828.“可以击杀列族。祂必用铁杖牧养他们”表祂将藉着圣言字义的真理和理性事物而使所有处于死信的人信服。所表示的是这些事，这一点从前面类似的话明显可知（544节）。从那里，以及148和485节可以看出，“击杀列族的铁杖”表示取自圣言字义、由出于属世人的属世事物所确认的真理。没有行为的唯信是死的，这一点明显可见于雅各书（2:17，20）；他还说：
只是你们要行道，不要单单听道；自己欺哄自己。（雅各书1:22等）
保罗也这样说：
原来在神面前，不是听律法的为义，乃是行律法的称义。（罗马书2:13）
828. "That with it He might strike the nations, and He will shepherd them with a rod of iron." This symbolically means that by means of truths in the literal sense of the Word and by rational considerations He will convince all who are caught up in a dead faith.
That this is the symbolic meaning follows from a similar declaration in no. 544 above. The rod of iron with which He will shepherd the nations symbolizes truths drawn from the literal sense of the Word and confirmed by the rational considerations of the natural man, as may be seen in no. 544 and also in nos. 148, 485.
That faith alone without good works is dead is clearly apparent in the Epistle of James 2:17, 20, 1who also says,
"Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only. How you deceive yourselves!" (James 1:22ff.)
Paul says something similar:
"...the hearers of the law will not be made righteous by God, but the doers of the law will be made righteous." (Romans 2:13)
Footnotes:
1. "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead... But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?"
828. 'That by means of it He should smite the nations, and He Himself shall lead them to pasture with an iron rod' signifies that by means of the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word and by rational things He will convince all who are in a dead faith. That these things are signified is established from the similar things above (544). It may be seen there and also 148, 485 that by the 'iron rod with which the nations should be smitten are signified truths out of the sense of the letter of the Word confirmed by rational things out of the natural man. That faith alone without works is dead is clearly evident in [the epistle of] James 2:17, 20, who also says:
Be doers of the Word, not just hearers; how you deceive yourselves, James 1:22 Seq.
Paul says in like manner:
Not the hearers of the law will be justified by God, but the doers of the law will be justified, Romans 2:13.
828. That with it He should smite the nations; and He shall tend them with a rod of iron, signifies that He will convince all who are in dead faith, by the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, and by rational things. It is evident that these things are signified, from similar things above, (544). It may there be seen, that by "the rod of iron" with which the nations should be smitten, are signified truths from the sense of the letter of the Word confirmed by rational things from the natural man; and likewise in 148, 485. That faith alone without works is dead, is clearly manifest in James 2:17, 20; who also says:
Be ye doers of the Word, not hearers only; how ye deceive yourselves, (James 1:22).
Paul says in like manner:
Not the hearers of the law will be justified by God, but the doers of the law will be justified, (Romans 2:13).
828. Ut per illam percutiat gentes; et Ipse pascet illas virga ferrea," significat quod omnes qui in fide mortua sunt, per vera Sensus literae Verbi, et per rationalia, convincet. - Quod haec significentur constat ex similibus supra (544); quod per "virgam ferream," qua gentes percutientur, significentur vera ex Sensu literae Verbi per rationalia ex naturali homine confirmata, videatur ibi, et quoque 148, 485. Quod sola Fides absque Operibus mortua sit, patet clare apud Jacobum, (2:17, 20); qui etiam dicit,
"Estote factores Verbi, non tantum auditores, quomodo decipitis vos ipsos," (Romanos 1:22, seq.);
similiter dicit Paulus,
"Non auditores legis justificabuntur a Deo, sed factores legis justificabuntur," (Romanos 2:13).