Potts(1905-1910) 8971
8971. THE INTERNAL SENSE That the Word is holy, nay, most holy, is known to everyone within the church. This is not only acknowledged, but is also perceived, by those who are in the truths of faith and in a life according to them, for when reading the Word they are continually kept in the idea of what is holy. But those who are not in the truths of faith and in a life according to them do not acknowledge, still less perceive, anything of holiness in the Word. When these persons read the Word, they do not see anything higher in it than in any other writing. And they who in their hearts deny the holiness of the Word also say to themselves when they read it, that the writings of men are finer, because insofar as regards the literal sense they are composed in a finer style. This has been shown me by living experience with regard to those in the other life who in their hearts have denied that the Word has been inspired by the Divine. But when they were told that the Word is holy and Divine as to every jot and smallest point in it, they stood amazed, and marveled whence this could be. And when they were told further, and also shown to the life, that all things which are in the Word contain in them a spiritual sense which does not appear in the letter, and that this sense of the Word is with the angels in heaven when the Word is being read by man, they then acknowledged it because it was shown; but they said that they did not know this in the world, and that because they did not know it, they are free from blame. But when these same persons were examined, it was observed that they had lived just as they liked, without any restraints from conscience, and had therefore at heart denied the Divine, heaven and hell, the life after death, and all other matters of faith, and that this was the cause of their not having acknowledged the holiness of the Word. And it was further shown that all those who have been in the truths of faith and in a life according to them, have held the Word to be holy, and have also while reading it perceived in themselves that it is so. From this they were convinced that the cause was not in the Word, but in themselves. For with those who are in a life of good the interiors are open into heaven, whence the holiness of the Word flows in from the angels; whereas with those who are in a life of evil the interiors are closed toward heaven, but are open into hell, whence there flows in the contrary. [2] Take for example the judgments or laws in this chapter about menservants, maidservants, and oxen. They who deny the holiness of the Word, because they are in a life of evil, will say that in these judgments or laws they do not see anything Divine-as when it is said that a manservant who does not desire to go away free should be brought to a door or a doorpost, and his master should bore through his ear with an awl, and accordingly he should serve forever; also that if a manservant who is smitten shall live a day or two, his master who smote him shall not be punished, because he is his silver; as also that a manservant should be free for the loss of an eye or a tooth; and that an ox striking with the horn should be stoned, besides the other things there mentioned. They who in their hearts deny the holiness of the Word regard these things as not worthy of the Word, and still less worthy to be dictated by Jehovah Himself on Mount Sinai; in like manner do they regard all other things that are in the Word, whether historical or prophetical. But the reason why they so regard them is that heaven is closed to them on account of their life of evil, consequently they have a contrary perception. The case is quite different with those who are in a life of good. [3] Whence comes the holiness of the Word which flows in from heaven, is evident from all that has hitherto been said and shown about the internal sense of the Word; namely, that the Word alone has an internal sense, and that this sense treats of such things as belong to heaven, which are the things of eternal life, and that inmostly it treats of the Lord alone, thus of holy things, nay, of Divine things themselves which are most holy; and that this sense is for the angels who are with man while the Word is being read, consequently that there is from this source an influx of holiness, and a perception of it, with those who are in the life of faith and charity. As regards the judgments or laws in this chapter about menservants, maidservants, and oxen, these contain in the internal sense such things as are of Divine order with respect to those who are in the truth of faith, and also with respect to those who injure or destroy the things which belong to faith and charity, and those which belong to love to the Lord; and in the inmost sense, those things which would injure or destroy the Lord Himself. From this everyone can see how holy in themselves these judgments are, however little they appear so in the letter.
