Swedenborg Arcana Caelestia Vol. V (1750)

Note 5208, 5218; but obscurity arising from falsehoods can in no way be enlightened. For falsehoods are like so many patches of darkness that extinguish the light of heaven, creating an obscurity that cannot be cleared until the falsehoods are removed.

5220. Verse 8. And it happened in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men; and Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.

And it happened in the morning signifies a transition into a new state. His spirit was troubled signifies a state of confusion original: turbam. And he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and its wise men signifies consulting both inner and outer scientific knowledge term: "scientifics"; the author's term for pieces of factual knowledge stored in the memory. And Pharaoh told them his dream signifies thinking about future events. And there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh signifies that it remained unknown what would happen.

5221. And it happened in the morning, which signifies a transition into a new state, is evident from the meaning of "it happened" or "it was," which implies something new (as noted in sections 4979 and 4987); and from the meaning of "morning," which represents a state of enlightenment original: illustrationis (as noted in sections 3458 and 3723). This state is the "new" one referred to just above in section 5218.

The text here deals with that state and its specific quality—namely, that there is confusion there because of the obscurity regarding what is to come. Hardly anyone can know anything about the quality of that state unless they are in a spiritual sphere and, at the same time, paying close attention to the things happening within themselves. Otherwise, one cannot even understand what it means to be enlightened "generally" versus "particularly"—or even what enlightenment is at all. Much less could they know that in the initial general state of enlightenment there is confusion, and that peace does not return until truths derived from "good" In this context, "good" refers to selfless love and divine order are restored to their proper order.

How these things function is clearly perceived by the angels, and even by good spirits, because they exist within the spiritual sphere. To understand and think about such things is their delight. However, for a person in the natural sphere—and even more so for one in the sensory sphere, and most of all for one in the crudely sensory sphere of bodily and earthly interests—such matters are tedious.

5222. His spirit was troubled, which signifies confusion, is evident from the meaning of "being troubled in spirit," which is to be disturbed. By "spirit" here (as is also the case elsewhere in the Word The "Word" refers to the Sacred Scriptures), is meant the inner affection and thought, which are themselves the spirit of the human being.

The ancients called these the "spirit," but specifically by "spirit" they understood the inner person who would live after the death of the body. Today, however, when "spirit" is read in this sense, people usually only understand it as "the thinking process" original: cogitativum. They view this process as having no other substance than the body in which it resides. This is because it is no longer believed that the inner person is the person themselves. Instead, it is commonly believed that the inner person (often called the soul or spirit) is merely thought without a physical vessel original: subjecto adaequato. Consequently, they assume that because thought has no "container," it will be dissipated after the death of the body like something ethereal or fiery.

This is the modern misunderstanding of "spirit" when we say "to be troubled in spirit," "to be saddened in spirit," or "to rejoice in spirit." In reality, it is the inner person themselves—who is called the spirit—who is troubled, saddened, or rejoices. This spirit is a person in a completely human form, though invisible to the eyes of the body, and it is within this spirit that thought resides.

5223. And he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and its wise men, which signifies consulting inner as well as outer scientific knowledge, is evident from the meaning of "magicians." In a positive sense, "magicians" refers to inner scientific knowledge, as will be explained: