44.“七灯台中间有一位好像人子”表圣言方面的主，该教会来自祂。从圣言可知，主自称“神的儿子”，以及“人子”；祂所说的“神的儿子”是指神性人方面的祂自己，“人子”是指圣言方面的祂自己。这一点在《新耶路撒冷教义之主篇》（19-28节）已经充分证明了；该书引圣言作了充分的证明，故此处无需赘述。主因作为圣言在约翰面前展现祂自己，因而为他所见，故被称为“人子”。祂之所以作为圣言展现祂自己，是因为此处论述的是新教会，它是一个来自圣言并照对圣言的理解而立的新教会。教会来自圣言，并且它对圣言的理解如何，教会就如何，这一点可见于《新耶路撒冷教义之圣经篇》（76-79节）一书。由于教会是通过圣言来自主的教会，所以约翰便看见人子站在灯台的中间。“中间”表在至内层，凡在周围或外面的事物皆从这至内层得其本质，在此则指它们的光或聪明。至内层是周围或外面事物的全部，这一点在《圣爱与圣智》一书多有说明。它就像中间的光源和火焰，周围的一切皆从其获得光和热。
在以下圣言经文中，“中间”具有同样的含义：
锡安的居民哪，当喊叫欢呼；因为在你们中间的以色列圣者乃为至大。（以赛亚书12:6）
神是我的王，在地中间施行拯救。（诗篇74:12）
神殿中施行慈爱。（诗篇48:9）
神站立在神的会中，在诸神中行审判。（诗篇82:1）
通过主处于神性真理的人，抽象而言，即真理本身被称为“诸神”。
看哪！我差遣使者在你前面；你们要在他面前谨慎，因为我的名就在他中间。（出埃及记23:20-21）
“耶和华的名”就是全部神性，“在中间”就是在至内层，因而在它的全部中。在圣言论述邪恶的许多经文中，如以赛亚书（24:13）；耶利米书（23:9）；诗篇（5:9）；耶利米书（9:4-5）；诗篇（36:1；55:4；62:4），“中间”也表至内层，因而表全部。引用这些经文，为要阐明“灯台中间”表在至内层，教会及其一切事物皆来自这至内层，因为教会及其一切事物皆通过圣言来自主。“灯台”表新教会（参看43节）。
44. And in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man. (1:13) This symbolizes the Lord in relation to the Word, from whom that church originates.
People know from the Word that the Lord called Himself the Son of God and also the Son of Man. By "the Son of God" He meant Himself in respect to His Divine humanity, and by "the Son of Man" He meant Himself in relation to the Word. This we fully demonstrated in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord, nos. 19-28 and since we confirmed it thoroughly from the Word there, we refrain from confirming it further here.
Now because the Lord presented Himself to John as the Word, therefore in His appearance to him He is called the Son of Man.
The Lord presented Himself as the Word because the subject is the New Church, which is a church founded on the Word, according to its understanding of it. To be shown that the church is founded on the Word, and that its character is such as its understanding of the Word, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture, nos. 76-79.
Since the church is a church from the Lord by means of the Word, therefore the Son of Man appeared in the midst of lampstands. "In the midst" means, symbolically, in the inmost, from which those things that are round about or exterior to it draw their essence, in this case their light or intelligence.
That the inmost is everything in the things that are round about or exterior to it is something we showed many times in Angelic Wisdom Regarding Divine Love and Wisdom. It is like a light or flame at the center, in consequence of which all the peripheries shine with light and are warm.
[2] "In the midst" has the same symbolic meaning in the following passages in the Word:
Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst! (Isaiah 12:6)
God is my King..., working salvation in the midst of the earth. (Psalms 74:12)
...God...(working) lovingkindness in the midst of (the) temple.
God stands in the congregation of God; in the midst of the gods He will judge. (Psalms 82:1)
Gods are what those people who possess Divine truths from the Lord are called, and in an abstract sense, the truths themselves.
Behold, I am sending an angel before you... Beware of his presence...; for My name is in the midst of him. (Exodus 23:20-21)
The name of Jehovah means everything Divine. In the midst means in the inmost and so in every part.
In the midst or within symbolizes the inmost and so every part in many other places in the Word, even where the subject is evils, as in Isaiah 24:13, Jeremiah 23:9, Psalms 5:9, Jeremiah 9:5-6, and Psalms 36:1; 55:4; 62:4.
We have cited these places to make known that "in the midst of the lampstands" means, symbolically, in the inmost of the church, from which the church and everything connected with it originates; for the church and everything connected with it comes from the Lord through the Word.
To be shown that the lampstands symbolize a new church, see no. 43 just above.
44. [verse 13] 'And in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the SON OF MAN' signifies the Lord as to the Word, from Whom that Church [will be]. From the Word it is known that the Lord called Himself 'SON OF GOD' and also 'SON OF MAN.' That by 'Son of God' He meant Himself as to the Divine Human, and by 'Son of Man' Himself as to the Word, has been fully demonstrated in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE LORD 19-28; and since it has there been fully confirmed out of the Word, it is unnecessary to confirm it further here. Now, since the Lord in the presence of John represented Himself as the Word, therefore, as seen by him, He is called the SON OF MAN. He represented Himself as the Word, because the New Church is treated of, which is a Church out of the Word and in accordance with the understanding of it. That the Church is out of the Word and that it is of such a quality as is its understanding of the Word, may be seen in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE SACRED SCRIPTURE 76-79. Since the Church is a Church from the Lord by means of the Word, therefore the SON OF MAN was seen in the midst of the lampstands. 'In the midst' signifies in the inmost, out of which the things that are around, or are outside, draw their essence, here their light or intelligence. That the inmost is the all in the things that are around or outside has been shown many times in ANGELIC WISDOM CONCERNING DIVINE LOVE AND WISDOM; it is as a light and flame in the midst out of which all the surroundings shine and glow.
[2] 'In the midst' has a similar significance in the following passages in the Word:
Cry out and shout, O inhabitress of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. Isaiah 12:6.
God is my King working salvation in the midst of the land. Psalms 74:12.
God working mercy in the midst of the temple. Psalms 48:9.
God stands in the congregation of God, He will judge in the midst of the gods. Psalms 82:1.
They are called 'gods' who are in Divine truths from the Lord, and abstractly, the truths themselves.
Behold, I send an Angel before thee; beware of His faces, since My Name is in the midst of Him. Exodus 23:20-21.
The 'Name' of Jehovah is all the Divine, 'in the midst' is in the inmost, and thence in all of it. 'The midst' also signifies the inmost, and all thence, in many other passages in the Word, even where evils are treated of, as Isaiah 24:13; Jeremiah 23:9; Psalms 5:9 [H.B. 10]; Jeremiah 9:5-6 [H.B. 4-5]; Psalms 36:1 [H.B. 2]; 55:4 [H.B. 5]; 62:4 [H.B. 5]. These passages are adduced so that it may be known that 'in the midst of the lampstands' signifies in the inmost, from which the Church and everything of it [exists], for the Church and everything of it is from the Lord by means of the Word. That 'the lampstands' signify the New Church may be seen just above (43).
44. Verse 13. And in the midst of the seven lampstands One like unto the Son of man, signifies the Lord as to the Word, from whom that church is. It is known from the Word, that the Lord called Himself "the Son of God," and also "the Son of man;" that by "the Son of God" He meant Himself as to the Divine Human, and by the "Son of man," Himself as to the Word, is fully demonstrated in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord, (19-28); and as it is there fully confirmed from the Word, it is unnecessary to add any further confirmation here. Now, because the Lord represented Himself before John as the Word, therefore as seen by him, He is called "the Son of man." He represented Himself as the Word, because the New Church is treated of, which is a church from the Word, and according to the understanding of it. That the church is from the Word, and that such as its understanding of the Word is, such is the church, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture, (76-79). As the church is a church from the Lord through the Word, therefore the Son of man was seen in the midst of the lampstands; "in the midst" signifies in the inmost, from which the things which are round about, or which are without, derive their essence, here, their light or intelligence. That the inmost is the all in the things which are round about, or without, is shown in many places in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Love and Wisdom; it is like light and flame in the midst, from which all the circumferences receive light and heat.
[2] "In the midst," has the same signification in the following passages in the Word:
Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee, (Isaiah 12:6).
God is my King working salvation in the midst of the earth, (Psalms 74:12).
