Increase Our Faith

1. And He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that offenses will not come, but woe [unto him] by whom they come.

2. It were better for him that an ass’s millstone were set around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble.

3. Take heed to yourselves; and if thy brother sin against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

4. And if he sin against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, ‘I repent,’ thou shalt forgive him.”

5. And the apostles said to the Lord, “Add to our faith.”

6. And the Lord said, “If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

The lesson of the mulberry tree

The story of the rich man and Lazarus contains powerful lessons, not just for the Pharisees but for the disciples as well. It is easy to imagine the disciples listening in, hanging on every word, unclear about details, but getting the gist of what Jesus wants them to know. And the gist is this: Jesus is telling them to love people, to reach out to the poor, and do their very best because it is in this life that they will make the choices that determine their eternal destiny.

As the lessons continue, Jesus says to His disciples, “Offenses must come, but woe to him through whom they do come” (Luke 17:1). Jesus is here referring to the fact that spiritual trials are a part of life, and cannot be avoided. In other words, “offenses must come.” Or, to put it another way, we cannot be reformed and regenerated without undergoing some form of spiritual combat. And yet, we do not have to succumb. Even though we may be sorely tried, there is always enough grace given—if we are willing to receive it—to sustain us in the trials of life. What this means, then, is that offenses will come to us. This cannot be avoided. But they need not come through us.

To put it simply, in the course of our spiritual development, we will face inner challenges. Destructive habits and attitudes will inevitably rise up, endeavoring to rule over us. These are the “offences” that “must come” to us. It’s all part of the journey. Simply having negative thoughts and feelings cannot harm us. But if we accept these thoughts and feelings, dwell on them, and even act on them, they not only come to us, but they also come through us. This is what leads to human misery, not only for ourselves, but also for others. And that’s why Jesus says, “Woe unto him through whom these offenses come.” ¹

Jesus’ warning about the necessity of offenses is a reminder that we should not be deterred when offenses come. Rather, we should see them as a necessary part of the journey, and not allow them to discourage us. Anyone who embarks on the spiritual journey must be prepared to complete the voyage, fully aware that, at times, it may lead through rough waters.

The beginning of every spiritual journey starts with learning truth and then making an effort to live according to that truth. No matter how simple the truth or how meager the effort, this is the start of the greatest journey we will ever take. At first, we will take baby steps, moving forward in faith, uncertain and unsure, but innocently trusting that God will guide us and strengthen us. These tender efforts and initial beginnings are the “little ones” in us. They are the first and most preliminary stages on the path of regeneration.

Once we begin, we are not to turn back, no matter what tribulations come. To succumb, to turn back, would lead us into an even darker place than the one we were in before we began. Turning back would be a denial of the tender affections that got us started, those states of innocent trust in the Lord. Jesus refers to this denial as an offense against “the little ones” in us. Therefore, Jesus says, “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones” (Luke 17:2). ²

This means that we need to be extremely careful as we begin our spiritual journey, paying careful attention to anything that would oppose those “little ones” in us. As a specific example, Jesus focuses on forgiveness. He especially wants His disciples to be aware of resentments, grudges, and hard-hearted feelings because they are diametrically opposed to the tender feelings associated with forgiveness. As Jesus puts it, “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him” (Luke 17:3). Jesus then adds, “And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him” (Luke 17:4).

The disciples are amazed. Forgiveness is a radical idea for them. It would be hard enough to forgive someone once, but seven times in one day seems impossible. Even if that person would say, “I repent” every time, it would still be beyond their comprehension. Knowing that this is going to be extremely difficult, requiring much greater faith than they have, the disciples turn to Jesus and say, “Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). ³

Like the disciples, we may sometimes feel that our faith is weak and that we need to have God increase it. But the reality is that God’s presence is always with us, and that it is possible to experience greater and greater faith. We only need to believe that we can do His will if we pray for the power to do so. As Jesus says, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you” (Luke 17:6).

The mulberry tree in this parable refers to false principles in our mind—false principles that we can root out and send back to hell (plant in the sea) by simply speaking the word of truth. After all, Jesus says, “If you have faith as a mustard seed,” all you need to do is say to this mulberry tree, “be uprooted,” and it will be cast into the sea. It seems, then, that plucking the tree from the ground and planting it in the sea is accomplished through a spoken word. But the idea of a “spoken” word is not to be taken too literally.

More deeply, the words, “Say to this mulberry tree,” refer to the power of our thoughts. When a right understanding of spiritual principles are at work in our mind, these thoughts can wield tremendous power. It is not about the power to pluck up physical trees, but rather the power to pluck up false principles and cast them far from us (“plant them in the sea”). While it does us no good to pluck up physical mulberry trees or move physical mountains, it does us a world of spiritual good to remove false ideas from our mind and replace them with truth from the Lord’s Word. This parable, then, is not about uprooting and removing mulberry trees. It’s about uprooting and removing those things that impede the reception of spiritual life as it flows in from the Lord. ⁴

All of this is related to the seeming impossibility of forgiving a brother who sins repeatedly, even when that brother continues to say, “I repent.” When the disciples hear this, they sense that it will take much greater faith than they currently have. Therefore, they say to Jesus, “Increase our faith.”

A practical application

The statement, “Increase our faith,” which is also translated, “add to our faith,” is a prayer for the opening of our understanding. It is a prayer for a proper understanding so that we may know God’s will and do it. For example, if we have been hurt deeply, we might falsely believe that we can never forgive that person. This false idea must be uprooted. And this is precisely what Jesus does through the lesson of the mulberry tree. The mulberry tree of false belief must first be uprooted so that the Lord can “increase our faith”—that is, expand our understanding. As a practical application, then, the words, “increase our faith, Lord,” could be used as a daily prayer for enlightenment. It is to pray, “Lord help me to cast out this false belief and this self-centered thought so I can learn what is true. Heavenly Father, increase my faith and expand my understanding.” ⁵

The Unprofitable Servant

7. “But which of you, having a servant plowing or shepherding, will tell him straightway when he comes in out of the field: ‘Go along, recline [to eat]’?

8. But will he not rather tell him, ‘Prepare [something] with which I may sup, and having girded yourself, minister to me till I have eaten and drunk, and after these things thou mayest eat and drink?’

9. Does he have thankfulness for that servant because he did the things that were ordered him? I think not.

10. So likewise you, when you have done all things that are instructed you, say, ‘We are useless servants; we have done that which we ought to do.’”

As we have seen, the Gospel According to Luke continues to focus on the opening of our understanding. It begins with the words “having had perfect understanding,” and consistently returns to this theme. It is like a recurring melody in a great symphony. Over and over again, Jesus takes His disciples aside to instruct them and to “increase their faith” by perfecting their understanding. This begins, however, by casting out false beliefs. Like the mulberry tree in the previous episode, false beliefs must first be uprooted before true beliefs can be implanted. This is how faith can grow. In brief, faith can be increased according to the increase in our understanding of truth. Instead of praying for the faith that surpasses understanding, we can pray for the understanding that deepens our faith. ⁶

Rewards and punishments

The instruction of the disciples continues in the next episode. Jesus has already spoken to them about the nature of forgiveness. This time, Jesus will be teaching them about rewards and punishments. For the disciples, one of their oldest beliefs, perhaps the most deeply rooted of all, is the idea of reward. A brief survey of Hebrew scriptures easily demonstrates that the relationship between God and His people was seen primarily as a system of physical rewards for good behavior. For example, when God called Abraham, He promised to bless him and make his name great. This blessing was to be in the form of sheep, oxen, donkeys, servants, land, and innumerable descendants (Genesis 12:16;13:15,16). In addition, their livestock would increase abundantly, and their farmlands would yield crops bountifully (Deuteronomy 30:11,12). Their only requirement was to obey God’s commandments.

Their idea of God, then, is a distant, divine Being who demands strict obedience. Those who are obedient will be rewarded richly, abundantly, and copiously—but primarily physically. And this is always dependent upon their external behavior. As it is written, “The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God” (2 Samuel: 22:21-22). The disciples, then, having been raised in that tradition, retain the idea that God will reward good behavior with prosperity and punish bad behavior with poverty. For them this seems to be an unambiguous teaching. Simply put, if they obeyed God’s commands, they would prosper; if they disobeyed God’s commands, they would perish.

