825.启19:13.“祂穿着溅了血的衣服,祂的名称为神之道”表暴行已施加于其上的终端意义上的神性真理,或文字上的圣言。衣服表示包裹良善的真理(166,212,328节);当论及圣言时,衣服表示字义上的圣言;因为文字就像一件衣服,它的属灵和属天意义就被包裹在其中。“血”表示施加在主的神性和圣言上的暴行(327,684节)。之所以表示这一点,是因为“血”表示主在圣言的神性真理(379,653节);所以,“流血”表示向主的神性和圣言施暴。 “神之道或圣言”在此表示字义上的圣言;事实上,暴行施加于字义上的圣言,而非灵义上的圣言,因为灵义尚不为人知;灵义若被人知,也会遭受暴行。因此,在完成最后审判,主要建立新教会之前,灵义不会被揭开。如今,除了从主处于神性真理的人外,这灵义不会向任何人揭示;对此,可参看《新耶路撒冷教义之圣经篇》(26节)。
暴行已经施加在主的神性和圣言上,这一事实从天主教和唯信的改革宗或新教很明显地看出来。天主教坚持认为,主的人性并非神性,所以他们便将主的一切转到自己那里;还坚持认为,圣言的解释权唯独属于他们;然而,他们的解释处处违背圣言的神性真理,这在前一章的解读中已经说明。由此明显可知,这个宗教已经向圣言施暴。改革宗或新教同样以唯信向圣言施暴。该宗教也没有将主的人性视为神性,并且还将神学建立在对保罗一句话的错解上;因此,它无视主所教导关于爱与仁,以及好行为或善行的一切;然而,它们如此显著,以致只要有眼睛,谁都能看到。
犹太人对圣言所行的也一样。他们的宗教是这样:圣言只是为他们,而非其他人所写的,因而其中所指的并非其他人;还有,将要到来的弥赛亚会把他们提到在全世界所有人之上;他们以此和许多其它事歪曲并玷污圣言的一切事物。这就是以赛亚书中的这些话的意思:
这从以东来,身穿波斯拉华丽衣服的是谁呢?你的服装为何有红色?你的衣服为何像踹酒榨的呢?他们的胜利溅在我衣服上,并且污染了我一切的衣裳。(以赛亚书63:1-3)
此处“服装或衣裳”也表示圣言的神性真理;“以东”表示红色,在表示因血而发红。由此明显可知,“祂穿着溅了血的衣服,祂的名称为神之道”表示暴行已施加于其上的终端意义上的神性真理,或文字上的圣言。
825. 19:13 He was clothed with a garment stained with blood, and His name is called "The Word of God." This symbolizes Divine truth in its outmost sense, or the Word in its letter, to which violence has been done.
A garment symbolizes truth that clothes good (nos. 166, 212, 328), and when referring to the Word it symbolizes the Word in its literal sense, for the literal sense is a kind of covering that clothes the Word's spiritual and celestial senses. The blood symbolizes the violence done to the Lord's Divinity and to the Word (nos. 327, 684). It symbolizes this because blood symbolizes the Lord's Divine truth in the Word (nos. 379, 653). Consequently to shed blood means, symbolically, to do violence to the Lord's Divinity and to the Word. The Word of God symbolizes here the Word in its literal sense, for it is to this that violence has been done, but not to the Word in its spiritual sense, because this sense has not been known, and if it had been known, it would have had violence done to it as well. Therefore that sense was not revealed until after the Last Judgment was over and the Lord was about to establish a new church. Nor is it revealed to anyone now unless he possesses Divine truths from the Lord, as may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture 26.
[2] That violence has been done to the Lord's Divinity and to the Word is clearly apparent from the Roman Catholic religion and from the faith-alone religion of the Protestant Reformed. The Roman Catholic religion teaches that the Lord's humanity is not Divine, and so they have transferred everything that is the Lord's to themselves. They also maintain that it is for them alone to interpret the Word, and their interpretation is everywhere contrary to the Word's Divine truth, as we showed in the exposition of the preceding chapter 18. It is apparent, therefore, that violence has been done to the Word by that religion.
It is apparent likewise from the faith-alone religion among the Protestant Reformed. This, too, does not make the Lord's humanity Divine, and it founds its theology on a single saying of Paul falsely interpreted. 1Therefore it takes no account of everything the Lord taught regarding love and charity and good works, even though those teachings are so obvious that anyone may see them if only he has the eyes to do so.
