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Mark Chapter 8

verses 1, 2. The multitude having nothing to eat. — In the Word mention is frequently made of "eating" and "drinking," and they who are unacquainted with the spiritual sense suppose that these expressions signify nothing more than natural eating and drinking; whereas they signify spiritual nourishment, consequently the appropriation of Good and Truth, "eating" signifying the appropriation of Good, and "drinking" the appropriation of Truth. Any one may know, who believes in the spirituality of the Word, that by "eating and drinking," as by bread, food, wine, and drink, is signified spiritual nourishment; for otherwise the Word would be merely natural, and not at the same time spiritual, thus only for the natural man, and not for the spiritual man, much less for the angels. To be spiritually nourished, is to be instructed and imbued, consequently it is to know, to understand, and to be wise; unless man enjoys this nourishment, together with the nourishment of the body, he is not a man but a beast, which is the reason that they who place all delight in feastings and banquetings, and daily indulge their palates, are stupid as to things spiritual, however they may be able to reason concerning the things of the world and of the body, whence, after their departure from this world, they live rather a beastly than a human life, for instead of intelligence and wisdom they have insanity and folly. In confirmation of what is here said respecting spiritual nourishment, we will adduce what the Lord says—" Man shall not live by bread only, but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God." AE 627.

Verse 4. In the wilderness.—By "wilderness" in the Word is signified,— I. The church devastated, or in which all the Truths of the Word are falsified, such as it was among the Jews at the time of the Lord's advent. II. The church, in which there are not any Truths, because they are not possessed of the Word, such as it was among the well-disposed Gentiles in the Lord's time. III. A state of temptation, in which man is as it were without Truths, because he is surrounded by evil spirits who induce temptations, and then as it were take away his Truths.

I. That by "wilderness" is signified the devastated church, or the church in which all the Truths of the Word are falsified, such as it was among the Jews in the Lord's time, appears from these passages:—" Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; that made the world a wilderness?" (Isa 14:16, 17.) speaking of Babel. "Thorns and thistles are come up on the land of My people; the palace shall be a wilderness," (Isa 32:13, 14.) "I beheld, and lo, Carmel was a wilderness, - the whole land shall be wasteness." (Jer 4:26, 27.) In which passages "earth" means the church, n. 285. "The pastors have destroyed My vineyard, they have reduced the field of My desire to a wilderness of solitude: the spoilers are come in the wilderness." (Jer 12:10, 12.) "A vine is planted in the wilderness, in a land of dryness and thirst." (Ezek 19:13.) "The fire has consumed the habitations of the wilderness." (Joel 1:19, 20.) "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of Jehovah; make straight in the desert a path for our God." (Isa 40:3.) Besides other places, as in Isa 23:12; 35:1; Lament 5:9; Hosea ii. 2, 3; 13:5, 15. That such also is the state of the church at this day, may be seen below, AC 566.

II. That by "wilderness" is meant the church in which there are not any Truths, because they are not possessed of the Word, as was the case with the well-disposed Gentiles in the Lord's time, appears from the following passages:—" The Spirit shall be poured upon you from on high; then the wilderness shall be a fruitful field, and judgement shall dwell in the wilderness." (Isa 32:15, 16.) "I will put fountains in the midst of the valleys: and make the wilderness a pool of waters. I will give in the wilderness the shittim, cedar, and the olive tree." (Isa 41:18, 19.) "He shall make the wilderness a pool of waters, and the dry ground watersprings." (Psalm 107:35.) "I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen." (Isa 43:19, 20.) "Jehovah will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah; joy and gladness shall be found therein." (Isa 51:3.) "The habitations of the wilderness distil." (Psalm 65:12.) "Let the wilderness lift up its voice: let the inhabitants of the rock sing." (Isa 42:11.)

III. That by "wilderness" is signified a state of temptation, in which man is as it were without Truths, because he is surrounded by evil spirits who induce temptation, and then as it were deprive him of Truths, appears from Matt 4:1, 2, 3; Mark 1:12, 13; Luke 4:1, 2, 3; Jer 2:2, 6, 7; Hosea 2:14-16; Psalm 107:4-7; Deut 1:31-33; 8:2, 3, 4,15,16; 32:10. AR 546.

