Lost and Found

In this next chapter, Jesus tells three parables about finding things that have been lost: a sheep, a coin, and a son. At the heart of these three parables is a message about the loss of something precious that God has given us, and the joy of its recovery. This is the connection to the previous parable which spoke of the “ten thousand.” These are the blessed states of love for the neighbor and trust in God, states that were given to us in childhood, but were seemingly lost along the way. The truth is, however, that while these precious states in us may become deeply buried, they can never be fully lost. Though they may be hidden beneath our consciousness, they remain with us for our entire lives. The joy of finding them again becomes the subject of the next three parables. ¹

At the end of the previous chapter, Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Luke 14:35). It is appropriate, then, in keeping with the seamless connection of episodes, that the next chapter begins with the words, “Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near … to hear Him” (Luke 15:1). Apparently, the tax collectors and sinners “had ears to hear.” But it is not the same with the scribes and Pharisees who continue to complain, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2).

Aware of their inability or their unwillingness to understand why He is healing on the Sabbath and eating with sinners, Jesus says to them, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?” (Luke 15:4).

Preserving innocence

In sacred scripture, the word “sheep” symbolizes innocence. Like sheep who are willing to follow their shepherd, those who are in a state of innocence are willing to be led by the Lord. The imagery of the shepherd and his sheep occurs throughout the Word, most memorably in the twenty-third psalm. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul (Psalms 23:1-2). This beautiful psalm sums up in poetic language the relationship that we can have with God. If we allow Him to lead us, we will find ourselves in “green pastures” feeding on the goodness He offers. If we allow Him to lead us, we will find ourselves beside still waters, drinking in the truth He offers. As a result, the Lord restores our soul. ²

The word “restores” implies that at one point the needs of our soul were fully supplied, but that over time something had been lost and, therefore, needed to be restored. This is what happens to each of us as we journey from the innocence and trust of infancy and early childhood into adolescence and adulthood. More and more, we begin to lose something of that childlike innocence and trust. We begin to crave independence, the feeling that we are self-sufficient and can figure things out for ourselves. We don’t want anyone to tell us what to do, and we want to do things for ourselves. In other words, we are less willing to be led, desiring instead to be our own masters. This is not evil or wrong. It’s just a stage in our human development.

God, of course, knows all about our development. He knows that each of us will move from total dependence on parents and caregivers to independence, from reliance on others to self-reliance, and from confidence in others to confidence in self. While this is a necessary step in the maturation process—a step that is expected and should be encouraged—we should remember that real maturity is to develop an ever-increasing willingness to follow God and live according to His teachings. This mature trust in God is called “the innocence of wisdom” and is true wisdom. ³

As we move from the innocence of childhood to the innocence of wisdom, the quality that is essential to both states is innocence. In childhood that innocence takes the form of a willingness to be led by others. This innocent and trusting state can be seen when children spontaneously reach up to take hold of their parent’s hand, allowing themselves to be led. This is an early picture of the greater innocence which is to follow. It is the innocence of adulthood, the willingness to be led by the Lord, especially through the teachings of His Word.

When seen in the light of the loss and regaining of innocence, the parable about the lost sheep is about those times when we succumb to the illusion of self-sufficiency. We believe that we have no need for the Lord and are sufficient unto ourselves. Fortunately, the Lord does not let us simply drift away. He comes to us, searching for us, and when He finds us, He brings us back home. This is the journey of life, a journey which begins with a tender willingness to be led by our caregivers, and ends with a mature willingness to be led by God. In this way, that state of innocence, initiated in infancy and further developed in adulthood, is preserved in us. ⁴

Regaining lost innocence

It’s wonderful to know that our earliest states of innocence—those affections for goodness and truth—can be regained and deepened in adulthood. But the question arises, “How is this innocence lost and how can it be found again?” The answer is revealed in the spiritual sense of this simple parable. The “man” who had a hundred sheep represents each of us when, in our infancy, we had an abundance of innocence. We were surrounded by angels who filled us with tender affections—“one hundred sheep.” But as we grow up, we begin to lose—or so it seems—these tender states of infancy. Therefore, there comes a time in our life when we must go in search of those lost affectional states, find them, and allow them to take a leading role in our lives again.

As we do so, our stubbornness and hard-heartedness begin to soften; we become kinder, gentler, and more forgiving. Our intellect, represented by “a man,” is reconnected with that which has been “lost”—the softer, more affectionate side of our nature, represented by the “lost sheep.”

This is an exciting moment in our lives. It is a time for great rejoicing. In the parable, Jesus puts it like this: “And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing” (Luke 15:5). This describes those sacred moments in our life when we have reconnected with those innocent states of willingness to be led, but this time with greater wisdom. When this happens in our inner world, we are truly “home” again. As Jesus says, “And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’” (Luke 15:6).

It should be noted, however, that we cannot find the lost sheep by ourselves. In the deepest sense of this parable, then, we are not the ones who go searching for the lost sheep. Rather, it is God who comes searching for us. It is God who finds us, no matter how far we have strayed. It is God who lifts us up with the inspiration of His Word, and it is God who strengthens us by placing us upon His strong shoulders.

