Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 358Because a “garment” signifies truth, the Lord compared the truthsof the former church, which was a church representative of spiritualthings, to a piece of an old garment, and the truths of the newchurch, which were spiritual truths themselves, to a piece of a newgarment; He compared them likewise to bottles of wine, because“wine” in like manner signifies truth, and “bottles” mean theknowledges that contain truth. (That “wine” in the Word signifiestruth, see The Doctrine of the Jerusalem, n. 219.)195c. [16] From this it can now be seen what is signified in theWord elsewhere by “garments,” which are often mentioned there,as in the following passages. In Revelation:And upon the thrones four and twenty elders sitting, arrayed inWhite garments (4:4).The armies of the One sitting upon the white horse followed Him,clothed in fine linen, white and clean (19:14).They who stood before the throne in sight of the Lamb, wereclothed in white robes (7:9).The seven angels from the temple were clothed in linen, clean andshining (15:6).In Ezekiel:White robes were given to everyone of those under the altar (6:11).Buy gold and white garments (3:18).If he giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth the naked with agarment (18:16).“To give bread to the hungry” signifies in the spiritual sense toinstruct from the good of charity those who long for truths; “tocover the naked with a garment” signifies to instruct, in likemanner, those who are not in truths.