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Matthew Chapter 15

    Chapter 15

THE INTERNAL SENSE.

  1. Then came to Jesus the scribes and Pharisees which were of Jerusalem, saying,
  2. Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

that the perverse church is scrupulous about the doctrines of men and external purifications. Verses 1, 2.

  1. But He answering said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

But, at the same time, careless about fulfilling the requirements of God. Verse 3.

  1. For God commanded, saying, Honour your father and mother; and he that speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.
  2. But you say, Whosoever shall say to the father or mother, whatsoever gift is of me, you shall be profited [by it].
  3. And he honours not his father or his mother; and you have made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

For whereas the Divine Love and Wisdom ought to be exalted above all other things, they of the perverse church exalt themselves and their own talents above those Divine principles, and would receive honour from God, rather than pay honour to God, which is contrary to the requirement of God. Verses 4, 5, 6.

  1. [You] hypocrites, well did Esaias prophecy of you, saying,
  2. This people draws near to me with their mouth, and honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Hence their worship becomes merely external and hypocritical, as had been predicted. Verses 7, 8.

  1. But in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines the commandments of men.

And is attended with no blessing, because grounded in human respect, more than in regard to the Divine Law. Verse 9.

  1. And calling the multitude, He said to them, Hear and understand.
  2. Not that which enters into the mouth defiles the man, but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles the man.

When yet no man is such as his thought and doctrine is, but every man is such as his intention or love is. Verses 10, 11.

  1. Then His disciples coming, said to Him, Know You that the Pharisees hearing the saying, were offended?
  2. But He answering said, Every plantation, which My heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted out.

That this truth is opposed by those who are in external worship separate from internal, when yet the Word teaches that every human good and truth must perish, unless grounded in the Divine Good. Verses 12, 13.

  1. Let them alone: they are blind leaders of the blind; but if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into a pit.

And that they who teach otherwise are in infernal falses, and mislead. Verse 14.

  1. But Peter answering said to Him, Declare to us this parable.

That faith grounded in charity is desirous to be instructed in the internal sense of the Word. Verse 15.

  1. But Jesus said, Are you also yet without understanding?
  2. Do not you yet understand, that every thing that enters in into the mouth, passes off into the belly, and is cast out into the drain?
  3. But those things which proceed out from the mouth, come forth from the heart, and they defile the man:

And is taught that nothing either of good or of evil is appropriated, whilst it is only in the thought of the understanding, until it gains a place in the will or love, and thence comes into the thought and act. Verses 16, 17, 18.

  1. For out of the heart come forth evil reasonings, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnessings, blasphemies.
  2. These are the things that defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands defiles not the man.

For that from the will or love comes all opposition to heavenly truth and good, and hence the destruction of charity, the perversion of good and of truth, the persuasion that life is self-derived, the confounding of good with evil, and of truth with the false, and a denial of Divine influence, which are the only sources of defilement on the part of man. Verses 19, 20.

  1. And Jesus going forth thence, departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
  2. And, behold, a woman of Canaan coming out of those borders, cried out, saying to Him, Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is ill vexed by a demon.

That they, who are in the affection of the knowledges of heavenly truth both internal and external, apply to the Lord's Divine Humanity, and supplicate deliverance from infernal falses. Verses 21, 22.

  1. But He answered her not a word; and His disciples coming to Him, besought Him, saying, Send her away, for she cries after us.
  2. But He answering said, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

But their supplication seems at first to be disregarded, and themselves to be rejected, because they were not of the church. Verses 23, 24.

  1. But she coming worshiped Him, saying, Lord, help me.
  2. But He answering said, It is not worthy to take the children's bread, and to cast [it] to young dogs.
  3. But she said, Yea, Lord, yet the young dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the table of their lords.

Nevertheless they persist in their application for Divine aid, urging that although they are not of the church, and are in concupiscences of evil, yet through Divine Mercy they may become receptive of some small measure of heavenly good. Verses 25, 26, 27.