Verses 5, 6, 8. And He asked them, How many loaves have you? And they said, Seven. And He commanded the multitude to sit down on the earth: and taking the seven loaves, when He had given thanks, He break them, &c. And they took up the overplus of their fragments, seven baskets.—Inasmuch as, in the prophetic Book of the Apocalypse, frequent mention is made of numbers, and no one can know the spiritual sense of the things contained in that book, unless it be known what each particular number signifies, for all numbers in the Word, like all names, signify spiritual things; and whereas the number seven is often named amongst the rest, therefore I am desirous here to show that the number "seven" signifies all and all things, both what is full and the whole; for whatever signifies all and all things, that also signifies what is full and the whole, since what is full and the whole is predicated of the magnitude of a thing, and all, and all things of multitude. That the number "seven" has these significations, may be manifest from the following passages:—" The hungry have ceased, until the barren has borne seven; but she that has many children is waxed feeble;" (1 Sam 2:5.) where the "hungry who have ceased,"are those who desire the truths and goods of the church; the "barren that have born seven," signifies those who are out of the church, and are not acquainted with truths, because they have not the Word; thus the Gentiles are signified, to whom all truths will be given; "she that has many children being waxed feeble," signifies those who have truths, from whom they will be taken away. And in David,—" Recompense to our neighbours sevenfold into their bosoms;" (Psalm 79:12.) where "sevenfold" signifies fully. And in Luke,—"If your brother shall sin against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day shall return to you, saying, I repent, you shall forgive him;" (Luke 17:4.) where, to "forgive sins seven times," if he "returned seven times," is to forgive as often as he returned, thus on all occasions. And in David,—" Seven times in a day do I praise You, because of Your judgements of justice;" (Psalm 119:164.) where "seven times in a day" denotes always, or at all times. Again, — "The words of Jehovah are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times;" (Ps 12:6.) where "silver" denotes truth from the Divine Being; "purified seven times" signifies altogether, and fully pure. From the signification of the number "seven," it may be manifest what is signified by the "seven days of creation;" (Gen. i.) also by "four thousand men being fed from seven loaves, and that seven baskets full remained over and above." (Matt 15:34-38; Mark 8:5-9.) Hence too it is evident what is signified in the Apocalypse by "seven churches;" (Apoc 1:4, 11.) by "seven golden candlesticks, in the midst of which was the Son of Man;" (Apoc 1:13.) by "seven stars in His right hand;" (Apoc 1:16, 20.) by "the seven Spirits of God;" (3:1.) by "the seven lamps of fire before the throne;" (Apoc 4:5.) by "the book sealed with seven seals;" (Apoc 5:1.) by "the seven angels, to whom were given seven trumpets;" (Apoc 8:2.) by "the seven thunders uttering voices;" (Apoc 10:3, 4.) by "the seven angels having the seven last plagues;" (Apoc 15:1, 6.) and by "the seven vials full of the seven last plagues;" Apoc 16:1; 21:9.) and in other parts of the Word where the number "seven" is named. AE 257.

Verse 11. Asking of Him a sign from heaven, tempting Him.—By a "sign" is understood that which declares, testifies, and persuades concerning a thing inquired after. But by a "miracle" is understood that which excites, strikes, and induces astonishment; thus a sign moves the understanding and faith, and a miracle the will and its affection. For the will and its affection is what is excited, is stricken, and amazed; and the understanding and its faith is what is persuaded, what a declaration is made to, and which admits of testification. That in the above words, by "asking and showing a sign," is signified to testify by somewhat stupendous, or by a voice from heaven, is evident; but whereas such a testification would have condemned them rather than have saved them, therefore Jesus said—" There shall no sign be given to this generation." AE 706.

Verse 11. From heaven,—It should be known that "heaven" is not in any certain and determinate place, thus not on high, according to the vulgar opinion, but "heaven" is where the Divine Being or the Lord is, thus with every one and in every one who is in charity and faith, for charity and faith are heaven, because they are from the Divine Being; the angels also dwell there. That heaven is where the Lord is, is evident from this consideration, that Mount Sinai, from which the Lord spoke, is called heaven, which also is the reason why by "Mount Sinai" is signified heaven, whence divine Truth is. AC 8930.

