Learning to Pray

1. And it came to pass, [that] as He was praying in a certain place, when He had ceased, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

2. And He said to them, “When you pray, say,’ Our Father, who [art] in the heavens, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, as in heaven, so upon the earth.

3. Give us our daily bread according to the day.

4. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone that is a debtor to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”

The story of Mary and Martha teaches us to put our priorities in order. If we want to serve others, we must first take time to sit at God’s feet. We must return to Him again and again, searching His Word, and prayerfully striving to understand His will.

And so it is that in this divinely ordered sequence of episodes, the very next episode pictures Jesus doing what He just advised Mary to do: He is at prayer. As it is written, “And it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place” one of his disciples came to Him (Luke 11:1). Noticing that Jesus is at prayer, the disciple says to Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Interestingly, the Gospel of Luke is the only gospel that records this significant request. It is in keeping with one of the central themes of this gospel—the development of the understanding. In this case it is about understanding how to pray.

Jesus responds immediately, giving them the divine formula for every prayer. It begins with a direct address to the One true God, acknowledging that He is the Father of all. As Jesus puts it, “Our Father who art in heaven.” Next, true prayer acknowledges the supreme holiness of the Lord’s name, which refers not only to a specific name but also to every divine quality that proceeds from God. Whenever we pray for a divine quality, whether it be patience, or compassion, or understanding, or peace, we are calling upon the name of the Lord. ¹

After establishing the supremacy of God who is the Father of all, and whose essential qualities of love and faith are available to all, the prayer next moves on to a series of those things we should pray about. Prayer, after all, means to ask, entreat, or beg, and this is the form that the prayer takes.

The first prayer request is “Your kingdom come.” The word “kingdom” here signifies the “kingdom of heaven” and specifically, the divine laws that govern that kingdom. To pray that the Lord’s kingdom come to us is to pray for the opening of our understanding so that we might understand the laws of the heavenly kingdom. Once we know those laws and live by them, the Lord’s “will is done” as in heaven, so also upon the earth. ²

It should be understood that in the original Greek, these are not casual requests. They are exhortations, entreaties, pleas, and supplications all of which convey a sense of urgency. It is as if we are saying, “Lord, I beg you. Your kingdom must come. I need it desperately. So, please, please come into my heart and open my understanding that I might rightly read your Word and do your will. I beg you!”

The phrase, “on earth as it is in heaven” (which is also translated “as in heaven so also upon the earth”) is a simple prayer that there be heaven on earth. While the disciples may have thought of this in terms of a literal king governing in such a way that every material need would be satisfied, Jesus has much more in mind when He gives them this prayer. For example, in teaching them to pray for “daily bread,” He is reminding them to look to God alone as the source of all their nourishment, both physically and spiritually. And He is teaching them to do this every day— “daily.” More deeply, a prayer for “daily bread,” in the spiritual sense, is a humble request that God guide us continually, giving us in every moment what to think and what to feel. ³

As we move deeper into the prayer, we are instructed to acknowledge our sins, and ask for forgiveness. In the words of the prayer, we are to say, “Forgive us our sins.” But in order to receive God’s forgiveness, we must be willing to forgive others. This does not mean that God is holding back, waiting for us to make the first move; rather, God is always at the door of our hearts, ready to fill us with every blessing. But those blessings cannot enter us until we open the door. In this case, we open the door by admitting our sins, and then forgiving those who have sinned against us. As soon as we do this, the Lord’s forgiveness flows in, enabling us to truly forgive others. This is what happens the moment we clear away the resentful feelings, grudges, and hard-heartedness that have been blocking the Lord’s coming into our lives. “Forgive us our sins,” says Jesus, “for we also forgive everyone who is a debtor to us” (Luke 11:4).

Next, Jesus instructs His disciples to add these words to the prayer: “Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Luke 11:4). It must be remembered that these words are accommodated to the disciples’ level of spiritual development and given in terms that they could understand. While it might appear that God often leads us into temptation and gives us challenges to make us stronger, the reality is that God, who is Goodness and Mercy Itself, never leads anyone into temptation. Instead, He allows us to experience the pain of our own selfishness, the frustration of our thwarted ambition, and the misery that inevitably ensues when we strive to live life without God’s guidance and support.

It must be pointed out, however, that although God does not “lead us into” these temptations, He does allow them. Moreover, if we are willing to receive His assistance, He leads us through them. In other words, God permits misfortunes—often called trials and temptations, knowing that we can learn valuable lessons through these times of trial.

Reflecting for a moment on the divine arrangement of this prayer, it’s important to remember that it begins by turning to God, acknowledging the holy qualities that come from Him (“His name”); then we are taught to beg that we might receive these qualities through an opening of our understanding (“Thy kingdom come”) and through doing His will (Thy will be done”). It is then that we will receive our daily bread—that is, we will be given the loving affections and heavenly wisdom that will sustain us in every moment. Moreover, to the extent that we acknowledge our sins and forgive the sins of others, the Lord can fill us with the love and wisdom that will guide us through the inevitable temptations that will arise when our selfish loves begin to take precedence over our nobler nature.

The arising of these selfish loves and deliverance from them through the power of the Lord’s truth is meant by the words, “deliver us from evil.” This is also what is taught in the Hebrew scriptures where it is written, “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for You are with me” (Psalm 23:4). In other words, God does not lead us into temptation, but He does lead us through temptation by filling us with His love and guiding us with His truth. ⁴

As we have pointed out before, Jesus often spoke according to the understanding of His disciples. The idea that God leads us into temptation was a deeply held belief at that time and Jesus knew that His disciples were not yet ready to rise above the appearance that God tempts them. So, in this case, Jesus is speaking in a way that is accommodated to their understanding. Only gradually will they be able to understand that God is Goodness and Mercy itself and that He never leads anyone into temptation. On the contrary, God continually teaches us how to avoid temptation, and if we cannot avoid it, He teaches us not only how to pass through it, but also how we can overcome it, and, finally, how we can learn from it. ⁵

A practical application

As we grow in our knowledge and understanding of God, our prayers will contain both the acknowledgement of God’s power and the acknowledgement of our powerlessness. Moreover, as our spiritual life deepens, we will realize that true prayer is about the spiritual matters of faith and the celestial matters of love—not about the satisfaction of our worldly desires. When this is the case, our prayers might sound something like this: “Lord, please open my mind and change my heart so that I might see others as You see them.” Or, our prayers might sound something like this: “Heavenly Father, when my lower nature leads me into temptation, deliver me from evil with truth from your Word, and fill me with the goodness of Your love. In Your holy name I pray.”

Earlier in this gospel, when Jesus prayed at His baptism, “heaven was opened” (Luke 3:21). This can happen for each of us as well. It is the sacred moment, during prayer, when we feel hopeful, or receive comfort, or perhaps experience a certain inward joy. ⁶

As a practical application, then, why not try prayer?

On the Importance of Being Persistent

5. And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;

6. For a friend of mine in his journey has come to me, and I have not anything to set before him’

7. And he from inside, answering shall say, ‘Make me not labor; the door is already shut, and my little children are with me in bed; I cannot stand up and give thee.’

8. I say to you, Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will stand up and give him as many as he needs.”

Prayer is, indeed, a central aspect of our spiritual lives. Without it, our spirits would wither and die. It renews and refreshes us; it enables us to meet the challenges of the day with strength and confidence; in brief, what sleep does for the body, prayer does for the soul.

But we must be persistent. God will not grant our prayers because we are specially chosen, or are members of a particular faith group. When it comes to prayer, there are no “insiders” and no “special friends.” It is a state of being in which we are all equal before God who encourages each of us to persist.

