246# 犹太民族便是如此；因此，他们既拥有圣言，主便将其比作那位富人：身穿紫色袍和细麻布衣，日日奢华宴乐；然而他们从圣言中汲取的真与善，甚至不足以使他们怜悯那浑身生疮、卧在其门前的穷人拉撒路。
该民族不仅未将圣言中的任何真理归于自己，反而将伪谬积聚至如此之多，以致终于没有任何真理向他们显现；因为真理不仅被伪谬遮蔽，而且被其涂抹并排拒。由此可知，他们为何不承认弥赛亚，尽管众先知都曾预告祂的来临。
246# 犹太民族就是这个样子；因此，这个民族因拥有圣言而被主比作财主，他穿着紫色细麻衣，天天奢华宴乐，却没有从圣言中获得足够的真理和良善来怜悯躺在门口、浑身生疮的穷人拉撒路（路加福音16:19-20）。犹太民族不仅没有从圣言中为自己吸收任何真理，反而吸收了大量虚假，以至于最终他们看不到任何真理；因为虚假不仅遮蔽真理，还抹杀和消灭它们。这就是为何犹太人不承认弥赛亚，尽管所有先知都预言了祂的降临。
246. The Jewish nation used to be like this. Because it possessed the Word, the Lord compared it to a rich man who wore purple and fine linen and gloriously indulged himself every day, but did not get enough truth or good out of the Word even to show compassion to poor Lazarus, covered with sores, who was lying in front of his door [Luke 16:19-20]. The members of that nation not only failed to assimilate any truths from the Word, but they assimilated falsities in such quantities that in the long run nothing true was apparent to them. Falsities do not simply cover up truths; they obliterate and annihilate them. This was why the Jews did not acknowledge the Messiah even though all the prophets had announced his coming.
246. The Jewish people was like this, and this is why, since it possessed the Word, the Lord likened it to a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and feasted magnificently every day, yet had not drawn from the Word even so much truth and good as to be sorry for Lazarus, the poor man, who lay before his door covered in sores. That people had not only failed to make any truths from the Word its own, but had absorbed such vast quantities of falsities that finally they could not see any truth; for falsities do not merely eclipse truths, but wipe them out and drive them away. That was why they did not recognise the Messiah, although all the prophets had foretold His coming.
246. Such was the Jewish nation; and therefore, because it had the Word, it was likened by the Lord to a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day, and yet did not gain enough truth and good from the Word to have pity upon poor Lazarus, who lay at his door full of sores. Not only did that nation appropriate no truths from the Word, it drew from it falsities in such abundance, that finally not a single truth could be seen by them; for through falsities truths are not merely covered, they are even obliterated and cast out. For this reason the Jews did not acknowledge the Messiah, although all the prophets had foretold His coming.
246. Such was the Jewish nation. Therefore, because it possessed the Word, it was likened by the Lord to a rich man, clothed in purple and fine linen, who fared sumptuously every day. Yet he had derived from the Word not even so much good and truth as to show pity to the beggar Lazarus, who lay at his gate, full of sores. That people not only failed to acquire for themselves any truths from the Word, but they acquired falsities in such abundance that at length they could not see any truth; for truths are not only covered over but also obliterated and rejected by falsities. Consequently, the Jews did not acknowledge the Messiah, although all the Prophets had foretold His Advent.
246. Talis fuit Gens Judaica, quare illa, quia possidebat Verbum, a Domino assimilabatur Diviti, qui indutus erat purpura et bysso, et splendide vivebat quotidie, et usque ex Verbo ne quidem tantum veri et boni hauserat, ut misereretur pauperis Lazari, ante ostium ejus ulcerosi 1 jacentis; illa Gens non solum non aliqua vera ex Verbo appropriavit sibi, sed falsa in tali copia, ut tandem illis non appareret aliquod verum; nam vera per falsa non modo obteguntur, sed etiam obliterantur et rejiciuntur; inde erat, quod nec agnoverint Messiam, tametsi omnes Prophetae Ipsius Adventum annuntiaverant.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: ulcerosus.