5433.“来窥探这地的虚实”表再没有比自己知道它们不是真理更让他们高兴的了。这从“来窥探”、“虚实”和“地”的含义清楚可知：“来窥探”是指想知道事情是这样，因而是指再没有比知道它更令人高兴的了；“虚实”（nakedness，即赤身）是指缺乏真理，因而是指没有真理，或它们不是真理，如下文所述；“地”是指教会（参看566，662，1067，1262，1733，1850，2117，2118，3355，4447，4535节）。因此，“这地的虚实”在此表示缺乏教会所知的真理。“虚实”（nakedness，即赤身）之所以表示真理的剥夺或缺乏，是因为“衣服”一般表示真理，每一种特定类型的衣服都表示某种特定真理（参看2576，3301，4545，4677，4741，4742，4763，5248，5319节）。因此，“虚实”（nakedness，即赤身）表示真理的缺乏，这从下面从圣言所引用的经文可以看出来。
这一切的含义从刚才所述（5432节）清楚可知，即：那些学习真理不是为了真理和生活，而是为了物质利益的人必以为教会的真理不是真理。原因在于，对利益的情感是一种世俗情感，对真理的情感是一种属灵情感。这两种情感必有一个是掌权的，因为没有人能事奉两个主。故这一种情感所在之处，那一种情感必不在那里；因此，哪里有对真理的情感，哪里就没有对利益的情感；哪里有对利益的情感，哪里就没有对真理的情感。正因如此，如果对利益的情感掌权，那么就没有比知道真理不是真理，而别人却以为它们是真理更令此人高兴的了。因为倘若内在人向下看，也就是说，俯视世俗事物，使这些东西成为一切，那么他就不可能向上看，并拥有那里的任何事物，因为世俗事物会完全吞没并窒息天上的一切事物。原因在于，与人同在的天堂天使无法住在世俗事物中间，所以他们会离开；在这种情况下，地狱灵就会靠近，而与人同在的地狱灵无法住在天上的事物中间。结果，这时他会认为天上的事物无关紧要，或说天上的事物对他来说什么都不是；而世俗事物才是一切。当此人认为世俗事物才是一切时，他会以为自己比谁都更有学问、更有智慧，因为他自己否认教会真理，同时从心里说它们的存在是为了简单人。所以人必须要么处于世俗情感，要么处于天堂情感，因为他无法同时既与天堂天使同在，又与地狱灵同在；因为这样他就会悬在天堂与地狱之间。但当他处于为了真理，也就是为了神性真理所在的主的国度，因而为了主自己的缘故而对真理的情感，便在天使中间。在这种情况下，他并不轻视物质利益，只要它对他在世上的生活有用。不过，他并不以利益，而是以利益所提供的功用为目的；他视这目的为通向最终的天堂目的的居间目的。正因如此，他绝不会心系物质利益。
“虚实”（nakedness，即赤身）表示真理的缺乏，这一点从圣言中的其它经文可以看出来，如启示录：
你要写信给老底嘉教会的天使说，因为你说：我是富足，已经发了财，一样都不缺。却不知道你是那可怜、困苦、贫穷、瞎眼、赤身的。（启示录3:17）
此处“赤身”表示真理的匮乏。又：
我劝你向我买火炼的金子，叫你富足；又买白衣穿上，叫你赤身的羞耻不露出来。（启示录3:18）
“买金子”表示获得良善，并将这良善变成人自己的；“叫你富足”表示获得它是为了能处于属天和属灵的良善；“白衣”表示属灵真理；“赤身的羞耻”表示缺乏良善与真理。因为“买”表示获得并变成人自己的（参看5374节）；“金”表示属天和属灵的良善（1551，1552节）；“衣服”表示真理（1073，2576，4545，4763，5248，5319节）；“白”论及真理，因为它出自天堂之光（3301，3993，4007，5319节）。
又：
看哪，我来像贼一样；那儆醒，看守衣服，免得赤身而行的，有福了。（启示录16:15）
“看守衣服的”表示持守真理的人；“免得赤身而行”表示他没有真理。马太福音：
王要向那右边的说，我赤身露体，你们给我穿；对左边的说，我赤身露体，你们不给我穿。（马太福音25:36，43）
“赤身”表示承认他们自己里面根本没有良善和真理的善人（4958节）。
以赛亚书：
我所拣选的禁食，不是要把你的饼分给饥饿的人，将飘流的穷人接到你家中，见赤身的给他衣服遮体吗？（以赛亚书58:7）
此处意思也一样。耶利米哀歌：
耶路撒冷大大犯罪，所以成为行经的妇人，凡尊敬她的，见她赤露就都藐视她。（耶利米哀歌1:8）
此处“赤露”表示真理的缺乏。以西结书：
你就渐渐长大，以至极其俊美，两乳成形，头发长成，你却仍然赤身露体。我便用衣襟搭在你身上，遮盖你的赤体。你并未追念你幼年赤身露体的日子。（以西结书16:7-8，22）
这论及耶路撒冷，耶路撒冷表示古教会，当它刚刚建立时是什么样，后来成了什么。也就是说，起初它缺乏真理，后来装备真理，最后弃绝它们。又：
行公平正义的义人却将食物给饥饿的人吃，将衣服给赤身的人穿。（以西结书18:5，7）
“将衣服给赤身的人穿”表以真理装备那些渴望真理的人。何西阿书：
免得我剥光她，使她赤身，使她像刚生下来的那天一样；使她如旷野，使她如干旱之地，因干渴而杀死她。（何西阿书2:3）
“剥光她，使她赤身”表示剥夺真理。那鸿书：
我要使列族看见你的赤体，使列国观看你的羞耻。（那鸿书3:5）
“使列族看见赤体”表示表明它的丑陋；因为一切丑陋都是由于真理的缺乏，一切美丽都是由于真理的存在（4985，5199节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 5433
5433. To see the nakedness of the land ye are come. That this signifies that they would like nothing better than to know in themselves that there are no truths, is evident from the signification of "coming to see," as being to desire to know that it is so, thus that they would like nothing better than to know; from the signification of "nakedness," as being to be without truths, thus that there are no truths (of which in what follows); and from the signification of "land," as being the church (see n. 566, 662, 1067, 1262, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4447, 4535); here therefore the "nakedness of the land" denotes no truths in the church. That "nakedness" signifies deprived of truths, or without truths, is because "garments" in general signify truths, and each specific garment signifies some particular truth (see n. 2576, 3301, 4545, 4677, 4741, 4742, 4763, 5248, 5319). Hence "nakedness" signifies being without truths, as will also be seen below from passages taken from the Word. [2] How the case herein is, is plain from what was said just