----中文待译----
236. (Verse 17) Because thou sayest I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing. That this signifies their faith, that they believe themselves to be in truths more than others, is evident from the signification of thou sayest, as involving what is believed by them; and because those are here treated of who are in faith alone, therefore thou sayest signifies their faith. Moreover, to say, in the spiritual sense, signifies to think, because what is said goes out from the thought; and thought is spiritual, because it belongs to man's spirit, and saying and discourse therefrom are natural, because they belong to the body. It is from this that to say, in the Word, has significations, varying according to the subject treated of. And from the signification of I am rich, as being to possess the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good, and thence to be intelligent and wise, which will be seen in what follows. Also from the signification of and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing, as being to know all things, so that nothing is wanting.
[2] That those who hold the doctrine of faith alone and justification thereby thus believe, or are of such a character, is not known to those who are not in that faith, although amongst them there are such; nevertheless it has been granted me to know by much experience that they are of such a character.
I have conversed with many who, in the world, believed themselves to be more intelligent and wise than others, from the fact of their knowing so many things concerning faith alone and justification thereby, and indeed such things as the simple were not acquainted with, which they also called interior things, and mysteries of doctrine; and they believed they knew and understood all things, so that they lacked nothing. Amongst these were many who had written concerning faith alone, and justification by that faith; but it was shown them that they knew nothing of truth, and that those who lived the life of faith, which is charity, and did not understand justification by faith alone were far more intelligent and wise than they. It was also shown them that the things which they knew were not truths but falsities, and that to know and think these is not to be intelligent and wise, because intelligence is concerned with truth, and wisdom with the life therefrom. The reason of this was also made known to them, namely, that they were in no spiritual affection of truth, but only in the natural affection of knowing those things which are taught by the learned, or their rulers, some for the sake of employment, others for the reputation for erudition; also that those who are in the latter and not in the former affection, believe that when they know those things they know everything, and especially those who have confirmed themselves in them by the sense of the letter of the Word, and have laboured by fallacies of reasoning to connect them with other falsities.
[3] I will state something here also from experience concerning these persons. Some spirits, who, when they lived as men in the world, were then believed by others to be learned men, were examined to see whether they knew what spiritual faith is. They said that they did know; therefore when communication with those who held that faith had been granted, they perceived that they had not faith, and did not know what faith is. Upon this it was asked them what they now believed concerning faith alone, on which the whole doctrine of their church is founded; but they were ashamed and struck dumb. There were also many from amongst the learned of the church, who were asked whether they knew what regeneration is. They answered that they knew it to be baptism, because the Lord declares that unless a man be born by water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God; but when it was shown them that baptism is not regeneration, but that by water and the Spirit are meant truths and a life according to them, and that no one can enter into heaven unless he is thereby regenerated, they retired, confessing their ignorance. Moreover, when asked about angels, heaven and hell, the life of man after death, and many other things, they were found to be quite ignorant respecting them, such things being all like thick darkness in their minds: they then confessed that they had, knew everything, but now they were convinced that they knew scarcely anything.
By knowing something, in the spiritual world, is meant to know something of truth; but to know falsities is to know nothing, because in such knowledge there is neither intelligence nor wisdom. It was afterwards told them that this state is meant by the words of the Lord,
"Thou sayest, I am rich, and become wealthy; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."
[4] The reason why the rich in the Word signify those who are in truths is, that spiritual riches mean nothing else; hence also in the Word, by riches are signified the knowledges of truth and good, and by the rich, those who are intelligent by their means. This is evident from the following passages. In Ezekiel:
"In thy wisdom and in thine intelligence thou hast made to thyself riches, gold and silver in thy treasures; by the multitude of thy wisdom thou hast multiplied to thyself riches" (Arcana Coelestia 1482, 2089, 5044), and Tyre the knowledges of truth, n. 1201: that by treasures are signified possessions of knowledges, may be seen n. 16941 4508, 10227; and that by gold is signified good, and by silver truth, n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658.)
