9372.“祂对摩西说”表总体上关于圣言的事。这从“摩西”的代表和“祂说”含义清楚可知：“摩西”是指圣言，如下文所述；“祂说”包含本章接下来的话，因而是指总体上涉及圣言的事（参看9370节）。摩西代表圣言，这一点从前面关于摩西的说明可以看出来（如创世记18章，以及4859e，5922，6723，6752，6771，6827，7010，7014，7089，7382，8601，8760，8787，8805节）。此处摩西代表总体上的圣言，因为接下来经上指着他说：“惟独摩西可以走近耶和华”（24:2），而且他被从云中呼召，进入云中上山（24:16，18）。
在圣言中，有许多人代表神之真理，或圣言方面的主；但他们当中主要的是摩西、以利亚、以利沙和施洗约翰。摩西如此代表的事实可见于刚才所提到的解释；以利亚和以利沙如此代表的事实可见于创世记18章的序言，以及2762和5247e节；施洗约翰如此代表的事实从他是那“要来的以利亚”明显看出来。人若不知道施洗约翰代表圣言方面的主，就不可能知道新约中关于祂所说的一切话包含并表示什么。因此，为了揭开这个奥秘，同时也为了表明当主变形像时所看见的以利亚和摩西表示圣言，在此引用经上关于施洗约翰的记载，如马太福音中的这些话：
约翰的使者走了以后，耶稣就开始讲论约翰说，你们从前出去到旷野是要看什么呢？要看风吹动的芦苇吗？你们出去到底是要看什么？要看穿细软衣服的人吗？看哪，那穿细软衣服的人是在王宫里。你们出去究竟是要看什么？先知吗？我告诉你们：是的，他比先知大多了。他就是经上所记的：看哪，我要差遣我的使者在你面前，他要在你前面预备你的道路。我实在告诉你们：凡妇人所生的当中，没有一个兴起来大过施洗约翰的；然而天国里最小的比他还大。因为众先知和律法说预言，到约翰为止。你们若肯领受，这人就是那将要来的以利亚。有耳可听的，就应当听！（马太福音11:7-15；以及路加福音7:24-28）
没有人知道当如何理解这些话，除非他知道这约翰代表圣言方面的主，还从内义知道约翰所在的“旷野”表示什么，以及“风吹动的芦苇”、“王宫里的细软衣服”表示什么，然后知道“他比先知大多了”、“凡妇人所生的当中，没有一个大过他的，然而天国里最小的比他还大”，最后他是“以利亚”表示什么。因为没有某种更深层次的含义，这一切话听上去只是一种对比，没有什么分量。
不过，当把约翰理解为对圣言方面的主，或一个代表圣言的人时，这一一切听上去就截然不同了。“约翰所在的犹大旷野”表示当主降世的时候，圣言所在的状态，即它在“旷野”，也就是说，它所处的模糊如此如此之大，以致主根本不被承认，人们对祂的天国也是一无所知，即便众先知都预言过祂和祂的天国，说这天国必存到永远。“旷野”表示这种模糊（参看2708，4736，7313节）。因此，当圣言被随意解释时，它被比作“风吹动的芦苇”；因为就内义而言，“芦苇”是指最末和最低层的真理，就是诸如文字上的圣言的那种。
他们不“看穿细软衣服的人。看哪，那穿细软衣服的人是在王宫里”表示最低层或文字上的圣言在世人看来晦涩粗糙、枯燥乏味，但内义上的圣言却柔和、发光。这些话表示这些事，这一点从“衣服”的含义明显看出来，“衣服”是指真理（2132，2576，4545，4763，5248，6914，6918，9093节）；因此，天使都照着与他们同住的源于良善的真理而穿着细软、发光的衣服（5248，5319，5954，9212，9216节）；这一点也可从“王宫”的含义明显看出来，“王宫”是指天使所住的地方，在普遍意义上是指天堂。因为“宫（houses，即房屋或家）”凭良善而被如此称呼（2233，2234，3128，3652，3720，4622，4982，7836，7891，7996，7997节）；“王”论及真理（1672，2015，2069，3009，4575，4581，4966，5044，6148节）。因此，天使凭他们从主接受真理而被称为“天国之子”、“王的儿子”，以及“王”。
“你们出去究竟是要看什么？先知吗？我告诉你们：是的，他比先知大多了”、“凡妇人所生的当中，没有一个兴起来大过施洗约翰的”表示圣言比世上的任何教义都要大，比世上的任何真理都要大。因为就内义而言，“先知”表示教义（2534，7269节），“妇人所生的”是指真理（489，491，533，1147，2623，2803，2813，3704，4257节）。
“天国里最小的比他还大”表示内在意义上或诸如存在于天堂中的圣言在级别上高于外在意义上或诸如存在于世上，就是施洗约翰所教导的圣言；在天堂所感知到的圣言拥有如此大的智慧，以致它超越人类的一切理解。“众先知和律法说预言，到约翰为止”表示关于主和祂降临的预言，以及当主降世时，主及其国度的代表性事物都结束了。
他“是那将要来的以利亚”表示约翰和以利亚一样代表圣言；这一点也由马太福音中的这些话来表示：
门徒问耶稣，文士为什么说，以利亚必须先来。耶稣回答说，以利亚的确先来，并要复兴万事。只是我告诉你们，以利亚已经来了，人却不认识他，竟任意待他。人子也将要这样受他们的害。门徒这才明白耶稣对他们所说的，是指着施洗的约翰。（马太福音17:10-13）
“以利亚已经来了，人却不认识他，竟任意待他”表示表示圣言的确教导他们，主将要到来，但他们仍不愿正确理解这一点；而是照着支持他们自己的统治来解释它，由此消灭了它里面属于神的事物。“人子也将要这样受他们的害”表示神之真理本身的遭遇差不多也是这样。“人子”是指神之真理方面的主（参看2803，2813，3704节）。
由此明显可知当如何理解玛拉基书中关于约翰的预言：
看哪！耶和华大而可畏之日未到以前，我必差遣先知以利亚到你们那里去！（玛拉基书4:5）
此外，在马太福音，经上还以施洗约翰所穿的“衣服”和所吃的“食物”来描述最低层，或诸如世人所看到的外在形式上的圣言：
施洗的约翰在犹太的旷野传道，这约翰身穿骆驼毛的衣服，腰束皮带，他的食物是蝗虫、野蜜（即田野的蜂蜜）。（马太福音3:1，4）
在列王纪，经上指着以利亚所说的，差不多一样：
他是个多毛的人，腰束皮带。（列王记下1:8）
当论及圣言时，“衣服”或一件衣服表示圣言里最低层形式上的神之真理；“骆驼毛”表示诸如圣言中世人所看到的那种记忆真理；“皮带”表示将一切内层事物联系起来并保持在秩序中的外在纽带；“食物”表示源于从圣言所获得的真理和良善的认知或知识的属灵滋养；“蝗虫”表示最低层或最一般的真理；“野蜜”表示它们的愉悦。
“衣服”和“食物”的这些含义来源于来世的代表。在那里，所有人都照着源于良善的真理而穿衣，那里的食物也照着对获得知识和智慧的渴望来表现。正因如此，“衣服”或一件衣服表示真理，这从上面的引文可以看出来；而“食物”表示属灵的滋养（3114，4459，4792，5147，5293，5340，5342，5576，5579，5915，8562，9003节）；“腰带”表示将内层事物聚拢起来并将它们保持在自己里面的一种纽带（9341e节）；“皮”表示外在之物（3540节）；因此，“皮带”表示一种外在纽带；“毛”表示最低或最一般的真理（3301，5569-557节）；“骆驼”表示总体上的记忆知识（3048，3071，3143，3145，4156节）；因此，“骆驼毛”表示从圣言所获得的真正的记忆知识；“蝗虫”表示滋养最外层的真理（7643e节）；“蜂蜜”表示它的愉悦（5620，6857，8056节）。它之所以被称为“野蜜”或“田野的蜂蜜”，是因为“田野”表示教会（2971，3317，3766，7502，7571，9139，9295节）。人若不知道所表示的这类事物，就绝无可能知道为何以利亚和约翰穿这样的衣服；然而，凡圣言持守正确观念的人都会想到，这些事物或这样的衣服表示这些先知所特有的某种事物。
施洗约翰因代表圣言方面的主，故在谈到作为圣言本身的主时，也说自己不是以利亚，也不是先知，他不配给主解鞋带，如在约翰福音：
太初有圣言，圣言与神同在，圣言就是神。圣言成了肉身，住在我们中间；我们也见过祂的荣光。犹太人从耶路撒冷差祭司和利未人问约翰他是谁？他就承认，并不否认，我不是基督。他们又问他说，那么，是什么呢？你是以利亚吗？他说，我不是。你是那先知吗？他回答，不是。于是他们对他说，你到底是谁？他说，我就是旷野里呼喊者的声音，修直主的道路，正如先知以赛亚书所说的。于是，他们就说，你既不是基督，不是以利亚，也不是那先知，为什么施洗呢？约翰回答，我是用水施洗，但有一位站在你们中间，是你们不认识的。就是那在我以后来的，祂在我以前，我给祂解鞋带也不配。当他看见耶稣时，就说，看哪，神的羔羊，除去世人的罪的。这就是我曾说，有一个人在我以后来，反成了在我以前的，因祂本来先于我。（约翰福音1:1，14，19-30）
从这些话明显可知，当约翰谈到作为神之真理本身，或圣言的主自己时，他说，他自己什么都不是；因为当光本身出现时，阴影消失了，也就是说，当形像或源头本身出现时，代表就消失了。代表只关注他们所代表的东西，即圣物和主自己，不管代表它们的这个人是谁（参看665，1097e，1361，3147，3881，4208，4281，4288，4292，4307，4444，4500，6304，7048，7439，8588，8788，8806节）。人若不知道光一出现，代表就像阴影一样消失，就不可能知道为何约翰说，他不是以利亚，也不是先知。
由此可见当主变形像时，在荣光里显现的摩西和以利亚表示什么；那时，他们同主说话，谈论主去世在耶路撒冷将要成的事（路加福音9:29-31）。也就是说，他们表示圣言：“摩西”代表圣言的历史部分，“以利亚”代表圣言的预言部分；圣言在内义上所论述的主题，处处都是主，以及祂降世，离世。这解释了为何经上说“摩西和以利亚在荣光里显现”，因为“荣光（或荣耀）”是指圣言的内在意义，而“云”是指它的外在意义（参看创世记18章序言，以及5922，8427节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 9372
