver" the truth thence derived, AC 1551, 2954; "brass," natural good, AC 425, 1551; "bread," the good of love, or celestial good, AC 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3478; but the "coat" and the "shoes" signified the truths with which they were to be clothed, and the "staff" the power of truth grounded in good; that a "staff" is that power, may be seen, AC 4013, 4015. That a "shoe" denotes the lowest natural principle, see AC 1748; on that occasion, as to truth; a "coat" denotes interior natural truth; and since these things were not two-fold, but single one, it was forbidden to take two staves, two pairs of shoes, and two coats. These are the arcana contained in the above command of the Lord, which cannot in any way be known except from the internal sense. All and singular the things which the Lord spoke were representative of divine things, consequently of the celestial and spiritual things of His kingdom, and were thus adequate to the comprehension of men, and at the same time to the understanding of spirits and angels; wherefore the things which the Lord spoke filled and do fill the universal heaven. Hence also it is evident of what importance and concern it is to be acquainted with the internal sense of the Word; without that sense, also, every one may confirm from the Word whatever dogma he pleases, and since the Word appears of such a quality to those who are in evil, they therefore make a mock of the Word, and think it incredible that it should be Divine. AC 4677.

By the above words was represented that they who are principled in goods and truths from the Lord, possess nothing of goods and truths from themselves, but that all the Good and Truth which they have, is from the Lord, For by the "twelve disciples" were represented all who are principled in goods and truths from the Lord; in the abstract sense, all the goods of love and the truths of faith from the Lord, AC 3488, 3858, 6397; goods and truths from self, and not from the Lord, are signified by possessing "gold, silver, brass in their girdles," and by a "scrip;" but truths and goods from the Lord are signified by a "coat," a "shoe," and a "staff;" by a "coat," interior truth, or truth from a celestial principle; by a "shoe," exterior truth, or truth in the natural principle, AC 1748, 6844; by a "staff," the power of truth, AC 4876, 4936; but by "two coats, two shoes, and two staves," truths and their powers both from the Lord and from self. That the disciples were allowed to have one coat, one pair of shoes, and one staff, is manifest from Mark 6:8, 9, and from Luke 9:2, 3. AC 9942.

A shoe is what invests the sole of the foot and the heel, wherefore a "shoe" signifies the lowest natural principle, thus the very corporeal principle; the signification of a "shoe" is according to the subjects of which it is predicated; when it is predicated of the good, it is taken in a good sense, but when of the evil, in a bad sense. AC 1748.

Verse 10. Wheresoever you enter into a house, &c.—A "house" signifies various things, as the church, good therein, also a man, and likewise his mind, both natural and rational. AC 9150.

Good belonging to a man is, in the Word, compared to a house, and on this account a man who is principled in good is called the "house of God." AC 3128.

Verse 11. And whoever will not receive you, nor hear you, when you depart thence, shake off the dust from under your feet, for a testimony against them.—By the "dust of the feet," is here signified the same as by a "shoe," namely, what is unclean, grounded in what is evil and false, because the sole of the foot denotes the ultimate natural principle; and whereas at that time they were in representatives, and supposed heavenly mysteries to be stored up in them alone, not in naked truths, therefore they were commanded so to do. AC 1748.

By "dust" is signified what is damned, and the reason is, because the places where evil spirits are, sideways beneath the soles of the feet, appear as earth, and indeed, as uncultivated and dry earth, beneath which are certain hells; that earth is what is called damned earth, and the dust there signifies what is damned. It has occasionally been given me to see that evil spirits shook off the dust from their feet there, when they were desirous to deliver up any one to damnation. Hence now it is that by "dust" is signified what is damned, and by "shaking off the dust," damnation. It was by reason of this signification that the Lord commanded the disciples to "shake off the dust of their feet, if they were not received." (See Matt 10:14, 15; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5; 10:10, 11, 12.) For by "disciples" in those passages are not meant disciples, but all things of the church, thus all things of faith and charity, AC 2089, 2129; by "not receiving" and "not hearing," is signified to reject the truths which are of faith and the goods which are of charity; by "shaking off the dust of the feet," is signified damnation. The reason why it would be "more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for that city," is, because by "Sodom and Gomorrah" are meant those who are in evil of life, but who have known nothing of the Lord and of the Word, thus, could not receive them. Hence it may be manifest that it is not a house or a city which is here meant, but that they are understood who are within the church, and do not live the life of faith; every one may see that a whole city could not be damned on that account, because they did not receive the disciples, and instantly acknowledge the new doctrine which they preached. By "dust" is also signified what is damned, in the following passages:—" Jehovah God said to the serpent, On your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life." (Gen 3:14.) And in Micah,—"Feed Your people according to the days of eternity; the nations shall see, and shall blush at all Your power: they shall lick the dust as a serpent." (Micah 7:14, 16, 17.) And in Isaiah,—"Dust shall be the serpent's bread." (Is 65:25.) And again in the same prophet,—"Come down, and sit on the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon." (Is 47:1.) And in David,— "Our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaves to the earth." (Psalm xliv. 25.) In the Word, also, "dust" signifies a sepulchre, also what is lowly, and likewise what is numerous. AC 7418.

Verse 12. They preached that men should repent.—For the true doctrine of repentance, see above, Exposition, chap. 1:4, 5.

