459.“和那些金、银、铜、石、木的偶像”表因此他们的敬拜出于纯粹的虚假。在圣言中，“偶像”表示敬拜的虚假，因此“拜偶像”就表示出于虚假的敬拜；而拜“金、银、铜、木、石的偶像”则表示出于各种虚假的敬拜，总起来说，表示出于纯粹虚假的敬拜。此外，在古人当中，造偶像的物质材料，它们的样式、衣着都代表着宗教信仰的虚假，他们的敬拜便出于这些虚假，其中：“金偶像”表示涉及神性事物的虚假；“银偶像”表示涉及属灵事物的虚假；“铜偶像”表示涉及仁的虚假；“石偶像”表示涉及信的虚假；“木偶像”表示涉及好行为的虚假。所有这些虚假就存在于那些不实践悔改行为，也就是避恶如反对神的罪之人身上。
在以下经文中，偶像，也就是雕像和铸像，在属灵之义上就表示这些事物：
各人都因知识变得愚蠢，各建立者（every founder ）都因他雕刻的偶像羞愧。他所铸的偶像本是虚假的，其中并无气息；都是虚无的，是迷惑人的作品。到追讨的时候，它们必灭亡。（耶利米书10:14-15；51:17-18）
偶像不过是匠人的手工；它们不能说话；他们全是顽梗愚昧；虚妄的教导不过是木头；它们都是巧匠的作品。（耶利米书10:3-5，8-10）
雕刻的偶像，虚谎的师傅和制造者将它刻出来，虚谎的制造者倚靠它，有什么益处呢？其中毫无气息。（哈巴谷书2:18-19）
到那日，人必将为拜而造的金偶像、银偶像抛给田鼠和蝙蝠。（以赛亚书2:18，20）
他们为自己铸造银偶像，就是照自己的聪明所造的偶像，都是匠人的工作。（何西阿书13:2）
我必用清水洒在你们身上，你们就洁净了，使你们脱离一切的污秽、弃掉一切的偶像。（以西结书36:25）
“清水”是指真理，“偶像”是指敬拜的虚假：
你要判定你雕刻银偶像所包的污秽之物和铸造金偶像所包的衣服；你要抛散它，如同称为粪土的月经布。（以赛亚书30:22）
巴比伦王伯沙撒和大臣、皇后、妃嫔用从耶路撒冷殿中所掠的金银器皿饮酒时，所赞美（或敬拜）的金、银、铜、铁、木、石所造的神无非表示宗教信仰、因而敬拜的虚假；王因此被赶出离开世人，变得如同兽类（但以理书5:1-5等）；此外还有其它地方（如以赛亚书10:10，11；21:9；31:7；40:19，20；41:29；42:17；48:5；耶利米书8:19；50:38，39；以西结书6:4，5；14:3-6；弥迦书1:7；5:13；诗篇115:4，5；135:15，16；利未记36:30）。确切地说，“偶像”表示出于人自己聪明的敬拜的虚假。以赛亚书（44:9-20）充分描述了一个人如何塑造它们，然后又如何调整它们，以至于使其看似真理。
459. And idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood. This symbolically means that thus they engage in worship founded on nothing but falsities.
Idols in the Word symbolize falsities in worship, and therefore worshiping them symbolizes worship founded on falsities. Worshiping idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, then, symbolizes worship founded on falsities of every kind, and when taken in combination, worship founded on nothing but falsities. Moreover, the materials, figures, and garments of the idols among ancient peoples represented the falsities of religion on which they founded their worship. Idols of gold symbolized falsities regarding matters pertaining to God; idols of silver, falsities regarding matters pertaining to the spirit; idols of brass, falsities regarding charity; idols of stone, falsities regarding faith; and idols of wood, falsities regarding good works.
All of these falsities are held by people who do not repent, that is, who do not refrain from evils as being sins against God.
[2] Idols, which were carved and cast images, have this symbolic meaning in the spiritual sense in the following passages:
Everyone has been made stupid by knowledge; every metalsmith is has been put to shame by a carved image; for his cast image is a falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are futile, a work of errors; in the time of their visitation they shall perish. (Jeremiah 10:14-15; 51:17-18)
(Carved images are) the work of the hands of the workman... They do not speak... They are both foolish and stupid; the wood is a worthless teacher... They are all the work of skillful men. (Jeremiah 10:3-5, 8-10)
What profit is the carved image, that its maker has carved it, ...and a teacher of lies, that the maker of the lie trusts in it...? ...in it there is no breath. (Habakkuk 2:18-19)
In that day a man will cast away to the moles and bats his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship... (Isaiah 2:18, 20)
...they made for themselves cast images of their silver, idols according to their skill, all of it the work of craftsmen. (Hosea 13:2)
I will sprinkle clean water on you, that you may be cleansed... from all your uncleanness and from all your idols. (Ezekiel 36:25)
Clean waters are truths; idols are falsities in worship.
