1361、教会因偶像崇拜而变成代表，没有人知道这一事实，除非他知道何为代表。在犹太教会和圣言中，被代表的事物都是主及其国度，因而是爱的属天事物和信的属灵事物。这些就是被代表的事物，此外还有伴随它们的许多事物，如属于教会的一切事物。代表它们的事物要么是人，要么是这个世界或地上的事物；简言之，就是作为感官对象的一切，以至于几乎没有任何对象不能成为代表。然而，代表的一般法则是，不要关注进行代表的人或物，而要关注被代表的事物本身。
例如，犹大和以色列，甚至埃及以及别处的每个王，无论他是谁，都能代表主。他们的王权本身就具有代表性；因此，所有的王，哪怕是最坏的，也能代表祂，如提拔约瑟治理埃及地的法老，巴比伦的尼布甲尼撒（但以理书2:37-38），扫罗，以及犹大和以色列的其他国王，无论他们是哪种人。对他们的膏抹本身（他们因被膏抹而被称为耶和华的受膏者）就具有这种代表。所有祭司，无论有多少，同样都代表主；祭司职分本身就具有代表性；就连邪恶和不洁的祭司也能代表主；因为在代表中，要关注的不是实际的这个人的品质。不仅人类，动物也具有代表性，如用于献祭的所有动物；羔羊和绵羊代表属天事物，鸽子和斑鸠代表属灵事物；同样，公羊、公山羊、小公牛和公牛代表低级的属天和属灵事物。
如前所述，用作代表的，不仅包括有生命之物或活物，还包括无生命之物，如祭坛，甚至祭坛上的石头，以及约柜、会幕及其中的一切；众所周知的圣殿及其中的一切，如灯台、饼、亚伦的衣服。不仅这些事物，就连犹太教会的一切仪式也都是代表。在古教会，代表延伸至一切感官对象，如大山小山、山谷、平原、江河、溪流、源泉、水井或水库，总体的森林、树林和具体的每棵树，甚至每种树都有某种确定的含义。后来，当象征性的教会结束时，这些事物就成了代表。由此可见何谓代表。由于不仅人类，无论他们是谁，是何品质，而且动物，甚至无生命之物，都能代表属天和属灵事物，就是那些属于主在天上和地上的国度的事物，所以显而易见何为代表性教会。
代表具有这样的功效：在灵人和天使眼里，凡按所吩咐的仪式来执行的事都是神圣的，如大祭司在用水清洗自己，穿着祭司服去事奉，站在点燃的灯台前的时候，无论他是哪种人，即便他是最不洁的，并且心里是偶像崇拜者。其他祭司也是如此，因为如前所述，在代表中，不要关注这个人，只要关注被代表的实际事物本身。代表完全从这个人中抽象出来了，就像从献为祭的公牛、小公牛、羔羊，或倒在祭坛周围的血，或祭坛本身等等中抽象出来一样。
这个代表性教会的建立是在一切内在敬拜都消亡，敬拜不仅变得完全外在，甚至成了偶像崇拜之后，以便天堂能在某种程度上与大地联结，也就是主可以通过天堂与人类联结。这一切是在藉由敬拜的内在事物的结合毁灭后发生的。至于只藉由代表的这种结合是何性质，蒙主的神性怜悯，以后再讨论（3478-3480，4311，8588:5-6，8788，9457，9481，10500节）。代表直到下一章才开始，在下一章并自下一章起，一切事物，无论总体还是细节，都是纯粹的代表。此处论述的主题是那些系他们祖先之人的状态，就是他们及其后代中的一些人变成代表之前他们的状态。前面（1358节）说明，他们的敬拜是偶像崇拜。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1361. Idolatry turned the church into a representative religion, but no one can see this without knowing what it means to be representative. What was represented in the Jewish religion and what is represented in the Word are the Lord and his kingdom and therefore the heavenly qualities of love and the spiritual properties of faith. These and many other things related to them are what is being represented, as is everything having to do with religion.
The things that represent them are either people or various objects that exist in the world or on earth — in short, everything that is perceptible to the senses. In fact there is hardly any perceptible thing that cannot serve a representative role.
A general rule of representation, however, is that it implies nothing about the person or thing that does the representing, only about the phenomenon represented.
[2] For example, every monarch, no matter who it was — in Judah or Israel, even in Egypt and elsewhere — was able to represent the Lord. The monarchy itself of these people was representative. So the Lord could be represented by the worst sovereign of all, such as the pharaoh who set Joseph up over the land of Egypt, or Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon (Daniel 2:37-38), or Saul, or the other monarchs of Judah and Israel, whatever they were like. Their actual anointing (because of which they were referred to as "Jehovah's anointed") involved this representation.{*1} All the priests without exception similarly represented the Lord. Priesthood itself is representative. Priests who were evil and impure represented the Lord as well, because with representative roles there is no implication concerning the character of the actual person.
Not only people played a representative role but animals too, such as all the sacrificial ones. Lambs and sheep represented heavenly qualities; pigeons and turtledoves represented spiritual ones. Rams, he-goats, young cattle, and adult cattle did too, but the heavenly and spiritual qualities they represented were of a lower order.
[3] What is more, not only animate beings played a representative role, as noted, but inanimate objects too. Examples are the altar and even the altar stones, the ark and the tabernacle with all that was in it, the Temple with all that was in it as well (as anyone can recognize), and so the lamps, the loaves of bread, and Aaron's garments.{*2} And not only were these items representative but all the rituals of the Jewish religion were too.
In the ancient churches, [which were steeped in symbolism,] symbolic items{*3} included all the objects of the senses, such as mountains and hills; valleys, plains, rivers, brooks, springs, and wells; groves of trees; trees in general; and every tree in particular, to the point where each individual tree meant something specific. Later, when the symbolic church ended, such objects became representative. These remarks show what "representative objects" means.
Again, not only humans — without regard to their identity or character — but also animals and inanimate objects were capable of representing heavenly and spiritual attributes (that is, attributes of the Lord's kingdom in the heavens and of the Lord's kingdom on earth). And from this, one can deduce what a representative church is.
[4] Because of the way the representative relationship worked, any activity that met the requirements laid down for ritual appeared holy in the eyes of spirits and angels. This was true, for instance, when the high priest washed with water, wore the priestly garb as he ministered, and stood in front of the burning lamps. It did not matter what he was like, even if he was extremely impure and an idolater at heart. The same was true for the other priests as well. To repeat, when it comes to representative items, they imply nothing about the actual person, only about the quality itself that is being represented, in complete isolation from the person. The quality is just as separate from the person as it was from the adult cattle, young cattle, and lambs that were sacrificed, or from the blood that was poured out around the altar, or from the altar itself, and so on.
[5] This representative religion was established after all inward worship had died out and become not merely shallow but even idolatrous. It was established in order to maintain some connection between heaven and earth, or rather between the Lord and humankind through heaven. This occurred after the bond created by the deeper elements of worship had broken. However, the nature of this connection created only by representative elements will be told later [3478-3480, 4311, 8588:5-6, 8788, 9457, 9481, 10500], by the Lord's divine mercy.
Representative meanings do not start till the next chapter, but each and every detail from there on is purely representative. The present verse deals with the circumstances of the forefathers before some of them (and their descendants) came to serve representative roles. The fact that they practiced idolatrous worship is shown above [1358].
Footnotes:
{*1} On the anointing of sacred persons, see note 3 in 1001. David frequently refers to Saul, his predecessor, as Jehovah's anointed, as in 1 Samuel 24:6 and 26:9. For other examples, see 1 Samuel 16:6; 2 Chronicles 6:42. Even a foreign ruler, Cyrus of Persia, is termed the Lord's "anointed" in Isaiah 45:1. The term passed into the Greek New Testament as ὁ Χριστός (ho Christós), "the Christ," or "the Anointed One." [LHC, RS, SS]
{*2} A stone altar for Israel is described in Deuteronomy 27:2-8 and Joshua 8:30-32. The ark and the meeting tent were parts of the tabernacle, described in Exodus 25-31 and 35-40; these chapters also speak of the lamps, the loaves of showbread, and Aaron's priestly garments. The Temple is Solomon's temple, described in 1 Kings 5-8. [LHC]
{*3} The translation here assumes the reading significativa ("symbolic items") for the first edition's repraesentativa ("representative items"). On the difference between symbolism and representation in Swedenborg's theology, see note 3 in 4. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 1361
1361. That from being idolatrous the church became representative, no one can know unless he knows what a representative is. The things that were represented in the Jewish Church, and in the Word, are the Lord and His kingdom, consequently the celestial things of love, and the spiritual things of faith: these are what were represented, besides many things that pertain to these, such as all things that belong to the church. The representing objects are either persons or things that are in the world or upon the earth; in a word, all things that are objects of the senses, insomuch that there is scarcely any object that cannot be a representative. But it is a general law of representation that there is no reflection upon the person or upon the thing which represents, but only upon that thing itself which is represented.
[2] For example, every king, whoever he was, in Judah and Israel, and even in Egypt and elsewhere, could represent the Lord. Their royalty itself is what is representative. So that the worst of all kings could represent, such as the Pharaoh who set Joseph over the land of Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon (Dan. 2:37-38), Saul, and the other kings of Judah and of Israel, of whatever character they were. The anointing itself-from which they were called Jehovah's anointed-involved this. In like manner all priests, how many soever they were, represented the Lord; the priestly function itself being what is representative; and so in like manner the priests who were evil and impure; because in representatives there is no reflection upon the person, in regard to what his quality is. And not only did men represent, but also beasts, such as all that were offered in sacrifice; the lambs and sheep representing celestial things; the doves and turtledoves, spiritual things; and in like manner the rams, goats, bullocks, and oxen represented lower celestial and spiritual things. [3] And not only were animate things used as representatives, but also inanimate things, such as the altar and even the stones of the altar, the ark and the tabernacle with all that was in them, and, as everyone may know, the temple with all that was therein, such as the lamps, the breads, and the garments of Aaron. Nor these things only, but also all the rites in the Jewish Church were representative. In the Ancient Churches, representatives extended to all the objects of the senses, to mountains and hills, to valleys, plains, rivers, brooks, fountains, and pools, to groves and trees in general, and to every tree in particular, insomuch that each tree had some definite signification; all which, afterwards, when the significative church had ceased, were made representatives. From all this it may be seen what is meant by representatives. And as things celestial and spiritual-that is-the things of the Lord's kingdom in the heavens, and of the Lord's kingdom on earth could be represented not only by men, whosoever and of what quality soever they were, but also by beasts, and even by inanimate things, it may now be seen what a representative church is. [4] The representatives were of such an efficacy that all things that were done according to the rites commanded appeared holy before the spirits and angels, as for instance when the high priest washed himself with water, when he ministered clothed in his pontifical garments, when he stood before the burning lights, no matter what kind of man he was, even if most impure, and in his heart an idolater. The case was the same with all the other priests. For, as before said, in representatives the person was not reflected upon, but only the thing itself that was represented, quite abstractly from the person, as it was abstractly from the oxen, the bullocks, and the lambs that were sacrificed, or from the blood that was poured round about the altar, and also abstractly from the altar itself; and so on. [5] This representative church was instituted-after all internal worship was lost, and when worship had become not only merely external, but also idolatrous-in order that there might be some conjunction of heaven with earth, that is, of the Lord through heaven with man, even after the conjunction by the internal things of worship had perished. But what kind of conjunction this is by representatives alone, shall of the Lord's Divine mercy be told in what follows. Representatives do not begin until the following chapter; in which, and in those that follow, all things in general and in particular are purely representative. Here, the subject treated of is the state of those who were the fathers, before certain of them and their descendants became representative; and it has been shown above that they were in idolatrous worship.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1361
1361. The fact that the Church became representative as the result of idolatry nobody is able to know unless he knows what a representative is. The things that were represented in the Jewish Church, and in the Word, are the Lord and His kingdom, and therefore the celestial things of love and the spiritual things of faith. These are the things that are represented, in addition to many things that go with them, such as everything belonging to the Church. Those that represent are either persons or else things in the universe or on this earth; in short, all things that are objects of the senses, so much so that scarcely any object is incapable of being representative. It is a general law of representation however that no attention is paid to the representative person or thing, but to the actual subject being represented.