above (n. 5432), that they who learn truths not for the sake of truth and of life, but for the sake of gain, cannot but think within themselves that the truths of the church are not truths. The reason is that the affection of gain is an earthly affection, and the affection of truth is a spiritual affection. One or the other must have the dominion, for no man can serve two masters. Therefore where one affection is, the other is not; thus where there is the affection of truth, there is not the affection of gain; and where there is the affection of gain, there is not the affection of truth. Consequently, if the affection of gain has dominion, it must needs be that nothing is more desired than that truths should not be truths, and also that they should be believed to be truths by others; for if the internal man looks downward to earthly things, and vests everything in them, it is impossible for him to look upward, and to vest anything in heavenly things, because the earthly things completely absorb and stifle the heavenly things. The reason is that the angels of heaven cannot be with man in earthly things, and therefore they draw back, and the infernal spirits then come near, who cannot be with man in heavenly things. The result is that heavenly things are naught to him, and earthly things are everything; and when earthly things are everything to him, he believes himself to be more learned and wise than anyone else, in that to himself he denies the truths of the church, saying at heart that they are for the simple. Man must therefore be either in earthly affection or in heavenly affection, for he cannot be at the same time with the angels of heaven and with the infernals; because he would then hang between heaven and hell. But when he is in the affection of truth for the sake of truth, that is, for the sake of the Lord's kingdom, where the Divine truth is, thus for the sake of the Lord Himself, he is then among angels, nor does he then despise gain so far as it is useful for his life in the world; but he has as the end, not gain, but uses therefrom, which he looks upon as mediate ends to the final heavenly end; thus by no means does he set his heart upon gain. [3] That "nakedness" signifies to be without truths, may be seen from other passages in the Word, as in the Revelation:
To the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, Because thou sayest I am rich, and have been enriched, so that I have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and needy and blind and naked (Rev. 3:17);
where "naked" denotes penury of truth. In the same:
I counsel thee to buy of Me gold purified in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white garments, that thou mayest be clothed, and the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest (Rev. 3:18);
"to buy gold" denotes to procure and appropriate good to one's self; "that thou mayest be rich," denotes being in celestial and spiritual good; "white garments" denote spiritual truths; the "shame of thy nakedness" denotes being without goods and truths. (That "to buy" is to procure and to appropriate to one's self may be seen above, n. 5374; also that "gold" is celestial and spiritual good, n. 1551, 1552; that "garments" are truths, n. 1073, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5319; and that "white" is predicated of truth, because from the light of heaven, n. 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319.) [4] Again:
