3404# "以撒在那地撒种"象征从主而来、在理性层面上呈现为表象的内在真理。这可从"撒种"的含义得知：在最高意义上，是指从主（那位撒种者）而来的神性真理（参3038节），在内在意义上，是指由此而来的人里面的真理与良善（参3373节）。"地"象征被神性之光照亮的理性，也就是真理的表象（参3368节），或说是从主而来、在理性层面上呈现为表象的内在真理。这些表象或真理属于更高层次，因为直到第14节的内在含义都在讨论这些。天使就存在于这些真理的表象中，这些表象远远超越了世人的理解能力。
【2】为了更清楚地理解什么是真理的表象，这里举个例子：我们知道神性在本质上是无限的，在存在上是永恒的。有限的存在无法理解无限，也无法理解永恒，因为永恒就是存在层面的无限。既然神性本身是无限和永恒的，那么从神性而来的一切也都具有无限和永恒的性质。由于这些都是无限的，即使是天使也无法完全理解，因为他们也是有限的存在。因此，这些无限和永恒的事物必须以有限的表象呈现给天使们，但即使是这些表象也远远超出了人类的理解范围。比如说，人若不借助时间的概念就无法理解永恒，正因为如此，人就无法理解什么是永恒中的事物，也就无法理解时间开始之前或世界被创造之前的神性是什么。只要人的思维中还带有时间的概念，在思考这些事时就必然会陷入无法摆脱的谬误。但对天使们来说就不同了，因为他们的思维不是基于时间概念，而是基于状态概念，所以他们能很好地理解这一点。对他们而言，永恒不是时间的永恒，而是状态的永恒，完全不涉及时间的概念。
【3】这个例子让我们看到天使所理解的表象与人类所理解的表象有何不同，也看到天使的表象比人的表象高级到什么程度。人类即使在最微小的思维活动中也无法摆脱时空的限制，而天使则完全不受时空的束缚，他们是从存有和存在的状态来理解这些事物。通过这些简单的例子，我们可以明白这里所讨论的真理表象是什么，以及为什么说它们属于更高的层次。接下来我们将依次讨论较低层次的真理表象，这些表象是更适合人类理解的。
3404、“以撒在那地播种”表示从主而来、显现给理性的内层真理。这从“播种”和“地”的含义清楚可知：“播种”在至高意义上是指来自主的神性真理，主是播种者（3038节），“播种”在内义上是指源于那神性真理、与人同在的真理和良善（3373节）；“地”是指当被神性光照时系真理表象的理性概念或事物（3368节），或也可说，从主而来、显现给理性的内层真理。这些表象或真理属于一个较高层级，因为直到26:14，内义论述的主题都是它们。天使就生活在这些真理的表象当中；只要人活在世上，这些表象就无限超出他的理解力。
为进一步阐明真理的表象是什么，下面再举一例。众所周知，神性就存在而言是无限的，就显现而言是永恒的，有限不能理解无限，甚至不能理解永恒，因为永恒是无限的显现。由于神性本身是无限和永恒的，所以从神性发出的一切事物也都是无限和永恒的。这些事物是无限的，故天使决不能理解它们，因为天使也是有限的。正因如此，无限和永恒的事物在有限的表象里面，但仍在诸如远远超出人的理解范畴的那类表象里面，呈现在天使面前。例如，若不根据时间，人无法对永恒形成任何概念，因而无法理解何谓“来自永恒”。他们无法想象神性如何能存在于时间，也就是创世之前。只要他的思考含有任何时间的概念，那么他在思想这个主题时，就不可避免地陷入无法摆脱的错误。而另一方面，天使根据状态，而不是时间来思考，所以能极其清晰地感知到它，因为对他们来说，永恒不是时间的永恒，而是没有时间概念的状态的永恒。
这表明天使的真理表象与世人的相比是什么样，并且他们的表象如何优于世人的。因为脱离了时空，世人就无法拥有一丁点思维，甚至连最小的思维都没有。而天使不从时空获得任何东西；相反，他们的思维源于没有时间的状态；在这种状态下，事物的存在和显现是唯一考虑的事项。由此可见此处论述的真理的表象是何性质，这些表象属于较高层级。按顺序，接下来的几节论述属于较低层级的真理表象；这些表象也适合人类。
Potts(1905-1910) 3404
3404. And Isaac sowed in that land. That this signifies interior truths which are from the Lord appearing to the rational, is evident from the signification of "sowing," as being in the supreme sense Divine truth which is from the Lord who is the sower (n. 3038); and in the internal sense the truth and good with man thence derived (n. 3373); and from the signification of "land," as being the rational things which when enlightened by the Divine are appearances of truth (n. 3368); or what is the same, interior truths which are from the Lord appearing to the rational; which appearances, or which truths, are of a higher degree, being treated of in the internal sense as far as verse 14. The angels are in these appearances of truth, which are such that they immeasurably transcend the understanding of man during his life in the world. [2] In order that it may be still more evident what these appearances of truth are, take also the following example. It is known that the Divine is infinite as to being, and eternal as to manifestation, and that the finite is not capable of comprehending the infinite, nor indeed the eternal, for the eternal is the infinite as to manifestation; and as the Divine Itself is infinite and eternal, all things which are from the Divine are also infinite and eternal, and being infinite cannot possibly be comprehended by angels, because these are finite. For this reason the things which are infinite and eternal are presented before the angels in appearances which are finite; but still in such appearances as are very far above the sphere of man's comprehension. For example, man cannot possibly have any idea of the eternal except from time; and this being the case, he cannot possibly comprehend what is from eternity, thus what the Divine was before time, or before the world was created. And so long as there is in his thought anything of an idea from time, if he thinks on the subject he must necessarily fall into errors from which he cannot be extricated. But to the angels, who are not in the idea of time, but in the idea of state, it is given to perceive this most clearly, for the eternal with them is not the eternal of time, but the eternal of state, without the idea of time. [3] Hence it is manifest in what appearances the angels are in comparison with man, and how much their appearances are above those with man; for man cannot have the smallest thought apart from time and space; whereas the angels derive nothing from these; but in their stead from state as to being and as to manifestation. From all this we can see what is the nature of the appearances of truth here treated of, and which are of a higher degree. In what follows, the appearances of truth of a lower degree are treated of in their order, even as they are adapted to mankind.
