Arcana Coelestia volume 7 - Swedenborg Foundation

ARCANA COELESTIA 40805677. And he asked them to peace. That this signifies perceptionthat it is well is evident from the signification of “asking” as beingto perceive another’s thought (n. 5597); and from the significationof “peace” as being to be well (see n. 5662).5678. And said is there peace to your father, the old man of whom yespoke? That this signifies also with spiritual good is evident from thesignification of “peace” as being to be well (as above, n. 5677); andfrom the representation of Israel, who is the “father” here, as beingspiritual good (n. 3654, 4286, 4598).5679. Is he yet alive? That this signifies that it has life is evidentfrom the signification of “living” as being spiritual life (see n.5407).5680. And they said, There is peace to thy servant our father. Thatthis signifies a noticing therefrom of the natural that it is well withthe good from which it comes is evident from the signification of“saying” as being to perceive (see n. 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 2862,3395, 3509); from the signification of “peace” as being to be well(see n. 5662, 5677); and from the representation of Israel, as beingspiritual good (of which just above, n. 5678). This good is called“father” because from it as from a father are the truths and goods inthe natural which are represented by his ten sons; and because thetruths and goods in the natural are represented by them, the naturalalso is signified by them; for the natural is the container, and thetruths and goods therein are the contents, which make a one. Fromthis it is plain that by their saying “there is peace to thy servant ourfather” is signified a noticing therefrom of the natural that it is wellwith the good from which it comes. It is called a noticingtherefrom, namely, from the internal, which is represented byJoseph (n. 5648), because all the perception of the natural comesfrom the spiritual, and because from the spiritual, it comes fromthe internal, that is, through the internal from the Lord.The natural never has any perception, nor even any life ofthought and affection, except what comes from the spiritual; for inthe natural all things are of themselves dead, but they are vivified