215# 圣言字义中的真理，就其一部分而言，并非赤裸真理，而是真理的表象；又如取自自然事物的相似与比较，因而乃适合并相应于简单人及儿童理解力之物。然而，因其同时亦为对应，故是真正真理的容器与居所；亦是盛载之器，正如水晶杯盛装美酒，银盘盛放佳肴；又如衣服之为包裹，如襁褓包裹婴孩，华美衣裳装饰童女。它们亦如属世之人的知识，内中包含属灵真理的知觉与情感。那些被包涵、盛载、披覆并包含于其中的赤裸真理，乃在圣言的属灵义中；而赤裸良善，则在其属天义中。但此可由圣言加以说明。
【2】耶稣说：“你们这文士和法利赛人有祸了！因为你们洗净杯盘的外面，里面却满了勒索和放纵。瞎眼的法利赛人哪，先洗净杯盘的里面，好叫外面也洁净。”（太23:25，26）此处，主是借相似与比较说话，而这些同时亦为对应；祂说“杯”和“盘”。“杯”不仅被理解为杯，亦表义圣言的真理；因为“杯”被理解为酒，而“酒”表义真理；“盘”则被理解为食物，而“食物”表义良善。因此，“洗净杯盘的里面”，表义借圣言洁净心智的内在部分，即意志与思想；“好叫外面也洁净”，表义外在部分亦因此得以洁净，即行为与言语；因为这些由前者取得其本质。
【3】耶稣又说：“有一个财主，穿着紫色袍和细麻布衣，天天奢华宴乐；又有一个贫者，名叫拉撒路，浑身生疮，被人放在财主门口。”（路16:19，20）此处，主同样是借相似与比较说话，而这些乃为对应，并含有属灵之义。“财主”被理解为犹太民族；他们被称为“富足”，是因为他们拥有圣言，而圣言中有属灵的财富。他所穿的“紫色袍和细麻布衣”，表义圣言的良善与真理；“紫色袍”表义其良善，“细麻布衣”表义其真理。“天天奢华宴乐”，表义他们因拥有圣言，并由此在圣殿和会堂中听闻许多事而有愉悦。“贫者拉撒路”被理解为外邦人，因为他们没有圣言；他们为犹太人所轻视并弃绝，由“拉撒路被放在财主门口”来理解；“浑身生疮”表义外邦人因不认识真理而处于许多伪谬之中。
【4】“拉撒路”之所以被理解为外邦人，是因为外邦人为主所爱；正如那从死人中复活的拉撒路为主所爱（约11:3，5，36），且被称为祂的朋友（约11:11），又与主一同坐席（约12:2）。由这两处经文可见，圣言字义中的真理与良善，如同器皿，又如同衣服，承载并披覆赤裸的良善与真理；这二者隐藏在圣言的属灵义与属天义之中。
【6】既然圣言在字义中具有这种性质，由此可知，那些处于神性真理中，并信圣言在其内在深处为神圣之神性者，尤其是那些因圣言的属灵义与属天义而相信圣言具有此种性质者，当他们在来自主的光照中阅读圣言时，便会在自然之光中看见神性真理。因为天上之光，其中有圣言的属灵义，流入自然之光，其中有圣言的字义，并照亮人的理智部分，即所谓理性，使人看见并承认神性真理，无论其显明在何处，或隐藏在何处。这些真理随天上之光流入某些人那里，有时甚至在他们不自知之时。
215# 在某些情况下，圣言字义的真理不是赤裸的真理，而是真理的表象，就像取自诸如存在于自然界中的那类事物的类比和比较，适合并足以让简单人和孩子理解。但它们同时又是对应，所以是真正真理的容器和住所，是盛纳它的器皿，就像盛好酒的水晶杯，或盛美食的银盘子；或它们也像穿在身体上的衣服，如婴儿的襁褓，或少女的漂亮衣服；它们又像属世人的知识，这些知识包含对属灵真理的感知和情感。被包括、包含、包裹和容纳的赤裸真理本身在圣言的属灵意义中，赤裸良善在圣言的属天意义中。但这一点要从圣言来说明。
耶稣说：
文士和法利赛人哪，你们有祸了，因为你们洗净杯盘的外面，里面却盛满了勒索和放荡。你这瞎眼的法利赛人，先洗净杯盘的里面，好叫外面也干净了。（马太福音23:25-26）
在这段经文中，主通过类比和比较说话，这些类比和比较同时也是对应；祂用了“杯盘”这个词，“杯”不仅意味着，而且还表示圣言的真理，因为“杯”是指酒，而“酒”表示真理。但“盘”是指食物，而“食物”表示良善。因此，“洗净杯盘的里面”表示通过圣言洁净属于意愿和思维的心智内层。“好叫外面也干净了”表示好叫外层也可以如此被洁净，外层是行为和话语；因为这些从内层获得它们的本质。
耶稣又说：
有一个财主，穿着紫色和细麻布衣服，天天奢华宴乐；又有一个讨饭的，名叫拉撒路，浑身生疮，躺在他的大门口。（路加福音16:19，20）
在这段经文中，主也通过类比和比较来说话，这些类比和比较是对应，并包含属灵事物。“财主”是指犹太民族，犹太民族被称为财主，是因为它拥有包含属灵财富的圣言；他所穿的“紫色和细麻布衣服”表示圣言的良善和真理，“紫色”表示圣言的良善，“细麻”表示圣言的真理；他“天天奢华宴乐”表示他们以拥有圣言，并在圣殿和会堂从圣言中听到许多经文为快乐或满足；“讨饭的拉撒路”是指外邦人，因为他们没有圣言；他“躺在财主的大门口”是指这些外邦人被犹太人蔑视和弃绝；他“浑身生疮”表示外邦人因对真理的无知而处于许多虚假。
拉撒路是指外邦人，因为主爱外邦人。如：祂爱从死里复活的拉散路（约翰福音11:3，5，36）；他被称为主的朋友（约翰福音11:11）；与主一同坐席（约翰福音12:2）。从这两段经文可以清楚看出，圣言字义的真理和良善就像器皿，或像赤裸的良善和真理的衣服，这两者就隐藏在圣言的属灵和属天意义中。