You shall judge unclean the covering of your graven images of silver, and the attire of your cast images of gold. You will throw them away as a menstrual cloth; you will call it excrement. (Isaiah 30:22)
[3] Falsities in religion and thus in worship are precisely what are symbolically meant by the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone that Belshazzar, king of Babylon, praised (i.e., worshiped) when with his great men, wives and concubines he drank wine from the vessels of gold and silver taken from the temple in Jerusalem, on which account he was driven from mankind and became as a beast (Daniel 5:1-5ff.).
And so also in many other places, as in Isaiah 10:10-11; 21:9; 31:7; 40:19-20; 41:29; 42:17; 48:5, Leviticus 26:30.
Properly speaking, idols symbolize falsities in worship springing from people's own intelligence. How a person fashions them and afterward adapts them so that they appear to be true is fully described in Isaiah 44:9-20.
459. 'And idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood' signifies that thus they are in a worship derived from nothing but untruths. By 'idols' in the Word are signified untruths of worship, and consequently by adoring them is signified a worship derived from untruths, and by adoring idols of 'gold,' 'silver,' 'bronze,' 'stone' and 'wood' is signified a worship derived from every kind of untruth, and collectively a worship derived from nothing but untruths. Moreover, with the ancients, the materials, forms, and garments of idols used to represent the untruths of religion of which their worship was the result. 'Idols of gold' signified untruths concerning Divine things, 'idols of silver' untruths concerning spiritual things, 'idols of bronze' untruths concerning charity, 'idols of stone' untruths concerning faith, and 'idols of wood' untruths concerning good works. All these untruths exist with those who do not repent, that is, flee from evils as sins against God.
[2] These things are signified in the spiritual sense by the idols that were graven and molten images, in the following passages:
Every man has become stupid by knowledge, every founder is shamed by a graven image, because his molten image is a lie, and there is no breath in them; they are vanity, a work of errors; in the time of their visitation they shall perish. Jeremiah 10:14-15; 51:17-18.
Graven images are the work of the hands of the workman, they speak not; they are made foolish and grow stupid together, the wood is a teaching of vanities, they are all the work of the wise. Jeremiah 10:3-5, 8-10.
What comes forth from the graven image, because the fabricator and teacher of a lie has graven it, because the fabricator of a lie has trusted in it? There is no breath in the midst of it, Habakkuk 2:18-20.
In that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which they made for themselves to bow down to, to the moles and to the bats. Isaiah 2:18, 20.
They have made for themselves a molten image out of their silver idols in [the image of] their own intelligence, the whole the work of the craftsman, Hosea 13:2.
I will sprinkle clean waters upon you, that you may be cleansed from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols. Ezekiel 36:25.
'Clean waters' are truths, 'idols' are untruths of worship.
Thou shalt judge unclean the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the clothing of thy molten image of gold, thou shalt scatter it as menstrual waste, thou shalt call it dung. Isaiah 30:22.
[3] Nor is anything but untruths of religion and consequently of worship signified by:
The gods of gold, of silver, of bronze, of iron, of wood and of stone, which the king of Babel, Behshazzar, praised (worshipped) when he drank wine with the magnates, wives and concubines, out of the vessels of gold and silver of the Jerusalem temple; because of which the king was driven out from man, and became as a beast (Daniel 5:1-5 seq).
Besides in many other places, as Isaiah 10:10-11; 21:9; 31:7; 40:19-20; 41:29; 42:17; 48:5; Jeremiah 8:19; 50:38-39; Ezekiel 6:4-5; 14:3-6; Micah 1:7; 5:13 [H.B. 12]; Psalms 115:4-5; 135:15-16; Leviticus 26:30. Properly by idols are signified untruths of worship derived from self-intelligence. How a man fashions these and afterwards accommodates them, so that they may appear as truths, is fully described in Isaiah 44:9-20.
459. And idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and wood, signifies that thus they are in worship from mere falsities. By "idols" in the Word, are signified the falsities of worship, and therefore to adore them signifies worship from falsities; and by "adoring idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood," is signified worship from falsities of all kinds, and, taken collectively, worship from mere falsities. Moreover, the material of which idols were made, their forms, and their garments, among the ancients, represented the falsities of religion, from which was their worship: "idols of gold" signified falsities concerning Divine things; "idols of silver," falsities concerning spiritual things; "idols of brass," falsities concerning charity; "idols of stone," falsities concerning faith; and "idols of wood," falsities concerning good works. All these falsities exist in those who do not do the work of repentance, that is, shun evils as sins against God.
[2] These things are signified in the spiritual sense by idols which were graven images and molten images, in the following passages:
Every man has become foolish by knowledge, every founder is affected with shame by his graven image, because his molten image is a lie, neither is there breath in them; they are vanity, a work of errors; in the time of their visitation they shall perish, (Jeremiah 10:14-15; 51:17-18).
The graven images are the work of the hands of the workman; they speak not; they are infatuated and grow foolish together; the wood is a teaching of vanities; they all are the work of the wise, (Jeremiah 10:3-5, 8-10).
