933、启22:2.“在城内街道的中间，在河这边与那边有生命树，结十二回果子”表示主以其神性之爱存在于新教会的教义真理和由此而来的生活真理的至内层，人表面上貌似凭自己所行的一切良善都从祂那里流出。“在中间”表示在至内层，因而在周围的一切事物中(AR 44, 383节)。“街道”表示教会的教义真理(AR 501, 917节)。“河”表示丰富的神性真理(AR 409, 932节)。“在这边与那边”表示在右边和左边；在右边的真理是处于清晰的，或说清晰看到的真理，在左边的真理是处于模糊的，或模糊看到的真理；因为在天堂，南在右边，表示处于清晰的真理；北在左边，表示处于模糊的真理(AR 901节)。“生命树”表示神性之爱方面的主(AR 89节)。“果子”表示爱与仁之良善，这些良善被称为善行或好行为，如下一节所论述的。“十二”表示一切或所有，论及教会的良善和真理(AR 348节)。将这一切合成一个意思，可推知：“在城内街道的中间，在河这边与那边有生命树，结十二回果子”表示主以其神性之爱存在于新教会的教义真理和由此而来的生活真理的至内层，人表面上貌似凭自己所行的一切良善都从祂那里流出。
对那些直接转向主，并避开邪恶，因为它们是罪的人，因而对那些将在主的新教会，即新耶路撒冷的人来说，情况就是这样。因为那些不直接转向主的人不能与祂结合，从而不能与父结合，进而不能处于来自神性的爱；事实上，仰望祂会结合，不是纯理智的仰望(mere intellectual looking)，而是出于意愿之情感的理智仰望会结合；除非人遵守祂的诫命，否则，意愿的情感不会被赐予；因此，主说：
遵行我诫命的人，就是爱我的；我要到他那里去，在他那里作我的住所。(约翰福音14:21-24)
我们说，在教义真理，因而在生活真理的至内层，是因为在属灵事物上，一切都来自至内层，并从至内层发出，就像中心的火和光散发到周边；或像热和光从也在中心的太阳散发到宇宙。因此，这种情况发生在最小事物上，如同发生在最大事物上。由于所表示的是一切真理的至内层，所以经上说“在城内街道的中间”，而不是说在河的两边，尽管意思是这样。当主在至内层时，一切爱与仁之良善都来自祂，并从祂发出，这一点从主自己在约翰福音中的话明显看出来：
耶稣说，枝子若不住在葡萄树上，凭自己就不能结果子，你们若不住在我里面，也是这样。我是葡萄树，你们是枝子；住在我里面的，我也住在他里面，这人就多结果子；因为离了我，你们就不能作什么。(约翰福音15:4-6)
933. 22:2 In between the street and the river on the one side and the other was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits. This symbolically means that inmostly present within the doctrinal truths and consequent life in the New Church is the Lord in His Divine love, from whom flow all the goods that a person in that church does, apparently as though of himself.
In between means, symbolically, in the inmost, and so in everything round about (nos. 44, 383). The street symbolizes the church's doctrinal truth (nos. 501, 917). The river symbolizes an abundance of Divine truth (nos. 409, 932). On the one side and the other symbolizes to the right and to the left, and truth to the right is truth seen clearly, and truth to the left is truth seen dimly. For in heaven the south is to the right, which symbolizes truth seen clearly, while the north is to the left, which symbolizes truth seen dimly (no. 901). The tree of life symbolizes the Lord in respect to His Divine love (no. 89). Fruits symbolize the goods of love and charity that are called good works, as will be seen in the next number. The number twelve symbolizes all and is predicated of the goods and truths of the church (no. 348). If we gather all of this into a single meaning, it follows that the statement, "in between the street and the river on the one side and the other was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits," symbolically means that inmostly present within the doctrinal truths and consequent life in the New Church is the Lord in His Divine love, from whom flow all the goods that a person does, apparently as though of himself.
[2] This is the case with people who turn directly to the Lord and refrain from evils because they are sins, thus with people who will be in the Lord's New Church, which is the New Jerusalem. For people who do not turn directly to the Lord cannot be conjoined with Him, thus not with the Father either, and therefore they cannot possess the love that comes from the Divine. Indeed, it is sight that conjoins - not an intellectual sight alone, but a sight of the intellect that springs from an affection of the will. And an affection of the will is present only if a person keeps the Lord's commandments. Consequently the Lord says,
He who... keeps (My commandments,) it is he who loves Me... And...(I) will come to him and make (My) abode with him. (John 14:21-24)
[3] We say "inmostly present within the doctrinal truths and consequent life in the New Church" because in spiritual matters everything comes from and emanates from what is inmost, as from a fire and its light in the center extending into the peripheries; or as from the sun, which is also in the center, come warmth and light throughout the solar system. Thus the case in the least of things is as it is in the greatest of things. Because the inmost of every truth is symbolized, therefore we say in between the street and the river, and not on either side of the river, even though that is what is meant. 1
When the Lord is inmostly present, all goods of love and charity come from and emanate from Him, as is apparent from the Lord's own words in John:
(Jesus said,) "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-6)
Footnotes:
1. In fact that is not what is meant. The text interprets the meaning correctly, namely, that the tree of life stood between the street and the river. The failure of translators to interpret the meaning correctly may be assigned to their failure to understand the literal "in the middle" ([Greek]) as meaning "in between." Moreover, in the Greek, what has been taken to mean "on either side" - more literally, "on this side and that" - is a phrase that follows "street" and "river" and applies to both, so that the meaning is, not "in the middle of the street and on either side of the river," but "between the street and the river on the one side and the other." I.e., "between the street on the one side and the river on the other." The construction reflects Hebrew and Aramaic grammar.
933. [verse 2] 'In the midst of the street and of the river on this side and on that is a tree of life bearing twelve fruits' signifies that in the inmost things of the truths (veritas) of the doctrine and consequently of the life in the [New] Church is the Lord in His Divine Love, from Whom are flowing forth all the goods that a man does apparently as of himself. By 'in the midst' is signified in the inmost, and thence in the things around (44, 383). By 'the street' is signified the truth of the Church's doctrine (501, 917). By 'the river' is signified Divine Truth in abundance (409, 932). 'On this side and on that (hinc et hinc)' signifies on the right and on the left, and the truth on the right is what is in clarity and on the left what is in obscurity; for the south in heaven, by which is signified truth in clarity, is on the right, and the north, by which is signified truth in obscurity, is on the left (901). By 'a tree of life' is signified the Lord as to Divine Love (89). By 'fruits' are signified the goods of love and charity that are called good works, treated of in the following paragraph. By 'twelve' are signified all, and it is said of the goods and truths of the Church (348). From these things gathered together into one meaning it follows that by 'in the midst of the street and of the river on this side and on that is a tree of life bearing twelve fruits' is signified that in the inmost things of the truths (veritas) of the doctrine and of the life in the New Church is the Lord in His Divine Love, from Whom are flowing forth all the goods that a man does apparently as of himself.
[2] This comes to pass with those who approach the Lord directly and flee from evils because they are sins, thus who will be in the Lord's New Church, which is the New Jerusalem; for those who do not approach the Lord directly cannot be conjoined to Himself, nor thus to the Father, and consequently cannot be in the love that is from the Divine. For visibility (aspectus) conjoins, not an intellectual visibility only, but an intellectual visibility derived from an affection of the will, and an affection of the will is not given unless a man does His precepts; and therefore the Lord says:
He who does My precepts, that one loves Me, and I will come unto Him and make an abode with him. John 14:21-24.
[3] It is said 'in the inmost things of the truths (veritas) of the doctrine and consequently of the life in the New Church,' because in spiritual things all things exist and proceed from the inmost, as fire and light at the centre [proceed] into the circumferences; or as from the sun, which also is at the centre, heat and light [proceed] into the universe. It takes place thus in the least things as in the greatest. Because the inmost of every truth is signified, therefore it is said 'in the midst of the street and of the river' and not 'on each side of the river,' although this is understood. That from the Lord, while He is in the inmost, all the goods of love and charity exist and proceed is plain from the words of the Lord Himself in John:
Jesus said, As the branch cannot bear fruit from itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine, you are the branches: he who abides in Me and I in him, this one bears much fruit, because without Me you cannot do anything. John 15:4-6.
933. Verse 2. (Revelation 22:2) In the midst of the street of it and of the river, on this side and on that, was the tree of life bearing twelve fruits, signifies that in the inmosts of the truths of doctrine and thence of life in the church is the Lord in His Divine love, from Whom all the goods which man does apparently as of himself, flow forth. By "in the midst" is signified in the inmost, and thence in all things around, (44[1-2], 383). By "street" is signified the truth of doctrine of the church, (501, 917). By "the river" is signified Divine truth in abundance, (409, 932). "On this side and on that" signifies on the right and on the left; and truth on the right is what is in clearness, and on the left what is in obscurity; for the south in heaven, by which truth in clearness is signified, is to the right; and the north, by which is signified truth in obscurity, is to the left, (901). By "the tree of life" is signified the Lord as to the Divine love, (89). By "fruits" are signified the goods of love and charity, which are called good works; which are treated of in the following article. By "twelve" are signified all, and it is said of the goods and truths of the church, (348). From these things collected into one sense, it follows that by "in the midst of the street and of the river, on this side and on that, was the tree of life bearing twelve fruits," is signified that in the inmosts of the truths of doctrine and of life in the New Church is the Lord in His Divine love, from Whom all the goods which a man does apparently as of himself flow forth.