God doing mercy in the midst of the temple, (Psalms 48:9).
God standeth in the assembly of God; he will judge in the midst of the gods, (Psalms 82:1).
They are called "gods" who are in Divine truths from the Lord, and, abstractly, the truths themselves:
Behold, I send an angel before thee; beware of his face, for My name is in the midst of him, (Exodus 23:20-21).
"The name of Jehovah" is all the Divine; "in the midst," is in the inmost, and thence in everything of it. "The midst" also signifies the inmost, and thence the all, in many other passages in the Word, where evils are also treated of, as in Isaiah 24:13; Jeremiah 23:9; Psalms 5:9; Jeremiah 9:4-5; Psalms 36:1; 55:4; 62:4. These passages are adduced in order to show, that "in the midst of the lampstands" signifies in the inmost, from which the church and everything of it is derived; for the church and everything of it is from the Lord through the Word. That "lampstands" signify the New Church, may be seen above, (43).
44. (Vers. 13.) "Et in medio Septem Candelabrorum similem Filio Hominis," significat Dominum quoad Verbum, a Quo illa. - Notum est ex Verbo, quod Dominus Se vocaverit "Filium Dei," et quoque "Filium Hominis;" quod per "Filium Dei" intellexerit Se quoad Divinum Humanum, et per "Filium Hominis" Se quoad Verbum, plene demonstratum est in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Domino (19-28); et quia ibi plene ex Verbo id confirmatum est, supersedetur hic illud ulterius confirmare. Nunc quia Dominus coram Johanne Se repraesentavit ut Verbum, ideo visus illi vocatur "Filius Hominis." Repraesentavit Se ut Verbum, quia agitur de Nova Ecclesia, quae est Ecclesia ex Verbo, et secundum intellectum ejus; quod Ecclesia sit ex Verbo, et quod talis sit qualis ei est intellectus Verbi, videatur in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Scriptura Sacra 76-79. Quoniam Ecclesia est Ecclesia a Domino per Verbum, ideo visus est Filius Hominis in medio Candelabrorum; "in Medio" significat in Intimo, ex quo illa quae circum sunt aut quae extra sunt, trahunt suam essentiam, hic suam lucem seu intelligentiam; quod Intimum sit omne in illis quae circum aut extra sunt, multis ostensum est in Sapientia Angelica de Divino Amore et Divina Sapientia,' est sicut Lux et Flamma in medio, ex quibus omnes peripheriae lucent et calent. Simile significat "in medio" in sequentibus locis in Verbo:
"Exclama et jubila habitatrix Zionis, quia magnus in Medio tui Sanctus Israelis," (Esaias 12:6);
"Deus Rex meus operans salutes in Medio terrae," (Psalm 74:12); 1
"Deus operans Misericordiam in Medio Templi," (Psalm 48:10 (B.A. 9)); 2
"Deus constitit in caetu Dei, in Medio deorum judicabit," (Psalm 82:1); 3
"dii" vocantur qui in Divinis veris a Domino sunt, et abstracte ipsa Vera:
"Ecce mitto Angelum coram te; caveto tibi a faciebus Ipsius, quoniam Nomen Meum in Medio Ipsius," (Exodus 23:20-21);
"Nomen Jehovae" est omne Divinum; "in Medio" est in Intimo et inde in omni ejus. "Medium" etiam significat Intimum, et inde Omne, in pluribus aliis locis in Verbo, etiam ubi agitur de malis, ut Esaias 24:13; Jeremias 23:9; Psalm 5:10 (B.A. 9); Jeremias 9:4-5; 4Psalm 36:2 (B.A. 1); Psalm 55:5 (B.A. 4); 5Psalm 62:5 (B.A. 4). Haec loca allata sunt, ut Sciatur quod "in Medio Candelabrorum" significet in Intimo a quo Ecclesia et omne ejus, nam Ecclesia et omne ejus est a Domino per Verbum. Quod "Candelabra" significent Novam Ecclesiam, videatur mox supra (43).
Footnotes:
1. lxxiv. pro "lxiv."
2. 48:10 pro "28:10, 11"
3. lxxxii. pro "lxxii."
4. Jerem. pro "Psalm."
5. 55:5 pro "54:7"