വ്യാഖ്യാനം

 

マタイによる福音書5章の意味を探る

വഴി Ray and Star Silverman (മെഷീൻ വിവർത്തനം ചെയ്തു 日本語)

This fresco was created by Franz Xaver Kirchebner in the Parish church of St. Ulrich in Gröden, Italy, which was built in the late 18th century.

山上の説教(その1)


1.群衆を見て、主は山に登られた。主がお座りになると、弟子たちが主のもとに来た。

2.そして口を開いて彼らに教えられた、

3.「天の御国は,心の貧しい者たちのものである。

4.その人たちは慰められるからである。

5.彼らは地を受け継ぐからである。

6.正義に飢え渇く者は幸いである。

7.慈悲深い者は幸いである。

8.そのような者たちは,神を見るであろう。

9.彼らは神の子と呼ばれるからである。

10.正義のために迫害される者は幸いである。

11.あなたがたは,わたしのために,あなたがたを非難し,迫害し,あなたがたに不利なあらゆる悪口を言い,嘘を言いふらす。

12.喜び躍りなさい。あなたがたの報いは天に多いからである。


この次のエピソードが始まると、ガリラヤだけでなく、デカポリス、エルサレム、ユダヤ、そしてヨルダンの向こうの地域からも、大勢の群衆がイエスのもとに集まってくる。群衆を見て、イエスは山に登り、口を開き、説教を始められる。イエスの説教は、「心の貧しい人々は幸いである。5:3).

前の章では、イエスは洗礼を受け、その後、荒野で一連の誘惑を受けた。誘惑とは、より高い目標や霊的な目的が脅かされ、妨げられ、挑戦されることである。このような時、私たちは自分の低次の本性の欲望、つまり遺伝的な悪を行ないたいという欲望に気づく。

このような誘惑の状態は、私たちの人生において主がどれほど必要であるか、神なしでは何もできないことを思い起こさせる役割を果たす。この認識は、私たちを霊的な貧しさを認める真の謙遜の状態へと導く。聖典では、この謙遜の状態を "霊的に貧しい "と呼ぶ。イエスが "心の貧しい者は幸いである "という言葉で教えを始められるのはこのためである。

この謙遜な状態こそが、神から流れ込む善と真理を受け取る道を開くのである。イエスが、自分の霊的な貧しさを認める人々について、"彼らのところに天の御国があるからだ "と言われるのはこのためである。

このような謙遜の状態で、私たちは祈りの中で主に向かい、自分の霊的な貧しさを告白し、罪を悔い改めるのです。自分の言動に自責の念を感じ、自分の人生を導き導いてくださる主の資質がどれほど必要かを悟るのである。これが、次の祝福が「悲しむ者は幸いである。5:4).

主が私たちを慰めてくださるとき、私たちの低次の本性の欲望は抑えられ、静まる。過剰な自己愛やこの世のものへの愛への傾きが抑えられます。これには、焦り、嫉妬、防衛心、憤り、怒り、軽蔑、貪欲などが含まれる。私たちの低次の本性にあるこれらの欲望が手なずけられるとき、もはや私たちの日常生活の行動を支配し、支配することはなくなる。イエスが言うように、「柔和な者は幸いである。5:4).

ギリシャ語の原語では、"柔和 "を意味するプロアス [πραグς]は "飼いならす "を意味する。自己と世に対する過剰な愛を静め、鎮め、手なずけた人々は、今、主が彼らの内に、彼らを通して行動される準備ができている。彼らは良い人生を送り、正しいことを行ないたいと願っている。そのため、彼らは今、主のいつくしみに飢え、主の真理に渇いている。だからイエスは言われる、「義に飢え渇く者は幸いである。5:6).

これは次の3つの祝福への移行を意味する。第五、第六、第七の祝福は、義の生活を構成する慈愛の業を要約したものである。すべてのことを神に委ねるとき、私たちは他者に対する慈しみに満たされる。そして、その憐れみを行使する限り、私たちはより憐れみ深くなる。それゆえ、イエスは第五の祝福を与えるにあたって、「あわれみ深い者は幸いである。5:7).

そして、すべての人間関係において憐れみ、赦し、思いやりを実践することで、私たちの心は浄化され、他人の良いところを見ることができるようになる。つまり、神から与えられた資質が見えるようになるのだ。イエスが第六の祝福で言っているように、「心の清い者は幸いである。5:8) 1

これは第七の祝福につながる。イエスは「平和をつくる者は幸いである。5:9). 主が私たちの内に、そして私たちを通して働いておられるとき、私たちは平安の状態にある。私たちの内なる戦いは終わったのだ。主が御言葉の中で語っておられることと、それに従って生きたいという私たちの願いとの間には、もはや何の葛藤もない。ヘブライ語の聖句にあるように、「エルサレムに慰めを語り、その戦いは終わったと叫びなさい」(イザヤ書40:2).

これら7つの祝福の順序は、私たちの霊的な貧しさを認識することから始まり、主が私たちの内に、また私たちを通して働いてくださる安息日の状態に終わる、再生のプロセスを明らかにする神の系列である。この状態において、主は私たちの天の父であり、私たちは神の子と呼ばれる。

このことは、最終的かつ頂点に達する祝福につながる。イエスは言われる、「彼らがあなたがたをののしり、迫害し、わたしのためにあなたがたに偽りの悪口を言いふらすとき、あなたがたは幸いである」(5:10). この第八の祝福は、霊的生活が継続的なプロセスであることを思い出させてくれる。霊的成長の各状態に関連する祝福を経験するとき、私たちは同時に、より高い、より高次の霊的生活の状態に入る準備をしているのである。しかし、それらのより高い状態に入るためには、より微妙な悪を暴き、闘い、克服しなければならない。

こうして、誘惑の試練が再び始まり、より明白でない悪が神の真理の明るい光によって暴露される。これらのより内面的な悪は、私たちの中で立ち上がり、激しく自己防衛し、命をかけて戦う。しかし、自己中心的な懸念を支える誤った理屈や正当化に屈することを拒み、耐え忍ぶなら、そこには大きな祝福がある。彼らがあなたがたを侮り、迫害し、わたしのために、あなたがたに偽りの悪口を言いふらすとき、あなたがたは幸いである。天にあるあなたがたの報いは大きいからである。5:11-12).

第八の祝福は、私たちをシリーズの最初に戻し、誘惑が私たちの信仰を確認する機会を与えてくれることをもう一度思い起こさせる。誘惑の中で受ける苦闘は困難なものであるかもしれないが、それは私たちをより内的な天の共同体と接触させ、私たちの意識を拡大させるものであるため、喜んで予期することができる。 2

その結果、私たちを取り巻く単純な祝福に対する感謝の念が増し、他者のニーズに対する意識が高まり、手を差し伸べて奉仕したいという気持ちが高まる。だから、イエスは言われる。"喜びなさい、大いに喜びなさい。

実践的な適用

第八の祝福は、霊的成長とはスパイラルカリキュラムのようなもので、同じことを何度も繰り返し、より深く学ぶ機会があることを思い出させてくれる。その意味で、私たちは霊的な試練を障害としてではなく、さらなる成長への足がかりとしてとらえるべきである。すべての試練は、自分が信じていることをより深く確認する機会なのだ。実際的な応用として、次にエゴが刺激されたり、焦りが生じたり、恨みが生じそうになったりしたときは、より高い意識から対応する機会だと考えてください。言い換えれば、今こそ聖典の真理に頼るときであり、その真理を通して天使たちがあなたを助け、主があなたに打ち勝つ力を与えてくださることを知っているのだ。最も重要なことは、誘惑に勝ったからといって、プライドを高めたり、自我を膨らませたり、自分に偽りの自信を持たせたりしてはならないということだ。誘惑は自分の弱さと神の力の両方を明らかにするものであることを忘れずに、必ず神に栄光を帰しなさい。すべての力は主のみものであることを悟るまでは、誘惑を繰り返す運命にある。 3

良い仕事をする


13.「あなたがたは地の塩である。そのあとは、捨てられ、人に踏みつけられるだけで、何の役にも立たない。

14.あなたは世の光です。山の上に築かれた町は、隠れることができない。

15.あなたがたは,燭台の上にいて,家の中にいるすべての人のために輝くのである。

16.だから、あなたがたの光を人々の前で輝かせなさい。そうすれば、人々はあなたがたの善行を見、天におられるあなたがたの父をあがめるであろう


。山上の説教は素晴らしい教えを与えている。しかし、その教えの精神に従って善い行いをしようとする気持ちがなければ、単なる教えは役に立たない。それは味を失った塩のようなものであり、籠の下に隠された灯火のようなものである。すべての真理は用いるために与えられる。神が私たちに与えてくださるあらゆる祝福は、私たちが隣人により大きな奉仕をするためになされる。そして、その奉仕の中にこそ真の祝福がある。すべての天の報いは、隣人に対する愛に満ちた奉仕に携わるときに経験する喜びだからだ。 4

そのため、神のシリーズは次のような言葉で続けられている:「あなたがたは地の塩であるが、もし塩がその味を失ったら、どうやって味をつけようか。それでは、人に捨てられ、足で踏みつけられるだけで、何の役にも立たない」(5:13).

塩は調味料として非常に有用である。しかし、風味を失った塩は役に立たない。同様に、善を行おうとしない人間は、味のない塩のようなものだ。真理は活用されなければならない。これがこの説教の主旨である。光は良いものだが、それを用いなければならない:「あなたがたは世の光である。「丘の上にある町は隠れることができない。丘の上にある町は、隠れることができない。また、ランプをともしてかごの下に置くこともなく、ランプ台の上に置いて、その家にいるすべての人に光を与える」(5:14-15).