9372. And He said unto Moses. That this signifies that which concerns the Word in general, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the Word (of which below); and from the signification of "He said," as involving those things which follow in this chapter, thus those which concern the Word (see n. 9370). (That Moses represents the Word, can be seen from what has been often shown before about Moses, as from the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 4859, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8601, 8760, 8787, 8805.) Here Moses represents the Word in general, because it is said of him in what follows, that he alone should come near unto Jehovah (verse 2); and also that, being called unto out of the midst of the cloud, he entered into it, and went up the mount (verses 16, 18). [2] In the Word there are many who represent the Lord in respect to truth Divine, or in respect to the Word; but chief among them are Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist. That Moses does so, can be seen in the explications just cited above; that so do Elijah and Elisha, can be seen in the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 2762, 5247; and that John the Baptist does so is evident from the fact that he was "Elias who was to come." He who does not know that John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, cannot know what all those things infold and signify which are said about him in the New Testament; and therefore in order that this secret may stand open, and that at the same time it may appear that Elias, and also Moses, who were seen when the Lord was transfigured, signified the Word, some things may here be quoted which are spoken about John the Baptist; as in Matthew:
After the messengers of John had departed, Jesus began to speak concerning John, saying, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed shaken by the wind? But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft things are in kings' houses. But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, even more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, Behold I send Mine angel before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee. Verily I say unto you, Among those who are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist; nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he. All the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye are willing to believe, he is Elias who was to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear (Matt. 11:7-15; and also Luke 7:24-28). No one can know how these things are to be understood, unless he knows that this John represented the Lord as to the Word, and unless he also knows from the internal sense what is signified by "the wilderness" in which he was, also what by "a reed shaken by the wind," and likewise by "soft raiment in kings' houses;" and further what is signified by his being "more than a prophet," and by "none among those who are born of women being greater than he, and nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he," and lastly by his being "Elias." For without a deeper sense, all these words are uttered merely from some comparison, and not from anything of weight. [3] But it is very different when by John is understood the Lord as to the Word, or the Word representatively. Then by "the wilderness of Judea in which John was" is signified the state in which the Word was at the time when the Lord came into the world, namely, that it was "in the wilderness," that is, it was in obscurity so great that the Lord was not at all acknowledged, neither was anything known about His heavenly kingdom; when yet all the prophets prophesied about Him, and about His kingdom, that it was to endure forever. (That "a wilderness" denotes such obscurity, see n. 2708, 4736, 7313.) For this reason the Word is compared to "a reed shaken by the wind" when it is explained at pleasure; for in the internal sense "a reed" denotes truth in the ultimate, such as is the Word in the letter. [4] That the Word in the ultimate, or in the letter, is crude and obscure in the sight of men; but that in the internal sense it is soft and shining, is signified by their "not seeing a man clothed in soft raiment, for behold those who wear soft things are in kings' houses." That such things are signified by these words, is plain from the signification of "raiment," or "garments," as being truths (n. 2132, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 6914, 6918, 9093); and for this reason the angels appear clothed in garments soft and shining according to the truths from good with them (n. 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216). The same is evident from the signification of "kings' houses," as being the abodes of the angels, and in the universal sense, the heavens; for "houses" are so called from good (n. 2233, 2234, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4622, 4982, 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997); and "kings," from truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148). Therefore by virtue of their reception of truth from the Lord, the angels are called "sons of the kingdom," "sons of the king," and also "kings." [5] That the Word is more than any doctrine in the world, and more than any truth in the world, is signified by "what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet;" and by, "there hath not arisen among those who are born of women a greater than John the Baptist;" for in the internal sense "a prophet" denotes doctrine (n. 2534, 7269); and "those who are born," or are the sons, "of women" denote truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3704, 4257). [6] That in the internal sense, or such as it is in heaven, the Word is in a degree above the Word in the external sense, or such as it is in the world, and such as John the Baptist taught, is signified by, "he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he;" for as perceived in heaven the Word is of wisdom so great that it transcends all human apprehension. That the prophecies about the Lord and His coming, and that the representatives of the Lord and of His kingdom, ceased when the Lord came into the world, is signified by, "all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." That the Word was represented by John, as by Elijah, is signified by his being "Elias who is to come." [7] The same is signified by these words in Matthew:
The disciples asked Jesus, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? He answered and said, Elias must needs first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, that Elias hath come already, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished. Even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them. And they understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist (Matt. 17:10-13);
that "Elias hath come, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished" signifies that the Word has indeed taught them that the Lord is to come, but that still they did not wish to comprehend, interpreting it in favor of the rule of self, and thus extinguishing what is Divine in it. That they would do the same with the truth Divine itself, is signified by "even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them." (That "the Son of man" denotes the Lord as to truth Divine, see n. 2803, 2813, 3704.) [8] From all this it is now evident what is meant by the prophecy about John in Malachi:
Behold I send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh (Mal. 4:5). Moreover, the Word in the ultimate, or such as it is in the external form in which it appears before man in the world, is described by the "clothing" and "food" of John the Baptist, in Matthew:
John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, had His clothing of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey (Matt. 3:1, 4). In like manner it is described by Elijah in the second book of Kings:
He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins (2 Kings 1:8). By "clothing," or a "garment," when said of the Word, is signified truth Divine there in the ultimate form; by "camel's hair" are signified memory-truths such as appear there before a man in the world; by the "leathern girdle" is signified the external bond connecting and keeping in order all the interior things; by "food" is signified spiritual nourishment from the knowledges of truth and of good out of the Word; by "locusts" are signified ultimate or most general truths; and by "wild honey" their pleasantness. [9] That such things are signified by "clothing" and "food" has its origin in the representatives of the other life, where all appear clothed according to truths from good, and where food also is represented according to the desires of acquiring knowledge and growing wise. From this it is that "clothing," or a "garment," denotes truth (as may be seen from the citations above; and that "food" or "meat" denotes spiritual nourishment, n. 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5579, 5915, 8562, 9003; that "a girdle" denotes a bond which gathers up and holds together interior things, n. 9341; that "leather" denotes what is external, n. 3540; and thus "a leathern girdle" denotes an external bond; that "hairs" denote ultimate or most general truths, n. 3301, 5569-5573; that "a camel" denotes memory-knowledge in general, n. 