Verse 15. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.—"Leaven" signifies evil and the false, whereby celestial and spiritual things are rendered impure and profane. The conjunction of the Lord with mankind is effected by love and charity, and by faith grounded therein. Those celestial and spiritual things were represented by the unleavened bread which was eaten on the days of the passover, and it was to prevent the defilement of those things by any profane principles, that "leaven" was forbidden, under the severe penalty of being "cut off from Israel;" (Exod 12:15.) for they who profane things celestial and spiritual must needs perish. AC 2342.

Verse 17. Have you your heart yet hardened?—As to "hardness of heart," see above, Exposition, chap. 3:5.

Verses 17, 18. And Jesus knowing, says to them, Why reason you, because you have no bread? Perceive you not, neither understand? Have you your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see you not? And having ears, hear you not? And do you not remember?—By the "eye" is signified the understanding, and the reason is, because the sight of the body corresponds to the sight of its spirit, which is the understanding; and inasmuch as it corresponds, by the "eye" in the Word, wherever in general it is named, is signified the understanding, even where it is believed to have another signification, as where the Lord says in Matthew,—" The lamp of the body is the eye: if the eye be simple, the whole body is lucid; if the eye be evil, the whole body is darkened;" (Matt. vi. 22, 23.) where the "eye" denotes the understanding, the spiritual principle of which is faith; which also may be manifest, from the explication there given,—" If therefore the light which is in you be darkened, how great is that darkness?" In like manner in the same Evangelist,—" If your right eye scandalize, pluck it out, and cast it from you." (Matt. v. 29; 18:9.) The "left eye "is the intellectual principle, but the "right eye" is its affection; the "plucking out the right eye" denotes that the affection, if it scandalize, ought to be subdued. And in Luke,—"Jesus said to the disciples, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see;"_(Luke 10:23.) where, by the "eyes which see," is signified intelligence and faith; for the sight of the Lord, also of His miracles and works, did not render any one blessed, but they were blessed because they apprehended with the understanding and had faith, which is to see with the eyes; for the understanding is the spiritual principle of sight, and faith is the spiritual principle of the understanding. The sight of the eye is from the light of the world; the sight of the understanding is from the light of heaven, flowing in to those things which are of the light of the world; but the sight of faith is from the light of heaven. Hence mention is made of "seeing with the understanding," and of "seeing by faith." And in Mark,—"Jesus said to the disciples, How is it that you know not, neither understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, see you not? And having ears, hear you not?" (Mark 8:17, 18.) where it is evident that not to be willing to understand and not to believe, is to "have eyes, and not to see." AC 2701.

Verse 19. Twelve baskets of fragments.—See above, Exposition, chap. vi. 35—45.

Verse 22. They bring to Him one that was blind.—By all the "blind" whom the Lord healed, are understood those who are in ignorance and who receive Him, and are illustrated by the Word from Him. And, in general, by all the miracles of the Lord are signified such things as appertain to heaven and the church, thus spiritual things; from which circumstance His miracles were divine, for it is divine to act from first [principles], and so to present or exhibit those things in ultimates. AE 239.

Verses 34, 35. And calling the people, with His disciples, He said to them, Whosoever is willing to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever is willing to save his soul, shall lose it; but whoever shall lose his soul, for My sake and the Gospel's, he shall save it. — Concerning combats against evils, which are temptations, much is said in many passages in the Word; they are meant by these words of the Lord:—" I say to you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die, it brings forth much fruit." (John 12:24.) Also by these words,—"Whosoever would come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. Whosoever would save his life, shall lose it; but he that will lose it, for My sake and the Gospel's, the same shall save it;" (Mark 8:34, 35.) where, by the "cross," is meant temptation, as likewise in Matthew 10:38; 16:24; Mark 10:21; Luke 14:27. By the "soul" is meant the life of the selfhood of man; as likewise, Matt 10:39; 16:25; Luke 9:24; and especially John 12:25; which also is the life of the "flesh that profits nothing." (John 6:63.) Concerning combats against evils, and victories over them, the Lord speaks to all the churches in the Apocalypse: to the church in Ephesus,—" To him who overcometh, I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Rev 2:7.) To the church in Smyrna,—" He who overcometh shall not be hurt in the second death." (Rev 2:11.) To the church in Pergamos,—" To him who overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna; and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives." (Rev 2:17.) To the church in Thyatira,—"To him who overcometh, and keeps My works to the end, I will give power over the nations, and the morning star." (Rev 2:26, 28.) To the church in Sardis,—" Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and I will write upon him the name of God, and the name of the city of God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from God: and [I will write upon him] My new name." (Rev 3:12.) To the church in Laodicea,—" To him who overcometh will I give to sit with Me on My throne." (Rev 3:21.) Concerning those combats, which are temptations, the subject may be seen specifically treated of in the "Doctrine of the New Jerusalem," published in London in the year 1758, from NJHD 187 to 201: whence they are, and of what quality, NJHD 196, 197: how and when they take place, NJHD 198: what good they effect, NJHD 199: that the Lord fights for man, NJHD 200: concerning the Lord's combats or temptations, NJHD 201. DLife 99.

