844# 启13:18.“在这里有智慧”表示这就是他们整体上或整个范围内的教义，这教义被视为智慧，尽管它是疯狂。这从“在这里有智慧”的含义清楚可知：论及龙及其两只兽的一切都是那些将信仰与生活分离之人的教义；然而，这教义不像它所号称的那样是智慧，而是疯狂。这就是“在这里有智慧”的含义，这一点从前文可推知，即“若没有印记，或兽名，或兽名的数目，没有人能买或卖”，这句话表示除了被承认，因而在教义上被接受的东西外，不可以学习或教导任何东西。由此可以得出结论，此处的“智慧”是指他们自己眼里的智慧；然而，他们看为智慧的智慧却是疯狂。此处的“智慧”是指疯狂，因为那些处于虚假的人当确认虚假时，就自以为比其他所有人都更有智慧。当恶人处于自己的邪恶，并设计出一些手段用来向善人行恶时，他们也是这样；那时他们觉得自己似乎很聪明，甚至比其他人更有智慧，尽管在天使眼里，他们看上去很疯狂。这就是为何在圣言中，那些处于虚假之人的疯狂也被称为“智慧和聪明”，如在以下经文中；马太福音：
主神啊，或天地之主，你将这些事向智慧聪明人就藏起来，向婴孩就显出来。(马太福音11:25;路加福音10:21)
以赛亚书：
祸哉！那些在自己眼中有智慧，在自己面前有聪明的人。(以赛亚书5:21)
同一先知书：我必察罚亚述王心里骄傲的果子和他眼目高傲的荣耀；因为他说，我所成就的事，是靠我手的能力和我的智慧，我本有聪明。(以赛亚书10:12,13)
又：琐安的首领极其愚昧，法老智慧的谋士筹划愚谋；你们怎敢对法老说，我是智慧人的子孙呢？(以赛亚书19:11)
又：
他智慧人的智慧必然消灭；聪明人的聪明必然隐藏。(以赛亚书29:14)
又：
祂使智慧人退后。(以赛亚书44:25)耶利米书：
有剑临到巴比伦的居民，并她的首领与智慧人。(耶利米书50:35)这就是为何巴比伦和其它地方的博士或哲士被称为智慧人(但以理书2:48)。由此清楚可知，在圣言中，智慧也论及那些没有智慧的人，以及那些因虚假而疯狂的人。同样，“冠冕”也归于他们，以及龙(启示录12:3)，在本章第一节经文中，还归于他的兽；它也论及骑在朱红色兽上的女人：
她穿着紫色和朱红色的衣服，用金子、宝石、珍珠为妆饰。(启示录17:4)
同样，恶人被称为“强壮”、“有力”；而事实上，他们一点也不强壮、有力(参看AE783节)。
844. (Verse 18) Here is wisdom. That this signifies that this is their doctrine in its whole extent, which is considered to be wisdom, although it is insanity, is evident from the signification of here is wisdom, as denoting that all those things that are said concerning the dragon and his two beasts, is the doctrine of those who have separated faith from life, which nevertheless is not wisdom, as it is considered to be, but it is insanity. That these things are meant by here is wisdom, follows from the things which precede, that is, that no one can buy and sell if he has not the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name; which signifies, that no one should learn or teach anything but what is acknowledged, and thence received in doctrine. It may be concluded, therefore, that by wisdom is here meant wisdom in their own eyes, which, nevertheless, is insanity, appearing to them as wisdom.
The reason why insanity is here meant by wisdom is, that those who are in falsities, when they have confirmed themselves in them, believe themselves to be wiser than all others. The case is the same with the evil, who, when they are in their evils, and devise means of doing evil to the good, seem to themselves to be ingenious, indeed wiser than others, although they then appear to the eyes of angels to be mad. This now is why the insanity of those who are in falsities is also called in the Word wisdom and intelligence, as in the following passages:
"Lord of heaven and earth, thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes" (783).
844. Verse 18. Here is wisdom, signifies that this is their doctrine in all its complex, which is thought to be wisdom, although it is insanity. This is evident from the signification of "here is wisdom," as being that all those things that have been said of the dragon and his two beasts is the doctrine of those who have separated faith from life, which however is not wisdom, as it is reputed, but insanity. That this is the meaning of "here is wisdom" follows from what precedes, that "no one is able to buy 1and sell save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name," which signifies that no one should learn or teach anything else but what had been acknowledged, and thus accepted in doctrine. From this it can be concluded that "wisdom" here means wisdom in their own eyes; which, nevertheless, is insanity appearing to them to be wisdom. Insanity is meant by "wisdom," because those who are in falsities, when they have confirmed their falsities believe themselves to be wiser than others. The evil do the like when they are in their evils and are contriving devices by which they may do evil to the good; they then appear to themselves to be ingenious, yea even wiser than others, and yet before the eyes of angels they appear crazy. And this is why their insanity when they are in falsities is called in the Word "wisdom and intelligence," as in the following passages:
O Lord God, Thou hast hid these things from the wise and intelligent, and hast revealed them unto babes (783).
Footnotes:
1. The photolithograph has "edere et vendere" for "emere et vendere."
844. [Vers. 18.] "Hic est sapientia." Quod significet quod haec in omni complexu sit eorum doctrina, quae reputatur pro sapientia, tametsi est insania, constat ex significatione "Hic est sapientia", quod sit quod omnia illa, quae de dracone et de binis ejus bestiis dicta sunt, sit doctrina eorum qui fidem separaverunt a vita, quae tamen non est sapientia, sicut reputatur, sed insania; quod haec intelligantur per "Hic est sapientia", sequitur ex mox praecedentibus, quod "nemo possit 1
emere et vendere, si non haberet characterem, aut nomen bestiae, aut numerum nominis ejus", per quae significatur quod non aliquis disceret aut doceret aliud quam quod agnitum et inde in doctrina receptum est: exinde concludi potest quod per "sapientiam" hic intelligatur sapientia in oculis illorum, quae tamen est insania illis visa sicut sapientia. Quod insania intelligatur per "sapientiam", est quia illi qui in falsis sunt, credunt quod prae aliis sapientes sint quando falsa sua confirmaverunt: similiter faciunt mali, quando in malis suis sunt, et excogitant artes per quas malefaciunt bonis; tunc videntur sibi ingeniosi, immo sapientes prae aliis, cum tamen tunc coram oculis angelorum apparent vesani; inde nunc est quod insania illorum quia in falsis sunt, in Verbo etiam dicatur "sapientia" et "intelligentia"; ut in sequentibus his locis,
Domine Deus, "Abscondisti haec sapientibus et intelligentibus, et revelasti ea infantibus" (Matthaeus 11:25; Luca 10:21);
"Vae sapientibus in oculis suis, et coram faciebus suis intelligentibus" (Esaias 5:21);
"Visitabo super fructum superbiae cordis regis Aschuris, et super decus altitudinis oculorum ejus, ideo quia dixit, In virtute manus meae feci, et per sapientiam meam, quia intelligens fui" (Esaias 10:12, 13);
"Certe stulti principes Zoanis, sapientes consiliariorum Pharaonis;...quomodo dicitis ad Pharaonem, Filius sapientum ego" (Esaias 19:11);
Peribit sapientia sapientum.., ac intelligentia intelligentium..se occultabit" (Esaias 29:14);
"Rejicit sapientes retro" (Esaias 44:25);
"Gladie.... contra habitatores Babelis, et contra principes ejus, et contra sapientes ejus" (Jeremias 50:35).
Inde est
Quod magi in Babele et alibi dicti fuerint sapientes (ut Daniel 2:48).
Ex his patet quod "sapientia" in Verbo etiam dicatur de non sapientibus, et quoque de illis qui ex falsis insaniunt; similiter quod illis tribuantur diademata (ut draconi, Apocalypsis 12:3; et ejus bestiae, in hujus capitis versu 1); et quod de muliere insidente bestiae coccineae, dicatur,
Quod fuerit amicta purpura et cocco, inaurata auro, ornata lapidibus pretiosis ac margaritis (Apocalypsis 17:4):
similiter quod mali dicantur "fortes" et "potentes" cum tamen nihil minus quam fortes et potentes sunt (de qua re videatur supra, n. 783).
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.