200.（3）正是因为属灵之义，圣言的每句话都是神性的启示。在教会，人们说，圣言是神圣的，因为它是主耶和华说的。但由于圣言的神圣没有显现在字义中，所以，人一旦因字义质疑它的神圣，当他随后阅读圣言时，就会因其中的很多事而加重怀疑。他会对自己说：“这也算神圣？这会是神性？”为防止这类念头进入众多人的脑海，随后愈演愈烈，导致他们把圣言当成毫无价值的书而弃绝，从而摧毁人以此与主的联结，如今，主乐意揭开圣言的属灵之义，好让人们知道圣言的神圣藏在哪里。让我们举例说明：圣言有时会提到埃及、亚述、以东、摩押、亚扪人、非利士人、推罗、西顿、歌革。人若不知道这些名字表示关乎天堂与教会的事物，就会错误地以为圣言说了大量有关各民与各族的事，却很少提及天堂与教会，也就是说，谈论了大量世俗事物，极少论述天堂事物。但是，一旦知道这些民族及其名字表示什么，他就会从错误回到真理。
同样，当看到圣言频繁提及园子、果园、森林，及其树木，如橄榄树、无花果树、香柏树、杨树、橡树，还提及羔羊、绵羊、山羊、牛犊和公牛；以及大山、小山、山谷、及其泉源、江河、诸水和其它许多此类事物时，若对圣言的属灵之义一无所知，人必以为上述事物只是指这些事物本身。殊不知：“园子”、“果园”和“森林”表示智慧、聪明和知识；“橄榄树”、“无花果树”、“香柏树”、“杨树”和“橡树”表示教会的善与真，包括属天的、属灵的、理性的、属世的和感官的；“羔羊”、“绵羊”、“山羊”、“牛犊”与“公牛”表示纯真、仁爱和属世的情感；“大山”、“小山”、“山谷”表示教会最高、较低和最低的元素。
他也不知道，“埃及”表示事实知识（factual knowledge），“亚述”表示理性能力（the faculty of reason），“以东”表示属世层（the natural level），“摩押”表示对良善的玷污，“亚扪人”表示对真理的玷污，“非利士人”表示脱离仁爱的信仰，“推罗”和“西顿”表示对善与真的认知，“歌革”表示脱离内在的外在敬拜。一般来说，在圣言中，“雅各”表属世教会，“以色列”表属灵教会，“犹大”表属天教会。人若知道所有这一切，就能看出，圣言所论述的，无非是天上的事物，这些世俗事物不过是包含属天事物的载体。我们再通过圣言举例说明。
我们在以赛亚书读到：
当那日，必有从埃及通亚述去的大道，亚述要进入埃及，埃及也进入亚述，埃及人要服侍亚述。当那日，以色列必与埃及、亚述三国一律，使地当中的人得福，因为万军之耶和华赐福给他们说，埃及我的百姓，亚述我手的工作，以色列我的产业，都有福了！（以赛亚书19： 23－25）
就属灵之义而言，这段经文的意思是，主来之时，事实知识、理性能力与属灵之物要合而为一；那时，事实知识要服侍理性，这二者要服侍属灵之物。因为如前所述，“埃及”表示事实知识，“亚述”表示理性能力，“以色列”表示属灵之物。“那日”重复提到两次，意指主的第一次和第二次到来。
200. (3)屬靈意義令聖言的啟示神性,並令所有話語神聖。
教會中的人們說, 聖言是神聖的, 因為是主耶和華所說的話。不過, 聖言的神聖並非顯于文字意義之中。倘若有人一旦懷疑聖言的神聖, 他在之後讀聖言時就會發現更多的證據來支持他的想法。他會自言自語:"這也算神聖？這怎麼有神性？"因此, 這樣的念頭向越來越多的人蔓延, 甚至愈演愈烈。為了避免他們拒絕聖言,視之為無用之書, 因而使他們與主的聯結斷裂, 如今主揭示出聖言的屬靈意義, 讓人知道聖言的神聖與神性在哪裡。
舉例說明:聖言中許多地方說到埃及,亞述,以東,摩押,亞捫人,非利士人,推羅和西頓,歌革。如果人們不知道這些名字代表天國與教會的某些事物, 就容易墜入錯誤的信念, 認為聖言大多篇幅討論各個民族及其百姓, 只有小許地方談及天國和教會, 更多傾向塵世之物,少許涉及天國。然而, 當他們知道這些人和名字所表示的意義時, 就能從錯誤的信念中被解救出來,回歸真正的信仰。
[2]同樣, 當人看到聖言中如此頻繁地談及園子,樹叢,森林, 以及其中的樹木, 有橄欖樹,無花果樹,香柏樹,白楊,橡樹等等。或者看到頻繁說起羔羊,綿羊,山羊,牛犢和公牛; 又或大山,小山,山谷,溪流,河流及其中的水; 或者其它類似的事物。任何不知道其中屬靈含義的人, 都只會認為只是這些事物而已。他不知道園子,樹叢和森林表示智慧,聰明和知識; 橄欖樹,無花果樹,香柏樹,白楊和橡樹表示教會的善與理所處的屬天,屬靈,理性,屬世和肉體感官等形式。他也不知道羔羊,綿羊,山羊,牛犢與公牛等表示純結,慈仁和屬世感受; 或者大山,小山,山谷表示教會中最高,較低,最低的方面。[3]埃及表示知識的學習, 亞述表示理性的功能, 以東表示塵世方面, 摩押表示對良善的玷污, 亞捫人表示對真理的玷污, 非利士人表示無義之信, 推羅和西頓表示良善與真理的知識, 歌革表示外表上敬拜,無任何內在。一般來說, 聖言中的雅各表示教會的屬世方面, 以色列表示教會的屬靈方面, 猶大表示教會的屬天方面。