It is important, however, to understand that the history of the children of Israel parallels the history of human development. For the most part, rewards and punishments serve as primary motivations for children. They will behave well if they are promised a reward; and they will refrain from wrongdoing if they are threatened with a punishment. This is fine as a beginning. Eventually, as they grow and mature, we expect them to move on to higher motives. As people grow beyond childhood, we expect them to do good because it is good—not because they will be rewarded; we expect people to avoid wrongdoing because they care for other people, not because they are afraid of getting caught or being punished. This is the kind of maturity that uses intelligence to understand what is true, and then exerts effort to do what is good. ⁷

Jesus begins the lesson about rewards and punishments with a question. He asks His disciples, “Which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?” (Luke 17:7). In asking His disciples this simple question, Jesus is inviting them to put themselves in the place of the master who has a servant. According to the understanding of the disciples, it would be entirely out of place for the master to prepare a meal for the servant—even if the servant had been working all day in the fields. Servants, by definition, must serve their master. They are not to be served. Jesus begins by simply reminding them of what they already believe.

Jesus then continues with another question. He asks, “But will the master not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’?” (Luke 17:8). Jesus’ question is about the current beliefs that involved the relationship between a master and a servant. According to custom, the servants may eat, but only after they have completed their chores, and only after the master has already been served. Moreover, since this is a servant’s duty, there is no expectation that the master should thank him. As Jesus puts it, “Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not” (Luke 17:9).

This is where the story begins to take on a deeper meaning. Jesus is using the parable about the master and the servant to introduce His disciples to a new understanding of what it means to serve. He knows that the mindset of His disciples is steeped in the idea that they will get physical rewards for keeping God’s commandments. At the very least, God will say, “Thank you.” Not just that, but God will demonstrate His gratitude by rewarding them with physical prosperity and material blessings. Jesus, however, gently leads them away from this false belief by telling them that the master will not be thanking the servant for merely doing his job. That’s why Jesus asks, “Does the master thank the servant because he did the things that were commanded him?” And then He answers His own question by saying, “I don’t think so.”

While earthly rewards are fine, and can serve an important use, the higher truth is that the spiritual rewards that accompany selfless service far outweigh any material rewards we could ever receive. When we are not thinking about obtaining an earthly reward, whether it be money or gratitude or praise, we experience—in the very act of serving—the blessings of heaven. These blessings flow in, unabated, because there is nothing of self-love, pride, or conceit to block them. It is for this reason that Jesus adds, “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’” (Luke 17:10). Seen this way, Jesus is saying, “Be grateful that you have an opportunity to serve. In selfless service you will experience the joy of heaven.”

The parable about the unprofitable servant, then, is about rewards. Jesus is preparing His disciples to go out and preach the gospel. But they should know, beforehand, that they should not expect external rewards. It’s as if He is saying, “Just do your job. And as you do so, sincerely and diligently, with no thought of reward, you will experience intrinsic rewards that are far greater than those that come with riches, high honors, and positions of power. Therefore, whatever you do, do it not for a reward, but simply from love, and you will experience the joys of heaven.” ⁸

A practical application

Imagine that there were a few things in your life that you absolutely hated to do. Let’s suppose they include mopping floors and raking leaves. Then imagine that you meet an old friend whom you haven’t seen in years. Your friend was once full of life, but now has a terminal illness and is confined to a wheelchair. Every day your friend is getting weaker, unable to do the most menial tasks. When you get back home, you are struck with a new realization and a dramatic shift in the way you see your life. You have a new appreciation for doing even the most menial tasks. The thought comes, I don’t have to mop the floor; I get to mop the floor. I don’t have to rake the leaves; I get to rake the leaves. In other words, you get to do those things that used to annoy you. But now you do them gladly, with appreciation for the fact that you can. Lifting your thoughts a little higher, you transfer this attitude to your spiritual life. You realize that you don’t have to keep the commandments. Instead, you get to keep the commandments. Moreover, you no longer keep them out of a sense of duty and obligation, but rather you keep them out of a deep feeling of gratitude and love.” ⁹

The Grateful Leper

11. And it came to pass as He went to Jerusalem, that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

12. And as He entered into a certain village, there met Him ten leprous men, who stood afar off;

13. And they lifted up [their] voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy upon us!”

14. And seeing [them] He said to them, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And it came to pass, in their going away, they were cleansed.

15. And one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned, [and] with a great voice glorified God,

16. And fell on [his] face by His feet, giving Him thanks; and he was a Samaritan.

17. And Jesus answering said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where [are] the nine?

18. There were not found any that returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner.”

19. And He said to him, “Stand up, go [thy way]; thy faith has saved thee.”

The lesson of the previous parable focuses on the duties of a servant. Through this parable, Jesus is teaching His disciples about their duty to keep the commandments without thought of reward, simply because it is their duty to do so. More deeply, Jesus is teaching an eternal lesson about true rewards—the rewards that are inherent in selfless service. Our primary motive, in whatever we do, should not be material prosperity or financial gain; nor should we be seeking to accrue honors or advance our reputations. Whenever we serve with no thought of reward, we will experience the spiritual blessings that are associated with doing good. When we let go of the lesser, we receive the greater. It is a fundamental spiritual law.

But the question arises, How can we get to the point where we no longer seek external rewards? The answer lies in the realization that the good we do is from God who works into and through us. To the extent that we can acknowledge this, we will no longer have the need to take credit for the good that we do; nor will we desire the praise and admiration of others. In brief, we do not seek any glory for ourselves because we realize that all glory belongs to God.

In the story which follows, Jesus illustrates another aspect of this new teaching. It is the story of ten lepers, all of whom are healed by Jesus, but only one of whom returns to thank Him. The one who returns is especially grateful. As it is written, “Now one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at Jesus’ feet giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.” (Luke 17:16).

Significantly, this Samaritan is the only leper who returns and gives thanks. The incident causes Jesus to say, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:18). Jesus then turns to the one who returned in gratitude, and says to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:19).

It should be noted that the other nine lepers were also cleansed, simply by following Jesus’ command. Jesus had said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests. And so it was that as they went they were cleansed” (Luke 17:14). Faith is demonstrated not just in the hearing, but also in the doing. Therefore we read, “As they went, they were cleansed.” And so it is with us. The healing process begins not just when we listen to God’s Word, but when we act on it. But in order for the healing to be complete, we must also return to acknowledge the source of our healing. We must acknowledge the One who heals us from every spiritual ill, and cleanses us from every spiritual failing. That is why Jesus has additional words of blessing for the Samaritan who returned to thank Jesus and glorify God. Jesus says to him, “Arise,” He says. “Go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

The episode of the ten lepers is a continuation of the stories about faith and how it increases in us. The nine lepers may have been cleansed of their physical afflictions. But the one who returned to praise and glorify God received a deeper healing, one that would continue beyond the grave. It was a healing of faith. In this regard it should be noted that the one who returned was a Samaritan—considered to be a despised “heathen”—and yet it was the Samaritan who demonstrated the greatest faith of all.

This is the kind of “increased faith” that Jesus has been teaching about in the two preceding episodes. It is this “increased faith” that recognizes the true source of all spiritual healing, and therefore gives glory to God. Like the leper who fell on his face before Jesus, whenever we humble ourselves and give thanks to the Lord, we open the way to experience the “kingdom of God.” ¹⁰

A practical application

While we should not expect to receive praise for what we do for others, we should always remember to give glory to God. This is not because God needs our praise, but rather because we need to come into that state of humility where we recognize that we can do nothing of ourselves. Gratitude to God, then, becomes an essential aspect of our spiritual life. We are to continually give the credit, the glory, and the honor to God with the understanding that all good is freely given and should be returned to its rightful owner. If someone praises us for good work we do, we can reply with a gracious “Thank you,” while inwardly acknowledging that God, the rightful owner, deserves all the praise and gratitude. Like the grateful leper who returned to thank and praise God, we should also remember to give credit to God. In return, God blesses us—without our even seeking it—with the treasures of heaven. ¹¹

The Kingdom of God

20. And being questioned by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God comes not with observation.

21. Neither shall they say, ‘Behold, [it is] here! or, Behold, [it is] there!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

The previous episode was about the heavenly treasures that are in store for us when we perform useful services without any thought of reward. Whenever we choose to live in this manner, it is as though the Lord’s kingdom is already within us. It is fitting, therefore, that the subject of the kingdom of God should occur in the next episode. We read, “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, “See here!” or “See there!” For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). ¹²

This time Jesus is instructing the Pharisees. He is striving to move them away from their external orientation and their fixation on the material world, toward more internal, genuinely spiritual concerns. He wants them to understand that the kingdom of God is not something that they will see with their physical eyes, but rather something they can only experience with their spiritual senses. This is why Jesus tells them that “The kingdom of God is within you.”

