Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 4515

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4515. To Simeon and to Levi. That this signifies the representative of spiritual and celestial things, is evident from the representation of Simeon, as being faith, but in the opposite sense falsity; and from the representation of Levi, as being love, but in the opposite sense evil (see n. 4497, 4502, 4503); here therefore they denote the representative of spiritual and celestial things, for the reason that the things of faith are called spiritual things, and those of love celestial things. It is said that Simeon and Levi signify the "representative" of these things, because to represent them is not to be them; for representations regard not the person, but the thing (n. 665, 1097); so that it was immaterial what kind of person represented (n. 3670). That the representative of a church could have been instituted among the descendants of Jacob, no matter what the quality, provided they had strictly observed the statutes in the outward form, may be seen above (n. 3147, 4208, 4281, 4292, 4307, 4444). Hence it is that by "Simeon and Levi" is here signified the representative of spiritual and celestial things.


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