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, 4156; that "a locust" denotes nourishing truth in the extremes, n. 7643; and that "honey" denotes the pleasantness thereof, n. 5620, 6857, 8056). It is called "wild honey," or "honey of the field," because by "a field" is signified the church (n. 2971, 3317, 3766, 7502, 7571, 9139, 9295). He who does not know that such things are signified, cannot possibly know why Elijah and John were so clothed. And yet that these things signified something peculiar to these prophets, can be thought by everyone who thinks well about the Word. [10] Because John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, therefore also when he spoke of the Lord, who was the Word itself, he said of himself that he was "not Elias, nor the prophet," and that he was "not worthy to loose the latchet of the Lord's shoe," as in John:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The Jews from Jerusalem, priests and Levites, asked John who he was. And he confessed, and denied not, I am not the Christ. Therefore they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? But he said, I am not. Art thou the prophet? He answered, No. They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. They said therefore, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? He answered, I baptize with water; in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not; He it is who is to come after me, who was before me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose. When he saw Jesus, he said, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man who was before me; for he was before me (John 1:1, 14, 19-30). From these words it is plain that when John spoke about the Lord Himself, who was Truth Divine itself, or the Word, he said that he himself was not anything, because the shadow disappears when the light itself appears, that is, the representative disappears when the original itself makes its appearance. (That the representatives had in view holy things, and the Lord Himself, and not at all the person that represented, see n. 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806.) One who does not know that representatives vanish like shadows at the presence of light, cannot know why John denied that he was Elias and the prophet. [11] From all this it can now be seen what is signified by Moses and Elias, who were seen in glory, and who spoke with the Lord when transfigured, of His departure which He should accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:29-31); namely, that they signified the Word ("Moses" the historic Word, and "Elias" the prophetic Word), which in the internal sense throughout treats of the Lord, of His coming into the world, and of His departure out of the world; and therefore it is said that "Moses and Elias were seen in glory," for "glory" denotes the internal sense of the Word, and the "cloud" its external sense (see the preface to Genesis 18, and n. 5922, 8427).
Elliott(1983-1999) 9372
9372. 'And He said to Moses' means something concerning the Word in general. This is clear from the representation of 'Moses' as the Word, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'He said', which includes all that follows in the present chapter, thus things concerning the Word in general, 9370. The fact that Moses represents the Word may be recognized from what has often been shown already regarding Moses, for instance in the Preface to Genesis 18, and in 4859(end), 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8601, 8760, 8787, 8805, which please see. At present Moses represents the Word in general, because what follows says in reference to him, that he alone was to come near Jehovah, verse 2, and also that he was called from the middle of the cloud, went into it, and went up the mountain, verses 16,18.
[2] In the Word there are many who represent the Lord in respect of God's truth or the Word; but the chief among them are Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist. The fact that Moses does so may be seen in the explanations referred to just above; the fact that Elijah and Elisha do so may be seen in the Preface to Genesis 18, and in 2762, 5247 (end); and the fact that John the Baptist does so is clear from His being 'the Elijah who is to come'. Anyone who does not know that John the Baptist represented the Lord in respect of the Word cannot know what it is that all the things said about him in the New Testament imply and mean. Therefore to lay bare this arcanum and at the same time the truth that Elijah as well as Moses, who were seen when the Lord was transfigured, meant the Word, let some of the things recorded regarding John the Baptist be introduced here, such as these words in Matthew,
After John's messengers went away Jesus began to speak about John, saying, What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A person clothed in soft garments? Behold, those who wear soft garments are in kings' houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one of whom it has been written, Behold, I send My angel before your face, who will prepare your way before you. Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not been raised up one greater than John the Baptist; but one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. All the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to believe it, he is the Elijah who is to come. He who has an ear to hear, let him hear. Matt 11:7-15; Luke 7:24-28.
