Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 5238. And they who pierced him signifies that they also will see himwho are in falsities from evil. This is evident from the significationof “piercing,” as being those who altogether deny the Lord, forthese kill and pierce him in themselves; for these are meant by thesoldier who pierced his side (John 19:34–37). By “soldier” and“soldiers” are meant those who are of the church, and who shouldfight for the Lord. Here in particular are meant those of the Jewishchurch, and, in general, all that are of the church who are infalsities from evil. And as such were signified by “soldiers,” thesoldiers divided the Lord’s garments, and cast lots upon his coat;which means that the Jewish church dispersed the Divine truthsthat are in the sense of the letter of the Word, but were unable todisperse interior truths, or the truths of the internal sense (for“garments” signify truths in ultimates; see Arcana Coelestia, n.2576, 5248, 6918, 9158, 9212; “to divide” signifies to dissipateand disperse, see n. 4424, 6360–6361, 9093; and “the coat”interior truths, n. 9048, 9212, 9216, 9826).39. And all the tribes of the earth shall lament over him signifiesthat the falsities of the church will oppose. This is evident from thesignification of “lamenting” as being to mourn, to grieve, to bedispleased, to be angry, to be averse from, thus also to oppose; andfrom the signification of “tribes,” as being all truths and goods inthe complex, and in the contrary sense, all falsities and evils in thecomplex (of which in what follows); also from the signification of“the earth,” as being the church (see above, n. 29). By “all the tribesof the earth,” then, the whole church is meant, and by “theirlamenting over him” is signified that truth and good will be nomore, because falsities and evils are to prevail and oppose. For thisverse treats, in general, of what the state of the church will be at itsend, when there will be no longer any faith, because no charity,namely, that the Lord will then reveal himself, and that all who arein truths from good will acknowledge him, and that they also willsee him, who are in falsities from evil, but that the falsities of thechurch will oppose. (That Revelation does not treat of thesuccessive states of the church, but of its last state when it is at itsend, see above, n. 5; and that its end is when there is no faith,because no charity, see Last Judgment, n. 33–39 seq.; and when