438.启9:10.“它们有尾巴像蝎子”表被歪曲的圣言真理，他们通过歪曲真理引发精神麻痹。“尾巴”表示头部的末端，因为脑部通过脊柱延伸至尾部，故头与尾如同首先的和末后的那样合而为一；因此，当“头”表示唯信称义和得救时，“尾”就表示其所有确认的汇总，这些确认来自圣言，因而是被歪曲的圣言真理。凡凭自己的聪明信奉一个宗教信仰原则，并立其为头的人，也会通过圣言接受确认，使它们成为尾；他就这样致使他人精神麻痹，从而伤害他们。这就是为何经上说“它们有尾巴像蝎子”，接着又说“尾巴上有毒钩，有能力伤人”；因为“蝎子”表示给认知或理解力造成精神麻痹的说服力（425节）。凡解剖学家都会告诉你，“尾巴”是脑经由脊柱直到其最末端的延续；或只是观察一条狗或其它任何有尾巴的野兽，逗弄并哄哄它，你就会看到它的脊背平坦下来，尾巴也作出相应的动作；相反，你若是把它惹毛了，它就会绷起脊背。
在以下经文中，被当成原则来信奉的认知或理解力的首要信条也以“头”来表示，其末端以“尾”来表示。
祂必从以色列中剪除头与尾，长老和尊贵的人就是头，以谎言教人的先知是尾。（以赛亚书9:14，15）
埃及中无论是头与尾，所做之工都不成就。（以赛亚书19:15）
以下经文中的也并非表示别的：
龙的七头，以及拖拉着天上星辰的三分之一部分，把它们摔在地上的尾巴。（启示录12:3，4）
还有：
像蛇的尾巴，有用来伤人的头。（启示录9:10）
由于“尾”表示末端，而末端是全体的综合体，所以耶和华对摩西说：
拿住蛇的尾巴；摩西就拿住它，它就变成了杖。（出埃及记4:3，4）
因此经上要求：
他们要在靠近脊骨处取下整条尾巴，连同肾、肠、肝等内脏上的脂油一同献祭。（利未记3:9-11；8:25；9:19；出埃及记29:22）
末端就是那包含并容纳一切在先之物的，对此，可参看《新耶路撒冷教义之圣经篇》（38，65节），以及《圣爱与圣智》（209-216，217-222节）。
438. They had tails like scorpions. (9:10) This symbolizes the Word's truths falsified, by which they induce a mental numbness.
A tail symbolizes the last extension of the head, because the brain extends through the spinal column into the tail. Consequently the head and the tail are united as their first and last elements. Consequently, when the head symbolizes a justifying and saving faith alone, the tail symbolizes in summary all its proofs, and as these are taken from the Word, it symbolizes the Word's truths falsified.
Everyone who assumes some principle of religion on the basis of on his own intelligence and puts it at the head of the rest, also takes proof passages from the Word and puts them at the tail, thus inducing a mental numbness in others and so doing them injury. That is why we are told that "they had tails like scorpions," and next, that "there were stings in their tails," and that "their power was to hurt men." For a scorpion symbolizes a persuasiveness that induces a numbness in the intellect (no. 425).
To be assured that the tail is an extension of the brain through the spinal column to its final point, ask any anatomist and he will tell you. Or look at a dog or some other fierce animal that has a tail, and if you treat it kindly and make yourself agreeable to it, you will see its stiffened back soften and its tail move in a corresponding manner. But on the other hand, if you annoy it, its backbone stiffens.
[2] The primary tenet of the intellect that is assumed as a principle is symbolized by the head, and its final expression by the tail, also in the following passages:
...He will cut off head and tail from Israel... The elder and honorable man is the head; but the prophet who teaches lies is the tail. (Isaiah 9:14-15)
There will not be any work for Egypt that the head or tail... may do. (Isaiah 19:15)
Nothing else is symbolized by the dragon's seven heads and the tail by which it drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth, in Revelation 12:3-4; and also by the tails like serpents, having heads, with which they do harm, in verse 19 of this chapter.
