368、“田”表示教义，因而表示构成信与仁之教义的一切。这从圣言清楚可知，如耶利米书：
我在田野的山哪，我必把你的财产和你一切的财宝当掠物交出。（耶利米书17:3）
此处“田”表示教义，“财产和财宝”表示信的属灵财富，或构成信之教义的事物。同一先知书：
黎巴嫩的雪岂能离弃我田野的磐石呢？（耶利米书18:14）
论到锡安，当缺乏信之教义时，经上说它“必被耕种像一块田”（耶利米书26:18；弥迦书3:12）。以西结书：
他取了那地的种子，把它种在适于撒种的田里。（以西结书17:5）
这论述的是教会及其信，因为教义凭它里面的种子而被称为“田”。同一先知书：
田野的一切树木都必知道我耶和华使高树矮小。（以西结书17:24）
约珥书：
田野荒废，土地悲哀，因为五谷毁坏，新酒干竭，油也衰萎。农夫惭愧，田里的庄稼都灭绝了，田野一切的树木也都枯干。（约珥书1:10-12）
此处，“田”表示教义，“树木”表示知识，“农夫”表示敬拜者。诗篇：
愿田和其中所有的都欢乐。那时，森林中的一切树木都要歌唱。（诗篇96:12）
此处很明显，田不可能欢乐，森林中的树木也不可能歌唱；只有人里面的事物，也就是信的知识或认知才会如此行。耶利米书：
这地悲哀，一切田野的青草枯干要到几时呢？（耶利米书12:4）
此处也很明显，地和田野的青草都不可能悲哀；悲哀的是人里面被荒废的事物。类似经文出现在以赛亚书：
大山小山必在你们面前发声歌唱，田野所有的树木也都拍掌。（以赛亚书55:12）
主在预言时代的完结时也称信之教义为“田”：
那时，两个人在田里，取去一个，撇下一个。（马太福音24:40；路加福音17:36）
此处“田”表示信之教义，无论真假。由于“田”表示教义，所以凡接受信之种的，无论是个人、教会，还是全世界，都被称为一块“田”。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]368. The symbolism of a field as doctrine and therefore as every point of doctrine that deals with faith or charity is clear from the Word. In Jeremiah:
Mountain of mine in the field, your resources, all your treasures I will turn into plunder. (Jeremiah 17:3)
The field stands for doctrine, while resources and treasures stand for the spiritual riches of faith, that is, for teachings of faith's doctrine. In the same author:
Will the snow of Lebanon desert the rock of my field? (Jeremiah 18:14)
Jeremiah 26:18 and Micah 3:12 predict that Zion will be plowed like a field when the doctrine concerning faith disappears. In Ezekiel:
He took some of the seed of the land and put it in a field suitable for sowing. (Ezekiel 17:5)
This speaks of the church and its faith. Doctrine is being called a field on account of the seed in it. In the same author:
And let all the trees of the field know that I, Jehovah, will bring down the tall tree. (Ezekiel 17:24)
In Joel:
The field was devastated, the ground mourned, because the grain was devastated, the new wine dried up, the oil weakened. The farmers{*1} were put to shame; the harvest of the field was destroyed. All the trees of the field withered. (Joel 1:10-11, 12)
A field here stands for doctrine, trees for knowledge, and farmers for worshipers. In David:
The field and all that is in it will rejoice. Then all the trees of the forest will sing. (Psalms 96:12)
A field cannot rejoice and trees in the forest cannot sing; only something in us can do so, and that something is religious knowledge. In Jeremiah:
How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? (Jeremiah 12:4)
Again, neither the earth nor the grass of the fields can mourn but only some quality in us that has been ravaged. Likewise in Isaiah:
The mountains and hills will ring before you with song, and all the trees of the field will clap the palms of their hands. (Isaiah 55:12)
The Lord too, in making predictions about the end of the era, refers to the doctrine concerning faith as a field:
Two will be in the field; one will be taken, the other left. (Matthew 24:40; Luke 17:36)
Here the field means both false and true teachings concerning faith, as in the current verse. As the field is doctrine, whoever receives any seed of faith is also called a field, whether it is an individual, the church, or the whole world.
Footnotes:
{*1} Swedenborg's sudden inclusion of farmers in this list of instances of the word field may surprise English readers. The verbal connection is more clear in Latin, in which the word for a farmer, agricola, is obviously formed (in part, at least) from the Latin word for a field, ager. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 368
368. That a "field" signifies doctrine, and consequently whatever belongs to the doctrine of faith and charity, is evident from the Word, as in Jeremiah:
O My mountain in the field, I will give thy possessions [facultates] and all thy treasures for a spoil (Jer. 17:3). In this passage "field" signifies doctrine; "possessions" and "treasures" denote the spiritual riches of faith, or the things that belong to the doctrine of faith. In the same:
Shall the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of My field? (Jer. 18:14). It is declared concerning Zion, when destitute of the doctrine of faith, that she shall be "plowed like a field" (Jer. :26:18, Micah 3:12). In Ezekiel:
He took of the seed of the land, and set it in a field of sowing (Ezek. 17:5), treating of the church and of its faith; for doctrine is called a "field" from the seed in it. In the same:
And let all the trees of the field know that I Jehovah bring down the high tree (Ezek. 17:24). In Joel:
The field is laid waste, the ground mourneth, for the corn is wasted, the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth, the husbandmen are ashamed, the harvest of the field is perished, all the trees of the field are withered (Joel 1:10-12), where the "field" signifies doctrine, "trees" knowledges, and "husbandmen" worshipers. In David:
The field shall exult and all that is therein; then shall all the trees of the forest sing (Ps. 96:12),where it is perfectly evident that the field cannot exult, nor the trees of the forest sing; but things that are in man, which are the knowledges of faith. In Jeremiah:
How long shall the land mourn, and the herb of every field wither? (Jer. 12:4), where it is also evident that neither the land nor the herbs of the field can mourn; but that the expressions relate to something in man while in a state of vastation. A similar passage occurs in Isaiah:
The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands (Isa. 55:12). The Lord also in His prediction concerning the consummation of the age calls the doctrine of faith a "field:" Then shall two be in the field, the one shall be taken and the other left (Matt. 24:40; Luke 17:36), where by a "field" is meant the doctrine of faith, both true and false. As a "field" signifies doctrine, whoever receives a seed of faith, whether a man, the church, or the world, is also called a "field."
Elliott(1983-1999) 368
368. 'A field' means doctrine, and so everything constituting doctrine concerning faith and charity. This is clear from the Word. In Jeremiah,
O My mountain in the field, I will give for spoil your resources, all your treasures. Jer 17:3.
Here 'field' stands for doctrine, 'resources and treasures' for the spiritual riches of faith, that is, the things that constitute the doctrine of faith. In the same prophet,
Surely the snow of Lebanon will not leave the rock of My field? Jer 18:14.
In reference to Zion it is said, in Jer 26:18; Micah 3:12, that 'it will be ploughed up like a field' when the doctrine of faith does not exist. In Ezekiel,He took from the seed of the land and planted it in a seed field. Ezek 17:5.
This refers to the Church and her faith, for doctrine is called 'a field' because of the seed it has in it. In the same prophet,
And let all the trees of the field know that I, Jehovah, will bring low the high tree. Ezek 17:24.
In Joel,
The field has been laid waste, the ground has been mourning because the corn has been laid waste, the new wine has failed, the oil has fallen off. Farmers have been put to shame, the harvest of the field has perished, all the trees of the field have withered. Joel 1:10-12.Here 'field' stands for doctrine, 'trees' for cognitions, 'farmers' for people who cultivate them. In David,
The field will be exultant and everything in it; then all the trees of the wood will sing. Ps 96:12.
Here it cannot be a field that is exultant nor trees of the wood that sing, but things residing with man, namely cognitions of faith. In Jeremiah, How long will the land mourn, and the grass of every field wither? Jer 12:4.Here similarly it cannot be the land nor the grass of the field that mourns but something with man that has been laid waste. Similarly in Isaiah,
The mountains and hills will resound before you with song, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Isa 55:12.
The Lord too, when foretelling the close of the age, also calls the doctrine of faith 'a field',
Two will be in the field, one will be taken, the other left. Matt 24:40; Luke 17:36.
'Field' is used to mean the doctrine of faith, false doctrine as well as true, as in the present verse in Genesis. Because 'field' means doctrine anyone receiving any seed of faith, whether the individual, the Church, or the world, is called a field.
Latin(1748-1756) 368
368. Quod 'ager' significet doctrinam, ita quicquid est doctrinae de fide et charitate, constat a Verbo; apud Jeremiam, Mons Mi in agro, facultates tuas, omnes thesauros tuos in praedam dabo, xvii 3;ubi 'ager' pro doctrina, 'facultates et thesauri' pro divitiis spiritualibus fidei seu quae sunt doctrinae fidei: apud eundem, Num deseret de petra agri mei, nix Libani? xviii 14:
de Zione praedicatur quod 'sicut ager arabitur,' cum doctrina fidei nulla, Jer. xxvi 18; Mich. iii 12: apud Ezechielem, Sumpsit de semine terrae, posuitque in agro sementis, xvii 5;
ubi de Ecclesia ejusque fide agitur, nam doctrina vocatur 'ager' ex semine: apud eundem, ' Et cognoscant omnes arbores agri, quod Ego Jehovah humiliem arborem altam, xvii 24:
apud Joelem, Devastatus est ager, luxit humus, quia devastatum est frumentum, exaruit mustum, infirmatum est oleum; pudefacti suntagricolae,... periit messis agri,... omnes arbores agri exsiccatae, i 10-12;
ubi 'ager' pro doctrina, 'arbores' pro cognitionibus, 'agricolae' pro cultoribus: apud Davidem, Exsultabit ager, et omne quod in illo, tunc cantabunt omnes arbores silvae, Ps. {x}xcvi 12;
ubi ager non exsultare potest, nec arbores silvae cantare, sed quae sunt apud hominem, quae sunt cognitiones fidei: apud Jeremiam, Quousque lugebit terra, et herba omnis agri arescet? xii 4;
similiter, quod nec terra nec herba agri lugere possit, sed quod est apud hominem, et vastatum: similiter apud Esaiam, Montes et colles personabunt coram vobis cantu, et omnes arbores agri plaudent vola, lv 12:
Dominus quoque, ubi de consummatione saeculi praedicit, etiam doctrinam fidei appellat agrum, Duo erunt in agro, unus assumetur, alter relinquetur, Matth. xxiv 40; Luc. xvii 36;
ubi per 'agrum' intelligitur doctrina fidei tam falsa quam vera, ut hic; quia 'ager' est doctrina, etiam quisquis recipit aliquod semen fidei vocatur ager, et homo, et Ecclesia, et mundus.