1551、“银”表示真理，这从“银”的含义清楚可知，“银”是指真理。上古之人将人里面的良善与真理比作各种金属：将从对主之爱流出的至内层或属天良善比作金；将源于这些的真理比作银；将更低级或属世的良善比作铜；将更低级的真理比作铁；他们不仅这样比较，还如此称呼它们。这就是各个时期被比作这些金属，称为黄金时代、白银时代、青铜时代和黑铁时代的来源，因为这些时代按这个顺序一个接一个到来。黄金时代是上古教会，也就是属天人的时期；白银时代是古教会，也就是属灵人的时期；青铜时代是随后教会的时期；之后是黑铁时代。尼布甲尼撒梦中所看到的雕像也表示类似事物，“它的头是精金的，胸膛和膀臂是银的，肚腹和大腿是铜的，腿是铁的”（但以理书2:32-33）。教会的各个时期要按这个顺序一个接一个到来，实际上也是如此到来的，这一点清楚可见于但以理书的第二章。
就圣言的内义而言，“银”，无论在哪里提到它，都表示真理，在反面意义上则表示虚假，这一点从以下经文清楚看出来。以赛亚书：
我要拿金子代替铜，拿银子代替铁，拿铜代替木头，拿铁代替石头；并要以和平为你的官长，以公义为你的税吏。（以赛亚书60:17）
每种金属表示什么，这在此处是很明显的。所论述的主题是主的降临，祂的国度和属天教会；“代替铜的金子”是指代替属世良善的属天良善；“代替铁的银子”是指代替属世真理的属灵真理；“代替木头的铜”是指代替肉体良善的属世良善；“代替石头的铁”是指代替感官真理的属世真理。同一先知书：
看哪，凡口渴的，都就近水来，没有银钱的，也来，买了吃！（以赛亚书55:1）
“没有银钱的”是指不知道真理，但仍拥有仁之良善的人；教会里的许多人和教会之外的列族或外邦人就是这样。
又：
众海岛必等候我，他施的船只领先，将你的众子连他们的银金从远方一同带来，都为耶和华你神的名，又为以色列的圣者。（以赛亚书60:9）
此处具体论述了一个新教会，或外邦人的教会，普遍论述了主的国度；“他施的船只”表示（宗教）知识或认知，“银”表示真理，“金”表示良善，因为这些是他们“为耶和华的名而带来”的东西。以西结书：
你拿我所给你为装饰的金银器皿，为自己制造男性的像。（以西结书16:17）
此处“金”表示属天事物的知识或认知，“银”表示属灵事物的知识或认知。同一先知书：
你就有金银的妆饰，你的衣裳是细麻衣、丝绸和刺绣的衣服。（以西结书16:13）
这论及耶路撒冷，耶路撒冷表示主的教会，其妆饰以这种方式来描述。又：
看哪，你何等智慧！什么秘事都没有瞒过你。你靠自己的智慧聪明为自己得了财富，你得了金银收入你的宝库。（以西结书28:3-4）
这话说的是推罗；显然，此处“金”是指智慧的财富，“银”是指聪明的财富。
约珥书：
你们既然夺取我的银、我的金，又将我可爱的宝物带入你们的庙宇。（约珥书3:5）
这论及推罗、西顿和非利士；它们表示（宗教）知识或认知，这些知识或认知就是他们带入自己庙宇的“金银”。哈该书：
一切民族所拣选的都必来到，我就使这房屋满了荣耀。银子是我的，金子也是我的。这后起房屋的荣耀必大过先前的荣耀。（哈该书2:7-9）
这论及主的教会，“金子”和“银子”都论及它。玛拉基书：
祂必坐着，像熬炼和洁净银子的人，必洁净利未人。（玛拉基书3:3）
这论及主的降临。诗篇：
耶和华的言语是纯净的言语，是在土炉中精练、炼过七次的银子。（诗篇12:6）
“炼过七次的银子”表示神性真理。以色列人出埃及的时候，被吩咐：
各妇女必向她的女邻舍和她家里的女宾客要银器、金器和衣裳，好给他们的儿女穿戴，这样你们就掠夺了埃及人。（出埃及记3:22；11:2-3；12:35-36）
谁都能看出，以色列人绝不会被吩咐以这种方式去偷窃，并掠夺埃及人，除非这些行为代表某些奥秘；至于这些奥秘是什么，这可从“银”、“金”、“衣裳”和“埃及”的含义，以及以下事实清楚看出来，即：这些财物所代表的东西，类似于此处论及亚伯兰的话，就是他富有来自埃及的银金所代表的。
正如“银”表示真理，它在反面意义上则表示虚假；因为受虚假影响的人认为虚假就是真理，这一点也清楚可见于先知书。摩西五经：
你不可垂涎列族的银和金，也不可据为己有，免得你因此陷入网罗，这原是耶和华你神所憎恶的。你要十分厌恶它。（申命记7:25-26）
