315.“一钱银子买一升麦子，一钱银子买三升大麦”表对良善与真理的估价如此之小，以至于几乎什么也不是。之所以表示这些，是因为 “升”也就是所测量的容量和数量，表示性质，如前所述（313节）；“麦子”和“大麦”表示良善与真理；“一钱”，也就是极小的硬币，表示它们极少，或没有价值。经上之所说大麦有“三升”，是因为数字“三”表示全部，并且论及真理（515节）。“麦子”和“大麦”之所以表示良善与真理，在此表示教会取自圣言的良善与真理，是因为凡属田地或葡萄园的一切事物皆表示诸如属教会的那类事物，还因为“田”表示教会的良善和由此而来的真理，而“葡萄园”表示教会的真理和由此而来的良善；因此，当圣言提及这些事物时，从属灵角度领悟一切事物的天使不会有别的理解。如约珥书：
田荒凉，地悲哀；因为五谷毁坏，新酒干竭，油也缺乏。农夫啊，你们要惭愧；修理葡萄园的啊，你们为小麦和大麦要哀号；因为田间的庄稼都灭绝了。（约珥书1:10-12）
所有这些事物都表示诸如属教会的那类事物。“麦子（或小麦）”和“大麦”表示教会的良善与真理，这一点可从以下经文可以看出来：
约翰论到耶稣说，祂要把麦子收在仓里，把糠用火烧尽了。（马太福音3:11，12）
耶稣说，容稗子和麦子一齐长，当收割的时候，我要对收割的人说，先将稗子薅出来，留着烧，惟有麦子要收在仓里。（马太福音13:24-30）
我从耶和华神那里听见；他按行列种小麦，在定处种大麦；因为他的神教导他务农相宜，并且指教他。（以赛亚书28:22，25，26）
此处“小麦和大麦之地”是指迦南地，而迦南地表示教会。
他们要来到锡安的高处歌唱，又流归耶和华的美善，就是五谷的新酒。（耶利米书31:12）
耶和华用上好的麦子填饱你。（申命记32:13，14；诗篇81:13，16；147:14）
耶和华对先知以西结说：
用混合粪便的大麦为自己做饼，并吃掉。（以西结书4:12，15）
对先知何西阿说：
去娶一个女人，一个淫妇；何西阿用大麦一贺梅珥半买她。（何西阿书3:1，2）
先知做这些事，是为了能代表教会中对真理的歪曲，因为“大麦”表示真理，“与粪混和的大麦”表示被歪曲和亵渎的真理；“一个女人，一个淫妇”也表示被歪曲的真理（134节）。
315. "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius." This symbolically means, because the value these people placed on goodness and truth was so little as to be scarcely anything.
This is the symbolic meaning because a quart, which is a measure and its contents, symbolizes the character of a thing, as shown in no. 313 above. Wheat and barley symbolize goodness and truth, and a denarius, being a very small coin, symbolizes a value so little as to be scarcely anything.
Three quarts of barley are specified because the number three symbolizes all and is predicated of truths (no. 400).
Wheat and barley symbolizes goodness and truth, here the goodness and truth of the church acquired from the Word, because everything connected with a field or vineyard symbolizes something having to do with the church - a field symbolizing the church in respect to its goodness and consequent truth, and a vineyard symbolizing the church in respect to its truth and consequent goodness. Therefore, where these are mentioned in the Word, angels, who perceive everything spiritually, have no other understanding of them - as for example in Joel:
The field is wasted, the land mourns, because the grain is wasted, the new wine is dried up, the oil fails. Ashamed are the farmers, the vinedressers wail, over the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field has perished. (Joel 1:10-12)
All of these things symbolize things having to do with the church.
[2] That wheat and barley symbolize the goodness and truth of the church can be seen from the following passages:
(John said of Jesus that He would) gather his wheat into the granary and burn the chaff with fire... (Matthew 3:11-12)
(Jesus said,) "Let (weed and wheat) grow together..., and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, 'First gather together the weeds... to burn them, but gather the wheat into my granary.'" (Matthew 23:24-30)
...I have heard from Jehovah God... a consummation and determination... Plant the measured wheat, and the appointed barley... (Thus) He instructs him for judgment; His God teaches him. (Isaiah 28:21-26)
...Jehovah... will bring you into... a land of wheat and barley... (Deuteronomy 8:7-8)
The land of wheat and barley here is the land of Canaan, which symbolizes the church.
They shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of Jehovah, for wheat and new wine... (Jeremiah 31:12)
(Jehovah) will fill you with the finest wheat. (Psalms 147:12-14, cf. Deuteronomy 32:13-14, Psalms 81:13, 16)
Jehovah told the prophet Ezekiel to make himself a cake of barleycorn mixed with dung and eat it (Ezekiel 4:12, 15). And He told the prophet Hosea to take to himself an adulterous woman, whom he bought for one and a half omers of barleycorn (Hosea 3:1-2). The prophets did these things to represent the falsifications of truth in the church, for barleycorns are truths, and barleycorns mixed with dung are truths falsified and profaned. An adulterous woman also symbolizes truth falsified (no. 134).
315. 'A measure (chaenix) of wheat for a penny (denarius), and three measures of barley for a penny' signifies because the evaluation of good and truth is so very little as to be scarcely anything. These things are signified because by 'a measure' (chaenix), which was the measure and the quantity measured, is signified the quality, as above (313); by 'wheat' and 'barley' is signified good and truth; and by 'a penny' (denarius), which is the smallest coin, an appraisal so little as to be scarcely anything. 'Three measures of barley' are mentioned because 'three' signify all, and are predicated of truths (505). 'Wheat' and 'barley' signify good and truth, here the good and truth of the Church out of the Word, because all the things that are of the field and the vineyard signify such things as are of the Church, on account of 'field' signifying the Church as to good and the truth therefrom, and 'vineyard' signifying the Church as to truth and the good therefrom. Therefore where those are mentioned in the Word, the angels, who perceive all things spiritually, do not understand anything else; as these [words] in Joel:
The field is laid waste, the land is mourning, for the corn is laid waste the new wine is dried up, the oil is languishing, the husbandmen are ashamed, the vinedressers have uttered lamentations over the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field is perished. Joel 1:10-12.
[2] All these things signify such things as are of the Church. That 'wheat' and 'barley' signify the good and truth of the Church can be seen from these passages:
John [said] concerning Jesus, that He will gather the wheat into the barn, and burn up the chaff with fire. Matthew 3:11-12.
Jesus said, Let the tares and the wheat grow together, and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather first the tares for burning, but gather the wheat into my barn. Matthew 13:24-30.
I have heard from Jehovah God the consummation and decision, he lays up the measured wheat, and the appointed barley, so he instructs for the judgment, his God teaches him. Isaiah 28:21-26.
Jehovah shall lead thee to a land of wheat and barley. Deuteronomy 8:7-8.
The 'land of wheat and barley' here is the land of Canaan, by which the Church is signified.
They shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of Jehovah, to the wheat and the new wine. Jeremiah 31:12.
Jehovah shall satiate thee with the fat of wheat. Deuteronomy 32:13-14; Psalms 81:13, 16 [H.B. 14, 17]; Psalms 147:12-14.
Jehovah said to the prophet Ezekiel:
That he should make himself a cake of barley, mixed with dung, and eat it. Ezekiel 4:12, 15; and to the prophet Hosea:
That he should take a woman, an adulteress, whom he bought for a homer of barley, and a half-homer of barley, Hosea 3:1-2; which things were done by those prophets that they might represent the falsifications of truth in the Church, for truths are 'barley,' and truths falsified and profaned are 'barley mixed with dung'; 'a woman, an adulteress' also signifies falsified truth (134).
315. A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny, signifies because the estimation of good and truth is so small as to be scarcely anything. These are signified because by "a measure" [choenix] which was the measure and the quantity measured, is signified quality, as above, (314); by "wheat" and "barley" is signified good and truth; and by a penny [denarius] which is a very small coin, that they are held in little or no estimation. It is said "three" measures of barley, because "three" signify all, and are predicated of truths, (515). The reason why "wheat" and "barley" signify good and truth, here the good and truth of the church from the Word, is, because all things which belong to the field and the vineyard, signify such things as are of the church, because "a field" signifies the church as to good and truth thence, and "a vineyard," the church as to truth and good therefrom; therefore where these are mentioned in the Word, the angels, who perceive all things spiritually, understand nothing else; as in Joel:
The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted; the must is dried up, the oil languisheth. Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vine dressers, for the wheat and the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished, (Joel 1:10-12).
[2] All these things signify such things as are of the church. That "wheat" and "barley" signify the good and truth of the church, may be seen from these passages:
John saith concerning Jesus, that He will gather the wheat into the barn, and burn up the chaff with fire, (Matthew 3:11-12).
Jesus said, Let the tares and the wheat grow together, and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares to burn, but gather the wheat into My barn, (Matthew 13:24-30).
I have heard the consummation and decision from Jehovah God; he layeth up the measured wheat, and the appointed barley; for his God doth instruct him to judgment, and doth teach him, (Isaiah 28:22, 25-26).
Jehovah shall lead thee to a land of wheat and barley, (Deuteronomy 8:7-8).
"A land of wheat and barley" here is the land of Canaan, by which the church is signified.
They shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of Jehovah, for wheat and must, (Jeremiah 31:12).
Jehovah shall satiate thee with the fat of wheat, (Deuteronomy 32:13-14; Psalms 81:16; 147:14).
Jehovah said to the prophet Ezekiel that:
He should make himself cakes of barley mixed with dung, and eat them, (Ezekiel 4:12, 15).
And to the prophet Hosea that:
He should take a woman an adulteress; whom he bought for a homer of barley, and half a homer of barley, (Hosea 3:1-2 Which things were done by those prophets, that they might represent the falsifications of truth in the church, for "barley" signifies truths, and "barley mixed with dung" truths falsified and profaned; "a woman an adulteress" also signifies truth falsified, (134).
315. "Choenix tritici denario, et tres choenices hordei denario," significat quia aestimatio boni et veri tam pusilla est ut vix ulla. -Haec significantur, quia per "choenicem," quae erat mensura et demensum, significatur quale, ut supra (314); per "triticum" et "hordeum" significatur bonum et verum; et per "denarium," qui est nummus minimus, aestimatio tam pusilla, ut vix ulla: quod "tres" choenices hordei dicantur, est quia "tria" significant omne, et praedicantur de veris (515). Quod "triticum" et "hordeum" significent bonum et verum; hic bonum et verum Ecclesiae ex Verbo, est quia omnia quae agri et vineae sunt, significant talia quae Ecclesiae sunt, ex causa, quia "ager" significat Ecclesiam quoad bonum et inde verum, et "vinea" Ecclesiam quoad verum et inde bonum; quare ubi in Verbo memorantur illa, Angeli, qui spiritualiter omnia percipiunt, non aliud intelligunt. Sicut haec apud Joelem:
"Devastatus est Ager, luget terra, qua devastatum est Frumentum, exaruit Mustum, languet Oleum; pudefacti sunt Agricolae, ejularunt Vinitores, super Tritico et Hordeo, eo quod perierit Messis Agri," (1:10-12);
haec omnia significant talia quae Ecclesiae sunt. Quod "triticum" et "hordeum" significent bonum et verum Ecclesiae, videri potest ex his locis:
Johannes de Jesu, quod "colliget Triticum in horreum, et paleam comburet igne," (Matthaeus 3:11-12);
"Jesus dixit, Sinite zizaniam et Triticum crescere una; et tempore messis dicam messoribus, Colligite prius zizaniam ad comburendum, Triticum vero congregate in horreum Meum," (Matthaeus 13:24-30);
Consummationem et decisionem audivi a Jehovah Deo; reponit Triticum mensuratum, et Hordeum designatum; ita erudit ad judicium, Deus ejus docet eum," (Esaias 28:22, 25-26); 1
"Jehovah deducet te ad terram Tritici et Hordei," (Deuteronomius 8:7-8);
"terra tritici et hordei" est hic Terra Canaan, per quam significatur Ecclesia.
"Venient et canent in altitudine Sionis, et confluent ad bonum Jehovae ad Triticum et Mustum," (Jeremias 31:12);
"Jehovah satiabit te adipe Tritici," (Deuteronomius 32:13-14); 2Psalm 81:17 (B.A. 16); 3Psalm 147:14). 4
Jehovah dixit ad Prophetam Ezechielem, quod Faceret sibi placentam Hordeorum, mixtam cum stercore, et comederet, (4:12, 15);
et ad Prophetam Hoscheam, quod Acciperet mulierem adulteram; quam sibi comparavit per corum Hordeorum et semicorum Hordeorum, (3:1, 2);
quae facta sunt a Prophetis illis, ut repraesentarent falsificationes veri in Ecclesia, "Hordea" enim sunt vera, et "Hordea mixta cum stercore" sunt vera falsificata et prophanata; "mulier adultera" etiam significat falsificatum verum (134).
Footnotes:
1. 22, 25, 26 pro "21 ad 26"
2. 13, 14 pro "33, 34"
3. 17 pro "14, 17"
4. 14 pro "12, 13, 14"