[5] In Zechariah:
"Tyre collecteth silver as dust, and gold as the mire of the streets; behold the Lord shall impoverish her, and shall shake her wealth into the sea" (Arcana Coelestia 3262, 3963, 6729, 9059); and king denotes truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4966, 6148). On this account it is said that the daughter of Tyre shall bring to thee a gift, and that the rich of the people shall flatter thy faces; the rich of the people are those who abound in truths.
[6] In Hosea:
"Ephraim hath said, Truly I am rich; I have found me wealth; all my labours shall not find me iniquity which is sin; but yet I will speak to the prophets, and I will multiply visions" (Arcana Coelestia 5354, 6222, 6238, 6267). Hence it is said, "I will speak to the prophets, I will multiply visions." By prophets are signified truths of doctrine, and also by visions.
[7] In Jeremiah:
"I, Jehovah, giving to every man according to his ways, according to the fruits of his doings. As the partridge gathereth but bringeth not forth, he maketh riches but not with judgment; in the midst of his days he shall forsake them, in the end he shall become a fool" (17:10, 11).
The subject here treated of is those who acquire knowledges (cognitiones) merely as knowledge, when yet the life is that to which they should be subservient. This is what is meant by gathering as a partridge and not bringing forth, by making riches but not with judgment, and by becoming a fool in the end. And because the knowledges of truth and good are intended to be subservient to the life, for this is perfected by them, therefore it is said that Jehovah gives to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruits of his doings.
[8] In Luke:
"Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all his possessions, he cannot be my disciple" (14:33).
He who does not understand that in the Word possessions denote knowledges from the Word, which are spiritual riches and wealth, may suppose that he ought to deprive himself of all wealth in order to be saved, although no such thing is meant by those words. By possessions are meant everything belonging to man's own intelligence, for no one can be wise from himself, but from the Lord alone; hence to forsake all his possessions, is to attribute nothing of wisdom and intelligence to himself; and he who does not do this, cannot be instructed by the Lord, that is, be His disciple.
[9] Those who do not know that by the rich are meant those who possess the knowledges of truth and good, thus who have the Word, and that by the poor are meant those who do not possess knowledges, yet desire them, cannot but suppose that by the rich man who was clothed in crimson and fine linen, and by the poor man who was laid at his gate (Luke xvi.) are meant the rich and the poor in the common sense of those words, when notwithstanding by the rich man is there meant the Jewish nation, which had the Word, in which all the knowledges of truth and good are contained; by the crimson with which he was clothed, is meant genuine good (see Arcana Coelestia 9467), and by fine linen genuine truth (see Arcana Coelestia 5319, 9469, 9596, 9744), and by the poor man who was laid at his gate are meant the nations which were outside the church, and had not the Word, and yet desired the truths and goods of heaven and the church. Hence also it is clear, that by the rich are meant those who have the Word, consequently who possess the knowledges of truth and good; for these are contained in the Word.
[10] As also in the prophecy of Elizabeth in Luke:
God "hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away" (1:53).
The hungry are those who desire knowledges; such were the Gentiles who received the Lord and doctrine from Him; but the rich are those who have knowledges, because they have the Word; such were the Jews, but still they were not willing to know truths therefrom, therefore they did not receive the Lord and doctrine from Him. The latter are the rich who were sent empty away; the former are the hungry who were filled with good things.
236. Verse 17. Because thou sayest I am rich, and have gotten riches and have need of nothing, signifies their faith that they believe themselves to be in truths more than others. This is evident from the signification of "saying," as involving what is believed by them; and as those who are in faith alone are here treated of, "saying" signifies their faith. Moreover, "to say," in the spiritual sense, signifies to think, because what is said goes forth from the thought, and thought is spiritual because it pertains to the spirit of man, while expression and speech from thought are natural because they pertain to the body. For this reason, "saying" has several significations in the Word. This is evident also from the signification of "being rich," as being to possess the knowledges of truth and good, and to be intelligent and wise thereby (of which presently); also from the signification of "have gotten riches and have need of nothing," as being to know all things so that nothing is lacking.
