These days we tend to think of “roads” as smooth swaths of pavement, and judge them by how fast we can drive cars on them. A “path” is something much different, suitable only for walking or maybe bicycles, and a “way” has more to do with giving directions than any physical reality. When we get “lost” it usually means we’re in a car on an unfamiliar road – a far cry from being in the middle of a trackless wilderness with no idea which direction to go.
The ancient world was much different, with isolated towns and endless square miles of trackless wilderness. Then a “way” was a set of landmarks to follow to get from one place to another through the wilderness. A “path” was a way used enough to leave a visible trace on the ground, and a “road” was a heavily used path, easily followed and easily walked.
So it makes sense that when used in the Bible, all three terms (according to Swedenborg) represent guiding truth, ideas that lead us where we want to go. This is easily pictured in the modern use of “way” – when we talk about the “way” to do something or the “way” to get somewhere, or even praise somebody by saying “way to go!” we’re talking about the correct, best, most efficient method of doing something or getting somewhere. And it’s good information – truth – that helps us find that best way.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 1928
1928. ‘Near the spring on the road to Shur’ means that this truth was an assemblage of things which come from facts. This is clear from the meaning of ‘a spring’, also from that of ‘a road’, as well as from the meaning of ‘Shur’. ‘A spring’, as has been stated, means truth; ‘a road’ means that which leads to truth and which comes from truth, as shown already in 627; while ‘Shur’ means factual knowledge such as is still in the desert so to speak, that is, which has not yet acquired any life.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 6398
6398. ‘Dan will be a serpent on the road’ means their reasoning regarding truth, since good does not as yet lead them. This is clear from the representation of ‘Dan’ as those guided by truth but not as yet by good, dealt with above in 6396; from the meaning of ‘a serpent’ as reasoning based on sensory evidence, dealt with below; and from the meaning of ‘the road’ as truth, dealt with in 627, 2733. Thus ‘Dan is a serpent on the road’ means their reasoning regarding truth, since good does not as yet lead them. The nature of that reasoning and the nature of the truth resulting from it will be stated below.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 9212
[6] When the disciples laid their garments on the she-ass and her colt, it represented the recognition that truths in their entirety were the foundation on which the Lord as supreme Judge and King rested; for the disciples represented the Lord’s Church in respect of truths and forms of good, see 2129, 3488, 3858 (end), 6397, and their garments truths themselves, 4545, 4763, 5319, 5954, 6914, 6917, 9093. This same recognition was likewise represented when the crowd spread their garments, also the branches of trees, on the road. Another reason why they spread them on the road was that ‘the road’ means the truth by means of which a member of the Church is led, see 627, 2333, 3477. And the reason why they also spread the branches of trees was that ‘trees’ meant perceptions and also cognitions or knowledge of truth and good, 2682, 2722, 2972, 4552, 7692, so that their branches are the truths themselves. Those actions were also performed then because it was customary for the chief persons among the people to lay their garments on supreme judges and kings’ she-asses and mules when they rode in pomp on them, and for the people themselves to spread their garments on the road, or the branches of trees instead. For in heaven judgeship consists in Divine Truth derived from Good, and kingship in Divine Truth, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 627
627. ‘For all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth*’ means that man’s bodily-mindedness destroyed all understanding of truth. This is clear from the meaning of ‘flesh’, dealt with already at verse 3, as in general the whole of mankind, and in particular the bodily-minded man, or everything of a bodily nature; and from the meaning of ‘way’ as the understanding of truth, or truth itself. The fact that ‘way’ has reference to the understanding of truth, or to truth itself, becomes clear from the examples already quoted in several places as well as from the following,
Jehovah said, Get up, go down quickly from here, for your people have corrupted themselves. They have suddenly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have cast for themselves a metal image. Deut. 9:11, 16.
This means that they forsook His commandments, which are truths.
[2] In Jeremiah,
Whose eyes have been opened upon all the ways of the sons of man, giving to every man (vir) according to his ways and according to the fruit of his works. Jer. 32:19.
‘Ways’ means life according to the commandments, ‘fruit of his works’ life based on charity. ‘Way’ accordingly has reference to truths, which comprise commandments and ordinances, and so do ‘son of man’ and ‘man’ (vir), as shown above. Jer. 7:3; 17:10, also contain similar usages.
In Hosea,
I will visit upon him his ways, and require him for his works. Hosea 4:9.
In Zechariah,
Return from your evil ways and from your evil works. As Jehovah Zebaoth thought to deal with us for our ways and for our works. Zech. 1:4, 6.
Similar phrases appear here, yet they are the contrary in meaning to those mentioned before them, since they are ‘evil ways’ and ‘evil works’.
In Jeremiah,
I will give them one heart and one way. Jer. 32:39.
‘Heart’ stands for goods, ‘way’ for truths. In David,
Make me understand the way of Your commandments. Take from me the way of untruth, and graciously grant me Your law. I have chosen the way of truth. I will run in the way of Your precepts. Ps. 119:26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 35.
Here ‘the way of the commandments and precepts’ is called ‘the way of truth’, and the contrary of this, ‘the way of untruth’.
[3] In the same author,
Make Your ways known to me, O Jehovah, teach me Your paths, guide my way in Your truth, and teach me. Ps. 25:4, 5.