No one can know how to understand these things unless he knows that this John represented the Lord in respect of the Word, and unless he knows from the internal sense what is meant by 'the wilderness' in which he lived, also what is meant by 'a reed shaken by the wind' and by 'soft garments in kings' houses'; then what is meant by the statement that he was 'more than a prophet', and that 'among those born of women' there was none greater than he, and yet 'one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he'; and finally the announcement that he was 'the Elijah'. For without some deeper meaning all this sounds like a mere comparison and not anything more profound.
[3] It sounds altogether different however when the Lord in respect of the Word, or one representing the Word, is understood by John. Then 'the wilderness of Judea' in which John lived means the state in which the Word resided at the time when the Lord came into the world, namely in the wilderness, that is, in obscurity so great that the Lord was not acknowledged at all and nothing whatever was known about His heavenly kingdom, even though all the prophets prophesied about Him and about His kingdom which would last forever. The fact that 'the wilderness' means such obscurity, see 2708, 4736, 7313. The Word is therefore compared to 'a reed shaken by the wind' when it is explained at will; for 'a reed' in the internal sense is truth on its last and lowest level, which is what the Word is in the letter.
[4] The Word on the lowest level or in the letter looks to human sight to be rough and dull, but in the internal sense it is soft and shining. This is meant by the words that they did not see 'a person clothed in soft garments. Behold, those who wear soft garments are in kings' houses'. The fact that such things are meant by these words is evident from the meaning of 'garments' or clothes as truths, see 2132, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 6914, 6918, 9093, as a result of which angels appear clothed in garments soft and shining, in keeping with the truths springing from good that reside with them, 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216; and also from the meaning of 'kings' houses' as the places where angels dwell, and in the universal sense as the heavens. For 'houses' are so called by virtue of good, 2233, 2234, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4622, 4982, 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997, and the word 'kings' is used in regard to truth, 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148. Therefore angels are called the children of the kingdom, the king's children, and also kings, by virtue of their reception of truth from the Lord.
[5] The Word is greater than any doctrinal teachings in the world and greater than any truth in the world. This is meant by the words, 'What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet' and 'among those born of women there has not been raised up one greater than John the Baptist'. For 'a prophet' in the internal sense means doctrinal teachings, 2534, 7269, and 'those born of women' are truths, 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3704, 4257.
[6] The Word in its inward sense or as it exists in heaven is in a degree above the Word in its outward sense or as it exists in the world and as John the Baptist taught it. This is meant by the statement that 'the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he'; for the Word perceived in heaven possesses wisdom so great that it surpasses all human understanding. Prophecies concerning the Lord and His Coming, and things representative of the Lord and His kingdom were brought to an end when the Lord came into the world. This is meant by the words that 'all the prophets and the law prophesied until John'.
[7] The Word was represented by John as it had been by Elijah. This is meant by the statement that he is 'the Elijah who is to come', and also by the following in Matthew,
The disciples asked Jesus, Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? He answering said, Elijah will indeed come first and restore all things. I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not acknowledge him but did to him whatever they wished. In the same way too will the Son of Man suffer at their handsa. And they understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist. Matt 17:10-13.
'Elijah has come, and they did not acknowledge him but did to him whatever they wished' means that the Word indeed taught them that the Lord was going to come, but that they were nevertheless unwilling to have a right understanding of this; they interpreted it as support for their own dominion and in so doing eliminated what was of God within it. The fact that much the same would happen to God's truth itself is meant by the words 'In the same way too will the Son of Man suffer at their hands', 'the Son of Man' being the Lord in respect of God's truth, see 2803, 2813, 3704.
[8] All this now shows how to understand the prophecy regarding John in Malachi,
Behold, I send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrifying day of Jehovah comes. Mal 4:5.
The Word on the lowest level or as it is in the outward form seen by people in the world is also described by 'the garments' John the Baptist wore and by 'the food' he ate, in Matthew,
John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea had a garment of camel hair and a skin girdle around his waist; his food was locusts and field honey.b Matt 3:1, 3, 4.
Much the same is said of Elijah in 2 Kings 1:8, that he was a hairy man, and wore a girdle of skin around his loins. When it has reference to the Word 'a garment' or piece of clothing means God's truth there in its lowest form; 'camel hair' means true factual knowledge such as is seen there by people in the world; 'a skin girdle' means the outward connecting bond, holding all the interiors in order; 'food' means spiritual nourishment derived from cognitions or knowledge of truth and good obtained from the Word; 'locusts' means the lowest or most general truths, and 'field honey' the pleasantness of them.
[9] The origin of these meanings of 'garments' and 'food' lies in representatives in the next life. There all are seen wearing clothes in accord with their truths derived from good; and also food there is represented in accord with their desires to have knowledge and wisdom. So it is that 'a garment' or piece of clothing means truth, see the places referred to above in this paragraph, while 'food' means spiritual nourishment, 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5579, 5915, 8562, 9003; 'a girdle' means a bond gathering the interiors together and holding them within itself, 9341 (end), 'skin' means what is external, 3540, so that 'a skin girdle' means an external bond; 'hair' means the lowest or most general truths, 3301, 5569-5573, 'camel' means factual knowledge in general, 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, 4156, consequently 'camel hair' means true factual knowledge obtained from the Word; 'locust' means truth nourishing the outermost levels, 3301(end),c and 'honey' its pleasantness, 5620, 6857, 8056, the words 'field honey' being used because 'the field' means the Church, 2971, 3317, 3766, 7502, 7571, 9139, 9295. A person who does not know that such things are meant cannot possibly know why Elijah and John were clothed in that manner; yet anyone with correct ideas about the Word can think that such clothing was a sign of something peculiar to those prophets.