“列族的金子”表示邪恶，“他们的银子”表示虚假。出埃及记：
你们不可在我旁边作银神，也不可为自己作金神。（出埃及记20:23）
就内义而言，这些话只表示虚假和恶欲；“银神”是指虚假，“金神”是指恶欲。以赛亚书：
到那日，各人必将他的银偶像、金偶像，就是你们亲手给自己所造为罪的，都抛弃了。（以赛亚书31:7）
“银偶像、金偶像”表示类似事物，就是虚假和邪恶；“亲手所造的”表示它们来源于人的自我。耶利米书：
他们都变得野蛮愚蠢，他们所领受的空虚教导不过是木头！银子打成薄片从他施带来，金子则从乌法而来；是匠人和金匠的手所作的工。又有蓝色紫色料的衣服，都是智者的工作。（耶利米书10:8-9）
显然，此处“银子”和“金子”表示类似事物。
注：在西方作品中，最早提到金属所表示的四个时代的，是古希腊诗人赫西俄德（生活在前8世纪）所著《工作与时日》109-201中的著名段落。根据赫西俄德的说法，黄金时代的人们“象神灵那样生活着，没有内心的悲伤”，据说“以住在地上的纯灵的形式存活，他们无害、善良，是凡人的守护者”。接下来的白银种族“远远不如第一代种族优秀”，很长时间才能长大成人，成人经历也非常短暂，并且“由于愚昧无知而始终活在悲伤之中”。白银种族被青铜种族所取代，“他们可怕而且强悍。他们喜爱阿瑞斯（战争之神）制造哀伤的工作和暴力行为，不食五谷，心如铁石，令人望而生畏”。继青铜种族之后到来的是英雄种族，与荷马史诗等希腊神话的伟大传说有关；最后是我们自己的“黑铁种族”，“人们白天没完没了地劳累烦恼，夜晚不断地死去”。关于该主题的其它经典参考文献还有：维吉尔的诗集《牧歌》（一称田园诗）其4；奥维德《变形记》1:89-112。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1551. The symbolism of silver as true ideas can be seen from the symbolism of silver as what is true.
The earliest people compared the goodness and truth in human beings to different metals. The deepest goodness or blessings, which are heavenly ones, resulting from love for the Lord, they compared to gold. The truth that rises out of these blessings they compared to silver. Lowlier benefits, on the other hand, or earthly blessings, they compared to bronze, while they compared lowlier kinds of truth to iron. What is more, they did not merely compare them to these metals, they also called them by the names of the metals. From this they also derived the practice of comparing different eras to the same metals and calling them the Golden, Silver, Bronze, and Iron Ages, in that order.{*1} The Golden Age was the era of the earliest church, a heavenly race. The Silver Age was the era of the ancient church, which was a spiritual race. The Bronze Age was the era of the next church, and the Iron Age followed it.
Similar things were symbolized by the statue Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream,
its head made of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, and its shins of iron. (Daniel 2:32-33)
The fact that they would come in this order, or that the different eras of the church had come in this order, can be seen in the same chapter of that prophet.{*2} [2] The following passages show that wherever silver is mentioned in the Word, on an inner level it symbolizes truth, and in an opposite sense falsity. In Isaiah:
For bronze I will bring in gold, and for iron I will bring in silver; and for wood, bronze; and for stones, iron. And I will make peace your property,{*3} and justice your taskmaster. (Isaiah 60:17)
The meaning of each metal is plain to see here. The passage deals with the Lord's Coming, his kingdom, and the heavenly church. "For bronze, gold" is heavenly good in place of earthly good. "For iron, silver" is spiritual truth in place of earthly truth. "For wood, bronze" is earthly good in place of good on the bodily plane. "For stones, iron" is earthly truth in place of truth on the plane of the senses. In the same author:
Oh, everyone who is thirsty, come to the water, and whoever does not have silver, come, buy and eat! (Isaiah 55:1)
One who lacks silver is one who knows no truth and yet does the good deeds of neighborly love. Many people within the church and many nations outside it are like this.
[3] In the same author:
For me the islands will await, as will the ships of Tarshish, from the start, to lead your children from far away 钬?their silver and their gold with them 钬?to the name of Jehovah your God and to the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 60:9)
This treats specifically of a new church (or a church among non-Jews) and generally of the Lord's kingdom. Ships of Tarshish stand for religious knowledge, silver for true ideas, and gold for good impulses, which will lead us to the name of Jehovah. In Ezekiel:
You took the articles of your finery 钬?made of my gold and of my silver, which I had given to you 钬?and made yourself images of a male. (Ezekiel 16:17)
The gold here stands for knowledge of heavenly attributes and the silver for knowledge of spiritual ones. In the same author:
You were adorned in gold and silver, and your clothing was fine linen and silk and embroidery. (Ezekiel 16:13)
This is about Jerusalem, which symbolizes the Lord's church, whose finery is depicted this way. In the same author:
How wise you are! Nothing secret has lain hidden from you. In your wisdom and in your understanding you have made yourself riches, and you have made gold and silver for your treasuries. (Ezekiel 28:3-4)
This passage concerns Tyre. Clearly the gold mentioned in it is a wealth of wisdom and the silver is a wealth of understanding.
[4] In Joel:
My silver and my gold you have stolen, and my good, desirable things you have taken into your temples. (Joel 3:5)
This is about Tyre, Sidon, and Philistia. They symbolize religious knowledge, which is the gold and silver they took into their temples. In Haggai:
Those who are the choice of every nation will come, and I will fill this House with glory. Mine is the silver and mine the gold. Greater will the glory of this later house be than that of the earlier. (Haggai 2:7, 8, 9)
This is about the Lord's church, with which the gold and silver are associated. In Malachi:
He will sit smelting and refining silver and will purify the children of Levi. (Malachi 3:3)
This passage tells of the Lord's Coming. In David:
Jehovah's words: pure words, silver smelted in a crucible of earth, melted seven times. (Psalms 12:6)
Silver purified seven times stands for divine truth. When the children of Israel left Egypt, they were given this command:
Seek 钬?a woman from her neighbor, and from her houseguest 钬?articles of silver and articles of gold and clothes, and place them on their sons and on their daughters, and plunder the Egyptians. (Exodus 3:22; 11:2-3; 12:35-36)
Anyone can see that the children of Israel would never have been told to rob and plunder the Egyptians in this way if such actions had not represented something hidden. What hidden meaning they represented can be deduced from the symbolism of silver, gold, clothes, and Egypt.{*4} Obviously it all represented something similar to Abram's heaviness here in silver and gold brought from Egypt.
[5] Just as silver symbolizes truth, in the opposite sense it symbolizes falsity, because people whose thinking is false consider falsity true, and this too can be seen in [Moses and] the prophets. In Moses:
You shall not covet the silver and gold of the nations or take it for yourself; otherwise you might be ensnared by it, because it is an abomination to Jehovah your God. You shall utterly detest it. (Deuteronomy 7:25-26)
The gold of the nations stands for evil and their silver for falsity. In the same author:
You shall not make gods of silver beside me; and gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves. (Exodus 20:23)
These words mean nothing at all in the inner sense if they do not mean false notions and corrupt desires; false notions are gods of silver, and corrupt desires are gods of gold. In Isaiah:
On that day they will each repudiate their silver idols and their gold idols that your hands made for you 钬?a sin. (Isaiah 31:7)
Silver idols and gold idols stand for something similar. "Your hands made them" stands for the fact that they originate in self-centeredness. In Jeremiah:
They are becoming foolish and growing stupid. Their education in worthless things is a piece of wood. Silver beaten thin is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artist and of the metalsmith's hands; blue-violet and red-violet fabric is their clothing 钬?all of them the work of the wise. (Jeremiah 10:8-9)
Obviously, these words have a similar meaning.
Footnotes:
{*1} One of the earliest mentions in Western literature of four ages denoted by metals is the famous passage in the Works and Days (Hesiod 1914) 109-201 of the Greek poet Hesiod (flourished around 700 b.c.e.). According to Hesiod, the people of the Golden Age "lived like gods without sorrow of heart" and supposedly survived in the form of "pure spirits dwelling on the earth, ... kindly, delivering from harm, and guardians of mortal men." The next race, of silver, was "less noble by far," took a long time to reach maturity, and then "lived only a little time in sorrow because of their foolishness." The silver race was replaced by one of bronze, "terrible and strong. They loved the lamentable works of Ares [the god of war] and deeds of violence: they ate no bread, but were hard of heart like adamant, fearful men." After the bronze race came the age of heroes, associated with the great legends of Greek myth such as the Homeric poems, and finally, our own, "a race of iron," when "men never rest from labour and sorrow by day, and from perishing by night." For other classical references to the theme, see Vergil Eclogues 4; Ovid Metamorphoses 1:89-112. Swedenborg discusses these ages again in 搂搂5658:2, 10355:2-3, and in several of his other works, including Worship and Love of God 1-2; Heaven and Hell 115; Marriage Love 75-76; and True Christianity 762. For references to these ages in other literature of Swedenborg's day, see Helander 2004, 430-433. [RS, JSR]
{*2} In Daniel 2:37-43, the prophet explains the dream as predicting a series of progressively inferior monarchies. [LHC]
{*3} Swedenborg translates the Hebrew (驻旨职拽只赞旨指讛 [p菨qudd腻]) here with the Latin word censum, apparently loosely meaning "property." Though other translators understand the Hebrew to mean some kind of overseeing officers, Swedenborg's rendering is not incompatible with the meaning of the Hebrew. See Brown, Driver, and Briggs 1996, page 824 left column, under 驻旨职拽只赞旨指讛 (p菨qudd腻), Strong's 6486, definition 4: "store," "things laid up." [Editors]
{*4} The symbolism of the different elements of Exodus 3:22 may be found in 搂搂6916-6920. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 1551
1551. In silver. That this signifies truths, is evident from the signification of "silver," as being truth. The most ancient people compared the goods and truths in man to metals; the inmost or the celestial goods, which are of love to the Lord, to gold; the truths which are from these, to silver; but the lower or natural goods, to copper; and the lower truths, to iron; nor did they simply compare them, but they likewise called them so. Hence periods of time were also likened to the same metals, and were called the golden, the silver, the copper, and the iron ages; for the ages followed one another in this order. The golden age was the time of the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial man; the silver age was the time of the Ancient Church, which was a spiritual man; the copper age was the time of the succeeding church; and to this succeeded the iron age. Similar things are also signified by the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar in a dream, whose "head was of good gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, the legs of iron" (Dan. 2:32-33). That this was to be the series, or that the periods of the church succeeded one another in this order, is evident from the same Prophet, and in the same chapter. [2] That in the internal sense of the Word, "silver," wherever named, signifies truth, and in the opposite sense falsity, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:
For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron; I will also make thine officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness (Isa. 60:17);
where it is evident what each metal means. The Lord's coming, and His celestial kingdom and church, are there treated of; "gold for brass," is celestial good instead of natural good; "silver for iron," is spiritual truth instead of natural truth; "brass for wood," is natural good instead of corporeal good; "iron for stones," is natural truth instead of sensuous truth. In the same:
Ho, everyone that thirsteth, go ye to the waters; and he that hath no silver; go ye, buy and eat (Isa. 55:1);
