383. [verse 17] 'For the Lamb, Who is in the midst of the throne, shall feed (pascere) them' signifies that the Only Lord shall teach them. By 'the Lamb in the midst of the throne' is signified the Lord as to the Divine Human in the inmost and thus in all things of heaven; 'in the midst' is in the inmost and thus in all things (n. 44); 'the throne' is heaven (n. 14); and 'the Lamb' is the Lord as to the Divine Human (n. 269, 291); and He Only Who is in the inmost and thus in all things of heaven feeds, that is, teaches all. If it be asked how the Only One can feed all, let it be known that it is because He is God, and because in the entire heaven He is as the soul in its own body, for heaven exists from Him as one Man. 'To feed' (pascere) is to teach, because the Church in the Word is called a 'flock', and the men of the Church are called 'sheep' and 'lambs'. Consequently 'to feed' signifies to teach, and a 'shepherd' one teaching, and this in many places, as:-
In that day they shall feed the flocks in a wide meadow Isa. xxx 23.
He shall feed His flock like a shepherd Isa. xl ix.
They shall feed upon ways*, and have their pasture on all the hillsides Isa. xlix 9.
Israel shall feed in Carmel and Bashan Jer. l 19.
I will seek My flock, I will feed them in a good pasture, and in a fat pasture upon the mountains of Israel [Ezek. xxxiv ii, 13, 14.
Out of Bethlehem Ephratah shall He go forth, Who shall stand and feed in the strength of Jehovah] Micah v 2, 4 [H.B. 1, 3].
Feed thy people, let them feed in Bashan and Gilead Micah vii 14.
The remnants of Israel shall feed, and rest Zeph. iii 13.
Jehovah is my Shepherd, I shall not want, in pastures of herb He will make me to lie down Ps. xxiii 1, 2.
The Lord has chosen David to feed Jacob and Israel, and has fed them Ps. lxxviii 70-72.
Jesus said to Peter, Feed My lambs, the second and third time He said, Feed My sheep John xxi 15-17. * Reading viis (ways) as in Hebrew and AE 482:3 instead of clivis (hillsides).
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