880、“他又等了七天”表示重生的第二个状态的开始，这从以下事实清楚可知：正在描述的是第一个状态（8:8-9）和这第二个状态（8:10-11）之间的间隔时间。为了将事物联系在一起，仿佛它们是历史事件，这间隔的时间用“等”这个字来表述。从前面关于第一个状态，也就是信之真理因虚假造成阻碍尚不能扎根的状态的阐述和说明，可在某种程度上清楚看出重生的第二个状态是何性质。当人开始承认并相信时，信之真理才首次扎根，而在此之前，它们没有扎根。人从圣言听到并存在记忆里的东西仅仅是播种；在人接受并欢迎仁之良善以前，决不会开始扎根。一切信之真理都扎根在信之良善中，也就是扎根在仁之
良善中。这就像撒在地里的种子。尚在冬天，也就是土地冻得很硬的时候，种子的确撒在地里，但没有扎根。不过，一旦早春太阳的热温暖大地，种子就开始第一次生根，然后扎进土壤。这同样适用于所播种的属灵种子。它永远不会扎根，直到仁之良善可以说温暖这种子。只有到那时，它才第一次生根，然后发出根来。
人里面有三个层面是一致并结合在一起的，即属世层，属灵层和属天层。他的属世层只能从属灵层获得生命，属灵层只能从属天层获得生命，而属天层唯独从主，就是生命本身获得生命。为了获得更清晰的概念，让我说明一下：属世层是接受属灵层的器皿，或属灵层被注入其中的器皿；属灵层是接受属天层的器皿，或属天层被注入其中的器皿。因此，生命通过属天层从主流入。这就是流注。属天层本质上是一切信之良善；对属灵人来说，属天层作为仁之良善存在。属灵层是真理，并且它决不会变成信之真理，除非它里面有信之良善，也就是仁之良善，来自主的生命本身就在这良善里面。再把这个问题说得更清楚些：正是人的属世层将仁之行为付诸实践，无论藉着手，还是藉着口，因而藉着身体器官。然而，这行为本身是死的，若不从它里面的属灵之物获得，就没有生命；属灵之物若不从属天之物获得，同样没有生命，而属天之物从主获得生命。行为由此被说成是善的，因为若不从主获得，就没有任何良善可言。
既然如此，那么人人都可以清楚看出，对每一个仁之行为来说，行为本身纯粹是身体行为，这行为因它里面的信之真理而成为活的。更重要的是，信之真理是无生命之物，因信之良善而成为活的。此外，信之良善若不唯独从主，也就是良善本身和生命本身获得，就没有生命。这解释了为何属天天使不愿听到信，更不愿听到行为（参看202节），因为他们将信和行为都追溯到爱。他们将信归因于爱，甚至将信之行为也归因于爱。因此，对他们来说，行为和信这两者都不在他们的视线之内，只有爱和源于这爱的良善才能存在，主在他们的爱里面。这些天使因拥有如此属天的观念，故不同于被称为属灵的天使。他们的思维和由此而来的言语远比属灵天使的更不可思议。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]880. The symbolism of he waited another seven days as the start of the second stage of regeneration can be seen from this: the clause describes the interval between the first stage (discussed just above in verses 8-9) and the second (discussed here in verses 10-11). To weave its story, the text uses the words he waited to stand for the interval.
The facts with respect to the second stage of rebirth can be seen to some extent from what was stated and shown concerning the first stage, in which religious truth could not yet put down roots because falsity was getting in the way. Religious truth first takes root when we begin to acknowledge and believe it. Until then, it has no roots. The things that we hear from the Word and hold in our memory are no more than seeds sown there.
Roots, however, do not develop until we receive and welcome charitable goodness. The goodness embraced by faith, that is, the good urged by charity, is what gives root to the truth taught by faith. The situation is like that of seed cast on the earth while winter still holds sway and the earth remains frozen. The seed lies there, but it does not grow roots. As soon as the warming sun of early spring thaws the ground, though, the seed begins to develop roots, at first growing them inside and then extending them into the earth. So it is with the planting of spiritual seed; no roots grow until the goodness of charity warms it. Then it first develops roots internally and afterward sends them out.
