4295.“雅各问说，请将你的名告诉我”表天使天堂及其性质。这从雅各的代表、他所求问名字的“神”，以及“人”的含义清楚可知：雅各是指主的神性属世层，如前所述；他作为君王与之相争并得胜的“神”和“人”是指真理与良善，因而是指那些处于真理与良善的人（参看4287节）。由于天使天堂凭真理与良善而为天堂，故主所战胜的“神与人”尤表这天堂。在圣言中，天使有时也被称为“神”，他们被如此称呼凭的是真理与良善，如诗篇：
神站在在神的会中，在诸神中行审判。我曾说，你们是诸神，都是至高者的儿子。（诗篇82:1，6）
此处显而易见，“神的会”和“诸神”表示天使天堂。又：
在天空谁能比耶和华呢？诸神的众子中，谁能像耶和华呢？（诗篇89:6）
又：
你们要称谢万神之神；你们要称谢万主之主。（诗篇136:2-3）
从这些经文（如从以下事实：没有人能作为君王与神相争并得胜；还有，被称为“神”的他不愿透露自己的名字）明显可知，与主争战的正是天使天堂。这些话隐藏着极深的奥秘，这一点从“那人说，何必问我的名”这句话本身很明显地看出来，因为他若是耶和华神，就不会隐瞒自己的名字。雅各也不会问“请将你的名告诉我”，因为问名字就暗示着另一个人或其他人，而不是神自己。
主在试探中最终与天使本身，甚至与整个天使天堂争战；这是一个奥秘，至今尚未揭开。关于这个问题，情况是这样：诚然，天使拥有至高的智慧和聪明；然而，他们所拥有的一切智慧和聪明皆源于主的神性。凭他们自己，或凭他们的自我，他们根本没有任何智慧和聪明可言。因此，他们智慧和聪明的程度取决于他们处于源自主之神性的真理与良善的程度。天使自己公开承认，他们凭自己毫无智慧和聪明可言。事实上，若有人将任何智慧和聪明归于他们，他们会非常愤慨，因为他们知道并发觉，这会从神性那里夺走神性之物，为自己索要不是自己的东西，从而犯下属灵的偷窃罪。天使还说，其自我的全部就邪恶与虚假，既由于他们的遗传性，还由于他们在世为人时所过的实际生活（1880节）。他们也不会声称，邪恶与虚假已经从他们那里被分离出去，或抹掉，他们由此称义了；而会说，它都留在他们身上，只是主使他们远离邪恶与虚假，并将他们保守在良善与真理中（1581节）。所有天使都承认这些事，并且没有人被允许进入天堂，除非他知道并相信它们。要不然，他们就无法居于出自主的智慧和聪明之光，因而无法处于良善与真理。由此也可知当如何理解约伯记（15:15）中“在神眼里，天也不洁净”这句话。
正因如此，主为了能将整个天堂纳入天上的次序，甚至允许天使进入祂自己来试探祂；天使只要凭自我行事，就不是凭良善与真理行事。这些试探是所有试探中最为内在的，因为它们唯独作用于目的，并且具有一种绝无可能被察觉的微妙之处。不过，他们越不凭其自我行事，就越凭良善与真理行事，并且不会试探任何人。此外，天使不断被主完善；然而，其完善程度永远不可能达到其智慧聪明能与主的神性智慧聪明相提并论的程度；因为他们是有限的，而主是无限的；有限与无限之间没有可比性。从这一切可以看出雅各作为君王与之相争的神是什么意思；还可以看出为何他不愿透露自己的名字。
Potts(1905-1910) 4295
4295. And Jacob asked and said, Tell I pray thy name. That this signifies the angelic heaven and its quality, may be seen from the representation of Jacob, as being the Lord as to the Divine natural (of which above); and from the signification of "God," whose name he asked, and also of "men," with whom as a prince he contended and prevailed, as being truths and goods, and thus those who are in truths and goods (see n. 4287). And because the angelic heaven is heaven from truths and goods, it is specifically this which is signified by the "God and men" with whom the Lord prevailed. Occasionally also in the Word the angels are called "gods," and this from truths and goods, as in David:
God stood in the congregation of god, He judged in the midst of the gods. I said, Ye are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High (Ps. 82:1, 6);
where it is plainly evident that the "congregation of god," and the "gods," denote the angelic heaven. In the same:
Who in the sky can be compared unto Jehovah? Who among the sons of the gods can be likened unto Jehovah? (Ps. 89:6). Again:
Confess ye to the God of gods; confess ye to the Lord of lords (Ps. 136:2-3). From these passages, as also from the fact that no one can contend as a prince with God and prevail, and likewise from the fact that he who is called "God" was not willing to reveal his name, it is evident that it was the angelic heaven with which the Lord fought. That a deep secret lies hidden in these words is plainly evident from the words themselves: "Wherefore is this that thou dost ask after my name?" for if it had been Jehovah God, He would not have concealed his name; nor would Jacob have asked, "What is thy name?" for to ask the name implies that it is another or others than God Himself. [2] That the Lord in temptations at last fought with the angels themselves, nay, with the whole angelic heaven, is a secret that has not yet been disclosed. But the case with regard to this matter is that the angels are indeed in the highest wisdom and intelligence, but have all wisdom and intelligence from the Divine of the Lord. From themselves, or from what is their own, they have nothing of wisdom and intelligence. So far therefore as they are in truths and goods from the Divine of the Lord, so far they are wise and intelligent. That the angels have nothing of wisdom and intelligence from themselves, they themselves openly confess; nay, they are indignant if anyone ascribes to them anything of wisdom and intelligence, for they know and perceive that this would be to take away from the Divine that which is Divine, and to claim for themselves that which is not theirs, and thus to incur the crime of spiritual theft. The angels also say that all that is their own is evil and false, both from their heredity and from actual life when they were men in the world (n. 1880); and that the evil and falsity is not separated or wiped away from them, they being thus justified, but that it all remains with them, and that it is by the Lord that they are withheld from evil and falsity and are kept in good and truth (n. 1581). All the angels confess these things, and no one is admitted into heaven unless he knows and believes them; for otherwise they cannot be in the light of wisdom and intelligence which is from the Lord, consequently not in good and truth. From this it may also be known how it is to be understood that heaven is not pure in the eyes of God, as we read in Job 15:15. [3] This being the case, in order that the Lord might reduce the universal heaven into heavenly order, He admitted into Himself temptations from the angels also, who, insofar as they were in what is their own, were so far not in good and truth. These temptations are the inmost of all, for they act solely into the ends, and with such subtlety as cannot possibly be noticed. But insofar as they are not in what is their own, so far they are in good and truth, and so far cannot tempt. Moreover the angels are continually being perfected by the Lord, and yet can never to eternity be so far perfected that their wisdom and intelligence can be compared to the Divine wisdom and intelligence of the Lord; for they are finite, and the Lord is infinite; and there is no comparison between what is finite and what is infinite. From all this it can now be seen what is meant by the god with whom Jacob as a prince contended; as also why he was not willing to reveal his name.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4295
4295. 'And Jacob asked and said, Tell me, I pray, your name' means the angelic heaven and the nature of that heaven. This becomes clear from the representation of Jacob' as the Lord's Divine Natural, dealt with already, and from the meaning of 'God' whose name he asked for, and also of 'men', with whom he contended as a prince and prevailed, as truths and goods, and so as those who are governed by truths and goods, dealt with above in 4287. And since the angelic heaven is heaven by virtue of truths and goods it is that heaven specifically which is meant by God and men with whom the Lord prevailed. Angels are also sometimes called 'gods' in the Word, it being by virtue of truths and goods that they are called such, as in David,
God stands in the assembly of God, in the midst of the gods will He judge. I said, You are gods, and sons of the Most High, all of you. Ps 82:1 ,6.
Here it is quite plain that 'the assembly of God' and 'the gods' are the angelic heaven. In the same author,
Who in the sky will be compared to Jehovah? He will be likened to Jehovah among the sons of gods. Ps 89:6.
In the same author,
Confess the God of gods; confess the Lord of lords Ps 136:2, 3.
From these quotations it is evident - as it is also from the fact that no one can contend as a prince with God and prevail, and likewise from the fact that the one who is called a god was unwilling to reveal his name- that it was the angelic heaven with which the Lord fought. It is quite plain from the actual words themselves 'Why is it that you ask my name?' that an arcanum lies within them, for if he had been Jehovah God he would not have concealed his name. Nor would Jacob have asked 'What is your name?' for asking the name implies some person or persons other than God Himself.
[2] The truth that the Lord at length fought with actual angels, indeed with the whole angelic heaven, is an arcanum which has not been disclosed up to now But the implications of this are as follows: Angels do indeed possess supreme wisdom and intelligence, yet all their wisdom and intelligence comes to them from the Lord's Divine. They have no wisdom or intelligence at all that originates in themselves, that is, in their proprium. Therefore it is only insofar as they are governed by truths and goods received from the Lord's Divine that they are wise and intelligent. The fact that angels have no wisdom or intelligence at all originating in themselves they themselves openly confess. Indeed they are also quite angry if anyone attributes to them any wisdom or intelligence at all, for they know and perceive that it would be taking away from the Divine that which is His and it would be claiming for themselves that which is not theirs, and so would be engaging in the crime of spiritual theft. Angels also say that their entire proprium consists in evil and falsity, both because of their heredity and also because of their own conduct in the world when they were men, 1880. Nor, they say, is evil or falsity separated - that is, wiped away - from them, whereby they are made righteous; rather, the whole of it remains with them, though the Lord withholds them from that evil and falsity and keeps them in good and truth, 1581. These things are confessed by every angel, and no one is allowed into heaven if he does not know and believe them. For otherwise they cannot dwell in the light of wisdom and intelligence coming from the Lord, nor consequently in good and truth. From this one can also know how the words in Job 15:15 stating that heaven is not pure in the eyes of God are to be understood.
[3] This being so, in order that the Lord might bring the whole of heaven into proper heavenly order, He even allowed angels into Himself to tempt Him, who, insofar as they acted from their proprium, did not do so from good and truth. These temptations are the inmost of all, for they go to work solely on the ends one has in view and with a subtlety such as can by no means be detected. But insofar as angels do not act from their proprium they act from good and truth and are unable to tempt anyone. What is more, angels are being perfected constantly by the Lord, and yet their perfection cannot ever reach the point when their wisdom and intelligence can be compared with the Lord's Divine wisdom and intelligence, since they are finite whereas the Lord is Infinite, and no comparison of finite with Infinite is possible. From all this one may now see what 'God with whom Jacob contended as a prince' is used to mean, and also why he was unwilling to reveal his name.
Latin(1748-1756) 4295
4295. `Et interrogavit Jacob et dixit, Indica quaeso nomen tuum':quod significet caelum angelicum et ejus quale, constare potest ex repraesentatione `Jacobi' quod sit Dominus quoad Divinum Naturale, de qua prius {1}; et ex significatione `Dei, cujus nomen interrogavit,' et quoque `hominum cum quibus ut princeps contendit et praevaluit' quod sint vera et bona, ita ulla qui in veris et bonis sunt, de qua supra n. 4287; et quia caelum angelicum est caelum ex veris et bonis, est illud in specie quod per `Deum et homines quibus Dominus praevaluit' significatur: angeli quoque in Verbo passim dicuntur `dii,' et hoc es veris et bonis {2}; ut apud Davidem, Deus stetit in coetu Dei, in medio deorum (x)judicabit.... Ego dixi, Dii vos, et filii Altissimi omnes vos, Ps. lxxxii 1, 6;
ubi quod coetus Dei, et dii, sint caelum angelicum, {3} manifeste patet: apud eundem, Quis in aethere comparabitur cum Jehovah, assimilabitur Jehovae in filiis deorum? Ps. lxxxix 7 [A.V. 6]:
apud eundem, Confitemini Deo deorum,... confitemini Domino dominorum, Ps. cxxxvi 2, 3;
inde patet, ut quoque ex eo quod `cum Deo contendere ut princeps et praevalere' nemo possit, pariter ex eo quod (c)is qui deus vocatur, nomen suum revelare non vellet, quod sit caelum angelicum, cum quo Dominus pugnavit; quod arcanum in his lateat, patet manifeste ex ipsis his verbis `quare hoc interrogas ad nomen meum?', si enim Jehovah Deus fuisset, nomen non celavisset, nec interrogatum fuisset a Jacobo `quid nomen tuum?' nam interrogare nomen involvit alium seu alios quam Ipsum Deum. [2] Quod Dominus in tentationibus pugnaverit tandem cum ipsis angelis, immo cum toto caelo angelico, est arcanum quod nondum detectum est; sed cum hoc ita se habet:
angeli quidem in summa sapientia et intelligentia sunt, sed omnis sapientia et intelligentia illis est ex Divino Domini; ex seipsis seu ex proprio nihil sapientiae et intelligentiae habent; quantum itaque in veris et bonis ex Divino Domini {4} sunt, tantum sapiunt et intelligunt; quod angeli ex seipsis nihil sapientiae et intelligentiae habeant, ipsi aperte confitentur, immo etiam indignantur si quis illis aliquid sapientiae et intelligentiae tribuit, nam sciunt et percipiunt quod id foret derogare Divino quod Divinum est, ac sibi vindicare quod suum non est, ita furti spiritualis crimen incurrere; dicunt quoque angeli quod omne proprium illorum sit malum et falsum, tam ex hereditario quam ex actuali vita in mundo cum fuerunt homines, n. 1880, et quod malum et falsum non sit {5} separatum seu abstersum ab illis, et sic justificati, sed quod apud illos omne remaneat, at quod a Domino detineantur a malo et falso, et teneantur in bono et vero, n. 1581;
haec confitentur omnes angeli; nec {6} aliquis in caelum admittitur nisi illa sciat et credat; alioquin enim non possunt in luce sapientiae et intelligentiae esse quae a Domino, proinde non in bono et vero; [3] inde quoque sciri potest quomodo intelligendum quod `caelum non sit purum in oculis Dei,' ut apud Hiob. xv 15. Quia ita est, ut Dominus in ordinem caelestem redigeret universum caelum, etiam tentationes in Se ab angelis admisit, qui quantum in proprio, tantum nec in bono et vero fuerunt; illa tentationes sunt omnium intimae, nam agunt solum in fines, ac tali subtilitate, ut nullatenus animadverti possit; sed quantum non in proprio, tantum sunt in bono et vero, et tantum non tentare possunt praeterea angeli continue perficiuntur a Domino, et tamen nusquam in aeternum perfici possunt usque adeo ut sapientia et intelligentia eorum comparari possit cum sapientia et intelligentia Divina Domini; sunt enim finiti, et Dominus Infinitus; finiti cum Infinito non datur comparatio. Ex his nunc constare potest quid per `deum cum quo Jacob ut princeps contendit' intelligitur, ut et cur ille nomen suum non revelare vellet. @1 i saepius$ @2 i quae a Divino$ @3 sit caelum$ @4 `Divinis veris et bonis$ @5 `after abstersum$ @6 i imo$