Elliott(1983-1999) 8971
8971. THE INTERNAL SENSE
Everyone within the Church is well aware that the Word is holy, indeed extremely holy. This holiness is not merely acknowledged but also perceived by those people who are guided by the truths of faith and lead a life in keeping with them; for the idea of its holiness is preserved in them all the while that they read the Word. But people who are not guided by the truths of faith and do not lead a life in keeping with them do not even acknowledge, let alone perceive any holiness at all in the Word. When they read it they see nothing more outstanding there than in any other kind of writing. And those of them who in their hearts deny the holiness of the Word also say to themselves, when they read it, that the works of human authors are more elegant, since they have been written, so far as their literal meaning is concerned, in a more elegant style. This has been made plainly evident to me through my actual experience of those in the next life who in their hearts denied that the Word was inspired by God. When they were told that the Word was holy and Divine as to every jot there and as to the smallest tattle of all there, they stood skill and marvelled at how this could come about. And when they were told in addition, and also shown convincingly, that everything in the Word contains a spiritual level of meaning that is not apparent in the letter, and that the angels in heaven see the Word on this level when a person reads the Word, they acknowledged it, because they had been shown it. But they said that they had not known it in the world, and that since they had not known it, they were blameless. However examination of these same people revealed that they had lived just as they liked, totally unchecked by conscience, and that in their hearts therefore they had denied the existence of God, heaven and hell, life after death, and all other matters of faith, and that this was the reason for their failing to acknowledge the holiness of the Word. It was in addition made plainly evident that all those who were guided by the truths of faith and led a life in keeping with them considered the Word to be holy; indeed they could perceive its holiness for themselves when they read it. All this served to convince them that the cause lay not in the Word but in themselves; for the interiors of those who lead a life of goodness are opened towards heaven, from which the holiness of the Word flows from the angels, whereas the interiors of those who lead a life of evil are closed in the direction of heaven and opened towards hell, from which the opposite flows in.
[2] Take for example the judgements or laws in this chapter regarding male slaves, female slaves, and oxen. Those who deny the holiness of the Word because they lead a life of evil will say that they do not see anything Divine in those judgements or laws, such as the law that a male slave who does not wish to go out free should be brought to the door or doorpost, and his master should pierce his ear with an awl, so that the slave should serve him forever; or the law that if a slave who has been struck lives a day or two the master who struck him should not be punished, since he is his silver; or else the law that a slave should go free for an eye or for a tooth; or the law that an ox accustomed to gore should be stoned; or any of the other laws there. Those who in their hearts deny the holiness of the Word view these laws as being out of keeping with the Word, and especially out of keeping with a declaration made by Jehovah Himself on Mount Sinai. They view everything else in the Word, in both the historical section and the prophetical part, in the same way. But the reason why they view them in that way is that heaven is closed to them on account of their life of evil, as a result of which they have a contrary perception. It is altogether different with those who lead a life of goodness.
[3] Where the holiness of the Word which flows in from heaven begins is clear from all that has been stated and shown up to now regarding the internal sense of the Word. It has been shown that the Word alone has an internal sense and that this sense deals with such things as belong to heaven, with such as belong to eternal life; and that inmostly it deals with the Lord alone. Thus it deals with holy things, indeed with truly Divine subjects - the most holy of all. It has been shown too that angels, who are present with a person when the Word is being read, possess this sense, consequently that holiness flows out from them, which is also perceived by those who lead a life of faith and charity. So far as the judgements or laws in this chapter regarding male slaves, female slaves, and oxen are concerned, they contain in the internal sense such laws of Divine order as have regard to those who are guided by the truth of faith, and also to those who injure or destroy aspects of faith and charity, or aspects of love to the Lord. And in the inmost sense they contain [matters involving] the Lord Himself. From all this anyone may recognize how holy those laws are within themselves, however much they seem not to be so in the letter.
Latin(1748-1756) 8971
8971. SENSUS INTERNUSQuod Verbum sit sanctum, immo sanctissimum, cuivis intra Ecclesiam notum est; hoc non modo agnoscunt sed etiam appercipiunt illi qui in veris fidei sunt et in vita secundum illi, nam hi tenentur {1} continue in idea sancti cum legunt Verbum; at qui non in veris fidei sunt {2}et in vita secundum illa, non agnoscunt, minus appercipiunt, aliquid sancti in Verbo; hi cum legunt illud, non vident aliquid sublimius in illo quam in alio quodam scripto; et qui negant corde suo Verbi sanctitatem, etiam secum dicunt, cum legunt illud, quod scripta hominum elegantiora sint, quia elegantiore stilo quoad sensum litteralem concinnata; hoc per vivam experientiam testatum mihi factum est ab illis in altera vita qui corde suo negaverunt Verbum inspiratum a Divino esse; at cum illis dictum est quod Verbum sanctum et Divinum {3}esset quoad omnem ibi iotam, ac quoad omnium minimum ibi apicem, tunc steterunt et mirati sunt unde id; et cum illis ulterius dictum {4}, et quoque ad virum ostensum, quod omnia quae in Verbo sunt in se sensum spiritualem qui non apparet in littera, contineant, et quod ille sensus Verbi sit angelis in caelo quando ab homine legitur Verbum, tunc agnoverunt, quia ostensum; sed dixerunt quod hoc non in mundo sciverint, et quia non sciverunt, quod absque culpa sint; sed cum iidem explorati sunt, animadversum est {5}quod illi vixerint ad omnem lubitum absque ullis frenis a conscientia, et quod ideo corde suo negaverint Divinum, caelum et infernum, vitam post mortem, et reliqua fidei, et quod hoc fuerit causa quod sanctitatem Verbi non agnoverint; et ulterius testatum est quod omnes illi qui in veris fidei fuerunt, et in vita secundum illa, Verbum pro sancto habuerint, et quoque {6}apud se id perceperint cum legerunt; inde evicti sunt quod causa non fuerit in Verbo sed in ipsis; illis enim qui in vita boni sunt, interiora aperta sunt in caelum, unde influit sanctum Verbi ab angelis, at qui in vita mali sunt, interiora clausa sunt versus caelum sed aperta in infernum, unde influit contrarium. 2 Sint pro exemplo judicia seu leges in hoc capite de servis, de ancillis, de bobus: qui sanctitatem Verbi negant quia in vita mali sunt, illi dicturi sunt quod in illis judiciis seu legibus non aliquid Divinum videant; sicut, quod servus qui non vult exire liber adduceretur ad januam {7}seu postem, et dominus ejus perforaret (t)aurem ejus subula, et sic serviret in {8}aeternum: tum, si servus percussus vixerit diem vel biduum, dominus percussus {9}non puniretur quia argentum ejus ille: ut et quod servus liber esset pro oculo et pro dente: quod bos cornupeta lapidaretur; {10}praeter reliqua quae ibi Qui Verbi sanctitatem negant corde suo, illi haec vident sicut non digna Verbo, minus digna quod ab Ipso Jehovah in monte Sinai dictarentur; similiter reliqua in Verbo tam historico quam prophetico sed causa cur (c)illa ita videant, est quia illis caelum est clausum propter vitam {11}mali, inde eis perceptio contraria; aliter prorsus eis qui in vita boni sunt. 3 Unde sanctitas Verbi quae influit e caelo, constat ex omnibus illis quae de sensu interno Verbi hactenus dicta et ostensa sunt, quot nempe soli Verbo sit sensus internus, et quod ille sensus agat de talibus quae sunt caeli, quae sunt vitae aeternae, et quod intime de Solo (x)Domino, ita de rebus sanctis, immo de ipsis Divinis quae sanctissima; et quod ille sensus sit angelis qui apud hominem cum legitur Verbum, consequenter quod inde influxus sancti, et perceptio ejus apud illos qui in vita fidei et charitatis sunt. Quod attinet judicia seu leges de servis, ancillis, bobus, in hoc capite, illa in sensu intimo continent talia quae sunt ordinis Divini de illis qui in vero fidei sunt, tum de illis qui laedunt aut destruunt ea quae fidei et charitati sunt, et ea quae amoris in Dominum, ac in sensu intimo quae Ipsum Dominum; inde cuivis constare potest quam sancta in se sunt, utcumque non ita in littera apparent. @1 i a Domino$ @2 vel$ @3 sit$ @4 i est$ @5 quod omnes illi corde suo negaverint Divinum, coelum et infernum, vitam post mortem, et vixerint ad omnem lubitum, absque conscientia.$ @6 id aliquoties apud se$ @7 vel $ @8 perpetuum $ @9 Before dominus$ @10 et$ @11 i ut supra dictum est,$