----中文待译----
270. (Verse 4) And round about the throne were four-and-twenty thrones, and upon the thrones I saw four-and-twenty elders sitting. That this signifies all truths from good in the higher heavens, arranged by the Lord before judgment is evident from the signification of the throne on which one sat, as being the Lord as to the Last Judgment (concerning which see above, n. 267; and that throne signifies judgment, see n. 253); and from the signification of four-and-twenty thrones round about it, and four-and-twenty elders upon them, as being all the truths of heaven in the aggregate, arranged before judgment. Twenty-four signify all, and thrones signify judgment, and the elders those who are in truths from good, and, in the abstract, truths from good. The reason why the higher heavens are here meant is that all those who are there are in truths from the good of love, and that in what presently follows the lower heavens are treated of. The reason why twenty-four signify all is that that number signifies the same as the number twelve, and twelve signifies all, and is said of truths (see Arcana Coelestia 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913). That the number twenty-four signifies the same as the number twelve is because it is its double, and the double signifies the same as the number from which it arises by multiplication (as may be seen, n. 5291, 5335, 5708, 7973).
[2] The same is signified by thrones upon which the twelve apostles were to sit, of which it is said in Matthew:
"Ye who have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (19:28; Luke 22:30);
where by the twelve apostles are signified all truths in the aggregate. Similarly in the following words in the Apocalypse:
"I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them" (20:4).
Judgment being given to those that sat upon the thrones signifies that judgment belongs to the Lord alone; for by elders in the Word are signified all those who are in truths from good, and abstractly, truth from good from which is judgment.
He who believes that by elders and apostles in the Word are meant elders and apostles is much deceived; for, in the spiritual sense of the Word, persons are not perceived, but things abstractly from persons; for what is spiritual has nothing in common with persons. The case is otherwise in the sense of the letter of the Word, which is natural; in this sense persons are not only mentioned, but also the idea of a person is implied in many expressions, in order that the Word in its ultimates may be natural, and thus form a basis for the spiritual sense. The same is the case with the signification of elders as with that of infants, children, young men, old men, virgins, women, and many things of the same kind. All are thought of, in the natural sense, as persons; but, in the spiritual sense, by infants innocence is meant; by children, charity; by young men, intelligence; by old men, wisdom; by virgins are meant the affections of truth and good, and by women, the goods of the church; and so in other cases. The same may be said of the natural and spiritual sense of the term neighbour. In the natural sense, by neighbour is meant every man; but in the spiritual sense are meant good itself, truth, sincerity and justice, which are in the person. Every one who thinks in himself may know that this is the neighbour in the spiritual sense; for who loves any one from anything else but the good that is in him? for good and truth constitute the man, and cause him to be loved, and not the countenance and the body. But to return to the signification of elders. That elders signify truths from good is evident from those passages in the Word where they are mentioned.
[3] As in Isaiah:
"Then the moon shall blush, and the sun shall be ashamed, and Jehovah Zebaoth shall reign in the mount of Zion and in Jerusalem; and before his elders shall be glory" (33).
[4] In Lamentations:
"My virgins and my young men are gone into captivity. I have cried to my lovers, they have deceived me; and mine elders have expired in the city" (1:18, 19).
The subject here treated of is the vastation of the church, over which there is lamentation, which vastation takes place when there is no longer any spiritual affection of truth, and consequently no intelligence in such things as pertain to the church, and hence when there is no truth. By the virgins which are gone into captivity is meant the spiritual affection of truth; by the young men intelligence; captivity denotes removal from those principles; by the elders who expired are meant the truths of the church.
[5] In Ezekiel:
"Slay to destruction the old man and the young man, and the virgin, and the infant and the women; begin from my sanctuary. Therefore they began from the men, the elders who were before the house" (9:6).
The subject here treated of is also the vastation of the church; and by an old man and a young man are meant wisdom and intelligence; by virgin is meant the affection of truth and good; by infant innocence; by women goods of the church. To slay to destruction signifies devastation; the sanctuary at which they should begin signifies the church as to the good of love and the truth of faith, which are the men, the elders who were before the house.
