200.“神工之初始”表圣言。圣言是“神工之初始”，这一事实在教会尚不为人知，因为他们不明白约翰福音中的这些话：
太初有道，道与神同在，道就是神。万物是藉着祂造的。凡被造的，没有一样不是藉着祂造的。生命在祂里头，这生命就是人的光。祂在世界，世界也是藉着祂造的，世界却不认识祂。道成了肉身，住在我们中间，我们也见过祂的荣光，正是父独生子的荣光。（约翰福音1:1-14）
人若明白这些话的内义，同时对照《新耶路撒冷教义之圣经篇》的内容，加上《新耶路撒冷教义之主篇》的部分内容，就会明白以前这个世界上的圣言（如11节所提及的）和现存圣言中的神性真理本身，就是“太初有道，道与神同在，道就是神”所指的。但不是指记录圣言的言语和文字，而是指它的本质和生命，这本质和生命就来自其言语和文字的至内在。圣言通过这种生命活跃以神圣方式阅读圣言之人的意愿情感，通过这生命之光启示其认知的思维；故经上在约翰福音中说：
生命在圣言里头。这生命就是人的光。（约翰福音1:4）
这生命之所以构成圣言，是因为圣言出于主，涉及主，因而就是主。一切思维、言语、著述都从所思、所言、所著之人那里得其本质和生命；此人及其品质就在其中；但唯独主在圣言里面。然而，只有处于真理的属灵情感之人，在阅读圣言时，才能感受并觉察到圣言里面的神性生命，因为他通过圣言与主结合。有某种事物会感染心和灵，伴随着光流入认知并作见证。
约翰福音的话与创世记第一章中的这些话有相同的含义：
起初，神创造天地，神的灵运行在水面上；神说，要有光，就有了光。（创世记1:1-3）
“神的灵”是指神性真理，也就是光；神性真理就是圣言。所以，当主称自己为圣言时，祂也称自己为“光”（约翰福音1:4，8-9）。诗篇中的这句经文所表相同：
诸天藉耶和华之言而造，万象藉祂口中之灵而成。（诗篇33:6）
简言之，离了圣言的神性真理（就其本质而言，就是主主的神性之爱的神性良善），人不可能享有生命。藉着圣言，主与人并人与主便有一个结合，凭此结合而有生命。必有来自主的某种事物能为人所接受，凭此事物才能有结合，因而有永生。
从这些事明显可知，“神工之初始”表示圣言，若你愿意相信，就表示诸如在其字义中的圣言，因为字义是其内在圣洁的复合体，这在《新耶路撒冷教义之圣经篇》有大量说明。奇妙的是，圣言如此写就，以致它与整个天堂相通，具体地与那里的每个社群相通，这是我被恩准通过活生生的经历所得知的事实。圣言的本质就是这样，这一点从主的这些话明显看出来：
我对你们所说的话，就是灵，就是生命。（约翰福音6:63）
200. "'The beginning of the workmanship of God.'" This symbolically means the Word.
That the Word is the beginning of the workmanship of God is something not yet known in the church, because it has not understood these words in John:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men... He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, but the world did not know Him... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father... (John 1:1-14)
Someone who understands these words in respect to their inner meaning, and at the same time compares them with what we wrote in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture, as well as with some sections in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord, can see that the Word which was in the beginning with God, and which was God, means the underlying Divine truth in the Word that previously existed in this world (as reported in no. 11), and that which is present in the Word that we have today. It does not mean the Word viewed in respect to the words and letters of its languages, but viewed in terms of its essence and life which is inmostly present in the meanings of its words and letters. By this life the Word animates the will's affections of the person who reads it reverently, and by the light of this life it enlightens the thoughts of his intellect. Therefore we are told in John, "In the Word was life, and the life was the light of men." (John 1:4) The Word does this because the Word comes from the Lord and has the Lord as its subject and so is the Lord.
All thought, speech, or writing takes its essence and life from the one doing the thinking, speaking, or writing. It has the person in it, along with his character. And the Word has in it the Lord alone.
Still, no one senses or perceives the Divine life in the Word but one who, when reading it, is impelled by a spiritual affection for truth, for through the Word he is conjoined with the Lord. He experiences something inmostly affecting his heart and spirit, which flows with enlightenment into in his intellect and testifies.
[2] The following words in the first chapter of Genesis have a similar symbolic meaning to those in John:
In the beginning God created heaven and earth... And the spirit of God moved over the face of the waters. And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. (Genesis 1:1-3)
The spirit of God is Divine truth, and also light, the Divine truth being the Word; and therefore in John 1:4, 8-9 the Lord calls Himself the Word, and also the light.
A similar meaning is found in this declaration in the book of Psalms:
By the word of Jehovah the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. (Psalms 33:6)
In short, without the Divine truth of the Word, which in its essence is the Divine goodness of the Lord's Divine love and the Divine truth of His Divine wisdom, no mortal could have life. The Word is the means of the Lord's conjunction with a person, and of the person with the Lord, and through that conjunction comes life. There must be something from the Lord that a person can receive which makes possible that conjunction and so eternal life.