既然这就是圣言在字义上的性质，那么可推知，那些拥有神性真理，并相信圣言在其深处从内在是神圣神性的人，尤其那些相信圣言凭其属灵和属天意义而具有这种性质的人，当在来自主的光照状态下阅读圣言时，就会在属世之光中看到神性真理。因为圣言灵义所在的天堂之光流入圣言字义所在的属世之光，并光照人的理智能力（理智能力被称为理性），使它看到并承认神性真理，无论是在它们显而易见的地方，还是在它们隐藏的地方。对有些人来说，这些真理与天堂之光同时流入，有时甚至是在他们没有意识到这一事实的时候流入的。
215. Some of the truths in the Word's literal meaning are apparent truths rather than naked truths. They are like similes or comparisons taken from earthly situations, which are therefore accommodated and adapted to the grasp of people who are simple or young. Nevertheless, because they are correspondences they are still vessels and dwelling places for genuine truth. They are vessels that contain genuine truth the way a crystal goblet contains fine wine or a silver plate holds palatable food. They are like garments that clothe, like a baby's swaddling cloths or a young woman's beautiful clothing. They are like facts our earthly selves know that also involve our awareness and love of spiritual truth. The naked truths that are enclosed, contained, clothed, and involved are in the Word's spiritual meaning. There is also naked goodness in the Word's heavenly meaning.
Let me illustrate this from the Word:
[2] Jesus said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, because you clean the outside of your cup and plate, but the insides are full of plundering and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of your cup and plate, so that the outside may be clean as well. " (Matthew 23:25-26)
In saying this the Lord used similes and comparisons that are also correspondences. He mentioned a cup and a plate. A cup does not just relate to the truth in the Word; it also means that truth. A cup relates to wine, and wine means truth. A plate relates to food, and food means goodness. Therefore cleaning the inside of their cup and plate means using the Word to purify the inner things in their mind related to their will and thought. "So that the outside may be clean as well" means that by doing this, their outer aspects - their actions and conversations - would be purified, because the essence of actions and conversations comes from within.
[3] For another example,
Jesus said, "There was a rich person who wore purple and fine linen and indulged himself splendidly every day. And there was a poor person named Lazarus, covered with sores, who was put on his porch. " (Luke 16:19-20)
Here again, in saying this the Lord used similes and comparisons that were correspondences with spiritual content. The rich person means the Jewish nation. He is called rich because the Jewish nation had the Word, and the Word contains spiritual wealth. The purple and fine linen he wore mean the goodness and truth of the Word: the purple means the Word's goodness; the fine linen means its truth. "Indulging himself splendidly every day" refers to the delight that the Jews felt because they had the Word and heard many things from it in their temples and synagogues. Lazarus, the poor person, means the people outside the Jewish church, because they did not have the Word. Lazarus being put on the rich person's porch means that people outside the Jewish church were despised and rejected by the Jews. Lazarus's sores mean that people outside the church had many false beliefs because they did not know the truth.
[4] Lazarus means the people outside the Jewish church because the Lord loved the people outside the church just as he loved Lazarus (John 11:3, 5, 36), raised him from the dead, called him his friend (John 11:11), and gave him a place at his table (John 12:2).
As the two passages quoted just above make clear, things that are good and true in the Word's literal meaning are like vessels or clothing for the naked goodness and truth that lie hidden in the Word's spiritual and heavenly meanings.
[5] Since this is the nature of the Word in its literal meaning, it follows that if we have divine truths and we have faith that the Word is divinely holy at heart, and better still if we have faith that the Word is divinely holy because of its spiritual and heavenly meanings, then as we read the Word in enlightenment from the Lord we see divine truths in earthly light. The light of heaven in which the Word's spiritual meaning exists then flows into the earthly light in which the Word's literal meaning exists and lights up the intellectual faculty in us that is called rationality. It causes our rationality to see and acknowledge divine truths both where they stand out and where they are hidden. For some people, divine truths flow in with heavens light even when they are not aware of it.
215. The truths in the literal sense of the Word are in part not bare truths, but appearances of truth. They are like similes and comparative analogies taken from appearances in the natural world. Thus they are adapted and brought down to the level at which they may be understood by simple people and even children. But because they are at the same time correspondences, they serve to receive and make a home for genuine truth. They are containers in the sense that a crystal cup is a container of vintage wine, a silver salver of tempting foods; or like the clothes which we wear, whether a baby's shawls or the pretty dresses of a girl. They are also like the facts stored in the memory of the natural man, which include his perception of and affections for spiritual truth. The bare truths themselves which are wrapped, contained, clothed and grasped, exist in the spiritual sense of the Word; the bare forms of good exist in its celestial sense. But illustrations must be given from the Word.
[2] Jesus said:
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, because you clean the outside of the cup and dish, but the insides are full of robbery and intemperence. You blind Pharisee, clean first the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside too may be clean, Matthew 23:25-26.
In saying this the Lord spoke in similes and comparisons which are at the same time correspondences. When He said 'the cup and dish', cup not only means but stands for the truth of the Word, since cup implies wine and wine stands for truth. Dish, however, implies food, and food stands for good. Therefore cleaning the inside of the cup and dish means purifying the interior parts of the mind, the seats of will and thought, by means of the Word. 'So that the outside may be clean' means that in this way the exterior things too, what we do and say, are purified, for their essence is drawn from the interior.
[3] Again Jesus said:
There was a certain rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen, and feasted magnificently every day; and there was a poor man named Lazarus, who lay in his entrance porch full of sores, Luke 16:19-20.