  1. Then Jesus answering said to her, O woman, great [is] your faith, be it to you as you will. And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Therefore, finally, their supplication is granted, and they are liberated from infernal falses, because they are found to be in faith grounded in the good of charity. Verse 28.

  1. And Jesus passing thence, came to the sea of Galilee; and ascending into the mountain, He sat down there.
  2. And many multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, the blind, the dumb, the maimed, and many others, and cast them down at the feet of Jesus; and He cured them:

That through the union of the Divine Good and Divine Truth in the Lord's Humanity, the spiritual infirmities of mankind are further wrought upon, insomuch that what was perverted is restored to order; the ignorant are instructed and enlightened; they who could not confess the Lord, are enabled to confess Him; and they who were without good, receive good, and thus the Divine Humanity of the Lord is acknowledged to be the alone Source of all spiritual life and salvation. Verses 29-32.

  1. Insomuch that the multitudes wondered, seeing the dumb speaking, the maimed sound, the lame walking, and the blind seeing: and they glorified the God of Israel.

And communication of good and truth, and conjunction thereby, were effected between the Lord and His church. Verses 32-39.

  1. But Jesus calling His disciples, said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with Me now three days, and have not any thing to eat; and I am not willing to send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

And this of the Divine Mercy. Verse 32.

  1. And His disciples say to Him, Whence should we have so many loaves in the wilderness, as to satisfy such a multitude?

Although it seemed impossible to those who were before without good and truth. Verse 33.

  1. And Jesus says to them, How many loaves have you? but they say, Seven, and a few small fishes.

Nevertheless it is necessary that they should first enquire concerning those heavenly principles and their origin. Verse 34.

  1. And He commanded the multitudes to lie down on the earth.

And should enter into a state of internal rest by separation from cravings. Verse 35.

  1. And taking the seven loaves and the fishes, giving thanks, He break, and gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

And also should receive with thanksgiving through the medium of the Word. Verse 36.

  1. And they did all eat, and were satisfied: and they took up the overplus of the fragments, seven baskets full.
  2. But they that had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children.

In which case there was full reception and appropriation of heavenly good, by all who were in truth, in the affection of truth, and in innocence. Verses 37, 38.

  1. And sending away the multitudes, He went into the ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

And communication was opened with those who were in external good and truth. Verse 39.

Chapter XV.

    1. Then came to Jesus the scribes and Pharisees which were of Jerusalem, saying,
    2. Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
    3. But He answering said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
    4. For God commanded, saying, Honour your father and mother; and he that speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.
    5. But you say, Whosoever shall say to the father or mother, whatever gift is of me, you shall be profited [by it].
    6. And he honours not his father or his mother; and you have made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
    7. [You] hypocrites, well did Esaias prophecy of you, saying,
    8. This people draws near to me with their mouth, and honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
    9. But in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines the commandments of men.
    10. And calling the multitude, He said to them, Hear and understand.
    11. Not that which enters into the mouth defiles the man, but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles the man.
    12. Then His disciples coming, said to Him, Know You that the Pharisees hearing the saying, were offended?
    13. But He answering said, Every plantation, which My heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted out.
    14. Let them alone: they are blind leaders of the blind; but if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into a pit.
    15. But Peter answering said to Him, Declare to us this parable.
    16. But Jesus said, Are you also yet without understanding?
    17. Do not you yet understand, that every thing that enters in into the mouth, passes off into the belly, and is cast out into the drain?
    18. But those things which proceed out from the mouth, come forth from the heart, and they defile the man:
    19. For out of the heart come forth evil reasonings, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnessings, blasphemies.
    20. These are the things that defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands defiles not the man.
    21. And Jesus going forth thence, departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
    22. And, behold, a woman of Canaan coming out of those borders, cried out, saying to Him, Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is ill vexed by a demon.
    23. But He answered her not a word; and His disciples coming to Him, besought Him, saying, Send her away, for she cries after us.
    24. But He answering said, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
    25. But she coming worshiped Him, saying, Lord, help me.
    26. But He answering said, It is not worthy to take the children's bread, and to cast [it] to young dogs.
    27. But she said, Yea, Lord, yet the young dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the table of their lords.
    28. Then Jesus answering said to her, O woman, great [is] your faith, be it to you as you will. And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
    29. And Jesus passing thence, came to the sea of Galilee; and ascending into the mountain, He sat down there.
    30. And many multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, the blind, the dumb, the maimed, and many others, and cast them down at the feet of Jesus; and He cured them:
    31. Insomuch that the multitudes wondered, seeing the dumb speaking, the maimed sound, the lame walking, and the blind seeing: and they glorified the God of Israel.
    32. But Jesus calling His disciples, said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with Me now three days, and have not any thing to eat; and I am not willing to send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
    33. And His disciples say to Him, Whence should we have so many loaves in the wilderness, as to satisfy such a multitude?
    34. And Jesus says to them, How many loaves have you? but they say, Seven, and a few small fishes.
    35. And He commanded the multitudes to lie down on the earth.
    36. And taking the seven loaves and the fishes, giving thanks, He break, and gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
    37. And they did all eat, and were satisfied: and they took up the overplus of the fragments, seven baskets full.
    38. But they that had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children.
    39. And sending away the multitudes, He went into the ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

    EXPOSITION.

    Chapter XV.

    verses 2, 11, 17, 18, 19, 20. - That the washing of the spirit of man was meant by the washing of his body, and that the internals of the church were represented by the externals, such as were in use in the Israelitish church, is manifest from the words of the Lord in the above verses. TCR 671.

    The Lord also teaches in the above verses that no one becomes clean and pure, as to the internals, by the rite [or ceremony] of washing, but only represented thereby what is pure or spiritually clean. AC 3147.

    Verse 3. Why do you transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?  - This transgression is thus pointed at by the prophet Isaiah, "You have seen the breaches of the city of David, that they are very many, and you have gathered together the waters of the lower fish-pool," Ps 22:9; where the breaches of the city of David denote falses of doctrine, and the waters of the lower fish-pool denote the traditions by which the Jews made breaches into the truths which are in the Word. AC 4926. See also AE 433.

    Verses 11, 17, 18, 19, 20. Not that which enters into the mouth defiles the man, &c. - By those things which enter into the mouth, in the sense of the letter, are meant foods of every kind, which after use in the body pass off through the belly into the drain; but, in the spiritual sense, by those things which enter into the mouth are signified all things which, from the memory, and also from the world, enter into the thought; these things also correspond to foods, and those which enter into the thought, and not at the same time into the will, do not render man unclean, for the memory, and hence the thought, are to man only as an entrance to him, inasmuch as the will is the man himself; those things which only enter into the thought and no further, are rejected as it were through the belly into the drain; the belly, from correspondence, signifies the world of spirits, whence the thoughts appertaining to man flow in, and the drain signifies hell. It is to be noted, that man cannot be purified from evils and the falses thence derived, unless the unclean things which are in him emerge even into the thought, and are there seen, acknowledged, discerned, and rejected. From these considerations it is evident that by that which enters into the mouth, in the spiritual sense, is signified what enter s into the thought from the memory and from the world; but by that which goes forth out of the mouth, in the spiritual sense, is signified thought derived from the will or from the love, for by the heart, from which it goes forth into the mouth, and out of the mouth, is signified the will and love of man, and inasmuch as the love and the will constitute the whole man, for man is such as his love is, hence those things which go forth thence, into the mouth and out of the mouth, render man unclean, for that these are evils of every kind is manifest from the things there enumerated. Thus is the Word of the Lord understood in the heavens. AE 580.

