54.“我一看见祂，就仆倒在祂脚前，像死了一样”表由主的这种临在所产生的人自己生命的衰微或丧失。人自己的生命无法承受主的临在，就是诸如主在自己里面那样的临在，甚至无法承受诸如祂在其圣言最内层里面那样的临在。因为主的神性之爱完全就像太阳，没有人承受太阳在自己那样的临在，否则必被焚毁。这就是下面这句经文的意思：
正因如此，主才在天堂向天使显为一轮太阳，距离他们如同这个世界的太阳距离世人那样遥远。原因在于，在自己里面的主就在这太阳中。然而，主缓和、节制祂的神性，好使人能承受祂的临在。这一切通过遮盖来实现。主在圣言中向许多人揭示祂自己时就是这样行的。祂甚至通过遮盖与敬拜祂的每个人同在，如祂在约翰福音中所说的那样：
由此明显可知为何约翰一见主的荣光，就仆倒在祂脚前，像死了一样；以及为何三个门徒一见主的荣光，就困倦打盹，有云彩来遮盖他们（路加福音9:32，34）。
54. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. (1:17) This symbolically means that he experienced a failure of his own life owing to such a presence of the Lord.
A person's own life cannot endure the presence of the Lord such as the Lord is in Himself, indeed such as He is in the inmost constituents of His Word. For His Divine love is altogether like the sun, which no one can endure as it is in itself, because it would consume him.
This is the meaning of the declaration that no one can see God and live (Exodus 33:20, Judges 13:22).
This being the case, the Lord therefore appears to angels in heaven as the sun, at a distance from them, like the world's sun from people. That is because the Lord in that sun is present as He is in Himself.
But still the Lord moderates and tempers His Divinity so as to make it possible for a person to endure His presence. This He does by veilings. It was what He did when He revealed Himself to many people in the Word. Indeed, it is by veilings that He is present in everyone who worships Him. As He says in John,
He who... keeps (My commandments)..., in him (I) will make (My) abode. (John 14:21, 23)
And He says that He must be in them and they in Him (John 15:4-5).
It is apparent from this why, when John saw the Lord in such glory, he fell at His feet as though dead. And why, too, when three of the disciples saw the Lord in His glory, they were "heavy with sleep," and a cloud covered them (Luke 9:32, 34).
54. [verse 17] 'And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead' signifies a failing of one's own life as a result of such presence of the Lord. A man's own life does not endure the presence of the Lord, such as the Lord is in Himself, not even such as He is in the inmosts of His Word; for His Divine Love is altogether like the sun, which no one can bear as it is in itself without being consumed. This is understood by [the statement] that:
No one can see God and live, Exodus 33:20; Judges 13:22.
This being the case, the Lord therefore appears to angels in heaven as a Sun, standing apart from them as the sun of the world does from men. This is because the Lord in that Sun is in Himself. Nevertheless the Lord moderates and tempers His Divine so that a man can endure His presence. This is done by means of veilings. It was done in that manner when He revealed Himself to many in the Word. In fact, He is present by means of veilings with any one who worships Him, as He Himself said in John:
He who does My precepts, with him will I make an abode. John 14.
That He will be in them, and they in Him. John 15:4-5.
From these considerations it is plain why John, when he saw the Lord in such glory, 'fell at His feet as dead'; as also, why the three disciples, when they saw the Lord in glory, were heavy with sleep, and a cloud veiled them over (Luke 9:32, 34).
54. Verse 17. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead, signifies that from such presence of the Lord there was a defect or deprivation of his own life. A man's own life cannot sustain the presence of the Lord, such as the Lord is in Himself, yea, such as He is in the inmosts of His Word; for His Divine love is altogether like the sun, which no one can bear as it is in itself, without being consumed. This is what is meant by saying that:
No one can see God and live, (Exodus 33:20; Judges 13:22).
This being the case, therefore the Lord appears to the angels in heaven as a sun, at a distance from them, as the sun of this world is from men; the reason is, because the Lord in Himself is in that sun. But yet the Lord so moderates and tempers His Divine that man can sustain His presence. This is effected by veilings. It was so done when He revealed Himself to many in the Word. Yea, by veilings He is present with everyone who worships Him; as He Himself says in John:
He that doeth My commandments, with him I will make My abode, (John 14:21, 23).
That He will be in them, and they in Him, (John 15:4-5).
Hence it is evident why John, when he saw the Lord in such glory, fell at His feet as dead; and also, why the three disciples, when they saw the Lord in glory, were heavy with sleep, and a cloud covered them, (Luke 9:32, 34).
54. (Vers. 17.) "Et cum vidi Ipsum, cecidi Ipsius tanquam mortuus" significat ex 1tali propria Domini defectum vitae propriae. Vita propria hominis non sustinet praesentiam Domini, qualis Dominus est in Se, imo qualis est in intimis Verbi Sui; nam Divinus Ipsius Amor est prorsus sicut Solis, qui qualis est in se, nemo sustinere potest, consumeretur enim: hoc intelligitur per quod "Nemo possit videre Deum et vivere," (Exodus 33:20; Judicum 13:22).
Quia ita est, ideo Dominus apparet Angelis in Caelo ut Sol distans ab illis, sicut sol mundi ab hominibus; causa est, quia Dominus in Sole illo est in Se. Sed usque Dominus moderatur ac temperat Divinum Suum ita, ut homo praesentiam Ipsius sustinere possit; hoc fit per obvelationes: ita factum est cum Se revelavit multis in Verbo; imo per obvelationes praesens est apud unumquemvis qui Ipsum colit; ut Ipse dicit apud Johannem:
"Qui facit praecepta Mea, apud illum faciam mansionem," (14:21, 23); (Etiam) quod Ipse erit in illis et illi in Ipso, (15:4-5).
Ex his patet, cur Johannes, cum vidit Dominum in tali gloria, ceciderit ad pedes Ipsius sicut mortuus; tum etiam, cum tres discipuli viderunt Dominum in gloria, gravati sint somno, et nubes obvelaverit illos, (Luca 9:32, 34).