243. “第三个活物脸面像人”表圣言的神性真理的智慧。在圣言中，“人”表示智慧，因为人就是为了从主接受智慧，并成为天使而生。因此，人在何等程度上变得智慧，就在何等程度上成为“人”。真正属人的智慧在于知道有一位神，知道神的本质和属性；这正是圣言的神性真理所教导的。“人”表示智慧，这一点从以下经文明显看出来：
我必使人（vir）比纯金还少，使人（homo）比俄斐的金子更少。（以赛亚书13:12）
“人”（vir homo）是指聪明，“人”（homo）是指智慧。
地上的居民被焚烧，剩下的人稀少。（以赛亚书24:6）
我要把人的种和牲畜的种播种在以色列家和犹大家。（耶利米书31:27）
你们，我的羊，乃是人，我是你们的神。（以西结书34:31）
荒凉的城邑必被人群充满。（以西结书36:38）
我观看地，不料，地是空虚混沌；天也无光；我观看，不料，无人。（耶利米书4:23，25）
他们献人为祭，亲吻牛犊。（何西阿书13:2）
他又量了圣城耶路撒冷的城墙，按着人的尺寸，就是天使的尺寸，共有一百四十四肘。（启示录21:17）
此外还有许多经文，在这些经文中，“人”表示有智慧的人，抽象而言，表示智慧。
243. The third living creature had a face like a human being. This symbolizes the Divine truth of the Word in respect to its wisdom.
A human being in the Word symbolizes wisdom, because the human being was born to receive wisdom from the Lord and become an angel. The wiser someone is, therefore, the more human he is. True human wisdom consists in perceiving the existence of God, the nature of God, and what pertains to God. This is what the Divine truth of the Word teaches.
That a human being symbolizes wisdom is apparent from the following passages:
I will make a man more rare than fine gold, and a human being more rare than the gold of Ophir. (Isaiah 13:12)
A man means intelligence, and a human being wisdom.
...the inhabitants of the earth shall be burned up, and rare will be the human being left. (Isaiah 24:6)
...I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of a human being and the seed of an animal. (Jeremiah 31:27)
You are My flock...; you are humankind, I am your God. (Ezekiel 34:31)
...the ruined cities shall be filled with a flock of humankind. (Ezekiel 36:38)
I looked upon the earth when, lo, it was empty and void, and to the heavens when they had not their light... I looked when, lo, there was no human being... (Jeremiah 4:23, 25)
They sacrifice a human being, they kiss the calves. (Hosea 13:2)
He measured the wall (of the Holy Jerusalem): one hundred and forty-four cubits, the measure of a human being, which is that of an angel. (Revelation 21:17)
So, too, in many other places, where a human being symbolizes someone who is wise, and in an abstract sense, wisdom itself.
243. 'And the third animal having a face as a man' signifies the Divine Truth of the Word as to wisdom. By 'a man' in the Word is signified wisdom, because he is born to receive wisdom from the Lord and become an angel. Consequently in so far as anyone is wise, so far he is a man. Truly human wisdom is to discern that God exists, what God is, and what relates to God. The Divine Truth of the Word teaches this. That wisdom is signified by 'a man' is plain from these places:
I will render a man (vir homo) scarcer than pure gold, and a man (homo) than the gold of Ophir. Isaiah 13:12.
'A man' (vir homo) is intelligence, and 'a man' (homo) is wisdom.
The inhabitants of the land shall be burned, and the remnant shall be a scarce man. Isaiah 24:6.
I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast. Jeremiah 31:27.
You My flock, you are man, I am your God. Ezekiel 34:31.
The devastated cities shall be full with the flock of man. Ezekiel 36:38.
I beheld the land, when lo it was vacant and empty, and towards the heavens and they had no light; I beheld, when In there was no man. Jeremiah 4:23, 25.
They are sacrificing a man, they are kissing calves. Hosea 13:2.
He measured the wall of the holy Jerusalem 144 cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. Revelation 21:17.
Besides in many other places, in which by 'a man' is signified one who is wise, and in the abstract sense wisdom.
243. And the third animal having a face like a man, signifies the Divine truth of the Word as to wisdom. By "a man," in the Word, is signified wisdom, because he is born that he may receive wisdom from the Lord, and become an angel; therefore in proportion as anyone is wise, in the same proportion he is a man. Wisdom truly human consists in knowing that there is a God, what God is, and what is of God; this the Divine truth of the Word teaches. That by "a man" is signified wisdom, is plain from the following places:
I will make a man [vir] more rare than pure gold; even a man [homo] than the gold of Ophir, (Isaiah 13:12).
Man [vir homo] is intelligence, and man [homo] is wisdom:
The inhabitants of the earth shall be burned, and rare shall be the man that is left, (Isaiah 24:6).
I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast, (Jeremiah 31:27).
And ye, my flock, are man, I am your God, (Ezekiel 34:31).
The devastated cities shall be filled with the flocks of man, (Ezekiel 36:38).
I beheld the earth, and lo, it was vacant and empty; and the heavens, and they had no light; I beheld, and lo, there was no man, (Jeremiah 4:23, 25).
They sacrifice a man, they kiss calves, (Hosea 13:2).
He measured the wall of the holy Jerusalem a hundred and forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, that is of an angel, (Revelation 21:17).
Besides many other places in which by man is signified one that is wise, and, in the abstract sense, wisdom.
243. "Et tertium Animal habens faciem sicut Homo," significat Divinum Verum Verbi quoad sapientiam. - Per "hominem" in Verbo significatur sapientia, quia natus est ut sapientiam recipiat a Domino, et fiat angelus; inde quantum quis est sapiens, tantum est homo; sapientia vere humana est sapere quod Deus, quid Deus, et quid Dei; haec docet Divinum Verum Verbi. Quod per "hominem" significetur sapientia, patet ex his locis:
"Rarum reddam virum Hominem prae auro puro, et Hominem prae auro Ophiris," (Esaias 13:12);
"vir homo" est intelligentia, et "homo" est sapientia.
"Exurentur habitatores terrae, et relictus erit Homo rarus," (Esaias 24:6);
"Seminabo domum Israelis et domum Jehudae semine Hominis et semine bestiae," (Jeremias 31:27);
"Vos grex Mi, Homo vos, Ego Deus vester," (Ezechiel 34:31); "Erunt Urbes devastatae plenae grege Hominis," (Ezechiel 36:38);
"Vidi terram, cum ecce vacuum et inane, et versus Caelos et non lux eorum, vidi cum ecce non Homo," (Jeremias 4:23, 25); 1
"Sacrificant Hominem, vitulos osculantur," (Hoschea 13:2); "Mensus est murum sanctae Hierosolymae centum et quadraginta quatuor cubitorum, mensura Hominis quae est Angeli," (Apocalypsis 21:17);
praeter multis aliis in locis, in quibus per hominem significatur sapiens, et in sensu abstracto sapientia.
Footnotes:
1. iv. pro "xxiv."