Spiritual Meaning of

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 Cake

Cakes denote goods because they are bread, and in the internal sense bread denotes the good of love (AC 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3464, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735, 4976, 5915). But the bread of cakes is distinguished from common bread in the fact that by the bread of cakes is signified the good of love toward the neighbor, thus spiritual good, and by common bread is signified the good of love to the Lord, thus celestial good. This spiritual good was signified by the meat-offering which was offered and burned with the sacrifice on the altar, for the meat-offering was baked into cakes and into wafers, as can be seen in (Exod. 29:2, 3, 23, 24, 41; Lev. 2:2; 6:14, 15; Num. 6:15, 19; 15:18-21).

[2] The like was signified by the twelve loaves of setting forth, which also were baked into cakes, concerning which in Moses:--

Thou shalt take fine flour, and bake it into twelve cakes; of two tenth parts shall one cake be. And thou shalt set them in two rows, six in a row, upon the clean table before Jehovah. And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, and it shall be for the loaves as a memorial, a fire-offering to Jehovah (Lev. 24:5-7).

From all this it can be seen that the loaves signified what is holy, for otherwise such a thing would never have been commanded; and as they signified what is holy, they are also called "holiness of holinesses (Lev. 24:9). But by these loaves was signified the good of celestial love; and by their being baked into cakes were signified the goods of spiritual love. From all this, and from what has been adduced in the passages above quoted, it can be seen that the like is meant by the bread in the Holy Supper.

from AC 7978

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Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. www.BibleMeanings.info