5432.“你们是奸细”表它们只为利益而存在。这从“奸细”的含义清楚可知，“奸细”在此是指寻求物质利益。“奸细”在内义上并非表示别的，这从整个思路明显可知。因为就内义而言，此处论述的是教会的真理，它们被交与属世层，如同它自己的。但这种交与是不可能的，除非通过从属灵层的属天层经由居间层而来的流注。教会的这些真理就是“雅各的儿子们”或“约瑟的哥哥们”；属灵层的属天层是“约瑟”；居间层是“便雅悯”。这一切的含义如前所述（5402节），即：在生命最早期所学到的教会信之真理，也就是所谓的教会教义，和其它任何记忆知识一样，被吸收进来并交付于记忆，作为记忆知识保留，直到此人开始以自己的眼光看待它们，查看它们是否是真的，在看到它们是真的后，愿意照它们而行。对它们的这种看待，以及这种愿意使它们不再是记忆知识，而是成了生活的戒律，最终成了生活；因为它们以这种方式融入他所过的生活，并成了他自己的。
已经成年的人，尤其那些到了老年，不能以自己的眼光看待教会的真理，也就是所谓的教会教义，查看它们是否是真的，然后愿意照之生活的人，保留它们，就跟保留其它一切记忆知识一模一样。这些真理只留在他们的属世记忆中，由此停留在他们的口头上。他们说真理，不是从内层人或心里说的，只是从外层人或口头上说的。当人处于这种状态时，他绝无可能认为教会的真理是真的，无论他觉得自己多么认为它们是真的。他之所以觉得自己认为它们是真理，是因为他信靠别人及其观念，坚定信奉它们。坚定信奉别人的观念，无论这些观念是真理还是虚假，是很容易的，因为它只需运用一点聪明才智。
“奸细来窥探这地的虚实”表示教会的这些真理，或以这种方式处于教会真理的人。因为他们相信其教会的教义并非出于对真理的任何情感，乃出于对获得重要职位或个人利益的情感。因此，他们自己几乎没有任何信仰，通常从心里否认，看待这些教会的教义如同商人看待自己的货物；当他们在自己里面看这些教义并非真理，然而又能说服普通人相信它们是真理时，他们觉得自己又有学问又有智慧。许多教会领袖就具有这种秉性，这一点从他们在来世的情形明显看出来；因为在来世，他们无论到哪里去，都带着从其情感和随之的思维所发出的气场，这气场能被别人清楚察觉。从该气场明显能认出他们对真理拥有什么样的情感，有什么样的信仰。这在世上并不明显，因为世上没有对这类事物的属灵觉知。正因如此，教会的这些领袖并没有透露出他们的真实想法，因为那会使他们丧失利益。
他们就是“奸细”，这一点从以下事实很清楚地看出来：这类人只会挑那些坚持源于良善的真理之人的毛病，好指控并谴责他们。这类人，无论他们属于所谓的天主教徒，还是属于改革宗、贵格会教徒、苏西尼派，抑或犹太人，一旦坚定信奉自己教会的教义，不是“奸细”又是什么？但凡发现绝对真理，他们就会加以嘲笑和谴责；他们不会因为它们是真理就接受它们。原因在于，他们拥有对真理的情感不是为了真理，更不是为了生活，只是为了个人利益。此外，当这类人阅读圣言时，他们只是怀着为了物质利益确认教义的记忆知识的目的或意图而研究圣言。他们当中有许多人研究圣言，是为了“窥探这地的虚实”，也就是看教会的真理并不是真理，仅仅是手段，他们可用来为自己的个人利益说服别人相信它们是真理。
然而，那些为了真理和生活，因而为了主国度的缘故而处于对真理的情感之人的确拥有对教会教义的信仰；但他们仍仔细研究圣言，只是为了查看真理本身，没有其它目的；他们的信仰和信心便从真理得以形成，或说他们从真理发展自己的信仰和信心。若有人告诉他们说，他们应当遵守他们出生所在的教会的教义，他们就会反思：他们若出生在犹太教、苏西尼派、贵格会、基督教异教派（Christian Gentilism），甚至出生在教会之外，也会被告知一模一样的话。并且到处都会有人说，这里是教会！这里是教会！真理在这里，不在别处！这就是他们所想的，故他们决定要仔细研究圣言，虔诚向主祷告，使他们得到启示。像这样的人就不会干扰教会里的任何人，也不会谴责别人，因为他们知道，凡为一个教会的人都基于自己的信仰生活。
Potts(1905-1910) 5432
5432. Ye are spies. That this signifies only to seek gain, is evident from the signification of "spies," as being to seek gain. That nothing else is signified in the internal sense by "spies," is evident from the series, for in the internal sense the truths of the church are treated of, that they are to be appropriated to the natural, and that they cannot be appropriated to it except by means of influx from the celestial of the spiritual through an intermediate. These truths of the church are the "sons of Jacob," or "Joseph's brethren;" the celestial of the spiritual is "Joseph;" and the intermediate is "Benjamin." How the case herein is has been told above (n. 5402), that the truths of faith of the church, which are called doctrinal things, when learned in early life, are taken into the mind and committed to memory just like any other memory-knowledges, and remain as such until the man begins to view them with his own eyes, and see whether they are true, and after seeing that they are true, wills to act according to them. This viewing of them, and this will, make them no longer memory-knowledges, but precepts of life, and finally life; for in this way they enter into the life to which they are appropriated. [2] They who have arrived at maturity, and still more they who have arrived at old age, and have not viewed with their own eyes the truths of the church, which are called doctrinal things, and seen whether they are true, and then been willing to live according to them, retain them merely as they do all other memory-knowledges; they are in their natural memory only, and thence on their lips; and when they utter them, they utter them not from their interior man or from the heart, but only from the exterior man and from the mouth. When a man is in this state he cannot possibly believe that the truths of the church are true, although it seems to him that he so believes. The reason why it seems to him that he believes them to be true, is that he relies on others, and has confirmed in himself the teachings of others. It is very easy to confirm things taken from others, whether true or false; for this needs nothing but ingenuity. [3] These truths of the church, or they who are in this manner in the truths of the church, are signified by "spies coming to see the nakedness of the land." For they do not believe the doctrinal things of their church from any affection of truth, but from an affection of winning honors or getting gain; wherefore in themselves they believe scarcely anything, for the most part denying at heart, and regarding these doctrinal things as a merchant does his merchandise; and they appear to themselves learned and wise when from themselves they see that truths are not truths, and yet can persuade the common people that they are truths. That many of the church dignitaries are of this character, is very manifest from them in the other life; for wherever they go there, they are in the sphere of their affections and derivative thoughts, which sphere is plainly perceived by others, and it causes the quality of their affection of truth, and the quality of their faith, to be known to the very senses. In the world this is not made manifest, for there is not there any spiritual perception of such things; and this being so they do not expose themselves, for they would lose their gain. [4] That they are spies may be evident enough from the fact that such persons seek nothing but faults in those who are in truths from good, in order that they may accuse and condemn them. Are such persons anything but spies, whether they belong to the so called Papists, or the Reformed, Quakers, Socinians, or Jews, when they have once confirmed in themselves the doctrinals of their church? They ridicule and condemn the veriest truths, if any such are to be found; for they do not comprehend that truths are true. The reason of this is that they have no affection of truth for its own sake, still less for the sake of life, but only for the sake of gain. Moreover, when such men read the Word they search it with the sole end of confirming doctrinal memory-knowledges for the sake of gain; and many of them search the Word that they may see the nakedness of the land, that is, may see that the truths of the church are not truths, but only serviceable for persuading others that they are truths, for the sake of gain. [5] But they who are in the affection of truth for the sake of truth and of life, consequently for the sake of the Lord's kingdom, have indeed faith in the doctrinal things of the church; but still they search the Word for no other end than the truth, from which their faith and their conscience are formed. If anyone tells them that they ought to stay in the doctrinal things of the church in which they were born, they reflect that if they had been born in Judaism, Socinianism, Quakerism, Christian Gentilism, or even out of the church, the same would have been told them; and that it is everywhere said, Here is the church! Here is the church! Here are truths and nowhere else! And this being the case the Word should be searched with devout prayer to the Lord for enlightenment. Such do not disturb anyone within the church, nor do they ever condemn others, knowing that everyone who is a church lives from his faith.
Elliott(1983-1999) 5432
5432. 'You are spies' means that they existed solely for the sake of gain. This is clear from the meaning of 'spies' here as being bent on material gain; indeed it is clear from the train of thought that nothing else is meant in the internal sense by 'spies'. For the internal sense here deals with the truths known to the Church which are to be made over to the natural as its own. But such a making over is not possible unless an influx takes place from the celestial of the spiritual through the intermediary, those truths known to the Church being 'the sons of Jacob', who are 'Joseph's brothers', the celestial of the spiritual being 'Joseph', and the intermediary being 'Benjamin'. The implications of all this have been stated in 5402. There it is shown that when the truths of faith which are known to the Church and are called its teachings are learned at the earliest stage of life, they are taken in and consigned to the memory as facts in the same way as any other factual knowledge. And they remain there as factual knowledge until the person begins to use his own ability to look at those truths and see for himself whether they really are truths, and - having seen that they are such - to act in conformity with them. That ability to look at such truths and this willingness to act in conformity with them cause them to be factual knowledge no longer. Now they are commandments to be obeyed in life, till at length they are his life; for they then pass into the life he leads and are made his own.