當我們明白這些後, 就能想到聖言只涉及天上的事情, 那些屬世方面的細節只是表面之物,屬天之物藏在裡面。
[4]我們從聖言中舉個例子來說明。
我們讀『以賽亞書』:當那日, 將有大道從埃及通往亞述, 以至於亞述能到埃及,埃及能到亞述。埃及人可為亞述服務。當那日, 以色列將與埃及,亞述一道成為三者之組的一部分, 那地之中的祝福。萬軍之耶和華將祝福那三者之組, 說:"埃及我的百姓, 亞述我手的工作, 以色列我的產業, 都有福了"(以賽亞書19:23-25)。
這些話的屬靈意義, 是指主降臨之時, 知識的學習,理性與靈性將會合為一。於是知識的學習會為理性服務, 二者將服務於靈性(正如前面說過, 埃及表示知識的學習, 亞述表示理性的功能, 以色列表示屬靈方面)。"那日"重複提出, 表示主的第一次和第二次降臨。
200. 3. It is the spiritual meaning that makes the Word divinely inspired and holy in every word. People in the church say that the Word is holy because the Lord Jehovah spoke it. In the literal meaning by itself, however, the Word's holiness is not apparent. Therefore once people come to doubt its holiness, afterward when they read the Word they find many things in it that convince them to doubt further. They say to themselves, "Is this holy? Is this divine?" Thoughts like this, flowing into many people and growing stronger, create the risk that the Word may be rejected as a worthless document and that the Lord's connection to these people may come to an end. The Lord has chosen to reveal the Word's spiritual meaning now so as to prevent this, and so that people will know where in the Word the divine holiness lies.
Examples will illustrate: In one verse the Word will mention Egypt; in another, Assyria; in others, Edom, Moab, the children of Ammon, the Philistines, Tyre and Sidon, and Gog. If people do not realize that the names of these places and people mean aspects of heaven and the church, they could be misled to think that the Word has much to say about peoples and nations and only a little to say about heaven and the church; that it has much to say on worldly topics and little to say on heavenly topics. When people know what those places and their names mean, however, they can be brought back from their error to the truth.