この箇所で強調されているのは、真理を学ぶことだけではなく、真理を生きることである。それは、人々があなたがたの 良い行いを見て、天におられるあなたがたの父をあがめるためである」(5:16). 5

霊的指導には、善い行いをすること以外に目的はない。そして良い行いは、主が私たちを通して働いてくださるときにのみ、真に良いものとなる。だからこそ、この説教では、他人が私たちの善い行いを見るとき、すべての賛美、栄光、誉れは神に向かうべきであるという重要な注意喚起が含まれているのである。イエスが言われるように、あなたの良い行いを人々に見せなさい、しかしそれが "天におられるあなたの父をあがめる "ものであるようにしなさい。それは私たちのことではなく、私たちを通して働かれる神のことなのだ。 6

イエスは聖書の内なる意味を明らかにし始める


17.「わたしが来たのは、律法や預言者を取り消すためではない。

18.天地が過ぎ去るまで、一つのヨードも一つの小角も、律法から消えることはない。

19.しかし,それを行なって教える者は,天の御国で大いなる者と呼ばれるであろう。

20.あなたがたの正義が律法学者やパリサイ人の正義を超えない限り,あなたがたは天の御国に入ることはできない。

21.あなたがたは,古代の人たちが,『あなたは人を殺してはならない。

22.また,兄弟に向かって,「ラカ」と言う者は,審きの対象となり,「愚か者め」と言う者は,火のゲヘナの対象となる。

23.それゆえ,あなたが祭壇の上に贈り物をささげて,そこであなたの兄弟があなたに対して何かあることを思い起こすならば,」。

24.まずあなたの兄弟と和解し,それから,あなたの贈り物をささげなさい。

25.あなたがたの兄弟がその祭壇の前で,あなたがたの贈り物 を置いて,あなたがたの道を行きなさい。

26.わたしはあなたに言う。あなたは最後の銭を払うまで,そこから出てはならない。

27.あなたがたは,姦淫してはならない。

28.アッラーは,あなたがたを御好・になられない

29.あなたがたの右目が,あなたがたをつまずかせるならば,それを抜いて,あなたがたから捨てなさい。

30.もしあなたの右手が,あなたをつまずかせるなら,それを断ち切って,あなたから捨てなさい。

31.アッラーはあなたがたを御好・になられない

32.アッラーの御許にあなたがたは堕落したのである。

33.またあなたがたは、古代の人々に、「あなたは偽りを誓ってはならない。

34.それは神の御座だからである;

35.それは神の御座であるからである。

36.なぜなら,あなたは一本の毛も白くすることができず,また黒くすることもできないからである。

37.アッラーはあなたがたを御好・になられない

38.アッラーはあなたがたを御好・になられない。

39.あなたがたの右のほお骨を打つ者は,もう一方のほお骨も打ちなさい。

40.わたしたちは,あなたがたの右のほお骨を打つ者には,もう一方のほお骨も打ちなさい。

41.アッラーは凡てのことに全能であられる。

42.アッラーはあなたがたを御好・になられない。

43.アッラーの御許にあなたがたは従うのか。

44.あなたの敵を愛し、あなたを呪う者を祝福し、あなたを憎む者によくし、あなたを傷つけ迫害する者のために祈りなさい


。真理が用いられなければならないのは紛れもない事実である。しかし、神の御言葉を最も完全に活用する前に、それを完全に理解しなければならない。だからイエスは今、弟子たちに聖句の読み方について簡単な手ほどきをしているのだ。わたしは滅ぼすために来たのではなく、成就させるために来たのである」(5:17).

イエスが来られたことで、ヘブライ語の聖典の預言が成就されたという点で、イエスは律法を成就された。しかし、イエスはまた、律法をより高い意味で満たすことによって、律法を成就させようとしていた。イエスは、律法が私たちの外面的な行動だけでなく、私たちの内面的な態度、すなわち心の欲望についても語っていることを説明された。霊的に理解されるとき、律法は外面的な行いを規制するためだけでなく、より重要なこととして、内面的な生活を改革するためにも役立つのである。

イエスは戒めから始められた。あなたがたは、昔の人たちに『人を殺してはならない』と言われたことを聞いたことがあるだろう・・・しかし、あなたがたに言っておくが、理由もなく兄弟に腹を立てる者は、裁きの危険にさらされる」(5:21-22). あなたがたは、昔の人に『姦淫してはならない』と言われたことを聞いたでしょう。あなたがたは、昔の人たちに『姦淫してはならない』と言われたことを聞いたことがあるだろう。しかし、あなたがたに言っておくが、欲情して女を見る者は、すでに心の中でその女と姦淫を犯したのである」(5:27-28).

これらは新しい教えだが、聴衆の理解を超えているわけではない。やがて、人間の精神や天国への道についてのより深い教えが生まれるだろうが、人々がこうしたより内面的なメッセージを完全に理解できるようになるまでには時間がかかるだろう。しかし、今のところは、人々の理解を超えた抽象的な真理ではなく、人々が理解できる具体的で文字通りの教えを与えれば十分なのである。

この点で、イエスは誓いを立ててはならないと教えている(参照)。 5:33-37), 報復するのではなく、頬を差し出すのである。 5:39), いがみ合うことなく、要求された以上のものを与えることである。 5:40), 必要以上のことをし、求める者には誰にでも与え、借りたい者には誰にでも貸す(参照 5:42).

これらの教えに従うのは難しいが、理解するのは難しくない。イエスの言葉の中には、私たちの心の奥底にある信念が攻撃を受けているときの私たちの対応についての、より高い真理が含まれている。そのようなとき、もし私たちが真理にとどまるなら、迷うことはない。 7

イエスはこのような内面的な真理を教える代わりに、彼らの心をもっと明白な問題、たとえば復讐したいという欲求を克服する必要性に向けさせた。あなたがたは、『目には目を、歯には歯を』と言われたのを聞いたことがあるだろう。しかし、あなたがたに言っておく。しかし、あなたがたの右の頬をたたく者があれば、もう一方の頬もその人に向けなさい」(5:38).

「頬を向ける」とは、自分の信念が攻撃されたときに、内面的に行うことである。このような攻撃は、他人を通してもたらされることもあるが、神への信仰を破壊し、神の真実の力への信頼を損なわせようとする、目に見えない霊的な力を通してもたらされることもある。それゆえ、私たちは内面的に頬を向けるときはいつでも、自分が真実であると知っていることに揺るがない。

そのようなとき、私たちは、どんな言葉も、ささやかれる言葉も、ほのめかされる言葉も、私たちを傷つけたり、私たちの信仰を破壊したりすることはできないことを知っている。悪に引き込まれない限り、私たちは神の保護下にある。私たちが主のいつくしみと真理のうちにとどまっている限り、悪は私たちに霊的な害を及ぼすことはできない。したがって、悪に抵抗する必要はない。 8

しかし、私たちの自然な生活においては、もっと慎重にならなければならない。私たちは、求める人すべてに与えることはできないし、貸してもいけない。そのような無差別な施しは、私たちが他者に善を行うための資源を失うことになるからだ。同様に、泥棒、詐欺師、詐欺師が私たちを利用するのを許してはならない。罪のない被害者を利用する者は通報され、起訴され、有罪が確定すれば責任を負わなければならない。犯罪行為を無視したり、悪意を支持したりすることは、悪人にとって何の益もなく、社会にとって有害である。 9

要するに、外的な面では残酷さ、詐欺、不正に抵抗しなければならない。しかし、内的な面では、私たちは平静を保ち、平静を装い、平静を装うことができる。私たちの信仰を奪い、幸福を破壊しようとする悪に抵抗するのは神だけだからである。 10

これらの教訓は、イエスが後に述べる、より内面的な教訓である。憎しみ、報復、復讐の状態に引き込まれてはならない。その代わりに、イエスは彼らがより高い意識に立ち上がるよう呼びかける。隣人を愛し、敵を憎め。しかし、わたしはあなたがたに言う、敵を愛し、あなたがたを呪う者を祝福し、あなたがたを憎む者に善をなし、あなたがたを憎んで用いる者、迫害する者のために祈りなさい」(5:43-44).

実践的な適用

山上の説教のこの部分でイエスは、「目には目を、歯には歯を」というヘブライの掟に対応する新しい方法を群衆に示した(出エジプト記21:24). イエスは、同じような破壊的な行動、つまり悪に悪を返すような反応を自動的にするのではなく、別の種類の反応によって新しい意識レベルに立ち上がるようにと人々に言われる。右の頬を叩く者は、もう一方の頬も向けなさい。実践的な応用として、あなたのエゴが傷つけられたり、妨げられたり、攻撃されたと感じたり、侮辱には侮辱を、傷には傷を、過ちには過ちを、悪には悪を返したくなるときはいつでも、それに引き込まれないことだ。その代わりに、高次の理解があなたの感情的傷害を支配するようにしなさい。あなたの低次の本性の衝動を、あなたの真実の理解に支配させ、手なずけるようにしなさい。より高次の反応を選びなさい。 11

"それゆえ、あなたがたは完全であれ"


45.「そうすれば,あなたがたは天におられるあなたがたの父の子となるであろう。

46.あなたがたは,自分たちを愛する者を愛するなら,どんな報いがあろうか。公人たちも同じではないか。

47.また,あなたがたが自分の兄弟にだけ挨拶するなら,あなたがたは(他の)人たちを越えて何をするのか。公人たちもそうしないのか。

48.あなたがたは、天におられるあなたがたの父が完全であるように、完全な者となりなさい


。イエスは説教を続けながら、私たちが他人をどのように見なすべきかについて語られる。友であろうと敵であろうと、公平に、公正に扱うべきである。この点を説明するために、イエスは神の公平さについて、「神は、その太陽を善人にも悪人にも輝かせ、その雨を正しい人にも不正な人にも降らせられる」(5:45). これは象徴的に、偏見なくすべての人を照らす神の善と、雨がすべての人に降り注ぐように、すべての人が利用できる神の真理を指している。

同様に、私たちは、偏見のない公平な方法で、すべての人に善意を広げるよう求められている。イエスはこの例話を提供することで、家族や友人、隣人だけでなく、すべての人に対して公正な心を持ち、慈愛に満ちた態度をとるよう、話を聞いている人々に呼びかけているのだ。偏見を捨て、公平に接することを求めているのだ。

太陽や雨のように、彼らの善行はすべての人に及ぶべきである。結局のところ、自分を愛してくれる人を愛するのは簡単なことなのだ。しかし、これからは誰に対しても慈愛を持つべきである。イエスの言葉を借りれば、「自分を愛してくれる人を愛するなら、どんな報いがあろうか。徴税人でさえ、同じことをしているではないか」。(5:46).