Here too the Lord spoke in similes and comparisons which were correspondences and had a spiritual content. The rich man means the Jewish nation, which is called rich, because it possessed the Word containing spiritual riches. The purple and fine linen which he wore mean the good and truth of the Word, purple its good and fine linen its truth. Feasting magnificently every day means taking pleasure in having the Word, and hearing many things from it in their temples and synagogues. The poor man Lazarus means the gentiles who did not possess the Word. The contempt and rejection they suffered at the hands of the Jews are meant by Lazarus lying in the entrance porch of the rich man. Full of sores means that the gentiles were plagued by many false notions due to their ignorance of truth.
[4] The reason the gentiles were meant by Lazarus was that the gentiles were loved by the Lord, just as Lazarus, who was revived after being dead, was loved by the Lord (John 11:3, 5, 36). He is also called the Lord's friend (John 11:11), and he reclined at table with the Lord (John 12:2). These two passages show plainly that the truths and kinds of good in the literal sense of the Word are like vessels and garments serving to clothe bare good and truth, which both lie hidden in the spiritual and celestial senses of the Word.
The Word being like this in the literal sense, it follows that those who possess Divine truths, and believe that the Word inwardly in its depths is something holy and Divine, and more so those who believe that the Word is like this because of its spiritual and celestial senses, these people, when they read the Word and receive enlightenment from the Lord, see Divine truths by natural light. For the light of heaven, which illuminates the spiritual sense of the Word, exerts an influence on the natural light which illuminates its literal sense, and enlightens man's intellectual, also called rational, faculty, enabling it to see and recognise Divine truths, whether plain to view or hidden. The light of heaven has this effect upon people, sometimes even without their knowing it.
215. In part the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word are not naked truths, but are appearances of truth, and are like similitudes and comparisons which are taken from such things as exist in nature, and are therefore accommodated and adapted to the capacity of the simple and also of children. But as these are at the same time correspondences, they are receptacles and abodes of genuine truth, and are vessels containing it, as a crystal cup contains noble wine, or a silver dish good food; they are also like garments for clothing the body, as swaddling clothes for an infant, or becoming garments for a maiden; they are also like the knowledges of the natural man, which comprise within them the perceptions and affections of spiritual truth. The naked truths themselves, which are included, contained, clothed, and comprised, are in the spiritual sense of the Word, and the naked goods in its celestial sense. But this shall be illustrated from the Word.
[2] Jesus said:
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, for ye cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside may be clean also (Matthew 23:25, 26).
Here the Lord spoke by similitudes and comparisons that are also correspondences, using the terms "cup" and "platter," "cup" not only meaning but also signifying the truth of the Word, for by the "cup" wine is meant, and "wine" signifies truth. But by "platter" food is meant, and food signifies good; therefore "to cleanse the inside of the cup and platter" signifies to purify by means of the Word the interiors of the mind, which pertain to the will and thought. "That the outside may thus be clean" signifies that the exteriors, which are the things done and said, are thus purified; for these derive their essence from the former.
[3] Again Jesus said:
There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day; and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, full of sores (Luke 16:19, 20).
Here, too, the Lord spoke by similitudes and comparisons that were correspondences and that contained spiritual things. The "rich man" means the Jewish nation, which is called "rich" because it had the Word, which contains spiritual riches; the "purple and fine linen" with which he was clothed, signify the good and truth of the Word, "purple" its good, and "fine linen" its truth; his "faring sumptuously every day" signifies their satisfaction in having the Word and in hearing many things from it in their temples and synagogues; "the beggar Lazarus" means the Gentiles, because they did not have the Word; that these were despised and rejected by the Jews is meant by his being "laid at the rich man's gate;" and his being "full of sores" signifies that owing to their ignorance of truth the Gentiles were in many falsities.
[4] The Gentiles were meant by Lazarus, because the Lord loved the Gentiles. As:
He loved the Lazarus who was raised from the dead (John 11:3, 5, 36); and who is called the Lord's friend (John 11:11); and reclined at the table with the Lord (John 12:2).
From the above two passages it is clear that the truths and goods of the sense of the letter of the Word are like vessels, or like clothing for the naked good and truth, both of which lie hidden in the spiritual and celestial senses of the Word.