Since the tail symbolizes the final element, and the final element embraces all the rest, therefore Jehovah said to Moses,
"...take (the serpent) by the tail." And he... caught it, and it became a rod... (Exodus 4:3-4)
The priests were also commanded therefore to remove the whole tail close to the backbone and to sacrifice it with the fat on the entrails, the kidneys, the intestines, and the liver (Leviticus 3:9-11; 8:25; 9:19, Exodus 29:22).
To be shown that the final element contains and embraces all the prior ones, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture, nos. 38 65, and Angelic Wisdom Regarding Divine Love and Wisdom, nos. 209-216 217-222.
438. [verse 20] 'And they had tails like scorpions' signifies the falsified truths of the Word by means of which they induce stupefaction. By 'a tail' is signified the ultimate of the head, because the brain is continued into the tail through the back-bone, and therefore head and tail make a one as first and last. When, therefore, faith alone justifying and saving is signified by the 'head,' by the 'tail' are signified all the confirmations thereof as a whole, and these, being out of the Word, are thus truths of the Word falsified. Everyone who takes up a principle of religion derived from his own intelligence and establishes it as the head, also takes confirmations out of the Word and establishes these as the tail. In this manner he induces stupefaction upon others, and so hurts them. It is therefore said that 'they had tails like scorpions,' and soon after, that 'there were stings in their tails, and their power was to hurt the men'; for by 'a scorpion' is signified a persuasiveness inducing stupefaction of the understanding (425). That the tail is a continuation of the brain through the back-bone to its ultimate, ask an anatomist and he will tell you; or look at a dog or other wild animal having a tail and encourage and coax it, and you will see the ridge of its back soften and the tail move correspondingly, and on the other hand you will see the ridge stiffen if you provoke it.
[2] The first thing of the understanding, which it takes up as a principle, is signified by 'head,' and the last thing thereof by 'tail' in these places also:
He will cut off out of Israel the head and the tail, the old man and the honoured one is the head, but the prophet the teacher of a lie is the tail. Isaiah 9:14-15 [H.B. 13-14].
There will be no work for Egypt, that the head and tail may do. Isaiah 19:15.
Nothing else is signified by:
The seven heads of the dragon, and by the tail with which it drew down a third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them upon the land. Revelation 12:3 [, 4]; also by:
The tails like serpents, having heads, with which they do hurt (verse 19 of this chapter).
Since by the 'tail' the ultimate is signified, and the ultimate is the complex of all, therefore Jehovah said to Moses:
Take hold of the tail of the serpent, and be took hold of it, and it became a rod, Exodus 4:3-4.
And therefore it was commanded:
That they should take off the tail entire near the back-bone, and sacrifice it with the fats that were upon the outsides, the kidneys, the intestines, and the liver. Leviticus 3:9-11; 8:25; 9:19; Exodus 29:22.
That the ultimate is the containant and complex of all prior things may be seen in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE SACRED SCRIPTURE 38, 65, and in ANGELIC WISDOM CONCERNING DIVINE LOVE AND WISDOM 209-222.
438. Verse 10. And they had tails like unto scorpions, signifies the truths of the Word falsified, by means of which they induce stupor. By "the tail" is signified the ultimate of the head, because the brain is continued through the backbone into the tail, therefore the head and tail make one; as the first and last; when, therefore, by "the head," faith alone justifying and saving is signified, by "the tail" is signified all the confirmations thereof in a summary, which are from the Word, thus which are the truths of the Word falsified. Everyone, who from his own intelligence assumes a principle of religion, and establishes it as the head, also takes confirmations from the Word, and makes them the tail; thus he induces a stupor upon others, and so hurts them. Therefore it is said, that "they had tails like unto scorpions;" and presently after, "that there were stings in their tails, and that their power was to hurt men;" for by "a scorpion" is signified the power of persuasion inducing stupor upon the understanding, (425). That "the tail" is a continuation of the brain through the backbone to its ultimate, any anatomist will tell you; or merely observe a dog or any other wild beast with a tail, and encourage and coax him, and you will see that the ridge of his back will become smooth, and his tail move correspondingly; but that, on the contrary, he will set his back up if you provoke him.
[2] The primary tenet of the understanding which is assumed as a principle, is signified by "the head," and the ultimate thereof by "the tail," in these passages also:
He will cut off from Israel head and tail, the old and the honored, he is the head, and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail, (Isaiah 9:14-15).
Egypt shall not have any work to make head and tail, (Isaiah 19:15).
Nothing else is signified by:
The seven heads of the dragon, and by his tail, with which he drew a third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth, (Revelation 12:4);
Also by:
The tails like serpents, having heads with which they do hurt, (Revelation 9:10.
Since by "the tail" is signified the ultimate, and the ultimate is the complex of all, therefore Jehovah said to Moses:
Take the serpent by the tail; and he took it, and it became a rod, (Exodus 4:3-4).
And therefore it was commanded that:
They should take off the tail entire near the backbone, and sacrifice it together with the fat that was upon the entrails, kidneys, intestines, and liver, (Leviticus 3:9-11; 8:25; 9:19; Exodus 29:22).
That the ultimate is that which contains and comprehends all prior things, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scriptures, (38, 65), and in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom, (209-222).
438. (Vers. 10.) "Et habebant caudas similes scorpiis," significat vera Verbi falsificata, per quae inducunt stuporem. - Per "caudam" significatur ultimum capitis, quia cerebrum per spinam dorsi continuatur in caudam, quare caput et cauda unum faciunt sicut primum et ultimum dum itaque per "caput" significatur sola fides justificans et salvans, per "caudam" significantur omnes ejus confirmationes in summa, quae sunt ex Verbo, ita vera Verbi falsificata. Omnis qui ex propria intelligentia sumit principium Religionis, et ponit id in caput, ille ex Verbo sumit confirmantia, et ponit haec in caudam sic inducit aliis stuporem, et sic laedit; quare dicitur, quod "haberent caudas similes scorpiis," et mox quod "aculei essent in caudis illarum, et potestas illarum laedere homines" per "scorpium" enim significatur persuasivum inducens intellectui stuporem (425). Quod "cauda" sit continuatio cerebri per Spinam dorsi ad ultimum suum, quaere Anatomicum, et docebit; aut specta canem vel aliam feram cui est cauda, ac ei fave et adblandire, et videbis cristam dorsi mollescere, et caudam correspondenter moveri, et vicissim quod erigatur crista si exacerbas. Primum intellectus, quod pro principio sumitur, significatur per "caput," ac ultimum ejus per "caudam," etiam in his locis:
"Exscindet ex Israele Caput et Caudam: Senex et Honoratus Caput, Propheta autem Doctor mendacii Cauda," (Esaias 9:13-14 (B.A. 14-15));
"Non erit Aegypto opus, quod faciat Caput et Caudam," (Esaias 19:15). 1
Per Draconis septem Capita, et per Caudam, qua detraxit tertiam partem stellarum Caeli, et projecit in terram, (Apocalypsis 12:3(, 4));
tum etiam, per Caudas similes serpentibus, habentes capita, quibus laedunt (vers. 19 hujus capitis),
nec aliud significatur. Quoniam per "caudam" significatur ultimum, et ultimum est complexus omnium, ideo dixit Jehovah ad Mosen,
"Prehende Caudam serpentis; et prehendit, et factus est in baculum," (Exodus 4:3-4);
ac ideo mandatum est quod Caudam integram juxta spinam dorsi removerent, et illam cum adipibus, qui super extis, renibus, intestinis et jecore, sacrificarent, (Leviticus 3:9-11; 8:25; 9:19; Exodus 29:22).
Quod ultimum sit continens et complexus omnium priorum, videatur in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Scriptura Sacra 38, 65, et in Sapientia Angelica de Divino Amore et Divina Sapientia 209-222.
Footnotes:
1. 15 pro "13"