[10] Since John the Baptist represented the Lord in respect of the Word, he also said of himself - when he spoke about the Lord, who was the Word itself - that he was not Elijah, nor the Prophet, and that he was not worthy to untie the latchet of the Lord's shoe, in John,
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory. Jews from Jerusalem, priests and Levites, asked John who he was. He confessed, and did not deny, I am not the Christ. They therefore asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? But he said, I am not. Are you the Prophet? He answered, No. Therefore they said to him, Who are you? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said. They said therefore, Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet? He answered, I baptize with water; among you stands One whom you do not know. It is He who will come after me, who was before me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to untie. When he saw Jesus he said, Behold, the Lamb of God who bears away the sin of the world. This is He of whom I said, After me comes a Man (Vir) who was before me; for He was prior to me. John 1:1, 14, 19-30.
From these words it is evident that when John spoke about the Lord Himself, who was God's truth or the Word itself, he said that he himself was not anything; for when the light itself makes its appearance the shadow disappears, that is, the representative disappears when the image itself makes its appearance. Representatives had regard only to what they represented, namely holy things and the Lord Himself, and no regard whatever to the person who represented them, see 665, 1097 (end), 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806. The person who does not know that representatives vanish as shadows do at the presence of the light cannot know why John said that he was not Elijah or the Prophet.
[11] All this now makes plain what was meant by Moses and Elijah, who were seen in glory, and who spoke to the Lord, when He was transfigured, about His departure which He was about to complete in Jerusalem, Luke 9:29-31. That is to say, the Word was meant by them - the historical section of the Word by 'Moses' and the prophetical part by 'Elijah' - the subject of which everywhere in the internal sense is the Lord, His Coming into the world, and His Departure from the world. This explains why it says that Moses and Elijah 'were seen in glory', for 'the glory' is the inward sense of the Word, and 'the cloud' the outward sense, see Preface to Genesis 18, and 5922, 8427.
Latin(1748-1756) 9372
9372. `Et ad Moschen dixit': quod significet quod concernit Verbum in communi, constat ex repraesentatione `Moschis' quod sit Verbum, de qua sequitur, et ex significatione `dixit' quod involvat illa quae in hoc capite sequuntur, ita quae concernunt Verbum, n. 9370. Quod Moscheh repraesentet Verbum, constare potest ex illis quae de Mosche saepe prius ostensa sunt, ut {1}ex Praefatione ad Gen. xviii et n. 4859 fin., 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8601, 8760, 8787, 8805, quae videantur; hic repraesentat Moscheh Verbum in communi, quia de eo in sequentibus dicitur quod ille appropinquaret solus ad Jehovam, vers. 2, et quoque quod ille vocatus e medio nubis, intraverit et ascenderit montem, vers. 16, 18. In Verbo sunt plures qui repraesentant Dominum quoad verum 2 Divinum seu quoad Verbum, sed inter illos praecipui {2}sunt Moscheh, Elias, Elisaeus, et Johannes Baptista; quod Moscheh, videri potest in explicationibus nunc supra citatis, quod Elias et Elisaeus, in Praefatione ad Gen. xviii et n. 2762, 5247 fin., quod Johannes Baptista, constat ex eo quod is sit `Elias qui venturus'; qui non scit quod Johannes Baptista repraesentaverit Dominum quoad Verbum, non scire potest quid involvunt et significant omnia illa quae de illo in Novo Testamento dicta sunt; quapropter ut hoc arcanum pateat, et simul tunc quod Elias et quoque Moscheh, qui visi sunt cum Dominus transformatus est, significaverint Verbum, licet hic afferre aliqua quae de Johanne Baptista memorantur, ut quae apud Matthaeum, Postquam abiverunt nuntii Johannis, coepit Jesus loqui de Johanne, dicens, Quid exivistis in desertum videre? num arundinem a vento agitatam? quid vero exivistis videre? num hominem mollibus indumentis indutum? ecce qui mollia gerunt in domibus regum sunt; quid vero exivistis videre? num prophetam? immo dico vobis, etiam {3}magis quam propheta; hic est de quo scriptum, Ecce Ego mitto angelum Meum ante faciem tuam, qui praeparabit viam tuam ante te; amen dico vobis, Non suscitatus est inter natos mulierum major Johanne Baptista; qui vero minor est in regno caelorum, major (x)illo est. Omnes prophetae et lex usque ad Johannem prophetarunt; et si vultis credere, ille ipse est Elias qui venturus est; qui habet aurem ad audiendum, audiat, xi 7-15; et