From The Doctrines For Spiritual Christianity
The Word, which is an essentially Divine Work designed for the salvation of the human race, as to its lowest or natural sense, called the sense of the Letter, is the basis, the containant and the support of the two interior senses (the celestial and spiritual). (Doctrine of Sacred Scripture 32)
The truths of the sense of the Letter of the Word are, in some cases, not naked truths, but appearances of truth, being, as it were, similitudes and comparisons taken from such things as are in nature, accommodated and adequate to the apprehension of simple people and children; but because they are correspondences, they are the receptacles and abodes of genuine truth. They are like vessels which enclose and contain, as a crystal cup holds noble wine, or a silver dish nourishing food. They are like garments which serve as clothing, like swaddling clothes for an infant, and comely robes for a maiden. They are also like the knowledge of the natural man, which comprises the perceptions and affections of truth of the spiritual man. The truths themselves unveiled, which are included, contained, clothed and comprised, are in the spiritual sense of the Word, and goods unveiled are in its celestial sense. (Doctrine of Sacred Scripture 40)
Periods of time and measurements of space belong solely to the natural order, and therefore when the sense of the letter of the Word passes over from the natural order into heaven the natural idea of those things perishes completely and becomes the spiritual idea which corresponds to them. (Arcana Coelestia 2837)
When the literal sense passes into the spiritual, such things perish as relate to person, place, and the world; and those take their place that relate to the church, its state, and use therein… the spiritual sense lives in the literal sense as the spirit of man in his body, and the spiritual sense in like manner survives when the literal sense perishes; whence the internal sense may be called the soul of the Word. (Arcana Coelestia 4857{3})
That the Divine truth proceeding immediately from the Lord cannot be heard or perceived, is also evident from the correspondences and derivative representatives; namely, that the things a man speaks are presented quite differently with spirits; and the things spirits speak, quite differently with the angels. This can be seen from the spiritual sense of the Word and its literal sense, in that the literal sense, which is adapted to man, is significative and representative of the things which are in the spiritual sense; while this latter sense is not perceptible to man except insofar as it can be presented and expressed by such things as are of the world and of nature; and still less the angelic sense. What then must be the case with the Divine truth proceeding immediately from the Divine of the Lord, which is infinitely above the angelic understanding, and which is not perceptible in heaven except insofar as it passes through heaven, and so puts on a form adapted and suited to the perception of those who are there, which is effected by means of a wonderful influx, not at all comprehensible to anyone! These things have been said in order that it may be known that the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord cannot be heard or perceived by anyone, except through mediations. (Arcana Coelestia 6996{3})
From this it follows that the Word without the sense of its Letter would be like a palace without a foundation, a palace in the air instead of on the ground, a mere shadow which would vanish away. Again, it would be like a temple, containing many sacred things, whose central shrine had no protecting roof or dividing wall, which are its containants. If these were wanting, or were taken away, its holy things would be carried off by robbers, and violated by the beasts of the earth and the birds of the air, and thus destroyed. It would be like the tabernacle (in the inmost of which was the Ark of the Covenant, and in the centre the golden lampstand, the golden altar upon which was the incense, and the table upon which was the shewbread, which were its holy things) without its outermost things, namely, the curtains and the veils. Indeed, the Word without the sense of its Letter would be like the human body without its coverings, called skins, and without the support of its bones: without these all the inward parts would fall asunder. It would also be like the heart and lungs in the thorax without their covering, called the pleura, and their supports, called the ribs; and like the brain without its covering, called the dura mater, and without its general covering, containant, and support called the skull. Thus would it be with the Word without the sense of its Letter. Therefore, it is said in Isaiah that Jehovah will create upon all the glory a covering. Isaiah 4:5. (Doctrine of Sacred Scripture 33)
Key Points From The Video
The Importance of the Word: The Word in Spiritual Christianity is crucial for conveying Divine truths. It accommodates natural thought modes by using appearances drawn from the natural world, making spiritual teachings accessible.
The Natural and Spiritual Sense: The Word has dual meanings. The natural sense offers concrete representations, while the spiritual sense provides deeper, abstract truths that elevate the mind beyond sensory ideas.
Appearances of Truth: For those grounded in sensory-based thinking, the Word uses parables and narratives to present spiritual truths through familiar natural appearances. This helps initiate spiritual understanding at a basic level.
The Necessity of Appearances: Appearances are essential for instruction. Without them, Divine truths would be incomprehensible to the natural mind. They serve as an accessible starting point for spiritual growth, gradually leading to deeper comprehension.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What role does the Word play in Spiritual Christianity?
a) It provides entertainment.
b) It outlines historical events.
c) It offers scientific explanations.
d) It conveys Divine truths in a relatable manner.
