10256.“香菖蒲”表对内层真理的感知和情感。这从“香菖蒲”的含义清楚可知，“香菖蒲”是指对内层真理的感知和情感，因为“菖蒲”表示这真理，而“香（味）”表示对真理的感知和情感。“菖蒲”表示真理，这一点可见于下文；“香（味）”表示对它的一种感知和情感（参看10254节）。
此处的内层真理是指存在于内在人中的真理，这真理在那里是外层。这与前面所说的（10254节）是一致的，即：外在人里面有一个内层和一个外层，内在人里面同样有一个内层和一个外层。正因如此，制备膏油要用到四种芳香物质或香料，就是品质最高的没药，香肉桂、香菖蒲和桂皮。“品质最高的没药”表示对外在人里面的外层真理，就是感官真理的感知；“香肉桂”表示那里的内层真理，就是属世真理；“香菖蒲”表示内在人里面的外层真理；“桂皮”表示那里的内层真理。“橄榄油”表示构成对这些真理的情感和感知的良善本身。
“菖蒲”表示内层真理，这一点从圣言中提到它的地方清楚看出来。然而，在这些地方，它不是被称为“香菖蒲”，只是被称为“菖蒲”或“上好的菖蒲”，如在下列经文中，以赛亚书：
雅各啊，你并没有呼求我；以色列啊，你倒厌烦我。你没有用银子为我买菖蒲，也没有用祭物的脂油使我饱足。（以赛亚书43:22，24）
以西结书：
但人和雅完人拿纺成的线、亮铁、桂皮、菖蒲兑换你的货物。（以西结书27:19）
耶利米书：
从示巴出的乳香，从远地出的上好菖蒲奉来给我有何益呢？（耶利米书6:20）
在这些经文中，显然，“菖蒲”表示教会的某种属性，以及那里的敬拜；否则，经上说他们用银子为耶和华买菖蒲，或从远地来的上好菖蒲要奉给祂，还能有其它什么原因吗？由于所表示的是教会的某种属性，以及它的敬拜，故可推知，所表示的是真理或良善，因为教会及其敬拜的一切都与它们有关。但至于所表示的是哪种真理或良善，是属天的还是属灵的，是外在人的还是内在人的，这从当按内义考虑所提到的事物顺序时的内义清楚看出来。显然，“菖蒲”表示内层真理。
Potts(1905-1910) 10256
10256. And aromatic calamus. That this signifies the perception and affection of interior truth, is evident from the signification of "aromatic calamus," as being the perception and affection of interior truth, for "calamus" denotes this truth, and "aromatic" denotes the perception and affection thereof. (That "calamus" denotes truth, will be seen below; and that "aromatic" denotes the perception and affection thereof, see just above, n. 10254.) [2] By interior truth is here meant that truth of the internal man which is exterior there, according to what was said above (n. 10254), namely, that in the external man there is an interior and an exterior, and the same in the internal man. Hence it is that four aromatics were employed in the preparation of the oil of anointing; namely, noble myrrh, aromatic cinnamon, aromatic calamus, and cassia; and by "noble myrrh" is signified the perception of exterior truth in the external man, which is sensuous truth; by "aromatic cinnamon," interior truth there, which is natural truth; by "aromatic calamus," exterior truth in the internal man; and by "cassia," interior truth there; and by "oil of olive," the good itself from which are the affections and perceptions of these truths. [3] That "calamus" denotes interior truth, can be seen from the passages in the Word where it is mentioned; yet there it is not called "aromatic calamus," but only "calamus," and" good calamus," as in these passages:
Thou hast not called upon Me, O Jacob; and thou hast wearied of Me, O Israel; thou hast bought Me no calamus with silver, and thou hast not filled Me with the fat of thy sacrifices (Isa. 43:22, 24). Dan and Javan furnished yarn in thy tradings; bright iron, cassia, and calamus were in thy trading (Ezek. 27:19). To what purpose cometh to Me frankincense from Sheba, and good calamus from a far country? (Jer. 6:20).
That in these passages by "calamus" is meant something of the church, and worship there, is plain; for otherwise what could be meant by its being said that they should "buy for Jehovah calamus with silver" and that "good calamus should come to Him from a far country"? And as something of the church and its worship is signified, it follows that it is truth or good, because all things of the church and of worship bear relation to these; but what truth or good is signified, whether celestial or spiritual, whether of the external or the internal man, is evident from the internal sense of the above passages when it is examined in its connection. That it is interior truth is plain.
Elliott(1983-1999) 10256
10256. 'And sweet-smelling calamus' means the perception of and affection for interior truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'sweet-smelling calamus' as the perception of and affection for interior truth; for 'calamus' means that truth and 'a sweet smell' a perception of and affection for it. For the meaning of 'calamus' as truth, see below; and for that of 'a sweet smell' as a perception of and affection for it, see just above in 10254.
