----中文待译----
112. (Verse 8) And unto the angel of the church of the Smyrnaeans write. That this signifies for remembrance to those within the church who wish to understand the Word, and do not yet understand it, and therefore have as yet but little knowledge of truth and good, which nevertheless they desire in heart is evident from the signification of writing as being for remembrance (see above, n. 95); and from the signification of the angel of the church of the Smyrnaeans, as being those within the church who wish to understand the Word and do not yet understand it, and therefore have but little knowledge of truth and good, which, nevertheless, they desire in heart. That these are meant by the angel of the church of the Smyrnaeans is evident from the things written to that angel, which follow. For it cannot be known who are meant by the angels of the several churches, except from the internal sense of the things written to them.
[2] In the things written to the angel of the church of Ephesus, treated of above, those are described who are in the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good, and not at the same time, or not yet, in a life in agreement with them; and now those are described who are in the knowledges of truth and good and at the same time in a life in agreement with them; the latter therefore are those who have the affection of truth from a spiritual origin, but the former are those who have the affection of truth from a natural origin. In general, the affection of truth has two origins, namely, a natural origin and a spiritual origin. Those who have the affection of truth from a natural origin, primarily regard themselves and the world, and consequently are natural; but those who have the affection of truth from a spiritual origin, primarily regard the Lord and heaven, and consequently are spiritual. A man's affection or love looks either downwards or upwards; those who regard themselves and the world look downwards, but those who have regard to the Lord and to heaven look upwards. The interiors of a man's mind actually look to where his love or affection is, for his love determines them; and according to the determination of his interiors such is the man after death, and such he remains to eternity. To look downwards or upwards is to look from the love by means of the understanding, thus by means of those things which form and constitute the understanding, these being the knowledges of truth and good.
[3] The reason why that which is written to the angel of the church of Ephesus is concerning those within the church who are in the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good and not at the same time, or not as yet, in a life according to them, thus concerning those who are in the affection of truth from a natural origin; and now, in what is written to the angel of the church of the Smyrnaeans, concerning those who are in the knowledges of truth and good and at the same time in a life in agreement with them, thus concerning those who are in the affection of truth from a spiritual origin, is, that the former is the first principle of the church, and the latter is the second. For no one can be introduced into the church, and formed for heaven, except by means of knowledges from the Word, without which a man would not know the way to heaven, and without which the Lord cannot dwell with him. That without the knowledges of truth and good from the Word no one can know anything concerning the Lord, the angelic heaven, or charity and faith, may easily be known; and what a man does not know, he cannot think about, and thus cannot will, therefore neither can he believe or love. It is therefore evident that a man by means of knowledges learns the way to heaven. That without the knowledges of good and truth from the Word, the Lord cannot be present with a man and lead him, is also known; for in the case of him who knows nothing concerning the Lord, concerning heaven, charity and faith, the spiritual mind, which is the higher mind, and is intended to see by the light of heaven, is void and has nothing from the Divine in it, and yet the Lord cannot dwell with a man except in that which is His own, that is, in those things which are from Him; hence it was said, that the Lord cannot dwell with man unless he be in the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, and thence in the life thereof.
From these considerations taken together it follows, that the natural man can by no means become spiritual without the knowledges of truth and good from the Word.
[4] The reason why by the angel of the church of the Smyrnaeans are meant those within the church who are willing to understand the Word, and do not as yet understand, and consequently are, as yet, but little in the knowledges of truth and good, which nevertheless they desire, is, that they are in the spiritual affection of truth, and such also live the life of charity; for they have spiritual affection as a result of this, because there can be nothing spiritual in man but from charity. They who are in that affection study the Word, and desire nothing more than that they may understand it, and this because there are innumerable things in it which they do not understand, because the Word in its bosom is spiritual, involving infinite arcana. While therefore a man lives in the world, and sees from the natural man, he can be but little established in the knowledges of truth and good, but only in the generals, in which, however, innumerable things may be implanted when be comes into the spiritual world, or heaven.