The need for diligent prayer is illustrated in the next episode. Jesus says to His disciples, “Which of you shall have a friend and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and his friend will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’”? (Luke 11:7).

The story is a parable about our own lives. Each of us is the one begging for bread. It is another version of the request just given in the model prayer: “Give us our daily bread.” The man in bed who will not open the door represents the idea we have of God at those times when it feels as though He is not responding to our prayers. It feels as though “the door is closed.” This is only an appearance, of course. In spiritual reality, the door to God is never closed, unless we choose to close it. His daily bread is always available to us — unless we refuse to accept it.

But in the minds of the disciples, as in our own minds, there are times when it seems that God will not grant our wishes or listen to our prayers. Even as we pray for patience, understanding, and a forgiving spirit, we may yet remain impatient, resentful, and unforgiving. During these dark, midnight-like times in our lives, it seems that “the door is closed” and God is refusing to hand out bread.

Fortunately, the parable continues: “I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will rise and give him as many as he needs” (Luke 11:8). In the original Greek, the word which is here translated as “persistence” is much stronger. In older translations it is rendered as “importunity,” which means “impudence” or “shameless perseverance.”

In other words, we need to be shamelessly persistent in our prayers. While God often counsels us to relax, rest in Him, and be content, this is not the case when it comes to prayer. True prayer consists in persistently living by the truth that we know, with determination and steadfast resolve. Just as Jesus steadfastly “set His face” toward Jerusalem, we should set our minds on doing what we know is right, while fervently praying that God’s will might be done in our lives.

Prayer does not mean that we should spend all day on our knees with our hands tightly clasped together awaiting influx and enlightenment from God. While it is useful to withdraw into prayer, this is not enough. Our efforts to shun evil and do good should be ardent and unceasing. We make these efforts as if from ourselves, knowing that God is giving us the power to do so. As a result, every effort to live according to God’s will becomes a true prayer. Whenever we do this, striving to practice patience, rise above resentment, and exercise forgiveness—while persistently praying for the power to so—subtle shifts will take place in our spirit. We discover that God has risen in us, and is giving us as many loaves as we need.

Keep Knocking

9. And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.

10. For everyone that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.

11. And [if] a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? And if [he shall ask for] a fish, instead of a fish will he give him a serpent?

12. Or if he shall ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion?

13. If you then, being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall the Father that [is] of heaven give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?

In the preceding parable, the friend’s door seemed to be shut. But because the man was shamelessly persistent, he received as many loaves as he needed. Similarly, Jesus now encourages His disciples to exercise the same persistence in their own prayers, persistently knocking on God’s door. Jesus tells them to “ask,” fully expecting that they will receive: “Ask,” Jesus says to them, “and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10). ⁸

This attitude of persistence is important. It is hopeful, optimistic, and confident. It demonstrates full faith in God and in His power to give us the spiritual and celestial qualities we pray for—qualities which are summed up in life of faith in God and love towards the neighbor. Though it may often seem to us that these spiritual and celestial blessings do not come to us immediately, or that God does not answer our prayers, Jesus assures His disciples that everyone genuine prayer will be answered. As Jesus puts it, “If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? Or if he asks for an egg, will he give him a scorpion?” (Luke 11:11-12).

In speaking about a father’s love for his son, Jesus is appealing to the parental instincts of His disciples. This is a way of helping them to understand the nature of God’s love for everyone. After all, Jesus has just taught them how to pray, beginning with the words, “Our Father.” Since God is love Itself, it is His very nature to love His children without bounds and to give them everything they need for their salvation.

In this regard, it should be mentioned that “everything we need for our salvation” involves everything that is spiritual (i.e., matters of faith) and everything that is celestial (i.e., matters of love). In this case, Jesus uses the concrete language of the physical world to deliver messages that contain deeper spiritual truth. For example, when Jesus mentions a prayer for “bread” He is referring to love; when He mentions a prayer for “fish” He is referring to living truth, and when He mentions a prayer for an “egg,” He is referring to the start of spiritual life.

Using this sacred symbolism as our guide, we can take a deeper look at the meaning of this passage. Jesus is saying that if people pray for a loving heart (“bread”), God will not give them a heart of “stone.” Similarly, if people for living truth (a “fish”), God will not give them selfish reasoning (a “serpent”). And if people pray for a new spirit (an “egg”), God will not allow them to be poisoned by false beliefs (the sting of a “scorpion”). ⁹

This is how it is for each of us. Our prayers may not bring about the physical health, financial freedom, or social status we seek—but God will never fail to give us the love and wisdom that we desire. Moreover, He will give us the Holy Spirit—His real presence with us and in us. This is the Spirit that enables us to understand truth and do good. As Jesus puts it, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:13). ¹⁰

A practical application

In the previous practical application, we suggested that you try prayer. In this application, we suggest that you try prayer again, but this time keep your prayer focused on spiritual and heavenly qualities. Instead of focusing on what God can do for your physical life, focus instead on what God can do for your spiritual life. For example, when you think about “daily bread” let it be a prayer about being sustained by the life-giving affections and noble thoughts that flow in from God. In this regard, you might consider asking God to give you patience in place of impatience, or forgiveness in place of resentment, or love in place of hatred. As you ask for these spiritual qualities in prayer, keep in mind that the only true prayers are living ones—prayers that are enacted through striving to become the person you hope to be. In the process, as you strive to manifest spiritual qualities in your life, as if from yourself, God will flow in with the power to be patient, the power to be forgiving, and the power to love. Eventually, as you continue to act like the person you hope to become, your prayer life and your daily life become as one. Your prayers will open the way for God’s power to infill your actions, and your actions will be your prayers made visible. ¹¹

A House Divided Cannot Stand

14. And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute; and it came to pass, when the demon had come out, the mute spoke; and the crowds marveled.

15. But some of them said, He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.

16. And others, tempting [Him], sought of Him a sign from heaven.

17. But He, seeing their thoughts, said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is made desolate, and a house [divided] against a house falls.

18. And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub.

19. And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast [them] out? Therefore, shall they be your judges.

20. But if I by the finger of God cast out demons, certainly the kingdom of God has come to you.

21. When the strong [one], fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his belongings are in peace;

22. But when a stronger than he comes upon [him] and overcomes him, he takes away all his armor on which he trusted, and distributes his spoils.

23. He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathers not with Me scatters.

Prayer is speech with God. We offer up our thoughts, we seek guidance, we ask for protection, we share our heart’s desires, and we express our gratitude. There is no mysterious “language of prayer.” There is simply the petitioner and God, speaking and listening. It is a fundamental human process. ¹²

But sometimes, we find that we cannot speak with God. We have nothing to say, and no desire to pray. It is a kind of spiritual “muteness.” We read therefore, in the next episode, that Jesus was “casting out a demon, and it was mute” (Luke 11:14). As soon as this spirit of muteness was cast out, the mute person began to speak. The multitudes marveled, but some said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons” (Luke 11:15).

In spiritual reality, only truth can cast out falsity; only good can cast out evil. It is impossible for falsity to cast out falsity, or evil to cast out evil. Jesus assures us that this is indeed the case. As he puts it, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against itself falls” (Luke 11:17). Jesus makes it clear that Beelzebub is not the one who gives Him the power to cast out demons. The power to cast out demons comes from God alone. Therefore, Jesus says, “If I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Luke 11:20).

The phrase “finger of God” is a reference to the Ten Commandments which “were written with “the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18). Jesus is reminding them that His power is from the same God who gave the Divine Commandments, and it is only through that power that He is able to cast out demons. The “demons” are real. They manifest as the many forms of self-love that keep us in bondage, refusing to let us pray or do what is good for others. They are like “a strong man, fully armed, who guards his own palace” (Luke 11:21). When we are under demonic influence, we find it impossible to pray. Like the mute man, we cannot speak with God.