Behold I come as a thief, blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked (Rev. 16:15);
"he that keepeth his garments" denotes him that keepeth truths; "lest he walk naked," denotes being without truths. In Matthew:
The King shall say unto them on His right hand, I was naked, and ye clothed Me; and to them on His left, I was naked, and ye clothed Me not (Matt. 25:36, 43);
where "naked" denotes the good who acknowledge that there is nothing of good and truth in themselves (n. 4958). [5] In Isaiah:
Is not this the fast, to break thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the afflicted that are cast out into thy house? When thou seest the naked that thou cover him? (Isa. 58:7);
where the meaning is similar. In Jeremiah:
Jerusalem hath sinned a sin; therefore she hath become a menstruous woman; all that honored her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness (Lam. 1:8);
where "nakedness" denotes without truths. In Ezekiel:
Thou hast come into comelinesses of comelinesses, the paps have been made firm, and thy hair was grown, yet thou wast naked and bare. I spread My skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness. Thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare (Ezek. 16:7-8, 22);
[6] this is said of Jerusalem, by which is meant the Ancient Church, as it was when set up, and as it afterward became, namely, that at first it was without truths, but afterward was instructed in them, and at last rejected them. Again:
If a just man who hath done judgment and justice give his bread to the hungry, and cover the naked with a garment (Ezek. 18:5, 7);
where "to cover the naked with a garment" denotes to instruct in truths those who desire them. In Hosea:
Lest I strip her naked, and show her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a land of drought, and slay her with thirst (Hos. 2:3);
where "stripping naked" denotes to deprive of truths. In Nahum:
I will show the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame (Nah. 3:5);
where "showing the nations the nakedness" denotes to show the ugliness; for all ugliness is from want of truths, and all beauty is from truths (n. 4985, 5199).
Elliott(1983-1999) 5433
5433. 'You have come to see the nakedness of the land' means that nothing would please them more than to know for themselves that they are not truths. This is clear from the meaning of 'coming to see' as wishing to know that a thing is so, and therefore as nothing would give greater pleasure than to know it; from the meaning of 'the nakedness' as a lack of truths, thus that they are not truths, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'the land' as the Church (see 566, 662, 1067, 1262, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118 (end), 3355, 4447, 4535). So that 'the nakedness of the land' here means a lack of truths known to the Church. The reason 'the nakedness' means a deprivation or lack of truths is that 'clothes' in general means truths, while each specific type of garment means some particular kind of truth, see 2576, 3301, 4545, 4677, 4741, 4742, 4763, 5248, 5319, and therefore 'the nakedness' means a lack of truths, as will also be seen from the places below that are quoted from the Word.
