1285、“并且全地只有一种语言”表示各个地方的人们在总体方面都持守同一种教义，这从稍后论述的圣言中“语言（或嘴唇）”的含义清楚可知。本节用这几句话描述了古教会一直以来的状态，也就是说，它持守某种总体的教义。而下一节则描述了它如何开始被篡改和掺假；由此直到第九节则描述了它如何变得彻底败坏，以至于不再有任何内在敬拜。紧接着论述的主题是由希伯开始的第二个古教会；最后是第三个古教会，也就是犹太教会的开始。因为大洪水后相继有三个教会。
至于第一个古教会，尽管它广泛分布于全世界，但在语言上为一，在话语上也为一，也就是说，它共享一种教义，无论总体方面还是具体细节；而它的敬拜，无论内在还是外在，在各个地方都是不同的，如前一章所示，其中提到的各个民族表示不同的教义和仪式。情况是这样：天堂由无数社群构成；这些社群都各不相同，但却为一，因为它们都作为一体被主引领（对此，参看457，551，684，685，690节）。这方面的情况和人一样，尽管人体里面有如此多的脏腑，这些脏腑和其它器官和肢体一样，又有如此多的小脏腑，其中每一个都发挥与众不同的功能，然而它们全部和每一个都作为一体由一个灵魂来掌控。或这就像人体，它拥有运用其力量和动作的不同方式；然而，这一切都由一个心脏运动和一个肺脏运动来掌控，并构成一体。它们之所以能以这种方式行如一体，是因为天堂只有一个流注，每个人都照自己的个性接受这流注。该流注是从主、祂的怜悯和生命而来的一种情感流注。尽管只有一个流注，但一切事物却作为一体顺从和跟随。这是天堂居民所共享的相爱的结果。
这就是第一个古教会的情况；因为尽管敬拜的种类有很多（有的是内在的，有的是外在的），总体上和民族一样多，具体地和构成民族的宗族一样多，细节上和教会里的人一样多，但它们却都有“一种语言和一样的话”；也就是说，它们都有一种教义，无论总体还是细节。当所有人拥有相爱或仁爱时，教义就为一。相爱或仁爱使他们合而为一，尽管他们具有多样性，因为他们出于多样性而构成一体。所有人，无论有多少，即便数以百亿计，若处于仁爱或相爱，就会有一个目标，即：共同利益、主的国和主自己。教义和敬拜上的多样性又像人的感官和脏腑的多样性，如前所述，它们有助于整体的完美。当教义或敬拜各不相同时，主就通过仁爱以适合每个人个性的不同方式流入和作工。祂就这样在地上如在天上那样将所有人都安排得井然有序，无论总体还是细节。主的旨意就是以这种方式成就的，如祂自己所教导的，“祂的旨意行在地上如同行在天上”（马太福音6:10）。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1285. The meaning of the whole earth had one language as the fact that a single broad view of doctrine existed everywhere can be seen from the symbolism of a language [or lip] in the Word (to be discussed just below).
This verse, in just a few words, describes what conditions had been like in the ancient church, in that it had held a single overall view of doctrine. The next verse portrays the commencement of falsification and adulteration, and the following verses up to verse 9 tell how the church became thoroughly corrupt, so that it no longer had any internal worship. Directly afterward, the text takes up the second ancient church, started by Eber, and eventually it turns to the third ancient church, which was the beginning of the Jewish religion. (Three churches came in a row after the Flood.)
[2] The first ancient church had one language and the same words — that is, a doctrinal view that was united in both its general and its particular tenets — despite its broad spread throughout the globe. It displayed this unity even though its forms of worship, both deep and shallow, differed everywhere, as the last chapter showed. (Each nation mentioned there symbolized a different doctrinal position and a different style of ritual.){*1} As far as that church and its unity is concerned, the situation is this:
Heaven contains a countless number of communities, each of them different but still united, because the Lord leads them all as one. (For more on this, see 457, 551, 684, 685, 690.) It resembles a human being, in whom all the elements without exception are regulated as a single whole, by a single soul, despite the vast number of organs and of component parts to the organs, viscera, and limbs, each component acting in a different way from the next. Or it is like the human body, in which all the activities of force and motion, though unlike, are still regulated by a single motion of the heart and a single motion of the lungs, and in which they still form a unified whole.
The reason they are able to act as one in this way is that heaven has a single stream of influence, which each individual receives according to his or her own character. (The stream of influence consists of the emotional effect that the Lord in all his mercy and vital energy has on us.) Even though there is a single stream [received in different ways], all things obey and yield to it as a united whole. This is the result of the love that heaven's inhabitants share.
[3] Such was the case with the first ancient church. There were as many general categories of inner and outer worship in it as there were nations, as many subcategories as clans in the nations, and as many specific types as there were people in the church. Yet they all had one language and the same words, which is to say that they all had one doctrinal view in general and particular.
A doctrinal view is united when everyone loves each other, or displays charity. Mutual love and charity bring such people together into one despite the variety among them, because it draws unity out of variety. When everyone practices charity, or loves each other, then no matter how many people there are — even if they number in the hundreds of millions — they share a single goal: the common good, the Lord's kingdom, and the Lord himself. Variety in doctrine and worship are, again, like the variety of senses and organs in the human body, which contribute to the perfection of the whole. When doctrine or worship varies, then the Lord, working by means of charity, affects and acts on each of us in a way uniquely suited to our personality. In this way he fits each and every one of us into the order of things, on earth just as in heaven. Then, as the Lord himself teaches [Matthew 6:10], his will is done on earth as it is in heaven.
Footnotes:
{*1} Swedenborg provides an overview of this symbolism in the summary portion of chapter 10, 1130-1138. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 1285
1285. The whole earth was of one lip. That this signifies that everywhere there was one doctrine in general, is evident from the signification of "lip," in the Word, concerning which presently. In this verse, and by these few words, is described the state of the Ancient Church as it had been, that it had one doctrine in general; but in the following verse it is described how it began to be falsified and adulterated; and from that to the ninth verse, how it became altogether perverted, so that it no longer had any internal worship. Then, a little further on, the subject treated of is the second Ancient Church, that was begun by Eber; and, finally, the third Ancient Church, which was the beginning of the Jewish Church. For after the flood there were three churches in succession. [2] As regards the first Ancient Church, in that although it was so widely spread over the earth it was still one in lip and one in words, that is, one in doctrine in general and in particular, when yet its worship both internal and external was everywhere different-as shown in the preceding chapter, where by each nation there named a different doctrinal and ritual were signified-the case is this. In heaven there are innumerable societies, and all different, and yet they are a one, for they are all led as a one by the Lord, concerning which see what has been said before (n. 457, 551, 684, 685, 690). In this respect the case is the same as it is with man, in whom, although there are so many viscera, and so many little viscera within the viscera, organs, and members, each one of which acts in a different way, yet all and each are governed as a one, by the one soul; or as it is with the body, wherein the activities of the powers and motions are different, yet all are governed by one motion of the heart and one motion of the lungs, and make a one. That these can thus act as a one, comes from the fact that in heaven there is one single influx, which is received by every individual in accordance with his own genius; and which influx is an influx of affections from the Lord, from His mercy, and from His life; and notwithstanding that there is only one single influx, yet all things obey and follow as a one.* This is the result of the mutual love in which are they who are in heaven. [3] The case was the same in the first Ancient Church; for although there were as many kinds of worship-some being internal and some external-as in general there were nations, and as many specifically as there were families in the nations, and as many in particular as there were men of the church, yet they all had one lip and were one in words; that is, they all had one doctrine, both in general and in particular. The doctrine is one when all are in mutual love, or in charity. Mutual love and charity cause them all to be a one, although they are diverse, for they make a one out of the varieties. All men how many soever they may be, even myriads of myriads, if they are in charity or mutual love, have one end, namely, the common good, the Lord's kingdom, and the Lord Himself. Varieties in matters of doctrine and of worship are like the varieties of the senses and of the viscera in man, as has been said, which contribute to the perfection of the whole. For then, through charity, the Lord inflows and works in diverse ways, in accordance with the genius of each one; and thus, both in general and in particular, disposes all into order, on earth as in heaven. And then the will of the Lord is done, as He Himself teaches, as in the heavens, so also upon the earth. * That is, in spite of their immense variety, and the consequent stupendous diversity of their reception of that one single influx. [Reviser.]
Elliott(1983-1999) 1285
1285. That 'the whole earth was one lip' means that people everywhere held to the same doctrine in its general aspects is clear from the meaning in the Word of 'a lip', dealt with in the next paragraph. This verse, in these few words, describes the state of the Ancient Church as it had been, that is to say, it held to the same general doctrine. The next verse however describes how it began to be falsified and adulterated, and after that down to verse 9 how it became so utterly perverted that no internal worship existed any longer. Immediately after that the subject is the second Ancient Church begun by Eber, and at last the third Church which was the start of the Jewish Church. For after the Flood there were three consecutive Churches.
[2] In regard to what has been said of the first Ancient Church - that though so wide-spread throughout the world, its lip was nevertheless one and its words one, that is, it shared one doctrine in its general aspects and in its particular details; but for all that, the forms of worship, internal as well as external, were everywhere divergent, as shown in the previous chapter where each nation that is mentioned meant a divergent form of doctrine and of ritual - the situation is as follows: Heaven consists of countless communities. They all vary, and yet all are one, for all are led as one by the Lord; see what has appeared already in 457, 551, 684, 685, 690. A parallel exists in man, in that although internally his body has so many parts, which, like his other organs and limbs, have so many inner parts, each functioning differently from any other, yet all of them, every single one, are nevertheless controlled as one by one soul. A parallel also exists with the human body, which has different ways of exerting its strength and of moving. Nevertheless all are controlled by one motion of the heart and one of the lungs, and together make one. The reason they are able to function as one in this way is that in heaven there is one single influx which is received by everyone according to his own disposition. This influx is an influx of affections from the Lord, from His mercy and life. And although there is one influx only, everything nevertheless conforms and follows as one. And this comes about through the mutual love shared by those in heaven.
[3] Such was the situation with the first Ancient Church that although there were so many forms of internal and external worship, at the general level as many as there were nations, at the specific level as many as there were families making up nations, and at the particular level as many as there were people in the Church, they all nevertheless had 'one lip' and 'their words were one'; that is, they all shared one doctrine in general and in particular. Doctrine is one when all possess mutual love, or charity. Mutual love or charity causes things, though varied, to be one, for it makes one out of varied things. If all, no matter how many - even ten thousand times ten thousand - are governed by charity or mutual love, they have but one end in view, namely the common good, the Lord's kingdom, and the Lord Himself. Variations in matters of doctrine and in forms of worship are like the variations that exist with the physical senses and with the inner parts of man's body, which, as stated, all contribute to the perfection of the whole. Indeed the Lord flows in and works by way of charity though in different ways according to the disposition of each individual. And in so doing He arranges every single person into a proper order, on earth as in heaven. In this way the Lord's will is done, as He Himself teaches, 'on earth as it is in heaven'.
Latin(1748-1756) 1285
1285. Quod 'fuit tota terra labium unum' significet quod ubivis una doctrina in communi, constat a significatione 'labii' in Verbo, de qua in mox sequentibus. In hoc versu et per pauca haec verba describitur status Ecclesiae Antiquae qualis fuerat, quod nempe una doctrina in genere; at in sequente versu describitur quomodo falsificari et adulterari coeptum; et dein usque ad vers. 9, quomodo prorsus perversa facta sit ut non amplius cultus internus. Agitur mox dein de altera Ecclesia Antiqua incepta ab Ebero; et tandem de tertia quae fuit initium Ecclesiae Judaicae; nam post diluvium tres Ecclesiae successive fuerunt. [2] Quod primam Antiquam Ecclesiam attinet, quod in illa, tametsi ita late per orbem diffusa, usque fuerit unum labium et una verba, hoc est, una doctrina in communi et in particulari, cum tamen cultus tam interni quam externi ubivis diversi, sicut ostensum in capite praecedente, ubi per unamquamvis gentem ibi nominatam significatum est doctrinale et rituale diversum, ita se res habet: in caelo sunt societates innumerabiles, et omnes variae, sed usque unum, nam omnes ut unum ducuntur a Domino, de quo videantur quae prius n. 457, 551, 684, 685, 690; et se habet sicut homo, in quo tametsi tot viscera, et tot viscerula intra viscera, organa et membra, quorum unum diversimode agit ac alterum, usque omnia et singula, ut unum, ab una anima reguntur: aut sicut corpus in quo virium et motuum activitates diversae, usque omnes ab unico cordis et unico pulmonis motu reguntur, et unum faciunt: quod haec ita unum agere possint exinde est quod in caelo sit unicus influxus, qui recipitur ab unoquovis secundum ejus genium, qui influxus est affectionum a Domino, Ipsius Misericordia et Vita; et tametsi influxus unicus est, usque omnia parent et sequuntur sicut unum; et hoc per amorem mutuum in quo sunt qui in caelo: [3] ita se habuit cum Ecclesia Antiqua prima tametsi tot cultus fuerunt interni et externi, in genere quot gentes, specie quot gentium familiae, et in particulari quot homines Ecclesia usque unum omnibus labium et una verba, hoc est, omnibus una doctrina in communi et particulari; una doctrina est cum omnibus amor mutuus seu charitas; amor mutuus et charitas facit ut unum sint, tametsi varia, nam ex variis unum facit, omnes quotcumque sunt, si vel myriadum myriades, si in charitate seu amore mutuo sunt, unum finem habent, nempe commune bonum, regnum Domini, Ipsum Dominum; varietates doctrinalium et cultuum sunt sic varietates sensuum et viscerum in homine, ut dictum, quae contribuunt ad perfectionem totius; Dominus enim tunc per charitatem diversimode secundum cujusvis genium influit et operatur, et sic disponit omnes et singulos in ordinem, ita in terra sicut in caelo, et 'fit tunc Domini voluntas,' ut Dominus Ipse docet, 'in terris sicut in caelis.'