Verse 13. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with

oil many that were sick, and healed them.—Inasmuch as "oil" signified the good of love and charity, and by it all are healed who are spiritually sick, therefore it is said of the Lord's disciples, that "they anointed many with oil, and healed them." AE 375.

Verse 14. John the Baptist.—See above, chap. 1:4. Exposition of the object and meaning of John the Baptist, and of his mission.

Verse 20. Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and holy.—That the term "holy" is predicated of Truth, and the term "just" of Good, is evident from these passages in the Word:—" Just and true are Your ways, You King of saints." (Apoc 15:3.) And in Mark 6:20. See also AC 4167, 9119, 9283.

Verse 30. And the apostles gathered themselves to Jesus.— By the "twelve apostles," as by the twelve tribes, are signified all things of the church, and especially all who are in truths of doctrine from the good of love from the Lord. AR 348.

Verses 35—45. On the miracle of the five loaves and two small fishes.—This miracle was worked because the Lord had before taught His disciples, and because they received His doctrine, and appropriated it to themselves; this was what they did eat spiritually, whence natural eating followed, namely, flowed in from heaven with them, as manna with the sons of Israel, whilst they were ignorant; for when the Lord wills, spiritual food, which is also real food, but only for spirits and angels, is turned into natural, in like manner as into manna every morning. AE 617.

Singular the things in this miracle, with the numbers themselves also, mentioned in it, are significative. "Five thousand men, besides women and children," signify all who are of the church, in truths derived from good; "men," those who are in truths; "women and children," those who are in goods; "loaves of bread" the goods, and "fishes" the truths of the natural man; "feeding" signifies spiritual nourishment from the Lord; "twelve baskets of fragments," signify thence the knowledges of truths and good, in all abundance and fullness. AE 430.

Verse 39. And He commanded to make all sit down by companies on the green grass.—By "green grass" in the Word is signified that goodness and truth which first springs up in the natural man; the same is also signified by the "herb of the field." AR 401.

Verse 41. And taking the five loaves and two fishes, looking up to heaven, He blessed them.—By "blessing" is here signified the communication of His divine principle, and thereby conjunction with His disciples and the people, by the goods and truths, which were signified by the "loaves," and also bv the "fishes." AE 340.

Verse 43. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.—The "twelve baskets of fragments," which were taken up, signify what is full, thus full instruction and full benediction. AE 548.

Verses 47—52. On the miracle of jesus walking on the sea.—Singular the things related in this miracle, signify Divine spiritual things, which yet do not appear in the letter, as the sea, the Lord's walking upon it, the fourth watch, in which He came to His disciples, also the ship, into which Jesus entered, and that He thence restrained the winds, and the waves of the sea, besides the rest of the things mentioned. But the spiritual things which are signified, it is unnecessary to explain here singly, only that the "sea" signifies the ultimate of heaven and of the church, inasmuch as in the ultimate borders of the heavens there are seas. The Lord "walking upon the sea," signified the presence and influx of the Lord into those seas; and hence life from the Divine Being to those who are in the ultimates of heaven; their life from the Divine Being was represented by the Lord's "walking on the sea;" and their obscure and wavering faith was represented by Peter "walking on the sea, and beginning to sink," but being caught hold of by the Lord, he was saved. To "walk" also, in the Word, signifies to live; this being done in the "fourth watch," signified the first state of the church, when it is twilight, and the morning is at hand, for then good begins to act by truth, and then is the Lord's coming. The "sea" in the mean time being put in commotion by the wind, and the Lord's restraining it, signifies the natural state of life which precedes, which state is unpacific, and as it were tempestuous; but when the state is nearest to the morning, which is the first state of the church with man, because then the Lord is present with the good of love, tranquillity of mind is effected. AE 514.

Verse 56. And wherever He entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought Him that they might touch if it were but the border of His garment: and as many as touched Him [or if], were made whole.—That the "borders of a garment" denote the most external things where the natural principle is, is manifest from the passages in the Word where such borders are mentioned, as in Isaiah,—" I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty, and the borders of His garment filling the temple;" (Is 6:1.) where, by the "throne on which the Lord sat," is signified heaven, and specifically the spiritual heaven, AC 5313, 8625; by the "borders of His garment," are there signified Divine Truths in ultimates, or in outermost principles, such as are the truths of the Word in the sense of the letter, which are said to "fill the temple" when they fill the church. By the woman being healed of an issue of blood, when "she touched the hem of the Lord's garment," and in general, by all being healed, "as many as touched the hem of His garment," was signified, that from the Divine Being or Principle in the most external or ultimate things, went forth salvation; for that they had strength and power in the ultimates of good, which are from the Divine Being or Principle, may be seen, AC 9836. AC 9917.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS.

Chapter VI.

verses 45, 46. And immediately He constrained His disciples to get into the ship, while He dismissed the multitude. And when He had bid them adieu, He departed, into a mountain to pray.—In the common version of the New Testament, what is here rendered "dismissed," and "bid adieu to," is comprised in one expression, "sent away," as if both terms were synonymous, and expressive of the same idea, and as if also they were applied to the same persons, whereas the terms in the original Greek are perfectly distinct, expressive too of distinct ideas, and likewise applied to different persons; the first term  being applied to the multitude, and denoting their dismissal, whilst the second term [ ] is manifestly applied to the disciples, to denote that the Lord bid them adieu, on His departure into a mountain to pray.

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