[2] The implications of this may be seen from what has been stated immediately above in 5472, where it is said that people who do not learn truths for truth's own sake and for their life's sake, but for the sake of material gain, inevitably think that the truths known to the Church are not truths. The reason for this is that the affection for gain is an earthly affection, whereas the affection for truth is a spiritual one. One or the other must have dominion, for no one can serve two masters. Consequently where one affection exists the other does not, so that where the affection for truth is present the affection for gain is absent, and where the affection for gain is present the affection for truth is absent. This being so, if the affection for material gain has dominion, then inevitably nothing pleases the person more than to know that truths are not truths. Yet nothing else pleases him more than when others believe that truths are truths. If the internal man looks downwards, that is to say, towards earthly things and makes these everything, he cannot possibly look upwards and have anything there since earthly things completely swallow up and smother everything. The reason for this is that the angels from heaven who are present with a person cannot dwell among earthly things; they therefore depart, in which case spirits from hell draw near who, while they are present with a person, cannot dwell among heavenly things. As a consequence he then thinks that heavenly things are of no importance, while earthly ones are everything. And when that person thinks that earthly things are everything, he believes himself to be more learned and wiser than everybody else, in that he himself does not accept the truths known to the Church, and at the same time says that they exist for those who are simple. The affection that moves a person is therefore either an earthly affection or else a heavenly one, for he cannot have his being simultaneously with angels from heaven and with spirits from hell; for if he did he would be left hanging between heaven and hell. But when he is moved by an affection for truth for truth's own sake, that is, for the sake of the Lord's kingdom (where Divine Truth is present) and so for the Lord's sake, he is among angels. He does not in this case despise material gain insofar as it enables him to lead his life in the world. But such gain is not his end in view, only the useful purposes it serves which are seen by him as intermediate ends leading on to an ultimate heavenly one. This being so, his heart is by no means at all set on material gain.
[3] The fact that 'the nakedness' means a lack of truths may also be seen from other places in the Word, as in John,
To the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write, Because you say, I am rich and have become wealthy, so that I have need of nothing - when you do not know that you are wretched and miserable, and needy, and blind, and naked.... Rev 3:17.
Here being 'naked' stands for suffering from a scarcity of truth. In the same place,
I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified in the fire, and white garments to clothe you, and do not let the shame of your nakedness be manifested. Rev 3:18.
'Buying gold' stands for acquiring good and making this one's own, 'that you may become wealthy' for acquiring it to the end that celestial and spiritual good may be present; 'white garments' stands for spiritual truths, 'the shame of nakedness' for the lack of any goodness or truth. For 'buying' means acquiring and making one's own, see 5374; 'gold' celestial and spiritual good, 1551, 1552; 'garments' truths, 1073, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5319; while 'white' is attributed to truth because this comes from the light of heaven, 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319.
[4] In the same book,
Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is he who is awake and keeps his garments, so that he may not walk naked. Rev 16:15.
'He who keeps his garments' stands for the person who hangs on to truths. 'So that he may not walk naked' stands for so that he is not without truths. In Matthew,
The King will say to those at His right hand, I was naked and you clothed Me around, and to those at His left, I was naked and you did not clothe Me around. Matt 25:36, 43.
'Naked' stands for the good who acknowledge that within themselves no good or truth at all exists, 4958.
[5] In Isaiah,
Is not this the fast, to break your bread for the hungry, and that you may bring afflicted outcasts to your house, when you see the naked and cover him? Isa 58:7.
Here the meaning is similar. In Jeremiah,
Jerusalem sinned grievously, therefore she became a menstruous woman; all who honoured her despised her, for they saw her nakedness. Lam 1:8.
Here 'nakedness' stands for a lack of truths. In Ezekiel,
You reached full beauty, your breasts were formed and your hair had grown; but you were naked and bare. I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. You did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare. Ezek 16:7, 8, 22.