Answer: d)
2. How does the Word accommodate natural thought modes?
a) By using complex philosophical terms.
b) By using appearances from the natural world.
c) By avoiding any natural references.
d) By focusing solely on spiritual ideas.
Answer: b)
3. What is the ‘spiritual sense’ of the Word?
a) The literal meaning of the text.
b) Deeper spiritual truths abstracted from sensory ideas.
c) A set of rituals and ceremonies.
d) Historical accuracy of the scriptures.
Answer: b)
4. Why are appearances necessary for spiritual instruction?
a) They make Divine truths comprehensible to sensory-based minds.
b) They are a traditional way of teaching.
c) They provide entertainment value.
d) They offer detailed historical contexts.
Answer: a)
5. How does the Word facilitate spiritual growth according to Spiritual Christianity?
a) By enforcing strict rituals.
b) By offering material rewards.
c) By presenting relatable appearances that gradually elevate thought.
d) By providing detailed scientific explanations.
Answer: c)
Reflective Questions
1. What personal experiences resonate with the concept of spiritual truths being presented through natural appearances?
2. In what ways can you apply the principle of appearances in your own spiritual journey to enhance your understanding of deeper truths?
3. In what ways can you apply the principle of appearances in your own spiritual journey to enhance your understanding of deeper truths?
Experiential Integration
Contemplative Reading Practice
Select a Passage: Choose a passage from a spiritual text.
Reflect on the Natural Sense: Identify and understand the natural imagery and appearances used.
Meditate on the Spiritual Sense: Spend time meditating on the deeper spiritual meaning behind the appearances. Reflect on how these deeper truths relate to your own life and spiritual growth.
Journal: Write down insights and how the spiritual sense of the passage influences your thoughts and actions.
Creative Integration
Choose one of the key points from the video and try to express and integrate it creatively through your senses. Pick a modality to do this through, perhaps a different one from what you chose for the previous module. Consider drawing or painting, making or listening to music, poetry, exercise, gardening, cooking, or even just watching the colourful or dramatic impressions of the natural world. There are so many ways you can engage with it. Record your insights from this exercise and also document any differences in what is awakened in you with this new modality.
You will have your own personal preferences, but here are two pieces of music and art that you might like to use for inspiration to get you started. Try to be sensitive to the emotions and thoughts that present as you engage with these, and reflect on how this might relate to your chosen key point.
Music
“Air on the G String” by Johann Sebastian Bach
Visual
“The Transfiguration” by Raphael
Extra Exploration
What is lower and higher in human thought is exterior and interior in angelic thought, as with the idea of heaven. By men heaven is seen as that which is higher, but by angels as that which is interior. It is similarly so with the natural with man. In relation to his spiritual it is exterior, while the spiritual in turn is exterior in relation to the celestial. Or what amounts to the same, factual knowledge which belongs to the natural man is exterior in relation to truth, while truth is exterior in relation to good. Therefore also factual knowledge in relation to truth is called a covering as well as a garment, and so in a similar way is truth in relation to good. (Arcana Coelestia 3084)
As for ‘time’ meaning state, and ‘it happened at that time’ consequently meaning the state belonging to the things that follow, this is bound to appear quite strange, for the reason that no one can comprehend how the idea of a time can be turned into that of a state; that is, how when reading ‘time’ in the Word one has to understand something to do with some state. But it should be realized that angels’ thoughts are not formed from anything having a temporal or a spatial origin, because they are in heaven. When they left the world they also left behind all idea of time and space and adopted ideas of state, that is, of the state in which good and truth exist. Therefore when a person reads the Word and from this thinks of a certain time and of the things taking place at that time, the angels present with him do not perceive anything to do with a certain time but instead the aspects of a state, to which those things also correspond. Nor indeed with his interior thought does the reader conceive of a time, only with his exterior thought, as may be recognized from the state when a person’s exterior thought lies dormant, that is, while he is asleep. (Arcana Coelestia 4814{2})
When those belonging to the spiritual Church undergo temptations they are led on from one temptation into another. This further stage is what ‘travelling on’ means here. The reason why ‘travelling on’ means a further stage in life is that extents of space, like periods of time, do not exist in the next life, but states instead, 2625, 2837, 3356, 3387, 4321, 4882, 5605, 7381. Consequently movements are not meant by ‘movements’, nor travellings on by ‘travellings on’, but changes of states and further stages. (Arcana Coelestia 8397)
When numbers have been read in the Word the angels have understood real things (states). For no numerical value ever penetrates into heaven since numbers belong to measurements both of space and of time, and these belong to the world and to the natural order to which, in the heavens, states and changes of states correspond. (Arcana Coelestia 4264)