4847# "恐怕这个也会像他的兄弟们一样死去"象征害怕失去，也就是害怕失去在雅各后裔中，特别是在雅各从犹大所生的后裔中的代表性教会。这一点从"恐怕他死"的含义可以看出，它表示害怕失去。关于代表性教会可能在雅各后裔中失去的问题，如果把真正代表性教会的内在事物加入其中，情况是这样的：
代表性教会本应在雅各的后裔中建立，就像在古人当中那样。但是这个民族的性质是只想敬拜和崇拜外在事物，完全不想知道内在事物，因为他们沉浸在自我之爱和尘世之爱的欲望中，因此也沉浸在伪谬中。他们比外邦人更相信有许多神，只是认为耶和华比其他神更大，因为他能行更大的神迹。因此，一旦神迹停止，或者由于频繁发生而变得平常，他们就立刻转向其他神明，这一点从圣言的历史书和预言书中可以清楚看出。
【2】 因为这个民族就是这样的性质，所以不能在他们中间建立像古人那样的代表性教会，只能建立教会的代表性。主预见到通过这种代表性可以与天堂有某种交流；因为代表性可以存在于邪恶的人当中，因为它不关注人而是关注事物本身。由此可见，就他们而言，敬拜不过是偶像崇拜（参4825节），尽管代表性本身包含神圣的事物。这种敬拜，也就是偶像崇拜，不能与内在事物结合。因为如果加入内在事物，也就是说，如果他们承认内在事物，他们就会亵渎圣物。因为当神圣的内在事物与偶像崇拜的外在事物结合时，就会变成亵渎。这就是为什么内在事物没有向这个民族显示，如果显示了，他们就会灭亡。
【3】这个民族即使得到启示也无法接受和承认内在事物，这一点从他们今天的情况可以清楚看出。他们今天知道内在事物，因为他们生活在基督徒中间，但仍然拒绝这些，而且还嘲笑。即使是那些皈依的人，大多数在内心也是如此。从这些可以看出，在那个民族中并不存在属灵和属天事物的代表性教会，而只有教会的代表性，也就是没有内在的外在，这本质上就是偶像崇拜。正因如此，有些基督徒的想法是错误的：他们以为到了末世时期，犹太人会集体信主，还会成为比基督徒更蒙恩的群体；更离谱的是，有人认为到时候弥赛亚（主）会专门向犹太人显现，还会兴起一位大先知，施行许多神迹，把他们带回迦南地。会有这些错误想法，是因为这些人把圣经预言中的"犹大""以色列"和"迦南地"都当成实际的地理位置和民族来理解，他们只看表面意思，不去思考其中更深层的含义。
4847.“恐怕示拉也死，像他的哥哥一样”表唯恐它灭亡，也就是说，唯恐雅各的后代，尤其经由犹大来自雅各的后代当中的教会代表灭亡。这从“恐怕示拉也死”的含义清楚可知，“恐怕示拉也死”是指唯恐它灭亡。如果纯正的代表性教会与雅各后代当中的教会代表联结，这教会代表就会灭亡，对此，情况是这样：诸如存在于古人当中的一个代表性教会要建在雅各的后代当中；但该民族具有这样的品质，他们只愿敬拜并崇奉外在事物，根本不想知道有关内在事物的任何事；因为他们沉浸于自我之爱和尘世之爱的欲望，因而沉浸于虚假。这个民族比外邦人还要信多神，只是耶和华比他们更大而已，因为祂能行更大神迹。这就是为何神迹一停止，以及它们因司空见惯、习以为常而不怎么受到重视的时候，他们便立刻转向别神；这一点从圣言的历史和预言部分看得非常清楚。
这就是该民族的性质，所以诸如存在于古人当中的代表性教会不可能建在他们当中，他们当中只能建立一个教会的代表。于是，主规定与天堂的某种联系当通过教会的代表得以建立；事实上，代表甚至能存在于恶人里面，因为人不会关注代表的这个人，而是关注他所代表的事物。由此明显可知，对这个民族来说，他们的敬拜纯粹是偶像崇拜（4825节），尽管代表含有神圣的神性事物在里面。内在之物不可能与这种敬拜，也就是偶像崇拜结合；因为如果内在之物与它结合，也就是说，如果他们承认内在事物，那么他们早就亵渎神圣事物了。因为神圣的内在若与崇拜偶像的外在结合，就变得污秽。这解释了为何内在事物没有被披露给这个民族，因为若它们被披露给它，它就会灭亡。
这个民族不可能接受并承认内在事物，无论这些事物如何充分揭示给他们，这一点从如今这个民族的成员很明显地看出来。事实上，他们现在知道内在事物，因为他们就生活在基督徒中间，但仍弃绝并嘲笑这些事物。甚至那些已经皈依的人，大部分在心里如此行。由此清楚可知，这个民族当中并没有代表属灵和属天事物的教会，只有教会的代表，也就是没有内在的外在，没有内在的外在本身就是偶像崇拜。从这些事也可以看出，那些以为当教会走到尽头时，犹太民族会皈依，并优先于基督徒蒙拣选的基督徒的想法错得何等离谱。那些以为那时，弥赛亚，或主会向他们显现，通过伟大的先知和伟大的神迹将他们带回到迦南地之人的想法更是大错特错。那些将圣言预言部分里的“犹大”、“以色列”和“迦南地”简单地理解为犹大、以色列和迦南地，因而唯独相信字义，对任何内义不感兴趣的人就会犯这些错误。
Potts(1905-1910) 4847
4847. Lest he also die, like his brethren. That this signifies fear lest it should perish, namely, the representative of a church that was with the posterity descended from Jacob, and specifically that descended from Jacob through Judah, is evident from the signification of "lest he also die," as being fear lest it should perish. In regard to this-that the representative of a church which was with the posterity of Jacob would perish if the internal things of a genuine representative church were adjoined to it, the case is as follows. A representative church, such as had existed among the ancients, was to have been instituted with the posterity of Jacob; but that nation was of such a quality that they wished to worship and to adore external things only, and did not wish to know anything at all about internal things; for they were immersed in the cupidities of the love of self and of the world, and thence in falsities. That nation, more than the Gentiles, believed that there were many gods, but that Jehovah was greater than they because He could do greater miracles; and therefore as soon as the miracles ceased, and also when they had become little esteemed because of being frequent and familiar, they straightway turned to other gods, as is very evident from the historic and prophetic parts of the Word. [2] Because that nation was of such a quality, a representative church such as had existed among the ancients could not be instituted with them, but only the representative of a church; and it was provided by the Lord that some communication with heaven might thereby be effected; for what is representative is possible with the evil, because it regards not the person, but the thing. From this it is plain that insofar as they were concerned their worship was merely idolatrous (n. 4825), although the representatives contained within them holy Divine things. With such idolatrous worship, what is internal could not be conjoined, for if what is