[2] For example: Every king who has lived - in Judah or Israel, or even in Egypt and elsewhere - could represent the Lord Their royal status itself is representative, and thus the worst king of all was able to represent Him, such as the Pharaoh who promoted Joseph over the land of Egypt, or Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon, Dan 2:37, 38, or Saul and all the other kings of Judah and Israel, no matter what kind of men they were. The anointing of them, by virtue of which they were called 'Jehovah's anointed', carried that representation with it. In the same way all priests, however many there were, represented the Lord. Their priestly status itself is representative. This applies even to priests who were evil and immoral, for in representatives no attention is paid to the character of the person involved. And not only human beings but also animals were representative, for example all those used in sacrifice. Lambs and sheep represented celestial things, doves and turtle doves spiritual, as did rams, he-goats, young bulls, and oxen, though these latter represented lower types of celestial and spiritual things.
[3] Nor, as has been stated, was it just living creatures that were representative but also inanimate objects, such as the altar and even the stones of the altar; also the Ark and the Tabernacle together with everything in it; and the Temple too together with everything in it, a fact that anyone is capable of seeing. The lamps, the loaves, and Aaron's garments were accordingly representative. And not only these but also all the religious ceremonies in the Jewish Church. In the Ancient Churches representatives extended to every object of the senses, such as mountains and hills, and valleys, plains, rivers, streams, springs, reservoirs, woods, trees in general, and every kind of tree in particular, so that every single tree had some definite meaning. Once the Church of meaningful signs had come to an end these things became representatives. These considerations make clear what is to be understood by representatives. And seeing that not only human beings, no matter who or of what character, but also animals and even inanimate objects, could represent celestial and spiritual things - which are things belonging to the Lord's kingdom in heaven and those belonging to the Lord's kingdom on earth - it is consequently clear what a representative Church is.
[4] Representatives were such that to spirits and angels all things that were carried out according to the prescribed ritual appeared holy, as when the high priest, who had washed himself with water, ministered dressed in the robes of his office, and stood before the lighted candles, no matter what kind of man he was, even the most immoral and an idolater at heart. And the same applied to all other priests, for, as has been stated, in representatives no attention is paid to the person, but only to the actual thing being represented. The representation was completely abstracted from the person, as it was from the oxen, young bulls, or lambs that were sacrificed, or from the blood that was poured out around the altar, or again from the altar itself, and so on.
[5] This representative Church was established after all internal worship had perished, when worship became not only wholly external but also idolatrous It was established so that heaven might be joined in some measure to the earth, that is, the Lord might be joined to human beings by means of heaven. And this came about after conjunction by means of the internal things of worship had perished. The nature of this conjunction by means of representatives alone will in the Lord's Divine mercy be discussed later on. Representatives do not start until the next chapter, where every single thing from then on is purely representative. At the moment the subject is the state of those who were their forefathers, before some of them and their descendants became representative, whose worship, as shown above, was idolatrous.
