206、启3:17.“因为你说，我是富足，已经发了财”表示他们以为自己拥有大量属于教会和天堂的真理和良善的知识或认知。“富足，已经发了财”在此只表示完全知道并理解诸如属于教会和天堂的那类事物；这些事物被称为属灵和神学的，因为它们是此处论述的主题；属灵的财富和富足不是指别的东西。那些出于自己，而不是出于主通过圣言相信的人，也认为他们知道并理解一切。原因在于，他们的属灵心智是关闭的，只有属世心智是打开的；而没有属灵之光，属世心智看不到别的。在圣言中，“财富”和“富足”表示属灵的财富和富足，也就是真理和良善的知识或认知，这一点从以下经文明显看出来；以西结书：
你靠自己的智慧聪明得了财富，得了金银收入你的宝库；你靠你丰富的智慧增加你的财富。(以西结书28:4-5)
这些话论及推罗，推罗表示在真理和良善的知识或认知方面的教会。诗篇：
推罗的女子必给你带来礼物；王女啊，富足的人必求你的脸面。(诗篇45:12)
撒迦利亚书：
耶和华必使推罗穷乏；祂必将她的财富丢到海里。(撒迦利亚书9:4)
以西结书：
推罗啊，他们必掳去你的财富。(以西结书26:12)
以赛亚书：
亚述说，我所成就的事，是靠我手的能力和我的智慧，我本有聪明；因此，我抢夺列民的财宝，我的手找到列民的财富。(以赛亚书10:13-14)
“亚述”表示理性；在此它败坏了教会的良善和真理，也就是此处他所要抢夺的“列民的财宝和财富”。以赛亚书：
我要将暗中的宝物和隐密处隐藏的财富赐给你。(以赛亚书45:3)
诗篇：
敬畏耶和华的，这人有福了；他家中有财富，有钱财，他的公义存到永远。(诗篇112:1, 3)
路加福音：
神叫饥饿的得饱美物，叫富足的空手而去。(路加福音1:53)
又：
你们富足的人有祸了，因为你们已经获得了你们的喜乐；你们饱足的人有祸了，因为你们将要饥饿。(路加福音6:24-25)
“富足的”在此是指那些拥有真理和良善的知识或认知的人，因为他们拥有圣言，他们是犹太人。穿着紫色袍和细麻布衣服的财主(路加福音16:19)也是指他们；其它地方的“富人或财主”和“财富”也是如此(如以赛亚书30:6; 耶利米书17:11; 弥迦书4:13; 6:12; 撒迦利亚书14:14; 马太福音12:35; 13:44; 路加福音12:21)。
206. "'Because you say, "I am rich and wealthy."'" (3:17) This symbolically means, because they believe they possess in great abundance concepts of goodness and truth having to do with the church and heaven.
To be rich and wealthy means, symbolically, nothing else here than to have full knowledge and understanding of such things as have to do with the church and heaven, things which are called spiritual and theological, because they are the subject here. Spiritual riches and wealth are nothing else.
People who base their beliefs on their own thinking, and not on the Lord through the Word, also believe that they know and understand everything. That is because their spiritual mind is closed and only their natural mind open, and without spiritual light the natural mind has no other sight.
That riches and wealth in the Word symbolize spiritual riches and wealth, which are concepts of truth and goodness, is apparent from the following passages:
By your wisdom and your intelligence you have gained riches for yourself..., gold and silver in your treasuries; by the increase of your wisdom... you have increased your riches... (Ezekiel 28:4-5)
This is said of Tyre, which symbolizes the church in respect to its concepts of truth and good. Similarly:
The daughter of Tyre (the daughter of the king) (will bring you) a gift; the rich among the people will seek to placate your face. (Psalms 45:12)
...(Jehovah) will impoverish (Tyre); He will destroy its wealth in the sea... (Zechariah 9:4)
They will plunder (O Tyre) your riches... (Ezekiel 26:12)
(Asshur said,) "By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I am intelligent...; (therefore) I... will plunder the treasures of the peoples... My hand will find... the wealth of the peoples...." (Isaiah 10:13-14)
Asshur symbolizes the rational faculty - here that it perverts the goods and truths of the church, which are the treasures and wealth of the peoples that it will plunder.
