Week 5    Day 6

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Borrowing and Lending

Matthew 5:42

Give to him who asks thee; and do not turn away him who wills to borrow from thee.

Arcana Coelestia 9049:9

By “lending” is signified to instruct. From this it is plain what is signified by “giving to all who ask,” namely, to confess all things of one’s faith in the Lord.

Arcana Coelestia 9174

When “borrowing” and “lending” are mentioned in the Word, there is signified to be instructed and to instruct from the affection of charity; as in Matthew:

Give to everyone who asks thee, and from him that would borrow of thee, do not turn away (Matt. 5:42).

It is evident that “asking” here does not mean asking, for it is said, “Give to everyone that asks,” and that neither is borrowing meant by “borrowing.” For if a person were to give to everyone that asks, and also to everyone that wants to borrow, he would be stripped of all his goods. But as the Lord spoke from the Divine, by “asking,” and “wishing to borrow,” and by giving and receiving a loan, is meant the communication of heavenly goods, which are those of the knowledges of good and truth. For in regard to such sharing, the fact is that the more an angel gives to another from the affection of charity, the more there flows in with him of the general good from heaven, that is, from the Lord (n. 6478). Thus by “giving to him that asks,” an angel is not deprived of goods, but is enriched with them. The case is the same with a man, when he does good to another from the affection of charity. But charity consists in giving to the good, and it is not charity to give to the evil what they ask and desire (n. 8120), according to these words in David:

The wicked borrows, and does not restore; but the just shows mercy and gives (Ps. 37:21).

And in Luke:

If you lend to them from whom you hope to receive, what grace do you have? Rather, love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hope for nothing again; then your reward shall be great, and you shall be the sons of the Highest (Luke 6:34-35).

Here also by “lending” is meant doing good from the affection of charity, and thus sharing the goods of heaven; and also the goods of the world, but the latter for the sake of the former as the end in view. The affection of charity consists in sharing goods without any recompense as the end in view. But there is no affection of charity in sharing goods for the sake of recompense as the end in view (n. 2373, 2400, 3816, 3956, 4943, 6388-6390, 6392, 6393, 6478, 8002). The affection of charity consists in loving one’s enemies, and in benefiting the evil. But enemies are loved and are benefited when they are instructed, and also when they are corrected by suitable means (n. 8121). The exercise of charity is also signified by “lending,” in Moses:

If thou shalt obey the voice of Jehovah, and shalt observe to do His commandments, thou shalt lend to many peoples, but thou shalt not borrow (Deut. 28:1, 12).

“To lend to many peoples” is to abound in the goods of intelligence and wisdom, and to communicate them to others out of this abundance; and not to be in need of the goods of others, because all things are given him by the Lord. So in David:

A good man, who has mercy and lends, will maintain his words in judgment; for he will never be moved (Ps. 112:5-6).

By “having mercy and lending” is described the state of those who are in genuine charity....

Apocalypse Explained 556:9

“Give to everyone that asks thee” signifies that it is to be permitted; “and from him that wishes to borrow of thee, do not turn away” signifies that if anyone wishes to be instructed, he may be instructed, for the evil desire this that they may pervert and take away, and yet they cannot.

This is the spiritual sense of these words, in which are stored up the hidden things that have now been said, which are especially for angels, who perceive the Word only according to its spiritual sense. They are also for men in the world who are in good, when the evil are trying to lead them astray. That the opposition of the evil to those whom the Lord protects is such, it has been granted me to know by much experience. For they have continually striven in every way and with all their might to take away from me truths and goods, but in vain.

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