[2] People who have reached adult years, and especially those who have arrived at old age, but have not used their own ability to look at the truths known to the Church, called its doctrinal teachings, to see for themselves whether these really are truths, or to form any subsequent wish to live in conformity with them, inevitably retain them in exactly the same way as they do all other factual knowledge. Those truths remain solely in their natural memory, and from there in their mouth. When they speak truths they do so not from their interior man or heart, only from their exterior man or mouth. When this is a person's state he cannot possibly believe that the truths known to the Church are truths, no matter how much it might seem to him that he does believe that they are. The reason why it seems to him that he does believe they are truths is that he trusts other people and their ideas and firmly embraces them. To embrace firmly other people's ideas, no matter whether they are truths or falsities, is very easy, for it involves no more than the use of one's intellect.
[3] These truths known to the Church - that is, those people with whom they exist in the way explained immediately above - are meant by spies coming to see the nakedness of the land. For their belief in the teachings of their Church does not spring from any affection for truth but from an affection for securing important positions and personal gain. For this reason they themselves have scarcely any belief, and there is denial for the most part in their hearts. They regard the Church's teachings in the way a merchant does his wares, in that they seem to themselves to be well-taught and wise when from within themselves they see those teachings as untrue and yet they are able to convince the common people that they are true. It is quite evident from those in the next life that very many leaders of Churches are like this. Wherever they go in the next life they take with them the sphere emanating from their affections and consequent thoughts, and that sphere is clearly perceptible to others. From this sphere one can recognize quite plainly what kind of affection for truth and what kind of faith they have possessed. The same is not made plain in the world because no spiritual perception of such things exists there. This being so, those leaders of Churches do not reveal what they really think, for that would deprive them of what they seek to gain.
[4] The fact that these are 'spies' becomes perfectly clear from the consideration that they are the kind of people who do nothing else than find fault with, so as to accuse and condemn, those who adhere to truths grounded in good. Whether they belong to the Papists so-called, or to the Reformed, or to the Quakers, or to the Socinians, or to the Jews, are not such people, once they have firmly embraced the teachings of their Church, nothing else than 'spies'? They deride and condemn absolute truths, if these are known anywhere; for truths are not embraced by them because they are truths, the reason for this being that they are not moved by any affection for truth for its own sake, let alone for their life's sake, only for the sake of personal gain. Also, when such people read the Word they examine it closely with the sole intention of confirming what is already known and taught, and for the sake of material gain. Many of them examine the Word closely 'to see the nakedness of the land', that is, to see there the truths known to the Church not as truths but merely as means that will serve them to convince others, for the sake of their own personal gain, that they are truths.
[5] People however who are moved by an affection for truth for its own sake and for their life's sake, consequently for the sake of the Lord's kingdom, do indeed have faith in the teachings of the Church. But even so they examine the Word closely with no other end in view than to see the truth itself, as a result of which they develop a faith and a conscience that are their own. If anyone tells them that they ought to keep to the teachings of the Church in which they were born, they then think that they would have been told exactly the same if they had been born within Judaism, within Socinianism, Quakerism, or Christian Gentilism, or even outside the Church, and that everywhere they would say, This is where the Church is, this is where the Church is; truths exist here and nowhere else! This being what they think they decide to examine the Word closely, praying sincerely to the Lord for enlightenment as they do so. People like these do not upset anyone else within the Church, nor do they ever condemn others, for they recognize that the life led by everyone who is a Church is founded on the faith that is his own.
Latin(1748-1756) 5432
5432. `Exploratores vos': quod significet quod solum ad captandum lucrum, constat (c)ex significatione `exploratorum' quod hic sit ad captandum lucrum; quod nihil aliud {1} in sensu interno per `exploratores' significetur, constat ex serie; agitur enim in sensu interno de veris Ecclesiae quod approprianda naturali, et quod appropriari ei nequeant nisi per influxum a caelesti spiritualis per medium; vera illa Ecclesiae sunt `filii Jacobi', seu `fratres Josephi', caeleste spiritualis est `Josephus', et medium est `Benjamin'. Quomodo se res habet {2} n. 5402 dictum est, quod nempe vera fidei Ecclesiae, quae doctrinalia vocantur, in prima aetate cum addiscuntur, non aliter capiantur (c)et memoriae mandentur quam sicut alia scientifica, et tamdiu manent ut scientifica, usque dum homo incipit ex suo visu intueri illa et videre num vera sint, et cum viderit quod vera sint, quod agere secundum illa velit; illa intuitio et haec voluntas faciunt ut non amplius scientifica sint sed praecepta vitae, et denique vita; ita enim intrant in vitam, cui {3} appropriantur. [2]Qui ad aetatem adultam {4}pervenerunt, et magis qui ad senilem, et vera Ecclesiae quae vocantur doctrinalia, non ex suo visu {4}intuiti sunt, et {4}viderunt num vera sint, et dein non secundum illa vivere {4}voluerunt, {4}illi nec aliter {4}retinent illa apud se quam sicut reliqua scientifica; sunt modo in naturali {4}eorum memoria, et inde in ore; cumque illa {4}loquuntur, non {4}loquuntur illa ex interiore suo homine seu ex corde sed modo ab exteriore homine, et ex ore; in hoc statu cum est homo, nequaquam potest credere quod vera Ecclesiae vera sint, utcumque sibi videretur quod credat; quod sibi videatur quod credat illa vera esse, est quia fidit aliis, et quae aliorum sunt, apud se confirmavit; {5} confirmare quae ab aliis, sive vera sint sive falsa, perfacile est, id enim est opus solius ingenii; [3]haec vera Ecclesiae, seu illi qui taliter in veris Ecclesiae sunt, significantur per `exploratores venientes ad videndum nuditatem terrae'; doctrinalia enim suae Ecclesiae non credunt ex aliqua affectione veri sed ex affectione aucupandi honores vel captandi lucrum, quapropter apud se vix aliquid credunt utplurimum corde negant, {6}considerantes doctrinalia illa sicut mercator suas merces; et tunc sibi docti et sapientes apparent quando ex se vident quod non vera sint, et usque persuadere queant vulgo quod vera sint; quod perplures antistites Ecclesiae tales sint, patet manifeste ab illis in altera vita; (m)ibi enim in sphaera suarum affectionum et inde cogitationum sunt, ubicumque vadunt, quae sphaera manifeste percipitur ab aliis, inde qualis affectio veri eis fuerit, et qualis fides, ad apertum sensum noscitur; in mundo hoc non manifestatur, nam {7}talium perceptio spiritualis ibi non est, et quia ita, non ipsa manifestant, privarentur enim suo lucro. [4]Quod exploratores sint, satis constare potest ex eo quod tales apud illos qui in veris ex bono sunt, nihil aliud quaerant quam naevos, ut incusent et damnent; tales sive sint ex ita dictis Papistis, sive ex Reformatis, sive ex Quakeris, sive ex Socinianis, sive ex Judaeis, cum semel confirmarunt apud se doctrinalia suae Ecclesiae, anne {8}alii sunt quam exploratores, nam ipsissima vera, si alicubi sunt, rident et damnant, {9}vera enim quod vera sint, non capiunt; causa est quia illis non est affectio veri propter verum, minus propter vitam, sed propter lucrum; tales etiam cum legunt Verbum, scrutantur Verbum solum fine confirmandi doctrinalia scientifica propter lucrum, ac {10}plures eorum scrutantur Verbum ut videant nuditatem terrae, hoc est, ut videant quod Ecclesiae vera non sint vera, sed modo inserviant ad persuadendum aliis quod vera sint, lucrandi causa. [5]Qui autem in affectione veri sunt propter verum et propter vitam, consequenter propter regnum Domini, illi quidem fidem habent doctrinalibus Ecclesiae, sed usque scrutantur Verbum non propter alium finem quam propter verum, inde illis sua fides et sua conscientia; si quis eis dicit quod manendum in doctrinalibus Ecclesiae ubi nati, cogitant, si nati fuissent in Judaismo, si in Socinianismo, Quaquerismo, Gentilismo Christiano, aut etiam extra Ecclesiam, quod similiter ab illis qui ibi, ita dictum fuisset, et quod ubivis dicatur, hic Ecclesia, hic Ecclesia, hic vera et non alibi; et cum ita, quod scrutandum Verbum cum devota prece ad Dominum, ut illustratio; tales non perturbant aliquem intra Ecclesiam, nec {11}unquam damnant alios, scientes quod usque unusquisque, qui Ecclesia, vivat ex sua fide. @1 i hic$ @2 i supra$ @3 i vera$ @4 in singular or altered into singular$ @5 i et$ @6 et modo considerant$ @7 si manifestaretur$ @8 solum exploratores sunt, etiam$ @9 nam vera$ @10 utplurimum$ @11 usquam$