Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 545according to his state of reception. This is the spiritual sight of theunderstanding. Since with angels this sight operates upon the sightof the eyes, and presents the truths of the understanding incorrespondent forms that appear in heaven not unlike the forms inthe natural world that are called objects, so “to see,” in the sense ofthe letter of the Word, signifies to understand. (What theappearances in heaven are, and that they correspond to the objectsof the interior sight of the angels, see in the work on Heaven andHell, n. 170–176.)[2] The expression “to see,” and not tn understand, is used in theWord be cause the Word in its ultimates is natural, and the naturalis the basis on which spiritual things have their foundation;consequently if the Word were spiritual in the letter it would haveno basis, thus it would be like a house without a foundation. (Onthis, also see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 303–310.) That inthe Word “to see” signifies to understand, is evident from thefollowing passages.In Isaiah:Who said to the seers, See not; and to those that have vision, Seenot for us right things; speak to us smooth things, see illusions (30:10).The eyes of them that see shall not be closed, and the ears of themthat hear shall hearken (32:3).Look, ye blind, that ye may behold, seeing great things ye do notkeep them (42:18, 20).The priest and the prophet err among the seeing, they stumble injudgment (27:7).And in other places:Seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not (Matt. 13:1–15;Mark 4:11, 12; 8:17, 18; Isa. 6:9, 10; Ezek. 12:2);