[5] The Word in the sense of the letter being such, it follows that those who are in Divine truths, and in the belief that the Word inwardly in its bosom is the holy Divine and still more those who are in the belief that the Word is such because of its spiritual and celestial senses, when they read the Word in states of enlightenment from the Lord, see Divine truths in natural light. For the light of heaven, in which the spiritual sense is, flows into the natural light in which the sense of the letter of the Word is, and illuminates the intellectual faculty of man which is called his rational, causing it to see and acknowledge Divine truths, both where they stand forth and where they lie hidden. With some these truths flow in at the same time with the light of heaven, sometimes even when they are unconscious of it.
215. The truths of the sense of the Letter of the Word are, in some cases, not naked truths, but appearances of truth, being, as it were, similitudes and comparisons, taken from such things as are in nature, accommodated and adequate to the apprehension of simple people and children; but because they are at the same time correspondences, they are the receptacles and abodes of genuine truth. They are the vessels that contain it, as a crystal cup contains good wine, or a silver dish nourishing food. They are like garments which serve as clothing, like swaddling clothes for an infant, and comely robes for a maiden. They are also like the knowledge of the natural man, which comprises the perceptions and affections of spiritual truth. The truths themselves unveiled, which are included, contained, clothed, and comprised, are in the spiritual sense of the Word, and goods unveiled are in its celestial sense.
[2] This, however, may be illustrated from the Word. Jesus said:
"Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees... for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and the platter (A.V., that which is within the cup and the platter) that the outside of them may be clean also" Matthew 23:25-26.
In this passage the Lord spoke by similitudes and comparisons, which at the same time are correspondences. He used the words "cup and platter;" and a cup not only means but also signifies the truth of the Word; for by the cup is meant wine, and wine signifies truth; by the platter however is meant food, and food signifies good. Therefore to cleanse the inside of the cup and the platter signifies to purify the interiors of the mind, which relate to the will and thought, by means of the Word. "That the outside may be clean also" signifies that thus the exteriors may be purified; and the exteriors are deeds and words, for these derive their essence from the interiors.
[3] Again, Jesus said:
"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores" Luke 16:19-20.
In this passage also the Lord spoke by similitudes and comparisons, which were correspondences and contained spiritual things. By the rich man is meant the Jewish nation, called rich because they possessed the Word, which contains spiritual riches. By the purple and fine linen with which the rich man was clothed are signified the good and truth of the Word, by the purple its good, and by the fine linen its truth. By faring sumptuously every day is signified the delight of the Jewish nation in having the Word, and in hearing many passages from it read in their temples and synagogues. By the beggar Lazarus are meant the Gentiles, because they did not possess the Word. By Lazarus lying at the gate of the rich man is meant that the Gentiles were despised and rejected by the Jews; and his being full of sores signifies that the Gentiles from their ignorance of truth were in many falsities.
[4] The Gentiles are meant by Lazarus, because the Lord loved the Gentiles as He loved Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead, John 11:3, 5, 36; who is called His friend, John 11:11 and who sat with Him at table, John 12:2. From these two passages it is evident that the truths and goods of the sense of the letter of the Word are like vessels, and like the clothing of unveiled good and truth, which lie concealed in the spiritual and celestial senses of the Word.
[5] Since this is the nature of the Word in the sense of the Letter, it follows that those who are principled in Divine truths, and who believe that the Word is interiorly holy and Divine, and especially those who believe that the Word is of this nature by virtue of its spiritual and celestial senses, see Divine truths in natural light, while they read the Word in a state of enlightenment from the Lord. For the light of heaven, in which is the spiritual sense of the Word, flows into the natural light in which is the sense of the Letter of the Word, and enlightens man's intellectual faculty, called the rational, enabling him to see and acknowledge Divine truths, both when they are manifest and when they lie concealed. These truths, together with the light of heaven, flow into the minds of some men, even when they are unconscious of the fact.