internal had been conjoined, that is, if they had acknowledged internal things, they would have profaned holy things; for if a holy internal is conjoined with an idolatrous external it becomes profane. It is for this reason that internal things were not disclosed to that nation, and that if they had been disclosed it would have perished. [3] That that nation could not receive and acknowledge internal things, however much they might have been revealed to them, is very plain from what they are at this day; for they now know internal things, because they live among Christians; but still they reject and also scoff at them. Even the most of those who have been converted do the same at heart. Thus it is evident that a church representative of spiritual and celestial things was not with that nation, but only the representative of a church, that is, the external without the internal, which in itself is idolatrous. From these things it may also be seen how erroneously those Christians think who believe that at the end of the church the Jewish nation will be converted, and be chosen in preference to Christians; and still more those who believe that the Messiah, or the Lord, will then appear to them and by a great prophet and great miracles bring them back into the land of Canaan. But into these errors those fall who by "Judah," "Israel," and the "land of Canaan," in the prophetic parts of the Word, understand simply Judah, Israel, and the land of Canaan; and who thus believe only the literal sense, and care not for any internal sense.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4847
4847. 'In case he also dies, like his brothers' means fear lest it should perish, that is to say, that the representative of the Church among those descended from Jacob, specifically among those descended from Jacob through Judah, should perish. This is clear from the meaning of 'in case he dies' as fear lest it may perish. As regards the perishing of the representative of the Church among those descended from Jacob if the internal things of a genuine representative Church were linked to it, this implies that among those descended from Jacob a representative Church was to have been established like that which had existed with the ancients. But the disposition of that nation was such that its only wish was to worship and adore external things; it had no wish to know anything at all about internal ones, since it was immersed in desires belonging to self-love and love of the world, and in falsities that resulted from these. It believed, more than gentiles did, that a number of gods existed, but that Jehovah was greater than the rest because He could perform greater miracles. This was why as soon as the miracles ended, or when - because they were of frequent and common occurrence - little importance was placed on them, that nation instantly turned to other gods, as one can see quite clearly from the historical and prophetical parts of the Word.
[2] Such being the nature of that nation, a representative Church like that which had existed among the ancients could not be established among it, only that which was a representative of the Church. Also, the Lord made provision so that through that representative of the Church some degree of communication with heaven might be established; for what is representative can exist even in people who are evil because one does not look at the person who represents, only at the reality represented by him. From this it is evident that in the case of that nation worship was nothing else than idolatrous, 4825, even though the representatives held holy and Divine realities within them. To that kind of worship - to idolatrous worship - what was internal could not be joined; for if what was internal had been linked to it, that is, if they had acknowledged internal things, they would have rendered holy things unholy. For a holy internal, if joined to an idolatrous external, is rendered unholy.
