613、“世代”是指宗教发展的一个阶段，与信有关。从字义上看，这一点并不明显，因为字义是历史性的。但此处只论述内在事物，故所表示的是信的世代，或与信有关的事物。这一点从以下思路也明显看出来，即：“世代”在此没有别的意思。这种情形在圣言中出现过几次，如以赛亚书：
那些出于你的人，必重建久已荒废之地；你要立起代代的根基。你必称为修补破口的，重修路径与人居住的。（以赛亚书58:12）
此处一切细节都表示与信有关的事物；“久已荒废之地”表信的属天事物；“代代的根基”表示信的属灵事物，它们自古就偏离了。又：
他们必建造已久的荒场，立起先前凄凉之处，更新荒废的城市，就是代代荒凉之处。（以赛亚书61:4）
此处意思是一样的。又：
他们必不徒然劳碌，也不生孩子而突受惊恐；因为他们都是蒙耶和华赐福者的种，他们的后代也跟他们一样。（以赛亚书65:23）
此处“生孩子”论及信的事物；“劳碌”论及与爱的事物。论到后者，经上说他们是“蒙耶和华赐福者的种”；论到前者，则说他们是“后代”。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]613. The fact that the generation is a stage of religious development is not evident from the literal sense, which tells a story. Because the message here is exclusively an inner one, though, what are symbolized are attributes of faith. The thread of the story too shows that the generation must be a stage of religious development. Several other places in the Word also use generation this way. In Isaiah, for example:
May they rebuild from you the age-old wastelands; the foundations of generation after generation may you raise up. And the name given to you will be "The one who walls up the breach," "The one who brings back the paths to dwell by." (Isaiah 58:12)
All the elements of this verse symbolize aspects of faith. The age-old wastelands symbolize faith's heavenly qualities laid waste; the foundations of generation after generation symbolize the foundations of faith's spiritual qualities. These had gone to ruin since ancient times, as is also symbolized. In the same author:
They will rebuild the age-old wastelands, the earlier desolate places they will raise up, and they will renew the wasted cities, the desolate places of generation after generation. (Isaiah 61:4)
The meaning here is similar. In the same author:
They will not labor for empty purpose and will not bear children for turmoil, because they are the seed of those blessed by Jehovah, as are their descendants with them. (Isaiah 65:23)
Here too the bearing of children is ascribed to the properties of faith, and labor, to the properties of love. The latter are described as the seed of those blessed by Jehovah, the former as offspring.
Potts(1905-1910) 613
613. That the "generations" are those of faith, does not appear from the sense of the letter, which is historical; but as internal things only are here treated of, generations of faith are signified. It is also evident from the connection that the generations here are no others. It is the same in other passages of the Word, as in Isaiah:
They that shall be of thee shall build the waste places of old; thou shalt raise up the foundations of generation and generation; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in (Isa. 58:12). All these things signify what is of faith; the "waste places of old" signify celestial things of faith; the "foundations of generation and generation" spiritual things of faith, which had lapsed from the ancient times that are likewise signified. Again:
They shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, they shall renew the waste cities, the desolations of generation and generation (Isa. 61:4);
with similar signification. And again:
They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of Jehovah, and their offspring with them (Isa. 65:23).Here also "bringing forth" [generare] is predicated of the things of faith; "laboring" of those of love. Of the latter it is said that they are "the seed of the blessed of Jehovah;" of the former, that they are "offspring."
Elliott(1983-1999) 613
613. That 'members of his own generation' has to do with faith is not evident from the sense of the letter, which sense is historical. Nevertheless because they are matters of a purely internal nature here, things that have to do with faith are meant. It is also clear from the train of thought that 'generations' here means nothing else. The same occurs several times in the Word, as in Isaiah,
Let those that be of you build the waste places of old; raise up the foundations of generation upon generation, and you will be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. Isa 58:12.
All the details here mean things that have to do with faith. 'The waste places of old' means those on the celestial side of faith, 'the foundations of generation upon generation' at the same time meaning those on the spiritual side, and which had lapsed since ancient times. In the same prophet,
They will build up the waste places of old, they will raise up the former desolations, and they will renew the waste cities, the desolations of generation upon generation. Isa 61:4.Here the meaning is similar. In the same prophet,
They will not labour in vain, and they will not generate in sudden terror; for they will be the seed of the blessed of Jehovah, and their offspring with them. Isa 65:27.
Here also 'generating' has reference to things that have to do with faith, and 'labouring' to those that have to do with love. 'The seed of the blessed of Jehovah' has reference to the latter, 'offspring' to the former.
Latin(1748-1756) 613
613. Quod 'generationes' sint fidei, ex sensu litterae non patet, {1} qui est historicas; sed hic quia solum interna sunt, significantur illa quae sunt fidei; ex serie quoque constat quod generationes hic non sint aliae; in Verbo aliquoties similiter, ut apud Esaiam, Aedificent ex te vastitates saeculi, fundamenta generationis et generationis erigas, et vocabitur tibi sepiens rupturam, reducens semitas ad habitandum, lviii 12;ubi omnia significant quae fidei sunt; 'vastitates saeculi' quae sunt caelestium fidei; 'fundamenta generationis et generationis' quae sunt spiritualium fidei, quae lapsa a temporibus antiquis, quae simul significantur: apud eundem, Aedificabunt vastitates saeculi, desolationes priores erigent, et renovabunt urbes vastitatis, desolationes generationis et generationis, lxi 4;
similiter: apud eundem, Non laborabunt in vacuum, et non generabunt ad perturbationem; nam semen benedictorum Jehovae illi, et cognati illorum cum illis, lxv 23;
ubi etiam 'generare' praedicatur de illis quae sunt fidei, 'laborare' de illis quae sunt amoris; de his praedicatur 'semen benedictorum Jehovae,' de illis 'prognati.' @ 1 possibly quia misread by printer as qui.$