158.“你要警醒”表要持守真理并照真理生活。在圣言中，“警醒”并不表示别的。因为凡学习真理并照之生活的人，就像一个从睡梦中醒来，变得警觉之人。而凡不持守真理，只知敬拜的人，则像一个睡梦中的人。属世的生命就本身而言，或若缺乏属灵的生命，无非就是一场睡眠。反之，属世的生命若含有属灵的生命，就是警觉的。这种生命只能真理而非其它方法才能获得，当人照真理生活时，这些真理就在它们自己的光明和白昼中。这就是以下经文中“警醒”所表示的：
你们要警醒，因为你们不知道主什么时候来到。（马太福音24:42）
主人来了，发现这些仆人警醒，他们就有福了。你们也要预备，因为你们想不到的时候，人子就来了。（路加福音12:37，40）
你们要警醒，因为你们不知道家主什么时候来；恐怕他忽然来到，发现你们睡着了；我对你们所说的话，也是对众人说，要警醒！（马可福音13:35-37）
新郎迟延的时候，童女都打盹睡着了，愚拙的来说，主啊，给我们开门；主却回答说，我不认识你们；所以，你们要警醒，因为人子要来的那日子、那时辰，你们不知道。（马太福音25:1-13）
由于主的到来被称为“早晨”（151节），并且那时真理被打开，就有了光，故那时就称为“初更时分”（耶利米哀歌2:19）；主则被称为“守望的圣者”（但以理书4:13）。以赛亚书也记着说：
你的死人要活过来；住在尘埃的啊，要醒来。（以赛亚书26:19）
未处于真理之人的状态被称为“打盹”、“睡着”。这一点可见于相关经文（耶利米书51:39，57；诗篇13:3；76:6；路加福音8:23等）。
158. "'Be watchful.'" (3:2) This symbolically means that they should have truths and live in accordance with them.
To be watchful has precisely this symbolic meaning in the Word, for a person who learns truths and lives according to them is like someone who awakens from sleep and becomes alert. By contrast, a person who lacks truths, but who is engaged simply in worship, is like someone who is asleep and dreaming.
Natural life, regarded in itself or apart from spiritual life, is really no more than a state of sleep, whereas natural life that contains spiritual life is a state of alertness. This alertness, moreover, is obtained only through truths - truths which appear in their own light and in their own clarity when a person lives in accordance with them.
This is the symbolic meaning of watching in the following passages:
Watch..., for you do not know at what hour your Lord will come. (Matthew 24:42)
Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he comes, will find watching... Be ready, for the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect. (Luke 12:37, 40)
Watch..., for you do not know when the lord of the house will come..., lest, when he comes suddenly, he find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: Watch! (Mark 13:35-37)
While the bridegroom was delayed, (the virgins)...slumbered and slept... And the (five foolish) virgins came..., saying, "Lord, Lord, open to us!" But (the Lord) answered..., ."..I do not know you." Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour at which the Son of Man will come. (Matthew 25:1-13)
Because the Lord's coming is called the morning (no. 151), and truths are then revealed and light dawns, therefore that time is called "the beginning of the watches" in Lamentations 2:19, and the Lord is called "a watcher" in Daniel 4:13. Moreover we read in Isaiah,
Your dead shall live... Awake..., you who dwell in dust. (Isaiah 26:19)
To be shown that the state of a person who lacks truths is called slumbering and sleep, see Jeremiah 51:39, 57, Psalms 13:3; 76:6, Matthew 13:25, and other places.
158. [verse 2] 'Be watchful' signifies that they may be in truths, and in a life in accordance with them. Nothing else is signified by 'to watch' in the Word; for he who learns truths and lives in accordance with them is like one who is wakened out of a sleep and is alert. Whereas he who is not in truths, but only in worship, is like one who is asleep and dreaming. Natural life regarded in itself, or without spiritual life, is nothing else but a sleep; but natural life in which there is spiritual life is watchfulness; and this can be achieved by no other means than truths, which are in their own light and their own day when a man is in a life in accordance with them. This is signified by 'to watch' in these passages:
Watch, for you know not what hour the Lord is going to come. Matthew 24:42.
Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when He comes shall find watching. Be ready, for the Son of Man shall come at an hour when you think not. Luke 12:37, 40.
Watch, for you know not when the Lord of the house shall come, lest when He suddenly comes, He find you sleeping. What I say unto you, I say unto you all, Watch, Mark 13:35-37.