[3] It can be seen from this that "the beginning of the workmanship of God" means the Word, and if you would believe it, the Word such as it is in the sense of its letter, for this sense embraces the inner, holy levels, as we showed many times in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture.
Moreover, wonderful to say, the Word has been so written that it communicates with the whole of heaven, and every particular with some society there, as I have been given to know through personal experience, of which more elsewhere.
That the Word in its essence is such as described is still more apparent from these words of the Lord:
The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63)
200. 'The Beginning of the work of God' signifies the Word. That the Word is 'the beginning of the work of God' has not yet been known in the Church, because these words in John have not been understood:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; all things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, but the world knew Him not. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father. John 1:1-14.
He who understands these words as to their interior sense, and compares them at the same time with the things that have been written in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE SACRED SCRIPTURE, as also with some things that have been written in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE LORD, is able to see that the Divine Truth itself in the Word, which had been in this world before, of which n. it [treats], and which again is in the Word that exists at the present day, is understood by 'the Word that was in the beginning with God, and was God.' Yet it is not the Word viewed in the words and letters of languages, but viewed in its own essence and life, which is from the inmost in the meanings of its words and letters. Out of this life the Word enlivens the affections of the will of the man who reads it in a holy manner, and out of the light of that life it enlightens the thoughts of his understanding; and it is therefore said in John:
In the Word was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:4.
This [life and light] makes the Word, because the Word is out of the Lord, and concerning the Lord, and thus is the Lord. Every thought, speech and writing draws its essence and life from him who thinks, speaks and writes. Therein is the man with his own quality. But in the Word there is the Only Lord. No one, however, feels and perceives the Divine Life in the Word but he who, when reading it, is in a spiritual affection of truth, for he is in a conjunction with the Lord through the Word, there being something inmostly affecting the heart and spirit which inflows with light into the understanding, and bears witness.
[2] Something similar to what is in John is signified by these words in the first chapter of Genesis:
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, and the spirit of God moved upon the faces of the waters, and God said, Let it become light, and it became light. Genesis 1:1-3.
'The spirit of God' is Divine Truth, so equally is 'light.' Divine Truth is the Word, and therefore when the Lord calls Himself 'the Word' He calls Himself 'the Light' also (John 1:4, 8-9). A similar thing also is understood by these words in David:
By the Word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breaths (spiritus) of His mouth. Psalms 33:6.
To sum up, without the Divine Truth of the Word, which in its own essence is the Lord's Divine Good of Divine Love and Divine Truth of Divine Wisdom, a man cannot have life. By means of the Word there is a conjunction of the Lord with the man, and of the man with the Lord, and by means of that conjunction there is life. There has to be something from the Lord which can be received by the man, through which there is a conjunction and eternal life therefrom.
[3] From these considerations it can be established that by 'the Beginning of the work of God' is understood the Word; and, if you are willing to believe it, the Word such as it is in the sense of the letter, for this sense is the complex of its interior sanctities, as has been shown frequently in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE SACRED SCRIPTURE. And what is wonderful, the Word has been so written that it has communication with the entire heaven, and separately with each single society there, which has been granted me to know through living experience, of which elsewhere. That the Word is such in its own essence is still more plain from these words of the Lord:
The words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life. John 6:63.
200. The beginning of the work of God, signifies the Word. That the Word is "the beginning of the work of God," is not yet known in the church, because they have not understood these words in John:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, but the world knew Him not. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father, (John 1:1-14).
He who understands these words in their interior sense, and at the same time compares them with what is written in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture, as also with some things in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord, may see that the Divine truth itself in the Word which was formerly in this world (as mentioned in 11), which likewise is in the Word which is at this day, is meant by "the Word which was in the beginning with God, and which was God;" but not the Word regarded as to the words and letters of the languages in which it is written, but regarded in its essence and life, which from the inmost is in the senses of its words and letters. From this life the Word vivifies the affections of the will of the man who reads it as holy, and from the light of that life it enlightens the thoughts of his understanding; therefore it is said in John:
In the Word was life, and the life was the light of men, (John 1:4);
this constitutes the Word, because the Word is from the Lord, and concerning the Lord, and thus is the Lord. All thought, speech, and writing, derives its essence and life from him who thinks, speaks, and writes; the man with his quality is therein; but the Lord alone is in the Word. No one however feels and perceives the Divine life in the Word but he who is in the spiritual affection of truth when he reads it, for he is in conjunction with the Lord through the Word. There is something intimately affecting the heart and spirit, which flows with light into the understanding and bears witness.
[2] What is said in John has a similar signification to that of these words in the first chapter of Genesis:
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, and the Spirit of God moved itself upon the face of the waters; and God said, Let there be light, and there was light, (Genesis 1:1-3).
"The spirit of God" is the Divine truth, and also the Light; the Divine truth is the Word, therefore when the Lord calls Himself the Word, He also calls Himself "the Light" (John 1:4, 8-9).
Similar things are also meant by this passage in David:
By the Word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the Spirit of His mouth, (Psalms 33:6).
In short, without the Divine truth of the Word, which in its essence is the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love, and the Divine truth of His Divine wisdom, man cannot have life. By the Word there is the conjunction of the Lord with man, and of man with the Lord, and by that conjunction there is life. There must be something from the Lord, which can be received by man, by which there can be conjunction and thence eternal life.
[3] From these things it may appear, that by "the beginning of the creation of God" is meant the Word, and if you will believe it, the Word such as it is in its literal sense, for this sense is the complex of its interior sanctities, as is abundantly shown in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture. And what is wonderful, the Word is so written, that it communicates with the entire heaven, and in particular with every society there, which it has been given me to know by living experience, of which elsewhere. That the Word in its essence is such, is moreover evident from these words of the Lord:
The words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life, (John 6:63).
200. "Principium opificii Dei," significat Verbum. - Quod Verbum sit "principium opificii Dei," nondum in Ecclesia notum est, quia non intellecta sunt haec apud Johannem:
"In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum; omnia per Ipsum facta sunt, et sine Ipso factum est nihil quod factum est. In Ipso vita erat, et vita erat lux hominum. In mundo erat, et mundus per Ipsum factus est, sed mundus Ipsum non cognovit. Et Verbum Caro factum est, et habitavit inter nos, et vidimus gloriam Ipsius, gloriam sicut Unigeniti a Patre," (1:1-14). 1
Qui haec verba quoad interiorem eorum Sensum intelligit, et simul confert cum illis quae in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Scriptura Sacra, ut et cum aliquibus quae in Doctrina Novae Hierosolyma e de Domino, Scripta sunt, videre potest, quod ipsum Divinum Verum in Verbo quod in hoc mundo prius fuerat (de quo 11), tum quod in hoc Verbo quod hodie est, per "Verbum quod in principio fuit apud Deum et quod fuit Deus," intelligatur; at non Verbum spectatum in linguarum vocibus et literis, sed spectatum in sua essentia et vita, quae ab intimo est in sensibus vocum et literarum ejus; Verbum ex ac vita vivificat affectiones voluntatis hominis qui id sancte legit, et ex luce illius vitae illustrat cogitationes intellectus ejus; quare apud Johannem dicitur,
"In Verbo fuit Vita, et Vita fuit Lux hominum" ((i.) ?);
hoc facit Verbum, quia Verbum est ex Domino, et de Domino, et sic Dominus: omnis cogitatio, loquela et scriptura, trahit suam essentiam et vitam ab illo qui cogitat, loquitur et scribit; est homo cum suo quali in illis; in Verbo autem est Solus Dominus. Sed Divinam Vitam in Verbo nemo sentit et percipit, nisi qui in affectione veri spirituali est cum id legit, is enim est in conjunctione Domini per Verbum; est quoddam intime afficiens cor et spiritum, quod cum luce influit in intellectum, ac testatur. Simile quod apud Johannem, significatur per haec in primo capite Geneseos:
"In principio creavit Deus Caelum et Terram; et Spiritus Dei movebat Se super faciebus aquarum; et dixit Deus, fiat Lux, et facta est Lux," (vers. 1-3);
"Spiritus Dei" est Divinum Verum, pariter Lux; Divinum in est Verbum; quare cum Dominus Se vocat Verbum, Se etiam vocat "Lucem," (Johannes 1:4, 8-9).
Simile etiam intelligitur per haec apud Davidem:
"Per Verbum Jehovae Caeli facti sunt, et per Spiritum oris Ipsius omnis exercitus eorum," (Psalm 33:6).
In summa, absque Divino Vero Verbi, quod in sua essentia Divinum Bonum Divini Amoris ac Divinum Verum Dictae Sapientiae Domini, non potest homo vitam habere; per Verbum est conjunctio Domini cum homine, ac hominis cum Domino, et per illam conjunctionem est vita; erit aliquid a Domino, quod ab homine potest recipi, per quod sit conjunctio et inde vita aeterna. Ex his constare potest, quod per "Principium opificii Dei" intelligatur Verbum, et si credere vis, Verbum quale est in Sensu literae; hic enim Sensus est complexus sanctitatum interiorum ejus, ut multis ostensum est in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Scriptura Sacra. Et quod mirabile est, Verbum ita scriptum est, ut communicet cum universo Caelo, et singillatim cum una quavis societate ibi, quod per vivam experientiam mihi datum est scire; de qua alibi. Quod Verbum in sua essentiale sit, patet adhuc ab his Domini verbis:
"Verba, quae Ego loquor vobis, spiritus sunt, et vita sunt," (Johannes 6:63).
Footnotes:
1. 1:1-14 pro "i. ad 14"