This explains why internal things were not disclosed to that nation, for if these had been disclosed to it, it would have perished.
[3] The inability of that nation to receive and acknowledge internal things, however fully these might have been revealed to them, is quite evident from members of it at the present day. At the present day they do, it is true, have a knowledge of internal things since they live among Christians; yet they reject these things and also deride them. Even the majority of those who have been converted do nothing else in their hearts. From these considerations it is clear that a Church representative of spiritual and celestial things did not exist among that nation, only a representative of the Church, that is, an external without an internal, which in itself is idolatrous. From them it may also be seen how mistaken is the thinking of those Christians who believe that when the Church reaches its end the Jewish nation will be converted, and will at that time be chosen in preference to Christians. Even more mistaken is the thinking of those who believe that at that time the Messiah or Lord is going to appear to them, when by means of a great prophet and great miracles He is going to lead them back into the land of Canaan. These are the errors that people fall into who take 'Judah', 'Israel', and 'the land of Canaan' in the prophetical parts of the Word to mean Judah, Israel, and the land of Canaan, and who consequently believe the literal sense alone and have no interest in any internal sense
Latin(1748-1756) 4847
4847. `Forte moriatur etiam hic sicut fratres ejus': quod significet timorem ne periret, nempe Ecclesiae repraesentativum quod apud posteritatem quae ex Jacobo, et in specie quae Jacobo ex Jehudah, constat ex significatione `ne forte moriatur' quod sit timor ne pereat. Cum hoc quod Ecclesiae repraesentativum quod apud posteritatem ex Jacobo, periret, si ei adjungerentur interna quae genuinae Ecclesiae repraesentativae, ita se habet: apud posteritatem ex Jacobo instituenda erat Ecclesia repraesentativa qualis fuerat antiquis; sed gens illa talis erat ut solum colere et adorare vellet externa, et nihil prorsus scire de internis, fuit enim immersa cupiditatibus amoris sui et mundi, et inde falsis;credidit {1} plus quam gentiles {2}quod plures essent dii, sed quod Jehovah major illis' quia majora miracula potuit facere, quapropter ut primum miracula cessarunt, et quoque cum vilia facta sunt ex frequenti et familiari, ilico ad alios deos se converterunt, 2 ut manifeste constare potest ex historicis et propheticis Verbi; quia talis erat gens illa, non potuit apud illam institui Ecclesia repraesentativa qualis fuerat antiquis, sed solum Ecclesiae repraesentativum; et provisum erat a Domino ut per {3}id aliquid communicationis fieret cum caelo; repraesentativum enim dari potest apud malos quia id non spectat personam sed rem; inde patet quod cultus respective ad illos non fuerit nisi quam idololatricus, n. 4825, tametsi repraesentativa in se continebant sancta Divina; cum tali cultu, nempe idololatrico, non conjungi potuit internum, si enim internum adjunctum fuisset, hoc est, si agnovissent interna, tunc profanavissent sancta; internum enim sanctum, cum externo idololatrico si conjungitur, fit profanum; inde est quod genti illi non detecta fuerint interna, et si illi detecta fuissent, quod periisset. Quod gens illa non recipere 3 et agnoscere potuerit interna quantumvis illis revelata fuissent, {4}patet evidenter ab illis hodie; sciunt enim hodie interna, nam vivunt inter Christianos, sed usque rejiciunt illa, et quoque subsannant; etiam plerique ex illis qui {5}conversi sunt, corde nec aliter faciunt;
ex his {6}constat quod Ecclesia repraesentativa spiritualium et caelestium non fuerit apud illam gentem, sed solum Ecclesiae repraesentativum, hoc est, externum absque interno, quod in se est idololatricum. Ex his etiam videri potest quam erronee cogitant illi ex Christianis qui credunt quod Judaica gens in fine Ecclesiae convertetur, et prae Christianis tunc eligetur; et magis adhuc illi qui credunt quod tunc appariturus illis Messias seu Dominus, et per magnum prophetam et magnis miraculis reducturus illos in terram Canaanem {7}; sed in hos errores labuntur qui {8}in propheticis Verbi per `Jehudam', {9} per `Israelem' perque `terram Canaanem' intelligunt Jehudam, Israelem et terram Canaanem, proinde qui solum sensum litteralem credunt, nec aliquem internum curant. @1 i enim$ @2 plures esse deos, et Jehovam supra illos$ @3 hoc$ @4 constat$ @5 universi I$ @6 patet$ @7 i et hoc cum magnis miraculis$ @8 After Jehudam$ @9 i et$