第二章

翻译：觉醒

传道治病

1. 过了些日子，耶稣又进了迦百农。人听见他在房子里，

2. 就有许多人聚集，甚至连门前都没有空地。耶稣就对他们讲道。

3. 有人带着一个瘫子来见耶稣，是用四个人抬来的。

4. 因为人多，不得近前，就把耶稣所在的房子拆了房顶。既拆通了，就把瘫子连所躺卧的褥子都缒下来。

5. 耶稣见他们的信心，就对瘫子说，小子，你的罪赦了。

6. 有几个文士坐在那里，心里议论说，

7. 这个人为什么这样说呢？他说僭妄的话了。除了神以外，谁能赦罪呢？

8. 耶稣心中知道他们心里这样议论，就说，你们心里为什么这样议论呢？

9. 或对瘫子说，你的罪赦了，或说，起来，拿你的褥子行走，哪一样容易呢？

10. 但要叫你们知道人子在地上有赦罪的权柄。就对瘫子说，

11. 我吩咐你起来，拿你的褥子回家去吧。

12. 那人就起来，立刻拿着褥子，当众人面前出去了，以致众人都惊奇，归荣耀与神，说，我们从来没有见过这样的事！

随着耶稣继续传道治病，祂显示了更多的异能。这使百姓感到惊奇，也让宗教领袖感到忧心。尚在本福音的第二章，耶稣就展示了宗教领袖认为是亵渎神的医治方式：祂赦免人的罪。

故事是这样的：四个人抬着一个瘫子来见耶稣，请求医治。耶稣对他说：“小子，你的罪赦了。”这让宗教领袖感到震惊和愤怒，他们心里说：“这个人为什么这样说呢？他说僭妄的话了。除了神以外，谁能赦罪呢？”（马可福音2:5-7）在马太福音中，我们要等到第九章才知道耶稣有赦罪的大能。然而，在马可福音中，耶稣几乎立即展示了这种能力。当祂如此行，众人都感到惊奇，如经上所记：“众人都惊奇，归荣耀与神，说，我们从来没有见过这样的事！”（马可福音2:12）

我们记得，马太福音是逐步揭示耶稣的神性。马可福音的重点却不同，它是立即确立了耶稣的神性。这是神的儿子耶稣基督的福音。

旧皮袋和新酒

13. 耶稣又出到海边去，众人都就了他来，他便教训他们。

14. 耶稣经过的时候，看见亚勒腓的儿子利未坐在税关上，就对他说，你跟从我来。他就起来，跟从了耶稣。

15. 耶稣在利未家里坐席的时候，有好些税吏和罪人与耶稣并门徒一同坐席。因为这样的人多，他们也跟随耶稣。

16. 文士和法利赛人看见耶稣和罪人并税吏一同吃饭，就对他门徒说，他和税吏并罪人一同吃喝吗？

17. 耶稣听见，就对他们说，康健的人用不着医生，有病的人才用得着。我来本不是召义人，乃是召罪人。

18. 当下，约翰的门徒和法利赛人禁食。他们来问耶稣说，约翰的门徒和法利赛人的门徒禁食，你的门徒倒不禁食，这是为什么呢？

19. 耶稣对他们说，新郎和陪伴之人同在的时候，陪伴之人岂能禁食呢？新郎还同在，他们不能禁食。

20. 但日子将到，新郎要离开他们，那日他们就要禁食。

21. 没有人把新布缝在旧衣服上，恐怕所补上的新布带坏了旧衣服，破的就更大了。

22. 也没有人把新酒装在旧皮袋里，恐怕酒把皮袋裂开，酒和皮袋就都坏了。惟把新酒装在新皮袋里。

耶稣已经说过，祂的目的是传福音（马可福音1:38）。正如希伯来圣经所记：“主耶和华的灵在我身上，因为耶和华用膏膏我，叫我传好信息给谦卑的人，差遣我医好伤心的人，报告被掳的得释放，被囚的出监牢。”（以赛亚书61:1）这就是耶稣在本福音中所做的。

