Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 5805

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

5805. 'And his brother is dead' means that internal good does not exist. This is clear from the representation of 'Joseph' as the celestial of the spiritual, dealt with in 4592, 4963, 5249, 5307, 5731, 5332, thus internal good since this is the same as the celestial of the spiritual; and from the meaning of 'being dead' as existing no more, dealt with in 494. There is this difference between the representation of 'Joseph' as internal good and the representation of 'Israel' as spiritual good: 'Joseph' is internal good springing from the rational, whereas 'Israel' is internal good springing from the natural, see 4286. This difference is like that between celestial good, or the good which is that of the celestial Church, and spiritual good, or the good which is that of the spiritual Church. These two kinds of good have been dealt with quite often in what has gone before. It is the first kind of internal good - celestial good - that is said to be non-existent there, which is meant by 'his brother is dead'.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church