----中文待译----
840. (Verse 17) And that no man should be able to buy or sell, save he that hath the mark of the beast. That this signifies prohibition lest any one should learn or teach anything else but what is acknowledged and thence received in doctrine, is evident from the signification of buying and selling, as denoting to acquire knowledges and to communicate them, thus also to learn and to teach, concerning which we shall speak presently; prohibition is signified by that no one may do those things; and from the signification of mark, as denoting a witness and sign of acknowledgment that those belong to the church who are in the so-called truths and the goods of that faith (concerning which see above, n. 836). It is therefore evident, that by lest any one should buy and sell, if he has not the mark of the beast, is signified prohibition, lest any one should learn and teach anything else but what is acknowledged, thus also what is received in doctrine.
The reason why buying and selling signifies to acquire knowledges of truth and good from the Word, and to communicate them, or, what amounts to the same, to learn and teach is, that by wealth and riches, in the Word, are signified the knowledges of truth and good; and by silver and gold, by means of which buying and selling are transacted, are signified the truths and goods of heaven and the church. This is why buying and selling are spoken of in many parts of the Word, also merchandise and business. By those expressions spiritual buying, selling, merchandise, and business are signified.
[2] Thus in Isaiah:
"Every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (55:1).
Every one may see that to buy wine and milk is not here meant. And because to buy signifies to acquire for themselves those things that conduce to the spiritual life of man, it is evident that each thing there mentioned is to be understood spiritually. Thus by the waters to which every one that thirsts might go, are signified truths for those who desire them; waters denote truths from the Word, and to thirst is to desire them. That they should be given freely from the Lord, is signified by, "he that hath no money," likewise "without money and without price." To eat signifies to appropriate; wine and milk signify spiritual truth and natural truth thence, both from good.
[3] In Matthew:
The prudent virgins said to the foolish, "Go rather to them that sell, and buy" oil "for yourselves"; "but whilst they went to them to buy, the bridegroom came" (25:9, 10).
By the prudent virgins are signified those in the church with whom faith is conjoined to charity and by the foolish are signified those in the church with whom faith is separated from charity; for lamps signify the truths of faith, and oil signifies the good of love. Hence by going to them who sell and buying, is signified to those who teach, and to learn or acquire for themselves. But because they had not procured for themselves the good of love, and thereby vivified the truths of faith, while they lived in the world, but afterwards indeed procured these things for themselves - and because no one can procure the good of love after death, and retain it - therefore those foolish virgins, by whom are signified all who separate the good of love or the good of charity from the truths of faith, were not admitted to the marriage, and received by the bridegroom. The marriage signifies heaven; and the bridegroom, the Lord.
[4] In the Evangelists:
"Jesus entered into the temple, and cast out all that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers and the seats of them that sold doves" (Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:15; Luke 19:15).
By the sellers and buyers are here signified those who make gain for themselves out of holy things; by the tables of the money-changers is signified - from holy truths; and by the seats of them who sold doves is signified - those who [make this gain for themselves] from holy goods. Therefore it is afterwards said, that they made the temple a den of thieves; thieves denoting those who lay waste the truths and goods of the church, and thence make to themselves gain.
[5] In Luke:
"As it was in the days of Lot," so shall it be in the days of the Son of man, "they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built" (17:28).
By eating and drinking is there signified to live to themselves and the world, and to appropriate to themselves evils and falsities. By buying and selling is signified to procure those things for themselves and to communicate them to others. By planting and building is signified to confirm themselves therein, and to live in them.
[6] In the same
Jesus said, "Now he that hath a purse let him take it, and likewise his scrip; but he that hath not, let him sell his garments, and buy a sword" (22:36).