In the above passage, by "cross" are meant temptations; and by "following the Lord," is meant to acknowledge His Divinity, and to do His precepts; that this is meant by "following the Lord," may be seen above, AE 864. The reason why temptations are meant by a "cross" is, because evils and the false principles thence derived, which adhere to man from his birth, infest and thus torment those who are natural, during the time that they become spiritual; and whereas evils and the false principles thence derived, which infest and torment, cannot be dispersed but by temptations; hence temptations are signified by a "cross." On this account the Lord says, that His followers are to "deny themselves, and take up their cross" that is, that they are to reject whatever is of self, their "cross" being the selfhood of man, against which they are to engage in combats. So in another place,—" Jesus said to the rich man, who asked Him what he ought to do that he might inherit eternal life, You know the commandments; you shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not defraud, honour your father and mother. He answering, said, All these things have I kept from my youth. Jesus looked at him and loved him, yet He said to him, One thing you lack: go your way, sell what you have, and give to the poor, so shall you have treasure in the heavens; nevertheless, follow Me, taking up the cross." (Mark 10:17, 19, 20, 21.) Here also by "following the Lord," and "taking up the cross," similar things are signified as above, namely, to acknowledge the Divinity of the Lord, and the Lord to be the God of heaven and earth, for without that acknowledgement no one can abstain from evils and do good, except from himself, and except it be meritorious; the good, which is good in itself, and good not meritorious, is only from the Lord, wherefore unless the Lord be acknowledged, and that all good is from Him, man cannot be saved; but before any one can do good from the Lord, he must undergo temptation. The reason is, because by temptation the internal of man is opened, by which man is conjoined to heaven. Now since no one can do the precepts without the Lord, therefore the Lord said—"Yet lack you one thing: sell all that you have, and follow Me, taking up the cross;" that is, that he ought to acknowledge the Lord, and undergo temptations. That he should "sell all that he had, and give to the poor," in the spiritual sense, signifies that he should alienate and reject from himself the things of self, thus it signifies the same as above, that he should deny himself; and by "giving to the poor," in the spiritual sense, is signified the doing works of charity. The reason why the Lord so spoke to the rich man was, because he was rich; and by "riches," in the spiritual sense, are signified the knowledges of what is good and true, and with him who was a Jew, the knowledges of what is evil and false, because they were traditions; hence it may be manifest that the Lord spoke here, as in other places, by correspondences. AE 893.

Verse 34. Whosoever is willing to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.—That to "go after the Lord," and to "follow Him," is to deny self, is evident, and to "deny self," is not to be led of self, but of the Lord; and he denies himself who shuns and holds in aversion all evils because they are sins, which, when man holds in aversion, he is led of the Lord, for he does His precepts not from himself, but from the Lord. Similar things are signified in other passages also by "following the Lord," as Matt 19:21,28; Mark 2:14, 15; 3:7, 8; 10:21, 28, 29; Luke xviii. 22, 28; John 12:26; 13:36, 37; 21:19-22. From these considerations it may be manifest, that to "follow the Lord," is to be led by Him, and not by self; and no other person can be led by the Lord, except him who is not led by himself, and every one is led by himself who does not shun evils because they are contrary to the Word, and thus are contrary to God, consequently, because they are sins and from hell; every one who does not thus shun evils and hold them in aversion, is led by himself. The reason is, because the evil which is hereditarily in man, makes his life, inasmuch as it is his selfhood, and man, before those evils are removed, does all things from them, thus from himself. But it is otherwise when evils are removed, as is the case when they are shunned because they are infernal; for in this case the Lord enters with truths and goods out of heaven, and leads man. The primary cause is, because every man is his own love, and man, as to his spirit, which lives after death, is nothing but the affection which is of his love, and every evil is from his love, thus it is of his love. Hence it follows that the love or affection of man cannot otherwise be reformed, but by the shunning of evils and holding them in spiritual aversion, which is to shun and hold them in aversion because they are infernal. From these considerations it may now be manifest what it is to "follow the Lord. AE 864.