215. Vera Sensus literae Verbi quoad partem non sunt nuda vera, sed sunt apparentiae veri, ac sicut similitudines et comparationes, desumptae ex talibus quae in natura sunt, ita quae accommodata et adaequata sunt captui simplicium et quoque puerorum; sed quia simul sunt Correspondentiae, sunt genuini veri receptacula et habitacula; et sunt vasa quae continent, quemadmodum Poculum crystallinum continet nobile Vinum, Patina argentea edules cibos, et quemadmodum Vestes quae amiciunt, ut fasciae infantem, et decori amictus virginem; sunt etiam sicut scientifica naturalis hominis, quae in se comprehendunt perceptiones et affectiones veri spiritualis. Ipsa nuda vera, quae includuntur, continentur, investiuntur et comprehenduntur, sunt in Verbi Sensu spirituali, et nuda bona sunt in ejus Sensu coelesti. Sed hoc e Verbo illustretur,
[2]"Jesus dixit, vae vobis Scribae et Pharisaei, quia purgatis exterius poculi et patinae, interiora vero sunt plena rapina et intemperantia; Pharisaee caece, purga prius interius poculi et patinae, ut sit etiam exterius mundum," Matthaeus 23:25-26: hic loquutus est Dominus per similitudines et comparationes, quae simul sunt correspondentiae, et dixit poculum et patinam, et per Poculum non modo intelligitur sed etiam significatur Verum Verbi, per poculum enim intelligitur Vinum, et per vinum significatur verum; per Patinam autem intelligitur cibus, et per cibum significatur bonum; quare per purgare interius poculi et patinae, significatur purificare interiora mentis, quae sunt voluntatis et cogitationis, per Verbum; per ut sic exterius mundum sit, significatur quod sic exteriora purificata sint, quae sunt opera et sermones, nam haec ab illis trahunt suam essentiam.
[3] Adhuc; Jesus dixit, homo quidam erat dives, qui induebatur purpura et bysso, et oblectabat se quotidie splendide: et pauper quidam erat nomine Lazarus, qui projectus ad vestibulum ejus ulcerosus, Luca 16:19-20; hic etiam Dominus loquutus est per similitudines et comparationes, quae erant correspondentiae, et continebant spiritualia; per hominem divitem intelligitur Gens Judaica, quae 1 dives vocatur, quia habebat Verbum, in quo sunt divitiae spirituales; per purpuram et byssum, quibus indutus erat, significatur bonum et verum Verbi, per purpuram bonum ejus, et per byssum verum ejus; per oblectare se quotidie splendide, significatur oblectatio quod illud haberent, et ex illo audirent plura in Templis et Synagogis; per Lazarum pauperem intelliguntur Gentes, quia non habebant Verbum; quod illae contemtae et rejectae a Judaeis essent, intelligitur per quod Lazarus ad vestibulum divitis esset projectus; per ulcerosum significatur, quod gentes ex ignorantia veri in multis falsis essent.
[4] Quod Gentes per Lazarum intelligantur, fuit quia 2 Gentes amabantur a Domino; sicut Lazarus, qui a mortuis resuscitatus est, amabatur a Domino, Johannes 11:3, 5, 36, et vocatur Ipsius amicus, Johannes 11:11 et accumbebat ad mensam cum Domino, Johannes 12:2. Ex his binis locis patet, quod vera et bona Sensus literae Verbi, sint sicut vasa, et sicut vestes nudi boni et veri, quae duo in Sensu spirituali et coelesti Verbi latent.
[5] Quoniam Verbum in Sensu literae tale est, sequitur, quod illi, qui in Divinis veris sunt, et in fide, quod Verbum intus in suo sinu Sanctum Divinum sit, et magis illi, qui in fide sunt quod Verbum tale sit ex Sensu Spirituali et Coelesti ejus, dum in illustratione a Domino legunt Verbum, videant Divina vera in luce naturali; nam Lux Coeli, in qua est Sensus spiritualis Verbi, influit in Lucem naturalem, in qua est Sensus literae Verbi, ac hominis Intellectuale, quod vocatur Rationale, illuminat, et facit ut videat et agnoscat Divina vera ubi exstant et ubi latent: haec cum Luce Coeli influunt apud quosdam, quandoque etiam cum nesciunt.
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