9024.“人若彼此相争”表他们当中关于真理的争论。这从“相争”和“人”的含义清楚可知：“相争”是指争论，如下文所述；“人”是指那些有聪明，处于真理的人，在抽象意义上是指理性概念，以及真理（参看3134，9007节）。因此，“人彼此相争”表示发生在那些属于教会的人当中的关于真理的争论，在抽象意义上表示发生在人自己里面的这种争论。因为“相争”在灵义上是指关于涉及教会的那类事物，因而关于信之事物的争论。在圣言中，“相争”并非表示别的，因为圣言是属灵的，论述属灵事物，也就是论述那些属于主和祂在天上的国度，以及祂在地上的国度，就是教会的事物。在圣言中，“相争（经上或译为申辩、争辩）”表示关于真理的争论，并且一般是支持真理、反对虚假的争论，以及对虚假的防御和摆脱，这一点从以下经文明显看出来。
耶利米书：
必有哄嚷声响到地极，因为耶和华与列族相争，凡有血气的祂必都审判，至于恶人，祂必交给剑。看哪！必有灾祸从这民族发到那民族，并有大暴风从地极刮起。（耶利米书25:31，32）
这些预言描述了教会的败坏状态。“哄嚷声”是指支持虚假、反对真理，并支持邪恶、反对良善的争论；“地”是指教会；“耶和华与列族相争”是指主支持真理、反对虚假，并支持良善、反对邪恶的争论，因而也指保卫；“列族”是指虚假和邪恶；“剑”是指进行争战并得胜的虚假；“大暴风”是指掌权的虚假；“地极”是指邪恶所生的虚假爆发的地方。
同一先知书：
耶和华要为他们大大申辩，给大地安宁。（耶利米书50:34）
“大大申辩”是指保卫真理，反对虚假，以及释放；“地”是指教会，当它处于良善，由此处于真理时，就有了“安宁”。耶利米哀歌：
主啊，你为我的灵魂大大申辩，你救了我的命。（耶利米哀歌3:58）
“为灵魂大大申辩”是指对虚假的防御和摆脱。大卫的诗：
求你为我大大申辨，救赎我，照你的话将我救活。（诗篇119:154）
此处“大大申辩”也表示摆脱虚假。弥迦书：
要向大山争辩，使小山听你的声音。（弥迦书6:1）
“向大山争辩”表示向高傲自大者，以及自我之爱的邪恶争论并防御；“要听祂的声音的小山”是指谦卑者和那些拥有仁爱的人。以赛亚书：
我必不永远相争，也不长久发怒。（以赛亚书57:16）
“相争”是指与虚假争论。何西阿书：
耶和华与犹大争辩。（何西阿书12:2）
此处意思是一样的。此外还有其它经文。
Potts(1905-1910) 9024
9024. And when men shall dispute. That this signifies contention among themselves about truths, is evident from the signification of "disputing," as being to contend (of which below) and from the signification of "men" [viri], as being those who are intelligent and who are in truths, and in the abstract sense things intellectual and truths (see n. 3134, 9007); consequently "the disputing of men" signifies contention about truths among those who are of the church, and in the abstract sense about truths among themselves. For in the spiritual sense "to dispute" denotes to contend about such things as are of the church, consequently such as are of faith. Nothing else is meant in the Word by "disputing," for the Word is spiritual and treats of spiritual things, that is, of those things which belong to the Lord, His kingdom in heaven, and His kingdom on the earth, that is, the church. That in the Word "to dispute" signifies contention about truths, and in general in favor of truths against falsities, likewise also defense and liberation from falsities, is plain from the following passages. [2] In Jeremiah:
A tumult is come even to the end of the earth; for Jehovah hath a dispute against the nations, He will enter into judgment with all flesh; He will deliver the wicked to the sword. Behold evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest shall be raised up from the sides of the earth (Jer. 25:31, 32). Thus is prophetically described the perverted state of the church; "a tumult" denotes contention in favor of falsities against truths, and in favor of evils against goods; "the earth" denotes the church; "the dispute of Jehovah against the nations" denotes the contention of the Lord in favor of truths against falsities, and in favor of goods against evils, thus also defense; "the nations" denote falsities and evils; "a sword" denotes falsity fighting and conquering; "a great tempest" denotes falsity ruling; "the sides of the earth" denotes where falsities burst forth from evil. [3] In the same:
Jehovah shall dispute their dispute; that He may give rest to the earth (Jer. 50:34) "To dispute the dispute" denotes to defend truths against falsities and to liberate; "the earth" denotes the church, which has "rest" when it is in good, and consequently in truths. In the same:
O Lord, Thou hast disputed the disputes of my soul; Thou hast liberated my life (Lam. 3:58). "To dispute the disputes of the soul" denotes to defend and liberate from falsities. In David:
Dispute Thou my dispute, and redeem me; vivify me according to Thy word (Ps. 119:154). "To dispute the dispute" here also denotes to liberate from falsities. In Micah:
Dispute Thou with the mountains, and let the hills hear Thy voice (Mic. 6:1). "To dispute with the mountains" denotes to contend and defend against the exalted ones, and also against the evils of the love of self; "the hills which are to hear His voice" denote the humble, and those who are in charity. In Isaiah:
I will not eternally dispute, and I will not be wroth forever (Isa. 57:16). "To dispute" denotes to contend against falsities. In Hosea:
Jehovah hath a dispute with Judah (Hos. 12:2);
where the meaning is similar. Besides other passages.