[2] Likewise people see that the Word frequently mentions gardens, groves, and forests, as well as trees such as olives, grapevines, cedars, poplars, and oaks. It often mentions lambs, sheep, goats, calves, and oxen; and also mountains, hills, and valleys; and springs, rivers, bodies of water, and other such things. Those who know nothing about the Word's spiritual meaning cannot help believing that those actual things are what is meant. They do not know that a garden, a grove, and a forest mean wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge; an olive, a grapevine, a cedar, a poplar, and an oak mean the heavenly, the spiritual, the rational, the earthly, and the sensory forms of good and truth in the church. A lamb, a sheep, a goat, a calf, and an ox mean innocence, goodwill, and earthly feelings. Mountains, hills, and valleys mean the higher, the lower, and the lowest aspects of the church.
[3] Egypt means scholarly study; Assyria, our rational faculty; Edom, our earthly aspect. Moab means the contamination of what is good; the children of Ammon mean the contamination of what is true. The Philistines mean faith without goodwill; Tyre and Sidon mean our concepts of goodness and truth; and Gog means external worship that lacks anything deeper. Generally speaking, Jacob in the Word means the earthly aspect of the church, Israel means the spiritual aspect of the church, and Judah means the heavenly aspect of the church.
When we know all this, we are able to think that the Word deals only with heavenly topics, and the worldly details in it are only outer things that have heavenly things inside them.
[4] Let us take an example from the Word as an illustration: We read in Isaiah,
On that day there will be a pathway from Egypt into Assyria so that Assyria can go into Egypt and Egypt into Assyria. The Egyptians will serve with Assyria. On that day Israel will be part of a group of three with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the middle of the land. Jehovah Sabaoth will bless that group of three, saying, "Blessed be my people Egypt, and Assyria, the work of my hands, and Israel, my blessing. " (Isaiah 19:23-25)
Spiritually these words mean that when the Lord's coming occurs, scholarly study, rationality, and spirituality are going to become one. Scholarly study will then serve rationality, and both of them will serve spirituality. (As I have said, Egypt means scholarly study, Assyria means rationality, and Israel means spirituality.) The "day" being named twice means the Lord's First Coming and his Second Coming.
200. (iii) IT IS THE SPIRITUAL SENSE WHICH MAKES THE WORD DIVINELY INSPIRED AND HOLY IN EVERY WORD.
People in the church say that the Word is holy, and that this is because the Lord Jehovah spoke it. But because its holiness is not apparent in the literal sense by itself, if anyone for this reason once begins to doubt its holiness, he finds, when he subsequently reads the Word, much there to support his belief; for he says to himself: 'Surely this cannot be holy? Surely this is not Divine.' Therefore, to prevent this way of thinking from affecting a large number of people and then becoming prevalent, so that the Word would be rejected as a worthless book and the link it makes between such a person and the Lord would be broken, it is the Lord's good pleasure now to reveal its spiritual sense, in order that it may be known where the Divine holiness is hidden within it. Let us take examples to illustrate this.
At various places in the Word there is talk of Egypt, Assyria, Edom, Moab, the Children of Ammon, the Philistines, Tyre and Sidon, and Gog. Anyone who does not know that their names stand for matters that relate to heaven and the church, may be led into the erroneous belief that the Word has much to say about peoples and nations, and only a little about heaven and the church, much, that is, on worldly subjects and little on heavenly ones. But when he knows what is meant by these peoples or their names, he can be rescued from his error and brought back to the true belief.
[2] It is similar when one sees in the Word so many mentions of a garden, a grove, a wood, or the trees in them, such as the olive, the vine, the cedar, the poplar or the oak; or so many mentions of the lamb, the sheep, the goat, the calf or the ox; or of mountains, hills, valleys and the springs, rivers and waters in them, or many other similar things. Anyone who knows nothing of the spiritual sense of the Word cannot help thinking that it is merely these things which are intended. For he is unaware that garden, grove and wood mean wisdom, intelligence and knowledge, or that olive, vine, cedar, poplar and oak mean the good and truth of the church in their celestial, spiritual, rational, natural and sensual forms. Nor does he know that lamb, sheep, goat, calf and ox mean innocence, charity and natural affection; or that mountains, hills and valleys mean the highest, lower and lowest elements in the church.