This is an important moment in Luke’s narrative. Up to this point, the Pharisees have displayed nothing but contempt and hatred for Jesus, plotting in secret to murder Him. Nevertheless, Jesus still asserts that even the Pharisees have the capacity to receive heaven into themselves. This is because God’s love and wisdom is constantly flowing into everyone—into saints and into sinners, into lepers and Samaritans, and even into Pharisees. Therefore, when Jesus tells the Pharisees that “the kingdom of God is within you,” He is saying that heaven is not “on high,” nor is it coming in the future. Rather it is a state of mind they can come into right now, at this very moment, to the extent that they put away selfishness and choose to live according to the truth that God gives to them—especially the truth that all the good they do is from God. In brief, they could enter heaven the moment they choose to let heaven enter them. ¹³

Although the Pharisees persistently refuse to receive the love and the truth Jesus offers, the capacity to receive these heavenly qualities is still within them. In the same way, the capacity to receive the kingdom of God is in everyone, and is never taken away. ¹⁴

The Son of Man

22. And He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you shall long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you shall not see.

23. And they shall say to you, ‘Behold here!’ or, ‘Behold there!’ Go not away, nor pursue.

24. For just as the lightning that flashes out of the [one part] under heaven shines to the [other part] under heaven, so shall also the Son of Man be in His day.

25. But first He must suffer many things, and be rejected by this generation.

26. And even as it came to pass in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man.

27. They ate, they drank, they wed, they were given to be wed, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

28. Likewise also as it came to pass in the days of Lot; they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;

29. But the day Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed [them] all.

30. According to these things shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

31. In that day whoever shall be on the housetop, and his vessels in the house, let him not come down to take them away; and he that is in the field, let him likewise not turn around to what [is] behind.

32. Remember Lot’s wife.

33. Whoever shall seek to save his soul, shall lose it; and whoever shall lose it, shall preserve it alive.

34. I say to you, In that night two [men] shall be in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

35. Two [women] shall be grinding [grain] together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

36. Two [men] shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”

Turning to the disciples, Jesus now talks about the Son of Man. Interestingly, His choice of language is almost identical to the choice of language He used when speaking to the Pharisees, but with an important difference. To the Pharisees He said that the kingdom of God does not come with outward observation. If people were to say, “See here!” or See there!” they must not believe it, for the kingdom of God is within them.

Jesus has a similar message for His disciples, but with a different emphasis. To them He says that when they desire to see “the Son of Man,” people will tell them, “Look here!” or Look there!” (Luke 17:23). In the same way that He told the Pharisees to stop looking for outward signs of the kingdom, Jesus tells the disciples not to listen to people who say that the Son of Man is here or there. Rather, Jesus tells them that the Son of Man will come as “lightning that flashes out of one part of heaven and shines to the other part of heaven” (Luke 17:24).

The term “Son of Man” refers to the truth Jesus came to offer. This is the divine truth that can illuminate the mind like lightning flashing across a dark sky. Jesus knows that His words will eventually make an impression on the disciples. It will, however, take time. They will often be confused, contentious, even doubt-filled, but flashes of enlightenment will come; the lightning of Jesus’ wisdom will flash across the dark sky of their minds, and they will begin to have glimpses of the truth. ¹⁵

Jesus then warns His disciples that the road ahead will not be easy. Jesus knows that He will become a living representative of what people will do to the truth that He came to offer. They will treat the truth in the same way that they have treated Jesus. It will be despised, condemned, and rejected. As Jesus puts it, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation” (Luke 17:25). This, of course, is nothing new. It was true also in the days of Noah when the voice of truth came to warn people of the looming destruction. But the people were heedless of the truth. As Jesus puts it, “They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:27). ¹⁶

The lesson of Noah is quite clear. Without truth we will drown in a sea of falsity. It was similar in the days of Lot: “They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built” (Luke 17:28). But they did not heed the voice of truth, spoken through the angels who came to them, saying, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere on the plain. Escape to the mountains lest you be destroyed” (Genesis 19:17). And because they did not heed the voice of truth, they all perished. As Jesus puts it, “On the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:29).

Jesus reminds the disciples of these stories of destruction to let them know that something similar is happening in their own time. The voice of truth is once again among them, and once again people are not listening. They continue to look back to the belief systems of a bygone era, which now hold them in captivity and will soon bring about their ruin.

In the midst of these destructive, self-serving belief systems, Jesus arrives to bring new truth—truth that could lift them, like Noah, above the floods of false belief, and lead them, like Lot, out of the heat of Sodom-like self-love. This is the “lightning” Jesus refers to. It is the Son of Man—the Divine Truth—which comes to reveal a new understanding of God, a new way of loving one’s neighbor, and a new understanding of life’s purpose. As Jesus puts it, “Even so will it be in that day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:30).

The narrative now shifts to a detailed picture of what will take place “in that day” and “in that night” when the Son of Man comes. As it is written, “In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in his house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise, the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32). Again, Jesus reminds them of the end that befell those who “looked back,” and the doom that came upon those who clung to the material objects that were in their households. Spiritually speaking, Jesus is referring to our tendency to “look back” to the old belief systems that can no longer sustain us.

The phrase “look back” relates to the understanding which has the capacity for “seeing” higher truth but, unfortunately, looks back to one’s own way of seeing reality, especially when self-interest is involved. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures when speaking about those who should be leading and protecting the people, “His watchmen are blind and ignorant…. They are shepherds who cannot understand. They all look back to their own way, every one of them for their own gain” (Isaiah 56:10-11). ¹⁷

When higher truth comes into our life—the coming of the Son of Man—we are not to look back. It may feel as though we are giving up something that has become an essential part of who we are. This is because we so often define ourselves by our acquired and customary belief systems. Letting go of those habitual patterns of thought might feel like we are losing a part of ourselves—even dying. Jesus, however, urges us to go ahead and give them up, even if it feels like the loss of life. As Jesus puts it, “Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it” (Luke 17:33).

Interestingly, this reference to “losing one’s life” continues the series of “losses” beginning with the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Those stories about loss were followed by the parable of the unjust steward who lost his livelihood and the story about the rich man who feasted sumptuously every day, but failed to give to the poor. Therefore, he lost his life. In this case, Jesus speaks about the importance of giving up that which we think is our very life—the false beliefs that we have about happiness, especially the idea that the whole of happiness consists in material blessings. In this regard, if we stubbornly cling to false beliefs, we will lose our opportunity to experience a life that is truly spiritual. But if we let go of those false beliefs, choosing instead to receive higher truth, our life will be preserved. ¹⁸

The importance of intentions

As Jesus approaches the end of this series of warnings, He adds three more predictions about coming catastrophes. As He puts it, “In that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left” (Luke 17:34-36).

In order to understand these words, we need to realize that Jesus is not speaking about events that will take place in time and space. Rather, He is speaking about spiritual realities: “Two men in one bed” is a scriptural phrase that stands for the idea that two people can have the same doctrine, but apply it differently—one in a way that favors self-love, the other in a way that favors love to God and to the neighbor. In sacred scripture a “bed” represents a person’s belief system, the place where the mind rests. ¹⁹

Similarly, two women can be grinding meal together. Although they are both doing similar work, their intentions may be quite different; one may have good intentions, while the other has selfish intentions. This can also be true for two men who are working together in the same field. One might be governed by good motives while the other might be governed by self-serving motives. In each of the three cases, whether it’s two men in one bed, or two women grinding meal, or two men working in a field—those with good intentions and noble motives will be “taken” by God, while those with selfish intentions and corrupt motives will be “left behind.” Being “taken by God” means that they will experience heavenly states; being “left behind” means that they will be left to suffer the consequences of their own self-centered decisions. ²⁰

What we see in each case is the all-important doctrine of intentionality. In the end, it is our intentions that matter, not our understanding of doctrine or the uses we perform. Above all, we need to ask ourselves, “What is in our heart?” “What affections rule?” and “What are our deeper motives?” Our intentions—heavenly or hellish—will ultimately save or condemn us; they will determine our heaven or our hell. ²¹

A practical application

It is often said that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” This is usually taken to mean that it’s important to follow through on our plans and realize our dreams. But we need to look deeper. Intentions matter. We can do all the good in the world, but if we do it for selfish reasons, it does us no good. Therefore, as a spiritual practice, set an intention to subordinate self-will so that God’s will can work through you. It might be as simple as intending to care for a child or help a friend. Your intention is to allow the Lord to be present through you. This happens when you pray for and manifest the Lord’s qualities (kindness, consideration, understanding, etc.). Notice what happens.