[6] In Lamentations:
"The faces of the old men were not honoured. The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their singing" (Arcana Coelestia 9403-9411). These are the things which the seventy elders of Israel represented, and which are signified by the four-and-twenty elders sitting upon as many thrones. The same things also are signified by the twelve apostles, concerning whom it is said that they should sit upon thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (That the twelve apostles signify all truths from good, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 2129, 3354, 3488, 3858, 6397; that the same are signified by the twelve tribes of Israel, n. 3858, 3926, 4060, 6335, and also by the elders of Israel, n. 6524, 6525, 6890, 7912, 8578, 8585, 9376, 9404.)
270. Verse 4. And around the throne were four and twenty thrones, and upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders sitting, signifies all truths from good in the higher heavens, arranged by the Lord before judgment. This is evident from the signification of "throne" on which was "One sitting," as being the Lord in respect to the Last Judgment (on which see just above, n. 267; and that "throne" signifies judgment, see n. 253. Also from the signification of "the four and twenty thrones around it, and four and twenty elders on them," as being all the truths of heaven in the complex, arranged before judgment. "Four and twenty" signifies all, "thrones" judgment, and "elders" those who are in truths from good, and abstractly truths from good. The higher heavens are here meant, because all who are in them are in truths from the good of love, and because the lower heavens are treated of in what immediately follows. ("Twenty-four" signifies all, because that number signifies the like with the number "twelve," and "twelve" signifies all, and is predicated of truths, see Arcana Coelestia 577, 2089, 2 129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913. The number "twenty-four" signifies the like with the number "twelve," because it is the double thereof, and the double of a number signifies something similar as the number from which it arises by multiplication, as may be seen, n. 5291, 5335, 5708, 7973.)
[2] The like is signified by "the thrones upon which the twelve apostles were to sit," of which in Matthew:
Ye who have followed Me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30);
the "twelve apostles" signifying all truths in the complex. Likewise in the following words in Revelation:
I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them (Revelation 20:4).
"Judgment was given to those who sat upon thrones" signifies that judgment belongs to the Lord alone, for "elders" in the Word signify all who are in truths from good, and abstractly, truths from good by which is judgment. He who supposes that "elders" and "apostles" in the Word mean elders and apostles is much mistaken; in the spiritual sense of the Word no persons are perceived, but things abstractly from persons, for what is spiritual has nothing in common with persons. It is otherwise in the sense of the letter of the Word, which is natural; in that sense not only are persons mentioned, but the idea of person is implied in many expressions, in order that the Word in its ultimates may be natural, and thus be a basis for the spiritual sense. It is the same with the signification of "elders" as with that of "infants," "children," "young men," "old men," "virgins," "women," and many words of that kind; in the natural sense these are all thought of simply as persons; but in the spiritual sense "infants" mean innocence, "children" charity, "young men" intelligence, "old men" wisdom, "virgins" the affection of truth and good, and "women" the goods of the church; and so in other cases.
The same is true of the natural and spiritual senses of "neighbor;" in the natural sense "neighbor" means any man whatever; but in the spiritual sense the good, truth, sincerity, and justice itself that are in the person. Everyone who reflects can see that this is the neighbor in the spiritual sense; for who loves a person for any other reason? For good and truth make the man, and cause him to be loved, and not the countenance and body.
[3] But to return to the signification of "elders." That "elders" signify truths from good can be seen from the passages in the Word where they are mentioned. In Isaiah:
Then the moon shall blush, and the sun be ashamed, and Jehovah of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem; and before His elders shall be glory (33).
[4] In Lamentations:
My virgins and my young men have gone into captivity. I have cried to my lovers, they have deceived me; and mine elders expired in the city (Lamentations 1:18-19).
Here the vastation of the church is treated of, over which there is lamentation; there is such vastation when there is no longer any spiritual affection of truth, and thence no intelligence in such things as pertain to the church, and when there is then no truth. The "virgins," that are gone into captivity, mean the spiritual affection of truth, "the young men" intelligence; "captivity" is removal from this affection and intelligence; the "elders," who expired, mean the truths of the church.
