Doctrine of Holy Scripture - Swedenborg Foundation

DOCTRINE OF HOLY SCRIPTURE 226its delicacies and delights; whereas the man who is in truths notfrom doctrine, but from the sense of the letter only, is at theoutskirts, and sees nothing but the forest vegetation. And one whois in the doctrine of a false religion, and who has confirmed himselfin its falsity, is not even in the forest, but is out beyond it in asandy plain where there is not even grass. That such are theirseveral states after death will be shown in its proper place.97. Be it known moreover that the literal sense of the Word is aguard to the genuine truths that lie hidden within. It is a guard inthis respect, that it can be turned this way or that, and explainedaccording to the way it is taken, yet without injury or violence toits internal. It does no harm for the sense of the letter to beunderstood in one way by one person and in a different way byanother; but it does harm for the Divine truths that lie hiddenwithin to be perverted, because this inflicts violence on the Word.The sense of the letter is a guard against this, and the guard iseffectual in the case of those who are in falsities from their religion,but do not confirm those falsities, for these persons do the Wordno violence.[2] This guard is signified by cherubs, and in the Word isdescribed by them. This is signified by the cherubs that werestationed at the entrance of the garden of Eden after Adam and hiswife had been cast out, of which we read as follows:When Jehovah God had driven out the man, he made to dwell at the eastof the garden of Eden the cherubim, and the flame of a sword which turnedevery way, to keep the way of the tree of life (Gen. 3:24).The “cherubim” signify a guard; the “way of the tree of life”signifies the access to the Lord which men have by means of theWord; the “flame of a sword that turned every way” signifiesDivine truth in ultimates, this being like the Word in the sense ofthe letter, which can be so turned.[3] The same is meant by