6344.“我力量的开始”表真理所拥有的通过这信而来的初始能力。这从“力量的开始”的含义清楚可知，“力量的开始”是指初始能力；由于“力量”论及真理，故所表示的是那真理所拥有的初始能力。以赛亚书也有同样的用法：
疲乏的，耶和华赐威力；没有力量的，祂加能力。（以赛亚书40:29）
此处“威力”（might）论及良善，“力量”（strength）论及真理，“能力”论及这二者。有必要简要说一说当如何理解“流便，我的长子，你是我的威力，我力量的开始”所表示的，良善所拥有的能力和真理所拥有的初始能力都通过信而来。在灵界，一切能力皆从良善通过真理而来。没有良善的真理根本没有任何能力，因为真理就像身体，良善就像该身体的灵魂，灵魂要做成某事，就必须藉着身体行动。由此明显可知，没有良善的真理根本没有任何能力，就像没有灵魂的身体根本没有任何能力一样；因为没有灵魂的身体就是一具尸体，没有良善的真理也是如此。
当信之真理通过良善刚刚出生时，能力看似在真理中。这种能力就是那被称为“真理通过信所拥有的初始能力”的，由“力量的开始”来表示，如圣言中论述“长子”的其它地方那样；如诗篇：
祂在埃及击杀一切长子，在含的帐棚中，击杀力量开始时头生的。（诗篇78:51）
另一处：
祂又击杀他们地上一切的长子，就是他们力量开始时头生的。（诗篇105:36）
以及申命记：
祂必认所恶者的儿子为长子，在为他所寻到的一切中给他双分；因这儿子是他力量的开始，长子的名分本是他的。（申命记21:17）
由于“长子”在真正意义上表示仁之良善，但在表面意义上表示信之真理（参看3325，4925，4926，4928，4930节），并且这二者是教会的根本，或说根本品质，所以古人将长子称为他“父亲的威力和力量的开始”。这些根本或说根本品质由“长子”来表示，这一点从以下事实明显看出来：一切长子或头生的皆属耶和华或主，利未支派代替了一切长子或头生的，作了祭司。
世人几乎不知道来自良善的真理所拥有的能力是何性质；但这性质为来世之人所知，因此能通过那里的启示而得知。拥有来自良善的真理，也就是源于仁的信之人拥有通过真理从良善而来的能力。所有天使都拥有这种能力，这也是为何在圣言中，天使被称为“大能者”。因为他们拥有管制恶灵的能力，一位天使甚至能同时管制一千个恶灵。他们主要是在世人当中行使他们的能力；有时会以数千种方式保护一个人免受众多地狱之害。
天使通过源于仁之良善的信之真理拥有这种能力；不过，由于他们所拥有的信来自主，所以唯独主是居于他们里面的能力。通过信来自主的这种能力由主对彼得所说的这些话来表示：
我要把我的教会建造在这磐石上，阴间的门，不能胜过它。我要把天国的钥匙给你。凡你在地上所捆绑的，在天上也要捆绑。凡你在地上所释放的，在天上也要释放。（马太福音16:18，19）
这些话是对彼得说的，因为彼得代表信（参看创世记22章序言，以及3750，4738，6000，6073e节）。凡在圣言中被称为“彼得”的地方，如此处，“彼得”在内义上都表示信，在至高意义上表示信方面的主。
Potts(1905-1910) 6344
6344. And the beginning of my forces. That this signifies that through it is the first power in truth, is evident from the signification of the "beginning of forces," as being the first power; and as "forces" are predicated of truth, it is the first power in truth that is signified, in like manner as in Isaiah:
Jehovah giveth strength to the wearied one, and to him that hath no forces He multiplieth power (Isa. 40:29);
where "strength" is predicated of good, and "forces" of truth, and "power" of both. How it is to be understood that through faith there is power in good, and the first power in truth, which is signified by "Reuben, my firstborn, thou art my strength, and the beginning of my forces," shall be briefly told. All the power in the spiritual world is from good through truth. Without good, truth has no power whatever, for truth is like a body, and good is like the soul of this body, and in order that the soul may do anything, it must be by means of the body. Hence it is plain that truth without good has no power whatever, just as the body without the soul has no power; for the body is then a carcass, and so also is truth without good. [2] When the faith of truth through good is first born, the power appears to be in truth. This power is what is called the "first power in truth through faith," and is signified by the "beginning of forces," as also elsewhere in the Word where "birthright" is treated of; as in David:
He smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the beginning of forces in the tents of Ham (Ps. 78:51). And in another place:
He smote all the firstborn in their land, the beginning of all their forces (Ps. 105:36). Also in Deuteronomy:
He shall acknowledge the firstborn son of the hated one, to give him two parts of all that shall be found for him; in that he is the beginning of his forces, the right of the birthright is his (Deut. 21:17). [3] As by the "firstborn" is signified in the genuine sense the good that is of charity, but in the sense according to the appearance the truth that is of faith (see n. 3325, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930), and as these two are the foundations of the church, therefore by the ancients the firstborn was called the "strength of the father, and the beginning of his forces." That such was the signification is plainly evident from the fact that every firstborn belonged to Jehovah or the Lord, and that in the stead of all the firstborn the tribe of Levi was accepted and the priesthood given to it. [4] Scarcely anyone in this world can know what is the nature of the power that is in truth from good; but it is known to those who are in the other life; thus by revelation thence. They who are in truth from good, that is, in faith from charity, are in power through truth from good. In this power are all the angels, and from this the angels are called in the Word "powers;" for they are in the power of restraining evil spirits, one angel being able to restrain a thousand all at once. They exercise their power chiefly when with man, in defending him at times against many hells, and this in a thousand and a thousand ways. [5] They have this power by means of the truth that is of faith from the good that is of charity; but as they have their faith from the Lord, it is the Lord alone who is the power in them. This power which is through faith from the Lord is meant by the Lord's words to Peter:
Upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in the heavens, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in the heavens (Matt. 16:18, 19). This was said to Peter, because by him was represented faith (see preface to Gen. 22, and also n. 3750, 4738, 6000, 6073); and by "Peter," wherever in the Word he is called "Peter," as here, is signified in the internal sense, faith, and in the supreme sense the Lord as to faith.
Elliott(1983-1999) 6344
6344. 'And the beginning of my strength' means that through that faith comes the initial power which truth possesses. This is clear from the meaning of 'the beginning of strength' as initial power; and since 'strength' is used with reference to truth, the initial power that truth possesses is what is meant. A similar usage occurs in Isaiah,
Jehovah imparts might to the weary, and to him who has no strength He gives greater power. Isa 40:29.
Here 'might' is used with reference to good and 'strength' to truth, 'power' with reference to both.
A brief statement will be made about how one should understand the explanation that through faith comes the power which good possesses, and the initial power which truth possesses, meant by 'Reuben my firstborn, you are my might and the beginning of my strength'. In the spiritual world all power comes from good through truth; without good truth has no power at all. For truth is so to speak the body, and good so to speak the soul of that body, and to accomplish anything the soul must act through the body. From this it is evident that truth without good has no power at all, even as the body without the soul has none at all. A body without its soul is a corpse; so too is truth without good.
[2] As soon as good effects the birth of faith that is composed of truth, power reveals itself in truth. This power is what is called the initial power that truth possesses through faith and is what is meant by 'the beginning of strength', as in other places in the Word where the condition of the firstborn is referred to, for example in David,
He smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the beginning of strength in the tents of Ham. Ps 78:51.
And in another place,
He smote all the firstborn in their land, the beginning of all their strength. Ps 105:36.
Also in Deuteronomy,
He must acknowledge the firstborn son of her that is hated, to give him two parts of all that will be found for him, in that he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the first born is his. Deut 21:17.
[3] The genuine meaning of 'the firstborn' is the good of charity, though the apparent meaning is the truth of faith, 3325, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930. And because both that good and this truth are the fundamental qualities of the Church, the ancients spoke of the firstborn as his 'father's might and the beginning of his strength'. The fact that those fundamental qualities were meant by 'the firstborn' is quite evident from the considerations that everything which was a firstborn was Jehovah's or the Lord's and that the tribe of Levi was taken instead of all the firstborn and became the priesthood.
[4] Scarcely anyone in the world can know what the power possessed by truth coming from good is; but it is known to those in the next life, and so can be known through revelation from there. People in possession of truth that comes from good, that is, of faith derived from charity, possess power that comes through truth from good. All angels possess that power, which also is why in the Word angels are called 'powers'. For they have the power to restrain evil spirits; even one angel can restrain a thousand together. Their power they use most especially among men; sometimes they protect a person from numerous hells, in thousands of ways.
[5] This power that angels possess comes to them through the truth of faith derived from the good of charity. But because the faith they have comes from the Lord, the Lord alone is the power that resides with them. This power which comes from the Lord through faith is meant by the Lord's words to Peter,
On this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Matt 16:18, 19.
These words were addressed to Peter because he represented faith, see Preface to Genesis 22, as well as 3750, 4738, 6000, 6073 (end). Also wherever 'rock',a as Peter is called here, occurs in the Word, faith is meant in its internal sense, and the Lord in respect of faith in its highest sense.
Latin(1748-1756) 6344
6344. `Et principium virium mearum': quod significet quod per illam prima potentia vero, constat ex significatione `principii virium' quod sit prima potentia; et quia `vires' praedicantur de vero, est prima potentia vero quae significatur; similiter ac apud Esaiam,Jehovah dat defatigato robur, et cui non vires, potentiam multiplicat, xl 29;
ubi `robur' praedicatur de bono, ac `vires' de vero, `potentia' de utroque. Quomodo intelligendum quod per fidem potentia bono, et prima potentia vero, quae significantur per `Reuben primogenitus meus, tu robur meum et principium virium, mearum', paucis dicetur: omnis potentia in spirituali mundo est a bono per verum, absque bono verum prorsus nihil potest, est enim verum sicut corpus, et bonum est illius corporis sicut anima; ut anima aliquid efficiat, erit per corpus; inde patet quod vero absque bono sit prorsus nulla potentia, sicut est prorsus nulla corpori absque anima, nam corpus tunc est cadaver, ita quoque verum absque bono;
[2] cum primum nascitur fides veri per bonum, tunc apparet potentia in vero; illa potentia est quae vocatur prima potentia vero per fidem, et significatur per `principium virium'; ut quoque alibi in Verbo ubi de primogenitura agitur, ut apud Davidem,
Percussit omnem primogenitum in Aegypto, principium virium in tentoriis Hami, Ps. lxxviii 51:
et alibi,
Percussit omnem primogenitum in terra eorum, {1}principium omnium virium ejus, cv 36:
tum in Deuteronomio,
Primogenitum filium exosae agnoscet, ut det illi partes duas de omni quod invenietur illi; eo quod ille sit principium virium ejus, illi jus primogeniturae, xxi 17.
[3] Quia per `primogenitum' significatur in genuino sensu bonum quod charitatis, at in sensu secundum apparentiam, verum quod fidei, n. 3325, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930; et quia illa bina sunt Ecclesiae fundamenta, ideo ab antiquis dictus est primogenitus `robur patris et principium virium ejus'; quod illa per primogenitum significata sint, patet manifeste ex eo quod Jehovae seu Domino fuerit omne primogenitum, et quod loco omnium primogenitorum tribus Levi acceptata {2}fuerit et ei datum sacerdotium.
[4] Quid potentia {3}vero ex bono, vix aliquis scire potest qui in mundo, sed qui in altera vita, ita ex revelatione inde; illi qui in vero sunt ex bono, hoc est, in fide ex charitate, in {4} potentia sunt per verum ex bono; in illa sunt omnes angeli; unde etiam {5}angeli vocantur `potentiae' in Verbo; sunt enim in potentia coercendi spiritus malos, etiam unus (x)angelus millenos simul; potentiam suam maxime exercent apud hominem, illum tutando quandoque contra plura inferna, et hoc mille et mille modis;
[5] haec potentia illis est per verum quod fidei ex bono quod charitatis; sed quia {6}fides illis est ex Domino, est Dominus solus Qui est potentia apud illos; haec potentia quae per fidem est a Domino, intelligitur per verba Domini ad Petrum,
Super {7}hac petra aedificabo Ecclesiam Meam; et portae inferni non praevalebunt illi; et dabo tibi claves regni caelorum, et quicquid ligaveris in terra, erit ligatum in caelis, et quicquid solveris in terra, erit solutum in caelis, Matth. xvi 18, 19;
haec ad Petrum, dicta sunt quia per illum repraesentata est fides, videatur Praefatio ad Gen. xxii, ut et n. 3750, 4738, 6000, 6073 fin.; et quoque per `{8}petrum', sicut Petrus ibi nominatur, ubivis in Verbo in sensu ejus interno significatur fides, ac in supremo sensu Dominus quoad fidem.
@1 Sch has praecipuum, S wrote praecipuum at first, but altered to principium; Heb is (reshith) in all four places in this no.$ @2 est$ @3 veri$ @4 i tali$ @5 illi potentiae in Verbo vocantur$ @6 omnis illis fides$ @7 hanc petram$ @8 petram$