“The Church is... where the Lord is acknowledged, and where the Word is.” - The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine §242
Kempton New Church

Week 5
Day 2

    Listen:

Betrothal

The words which in the sense of the letter in [Genesis 24] treat of the betrothal and marriage of Rebekah with Isaac, in the internal sense treat of the initiation and conjunction of good and truth; for the initiation and conjunction of good and truth are spiritual betrothal and spiritual marriage. (Arcana Coelestia 3158)

The Uses of Betrothal

And the man marveling at her, was silent, to know whether Jehovah had prospered his way or not. And it was when the camels had completed drinking, that the man took a nose jewel of gold, its weight a half shekel, and two bracelets for her hands, ten of gold their weight. (Genesis 24:21–22)

AC 3107. Ten of gold their weight. That this signifies what is full for initiation, is evident from the signification of “ten,” as being a full state, like a “hundred” (see n. 1988, 2636); and from the signification of “gold,” which is here a kind of coin from the weight of which the valuation was made; and from the signification of “weight,” as being the state of a thing as to good (see above, n. 3104). Hence it is evident that “ten of gold their weight” signifies a full state of what is estimated, as to good. That it is for initiation, is evident from the several particulars in this chapter in which initiation is treated of, that is, the betrothal.

CL 301. The reasons for betrothals are as follows:

  1. That after them the two souls may mutually incline to each other.
  2. That the universal love to the sex may be determined in each to one of the sex.
  3. That the interior affections may be mutually known, and by applications may be conjoined in the inward cheerfulness of love.
  4. That the spirits of the two may enter into marriage and be more and more consociated.
  5. That conjugial love may thus rightly progress from its first heat to its nuptial flame.
  6. Consequently, that conjugial love may proceed from its spiritual origin in just order and may take increase.

The state of betrothal may be likened to the state of spring before summer, and the internal amenities of that state to the blossoming of trees before fructification. Since the initiations and progressions of conjugial love proceed in order, to the end that they may flow into the effective love which commences from the wedding, therefore in the heavens also there are betrothals.

CL 302. VI. That by Betrothal Each Is Prepared for Conjugial Love. That by betrothal, the mind or spirit of the one is prepared for union with the mind or spirit of the other, or, what is the same thing, the love of the one with the love of the other, is evident from the arguments presented in the preceding article. It should be mentioned in addition, that on conjugial love is inscribed the following order: It ascends and descends. From its first heat it ascends progressively upwards towards their souls with an effort to conjunction there, and this by continually more interior openings of their minds—and there is no love which labors for these openings more intensely, or which opens the interiors of their minds more powerfully and easily, than conjugial love, inasmuch as the soul of each intends it; but by the same movements that this love ascends towards the soul, it also descends towards the body and thereby clothes itself.

[2] It should be known, however, that conjugial love is of the same nature in its descent as it is in the height to which it has ascended; if it is in its height, it descends chaste, and if not in its height it descends unchaste. The reason is because the lower parts of the mind are unchaste, but its higher parts chaste; for the lower parts of the mind cleave to the body, while its higher parts separate themselves from the lower. But on this subject more may be seen below (no. 305). From these few considerations, it can be seen that by betrothal the minds of the two are prepared for conjugial love, though in different ways according to their affections.

CL 303. VII. That by Betrothal the Mind of the One Is Conjoined to the Mind of the Other in Order that a Marriage of the Spirit May Take Place before That of the Body. Since this is a conclusion from what has been said above (nos. 301, 302), it is passed by without adducing further confirmations from reason.

Questions
  1. What is the purpose of betrothal?
  2. What does it mean for conjugial love to ascend before it descends?
  3. Do you see a connection between the uses of betrothal and AC 9182.4 from the previous reading?
  4. Are all weddings in heaven preceded by a betrothal?
  5. How do you think other religions view the idea of betrothal? Is betrothal exclusive to the New Church?
previous next