Spiritual Meaning of
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The man who, going into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, gave to his servants ten pounds, and told them to trade with them till he came. When he returned the first said:--
Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well done thou good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a very little, be thou over ten cities. And the second said, Lord, thy pound hath made five pounds. And he said unto him also, Be thou also over five cities. The third had laid up the pound in a napkin. But the lord said, Take away from him the pound, and give it unto him that hath ten pounds (Luke 19:12);
here in like manner ten and five signify remains ten more, five fewer. He who laid up the pound in a napkin denotes those who procure for themselves the truths of faith but do not conjoin them with the goods of charity, and so have no gain or fruit from them.
from AC 5291
From the signification of city it may appear what is meant by cities in this parable of the Lord. By cities here, also, doctrinals or truths of doctrine are signified, and by being over them is meant to be intelligent and wise, thus to give authority over them is to give intelligence and wisdom; ten signifies much, and five something; that by trading and gaining is meant to acquire intelligence by the exercise of one's faculties, is evident. That the holy city Jerusalem signifies the doctrine of the New Church, is plainly manifest from the description of it (Apocalypse 21); for it is described as to its dimensions, also as to the gates, and as to the wall, and its foundations, which, when Jerusalem signifies the church, cannot signify any other than things belonging to its doctrines. The church is a church from no other source. Since by the city of Jerusalem is meant the church as to doctrine, therefore it is called the city of truth (Zech. 8:3, 4), and in many places the holy city, and this because holy is predicated of truths from the Lord (AC 173).
AR 194
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |