931# 启15:2.“我看见仿佛有玻璃海与火搀杂”表示因来自爱之良善的属灵真理而透明的圣言中的真理的总体。这从“玻璃海”和“火”的含义清楚可知：“玻璃海”是指因属灵真理而透明的真理的总体(参看AE275a节)；“火”是指爱之良善(参看AE68,496,504,916节)。此处简要解释一下，为何“玻璃海”表示因属灵真理而透明的圣言中的真理的总体。“海”表示总体上的真理，因为“水、泉、河”表示聪明所源于的真理，而海是它们的总体容器。总体上的真理，或真理的总体就是诸如在圣言字义中的那类真理，而圣言的字义是属世的，一切属世之物都是属灵事物的总体容器。事实上，自然界中的一切事物，或一切属世之物，无不从属灵之物存在；因为属世之物从属灵之物中形成，就像结果从它的有效原因中形成一样。由于一千个属灵事物产生并形成一个属世事物，所以这一个因是一千个的容器而是一个总体事物。
相对于灵义上的圣言，字义上的圣言也是这样；由于圣言的属灵意义或灵义就在属世意义中，并在其中在天使面前透明或发光，所以“玻璃海”表示就因属灵真理而透明的真理的总体而言的圣言。在启示录别的地方，“玻璃海”具有相同的含义：
宝座前有一个如同水晶的玻璃海。(启示录4:6)以及：
新耶路撒冷城和城内街道看似精金，好像透明的玻璃。(启示录21:18,21)因为那“城”表示教会的教义，“街道”表示教义的真理；这教义的真理因是真正的真理而从属灵真理中获得其光明和透明或清晰。这种透明或清晰就是“玻璃”和“水晶”。以西结书：
基路伯的头以上有穹苍，看着像奇妙的水晶。(以西结书1:22)这句话表示天上的属灵神性。“玻璃海”表示从圣言的灵义中透明的字义上的圣言，这一点也可从以下事实看出来：只见那些战胜了兽的人就在它附近，而他们表示那些没有歪曲圣言，由此熄灭灵义之光的人。
931. (Verse 2) And I saw as it were a glassy sea, mingled with fire. That this signifies the generals of truth in the Word pellucent from spiritual truths, that are from the good of love, is evident from the signification of a glassy sea, as denoting generals of truth pellucent from spiritual truths (concerning which see above, n. 275); and from the signification of fire, as denoting the good of love (see n. 68, 496, 504, 916).
It shall be here briefly explained why a glassy sea signifies the generals of truth in the Word pellucent from spiritual truths. By sea are signified truths in general because waters, fountains, and rivers, signify truths from which intelligence is derived, the sea being their general receptacle. Truths in general, or the generals of truth, are such as are in the sense of the letter of the Word, and this is natural; and everything natural is a general receptacle of spiritual things. For there is nothing in nature, or what is natural, that does not exist from what is spiritual; for what is natural has been formed from what is spiritual, as an effect from its efficient cause. And because thus a thousand spiritual things effect and form one natural thing, therefore this one, as being the containant of a thousand, is general.
[2] Such also is the Word in the sense of the letter relatively to the Word in the spiritual sense. And because the spiritual sense of the Word is in the natural sense, and is therein pellucent before the angels; therefore the Word, as to generals of truth pellucent from spiritual truths, is signified by a glassy sea. The meaning of a glassy sea is similar elsewhere in the Apocalypse:
"And in the sight of the throne, a glassy sea like to crystal" (4:6).
Also:
The city New Jerusalem, likewise the street of the city, were seen "As pure gold, like pellucid glass" (21:18, 21).
For by that city is signified the doctrine of the church; and by street, the truth of that doctrine; and the truths of that doctrine, because they are genuine, derive their light and thence their clearness from spiritual truths. This clearness is what is signified by glass and by crystal. Also:
"The expanse over the heads of the cherubs was seen like the appearance of a wonderful crystal" (Ezekiel 1:22),
signifies the spiritual Divine in heaven. That by the glassy sea is signified the Word in the sense of the letter, pellucent from its spiritual sense, is also evident from this, that near it were seen those who had the victory over the beast; and by them are signified those who have not falsified the Word, and have not, by that means, extinguished the light of the spiritual sense.
931. Verse 2 (275); also from the signification of "fire," as being the good of love (See n. 68, 496, 504, 916). It shall be told here briefly why "a glassy sea" signifies the generals of truth in the Word transparent from spiritual truths. The "sea" signifies truths in general, because "waters, fountains, and rivers," signify truths from which intelligence is derived, and the sea is their general receptacle. Truths in general, or the generals of truth, are such truths as are in the sense of the letter of the Word, and the sense of the letter of the Word is natural, and everything natural is a general receptacle of spiritual things. For nothing in the nature of the world, or nothing natural, is possible that does not exist from the spiritual; for the natural is formed from the spiritual, as an effect out of its effecting cause. And as thousands of things that are spiritual effect and form one natural thing, so this one, as it is the containant of the thousands, is a general thing.
[2] Such also is the Word in the sense of the letter in its relation to the Word in the spiritual sense; and as the spiritual sense of the Word is in the natural sense, and in it shines through before the angels, so the Word as to the generals of truth transparent from spiritual truths is signified by "the glassy sea." "Glassy sea" has the same signification elsewhere in Revelation:
And in sight of the throne a glassy sea like crystal (Revelation 4:6).
Also:
The city New Jerusalem, as well as the street of the city, appeared like pure gold, similar to transparent glass (Revelation 21:18, 21).
For that "city" signifies the doctrine of the church, and "street" the truth of that doctrine; and the truths of that doctrine, because they are genuine truths, derive their light and their transparency from spiritual truths. It is this transparency that is signified by "glass" and by "crystal":
Also over the heads of the cherubim a firmament was seen like the appearance of a wonderful crystal (Ezekiel 1:22).
This signifies the spiritual Divine in heaven. That "the glassy sea" signifies the Word in the sense of the letter transparent from its spiritual sense can be seen also from the fact that near it were seen "them that had the victory over the beast;" and these signify those who have not falsified the Word, and have not extinguished thereby the light of the spiritual sense.
931. [Vers. 2.] "Et vidi tanquam mare vitreum mixtum igne." - Quod significet communia veri in Verbo pellucentia ex veris spiritualibus quae ex bono amoris, constat ex significatione "maris vitrei", quod sint communia veri pellucentia ex veris spiritualibus (de qua supra, n. 275 [a]); et ex significatione "ignis" quod sit bonum amoris (de qua, n. 68, 496, 504, 916). Paucis hic dicetur unde est quod "mare vitreum" significet communia veri in Verbo pellucentia ex veris spiritualibus. Per "mare" significantur vera in communi, quia per "aquas", "fontes" et "fluvios" significantur vera ex quibus intelligentia, et "mare" est illorum receptaculum commune. Vera in communi, seu communia veri, suntqualia sunt vera in sensu litterae Verbi, et sensus litterae Verbi est naturalis, et omne naturale est receptaculum commune spiritualium; nam non datur aliquid in natura mundi seu naturale, quod non ex spirituali existit; naturale enim formatum est ex spirituali sicut effectus ex sua causa efficiente, et quia sic millia, quae sunt spiritualia, efficiunt et formant unum naturale, quare hoc unum, quia est continens millia, est commune.
[2] Tale quoque est Verbum in sensu litterae respective ad Verbum in sensu spirituali; et quia sensus spiritualis est in sensu naturali Verbi, et ille in hoc pellucet coram angelis, inde est quod Verbum quoad communia Veri pellucentia ex veris spiritualibus, significetur per "mare vitreum." Similiter per "mare vitreum" alibi in Apocalypsi,
"Et in conspectu throni mare vitreum simile crystallo" (4:6):
etiam
civitas Nova Hierosolyma, tum platea civitatis, visae sunt "Sicut aurum purum simile vitro pellucido" (21:18, 21),
quia per "civitatem" illam significatur doctrina ecclesiae, et per "plateam" verum illius doctrinae; et vera doctrinae illius, quia genuina, ex veris spiritualibus trahunt lucem suam et inde pellucentiam; haec pellucentia est quae significatur per "vitrum" et per "crystallum:"
"Etiam expansum super capitibus cheruborum visum est sicut species crystalli mirabilis" (Ezechiel 1:22),
significat Divinum spirituale in caelo. Quod per "mare vitreum" significetur Verbum in sensu litterae pellucens ex sensu spirituali ejus, constat etiam ex eo, quod juxta illud visi sint "qui victoriam habuerunt de bestia", et per illos significantur qui Verbum non falsificaverunt, et per id lucem sensus spiritualis non exstinxerunt.