自分を愛してくれる人を愛するのは簡単だ。これは自然なことだ。しかし、主からのみ与えられるもう一つの愛がある。それは、敵を含め、私たちを愛していない人々を愛することである。これは容易なことではなく、さらに霊的な洗練が必要であることを認めながら、イエスは言われる、「天におられるあなたがたの父が完全であるように、あなたがたも完全でありなさい」(5:48).

この節は、しばしば命令ではなく約束と訳されていることに注意すべきである。それゆえ、あなたがたは完全でありなさい」ではなく、「あなたがたは完全でなければならない」と訳されている。これはイエスの意味するところではない。イエスにとって重要なのは、完全であろうと努力することであって、完全を達成することではない。天使たちでさえ、最終的に完全な状態に達することはできない。私たちにもできない。しかし、私たちは忍耐することができる。努力することができる。"天におられる私たちの父が完全であるように "完全であろうと努力することができる。 12

確かに、聖書の時代の人々だけでなく、現代の私たちにとっても、完璧を目指すことは難しいことだ。私利私欲に打ち勝ち、恨みを捨て、寛大さを貪欲さに勝たせ、赦しを復讐に代え、愛を憎しみに勝たせなければならない。神がいなければ、誰もこのようなことを成し遂げることはできず、完璧は達成不可能な目標となる。

このレベルの精神的完全性に近づく唯一の方法は、自分の不完全さを認識し、認めることである。そうして初めて、神の助けを借りて、悪を捨て、魂を磨く努力を始めることができる。その出発点は、悪を神に対する罪として避け、神の真理を求めて祈り、それを受け取り、最後にそれに従って生きるという意志である。

天のあなたがたの父が完全であるように、あなたがたも完全でありなさい」。このようにして、主の導きをますます信頼するようになり、主があらゆる愛に満ちた感情、あらゆる崇高な思い、そしてあらゆる模範的な行動の源であることを認めるようになれば、私たちは現世でも来世でも、絶えず、ますます完全になっていくのである。 13

അടിക്കുറിപ്പുകൾ:

1Apocalypse Explained 340:10: “心の清い人』とは、愛から善の状態にある人のことである」。参照 スピリチュアル・エクスペリエンス2783: “人は、その人の中にある善を愛するべきである......。善も信仰も、主のものでないものは何一つないのだから、隣人を通して主も愛されるのである。"

2天界の秘義6611: “自らを再生させる人々は、絶えず上へ上へと運ばれ、より内的な天の共同体へと常に運ばれていく。主は、主に悪と偽りに対抗する誘惑によって、再生されつつある人々の領域がそのような共同体へと拡大することを可能にされる。誘惑の間、主は天使たちによって悪や偽りと戦われ、このようにして人は天使たちのますます内的な共同体へと導かれる。一旦このような内的な共同体に導かれると、人はそこに留まる。そしてこれこそが、より拡張され、より高められた知覚能力を与えるのである。"

3Arcana Coelestia 1661:4: “人々が善と真理は自分自身から出たものであり、悪と偽りに抵抗する力は自分自身のものであると考えるとき、彼らが戦う財と真理は、そのように見えるが、財と真理ではない......。これは、彼らが勝利に自尊心を置き、あたかも悪と偽りに打ち勝ったのが自分たちであるかのように栄光を謳うからである。参照 Arcana Coelestia 2273:2: “人が克服する誘惑には、他のすべての人が自分よりも価値があり、自分は天よりもむしろ地獄の存在であるという信念が伴う......。誘惑の後に、これらに反する考えに至るならば、それは彼らが克服していないことの表れである......。それゆえ、彼らは同じような誘惑を受け、時にはもっと過酷な誘惑を受け、自分が何も得られなかったと思うほど正気に戻るまで、誘惑を受け続けるのである。"

4Arcana Coelestia 8002:7: “主が「善を行う者は天で報いを受ける」と何度も言われるのは、人々が再生する前は、報いのことを考えずにはいられないからである。しかし、一度再生してしまうと違う。なぜなら、善を行うことに喜びと至福を感じるのであって、見返りには感じないからである。内的な意味での "報い "とは、隣人に対する慈愛に伴う愛情に属する喜びである」。

5天界の秘義9207: “地の塩』とは、善を求める真理を意味し、『味のない塩』とは、善を求める気持ちがない真理を意味する。そのような真理が無価値であることは、無味となり、もはや屋外に投げ捨てられ、人々に踏みつけられる以外には何の役にも立たない塩のアイデアによって描かれている。善の欲求を持つということは、善を行い、それによって善と結ばれたいという欲求を持つということである」。

6生命の教義29: “御言葉は、誰も自分から善いことをすることはできず、人は主からそれをするのだと教えている。イエスは言われた、『わたしはまことのぶどうの木であり、わたしの父はぶどうの木を植えてくださる方である。枝がぶどうの木にとどまらなければ、自ら実を結ぶことができないように、あなたがたも、わたしにとどまらなければ、実を結ぶことができない』(ヨハネによる福音書15:1-6).”

7Arcana Coelestia 9049:4-6: “あなたがたは、目には目を、歯には歯を、と言われたことを聞いたことがある。しかし、悪に抵抗してはならない。右の頬を打つ者に左の頬を向ける者があろうか。自分の上着を取り上げようとする者に、だれが自分の上着を与えるだろうか。また、だれでも求める者に、自分の財産を与える者があろうか。悪に抵抗しない者があろうか。....ここで扱われているのは、霊的生活、すなわち信仰の生活であって、この世の生活である自然生活ではない。それゆえ、悪に抵抗してはならない理由は、真理と善にある者には悪は害を与えないからである。

8Arcana Coelestia 9049:6: “それゆえ、悪に抵抗すべきではない理由は、悪は真理と善に支配された者にはまったく害を及ぼさないからであり、彼らは主に守られているからである。"参照 "啓示された黙示録556: “天使たちは悪と戦わず、ましてや悪に悪を返すようなことはしないが、主によって守られているため、悪を許し、それゆえ地獄からの悪は彼らを傷つけることはできない。汝の右の頬を打つ者は、もう片方の頬も向けよ』という言葉は、内的真理の認識と理解に害を加えようとする者がいれば、その努力の範囲内で許されることを意味している。なぜなら、『頬』は内的真理の認識と理解を意味し、『右の頬』はそれに対する愛情とその結果としての認識を意味し、『左の頬』はそれに対する理解を意味するからである......。悪は天使から善と真理を奪うことはできないが、敵意と憎しみと復讐に燃える者からは奪うことができる。これがこれらの言葉の霊的な意味であり、その中には今語られた隠された事柄が蓄えられており、それは特に、霊的な意味によってのみ御言葉を知覚する天使たちのためのものである。これらの言葉はまた、悪が彼らを迷わせようとしているとき、善の中にいるこの世の人々のためでもある。"

9天界と地獄390: “悪人を罰する裁判官は、彼らが改心するように......隣人を愛する。"参照 天界と地獄390: “人を愛する者は、その人の内にあるもの、その人を構成するものではなく、その人を愛するのであり、悪人も善人も等しく愛するのである。悪人に対して善を行うことは、善人に対して悪を行うことであり、それは隣人を愛することではない。"

10Arcana Coelestia 9049:6: “主の言葉が内的な意味で何を意味するのか、ここで語られなければならない。内的な意味とは、偽りによって信仰の真理を破壊しようとする者、つまり誘惑の中にある人の霊的な生活について述べている......。それゆえ、悪に抵抗してはならない理由は、悪は真理と善にある者には害を与えないからである。"彼らは主によって守られているからである。参照 Apocalypse Explained 695:19: “主は、誘惑との戦いにおいて、その人のために抵抗し、打ち勝たれる。"

11True Christian Religion 588:1-2: “人々は再生のために、自分の理解をほとんど天国の天使たちがいる光にまで高める能力を与えられている......。なぜなら、意志は生まれながらにして悪、それも甚大な悪に傾くものだからである。もし意志が理解力によって抑制されず、その代わりに自由奔放にさせられたとしたら、人々は大いなる邪悪へと突進し、彼らに内在する野蛮な性質から、自分たちに好意を持たず、欲望を甘やかさないすべての人々を一掃[depopularetur]し、虐殺[trucidaret]するだろう。さらに、もし人々が自分の理解を別に完成させることができず、それによって自分の意志を完成させることができなければ、彼らはまったく人間ではなく、動物になってしまうだろう。理解力を意志から切り離すことなく、理解力を意志より高めることができなければ......理性から行動することはできず、本能から行動するのみである。"

12結婚愛71: “人間や天使の愛が完全に純粋になることはなく、夫婦の愛もそうである。それゆえ、人がその意思を持ち、それに固執する限りにおいて、その人は夫婦愛の純粋さと聖性に導入され、徐々に前進するのである。"

13天界の秘義894: 今、私は完全だ』と言えるほど再生する明確な期間は存在しない。実際、悪と偽りの状態は誰にでも無制限に存在する。単純な状態だけでなく、多様で複雑な状態もあり、それらは再発しないように処分されなければならない。ある状態においては、個人をより完全な存在と呼ぶことができるが、他の無数の状態においては、個人を完全な存在と呼ぶことはできない。生きている間に再生され、主への信仰と隣人への慈愛が存在する人は、来世において常に完全である。"

സ്വീഡൻബർഗിന്റെ കൃതികളിൽ നിന്ന്

 

Apocalypse Explained #514

ഈ ഭാഗം പഠിക്കുക

  
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514. And the third part of the ships was destroyed, signifies that also all the knowledges from the Word, and from doctrines from the Word perished. This is evident from the signification of "the third part," as being everything, here all, because it is predicated of the knowledges of truth and good; also from the signification of "ships," as being the knowledges of truth and good, also doctrinals. "Ships" have this signification because they carry riches over the sea for traffic, and "riches" signify in the Word the knowledges of truth and good, which also are doctrinals. "Ships," in a strict sense, as being containing vessels, signify the Word and doctrine from the Word, because the Word and doctrine therefrom contain the knowledges of truth and good, as ships contain riches; and "trading," which is chiefly done by ships, signifies acquiring knowledges for oneself and communicating them to others. But when the contents rather than the contained are meant, "ships" signify the knowledges from the Word and from doctrine from the Word.