This in like manner plainly stands for the truth. In Isaiah,
With whom did Jehovah consult, and he instructed Him, and taught Him the path of judgement, and taught Him knowledge, and made Him know the way of understanding? Isa. 40:14.
This plainly stands for an understanding of truth. In Jeremiah,
Thus said Jehovah, Stand upon the highways and look, and ask concerning the paths of old, which is the good way, and go in it. Jer. 6:16.
This in like manner stands for an understanding of truth. In Isaiah,
I will lead the blind in a way they do not know; and in paths they do not know I will guide them. Isa. 42:16.
The expressions way, by-path, pathway, road, and street all have reference to truths because they lead to what is true, as also in Jeremiah,
They have caused them to stumble in their ways, in the pathways of old, going into by-paths and not the highway. Jer. 18:15.
Similarly in the Book of Judges,
In the days of Jael pathways ceased to be. And those who went along the paths kept to twisting pathways; the streets in Israel ceased to be. Judg. 5:6, 7.
* or the land
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 2333
2333. ‘And in the morning you may rise up and go your way’ means being strengthened in this way in good and truth. This becomes clear from the meaning of ‘rising up in the morning’, and also from the meaning of ‘going on one’s way’. In the Word ‘the morning’ means the Lord’s kingdom and whatever belongs to the Lord’s kingdom, and so primarily the good that flows from love and charity. This will be confirmed from the Word at verse 15. ‘Way’ however means truth, see 627. From this it follows that after they had been in his house and spent the night there, which meant that they dwelt in the good of charity with him, ‘they rose up in the morning and went their way’, which means that in this way they were confirmed in good and truth.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 10422
10422. ‘They have suddenly departed from the way which I have commanded them’ means that they have removed themselves from Divine Truth. This is clear from the meaning of ‘departing from the way’ as removing themselves from truth. ‘Departing’ means removing themselves, for those whose interest lies in external things separated from what is internal remove themselves; and ‘the way’ means truth, dealt with below. Divine Truth is what they remove themselves from because, as it says, it is the way which Jehovah has commanded them that they have departed from.
[2] The meaning of ‘the way’ as truth has its origin in things that appear in the spiritual world. There also ways and paths appear, and in the cities streets and lanes; and spirits do not take any except the ones leading to those whom love draws them into association with. This explains why spirits’ characters as regards truth may be recognized from the way or road they go along; for all truth leads to its own love, that being called truth which lends support to what is loved. It also explains why in the everyday language people use ‘the way to go’ denotes that which is true; for human language derives this usage, as it does very many others, from the spiritual world.
[3] This then accounts for the meaning in the Word of ‘way’, ‘path’, ‘pathway’, ‘track’, ‘street’, and ‘lane’ as truths, and in the contrary sense falsities, as is evident from the following places: In Jeremiah,
Stand close to the ways* and look; ask concerning the ways of old**, Which way is the best? Jer. 6:16.
In the same prophet,
Make good your ways and your works; do not trust in lying words***. Jer. 7:3-5.
In the same prophet,
Do not learn the way of the nations****. Jer. 10:2.
In the same prophet,
I will give to each according to his ways, according to the fruit of his works. Jer. 17:10.
In the same prophet,
They have caused them to stumble in their ways, in the pathways of old**, in order that they go away [into] by-paths and not the highway. Jer. 18:15.
In the same prophet,
I will give them one heart and one way. Jer. 32:39.
In David,
Make Your ways known to me, O Jehovah, teach me Your paths; lead me in Your truth. Ps. 25:4, 5.
In the Book of Judges,
In the days of Jael the ways ceased*****. And those going along the paths went along twisting ways. Judg. 5:6.
In Isaiah,
Depart from the way, cause [yourselves] to turn aside from the path. Let your ears hear the word from behind you, This is the way; go in it. Isa. 30:11, 21.
In the same prophet,
The paths have been devastated, the wayfarer has ceased. Isa. 33:8.
In the same prophet,
There will also be a path there and a way, which will be called the way of holiness. The unclean one will not pass through it; but it will be for them. [The one] walking in the way and fools will not go astray. Isa. 35:8.
[4] In the same prophet,
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of Jehovah; make level in the lonely place a path for our God. With whom did He deliberate, that He might teach Him the way of judgement, and show Him the way of intelligence? Isa. 40:3, 14.
In the same prophet,
… to say to those who are in darkness, Reveal yourselves. They will feed along the ways. I will set all My mountains as a way; My paths will be raised up. Isa. 49:9, 11.
In the same prophet,
The way of peace they have not known, and there is no judgement in their tracks. They have perverted their paths for themselves. He who treads that [way] will not know peace. Isa. 59:8.
In the same prophet,
Prepare the way for the people. Level out, level out the path. Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your salvation comes. Isa. 62:10, 11.
In the same prophet,
I have made****** a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters. I will place a way in the wilderness. Isa. 43:16, 19.
In Moses,
Cursed is the one who causes the blind to go astray in the way. Deut. 27:18.
In Matthew,
Go to the ends of the ways, and whomever you find, summon to the wedding. Matt. 22:9.
In John,
Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6.
In these places, and in very many others, ‘the way’ means truth and in the contrary sense falsity.
* i.e. the crossroads
** lit. of an age
*** lit. the words of a lie
**** or of the gentiles
***** i.e. the roads became disused
****** lit. given