836# 启13:16.“他又使众人，小的、大的，富的、穷的，自由的、为奴的”表示较低的和较高的，智慧的和简单的，从自己那里思考的和从别人那里思考的。这从“众人，小的、大的”、“富的、穷的”和“自由的、为奴的”含义清楚可知：“众人，小的、大的”是指较低的和较高的，或更普通的和更杰出的；“富的、穷的”是指智慧的和简单的。那些拥有大量良善和真理的知识，因而智慧的人被称为“富”(可参看AE118,236节)；那些因没有圣言而没有良善和真理的知识，却又渴望它们的人被称为“穷”(也可参看AE118,238节)。“自由的、为奴的”是指从自己那里思考的人和从别人那里思考的人。从自己那里思考就是从自己那里看见一件事是真的还是假的，从而选择这一个，弃绝那一个。他们就是那些被主变得属灵，因而处于天堂之光，从主那里看见并被主引导的人；因为从主那里思考和生活就是自由；从地狱那里思考和生活就是奴役；这些人是“自由的”(可参看AE248,490a,b,701a,774节)；主通过祂的神性真理使他们自由，这一点在约翰福音(8:32–36)已经声明了。当教会处于来自爱的信时，它就处于一种自由的状态，但当它处于无爱之信时，它就处于一种奴役的状态，这就是主在约翰福音(21:18)中的话的意思(可参看AE820节)。由此可推知，“为奴的”是指那些不是从自己，而是从别人那里思考，看不到一件事是真的还是假的，却承认它是真的之人。这些人就是“为奴的”，而那些从自己那里思考的人是“自由的”，这一点从他们的对照明显看出来。
836. (Verse 16) And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond. That this signifies lower and higher, wise and simple, both those who think from themselves and those who think from others, is evident from the signification of all, small and great, as denoting lower and higher, or more common and more eminent; and from the signification of rich and poor, as denoting the wise and simple. That those are called rich who possess much knowledge of good and truth, thus who are wise, may be seen above (n. 820). From these considerations it follows, that by bondmen are meant those who do not think from themselves but from others, and who do not perceive whether a thing is true or false, and yet acknowledge that it is true. That these are the bond, when those who think from themselves are the free, is evident from contrast.
836. Verse 16. And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, signifies the lower and the higher, the wise and the simple, both those who think from themselves and those who think from others. This is evident from the signification of "all, the small and the great," as being the lower and the higher, or the more common and the more eminent; also from the signification of "the rich and the poor," as being the wise and the simple. (That those are called "rich" who possess many knowledges of good and truth, thus who are wise, may be seen above, n. John 8:32-36). It may also be seen above (n. John 21:18). From this it follows that by "the bond" those are meant who think not from themselves but from others, and who do not see whether a thing is true or false and yet acknowledge it to be true. That such are "the bond," while those who think from themselves are "the free," is evident from the opposition of their relation.
836. [Vers. 16.] "Et facit omnes parvos et magnos, et divites et pauperes, et liberos et servos." Quod significet inferiores et superiores, sapientes et simplices, quique a se cogitant et qui ab aliis, constat ex significatione "omnium parvorum et magnorum", quod sint inferiores et superiores, seu viliores et eminentiores; ex significatione "divitum et pauperum", quod sint sapientes et simplices; (quod "divites" dicantur qui multas cognitiones boni et veri possident, ita sapientes, videatur supra, n. 118, 236; et quod "pauperes" dicantur, qui non habent cognitiones boni et veri, quia non habent Verbum, et usque desiderant illas, videatur etiam supra, n. 118, 238): et ex significatione "liberorum et servorum", quod sint qui ex se cogitant et qui ab aliis. Ex se cogitare est ex se videre num verum sit aut num falsum, ac sic eligere unum et rejicere alterum; hi sunt qui spirituales a Domino facti sunt, et inde in luce caeli, et a Domino vident ac ducuntur, nam liberum est cogitare et vivere a Domino, ac servum est cogitare et vivere ex inferno; quod illi sint "liberi", videatur supra (n. 248, 409 [a, b] 701 [a] , 774). Quod Dominus per Divinum suum Verum liberos faciat, dicitur apud Johannem (cap. 1
21:18), videantur supra (n. 820 [b]). Ex his sequitur quod per "servos" intelligantur qui non a se sed ab aliis cogitant, sed non vident an verum sit vel falsum, et usque agnoscunt quod verum; quod hi servi sint, cum illi qui ex se cogitant liberi sunt, ex relatione opposita patet.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.