What is meant here by these words is evident from what follows in the same chapter, that is, that everything written must be fulfilled in the Lord, thus that He was about to suffer the passion of the cross. And because this must necessarily distract the minds of those who then lived, and also the minds of the disciples, and cause them to have doubts concerning Him, and His kingdom, and so bring them into temptations; and since these can be shaken off only by means of truths, therefore the Lord says, "He that hath a purse and a scrip, let him take them," that is to say, he who possesses truths from the Word in which it is foretold that Christ should suffer such things, let him take heed lest he put them away. For the purse and the scrip signify the same as the coins and the money contained in them, or the knowledges of truth and good from the Word. But he who hath not, let him sell his garments and buy a sword, signifies, let those who have not truths reject everything of their own, and get truths for themselves, with which to fight against falsities. A sword signifies the combat of the truth against falsity and the destruction of the latter.
[7] Because Tyre, in the Word, signifies the church with respect to the knowledges of truth and good, and thence also the knowledges of truth and good which the church has and which are also serviceable for its doctrine, therefore, where Tyre is treated of in the Word, her tradings are also treated of, by which is signified their acquisition, and also communication to others.
As in Ezekiel:
"All the ships in the sea were for trading thy trading; Tarshish was thy trader in silver, iron, tin, and lead; they gave thy markets. Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, these were thy merchants; with the persons of men and vessels of brass they gave thy trading. The sons of Dedan were thy merchants; many islands the merchants of thy hand. Syria was thy trader with chrysoprasus. But thy wealth and thy tradings, thy markets, and they who trade thy trading, shall fall into the heart of the seas in the day of thy fall" (27:1, to the end).
In Isaiah:
"Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, because Tyre is laid waste, whose merchants are princes, her traders the honoured of the earth" (23:1, 8).
Who cannot see that by the tradings and merchandise here are not meant tradings and merchandise? For what has the Word in common with such things, which in itself is Divine and heavenly, and teaches man about God, heaven and the church, eternal life, and similar things? Who cannot see, then, that all the particulars there signify spiritual things, pertaining to heaven and the church; not only the names of the places there with which trading was carried on, but also the special kinds of merchandise? But what the particulars in the spiritual sense signify it would be too tedious to unfold in this place. It is sufficient to know, that tradings there signify the acquisition and communication of the knowledges of truth and good; and the merchandise or wares those knowledges, which are multifarious.
[8] That such things are signified is evident also from theses words in Ezekiel:
In thy wisdom and in thine intelligence thou hast gotten thee wealth, and hast gotten gold and silver in thy treasures; by the abundance of thy wisdom in thy trading, thou hast multiplied to thee wealth (28:4, 5).
This treats of the prince of Tyre, by whom are meant knowledges (cognitiones) of truth from the Word, by which intelligence and wisdom are procured. And because these same knowledges are signified by wealth, and procuring them is meant by trading, therefore, it is said, "by the multiplication of thy wisdom in thy trading thou hast multiplied to thee wealth."
[9] From these things it is evident,
why the Lord compared the kingdom of the heavens "to a merchantman seeking goodly pearls, who, when he had found one precious pearl, went and sold all that he had, and bought it" (Matthew 13:45, 46).
By pearls are signified knowledges, also truths themselves; and by one precious pearl is signified the acknowledgment of the Lord. By selling all that he had is signified to banish everything of one's own love; and by buying it is signified to procure that Divine truth for himself.
[10] The same is also meant by the treasure hid in a field,
"which a man, having found, hid it, and for joy went and sold all that he had, and bought the field" (Matthew 13:44).
By the treasure is signified the Divine truth in the Word; by the field is signified the church and its doctrine; and by selling all that he had and buying the field is signified, in this case as above, to banish what is one's own and procure for oneself the Divine truth which is in the Lord's church.
[11] Because trading signified the acquisition and possession of truths, therefore the Lord spoke by a parable
Of a man going a journey and giving to his servants talents, that they might trade with them and make gain (Matthew 25:14-20).
And of another:
Who gave to his servants ten pounds, that they might trade with them (Luke 19:12-26).
Similar things are also signified by trading, matters of trade, and traders, in other parts of the Word. So also in the opposite sense, in which the receptions and appropriations of falsities are signified; as in Isaiah 48:15; Ezekiel 16:3; Nahum 3:14; Apoc. 18:3, 11-24. Hence the church in which such things prevail is called
A land of trading (Ezekiel 16:29; 21:30, 31 2; 29:14).
