278、“归回他所出的土地”表示教会将回到外在人，如它在重生之前那样。这从以下事实清楚可知：“土地”表示外在人，如前所述。“尘土”表示被刑罚并类似地狱之物，这也可从论到蛇的话清楚可知，经上说蛇因受到诅咒而“吃尘土”。除了关于尘土含义的说明外，我们再补充下列诗篇经文：
凡下到尘土中，灵魂不能存活的人都要在耶和华面前下拜。（诗篇22:29）
别一处：
你掩面，它们便惊惶。你收回它们的气，它们就气绝而亡，归回尘土。（诗篇104:29）
这表示当人们离开主的面时，他们就必气绝而亡或死亡，从而“归回尘土”，也就是被刑罚并类似地狱。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]278. Returning to the ground from which he was taken symbolizes the church's return to the external person as it was before regeneration, and this is established by the symbolism of the ground as the outer self, which was stated earlier [268].
The symbolism of the dirt as that which is damned and resembles hell can be seen from the things said about the snake [249], where the prediction occurs that it would eat dirt because of its accursedness. In addition to the passages there showing the symbolism of dirt or dust, let me add the following from David:
All those descending to the dust will bow down before Jehovah, and anyone whose soul he did not revive. (Psalms 22:29)
In another place:
You hide your face; people are troubled. You gather their spirit; they pass away and return to their dust. (Psalms 104:29)
In other words, when they turn away from the Lord's face, they pass away or die and so return to the dust, that is, come to be damned and to resemble hell.
Potts(1905-1910) 278
278. That by "returning to the ground whence he was taken" is signified that the church would return to the external man such as it was before regeneration, is evident from the fact that "ground" signifies the external man, as previously stated. And that "dust" signifies what is condemned and infernal, is also evident from what was said of the serpent, which in consequence of being cursed is said to "eat dust." In addition to what was there shown as to the signification of "dust" we may add the following passages from David:
All those who go down to the dust shall bow before Jehovah, and those whose soul He hath not made alive (Ps. 22:29). And in another place:
Thou hidest Thy faces, they are troubled; Thou takest away their breath, they expire, and return to their dust (Ps. 104:29), which means that when men turn away from the face of the Lord, they expire or die, and thus "return to the dust" that is, are condemned and become infernal.
Elliott(1983-1999) 278
278. 'Returning to the ground from which he was taken' means that the Church would revert to the external man, such as it had been before regeneration took place. This is clear from the fact that 'the ground' means the external man, as stated already; and 'dust' means condemned and hellish. This too is clear from what has been stated about the serpent, which, being cursed, would have to 'eat dust', as said. In addition to what has been shown about the meaning of dust, let the following in David be added,
All who go down to the dust will bow down before Jehovah, whose soul He has not made alive. Ps 22:19.
And elsewhere in David,
You hidest Your face,a they are dismayed; You gatherest up their spirit, they breathe their last and return to their dust. Ps 104:29.
That is, when they turn away from the face of the Lord, they 'breathe their last', or die, and in so doing 'return to the dust', that is, become condemned and hellish.
Latin(1748-1756) 278
278. Quod per 'redire ad humum ex qua sumptus' significetur quod Ecclesia rediret ad externum hominem qualis fuit ante regenerationem, constat ex eo quod 'humus' significet externum hominem, ut dictum prius. Quodque 'pulvis' significet damnatio et infernalem, constat quoque ex iis quae dicta sunt de serpente, qui quia maledictus, dicitur quod 'ederet pulverem'; praeter quae de pulveris significatione ibi ostensa sunt, addere licet quae apud Davidem, Coram Jehovah incurvabunt se omnes descendentes pulverem, et cujus animam non vivificavit, Ps. xxii 30 [A.V. 29]:et alibi, Abscondis facies Tuas, conturbantur; colligis spiritum eorum, exspirant, et ad pulverem suum redeunt, Ps. civ 29;
quod est, quando se avertunt a facie Domini, quod 'exspirent' seu moriantur, et sic 'ad pulverem redeant,' hoc est, damnati fiant et infernales.