886、“橄榄”表示仁之良善，这不仅从圣言中“橄榄”的含义，还可从“油”的含义清楚可知。除了香料外，橄榄油也用来膏抹祭司和君王（参看出埃及记30:24），还用于灯（出埃及记27:20）。橄榄油之所以用来膏抹并用于灯，是因为它代表一切属天之物，因而代表一切爱与仁之良善。事实上，油是树的本质元素，可以说是它的灵魂，正如属天之物或爱与仁之良善是信的本质元素或灵魂本身。这就是其代表的起源。“油”表示属天之物，或爱与仁之良善，这一点可从圣言中的大量经文得以证实；但由于此处提到的是橄榄树，所以我们只引用一些证实橄榄树含义的经文。如耶利米书：
从前耶和华给你起名叫青橄榄树，又华美又结好果子。（耶利米书11:16）
此处所起的名字适用于上古教会或属天教会，该教会是犹太教会的根基。所以，犹太教会的一切代表都关注属天事物，并通过属天事物关注主。
何西阿书：
他的枝条必伸展，他的荣美如橄榄树，他的气味如黎巴嫩的香柏树。（何西阿书14:6）
这论及将要建立的教会；其荣美是“橄榄树”，也就是爱与仁之良善；“如黎巴嫩的香柏树的气味”是指由此产生的对信之真理的情感。“黎巴嫩”是指它的香柏树，香柏树表示属灵事物或信之真理。撒迦利亚书：
灯台旁边有两棵橄榄树，一棵在油碗的右边，一棵在油碗的左边。这是两个新油之子，站在全地之主的旁边。（撒迦利亚书4:3，11，14）
此处“两棵橄榄树”表示属天之物和属灵之物，因而表示属于属天教会的爱和属于属灵教会的仁。这些站在主的右边和左边。“灯台”在此表示主，就像在犹太教会代表主一样。“灯盏”表示属天事物，属灵事物从属天事物发出，就像光线或光本身从火焰发出一样。诗篇：
你妻子好像你房子四周多结果子的葡萄树，你儿子好像橄榄栽子。（诗篇128:3）
此处“好像葡萄树的妻子”表示属灵教会，“儿子”表示被称为“橄榄栽子”的信之真理，因为它们源于仁之良善。以赛亚书：
其中剩下的穗子，好像橄榄树被打过一样，在最高的枝子顶上只剩两三个果子。（以赛亚书17:6）
此处论述的主题是人里面的余剩；“橄榄树”表示属天的余剩。弥迦书：
你必踹橄榄，却不得油抹身，踹新葡萄，却不得酒喝。（弥迦书6:15）
摩西五经：
你栽种、修理葡萄园，却喝不到葡萄酒。你全境有橄榄树，却不得油抹身。（申命记28:39-40）
此处论述的主题是关于信之良善和真理的大量教义细节，这些人因自己的性质而弃绝它们。从这些经文明显看出，“叶”表示信之真理，“橄榄”表示仁之良善；鸽子嘴里所叼的“橄榄叶”表示类似事物，也就是说，现在古教会成员能看到少量源于仁之良善的信之真理。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]886. The symbolism of an olive tree as the goodness that charity inspires can be seen from the scriptural symbolism not only of an olive tree but of oil as well.
Olive oil was used along with perfumes to anoint priests and kings and also as fuel for lamps. (For the former, see Exodus 30:24,
[25]; for the latter, Exodus 27:20.) The reason for using olive oil in anointings and in lamps was that it represented every heavenly quality and consequently all the good effects of love and charity. The oil is the very essence of a tree, virtually its soul, just as the heavenly dimension or goodness of love and charity is the very essence or soul of faith. That is the source of its representation.
Many passages in the Word can confirm that oil symbolizes the heavenly aspect or goodness of love and charity, but since the present verse mentions the olive tree, let me offer a few passages that demonstrate the meaning of the olive tree alone. In Jeremiah:
"An olive tree green and beautiful with shapely fruit" is the name Jehovah had given you. (Jeremiah 11:16)
The name applies to the earliest church, which was heavenly (and which served as a basis or foundation for the Jewish church). As a result, everything in that church that had a representative function looked toward heavenly qualities and, through heavenly qualities, to the Lord.
[2] In Hosea:
Its branches will spread, and its honor will resemble an olive tree, and it will have a scent like Lebanon's. (Hosea 14:6)
Here the subject is the planting of a church whose honor is the olive tree, or in other words, the goodness that comes of love and charity. A scent like Lebanon's is a devotion to the religious truth that rises out of that goodness. Lebanon is an allusion to cedars, which symbolize spiritual entities, or in other words, religious truth. In Zechariah:
There were two olive trees next to the lampstand, one to the right of the oil dish and one on the left of it. These are the two offspring of pristine oil, standing next to the Lord of the whole earth. (Zechariah 4:3, 11, 14)
The two olive trees stand for what is heavenly and what is spiritual, and so for the love that characterizes the heavenly church and the charity that characterizes the spiritual. These churches stand at the Lord's right and left hands. The lampstand symbolizes the Lord, just as it represented him in the Jewish church. The lamps symbolize heavenly attributes that yield spiritual attributes, just as a flame yields rays of light, or illumination.
[3] In David:
Your wife is like a fruitful grapevine at the sides of your house; your children are like the saplings of olive trees. (Psalms 128:3)
The "wife like a grapevine" stands for the spiritual church. The children stand for true concepts that make up faith, which are called olive tree saplings because they grow out of charitable goodness. In Isaiah:
Gleanings will be left in it, like what is shaken off the olive tree — two or three fruits at the crown of the branch. (Isaiah 17:6)
This is about the remnant inside us. Olive trees stand for a heavenly remnant. In Micah:
You will tread the olive (but not anoint yourself with oil) and the juice in the grapes (but not drink wine). (Micah 6:15)
And in Moses:
You will plant and cultivate vineyards but not drink wine; you will have olive trees within all your borders but not anoint yourself with oil. (Deuteronomy 28:39-40)
These passages describe an ample supply of doctrinal teachings about the goodness and truth inherent in faith, which these people's character nonetheless caused them to reject.
All of these places show that a leaf symbolizes religious truth and an olive tree symbolizes charitable goodness. They also show the meaning of the olive leaf carried in the dove's mouth to be similar: that the people of the ancient church were now able to see a small amount of religious truth springing out of the goodness that charity inspires.
Potts(1905-1910) 886
886. That the "olive" signifies the good of charity, is evident from the signification in the Word not only of an "olive" but also of "oil." It was with olive oil, together with spices, that the priests and kings were anointed, and it was with olive oil that the lamps were trimmed (see Exod. 30:24; 27:20). The reason olive oil was used for anointing and for lamps was that it represented all that is celestial, and therefore all the good of love and of charity; for the oil is the very essence of the tree, and is as it were its soul, just as the celestial, or the good of love and of charity, is the very essence or the very soul of faith; and hence oil has this representation. That "oil" signifies what is celestial, or the good of love and of charity, may be confirmed from many passages of the Word; but as it is the olive-tree that is mentioned here, we will merely present some passages that confirm its signification. As in Jeremiah:
Jehovah called thy name a green olive-tree, fair with goodly fruit (Jer. 11:16),where the Most Ancient or Celestial Church is so called, which was the foundation church of the Jewish Church; and therefore all the representatives of the Jewish Church had regard to celestial things, and through these to the Lord. [2] In Hosea:
His branches shall spread, and his honor shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as of Lebanon (Hos. 14:6), which is said of the church that is to be planted, whose honor is the "olive-tree" that is, the good of love and of charity; the "smell as of Lebanon" being the affection of the truth of faith therefrom. "Lebanon" stands for its cedars, which signified spiritual things, or the truths of faith. In Zechariah, speaking of the lampstand:
Two olive-trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof; these are the two sons of the pure oil that stand by the Lord of the whole earth (Zech. 4:3, 11, 14). Here the "two olive-trees" denote the celestial and the spiritual, thus love, which is of the celestial church, and charity, which is of the spiritual church. These are on the "right hand" and on the "left hand" of the Lord. The "lampstand" here signifies, as in the Jewish Church it represented, the Lord; its "lamps" signify celestial things from which are spiritual, as from a flame proceed rays of light, or light. In David:
Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine in the sides of thy house; thy sons like olive plants (Ps. 128:3);
where "wife as a vine" denotes the spiritual church; "sons" the truths of faith, which are called "olive plants" because from the goods of charity. In Isaiah:
Yet there shall be left therein gleanings, as the shaking of an olive-tree, two or three berries in the top of the branch (Isa. 17:6);
where the subject treated of is the remains in man; "of an olive-tree" denoting celestial remains. In Micah:
Thou shalt tread the olive, but shalt not anoint thee with oil; and the vintage, but shalt not drink the wine (Micah 6:15). And in Moses:
Thou shalt plant vineyards and dress them, but thou shalt not drink of the wine; thou shalt have olive-trees throughout all thy border, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil (Deut. 28:39-40), where the subject is the abundance of doctrinal teachings about the goods and truths of faith, which by reason of their character, those people rejected. From these passages it is evident that a "leaf" signifies the truth of faith, and an "olive" the good of charity; and that like things are signified by the "olive-leaf" which the dove brought in her mouth; that is, that there now appeared in the man of the Ancient Church some little of the truth of faith from the good of charity.
Elliott(1983-1999) 886
886. That 'olive' means the good that stems from charity is clear not only from the meaning of 'olive' but also from the meaning of 'oil' in the Word. Olive oil in addition to spices was used to anoint priests and kings, and it was also used in the lamps. Concerning the former, see Exod 30:24, and the latter, Exod 27:20. The reason olive oil was used in anointing and in lamps was that it represented everything celestial and so everything good that stems from love and charity. Oil is in fact the essential element of the tree, its soul so to speak, as the celestial or the good that stems from love and charity is the essential element or soul itself of faith. This is the origin of its representation. That 'oil' means that which is celestial or the good that stems from love and charity may be confirmed from many places in the Word, but since the olive itself is referred to here, let some that confirm the meaning solely of the olive be quoted. In Jeremiah,
Jehovah called your name, Green Olive Tree, fair with shapely fruit. Jer 11:16.The name given here applies to the Most Ancient or celestial Church, which was the basis of the Jewish Church. Consequently all the representatives of the Jewish Church had regard to celestial things, and through the latter to the Lord.
[2] In Hosea,
His branches will go out and his beauty will be like the olive, and his smell like that of Lebanon. Hosea 14:6.
This refers to the Church that is to be established. Its beauty is 'the olive', that is, the good that stems from love and charity, while 'the smell like that of Lebanon' is resulting affection for the truth of faith. 'Lebanon' stands for its cedars, which meant spiritual things, or the truths of faith.
In Zechariah,
Two olive trees beside the lampstand, one on the right of the bowl and one on the left of it. These are the two sons of pure oil, standing beside the Lord of the whole earth. Zech 4:3, 11, 14.
Here 'the two olive trees' stands for the celestial and the spiritual, and so for love which belongs to the celestial Church and for charity which belongs to the spiritual Church. These stand to the right and to the left of the Lord. 'The lampstand' here means the Lord, just as it used to represent Him in the Jewish Church. 'The lamps' are celestial things from which spiritual things radiate like rays of light, or light itself, from a flame. In David,
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine on the sides of your house, your sons will be like olive shoots. Ps 128:3.
Here 'a wife like a vine' stands for the spiritual Church, and 'sons' stands for the truths of faith which are called 'olive shoots' because they stem from the goods of charity. In Isaiah,
Gleanings will be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries on the top of the [highest] branch. Isa 17:6.
This refers to the remnants residing with a person. 'Olives' stands for celestial remnants. In Micah,
You will tread olives but not anoint yourself with oil, and tread the new wine but not drink wine. Micah 6:15.
And in Moses,
You will plant and dress vineyards but not drink wine. You will have olive trees within all your borders but not anoint yourself with oil. Deut 28:39, 40.
The subject here is the abundance of doctrinal detail concerning the goods and truths of faith which they rejected because of the kind of people they were. From these quotations it becomes clear that 'a leaf' means the truth of faith and 'olive' the good that stems from charity. And similar things are meant by 'the olive leaf which the dove was carrying in its mouth', that is, a small measure of the truth of faith deriving from the good that stems from charity was now showing itself with the member of the Ancient Church.
Latin(1748-1756) 886
886. Quod 'oliva' significet bonum charitatis, constat non solum a significatione 'olivae,' sed etiam a significatione 'olei' in Verbo. Oleum olivae erat, praeter aromata, quo ungebantur sacerdotes et reges; et oleum olivae erat pro lucernis; de illo videatur, Exod. xxx 24; de hoc Exod. xxvii 20; causa quod oleum olivae adhiberetur ad unctiones et lucernas, erat quod repraesentabat omne caeleste, proinde omne bonum amoris et charitatis; oleum enim est ipsum essentiale arboris et quasi anima ejus, sicut caeleste aut bonum amoris et charitatis est ipsum essentiale seu ipsa anima fidei; inde repraesentatio. Quod 'oleum' significet caeleste aut bonum amoris et charitatis, multis ex Verbo confirmari potest, sed quia hic nominatur oliva, solum aliqua loca confirmantia de oliva licet afferre; apud Jeremiam, Olivam virentem, pulchram fructu forma, vocavit Jehovah nomen tuum, xi 26;ubi ita appellatur Ecclesia Antiquissima seu caelestis, quae fundamentalis erat Ecclesiae Judaicae; quare omnia repraesentativa istius Ecclesiae spectabant caelestia, et per caelestia Dominum: [2] apud Hosheam, Ibunt rami ejus et erit sicut oliva honor ejus, et odor illi sicut Libani, xiv 7 [A.V. 6];
ubi de Ecclesia plantanda, cujus honor est 'oliva,' seu bonum amoris et charitatis, et 'odor sicut Libani' est affectio veri fidei inde; 'Libanus' pro cedris, quae significabant spiritualia seu vera fidei: apud Zachariam, Duae olivae juxta candelabrum, una a dextra lecythi et una juxta sinistram illius:... hi duo filii olei puri, stantes juxta Dominum totius terrae, iv 3, 11, 14;
ubi 'duae olivae' pro caelesti et spirituali, ita pro amore qui est Ecclesiae caelestis, et pro charitate quae est Ecclesiae spiritualis; hae sunt ad dextram et sinistram Domini; 'candelabrum' significat hic, sicut repraesentabat in Ecclesia Judaica, Dominum; 'lucernae' caelestia, ex quibus spiritualia sicut a flamma radii lucis seu lux: apud Davidem, Uxor tua, sicut vitis fructifera in lateribus domus tuae; filii tui sicut plantae olivarum, Ps. cxxviii 3;
ubi 'uxor sicut vitis' pro Ecclesia spirituali; 'filii' pro veris fidei, quae vocantur 'plantae olivarum' quia a bonis charitatis: apud Esaiam, Relinquentur in eo racemationes sicut decussio olivae, duae tresve baccae in capite rami, xvii 6;
ubi de reliquiis apud hominem; 'olivae' pro reliquiis caelestibus: apud Micham, Calcabis olivam, et non unges te oleo; et mustum, et non bibes vinum, vi 15:
et apud Mosen, Vineas plantabis et coles, et vinum non bibes;... olivae erunt tibi in omni termino tuo, et oleo non unges te, Deut. xxviii 39, 40;
ubi de abundantia doctrinalium de bonis et veris fidei quae, quia tales, rejiciebant. Ex his locis constare potest quod 'folium' significet verum fidei, et 'oliva' bonum charitatis; et quod similia significentur per 'folium olivae, quod columba ferebat in ore,' hoc est, quod nunc appareret apud hominem Antiquae Ecclesiae aliquantulum veri fidei ex bono charitatis.