The Gift of Rationality

37. And they answering said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, “Where the body [is], there the eagles will be gathered.”

This series of episodes begins with a highly pertinent question asked by the Pharisees: “When will the kingdom of God come?” And it ends with another significant question, this time asked by the disciples: “Where will it take place?” Their questions are about time and space. But when we look more deeply, these temporal/spatial questions are no longer relevant. The time is now; and the place is here. The kingdom of God is within us, and the Son of Man is coming to us at this very moment to save us from the destructiveness of our self-centered, materialistic states—states that are so harmful that they can be compared to a dead, decaying body. It is for this reason that Jesus ends this episode with the memorable but disturbing words, “Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together” (Luke 17:37).

Jesus is using powerful imagery to warn about the destruction in store for those who refuse to listen to the Son of Man when the truth of His teaching flashes like lightning across their minds. Those who are unwilling to be led by that truth, but prefer instead to “look back” to their selfish reasonings, will be like birds of prey devouring decaying bodies. Instead of being lifted up on eagles’ wings to experience higher states of understanding, their selfish reasonings will bring them down and prevent them from seeing the big picture. Although they could soar on high with spiritual sight comparable to the vision of an eagle, they remain in their lower, self-centered beliefs, seeing nothing in front of them except objects on which they can feed.

Herein lies both our tragedy and our triumph. Each of us is given the gift of rationality. We can abuse that faculty, using it to justify our selfish interests through cunning and clever reasoning. Or we can use that gift as it is intended, enabling us to see higher truth so that we might be led by it, live according to it, and experience the kingdom of heaven. The choice is always ours. ²²

Footnotes:

365. And to him that sat upon him, to him it was given to take peace from the earth, signifies the Word consequently not understood, whence there are dissensions in the church. This is evident from the signification of "him that sat upon the red horse," as being the Word not understood in respect to good; for "he that sat upon the horse," signifies the Word, as was shown above (n. 355, 356), "horse" signifying the understanding of it n. 355, and the "red horse" the understanding destroyed in respect to good n. 364; therefore "he that sat upon the red horse" signifies the Word consequently not understood. It is evident also from the signification of "to take peace," as being that there are thence dissensions (of which presently); also from the signification of "earth," as being the church. (That "the earth" signifies the church, see above, n. 29, 304)

[2] Before it is explained what "peace" signifies, let something be said about dissensions arising in the church when the understanding of the Word is destroyed. By good, the good of love to the Lord and the good of love towards the neighbor are meant, since all good is of love. When these goods do not exist with the man of the church, the Word is not understood; for the conjunction of the Lord and the conjunction of heaven with the man of the church is by means of good; therefore if there is no good with him no illustration can be given; for all illustration when the Word is being read is out of heaven from the Lord; and when there is no illustration the truths that are in the Word are in obscurity, thence dissensions spring up. That the Word is not understood if man is not in good can also be seen from this, that in the particulars of the Word there is a heavenly marriage, that is, a conjunction of good and truth; therefore if good is not present with man when he is reading the Word, truth does not appear, for truth is seen from good, and good by means of truth. (That in the particulars of the Word there is a conjunction of good and truth, see above, n. 238 at the end, 288.)

[3] The state of the case is this: so far as man is in good the Lord flows in and gives the affection of truth, and thus understanding; for the interior human mind is formed entirely in the image of heaven, and the whole heaven is formed according to the affections of good and of truth from good; therefore unless there is good with man, that mind cannot be opened, still less can it be formed for heaven; it is formed by the conjunction of good and truth. From this it can also be seen that unless man is in good, truths have no ground in which to be received, nor any heat by which to grow; for truths with the man who is in good are like seeds in the ground in the time of spring; while truths with the man who is not in good are like seeds in ground bound by frost in the time of winter, when there is no grass, nor flower, nor tree, still less fruit.

[4] In the Word are all truths of heaven and the church, yea, all the secrets of wisdom that the angels of heaven possess; but no one sees these unless he is in the good of love to the Lord and in the good of love towards the neighbor; those who are not, see truths here and there, but do not understand them; they have a perception and idea of them wholly different from that which pertains to these same truths in themselves; although, therefore, they see or know truths, still truths are not truths with them, but falsities; for truths are not truths from their sound or utterance, but from an idea and perception of them. When truths are implanted in good it is different; then truths appear in their own form, for truth is the form of good. From this it may be concluded what the nature of the understanding of the Word is with those who make faith alone the sole means of salvation, and cast behind the back the good of life, or the good of charity. It has been found that those who have confirmed themselves in this, both in doctrine and life, have not even a single right idea of truth; this, moreover, is why they do not know what good is, what charity and love are, what the neighbor is, what heaven and hell are, that they are to live after death as men, nor, indeed, what regeneration is, what baptism is, and many other things; yea, they are in such blindness respecting God Himself that they worship three in thought, and not one except merely with the mouth, not knowing that the Father of the Lord is the Divine in Him, and that the Holy Spirit is the Divine from Him. These things are said to make known that there is no understanding of the Word where there is no good. It is here said that to him that sat upon a red horse, it was given "to take peace from the earth," because "peace" signifies a peaceful state of the mind [mens] and tranquillity of the disposition [animus] from the conjunction of good and truth; therefore "to take away peace" signifies an unpeaceful and untranquil state from the disjunction of good and truth, which is the cause of internal dissensions; for when good is separated from truth evil takes its place; and evil loves not truth but falsity; because every falsity belongs to evil, as every truth to good; when, therefore, such a person sees a truth in the Word or hears it from another, the evil of his love, and thus of his will, strives against the truth, and then he either rejects or perverts it, or by ideas from the evil so obscures it that at length he sees nothing of truth in the truth, however much it may sound like truth when he utters it. This is the origin of all dissensions, controversies, and heresies in the church. From this it can be seen what is here signified by "to take peace from the earth."

[5] But what peace is in its first origin is amply shown in the work on Heaven and Hell, where the State of Peace in Heaven is treated of (n. 284-290), namely that in its first origin it is from the Lord; it is in Him from the union of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human, and it is from Him by His conjunction with heaven and the church, and in particular from the conjunction of good and truth in each individual. From this it is that "peace," in the highest sense, signifies the Lord; in a relative sense, heaven and the church in general, and also heaven and the church in particular in each individual.

[6] That these things are signified by "peace" in the Word, can be seen from many passages therein, of which I will present the following by way of confirmation. In John:

Jesus said, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27).

This treats of the Lord's union with the Father, that is, the union of His Divine Human with the Divine Itself which was in Him from conception, and thence of the Lord's conjunction with those who are in truths from goods; therefore "peace" means tranquility of mind from that conjunction; and as such are protected by that conjunction from the evils and falsities that are from hell, for the Lord protects those who are conjoined with Him, therefore He says, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." This Divine peace is in man, and as heaven is with it, "peace" here also means heaven and in the highest sense, the Lord. But the peace of the world is from successes in the world, thus from conjunction with the world, and as this is only external and the Lord, and consequently heaven are not in it, it perishes with the life of a man in the world and is turned into what is not peace; therefore the Lord says, "My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you."

[7] In the same:

Jesus said, These things I have spoken unto you that in Me ye may have peace. In the world ye have affliction; but have confidence I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

Here, too, "peace" means internal delight from conjunction with the Lord, whence come heaven and eternal joy. "Peace" is here opposed to "affliction," because "affliction" signifies infestation by evils and falsities, which those have who are in Divine peace so long as they live in the world; for the flesh, which they then bear about them, lusts after the things of the world, from which comes affliction; therefore the Lord says, "that in Me ye may have peace; in the world ye have affliction;" and as the Lord in respect to His Human acquired to Himself power over the hells, thus over the evils and the falsities that with everyone rise up from the hells into the flesh and infest, He says, "have confidence, I have overcome the world."

[8] In Luke:

Jesus said to the seventy whom He sent forth, Into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; but if not, it shall return to you again (Luke 10:5-6).

And in Matthew:

Entering into a house salute it. And if the house be worthy let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words, as ye go forth out of that house or city shake off the dust of your feet (Matthew 10:12-14).

That they were to say, "Peace be to the house" signifies that they were to learn whether those who were in it would receive the Lord; they were proclaiming the good tidings respecting the Lord, and thence respecting heaven, celestial joy, and eternal life, for all these are signified by "peace;" and those who received are meant by the "sons of peace," upon whom peace would rest, but if they did not acknowledge the Lord, and consequently did not receive the things pertaining to the Lord, or to peace, that peace would be taken away from them is what is signified by "if the house or city be not worthy let your peace return to you;" that in such case they might suffer no harm from the evils and falsities that were in that house or that city, it was commanded that "going forth, they should shake off the dust of their feet," which signifies that what is cursed therefrom might not cling to them, for "dust of the feet" signifies what is cursed; for what is ultimate in man, which is the sensual-natural, corresponds to the soles of the feet; and because evil clings to this, so in the case of those who were in the representatives of the church, as most were at that time, they shook off the dust of the feet when the truths of doctrine were not received. For in the spiritual world, when any good person comes to those who are evil, evil flows in from evil and causes some disturbance, but it disturbs only the ultimates that correspond to the soles of the feet; therefore when they turn and go away it appears as if they shook the dust off their feet behind them, which is a sign that they are delivered, and that evil clings to those that are in evil. (That "the soles of the feet" correspond to the lowest natural things, and therefore signify these in the Word, see Arcana Coelestia 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952; and that "dust, which should be shaken off" signifies what is damned, n. 249, 7418, 7522)

[9] In Luke:

Jesus wept over the city, saying, If thou hadst known, and indeed in this day, the things that belong to thy peace! but now it is hid from thine eyes (Luke 19:41-42).

Those who think of these words and those that follow immediately there, from the sense of the letter only, because they see no other sense, believe that these words were spoken by the Lord respecting the destruction of Jerusalem; but all things that the Lord spoke since they were from the Divine, did not relate to worldly and temporal things, but to heavenly and eternal things; therefore "Jerusalem, over which the Lord wept" signifies here as elsewhere the church, which was then entirely vastated, so that there was no longer any truth and consequently no good, and thus that they were about to perish forever; therefore He says, "if thou hadst known, and indeed in this day, the things that belong to thy peace," that is, that belong to eternal life and happiness, which are from the Lord alone; for "peace," as was said, means heaven and heavenly joy through conjunction with the Lord.

[10] In the same:

Zacharias prophesying said, The dayspring from on high appeareth to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace (Luke 1:67, 78-79).

This was said of the Lord about to come into the world, and of the illustration at that time of those who were out of the church and in ignorance of Divine truth, from not having the Word. The Lord is meant by "the dayspring from on high which appeareth;" and those who are out of the church are meant by "them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death;" and their illustration in Divine truths through the reception of the Lord and conjunction with Him, whence are heaven and eternal happiness is meant by "the way of peace;" "guiding our feet into it" signifies instruction.

[11] In the same:

The disciples praised God, saying, Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven and glory in the highest (Luke 19:37-38).

These things were said by the disciples when the Lord went to Jerusalem, that

He might there, by the passion of the cross, which was His last temptation, wholly unite His Human to His Divine, and might also entirely subjugate the hells; and as all Divine good and truth would then proceed from Him, they say, "Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord," which signified acknowledgment, glorification, and thanksgiving that these things were from Him (See above, n. 340; "peace in heaven and glory in the highest" signifies that the things meant by "peace" are from the union of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human, and that thence angels and men have them by conjunction with the Lord; for when the hells had been subjugated by the Lord, peace was established in heaven, and then those who were there had Divine truth from the Lord, which is "glory in the highest." (That "glory" signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, see above, n. 33, 288, 345.)

As "peace" in the internal sense of the Word signifies the Lord and thence heaven and eternal life, and in particular, the delight of heaven arising from conjunction with the Lord, so the Lord after the resurrection, when He appeared to the disciples, said to them:

Peace be unto you (Luke 24:36, 37; John 20:19, 21, 26).

[12] Again in Moses:

Jehovah bless thee and keep thee; Jehovah make His faces to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; and Jehovah lift up His faces upon thee, and give thee peace (Numbers 6:24-26).

Divine truth, from which is all intelligence and wisdom, with which the Lord flows in, is meant by "Jehovah makes His faces to shine upon thee;" and protection thereby from falsities is meant by "be gracious unto thee;" and the Divine good, from which is all love and charity, with which the Lord flows in, is meant by "Jehovah lift up His faces upon thee;" and protection thereby from evils, and thence heaven and eternal happiness, are meant by "give thee peace;" for when evils and falsities are removed and no longer infest, the Lord flows in with peace, in which and from which is heaven and the delight that fills with bliss the interiors of the mind, thus heavenly joy. (This benediction may also be seen explained above, n. 340 "Peace" has a like signification in David:

Jehovah will bless His people with peace (Psalms 29:11).

[13] And in the same:

Who will show us good? Jehovah, lift Thou up the light of Thy faces upon us. Thou givest joy in my heart more than at the time when their corn and new wine are increased. In peace I at the same time lie down and sleep; for Thou alone, O Jehovah, dost make me to dwell securely (Psalms 4:6-8);

This describes the peace that those have who are in conjunction with the Lord through the reception of Divine good and Divine truth from Him, and that it is peace in which and from which is heavenly joy. Divine good is meant by "Who will show us good?" and Divine truth by "lift Thou up the light of Thy faces upon us," "the light of the Lord's faces" is the Divine light that proceeds from Him as a sun in the angelic heaven, which light is in its essence Divine truth (as may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 126-140). Heavenly joy therefrom is meant by "Thou givest joy in the heart;" multiplication of good and truth is meant by "their corn and new wine are increased," "corn" signifying good, and "new wine" truth. Because peace is in these and from these, it is said, "In peace I at the same time lie down and sleep; for Thou alone, O Jehovah, dost make me to dwell securely," "peace" signifying the internal delight of heaven, "security" the external delight, and "to lie down and sleep" and "to dwell" signifying to live.

[14] In Moses:

If ye walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments and do them, I will give peace in the land, so that ye may lie down securely, and none shall make afraid; and I will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, and the sword shall not pass through the land (Leviticus 26:3, 6).

This describes the source of peace, that is, of heaven and heavenly joy. Peace viewed in itself is not heaven and heavenly joy, but these are in peace and from peace; for peace is like the dawn or like spring-time in the world, which dispose human minds to receive in the heart delights and pleasures from the objects that appear before the eyes, for that is what makes them delightful and pleasant; and because all things of heaven and of heavenly joy are in like manner from Divine peace, these also are meant by "peace." Since man has heaven from living according to the commandments, for thence he has conjunction with the Lord, therefore it is said, "If ye walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments, and do them, I will give peace in the land;" that then they would not be infested by evils and falsities is meant by "they would lie down securely, and none make afraid," and by "Jehovah will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, and the sword shall not pass through it," "the evil wild beast" signifying evil lusts, and "the sword" falsities therefrom; both these destroy good and truth from which is peace; and "land" signifies the church. (That "the evil wild beast" signifies evil lusts, and the destruction of good by them, see Arcana Coelestia 4729, 7102, 9335; that "the sword" signifies falsities, and the destruction of truth by them, see above, n. 131; and that "land" signifies the church, see also above, n. 29, 304.) One who does not rise above the sense of the letter of the Word sees in this nothing more than that he who lives according to the statutes and commandments shall live in peace, that is, shall have no adversaries or enemies, and that thus he shall lie down securely; also that no evil wild beasts shall harm him, and that he shall not perish by the sword; but this is not the spiritual of the Word, yet the Word in every particular is spiritual, and this lies concealed in the sense of its letter, which is natural; its spiritual is what has here been explained.

[15] In David:

The miserable shall possess the land, and shall be delighted with the multitude of peace. Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for to that man the latter end is peace (Psalms 37:11, 37).

"The miserable" mean here those who are in temptations in the world; "the multitude of peace with which they shall be delighted" signifies the delights that follow temptations; for after temptations delights are given by the Lord from the conjunction of good and truth that follows temptation, and the consequent conjunction with the Lord. That man has the delight of peace from the conjunction of good and truth is meant by "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for to that man the latter end is peace." The perfection which is to be marked is predicated in the Word of good, and the uprightness which is to be seen is predicated of truth; the "latter end" means the termination when there is peace.

[16] In the same:

The mountains shall bear peace to the people, and the hills in righteousness. In His days shall the righteous flourish, and much peace until the moon be no more (Psalms 72:3, 7).

This treats of the Lord's coming and His kingdom; the "mountains which shall bear peace to the people," signify love to the Lord; and the "hills in righteousness" signify charity towards the neighbor. (That this is the signification of "mountains" in the Word, see Arcana Coelestia 795, 6435, 10438, for the reason that those who are in love to the Lord dwell in heaven upon mountains, and those who are in charity towards the neighbor upon hills there, n. Arcana Coelestia 10438; and in the work on Heaven and Hell 188.)

This makes clear that "peace" means heavenly joy which is from the conjunction with the Lord by love; "in His days shall the righteous flourish" signifies one who is in the good of love; therefore it is said, "and much peace;" for as was said above, peace is from no other source than from the Lord, and His conjunction with those who are in the good of love. It is said, "until the moon be no more," which signifies that truth must not be separated from good, but the two must be so conjoined as to be a one, that is, so that truth also is good; for all truth is of good because it is from good, and therefore in its essence is good; truth is such with those who are in the good of love to the Lord from the Lord, who are here meant by the "righteous." (That the "sun" signifies the good of love, and the "moon" truth therefrom, see Arcana Coelestia 1521, 1531, 2495, 4060, 4696, 7083.)

[17] In Isaiah:

Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; upon whose shoulder is the government; he shall call His name Wonderful, Counselor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. To the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end (Isaiah 9:6-7).

These things are said of the Lord's coming, of whom it is said, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given," because "child" in the Word signifies good, here Divine good, and "son" truth, here Divine truth. This is said on account of the marriage of good and truth that is in every particular of the Word; and as Divine good and Divine truth are from the Lord, He is called "Prince of Peace," and it is said, "to the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end;" "government" is predicated of Divine truth, and "peace" of Divine good conjoined to Divine truth, therefore He is called the "Prince of Peace." (That "Prince" is predicated of truths, and that it signifies the chief truth, see Arcana Coelestia 1482, 2089, 5044, and above, n. 29; and that "peace" is predicated of the conjunction of good and truth, see above in this article.)

[18] But as "peace" is mentioned in many passages of the Word, and the explanation must be adapted to the thing treated of, or to the subject of which it is predicated, and consequently its signification appears various, I will tell briefly what "peace" signifies, that the mind may not be borne hither and thither. Peace is bliss of heart and soul arising from the Lord's conjunction with heaven and with the church, and this from the conjunction of good and truth with those who are therein; consequently there is no longer combat of evil and falsity against good and truth, or no dissension or war in a spiritual sense; from this is peace, in which all the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth takes place, and thence comes all wisdom and intelligence. And as this peace is from the Lord alone, and from Him with the angels in heaven, and with men in the church, so "peace" in the highest sense means the Lord, and in a relative sense, heaven and the church, and thus good conjoined to truth with those who are there.

[19] From this an idea can be had of the signification of "peace" in the following passages. In David:

Depart from evil and do good; seek peace, and pursue it (Psalms 34:14).

"Peace" stands for all things that belong to heaven and the church, from which is the happiness of eternal life; and as only those who are in good have that peace, it is said, "depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

[20] In the same:

Much peace have they that love thy law; and with them there is no stumbling. I have waited for Thy salvation, O Jehovah, and have done Thy commandments (Psalms 119:165-166).

"Peace" stands for heavenly blessedness, happiness, and delight, and as these are granted only with those that love to do the Lord's commandments it is said, "Much peace have they who love Thy law." "I have waited for Thy salvation, O Jehovah, and have done Thy commandments," "salvation" meaning eternal life; that such are not infested by evils and falsities is signified by "with them there is no stumbling."

[21] In Isaiah:

O Jehovah, ordain peace for us, for Thou hast wrought all our works for us (Isaiah 26:12).

As peace is from Jehovah alone, that is from the Lord and in doing good from him, it is said, "O Jehovah, ordain peace for us, for Thou hast wrought all our works for us."

[22] In the same:

The angels of peace weep bitterly; the highways are wasted, the one passing through the path hath ceased (Isaiah 33:7-8).

As peace is from the Lord, and is in heaven from Him, therefore the angels are here called "angels of peace;" and as those on the earth who are in evils and in falsities therefrom have no peace, therefore it is said that they "weep bitterly," because "the highways are wasted, the one passing through the path hath ceased;" "highways" and "a path" signifying the goods of life and the truths of faith; therefore "the highways are wasted" signifies that there are no longer goods of life, and "the one passing through the path hath ceased" signifies that there are no longer truths of faith.

[23] In the same:

O that thou hadst attended to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea. There is no peace, saith Jehovah, unto the wicked (Isaiah 48:18, 22).

Because those who live according to the Lord's commandments have peace, and not those who do not so live, therefore it is said, "O that thou hadst attended to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river; there is no peace unto the wicked," "peace as a river" signifying in abundance; "righteousness as the waves of the sea" signifying the fructification of good by truths; "righteousness" in the Word is predicated of good, and "sea" of truths.

[24] In the same:

The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My mercy shall not depart from with thee, the covenant of My peace shall not be removed. All thy sons shall be taught of Jehovah; and much shall be the peace of thy sons (Isaiah 54:10, 13).

This treats of a new heaven and a new church. The former heaven and the former church that were to perish are meant by "the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed;" that those who are in the new heaven and the new church will be in good from the Lord and possess heavenly joy to eternity through conjunction with the Lord is signified by, "My mercy shall not depart from with thee, and the covenant of My peace shall not be removed," "mercy" signifying good from the Lord, and "the covenant of peace," heavenly joy from conjunction with the Lord, "covenant" meaning conjunction; "the sons who shall be taught of Jehovah, and who shall have much peace" mean those in the new heaven and in the new church who will be in truths from good from the Lord, that they will have eternal blissfulness and happiness; "sons" in the Word signify those who are in truths from good; and that they are "taught of Jehovah" signifies that they are in truths from good from the Lord; and "much peace" signifies eternal blissfulness and happiness.

[25] In Ezekiel:

David shall be their prince forever; and I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be a covenant of eternity with them: and I will give them, and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them forever (Ezekiel 37:25-26).

This treats of the Lord and of the creation of a new heaven and a new church from him. "David who shall be their prince forever" means the Lord; "to make a covenant of peace with them" signifies heavenly joy and eternal life to those who are conjoined to the Lord; "a covenant of peace" here, as above, meaning heavenly joy and eternal life from conjunction with the Lord; the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth therefrom are signified by "I will give them, and multiply them," and as heaven and the church are therefrom, it is added "and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them forever," "sanctuary" meaning heaven and the church.

[26] In Malachi:

That My covenant may be with Levi; My covenant with him was of life and peace. The law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not found in his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness (Malachi 2:4-6).

"Levi" signifies all who are in the good of charity towards the neighbor, and in the highest sense, the Lord Himself, because that good is from Him; here the Lord Himself is meant. "The covenant of life and peace" signifies the union of His Divine with His Divine Human, from which union is all life and peace. That Divine truth is from Him is signified by "the law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not found in his lips;" the unition itself which was effected in the world is meant by "he walked with Me in peace and uprightness." (That "Levi" in the Word signifies spiritual love or charity, see Arcana Coelestia 4497, 4502, 4503; and that by him in the highest sense the Lord is meant, n. 3875, 3877)

[27] In Ezekiel:

And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, that they may dwell securely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. Then the tree of the field shall give its fruit, and the land shall give its produce, when I shall have broken the bonds of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those who make them to serve (Ezekiel 34:25, 27).

This, too, treats of the Lord's coming and the establishment of a new church by Him. The conjunction of those who are of the church with the Lord is signified by the "covenant of peace," which He will then make with them; the consequent protection and security from evils and falsities is signified by, "I will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, that they may dwell securely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods," "the evil wild beast" signifying evils of every kind, "the wilderness where they shall dwell securely" signifying that the lusts of evil shall not infest, "the woods in which they shall sleep" signifying falsities therefrom which shall not infest. The fructification of good by truths and the multiplication of truth from good are signified by "then the tree shall give its fruit, and the land shall give its produce," "tree of the field" signifying the knowledges of truth, "fruit" signifying good therefrom, "land" signifying the church in relation to good, thus also the good of the church, and "its produce" signifying the consequent multiplication of truth. That these things shall come to pass with them when the Lord has removed the evils and falsities pertaining to them is signified by "when I shall have broken the bonds of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those who make them to serve;" "the bonds of the yoke" meaning the delights of evil from the love of self and the world, which keep them bound, and "those who make them to serve" meaning falsities, since these make them to serve those evils.