But although demonic influences seem to be strong, even invincible, God is stronger. Therefore, Jesus adds these words: “When a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils” (Luke 11:22). Jesus, who comes to us with the truth of His Word and the power of His love, is the “stronger man.” Through the truth of God’s Word, falsity is disarmed, and its spoils are divided; battles are turned into blessings.

All this is accomplished when a person decides to be led by God’s goodness and truth. Those who are led by goodness and truth will join with Jesus in the work of gathering together all that is good and true within them. But those who do not choose to be led by goodness and truth will allow unclean spirits to wreak havoc within, them disrupting their lives and scattering whatever is good and true. As Jesus puts it, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters” (Luke 11:23).

A practical application

Goodness and truth unite us; they draw us together as one family under one God. But evil and falsity separate and scatter us. Will we be with Him or against Him who casts out demons with the finger of God? Will we be among those who gather, or those who scatter? This is the decision that Jesus leaves us with as this episode closes.

Casting Out—and Keeping Out—Unclean Spirits

24. When the unclean spirit has come out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest; and finding not, he says, “I will return to my house from which I came out”;

25. And when he comes, he finds [it] swept and adorned.

26. Then he goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in, they dwell there; and the last [things] of that man become worse than the first.

27. And it came to pass as He said these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to Him, “Happy [is] the womb that bore Thee, and the breasts [at] which Thou hast nursed.”

28. But He said, “Rather, happy [are] they that hear the Word of God and guard it.”

Casting out demons is indeed marvelous, but it is only a small part of the wondrous work that Jesus performs. In fact, if casting out demons were all He did, people would be in worse shape than before He started. We read, therefore, that “when an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of the man is worst than the first” (Luke 11:24-26).

Jesus was indeed able to cast out demons with the finger of God. This is the mighty power of the Ten Commandments in the literal sense, teaching us what not to do—what evils to shun. This is what it means spiritually to “sweep out our houses.” We are not to worship other gods, we are not to take God’s name in vain, we are not to work on the Sabbath, we are not to murder, not to commit adultery, not to steal, not to lie, and not to covet. To the extent that we do not do any of these things, our mental “house” will be swept clean.

But we cannot be satisfied with a spiritual life that is based only on sweeping out and emptying. Our spiritual nature—like physical nature—abhors a vacuum. If our spirituality is only composed of “Thou shall not, Thou shalt not, Thou shalt not,” we will momentarily be swept clean. But we will also be like an empty, unoccupied house that will quickly be filled by “other spirits more wicked than the original one.” Pride, vanity, conceit, arrogance, self-satisfaction, self-righteousness, and contempt will all come rushing in, and “the last state will be worse than the first.”

The only way to prevent this from happening is to fill the cleaned-out, demon-free dwellings with the opposite goods: in place of the false gods that are driven out, the One True God is invited in; instead of taking God’s name in vain, the name of God is called upon regularly in prayer; instead of working on the Sabbath, the Sabbath becomes a day to do good for others; instead of murdering we become life-givers; instead of stealing, we become contributors; instead of lying, we become truth-tellers, and instead of coveting we become grateful for all that we have. In this way, our empty dwelling is filled with gratitude and selfless service.

This episode, then, puts forth a two-step program for our spiritual rehabilitation. On the one hand, we must shun evils as sins against God. This is the first step. We cannot expect God to plant new seeds in our spiritual garden unless we first remove the weeds. But merely removing the weeds is not enough. Like a mind that is empty, anything can and will rush in. The neatly weeded garden will soon be overrun with other weeds, and unless a new crop is planted, there will be more weeds in that garden than in the beginning. Therefore, we must not only shun evils; we must also do good. Casting out demons is only the beginning; we must then begin to serve others.

As this episode closes, “a certain woman from the crowd,” still marveling at the exorcism performed on the mute person, cries out, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts that nursed You” (Luke 11:27). While Jesus does not contradict her, He reminds her, and all who might be listening, that there are blessings that far exceed the miracles that He has performed. “More than that,” He says, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it” (Luke 11:28). The emphasis is once again, not on miracles, but rather on hearing God’s Word, and doing it.

Seeking a Sign

29. And when the crowds congregated, He began to say, “This is a wicked generation; it seeks a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.

30. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also shall the Son of Man be to this generation.

31. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them; for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, more than Solomon [is] here.

32. The men of Nineveh shall stand up in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, more than Jonah [is] here.

33. And no one having kindled a lamp puts [it] in a secret [place], neither under a bushel, but on a lampstand, that they who go in may look at the light.

34. The lamp of the body is the eye; therefore, when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is illuminated; but when [it] is evil, thy body also [is] dark;

35. Take heed, therefore, that the light that is in thee be not darkness.

36. If then thy whole body [be] illuminated, having no part dark, the whole shall be illuminated as when a lamp by [its] bright shining gives thee light.”

Among those who gathered to witness the exorcism on the demon-possessed man, there were some who marveled, some who doubted, and some who sought “a sign from heaven” (Luke 11:16). Jesus now addresses this third group, saying, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given except the sign of Jonah, the prophet” (Luke 11:29). Jesus then recounts the story of Jonah, reminding everyone that even the men of Nineveh repented when Jonah preached to them. And then He points out that “one who is greater than Jonah is here” (Luke 11:32).

The one who is “greater than Jonah” is Jesus, but the people cannot understand what He means. Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale and then was disgorged onto dry ground. This miracle foreshadowed the much greater miracle that was soon to take place: Jesus would be crucified, and then, after three days, He would rise again. ¹³

Jesus knew that those who demanded a sign would still not be convinced. Signs and miracles may momentarily persuade, but they do not entirely convince. The hunger for more signs and greater miracles continues to increase and can never be satisfied. Faith is much deeper. It involves our understanding, and therefore cannot be blind. It is for this reason that Jesus goes on to say that “no one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand that those who come in may see the light” (Luke 11:33).

Jesus stood before them, as the light of the world, in plain view, but some refused to see. This was because they did not want to see. As Jesus continues, He says, “The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Therefore, take heed that the light that is in you is not darkness” (Luke 11:35). ¹⁴

When Jesus refers to an “eye that is good” he is referring to people whose understanding is unclouded by selfish desires. When “the eye is good,” people see the truth about themselves, even if it means that they must repent and change their ways. But when the “eye is bad,” it refers to an understanding that is clouded by selfish loves and worldly desires. When this is the case, the mind is full of darkness. There is no understanding because there is no real desire to understand. Even though the person might be shown a thousand miracles, they will relapse, again and again, into disbelief, demanding ever more miracles. ¹⁵

In place of miracles that coerce belief, Jesus wanted to illuminate their understanding with divine truth. He knew that a true understanding of scripture can light up the whole mind in the same way that a lamp can light up an entire room. This is what happens when a person has real faith in God. As Jesus puts it, “If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light” (Luke 11:36).

This is one of the chief goals of every prayer. It is to pray that God might grant us light so that we might see clearly how to do His will. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). It is for this reason that David cried out, “My God turns my darkness into light” (Psalm 18:28).

Jesus Does Not Wash Before Dinner

37. And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee besought Him to dine with him; and He went in, [and] reclined.

38. But the Pharisee, seeing, marveled that He had not first washed thoroughly before dinner.

39. And the Lord said to him, “Now do you Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inside is filled with extortion and wickedness.

40. Senseless [ones]! Did not He who made that which is outside make that which is inside also?

41. Nevertheless give the things that are within for alms, and behold, all things are clean to you.

42. But woe to you, Pharisees, because you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass by the judgment and the love of God; these things you ought to have done, and not to have left those also [undone].