Elliott(1983-1999) 3404
3404. 'Isaac sowed in that land' means interior truths from the Lord as they appear to the rational. This is clear from the meaning of 'sowing' in the highest sense as Divine Truth from the Lord who is the Sower, 3038, and in the internal sense as the truth and good residing with a person, which stem from that Divine Truth, 3373; and from the meaning of 'land' as rational concepts which, when enlightened from the Divine, are appearances of truth, 3368, or what amounts to the same, are interior truths from the Lord as they appear to the rational. These appearances or truths belong on a higher degree, for as far as verse 14 it is these that are the subject in the internal sense. These appearances of truth are the kind that exist with angels, and are such as go immeasurably above anyone's understanding as long as he lives in the world.
[2] To make it clearer still what appearances of truth are, let the following example be added: It is well known that the Divine is infinite as regards Being (Esse) and eternal as regards Manifestation (Existere), and that what is finite is incapable of comprehending what is infinite, or indeed of comprehending what is eternal, since what is eternal is the Manifestation (Existere) of what is infinite. And because the Divine itself is infinite and eternal, so are all things which proceed from the Divine infinite and also eternal. And as those things are infinite angels are quite incapable of grasping them, for they too are finite beings. That being so, things that are infinite and eternal present themselves to angels within appearances that are finite, though within appearances such as are very far above the range of what man can comprehend. For example, man is quite incapable of possessing any idea of what is eternal except from what is temporal. And being incapable of having any idea other than this he is incapable of comprehending what 'from eternity' is and so what the Divine prior to the existence of time or creation of the world is. And as long as his thinking contains any idea at all that is formed from what is temporal, he slips inevitably, if he thinks about what is eternal, into errors from which he cannot be rescued. But the angels, whose ideas are not formed from anything temporal but from timeless state, are enabled to perceive it supremely well, for to them eternity is not eternity of time but eternity of state devoid of any idea of that which is temporal.
[3] From this one may see what the appearances existing with angels are like compared with man's, and how superior their appearances are to man's. For man cannot have one shred of thought, not even the least shred, that is not in some way temporal and spatial in origin, whereas angels' thought has no such origin at all. Instead their thought has its origin in timeless state, in which the being (esse) and the manifestation (existere) of things is the only consideration. These few comments show the nature of the appearances of truth which are the subject in these verses, and that these appearances belong to a higher degree. The verses that follow deal in order with the appearances of truth that belong to a lower degree which are also suitable to the human race.
Latin(1748-1756) 3404
3404. `Seminavit Jishak in terra illa': quod significet vera interiora apparentia ad rationale quae a Domino, constat a significatione `seminare' quod sit in supremo sensu Divinum Verum quod a Domino Qui est seminans, n. 3038, in sensu interno est verum et bonum apud hominem, quod inde, n. 3373; et a significatione `terrae' quod sint rationalia quae, a Divino illustrata, sunt apparentiae veri, n. 3368, seu quod idem, vera interiora apparentia ad rationale quae a Domino; quae apparentiae seu quae vera sunt superioris gradus, nam usque ad vers. 14 de illis in sensu interno agitur; in illis veri apparentiis sunt angeli, et sunt tales ut intellectum hominis quamdiu is vivit in mundo, immensum transcendant. [2] Ut adhuc constare possit quid apparentiae veri, sit quoque hoc exemplum: notum est quod Divinum sit infinitum quoad Esse, (c)ac aeternum quoad Existere, et quod finitum non capax sit comprehendere infinitum, immo nec aeternum, nam aeternum est infinitum quoad Existere, et quia Ipsum Divinum est infinitum et aeternum, etiam sunt omnia quae a Divino, infinita et quoque aeterna, et quia infinita, nequaquam possunt ab angelis capi quoniam ii finiti sunt; quapropter sistuntur illa quae infinita (c)et aeterna sunt coram illis in apparentiis quae sunt finitae, sed usque in talibus quae longissime supra sphaeram comprehensionis hominis sunt; ut pro exemplo, homo nusquam potest aliquam ideam aeterni habere nisi ex tempore, et quia id non potest, non comprehendere potest quid ab aeterno, ita quid Divinum ante tempus seu antequam mundus creatus est; et quamdiu cogitationi ejus inest aliquid ideae ex tempore, nusquam aliter potest quam, si cogitat de illo, {1}labi in errores, ex quibus extricari nequit; sed angelis, qui non in idea temporis sunt sed in idea status, quamoptime id datur percipere; nam aeternum non est illis aeternum temporis sed aeternum status, absque idea temporis; [3] inde patet in quibus apparentiis sunt angeli prae homine, {2}et quantum illorum apparentiae sunt supra apparentias quae homini; homo enim ne quidem unum cogitationis etiam minimum habere potest absque aliquo momento ex tempore et spatio, cum tamen angeli nihil inde, sed {3}pro illis ex statu quoad esse et quoad existere. Ex his paucis constare potest quales apparentiae veri {4}sunt, de quibus hic agitur, et quae sunt superioris gradus: in sequentibus agitur ordine de veri apparentiis inferioris gradus generi humano etiam adaequatis. @1 after nequit$ @2 seu $ @3 loco illorum$ @4 sint$