第四节 圣言字义中神性真理的完全、神圣与大能
214# 神性真理在圣言字义中处于其完全、其神圣与其大能之中。 圣言在字义中处于其完全、其神圣与其大能之中，原因在于前两层或内在二义，即所谓属灵义与属天义，乃同时在属世义，即字义之中，如上文第210、212节所述；至于它们如何同时在其中，以下还要进一步说明。
在天上与世上，皆有连续秩序与同步秩序。在连续秩序中，一者接续另一者，并从最高者直到最低者依次相随；但在同步秩序中，一者与另一者并列，并从至内者直到至外者同时共在。连续秩序犹如一根有层级的柱子，自顶至底而下；同步秩序则如一个相连贯的整体，自中心直到最外表面有诸环层。现在要说明连续秩序如何在终极中成为同步秩序：其情形如下，凡属连续秩序之最高者，成为同步秩序之至内者；凡属连续秩序之最低者，成为同步秩序之至外者。譬之如一根由层级构成的柱子沉落下来，遂在平面上成为一个相连贯的实体。同步秩序正是如此由连续秩序形成；此理适用于自然界一切事物及其各个部分，也适用于灵界一切事物及其各个部分，因为处处皆有第一、中间与终极，而第一者借中间者趋向并进入其终极。但必须清楚理解的是，二者秩序皆按纯净程度之层级而成。
【2】现在转论圣言。属天、属灵与属世三者，从主发出时，乃依连续秩序而行；及至终极，则在同步秩序中共在。因此，如今圣言的属天义与属灵义，乃同时在其属世义之中。明白此点，便可看出圣言的属世义如何是其属灵义与属天义的包容、基础与支撑；也可看出神性良善与神性真理如何在圣言字义中处于其完全、其神圣与其大能之中。由此可知，圣言在其字义中乃真正为圣言；因为在其中，内有灵与生命。这正是主所说的：“我对你们所说的话，就是灵，就是生命”（约6:63）。因为主乃是在属世义中说祂的话。属天义与属灵义若离开属世义，便不是圣言；因为它们如同没有身体的灵与生命；并且，如前文第213节所说，也如同没有根基的宫殿。
214# 字义上的圣言存在于它的完全、神圣和能力中，因为被称为属灵和属天的两种在先或内在意义，同时存在于属世意义，即字义中，如前所述（TCR 210，212节）。但现在我要详细解释它们如同同时存在的。在天堂和世界上有两种次序，即相继次序和同步次序。在相继次序中，一个事物接替另一个事物，并随另一个事物而来，从最高直到最低；而在同步次序中，一个事物紧挨着另一个事物，或说一个事物与另一个事物并排存在，从最内层直到最外层。相继次序就像从顶端到底座，或从最高到最低按台阶排列的圆柱；而同步次序就像在同心圆中从中心到最外在表面的连贯物体。我现在要解释一下相继次序如何在最外层或最低层变成同步次序。情况是这样的：相继次序的最高事物变成同步次序的最内层；相继次序的最低事物则变成同步次序的最外层；相对来说，就像按台阶排列的圆柱下沉时，变成在一个水平面上连贯的一体。同步次序就这样从相继次序中形成；这在自然界和灵界的一切事物中，无论总体还是细节，都是如此。因为处处都有一个最初，一个中间和一个最后，最初通过中间趋向于并行进到它的最后。但必须清楚理解的是，纯净有不同的层级，而这两种次序都取决于纯净的层级。
至于圣言：属天意义、属灵意义或灵义和属世意义按相继次序从主发出；它们按同步次序存在于最外层中；因此，圣言的属天和属灵意义同时存在于它的属世意义中。当人理解了这一点时，他就可以看到，圣言的属世意义如何成为其属灵和属天意义的容器、基础和支撑，以及在圣言的字义上，神性良善和神性真理如何存在于其完全、神圣和能力中。由此清楚可知，圣言是字义上的圣言本身，因为它里面有灵和生命。这就是主所说这句话的意思：
我对你们所说的话就是灵，就是生命。（约翰福音6:63）
因为主以属世意义来说祂的话。与属世意义分离，或没有它的属天和属灵意义不是圣言；因为它们就像没有一个身体的灵和生命，像没有根基的宫殿，如前所述（TCR 213节）。
214. 4. In the Literal Meaning of the Word,
Divine Truth Exists in Its Completeness, Holiness, and Power
In the literal meaning, the Word exists in its completeness, holiness, and power because, as I said above in 210, 212, the two prior or deeper meanings called the spiritual and the heavenly meanings are together in the earthly or literal meaning. I will say some more about how they come together.