[3] Nor does he know that Egypt means factual knowledge, Assyria the faculty of reason, Edom the natural level, Moab the adulteration of good, the Children of Ammon the adulteration of truth, the Philistines faith without charity, Tyre and Sidon the knowledge of good and of truth, Gog external worship without any internal. In general, Jacob in the Word means the natural church, Israel the spiritual church, Judah the celestial church. When one knows all these meanings, it is possible to reflect that the Word speaks only of heavenly matters, and those worldly matters are merely the underlying supports for the others. Let us take an example from the Word to illustrate this point too.
[4] We read in Isaiah:
On that day there shall be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, so that Assyria may come to Egypt and Egypt to Assyria, and the Egyptians may serve with Assyria. On that day Israel shall be a third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth; and Jehovah Zebaoth shall bless them, saying, Blessed is Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance, Isaiah 19:23-25.
In the spiritual sense this passage means that at the time of the Lord's coming factual knowledge, the faculty of reason and the spiritual will make one; and factual knowledge will then serve the faculty of reason and both of these will serve the spiritual. For, as said before, Egypt means factual knowledge, Assyria the faculty of reason and Israel the spiritual. The twice repeated mention of the day refers to the Lord's first and second comings.
200. (3) It is because of its Spiritual Sense that the Word is Divinely inspired, and holy in every word. In the church it is said that the Word is holy for the reason that Jehovah the Lord spoke it; but inasmuch as its holiness is not apparent in the mere sense of the letter, whoever is once led on that account to doubt its holiness confirms his doubts when he subsequently reads the Word by many things therein; for he says to himself, Can this be holy? Can this be Divine? Lest, therefore, such thoughts should enter the minds of many, and afterwards grow stronger, and in consequence the Word should be rejected as a worthless writing, and by this means the conjunction of the Lord with man be destroyed, it has pleased the Lord to reveal now its spiritual sense, that it may be known where in the Word the Divine holiness lies concealed. But let examples illustrate. The Word treats sometimes of Egypt, sometimes of Assyria, and again of Edom, of Moab, of the sons of Ammon, of the Philistines, of Tyre and Sidon, and of Gog. He who does not know that these names signify things pertaining to heaven and the church may be led into the error that the Word has much to say about peoples and nations and but little about heaven and the church, thus much about worldly things and but little about heavenly things. But when he knows what those nations and their names signify he may be led back from error to the truth.
[2] Likewise when he sees that gardens, groves, forests, and their trees, as the olive, the vine, the cedar, the poplar, the oak, are so frequently mentioned in the Word, also the lamb, the sheep, the goat, the calf, the ox; also mountains, hills, and valleys, and their fountains, rivers, and waters, and many other such things, one who knows nothing about the spiritual sense of the Word cannot but believe that these objects alone are meant; for he does not know that "a garden," "a grove," and "a forest," mean wisdom, intelligence and knowledge; that "the olive," "the vine," "the cedar," "the poplar," and "the oak," mean the good and truth of the church, celestial, spiritual, rational, natural, and sensual; that "a lamb," "a sheep," "a goat," "a calf," and "an ox," mean innocence, charity, and natural affection; and that "mountains," "hills," and "valleys," mean the higher, the lower, and the lowest things of the church.
[3] Also he does not know that "Egypt" signifies the scientific, "Assyria" the rational, "Edom" the natural, "Moab" the adulteration of good, "the sons of Ammon" the adulteration of truth, "the Philistines" faith separate from charity, "Tyre and Sidon" knowledges of good and truth, and "Gog" external worship apart from internal. In general "Jacob" means in the Word the natural church, "Israel" the spiritual church, and "Judah" the celestial church. When man knows all this he is able to see that the Word treats of nothing but heavenly things, and that these worldly things are merely the subjects which contain the heavenly. Let this be illustrated by an example from the Word.
[4] We read in Isaiah:
In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, that Assyria may come into Egypt and Egypt into Assyria, and the Egyptians may serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be a third to Egypt and to Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land; whom Jehovah of Hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be My people Egypt, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance (19:23-25).
In the spiritual sense this means that at the time of the Lord's coming the scientific, the rational and the spiritual will make one, and that the scientific will then serve the rational, and both the spiritual; for, as said before, "Egypt" signifies the scientific, "Assyria" the rational, and "Israel" the spiritual. "That day" twice mentioned, means the first and the second coming of the Lord.
200. (3) BECAUSE OF THE SPIRITUAL SENSE THE WORD IS DIVINELY INSPIRED, AND HOLY IN EVERY WORD.
It is asserted in the Church that the Word is holy, because Jehovah the Lord spoke it; but since its holiness is not apparent in the sense of the Letter alone, any one who begins to doubt its holiness on that account, confirms his doubts by many things he afterwards reads in the Word, for he says to himself, "Is this holy? Is this Divine?" Accordingly, lest such thoughts should enter the minds of many and ultimately prevail, and the Word consequently be rejected as a book of no value, and the Lord's conjunction with man be thereby cut off, it has pleased the Lord at this time to reveal its spiritual sense, in order that it may be known where within it its Divine holiness lies concealed. Some examples may be given to illustrate this. In the Word mention is sometimes made of Egypt, Assyria, Edom, Moab, the children of Ammon, the Philistines, Tyre, Sidon, and Gog. Any one who does not know that by these names are signified things of heaven and the Church may erroneously conclude that the Word treats much of peoples and nations, and but little of heaven and the Church, thus much of worldly and little of heavenly things. When he knows, however, what is signified by these peoples or by their names, he may be led from error to the truth.
[2] The case is the same when any one sees in the Word frequent mention of gardens, woods and the trees that grow in them, as the olive, the vine, the cedar, the poplar, and the oak; and of the lamb, the sheep, the goat, the calf and the ox; and also of mountains, hills, valleys, and the fountains, rivers, and waters found there; and of many similar things. He who knows nothing of the spiritual sense of the Word cannot but suppose that it is only those objects which are meant. He does not know that by a garden, grove and wood are meant wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge; by the olive, the vine, the cedar, the poplar and the oak are meant the good and truth of the Church, celestial, spiritual, rational, natural and sensual; by the lamb, the sheep, the goat, the calf and the ox are meant innocence, charity, and natural affection; and by mountains, hills and valleys are meant the higher, the lower and the lowest things of the Church.
[3] Again, he does not know that by Egypt is signified the scientific principle, by Assyria the rational, by Edom the natural, by Moab the adulteration of good, by the children of Ammon the adulteration of truth, by the Philistines faith without charity, by Tyre and Sidon the knowledge of good and truth, and by Gog external worship without the internal. In general, by Jacob in the Word is meant the natural Church, by Israel the spiritual Church and by Judah the celestial Church.
When a man knows these things he may realize that the Word treats solely of heavenly things, and that the things of this world are merely the subjects in which those heavenly things are.
[4] Another example from the Word will illustrate this truth. We read in Isaiah:
"In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria; and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom JEHOVAH ZEBAOTH shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance" 19:23-25.
These words, in the spiritual sense mean that at the time of the Lord's Coming the scientific, the rational, and the spiritual shall become one, and the scientific shall serve the rational, and both shall serve the spiritual; for, as has been said, by Egypt is meant the scientific principle, by Assyria the rational, and by Israel the spiritual. By the day, twice mentioned, is meant the First and the Second Coming of the Lord.
200. III. QUOD EX SENSU SPIRITUALI SIT, QUOD VERBUM DIVINITUS INSPIRATUM SIT, AC IN OMNI VOCE SANCTUM. Dicitur in Ecclesia, quod Verbum sit Sanctum, et hoc quia Jehovah Dominus illud loquutus est, sed quia Sanctum ejus in solo Sensu literae non apparet, ideo qui propterea de Sanctitate ejus semel dubitat, ille postea cum legit Verbum, se per multa ibi confirmat, dicit enim secum, num hoc Sanctum, num hoc Divinum. Ne itaque talis Cogitatio apud multos influat, et postea invalescat, et inde Verbum sicut Scriptum vile rejiciatur, et per id conjunctio Domini cum homine illo pereat, placuit Domino nunc Sensum spiritualem ejus revelare, propter finem, ut sciatur, ubinam Sanctum Divinum in illo latet. Sed Exempla hoc illustrent: in Verbo nunc agitur de Aegypto, nunc de Aschure, nunc de Edomo, de Moabo, de filiis Ammonis, de Philisthaeis, de Tyro et Zidone, de Gogo; qui non scit, quod per Nomina illorum significentur res Coeli et Ecclesiae, in errorem abduci potest, quod Verbum multum de Populis et Gentibus agat, et modo parum de Coelo et Ecclesia, ita multum de Mundanis, et parum de Coelestibus; sed cum ille scit, quid per illos seu per Nomina illorum significatur, ab errore in veritatem potest reduci.
[2] Similiter dum in Verbo videt, quod ibi toties nominentur Horti, Luci, Sylvae, tum Arbores illorum, ut Olea, Vitis, Cedrus, Populus, Quercus; et quod toties Agnus, Ovis, Hircus, Vitulus, Bos; et quoque Montes, Colles, Valles, et ibi Fontes, Fluvii, Aquae, et plura similia; ille, qui nihil scit de Sensu spirituali Verbi, non potest aliter credere, quam quod solum illa sint, quae intelliguntur; non scit enim quod per Hortum, Lucum, Sylvam, intelligantur Sapientia, Intelligentia, et Scientia; quod per Oleam, Vitem, Cedrum, Populum, et Quercum, intelligantur Ecclesiae bonum et verum coeleste, spirituale, rationale, naturale et sensuale; quod per Agnum, Ovem, Hircum, Vitulum, Bovem, intelligantur innocentia, charitas, et affectio naturalis; quod per Montes, Colles, et Valles, intelligantur superiora, inferiora et infima Ecclesiae.
[3] Tum quod per Aegyptum significetur scientificum, per Aschurem rationale, per Edomum naturale, per Moabum adulteratio boni, per filios Ammonis adulteratio veri, per Philisthaeos fides absque charitate, per Tyrum et Zidonem cognitiones boni et veri, per Gogum cultus externus absque interno: in genere per JACOBUM in Verbo intelligitur Ecclesia naturalis, per ISRAELEM Ecclesia spiritualis, et per JEHUDAM, Ecclesia coelestis. Quando homo haec et illa scit, tunc ille potest cogitare, quod Verbum non agat nisi quam de Coelestibus, et quod Mundana illa modo sint subjecta in quibus illa sunt.
[4] Sed Exemplum ex Verbo hoc quoque illustret; legitur apud Esajam, "In die illo erit semita ex Aegypto in Aschurem, ut veniat Aschur in Aegyptum, et Aegyptus in Aschurem, serviantque Aegyptii cum Aschure: in die illo erit Israel trina Aegypto et Aschuri, benedictio in medio terrae: Cui benedicet Jehovah Zebaoth, dicendo, benedictus populus meus Aegyptus, et opus manuum mearum Aschur; 1 et haereditas 2 mea Israel," Cap. 19:23-25. Per haec in sensu spirituali intelligitur, quod tempore Adventus Domini, Scientificum, Rationale, et Spirituale, unum factura sint, et quod tunc Scientificum inserviturum sit Rationali, ac utrumque Spirituali; nam, ut dictum est, per Aegyptum significatur scientificum, per Aschurem rationale, et per Israelem spirituale: per diem bis nominatum intelligitur Primus et Secundus adventus Domini.
Footnotes: