2406、“天使催罗得快点”表示主使他们躲避邪恶,并把他们保守在良善中。这从“催”和“快点”的含义清楚可知,“催”和“快点”是指催促。这句话表示躲避邪恶,这一点从这句话的内义和下文明显看出来。内义就是,当教会开始远离仁之良善时,主使教会成员躲避邪恶的力度比在教会处于仁之良善时更大。下文清楚表明这一点,因为尽管天使催罗得出城,但他仍迟延不走;于是天使便拉着他和他的妻子、女儿的手,把他们领出去,安置在城外。这表示并描述了处于这种状态下的人是什么样,因为现在论述的是该教会的第二个状态。本章头三节描述了第一个状态,该状态是这样:他们处于仁之良善,承认主,主也强化他们的良善。此处描述的第二个状态则是这样:在教会成员本身当中,邪恶开始反对良善;那时,主强有力地使他们躲避邪恶,并把他们保守在良善中。19:15-17论述了这种状态。
关于这个问题,很少有人知道,主使所有人,无一例外,躲避邪恶,其力量之大超出任何人的想像。因为每个人由于他与生俱来的遗传之物和他为自己实际获得的东西而不断努力倾向于邪恶。这种倾向如此强烈,以至于主若不拦阻他,他必随时一头扎进最低层的地狱。但主的怜悯如此之大,以致他时时刻刻,甚至每一瞬间都在被提升,免得闯进那地方。这也适用于善人,尽管各自照其仁与信的生命而不同。因此,主不断与人争战,并为人而与地狱争战,尽管这在人看来并非如此。我从大量经历中得知,事情的确是这样。对此,蒙主的神性怜悯,我将在别处讲述(4564,8206节)。也可参看929,1581节。
Potts(1905-1910) 2406
2406. The angels pressed Lot to hasten. That this signifies that the Lord withheld them from evil and kept them in good is evident from the signification of "pressing" and "hastening," as being to urge; and that by these words is signified to be withheld from evil, is evident both from the internal sense of these words and from what follows. The internal sense is that when the church begins to fall away from the good of charity, its people are at that time withheld from evil by the Lord more strongly than when it is in the good of charity. The same is evident from what follows, namely, that although the angels pressed Lot to go out of the city, he still lingered; and that they then laid hold of the hands of himself, his wife, and his daughters, and led them forth, and set them without the city; by which is signified and described the character of man in that state; for it is the second state of this church that is here treated of. The first state is described in the first three verses of this chapter; which state is such that they are in the good of charity and acknowledge the Lord, and are confirmed in good by Him. The second state is described here, which is such that with the men of the church themselves evils begin to act against goods, and that they are then powerfully withheld from evils and kept in goods by the Lord; which state is treated of in this verse, and in the 15th, 16th, and 17th, that follow. [2] As regards this matter, few, if any, know that all men without exception are withheld from evils by the Lord, and this by a mightier force than man can ever believe. For the endeavor of every man is continually toward evil, and this both from what is hereditary, into which he is born, and from what is actual, which he has procured for himself; and this to such a degree that if he were not withheld by the Lord, he would rush headlong every moment toward the lowest hell. But the mercy of the Lord is so great that at every moment, even the least, the man is uplifted and held back, to prevent him from rushing thither. This is the case with the good also, but with a difference according to their life of charity and faith. Thus the Lord combats continually with man, and for man with hell, although it does not so appear to the man. That it is really so has been given me to know by much experience, which of the Lord's Divine mercy will be related elsewhere. (See also n. 929, 1581.)
Elliott(1983-1999) 2406
2406. 'The angels pressed Lot to hurry' means that the Lord withheld them from evil and maintained them in good. This is clear from the meaning of 'hurrying and pressing' as urging. That these words mean being withheld from evil is clear both from the internal sense of the words themselves and from what follows. The internal sense is that when the Church starts to fall away from good that flows from charity the Lord withholds its members from evil more forcefully than when the good of charity is present with them. What follows here makes the same point, which is that although the angels were pressing Lot to leave the city he still lingered, and so, grasping him, his wife, and his daughters by the hand, they led them away and placed them outside the city. This means and describes the character of a person whose state is such; for the subject now is the second state of that Church. The first state was described in verses 1-3 of this chapter, a state when the good of charity exists with them and they acknowledge the Lord, and when they are being confirmed by Him in good. The present verse describes the second state, a state when among members of the Church themselves evils start to act against goods and when people are powerfully withheld from evils and maintained in goods by the Lord. This state is dealt with in the present verse and in verses 16, 17, which follow.
[2] On this particular matter few if any know that all men, no matter how many, are withheld from evils by the Lord, and that this is done with a mightier power than man can possibly believe. For everybody is perpetually bent on evil on account both of the heredity which he is born with and of what he has acquired through his own actions, so much so that if he were not being withheld by the Lord he would at any moment rush headlong into the lowest hell. So great is the Lord's mercy however that he is being raised up every moment, even every fraction of a moment, to withhold him from rushing into that place. This applies to the good as well, but each one differs according to the life of charity and faith with him. Thus the Lord battles with man constantly, and on man's behalf with hell, though this does not seem so to man. That it is so I have been given to know from much experience, which in the Lord's Divine mercy will be presented elsewhere. See also 929, 1581.
Latin(1748-1756) 2406
2406. Quod `ad festinandum adigebant angeli Lotum' significet quod Dominus detineret eos a malo et teneret in bono, constat a significatione `festinare et adigere' quod sit urgere, per quae quod significetur detineri a malo, constat tam ex sensu interno istorum verborum quam ex sequentibus: sensus internus est quod cum Ecclesia desciscere incipit a bono charitatis, tunc a Domino fortius detineantur {1} a malo, quam cum in bono charitatis est: a sequentibus idem patet nempe quod tametsi angeli adigerent Lotum ad exeundum urbe, usque moratus sit, et quod apprehenderint manum ejus, uxoris et filiarum, et eduxerint {2} et statuerint extra urbem, per quae significatur et describitur qualis est homo in illo statu: hic enim agitur de secundo statu (o)hujus Ecclesiae; primus status descriptus est versibus 1-3 hujus capitis, qui talis quod in bono charitatis sint et Dominum agnoscant et quod [ab] Ipso in bono confirmentur; secundus status hic describitur qui est quod apud ipsos homines Ecclesiae mala incipiant agere contra bona, et quod tunc detineantur potenter a malis et teneantur in boni a Domino, de quo statu agitur in hoc versu et in sequentibus 15-17. [2] Quod ipsam rem attinet, pauci, si ulli, sciunt quod omnes, quotcumque sunt, homines {3} detineantur a malis a Domino, et hoc vi fortiore quam usquam homo credere possit; conatus enim cujusvis hominis perpetuus est in malum, et hoc tam ex hereditario in quod natus est, quam ex actuali quod ipse sibi comparavit, usque adeo ut si non detineretur a Domino, rueret quovis momento praeceps versus infimum infernum sed misericordia Domini tanta est ut unoquovis momento etiam minimo elevetur, ac ne illuc ruat, detineatur; hoc quoque apud bonos, sed cum differentia secundum vitam charitatis et fidei eorum; ita continue pugnat Dominus cum homine, et pro homine cum inferno tametsi non ita apparet homini; quod ita sit, a multa experientia scire datum est, de qua, ex Divina Domini Misericordia, alibi; videatur etiam n. 929, 1581. @1 A ip homines Ecclesiae after tunc and homines after detineantur, but both insertions are deleted. Perhaps this should be detineantur to agree with est.$ @2 et manum uxoris ejus, et manum duarum filiarum ejus.$ @3 i continue.$