Both in heaven and on earth there is a sequential arrangement and there is a simultaneous arrangement. In a sequential arrangement, one thing comes after another from the highest level down to the lowest. In a simultaneous arrangement, however, one thing is beside another from inmost to outermost. A sequential arrangement is like a column with levels that form steps from top to bottom. A simultaneous arrangement is like a collapsed object with larger and larger cylinders from the center to the outermost surface.
Now I will say how a sequential arrangement turns eventually into a simultaneous arrangement. It happens in the following way: the highest parts of a sequential arrangement become the innermost parts of a simultaneous arrangement, and the lowest parts of a sequential arrangement become the outermost parts of a simultaneous arrangement. It is like the column of steps collapsing to become a coherent flat surface. This is how something simultaneous is formed out of a succession.
This is how it is for everything in the physical world and everything in the spiritual world. Everywhere there is a primary component, a middle component, and an outermost component. The primary component extends and goes out through its middle component toward its outermost component. It is essential to understand, however, that there are different degrees of purity that affect how each arrangement comes about.
[2] Now for the Word. A heavenly influence, a spiritual influence, and an earthly influence emanate from the Lord in a sequential arrangement. On the outermost level, however, they are in a simultaneous arrangement, meaning that the Word's heavenly and spiritual meanings are together inside its earthly meaning. Once you comprehend this, you can see how the Word's earthly meaning is the foundation, container, and structural support for its spiritual and heavenly meanings. You can also see how divine goodness and divine truth have completeness, holiness, and power in the Word's literal meaning.
As all this makes clear, the Word in its literal meaning is truly the Word. Within it there is spirit and life. As the Lord says, "The words that I speak to you are spirit and are life" (John 6:63). The Lord spoke his words with an earthly meaning.
The heavenly and spiritual meanings are not the Word without the earthly meaning. They are like spirit and life without a body. As I said before (213), they are also like a palace without a foundation.
214. IV. The Divine truth in the literal sense of the Word is in its fulness, holiness and power.
The Word in its literal sense is in its fulness, holiness and power, because the two prior or interior senses, called the spiritual and celestial senses, are simultaneously present in the natural or literal sense, as stated above (210, 212). But it needs to be explained further in what way they are simultaneously present. In heaven and in the world there exist two kinds of order, successive and simultaneous order. In the case of successive order one comes after and follows the other from highest to lowest; in simultaneous order, however, one is alongside the other from inmost to outermost. Successive order is like a column which spreads out in steps from top to bottom; but simultaneous order is like an object made up of cohering rings from centre to outermost surface.
[2] It must now be explained how at the lowest level successive order becomes simultaneous. It is like this. The highest levels of a successive order become the inmost parts of a simultaneous order, and the lowest levels of a successive order become the outermost parts of a simultaneous order. This can be illustrated by a stepped column subsiding to become a coherent object in a single plane. So the simultaneous is formed from the successive, and this operates in every single thing in the natural world, and in every single thing in the spiritual world. For everywhere there is a first, middle and last, and the first reaches out through the middle and advances towards its last. But it needs to be clearly understood that it is degrees of purity which determine the development of either order.