    The words of the above parable are thus to be understood; all things, whether they be false or evil, which flow in from what is seen or what is heard into the thought of the understanding, and not into the affection of man's will, do not affect and infect the man, inasmuch as the thought of man's understanding, so far as it does not proceed from the affection of his will, is not in the man, but out of him, wherefore it is not appropriated to him; the case is the same in regard to truth and good: these things the Lord teacheth by correspondences, saying, that that which enters by the mouth into the belly does not render man unclean, inasmuch as it does not enter into the heart, for that which enters into the belly is cast out into the drain, by which is meant that that which from without or extrinsically, whether it be from the objects of sight, or from the objects of speech, or from the objects of memory, enters into the thought of man's understanding, does not render him unclean, but, so far as it is not of his affection or will, is separated and ejected, as what is taken into the belly is ejected into the drain. These spiritual things the Lord expounded by natural things, since the foods which are taken by the mouth, and are let down into the belly, signify such things as man spiritually swallows, and by which he nourishes the soul; hence it is that the belly corresponds to the thought of the understanding, and also signifies it; that the heart signifies the affection of the will of man, has been shown above; also, that that alone is appropriated to man which becomes the property of his affection or will. That spiritual things are meant, and not natural, is evident, for the Lord says, that out of the heart go forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnessings, blasphemies. Inasmuch as the falses and evils, which enter from without into the thoughts, enter from the hells, and if they are not received with the affection of the will by man, are rejected into the hells, therefore it is said that they are cast out into the drain, for by the draught is signified hell, by reason that in the hells all things are unclean, and they who are there have been cast out from heaven, which in form is as a man, and is hence called the grand man, and also corresponds to all things of man, whereas the hells thence correspond to ejections from the belly of the grand man or heaven; it is from this ground that hell is meant by the drain, in the spiritual sense. The reason why the belly is said to purge all meats, is, because by the belly is signified the thought of the understanding, as was said above, and by meats are signified all spiritual nourishments, and the thought of the understanding is what separates unclean things from clean, and thereby purges. AE 622. See also AC8910, where it is further observed on the subject, that man cannot desist from thinking evil, but from doing it, and as soon as he receives evilfrom the thought into the will, in this case it does not go forth but enters into him, and this is said to enter into the heart; the things which thence go forth render him unclean, because what a man wills, this goes forth into speech and into act, so far as external restraints do not forbid, which restraints are the fear of the law, of the loss of reputation, of honour, of gain, and of life. See also DP 80, 81.

    Verse 14. If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into a pit.-The Lord said these words to the scribes and Pharisees, who, although they had the Word, which contains all Divine Truths, still they understood nothing of truth; and because they taught falses and the falses were also believed by the people, they are called blind leaders of the blind: in the Word they are called blind who do not understand truth; and whereas a pit signifies what is false, it is said that both fall into it. AE 537.

    By a pit is signified the false principle, the reason of which signification is, because they who have been in principles of the false, after death, are kept some time under the lower earth, until falses are removed away from them, and as it were rejected to the sides; the places there are called pits, and they who come thither are they who are to be in vastation; hence it is that by pits in the abstract sense are signified falses. AC 4728. See also AC 9086.

    The blind are they who do not enter in by the door into the sheepfold, but some other way; for Jesus saith, "I am the door; by Me if any one enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture," John 10:9; to find pasture is to be taught, to be illustrated and nourished in Divine Truths. AE 914.

    Verse 21. Jesus departed thence into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.-Tyre and Sidon were the ultimate borders of Philisthea, and were near the sea, and therefore by Tyre are signified interior knowledges, and by Sidon exterior knowledges, and this of things spiritual. Inasmuch as Sidon signifies exterior knowledges, it is therefore called the circuit [encompassing] of Israel, or of the spiritual church, Ezek 28:24-26; for exterior knowledges are as that which encompass. AC 1201.

    For as much as by sea is signified Divine Truth with those who are in the borders [or boundaries] of heaven (See Exposition, chap. 14:24-33), therefore by Tyre and Sidon, inasmuch as they were beside the sea, is signified the church as to the knowledges of things good and true. AR 238.

    Verse 22. My daughter is ill vexed by a demon. See Exposition, chap. 10:8.

    Verse 26. It is not worthy to take the children's bread, and to cast it to young dogs. - By children[or sons] are meant those who are within the church, and by dogs those who are without; in like manner, by the dogs who licked the. sores of Lazarus. Dogs also denote those who are in the lowest place within the church, who bark much concerning those things which are of the church, and understand little; and in the opposite sense they denote those who treat the things of faith with contumely and abuse. AC 7784. See also AC 9231.

    Verse 28. O woman, great is your faith, &c. - It was often said by the Lord, when the sick were healed, that they should have faith, and that it should be done to them according to their faith., as in Matthew 8:10-13, 9:2, 22, 27-29, 13:57, 58, 15:28. The reason was because the first of all things is to acknowledge that the Lord is the Saviour of the world, for without that acknowledgment no one can receive any thing of good and of truth from heaven, thus neither any faith; and because it is the first and most essential of all things, therefore, that they might acknowledge the Lord when He came into the world, when He healed the sick, He questioned them concerning their faith, and they who had faith were healed. The faith was, that He was the Son of God about to come into the world; and that He had the power of healing and of saving. In every instance, also, the healing of diseases by the Lord when He was in the world signified the healing of the principles of spiritual life, thus the things which are of salvation. (See AC 8364, 9086, 9031) Inasmuch as the acknowledgement of the Lord is the first of all things of spiritual life, and the most essential principle of the church, and because without it no one can receive from heaven any thing of the truth of faith, and of the good of love, therefore also, the Lord often says that he who believes in Him has eternal life, and he who believes not has not life, as in John 1:7, 12, 3:15-18, 36, 8:24, 9:35, 36, 20:31. But He also teaches, at the same time, that they have faith in Him who live according to His precepts, thus that the life thence enters into the faith. AC 10083. See also TCR 342.

    Verse 30. The lame, the blind, the dumb, &c.-See Exposition, chap. 9:27-33, 11:5.

    Verses 32, 39. - See Exposition, chap. 14:15, 19-21.

    TEANSLATOR'S NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS.

    Chapter XV.

    Verse 14. Let them alone.-It is expressed in the original aphete autous, which literally means dismiss them; therefore the idea probably intended to be suggested by the lord to His disciples was, that they should keep themselves apart from them, which, according to the spiritual idea, implies a separation from them in thought and affection.

    Verse 17. Is cast out into the draught.-In the gospel according to Mark 7:19, it is added, purging all meats; by which it would appear that all evil influences which enter into the thought, but are not cherished in the will, have the effect of physic, by purging,and thus purifying; and the reason may be this, because they increase the power of rejection, or ejection, in the mind, as physic does in the body, and thus tend to work off and separate other evils besides themselves.

    Verse 19. For out of the heart come forth evil reasonings, &c. - Seven general classes of evils are here mentioned by the Lord, all of which merit the most profound consideration, especially on account of their connection with each other in their internal sense and signification; for evil reasonings, which is the first class, denote a perverted state of the will and understanding through self-love and the love of the world; hence come, secondly, murders, or the destruction of charity; thirdly, adulteries,or the perversion of good; fourthly, fornications, or the perversion of truth; fifthly, thefts, or the claiming to self what belongs to the Lord; sixthly, false witnessings, or the calling good evil, and evil good; seventhly, blasphemies, or the total rejection of what is Divine. It is remarkable that in the Gospel according to Mark 7:21, 22, these classes are extended to thirteen.

    Verses 22-29. And behold a woman of Canaan, &c. - It is remarkable that the Lord seems to pay no attention to the first supplication of this woman, for it is written, He answered her not a word; and when His disciples remonstrate with Him on the occasion, He replies in apparently forbidding language, "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Nor does her second supplication appeAR to produce any better effect, for the Lord says in answer to it, "It is not worthy to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs." Such are the appearances presented on this occasion, when yet it is manifest that the Lord's whole conduct throughout was not such as it appeared to be, but that, in reality, He intended from the first to afford relief to the poor supplicant, and therefore assumed a semblance of inattention and austerity, merely with a view to try, and thereby to increase, the woman's faith. And such, too, is His conduct at this day towards His suppliant children: He does not yield to their first soliciations, to the intent that He may bring their faith and love into fuller exercise, and by thus increasing those heavenly principles, put them into a better state to receive and to profit by His mercies.

    Verse 37. The overplus of the fragments.-See note at verse 20 of chap. xiv.

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