[2] This signification of "ships" is evident from the passages where they are mentioned in the Word. Thus in Ezekiel:

O Tyre, thy borders are in the heart of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty. They have built for thee all thy planks of fir-trees from Senir; they have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for thee. Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars; they have made thy benches of ivory, a daughter of steps from the isles of Kittim. The inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were thy rowers; thy wise men, O Tyre, that were in thee, they were thy ship-masters. The elders of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee caulking thy breaches; all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to trade in thy merchandise. The ships of Tarshish served as carriers for thy wares. Thou wast filled and glorified exceedingly in the heart of the seas (Ezekiel 27:4-6, 8, 9, 25).

In this chapter Tyre is treated of; and as "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good, therefore her trading is treated of, and the various wares by which she was enriched. For "her trading with various wares by which she was enriched" signifies the acquisition of such knowledges and spiritual opulence therefrom; therefore a ship is here described with all its furniture, its planks, oars, mast, its pilots, rowers, mariners, and in the preceding and following verses, its wares. But it would take too much space to explain here what all these particulars signify in the spiritual sense; it is enough to say that it is evident from this that a "ship" signifies doctrine from the Word, and that its "planks," "oars," and "mast" signify the various things of which doctrine consists; also that those who teach, lead, and rule, are meant by "pilot" "ship-masters," "rowers," and "mariners," and the doctrinals themselves by its "wares," and the acquisition of spiritual wealth and spiritual riches, which are the knowledges of truth and good, through which wisdom is gained, by "trading." It is therefore said, "thy wise men, O Tyre, were in thee, they were thy ship-masters."

[3] Again in the following chapter, which also treats of Tyre:

Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee; in thy wisdom and in thine understanding thou hast made to thyself wealth, and hast made gold and silver in thy treasures; by the abundance of thy wisdom in thy trading thou hast increased to thyself wealth (Ezekiel 28:3-5).

From these passages it is clear that "Tyre" and her "tradings" mean the knowledges of truth and good through which wisdom is gained; what other reason could there be for saying so much about her wares and her merchandise if spiritual things were not meant? (That "Tyre" means the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good, consequently the knowledges of truth and good that belong to the church, see Arcana Coelestia 1201.)

[4] The vastation of the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good is treated of in the same chapter, and is described in these words:

At the voice of the cry of thy ship-masters the suburbs shall quake. And all that hold the oar shall come down from their ship, all the ship masters of the sea, and shall cry out bitterly over thee (Ezekiel 27:28-30).

"Ship-masters" signify those who are wise by means of knowledges from the Word; "those that hold the oar" signify those who are intelligent; the vastation of wisdom and intelligence is signified by "the voice of the cry of the ship-masters," and by "those who hold the oar shall come down from the ships."

[5] That "ships" in the Word mean the knowledges of truth and good and also doctrinals from the Word, when the cargo is meant by the "ship," that is, the contents for the containant, is further evident from these passages. In Isaiah:

Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is devastated. The inhabitants of the island are still, the merchant of Zidon passing over the sea, they have filled thee. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is devastated (Isaiah 23:1, 2, 14).

"The ships of Tarshish" mean doctrinals from the Word, for those ships carried gold and silver, which signify goods and truths and the knowledges of these from the Word; and as "Tyre" signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good, here the church vastated, therefore it is said, "Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is devastated;" "the inhabitants of the island" mean those who are in the goods of life according to their doctrinals; "the merchants of Zidon" signify those who are in truths from the Word, of whom it is said, "they have filled thee;" "your stronghold" signifies doctrine from the Word defending; and "it is devastated" signifies that there is no perception of it and thence no truth; for the same doctrinals from the Word apart from spiritual perception are not truths, for they are falsified by incorrect ideas respecting them.

[6] In the same:

The isles shall trust in Me, and the ships of Tarshish in the beginning, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them (Isaiah 60:9).

"The ships of Tarshish in the beginning" mean the knowledges of truth and good, such as those who are reformed have in the beginning, as may be seen above n. 406, where this is explained. For the ships of Tarshish in the beginning brought gold and silver in great abundance, which signified the goods of life and the truths of doctrine.

[7] Of the ships of Tarshish it is said in the first book of Kings:

Solomon made a ship in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Sea Suph, in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. They came to Ophir and took gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to King Solomon (1 Kings 9:26-28).

And again:

The king had at sea a ship of Tarshish with the ship of Hiram; once in three years came the ship of Tarshish, bringing gold and silver, ivory and apes and peacocks (1 Kings 10:22).

and again in the same book:

King Jehoshaphat built ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold; but they went not, for the ships were broken at Ezion-geber (1 Kings 22:48).

Although these are historical facts they contain a spiritual sense as well as the prophecies; "the ships made in Ezion-geber, at the shore of the Sea Suph in the land of Edom," signified the knowledges of the natural man, for these contain in themselves, and as it were carry, spiritual wealth, as ships carry worldly wealth; for "the Sea Suph" and "the land of Edom," where Ezion-geber was, were the outmost border of the land of Canaan, and the "outmost borders of the land of Canaan" signify the ultimates of the church, which are knowledges (scientiae), including the cognitions [cognitiones] of truth and good. "Gold and silver" signify the goods and truths of the internal church; "ivory, apes, and peacocks," signify the truths and goods of the external church; knowledges (scientia) here meaning such knowledges as the ancients had, namely, the knowledges of correspondences, of representations, and of influxes, and respecting heaven and hell, which especially included and were serviceable to the cognitions of truth and good of the church; "Hiram" signifies the nations that are out of the church with whom also there are cognitions of good and truth; and that the "ships" under king Jehoshaphat "were broken" signifies the devastation of the church in respect to its truths and goods.

[8] From these considerations it can be seen what is signified in particular by "the ships of Tarshish" in the preceding passages, and also in David:

By the east wind Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish (Psalms 48:7);

"the east wind" signifying devastation and desolation; for the wind that comes from the east in the spiritual world overturns from their foundations the abodes of the evil, and they, with the treasures upon which they had set their hearts, are cast out into the hells (respecting this wind, see in the small work on The Last Judgment 61). "The ships of Tarshish" here signify false doctrines.

[9] Also in Isaiah:

The day of Jehovah of Hosts upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are exalted and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, and upon all the exalted mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, and upon every lofty tower, and upon every fenced wall, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all images of desire, that the haughtiness of man [homo] may bow down, and the exaltation of men be brought low, and Jehovah alone be exalted in that day (Isaiah 2:12-17).

"The day of Jehovah" means the Lord's coming, when The Last Judgment was accomplished by Him. (That a Last Judgment was accomplished by the Lord when He was in the world may be seen in the small work on The Last Judgment 46.) Those within the church upon whom the judgment was wrought are here recounted; "the cedars of Lebanon exalted and lifted up" signifying those who are boastful from self-intelligence, and "the oaks of Bashan" those who are boastful from knowledge [scientia], for "cedars" in the Word are predicated of the rational man, and "oaks" of the natural man, and intelligence belongs to the rational man, and knowledge to the natural man. "The exalted mountains and hills lifted up" signify those who are in the love of self and in the love of the world (See above, n. 405; "lofty tower" and "fenced wall" signify confirmed principles of falsity, and thus also such as are in them; "the ships of Tarshish and the images of desire" signify the false doctrine favoring the delights of earthly loves. The destruction of the arrogance that springs from self-intelligence and knowledge is meant by "that the haughtiness of man [homo] may bow down, and the exaltation of men be brought low;" that all intelligence and knowledge are from the Lord is signified by "that Jehovah alone may be exalted in that day." It is believed that knowledge is from man; but so far as knowledge is serviceable to intelligence, in which is the perception of truth, it is from the Lord alone.

[10] In Isaiah:

In Zion and in Jerusalem will the glorious Jehovah be unto us a place of rivers, of streams, of breadth of spaces; no ship of oar shall go therein, and no magnificent ship shall pass through it (Isaiah 33:21).

"Zion and Jerusalem" mean the Lord's church, "Zion" the church where the good of love rules, and "Jerusalem" the church where the truth of doctrine rules. Jehovah is called "glorious" (or magnificent) when men of the church are such as to be recipients of Divine good and truth from the Lord; and Zion and Jerusalem are called "a place of rivers, of streams, and of breadth of spaces," when all their wisdom and intelligence, and good and truth, are from the Lord, "rivers" signifying wisdom, "streams" intelligence, and "breadth of spaces" truths from good in multitude and extension; "no ship of oar shall go therein, and no magnificent ship shall pass through it," signifies that in the church there shall be no intelligence and wisdom from one's own [proprium]; "a ship of oar" meaning intelligence from one's own [proprium], because it is moved by men by means of oars, and a "magnificent ship" wisdom from one's own [proprium], because man is boastful and proud by reason of that wisdom; for when a ship is passing through and crossing the sea, thus bearing its cargo on its course, it signifies intelligence and wisdom. Here evidently no ship is meant, for this is said of Zion and Jerusalem.