[2] That those who are in the doctrine of faith alone and justification by faith are such, or believe themselves to be so, is not known to those who are not in that faith, although they are among them; but that still they are so it has been given me to know by much experience. I have talked with many who in the world believed themselves to be more intelligent and wise than others, from their knowing many things about faith alone and justification by faith, and such things as the simple minded are ignorant of; and these they called interior things and mysteries of doctrine, and believed they knew and understood everything, with nothing lacking. Among them were many who had written about faith alone and justification by faith. But it was shown them that they know nothing of truth, and that those who have lived a life of faith, which is charity, and have not understood justification by faith alone, are more intelligent and wise than they. It was also shown that the things they knew are not truths but falsities, and that knowing and thinking falsities is not being intelligent and wise, for intelligence is of truth, and wisdom is of the life therefrom. And the reason of this was disclosed, namely that they were in no spiritual affection of truth, but only in a natural affection of knowing the things taught by their leaders, by some for the sake of their function, by others for the fame of erudition; and that those who are in natural and not in spiritual affection believe that when they know these things they know everything. This is still more so with those who have confirmed these things by the sense of the letter of the Word, and have labored to connect these with other falsities by means of the fallacies of reason.
[3] I will also say something from experience about these things. Some spirits who were believed by others when they lived as men in the world to be men of learning, were examined to ascertain whether they knew what spiritual faith is. They said that they knew. They were therefore sent to those who were in that faith; and when they were given communication with these they perceived that they had no faith, and did not know what faith is. They were then asked what they now believe about faith alone, on which the whole doctrine of their church is founded, but they were ashamed and dumb-founded. There were also many of the learned of the church who were asked about regeneration, whether they knew what it is; they replied that they knew that it is baptism, since the Lord says, that "unless a man is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God;" but when it was shown them that baptism is not regeneration, but that "water and spirit" mean truths and a life according to them, and that no one can enter heaven unless he is regenerated through these, they went away confessing their ignorance. Again, when they were asked about angels, about heaven and hell, about the life of man after death, and many other matters, they knew nothing, and these things were all like thick darkness in their minds. They therefore confessed that they had believed that they knew all things, but they now know that they know scarcely anything. Knowing something means, in the spiritual world, knowing something of truth; but knowing falsities is not knowing, because it is not understanding and being wise. They were afterwards told that this is meant by the Lord's words, "Because thou sayest I am rich, and have gotten riches, and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked."
[4] The "rich" in the Word signify those who are in truths, because spiritual riches are nothing else; and therefore "riches" in the Word signify the knowledges of truth and good, and "the rich" those who are in intelligence thereby; as can be seen from the following passages. In Ezekiel:
In thy wisdom and in thine intelligence thou hast made to thee wealth, gold and silver in thy treasures; by the abundance of thy wisdom thou hast multiplied to thee wealth (Arcana Coelestia 1482, 2089, 5044; and "Tyre" the knowledges of truth, n. 1201; "treasures" signify the possessions of knowledges, n. 1694, 4508, 10227; "gold" signifies good, and "silver" truth, n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658.)
[5] In Zechariah:
Tyre heapeth up silver as dust, and gold as the mire of the streets; behold the Lord will impoverish her, and smite her wealth in the sea (Arcana Coelestia 3262, 3963, 6729, 9059; and "king" means truth, n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4966, 6148). For this reason it is said that "the daughter of Tyre shall bring a gift," and that "the rich of the people shall entreat thy faces;" "the rich of the people" are those who abound in truths.
[6] In Hosea:
Ephraim said, Surely I am become rich, I have found me wealth, all my labors shall not find iniquity to me which is sin; but I will yet speak to the prophets and I will multiply vision (Arcana Coelestia 5354, 6222, 6238, 6267); therefore it is said, "I will yet speak to the prophets, and I will multiply vision;" "prophets" and likewise "visions" signifying the truths of doctrine.
[7] In Jeremiah:
Jehovah giving to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings; as the partridge gathereth but bringeth not forth, he maketh riches but not with judgment; in the midst of his days he shall leave them, in the end of days he shall become foolish (Jeremiah 17:10-11).