[3] Jews treated the Word similarly. Their religion taught that the Word was written only for them, so that only they are meant in it, and that the Messiah to come would exalt them over all others in the whole world. By these notions and many others they falsified and adulterated everything in the Word. This is the meaning of the following declaration in Isaiah:
Who is this who comes from Edom, with spattered garments from Bozrah... Why is your apparel red, and your garments like those of one who treads in the winepress... ...(Because) their victory is spattered upon My garments, and I have befouled my whole garment. (Isaiah 63:1-3)
Garments here, too, symbolize the Word's Divine truths. Edom means red, here the redness of blood. It is apparent, therefore, that His being clothed with a garment stained with blood and His name called "The Word of God," symbolizes Divine truth in the outmost sense, or the Word in its letter, to which violence has been done.
Footnotes:
1. "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law" (Romans 3:28
825. [verse 13] 'And clothed with a blood-stained garment, and His Name is called the Word of God' signifies Divine Truth in the ultimate sense or the Word in the letter, on which violence has been inflicted. By 'a garment' is signified truth clothing good (166, 212, 328); and when the Word is treated of it signifies the Word in the sense of the letter, for this is like a garment with which its spiritual and celestial sense has been clothed. By 'blood' is signified violence inflicted on the Lord's Divine and on the Word (327, 684). The reason that this is signified is because by 'blood' is signified the Lord's Divine Truths in the Word (379, 653), and therefore by 'to shed blood' is signified to inflict violence on the Lord's Divine and on the Word. By 'the Word of God' is here signified the Word in the sense of the letter, for to this violence has been inflicted but not on the Word in the spiritual sense, because this sense was not known; and if it had been known violence would still have been inflicted on it. For this reason that sense was not revealed until after the last judgment was accomplished and a new Church was to be set up by the Lord. Nor is it being revealed at this day to anyone unless he is in Divine Truths from the Lord; see THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE SACRED SCRIPTURE 26.
[2] That violence has been inflicted on the Lord's Divine and on the Word is quite plain from the Roman Catholic form of religion, and from the form of religion of the Reformed concerning faith alone. The Roman Catholic form of religion maintains that the Lord's Human is not Divine, and they have therefore transferred all things of the Lord to themselves. Again they maintain that the Word is to be interpreted exclusively by them; and the interpretation by them is everywhere contrary to the Divine Truth of the Word, as has been shown in the exposition of the preceding chapter, 18. In consequence it is plain that violence has been inflicted on the Word by that form of religion. The like has been done by the form of religion with the Reformed concerning faith alone. This, too, does not make the Lord's Human Divine. Also it founds theology upon a single saying of Paul falsely understood, and therefore makes of no account all the things that the Lord taught concerning love and charity and good works, which yet are so prominent that anyone can see them if only he has eyes to see.
[3] The like was done with the Word by the Jews. Their religious view was that the Word had been written for no others but them, and thus that no others are there understood, and that the Messiah about to come would uphold them above all in the whole wide world. By these means and many others they have falsified and adulterated all things of the Word. This is understood by these words in Isaiah:
Who is this who comes out of Edom, with sprinkled garments out of Bozrah? Wherefore art thou red as to thy garments, and thy garments as of one treading in the wine-press? whence their victory has been sprinkled upon my garments, and I have befouled all my raiment. Isaiah 63:1-3.
By 'garments' here also are signified the Divine Truths of the Word. By 'Edom' is meant red, here red derived from blood. Consequently it is plain that by 'clothed with a blood-stained garment, and His Name is called the Word of God' is signified Divine Truth in the ultimate sense, or the Word in the letter, on which violence has been inflicted.
825. Verse 13. And He was clothed with a garment dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God, signifies the Divine truth in its ultimate sense, or the Word in the letter, to which violence has been offered. By a garment is signified truth clothing good, (166, 212, 328); and when concerning the Word, it signifies the Word in the sense of the letter; for this is like a garment, in which its spiritual and celestial senses are clothed. By "the blood" is signified violence offered to the Lord's Divine and to the Word, (327, 684). The reason that this is signified is that the Lord's Divine truth in the Word is signified by blood, (379[1-7], 653); wherefore by "shedding blood" is signified to offer violence to the Lord's Divine and to the Word. By "the Word of God" is signified here the Word in the sense of the letter; for violence has been offered to this, but not to the Word in the spiritual sense, because this sense has not been known; and if it had been known, violence would have been offered to it also. Wherefore that sense was not revealed until after the Last Judgment was accomplished, and the New Church was to be instituted by the Lord. Nor is it revealed to anyone at this day, except to him who is in Divine truths from the Lord; see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture, (26).
