SS 5, 8 - The Word's Spiritual Meaning and Correspondences

SS 5

The spiritual meaning is not the sense
that shines from the literal one
when one is studying the Word
and interpreting it
in order to confirm some dogma of the church.
This sense is the Word’s literal sense.
Rather its spiritual meaning is one
not apparent in the literal one.
The spiritual meaning lies within the literal one,
like the soul within the body,
like thought within the eyes,
and affection within the face,
which operate in concert,
like cause and effect.

That spiritual meaning is what principally
causes the Word to be spiritual,
not only for people, but also for angels.
Consequently that meaning
is the means by which the Word
communicates with the heavens.

SS 8

Since the Word is inwardly spiritual and celestial,
it has therefore been written solely
in terms of correspondences,
and something written solely
in terms of correspondences
is written in its outmost sense
in the kind of style found
in the Prophets and Gospel writers.
Even though this style seems to be an ordinary one,
still it conceals in it Divine wisdom
and all the wisdom of angels.