Moreover, by selling and being sold is signified to banish truths, and to be alienated from them, and, instead of them, to accept falsities and be captivated by them, as in Isaiah 50:1; 52:3; Ezekiel 30:12; Joel 3:6, 7; Nahum 3:4; Zech. 13:5; Psalm 44:11-13; Deuteronomy 32:30.
From these things it is evident what is properly signified by being redeemed and by redemption, where the Lord is treated of.
As in Isaiah:
"Ye have sold yourselves for nought; therefore ye shall be redeemed without money" (Isaiah 52:3);
and in many other passages.
840. Verse 17. And that no one be able to buy and 1to sell if he hath not the mark of the beast, signifies forbidding anyone to learn and teach anything but what has been acknowledged and thence accepted in doctrine. This is evident from the signification of "to buy and to sell," as being to acquire knowledges to oneself and to communicate them to others, thus to learn and to teach (of which presently). "To cause no one to be able" signifies to forbid. It is evident also from the signification of a "mark," as being an attestation and sign of acknowledgment that those who are in these so-called truths and goods of that faith are of the church (See just above, n. 838). From this it is clear that "to cause that no one be able to buy and to sell save he that hath the mark of the beast" signifies forbidding anyone to learn and to teach anything but what has been acknowledged and also accepted in doctrine. "To buy and to sell" signifies to acquire for oneself the knowledges of truth and good from the Word and to communicate them, or what is the same, to learn and teach, because "wealth and riches" signify in the Word the knowledges of truth and good; and "silver and gold," by means of which buying and selling are conducted, signify the truths and goods of heaven and the church; and this is why "buying and selling," and also "doing business and trading," are spoken of in the Word here and there, and why they signify spiritual buying and selling, and doing business and trading.
[2] As in Isaiah:
Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no silver, come ye, buy and eat; come, I say, buy wine and milk without silver and without price (Isaiah 55:1).
Everyone sees that by "buying wine and milk" is not here meant buying such things. And as "to buy" signifies to acquire for oneself such things as contribute to man's spiritual life, evidently the particulars here are to be spiritually understood; thus the "waters" to which everyone that thirsts may come signify truths for those that desire them; "waters," meaning truths from the Word, and "to thirst" meaning to desire them; that these are given freely from the Lord is signified by "he that hath no silver," also by "without silver and without price;" "to eat" signifies to appropriate to oneself; "wine and milk" signify spiritual truth and natural truth therefrom, both from good.
[3] In Matthew:
The prudent virgins said to the foolish, Go ye rather to them that sell, and buy oil for yourselves; but while they went away to them to buy the bridegroom came (Matthew 25:9, 10).
"The prudent virgins" signify those in the church with whom faith is conjoined to charity, and "the foolish" signify those in the church with whom faith is separated from charity; for "lamps" signify the truths of faith, and "oil" signifies the good of love; therefore "to go to them that sell and to buy" signifies to those who teach, and to learn or acquire for oneself. But as such had not acquired for themselves the good of love, and vivified by that means the truths of faith, while they lived in the world, but had acquired them afterwards, and as no one can acquire for himself the good of love after death and retain it, so these foolish virgins, by whom all who separate the good of love or the good of charity from the truths of faith are signified, were not admitted to the marriage feast nor received by the bridegroom. "The marriage feast" signifies heaven, and "the bridegroom" the Lord.
[4] In the Gospels:
Jesus entered into the temple, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers and the seats of them that sold doves (Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:15; Luke 19:45).
"Those that sold and bought" here signify those who make gain for themselves out of holy things; the "tables of the money-changers" signifies those who do this from holy truths; and the "seats of them who sold doves" those who do it from holy goods; therefore it is afterwards said that they made the temple "a den of thieves," "thieves" meaning those who pillage the truths and goods of the church, and thus make to themselves gain.
[5] In Luke:
As it came to pass in the days of Lot, so shall it be in the days of the Son of man, they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded (Luke 17:28).
"To eat and drink" signifies here to live for self and the world, and to appropriate to oneself evils and falsities; "to buy and sell" signifies to acquire these and to communicate them to others; "to plant and build" signifies to confirm oneself in these, and to live in them.