[2] That violence has been offered to the Lord's Divine and to the Word, is plainly manifest from the Roman Catholic religious persuasion, and from the religious persuasion of the Reformed concerning faith alone. The Roman Catholic religious persuasion gives forth that the Lord's Human is not Divine, wherefore they have transferred all things of the Lord to themselves; also that the Word is to be interpreted only by them; yet the interpretation by them is everywhere contrary to the Divine truth of the Word, as was shown in the explanation of the preceding chapter 18. It is manifest from this, that violence is offered to the Word by that religious persuasion. In like manner by the religious persuasion of the Reformed concerning faith alone. Neither does this make the Lord's Human Divine, and it founds theology upon a single saying of Paul falsely understood; and it therefore makes nothing of all the things which the Lord taught concerning love and charity and concerning good works; which are yet so prominent that everyone, if he only has eyes, can see. The like was done with the Word by the Jews.
[3] Their religious persuasion was, that the Word was written for no others but themselves, and thus that no others are meant therein; and that the Messiah who was to come would exalt them above all in the whole world; by which and many other things they falsified and adulterated all things of the Word. This is meant by these words in Isaiah:
Who is this that cometh from Edom, having sprinkled garments from Bozrah? wherefore art Thou red as to Thy garment, and Thy garments as of him that treadeth in the wine-press? whence victory is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have polluted all My vesture, (Isaiah 63:1-3).
By "garments" here also the Divine truths of the Word are signified: by "Edom" is signified red, here red from blood. Hence it is manifest that by "clothed with a garment dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God," is signified the Divine truth in the ultimate sense, or the Word in the letter, to which violence has been offered.
825. (Vers. 13.) "Et circumindutus vestimento tincto Sanguine, et vocatur Nomen Ipsius Verbum Dei," significat Divinum Verum in Sensu ultimo, seu Verbum in litera, cui violentia illata est. - Per "vestimentum" significatur verum investiens bonum (166, 212, 328); et cum de Verbo, significatur Verbum in Sensu literae, hic enim est sicut vestis, qua Sensus spiritualis et caelestis ejus est circumindutus: per "sanguinem" significatur violentia illata Divino Domini et Verbo (327, 684); causa quod hoc significetur, est quia per "sanguinem" significatur Divinum Verum Domini in Verbo (379, 653) 1, quare per "effundere sanguinem" significatur violentiam inferre Divino Domini et Verbo; per "Verbum Dei" significatur hic Verbum in Sensu literae, huic enim est violentia illata, non autem Verbo in Sensu spirituali, quia hic Sensus non fuit notus, et si fuisset notus, etiam illi fuisset violentia illata; quare non prius revelatus est ille Sensus, quam postquam Ultimum Judicium peractum est, et nova Ecclesia a Domino instituenda est; nec hodie revelatur alicui, nisi qui in Divinis Veris a Domino est (videatur Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Scriptura Sacra, 26). Quod Divino Domini et Verbo violentia illata sit, patet manifeste a Religioso Catholico Romano, et a Religioso Reformatorum de sola Fide. Religiosum Catholico Romanum tradit quod Humanum Domini non sit Divinum, quare in se transtulerunt omnia Domini; tum quod Verbum solummodo ab illis interpretandum sit, ac interpretatio ab illis est ubivis contra Divinum Verum Verbi, ut in Explicatione capitis praecedentis (18), ostensum est; inde patet, quod ab illo Religioso violentia illata sit Verbo. Similiter a Religioso apud Reformatos de sola Fide: hoc nec facit Humanum Domini Divinum, et condit theologiam super unico dicto Pauli false intellecto, et ideo sicut nihili facit omnia quae Dominus docuit de amore et charitate et de bonis operibus, quae tamen tam exstantia sunt, ut quisque, si modo ei oculi sunt, videre possit. Similiter factum est cum Verbo a Judaeis: Religiosum illorum fuit, quod Verbum non pro aliis scriptum esset quam pro illis, et sic quod non alii ibi intelligantur; et quod Messias venturus eveheret illos supra omnes in toto terrarum orbe; per quae et plura alia falsificaverunt et adulteraverunt omnia Verbi. Hoc intelligitur per haec apud Esajam:
"Quis Hic Qui venit ex Edom, conspersus vestes ex Bozra: quare rubicundus quoad vestem Tuam, 2et vestes Tuae sicut calcantis in torculari. Unde sparsa est victoria eorum super vestes Meas, et omne vestimentum Meum pollui," (63:1-2, (3));
per "vestes" etiam hic significantur Divina Vera Verbi; per "Edom" significatur rubicundum, hic rubicundum ex sanguine; inde patet, quod per "circumindutus vestimento tincto sanguine, et vocatur Nomen Ipsius Verbum Dei," significetur Divinum Verum in Sensu ultimo, seu Verbum in litera, cui violentia illata est.
Footnotes:
1. 653 pro "654"
2. Tuam pro "suam"