[5] The man who is in the affection of truth from a spiritual origin, then knows much more than he knew before; for the general knowledges which he has are vessels, as it were, that can be filled with many things, and which actually are filled, when he comes into heaven. That this is the case is evident from this circumstance alone, that all the angels in heaven are from the human race, and yet their wisdom is such as can be described only by things inexpressible and incomprehensible, as is well known. (That the angels of heaven have no other origin than the human race, may be seen in the work, Arcana Coelestia 1988, 3107, 4638; and that cities signify those things which belong to intelligence and wisdom, 2449, 2712, 2943, 3216, 3584, 4492, 4493, 5297.)
112. Verse 8. And to the angel of the church of the Smyrneans write, signifies for remembrance to those within the church who wish to understand the Word, but do not yet understand, and are therefore as yet but little in the knowledges of truth and good, which nevertheless they desire in heart. This is evident from the signification of "writing" as being for remembrance (See above, n. 95); and from the signification of the "angel of the church of the Smyrneans," as being those within the church who wish to understand the Word but do not yet understand, and are therefore but little in the knowledges of truth and good, which nevertheless they desire in heart. That these are meant by the "angel of the church of the Smyrneans" is clear from the things written to that angel which follow: for who are meant by the angel of each church can be known only from the internal sense of the things written to him.
[2] In the things written to the angel of the Ephesian church, explained just above, those are described who are in the knowledges of truth and good, and not also, or not yet, in a life according to them. Here now those are described who are in the knowledges of truth and good, and at the same time in a life according to them; these, therefore, are in the affection of truth from a spiritual source; but the former are those who are in the affection of truth from a natural source. In general, there are affections of truth from two sources, namely, from a natural and from a spiritual source. Those who are in the affection of truth from a natural source look first to self and the world, and thence are natural; but those who are in the affection of truth from a spiritual source look first to the Lord and to heaven, and thence are spiritual. Man's affection or love looks either downwards or upwards; those who look to self and the world look downwards, but those who look to the Lord and to heaven look upwards. A man's interiors, which are of his mind, actually look in the same direction as his love or affection does, for love determines them; and such as is the determination of man's interiors, which are of his mind, such after death does the man remain to eternity. Looking downwards or upwards is looking from love through the understanding, thus through the things that form and make the understanding, which are the knowledges of truth and good.
[3] In what is written to the angel of the Ephesian church, those within the church who are in the knowledges of truth and good, and not also, or not yet, in a life according to them, thus those who are in the affection of truth from a natural source, are described; and now in what is written to the angel of the church of the Smyrneans, those who are in the knowledges of truth and good, and also in a life according to them, thus those who are in the affection of truth from a spiritual source are described; and this because the former is the first [state] of the church, and the latter is the second. For no one can be introduced into the church and formed for heaven, except by knowledges from the Word. Without these man does not know the way to heaven, and without these the Lord cannot dwell with him. It can be seen that without the knowledges of truth and good from the Word no one can know anything of the Lord, of the angelic heaven, or of charity and faith; and that which a man does not know he cannot think, thus cannot will, and accordingly cannot believe and love. It is evident, therefore, that by means of knowledges man learns the way to heaven. It can also be seen that without the knowledges of truth and good from the Word the Lord cannot be present with man and lead him, for when man knows nothing of the Lord, of heaven, of charity and faith, his spiritual mind, which is the higher mind, and is intended to see by the light of heaven, is empty, and has nothing from the Divine in it. But the Lord cannot be with man except in His own with man, that is, in the things that are from Him. For this reason it was said that unless a man is in the knowledges of truth and good from the Word and in the life thereof, the Lord cannot dwell with him. From this, taken together, it follows that the natural man can by no means become spiritual without the knowledges of good and truth from the Word.
