Doctrine of Holy Scripture - Swedenborg Foundation

DOCTRINE OF HOLY SCRIPTURE 176Jesus said, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up (John2:19; Matt. 26:61).Jesus prayed three times in Gethsemane (Matt. 26:39–44).Jesus rose again on the third day (Matt. 28:1).Besides many other passages where the number “three” ismentioned; and it is mentioned wherever a finished and perfectwork is treated of, because this is signified by that number.30. These things are premised with a view to those which follow,in order that they may be comprehended with understanding; andfor the present purpose that it may be comprehended that thenatural sense of the Word which is the sense of the letter, is thebasis, the container, and the support of its spiritual sense and of itscelestial sense.31. It has been said above (n. 6, 19) that there are three senses inthe Word; and also that the celestial sense is its first, the spiritualsense its middle, and the natural sense its ultimate sense. From thisthe rational man may infer that the first of the Word, which iscelestial, passes through its middle, which is spiritual, to itsultimate, which is natural; and thus that its ultimate is the basis.Furthermore that the first of the Word, which is celestial, is in itsmiddle, which is spiritual, and through this is in its ultimate, whichis natural, and that consequently its ultimate, which is natural andis the sense of the letter, is the container. And as the sense of theletter is the basis and the container, it is also the support.32. But how these things come to pass cannot be told in a fewwords. Indeed they are arcana in which are the angels of heaven,and which will be unfolded, so far as can possibly be done, in thetreatises mentioned in the preface to Doctrine of the Lord—andwhich will be from angelic wisdom—on the divine providence,omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience, on divine love and