在这段经文中，“谦卑”的希伯来文是ענֲוִָי֗ם（anawim），意思是谦卑、温柔。因此，引申开来，它的意思是愿意接受教导。在下面的情节中，耶稣与税吏并罪人一同吃喝，应验了这段经文。这些人是宗教领袖所鄙视的，他们不想与他们有任何瓜葛。但耶稣却不这样看他们。祂与他们同坐，同吃，同喝。宗教领袖看见了，就甚恼怒，对耶稣的门徒说：“他和税吏并罪人一同吃喝吗？”（马可福音2:16）听见他们的问题，耶稣回答说：“康健的人用不着医生，有病的人才用得着。我来本不是召义人，乃是召罪人。”（马可福音2:17）换句话说，耶稣不仅仅是在与人交往。祂是在医治伤心的人，宣告自由，向所有被错误思想和邪恶欲望禁锢的人打开监狱的大门。简而言之，祂是在分享福音。

在宗教领袖的眼中，这一切都很奇怪，不同寻常。按照他们的标准，罪人是应该躲避的。他们应该被视为可鄙的弃儿，任何人都不应该与他们交往。耶稣却把这一切都颠倒过来。祂不仅与他们一同吃喝，就像在婚筵上一样，而且说，祂要呼召他们悔改。在那个时代，悔改是通过禁食来表现的，不是通过吃喝。宗教领袖对这一切感到困惑，就问耶稣说：“约翰的门徒和法利赛人的门徒禁食，你的门徒倒不禁食，这是为什么呢？”（马可福音2:18）耶稣反问道：“新郎和陪伴之人同在的时候，陪伴之人岂能禁食呢？”（马可福音2:19）又说：“但日子将到，新郎要离开他们，那日他们就要禁食。”（马可福音2:20）

耶稣称自己为“新郎”，暗示祂与我们每个人“结婚”，就像神与祂的子民结婚一样。这是“天上的婚姻”，在这婚姻中，神作为新郎和丈夫，为自己娶了一个“妻子”，用祂的爱和智慧充满她。这样的婚礼是一个欢乐的时刻，是设宴庆祝的时刻，而不是禁食的时刻。但有时我们会觉得远离了神，渴慕祂的同在。这才是“禁食”的时刻——不是为食物与水而饥渴，而是为良善与真理而饥渴。这是对真正滋养灵魂的属天事物的饥渴。 ¹

这是全新的。通过与罪人一同吃喝，耶稣描绘了与神相交、从祂接受真理、引导我们获得新生的含义。物质层面的禁食是表示悔改的旧方式，但从现在开始，悔改将表现为在更高真理的光明中审视自己，承认自己的罪，祈求主的帮助，以抵挡邪恶，然后开始新的生活。

然后，耶稣继续描述这种新生活将是什么样子的。祂说：“没有人把新布缝在旧衣服上，恐怕所补上的新布带坏了旧衣服，破的就更大了。”又说：“也没有人把新酒装在旧皮袋里，恐怕酒把皮袋裂开，酒和皮袋就都坏了。惟把新酒装在新皮袋里。”（马可福音2:21-22）

旧皮袋是僵硬的，失去了柔软性和弹性。当它们被装入仍在活跃和发酵的酒时，它们不能随新酒一起膨胀，结果就破裂了，酒也漏了。同样，耶稣来宣扬对属灵律法的全新理解和对属灵生命的更深认识。但宗教领袖固执己见，无法接受能带来新生命的新酒。他们就像干硬的皮袋，在新酒的压力下破裂。

同样，他们也像破旧的衣服，无法承受缝在上面的新布的压力，因为当新布收缩时，会把旧衣服撕裂。旧观念（旧皮袋和旧衣服）认为罪人是不洁净的，不值得交往。与他们坐在一起，与他们交谈，乃至与他们分享信仰，都被认为是大不合适的。但耶稣带来了新的观念，新的行为方式，以及对爱神和爱邻舍的新的理解。祂是来传福音的，不是来与宗教领袖交往的。祂来是要召罪人悔改，不是要支持他们的恶行。祂来是要向每个人引入一种新的生活方式，从悔改开始，祂自己也是如此行。

实际应用

当我们想到旧皮袋不能膨胀，旧衣服容易撕裂时，我们需要审视自己，扪心自问：“我在哪些方面变得刚硬和顽固了？在哪些方面，我的陈旧观念需要被新的见解所取代？在哪些方面，我的顽梗态度无法与新的观念相结合？在哪些方面，我能通过学习新的行为方式来扩展我的意识？当我们与耶稣同坐，接受祂所赐的新酒时，这些都是需要考虑的重要问题。