[4] By "the angel of the church of the Smyrneans" are meant those within the church who wish to understand the Word, but do not yet understand, and therefore are as yet but little in the knowledges of truth and good, which nevertheless they desire because they are in the spiritual affection of truth; and those who are in the spiritual affection of truth are also in the life of charity, for from that they have spiritual affection. The spiritual comes to man from no other source than from charity. Those who are in spiritual affection are interested in the Word, and desire nothing more earnestly than to understand it. But as there are innumerable things therein that they do not understand, because the Word in its bosom is spiritual and the spiritual includes infinite arcana, therefore, so long as man lives in the world and then sees from the natural man, he can be but little in the knowledges of truth and good, and in generals only, in which, however, innumerable things may be implanted when he comes into the spiritual world or heaven.
[5] A man who is in the affection of truth from a spiritual origin knows many more things than he knew before; for the general knowledges that he has are like vessels that can be filled with many things, and they are also actually filled when he comes into heaven. That this is so can be seen merely from this, that all the angels in heaven are from the human race, and yet they possess wisdom such as could be described only by what is unutterable and incomprehensible, as is well known. (That the angels of heaven are from no other source than the human race, see in the work on Arcana Coelestia 1988, 3107, 4638; and the "cities" signify those things that are of intelligence and wisdom, n. 2449, 2712, 2943, 3216, 3584, 4492, 4493, 5297)
112. (Vers. 8.) "Et Angelo Ecclesiae Smyrnaeorum scribe." - Quod significet ad recordationem illis intra ecclesiam qui volunt intelligere Verbum, et nondum intelligunt, et inde parum adhuc in cognitionibus veri et boni sunt, quas tamen corde desiderant, constat ex significatione "scribere" quod sit ad recordationem (ut supra, n. 95); et ex significatione "Angeli Ecclesiae Smyrnaeorum", quod sint illi intra ecclesiam qui volunt intelligere Verbum et nondum intelligunt, et inde parum in cognitionibus veri et boni sunt, quas tamen corde desiderant; quod hi per "Angelum Ecclesiae Smyrnaeorum" intelligantur, constat ex illis quae ad illum Angelum scripta sunt, quae sequuntur; nam non aliunde sciri potest, quinam per Angelum cujusvis Ecclesiae intelliguntur, quam ex scriptis ad illum in sensu interno.
[2] In illis quae ad Angelum Ephesinae Ecclesiae, de quo mox prius scripta sunt, descripti sunt qui in cognitionibus veri et boni sunt, et non simul aut nondum in vita secundum illas; hic nunc describuntur illi qui in cognitionibus veri et boni sunt et simul in vita secundum illas; hi itaque sunt qui in affectione veri ex origine spirituali sunt; illi autem qui in affectione veri ex origine naturali. Sunt affectiones veri in genere ex binis originibus, nempe ex origine naturali et ex origine spirituali. Illi qui in affectione veri ex origine naturali sunt, spectant primario ad se et ad mundum, et inde naturales sunt; at illi qui in affectione veri ex origine spirituali sunt, spectant primario ad Dominum et ad caelum, et inde spirituales sunt. Affectio seu amor hominis vel spectat deorsum vel spectat sursum: qui spectant ad se et ad mundum, illi spectant deorsum; at qui spectant ad Dominum et ad caelum, illi spectant sursum. Interiora hominis, quae mentis ejus sunt, actualiter spectant illuc quo ejus amor seu affectio, nam amor determinat illa; et qualis est determinatio interiorum hominis quae ejus mentis sunt, talis homo post mortem manet in aeternum. Spectare deorsum aut sursum est ex amore per intellectum, ita per illa quae formant et faciunt intellectum, quae sunt cognitiones veri et boni.
[3] Quod de illis intra ecclesiam qui in cognitionibus veri et boni sunt, et non simul aut nondum in vita secundum illas, ita de illis qui in affectione veri ex origine naturali sunt, ad "Angelum Ephesinae Ecclesiae" scriptum sit, et nunc ad "Angelum Ecclesiae Smyrnaeorum" de illis qui in cognitionibus veri et boni sunt et simul in vita secundum illas, ita de illis qui in affectione veri ex origine spirituali sunt, est causa quia illud primum ecclesiae est, et hoc Secundum: nemo enim potest introduci in ecclesiam et formari ad caelum, nisi per cognitiones ex Verbo; absque illis homo non scit viam ad caelum, et absque illis Dominus non potest habitare apud illum. Quod absque cognitionibus veri et boni ex Verbo nemo sciat aliquid de Domino, de caelo angelico, de charitate et fide, notum esse potest; et quod homo non scit, hoc non cogitare potest, ita nec velle, proinde nec credere et amare; inde patet quod homo per cognitiones discat viam ad caelum. Quod absque cognitionibus veri et boni ex Verbo Dominus non possit adesse et ducere hominem, etiam notum est; nam qui nihil novit de Domino, de caelo, de charitate et fide, ejus mens spiritualis, quae mens Superior est et visura per lucem caeli, vacua est, et nihil habet ex Divino in se; et tamen Dominus non potest esse apud hominem quam in suo apud illum, hoc est, in illis quae ab Ipso. Inde est, quod dictum sit quod Dominus non possit habitare apud hominem nisi is in cognitionibus veri et boni ex Verbo sit, et inde in vita. Ex his ut in summa sequitur, quod homo naturalis nequaquam fieri possit spiritualis absque cognitionibus veri et boni ex Verbo.
[4] Quod per "Angelum Ecclesiae Smyrnaeorum" intelligantur illi intra ecclesiam qui volunt intelligere Verbum et nondum intelligunt, et inde parum adhuc in cognitionibus veri et boni sunt, quas tamen desiderant, est quia illi in affectione veri spirituali sunt; et qui in affectione veri spirituali sunt, etiam in vita charitatis sunt, nam inde illis affectio spiritualis; aliunde homini non est spirituale quam ex charitate. Qui in affectione illa sunt, illi student Verbo, et nihil plus desiderant quam intelligere illud; et quia innumerabilia inibi sunt quae non intelligunt, quoniam Verbum in sinu suo est spirituale, et hoc includit infinita arcana, ideo homo quamdiu adhuc in mundo vivit, et tunc ex naturali homine videt, parum potest in cognitionibus veri et boni esse, sed solum in communibus, quibus usque implantari possunt innumerabilia quando in mundum spiritualem seu caelum venit. Homo qui in affectione veri ex origine spirituali est, is scit multo plura quam novit; nam communes cognitiones, quae sunt apud illum, sunt sicut vasa, quae multis impleri possunt, et quoque actualiter implentur dum in caelum venit.
[5] Quod ita sit, modo ex eo constare potest, quod omnes angeli qui in caelo sunt, ex humano genere sint, et tamen illis sapientia talis est ut describatur per inenuntiabilia et incomprehensibilia, ut notum est. (Quod Angeli Caeli non aliunde sint quam ex Genere Humano, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 311-317; et in opusculo De Ultimo Judicio 14-22.) Illa impletio intelligentiae et sapientiae est quae intelligitur per Domini verba apud Lucam,
"Mensura bona, pressa, agitata et superfluens dabitur in sinum vestrum" (6:38);
apud Matthaeum,
"Quicunque habet, dabitur ei, ut abundantius habeat" (13:12, 25:29);
et apud Lucam,
Dominus dixit servo qui ex mina ei data acquisivit decem minas, "Quia in modico fidelis fuisti, potestatem habebis super decem urbes" (19:16, 17):
per "decem" ibi significatur multum et plenum, et per "urbes" intelligentia et sapientia.
(Quod "decem" significant multum et plenum, videatur n. 1988, 3107, 4638; et quod "urbes" significent illa quae sunt intelligentiae et sapientiae, n. 1
2449, 2712, 2943, 3216, 3584, 4492, 4493, 5297.)
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.