Latin(1748-1756) 1361
1361. Quod ex idololatria Ecclesia repraesentativa facta sit, nullus scire potest nisi sciat quid repraesentativum est; quae in Ecclesia Judaica repraesentabantur, et quae in Verbo, est Dominus, ac Ipsis regnum, proinde caelestia amoris, et spiritualia fidei; haec sunt quae repraesentantur, praeter plura quae ad illa pertinent, sicut omnia quae sunt Ecclesiae: repraesentantes sunt vel personae, vel res quae sunt in mundo aut super tellure, verbo omnia quae sunt objecta sensuum, usque adeo ut vix aliquid objectum sit quod non repraesentativum esse possit: sed generalis lex repraesentationis est quod nihil reflectatur super personam aut super rem quae repraesentat, sed super illud ipsum quod repraesentatur; ut pro exemplo: [2] omnis rex quicumque fuit, in Juda et Israele, immo in Aegypto, et alibi, potuit repraesentare Dominum; ipsum regium eorum est repraesentativum; ita potuit rex omnium pessimus, sicut Pharaoh qui erexit Josephum super terram Aegypti; Nebuchadnezzar in Babele, Dan. ii 37, 38, Saul et ceteri reges Jehudae et Israelis, qualescumque fuerunt; ipsa unctio, unde appellati uncti Jehovae, hoc involvit. Similiter omnes sacerdotes quotcumque fuerunt, repraesentabant Dominum; ipsum sacerdotale est repraesentativum; sacerdotes qui fuerunt mali et immundi, similiter; quia in repraesentativis nihil reflectebatur super personam qualis fuit. Nec solum homines repraesentabant sed etiam bestiae, sicut omnes quae sacrificabantur; 'agni et oves' repraesentabant caelestia, 'columbae et turtures' spiritualia; 'arietes, hirci, juvenci et boves' similiter sed caelestia et spiritualia inferiora. [3] Nec solum animata, ut dictum, repraesentabant sed etiam inanimata, sicut altare, immo lapides altaris, tum arca et tentorium cum omnibus quae ibi, ut et templum cum omnibus quae ibi, quod cuivis notum esse potest; ita lucernae, panes, vestes Aharonis: nec solum haec repraesentativa fuerunt sed etiam omnes ritus qui fuerunt in Ecclesia Judaica. In Antiquis Ecclesiis repraesentativa se extendebant ad omnia objecta sensuum, sicut ad montes et colles, adque valles, planities, fluvios, rivos, fontes, cisternas, ad lucos, ad arbores in genere, et ad quamcumque arborem in specie, usque adeo ut unaquaevis arbor aliquid certum significaret, quae postea cum Ecclesia significativa cessavit, facta sunt repraesentativa; ex his constare potest quid per repraesentativa intelligatur: et quia non solum per homines, quicumque et qualescumque essent sed etiam per bestias, tum etiam per inanimata, repraesentari potuerunt caelestia et spiritualia, illa nempe quae sunt regni Domini in caelis, et quae sunt regni Domini in terris, inde constat quid Ecclesia repraesentativa. [4] Repraesentativa se habuerunt quod coram spiritibus et angelis apparerent omnia sancta quae fiebant secundum ritus mandatos, ut cum summus sacerdos lavasset se aquis, amictu pontificali indutus ministraret, coram candelis accensis staret, utcumque ille fuisset, etiam si vel immundissimus et corde suo idololatres; ita quoque ceteri sacerdotes; nam, sicut dictum, in repraesentativis non reflectebatur super personam sed super ipsum illud quod repraesentabatur, prorsus abstracte a persona, sicut abstracte a bovibus, juvencis, agnis quae sacrificabantur, aut a sanguine qui effundebatur circum altare, ut et abstracte ab ipso altari, et sic porro. [5] Ecclesia haec repraesentativa instituta est postquam omnis cultus internus periit, et cum factus non solum mere externus sed etiam idololatricus, ob causam ut aliqua conjunctio caeli foret cum terra, seu Domini per caelum cum homine; et hoc postquam periit conjunctio per interna cultus: sed qualis conjunctio haec sit per sola repraesentativa, ex Divina Domini Misericordia, dicetur in sequentibus. Repraesentativa non prius incohantur quam in capite sequente, ubi omnia et singula quae ibi et in sequentibus, pure repraesentativa sunt: hic agitur de statu illorum qui patres fuerunt, antequam quidam ex illis et posteri eorum repraesentativi facti, qui quod in idololatrico cultu fuerint, supra ostensum est.