Understood spiritually, to be “placed on God’s shoulders” is to be empowered by Him, for in the human body the “shoulders” represent great strength. We know this from common expressions such as “Let us put our shoulder to the wheel,” “We must learn to shoulder our responsibilities,” and “Do not pray for a lighter burden, but for stronger shoulders.” And in the Hebrew scriptures, the Lord’s coming into the world is described as follows: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulders” (Isaiah 9:6). ⁵

The imagery of the Lord “putting us on His shoulders” pictures how the Lord strengthens those states in us that are willing to be led by His love and wisdom. These are like the tender, innocent states that we once knew in childhood. Although these states seemed to be lost, they were merely hidden away, buried beneath our consciousness. They may have been forgotten for a time, especially during those times when we lost our higher selves in worldly concerns. But they were always there, ready to serve as a foundation for the development of a more mature faith in later years, a faith that trusts in God. ⁶

The blessedness of dependency

As we conclude this first parable in this series of three, we need to remember the dramatic setting. Jesus has just been accused of eating with tax collectors and sinners, the despised outcasts of society. In those days, breaking bread with others was not only an expression of friendship, but also an indication of willingness to be more intimately associated with the people with whom one dined. Therefore, from the point of view of the scribes and Pharisees, breaking bread with people who are seen to be sinful would be considered disgraceful. Not only would it be regarded as accepting sinful behavior, but it would also be risking contamination through association.

This “arms-length” attitude toward sinners also extended to foreigners, non-believers, and people with physical deformities. In this regard, they believed they were acting in strict accordance with the teachings of the Hebrew scriptures. As it is written, “Thus says the Lord, O House of Israel, let us have no more of your abominations … you brought in foreigners to My house … and offered My food” (Ezekiel 44:6-7). Also, “No one with a defect, whether blind, or lame, or disfigured, or deformed … shall go near the veil or approach the altar, lest he profane My sanctuaries” (Leviticus 21:18, 23.)

Jesus, however, teaches a very different lesson about associating with outcasts, sinners, foreigners, non-believers, and people who might have a physical defect. As we saw in the previous chapter, Jesus speaks about a master who invites the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind to a great supper. We pointed out that this is the Lord’s invitation to each of us. However, when we are pre-occupied with self-sufficiency, we have no desire to come to the feast. This is the part of us that mistakenly believes it has no need for God in our lives. There is no need for His truth and no need for His power to live according to that truth. These are the parts of ourselves of whom Jesus says, “None of these shall taste My supper.”

But there are other parts of ourselves. These are the parts that have been seemingly “lost” for a long time. These are compared to the beggars who roamed the lanes and streets of the city, aware that they are poor, maimed, lame, and blind. These are the people that the man sends his servant to find and invite to the supper. Because they know they are poor, maimed, lame and blind, and desperately in need of help, they accept the invitation and come to the supper.

It is the same for these “lost” parts of ourselves. When we know that we do not have all the answers, we acknowledge that we are “spiritually poor.” When we know that we lack the power to do the good we would like to do, we acknowledge that we are “spiritually maimed.” When we know that we have been hobbling along in life, unable to “walk in the ways of righteousness” (Proverbs 8:20), we acknowledge that we are “spiritually lame.” And when we know that we cannot see the truth, we acknowledge that we are “spiritually blind.”

The key thing about each of these states is that they are states of dependency. If we are poor, maimed, lame, or blind, we must depend on others for help. The person who is physically blind sees nothing in the natural world; therefore, a blind person must depend on others for guidance. Similarly, if our spiritual eyes are not opened, if we have no understanding of spiritual reality, we will be unable to comprehend the things of heaven. This world is the only world that we will see. Therefore, we need God to open our spiritual eyes through the truths of His Word.

This is what can happen whenever we choose to repent, acknowledging our need for the Lord, and allowing the Lord to restore what has been lost. After years of looking elsewhere for nourishment, we finally decide that nothing in the physical world can provide the nourishment that our soul craves. Happily accepting His invitation, we turn to the Lord who has been seeking us the whole time. In doing so, we allow Him to supply us with the goodness for which we hunger and the truth for which we thirst. ⁷

In this regard, it’s reassuring to know that no matter how far we have strayed, the Lord seeks to find us and bring us back home—to the place where we once again feel something akin to the innocence of childhood. But this time we experience genuine innocence. This is the innocence of wisdom. It is a willingness to be led by the Lord and to experience, as a result, the ensuing joys of heaven. As Jesus puts it, “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).

The parable of the lost sheep is followed immediately by the parable of the lost coin. “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she finds it?” (Luke 15:8). As we begin this parable, we notice, once again, the use of the number “ten” whether it be ten times ten (one hundred sheep) or ten times a thousand (ten thousand men). Whenever this number is mentioned, it always refers to some blessed state with us—either in relation to some affection or some insight about truth. The previous parable was about the recovery of innocent affections (represented by the lost sheep); this parable will be about the recovery of some lost truth (represented by the lost silver coin). ⁸

In this parable, the silver coins represent truth—the truth that illumines the darkness, just as the silvery moon illumines the night. In our infancy the innate sense of what is good and true is given to us freely through the angels who surround and protect us. But as we grow older the tender feelings of love (represented by the lost sheep) and the awareness of simple truth (represented by the lost coin) recede from our consciousness. We come into states where these gifts from God feel as though they are lost. We, therefore, need to go in search of them.