43. Woe to you, Pharisees, because you love the first seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

44. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are as sepulchers that appear not, and the men that walk over [them and] know not.”

45. And one of the lawyers answering said to Him, “Teacher, in saying these things Thou insultest us also.”

46. But He said, “Woe to you, lawyers, also, because you burden men with burdens difficult to bear, and you yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

47. Woe to you because you build the sepulchers of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

48. Then you bear witness to and have good pleasure in the works of your fathers, for they indeed killed them, and you build their sepulchers.

49. By this also the wisdom of God said, I will send out to them prophets and apostles, and [some] of them they shall kill and persecute,

50. That the blood of all the prophets poured out from the founding of the world may be required of this generation,

51. From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the house. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.

52. Woe to you, lawyers, because you have taken away the key of knowledge; you entered not in yourselves, and those that were entering in you have forbidden.”

53. And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge [Him] frightfully, and to provoke Him to speak of many things,

54. Lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch something out of His mouth, that they might accuse Him.

People marvel at different things. The disciples marveled when Jesus calmed the wind and the waves (Luke 8:25); the people marveled when Jesus healed the boy who suffered from seizures (Luke 9:43), and as we have just seen in a recent episode, the multitudes marveled when Jesus cast out a demon from a man who was mute, enabling the man to speak. These were indeed marvelous occurrences. We can vicariously share the wide-eyed wonder among those who were first-hand witnesses to these events.

But, as we have seen, not everyone marveled. Some doubted, and some wanted further testimony. And there were some who stubbornly maintained that Jesus was an imposter who claimed to have extraordinary powers, but who was a charlatan, or sorcerer, or, worst of all, a demon. Even if they were to grant that Jesus had extraordinary powers, they reasoned that these powers could not possibly be from God.

This latter group of disbelievers, nervous about Jesus’ growing popularity, seems to have only one thing in mind: they want to prove that Jesus is an opponent of all that is pure and holy in religion. After all, this is the man who touches dead bodies, heals on the Sabbath, eats with tax collectors, drinks with drunkards and associates with sinners. When they observe Him, their selfishness prevents them from seeing Jesus’ goodness and charity. This is precisely what Jesus was referring to in the preceding episode, when He said to them, “When your eye is bad, your body is also full of darkness” (Luke 11:35). ¹⁶

This next episode epitomizes their uncharitable suspicions. When a certain Pharisee asks Jesus to dine with him, Jesus accepts the invitation and goes in to eat with the Pharisee. We then read that “The Pharisee marveled.” We pause here to consider what it might be that the Pharisee marvels at. Is it perhaps Jesus’ miracles? His wondrous healings? His power over the wind and the waves? Maybe it is His miraculous feeding of the multitudes, or the casting out of demons? The answer is none of the above. Returning to the unfinished sentence, we read, “He marveled that Jesus had not first washed before dinner” (Luke 11:38).

Jesus knows what the Pharisee is thinking, and He uses this as an opportunity to teach a timeless lesson: “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean,” He says, “but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?” (Luke 11:39)

The Pharisee places his focus on the fact that Jesus does not wash His hands before dinner. In fact, he “marvels” at this. But Jesus lets him know that washing hands is merely an external act, and that paying too much attention to externals can lead to ignoring what is much more important—our internal. For example, if the Pharisees were not so stingy, and gave alms more freely “all things would be clean” to them. But the Pharisees were not known for their charity. Instead, they prided themselves on “tithing mint and rue and all manner of herbs,” while they ignored the weightier, more important aspects of religion, “justice and the love of God” (Luke 11:42).

Jesus is not saying they should give up tithing, or exchange one practice for another. They should continue to tithe, but they should also practice justice in their dealings with people, and sincerity in their love towards God. As Jesus puts it, “These you ought to have done without leaving the others undone” (Luke 11:42) Jesus also chastises the Pharisees for their love of honor: “Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in marketplaces” (Luke 11:43).

It is clear to Jesus that the outward glory and honor they crave so much did nothing to conceal their corrupt inner nature. They are like rotting corpses in unmarked graves. People might walk past, even walk over those graves, not realizing what a thin veil separates them from the contamination and rottenness underfoot. “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees!” says Jesus. “For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them” (Luke 11:44).

So far, Jesus has been hurling harsh invectives at the Pharisees, but says nothing about the lawyers. Accordingly, a lawyer speaks up saying, “Teacher, by saying these things, You insult us also” (Luke 11:45). This is true. The lawyers assist the Pharisees in helping them understand and interpret the law. Therefore, Jesus’ criticism of the Pharisees is also an insult to the lawyers.

But even though Jesus is an invited guest at this dinner, and is most certainly violating the code of hospitality, He does not apologize. This is because He is thinking from a higher code—a code that places love and justice above the superficial observances, purity codes, and ritualistic pieties that are instituted and enforced by the religious leaders, but have nothing to do with genuine spirituality.

He therefore returns to His diatribe, this time directing His comments to the lawyers “Woe to you also, you lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers” (Luke 11:46). The image of the lawyers turning the blessings of the law into heavy burdens for the people to carry, without “lifting a finger” to help them, is powerful and poignant.

Jesus continues to castigate the lawyers, now accusing them and their fathers of murdering the prophets, and preventing people from enjoying the blessings of true religion. While the contemporary lawyers of Jesus’ day could not have physically murdered the prophets of old (they weren’t alive at the time) their failure to heed the warnings of the prophets nullified the force of their teachings. After all, the words of the prophets contained the key to knowledge. The lawyers had those teachings, but did not pass them on to the people—not, at least, in the spirit they were given. Jesus, therefore, pronounces one last woe: “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered” (Luke 11:52).

As might be expected, Jesus’ words do little to change the minds of the Pharisees and lawyers. But He does succeed at making them angrier and more determined to put an end to His relentless and incisive exposure of their true nature. Therefore, as this episode closes, we read that “the scribes and Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him” (Luke 11:54).

This episode ends where it began—with the scribes and Pharisees “lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him.” Whether it is a matter of His eating with unwashed hands, or saying something that contradicted their understanding of the law, they are ready to accuse and ready to condemn Him. They are ready for anything except to learn from Him. As a result, they are very far from understanding Jesus’ warning, given at the end of the previous episode: “Take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness” (Luke 11:35). ¹⁷

각주:

617. And he said unto me, Take and eat it up, signifies that he should read, perceive, and explore the Word, of what quality it is within and what it is without. This is evident from the signification of "he said unto me, Take the little book," as being the faculty given to perceive of what quality the Word is, that is, what the understanding of the Word now is in the church (See the preceding article, n. 616; and from the signification of "to eat up" (or devour), as being to conjoin and appropriate to oneself, and as the Word is conjoined to man by reading and perception, here "to eat up" or "to devour" signifies to read and perceive. "To eat up" here signifies also to explore, because it is added that "the little book made his belly bitter," and was perceived to be "in his mouth sweet as honey," and by this it was ascertained what the Word, as regards its understanding, is within and without; what it is within is signified by "the belly and its bitterness," and what it is without by the "mouth" in which it was perceived to be sweet as honey. From this it can be seen that "he said unto me, Take and eat it up," signifies that he should read, perceive, and explore the Word, of what quality it is within and of what it is without.

