9486.“用皂荚木”表公义。这从“皂荚木”的含义清楚可知，“皂荚木”是指唯独属于主的功德之善，如前所述（9472节），因而也指公义，就是功德之善。因为主凭自己的能力使整个天堂恢复秩序、征服地狱，同时使祂自己里面的人身变成神性，由此拥有功德和公义。因此，在天堂掌权并构成天堂的唯一良善就是主的功德之善和祂的公义，因而祂的神性人身，因为这人身成为功德和公义。主凭自己的能力成就这些事，这一点明显可见于下列经文：
这从以东的波斯拉来的是谁呢？就是我，是凭公义说话，以大能施行拯救。我独自踹酒榨，众民中无一人与我同在。我四下观看，却无人帮助；我诧异，没有人扶持。所以我自己的膀臂为我施行拯救。（以赛亚书63:1-5）
以赛亚书：
祂见无人，诧异无人代求；祂自己的膀臂给祂带来拯救，祂的公义将祂扶起。祂穿上公义为铠甲。（以赛亚书59:16，17）
耶利米书：
耶和华我们的义，这就是人所要称祂的名字。（耶利米书23:6；33:15，16）
约翰福音：
我将命舍去，好再取回来。没有人夺我的命去，是我自己舍的。我有权柄舍了，也有权柄取回来。（约翰福音10:17，18）
从这些经文明显可知，就神性人身而言，主拥有凭自己所获得的功德和公义。由于“约柜”表示主所在的天堂，所以在制造约柜的时候会用到皂荚木，皂荚木表示这良善；因为“木”一般表示良善（643，3720，8354节）。这解释了为何那些将功德置于行为的人，在来世看上去在劈柴，柴下面有主的某种东西（1110，4943，8740节）。正因如此，劈燔祭的柴表示功德之善，或属于作为的良善（2784，2812节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 9486
9486. Of shittim wood. That this signifies righteousness, is evident from the signification of "shittim wood," as being the good of merit that belongs to the Lord alone (of which above, n. 9472), thus also righteousness, which is the good of merit. For by His own power the Lord reduced the universal heaven into order, and subjugated the hells, and at the same time made the Human in Himself Divine, whereby He has merit and righteousness; and therefore the only good that reigns in heaven and makes heaven, is the good of merit and the righteousness of the Lord; thus His Divine Human, for this was made merit and righteousness. [2] That these things were done by the Lord of His own power, is evident in the following passages:
Who is this that cometh from Edom? I that speak in righteousness, Great to save. I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the peoples there was no man with Me. I looked around, but there was none to help; and I was amazed, but there was none to uphold; therefore Mine own arm brought salvation to Me (Isa. 63:1-5). He saw that there was no man, and was amazed that there was none to intercede; therefore His own arm brought salvation to Him; and His righteousness, it upheld Him. He put on righteousness as a coat of mail (Isa. 59:16, 17). This is His name whereby they shall call Him, Jehovah our righteousness (Jer. 23:6; 33:15, 16). I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one taketh It away from Me; I lay it down of Myself; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again (John 10:17, 18). From these passages it is plain that in respect to the Divine Human the Lord has merit and righteousness from Himself. As by "the ark" is signified heaven where the Lord is, there was employed in its construction shittim wood, by which this good is signified; for by "wood" in general is signified good (n. 643, 3720, 8354); and therefore they who place merit in works appear in the other life to cut wood, beneath which there is something of the Lord (n. 1110, 4943, 8740). Consequently by cutting the wood of the burnt-offering is signified the good of merit, or the good of works (n. 2784, 2812).
Elliott(1983-1999) 9486
9486. 'Of shittim wood' means righteousness. This is clear from the meaning of 'shittim wood' as the good of merit which is the Lord's alone, dealt with above in 9472, and therefore also righteousness, which is the good of merit. For by His own power the Lord restored the whole of heaven to order and subdued the hells, and at the same time made Divine the Human within Himself; therefore to Him belong merit and righteousness. For this reason the one and only good that reigns in heaven and that makes heaven is the Lord's good of merit and His righteousness, thus His Divine Human since This was made merit and righteousness. The fact that the Lord accomplished these things by His own power is clear in Isaiah,
Who is this who comes from Edom? I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save. I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples not a man (vir) was with Me. I looked around, but there was no helper, and I wondered, but there was no one to uphold; therefore My own arm brought salvation to Me. Isa 63:1-5.