[6] This refers to Jerusalem, by which the Ancient Church is meant - what it was like when it was first established and what it came to be like after that. That is to say, initially it was lacking in truths, after which it was furnished with them, but finally it cast them aside. In the same prophet,
If a man is righteous, one who has executed judgement and righteousness, he gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. Ezek 18:5, 7.
'Covering the naked with clothing' stands for furnishing with truths those who desire truths. In Hosea,
Lest I strip her naked, present her as she was on the day she was born, and make her like a wilderness, and set her like a land of dryness, and slay her with thirst. Hosea 2:3.
'Stripping her naked' stands for leaving her without truths. In Nahum,
I will show the nations your nakedness, and the kingdoms your shame. Nahum 3:5.
'Showing the nations its nakedness' stands for its ugliness. All ugliness is a result of the absence of truths, all beauty a result of the presence of them, 4985, 5199.
Latin(1748-1756) 5433
5433. `Ad videndum nuditatem terrae venistis': quod significet quod nihil potius illis quam sibi scire, quod non vera sint, constat a significatione `venire ad videndum' quod sit cupere scire quod ita sit, proinde nihil potius illis quam scire; ex significatione `nuditatis' quod sit absque veris, ita quod non vera sint, de qua sequitur; et ex significatione `terrae'{1}, hic ideo `nuditas terrae' sunt non vera Ecclesiae; quod `terra' sit Ecclesia, videatur n. 566, 662, 1067, 1262, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118 fin., 3355, 4447, 4535. Quod `nuditas' significet {2}deprivatum veris seu absque veris, est quia `vestes' in genere significant vera, et unaquaevis in specie vestis aliquod verum singulare, videatur n. 2576, 3301, 4545, 4677, 4741, 4742, 4763, 5248, 5319, inde `nuditas' significat quod absque veris; {3}ut quoque a locis e Verbo infra videbitur. [2]Quomodo cum his se habet, patet ab illis quae mox supra n. (x)5432 dicta sunt, quod nempe illi qui vera (t)discunt non propter verum ac propter vitam sed propter lucrum, nequaquam aliter possint quam {4}apud se cogitare quod vera Ecclesiae non sint vera; causa est quia affectio lucri est affectio terrestris, et affectio veri est affectio spiritualis; una aut altera dominium habebit, {5} nemo potest servire duobus dominis; quapropter ubi una affectio est, altera non est, ita ubi affectio veri,ibi non affectio lucri, et ubi affectio lucri, ibi non affectio veri; inde est quod si affectio lucri dominium habet, nequaquam possit aliter esse quam quod nihil potius sit quam quod vera non sint vera, at usque nihil potius {6} quam quod vera credantur vera ab aliis; si enim homo internus spectat deorsum, nempe ad terrestria, et ibi ponit omne, nequaquam potest spectare sursum et ibi ponere aliquid, nam terrena prorsus absorbent et suffocant; causa est quia angeli caeli apud hominem non possunt esse in terrestribus, quapropter illi recedunt, et tunc accedunt spiritus infernales, qui apud hominem non possunt esse in caelestibus, inde caelestia ei nauci sunt, et terrestria ei omne; et cum (t)terrestria ei sunt omne, tunc doctiorem et sapientiorem reliquis se credit, in eo quod Ecclesiae vera sibi negat, dicens corde quod simplicibus sint illa; erit itaque vel in affectione terrestri vel in affectione caelesti, non enim potest esse {7} cum angelis caeli et simul cum infernalibus, penderet enim tunc inter caelum et infernum; at cum in affectione veri est propter verum, hoc est, propter regnum Domini, ibi enim est Divinum Verum, ita propter Ipsum Dominum, tunc inter angelos est, et tunc nec vilipendit lucrum, quatenus id conducit ei ad vitam in mundo, sed non pro fine habet lucrum, verum usus inde quos spectat ut fines medios ad finem ultimum caelestem; ita nullatenus ponit cor in lucro. [3]Quod nuditas significet absque veris, constare etiam potest ab aliis locis in Verbo, ut apud Johannem, Angelo Ecclesiae Laodicensium scribe, Quia dicis quod dives sim, et ditatus sim, ut nullius opus habeam, cum non scias quod tu sis miser et miserabilis, et egenus, et caecus et nudus, Apoc. iii 17;{8}ibi `nudus' pro in veri penuria: apud eundem, Consulo te ut emas a Me aurum igne purificatum, . . . et vestimenta alba ut induaris, et non manifestetur pudor nuditatis tuae, Apoc. iii 18;
`emere aurum' pro comparare et appropriare sibi bonum; `ut ditescas' pro ut in bono caelesti et spirituali {9}sit; `vestimenta alba' pro vera spiritualia; `pudor nuditatis' pro quod absque bonis et veris; quod `emere' sit sibi comparare et appropriare, videatur n. 5374; quod `aurum' sit bonum caeleste et spirituale, n. 1551, 1552; `vestimenta' quod sint vera, n. 1073, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5319; quod `album' praedicetur de vero, quia {10}ex luce caeli, n. 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319: apud eundem [4]Ecce venio sicut fur, beatus qui vigilat et servat vestimenta sua, ut non nudus ambulet, Apoc. xvi 15;
`qui servat vestimenta sua' pro qui vera; {11}`ne nudus ambulet' pro ne absque veris: apud Matthaeum, Rex dicet illis a dextris, Nudus fui et circuminduistis Me: . . . et illis a sinistris, Nudus et non circuminduistis Me, xxv 36, 43;
`nudus {12}' pro bonis qui agnoscunt nihil boni et veri in se esse, n. 4958: apud Esaiam, [5]Nonne hoc jejunium ... frangere famelico panem tuum, et ut afflictos exules introducas in domum, cum videris nudum et obtexeris illum, lviii 7;
similiter: apud Jeremiam, Peccatum peccavit Hierosolyma, ideo in menstruam facta, omnes qui honoraverunt eam, vilipenderunt eam, quia viderunt nuditatem ejus, Thren. i 8;
ubi `nuditas' pro absque veris: apud Ezechielem, Venisti in decora decorum, ubera solidata sunt, et crinis tuus crevit, eras tamen nuda et nudata.... Expandi alam Meam super te, et operui nuditatem tuam. . . Non recordata es dierum juventutis tuae, cum esses nuda et denudata, xvi 7,8,22;
{13}ibi de Hierosolyma, [6]per quam intelligitur Ecclesia Antiqua qualis cum instaurata, et qualis dein facta, quod nempe primum absque veris {14}sed dein instructa in veris, {15}et quod demum ea rejecerit: apud eundem, Si vir justus qui fecerit judicium et justitiam, . . . panem suum famelico det, et nudum contegat veste, xviii (5,) 7;
`nudum contegere veste' pro instruere in veris illos qui desiderant vera: apud Hosheam, Ne forte exuam eam nudam, sistam eam secundum diem pari ejus, et ponam eam sicut desertum, et disponam eam sicut terram siccitatis, et occidam eam per sitim, ii 3;
`exuere nudam' pro ut sit absque veris: apud Nahum, Ostendam gentibus nuditatem tuam, et regnis ignominiam tuam, iii 5;
`ostendere gentibus nuditatem' pro turpitudinem; omnis turpitudo est a non veris, et omnis pulchritudo a veris, n. 4985, 5199. @1 i quod sit Ecclesia$ @2 quod$ @3 n. 1073$ @4 velle$ @5 i nam$ @6 i ei$ @7 i in una et simul in altera, hoc est,$ @8 ubi$ @9 sis, et$ @10 in$ @11 ,ut mox supra, inde nudus pro absque veris$ @12 i fui$ @13 ubi$ @14 ac$ @15 quae dein rejecerat$