What profiteth the graven image, that the maker and teacher of lies has graven it; that the maker of a lie has trusted in it? there is no breath in the midst of it, (Habakkuk 2:18-19).
In that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which they made for themselves to bow themselves down to, to the moles and to the bats, (Isaiah 2:18, 20).
They have made for themselves a molten image of their silver, idols according to their own intelligence, the whole the work of the artificers, (Hosea 13:2).
I will sprinkle clean waters upon you, that ye may be cleansed from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols, (Ezekiel 36:25).
"Clean waters" are truths; "the idols" are the falsities of worship:
Ye shall judge unclean the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the clothing of thy molten image of gold; thou shalt scatter it as a menstruous cloth, thou shalt call it dung, (Isaiah 30:22).
[3] Nor is anything but the falsities of religion and thence of worship signified by:
The gods of gold, of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone, which Belshazzar, king of Babylon, praised (worshiped), when he drank wine with his magnates, wives, and concubines out of the vessels of gold and silver of the temple of Jerusalem; for which the king was driven out from man and became like a beast, (Daniel 5:1-5 seq.);
besides many other places (as Isaiah 10:10-11; 21:9; 31:7; 40:19-20; 41:29; 42:17; 48:5; Jeremiah 8:19; 50:38-39; Ezekiel 6:4-5; 14:3-6; Micah 1:7; 5:13; Psalms 115:4-5; 135:15-16; Leviticus 26:30). By idols are properly signified the falsities of worship from one's own intelligence. How a man fashions them, and afterwards accommodates them, so as to appear as truths, is fully described in Isaiah 44:9-20).
459. "Et idola aurea et aenea et aenea et lapidea et lignea," significat quod sic in cultu sint ex mere falsis. - Per "idola" in Verbo significantur falsa cultus, et inde per adorare illa significatur cultus ex falsis; et per "adorare idola aurea, Argentea, aenea, lapidea et lignea," significatur cultus ex omnis generis falsis, et simul sumpta ex meris falsis; etiam idolorum materiae, formae, et vestes, apud antiquos repraesentabant falsa religionis, ex quibus fuit illorum cultus. "Idola aura" significabant falsa de Divinis, "idola argentea" falsa de spiritualibus, "idola aenea" falsa de charitate, "idola lapidea" falsa de fide, et "idola lignea" falsa de bonis operibus. Haec omnia falsa sunt illis qui non paenitentiam agunt, hoc est, fugiunt mala ut peccata contra Deum. Haec per "idola," quae fuerunt sculptilia et fusilia, in Sensu Spirituali significantur in sequentibus locis:
"Stultus factus est omnis homo a scientia, pudore affectus est omnis Conflator a Sculptili: quia mendacium Fusile ejus, neque spiritus in iis, vanitas illa, opus errorum; in tempore visitationis eorum peribunt," (Jeremias 10:14-15; 51:17-18);
Sculptilia sunt opus manuum fabri; non loquuntur; simul infatuantur et stultescunt; disciplina vanitatum Lignum est; opus sapientum tota, (Jeremias 10:3-5, 8-10);
"Quid prodest Sculptile, quia sculpsit illud fabricator, et doctor mendacii, quia confidit fabricator mendacii super hoc; spiritus non in medio ejus," (Habakuk 2:18-19); 1
"In die illo projiciet homo Idola argenti sui, et idola auri sui, quae fecerunt sibi ad incurvandum se talpis et vespertilionibus," (Esaias 2:18, 20);
"Fecerunt sibi Fusile ex argento suo, in intelligentia sua Idola, opus artificum tota," (Hoschea 13:2);
"Spargam super vos aquas mundas, ut mundemini ab omnibus immunditiis vestri, et ab omnibus Idolis vestris," (Ezechiel 36:2);
"aquae mundae" sunt vera, "idola" sunt falsa cultus:
"Immundum judicabitis tegmen Sculptilium argenti tui, et amictum Fusilis auri tui; disperges ea sicut menstruum, stercus vocabis id," (Esaias 30:22).
Nec aliud quam falsa religionis et inde cultus significantur per Deos auri, argenti, aeris, ferri, ligni et lapidis, quos laudavit (coluit) Rex Babelis Belschazar, quando cum magnatibus, uxoribus et pellicibus bibit vinum ex vasis auri et argenti Templi Hierosolymitani; propter quod Rex expulsus est ab homine, et factus est sicut bestia 2(Daniel 5:1-5, seq.).
(Praeter in multis aliis locis, ut Esaias 10:10-11; 21:9; 31:7; 40:19-20; 41:29; 42:17; 48:5; Jeremias 8:19; 50:38-39; Ezechiel 6:4-5; 14:3; Micham 1:7; 5:12 (B.A. 3); Psalms 115:5; 135:15-16; Leviticus 26:30).
Per "idola" proprie significantur falsa cultus ex propria intelligentia; quomodo homo illa fingit et postea accommodat, ut appareant sicut vera, plene describitur apud Esajam 44:9-20.
Footnotes:
1. 18, 19 pro "18, 19, 20"