What might the “lost coin” represent in each of our lives? Perhaps it is the truth that God is always with us. At one point, this may have been a precious and most valuable truth, but over time it was lost. Perhaps it is the truth that no matter what happens, God can bring good out of it. Perhaps it was the initial feelings we experienced when first falling in love and the accompanying truths that matched those feelings. Those truths may have included thoughts such as, I will always love you. Nothing will ever come between us. I will always be faithful. I will be there for you during bad times and good times, in sickness and in health.

Thoughts like these which flow in from God may abound at first, but over time they can be lost. When this happens, we have slipped from those earlier states. We find that we are no longer living by the truth we once knew. In the beginning, we were kind, considerate, and forgiving. Then, over time, something changed. We found ourselves becoming less patient, less forgiving, easily disturbed, and quickly becoming critical. What happened to those God-given principles we once cherished? Where did they go? Like the woman in the parable, we have lost a precious coin—a precious truth in our lives is missing. And, like the woman in the parable, we will have to search for that lost coin.

Her search begins with a thorough search of her “house.” In sacred scripture, a “house” represents the interiors of person’s mind. It is the place where we dwell, our mental “dwelling-place.” In other words, the thoughts and feelings that we choose to dwell on become our spiritual home. So, when it is written that the woman needed to “light a lamp” and “sweep her house,” we can know that this relates to something that is going on in her mental “dwelling-place,” that is, in her mind. ⁹

The parable calls each of us to “light a lamp” and “sweep our house” in order to find the coin that has been lost. As long as we are in darkness, the chances of finding the lost coin are slim. But if we light a lamp, our chances are greatly improved. In this case, lighting a lamp suggests the willingness to use the light of truth to examine ourselves seeking to find what has been lost. Not only do we “light the lamp,” but we must also “sweep the floor.” This suggests that we must carefully explore the inner rooms of our mind, sweeping away the dust of lower thoughts, so that we might be able to find the missing coin. Cleaning our mental house also suggests the re-ordering of priorities so that we can see the truth again—truth that may have become lost in the clutter of worldly concerns.

The search for the lost coin requires both the light of God’s Word and the willingness to do sincere self-examination. And when we find that lost coin, we will want to rejoice. As it is written, “And when she found it, she called her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I have lost!’” (Luke 15:9). ¹⁰

Jesus concludes this parable, as He did the previous one, on a celebratory note. He compares the joy of finding the lost coin to the joy that the angels feel when a sinner repents. As He puts it, “I say to you there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).

A practical application

Like the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost coin speaks about something we once possessed, but then lost. In spiritual terms, both parables relate to our loss of connection with God. The parable of the lost lamb is about the loss of innocence—the innocent willingness to follow the Lord. The parable of the lost coin continues this theme, this time focusing on the loss of some God-given truth. When this happens, we find ourselves thinking, I used to be more patient. I used to be kinder, more considerate, and more forgiving. I used to be more diligent. I need to take a look at my life and put my priorities back into order, and I need to invite the Lord into this process. This is the “lost coin”—the missing piece. And this realization is what brings about the woman’s joy, so much so that she wants to tell her friends and neighbors. Perhaps you have experienced something like this as well. The rediscovery of how wonderful it is to reconnect with God and get back to first principles is certainly worth sharing. But first, you may need to “light a lamp” and “sweep the house,” in order to find that missing truth.

As we concluded the first two parables in this series, we mentioned that the thing that has been lost is our connection with God. In both cases, it is ‘the missing piece.” This theme is continued in an even more direct way in this next parable, this time through the story of two sons. As Jesus continues to speak to the scribes and Pharisees, He says, “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So, he divided to them his livelihood” (Luke 15:11-12). As the story goes, the younger son takes his inheritance, journeys to a far country, and spends everything. As it is written, “He wasted his possessions with prodigal living” (Luke 15:13).

The younger son is rebellious and wild. He represents our lower nature. This is the unregenerate human will delighting only in the pleasure of the senses without regard for anything higher. In the parable, it is the story of the younger son who asks that he receive an early inheritance and then spends it all on earthly pleasures. He soon discovers, however, that the pursuit of pleasure for its own sake, apart from anything higher, leads to a profound state of emptiness. As it is written, “When he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country and he sent him into the fields to feed the swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything” (Luke 15:14-16).

This pictures each of us at those times when we have wandered away from our relationship with God. After spending everything we have on temporal pleasures, we sink into states of despair and emptiness. And so, it is written, “There arose a severe famine in the land.” This is what happens when we hunger for something, but don’t yet know what it is. We would even eat “the pods that the swine ate.” And yet, even that does not satisfy us. Gradually, we begin to awaken to the reality that living in this way does not nourish our spirits. As we come to our spiritual senses, we realize how far we have strayed and how mistaken we have been. And so, as the parable continues, we read that “when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!’” (Luke 15:17).