[11] In David:

How many are Thy works, O Jehovah; this sea great and wide in spaces, wherein is the creeping thing without number, small animals with the great. There go the ships; there is leviathan, which Thou hast formed to play therein. All these wait upon Thee, that Thou mayest give them their food in its time (Psalms 104:24-27).

Here the sea is not meant, nor creeping things, nor animals, nor leviathan (or a whale), nor ship, but such things as are with the men of the church, for these are what "wait upon Jehovah." "The sea great and wide" signifies the external or natural man, which receives goods and truths as knowledge, "great" is predicated of the good therein, and "wide" of truth therein. "Creeping things" signify living knowledges [scientifica]; "animals great and small" the knowledges of good and truth of all kinds higher and lower, also in general and in particular (as in the preceding article, n. 513. "Ships" mean doctrinals, the "leviathan" (or whale) all things of the natural man in the complex; this is said "to play in the sea" because of the delight of knowing and thus of becoming wise. Since man by virtue of these things is actuated by a desire to know and understand, it is said, "All these wait upon Thee, that Thou mayest give them their food in its time," "to wait upon" signifying to desire, and "food" knowledge and intelligence; for man does not desire these from himself, but from those things that are with him from the Lord; consequently these are what desire with man, although it appears as if man desired from himself.

[12] In the same:

They that go down to the sea in ships, that do work in many waters; these see the deeds of Jehovah and His wonders in the deep (Psalms 107:23, 24).

"They that go down to the sea in ships, that do work in many waters," signify those who intensely study the doctrine of truth from the Word; "these see the deeds of Jehovah and His wonders in the deep," signifies that they understand the truths and goods of heaven and the church, and the hidden things thereof, "the deeds of Jehovah" meaning all things of the Word that perfect man, all which have reference to truth and good, and "the wonders in the deep" meaning the hidden things of intelligence and wisdom.

[13] In Isaiah:

Thus saith Jehovah your 1 Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, For your sakes I have sent to Babylon, and I will cast down all the bars, and the Chaldeans, in whose ships there is a cry (Isaiah 43:14).

This treats of the deliverance of the faithful from the oppression of those who lay waste the church; those who lay waste the church are meant by "Babylon," and they lay it waste by withholding all from the knowledges of truth and good, affirming that they alone know and must be believed, and yet they know nothing of truth; thus they keep others with themselves in dense ignorance, and turn them away from the worship of the Lord, that they themselves may be worshiped. "To cast down their bars" signifies their principles of falsity and the falsities devastating truths, "bars" meaning the principles of falsity, and "the Chaldeans" those who devastate by falsities; for "Babylon" means those who destroy goods by means of evils, and the "Chaldeans" those who destroy truths by means of falsities. "In whose ships there is a cry" signifies the destruction of their doctrinals.

[14] This destruction is further described by "ships" in Revelation:

For in one hour so great riches was made desolate. And every ship master, and everyone concerned with the ships, and the sailors, and all who trade by sea, stood afar off, and cast dust upon their heads, and cried out weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city Babylon, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea, by reason of her preciousness; for in one hour has she been made desolate (Revelation 18:17, 19).

This passage will be explained further on. In Daniel:

And at the time of the end shall the king of the south come into collision with him; and the king of the north shall rush upon him like a tempest, with chariot and with horsemen and with many ships; and he shall enter into the land and shall overflow and pass through (Daniel 11:40).

"The time of the end" signifies the last time of the church, when there is no truth because there is no good; "the king of the south" means truth in light, which is truth from good; "the king of the north" means no truth because there is no good, consequently falsity, for where there is no truth there is falsity, since man then turns himself away from heaven to the world, and from the Lord to self; and when nothing flows in out of heaven from the Lord, nothing flows in from the world and from self except falsity from evil. The combats between good from truth and falsity from evil in the last times of the church are described in this chapter by the combats between the king of the south and the king of the north; that falsities will then rush in and destroy truths is meant by "the king of the north shall rush upon the king of the south with chariot, with horsemen, and with many ships," "chariot" meaning the doctrine of falsity, "horsemen" the reasonings therefrom, and "ships" the falsities and falsifications of truth of every kind; that "he shall enter into the land, and overflow and pass through," signifies that falsities will destroy all things of the church, both exterior and interior.

[15] In Moses:

And Jehovah shall bring thee back into Egypt in ships, by the way whereof I said unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again; where ye shall be sold unto your enemies for menservants and for maidservants and there shall be no buyer (Deuteronomy 28:68).

This treats of the desolation of the church in respect to truth, when the life is not according to the Lord's precepts in the Word; "the sons of Israel," to whom this was said, represented and thence signified the church where the Word is, and truths of doctrine therefrom, thus spiritual men; but the "Egyptians" signified merely natural men. "Jehovah shall bring them back into Egypt in ships" signifies that they will be merely natural in consequence of doctrinals of falsity, "ships" meaning doctrinals of falsity; "by the way whereof I said unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again," signifies from being a spiritual man into being a merely natural man, for the man of the church from being a natural man becomes spiritual; but when he does not live according to the commandments from the Word, from being a spiritual man he becomes merely natural; "where ye shall be sold unto your enemies for menservants and maidservants," signifies that falsities and evils shall become dominant; "and there shall be no buyer" signifies to become utterly vile.

[16] In Job:

My days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they see no good; they pass by with the ships of desire, as the eagle flieth to its food (Job 9:25, 26).

"Ships of desire, with which the days pass by," signify the natural affections and delights of every kind, which are merely of the world and of the body; and because these are more eagerly desired and imbibed than spiritual things, it is said, "as the eagle flieth to its food."

[17] In Moses:

Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the seas, and he shall dwell at the haven of ships, and his side shall be unto Zidon (Genesis 49:13).

"Zebulun" signifies the conjunction of good and truth; "he shall dwell at the haven of the seas" signifies the life of truth; "and he shall dwell at the haven of ships" signifies according to doctrinals from the Word; "and his side shall be unto Zidon" signifies the extension on the one part to knowledges of good. (But this may be seen explained in Arcana Coelestia 6382-6386.)

[18] In the same:

When there shall be ships from the place of the Kittim, and they shall afflict Asshur and shall afflict Eber, and he also even to him that is perishing (Numbers 24:24).

This is from the prophecy of Balaam. "Ships from the place of the Kittim" signify the knowledges of truth and good, which those had who were of the Ancient Church; "Asshur, whom they shall afflict," signifies reasonings from falsities; and "Eber, whom also they shall afflict," signifies the externals of worship, such as existed among the sons of Jacob; their vastation in respect to truth and good is signified by "he also even to him that is perishing."

[19] In the book of Judges:

Gilead, why dwellest thou in the crossing of Jordan? And why will Dan fear ships? (Judges 5:17).

"Gilead" has a similar meaning with "Manasseh," and "Manasseh" signifies the good of the natural man; and because the tribe of Manasseh did not fight in company with Deborah and Barak against the enemies, it is said, "Gilead, why dwellest thou in the passage of Jordan?" which signifies, why livest thou in externals only, which are of the natural man? The external of the church was signified by the regions beyond Jordan, and its internal by the regions on this side Jordan. The external of the church is with those who are more natural than spiritual. And because the tribe of Dan was not joined with Deborah and Barak in the battle with the enemies it is said, "why will Dan fear ships?" signifying, why does not one reject falsities and the doctrinals of falsity?

[20] As all things in the Old Testament contain in themselves a spiritual sense, so do all things in the New Testament which are in the Gospels and in Revelation. Moreover, all the Lord's words and doings and miracles signify Divine celestial things, because the Lord spoke from the Divine, and did His works and miracles from the Divine, therefore from things first through things last, and thus in fullness. From this it can be seen that the Lord's teaching from boats was significative; also that it was significative that He chose certain of His disciples from boats while they were fishing; and that He walked upon the sea to the boat in which the disciples were, and thence calmed the wind.

Respecting the Lord's teaching from a boat it is said in the Gospels:

Jesus sat by the seaside. And there were gathered unto Him great multitudes, so that He entered into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the beach. And He spake to them many things in parables (Matthew 13:1, 2, et seq.; Mark 4:1, 2, et seq .).

Jesus, standing by the shore of Gennesaret, saw two boats standing by the lake. Then He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down, and taught the throng out of the ship (Luke 5:1-9).

In all these particulars also, that "He sat by the seaside" and "on the shore of Gennesaret," then "that He entered into Simon's boat, and taught the throng therefrom," there is a spiritual sense. This was done because the "sea" and the "lake of Gennesaret" signify, in reference to the Lord, the knowledges of good and truth in the whole complex, and "Simon's boat" signifies the doctrinals of faith; so "His teaching from a boat" signifies that it was from doctrine.

[21] Respecting the Lord's walking on the sea to the boat in which the disciples were, it is said in the Gospels:

The boat containing the Lord's disciples was in the midst of the sea, tossed by the wind. In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came unto them, walking on the sea. And Peter said, Bid me come unto Thee upon the water. And He said, Come. Therefore Peter, going down, walked upon the water to come to Jesus. But beginning to sink, he was afraid. Jesus stretching forth His hand, took hold of him, and said, O man of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the boat the wind ceased. And they that were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God (Matthew 14:24-33; Mark 6:48-52).

And again:

When evening came His disciples went down unto the sea; and when they had entered into a boat they went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, but Jesus was not come to them. And the sea was moved by a great wind that blew. When they had gone on about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they beheld Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the boat; and they were afraid. But He said, It is I; be not afraid. Then they were willing to receive Jesus into the boat; and immediately the boat was at the land whither they were going (John 6:16-21, et seq.).