Verse 35. For whoever is willing to save his soul, shall lose it, &c.— By "loving their soul," is signified to love self and the world, for by "soul is signified man's proper life, which every one has by birth, which consists in loving himself and the world above all things; therefore by "not loving their soul is signified not to love self and the world more than the Lord and the things which are of the Lord; "to death," signifies to be willing to die rather; consequently it is to love the Lord above all things, and one's neighbour as one's self, (Matt 22:85-38.) and to be willing to die rather than give up those two loves. The same is signified by these words of the Lord:— Whosoever is willing to find his soul, shall lose it; and whoever loses his soul for the sake of Jesus, shall find it (Matt 10:39; Luke 17:33.) "He that loves his soul shall lose it; but he that hates his soul in this world, shall preserve it to life eternal." (John 12:25.) "Jesus said, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself; he that is willing to save his soul, shall lose it; and he that loses his soul, for My sake, shall find it. What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his soul? or what price can a man give sufficient for the redemption of his soul?" (Matt 16:24, 25; Mark 8:35, 36, 37; Luke 9:24, 25.) By "loving the Lord," is meant to love to do His commandments. (John 14:20-24.) The reason is, because He Himself is His commandments, for they are from Him, therefore He is in them, and consequently is in the man in whose life they are engraven; and they are engraven in man by willing and doing them. AR 556.

Verse 35.—Every man who is reformed, is first reformed as to his internal man, and afterwards as to his external. The internal man is not reformed by merely knowing and understanding the truths and goods by which a man is saved, but by willing and loving them; but the external man is reformed by speaking and doing the things which the internal man wills and loves, and in the degree this is done the man is regenerated. That he is not regenerated before, is, because his internal is not before this in its effect, but only in the cause, and the cause, unless it is in the effect, is dissipated, for it is like a house founded upon the ice, which falls to the ground when the ice is melted by the sun. In a word, he is like a man without feet upon which he can stand and walk. AR 510.

Verse 36. What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, &c.—From these words it is manifest that worldly blessing is nothing in respect to heavenly blessing, which is eternal; but the man who is immersed in worldly and earthly things does not comprehend this, for worldly and earthly things suffocate and annihilate a belief in life eternal. AC 8939.

Verse 38. for whoever shall be ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Alan be ashamed, &c.—By "committing adultery," in a spiritual sense, is meant to adulterate the goods of the Word, and to falsify its truths. That this is meant by committing adultery, has been heretofore unknown to mankind, because the spiritual sense of the Word has remained heretofore undiscovered; but that this is signified in the Word by "committing whoredoms, adulteries, and fornications," is very evident from the following passages:—" I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies." (Jer 23:14.) "They have committed villainy in Israel, they have committed adultery, and have spoken lying words in My name." (Jer 29:23.) "They shall commit whoredom, because they have left off to take heed to the Lord." (Hosea 4:10.) For as much as the Jewish nation had falsified the Word, therefore it is called by the Lord an "adulterous generation;" (Matt 12:39; Mark 8:38.) and the "seed of the adulterer;" (Isa 57:3.) not to mention other passages in the Word, where by "adulteries and whoredoms" are understood adulterations and falsifications of the Word, as in Jer 3:6, 8; 13:21; Ezek 16:15, 16, 26, 28, 29, 32, 33; 23:2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 14, 16, 17; Hosea 5:3; 6:10; Nahum 3:4. TCR 314. See also AR 134. AE 222.