I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places... (Isaiah 45:3)
Blessed is the man who fears Jehovah... Wealth and riches will be in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. (Psalms 112:1, 3)
(God) has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. (Luke 1:53)
...woe to you who are rich, for you have received your joy. Woe to you who are filled, for you shall hunger. (Luke 6:24-25)
The rich here mean people who possessed concepts of truth and good because they had the Word, namely the Jews. So, too, the "rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen" (Luke 16:19).
The rich and riches have a similar meaning elsewhere, as in Isaiah 30:6; Jeremiah 17:11; Micah 4:13; 6:12; Zechariah 14:14; Matthew 12:35; 13:44; Luke 12:21.
206. 1[verse 17] 'Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods' signifies that they believe themselves to possess in great abundance the cognitions of truth and good that are of the Church and heaven. To be 'rich and increased with goods' here signifies nothing else than fully to know and understand such things as are of the Church and heaven, which are called spiritual and theological, because here [the Word] treats of those things. Spiritual riches and plenty are nothing else. Those whose belief is derived from themselves and not from the Lord through the Word, also believe themselves to know and understand all things. This is because their spiritual mind has been closed and only the natural mind opened, and without spiritual light this mind does not see otherwise. That by 'riches' and 'wealth' in the Word are signified spiritual riches and wealth, which are cognitions of good and truth, is plain from these passages:
In thy wisdom and in thy understanding thou hast made wealth for thyself, gold and silver in thy treasure-chambers; by the great Increase of thy wisdom thou hast greatly increased wealth for thyself. Ezekiel 28:4-5.
These things [are said] of Tyre, by which is signified the Church as to cognitions of truth and good. In like manner:
The daughter of Tyre shall bring thee a gift; O daughter of the king, the rich peoples shall entreat thy faces. Psalms 45:12; [H.B. 13].
Jehovah will impoverish Tyre, He will shake off her wealth in the sea, Zechariah 9:4.
O Tyre, they shall plunder thy wealth. Ezekiel 26:12.
Asshur has said, By the strength of my hand have I done it, and through my wisdom, because I am intelligent; whence I will plunder the treasures of the peoples, my hand shall find the wealth of the peoples. Isaiah 10:13-14.
By 'Asshur' is signified the rational, here that it perverts the goods and truths of the Church, which are the 'treasures' and 'wealth' of the peoples, which he shall plunder.
I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and the hidden wealth of the hiding-places. Isaiah 45:3.
Blessed is the man who fears Jehovah, wealth and riches are in his house, and his justice stands for ever. Psalms 112:1, 3.
God has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent empty away. Luke 1:53.
Woe to you that are rich, for you have taken your joy; woe to you that have been filled, for you shall hunger. Luke 6:24-25.
By 'the rich' here are understood those who were in possession of cognitions of good and truth, because in possession of the Word, and these were the Jews. In like manner [they are understood] by the rich man who was clothed with purple and fine linen (Luke 16:19). Likewise by 'the rich' and 'riches' elsewhere (as Isaiah 30:6; Jeremiah 17; Micah 4:13; 6:12; Zechariah 14:14; Matthew 12:35; 13:44; Luke 12:21).
Footnotes:
1. Number 205 is missing in the Original text.
206. 1Verse 17. Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased in goods, signifies that they think they possess in all abundance the knowledges of truth and good which are of the church and heaven. "To be rich and increased in goods," here signifies nothing else than to know and understand fully such things as are of the church and heaven which are called spiritual and theological, because these are here treated of; spiritual riches and abundance are nothing else. They who believe from themselves, and not from the Lord through the Word, also believe that they know and understand all things. The reason is, that their spiritual mind is shut, and their natural mind alone open; and this mind, without spiritual light, sees no otherwise. That by "riches" and "wealth" in the Word are signified spiritual riches and wealth, which are the knowledges of truth and good, is manifest from the following passages:
In thy wisdom and in thy understanding thou hast gotten thee wealth, gold and silver in thy treasures; by the multiplication of thy wisdom thou hast multiplied thy wealth, (Ezekiel 28:4-5).
This is spoken of Tyre, by which is signified the church as to the knowledges of truth and good. In like manner:
The daughter of Tyre shall bring thee a gift; O daughter of the king, the rich peoples shall entreat thy faces, (Psalms 45:12).
Jehovah will impoverish Tyre; He will shake off her wealth into the sea, (Zechariah 9:4).
O Tyre, they shall plunder thy wealth, (Ezekiel 26:12).
Assyria said, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, because I am intelligent; whence I will plunder the treasures of the peoples, my hand shall find the wealth of the peoples, (Isaiah 10:13-14).
By Assyria the rational is signified; here that it perverts the goods and truths of the church, which here are the "treasures and wealth of the peoples," which he will plunder.
I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and the hidden wealth of the lurking-places, (Isaiah 45:3).
Happy is the man that feareth Jehovah; wealth and riches are in his house, and his justice standeth forever, (Psalms 112:1, 3).
God hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent away empty, (Luke 1:53).
Woe unto you that are rich, for ye have received your joy; woe unto you that are filled, for ye shall hunger, (Luke 6:24-25).
By the "rich" here are meant those who were in possession of the knowledges of truth and good because they had the Word, who were the Jews: the same is meant by the rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, (Luke 16:19); and in like manner by the "rich" and "riches" in other places (as in Isaiah 30:6; Jeremiah 17:11; Micah 4:13; 6:12; Zechariah 14:14; Matthew 12:35; 13:44; Luke 12:21).
Footnotes:
1. 205 is omitted in the original Latin without explanation.
206. (Vers. 17.) "Quod dicas; quod dives et locupletatus sim," significat quod credant se cognitiones veri et boni, quae Ecclesiae et Caeli sunt, possidere in omni copia. - "Dives et locupletatus esse" non aliud hic significat, quam plene scire ac intelligere talia quae Ecclesiae et Caeli sunt, quae spiritualia et theologica vocantur, quia hic de illis agitur; divitiae et copiae spirituales non aliud sunt. Illi, qui ex se credunt, et non ex Domino per Verbum, etiam credunt se scire et intelligere omnia; causa est, quia mens eorum spiritualis clausa est; et solum mens naturalis aperta, et haec mens absque luce spirituali non videt aliter. Quod per "divitias" et "opes" in Verbo significentur divitiae et opes spirituales, quae sunt cognitiones veri et boni, patet ex his locis:
"In sapientia tua et in intelligentia tua feceras tibi Opes, aurum et argentum in thesauris tuis; per multiplicationem sapientiae tuae multiplicavisti tibi Opes," (Ezechiel 28:4-5)
haec de Tyro, per quam significatur Ecclesia quoad cognitiones veri et boni: similiter,
"Filia Tyri afferet tibi munus, filia Regis, facies tuas deprecabuntur Divites populi," (Psalm 45:13 (B.A. 12)); "Jehovah depauperabit Tyrum, excutiet in mare Opes ejus "(Sacharias 9:4); "Tyre, diripient Opes tuas," (Ezechiel 26:12);
"Aschur dixit, In virtute manus meae feci, et per sapientiam meam, quia intelligens sum; unde Thesauros populorum diripiam, inveniet manus mea Opes populorum," (Esaias 10:13-14);
per "Aschurem" significatur rationale; hic quod pervertat bona et vera Ecclesiae, quae hic sunt "thesauri et opes populorum," quas diripiet.
"Dabo tibi Thesauros tenebrarum, et occultas Opes latibulorum," (Esaias 45:3);
"Beatus vir qui timet Jehovam; Opes et Divitiae in domo ejus, et justitia ejus stat in perpetuum," (Psalm 112:1, 3);
"Deus esurientes implevit bonis, et Divites emisit inanes," (Luca 1:53);
"Vae vobis Divitibus, quoniam cepistis gaudium vestrum; vae vobis qui impleti estis, quoniam esurietis," (Luca 6:24-25);
per "divites" hic intelliguntur qui possidebant cognitiones veri et boni, quia Verbum, qui erant Judaei; pariter per Divitem, qui induebatur purpura et bysso, (Luca 16:19).
(Similiter per "divites" et "divitias" alibi, ut Esaias 30:6; Jeremias 17:11; Micham 4:13; 6:12; Sacharias 14:14; Matthaeus 12:35; 13:44; Luca 12:21) 1
Footnotes:
1. 21 pro "22"