安息日的主

23. 耶稣当安息日从麦地经过。他门徒行路的时候，掐了麦穗。

24. 法利赛人对耶稣说，看哪，他们在安息日为什么做不可做的事呢？

25. 耶稣对他们说，经上记着大卫和跟从他的人缺乏饥饿之时所做的事，你们没有念过吗？

26. 他当亚比亚他作大祭司的时候，怎么进了神的殿，吃了陈设饼，又给跟从他的人吃？这饼除了祭司以外，人都不可吃。

27. 又对他们说，安息日是为人设立的，人不是为安息日设立的。

28. 所以，人子也是安息日的主。

耶稣一直在表明，旧的传统必须让位于理解宗教信仰和宗教生活的新方式。根据希伯来圣经，有皮肤病的人是禁止触摸的（利未记5:3）。然而，耶稣不仅触摸了麻风病人，还治好了他。根据希伯来圣经，悔改自己的罪应该通过各种形式的自我否定来进行，这被称为“刻苦己心”，其中禁食是最常见的悔改形式（利未记23:26-29）。然而，在耶稣看来，悔改应该从学习真理开始，然后努力按照真理生活。这是新酒（真理），不能装在旧皮袋里；这是新布（良善），不能缝在旧衣服上。

在下一个情节中，耶稣处理了另一个需要以不同方式理解的传统。那天是安息日，耶稣从麦地经过，门徒掐了麦穗来吃。宗教领袖看见了，就对耶稣说：“看哪，他们在安息日为什么做不可做的事呢？”（马可福音2:24）根据宗教领袖的说法，在安息日做任何工都是违背律法的。虽然希伯来圣经禁止在安息日生火（出埃及记35:3）或在安息日担担子（耶利米书17:21）等活动，但宗教领袖更进一步，制定了复杂的规条。他们没有看到这些律法背后的属灵意义（例如，“不可生火”意为“不可发怒”，“不可担担子”意为“不可怀恨在心”），完全从字面上来解读。人们不允许做饭（因为这需要“生火”），甚至不允许抱孩子（因为这将是“担担子”）。

因此，当耶稣允许祂的门徒在安息日掐麦穗时，宗教领袖指责祂违反了安息日的诫命。耶稣回应说，连大卫也吃了殿里的陈设饼，并给跟从他的人吃。换句话说，耶稣是在说，有些时候，仁爱的法则（喂养饥饿的人）必须优先于宗教传统。祂说：“安息日是为人设立的，人不是为安息日设立的。”（马可福音2:27）

耶稣允许祂的门徒在安息日掐麦穗来吃，这表明我们可以做到灵活和顺从，同时不违背安息日诫命的精神。耶稣说：“安息日是为人设立的。”诫命是为了充实我们的生命。“人不是为安息日设立的。”诫命不应该被视为限制我们自由的规定，而应该被视为神赐予我们喜乐的药方。如果我们按照建议服用良药，我们便是承认神圣医生的智慧。正如耶稣在前一节所说：“康健的人用不着医生，有病的人才用得着。我来本不是召义人，乃是召罪人。”

当真理进入我们的生命时，它就像一道大光，揭示我们一直不愿面对或从不知道的隐藏的罪恶，也引导我们对天国有新的认识。这新的认识包括对安息日有一个全新的观念。它就像新酒，不能装在又旧又硬的皮袋里，也像新布，不能缝在破旧的衣服上。

在这方面，耶稣带给世界的许多祝福之一，就是以一种新的方式来看待安息日。在一个层面上，耶稣是在教导严格遵守安息日律法不一定是美德。然而，在更内在的层面上，祂是在教导掐麦穗代表对神圣真理的属灵饥渴。这种“属灵的饥渴”代表真正的安息日状态，因为安息日应该被分别为圣，作为接受教导的日子，即滋养灵性的日子，聆听福音和学习何为圣的时候。和那些与耶稣一同吃喝的税吏和罪人一样，我们也被呼召去做同样的事情。如经上所记：“当记念安息日，守为圣日。”（出埃及记20:8） ²

在本章即将结束时，耶稣对祂的神性作了有力的声明。祂说：“人子也是安息日的主。”正如我们已经看到的，本福音以大胆宣告耶稣是“神的儿子”开始。而在这里，第二章的末尾，耶稣称自己为“安息日的主”。这是一个强有力的挑衅性的声明。当我们意识到这样的说法对宗教领袖是一个极大的冒犯时，这尤其具有挑衅性。事实上，他们会认为这是亵渎，因为他们知道只有神自己才能被称为“安息日的主”。