[2] This takes place with those who go to the Lord immediately, and shun evils because they are sins; thus who will be in the Lord's New Church, which is the New Jerusalem. For they who do not go immediately to the Lord cannot be conjoined to Him, and thus neither to the Father, and hence cannot be in the love which is from the Divine; for the looking to Him conjoins, not a mere intellectual looking, but an intellectual looking from the affection of the will; and affection of the will is not given, unless man keeps His commandments; wherefore the Lord says:
He that doeth My commandments, he it is that loveth me; and I will come unto him, and make an abode with him, (John 14:21-24).
[3] It is said, in the inmosts of the truths of doctrine and thence of life in the New Church, because in spiritual things all things are and all things proceed from the inmost, as from fire and light in the center to the circumferences; or as from the sun, which is also in the center, heat and light flow into the universe; it takes place thus in the least things as in the greatest. Because the inmost of all truth is signified, it is therefore said, "in the midst of the street and of the river," and not on both sides of the river, although this is meant. That from the Lord, when He is in the inmost, all the goods of love and charity are and proceed, is manifest from the words of the Lord Himself in John:
Jesus said, As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, so neither can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the Vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without Me ye cannot do anything, (John 15:4-6).
933. (Vers. 2.) "In medio plateae et fluvii hinc, et hinc, Arbor vitae faciens fructus duodecim," significat quod in intimis veritatum doctrinae et, inde vitae in Ecclesia sit Dominus in; Divino Suo Amore, a Quo omnia bona quae homo facit. Apparenter sicut ex se, profluunt. - Per "in medio" significatur in intimo, et inde in omnibus circum (44, 383); per "plateam" significatur verum doctrinae Ecclesiae (501, 917); per "fluvium" significatur Divinum Verum in copia (409, 932); "hinc et hinc" significat ad dextrum et ad sinistrum, et verum ad dextrum est quod in claro est, et ad sinistrum quod in obscuro; meridies enim in Caelo, per quam significatur verum in claro, est ad dextrum, et septentrio per quam significatur verum in obscuro, est ad sinistrum (901); per "Arborem vitae" significatur Dominus quoad Divinum Amorem (89); per "fructus" significantur bona amoris et charitatis, quae vocantur bona opera, de quibus in sequente Articulo; per "duodecim" significantur omnia, et dicuntur de bonis et veris Ecclesiae (348); ex his in unum sensum collatis, sequitur, quod per "in medio plateae et fluvii hinc et hinc, Arbor vitae faciens fructus duodecim" significetur quod in intimis veritatum doctrinae et vitae in Nova Ecclesia sit Dominus in Divino Suo Amore, a Quo omnia bona, quae homo facit apparenter sicut a se, profluunt. Hoc fit apud illos qui Dominum immediate adeunt, ac fugiunt mala quia sunt peccata, ita qui in Nova Domini Ecclesia, quae est Nova Hierosolyma, erunt; nam qui non immediate adeunt Dominum, non possunt Ipsi conjungi, ita nec Patri, et inde non possunt in amore qui a Divino est, esse: aspectus enim conjungit; non aspectus intellectualis solus, sed aspectus intellectualis ex affectione voluntatis; et affectio voluntatis non datur, nisi homo faciat praecepta Ipsius. Quare Dominus dicit,
"Qui facit praecepta Mea, ille amat Me, et ad illum veniam, et mansionem apud illum faciam," (Johannes 14:21-24).
Dicitur in intimis veritatum doctrinae et inde vitae in Nova Ecclesia, quia in spiritualibus ab intimo sunt omnia et procedunt omnia, sicut ab igne et luce in centro in peripherias; aut sicut a Sole, qui etiam est in centro, calor et lux in universum; ita fit in minimis ut in maximis: quia intimum omnis veri significatur, ideo dicitur "in medio plateae et fluvii," et non ab utraque parte fluvii, tametsi hoc intelligitur. Quod a Domino, dum est in intimo, sint et procedant omnia bona amoris et charitatis, patet ab Ipsius Domini verbis apud Johannem:
Jesus dixit," Quemadmodum palmes non potest fructum ferre a se ipso, nisi manserit in vite, ita neque vos nisi in Me manseritis: Ego sum Vitis, vos palmites: qui manet in Me et Ego in illo, hic fert fructum multum, quia sine Me non potestis facere quicquam, (15:4-6).