[3] Now if we apply this to the Word, the celestial, spiritual and natural proceed from the Lord in successive order, and are in simultaneous order at the last level. So that is how the celestial and spiritual senses of the Word are simultaneously present in its natural sense. Once this has been grasped, it can be seen how the natural sense of the Word is the container, basis and support of its spiritual and celestial senses, as well as how Divine good and Divine truth are present in the literal sense of the Word in their fulness, holiness and power. From this it can be established that the Word in its literal sense is the real Word, for it contains in itself spirit and life. This is what the Lord said:
The words which I speak to you are spirit and life, John 6:63.
For the Lord uttered His words in their natural sense. The celestial and spiritual senses without the natural sense are not the Word, for that would be like spirit and life without a body; and they are (as said before in 213) like a palace which has no foundations.
214. IV. IN THE SENSE OF THE LETTER OF THE WORD DIVINE TRUTH IS IN ITS FULNESS, ITS HOLINESS, AND ITS POWER.
In the sense of the letter the Word is in its fullness, its holiness, and its power, because the two prior or interior senses, which are called spiritual and celestial, exist simultaneously in the natural sense which is the sense of the letter (as stated above, n. 210, 212). How they exist simultaneously shall be further explained. In heaven and in the world there is successive order and there is simultaneous order. In successive order one thing succeeds and follows another from the highest down to the lowest; but in simultaneous order one thing stands next to another from inmosts even to outermosts. Successive order is like a column arranged in steps from summit to base; while simultaneous order is like a work coherent with the circumferences from the center even to the outmost surface. I will now explain how successive order becomes simultaneous order in the outmost. It is done as follows: the highest things of successive order become the inmost things of simultaneous order; and the lowest things of successive order become the outermost things of simultaneous order; comparatively as a column arranged in steps when it subsides becomes a body coherent in a plane. Thus is the simultaneous formed from the successive, and this in each and all things both of the natural world and of the spiritual world; for there is everywhere a first, a middle, and a last, and the first tends and passes through the middle to its last. But it must be clearly understood that there are degrees of purity in accordance with which both of these orders are determined.
[2] Now in respect to the Word: the celestial, the spiritual, and the natural go forth from the Lord in successive order; and in the outmost they exist in simultaneous order; and thus the celestial and spiritual senses of the Word exist simultaneously in its natural sense. When this is comprehended it can be seen how the natural sense of the Word is the containant, the basis, and the support of its spiritual and celestial senses; also how the Divine good and truth are in the sense of the letter of the Word in their fullness, their holiness and their power. From all this it is clear that the Word is the real Word in the sense of the letter, for inwardly in this there is spirit and life. This is what the Lord says:
The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life (John 6:63);
for the words of the Lord were spoken in the natural sense. The celestial and spiritual senses separated from the natural sense are not the Word; for they are like spirit and life without a body, and are like a palace without a foundation (as said above, n. 213).
214. IV. THE DIVINE TRUTH, IN THE SENSE OF THE LETTER OF THE WORD, IS IN ITS FULNESS, ITS SANCTITY, AND ITS POWER.
The Word, in the sense of the Letter, is in its fulness, its sanctity, and its power, because the two prior or interior senses, called the spiritual and the celestial, are simultaneously in the natural sense, which is the sense of the Letter, as was said above,210, 212; but how they are present simultaneously will now be shown at greater length. In heaven and in the world there are two kinds of order, a successive order and a simultaneous order; in successive order one thing succeeds and follows after another, from the highest to the lowest; but in simultaneous order one thing exists side by side with another, from what is inmost to what is outmost. Successive order is like a column with steps from highest to lowest; while simultaneous order is like a work coherent in concentric circles from the centre even to the last surface. We will now state how successive order becomes in the ultimate or last form simultaneous order. The highest things of successive order become the inmost of simultaneous order, and the lowest things of successive order become the outmost of simultaneous order, just as if a column of steps were to sink down and form a coherent body in a plane. Thus the simultaneous is formed from the successive; and this is so in all things both in the natural and in the spiritual world, in general and in particular. For everywhere there is a first, a middle and a last, the first passing through the middle and proceeding to the last. It should, however, be clearly understood that there are degrees of purity, according to which each order is constituted.