Elliott(1983-1999) 9024
9024. 'And when men quarrel' means contention among them regarding truths. This is clear from the meaning of 'quarrelling' as contending, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'men' as those who have intelligence and are guided by truths, and in the abstract sense intellectual concepts, and truths, dealt with in 3134, 9007. Consequently 'quarrelling by men' means contention regarding truths that takes place among those belonging to the Church, and in the abstract sense such contention taking place within oneself. For in the spiritual sense 'quarrelling' is contention regarding such things as are the concern of the Church, therefore regarding matters of faith. Nothing other than this is meant in the Word by 'quarrelling', because the Word is spiritual and deals with spiritual matters, that is, with those which have to do with the Lord, His kingdom in heaven, and His kingdom on earth, which is the Church. The fact that 'quarrelling' in the Word means contention regarding truths, and in general contention in support of truths against falsities, as well as defence against and deliverance from falsities, is evident from the following places:
[2] In Jeremiah,
A clamour is coming even to the end of the earth, because Jehovah's quarrel is against the nations. Judgement will come in with all flesh; He will hand the wicked over to the sword. Behold, evil will go out from nation to nation, and a great tempest will be raised up from the sides of the earth. Jer 25:31, 32.
In these prophetic statements a perverted state of the Church is described. 'A clamour' is contention in support of falsities against truths and in support of evils against forms of good, 'the earth' being the Church. 'Jehovah's quarrel is against the nations' is contention by the Lord in support of truths against falsities, and in support of forms of good against evils, thus also defence, 'the nations' being falsities and evils. 'The sword' is falsity engaged in conflict and conquering, 'a great tempest' is falsity reigning, and 'the sides of the earth' are the place where falsities arising from evil burst out.
[3] In the same prophet,
Jehovah will act for them in their quarrela, that He may give rest to the land. Jer 50:34.
'Acting for them in their quarrel' stands for defending truths against falsities and delivering, 'the land' standing for the Church, which has 'rest' when it is governed by good and consequently guided by truths. In the same prophet,
O Lord, You have acted for my soul in its quarrels,b You have delivered my life. Lam 3:58.
'Acting for the soul in its quarrels' stands for defending and delivering from falsities. In David,
Act for me in my a, quarrelc and redeem me; give me life according to Your word. Ps 119:154.
Here also 'acting in the quarrel' stands for delivering from falsities. In Micah,
Quarrel with the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. Micah 6:1.
'Quarrelling with the mountains' stands for contending and defending against the haughty, and also against the evils of self-love. 'The hills which will hear the voice' are the humble and those who have charity. In Isaiah,
I will not quarrel eternally, nor will I be angry forever. Isa 57:16.
'Quarrelling' stands for contending against falsities. In Hosea, Jehovah has a quarrel wit Judah. Hosea 12:2
Here the meaning is similar. There are other places in addition to these.
Latin(1748-1756) 9024
9024. `Et cum litigaverint viri': quod significet contentionem apud se de veris, constat ex significatione `litigare' quod sit contendere, de qua sequitur, et ex significatione `virorum' quod sint intelligentes et qui in veris, ac in sensu abstracto intellectualia et vera, de qua n. 3134, 9007; inde {1}'litigatio virorum' significat contentionem de veris inter illos qui ab Ecclesia, et in sensu abstracto de illis apud se {2}, nam `litigare' in sensu spirituali est contendere de talibus quae Ecclesiae sunt, proinde quae fidei; in Verbo non aliud per `litigare' intelligitur, nam Verbum est spirituale et agit de spiritualibus, hoc est, de illis quae sunt Domini, Ipsius regni in caelo et regni in terra, hoc est, Ecclesiae; {3} quod `litigare' in Verbo significet contentionem de veris, et {4}in genere pro veris contra falsa, {5}ut et defensionem, et liberationem a falsis {6}a sequentibus his locis {7}patet: apud Jeremiam, 2 Venit tumultus usque ad finem terrae, {8}quoniam lis Jehovae contra gentes; judicium intrabit cum omni carne, impios tradet gladio; ecce malum (x)exibit de gente ad gentem, et procella magna excitabitur a lateribus terrae, xxv 31, 32;describitur sic prophetice status Ecclesiae perversus; `tumultus' est contentio pro falsis contra vera et pro malis contra bona, `terra' est Ecclesia, `lis Jehovae contra gentes' est contentio Domini pro veris contra falsa, et pro bonis contra mala, ita quoque defensio {9}, `gentes' sunt falsa et mala, `gladius' est falsum pugnans et vincens, `procella magna' est falsum dominans, `latera terrae' sunt ubi falsa ex malo erumpunt: apud eundem, 3 Jehovah litigabit litem eorum, ut quietem det terrae, 1 34;
`litigare litem' pro defendere vera contra falsa et liberare, `terra' pro Ecclesia, cui `quies' cum {10}est in bono et inde in veris: apud eundem, Litigasti, Domine, lites animae meae, liberasti vitam meam, Threni iii 58;
`litigare lites animae' pro defendere et liberare a falsis: apud Davidem, Litiga litem meam, et redime me; juxta verbum Tuum vivifica me, Ps. cxix 154;
`litigare litem' etiam pro liberare a falsis: apud Micham, Litiga cum montibus, et audiant colles vocem tuam, vi 1;
`litigare cum montibus' pro contendere et defendere contra elatos, {11}ut et contra mala amoris sui; `colles qui audient vocem' sunt humiles et qui in charitate: apud Esaiam, Non in aeternum litigabo, et non in perpetuum succensebo, lvii 16;
`litigare' pro contendere contra falsa: apud Hoscheam, Est lis Jehovae cum Jehuda, xii 3 [A.V. 2];
similiter; praeter etiam alibi. @1 cum litagaverint viri$ @2 quae fidei$ @3 i inde est$ @4 imprimis$ @5 tum$ @6 ut ex$ @7 constare potest$ @8 quia$ @9 i et liberatio$ @10 After veris$ @11 et sic$