Verse 38. When He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.—The angels of heaven by "glory" perceive nothing else than the divine Truth, and because all divine Truth is from the Lord, by "giving glory to Him," (Apoc 14:7.) they perceive the acknowledgement and confession that all Truth is from Him. For all the glory in the heavens is from no other Source, and in the degree that a society of heaven is in the divine Truth, all things there are splendid, and the angels are in the splendour of glory. That by "glory" is understood the divine Truth, is evident from the following passages:—"The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of Jehovah; the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it." (Isa 40:3, 5.) "I will give You for a covenant of the people, a light of the Gentiles; and My glory I will not give to another;" (Isa 42:6, 8.) and in many other passages. AR 629.

Of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when He comes in the glory of His Father.—That Divine Truth is the Son, and Divine Good the Father, may be manifest from the signification of "Son," as denoting truth, and of "Father," as denoting good; also from the conception and nativity of truth, as being from good. The reason why "Son" is Divine Truth, and "Father" Divine Good, is, because the union of the Divine Essence with the Human, and of the Human with the Divine, is the marriage of Divine Good with Truth, and of Truth with Good, from which comes the heavenly marriage; for in Jehovah or the Lord there is nothing but what is infinite, and inasmuch as it is infinite, it cannot be apprehended by any idea, only that it is the esse and existere of all good and truth, or Good itself and Truth itself. Good itself is the Father, and Truth itself is the Son; but whereas there is a divine marriage, as was said, of Good and Truth, and of Truth and Good, the Father is in the Son, and the Son in the Father, as the Lord Himself teaches in John,—"Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; if God be glorified in Him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself." Hence it may be manifest what is the quality of the union of the Divinity and Humanity in the Lord, namely, that it is mutual, or reciprocal, which union is what is called the divine marriage, from which descends the heavenly marriage, which is the kingdom of the Lord in the heavens. AC 2803.

The Divine Truth in the Human Divine [principle] of the Lord, which endured temptations, is not the Divine Truth Itself, for this is above all temptation; but it is the rational truth such as angels have, consisting in appearances of truth, and is what is called the "Son of Man," but before glorification; but the Divine Truth in the Divine Human [principle] of the Lord glorified is above appearances, neither can it come to any understanding, still less to the apprehension of man, nor even to that of angels, thus it cannot at all be subject to temptation. Concerning this Divine Truth, or Son of Man glorified, it is thus written in John:—" Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; if God be glorified in Him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself, and shall straightway glorify Him." (John 13:31, 32.) That a distinct idea may be had of this very great mystery, it is allowed to call the truth belonging to the Lord, which was capable of being tempted, and which endured temptations, Truth Divine in the Human Divine [principle] of the Lord, but to call the Truth which could not be tempted or undergo any temptation, because it was glorified, Divine Truth in the Divine Human [principle] of the Lord. AC 2814. See also AC 9429, 10053, 10067; D. Lord. 35; and TCR 128.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS.

Chapter VIII.

verse 15. And He charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.— What is here rendered, "Take heed, beware of," is expressed in the original Greek by the two terms Orate, blepete, both of which have relation to the sight of the eye, whilst the former, namely, orate, is expressive of a more interior sight, and the latter, namely, blepete, of a more exterior sight. The two terms, therefore, as being here spiritually applied, have relation to the understanding and its sight, and evidently imply an admonition to explore attentively the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod, by every power of the understanding, both interior and exterior.

Verse 24. I see men, for as trees I see [them] walking,— In the common version of the New Testament, these words are rendered, "I see men as trees, walking," but in the original Greek the words are thus written:—blepw toud anqrwpoud oti wd dendra orw peripatountad; where it is plain that two distinct expressions are applied to denote seeing, namely, blepw and orw, and that the conjunction oti is also added in a causal sense, as denoting the reason of this double sight. It deserves further to be noted that the first sight here spoken of, is expressed by the Greek blepw, which, as has been shown in a foregoing note, has reference to a more external sight, and that the second sight is expressed by the Greek orw, which has reference to a more interior sight. Perhaps it may not be easy to discover the full scope of the passage in regard both to its natural and spiritual meaning, but surely one thing-is certain, namely, that the two terms expressive of sight ought to be preserved, together with the conjunction by which they are united.