Here, too, the particulars signify Divine spiritual things, which nevertheless do not appear in the letter; as the sea, the Lord's walking upon it, the fourth watch in which He came to the disciples, and the ship, His entering into it, and from it restraining the wind and the waves of the sea, and other things besides. But there is no need singly to explain here the spiritual things signified; let it be said only that the "sea" signifies the ultimate of heaven and the church, since there are seas in the outmost borders of the heavens; the Lord's walking upon the sea signifies the Lord's presence and His influx even into these, and consequent life from the Divine to those who are in the ultimates of heaven; their life from the Divine was represented by the Lord's walking upon the sea; and their obscure and wavering faith was represented by Peter's walking upon the sea and beginning to sink, but being saved when the Lord took hold of him, "to walk" signifying in the Word to live. This was done "in the fourth watch" to signify the first state of the church, when it is daybreak and morning is at hand, for then good begins to act through truth, and then the Lord comes; that the sea in the meanwhile was moved by the wind, and that the Lord restrained it, signifies the natural state of life that precedes, which is an unpeaceful and as it were tempestuous state; but with the state that is nearest to morning, which is the first state of the church with man, because the Lord is then present in the good of love, there comes tranquillity of mind.

[22] The like is signified by the Lord's calming the wind and the waves of the sea, as described in the Gospels:

When Jesus had entered into a boat His disciples followed Him. And behold, there arose a great commotion in the sea, so that the boat was covered by the waves; but He was asleep. Therefore the disciples, coming to Him awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us; we perish. Then He arose and rebuked the wind; and there was a great calm (Matthew 8:23-26; Mark 4:36-40; Luke 8:23, 24).

This represented the state of men of the church when they are in what is natural and not yet in what is spiritual, in which state the natural affections, which are various cupidities springing from the loves of self and the world, rise up and produce various commotions of the mind. In this state the Lord appears as it were absent; this apparent absence is signified by His being asleep; but when they come out of a natural into a spiritual state these commotions cease, and there comes tranquillity of mind; for the Lord calms the tempestuous commotions of the natural man when the spiritual mind is opened, and through it the Lord flows into the natural. Since the affections that are of the love of self and of the world, and the consequent thoughts and reasonings, are from hell, for they are lusts of every kind that rise up therefrom into the natural man, these, too, are signified by "the wind and the waves of the sea," and hell itself is signified by the "sea" in the spiritual sense.

[23] This can be seen, too, from its being said that "the Lord rebuked the wind," as also in Mark:

Jesus awoke and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Be quiet, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm (Mark 4:39).

This could not have been said to the wind and to the sea unless hell had been meant thereby, from which arise the tempestuous emotions of the mind from various cupidities. That the hells also are signified by "seas" may be seen above n. 342.

അടിക്കുറിപ്പുകൾ:

1. The photolithograph has "our", the Hebrew "your," as also Apocalypse Revealed 786; Arcana Coelestia 1368, 6385; The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord 34, 38, 40.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.

സ്വീഡൻബർഗിന്റെ കൃതികളിൽ നിന്ന്

 

Apocalypse Explained #624

ഈ ഭാഗം പഠിക്കുക

  
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624. Verse 11. And he said to me, Thou must again prophesy, signifies Divine command to still teach the Word. This is evident from the signification of "saying," when the angel speaks, by whom in this chapter the Lord in relation to the Word is represented, as being command, for what the Lord says is a command; also from the signification of "to prophesy," as being to teach the Word (of which presently). It is said he must still teach the Word, because such understanding of the Word as still remained in the church was explored, and it was found that the Word was delightful in respect to the sense of the letter, for this is signified by "the little book was in the mouth sweet as honey," "the little book" meaning the Word. It was commanded to still teach the Word in the church, because its end was not yet come. The end of the church is described by "the sounding of the seventh angel;" but here the state of the church next before the end is described by "the sounding of the sixth angel;" this state of the church is here treated of. Before the end, the Word when taught is still delightful to some, but not so in the last state of the church or its end, for then the Lord opens the interior things of the Word, which are undelightful, as has been said above in treating of the eating up of the little book and its making the belly bitter.

[2] Why the Word must still be taught although its interior truths are undelightful, and why the Last Judgment does not come until the consummation, that is, when there is no longer any good or truth remaining with the men of the church, is wholly unknown in the world, although known in heaven. The reason is that there are two classes of men upon whom judgment is effected; one class consists of the well-disposed, and the other of those who are not well-disposed. The well-disposed are the angels in the ultimate heaven, most of whom are simple, because they have not cultivated the understanding by interior truths, but only by exterior truths from the sense of the letter of the Word, according to which they have lived; for this reason their spiritual mind, which is the interior mind, was not indeed, closed, but neither has it been opened, as it is with those who have received interior truths in doctrine and in life; this is why they have become simple in respect to spiritual things, and are called well-disposed. But the ill-disposed are those who have lived outwardly as Christians but inwardly have admitted evils of every kind into the thought and into the will, so that while in the external form they appeared to be angels, in internal form they were devils. When such come into the other life they come into association for the most part with the well-disposed, that is, with the simple good who are in the ultimate heaven; for exterior things consociate, and the simple good are such that what appears in external form to be good they believe to be good, their thought not penetrating farther. These ill-disposed must be separated from the well-disposed before the Last Judgment comes, and also afterward and they can only be separated successively. This is why before the time of the Last Judgment the Word must still be taught, although interiorly, that is, in respect to its interiors, it is undelightful; and as these interior things are undelightful they do not receive them, but only such things from the sense of the letter of the Word as favor their loves and the principles derived from them, on account of which the Word in respect to the sense of the letter is delightful to them. It is therefore by means of these interior things that the well-disposed are separated from the ill-disposed.

[3] That for this reason the time is extended after the Last Judgment before the new church is fully established, is an arcanum from heaven which at this day cannot enter the understanding except with a few; yet this is what the Lord teaches in Matthew:

The servants of the householder coming said unto him, Didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? Whence then are these tares? And they said, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares ye root up at the same time the wheat with them. Let both, therefore, grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into the barn. He that hath sowed the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the sons of the kingdom; the harvest is the consummation of the age. As then the tares are gathered up and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the consummation of this age (Matthew 13:27-30, 37-43).

"The consummation of the age" signifies the last time of the church; that until then the well-disposed are not to be separated from the ill-disposed, because they are consociated by outward things, is signified by "lest while ye gather up the tares ye root up at the same time the wheat with them." (On this see the small work on The Last Judgment 70.)

[4] "To prophesy" signifies to teach the Word, because a "prophet" means in the highest sense the Lord in relation to the Word, and in a relative sense one who teaches the Word, but in an abstract sense the Word itself, and also doctrine from the Word. This a "prophet" signifies, therefore "to prophesy" signifies to teach the Word and doctrine from the Word. That such is the signification of "to prophesy" and "prophet" can be seen from passages in the Word where these are mentioned, understood in the spiritual sense, as in the following.

In Matthew:

Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied by Thy name, and by Thy name cast out demons, and in Thy name done many mighty works? But then will I profess unto them, I know you not; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity (Matthew 7:22, 23).

This treats of salvation, that one is saved not by knowing the Word and teaching it, but by doing it; for just before, it is said that those only will enter the kingdom of the heavens who do the will of God (verse Matthew 7:21); and just after, that he who hears the Lord's words and does them is a prudent man, but he who hears and does not is a foolish man (verses Matthew 7:24-27). This makes clear what these words mean, namely, that worship of the Lord by prayers and by words of the mouth only is meant by "Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord;" and to teach the Word and doctrinals from the Word is meant by "have we not prophesied by Thy name?;" "name" signifying according to doctrine from the Word, and "to prophesy" to teach; "to cast out demons" signifies to deliver from falsities of religion, "demons" meaning the falsities of religion; "to do many mighty works" signifies to convert many. But because these works were done not for the Lord's sake, nor for the sake of truth and good and the salvation of souls, but for the sake of self and the world, thus only that they might appear in outward form, so in reference to themselves it was not good but evil that was done; this is meant by the Lord's saying "I know you not, ye that work iniquity." Doing such things does not appear to be working iniquity, and yet everything that a man does for the sake of self and of the world is iniquity, since there is in it no love of the Lord and of the neighbor, but only the love of self and the world; and his own love awaits everyone after death.

[5] In the same:

In the consummation of the age many false prophets shall arise and shall lead many astray. There shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect (Matthew 24:11, 24; Mark 13:22).

"False prophets" and "false Christs and false prophets" do not mean prophets in the common acceptation of the word, but mean all those who pervert the Word and teach falsities; such are also "false Christs," since "Christ" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truths, so "false Christs" signify Divine truths falsified. "To show great signs and wonders" signifies the efficacy and power of falsities through confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word, and it is by this that signs and wonders are produced in the spiritual world; for the sense of the letter of the Word, however falsified, has power; respecting which wonderful things might be related. "The elect" signify those who are in spiritual good, that is, who are in the good of charity.

[6] In the same:

He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. Yea, whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you he shall not lose his reward (Matthew 10:41, 42).

This no one can understand unless he knows what is signified by "prophet," "righteous man," "disciple," and "little ones," also by "receiving them in their name." "Prophet" in an abstract sense signifies the truth of doctrine, "disciple" the good of doctrine, "a righteous man" the good of life, and "to receive them in their name" signifies to receive these things from the love of them; thus, "to receive a prophet in the name of a prophet" signifies to love the truth of doctrine because it is truth, or to receive truth for its own sake; "to receive a righteous man in the name of a righteous man" signifies to love good and to do it because it is good, thus to receive it from the Lord from love or the affection of the heart; for he who loves truth and good for their own sakes loves them from themselves, thus from the Lord from whom they proceed, and as he does not love them for the sake of self and the world, he loves them spiritually, and all spiritual love continues with man after death and gives eternal life. "To receive a reward" signifies to carry with oneself that love, and thus to receive the blessedness of heaven; "to give to drink to one of the little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple" signifies to love innocence from innocence, and from it to love good and truth from the Word and to teach them; "to give to drink a cup of cold water," signifies to love and teach from a little innocence, "little ones" signifying the innocent, and in an abstract sense innocence itself; "to give to drink a cup of cold water" signifies to teach from a little innocence, and "a disciple" the good of doctrine from the Lord; "to give water to little ones to drink" signifies to teach truth from spiritual innocence, and also to teach truths to the innocent. This is the spiritual interpretation of these words, and unless this is known who can know what is meant by "receiving a prophet and a righteous man in the name of a prophet and righteous man" and that "they shall receive the reward of a prophet and a righteous man"? "Reward" signifies love with its delights enduring to eternity.