Luc. vii 24-28;quomodo haec intelligenda sunt, nemo scire potest nisi sciat quod Johannes ille repraesentaverit Dominum quoad Verbum, et tunc nisi ex sensu interno sciat quid significatur per `desertum' in quo ille, tum quid per `arundinem vento {4}agitatam,' ut et per `indumenta mollia in domibus regum'; et dein quid significatur per quod `ille magis quam propheta esset,' et quod `inter natos mulierum nullus illo major esset,' et tamen `minor in regno caelorum major illo,' et denique quod ille esset Elias; haec enim omnia absque sensu altiore solum ex aliqua comparatione sonant, et non ex re quae alicujus 3 ponderis; sed prorsus aliter cum per Johannem intelligitur Dominus quoad Verbum, seu Verbum repraesentative; tunc per `desertum Judaeae,' in quo Johannes, significatur status in quo Verbum illo tempore cum Dominus in mundum venit, quod nempe in deserto, hoc est, in tam obscuro ut prorsus non agnosceretur Dominus nec quicquam {5}sciretur de regno Ipsius caelesti, cum tamen omnes prophetae de Ipso deque regno Ipsius, quod in aeternum duraturum esset, prophetarunt; quod `desertum' tale obscurum sit, videatur n.2708,4736, 7313; Verbum ideo comparatur `arundini vento {6}agitatae' cum explicatur ad libitum, nam `arundo' in sensu interno est verum 4 in ultimo quale est Verbum in littera; quod Verbum in ultimo seu in littera sit coram aspectu hominum sicut rude et obscurum sed in sensu interno molle et splendens, significatur per quod `non viderint hominem mollibus indumentis indutum, ecce qui mollia gerunt in domibus regum sunt'; quod talia per haec verba significentur, patet a significatione `indumentorum' seu vestium, quod sint vera, videatur n. 2132, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 6914, (x)6918, 9093, et quod ideo angeli appareant vestibus induti mollibus et splendentibus secundum vera ex bono apud illos, n. 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216; tum a significatione `domuum regum' quod sint mansiones ubi angeli, (c)ac in universali sensu, caeli, nam `domus' dicuntur ex bono, n. 2233, 2234, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4622, 4982, 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997, et `reges' de vero, n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148; ideo angeli vocantur filii regni, filii regis, et quoque reges ex receptione 5 veri a Domino; quod Verbum sit plus quam aliqua doctrina in mundo et plus quam aliquod verum in mundo, significatur per `quid exivistis videre? num prophetam? immo dico vobis, etiam {7}magis quam propheta,' et quod `non suscitatus sit inter natos mulierum major Johanne Baptista,' `propheta' enim in sensu interno est doctrina, n. 2534, 7269, ac `nati' seu filii `mulierum' sunt vera, n. 489, 491, 533, 6 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3704, 4257; quod Verbum in sensu interno, {8}seu quale est in caelo, sit in gradu supra Verbum in sensu externo {8}seu quale est in mundo, et quale Johannes Baptista docuit, significatur per quod `minor in regno caelorum sit major {9}illo'; nam Verbum perceptum in caelo talis sapientiae est ut transcendat omnem captum humanum; quod {10}prophetica de Domino et de Ipsius Adventu, et quod {11}repraesentativa Domini ac Ipsius regni cessaverint cum Dominus in mundum venit, significatur per quod `omnes prophetae et lex usque ad Johannem (x)prophetaverint'; quod Verbum per 7 Johannem sicut per Eliam repraesentatum sit, significatur per quod ille ipse est `Elias qui venturus': tum per haec apud Matthaeum, Interrogaverunt discipuli Jesum, Quare scribae dicunt quod Eliam oporteat venire prius? Ipse respondens dixit, Elias quidem veniet prius et restituet omnia; dico vobis quod Elias jam venerit, et non agnoverint eum sed fecerunt in eo quaecumque voluerunt; sic et Filius hominis passurus est ab illis; et intellexerunt quod de Johanne Baptista {12}dixisset illis, xvii 10-(x)13;
quod `Elias venerit, et non agnoverint eum sed fecerint in eo quaecumque voluerunt,' significat quod Verbum quidem illos docuerit quod venturus Dominus, sed quod usque non voluerint comprehendere, interpretando id ad favorem sui dominii et sic exstinguendo Divinum quod in illo; quod similiter facturi cum ipso vero Divino, significatur per quod `sic et Filius hominis passurus {13}sit ab illis'; quod `Filius hominis' sit Dominus quoad verum Divinum, videatur n. 2803, 2813, 3704. Ex his nunc patet quid intelligitur per propheticum de Johanne 8 apud Malachiam, Ecce Ego mitto vobis Eliam prophetam antequam venit dies Jehovae magnus et terribilis, iii 23 [A. V. iv 5]. Describitur etiam Verbum in ultimo, seu quale est in {14}forma externa quae apparet coram homine in mundo, per `indumenta' et per `alimenta' Johannis Baptistae, apud Matthaeum, Johannes Baptista praedicans in deserto Judaeae habebat indumentum suum ex pilis cameli, et cingulum coriaceum circum lumbum; alimentum ejus erant locustae et mel agreste, iii 1, 3, 4:
similiter ac Elias in Libro 2 Regum quod esset vir pilosus, et cingulo corii cinctus circum lumbos, {15}i 8; per `indumentum' seu vestem cum de Verbo, significatur verum Divinum ibi in forma ultima, per `pilos cameli' significantur vera scientifica qualia ibi coram homine in mundo, per `cingulum coriaceum' significatur vinculum externum connectens et in ordine tenens omnia interiora, per `alimentum' significatur nutricio spiritualis ex {16}cognitionibus veri et boni ex Verbo, per `locustas' significantur vera ultima seu communissima, et per `mel agreste' 9 amoenum {17}eorum; quod per `indumenta et alimenta' significentur talia, ducit originem ex repraesentativis in altera vita; ibi induti apparent omnes secundum vera ex bono, et quoque alimenta ibi repraesentantur secundum desideria sciendi et sapiendi; inde est quod `indumentum' seu vestis sit verum, videantur citationes supra, et quod `alimentum' seu cibus sit nutricio spiritualis, n. 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5579, 5915, 8562, 9003, (m)quod `cingulum' sit vinculum colligens et continens interiora, {18}n. 9341 fin., quod `corium' sit externum, n. 3540, ita `cingulum coriaceum' est vinculum externum;(n) quod `pili' sint vera ultima (d)seu communissima, n. 3301, 5569-5573, {19}quod `camelus' sit scientificum in communi, n. 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, 4156, unde `pila cameli' sunt vera scientifica ex Verbo, quod `locusta' sit verum nutriens in extremis, n. 3301 fin., et quod `mel' sit amoenum ejus, n. 5620, 6857, 8056; `mel agreste' dicitur quia per `agrum' significatur Ecclesia, n. 2971, 3317, 3766, 7502, 7571, 9139, 9295. Qui non scit quod talia significentur, nusquam scire potest cur ita induti {20}fuerunt Elias et Johannes; quod usque ea significaverint aliquid peculiare prophetis illis, quisque cogitare potest qui bene de Verbo. 10 Quia Johannes Baptista repraesentabat Dominum quoad Verbum, ideo quoque cum ille de Domino loquebatur, Qui erat ipsum Verbum, dicebat de se quod `non esset Elias, nec propheta,' et quod `non dignus esset solvere corrigiam calcei Domini': apud Johannem, In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum: et Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit inter nos, et vidimus gloriam Ipsius. Quaesiverunt Judaei ex Hierosolyma, sacerdotes et Levitae, Johannem, quis esset; confessus est et non negavit, Non sum ego Christus; quaesiverunt ergo illum, Quid ergo? an Elias tu? sed dixit, Non sum. An propheta tu? respondit, Non; quare dixerunt illi, Quis es? dixit, Ego vox clamantis in deserto, Rectam facite viam Domini, sicut dixit Esaias propheta; dixerunt itaque, Quare ergo (x)baptizas si non es (x)Christus, neque Elias: neque propheta? respondit, Ego baptizo aqua; medius inter vos stat Quem vos non nostis; Ille est Qui post me venturus est, Qui ante me fuit, Cujus ego non sum dignus ut solvam Ipsius corrigiam calcei. Cum vidit Jesum, dixit, Ecce Agnus Dei Qui tollit peccatum mundi; Hic est de quo ego dixi, Post me venit vir qui ante me fuit, quia prior me fuit, i 1, 14, 19-30;
ex his patet quod Johannes cum de Ipso Domino locutus est, Qui fuit ipsum verum Divinum seu Verbum, {21}dixerit se non esse aliquid, quoniam umbra disparatur cum ipsa lux apparet, seu repraesentativum cum ipsa effigies; quod repraesentativa spectaverint res sanctas {22}ac Ipsum Dominum, et prorsus non personam quae repraesentabat, videantur n. 665, 1097 fin., 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806. Qui non scit quod repraesentativa {23}evanescant sicut umbrae praesente {24}luce, non scire potest cur Johannes negaverit se esse Eliam et prophetam. Ex his nunc constare potest quid significatur per Moschen et Eliam, 11 qui visi in gloria, et locuti cum Domino {25}cum transformatus, de exitu quem impleturus esset in Hierosolyma, Luc. ix 29-31, quod nempe Verbum, per `Moschen' Verbum historicum, et per `Eliam' Verbum propheticum, quod in sensu interno ubivis agit de Domino, de Ipsius Adventu in mundum, et de Ipsius exitu e mundo; quapropter dicitur quod `Moscheh et Elias visi sint in gloria,' `gloria' enim est sensus internus Verbi, et `nubes' sensus ejus externus, videatur Praefatio ad Gen. xviii et n. 5922, 8427. @1 in$ @2 fuerunt$ @3 amplius$ @4 d quassatam i agitatam$ @5 After caelesti$ @6 quassatae but cp p. 663, note 3$ @7 amplius$ @8 d seu Verbum i quale est$ @9 Johanne Baptista$ @10 Verbum propheticum$ @11 omne repraesentativum Domini ac Ipsius Regni cessaverit altered to repraesentativa de Domino as de Ipsius Regno cessaverint$ @12 dictum sit$ @13 est$ @14 i sua$ @15 i 11 Reg.$ @16 veris et bonis quae$ @17 ejus$ @18 i videatur$ @19 i et$ @20 fuerint$ @21 i quod Johannes repraesentabat,$ @22 i quae a Domino,$ @23 After umbrae$ @24 effigie$ @25 After Hierosolyma,$