new church life: jan uary/february 2016
this against an evil person; it is the latter who rushes into the fire
and is consumed. But the zeal of evil love is like an infernal flame;
it bursts forth and rushes out and wants to consume the other.
2. The zeal of a good love immediately dies down and softens when
the other retreats from the attack; but the zeal of an evil love
persists and is not extinguished.
3. The reason for this is that the internal of a person in a good love
is in itself gentle, mild, friendly and benevolent. Therefore the
external, though it grows rough, bristles, draws itself up, and
thus deals severely to defend itself, is still tempered by the good
in which its internal is. The case is otherwise with the evil. With
them the internal is unfriendly, fierce, hard, breathing hatred and
revenge, and feeds on the delight of these emotions. Even when
there is reconciliation, these feelings hide like a fire under ashes.
And even if these fires do not break out while the person is in the
world, they break out after death.
366. Since zeal in outward expression looks the same in the good person
and in the evil, and as the literal sense of the Word consists of correspondences
and appearances, it is often said of Jehovah in the Word that He becomes
angry, is wrathful, avenges, punishes, casts into hell, besides much else, which
is the way zeal appears in outward manifestations; it is for the same reason that
He is called jealous – even though there is not a particle of anger, wrath or
vengeance in Him. For He is Pity, Grace and Mercy itself, thus Goodness itself,
in whom nothing like what has been described [anger, wrath, etc.] is possible.
* * *
As a practical matter, it might be useful to consider to what extent our
moments of “righteous indignation” have within them feelings of pity, grace
and mercy – even toward those who threaten that which we love.
As the Lord said to His disciples: “Unless your righteousness exceeds the
righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will by no means enter the
kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20)
One application, especially in the light of these teachings about two kinds
of zeal, is that our righteousness – our zealous defense of all that is true and
good – must always be inwardly tempered by the Lord’s love. In this context it
might be useful to ask ourselves, even in the midst of an anger-arousing event,
questions like these: Where is this anger coming from? How I am I feeling on the
inside? Is this good zeal or evil zeal? At what point is a good, defensive love getting
hijacked by hellish influences? Is this the kind of righteousness that exceeds the
righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, or am I being just like them?
Every edition of the Arcana Coelestia begins with the inscription, “Seek
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