In the same prophet,
He saw that there was no man (vir), and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore His own arm brought salvation to Him, and His righteousness lifted Him up. He put on righteousness as a breastplate. Isa 59:16, 17.
[2] In Jeremiah,
This is His name which they will call Him, Jehovah our Righteousness. Jer 23:6; 33:15, 16.
And in John,
I lay down My life,a so that I may receive it again. No one takes it from Me, I lay it down of Myself; I have power to lay it down and I have power to receive it again. John 10:17, 18.
From these places it is evident that the Lord in His Divine Human possesses merit and righteousness acquired by Himself. Since 'the ark' means heaven where the Lord is, shittim wood, by which that good is meant, was used in the making of it; for 'wood' in general means good, 643, 3720, 8354. This explains why people who assume that merit lies in works are seen in the next life to be cutting wood, under which there is something of the Lord, 1110, 4943, 8740. And so it is that 'splitting pieces of wood for a burnt offering' means the good of merit, or good belonging to works, 2784, 2812.
Latin(1748-1756) 9486
9486. `Lignorum schittim': quod significet justitiam, constat ex significatione `ligni schittim' quod sit bonum meriti quod solius Domini, de qua supra n. 9472, ita quoque justitia, quae {1}est bonum meriti; Dominus enim ex propria potentia universum caelum in ordinem redegit, ac inferna subjugavit, et simul tunc Humanum in Se Divinum fecit, inde Ipsi meritum et justitia {2}, {3}quapropter unicum bonum quod in caelo regnat, et quod facit caelum, {4}est bonum meriti {5}et justitia Domini, ita Divinum Humanum Ipsius, nam Hoc meritum et justitia factum est; {6}quod illa a Domino ex propria potentia, constat apud Esaiam, Quis hic qui venit ex Edom? Ego qui loquor in justitia, magnus ad salvandum: torcular calcavi solus, et de populis non vir Mecum; circumspexi sed non auxilians, et obstupui sed non suffulciens; ideo salutem praestitit Mihi bracchium Meum, lxiii 1-5:apud eundem, Vidit quod non vir, et obstupuit quod non intercedens; ideo salutem praestitit Ipsi bracchium Suum, et justitia Ipsius suscitavit Ipsum; induit justitiam sicut loricam, lix 16, 17:
apud Jeremiam, 2 Hoc nomen Ipsius quod appellabunt Ipsum, Jehovah justitia nostra, xxiii 6, xxxiii 15, 16:
et apud Johannem, Ego pono animam Meam, {7}ut rursus accipiam eam; nemo tollit eam a Me, Ego pono a Me Ipso; potestatem Ego habeo ponendi eam, et potestatem habeo rursus accipiendi eam, x 17, 18;
ex illis {8}patet quod Domino quoad Divinum Humanum sit meritum et justitia a Se Ipso; {9}quia per `arcam' significatur caelum ubi Dominus, ideo ad constructionem ejus lignum schittim adhibebatur, per quod bonum illud significatur, per `lignum' enim in genere significatur bonum, n. 643, 3720, 8354; quapropter illi (m)qui ponunt meritum in operibus, apparent in altera vita secare {10}lignum, {11}sub quo aliquid Domini, n. 1110, 4943, (x)8740; inde per `findere ligna holocausti' significatur bonum meriti, seu bonum quod operum, n. 2784, 2812.(n) @1 idem est cum bono meriti$ @2 i, nullus autem homo ex sua potentia aliquid ad regenerationem suam et sic ad salutem suam facere potest; sed hoc fit ex potentia solius Domini; quod homo ex se nihil boni possit facere, nec sibi comparare fidem, notum est; inde constare potest$ @3 quod$ @4 sit$ @5 seu$ @6 quod Dominus ex propria potentia Humanum Divinum fecerit$ @7 et IT$ @8 constat$ @9 et quia id bonum est unicum bonum quod in coelo regnat, et quod salvat tam angelos quam homines, ideo adhibeatur lignum schittim, quod est bonum meriti, ad arcam, per quam coelum ubi Dominus significabatur, lignum etiam in genere significat bonum, n. 2784, 3720, 4943, 8354, 8740$ @10 ligna$ @11 et cum secant apparet quasi quid Domini sub lignis$