[6] In the same:
Jesus said, Now he who hath a purse let him take it, and likewise a wallet; but he that hath no sword let him sell his garments and buy one (Luke 22:36).
What is meant by these words is evident from what follows there, namely, that "this which was written must be fulfilled in the Lord" (verse 37), thus that He was to suffer the cross; and since this must needs distract the minds of those who were then living, as well as the minds of the disciples, and lead them into doubts respecting the Lord and His kingdom, and thus into temptations, and these doubts could be dispelled only by means of truths, therefore the Lord says, "he that hath a purse and a wallet let him take them," that is, he that possesses truths from the Word, in which it is foretold that Christ must suffer such things, let him take heed not to lose them; for the purse and the wallet have a similar signification as the coins and money in them, namely, the knowledges of truth and good from the Word. "But he that hath no sword let him sell his garments and buy one," signifies let those who have no truths reject what is their own, and acquire the truths with which they may fight against falsities, "sword" signifying the combat of truth against falsity, and the destruction of falsity.
[7] As "Tyre" signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good, and thence also the knowledges of truth and good which belong to the church, and which are serviceable for its doctrine, so where "Tyre" is treated of in the Word, her "tradings" are also treated of, which signify the acquisition and also the communication to others of these knowledges, as in Ezekiel:
All the ships were for the trading of thy traffic; Tarshish was thy trader in silver, iron, tin, and lead; they traded for thy merchandise. Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, these were thy merchants; they traded for the merchandise with the soul of man and with vessels of brass. The sons of Dedan were thy merchants, many islands were the merchants of thy hand. Syria was thy trader with chrysoprasus. But thy riches and thy tradings, thy merchandise, and they who trade thy traffic, shall fall into the heart of the seas in the day of thy fall (Ezekiel 27:12, to the end).
In Isaiah:
Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is devastated, whose merchants are princes, her traders the honored of the earth (Isaiah 23:1, 8).
Everyone can see that tradings and merchandise here do not mean tradings and merchandise; for what has the Word, which in itself is Divine and heavenly, and teaches man about God, heaven and the church, eternal life, and the like, in common with such things? Therefore who cannot see that all the particulars here signify spiritual things which pertain to heaven and the church, not only the names of the lands here mentioned with which trading was carried on, but also their special kinds of merchandise? But it would take too much space to explain here what the particulars in the spiritual sense signify; it is enough to know that "tradings" here signify the acquisition and communication of the knowledges of truth and good; and that "merchandise or wares" signify these knowledges; which are multifarious.
[8] That this is the signification is evident also from these words in Ezekiel:
In thy wisdom and in thine intelligence thou hast made to thyself wealth; and hast made gold and silver in thy treasures; by the abundance of thy wisdom in thy trading thou hast multiplied to thyself wealth (Ezekiel 28:4, 5).
This treats of the prince of Tyre, by whom the knowledges of truth from the Word, through which come intelligence and wisdom, are meant; and as these same knowledges are signified by "wealth," and the acquisition of them by "trading," it is said, "by the multiplication 2of thy wisdom in thy trading thou hast multiplied to thyself wealth."
[9] From all this it can now be seen why:
The Lord compared the kingdom of the heavens to a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it (Matthew 13:45, 46).
"Pearls" signify knowledges, and also truths themselves; and "the one of great price" signifies the acknowledgment of the Lord; and "to sell all that he had" signifies to set aside all things that are of one's own love, and "to buy it" signifies to procure for oneself that Divine truth.
[10] The like is meant by:
The treasure hidden in a field, which a man having found hid, and for joy he went and sold all things whatsoever that he had and bought the field (Matthew 13:44).
The "treasure" signifies the Divine truth that is in the Word; and the "field" signifies the church and its doctrine; and "to sell all things whatsoever that he had and buy the field" signifies here as above, to set aside what is one's own and to acquire for oneself the Divine truth that is in the Lord's church.
