I'm supposed to be working today, but they sent me home because I wasn't on the list (and I didn't feel like taking on the scary bouncer). So I basically have a day off, with which to do as I please
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...Jesus said, He that leaveth houses, brethren, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, fields, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundred-fold, and shall inherit eternal life (Matt. 19:29; Mark 10:29, 30). Any man that cometh unto Me, and hateth not his own father, mother, wife, children, brethren, and sisters, yea, his own soul, is not My disciple (Luke 14:26). Who cannot see that father, mother, wife, children, brethren, and sisters, also houses and fields, are not here meant, but such things as belong to man himself, and are called his own [proprium]? For these things a man must leave and hate, if he wishes to worship the Lord and to be His disciple, and to "receive a hundred-fold," and "to inherit eternal life." The things that are a man's own are those that are of his love, and thus of his life into which he was born, consequently they are evils and falsities of every kind; and as these are of his love and life it is said that "he must hate his own soul." These evils and falsities are signified by "father and mother, wife,
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Thank you for thisarchaistMay 7 2006, 19:40:08 UTC
I've always been interested in these passages and it's nice to be able to read what Swedenborg has to say about it. As usual, his interpretation makes heaps of sense.
Since Swedenborg has had such a profound impact on my understanding of the meaning of scripture, I have to admit my own interpretation already had come pretty close to the one he gives there---that treating your neighbours lovingly is never a bad thing, nor is hating them a good thing, but rather learning to direct one's love higher than a love of the world and one's personal worldly affiliations. Love of God is also the love of charity, after all, and once one truly does love God, one cannot fail to act in accordance with His wishes.
Again, thank you for sharing this passage with me.
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Since Swedenborg has had such a profound impact on my understanding of the meaning of scripture, I have to admit my own interpretation already had come pretty close to the one he gives there---that treating your neighbours lovingly is never a bad thing, nor is hating them a good thing, but rather learning to direct one's love higher than a love of the world and one's personal worldly affiliations. Love of God is also the love of charity, after all, and once one truly does love God, one cannot fail to act in accordance with His wishes.
Again, thank you for sharing this passage with me.
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