[5] In Ezekiel:
Slay to destruction the old man, the young man, and the virgin, and the infant and the women; begin from My sanctuary; therefore they began from the elders who were before the house (Ezekiel 9:6).
Here too, the vastation of the church is treated of; an "old man" and "young man" mean wisdom and intelligence; "virgin" means the affection of truth and good; "infant" innocence; "women" the goods of the church; "to slay to destruction" signifies devastation; the "sanctuary," from which they should begin, is the church in respect to the good of love and the truth of faith, which are "the elders who are before the house."
[6] In Lamentations:
The faces of the old men were not honored. The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music (Arcana Coelestia 9403-9411). This is what the seventy elders of Israel represented, and what the "four and twenty elders" sitting upon as many thrones signified; this also is what the "twelve apostles" signify, of whom it is said that "they are to sit upon thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
(That the "twelve apostles" signify all truths from good, Arcana Coelestia 2129, 3354, 3488, 3858, 6397;
that the "twelve tribes of Israel" have a like signification, n. 3858, 3926, 4060, 6335;
likewise the "elders of Israel," n. 6524, 6525, 6890, 7912, 8578, 8585, 9376, 9404)
270. (Vers. 4.) "Et circum thronum throni viginti et quatuor, et super thronis vidi viginti et quatuor seniores sedentes." - Quod significet omnia vera ex bono in caelis superioribus a Domino ordinata ante judicium, constat ex significatione "throni" super quo "Sedens", quod sit Dominus quoad ultimum judicium (de qua mox supra, n. 267, et quod "thronus" significet judicium, n 253(a)); ex significatione "viginti quatuor thronorum" circum illum, et "viginti quatuor seniorum" super illis, quod sint omnia vera caeli in complexu ordinata ante judicium; "viginti quatuor" significant omnia, ac "throni" judicium, ac "seniores" illos qui in veris ex bono sunt et abstracte vera ex bono: quod caeli superiores hic intelligantur, est quia omnes ibi in veris ex bono amoris sunt, et quia in mox sequentibus dicitur de caelis inferioribus.
(Quod "viginti quatuor" significent omnia, est quia ille numerus simile significat cum numero duodecim, et "duodecim" significant omnia et praedicantur de veris, videatur n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913; quod numerus viginti quatuor simile significet cum numero duodecim, est quia ille est duplus ejus, at duplum significat simile cum illo a quo per multiplicationem exsurgit, n. 5291, 5335, 5708, 7973.)
[2] Simile quod hic significatur per "thronos" super quibus sessuri duodecim Apostoli, de quibus apud Matthaeum,
"Vos qui secuti estis Me in regeneratione, quum sederit Filius hominis super throno gloriae suae, sedebitis et vos super (duodecim) thronis judicantes duodecim tribus Israelis" (19:28; Luca 22:30);
per "duodecim Apostolos" significantur omnia vera in complexu. Similiter in sequentibus in Apocalypsi,
"Vidi thronos, et consederunt super illis, et judicium datum est illis" (20:4);
quod "judicium datum sit illis qui sederunt super thronis" significat quod judicium sit soli Domino, nam per "seniores" in Verbo significantur omnes qui in veris ex bono sunt, et abstracte vera ex bono ex quibus judicium: qui credit quod in Verbo per "seniores" et per "apostolos" intelligantur seniores et apostoli, multum fallitur; in spirituali sensu Verbi non aliquae personae percipiuntur, sed res abstracte a personis, nam spirituale non aliquid commune habet cum personis: aliter in sensu litterae Verbi, qui est naturalis; in hoc sensu non modo nominantur personae, sed etiam idea personae inest multis vocibus, ob causam ut Verbum sit in suis ultimis naturale, et sic basis sensui spirituali. Cum significatione "seniorum" simile est ac cum significatione "infantum", "puerorum", "juvenum", "senum", "virginum", "mulierum", et plurium ejus generis. Hae et illi non comprehenduntur in naturali sensu aliter in idea quam ut personae, sed in sensu spirituali per "infantes" intelligitur innocentia, per "pueros" charitas, per "juvenes" intelligentia, per "senes" sapientia, per "virgines affectio veri et boni, et per "mulieres" bona quae ecclesiae; et sic in ceteris. Simile est cum naturali et spirituali sensu "proximi: in naturali sensu, per "proximum" intelligitur quivis homo; sed in spirituali, ipsum bonum, verum, sincerum, justum, quae sunt in persona. Unusquisque qui expendit potest scire quod id in spirituali sensu sit proximus; quis enim amat personam ex alio? Bonum enim et verum faciunt hominem, et faciunt ut homo ametur, et non vultus et corpus.
[3] Sed revertamur ab his ad significationem "seniorum." Quod per illos significentur vera quae ex bono, constare potest a locis in Verbo ubi nominantur:
- Ut apud Esaiam,
"Tunc erubescet luna, et pudefiet sol, et regnabit Jehovah Zebaoth in Monte Zionis et in Hierosolyma; et coram senioribus ejus gloria" (24:23);
per "lunam" et "solem" intelligitur cultus idololatricus eorum, tum falsum fidei et malum amoris; per "Montem Zionis" et per "Hierosolymam" intelligitur caelum et ecclesia; per "seniores" intelliguntur vera ex bono; quare etiam dicitur quod "coram illis gloria", per "gloriam" enim significatur Divinum Verum in caelo (videatur supra, n. 33).
[4] In Threnis,
"Virgines meae et juvenes mei iverunt in captivitatem; clamavi ad amatores meos, illi deceperunt me et seniores mei in urbe exspirarunt" (1:18, 19);
agitur ibi de vastatione ecclesiae, super qua est lamentatio; quae vastatio est quando non amplius est aliqua affectio veri spiritualis, et inde non intelligentia in talibus quae ecclesiae, et quando sic non aliquod verum; per "virgines" quae abiverunt in captivitatem intelligitur affectio veri spiritualis; per "juvenes" intelligentia; "captivitas" est remotio ab illis; per "seniores" qui exspirarunt, intelliguntur vera ecclesiae.
[5] Apud Ezechielem,
"Senem et juvenem et Virginem et infantem et mulieres occidite ad perditionem;... e sanctuario meo incipite: inceperunt ergo a viris senioribus qui coram domo" (9:6);
etiam hic agitur de vastatione ecclesiae; et per "senem" et "juvenem" intelligitur sapientia et intelligentia, per "virginem" affectio veri et boni, per "infantem" innocentia, per "mulieres" bona ecclesiae; "occidere ad perditionem" significat devastationem; "sanctuarium" a quo inciperent est ecclesia quoad bonum amoris et verum fidei, quae sunt "viri seniores qui coram domo."
[6] In Threnis,
"Facies senum non honoratae sunt;... seniores a porta cessarunt, juvenes a cantu suo" (5:12, 14);
"senes" significant sapientiam quae est boni, "seniores" vera quae ex bono, "juvenes" intelligentiam.
Quod Deus Israelis visus sit "sub pedibus sicut opus sapphiri", Mosi, Aharoni, Nadab et Abihu, ac septuaginta senioribus, et non reliquis (Exod. 24 [1,] 9-12),
significabat quod Dominus illis solum videatur qui in bono sunt et qui in veris ex bono (videatur explicatio eorum in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 9403-9411). Haec sunt quae repraesentabant septuaginta seniores Israelis, et haec sunt quae significant "viginti quatuor seniores" super totidem thronis; et haec quoque sunt quae significant "duodecim Apostoli", de quibus dicitur quod "sessuri sint super thronis judicantes duodecim tribus Israelis."
(Quod "duodecim Apostoli" significent omnia vera ex bono, videatur n. 2129, 3354, 3488, 3858, 6397; quod similia "duodecim tribus Israelis", n. 3858, 3926, 4060, 6335. Et quod similia "seniores Israelis", n. 1
6524, 6525, 6890, 7912, 8578, 8585, 9376, 9404.)
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.