"he that hath no silver," is he who is in ignorance of truth, and yet in the good of charity, like many within the church, and the nations outside the church. [3] In the same:
The isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish in the beginning, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of Jehovah thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel (Isa. 60:9). Here a new church, or that of the Gentiles, is treated of specifically, and the Lord's kingdom universally; "the ships from Tarshish" denote knowledges; "silver," truths; and "gold," goods; for these are the things which they shall "bring to the name of Jehovah." In Ezekiel:
Thou didst take the vessels of thine adorning of My gold and of My silver, which I had given thee, and madest for thee images of a male (Ezek. 16:17). Here "gold" denotes the knowledges of celestial things; "silver," those of spiritual things. In the same:
Thou wast adorned with gold and silver, and thy raiment was fine linen and silk, and broidered work (Ezek. 16:13). This is said of Jerusalem, by which the Lord's church is signified, and the adornment of which is thus described. Again:
Behold, thou art wise, there is no secret that they have hidden from thee; in thy wisdom and in thine intelligence thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures (Ezek. 28:3-4). This is said of Tyre, and it is plain that here "gold" is the wealth of wisdom, and "silver" the wealth of intelligence. [4] In Joel:
Ye have taken My silver and My gold, and have carried into your temples My goodly desirable things (Joel 3:5). This is said concerning Tyre, Zidon, and Philistia; by which are signified knowledges, which are "the gold and the silver" that they have carried into their temples. In Haggai:
The choice of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory; the silver is Mine and the gold is Mine; the glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former (Hag. 2:7-9);
where the Lord's church is treated of, concerning which "gold" and "silver" are predicated. In Malachi:
He shall sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and shall purify the sons of Levi (Mal. 3:3);
where the Lord's coming is treated of. In David:
The discourses of Jehovah are pure discourses, silver smelted in a crucible of earth, smelted seven times (Ps. 12:6);
the "silver purified seven times," denotes Divine truth. In respect to the command given to the sons of Israel, when they were to go out of Egypt:
Every woman shall borrow of her neighbor, and of her that is a guest in her house, vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and garments; and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters, and shall spoil the Egyptians (Exod. 3:22; 11:2-3; 12:35-36);
everyone can see that the sons of Israel would by no means have been told thus to steal, and to spoil the Egyptians, unless some arcana were thus to be represented; but what the arcana are may be seen from the signification of "silver," of "gold," and of "garments," and of "Egypt;" and it may also be seen that much the same was there represented as is here represented by Abram, who was rich in silver and gold from Egypt. [5] As "silver" signifies truth, so in the opposite sense it signifies falsity; for they who are in falsity think that falsity is truth; as is also evident in the Prophets. In Moses:
Thou shalt not covet the silver and the gold of the nations, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein; for it is an abomination to Jehovah thy God; detesting thou shalt detest it (Deut. 7:25-26);
"the gold of the nations" denotes evils, and their "silver" falsities. Again:
Ye shall not make with Me gods of silver, and gods of gold shall ye not make unto you (Exod. 20:23);
by which in the internal sense nothing else is signified than falsities and cupidities; "gods of silver" are falsities; and "gods of gold" are cupidities. In Isaiah:
In that day shall they cast away every man his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin (Isa. 31:7);
"idols of silver and idols of gold," denote similar things as before; "your own hands have made them," means that they are from man's Own. In Jeremiah:
They are become brutish and foolish; a teaching of vanities is that stock; silver beaten out is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the founder; blue and crimson are their clothing, it is all the work of the wise (Jer. 10:8-9);
denoting the like things, as is very evident.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1551
1551. That 'silver' means truths is clear from the meaning of 'silver' as truth. The most ancient people compared the goods and truths present in man to metals. Innermost or celestial goods which flow from love to the Lord they compared to gold, truths deriving from these to silver. Goods of a lower or natural kind however they compared to bronze, and truths of a lower kind to iron. Nor did they just compare them; they also called them such. This was the origin of periods of time being likened to those same metals and being called the golden, silver, bronze, and iron ages, for these followed in that order one after another. The golden age was the time of the Most Ancient Church, which was celestial man. The silver age was the time of the Ancient Church, which was spiritual man. The bronze age was the time of the Church that followed, and the iron age came after that. Similar things were also meant by the statue which Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream, whose head was of fine gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, and shins of iron, Dan 2:32, 33. That periods of the Church were to follow one another in that order, and actually did so, is clear in that very chapter of the same prophet.