[7] In the same:

Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye see but have not seen them, and to hear the things which ye hear but have not heard them (Matthew 13:17).

"Prophets and righteous men" mean in the spiritual sense all who are in the truths of doctrine and in the good of life according to truths; and "to see and hear" signifies to understand and perceive, here interior truths proceeding from the Lord, for when man understands and perceives these and also does them, he is reformed. Interior truths proceeding from the Lord are meant, because the Lord, when He was in the world, disclosed such truths. In the sense of the letter this means to see and hear the Lord, but as the Lord is the Divine truth itself in heaven and in the church, and as in consequence all Divine truths are from the Lord, and the Lord Himself taught them, and continually teaches them by means of the Word, so "to see and hear the Lord" signifies to understand and perceive these.

[8] In Joel:

I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; that your sons and your daughters may prophesy, your old men dream dreams, and your young men see visions (Joel 2:28).

This is said of the Lord's coming, and of the perception of Divine truth by those who receive the Lord and believe in Him; the "spirit" that will be poured out upon all flesh signifies the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, for this is meant in the Word by the Holy Spirit; "to prophesy" signifies to understand and teach the truths of doctrine; "to dream dreams" signifies to receive revelation; and "to see visions" signifies to perceive revelation; "sons and daughters" signify those who are in the spiritual affection of truth and good; "old men" signify those who are in wisdom, and "young men," those who are in intelligence.

[9] In Amos:

The Lord Jehovih doeth not a word without revealing His secret unto His servants the prophets. The lion roareth, who will not fear? The Lord Jehovih hath spoken, who will not prophesy? (Amos 3:7, 8).

Here also "to prophesy" signifies to receive Divine truth and to teach it (but this may be seen explained above, n. 601.

"To prophesy" and "prophets" have a similar signification in the following passages in Revelation:

I will give unto My two prophets to prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth (Revelation 11:3).

Again:

The time of judging the dead, and of giving the reward to His 1 servants the prophets (Revelation 11:18).

Again:

The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10).

Again:

Be glad, O heaven, ye holy apostles and prophets, for God hath judged your judgment (Revelation 18:20).

That here "prophets" mean those who are in the truths of doctrine, and in an abstract sense the truths of doctrine, and "to prophesy" means to receive and teach these, especially to teach about the Lord Himself, will be seen hereafter.

[10] In Amos:

Amos said to Amaziah, Jehovah took me from following the flock and said, Go, prophesy against My people Israel: and thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not against the house of Isaac. Thy wife shall be a harlot in the city, thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line (Amos 7:14-17).

"To prophesy against Israel, and to drop against the house of Isaac," signifies to refute those of the church who are in the falsities of evil, "to prophesy" signifying to teach and refute, and "Israel" and "the house of Isaac" signifying the church. Because the falsities of evil are what must be refuted, this is said to Amaziah, who represented the perverted church; "his wife shall be a harlot" signifies the falsification and adulteration of the Word; "his sons and daughters shall fall by the sword" signifies that the truths and goods of the church will be destroyed by the falsities of evil; and "the land shall be divided by line" signifies that the church and everything belonging to it will be scattered.

[11] In Hosea:

By a prophet Jehovah caused Israel to come up out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he guarded. Ephraim hath provoked to anger with bitterness; therefore he shall leave his bloods upon him (Hosea 12:13, 14).

By the "prophet" here in the nearest sense Moses is meant, by whom Israel was led out of Egypt and afterwards guarded; but in the spiritual sense "prophet" means the Lord in relation to the Word, and "Israel" all those of the church who are in truths from good, and "Egypt" the natural man, which separated from the spiritual man is damned. Therefore "By a prophet Jehovah caused Israel to come up out of Egypt" signifies that the Lord leads out of damnation those who are in truths from good by means of the Divine truth, which is the Word, and guards them by means of it. "Ephraim hath provoked to anger with bitterness" signifies that they perverted the Word as to the understanding of it, "Ephraim" signifying the understanding of the Word, and "bitterness" perversions and falsities therefrom, from which is what is undelightful; "therefore he shall leave his bloods upon him" signifies damnation on account of the adulteration of the truth that is in the Word.

[12] In the same:

The days of visitation are come, the days of retribution are come; Israel, the foolish prophet, and the man insane of spirit, shall know it; this because of the multitude of iniquity and great hatred. Ephraim is a watchman with my God; but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God (Hosea 9:7, 8).

The "days of visitation and retribution" signify the days of the Last Judgment, when the evil suffer punishment, and this is retribution, which is always preceded by visitation; "Israel," "prophet," and "the man of spirit," do not mean Israel, prophet, and the man of spirit, but all those of the church who are in the falsities of evil and in the evils of falsity, and who teach these and confirm them by the sense of the letter of the Word. The falsities of evil are signified by "the multitude of iniquity," and the evils of falsity by "great hatred;" "Ephraim who is a watchman with God" signifies the understanding of the Word, and this is why he is called "a watchman with God;" but as those who are in the falsities of evil and in the evils of falsity pervert the understanding of the Word, and thus craftily lead astray, it is said "the prophet is the snare of a fowler, and hatred in the house of God."

[13] In Ezekiel:

Prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou to the prophets out of their own heart, Hear ye the word of Jehovah; Thus saith the Lord Jehovih, Woe unto the foolish prophets that go away after their own spirit, and after that which they have not seen! And My hand shall be against the prophets that behold vanity, and that divine falsehood (Ezekiel 13:2, 3, 9).

By "prophets" here and elsewhere in the Word are meant in the nearest sense such prophets as those were in the Old Testament through whom the Lord spoke; but in the spiritual sense those prophets are not meant, but all whom the Lord leads; with these also the Lord flows in and reveals to them the secrets of the Word, whether they teach or not; such, therefore, are signified by "prophets" in the spiritual sense. But "the prophets that prophesy out of their own heart, and go away after their own spirit, and who behold vanity and divine falsehood," mean all who are not taught and led by the Lord but by themselves, consequently they have insanity in place of intelligence, and folly in place of wisdom, for they have the love of self in place of the love to God, and the love of the world in place of the love to the neighbor, and from these loves falsities continually pour forth. From this it can be seen what these words signify in series.

[14] In Micah:

It shall be night unto you for vision, and darkness shall arise to you for divination; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall grow black over them (Micah 3:6).

"It shall be night unto you for vision" signifies that there shall be the understanding of falsity instead of the understanding of truth; "darkness for divination" signifies falsities instead of revealed truths; "the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day grow black over them," signifies that light shall no more flow in from the Lord out of heaven and enlighten, but thick darkness from the hells which shall darken the understanding.

[15] In many passages "prophets" are mentioned, and no one has had any other idea respecting them than that the prophets of the Old Testament, through whom the Lord spoke unto the people, and through whom He dictated the Word, are meant; but as the Word has a spiritual sense in each and every particular of it, therefore in that sense "prophets" mean all whom the Lord teaches, thus all who are in the spiritual affection of truth, that is, who love truth, because it is truth, for the Lord teaches these, and flows into their understanding and enlightens; and this is more true of these than of the prophets of the Old Testament, for they did not have their understanding enlightened, but the words they were to say or write they received merely by hearing, and did not even understand their interior sense, still less their spiritual sense. From this it can be seen that "prophets" mean in the spiritual sense all who are wise from the Lord; and this whether they teach or do not teach. And as every truly spiritual meaning is abstracted from the idea of persons, places, and times, so the "prophet" also signifies in the highest sense the Lord in relation to the Word, and as to doctrine from the Word, and likewise the Word and doctrine; and in the contrary sense "prophets" signify the perversions and falsifications of the Word and the falsities of doctrine. As this is what "prophets" signify in both senses, I will cite a few passages only in which prophets are mentioned, and in which they mean all who receive and teach the Word and doctrine, and in a sense separate from persons the Word and doctrine, and in the contrary sense those who pervert the Word and teach falsities of doctrine, and in an abstract sense the perversion of the Word and falsities of doctrine.

[16] In Isaiah:

Jehovah will cut off from Israel head and tail; the old man and the honored of face he is the head; but the prophet, the teacher of a lie, he is the tail (Isaiah 9:14, 15).

In the same:

Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes; your prophets and your heads, the seers, hath He covered (Isaiah 29:10).

In Jeremiah:

They have denied Jehovah when they said, It is not He, neither shall evil come upon us, neither shall we see sword and famine. But the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them (Jeremiah 5:12, 13).

In the same:

I have sent unto them all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them (Jeremiah 7:25).

Thus said Jehovah of Hosts against the prophets, Behold I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink waters of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is hypocrisy gone forth into all the land. Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you; they make you vain; they speak the vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Jehovah (Jeremiah 23:15, 16).

In the same:

The prophets that have been before me and before thee of an age prophesied over many lands and over great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence. The prophet who prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass that prophet shall be known that God sent him (Jeremiah 28:8, 9).

In Matthew:

Woe unto you, hypocrites and Pharisees, because ye build the sepulchers of the prophets, and adorn the tombs of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye witness against yourselves that ye are the sons of them that slew the prophets. I send unto you prophets and wise men and scribes; and some of them shall ye kill and crucify; that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous even to the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee (Matthew 23:29-37; Luke 11:47-51).