[2] "To eat" and "to drink" are often mentioned in the Word, and those who have no knowledge of the spiritual sense can have no other idea than that natural eating and drinking are thereby meant; but "to eat" and "to drink" signify to nourish oneself spiritually, consequently to appropriate to oneself good and truth, "to eat" signifying to appropriate to oneself good, and "to drink" to appropriate to oneself truth. Anyone who believes that the Word is also spiritual may know that "to eat" and "to drink," likewise "bread," "food," "wine," and "drink" mean spiritual nourishment; if they did not mean this the Word would be merely natural and not at the same time spiritual, thus merely for the natural man and not for the spiritual man, much less for angels. That "bread," "food," "wine," and "drink" mean in the spiritual sense the nourishment of the mind, has been frequently shown above; also that the Word is spiritual throughout, although in the sense of the letter it is natural. To be nourished spiritually is to be instructed and imbued, consequently to know, to understand, and to be wise. Unless a man enjoys this nourishment together with the nourishment of the body, he is not a man but a beast; and this is why those who place all delight in feastings and banquetings and daily indulge their palates are dull in spiritual things, however they may be able to reason respecting the things of the world and of the body; therefore after death they live a life that is beastly rather than human, for instead of intelligence and wisdom they have insanity and folly. This has been said to make known that here "to devour or eat up the little book" signifies to read, to perceive, and to explore the Word, for "the little book" that was in the hand of the angel coming down from heaven means the Word, as has been said above. Moreover, one cannot eat or devour a book naturally, thus not the Word; and this, too, makes clearly evident that "to eat" here signifies to be spiritually nourished.

[3] That "to eat" and "to drink" signify in the Word to eat and drink spiritually, which is to be instructed, and by instruction and living to imbue oneself with good and truth and to appropriate this, consequently intelligence and wisdom, can be seen from the following passages. In Jeremiah:

Thy words shall be found, that I may eat them, and Thy Word be to me for joy and for the gladness of my heart (Jeremiah 15:16).

Here "to eat" manifestly stands for spiritual eating, which is to know, to perceive, and to appropriate to oneself, for it is said, "that I may eat Thy words, and Thy Word be to me for joy and for the gladness of my heart;" the "words of God" signify His precepts or Divine truths. This is similar to what the Lord said to the tempter:

That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:3, 4; Luke 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3).

Again:

Work not for the food that perisheth, but for the food that abideth unto eternal life (John 6:27).

So, too, with the words of the Lord to the disciples:

The disciples said, Rabbi, eat. But He said, I have food to eat that ye know not. The disciples said one to another, Hath anyone brought Him aught to eat? Jesus said unto them, My food is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to accomplish His work (John 4:31-34).

[4] From this, too, it is evident that "to eat" signifies in the spiritual sense to receive in the will and to do, from which is conjunction; for the Lord by doing the Divine will conjoined the Divine that was in Him with His Human, and thus appropriated the Divine to His Human. To this may be referred:

The Lord's feeding the five thousand men, besides women and children, with five loaves and two fishes, and when they had eaten and were filled they took up twelve baskets of fragments (Matthew 14:15-22; John 6:5, 6, 13, 23).

Also His feeding four thousand men from seven loaves and a few fishes (Matthew 15:32, et seq .).

This miracle was done because previously the Lord had been teaching them, and they had received and appropriated to themselves His doctrine; this is what they ate spiritually; therefore natural eating followed, that is, flowed in out of heaven with them as the manna did with the sons of Israel, unknown to them; for when the Lord wills, spiritual food which also is real food but only for spirits and angels, is changed into natural food, just as it was turned into manna every morning.

[5] The like is signified by "eating bread in the kingdom of God" in Luke:

I appoint unto you a kingdom that ye may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom (Luke 22:27, 29, 30).

Here also "to eat" and "to drink" signify to eat and drink spiritually, therefore "to eat" there signifies to receive, to perceive; and to appropriate to oneself the good of heaven from the Lord, and "to drink" signifies to receive, to perceive, and to appropriate to oneself the truth of that good; for "to eat" is predicated of good because "bread" signifies the good of love, and "to drink" is predicated of truth because "water" and "wine" signify the truth of that good. The like is signified elsewhere in Luke:

Blessed is he that eateth bread in the kingdom of God (Luke 14:15).

This is why the Lord there likened the kingdom of God:

To a great supper, to which those invited did not come, and to which only those came who were brought in from the streets (verses Luke 14:16-24).

[6] Spiritual eating, by which the soul is nourished, is also signified by "eating" in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

If ye will be willing and obedient ye shall eat good (Isaiah 1:19).

"To eat good" signifies spiritual good, therefore it is said, "If ye will be willing and obedient," that is, if ye will do; for spiritual food is given, conjoined, and appropriated to man by his willing and his doing therefrom.

In David:

Blessed is everyone that feareth Jehovah, that walketh in His ways. Thou shalt eat the labor of thy hands; blessed art thou, and it is good with thee (Psalms 128:1, 2).

"To eat the labor of his hands" signifies the celestial good that man receives from the Lord by a life according to Divine truths, and acquires as it were by his own labor and zeal, therefore it is said that he shall eat "who feareth Jehovah and walketh in His ways," and it is added "Blessed art thou, and it is good with thee."

[7] In Isaiah:

Say to the righteous that it is good, for they shall eat the fruit of their works (Isaiah 3:10).

"To eat the fruit of their works" has a similar signification as "eating the labor of their hands," mentioned above.

In Ezekiel:

Thou didst eat fine flour, honey, and oil; whence thou didst become exceeding beautiful, and didst prosper even to a kingdom (Ezekiel 16:13).

This was said of Jerusalem, which signifies the church, here the Ancient Church, which was in truths and in spiritual good, and at the same time in natural good; "fine flour" signifies truth, "honey" natural good, or the good of the external man; and "oil" spiritual good, or the good of the internal man; the reception, perception, and appropriation of these goods is signified by "eating fine flour, honey, and oil;" that from these the church became intelligent is signified by "whence thou didst become exceedingly beautiful," "beauty" signifying intelligence; that from these it became a church is signified by "thou didst prosper even to a kingdom," "kingdom" signifying the church.

[8] In Isaiah:

Behold, 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. For before the boy knoweth to reject the evil and to choose the good the land which thou abhorrest shall be forsaken from before its two kings (Isaiah 7:14-16).

It is evident that the "Son" whom the virgin shall conceive and bear, and whose name shall be called "God-with-us," is the Lord in respect to His Human; the appropriation, in respect to the Human, of spiritual and natural Divine good is meant by "butter and honey shall He eat," spiritual Divine good by "butter," natural Divine good by "honey," and appropriation by "eating;" and because so far as it is known how to reject evil and to choose good, so far spiritual and natural Divine good is appropriated, therefore it is said, "that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good." That the church was deserted and vastated in respect to all good and truth by knowledges [scientifica] falsely applied, and by reasonings therefrom, is signified by "the land which thou abhorrest shall be forsaken from before its two kings," "land" signifying the church; the desertion and devastation of it are meant by "it shall be forsaken and abhorred;" and "the two kings," who are the king of Egypt and the king of Assyria, signify knowledges wrongly applied, and reasonings therefrom, "the king of Egypt" such knowledges, and "the king of Assyria" reasonings therefrom. That these kings are meant is evident from what follows in verses 17 and 18, where Egypt and Assyria are mentioned; moreover, these things also are what chiefly devastate the church. That the Lord came into the world when there was no longer any truth and good in the church, thus when there was nothing of the church remaining, has been said several times above.

[9] In the same prophet:

It shall come to pass by reason of the abundance of milk that one shall eat butter; for butter and honey shall everyone eat that remains in the land (Isaiah 7:22).

This is said of a new church to be established by the Lord; and "butter and honey" signify spiritual good and natural good, and "to eat" signifies to appropriate (as above); "milk" signifies the spiritual from the celestial, from which these goods are.

[10] In the same:

Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without silver and without price. Wherefore do ye weigh silver for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? In hearkening hearken unto Me, ¹ and eat good, that your soul may delight itself in fatness (Isaiah 55:1, 2).