[2] That 'silver' in the internal sense of the Word wherever it is mentioned means truth, or in the contrary sense falsity, is clear from the following places: In Isaiah,
Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring silver, and instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron. And I will make peace your assessment, and righteousness your tax-collectors. Isa 60:17.
Here it is evident what each metal means The subject is the Lord's Coming, His kingdom, and the celestial Church. 'Instead of bronze, gold' is celestial good in place of natural good; 'instead of iron, silver' is spiritual truth in place of natural truth; 'instead of wood, bronze' is natural good in place of bodily good; 'instead of stone, iron' is natural truth in place of truth acquired through the senses. In the same prophet,
Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the water, and he who has no money,a come, buy and eat! Isa 55:1.
'He who has no money'a is the person who does not know the truth but who nevertheless possesses the good that stems from charity, as is the case with many people inside the Church, and with gentiles outside it.
[3] In the same prophet,
The islands will wait for Me, the ships of Tarshish at their head, to bring your sons from afar, their silver and their gold with them, to the name of Jehovah your God, and to the Holy One of Israel Isa 60:9.
This refers specifically to a new Church, or a Church among gentiles, and in general to the Lord's kingdom. 'Ships from Tarshish' stands for cognitions, 'silver' for truths, and 'gold' for goods, which are those things they 'will bring to the name of Jehovah'. In Ezekiel,
For your adornment you took vessels made of My gold and of My silver, which I had given you, and you made for yourselves figures of the male. Ezek 16:17.
Here 'gold' stands for cognitions of celestial things, 'silver' of spiritual things. In the same prophet,
You were adorned with gold and silver, and your raiment was fine linen and silk, and embroidered cloth. Ezek 16:13.
This refers to Jerusalem, by which the Lord's Church is meant, whose adornment is being described in this manner. In the same prophet,
Behold, you who are wise, there is no secret they have hidden from you; by your wisdom and by your intelligence you have acquired riches for yourself, and you have acquired gold and silver in your treasuries. Ezek 28:3, 4.
Here, in what is said in reference to Tyre, 'gold' is plainly identified with the riches of wisdom, and 'silver' with the riches of intelligence.
[4] In Joel,
You have taken My silver and My gold, and My good and desirable treasures you have carried into your temples Joel 3:5.
This refers to Tyre, Sidon, and Philistia, which mean cognitions, and these are 'the silver and the gold they took into their temples'. In Haggai,
The elect of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory. Mine is the silver, and Mine is the gold. The glory of this latter house will be greater than that of the former Hagg 2:7-9.
This refers to the Lord's Church to which 'gold and silver' have reference. In Malachi,
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi. Mal 3:3.
This refers to the Coming of the Lord. In David,
The words of Jehovah are pure words, silver refined in an earthen crucible, poured seven times. Ps 12:6.
'Silver purified seven times' stands for Divine truth. At the time of their exodus out of Egypt the children of Israel were commanded that every woman should ask of her neighbour, and of her who sojourned in her house, vessels of silver and vessels of gold and garments, and that they should put them on their sons and on their daughters, and so despoil the Egyptians, Exod 3:22; 11:2, 3; 12:35, 36. Anyone may see from the children of Israel would never have been ordered to steal and despoil the Egyptians of those possessions in that way if these did not represent some arcana. But what those arcana are may become clear from the meaning of 'silver and gold, garments, and Egypt', and from the fact that what these possessions represented is similar to the words here 'rich in the silver and gold from Egypt', used in reference to Abram.
[5] Just as 'silver' means truth so in a contrary sense it means falsity, for people under the influence of falsity imagine falsity to be the truth, as is also clear in the Prophets. In Moses,
You shall not covet the silver and the gold of the nations, nor take it for yourself, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to Jehovah your God. You shall utterly detest it. Deut 7:25, 26.
'The gold of the nations' stands for evils, and 'their silver' for falsities. In the same author,
You shall not make gods of silver to be with Me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. Exod 20:23.
In the internal sense these words mean nothing other than falsities and evil desires, falsities being meant by 'gods of silver', and evil desires by 'gods of gold'. In Isaiah,
On that day everyone will spurn his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your hands have made for you - a sin. Isa 31:7.
'Idols of silver and idols of gold' stands for similar things that are false and evil 'Which your hands have made' stands for what is a product of the proprium. In Jeremiah,
They are foolish and stupid; that wood is a way of learning vanities! Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the smith and of the hands of the moulder. Their clothing is violet and purple These are all the work of the wise. Jer 10:8, 9.
Here 'silver' and 'gold' quite clearly stand for similar things that are false and evil.
Latin(1748-1756) 1551
1551. 'Argento': quod significet vera, constat a significatione 'argenti' quod sit verum: antiquissimi compararunt bona et vera apud hominem metallis: bona intima seu caelestia quae sunt amoris in Dominum, 'auro': vera quae inde, 'argento': bona autem inferiora seu naturalia, 'aeri': vera autem inferiora, 'ferro'; nec solum comparabant sed ita quoque appellabant; inde derivatum quod tempora quoque assimilata fuerint eisdem metallis, et appellata 'saecula aurea, argentea, aerea, et ferrea; nam ita sibi successerunt'; 'saeculum aureum' fuit tempus Antiquissimae Ecclesiae, quae caelestis homo: 'saeculum argenteum' fuit tempus Antiquae Ecclesiae, quae spiritualis homo: 'saeculum aeris' fuit tempus Ecclesiae sequentis: cui successit 'saeculum ferreum.' Similia quoque significata sunt per 'statuam' in somnio visam Nebuchadnezzari, Cujus caput de auro bono; pectus et brachia de argento; venter et femora de aere; tibiae de ferro, Dan. ii 32, 33;quod ita successura, aut quod ita successerint tempora Ecclesiae, apud eundem Prophetam in capite illo constat. [2] Quod 'argentum' significet in sensu interno Verbi ubicumque nominatur, verum, et in opposito sensu falsum, constat ex his locis; apud Esaiam, Pro aere adducam aurum, et pro ferro adducam argentum, et pro lignis aes; et pro lapidibus, ferrum; et ponam censum tuum, pacem, et exactores tuos justitiam, lx 17;
ubi patet quid unumquodvis metallum; ibi de Adventu Domini, et Ipsius regno et Ecclesia caelesti agitur; 'pro aere aurum' est pro bono naturali bonum caeleste; 'pro ferro argentum' est pro vero naturali verum spirituale; 'pro ligno aes' est pro corporeo bono naturale bonum; 'pro lapidibus ferrum' est pro sensuali vero naturale verum: apud eundem, Heu omnis sitiens, ite ad aquas, et cui non ei argentum, ite, emite, et comedite, lv 1;
'cui non argentum' est qui in ignorantia veri, et tamen in bono charitatis, sicut plures intra Ecclesiam, et gentes extra Ecclesiam: apud eundem, [3] Me insulae exspectabunt, et naves Tarshish in principio, ad adducendum filios tuos e longinquo, argentum eorum, et aurum eorum cum illis, Nomini Jehovae Dei tui, et Sancto Israelis, lx 9;
ibi de Ecclesia nova seu gentium in specie, de regno Domini in universali; 'naves de Tarshish' pro cognitionibus; 'argentum' pro veris, 'aurum' pro bonis, quae sunt 'quae adducent Nomini Jehovae': apud Ezechielem, Accepisti vasa ornatus tui ex auro Meo, et ex argento Meo quae dederam tibi, et fecisti tibi imagines masculi, xvi 17;
ibi 'aurum' pro cognitionibus caelestium, 'argentum' pro spiritualium apud eundem, Ornata es auro et argento, et vestis tua byssus et sericum et acupictum, xvi 13;
de Hierosolyma per quam significatur Ecclesia Domini, cujus ornatu ita describitur: apud eundem, Ecce sapiens tu,...ullum occultum non latuerunt te, in sapientia tua, et in intelligentia tua fecisti tibi opes, et fecisti aurum et argentum in thesauris tuis, xxviii 3, 4;
de Tyro, ubi manifeste quod 'aurum' sint opes sapientiae, et 'argentum' opes intelligentiae: apud Joelem, [4] Argentum Meam, et aurum Meum sumpsistis, et desiderabilia Mea bona intulistis in templa vestra, iv 5 [A.V. iii 5];
de Tyro, Zidone et Philistaea per quas significantur cognitiones, quae sunt 'aurum et argentum, quod intulerunt in templa sua': apud Haggaeum, Venient electio omnium gentium, et implebo domum hanc gloria, Mihi argentum, et Mihi aurum, magna erit gloria domus hujus posterioris prae prioris, ii [7,] 8, 9;
ubi de Ecclesia Domini, de qua praedicatur 'aurum et argentum': apud Malachiam, Sedebit conflans et emundans argentum, et purificabit filios Levi, iii 3;
ubi de Adventu Domini: apud Davidem, Sermones Jehovae, sermones puri, argentum conflatum in catino terrae, fusum septies, Ps. xii 7 [A.V. 6];
'argentum purificatum septies' pro veritate Divina. Quod mandatum filiis Israelis cum exirent Aegypto, quod Peteret mulier a vicina sua, et ab hospita domus suae, vasa argenti, et vasa auri, et vestes, et ponerent super filiis suis, et super filiabus suis, et spoliarent Aegyptios, Exod. iii 22; xi 2, 3; xii 35, 36;
quisque videre potest quod nusquam filiis Israelis dictum fuerit ita furari, et spoliare Aegyptios, nisi repraesentarent aliqua arcana; at quae arcana, constare potest a significatione 'argenti, et auri, et vestium et Aegypti,' et quod simile quid repraesentaverint, ac quod hic Abramus, quod 'gravis argento et auro ex Aegypto.' [5] Sicut argentum significat verum, ita in sensu opposito significat falsum, nam qui in falso sunt, putant falsum esse verum, ut quoque constat apud Prophetas; apud Mosen, Non concupisces gentium argentum et aurum, et accipias tibi, ne forte illaqueeris illo, quia abominatio Jehovae Dei tui illud,...detestando detestaberis illud, Deut. vii 25, 26;
'gentium aurum' pro malis, et 'earum argentum' pro falsis: apud eundem, Non facietis Mecum, deos argenti, et deos auri non facietis vobis, Exod. xx 23;
per quae in sensu interno nihil aliud significantur quam falsitates et cupiditates; falsitates sunt 'dii argenti,' et cupiditates sunt 'dii auri': apud Esaiam, Die illo reprobabunt quisque idola argenti sui, et idola auri sui, quae fecerunt vobis manus vestrae, peccatum, xxxi 7;
'idola argenti et idola auri' pro similibus; 'quod fecerint manus vestrae' pro quod ex proprio: apud Jeremiam, Infatuantur et stultescunt, disciplina vanitatum lignum illud, argentum extensum de Tarshish adfertur, et aurum de Uphaso, opus fabri et manuum conflatoris; hyacinthinum et purpura vestis eorum, opus sapientum tota, x 8, 9;
pro similibus, ut manifeste constat.