It would be simple to think that when the Bible mentions “Jews” it is simply talking about the descendants of the tribe of Judah, the only ones among the people of Israel who remained in the Holy Land at the time of the Lord’s ministry. But like all other peoples, the Jews, according to Swedenborg, also have a specific spiritual meaning.
Swedenborg says that “Judah” represents “the Lord in respect to the Divine goodness of His Divine love.” The Lord’s infinite love for us leads to a beyond-imaginable desire for good things to come to us, and for us to accept them and share them. The descendants of Judah, then, represent people who are possessed of a similar desire on a human level – those who genuinely love others, and from that love desire what is good for others.
Since we are defined by our loves and gather into churches based on our loves, Jews also represent those who are in the Lord’s true church, and who have doctrinal teachings that are right and true.
Passages from Swedenborg
Apocalypse Revealed (Rogers) n. 96
96. “‘And the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not.'” This symbolizes their false speaking in saying that they have among them goods of love, when in fact they do not.
Blasphemy here means, symbolically, false speaking. Jews do not mean Jews, but people who possess the goodness of love, and abstractly goods of love themselves. Consequently the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not means, symbolically, their false speaking in saying that they have among them goods of love, when in fact they do not.
Jews mean people who possess the goodness of love because in the highest sense in the Word, Judah means the Lord in respect to the Divine goodness of His Divine love, and Israel means the Lord in respect to the Divine truth of His Divine wisdom. Therefore Jews symbolize people who possess the goodness of love from the Lord, and Israel people who possess Divine truths from the Lord.
Apocalypse Revealed (Rogers) n. 182
182. “‘Who say they are Jews and are not, but lie.'” This symbolically means, who say they have embraced the church, even though they have not embraced any church.
Jews here mean people who belong to the church, because a church had been established with them, and consequently their Jerusalem still means the church as regards doctrine. More specifically, however, Jews mean people who are impelled by the goodness of love (as described in no. 96 above), thus also the church, for the goodness of love is what produces the church.
That they nevertheless have not embraced any church is what is symbolically meant by the words, “And are not, but lie.”
Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 119
119. And the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and are not. That this signifies vituperation from those who think themselves to be in the knowledges of good and truth because they have the Word, and yet it is not so, is evident from the signification of blasphemy, as being scandalous reproach and vituperation; and from the signification of Jews, as being those who are in the knowledges of good and truth from the Word; for Judah, in the highest sense of the Word, signifies the Lord as to celestial love, in the internal sense, the celestial kingdom of the Lord, and the Word, and in the external sense doctrine from the Word, which is of the celestial church (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia, n. 3881, 6363).
Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 211
211. Who say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie. That this signifies who believe themselves to be in truths when nevertheless they are in falsities is evident from the signification of Judah, which, in the highest sense, is the Lord as to celestial love, in the internal sense, the celestial kingdom of the Lord, and the Word, and, in the external sense, the doctrine from the Word which is of the celestial church (concerning which see above, n. 119). Hence it is, that by their saying they are Jews is signified that they believe themselves to be in genuine doctrine, thus in essential truths. Also from the signification of do lie, as being to be in falsities; for by a lie in the Word is signified falsity of doctrine (concerning which see Arcana Coelestia, n. 8908, 9248). Those who are in faith alone, and not in charity, do not know that they are in falsities, because they believe that they are in truths, when, notwithstanding, from the false principle that faith alone saves falsities flow in a continual series; for the principle assumed draws everything to its own side, because they must be connected with it. This is why they are in such great ignorance with respect to the things of heaven and the church.