It is very clear that "to eat" signifies here to appropriate to oneself from the Lord, for it is said, "Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy and eat," which signifies that everyone who desires truth, and who had not truth before, may acquire and appropriate it from the Lord; "one that thirsts" signifies one who desires, "water" truth, "silver" the truth of good, here one who has no truth of good is meant; "to come" means to come to the Lord, "to buy" means to acquire for oneself, and "to eat" to appropriate. "Come ye, buy wine and milk without silver and without price," signifies that spiritual Divine truth and natural Divine truth may be acquired without self-intelligence, "wine" signifying spiritual Divine truth, and "milk" spiritual-natural Divine truth. "Wherefore do ye weigh silver for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not?" signifies that it is useless to endeavor to acquire from what is one's own [proprium] the good of love and that which nourishes the soul; "silver" as well as "labor" means here truth from what is one's own [proprium], or from self-intelligence, "bread" means the good of love, and "that which satisfies" that which nourishes the soul, here that which does not nourish; "In hearkening hearken unto Me" signifies that these things are from the Lord alone; "and eat ye good, that your soul may delight itself in fatness," signifies that they may appropriate to themselves celestial good, from which is every enjoyment of life, "to delight in fatness" signifying to have enjoyment from good, and "soul" signifying life.

[11] In the same:

The merchandise of Tyre shall be for them that dwell before Jehovah, to eat to satiety and for a covering with what is ancient (Isaiah 23:18).

"The merchandise of Tyre" signifies the knowledges of good and truth of every kind; "to dwell before Jehovah" signifies to live from the Lord; "to eat to satiety" signifies to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself knowledges of good sufficient for nourishing the soul; "for a covering with what is ancient" signifies to be imbued with knowledges of genuine truth; for "to cover" is predicated of truths, because "garments" signify truths clothing good, and "ancient" is predicated of what is genuine, since there were genuine truths with the ancients. The signification is similar in Moses:

That they should eat to the full, and should eat the old store long kept (Leviticus 26:5, 10).

In the same:

That they should eat and be full in the good land (Deuteronomy 11:15).

Then also that they should eat and not be satisfied (Leviticus 26:26).

[12] In Isaiah:

They shall build houses and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build that another may inhabit, they shall not plant that another may eat (Isaiah 65:21, 22).

Everyone knows what is signified by these words in the sense of the letter; but as the Word in its bosom is spiritual, spiritual things also are meant, that is, such things as belong to heaven and the church, for these are spiritual things. "To build houses and to inhabit them" signifies to fill the interiors of the mind with the goods of heaven and the church, and thereby to enjoy celestial life, "houses" signifying the interiors of the mind, and "to inhabit" celestial life therefrom. "To plant vineyards and to eat the fruit of them" signifies to enrich themselves with spiritual truths, and to appropriate to themselves goods therefrom; "vineyards" mean spiritual truths, "fruits" goods therefrom; and "to eat" to receive, perceive, and appropriate to themselves, for every good is appropriated to man by means of truths, that is, by a life according to them. This that has been said makes evident what is signified by "they shall not build that another may inhabit, they shall not plant that another may eat," "another" signifying falsity and evil destroying truth and good; for when truths and goods perish with man falsities and evils enter. In Jeremiah:

Build ye houses and inhabit them, and plant gardens and eat the fruit of them (Jeremiah 29:5, 28).

These words have a similar meaning as those just explained.

[13] In Moses:

That there shall be given in the land great and good cities which they builded not, houses full of every good thing which they did not fill, cisterns hewed out which they did not hew, vineyards and olive gardens which they did not plant; they shall eat to satiety (Deuteronomy 6:10, 11).

The natural man understands these things only according to the sense of the letter, but if the particulars contained no spiritual meaning the Word would be merely natural and not spiritual, and thus it might be believed that merely worldly opulence and abundance are promised to those who live according to the Divine commandments. "But what would it profit a man if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" In other words, what would it profit a man to be given houses full of every good thing, likewise cisterns, and to have vineyards and olive gardens given him from which he might eat to satiety? But these riches enumerated are worldly riches by which are meant spiritual riches, from which man has eternal life. The "great and good cities to be given" signify doctrinals from genuine goods and truths; "houses full of every good thing" signify the interiors of the mind full of love and wisdom; "cisterns hewn" signify the interiors of the natural mind full of the knowledges of good and truth; "vineyards and olive gardens" signify all things of the church, both its truths and its goods, "vineyards" meaning the church in respect to truths, and "olive gardens" the church in respect to goods, since "wine" signifies truth, and "oil" good; "to eat to satiety" signifies full reception, perception, and appropriation.

[14] In Isaiah:

He shall delight in Jehovah; and I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob (Isaiah 58:14).

"To make to ride upon the high places of the earth" signifies to give an understanding of higher or interior truth respecting the things of the church and of heaven; and "to feed with the heritage of Jacob" signifies to bestow all things of heaven and the church; for "the heritage of Jacob" means the land of Canaan, and that land signifies the church, and in a higher sense heaven.

[15] As "to eat" signifies to appropriate to oneself, it can be seen what is signified by:

Eating of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise (Revelation 2:7);

namely, to appropriate to oneself celestial life; also what is signified by "eating of the tree of knowledge" in Genesis:

Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden eating thou shalt eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, of this thou shalt not eat, for in the day that thou shalt eat of it dying thou shalt die (Genesis 2:16, 17).

The "tree of the knowledge (scientia) of good and evil" signifies the knowledge of natural things, through which it is not permitted to enter into the celestial and spiritual things which belong to heaven and the church, thus to enter from the natural man into the spiritual, which is the inverse way, and therefore does not lead to wisdom, but destroys it. "Adam and his wife" mean the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial church. Because the men of that church were in love to the Lord they had Divine truths inscribed on them, and thence they knew from influx the corresponding things in the natural man, which are called knowledges [scientifica]; in a word, there was with them spiritual influx, that is, influx from the spiritual mind into the natural, and thus into the things that are in it, and what these were they saw by correspondence as in a mirror.

[16] With them spiritual things were entirely distinct from natural things; spiritual things had their seat in their spiritual mind, and natural things in their natural mind, and thus they did not immerse what is spiritual in their natural mind, as spiritual-natural men are wont to do. For this reason, if they had consigned spiritual things to the natural memory, and had appropriated them to themselves in that way, that which was implanted with them would have perished, and they would have begun to reason about spiritual things from the natural man, and thus to form conclusions, which celestial men never do. This, moreover, would have been wishing to be wise from self-intelligence, and not from Divine intelligence, as before, and by this they would have extinguished all their celestial life, and they would have entertained natural ideas even about spiritual things. This, therefore, is what is signified by their "not eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil," and if they did eat, "dying they should die." The like is true of those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom as of these most ancient people meant by "Adam." If these were to imbue the natural man and its memory with knowledges of spiritual truth and good, and should wish to be wise from these, they would become stupid, while yet they are the wisest of all in heaven. (On this more may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28, where the Two Kingdoms, Celestial and Spiritual, into which Heaven is in general distinguished, are treated of.)

[17] In David:

He that did eat of My bread hath lifted up his heel against Me (Psalms 41:9).

This is said of the Jews, who had Divine truths because they had the Word, as can be seen in John (John 13:18), where these words are applied to the Jews; therefore "to eat the Lord's bread" signifies the appropriation of Divine truth, but here a communication of it, for the Jews could not appropriate it. "Bread" signifies the Word, from which is spiritual nutrition. "To lift up the heel against Him" signifies to pervert the sense of the letter of the Word even to denial of the Lord, and the falsification of every truth. For the Divine truth is presented in image as a man; this is why heaven in its whole complex is called the Greatest Man, and corresponds to all things of man; for heaven is formed according to the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; and as the Word is the Divine truth, this, too, before the Lord is in image like a Divine Man; for this reason its ultimate sense, which is the mere sense of the letter, corresponds to the heel. The perversion of the Word, or of the Divine truth, by applying the sense of the letter to falsities, such as were the traditions of the Jews, is signified by "lifting up the heel against the Lord." The whole heaven is in image like a man, and thence corresponds to all things of man, and heaven is such because it was created and formed by the Lord by means of the Divine truth proceeding from Him, which is the Word by which all things were made (John 1:1-3), as may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 59-102, and n. 200-212).

[18] In Luke:

They shall begin to say, We did eat before Thee and drink before Thee, and Thou didst teach in our streets. But He shall say, I know you not whence ye are; depart, ye workers of iniquity (Luke 13:26, 27).

Their saying, when presented for judgment, that they "ate and drank before the Lord," signifies that they had read the Word and drawn from it the knowledges of good and truth, supposing that this would save them; therefore it follows, "Thou didst teach in our streets," which signified that they had been instructed in truths from the Word, thus by the Lord. But that reading the Word and being instructed from it is of no avail for salvation, without at the same time a life according to it, is signified by the answer, "He shall say, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity;" for it is of no avail for salvation to enrich the memory from the Word and from the doctrinals of the church, unless they are committed to life.

[19] In Matthew:

The king said to them on his right hand, I was an hungered and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty and ye gave me to drink. And to those on the left hand, I was an hungered and ye gave me not to eat; I was thirsty and ye gave me not to drink (Matthew 25:34, 35, 41, 42).

By these words also spiritual hunger and thirst and spiritual eating and drinking are signified; spiritual hunger and thirst are the affection and desire for good and truth, and spiritual eating and drinking are instruction, reception, and appropriation. It is said here that the Lord hungered and thirsted, because from His Divine love He desires the salvation of all; and it is said that men gave Him to eat and to drink; which is done when from affection they receive and perceive good and truth from the Lord, and by means of the life appropriate them to themselves. The like may be said of a man who from his heart loves to instruct man and desires his salvation; therefore it is charity, or the spiritual affection of truth, that is described by these words and those that follow.

[20] From what has been said it can now be seen what is signified in the spiritual sense by eating bread and drinking wine in the Holy Supper, Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; where it is also said, that the bread is the Lord's body, and the wine is His blood. There "bread" signifies the good of love, and "wine" truth from that good, which is the good of faith, and "flesh and blood," have a similar signification, also "eating" signifies appropriation and conjunction with the Lord, as can be seen from what is said and shown in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 210-222). That such is the signification of "bread and wine," and "body and blood," also of "eating," becomes still more evident from the Lord's words in John:

Your ² fathers did eat the manna in the wilderness, and they are dead. This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven; if anyone shall eat of this bread he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. Verily I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood ye have not life in you. He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood abideth in Me and I in him. This is that bread that came down out of heaven. He that eateth of this bread shall live forever (John 6:49-58).

Anyone who has the ability to think interiorly can see that neither flesh nor blood nor bread nor wine, are here meant, but the Divine proceeding from the Lord; for it is the Divine proceeding, which is Divine good and Divine truth, that gives eternal life to man, and causes the Lord to abide in man, and man in the Lord; for the Lord is in man in His own Divine and not in what is man's own [proprium], for this is nothing but evil; and the Lord is in man, and man in the Lord, when the Divine proceeding is appropriated to man by a right reception. The appropriation itself is signified by "eating," the Divine good proceeding, by "flesh" and "bread," and the Divine truth proceeding, by "blood" and "wine." It was similar in the sacrifices, in which the "flesh" and the "meal-offering," which was bread, signified the good of love, and the "blood" and "wine," which were the drink-offering, signified truth from that good, both from the Lord. Since "flesh" and "bread" signify the Divine good proceeding, and "blood" and "wine," the Divine truth proceeding, "flesh" and "bread" mean the Lord Himself in relation to Divine good, and "blood" and "wine," the Lord Himself in relation to Divine truth. The Lord Himself is meant by these, because the Divine proceeding is the Lord Himself in heaven and in the church; therefore the Lord says of Himself, "This is the bread that cometh down out of heaven;" also "He that eateth and drinketh these abideth in Me, and I in him."

[21] Because "bread" signifies the Lord in relation to Divine good, and "to eat it" signifies appropriation and conjunction:

When the Lord manifested Himself to the disciples after His death, when He brake bread and gave to them, their eyes were opened and they knew Him (Luke 24:30, 31).

This, too, shows that "to eat bread" given by the Lord signifies conjunction with Him. Enlightened by this the disciples knew Him; for "eyes" in the Word correspond to the understanding and thence signify it, and this is what is enlightened; and thence "their eyes were opened." "To break bread" signifies in the Word to communicate one's good to another.

[22] The Lord ate with publicans and sinners:

At which the Jews murmured and were offended (Mark 2:15, 16; Luke 5:29, 30; 7:33-35);

because the Gentiles that are meant by "publicans and sinners" received the Lord, imbibed His precepts, and lived according to them, and by this means the Lord appropriated to them the goods of heaven, and this is signified in the spiritual sense by "eating with them."

[23] Because "to eat" signifies to be appropriated, it was granted to the sons of Israel to eat of the sanctified things or of the sacrifices, for the "sacrifices" signified Divine celestial and spiritual things, and thus "eating" of them signified their appropriation. Because the appropriation of holy things was signified by such "eating," various laws were given, prescribing who should eat and where they should eat and of what sacrifices, thus:

What Aaron and his sons should receive and eat of the sacrifices (Exodus 29:31-33; Leviticus 6:16-18; 7:6, 7; 8:31-33; 10:13-15);

That they should eat the shew-bread in the holy place (Leviticus 24:5-9);

That the daughter of a priest married to a stranger should not eat of the holy things, but that the daughter of a priest being a widow or divorced, who had no child, but was returned to the house of her father, might eat (Leviticus 22:12, 13);

Who of the people might eat (Numbers 18:10, 11, 13, 19);

That a stranger, a sojourner, a hired servant of a priest, should not eat of them, but that one bought with silver might eat (Leviticus 22:10-12);

That one who was unclean must not eat (Leviticus 7:19-21; 21:16-24 end; Leviticus 22:2-8);

That they should eat no part of the burnt-offerings, but of the eucharistic sacrifices they should eat and be glad before Jehovah (Deuteronomy 12:27; 27:7).

In these and many other statutes and laws respecting the eating of things sanctified are contained arcana respecting the appropriation of Divine good and Divine truth, and thus of conjunction with the Lord; but this is not the place to unfold the particulars, only let it be known from the passages cited, that "to eat" signifies to be appropriated and conjoined. So again:

When the sons of Israel were joined to the Lord by the blood of the covenant, and when Moses had read the book of the law before them, and they presently saw the God of Israel, it is said that they did eat and drink (Exodus 24:6-11).

[24] That "to eat flesh and drink blood" signifies the appropriation of spiritual good and truth, can be seen in Ezekiel:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Gather yourselves from every side to My sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty and drink the blood of the princes of the earth. And ye shall eat fat to satiety, and drink blood even to drunkenness, of My sacrifice which I sacrifice for you. Ye shall be satiated at My table with horse and with chariot, with the mighty man and with every man of war. So will I give My glory among the nations (Ezekiel 39:17-21).

This treats of the calling together of all to the Lord's kingdom, and in particular the establishment of the church with the Gentiles, for it is said, "so will I give My glory among the nations." "To eat flesh and drink blood" means to appropriate to oneself Divine good and Divine truth, "flesh" signifying the good of love, and "blood" the truth of that good; "the mighty" (or oxen) signify the affections of good, "the princes of the earth" the affections of truth. The full fruition of these is signified by "eating fat to satiety, and drinking blood to drunkenness," "fat" signifying interior goods, and "blood" interior truths, which were disclosed by the Lord when He came into the world, and were appropriated by those who received Him.

[25] Before the Lord's coming into the world, to eat fat and drink blood was forbidden, because the sons of Israel were in externals only, for they were natural-sensual men, and not at all in things internal or spiritual, consequently if they had been permitted to eat fat and blood, which signifies the appropriation of interior goods and truths, they would have profaned them, therefore "eating fat and blood" signified profanation. "To be satiated at the Lord's table with horse and with chariot, with the mighty man and with every man of war" has a similar signification; "horse" signifying the understanding of the Word; "chariot," the doctrine from the Word; "the mighty man and the man of war," good and truth fighting against evil and falsity and destroying them, and "the mountains of Israel upon which they should eat," the spiritual church in which the good of charity is the essential. All this makes very clear that "to eat" signifies to appropriate to oneself, and that "flesh," "blood," "mighty man," "princes of the earth," "horse," "chariot," and "man of war," signify the spiritual things that are to be appropriated, and by no means natural things, for to eat such things naturally would be abominable and diabolical. Similar things are signified by:

Eating the flesh of kings, of commanders of thousands, of horses, and of them that sit upon them, free and bond (Revelation 19:18).

[26] As most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so have "to eat" and "to drink;" and in that sense they signify to appropriate evil and falsity, and thus to be conjoined to hell; as can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

In that day will the Lord Jehovih call to weeping and to lamentation, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth; and behold, gladness and joy in slaying an ox and slaughtering a sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die (Isaiah 22:12-13).

The devastation of the church and lamentation over it are signified by "to be called in that day to weeping, lamentation, baldness, and girding with sackcloth;" lamentation over the destruction of truth is signified by "weeping," over the destruction of good by "lamentation," over the destruction of all affection of good by "baldness," and over the destruction of the affection of truth by "sackcloth;" "to slay an ox and to slaughter a sheep" signifies to extinguish natural good and spiritual good; "to eat flesh and drink wine" signifies to appropriate evil and falsity, "flesh" here signifying evil, "wine," the falsity of evil, and "to eat and drink" these, to appropriate to oneself.

[27] In Ezekiel:

The prophet was told to eat food by weight and with care, and to drink water by measure and with astonishment; and that he should eat a cake of barley made with dung; and that thus shall the sons of Israel eat their bread unclean among the nations whither they shall be thrust out, and they shall be in want of bread and water, and be made desolate, a man and his brother, and shall waste away for their iniquity (Ezekiel 4:10-17).

These words in the prophet represented the adulteration of Divine truth, or of the Word, with the Jewish nation; "the cake of barley made with dung" signifies such adulteration, "a cake of barley" meaning natural good and truth, such as the Word is in the sense of the letter, and "dung," infernal evil; therefore it is said, "thus shall the sons of Israel eat their bread unclean," "bread unclean" meaning good defiled with evil, that is, adulterated. That "they would be in want of bread and water among the nations whither they should be driven" signifies that they would no more have good and truth because of being in evils and falsities, "nations" signifying evils and falsities, and "to be thrust out thither," to be delivered up to these; "man and brother" who shall be made desolate, signify faith and charity, "man" signifying the truth of faith, and "brother," the good of charity, and "to be made desolate," the complete extinction of both. This being the signification of "eating bread and drinking water" it is said that "they shall waste away for their iniquity;" "to waste away" is predicated of spiritual life, when it is perishing.

[28] As "beasts" signify affections, some beasts good affections and others evil affections, there were laws established for the sons of Israel, with whom the church was representative, as to what beasts should be eaten and what should not be eaten (Leviticus 11); and these signified what beasts represented good affections that should be appropriated, and what beasts evil affections that should not be appropriated, since good affections render a man clean, while evil affections render him unclean. All things in that chapter relating to particular beasts and birds, and to their hoofs, feet, and cud, by which the clean are distinguished from the unclean, are significative.

[29] In Isaiah:

If he shall cut down ³ on the right hand he shall still be hungry, and if he shall eat on the left hand they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm; Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh (Isaiah 9:20, 21).

This describes the extinction of good by falsity and of truth by evil; the extinction of all good and truth, however it is sought for, is signified by "if he shall cut down on the right hand he shall still be hungry, and if he shall eat on the left hand they shall not be satisfied;" "to cut down and to eat" on the right and left means to search for, "to be hungry and not be satisfied" means not to be found, or if found to have no ability to receive; "they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm" signifies that falsity shall consume good, and evil truth, in the natural man; "Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh," signifies that the will of evil shall consume the understanding of truth, and the understanding of falsity shall consume the will of good. (But this may be seen explained above, n. 386, 600.)

[30] The consumption of all truth and good is signified by:

Their eating the flesh of their sons and daughters (Leviticus 26:29).

Also by:

The fathers shall eat the sons, and the sons shall eat the fathers (Ezekiel 5:10).

"Fathers" signify the goods of the church, and in the contrary sense its evils; "sons" signify the truths of the church, and in the contrary sense its falsities; "daughters," the affections of truth and good, and in the contrary sense the desires for falsity and evil; the consumption and extinction of these one by another are signified by their "eating one another." This makes evident that these things must be understood otherwise than according to the sense of the letter.

[31] In Matthew:

In the consummation of the age it shall be as it was before the flood, eating and drinking, contracting marriage, and giving in marriage (Matthew 24:38; Luke 17:26-28).

"To eat and drink, to contract marriage, and give in marriage" does not mean here to eat and drink, nor to contract marriage, and give in marriage, but "to eat" means to appropriate evil, "to drink" to appropriate falsity, "to contract marriage and give in marriage," to conjoin falsity with evil, and evil with falsity; for this treats of the state of the church when the Last Judgment is at hand; for this is signified by "the consummation of the age." Evidently the good as well as the evil will then be eating and drinking, for there is nothing evil in eating and drinking, and this they also did before the flood, and it was not on this account that they perished, but because they appropriated to themselves evil and falsity, and conjoined these in themselves; this, therefore, is what is here signified by "eating and drinking, and by contracting in marriage and giving in marriage."

[32] In Luke:

The rich man said to his soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thy rest, eat, drink (Luke 12:19).

If that servant shall say in his heart, The Lord delayeth to come; and shall begin to beat the servants, to eat, to drink, and to be drunken (Luke 12:45).

So, too, by surfeiting and drunkenness, in the same:

Jesus said, Take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with surfeiting and drunkenness (Luke 21:34).

It seems as if "eating and drinking" and "surfeiting" in these passages mean such luxury and intemperance as those indulge in who follow appetite only; this is indeed the natural literal sense of these words; but in their spiritual sense they mean the appropriation of evil and falsity, as can be seen from the passages cited above, where this is signified by "eating and drinking," also from this, that the Word in the letter is natural, but interiorly is spiritual; the spiritual sense is for the angels, and the natural for men.

[33] Besides these many other passages might be cited from the Word, testifying and confirming that "to eat" signifies to receive, perceive, and appropriate to oneself such things as nourish the soul; for "to eat" spiritually is simply to imbue the mind with its own food, which is to wish to know, understand, and become wise in such things as pertain to eternal life. That this is the signification of "to eat" can be seen also from the signification of "bread" and "food," as also of "famine" and "hunger," and of "wine" and "water," which have been treated of above in their proper places. Since "to eat" means to perceive the quality of a thing, and this is perceived by its taste, it is from correspondence that in human language taste [sapor] and to have a taste [sapere] are predicated of the perception of a thing, and from this comes wisdom [sapientia].

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