4462.“把我们的妹子给有阳皮的人”表除非能把教会的真理并良善与代表等同起来,无视这些所表示的属灵实体。这从“阳皮”的含义清楚可知,“阳皮”是指外在代表,标志着他们是教会的成员。因此,当区分属教会的人和不属教会的人时,通常会提到割礼和阳皮。因为“割礼”表示远离污秽的爱欲,即远离自我之爱和尘世之爱,还表示接受天上的爱,也就是对主之爱和对邻之爱,因而表示接受教会。正因如此,这些话表示对他们的宗教表象的接受,因而表示像他们那样把教会的真理并良善与代表等同起来,无视这些所表示的内在事物;否则,就和他们不一样,正如下面这句话的意思,即:“惟有一个条件才可以应允,若你们和我们一样”。“割礼”是洁除污秽爱欲的标志(参看2039,2632节),那些陷入这些爱欲的人就被称为“未受割礼的”(2049,3412,3413节)。
如今几乎没有人知道割礼的具体含义,因此必须说明这一点。两性生殖器表示属于良善与真理的结合的事物;不仅表示这些事物,还实际对应于它们。我在各章的末尾已说明,人的所有器官和身体部位都与天上的属灵事物相对应,因此也包括专门用来生育的器官和身体部位。这些对应于良善与真理的婚姻,婚姻之爱也是从该婚姻降下来的(参看2618,2727-2729,2803,3132,4434节)。由于阳皮包着生殖器,故在上古教会,阳皮对应于对良善与真理的遮蔽;而在古教会,阳皮则对应于对良善与真理的玷污。对属上古教会的人来说,由于他是内在人,故良善与真理能被遮蔽,但不能被玷污;而对属古教会的人来说,由于他与其前任相比是外在人,故良善与真理能被玷污,因为进行玷污的,是外在事物,也就是外在的爱。因此,那些属上古教会的人对割礼一无所知,唯有那些属古教会的人才知道。
割礼从古教会传播到许多民族;它不是强加给亚伯拉罕及其后代的某种新东西,只是一种被遗弃习俗的恢复;对他的后代来说,则成了属于教会的标志。但这个民族既不知道,也不想知道这个仪式表示什么,因为他们唯独将宗教与代表,即外在等同起来。
因此,他们将所有未受割礼的人作为一个整体来定罪;而事实上,割礼仅仅是表现洁除对自己和世界之爱的一种标志。那些洁除此爱的人就受了属灵的割礼,经上说他们是“给心行割礼”,如摩西五经:
耶和华你的神必将必给你的心和你种的心行割礼,好叫你尽心尽性爱耶和华你的神。(申命记30:6)
又:
你们要给心上的阳皮行割礼,不可再硬着颈项。(申命记10:16)
耶利米书:
要开垦你们的荒地,除去心上的阳皮。(耶利米书4:3-4).
然而,凡陷入自我之爱和尘世之爱的人都被称为“未受割礼的”,哪怕他们受过割礼;如耶利米书:
看哪!日子将到,我要刑罚一切在阳皮上受过割礼的,就是埃及、犹大、以东、亚扪人、摩押人和一切住在旷野剃周围头发的。因为所有这些民族都没有受割礼,以色列全家心中也没有受割礼。(耶利米书9:25-26)
由此也明显可知,许多其它民族受过割礼,因为经上说:“我要刑罚一切在阳皮上受过割礼的”;因此,如前所述,割礼并不是什么新鲜事,或作为一个区分标志而仅限于雅各的后代。非利士人没有受割礼,故“未受割礼的”通常是指他们(撒母耳记上14:6;17:26,36;31:4;撒母耳记下1:20等)。
Potts(1905-1910) 4462
4462. To give our sister to a man that hath a foreskin. That this signifies unless they made the truth and good of the church to consist in representatives, and would recede from the things which these signify, is evident from the signification of the "foreskin," as being an external representative-a sign that they were of the church; and therefore it was usual to speak of circumcision and the foreskin when a distinction was to be made between those who were of the church and those who were not. For "circumcision" signifies recession from filthy loves, namely, from the love of self and of the world, and accession to heavenly loves, which are love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor, thus accession to the church. Hence it is that by these words is signified accession to their religiosity, and consequently that like them they should make the truth and good of the church consist in representatives by receding from the internal things which are signified, for otherwise they would not be like them, according to the words that follow: "In this will we consent to you, if ye be as we." (That circumcision is a sign of purification from filthy loves, see n. 2039, 2632; and that they who are in these loves were called "uncircumcised," n. 2049, 3412, 3413.) [2] Scarcely anyone at this day knows what is the specific signification of circumcision, and therefore this must be told. The genitals in both sexes signify the things which belong to the conjunction of good and truth; nor do they merely signify these things, but also actually correspond to them. It has been shown at the end of the chapters that all man's organs and members have a correspondence with spiritual things in heaven, and consequently so have the organs and members allotted to generation. These correspond to the marriage of good and truth; and from this marriage descends conjugial love (see n. 2618, 2727-2729, 2803, 3132, 4434). As the foreskin covers the genital, in the Most Ancient Church it corresponded to the obscuration of good and truth, but in the Ancient Church to their defilement. For with the man of the Most Ancient Church, who was an internal man, good and truth could be obscured but not defiled; whereas with the man of the Ancient Church, being a comparatively external man, good and truth could be defiled, because it is external things - that is, external loves - which defile. For this reason they who were of the Most Ancient Church knew nothing of circumcision, but only they who were of the Ancient Church. [3] From this church circumcision spread to many nations; and it was not enjoined upon Abraham and his descendants as anything new, but merely as a discontinued rite that was to be restored; and it became to his posterity a sign that they were of the church. But that nation neither knew nor desired to know what this rite signified, for they made their religiosity consist in mere representatives, which are external matters, and therefore they included all the uncircumcised in one general condemnation, although circumcision was only a sign representative of purification from the love of self and of the world. Those who are purified from this love are the spiritually circumcised, and are said to be "circumcised in heart," as in Moses:
Jehovah thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love Jehovah thy God in all thy heart, and in all thy soul (Deut. 30:6). In the same:
Ye shall circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and shall no longer harden your neck (Deut. 10:16). And in Jeremiah:
Break up your fallow ground, and take away the foreskin of your heart (Jer. 4:3-4). [4] But they who are in the loves of self and of the world are called "the uncircumcised," in spite of the fact that they had been circumcised; as in Jeremiah:
Behold the days come in which I will visit upon everyone that is circumcised in the foreskin, upon Egypt, and upon Judah, and upon Edom, and upon the sons of Ammon, and upon Moab, and upon all that are cut off at the corner, that dwell in the wilderness; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart (Jer. 9:25-26);
this passage shows that many other nations were circumcised, for it is said, "I will visit upon everyone that is circumcised in the foreskin," so that as already stated this was not a new rite, or restricted to the descendants of Jacob as a mark of distinction. The Philistines were not circumcised, and therefore it is they who are usually meant by "the uncircumcised" (1 Sam. 14:6; 17:26, 36; 31:4; 2 Sam. 1:20, and in other places).
Elliott(1983-1999) 4462
4462. 'To give our sister to a man who has a foreskin' means unless they could identify the truth and the good of the Church with representatives and disregard the spiritual entities meant by these. This is clear from the meaning of 'the foreskin' as an external representative - as the sign that they were members of the Church. It was usual therefore to speak of circumcision and the foreskin when they needed to distinguish between those who belonged to the Church and those who did not. For circumcision meant the departure from filthy loves, namely self-love and love of the world, and the acceptance of heavenly loves, which are love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour, and so an acceptance of the Church. This is why these words mean an acceptance of their semblance of religion and that therefore they identified the truth and the good of the Church with representatives, disregarding the internal things meant by these. For otherwise they would not be like them, as the words that follow show, 'Only on this [condition] will we consent to you: If you will be as we are'. As regards 'circumcision' being the sign of purification from filthy loves, see 2039, 2632, and the expression 'uncircumcised' being used of those who were governed by those loves, 2049, 3412, 3413.
[2] Scarcely anyone at the present day knows what circumcision means specifically, and this therefore must be stated. The genital organs in both sexes mean things associated with the joining together of good and truth. They not only mean them but also in actual fact correspond to them It has been shown at the ends of chapters that all the organs and members in the human being have a correspondence with spiritual things in heaven, including therefore the organs and members devoted to procreation. These correspond to the marriage of good and truth, from which marriage conjugial love also comes down, see 2618, 2727- 2729, 2803, 3132, 4434. Because the foreskin covered the genital organ it corresponded in the Most Ancient Church to the obscuration of good and truth, but in the Ancient Church to the defilement of them. With a person who belonged to the Most Ancient Church, because he was an internal man, good and truth were able to be obscured but not defiled, but with one who belonged to the Ancient Church, because he was in comparison with his predecessor an external man, good and truth were able to be defiled since it is external things, that is to say, external loves, that cause defilement. For this reason those who belonged to the Most Ancient Church had no knowledge of circumcision, only those who belonged to the Ancient Church had it.
[3] In addition circumcision spread from this Church to many nations. It was imposed on Abraham and his descendants not as something new but as the revival of a practice which had been abandoned, it becoming for his descendants the sign that they belonged to the Church. But that nation did not know, and did not wish to know, what it was a sign of, for they identified religion with representatives alone, which are externals. They therefore condemned the uncircumcised as a whole, when yet circumcision was to be merely a sign representative of purification from self-love and love of the world, from which those are purified who have been circumcised spiritually and are called circumcised at heart, as in Moses,
Jehovah God win circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, so that you will love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Deut 30:6.
In the same author,
You shall circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and you shall be stiff-necked no longer. Deut 10:16, 18.
And in Jeremiah,
Break up your fallow ground, and remove the foreskin of your heart. Jer 4:3, 4.
[4] People however who are governed by self-love and love of the world are called 'uncircumcised', in spite of their having been circumcised, as in Jeremiah,
Behold, the days are coming in which I will visit every one circumcised in the foreskin - Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that have the corners [of their hair] cut and who dwell in the wilderness, for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart. Jer 9:25, 26.
From this it is also evident that many other nations were circumcised, for it is said 'I will visit every one circumcised in the foreskin', and so, as stated above, that circumcision was not something new, nor was it confined to the descendants of Jacob as a distinguishing feature. The Philistines were not circumcised, and therefore 'the uncircumcised' is generally used to mean the Philistines, 1 Sam 14:6; 17:26, 36; 31:4; 2 Sam 1:20; and elsewhere.
Latin(1748-1756) 4462
4462. `Dare sororem nostram viro cui praeputium' : quod significet nisi in repraesentativis ponerent verum et bonum Ecclesiae et recederent ab illis quae significant, constat ex significatione praeputii' quod sit repraesentativum externum, signum quod essent ab Ecclesia; inde commune fuit dicere circumcisio et praeputium cum distinguerent inter illos qui ab Ecclesia erant et illos qui non erant; circumcisio enim significat recessionem ab amoribus spurcis, nempe ab amore sui et mundi, et accessionem ad amores caelestes qui sunt {1} in Dominum et erga proximum, ita accessionem ad Ecclesiam; inde est quod per illa verba significetur accessio ad illorum religiosum, proinde quod sicut illi in repraesentativis ponerent (t)verum et bonum Ecclesiae, recedendo ab internis quae significantur {2}, alioquin enim non similes essent illis, secundum (c)ea quae sequuntur, {3} `In hoc consentiemus vobis, si sitis sicut nos." Quod `circumcisio' sit signum purificationis ab amoribus spurcis, videatur n. 2039, 2632; et quod `praeputiati' dicti sint qui in amoribus illis, n. 2049, 3412, 3413. [2] Vix aliquis hodie novit quid circumcisio in specie significat, quapropter dicendum: per genitalia in utroque sexu significantur illa quae conjunctionis boni et veri sunt; nec modo significant, sed etiam actualiter illis correspondent; ad finem capitum ostensum est quod omnia organa et membra hominis correspondentiam habeant cum rebus spiritualibus in caelo; ita quoque organa et membra generationi dicata; haec correspondent conjugio boni et veri; ex hoc conjugio etiam descendit amor conjugialis, videatur n. 2618, 2727-2729, 2803, 3132, 4434 `praeputium' quia obtegit genitale, correspondebat in Antiquissima Ecclesia obscurationi boni et veri', sed in Antiqua Ecclesia conspurcationi eorum {4}; nam apud hominem Antiquissimae Ecclesiae quia internus homo fuit, obscurari potuit bonum et verum, non autem conspurcari; at apud hominem Antiquae Ecclesiae, quia respective externus homo fuit, bonum et verum conspurcari potuit, nam externa, nempe externi amores sunt qui conspurcant; quapropter illi qui ab Antiquissima Ecclesia fuerunt, nihil noverunt de circumcisione, sed modo illi qui ab Antiqua: [3] ab hac etiam circumcisio ad plures gentes emanavit; et injuncta est Abrahamo et posteris ejus non ut novum quid, sed ut intermissum quod restauraretur, et facta est {6} posteritati ejus in signum quod essent ab Ecclesia; sed illa gens non sciebat quid significabat, nec volebat scire, nam religiosum {5} ponebat in (o)solis repraesentativis, quae sunt externa; ideo communiter incircumcisos damnabat, cum tamen circumcisio esset modo signum repraesentativum purificationis ab amore sui et mundi, a quo qui purificati sunt, spiritualiter circumcisi sunt, et dicuntur circumcisi quoad cor; ut apud Mosen, Circumcidet Jehovah Deus cor tuum, et cor seminis tua, ad amandum Jehovam Deum tuum in toto corde tuo, et in tota anima tua, Deut. xxx 6:apud eundem, Circumcidetis praeputium cordis vestri, et cervicem vestram ne induretis amplius, Deut. x 16, 18:
et apud Jeremiam, Novate vobis novale,... et removete praeputium cordis vestri, iv 3, 4:
[4] (m)qui autem in amoribus sui et mundi sunt, vocantur praeputiati, quantumvis circumcisi fuerint, ut apud Jeremiam, Ecce dies venientes, quibus visitabo super omnem circumcisum in praeputio, super Aegyptum, et super Jehudam, et super Edomum, et super filios Ammonis, et super Moabum, et super omnes abscissos anguli, habitantes in deserto, quia omnes gentes praeputiatae, et omnis domus Israelis praeputiati corde, ix 24, 25 [A.V. 25, 26];
inde etiam {7} patet quod plures gentes etiam circumcisae fuerint, dicitur enim, `visitabo super omnem circumcisum in praeputio'; ita quod non novum quid fuerit, et solum apud posteros Jacobi, ut per id distinguerentur ut supra dictum; [5] Philistaei erant qui non circumcisi sunt, quare etiam in genere per praeputiatos intelliguntur Philistaei, 1 Sam. xiv 6; xvii 26, 36; xxxi 4; 2 Sam. i 20; et alibi. (n) @1 nempe$ @2 ac recederent ab internis$ @3 quod nempe consentirent si fieret sicut illi$ @4 boni et veri$ @5 i modo$ @6 fuit$ @7 quoque$