[11] As "trading" signifies the acquisition and possession of truths, the Lord spake by a parable:
Of a man going on a journey, who gave to his servants talents, that they might trade with them and make gain (Matthew 25:14-30);
and of another:
Who gave to his servants ten pounds, that they might trade with them (Luke 19:12-26).
"To trade," "tradings," and "traders," have the same signification elsewhere in the Word; also the contrary sense, in which they signify the reception and appropriation of falsities (as in Isaiah 48:15; Ezekiel 16:3; Nahum 3:14; Revelation 18:3, 11-24). So the church in which such things exist is called:
A land of trading (Ezekiel 16:29; 21:30, 31; 29:14).
Moreover, "to sell" and "to be sold" signify to alienate truths and to be alienated from them, and to accept falsities in their place, and to be captivated by them (Isaiah 50:1; 52:3; Ezekiel 30:12; Joel 3:6, 7; Nahum 3:4; Zechariah 13:5; Psalms 44:11-13; Deuteronomy 32:30). From this can be seen what is properly signified by "being redeemed and redemption," where the Lord is treated of; as in Isaiah:
Ye have sold yourselves for nought; therefore ye shall be redeemed without silver (Isaiah 52:3);
and in many passages elsewhere.
Footnotes:
1. The Latin has "et," but in the text of the chapter we read "aut."
2. The photolithograph reads "multiplicationem," but just above "multitudinem."
840. [Vers. 17.] "Et ut nemo possit emere 1
et vendere, si non habeat characterem bestiae." Quod significet prohibitionem ne aliquis discat et doceat quam illud quod agnitum et inde in doctrina receptum est, constat ex significatione "emere" et "vendere", quod sit cognitiones sibi comparare et aliis communicare, ita quoque discere et docere (de qua sequitur); prohibitio significatur per "facere ut nemo possit": et ex significatione "characteris, quod sit testificatio et signum agnitionis quod sint ab ecclesia qui in illis fidei veris ac bonis ita dictis sunt (de qua mox supra, n. 838 2
): inde patet quod per "facere ut nemo possit emere et vendere, si non habeat characterem bestiae", significetur prohibitio ne aliquis discat et doceat nisi quam illud quod agnitum, ita quoque quod in doctrina receptum est.
Quod "emere et vendere", significet cognitiones veri ac boni ex Verbo sibi comparare et illas communicare, seu quod idem est, discere et docere, est quia per "opes" et per "divitias" in Verbo significantur cognitiones veri et boni, ac per "argentum et aurum", per quae fiunt emptiones et venditiones, significantur vera et bona caeli et ecclesiae: inde nunc est quod in Verbo passim dicatur "emere", "vendere", tum "mercari" et "negotiari", ac quod per illa significentur emptiones, venditiones, mercaturae et negotiationes spirituales:
[2] Ut apud Esaiam,
"Omnis sitiens, ite ad aquas, et cui non argentum, ite, emite et comedite; ite inquam, emite sine argento, et sine pretio vinum et lac" (55:1):
quod hic per "emere vinum et lac" non intelligatur emere talia, unusquisque videt; et quia "emere" significat comparare sibi talia quae conducunt vitae spirituali hominis, patet quod singula ibi spiritualiter intelligenda sint; ita per "aquas", ad quas "omnis sitiens iret", significantur vera desiderantibus illa; "aquae" sunt vera ex Verbo, et "sitire" est desiderare illa: quod gratis a Domino darentur, significatur per "cui non argentum", tum "sine argento et pretio": "comedere" significat appropriare sibi; "vinum et lac "significant verum spirituale et inde verum naturale, utrumque ex bono.
[3] Apud Matthaeum,
Virgines prudentes dicebant stultis, "Abite potius ad vendentes, et emite vobismet" oleum; "sed abeuntibus illis ad emendum, venit sponsus" (25:9, 10):
per "virgines prudentes" significantur illi in ecclesia apud quos fides conjuncta est charitati, et per "stultas" significantur illi in ecclesia apud quos fides separata est a charitate; "lampades" enim significant vera fidei, et "oleum" significat bonum amoris inde per "abire ad vendentes et emere" significatur ad illos qui docent, et discere seu comparare sibi: sed quia non comparaverunt sibi bonum amoris, et per id vivificaverunt vera fidei, quando in mundo vixerunt, sed postea quidem comparaverunt sibi, sed quia nemo potest comparare sibi bonum amoris post mortem et id retinere, ideo virgines illae stultae, per quas significantur omnes qui separant bonum amoris seu bonum charitatis a veris fidei, non admissae sunt in nuptias et 3
receptae a sponso; "nuptiae" significant caelum, et "sponsus" Dominum.
[4] Apud Evangelistas,
"Intravit Jesus in Templum.., et ejecit omnes vendentes et ementes in Templo, et mensas numulariorum [evertit] , cathedras vendentium columbas" (Matthaeus 21:12; Marcus 11:15; Luca 19:45);
per "vendentes et ementes" hic significantur qui sibi quaestum faciunt ex sanctis, per "mensas numulariorum" significantur [qui] ex sanctis veris, et per "cathedras vendentium columbas" significantur qui ex sanctis bonis: quare postea dicitur quod "fecerint templum in speluncam latronum"; "latrones" sunt qui depraedantur vera et bona ecclesiae, et inde sibi quaestum faciunt.
[5] Apud Lucam,
"Sicut factum est in diebus Lothi", sic erit in diebus Filii hominis; "edebant, bibebant, emebant, vendebant, plantabant, aedificabant" (17:28):
per "edere et bibere" significatur ibi vivere sibi et mundo, ac appropriare sibi mala et falsa; per "emere et vendere" significatur comparare sibi illa, et communicare illa aliis; per "plantare et aedificare" significatur confirmare se in illis, et vivere in illis.
[6] Apud eundem,
Jesus dixit "Nunc qui habet crumenam tollat, similiter..peram; qui vero non habet, vendat vestimenta sua, et emat gladium" (22:36):
quid per haec intelligitur, constat ex sequentibus ibi, quod nempe "oporteret consummari in Domino quod scriptum est" (vers. 37), ita quod passurus crucem; hoc quia non potuit aliter quam animos illorum qui tunc vixerunt, et quoque animos discipulorum, distrahere, ac in dubitationes de Ipso et de Ipsius regno inducere, et sic in tentationes, et illae non nisi quam per vera discuti possunt, ideo dicit Dominus, "Qui habet crumenam et peram, tollat"; nempe, qui possidet vera ex Verbo, in quo praedictum est quod Christus talia passurus esset, caveat ne illa amittat; "crumena" enim et "pera" simile quod nummi et pecuniae in illis significant, nempe cognitiones veri et boni ex Verbo: "qui vero non habet, vendat vestimenta sua, et emat gladium", significat quod illi, quibus non vera, rejiciant propria, et comparent sibi vera cum quibus pugnent contra falsa; "gladius" significat pugnam veri contra falsum, et hujus destructionem.
[7] Quoniam "Tyrus" significat ecclesiam quoad cognitiones veri et boni, et inde quoque cognitiones veri et boni quae sunt ecclesiae ac inserviunt doctrinae ejus, ideo ubi agitur in Verbo de Tyro, agitur etiam de negotiationibus; per quas significatur comparatio illarum, et quoque communicatio cum aliis; ut apud Ezechielem,
"Omnes naves maris...fuerunt..ad negotiandum negotiationem tuam;.... Tharschisch negotiatrix tua.... in argento, ferro, stanno, et plumbo, dederunt mercaturas tuas. Javan, Thubal et Meschech, hi mercatores tui, cum anima hominis et vasis aeris dederunt negotiationem tuam. Filii Dedanis mercatores tui; insulae multae mercatores manus tuae. .... Syria negotiatrix tua.... cum chrysopraso. .... Sed opes tuae, et negotiationes tuae; mercatus tui, .... negotiantes negotiationem tuam, .... cadent in cor marium in die casus tui" (27:1 ad fin. ):
apud Esaiam,
"Ejulate, naves Tharschischi, quia devastata est Tyrus, .... cujus mercatores principes, negotiatores ejus honorati terrae" (23:1, 8):
quisque videre potest quod per "negotiationes" et "mercaturas" ibi non intelligantur negotiationes et mercaturae; quid enim commune habet Verbum cum talibus, quod in se Divinum ac caeleste est, ac docet hominem de Deo, de caelo et ecclesia, de vita aeterna, et similibus? Inde quis non videre potest, quod singula ibi significent spiritualia quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt? non solum nomina terrarum ibi, cum quibus negotiationes factae sunt, sed etiam singulae mercaturae illarum: sed quid singula in spirituali sensu significant, nimis prolixum foret hic exponere; satis est quod sciatur quod "negotiationes" ibi significent acquisitiones et communicationes cognitionum veri et boni, ac quod "mercaturae" seu "merces" illas cognitiones, quae multifariae sunt.
[8] Quod illa significentur, patet quoque ex his apud Ezechielem,
"In sapientia tua et in intelligentia tua feceras tibi opes, et feceras aurum et argentum in thesauris tuis, per multitudinem sapientiae tuae in negotiatione tua multiplicaveras tibi opes" (28 [4,] 5):
haec de principe Tyri, per quem intelliguntur cognitiones veri ex Verbo, per quas intelligentia et sapientia; et quia eaedem illae cognitiones significantur per "opes", et comparatio illarum per "negotiationem", ideo dicitur, "per 4
multiplicationem sapientiae tuae in negotiatione tua multiplicaveras tibi opes."
[9] Ex his constare potest unde est
Quod Dominus comparaverit regnum caelorum "negotiatori quaerenti pulchras margaritas, qui cum invenisset unam pretiosam.., abiit et vendidit omnia quae habuit, et emit illam" (Matthaeus 13:45, 46):
per "margaritas" significantur cognitiones, et quoque ipsa vera; et per "unam pretiosam" significatur agnitio Domini; et per "vendere omnia quae habuit" significatur abalienare omnia quae amoris proprii sunt, et per "emere illam" significatur id Divinum Verum sibi comparare.
[10] Simile intelligitur per
Thesaurum absconditum in agro, "quem repertum homo abscondit, et prae gaudio abiit, et omnia quaecunque habebat vendidit, et emit..agrum" (Matthaeus 13:44):
per "thesaurum" significatur Divinum Verum quod in Verbo est, et per "agrum" significatur ecclesia et ejus doctrina; ac per "vendere quaecunque habet, et emere agrum", significatur hic ut supra, abalienare propria, et comparare sibi Divinum Verum, quod in ecclesia Domini est.
[11] Quoniam "negotiatio" significabat acquisitionem et possessionem veritatum, ideo Dominus per parabolam locutus est
De homine peregre profecto, quod dederit servis suis talenta, ut cum illis negotiarentur, et lucrarentur (Matthaeus 25:14-30 5
):
ac de alio,
Qui dedit servis suis decem minas, ut cum illis negotiarentur (Luca 19:12-26).
Similia per "negotiari", "negotiationes", ac "negotiatores" significantur alibi in Verbo: tum etiam in opposito sensu, in quo per illas significantur receptiones et appropriationes falsorum (Ut Esaias 48:15; Ezechiel 16:3; Nahum 3:14; 6
Apoc. 18:3, 11-24). Inde ecclesia, ubi talia sunt, vocatur
"Terra negotiationis" (Ezechiel 16:29; 21:35, 36 [B.A. 30, 31] ; 29 cap. 14).
Praeterea per "vendere" et per "vendi" significatur abalienare ac abalienari ab illis, ac pro illis acceptare falsa et captivari ab illis (Esaias 50:1; 3:3; Ezechiel 30:12; Joel 4 [B.A. [3] 6, 7, 7; Nahum 3:4; Sacharia 13:5: Psalms 44:12-14 [B.A. 11-13] : Deutr. 32:30 7
). Ex his constare potest quid proprie significatur per "redimi" et per "redemptionem", ubi de Domino; ut apud Esaiam,
"Gratis venditi estis, ideo non per argentum redimemini" (52:3);
et multis in locis alibi.
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