In these passages it seems as if "prophets" mean merely the prophets through whom Jehovah, that is, the Lord, spoke, consequently that by "slaying the prophets" the Lord simply meant their slaughter. But the Lord meant at the same time the slaughter and extinction of Divine truth that comes from the falsification and adulteration of the Word; for by a person and his function the thing itself which the person did and said is meant in the spiritual sense; thus a "prophet" means Divine truth or the Word and doctrine therefrom; therefore as the function of a person and the person are in effect one, so the thing itself that the prophet teaches is meant by "prophet." "To shed blood" also means to adulterate the truths of the Word; and as the Jewish nation was such it is said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee," these words meaning in the spiritual sense that such extinguish all Divine truth which they have from the Word.

[17] Because a "prophet" means Divine truth, which is the Word, and which is in the church from the Word, and this cannot be extinguished except by those who have the Divine truth of the Word, therefore the Lord said:

That it was not fitting for a prophet to perish out of Jerusalem (Luke 13:33).

"Jerusalem" meaning the church in respect to the doctrine of truth.

In the Word "priest and prophet" are also often mentioned, and "priest" means there one who leads men to live according to Divine truth, and "prophet" one who teaches it. In this sense "priest and prophet" are mentioned in the following passages. In Jeremiah:

The law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the Word from the prophet (Deuteronomy 18:18).

In that day the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall be amazed (Jeremiah 4:9).

In Ezekiel:

They shall seek a vision from the prophet; but the law hath perished from the priest, and counsel from the elders. The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with astonishment (Ezekiel 7:26, 27).

"Vision from the prophet" means the understanding of the Word; "law from the priest" the precepts of life; "counsel from the elders" wisdom therefrom. "King" and "princes" mean intelligence through truths from good; such is the spiritual meaning of these words.

[18] In Isaiah:

The priest and the prophet err through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are gone astray through strong drink; they err among the seeing, they stumble in judgment (Isaiah 28:7).

In Jeremiah:

An astonishing and horrible thing has come to pass in the land; the prophets have prophesied a lie, and the priests bear rule by their hands; and my people love to have it so (Jeremiah 5:30, 31).

From the prophet even unto the priest everyone doeth a lie (Jeremiah 8:10).

When a prophet or a priest shall ask thee, saying, What is the prophetic saying of Jehovah? say unto them, I have abandoned you, and the prophet, and the priest (Jeremiah 23:33, 34).

In Zephaniah:

Her prophets are very light, men of treacheries; their priests profane what is holy; they violently wrest the law (Zephaniah 3:4).

In Jeremiah:

The priests said not, Where is Jehovah? and they that handle the law have not acknowledged Me, and the prophets have prophesied by Baal, and have walked after those that do not profit. The houses of Israel are ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets (Jeremiah 2:8, 26);

not to mention many other passages where "prophets and priests" are mentioned together, and thereby "priests" are meant those who teach life, and lead to good, and by "prophets" those who teach truths which lead; but in an abstract sense "priests" and "the priesthood" mean the good of love, consequently the good of life, and "prophets" the truth of doctrine, consequently the truth that leads to the good of life; in a word, "prophets" must teach, and "priests" lead.

[19] In Zechariah:

In that day I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, that they may no more be remembered; and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land; and it shall come to pass that when any man shall prophesy anymore, his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through. It shall come to pass in that day that the prophets shall be ashamed every man of his vision when they have prophesied, neither shall they wear a tunic of hair to dissemble; and he shall say, I am no prophet, I am a man that tilleth the ground, for a man sold me from boyhood (Zechariah 13:2-5).

This is said of the Lord's coming into the world, and of the abolition of representative worship and of the falsities with which the doctrine of the church then abounded; for the Jewish nation, with which the church was, placed all worship in externals, and nothing in internals, that is, nothing in charity and faith, which are internal, but in sacrifices, and in such things as are external, consequently their worship and doctrine consisted of mere falsities, and the nation itself, viewed in itself, was idolatrous. The abolition of such things by the Lord is described by these words of the prophet; therefore "I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, that they may no more be remembered," signifies the abolition of idolatrous worship, that is, of worship merely external without any internal; "I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land" signifies the abolition of the falsities of doctrine; "when they have prophesied anymore, his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live," signifies that the church to be instituted by the Lord, which shall be an internal church, shall completely extinguish the falsities of doctrine, if anyone shall teach them; "to prophesy" signifying to teach the falsities of doctrine, "father and mother," the church in respect to good and in respect to truth, "father," the church in respect to good, and "mother," the church in respect to truth, and "thou shalt not live" signifying to extinguish. The same is meant by "his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through." The abolition of the falsities of doctrine is meant also by "the prophets shall be ashamed, every man of his vision, neither shall they wear a tunic of hair to dissemble," "prophets" and "their vision" here also meaning the falsities of doctrine, and "to wear a tunic of hair to dissemble" signifying to pervert the external things of the Word such as are in the sense of its letter, for "tunic of hair" with the prophets represented the ultimate sense of the Word, the same as "the raiment of camel's hair" of John the Baptist. His saying "I am a man that tilleth the ground, for a man sold me from boyhood," signifies that this is the case with those of the Jewish Church, which was merely external, not internal, because of their being born in it, and consequently devoted to it.

[20] In Daniel:

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy city of holiness, to finish the transgression, and to seal up sins, and to expiate iniquity, and to bring in the righteousness of the ages, and to seal up the vision and the prophet, and to anoint the holy of holies (Daniel 9:24).

This is said of the Lord's coming, when iniquity is consummated, or when there shall be no longer any good or truth remaining in the church. "Upon the people and upon the city of holiness" signifies upon the church and its doctrine, which are then wholly vastated and extinguished. "To finish the transgression and to seal up sins" signifies when all in the church are in the falsities of doctrine and in evils in respect to life, for, as has been shown at the beginning of this article, the Lord's coming and the Last Judgment therewith do not take place until there is no longer any truth of doctrine or good of life remaining in the church, and this for the reason there mentioned, that the well-disposed may be separated from the ill-disposed. "To bring in the righteousness of the ages" signifies the Last Judgment, when everyone will be rewarded according to his deeds; "to seal up the vision and the prophet" signifies the end of the former church and the beginning of the new, or the end of the external church, which was representative of things spiritual, and the beginning of the internal, which is a spiritual church, "vision and the prophet" meaning the falsities of doctrine; and these same words signify also that the Lord will fulfill all things that are predicted of Him in the Word; "to anoint the holy of holies" signifies the glorification of the Lord's Human by union with the Divine Itself; it signifies also that all worship afterwards must be from love to Him.

[21] In Moses:

Jehovah said unto Moses, I have set thee a god to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet (Exodus 7:1).

The Lord said to Moses, "I have set thee a god to Pharaoh," because Moses represented the Law, by which is meant the Divine truth, and this too is signified by "God" in the spiritual sense; for Moses received from the Lord's mouth the words that he was to say to Pharaoh, and he who receives these is called a "god;" this is why angels are called "gods," and thence also signify Divine truths. That Aaron was "his prophet" signifies that he taught the truth received by Moses and declared it to Pharaoh, for a "prophet," as has been said above, signifies one that teaches truth, and in an abstract sense the doctrine of truth. (But this may be seen more fully explained in Arcana Coelestia 7268, 7269.)

[22] This is why the prophets of the Old Testament represented the Lord in relation to the doctrine of Divine truth, and the chief of them represented the Lord in relation to the Word itself, from which comes the doctrine of Divine truth, as Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist; and as the Lord is the Word, that is Divine truth, He Himself in the highest sense is called a "Prophet." As Moses, Elijah, and John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word:

Moses and Elijah appeared speaking with the Lord when He was transfigured (Matthew 17:3, 4; Mark 9:4, 5; Luke 9:30).

There "Moses and Elijah" mean the Word both historical and prophetical, "Moses" the historical Word, and "Elijah" the prophetical, and for the reason that when the Lord was transfigured He presented Himself in the form in which the Divine truth is in heaven. That Elijah represented the Lord as to the Word is evident from the miracles done by Him, all of which signified such things as belong to Divine truth or the Word; and as John the Baptist in like manner represented the Lord as to the Word he was called "Elijah," as can be seen in Malachi:

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh; and He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the sons, and the heart of the sons to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse (Malachi 4:5, 6).

And it is openly declared:

That John was Elijah (Matthew 11:14; 17:10-12; Mark 9:11-13);

not that he was Elijah, but he represented something similar to that which Elijah represented, that is, the Word; and as the Word teaches that the Lord was to come into the world, and because, moreover, in each and all particulars in the inmost sense the Word treats of Him, therefore:

John was sent before Him to teach them that the Lord was to come (as m ay be seen Matthew 11:9, 10; Luke 1:76; 7:26).

[23] From this it can now be seen why the Lord is called a "Prophet," namely, because He was the Word, that is, Divine truth itself (as is evident from John 1:1, 2, 14). That the Lord is called a "Prophet" because He was the Word can be seen also in Moses:

Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken. I will put My words in his mouth, that he may speak unto you all that I shall command him. The man who will not hearken unto My words which he shall speak in My name, of him I will require it (Deuteronomy 18:15-19).

It is said that "Jehovah was to raise up a prophet like Moses," because Moses represented the Lord in relation to the Law, that is, the Word, as has been said above; therefore it is also said of Moses:

That Jehovah spake with him mouth to mouth, and not as with other prophets, by visions, dreams, and dark sayings (Numbers 12:1-8).

By this also the representation of the Lord by Moses is described; for the Lord from Jehovah, that is, from the very Divine that was in Him from conception, spoke with Himself; this is meant by "I will put My words in his mouth, that he may speak unto you all that I shall command him;" and this, too, was represented with Moses by "Jehovah spake with him mouth to mouth, and not as with other prophets." Again this is why:

The Lord is called a Prophet (Matthew 21:11; Luke 7:16; John 7:40, 41; 9:17).

അടിക്കുറിപ്പുകൾ:

1. Latin has "his," the Greek "thy," as found in Apocalypse Revealed 340.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.