尽管如此，耶稣还是对自己作了这样的声明。这里不过是马可福音第二章。事情发展迅速。事实上，在下一个情节中，耶稣将以另一种方式证明祂确实是安息日的主。

脚注:

619. But in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey, signifies outwardly delightful. This is evident from the signification of "mouth," as being what is exterior; for this treats of the little book and eating it up, and "the little book" signifies the Word, and "eating it up" signifies perception and exploration; thence "the mouth," which first receives, means the external of the Word. It is evident also from the signification of "sweet as honey," as being the delight of natural good. The external of the Word was "sweet as honey," that is, thus delightful, because the external of the Word is such that it can be applied to any love whatever, or to any principle derived therefrom; and these can be confirmed by it. The external of the Word, which is the sense of its letter, is such because many things in it are written in accordance with the appearances presented to the natural man, and many appearances, when not interiorly understood, are fallacies, like the fallacies of the senses. Those, therefore, who love to live for the body and for the world, by means of these appearances draw over the external of the Word to confirm evils of life and falsities of faith.

[2] This was done especially by the sons of Jacob, who applied all things of the Word to themselves, and from the sense of the letter they held the belief, and also maintain it to this day, that they were chosen in preference to others, and therefore were a holy nation; that their Jerusalem, the temple there, the ark, the altar, the sacrifices, with innumerable other things, were holy of themselves; they did not know, and did not wish to know, that the holiness of all those things proceeded solely from this, that they represented things Divine proceeding from the Lord that are called celestial and spiritual, and are the holy things of heaven and the church, and that to think that these are holy of themselves, and not because of the Divine things they represent, would be to falsify and adulterate the Word by applying it to themselves and to their own loves. It was similar with their belief respecting the Messiah, that he would be king of the world, and would raise them above all other nations and peoples throughout the globe; not to mention other things which they gathered from the mere sense of the letter of the Word, which to them were sweet as honey in the mouth. This is why the things in the spiritual sense of the Word are undelightful, for in that sense are the truths themselves which are not according to appearances; as that the Jewish nation itself was not holy, but worse than every other nation, consequently that it was not chosen; that the city of Jerusalem merely signifies the Lord's church and doctrine respecting Him and the holy things of heaven and the church; and that the temple, the ark, the altar, and the sacrifices represented the Lord and the holy things that proceed from Him, and that for this and no other reason were they holy. These are truths that are stored up inwardly in the sense of the letter of the Word, that is, in its internal spiritual sense; and these truths they deny, because, as was said, they have falsified and adulterated the Word in the sense of the letter; and these things therefore are undelightful to them, like foods that are bitter in the belly.

[3] It is said that the little book was "in the mouth sweet as honey," because "honey" signifies the delight of natural good; that "honey" signifies that delight can be seen from the following passages. In Ezekiel:

It was said to the prophet, Open wide thy mouth and eat that I give thee. And I saw and behold, a hand was put forth unto me, and lo, the roll of a book was therein; and when he had spread it before me it was written in front and behind, and written thereon were dirges, moaning, and woe. Then he said unto me, Son of man, eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. Then he said unto me, Feed thy belly and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee; and when I ate it, it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And he said, Go to the house of Israel and speak my words unto them (Ezekiel 2:8-10; 3:1-4).

These things involve things altogether similar to those in Revelation. The command to the prophet Ezekiel "to eat the roll of the book" involves something similar as the command to John "to eat the little book," namely, to explore how the Divine truth which is in the Word is yet received, perceived, and appropriated by those who are of the church; for the prophet Ezekiel and John represent the doctrine of truth and the Word, therefore the exploration was made with them. It was made by eating a book, because "to eat" signifies to perceive and thus to appropriate, as has been shown above; and when this has been ascertained, namely, how the Word was still perceived, it is said to the prophet Ezekiel that "he should go to the house of Israel and speak to them the words of God;" also to the prophet John that "he must prophesy," that is, still teach the Word in the church; and this because the book was perceived to be "in his mouth sweet as honey," that is, because the Word in the sense of the letter is still delightful, but for the reason that this sense can be applied to any principles of falsity and to any loves of evil, and can thus serve them in confirming the delights of the natural life separated from the delights of the spiritual life; and when these are separated they become mere delights of the loves of the body and of the world whence are principles of falsity from fallacies.