This treats of those who acquire for themselves knowledges with no other purpose than merely to know, when, yet knowledges ought to be subservient to the life. This is what is meant by "gathering as the partridge and not bringing forth," and by "making riches but not with judgment;" and by "becoming foolish in the end of days." And as the knowledges of truth and good ought to be subservient to the life, for by these the life will be perfected, it is said that "Jehovah gives to everyone according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
[8] In Luke:
Whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all his possessions, he cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:33).
He who does not know that "possessions" mean in the Word spiritual riches and wealth, which are knowledges from the Word, can know no otherwise than that he ought to deprive himself of all wealth in order to be saved; where yet that is not the meaning of these words. "Possessions" here mean all things that are from self-intelligence, for no one can be wise from himself, but only from the Lord; "to renounce all possessions" is to attribute nothing of intelligence and wisdom to oneself, and he who does not do this cannot be instructed by the Lord, that is, cannot be His disciple.
[9] They who do not know that "the rich" mean those who possess the knowledges of truth and good, thus who have the Word, and that "the poor" mean those who do not possess knowledges, but yet long for them, can know no otherwise than that "the rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen," and "the poor man who was laid at his gate" (Arcana Coelestia 9467); "fine linen" genuine truth (Arcana Coelestia 5319, 9469, 9596, 9744); and "the poor man who was laid at his gate" means the Gentiles that were outside of the church, and did not have the Word, and yet longed for the truths and goods of heaven and the church. From this it is clear that "the rich" mean those who have the Word, and thus the knowledges of truth and good, since these are in the Word.
[10] So also in the prophecy to Elizabeth, in Luke:
God hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away (Luke 1:53).
"The hungry" are those who long for knowledges; such were the Gentiles that received the Lord and doctrine from Him; but "the rich" are those who have knowledges because they have the Word; such were the Jews, and yet they did not wish to know truths from the Word, consequently they did not receive the Lord and doctrine from Him. These are "the rich" who were sent empty away; but the others are "the hungry" who were filled with good things.
236. (Vers. 17.) "Quod dicas quod dives sim et locupletatus, et nullius opus habeam." - Quod significet fidem eorum, quod credant se in veris esse prae aliis, constat ex significatione "dicere", quod involvat id quod ab illis creditur; et quia agitur hic de illis qui in sola fide sunt, ideo "dicere" significat fidem eorum; praeterea "dicere" in sensu spirituali significat cogitare, quia quod dicitur exit ex cogitatione, ac cogitatio est spiritualis quia est spiritus hominis, ac dictio et sermo inde est naturalis quia est corporis; ex eo est quod "dicere" in Verbo plura significet: ex significatione "dives esse", quod sit possidere cognitiones veri et boni, et inde intelligens et sapiens esse (de qua sequitur); et ex significatione "locupletatus esse et nullius opus habere", quod sit omnia scire, ut nihil desit.
[2] Quod tales sint seu ita credant, qui in doctrina de sola fide et de justificatione per illam sunt, non sciunt illi qui non sunt, tametsi inter eos sunt; at usque quod tales sint, ex multa experientia scire datum est. Locutus sum cum pluribus qui in mundo crediderunt se prae aliis intelligentes et sapientes esse, ex eo quod sciverint plura de sola fide et de justificatione per illam, et quidem talia quae simplices non sciverunt, quae etiam vocaverunt interiora et arcana doctrinae, et crediderunt se scire et intelligere omnia ut non aliquid desit: inter illos erant plures qui de sola fide et de justificatione per illam scripserunt. Sed ostensum est illis quod nihil veri sciant, et quod prae illis intelligentes et sapientes sint qui vitam fidei, quae est charitas, vixerunt, et justificationem per solam fidem non intellexerunt; et quoque ostensum est quod illa quae sciverunt non vera sint sed falsa, et quod scire et cogitare falsa non sit intelligens et sapiens esse, quoniam intelligentia est veri et sapientia est vitae inde: causa etiam detecta est; nempe quod in nulla affectione veri spirituali fuerint, sed solum in affectione naturali sciendi illa quae antesignani dixerunt, quidam propter functiones, quidam propter famam eruditionis; et qui in hac affectione sunt et non in illa, credunt quod omnia sciant cum illa, et plus ii qui confirmarunt illa per sensum litterae Verbi, ac per rationis fallacias sategerunt connectere illa cum reliquis falsis.
[3] Ab experientia etiam aliquid de his dicam. Spiritus qui dum vixerunt homines in mundo, et tunc ab aliis eruditi crediti sunt, explorati sunt num sciant quid fides spiritualis. Dixerunt se nosse; quare missi sunt ad illos qui in fide illa fuerunt, et tunc data cum iis communicatione perceperunt quod non illis fides fuerit, et quod nesciverint quid fides: quare illis dictum est, quid nunc credant de sola fide, super qua fundatur tota ecclesiae eorum doctrina; sed pudefacti obmutuerunt. Erant etiam plures ex doctis ecclesiae, qui interrogati sunt de Regeneratione, num sciant quid sit; responderunt quod sciant esse Baptismum, quoniam Dominus dicit, quod "Nisi quis generatur per aquam et spiritum non possit ingredi in Regnum Dei"; at cum ostensum est illis quod Baptismus non sit regeneratio, sed quod per "aquam et spiritum" intelligantur vera et vita secundum illa, et quod nemo intrare possit in caelum nisi regeneratus sit per illa, tunc recesserunt fatendo suam inscitiam. Praeterea cum interrogati sunt de Angelis, de Caelo, de Inferno, de Vita hominis post Mortem, et de pluribus aliis, non sciverunt aliquid, et erant omnia sicut caligo in mentibus eorum; quare fassi sunt quod quidem crediderint se scivisse omnia, sed nunc sciant quod vix sciant aliquid: per scire aliquid, in spirituali mundo intelligitur scire aliquid veri; at scire falsa non est scire, quia non est intelligere et sapere: dein illis dictum est quod illud intelligatur per Domini verba, "Quod dicas quod dives sim et locupletatus, ... et tu non scis quod tu sis aerumnosus et miserabilis et pauper et caecus et nudus."
[4] Quod "dives" in Verbo significet illos qui in veris sunt, est quia divitiae spirituales non aliae sunt; inde etiam in Verbo per "divitias" significantur cognitiones veri et boni, ac per "divites" illi qui in intelligentia per illas sunt; ut constare potest ex sequentibus his locis:
- Apud Ezechielem,
"In sapientia tua et in intelligentia tua feceras tibi opes, ... aurum et argentum in thesauris tuis; per multitudinem sapientiae tuae... multiplicasti tibi opes" (28:4, 5);
haec dicta sunt ad Principem Tyri, per quem in sensu spirituali intelliguntur illi qui in cognitionibus veri sunt; per "opes" ipsae illae cognitiones in genere; per "aurum in opes thesauris" cognitiones boni, et per "argentum in thesauris" cognitiones veri: quod per illa significentur cognitiones patet manifeste, nam dicitur "In sapientia tua et in intelligentia tua feceras tibi opes, ... et per multitudinem sapientiae tuae multiplicasti tibi Opes." (Quod per "principem Tyri" intelligantur illi qui in cognitionibus veri sunt, est quia "princeps" significat primaria vera, n. 1482, 2089, 1
5044; et "Tyrus" cognitiones veri, n. 1201:
quod per "thesauros" significentur possessiones cognitionum, videatur n. 1694, 4508, 10227; et quod per "aurum" significetur bonum, et per "argentum" verum, n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658.)
[5] Apud Sachariam,
"Tyrus... colligit argentum sicut pulverem, et aurum sicut caenum platearum; ecce Dominus depauperabit eam, et excutiet in mare opes (9:3, 4);
etiam ibi "Tyrus" pro illis qui comparant sibi cognitiones, quae sunt "argentum", "aurum" et "opes." Apud Davidem,
"Filia Tyri afferet tibi munus", filia regis; "facies tuas deprecabuntur divites populi" (Psalm. 45:13 2
[B.A. 12]);
describitur ibi ecclesia quoad affectionem veri, quae intelligitur per "filiam regis", nam "filia" est ecclesia quoad affectionem (n. 3262, 3963, 6729, 9059; et "rex" est verum, n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4966, 6148); quapropter dicitur quod "filia Tyri afferet munus", et quod "divites populi deprecabuntur facies"; "divites populi" sunt qui abundant veris.
[6] Apud Hoscheam,
"Dixit Ephraim, Profecto ditatus sum, inveni opes mihi, omnes labores mei non invenient mihi iniquitatem quae peccatum;... sed adhuc loquar ad prophetas, et visionem multiplicabo" (12:9, 11 [B.A. 8 10]);
per "ditatus sum et inveni opes mihi" non intelligitur quod ditatus sit divitiis et opibus mundanis, sed caelestibus, quae sunt cognitiones veri et boni; nam per "Ephraim" intelligitur intellectuale illorum qui ab ecclesia, quod illustratur dum legitur Verbum (n. 3
5354, 6222, 6238, 6267); inde est quod dicatur, quod "adhuc loquar ad prophetas et visionem multiplicabo"; per "prophetas" significantur vera doctrinae, similiter per "visionem."
[7] Apud Jeremiam,
"Ego Jehovah... dans cuique secundum vias ejus, juxta fructus operum ejus; sicut perdix colligit sed non parit, facit divitias sed non cum judicio, in medio dierum suorum deseret illas, in postremitate" dierum "fiet stultus" (17 [10,] 11, 11);
agitur ibi de illis qui comparant sibi cognitiones absque fine alius usus quam ut sciant, cum tamen vita est cui inserviturae sunt; hoc intelligitur per "colligere sicut perdix et non parere", et per "facere divitias sed non cum judicio", et quod "in extremitate dierum fiet stultus"; et quia cognitiones veri et boni inserviturae sunt vitae, haec enim per illas perficietur, ideo dicitur quod "Jehovah det cuique secundum vias ejus et juxta fructus operum ejus."
[8] Apud Lucam,
"Quisquis ex vobis, qui non abnegat omnes suas facultates, non potest meus esse discipulus" (14:33);
qui non scit quod "facultates" in Verbo sint divitiae et opes spirituales, quae sunt cognitiones ex Verbo, non aliter scire potest quam quod se deprivaturus sit omnibus opibus ut salvari possit; cum tamen non ille sensus illorum verborum est, sed per "facultates" ibi intelliguntur omnia quae ex propria intelligentia sunt: nemo enim potest sapere ex se, sed ex Domino; quapropter "abnegare omnes facultates" est nihil intelligentiae et sapientiae sibi tribuere; et qui id non facit non potest instrui a Domino, hoc est, discipulus Ipsius esse.
[9] Qui non sciunt quod per "divites" intelligantur qui possident cognitiones veri et boni, ita qui habent Verbum, et quod per "pauperes" intelligantur qui non possident illas sed usque qui desiderant illas, non aliter scire possunt, quam quod per "divitem, qui induebatur purpura et bysso", et per "pauperem qui projectus ad vestibulum ejus" (Luc. 16), intelligatur dives et pauper in communi sensu; cum tamen per "divitem" ibi intelligitur gens Judaica, quae habebat Verbum, in quo omnes cognitiones veri et boni sunt; per "purpuram qua indutus" intelligitur genuinum bonum (n. 9467), et per "byssum" genuinum verum (n. 5319, 9469, 9596, 9744); et per "pauperem projectum ad vestibulum ejus" intelliguntur gentes quae erant extra ecclesiam et non habebant Verbum, et tamen desiderabant vera et bona caeli et ecclesiae: inde etiam patet quod per "divites" intelligantur qui habent Verbum, proinde cognitiones veri et boni, quoniam ibi sunt.
[10] Ut quoque in prophetico Elisabethae, apud Lucam,
Deus "esurientes implevit bonis, et divites emisit inanes" (1:53);
"esurientes" sunt qui desiderant cognitiones, quales erant Gentes, quae acceptabant Dominum et doctrinam ab Ipso; "divites" autem, qui habent cognitiones quia Verbum, quales erant Judaei, sed qui usque non volebant scire vera inde; quare nec acceptabant Dominum et doctrinam ab Ipso; hi sunt "divites" qui missi sunt inanes, illi autem "esurientes" qui impleti sunt bonis.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.
3. The editors made a correction or note here.