20# “写信给七个教会”表示给所有处于源于良善的真理，或源于仁的信之人。这从“七”和“教会”的含义清楚可知：“七”是指所有人。因为在圣言中，“七”表示开始和结束，因而表示一个完整时间和一个完全状态，“一七或一周”也是如此(《属天的奥秘》，728, 6508, 9228节)。“七”因表示完全，故也表示所有，因为所有构成完全；事实上，就那些构成一个社群，在此构成教会的人来说，完全表示所有人；因此，当圣言论述巨大时，“七”表示完全；但当圣言论述众多时，“七”表示所有。在圣言中，“三”也表示完全和所有(这可参看《属天的奥秘》，2788, 4495, 7715节)；但圣言在论述神圣之物的地方会用到“七”，在其它情况下都用“三”(《属天的奥秘》，10127节)；故此处用到“七”，是因为论述的主题是源于良善的真理，这些真理是教会的神圣事物。“教会”是指那些处于源于良善的真理，或源于仁的信之人。“教会”表示这些人，是因为这些真理构成与每个人同在的教会；事实上，那些未处于源于良善的真理之人尽管生在教会之内，却不属于教会，因为他们里面没有教会。这就是为何主的教会由所有系教会，也就是处于源于良善的真理之人构成，无论他们在哪里。教会和天堂一样在人之内，而不是在人之外；因此，一个处于源于良善的真理之人就是一个教会(参看《属天的奥秘》，3884节；《天堂与地狱》，53–54, 57节)。之所以也说处于源于仁的信之人，是因为这是一回事；事实上，真理属于信，良善属于仁；也就是说，人所信的一切都被称为真理，人所爱的一切都被称为良善。一切真理都来自良善，信的一切都来自仁(参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》，84–107, 108–122节；《最后的审判》，33–39节；以及《天堂与地狱》，364, 424, 482, 526节)。对圣言的内义一无所知的人当读到这些事物时，只以为“七个教会”是指后来提到名字的七个教会(启1:11)；但所指的不是教会，而是所有属于教会的人；因为这就是圣言的灵义。
20. To the seven churches. That this signifies to all those who are in truths from good, or in faith from charity, is evident from the signification of seven, as being all. For, seven in the Word, signifies a beginning and an end, thus an entire period and a full state, just as a week does (11); but churches are not meant, but all those who belong to the church; such being the spiritual sense of the Word.
20. To the seven churches, signifies to all who are in truths from good or in faith from charity. This is evident from the signification of "seven," as being all [persons]. For "seven," in the Word, signifies the beginning and end, thus an entire period and a full state, in like manner as a "week" (1:11); whereas churches are not meant, but all who are of the church; because this is the spiritual sense of the Word.
20. "Septem Ecclesiis." - Quod significet ad omnes illos qui in veris ex bono seu in fide ex charitate sunt, constat ex significatione "septem", quod sint omnes, nam "septem" in Verbo significant principium et finem, ita integram periodum, ac statum plenum, similiter ac "septimana" (n. 728, 6508, 9228); et quia significant plenum, etiam significant omnes, quoniam omnes faciunt plenum; plenitudo enim respective ad illos qui faciunt aliquam societatem, hic ecclesiam, sunt omnes; quare cum in Verbo agitur de magnitudine, per "septem" significatur plenum; et cum de multitudine, significantur omnes: ("tria" etiam in Verbo significant plenum et omnes (videatur n. 2788, 4495, 7715); at ubi in Verbo agitur de re sancta, dicuntur "Septem", 1
et ubi agitur de quacunque alia re, dicuntur "tria" (n. AC 10127); hic itaque dicuntur "septem", quia agitur de velis ex bono, quae sunt sancta ecclesiae): et ex significatione "ecclesiarum", quod sint qui in veris ex bono seu in fide ex charitate sunt; causa quod illi per "ecclesias" intelligantur, est quia illa faciunt ecclesiam apud unumquemvis; qui enim non in veris ex bono sunt, tametsi nati sunt intra ecclesiam, non usque ab ecclesia sunt, quia nulla in illis est ecclesia. Inde est quod ecclesia Domini sit ex omnibus illis, ubicunque sunt, qui ecclesia sunt, hoc est, qui in veris ex bono sunt. (Quod ecclesia sicut caelum sit in homine, et non extra illum, et inde quod homo qui in veris ex bono est, sit ecclesia, videatur n. 3884, et in opere De Caeli et Inferno, n. 53, 54, 57.) Dicitur etiam qui in fide ex charitate, quia simile est; verum enim est fidei, et bonum est charitatis, quippe omne id verum dicitur quod homo credit, et omne id bonum quod homo amat. (Quod omne verum sit ex bono, et omne fidei sit ex charitate, videatur in opusculis De Nova Hierosolyma et ejus Doctrina Caelesti 84-107, De 108-122 et De Ultimo Judicio 33-39; tum De Caelo et Inferno 364, 424, 482, 526.)
Qui nihil de sensu interno Verbi novit, ille, cum haec legit, non aliter credit quam quod per "septem Ecclesias" intelligantur septem ecclesiae quae nominantur postea (vers. 11); ast non intelliguntur ecclesiae, sed omnes qui ab ecclesia sunt, quia spiritualis sensus Verbi ille est.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.