[2] We have three parallel, unified layers within us: earthly, spiritual, and heavenly. Our earthly level receives no life at all except from the spiritual; our spiritual level receives no life at all except from the heavenly; and our heavenly level receives life from the Lord alone, who is life itself.
To offer a somewhat fuller picture, our earthly level is a reservoir that holds spiritual qualities, or a container into which they are poured; and our spiritual level is a reservoir that holds heavenly qualities, or a container into which they are poured. Through our heavenly level, we receive life from the Lord. This is what influx is.{*1} The heavenly aspect is everything good connected with faith or (in a spiritual person) the goodness connected with charity. The spiritual aspect is truth, which definitely does not become a part of our faith unless it has inside it the goodness that belongs to faith, or the goodness of charity, which in turn has within it life itself from the Lord.
To present a still clearer view of what is entailed, our earthly dimension involves carrying out a work of charity{*2} by means of our physical body, whether in deed or word. But this dimension in itself is dead. It has no life except from the spiritual dimension lying behind the work; and the spiritual dimension has no life except from the heavenly dimension, which comes from the Lord. Because of him a deed is called good; nothing is good unless it comes from the Lord.
[3] This being the case, everyone can see that in any charitable deed, the act itself is just a function of the material body; whatever vitality it possesses comes from the religious truth that underlies it. Furthermore, religious truth is itself just a lifeless entity; anything alive in it comes from religious goodness. Religious goodness, again, has no life except from the Lord alone, who is goodness itself and life itself.
This demonstrates why heavenly angels are unwilling to hear about faith, still less about good deeds (see 202), because they trace the origin of each to love. They act on their faith out of love, and even the good works of faith are something they do out of love, so that for them, both the works and the faith vanish and only love and the good that comes of it remain. Within their love the Lord is present.
Because these angels have such heavenly ideas, they are kept separate from the angels described as spiritual. Their way of thinking and consequent manner of speech is much harder to grasp than the spiritual angels' thought and speech.
Footnotes:
{*1} For the meaning of "influx" here, see note 2 in 657. For the idea of influx in the contemporary debate about the interaction of the soul and the body, see note 2 in 196. [RS]
{*2} The phrase "a work of charity," which could also be translated as "a labor of love," may be an allusion to 1 Thessalonians 1:3; Hebrews 6:10; and possibly Galatians 5:6. [LSW]
Potts(1905-1910) 880
880. And he stayed yet other seven days. That this signifies the beginning of a second state of regeneration, may be evident from the fact that the time is thus described which intervenes between the first state (described in the eighth and ninth verses) and this second state (described here in the tenth and eleventh verses). In order to maintain the historic connection, this intervening time is expressed by his "staying." How the case is with the second state of regeneration may be seen in some degree from what has been said and shown about the first state, which was that the truths of faith could not yet take root, because falsities hindered. The truths of faith are first rooted when man begins to acknowledge and believe, and they are not rooted before. What man hears from the Word and holds in memory, is only the sowing; the rooting does by no means begin until the man accepts and receives the good of charity. All the truth of faith is rooted by the good of faith, that is, by the good of charity. This is as with seed that is cast into the ground while it is still winter and the ground is cold; there indeed it lies, but does not take root. But as soon as the heat of the sun warms the earth in the time of early spring, the seed begins first to push its root within itself, and afterwards to send it forth into the ground. The case is the same with spiritual seed that is being implanted: this is never rooted until the good of charity as it were warms it; then for the first time it pushes its root within itself, and afterwards sends it forth. [2] There are three things in man which concur and unite together, namely, the Natural, the Spiritual, and the Celestial. His natural never receives any life except from the spiritual, and the spiritual never except from the celestial, and the celestial from the Lord alone, who is life itself. But in order that a still fuller idea may be gained: the natural is the receptacle that receives the spiritual, or is the vessel into which the spiritual is poured; and the spiritual is the receptacle which receives, or is the vessel into which is poured, the celestial. Thus, through things celestial, life comes from the Lord. Such is the influx. The celestial is all the good of faith; in the spiritual man it is the good of charity. The spiritual is truth, which never becomes the truth of faith unless there is in it the good of faith, that is, the good of charity, in which there is life itself from the Lord. That a yet clearer idea may be gained: man's natural is what does the Work of Charity, by hand or by mouth, and thus by the organs of the body; but this work in itself is dead, and does not live except from the spiritual that is in it; and the spiritual does not live except from the celestial, which lives from the Lord. From this the work is said to be good, since there is nothing good except from the Lord. [3] This being the case, it must be evident to everyone that in every work of charity the work itself is nothing but a material affair, and that the work is living is attributable to the truth of faith that is in it; and further that neither is the truth of faith anything but an inanimate affair, and that the truth of faith is living is attributable to the good of faith; moreover that the good of faith is not living except from the Lord only, who is Good itself and Life itself. This shows why the celestial angels are unwilling to hear about faith, and are still more unwilling to hear about work (see n. 202). For the celestial angels ascribe to love both the faith and the work, making faith to be from love, and making even the work of faith to be from love, so that with them both the work and the faith vanish, and there remains nothing but love and its derivative good, and within their love is the Lord. In consequence of having ideas so heavenly these angels are distinct from those angels who are called spiritual, their very thought (together with the speech that is derived from this thought) being much more incomprehensible than are the thought and the speech of the spiritual angels.
Elliott(1983-1999) 880
880. That 'he waited yet another seven days' means the beginning of the second state of regeneration becomes clear from the fact that the interval between the first state, dealt with in verses 8, 9, just above, and this second state, dealt with here in verses 10, 11, is being described. So that things may be linked together as though they were historical events, that interval is expressed by the phrase 'he waited'. The nature of the second state of regeneration becomes clear to some extent from what has been stated and shown concerning the first, which was a state in which truths of faith had not as yet been able to take root on account of the falsities that obstructed. Truths of faith first strike root when a person starts to acknowledge and believe. Till then they have not struck root. What a person hears from the Word and retains in the memory is no more than a sowing of the seed; in no way does rooting start until that person receives and welcomes good that stems from charity. Every truth of faith has its roots in the good of faith, that is, in good that stems from charity. It is just like seed that is cast on the land. While it is still winter-time, that is, when the land is frozen hard, there it indeed lies but does not take root. But as soon as the warmth of the sun which arrives in early spring warms up the land, the seed starts to grow roots for the first time and then to strike down into the soil. The same applies to spiritual seed that is sown. This never strikes root until good that stems from charity warms it up so to speak. Only then does it grow a root on itself which it then pushes forth.
[2] With man there are three things which go together and combine - the natural, the spiritual, and the celestial. His natural never acquires any life except from the spiritual; the spiritual never acquires any except from the celestial; and the celestial does so from the Lord alone, who is Life itself. To obtain a clearer picture of this idea, let it be said that the natural is the receptacle that receives, or the vessel into which the spiritual is poured; and the spiritual is the receptacle that receives, or the vessel into which the celestial is poured. Thus it is through celestial things that life from the Lord flows. That is how influx works. The celestial is essentially all the good of faith; with a spiritual man it exists as the good of charity. The spiritual is truth, which in no way becomes the truth of faith unless it has within it the good of faith, that is, good that stems from charity, in which good there is life itself from the Lord. To make the matter more intelligible still: it is man's natural that puts a work of charity into effect, whether by hand or by mouth, and so through the organs of the body. Yet in itself the work is dead and has no life except from what is spiritual within it. Nor does what is spiritual have life except from what is celestial, which has it from the Lord. This is what enables it to be called a good work, for nothing is good if it does not derive from the Lord.
[3] This being so it may become clear to anyone that with every work of charity, the work regarded in itself is a purely physical action, which is made living however by the truth of faith lying within the work. And what is more, the truth of faith is something lifeless, which is however made alive from the good of faith. And the good of faith has no life except from the Lord alone, who is Good itself and Life itself. This explains why celestial angels will not hear of faith, even less of works, see 202, for they trace both faith and works back to love. They attribute faith to love, and they attribute the works produced by faith to love. For them therefore both the works and faith leave their sight, and only love and good deriving from it remain. And within their love is the Lord. Because those angels have ideas so celestial they are differentiated from the angels who are called spiritual. Their very thinking and consequent speaking are more inconceivable by far than the thought and speech of spiritual angels .
Latin(1748-1756) 880
880. Quod 'exspectavit adhuc septem dies' significet principium secundi status regenerationis, constare exinde potest quod per hoc, tempus quod intercedit inter primum statum (de quo in vers. mox praec. 8 et 9) {1}, et hunc secundum (de quo hic in vers. 10 et 11), describatur; tempus illud quod intercedit, ut historice connexa sint, exprimitur per quod 'exspectaverit.' Quomodo secundus status regenerationis se habet, constare aliquantum potest ab illis quae dicta et ostensa sunt de primo statu, qui fuit quod nondum potuerint vera fidei radicem figere, ex eo quod falsitates impedirent; tunc primum vera fidei radicantur quando homo incipit agnoscere et credere; prius nondum radicata sunt; quae homo audit ex Verbo et memoria tenet, non est nisi inseminatio: sed radicatio nusquam incipit nisi cum homo bonum charitatis accipit et recipit; omne verum fidei radicatur a bono fidei, hoc est, a bono charitatis; se habet hoc sicut semen quod injicitur terrae; tempore quando adhuc hiems est, seu quando terra friget, tunc ibi quidem jacet, sed non radicem agit; ut primum vero calor solis, quod fit tempore primi veris, terram calefacit, tunc incipit semen radicem in se primum agere, et dein emittere in terram: similiter se habet cum semine spirituali quod implantatur; hoc nusquam radicatur antequam bonum charitatis quasi calefacit illud, tunc primum in se radicem agit quam dein producit. [2] Sunt tria apud hominem quae concurrunt et se uniunt, nempe naturale, spirituale, et caeleste; naturale ejus nusquam aliquam vitam accipit, nisi a spirituali, et spirituale nusquam nisi a caelesti, et caeleste a solo Domino, qui est ipsa Vita: sed ut adhuc plenior ejus idea capiatur, est naturale, receptaculum quod recipit, seu vas cui infunditur spirituale; et spirituale est receptaculum quod recipit, seu vas cui infunditur caeleste; ita per caelestia vita a Domino; talis est influxus. Caeleste est omne bonum fidei, apud hominem spiritualem est bonum charitatis; spirituale est verum, quod nusquam fit verum fidei nisi in illo sit bonum fidei, seu bonum charitatis, in quo est ipsa vita ex Domino: ut adhuc manifestius sciatur quomodo se habet, naturale hominis est quod faciat opus charitatis, hoc vel manu vel ore, sic per organa corporis; sed hoc in se est mortuum, non vivit nisi a spirituali quod in opere, et non vivit spirituale nisi a caelesti quod a Domino; inde dicitur opus bonum, nam nihil bonum nisi a Domino; [3] quia ita se res habet, unicuique constare potest quod in omni opere charitatis ipsum opus sit nihil nisi materiale quoddam, sed quod sit animatum, hoc habeat a vero fidei quod in opere; et porro quod verum fidei nec sit aliquid nisi inanimatum quoddam, sed quod sit vivum, hoc habeat a bono fidei; et quod bonum fidei non sit vivum nisi a solo Domino, Qui est ipsum Bonum et ipsa Vita: inde patet cur caelestes angeli non audire velint de fide, minus de opere, videatur n. 202, quia tam fidem quam opus derivant ex amore, et faciunt fidem ex amore, ipsumque opus fidei ex amore, sic ut iis evanescat tam opus quam fides, et remaneat solum amor et bonum inde, quorum in amore est Dominus: angeli illi quia tam caelestes ideas habent, distincti sunt ab angelis qui spirituales vocantur; ipsaque eorum cogitatio et loquela inde est multo incomprehensibilior cogitatione et loquela angelorum spiritualium. @1 Parentheses inserted.$