----中文待译----
844. (Verse 18) Here is wisdom. That this signifies that this is their doctrine in its whole extent, which is considered to be wisdom, although it is insanity, is evident from the signification of here is wisdom, as denoting that all those things that are said concerning the dragon and his two beasts, is the doctrine of those who have separated faith from life, which nevertheless is not wisdom, as it is considered to be, but it is insanity. That these things are meant by here is wisdom, follows from the things which precede, that is, that no one can buy and sell if he has not the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name; which signifies, that no one should learn or teach anything but what is acknowledged, and thence received in doctrine. It may be concluded, therefore, that by wisdom is here meant wisdom in their own eyes, which, nevertheless, is insanity, appearing to them as wisdom.
The reason why insanity is here meant by wisdom is, that those who are in falsities, when they have confirmed themselves in them, believe themselves to be wiser than all others. The case is the same with the evil, who, when they are in their evils, and devise means of doing evil to the good, seem to themselves to be ingenious, indeed wiser than others, although they then appear to the eyes of angels to be mad. This now is why the insanity of those who are in falsities is also called in the Word wisdom and intelligence, as in the following passages:
"Lord of heaven and earth, thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes" (783).
844. Verse 18. Here is wisdom, signifies that this is their doctrine in all its complex, which is thought to be wisdom, although it is insanity. This is evident from the signification of "here is wisdom," as being that all those things that have been said of the dragon and his two beasts is the doctrine of those who have separated faith from life, which however is not wisdom, as it is reputed, but insanity. That this is the meaning of "here is wisdom" follows from what precedes, that "no one is able to buy 1and sell save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name," which signifies that no one should learn or teach anything else but what had been acknowledged, and thus accepted in doctrine. From this it can be concluded that "wisdom" here means wisdom in their own eyes; which, nevertheless, is insanity appearing to them to be wisdom. Insanity is meant by "wisdom," because those who are in falsities, when they have confirmed their falsities believe themselves to be wiser than others. The evil do the like when they are in their evils and are contriving devices by which they may do evil to the good; they then appear to themselves to be ingenious, yea even wiser than others, and yet before the eyes of angels they appear crazy. And this is why their insanity when they are in falsities is called in the Word "wisdom and intelligence," as in the following passages:
O Lord God, Thou hast hid these things from the wise and intelligent, and hast revealed them unto babes (783).
Footnotes:
1. The photolithograph has "edere et vendere" for "emere et vendere."
844. [Vers. 18.] "Hic est sapientia." Quod significet quod haec in omni complexu sit eorum doctrina, quae reputatur pro sapientia, tametsi est insania, constat ex significatione "Hic est sapientia", quod sit quod omnia illa, quae de dracone et de binis ejus bestiis dicta sunt, sit doctrina eorum qui fidem separaverunt a vita, quae tamen non est sapientia, sicut reputatur, sed insania; quod haec intelligantur per "Hic est sapientia", sequitur ex mox praecedentibus, quod "nemo possit 1
emere et vendere, si non haberet characterem, aut nomen bestiae, aut numerum nominis ejus", per quae significatur quod non aliquis disceret aut doceret aliud quam quod agnitum et inde in doctrina receptum est: exinde concludi potest quod per "sapientiam" hic intelligatur sapientia in oculis illorum, quae tamen est insania illis visa sicut sapientia. Quod insania intelligatur per "sapientiam", est quia illi qui in falsis sunt, credunt quod prae aliis sapientes sint quando falsa sua confirmaverunt: similiter faciunt mali, quando in malis suis sunt, et excogitant artes per quas malefaciunt bonis; tunc videntur sibi ingeniosi, immo sapientes prae aliis, cum tamen tunc coram oculis angelorum apparent vesani; inde nunc est quod insania illorum quia in falsis sunt, in Verbo etiam dicatur "sapientia" et "intelligentia"; ut in sequentibus his locis,
Domine Deus, "Abscondisti haec sapientibus et intelligentibus, et revelasti ea infantibus" (Matthaeus 11:25; Luca 10:21);
"Vae sapientibus in oculis suis, et coram faciebus suis intelligentibus" (Esaias 5:21);
"Visitabo super fructum superbiae cordis regis Aschuris, et super decus altitudinis oculorum ejus, ideo quia dixit, In virtute manus meae feci, et per sapientiam meam, quia intelligens fui" (Esaias 10:12, 13);
"Certe stulti principes Zoanis, sapientes consiliariorum Pharaonis;...quomodo dicitis ad Pharaonem, Filius sapientum ego" (Esaias 19:11);
Peribit sapientia sapientum.., ac intelligentia intelligentium..se occultabit" (Esaias 29:14);
"Rejicit sapientes retro" (Esaias 44:25);
"Gladie.... contra habitatores Babelis, et contra principes ejus, et contra sapientes ejus" (Jeremias 50:35).
Inde est
Quod magi in Babele et alibi dicti fuerint sapientes (ut Daniel 2:48).
Ex his patet quod "sapientia" in Verbo etiam dicatur de non sapientibus, et quoque de illis qui ex falsis insaniunt; similiter quod illis tribuantur diademata (ut draconi, Apocalypsis 12:3; et ejus bestiae, in hujus capitis versu 1); et quod de muliere insidente bestiae coccineae, dicatur,
Quod fuerit amicta purpura et cocco, inaurata auro, ornata lapidibus pretiosis ac margaritis (Apocalypsis 17:4):
similiter quod mali dicantur "fortes" et "potentes" cum tamen nihil minus quam fortes et potentes sunt (de qua re videatur supra, n. 783).
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.