This is the moment when we realize that there is more to life than satisfying the desires of our lower nature; we realize that there is something higher—our relationship with the Lord. This is the moment when our spirit cries out, like the young man in the parable, “I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.’ And he arose and came to his father” (Luke 15:19).

The return of the lost son

It should be kept in mind that while Jesus is telling this parable, and the two preceding ones, He is in the presence of the scribes and Pharisees. In a remarkable series of parables about things that are at first lost but eventually found, Jesus is indirectly instructing the scribes and Pharisees about the importance of learning to think in new ways. These three parables, when taken together, constitute Jesus’ response to their contemptuous comment which initiated this series. They said, “This man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2). Jesus wants them to know that if they could think differently, they could experience angelic joy when what has been “lost” could be found. More deeply, Jesus is encouraging them to think deeply about what has been lost in them and how it could be found again.

In that respect, this third parable in the series is no different. Having awakened from his wayward lifestyle, the younger son is now determined to head back home and apologize to his father. “I will arise and go to my father,” he says. Not only is he determined to return home, but he is also very clear about what he will tell his father. In fact, he has practiced the wording. “Father,” he will say, “I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son” (Luke 15:18).

With determination in his heart and words of repentance in his mind, the younger son begins his journey back home to his father. However, before we consider the father’s response, let us first consider how the scribes and Pharisees would have expected the father to react. After all, this young man had dishonored his father and brought shame to the family. According to the cultural standards of the day, and the religious practices that were then in place, if a son brought dishonor to his father, he would be disowned.

The father’s response, however, is totally unexpected. Before the son even has a chance to utter a confession, acknowledge his transgressions, or ask for forgiveness, the father sees him “a great way off” and is immediately filled with compassion. Without a moment’s hesitation, the father runs to his son, falls on his neck, and kisses him (Luke 15:20).

Still feeling a need to confess, the son recites the words that he has rehearsed: “Father I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son” (Luke 15:21). But the father hardly seems to notice. We read, “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is now alive again; he was lost and is found” (Luke 15:22-24).

It should be noted that the father continues to refer to him as his “son.” As he puts it, “For this my son was dead and is now alive again.” When our lives are immersed in natural concerns and the pursuit of sensual pleasures, it is as if we are “dead” to spiritual reality. But when we realize that a mere sensual existence is a “dead end,” and decide to return to God, it is as if we are “alive” again.

The resentment of the elder brother

This joyous scene is quickly interrupted by the elder brother. Apparently, he has been faithfully serving his father, doing his work in the fields. But as he comes in from his labors, and draws near to the house, he is surprised to hear music and dancing. And when he finds out that his brother has returned, and that his father has killed the fatted calf in his younger brother’s honor, the older brother is so angry that he will not enter the house. Even when his father pleads with him to come in, the elder brother refuses to take part in the celebration. Instead, he says, “Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I have never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might be merry with my friends” (Luke 15:29).

On one level, the “elder brother” who “never transgressed” his father’s commandment represents the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees who pride themselves on their strict observance of the commandments. Because they mistakenly believe that this was the key to obtaining divine favor, they would be deeply offended by any suggestion that God’s love and favor extends to all people, even to sinners. Moreover, because their envy and resentment prevent them from appreciating the blessings that are constantly flowing in from God, they are filled with resentment when they see others getting what they think they deserve. This is represented by the words of the elder son when he says, “You never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.”

The elder brother chose to remain at home, faithfully serving his father. As he says to his father, “I never transgressed your commandments.” This is a thinly veiled reference to the self-righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees who believed that they were righteous and blameless before the Lord. At a deeper level, it also applies to each of us. Rigid adherence to the commandments, apart from love and mercy, cannot save us. It becomes a form of truth alone, without goodness.

The elder brother’s problem, then, was not a failure to dutifully serve his father. Rather, it was an inability to appreciate all that he had been given and all that he had. He was so filled with resentment that he refused to take part in the celebration. Unlike the angels, he felt no joy that his brother had repented. Instead, all he could feel was envy. Through this parable, Jesus is telling the scribes, the Pharisees, and everyone who has ears to hear that the kingdom of heaven with all its blessings is available to each of us, right now, if we are willing to receive them. All of this is contained in the father’s stirring plea, “Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad … for your brother who was lost is found” (Luke 15:31-32). ¹²

As the parable concludes, we can rejoice with the younger brother who awoke from his waywardness; but we are also left with a poignant picture of the elder brother who has not yet awakened from his self-righteousness. One brother has been found; the other is still lost.

A practical application

Although the elder brother claimed that he had “never transgressed his father’s commandments,” he was blind to the fact that he was jealous of his younger brother, thus transgressing the commandment against coveting. In the light of this parable, we are called to examine ourselves in terms of our own covetousness. Can we honestly feel joy in the success of others without wanting that success for ourselves? Can we honestly feel happy for the sinner who has repented without wanting some of that attention for ourselves? Can we be so content with what we have that we feel genuinely happy for others? Can we believe that the father’s words to the elder son, “All that I have is yours” also apply to us? We need to keep reminding ourselves that God wants to give us every spiritual blessing, right now. We are invited, so to speak, to enjoy “the fatted calf.” This realization can help us rise above covetous desires and feel truly happy for others. In fact, we can feel their joy as joy in ourselves. ¹³

Footnotes:

817. And he spake as a dragon, signifies with a similar affection, thought, doctrine, and preaching, as belong to those who separate faith from the life of faith, which is charity. This is evident from the signification of "speaking," as being affection, thought, doctrine, and preaching. This is the signification of "speaking" because all the speech of man is from affection and the consequent thought. The affection itself is expressed by the sound of the speech, and the thought by its words. The affection and the thought are both of them in the speech, as everyone who reflects can see. The affection alone by itself cannot speak, it can only make a sound and sing; nor can thought alone by itself speak otherwise than as an automaton without life, since it is the affection that gives life to every expression of speech; and this is why a man is regarded by others according to the affection of his speech and not according to the words he utters. "To speak" signifies also to preach from doctrine, thus doctrine and preaching therefrom, because it is said that the beast "spake as a dragon;" and a "dragon" means those who are in faith separated from charity both in doctrine and in life (See above, n. 711, 714); and this beast means confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word in favor of the separation of faith from life, and the resulting falsifications of the Word; consequently "to speak as a dragon" signifies that kind of religion in respect to doctrine and preaching.

[2] As faith separate from charity and the resulting falsification of the Word are described by the dragon and its two beasts, I will show in this article that a like heresy is depicted in the Word by "Cain," by "Reuben," and by the "Philistines," and the like is meant also by the "he-goat" in Daniel. For there have been several churches on this earth, namely, the Most Ancient, which was before the flood; the Ancient, which was after the flood; the Jewish, which followed the Ancient; and lastly the Christian Church. All of these churches degenerated in process of time into two enormous errors, into one which adulterated all the goods of the church, and into the other which falsified all its truths. The church that adulterated all the goods of the church is described in the Word by the "Babylonians and Chaldeans;" and the church that falsified all the truths of the church is described by "Cain," by "Reuben," and by the "Philistines," and by the "he-goat" in Daniel which fought with the ram and overcame it. The adulteration of the good of the church, which is described by the "Babylonians and Chaldeans," will be spoken of hereafter where "Babylon" is treated of in Revelation; but now the falsification of truth shall be treated of, which is described here in Revelation by "the dragon and his two beasts," and was also described by "Cain," and by the others above mentioned.

[3] That those who separate the knowledges of truth and good from a life according to them, and who believe that they may be saved by these alone, were represented by "Cain," has been briefly shown in the Arcana Coelestia where Cain and Abel are treated of; to which this shall be added. It is written of Cain:

That he was the firstborn of Adam, and that he tilled the ground, and brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to Jehovah; and that Abel was a shepherd of the flock, and brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof; also that Jehovah had respect unto the offering of Abel and not unto the offering of Cain, that therefore Cain's anger was kindled and he slew his brother; and that Cain was therefore accursed and rejected from the ground, and became a wanderer and fugitive in the earth; and that Jehovah set a sign upon Cain lest he should be slain, and decreed that whoever should slay him should have vengeance taken on him sevenfold (See Genesis 4).

It is to be known that all names of persons and places in the Word signify things and states of the church, especially the names in the first chapters of Genesis, because the stories in those chapters are made-up histories containing the deepest arcana of heaven, and yet they are most holy in the sense of the letter, because in every least word there is a spiritual sense that conjoins the heavens with the men of the church. What these stories involve in the spiritual sense and what the names of the persons there signify has been explained in the Arcana Coelestia. "Cain" signifies the knowledges of truth and good separated from a life according to them, thus from heavenly love, and "Abel" signifies heavenly love; or what is the same, "Cain" signifies truth separated from good, and "Abel" good conjoined with truth. And as truth is the first thing of the church, since every church is formed by means of truths, because every church begins from truths or from the knowledges of truth and good, therefore Cain was the firstborn, and was named "man" [vir] of Jehovah," "man of Jehovah" signifying in the Word the truth of heaven and the church; and the "ground" which Cain tilled signifies the church. The separation of truth from good is signified by the murder of Abel by Cain; for when everything of the church is placed in truths or in knowledges, and not in goods or in the affection of living according to truths, good with its affections is slain. And as everything of the church perishes when truth is separated from good, so Cain "was cast forth from the ground," which, as has been said, signifies the church. But because truths are the first things of the church, for life must be learned from truths, "a sign was set on Cain, lest someone should slay him; and it was decreed that if anyone should slay him he should be avenged seven-fold." And because truth without good is carried hither and thither, having nothing to lead it, and consequently falls successively into falsities, and departs from the way that leads to heaven, so Cain "was cast forth from the face of Jehovah, and became a wanderer and fugitive." The like is true of faith and charity, since faith is of truth and charity is of good; so when faith is separated from charity what is said of Cain takes place, namely, that "it kills Abel its brother," which is charity, and in consequence the church perishes, which is signified by "being cast forth from the ground, and becoming a wanderer and fugitive," for when faith is separated from charity truth is successively turned into falsity and falls away.

[4] It has been shown above n. 434, that "Reuben," the firstborn of Jacob, signified the light of truth and thence the understanding of the Word, and thus truth from good or faith from charity, as did the apostle Peter; and that conversely, "Reuben" represented truth separated from good, or faith separated from charity, and that this faith is signified by his adultery with Bilhah his father's concubine, in consequence of which the birthright was taken away from him and given to Joseph. To this may be added, that all heresies, so far as they are adulterations and falsifications of the Word, correspond to adulteries and whoredoms of various kinds, and these because of this correspondence are actually perceived in the spiritual world from those who are in heresies. The reason of this is that marriages as they exist in the heavens derive their spiritual origin from the conjunction of good and truth; and conversely, adulteries derive their origin from the conjunction of evil and falsity; and this is why heaven is compared in the Word to a marriage, and hell to adultery. And as there is in the hells the conjunction of evil and falsity, so there continually exhales therefrom a sphere of adultery. It is for this reason that "adulteries and whoredoms" signify in the Word the adulterations of the good of the church and the falsifications of its truth (See above, n. 141, 161).

[5] In respect to faith separated from charity, this is perceived in the spiritual world as the adultery of a son with a mother as also with a step-mother. This is so because that faith shuts out the good of charity; and when this is shut out the evil of the love of self and of the world takes its place, and that faith conjoins itself with that love. For every kind of faith must necessarily conjoin itself with some love; therefore when spiritual love, which is charity, is separated, faith then conjoins itself with the love of self or with the love of the world, which are the loves that are dominant in the natural man; and this is why so heinous an adultery results from faith separated from charity. From this then it is clear what is signified by the adultery of Reuben with Bilhah his father's concubine, and why he was rejected for this reason from the right of the primogeniture. This is also meant by the prophecy of Israel his father respecting Reuben:

Reuben my firstborn, thou art my power and the beginning of my vigor; excelling in exaltation and excelling in strength; light as water, thou shalt not excel, because thou wentest up to thy father's bed, then thou didst profane it, he went up to my couch (Gen. 49:3, 4).

These words may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia (n. 6341-6350). That such adultery is perceived in the spiritual world from faith separated from charity has been made evident to me from correspondences in that world. For whenever I have perceived afar off the sphere of adultery with a mother or stepmother, I have known at once that those who had confirmed themselves in faith alone both in doctrine and in life were near, and they were also then discovered; and when they had been explored they were found to have been such in the world.

[6] So much respecting Reuben; we will now speak of the Philistines; these also in the Word represent faith separated from love. It was for this reason that they were called the "uncircumcised;" for "one uncircumcised" signifies one who is destitute of spiritual love, and is solely in natural love, and with that love alone no religious principle can be conjoined, much less anything of the church; for every religious principle and everything of the church has regard to the Divine, to heaven, and to spiritual life; and these cannot be conjoined with any other than a spiritual love; but not with a natural love separated from a spiritual love; since natural love separated from spiritual love is man's own [proprium], and this, regarded in itself, is nothing but evil. All the wars that the sons of Israel waged against the Philistines represented the combats of the spiritual man with the natural man, and thence also the combats of truth conjoined with good against truth separated from good, which in itself is not truth but falsity. For truth separated from good is falsified in the idea of the thought respecting it, and for the reason that there is nothing spiritual present in the thought to enlighten it. For the same reason those who are in faith separated from charity have no truth, except merely in their speech or in their preaching from the Word, the idea of truth instantly perishing as soon as truth is thought about.

[7] Because this religion exists in the churches with all who love to live a natural life, so in the land of Canaan the Philistines were not subjugated, as the other nations of that land were, and consequently there were many battles with them. For all the historical things of the Word are representative of such things as pertain to the church; and all the nations of the land of Canaan represented things heretical confirming either the falsities of faith or the evils of the love; while the sons of Israel represented the truths of faith and the goods of love, and thus the church. But what was represented by the wars that the inhabitants of the land of Canaan carried on will be told in its place and time; here it shall merely be shown that the Philistines represented a religious principle separated from spiritual good, such as is the religious principle of faith alone separated from its life, which is charity. This is why the sons of Israel whenever they fell away from the worship of Jehovah to the worship of other gods were given over to their enemies, or were conquered by them:

Thus they were given over to the Philistines, and served them eighteen years, and afterwards forty years (Judges 10;Judges 13).

This represented their departure from the worship from the good of love and the truths of faith to worship from the evils of love and the falsities of faith. Likewise:

The sons of Israel were conquered and distressed by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4; 13; 28; 29; 31).

But when the sons of Israel returned to the worship of Jehovah, which was the worship from the good of love and the truths of faith, they conquered the Philistines (1 Samuel 7, 1 Samuel 14; 2 Samuel 5; 2 Samuel 8; 21; 23; 2 Kings 18). That these historical things involve such things can be seen only from the series of things there described when viewed in the internal sense, to present which here would occupy too much time; therefore one passage only from the prophetical parts of the Word shall be cited, from which it will be manifest that such things as pertain to the church were represented by the Philistines in these narratives.

[8] Thus in Isaiah:

Rejoice not, O Philistea, all of thee, because the rod that smiteth thee is broken; for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk, whose fruit shall be a fiery-flying serpent. Then the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety; and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant. Howl, O gate; cry out, O city; thou whole Philistea art dissolved; for from the north cometh a smoke, and none shall be alone in thy assemblies. What then shall one answer, ye messengers of the nation? That Jehovah hath founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of His people shall hope (Isaiah 14:29-32).

This describes Philistea, which signifies the church, or those in the church who indeed are in truths from the sense of the letter of the Word or from some other revelation, and yet are in filthy loves, consequently their truths are not living truths; and truths not living are turned into falsities when they are brought from exterior thought, which is the thought next to the speech, into interior thought, which belongs to the understanding, also when this thought considers truths in their origin, which those who are meant by "the Philistines" do not see. They do not see for the reason that while every man, even an evil man, has a faculty to understand, he has no good of the will, which is the good of life; for this good springs from love to God and from love to the neighbor, and it is these loves that cause that faculty to communicate with heaven and receive enlightenment therefrom.

[9] This chapter in Isaiah describes those who are in truths without good, and shows that with such all truths are turned into falsities. This, therefore, is the spiritual sense of these words: "Rejoice not, O Philistea, all of thee, because the rod that smiteth thee is broken," signifies that they should not rejoice because they are permitted to remain in their heresy by reason of the fewness of those who are in truths from good; "for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk" signifies that out of the sensual man a dogma destructive of all truth will arise; "the serpent's root" being the sensual, which is the ultimate of man's life, and "the basilisk" being the destruction of all truth. "Whose fruit shall be a fiery-flying serpent" signifies from which there will spring faith separated from charity; this faith is meant by "a fiery-flying serpent" because it flies upwards by means of reasonings and confirmations from things revealed that are not understood, and thus it kills the things that are living. In like manner "the basilisk" has a similar signification as "the dragon," which is also called "a serpent;" and "the fiery-flying serpent" has a similar signification as "the beast coming up out of the sea and the beast out of the earth," in this chapter of Revelation. "Then the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety," signifies that when that dogma is received by those who are natural and sensual men, and who believe themselves to be wiser than others, truths from good with those who desire what is true and will what is good, will become living; "the firstborn" in the Word signify truths born from good; the "poor" those who are not in truths but who still desire them, and the "needy" those who are not in goods but who in heart will them. "And I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant," signifies that all truths, from the first of them to the last, will be destroyed by falsities. "Howl, O gate; cry out, O city," signifies that no entrance will be granted to any truth, and that doctrine will be made up of mere falsities, "gate" signifying entrance to the truths of doctrine, and "city" doctrine. "Thou whole Philistea art dissolved" signifies the destruction of that church by mere falsities. "For from the north cometh a smoke" signifies that every falsity from evil will break in from hell, "the north" meaning hell, and "smoke" the falsity of evil. "And none shall be alone in thy assemblies" signifies that there shall not remain a single truth among their knowledges. "What then shall one answer, ye messengers of the nation?" signifies the enlightenment of those who are in the good of life from love to the Lord. "That Jehovah hath founded Zion" signifies that a church shall be established from them; "and in her the afflicted of His people shall hope" signifies that those who are not in wisdom from self, and who conquer in temptations against such falsities, shall have intelligence and salvation.

[10] The vastation of truth by falsities with those who are meant by "the Philistines" is also described by Jeremiah 47:1-7; likewise in Ezekiel 25:15, 16; in Joel 3:4-6; in Amos 1:8. That such falsify truths is meant by "the daughters of the Philistines," mentioned in Ezekiel 16:27, 57; also in 2 Samuel 1:20; "the daughters of the Philistines" there meaning the affections of falsity. Their religious principle was also represented by their idol called Dagon, which was set up in Ashdod, and which, according to their description, was formed like a man from the head to the navel, and like a fish from the navel downwards; its being like a man from the head to the navel represented the understanding derived from truths; and like a fish from the navel downwards represented the natural destitute of the good of love; for the lower part down to the knees corresponds to celestial love, and a "fish" signifies the natural man which is without spiritual good. (That "man" [homo] signifies the affection of truth, may be seen above, n. 280; that his "head" signifies the understanding of truth and intelligence therefrom, n. 553; that a "fish" signifies the natural man, n. 513; and that the generative organs signify from correspondence celestial love, see Arcana Coelestia 5050-5062. Moreover, the "emerods" with which the Philistines were smitten when the ark of God was held captive by them, signified truths defiled by evils of life; but these and other things related about them in 1 Samuel 5 may be seen explained above, n. 700)

[11] Truth defiled by evil of life is signified also by "the uncircumcised" (2 Samuel 1:20; Ezekiel 28:10; 31:18; 32:18, 19; 44:9). For the foreskin corresponds to corporeal love, because the member which it covers corresponds to spiritual and celestial love. And because "the Philistines" represented those who are in knowledge (scientia) and cognitions of truth without any spiritual and celestial good, they were called "uncircumcised." And as the sons of Israel were also actually of the same character, in order that they might nevertheless represent the church which is in spiritual and celestial good and in truths therefrom, it was commanded that they should be circumcised. From this it can be seen that the religious principle at this day that separates charity from faith is in the representative sense Philistea.

[12] So much respecting the Philistines. Something shall now be said about the goats and sheep, upon which judgment will be executed, according to the Lord's words in Matthew (Matthew 25:31-46 end). The common opinion is that the "goats" there mean all the evil, and it has not been known heretofore that the "goats" there mean those who are in faith separated from charity, and the "sheep" those who are in faith from charity. In a good sense "goats" mean those who are in natural good and in truths therefrom, which truths are called the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good from the natural sense of the Word. Such as these, or such good and such truth therefrom, are signified by the goats that were sacrificed. That there were also sacrifices of goats is evident from Leviticus 4:23; 9:2-4, 8-23; 16:2-20; 23:18, 19; Numbers 15:22-29; 28:11-15, 28:18-31; 29:1; and elsewhere. For all the beasts that were offered as sacrifices signified such things as pertain to the church, all of which have reference to goods and truths. The celestial goods and the truths therefrom in which are the angels in the third heaven were signified by "lambs," while the spiritual goods and truths in which are the angels in the middle heaven were signified by "rams," and the natural goods and truths therefrom, in which are the angels who are in the lowest heaven, were signified by "goats." Celestial goods and truths are with those who are in love to the Lord; but spiritual goods and truths are with those who are in love towards the neighbor; and natural goods and truths with those who live well according to truths from natural affection. This is the signification of these three kinds of beasts in various parts of the Word (as in Ezekiel 27:21; Deuteronomy 32:14).

[13] But as most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so "goats" signify in that sense those who are in faith separated from charity, for the reason that they are more lascivious than other animals, and that they signify in the genuine sense those who are in natural good and the truth thence, and all who are in faith separated from charity both in doctrine and in life are merely natural. That such are meant in the Word by "goats" has been shown me to the life in the spiritual world. There various beasts are seen; but they are not such beasts as exist in our world, that is, not beasts that have been born, but they are correspondences of the affections and of the thoughts therefrom of spirits and angels; consequently as soon as those affections and the thoughts therefrom vary and cease, these beasts vanish out of sight. That I might know that those who are in faith separated from charity, or rather the affections and thoughts of such from their faith, are represented by "goats," it was granted me to see some of those spirits; and they appeared before my eyes and the eyes of many others altogether as goats with horns. Moreover, when rams and sheep were sent among them these goats being kindled with anger rushed upon them, and strove to throw them down, but in vain. For in the spiritual world goats have no power against the rams or sheep, therefore the goats were overcome. Afterwards it was granted me to see the same as men; and this was a proof that the goats were identical with those who had lived in the world in faith separated from charity.

[14] From this what is signified by the "ram" and the "he-goat," and "the battle between them," in the eighth chapter of Daniel can be seen, namely, that the "ram" there means those who are in faith from charity, and the "he-goat" those who are in faith separated from charity. Thus the future state of the church is there described, namely, that faith separate would dissipate all charity, which is the good of life, and falsity therefrom would have rule in the Christian world. To illustrate this, I will present a summary of what is related in Daniel respecting the ram and the he-goat, as follows:

Daniel saw in vision a ram that had two horns, one higher than the other, but the higher came up last; and he made himself great. But then a he-goat of the goats came from the west over the faces of all the earth; and he charged upon the ram and smote him, and broke his two horns; and he cast the ram down to the earth, and trampled upon him. The he-goat had a horn between his eyes, and when this was broken there came up four horns in its place towards the four winds of the heavens; and out of one of them came forth one horn which grew exceedingly, even to the host of the heavens, and cast down some of the host and of the stars to the earth and trampled upon them. Yea, it exalted itself even to the prince of the host, and the continual burnt-offering was taken away from him, and the dwelling-place of his sanctuary was cast down; and it cast down the truth to the earth (Daniel 8:1-14, seq.).

That the "ram" here means those who are in faith from charity, and the "he-goat" those who are in faith separated from charity, may be seen above (n. 316 and n. 573, where the same things are explained; therefore I pass by any further explanation.

[15] Again that "he-goats" mean those who are in faith separated from charity, and "rams" those who are in faith from charity, is evident also in Ezekiel:

And as for you, O my flock, behold I judge between cattle and cattle, and between rams and he-goats (Ezekiel 34:17).

Likewise in Zechariah:

Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I will visit upon the he-goats (Zechariah 10:3).

From this it can be seen that the goats and the sheep in Matthew (25:31-46 to the end) have the same meaning; consequently works of charity only are there enumerated which were done by the sheep, and were not done by the goats. That such are there meant by the "goats" was proved also when the Last Judgment was accomplished upon those who belonged to the Christian Church; for then all those who were in faith separated from charity both in doctrine and life were cast into hell; and all who were in faith from charity were kept safe.