[4] In Isaiah:

A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name God-with-us. Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good (Isaiah 7:14, 15).

That this was said of the Lord is proved in Matthew (Matthew 1:23). Anyone can see that "butter and honey" do not mean here butter and honey, but something Divine corresponding to them, for it is added, "that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good," and that is not known by eating butter and honey; but "butter" signifies the delight of spiritual good, and "honey" the delight of natural good, consequently the two signify the Lord's Divine spiritual and Divine natural, and thus His Human, interior and exterior. That the Lord's Human is meant can be seen from its being said that "a virgin shall conceive and bear a son;" and that it is Divine from its being said, "and shall call His name God-with-us," "to call a name" signifying the quality of a thing, here what the Divine is, for He was to be called "God-with-us."

[5] "Butter and honey" also signify the delight of spiritual and natural good in these words in the same chapter:

Butter and honey shall everyone eat that remains in the land (verse 22).

"That remains" mean those that are inwardly and also outwardly good from the Lord, consequently who receive the good proceeding from the Lord in truths; the blessedness therefrom of the internal or spiritual man, and also of the external or natural man, is signified by "butter and honey."

[6] In Job:

He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall slay him. He shall not see the streams, the flowings of the brooks of honey and butter (Job 20:16, 17).

This is said of hypocrites who talk well and smoothly about God, about the neighbor, and about heaven and the church, and yet think altogether otherwise; and because they cunningly contrive by these means to captivate minds, although in heart they cherish what is infernal, it is said, "He shall suck the poison of asps, the viper's tongue shall slay him." That such have no delight in natural good or spiritual good is meant by "He shall not see the streams, the flowings of the brooks of honey and butter," "streams" meaning the things of intelligence, and "the flowings of the brooks of honey and butter," the things therefrom that are of affection and love, which are the very delights of heavenly life. Every delight of life that abides to eternity is a delight of spiritual good and truth, and from that a delight of natural good and truth; but hypocritical delight is a natural delight separate from spiritual delight, and this delight is turned in the other life into what is direfully infernal. Evidently "butter and honey" do not mean here butter and honey, for where, in the world, can there be found "flowings of brooks of honey and butter"?

[7] "Milk and honey" have a similar signification as "butter and honey;" and as "milk" signifies the delight of spiritual good, and "honey" the delight of natural good, and these delights are with those who are of the Lord's church, therefore the land of Canaan, which signifies the church, was called:

A land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8, 17; Leviticus 20:24; Numbers 13:27; 14:8; Deuteronomy 6:3; 11:9; 26:9, 15; 27:3; 31:20; Joshua 5:6; Jeremiah 11:5; 32:22; Ezekiel 20:6).

That in the Word "the land of Canaan" means the church has been shown above (n. 29, 304, 431); and the church is with those only who are in spiritual good and at the same time in natural good; in such the church is formed by the Lord; for the church is in man and not outside of him, consequently is not with those with whom these goods are not. These goods with their delights are signified by "milk and honey."

[8] There was also much honey in the land of Canaan at that time, because at that time the church of the Lord was there, as can be seen from the first book of Samuel, where it is said:

That they came into the forest, where there was honey upon the face of the ground, and there was a stream of honey, and Jonathan's eyes were opened by tasting the honey (1 Samuel 14:25-27, 29).

"Jonathan's eyes were opened by tasting the honey" because "honey" corresponds to natural good and its delight, and this good gives intelligence and enlightens, from which Jonathan knew that he had done evil; as we read in Isaiah, "He shall eat butter and honey, that he may know to reject the evil and to choose the good." For at that time correspondences exhibited their effects outwardly, since all things of the Israelitish Church consisted of correspondences, which represented and signified things celestial and spiritual.

[9] Again, "oil and honey" have a similar signification as "butter and honey" in the following passages. In Moses:

He made him to ride on the high places of the earth, and fed him with the produce of the fields; he made him to suck honey out of the cliff, and oil out of the flint of the rock (Deuteronomy 32:13).