[28] In Zechariah:

A seed of peace shall they be; the vine shall give its fruit, and the land shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. Speak ye the truth a man with his companion; judge the truth and the judgment of peace in your gates; love ye truth and peace (Zechariah 8:12, 16, 19).

Those are called "a seed of peace" with whom there is the conjunction of good and truth; and because such are meant by the "seed of peace" therefore it is said, "the vine shall give its fruit, and the land its produce," "the vine shall give its fruit" signifies that truth shall bring forth good, and "the land shall give its produce" signifies that good shall bring forth truths; for "vine" signifies the church in relation to truths, that is, the truths of the church, and "land" signifies the church in relation to good, or the good of the church, and "produce" signifies the production of truth; "the heavens which shall give their dew" signify the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth. The conjunction of truth and good is further described by "Speak ye the truth a man with his companion; judge the truth and the judgment of peace in your gates; and love ye truth and peace," "truth" signifying what is true, "the judgment of peace" and "peace" signifying the conjunction of truth with good.

[29] In David:

Jehovah will speak peace unto His people and to His saints, that they may not turn again to folly. Mercy and truth ¹ meet together; righteousness and peace do kiss each other (Psalms 85:8, 10).

"Jehovah will speak peace unto His people and to His saints" signifies that He will teach and give conjunction with Himself by the conjunction of good and truth with them, "peace" signifying both these conjunctions, "people" those who are in truths from good, and "saints" those who are in good by means of truths; that such thereafter will have no evil from falsity or falsity from evil is signified by "that they may not turn again to folly." Both these conjunctions are further described by "mercy and truth meet together, righteousness and peace do kiss each other," "mercy" here signifying removal from falsities, and the consequent possession of truths, [which makes clear the signification of "mercy and righteousness meet together, "] and "righteousness" signifying the removal from evils and the consequent possession of goods, which makes clear the signification of "righteousness and peace do kiss each other."

[30] In Isaiah:

How joyous upon the mountains are the feet of him that proclaimeth good tidings, that maketh peace to be heard; that proclaimeth good tidings of good, that maketh salvation to be heard; that saith unto Zion, Thy King ² reigneth (Isaiah 52:7).

This is said of the Lord, and "peace" here signifies the Lord Himself, and thus heaven to those who are conjoined to Him; "to proclaim good tidings" signifies to preach these things; and as this conjunction is effected by love it is said, "proclaim good tidings upon the mountains" and "say unto Zion;" "mountains" signifying here, as above, the good of love to the Lord, and "Zion" signifying the church that is in that good, and the Lord is meant by "thy King who reigneth." Because the conjunction of truth and good from conjunction with the Lord is signified by "peace" therefore it is said, "maketh peace to be heard, proclaimeth good tidings of good, maketh salvation to be heard;" "proclaiming good tidings of good" signifying conjunction with the Lord by good, and "making salvation to be heard" signifying conjunction with Him by truths and by a life according to them, for thereby is salvation.

[31] In the same:

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His wound healing was given to us (Isaiah 53:5).

This is said of the Lord, of whom this chapter evidently treats, and these words describe the temptations that He underwent in the world that He might subjugate the hells, and reduce all things there and in the heavens into order. These grievous temptations are meant by "He was pierced for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities," and "the chastisement of our peace was upon Him;" "by His wound healing was given to us" signifies salvation by that means. Therefore "peace" here signifies heaven and eternal life to those who are conjoined with Him; for the human race could by no means be saved if the Lord had not reduced all things in the hells and in the heavens into order, and at the same time glorified His Human, and these were accomplished by temptations admitted into His Human.

[32] In Jeremiah:

Behold I will cause to go up unto them cure and healing; and I will heal them, and will reveal unto them an abundance ³ of peace and truth. All the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I am about to do unto them; that they may dread and may tremble for all the good and for all the peace that I am about to do unto them (Jeremiah 33:6, 9).

This also is said of the Lord, that He will deliver from evils and falsities those who are in conjunction with Him. Deliverance from evils and falsities is signified by "I will cause to go up unto them cure and healing, and I will heal them;" for to be healed spiritually is to be delivered from evils and falsities, and as this is done by the Lord by means of truths it is said, "and I will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth;" "the nations of the earth" signify those who are in evils and falsities, of whom it is said that "they shall dread and shall tremble for all the good and for all the peace that I am about to do unto them."

[33] In David:

He will redeem my soul in peace, that they come not near to me (Psalms 55:18);

"to redeem my soul in peace" signifies salvation through conjunction with the Lord, and "that they come not near to me" signifies the consequent removal of evils and falsities.

[34] In Haggai:

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, for in this place will I give peace (Haggai 2:9).

"The house of God" signifies the church; "the former house" the church that was before the Lord's coming; and "the latter house" the church that was after His coming; "glory" signifies the Divine truth that was in the one and the other; and "the peace that He will give in this place," that is, in the church, means all these things that are signified by "peace" (of which above, which see).

[35] In David:

Ask for the peace of Jerusalem; let them be tranquil that love thee; peace be within thy ramparts, tranquility within thy palaces; ⁴ for the sake of my brethren and companions I will now speak, Peace be within thee; for the sake of the house of Jehovah our God I will seek good for thee (Psalms 122:6-9).

"Jerusalem" does not mean Jerusalem, but the church in relation to doctrine and worship; "peace" means everything of doctrine and worship, for when these are from a heavenly origin, that is, out of heaven from the Lord, then they are from peace and in peace, from which is evident what is meant by "ask for the peace of Jerusalem;" and as those who are in that peace are said to be "tranquil," it is also said, "let them be tranquil that love thee," that is, that love the doctrine and worship of the church; "peace be within thy rampart, and tranquillity within thy palaces" signifies in the exterior and in the interior man; for the exterior man with the things that are in it, which are natural knowledges and delights, is like a rampart or fortification to the interior man, since it is without or before it and protects it; and the interior man with the things that are in it, which are spiritual truths and goods, is like a palace or house, since it is within the exterior; therefore the exterior things of a man are signified by "a rampart," and his interior things by "palaces;" and the like is true also elsewhere in the Word; "for the sake of my brethren and companions" signifies for the sake of those who are in goods and in truths therefrom, and in a sense abstracted from persons it signifies goods and truths. (That these are meant by "brethren" and "companions" in the Word, see Arcana Coelestia 10490, and above, n. 47.) "The house of Jehovah our God" signifies the church in which these things are.

[36] In the same:

Celebrate Jehovah, O Jerusalem, praise Thy name, ⁵ O Zion who setteth thy border peace, and satisfieth thee with the fat of wheat (Psalms 147:12, 14).

"Jerusalem" and "Zion" mean the church, "Jerusalem" the church in relation to the truths of doctrine, and "Zion" the church in relation to the good of love; "the name of Jehovah, which Zion will celebrate," signifies everything of worship from the good of love; "who setteth thy border peace," signifies all things of heaven and the church, for "border" signifies all things of these, since in the "border," that is, the outmost, are all things in the complex (See Arcana Coelestia 634, 5897, 6239, 6451, 6465, 8603, 9215, 9216, 9824, 9828, 9836, 9905, 10044, 10099, 10329, 10335, 10548). "He satisfieth thee with the fat of wheat" signifies with all the good of love and wisdom (for "fat" signifies the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia 5943, 6409, 10033, and "wheat" signifies all things that are from the good of love, in particular the truths of heaven and wisdom therefrom, n. 3941, 7605).

[37] In the same:

Jehovah shall bless thee out of Zion; that thou mayest see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life; that thou mayest see the sons of thy sons, peace upon Israel (Psalms 128:5-6).

"Zion" and "Jerusalem," here as above, signify the church in relation to the goods of love and in relation to the truths of doctrine; the words "Jehovah bless thee out of Zion" mean blessing that is from the good of love, for "Zion" signifies the church in relation to the good of love; and as from that good every good and truth of doctrine proceeds and exists, it is said "that thou mayest see the good of Jerusalem, and the sons of thy sons;" "sons of sons" signifying the truths of doctrine and their multiplication to eternity. As all things are from the Lord and through the peace which is from Him, the concluding words are, "that thou mayest see peace upon Israel," "Israel" meaning those with whom is the church.

[38] In the same:

In Salem is the tabernacle of God, and His abode in Zion. There broke He the fiery shafts of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and war (Psalms 76:2-3).