While the bridegroom tarried the virgins slumbered and slept, and the five foolish came and said, Lord open to us, but the Lord shall answer, I know you not. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man shall come. Matthew 25:1-13.
Because the Lord's coming is called 'morning' (151), and then truths are opened and there is light, therefore that time is called 'the beginning of the watches' (Lamentations 2:19), and the Lord is called 'a Watcher' (Daniel 4:13); and it is said in Isaiah:
Thy dead shall live, Awake you that dwell in the dust. Isaiah 26:19.
But that the state of a man who is not in truths is termed a 'slumber' and 'sleep' may be seen (Jeremiah 51:39, 57; Psalms 13:3; [H.B. 4]; Psalms 76:6; [H.B. 7]; Matthew 13:25, and elsewhere).
158. Verse 2. Be watchful, signifies that they should be in truths and in a life according to them. By "watching," in the Word, nothing else is signified; for he who learns truths and lives according to them, is like one who is awakened out of sleep and becomes watchful. But he who is not in truths, but only in worship, is like one who sleeps and dreams. Natural life, considered in itself, or without spiritual life, is nothing else but sleep; but natural life, in which there is spiritual life, is watchfulness; and this cannot be acquired otherwise than by truths, which are in their own light and in their own day, when man is in the life according to them. Such is signified by "watching" in the following passages:
Watch, for ye know not in what hour the Lord will come, (Matthew 24:42).
Happy are those servants whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: Be ye therefore ready, for the Son of man will come at an hour when ye think not, (Luke 12:37, 40).
Watch ye, for ye know not when the lord of the house shall come; lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping; what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch, (Mark 13:35-37).
While the bridegroom tarried, the virgins slumbered and slept, and the five foolish came and said, Lord, open to us; but the lord shall answer, I know you not; watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man will come, (Matthew 25:1-13).
Because the Lord's coming is called "morning" (151[1-3]), and then truths are opened, and there is light, therefore that time is called "the beginning of the watches" (Lamentations 2:19); and the Lord is called "a Watcher" (Daniel 4:13); and it is written in Isaiah:
Thy dead shall live; Awake, ye that dwell in the dust, (Isaiah 26:19).
But that the state of a man who is not in truths is called "slumbering" and "sleeping," may be seen, (Jeremiah 51:39, 57; Psalm 13:3; Psalm 76:6; Luke 8:23).
158. (Vers. 2.) "Esto vigilans," significat ut in veris sint, et in vita secundum illa. - Non aliud per "vigilare" in Verbo significatur; nam qui vera addiscit et vivit secundum illa, est sicut qui e Somno expergiscitur et fit vigilat qui non in veris est, sed solum in cultu, est sicut qui dormit et somniat: vita naturalis in se spectata, seu absque vita spirituali, nec aliud est quam somnus; at vita naturalis in qua est vita spiritualis, est vigilia; et haec non aliunde comparatur quam per vera, quae in luce sua et in die suo sunt, quando homo est in vita secundum illa. Hoc per "vigilare" significatur in his locis:
"Vigilate, quia nescitis qua hora Dominus venturus est," (Matthaeus 24:42);
"Beati servi, quos cum Dominus venit, invenerit eos Vigilantes: estote parati, quia qua hora non putatis, Filius Hominis veniet," (Luca 12:37, 40); 1
"Vigilate quia nescitis quando Dominus domus veniet, ne cum repente venerit inveniet vos Dormientes: quae dico vobis, omnibus dico, Vigilate," (Marcus 13:35-37)
Virgines, morante Sponso, Dormiverunt et Obdormiverunt; et quinque stultae venientes dixerunt, Domine aperi nobis: sed respondebit Dominus, Non novi vos; "Vigilate ergo, quia neque illum diem, neque illam horam scitis, qua Filius Hominis veniet," (Matthaeus 25:1-13).
Quia Adventus Domini vocatur "Mane (151), et tunc aperiuntur vera, et fit lux, ideo Illud tempus vocatur "Principium Vigiliarum," (Threni 2:19);
Ac Dominus vocatur "Vigil," (Daniel 4:10 (B.A. 13));
et dicitur apud Esajam,
"Vivent mortui tui, Evigilate habitatores pulveris," (26:19).
Quod autem status hominis, qui non in veris est, dicatur "Dormitio" et "Somnus," videatur, (Jeremias 51:39, 57; Psalm 13:4 (B.A. 3); 76:7 (B.A. 6)); Matthaeus 13:25; 2et alibi).
Footnotes:
1. 37, 40 pro "34, 40"
2. Matth. pro "Luc."