This is in the song of Moses, which treats of the church in its beginning, and afterward in its progress, and finally in its end. Those that constituted the Ancient Church are described by these words, not those however who constituted the Israelitish Church, for these were evil from the beginning even to the end, as can be seen from their fathers in Egypt, and afterwards in the wilderness; but the Ancient Church, the men of which are meant by "their fathers," was that which the Lord "made to ride on the high places of the earth, and fed with the produce of the fields." That to these the good of natural love and the good of spiritual love with their delights were given by means of truths, from which they had their intelligence and according to which they lived, is signified by "he made him to suck honey out of the cliff, and oil out of the flint of the rock," "honey" signifying the delight of natural love, "oil," the delight of spiritual love, and "the cliff" and "the flint of the rock," truth from the Lord. (That "oil" signifies the good of love and charity, may be seen above, n. 375; and that "cliffs" and "rocks" signify truth from the Lord, n. 411, 443)

[10] In David:

I fed ¹ them with the fat of wheat, and with honey out of the rock I satisfied them (Psalms 81:16).

"The fat of wheat" signifies the delight of spiritual good, and "honey out of the rock," the delight of natural good through truths from the Lord (as above). It is to be known that natural good is not good unless there is also spiritual good; for all good flows in through the spiritual man or mind into the natural man or mind, and so far as the natural man or mind receives the good of the spiritual man or mind so far man receives good; that there may be good there must be both, or the two sides, consequently natural good separated from spiritual good is in itself evil, although by man it is still perceived as good. Since there must be both, it is said in the passages cited and yet to be cited, "butter and honey," "milk and honey;" "fat and honey," as also "oil and honey;" and "butter," "milk," "fat," and "oil" signify the good of spiritual love, and "honey" the good of natural love, together with their delights.

[11] In Ezekiel:

Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy garments were fine linen and silk and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, honey, and oil, whence thou didst become exceeding beautiful, and didst prosper even to a kingdom. But my bread which I gave thee, and the fine flour and oil and honey with which I fed thee, thou didst set before idols as an odor of rest (Ezekiel 16:13, 19).

This is said about Jerusalem, which signifies the church, first the Ancient Church, and afterwards the Israelitish Church. Of the Ancient Church it is said "she was decked with gold and silver," which signifies the love of good and truth that the men of that Church had; "the garments of fine linen, silk, and broidered work," signify the knowledges of celestial, spiritual, and natural truth, "fine linen" signifying truth from a celestial origin, "silk" truth from a spiritual origin, and "broidered work" truth from a natural origin, which is called knowledge [scientificum]. "She ate fine flour, honey and oil," signifies the perception of natural and spiritual truth and good, and their appropriation, "to eat" signifying to be appropriated, "fine flour" truth, "honey" natural good, and "oil" spiritual good, which were appropriated to them by a life according to the truths above mentioned. "She became exceeding beautiful and prospered even to a kingdom" signifies to become intelligent and wise so as to constitute a church, "beauty" signifying intelligence and wisdom, and a "kingdom" the church. But of the Israelitish Church, which was merely in externals without internals, whence the men of that church were idolatrous, it is said that "they set the fine flour, honey, and oil before the images of a male, or idols, as an odor of rest," that is, they perverted the truths and goods of the church into falsities and evils, and thus profaned them.

[12] In the same:

Judah and the land of Israel were thy merchants in the wheats of Minnith and Pannag, and honey and oil and balsam they gave for thy merchandise (Ezekiel 27:17).

This is said of Tyre, which signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good; so, too, "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good themselves belonging to the church; "oil and honey" have a similar signification as above. What is meant here in the spiritual sense by "Judah and the land of Israel," by "the wheats of Minnith and Pannag," and by "balsam," also by "the merchandise of Tyre," may be seen explained above n. 433.

[13] In Moses:

A land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths going forth from the valley and mountain; a land of wheat and barley, and of vine and fig-tree and pomegranate; and of olive oil and honey (Deuteronomy 8:7, 8).

This is said of the land of Canaan, which means the church which is in celestial, spiritual, and natural good, and in truths therefrom; but the contents of this verse are explained above (n. 374, 403), showing that "oil and honey" here signify the good of love in the internal or spiritual man and in the external or natural man.

[14] In David:

The judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are righteous altogether; more desirable than gold and than much fine gold; and sweeter than honey and the dropping of honeycombs (Psalms 19:9, 10).

In the same:

I have not departed from Thy judgment; for Thou hast instructed me. How sweet are Thy words to my palate, more than honey to my mouth (Psalms 119:102, 103).

"Judgments" signify the truths and goods of worship, therefore it is said "the judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are righteous altogether;" "righteous" signifies the good of life and worship therefrom; and as good is also signified by "gold" and "fine gold," it is said that "they are more desirable than gold and than much fine gold," "gold" meaning celestial good, "fine gold" spiritual good, and "desirable" means what belongs to affection and love. Since the goods by which a man is affected are delightful it is said that they are "sweeter than honey and the dropping of honeycombs," and that "the words of Jehovah are sweet to the palate, more than honey to the mouth," "sweet" signifying what is delightful, "honey" natural good, and "the dropping of honeycombs" natural truth. And because "honey" means natural good, and the "mouth" signifies what is external, it is said "more than honey to my mouth," as in Revelation, that "the little book was sweet as honey in the mouth."

[15] In Luke:

Jesus said to the disciples, who believed that they saw a spirit, See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; feel of Me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me having. Then He said to them, Have ye here anything to eat? And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and of a honeycomb. And He took it and did eat it before them (Luke 24:39, 41-43).

From the series of these words regarded in the spiritual sense it is very evident that "honeycomb" and "honey" signify natural good, for the Lord disclosed to His disciples that He had glorified or made Divine His whole Human, even to its natural and sensual; this is signified by "hands and feet" and by "flesh and bones," which they saw and felt, "hands and feet" signifying the ultimate of man which is called the natural, "flesh" its good, and "bones" its truth; for all things that are in the human body correspond to spiritual things, the "flesh" corresponding to the good of the natural man, and the "bones" to its truths. (On this correspondence, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 87-102.) And this the Lord confirmed by eating before the disciples of the broiled fish and honeycomb; "the broiled fish" signifying the truth of good of the natural and sensual man, and "the honeycomb," the good of the truth of the same. The Lord, therefore, by letting them feel of Him, showed and confirmed that His whole Human, even to its ultimates, was glorified, that is, made Divine; and this He showed, too, by the eating, in that "He ate before them a piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb."

[16] As "honey" signifies the good of the natural man, so also:

John the Baptist had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4; Mark 1:6).

For John the Baptist represented something similar as Elijah; wherefore it is also said that "Elijah should come," by whom John is meant. Elijah represented the Lord in relation to the Word, or the Word from the Lord; John had a similar representation; and as the Word teaches that the Messiah or the Lord was about to come, John was sent before to preach respecting the Lord's coming, according to the predictions in the Word. And as John represented the Word, therefore he represented the ultimates of the Word, which are natural, by his raiment and also by his food, namely, by his raiment of camel's hair and the leathern girdle about his loins; "camel's hair" signifying the ultimates of the natural man, such as are the exterior things of the Word, and "the leathern girdle about the loins," the external bond and connection of these with the interior things of the Word, which are spiritual. "Locust and wild honey" have a like signification, "locust" signifying the truth of the natural man, and "wild honey" its good. It is the same whether you say the truth and good of the natural man or natural truth and good, such as the Word is in its ultimate sense, which is called the sense of the letter or the natural sense, for this was what John represented by his raiment and food.

[17] That:

No leaven and no honey were to be offered in the offerings made by fire to Jehovah (Leviticus 2:11);

because "leaven" signifies the falsity of the natural man, and "honey" the delight of good of the natural man, and in the contrary sense the delight of its evil; this is also like leaven when it is mixed with such things as signify things interiorly holy, for natural delight draws its own from the delights of the love of self and of the world; and as the Israelitish nation was in such delights more than other nations, therefore they were forbidden to use honey in their sacrifices. (On the signification of "honey," as meaning the delight of the good of the natural man, see Arcana Coelestia 5650, 6857, 8056, 10137, 10530)

[18] That:

When Samson had rent the young lion he found in its carcass a swarm of bees and honey, when he was about to take a wife from the Philistine nation (Judges 14:8);

signified the dissipation of faith separated from charity, which the Philistine nation represented; for this reason the Philistines were called "uncircumcised," and this term signified that they were without spiritual love and charity and only in natural love, which is the love of self and of the world. Because such a faith destroys the good of charity it was represented by a young lion that attacked Samson with intent to tear him in pieces, but as Samson was a Nazirite, and by his Naziriteship represented the Lord in respect to His ultimate natural, he rent the lion, and afterwards found in its carcass "a swarm of bees and honey," and this signifies that when such faith has been dissipated, the good of charity succeeds in its place. The other things related of Samson in the book of Judges have a like signification; for there is nothing written in the Word that does not represent and signify such things as belong to heaven and the church, and these can be known only by a knowledge of correspondences, and thus from the spiritual sense of the Word.

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