Jerusalem is here called Salem, because "Salem" signifies peace, from which also Jerusalem was named. It was so named because "peace" signifies all those things that have been briefly mentioned above, and which may be referred to. "The tabernacle of God that is in it" signifies the church which is from these things; "His abode in Zion," signifies the good of love, because in that the Lord dwells, and from it gives truths and makes them bear fruit and multiply; and because "peace" also signifies that there are no longer combats of evil and falsity against good and truth, that is, no dissension or war in a spiritual sense, it is said, "There broke He the fiery shafts of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and war," which signifies the dissipation of all combat of the falsities of doctrine against good and truth, and in general the dissipation of all dissension. Moreover, from "peace":

Jerusalem was called Shalomim (Jeremiah 13:19).

And on that account Melchizedek, who was the priest of God Most High, was king of Salem [peace] (Genesis 14:18);

and by him the Lord was represented; as is evident in David, where it is written:

Thou art a priest forever after the manner of Melchizedek (Psalms 110:4).

[39] In Isaiah:

Be ye glad with Jerusalem, and exult in her, all ye that love her; that ye may suck and be satisfied from the breast of her consolations, that ye may press out and be delighted from the splendor of her glory. Behold, I extend over her peace like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing brook, that ye may suck; ye shall be taken up to her side, and be caressed upon her knees (Isaiah 66:10-12).

"Jerusalem," here as above, means the church in relation to doctrine, or, what is the same, the doctrine of the church; of this it is said, "Be ye glad with Jerusalem, and exult in her, all ye that love her;" and of the doctrine it is said further "that ye may suck and be satisfied from the breast of her consolations, and may press out and be delighted from the splendor of her glory," "breast of consolations" signifying Divine good, and "splendor of glory," Divine truth from which is doctrine. That there will be all these in abundance from conjunction with the Lord is signified by, "Behold, I stretch out over her peace like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing brook, that ye may suck;" "peace" signifying conjunction with the Lord, "the glory of the nations" the conjunction of good and truth therefrom, "to suck" influx from the Lord, and "like a river" and "an overflowing brook" abundance. That from this are spiritual love and celestial love, by which conjunction with the Lord is effected, is signified by "ye shall be taken up to her side, and be caressed upon her knees," "the side" signifying spiritual love, and "knees" celestial love, and "to be taken up and caressed" signifying eternal happiness from conjunction. (That the "breast" signifies spiritual love, and also "the side" or "bosom," see above, n. 65; that "knees" signify conjugial love, and thence celestial love, see Arcana Coelestia 3021[1-8], 4280, 5050-5062) That "glory" signifies Divine truth, and intelligence and wisdom therefrom, may be seen above (n. 33, 288, 345); and that "nations" signify those who are in the good of love, and in a sense abstracted from persons, the goods of love, may also be seen above (n. 175, 331); therefore "the glory of the nations" signifies genuine truth which is from the good of love, thus the conjunction of these.

[40] In the same:

The work of Jehovah ⁶ is peace; and the labor of righteousness, quietness and security even forever; that My people may dwell in a habitation of peace, and in tabernacles of securities, and in tranquil resting places (Isaiah 32:17-18).

"Peace" is called "the work of Jehovah," because it is solely from the Lord; and everything that comes forth out of peace from the Lord with those who are in conjunction with the Lord is called "the work of Jehovah;" therefore it is said, "the work of Jehovah is peace." The "labor of righteousness" signifies good conjoined to truth, in which is peace; for "labor" in the Word is predicated of truth, "righteousness" of good, and "quietness" of the peace therein; "security forever" signifies that thus there will be no infestation or fear from evils and falsities. This makes clear the signification of "that My people may dwell in a habitation of peace, and in tabernacles of securities, and in tranquil resting places," namely, that they may be in heaven where the Lord is, and in the good of love and of worship therefrom, without infestation from the hells, and thus in the delights of good and the pleasantnesses of truth; "habitation of peace" meaning heaven where the Lord is; "tabernacles of securities" the goods therefrom of love and of worship without infestation by evils and falsities from hell; and "tranquil resting places" the delights of good, and the pleasantnesses of truth. (That "tents" signify the goods of love and of worship, see Arcana Coelestia 414, 1102, 2145, 2152, 3312, 4391, 10545)

[41] In the same:

For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for stones iron; I will also make thy government peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, devastation and breaking within thy borders (Isaiah 60:17-18).

This chapter treats of the Lord's coming and a new heaven and new church at that time; and these words mean that there are to be those who are spiritual, and not natural as before, that is, those who are conjoined with the Lord by the good of love; and that there shall no longer be a separation between the internal or spiritual man and the external or natural. That there are to be those who are spiritual, and not natural as before, is signified by "for brass I will bring gold, for iron silver, and for stones iron;" "brass," "iron," and "stones" signifying things natural, and "gold," "silver," and "iron" in place thereof, signifying things spiritual; "gold" spiritual good, "silver" the truth of that good, and "iron" spiritual-natural truth. That the Lord is to rule by the good of love is signified by, "I will make thy government peace, and thine exactors righteousness;" "government" signifying kingdom, "peace" the Lord, and "righteousness" good from Him. That there is no longer to be a separation between the spiritual and the natural man is signified by "violence shall no more be heard in thy land, devastation and breaking within thy borders," "violence" signifying separation, "land" the internal spiritual man, because there the church is, which in general is signified by "land;" "devastation and breaking shall be no more" signifies that there shall no longer be evils and falsities, and "within thy borders" signifies in the natural man, for in the things in the natural man spiritual things are terminated; "devastation and breaking" signify evils and falsities, because evils devastate the natural man, and falsities break it up.

[42] As those have peace who are in the conjunction of good and truth from the Lord, and as evil destroys good, and falsity destroys truth, so do these destroy peace. From this it follows that those who are in evils and falsities have no peace. It appears as if they had peace when they have success in the world, and they even seem to themselves at such times to be in a contented state of mind; but that apparent peace is only in their extremes, while inwardly there is no peace, for they think of honor and gain without limit, and cherish in their minds cunning, deceit, enmities, hatreds, revenge, and many like things, which unknown to themselves, rend and devour the interiors of their minds, and thence also the interiors of their bodies. That this is so with them is clearly seen after death, when they come into their interiors; these delights of their minds are then turned into their contraries (as is evident from what has been shown in Heaven and Hell 485-490).

[43] That those have peace who are in good and in truths therefrom, and that those who are in evil and in falsities therefrom have no peace, can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

The wicked are like the sea driven along, when it cannot be quiet, but its waters drive along the filth and mud [;there is no peace, saith My God, to the wicked] (Isaiah 57:20-21).

In the same:

Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; devastation and breaking are in their paths. The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their courses; they have made crooked their paths for themselves; whosoever treadeth therein doth not know peace (Isaiah 59:7-8)

In David:

Too much hath My soul dwelt with the hater of peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war (Psalms 120:6-7).

In Ezekiel:

The prophets seduce My people, saying Peace, when there is no peace; and when one buildeth a wall, lo, they daub it with untempered mortar. The prophets of Israel see a vision of peace, when there is no peace (Ezekiel 13:10, 16).

In Jeremiah:

All, from the least unto the greatest, pursue gain; from the prophet even unto the priest everyone doeth a lie. And they heal the breach of the daughter of My people by a word of no weight, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace (Jeremiah 8:10-11).

A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and a wailing of the powerful of the flock, for Jehovah devastateth their ⁷ pasture, therefore the folds of peace are laid waste because of the glowing of Jehovah's anger (Jeremiah 25:36-37).

In David:

There is no soundness in my flesh because of Thine indignation; there is no peace in my bones because of my sin (Psalms 38:3).

In Lamentations:

He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood; and my soul is removed from peace; I forgot good (Lamentations 3:15, 17);

besides other passages.

[44] Since peace in its first origin is from the union in the Lord of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human, and is therefore from the Lord in His conjunction with heaven and with the church, and in the conjunction of good and truth with everyone therein, so the sabbath, which was the most holy representative of the church, was so called from rest or peace; and so also the sacrifices which were called "peace-offerings" were commanded (respecting which see Exodus 24:5; 32:6; Leviticus 3:3; 4:20, 26, 31, 35; 6:12; 7:11; 14:20, 21, 33; 17:5; 19:5; Numbers 6:17; Ezekiel 45:15; Amos 5:22, and elsewhere); and therefore Jehovah is said:

To have smelled an odor of rest from the burnt-offering (Exodus 29:18, 25, 41; Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2, 9; 6:15, 21; 23:12, 13, 18; Numbers 15:3, 7, 13; 28:6, 8, 13; 29:2, 6, 8, 13, 36);

"odor of rest" signifying the perception of peace.

Footnotes: