Apocalypse Explained (Whitehead) n. 1008

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

1008. That he may not walk naked, signifies that he may not be without truths, and thus without goods. This is evident from the signification of "naked," as meaning to be without truth, and thus without good (see n. 240); for those who are without truths are also without goods, since all good is acquired by means of truths; and moreover, good without truth is not good, and truth without good is not truth; that there may be truth it must be conjoined to good, and that there may be good it must be conjoined to truth. There may be indeed truth without good and good without truth; but truth without good is dead, and so is good without truth. For truth has its being [esse] from good, and good has its existence [existere] by means of truth. All this makes clear that "to walk naked" signifies to be without truths, and thus without goods. That "to walk" signifies to be and to live may be seen above (n. 787).

(Continuation respecting the Sixth Commandment)

[2] Adulteries are less abhorrent with Christians than with the Gentiles, and even with some barbarous nations, for the reason that at present in the Christian world there is no marriage of good and truth, but a marriage of evil and falsity. For the religion and doctrine of faith separated from good works is a religion and doctrine of truth separated from good; and truth separated from good is not truth, but interiorly regarded is falsity; and good separated from truth is not good, but interiorly regarded is evil. Consequently in the Christian religion there is the doctrine of falsity and evil, from which origin a desire and favor for adultery from hell flow in; and this is why adulteries are believed in the Christian world to be allowable, and are practiced without shame. For, as has been said above, the conjunction of evil and falsity is spiritual adultery, from which according to correspondence natural adultery exists. For this reason "adulteries and whoredoms" signify in the Word adulterations of good and falsifications of truth; and for this reason Babylon is called in Revelation a "harlot," and Jerusalem is so called in the Word of the Old Testament; and the Jewish nation was called by the Lord "an adulterous nation," and "from their father the devil." (But on this see above from the Word, n. 141.)


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church