Dictionary of all Scriptures & Myths

MAN OR MEN

A universal symbol of mind in two aspects, higher mind or lower. It signifies intellect, reason, intelligence, or mental faculties and qualities.

"But he was angry, and would not go in and his father came out, and intreated him. But he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a commandment of thine: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends." - LUKE XV. 28, 29.

But the intellect is offended,- stubborn, proud, and unfit to make an effort to progress and inherit the things of eternal life. The intellect is the formative factor, and tends therefore to contract and limit its own activity, and so cannot expand of itself sufficiently. And therefore the effort of the Spirit (Father) from above is needed to assist it. But the intellect, as is its nature, argues and discusses. It is satisfied that it has not fallen from the path of rectitude, and ignores the fact that in this obtuseness lies its limitation. And so the son contends and complains that the Father has not bestowed him that which he ignorantly assumes he could have received, namely, union with the upon higher qualities (friends) through the intuition of truth (the kid as meat).

“We must consider that the man who was formed of earth means the mind." - PHILO, Works, Yonge, Vol. I. p. 60.

Man 'signifieth the rational principle, for the rational principle is imitative of intelligence. It appertaineth to the external man, which in itself is a kind of medium between the internal and external." - SWEDENBORG, Arc. Cel. To Gen. iii. 16, 17.

"Up, Lord, and let not man have the upper hand let the heathen be judged in thy sight." - Ps. ix. 19.

"Let not the outer man, the old Adam, have the upper hand over the inner, spiritual man, nor let mere earthly thoughts lead us down from higher things." - ST. AMBROSE.

See Also

ADAM (Lower Aspect)
ASPAHI
BREATH OF LIFE
CORPSE
DEAD
DUST
EARTH (ground)
FAITH
FALL
FATHER
FRIENDS
HEEL
HERB
IMMORTALITY FORFEITED
KID
MA-A'SEH
MATRO
MEAT
NEPHESH
PERSONALITY
PRODIGAL
Ruah
Savour