Apply this now to the Word. The celestial, the spiritual and the natural proceed from the Lord in successive order, and in the ultimate or last form they are in simultaneous order; thus, then, the celestial and the spiritual senses of the Word are simultaneously in its natural sense. When this is understood it may be seen how the natural sense of the Word is the containant, the basis, and the support of its spiritual and celestial senses; and also how Divine Good and Divine Truth are, in the sense of the Letter of the Word, in their fulness, their sanctity, and their power. From this it may be evident that the Word is the Word itself in its sense of the Letter, for within this there reside spirit and life. This is meant by what the Lord says:
"The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" John 6:63;
for the Lord spoke His words in the natural sense. The celestial and spiritual senses are not the Word, without the natural sense; for so they are like spirit and life without a body; or, as has been said above in213, like a palace which has no foundation.
214. IV. Quod Divinum Verum in Sensu literae Verbi, sit in suo Pleno, in suo Sancto, et in sua Potentia.
Quod Verbum in Sensu literae sit in suo Pleno, in suo Sancto, et in sua Potentia, est quia bini Sensus priores seu interiores, qui vocantur Spiritualis et Coelestis, in Sensu naturali, qui est Sensus literae, sunt simul, ut supra 210 et 212, dictum est; sed quomodo sunt simul, porro dicetur. Datur in Coelo et in Mundo Ordo successivus, et Ordo simultaneus; in Ordine successivo succedit et sequitur unum post alterum, a supremis usque ad infimum; in Ordine autem simultaneo est unum juxta alterum, ab intimis usque ad extima. Ordo successivus est sicut Columna cum gradibus a summo ad imum; at Ordo simultaneus est sicut opus cohaerens cum peripheriis a Centro usque ad ultimam superficiem.
[2] Nunc dicetur, quomodo Ordo successivus fit in Ultimo Ordo simultaneus; fit hoc modo; suprema Ordinis successivi fiunt intima Ordinis simultanei, et infima Ordinis successivi fiunt extima Ordinis simultanei; est comparative sicut Columna graduum subsidens fit Corpus cohaerens in plano. Ita formatur Simultaneum a Successivo, et hoc in omnibus et singulis Mundi naturalis, et in omnibus et singulis Mundi spiritualis, nam ubivis est Primum, Medium et Ultimum, ac Primum per Medium tendit et vadit ad suum Ultimum: sed probe intelligendum est, quod sint puritatis gradus, secundum quos fit uterque Ordo.
[3] Nunc ad Verbum; Coeleste, Spirituale et Naturale, procedunt a Domino in Ordine successivo, et in Ultimo sunt in Ordine simultaneo; ita nunc Sensus coelestis et spiritualis Verbi sunt in Sensu ejus naturali simul. Dum hoc comprehenditur, videri potest, quomodo Sensus naturalis Verbi est continens, basis et firmamentum Sensus spiritualis et coelestis ejus; tum quomodo Divinum bonum et Divinum verum in Sensu literae Verbi est in suo Pleno, in suo Sancto, et in sua Potentia. Ex his constare potest, quod Verbum sit ipsum Verbum in suo Sensu literae, in hoc enim intus est spiritus et vita: hoc est, quod Dominus dicit, Verba, quae Ego loquor vobis, Spiritus et Vita sunt, Johannes 6:63, Dominus enim verba sua in Sensu naturali loquutus est. Sensus coelestis et spiritualis non sunt Verbum absque Sensu naturali, sunt enim sicut spiritus et vita absque corpore; et sunt, ut prius 213, dictum est, sicut Palatium cui non fundamentum.