Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 363signify those of the church who should fight in behalf of Divinetruth; therefore it is said, “These things therefore the soldiers did.”(That “tunic” signifies Divine truth, or the Word in the spiritualsense, see A C., n. 9826, 9942; that “soldiers” signify those who areof the church, and who should fight in behalf of Divine truth, seeabove, n. 64, at the end, where these things are more fullyexplained.) It should be known that each particular related in theEvangelists respecting the Lord’s passion, involves and signifies howthe church at that time, which was among the Jews, had treatedDivine truth, thus the Word, for this was Divine truth with them;the Lord also was the Word, because He was Divine truth (John1:1, 2, 14). But what each particular involves and signifies cannotbe known except from the internal sense. Here it will be told onlywhat “the Lord’s garments” signified, because the meaning of“garments” is here treated of, namely, that they signify truths, andin reference to the Lord, Divine truths.[22] “The garments of Aaron and of his sons” have a likesignification, because Aaron with his sons represented the Lord inrespect to Divine good, and their garments the Lord in respect toDivine truth. (But these things may be seen explained and shownin the Arcana Coelestia; as that Aaron represented the Lord inrespect to Divine good, n. 9806, 9946, 10017; also what each oftheir garments signified, the breastplate, the ephod, the cloak, thetunic wrought with checker work, the miter, and the belt, n. 9814,9823–9828, seq.)196. And they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy,signifies their spiritual life, which they have by means of theknowledges of truth and good from the Word. This is evident fromthe signification of “to walk,” as being to live (see above, n. 97);from the signification of “in white,” as being in truths, for“whiteness” and “brightness” in the Word are predicated of truths(of which presently); therefore by these words, “they shall walkwith me in white,” is signified spiritual life, since spiritual life is thelife of truth, that is, a life according to truths, or according to theprecepts of the Lord in the Word. This is evident also from thesignification of “for they are worthy,” as being because they have