[2] Here interior truth is used to mean that truth which, as it exists in the internal man, is exterior. This is in keeping with what has been stated above in 10254, namely that within the external man there is an exterior and an interior, and within the internal likewise. So it is that four sweet-smelling substances were used in the preparation of the anointing oil - myrrh of the highest quality, sweet-smelling cinnamon, sweet-smelling calamus, and cassia. 'Myrrh of the highest quality' means the perception of exterior truth within the external man, which is truth on the level of the senses; 'sweet-smelling cinnamon' interior truth there, which is truth on the natural level; 'sweet-smelling calamus' exterior truth within the internal man; and 'cassia' interior truth there. And 'olive oil' means the actual good composing affections for and perceptions of those kinds of truth.
[3] The fact that 'calamus' means interior truth becomes clear from places in the Word which mention it. In these places however it is not spoken of as 'sweet-smelling calamus' but only as 'calamus' or 'good calamus', as in Isaiah,
You have not called Me, O Jacob, and you have been weary of Me, O Israel. You have not bought Me calamus with silver, and you have not satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices. Isa 43:22,24.
In Ezekiel,
Dan and Javan exchanged yarn in your dealings; wrought iron, cassia, and calamus were in your trading. Ezek 27:19.
And in Jeremiah,
To what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba, and good calamus from a distant land? Jer 6:20.
In these places, it is evident, 'calamus' is used to mean some attribute of the Church, and worship there; for what other reason could there be for talking about their buying calamus for Jehovah with silver or about good calamus coming to Him from a distant land? And since some attribute of the Church and its worship are meant it follows that truth or good is meant, because everything of the Church and its worship is connected with them. But exactly which kind of truth or good is meant - whether celestial or spiritual, external man's or internal man's - is clear from the internal sense, when the sequence of things mentioned is considered on this level of meaning. Then it is evident that interior truth is meant by 'calamus'.
Latin(1748-1756) 10256
10256. `Et calamum aromaticum': quod significet perceptionem et affectionem veri interioris, constat ex significatione `calami aromatici' quod sit perceptio et affectio veri interioris, est enim `calamus' {1}ille verum, et `aromaticum' perceptio et affectio ejus; quod `calamus' sit verum, videbitur infra, et quod `aromaticum' sit perceptio et affectio ejus, videatur mox supra n. 10,254. [2] Per verum interius hic intelligitur verum interni hominis, quod exterius ibi, secundum illa quae supra n. 10,254 dicta sunt, quod nempe in externo homine sit exterius et interius, similiter in interno; inde est quod quattuor aromatica ad parandum oleum unctionis adhibita fuerint, nempe myrrha nobilis, cinnamomum aromaticum, calamus aromaticus, et casia; et per `myrrham nobilem' significatur perceptio veri exterioris in externo homine, quod est verum sensuale, per `cinnamomum aromaticum' verum interius ibi, `quod est verum naturale, per `calamum {2}aromaticum' verum exterius in interno homine, et per `casiam' verum interius ibi, (c)et per `oleum olivae' ipsum bonum {3}ex quo affectiones et perceptiones verorum illorum {4}. [3] Quod `calamus' sit verum interius, constare potest ex locis in Verbo ubi memoratur; at ibi non dicitur calamus aromaticus, sed modo `calamus' et `calamus bonus,' ut apud Esaiam, Non Me vocasti, Jacob; et fatigatus es pro Me, Israel; non emisti Mihi argento calamum, et adipe sacrificiorum tuorum non implevisti Me, xliii 22, 24:apud Ezechielem, Dan et Javan netum in negotiationibus tuis dederunt; ferrum tersum, casia; et calamus in negotiatione tua fuit, xxvii 19:
et apud Jeremiam, Quid Mihi tus ex Scheba venit, et calamus bonus e terra longinqua? {5} vi 20;
quod in his locis per `calamum' intelligatur aliquid Ecclesiae, et cultus ibi, {6} patet; nam quid alioquin foret quod emerent Jehovae argento calamum, et quod Ipsi calamus bonus e terra longinqua veniret? et quia aliquid Ecclesiae et ejus cultus {7}significatur, sequitur quod sit verum {8}aut bonum, quoniam omnia Ecclesiae et ejus cultus ad illa se referunt; quodnam autem verum {9}aut bonum {10}significatur, caeleste vel spirituale, externi seu interni hominis, constat ex sensu interno ibi in sua serie lustrato; quod sit verum interius, patet. @1 verum ibi$ @2 d odoratum i aromaticum$ @3 ex quo affectionem et perceptionem altered to quod affectiones et perceptiones$ @4 i; dictum etiam ibi supra est, quod omnia illa ad classem coelestem pertineant, hoc est, ad ea quae sunt Regni coelestis Domini, et quod illa ex quibus conficiebatur suffimentum, ad classem spiritualem, seu quae sunt Regni spiritualis Domini$ @5 i holocausta vestra non ad complacentiam, et sacrificia vestra non suavia sunt Mihi.$ @6 i manifeste$ @7 significant$ @8 ac$ @9 et$ @10 significat$