Arcana Coelestia volume 7 - Swedenborg Foundation

ARCANA COELESTIA 3657[2] In the original language the term here used means a minister,courtier, chamberlain, or eunuch; in the internal sense it signifies,as here, the natural man as to good and truth, but specifically thenatural man as to good; as in Isaiah:Let not the son of the stranger, that cleaveth to Jehovah, speak,saying, Jehovah will surely separate me from his people; neither let theeunuch say, Behold I am dry wood. For thus hath said Jehovah to theeunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose that wherewith I amdelighted, and are holding my covenant; I will give them in my houseand within my walls a place and a name, a good better than sons anddaughters; I will give them a name of eternity that shall not be cut off(Isa. 56:3–5);here a “eunuch” denotes the natural man as to good, and the “sonof the stranger” the natural man as to truth; for the church of theLord is external and internal, and they who are of the externalchurch are natural, while they who are of the internal church arespiritual. They who are natural, and yet are in good, are “eunuchs,”and they who are in truth are the “sons of the stranger”; and as thetruly spiritual or internal are to be found only within the church,therefore also by the “sons of the stranger” are signified those whoare outside the church, or the gentiles, and yet are in truthaccording to their religiosity (n. 2049, 2593, 2599, 2600,2602–2603, 2861, 2863, 3263); and by “eunuchs,” those who arein good.5082. Over the prince of the butlers, and over the prince of thebakers. That this signifies in general from the sensuous thingssubordinate to the intellectual part and to the will part is evidentfrom the signification of a “butler” as being the sensuoussubordinate and subject to the intellectual part (of which above, n.5077); and from the signification of a “baker” as being the sensuoussubordinate and subject to the will part (of which also above, n.5078); and from the signification of a “prince” as being what isprimary (see n. 1482, 2089, 5044), here in general or in common;for what is primary is also common, because it rules in the rest; forparticulars bear relation to primaries as to generals, in order thatthey may make a one and that no contradiction should appear.