In volume 3* a
commencement was made with the explication of the Lord's predictions
in the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew concerning the Last Judgment,
the explication being prefixed to the last chapters of that volume,
and being continued as far as the thirty-first verse of the chapter in
the Evangelist just referred to (see n. 3353-3356, 3486-3489,
3650-3655, 3897-3901, 4056-4060). The internal sense in a summary of
these predictions of the Lord plainly appears from the explications
already given, namely, that prediction is there made concerning the
successive vastation of the church, and the ultimate setting up of a
New Church, in the following order:
1. That the members of the church
would begin not to know what good and truth are, and would dispute
about them.
2. That they would hold them in
contempt.
3. That at heart they would not
acknowledge them.
4. That they would profane them.
5. And because the truth of faith
and the good of charity would still remain with some, who are called
the "elect," a description is given of the state of the faith as it
then existed.
6. Next of the state of the
charity.
7. And finally the commencement
of a New Church is treated of, which is meant by the words that were
last explained:
He shall send forth His
angels with a trumpet and a great voice, and they shall gather
together His elect from the four winds, from the end of the heavens
even to the end thereof (Matt. 24:31),
by which is meant the
commencement of a New Church (see n. 4060e).
When the end of an old church and
the beginning of a new church is at hand, then is the Last Judgment.
This is the time that is meant in the Word by the "Last Judgment" (see
n. 2117-2133, 3353, 4057), and also by the "coming of the Son of man."
It is this very Coming that is now the subject before us, as referred
to in the question addressed to the Lord by the disciples:
Tell us when shall these
things be, especially what is the sign of Thy coming, and of the
consummation of the age? (Matt. 24:3).
It remains therefore to unfold
the things predicted by the Lord concerning this very time of His
Coming and of the Consummation of the age which is the Last Judgment;
but in the preface to this chapter only those contained in verses 32
to 35:
Now learn a parable from
the fig-tree. When her branch is now become tender, and putteth
forth leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh. So also ye, when ye
see all these things, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away till all
these things be accomplished. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but
My words shall not pass away (Matt. 24:32-35).
The internal sense of these words
is as follows.
Now learn a parable from
the fig-tree. When her branch is now become tender, and putteth
forth leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh;
signifies the first of a new
church; the "fig-tree" is the good of the natural; her "branch" is the
affection of this; and the "leaves" are truths. The "parable from
which they should learn" is that these things are signified. He who is
not acquainted with the internal sense of the Word, cannot possibly
know what is involved in the comparison of the Lord's coming to a
fig-tree and its branch and leaves; but as all the comparisons in the
Word are also significative (n. 3579), it may be known from this
signification what is meant. A "fig-tree" wherever mentioned in the
Word signifies in the internal sense the good of the natural (n. 217);
that her "branch" is the affection of this, is because affection
springs forth from good as a branch from its trunk; and that "leaves"
are truths may be seen above (n. 885). From all this it is now evident
what the parable involves, namely, that when a new church is being
created by the Lord, there then appears first of all the good of the
natural, that is, good in the external form together with its
affection and truths. By the good of the natural is not meant the good
into which man is born, or which he derives from his parents, but a
good which is spiritual in respect to its origin. Into this no one is
born, but is led into it by the Lord through the knowledges of good
and truth. Therefore until a man is in this good (that is, in
spiritual good), he is not a man of the church, however much from a
good that is born with him he may appear to be so.
[2] So also ye, when ye
see all these things, know that it is nigh, even at the doors;
signifies that when those things
appear which are signified in the internal sense by the words spoken
just before (verses 29-31), and by these concerning the fig-tree, then
it is the consummation of the church, that is, the Last Judgment, and
the Coming of the Lord; consequently that the old church is then being
rejected, and a new one is being set up. It is said, "at the doors,"
because the good of the natural and its truths are the first things
which are insinuated into a man when he is being regenerated and is
becoming the church.
Verily I say unto you,
This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be
accomplished;
signifies that the Jewish nation
shall not be extirpated like other nations, for the reason shown above
(n. 3479).
[3] Heaven and earth
shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away;
signifies that the internals and
the externals of the former church would perish, but that the Word of
the Lord would abide. (That "heaven" is the internal of the church,
and "earth" its external, may be seen above, n. 82, 1411, 1733, 1850,
2117, 2118, 3355e). By the Lord's "words" are plainly meant not only
these now spoken respecting His coming and the consummation of the
age, but also all that are in the Word. These words were said
immediately after what was said about the Jewish nation, because that
nation was preserved for the sake of the Word, as may be seen from the
number already cited (n. 3479). From all this it is now evident that
the beginnings of a New Church are here foretold.
(from
Arcana Coelestia 4229-4231 ~ Emanuel Swedenborg)
