846.“我又看见那些因为给耶稣作见证，并为神之道被斧头斩首者的灵魂”表他们被那些陷入源于自我聪明的虚假之人弃绝，因为他们敬拜主，并照其圣言的真理生活。“给耶稣作见证，并为神之道被斧头斩首者的灵魂”表示死后的人，人死后就被称为“灵”，或披着灵体的人，他们被主藏在低地，直到恶者通过最后审判被移除。经上之所以说他们“被斩首”，是因为他们被那些陷入源于自我聪明的虚假之人弃绝，这等人全都陷入邪恶，由此陷入虚假，或陷入虚假，由此陷入邪恶，然而他们外在却处于神性敬拜。这类虚假由“斧子”来表示，对此，可参看下一节。“为耶稣作见证”和“神之道”表示对主在其人性中的神性的承认，前面那些经文也是这个意思：
约翰便将神的道和耶稣基督的见证都证明出来。（启示录1:2）
米迦勒和他的使者胜过那龙，是因羔羊的血，和他们所见证的道。（启示录12:11）
龙去与她其余的种争战，就是那守神诫命，为耶稣基督作见证的。（启示录12:17）
我和你，并你那些为耶稣作见证的弟兄同是作仆人的。因为预言中的灵意乃是为耶稣作见证。（启示录19:10）
这些经文表示对主在其人性中的神性的承认，和照其圣言的真理，尤其照十诫的生活；对此，可参看前面所给出的解读。本节所说的这些“灵魂”和前面这些话所说的“灵魂”是一样的：
我看见在祭坛底下，有为神的道并为作见证被杀之人的灵魂；大声喊着说，圣洁真实的主啊！你不审判住在地上的人给我们伸流血的冤，要等到几时呢？于是有白袍赐给他们各人，又有话对他们说，还要安息片时，等着一同作仆人的和他们的弟兄，也像他们被杀，满足了数目。（启示录6:9-11）
对此，可参看前面的解读（325-329节）。
846. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God. This symbolically means, who had been rejected by those caught up in falsities hatched out of their own intelligence, because they worshiped the Lord and lived in accordance with the truths in His Word.
The souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God mean people after death, who are then called spirits, people clothed in a spiritual body, who were hidden away by the Lord in the lower earth until the evil had been removed by the Last Judgment. They are said to have been beheaded because they were rejected by people caught up in falsities hatched out of their own intelligence, who are all those caught up in evils and so in falsities, or in falsities and as a result of these in evils, and yet in outward appearances are worshipers of God.
That an axe symbolizes such falsity will be seen in the following number. The testimony of Jesus and the Word of God symbolize an acknowledgment of the Lord's Divinity in His humanity, the same as these words earlier:
(John) bore witness to the Word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ... (Revelation 1:2)
(Michael and his angels) overcame (the dragon) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony... (Revelation 12:11)
(The dragon) went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:17)
I am your fellow servant and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus... ...the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10)
That these declarations symbolize an acknowledgment of the Lord's Divinity in His humanity and a life in accordance with the truths in His Word, especially the Ten Commandments, may be seen in the earlier explanations of those verses.
These souls are the same ones of whom the following is said above:
...I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, who are holy and true, will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" Then white robes were given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until the number of both their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was complete. (Revelation 6:9-11)
These verses may be seen explained in nos. 325-329.
846. 'And the souls of those beheaded with the axe for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God' signifies [that they were] rejected by those who are in untruths derived from self-intelligence, because they worshipped the Lord and lived in accordance with the truths of the Word. By 'the souls of those beheaded with the axe for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God' are understood men after death who are then called spirits, or men clothed with a spiritual body, who were concealed by the Lord in the lower land until the evil were removed by the last judgment. They are said to be 'beheaded with the axe' because they were rejected by those who are in untruths derived from self-intelligence, these being all who are in evils and consequently in untruths, or who are in untruths and by their means in evils, and yet in external things are in Divine worship. That by 'the axe' this kind of untruth is signified will be seen in the following paragraph. By 'the testimony of Jesus and the Word of God' is signified the acknowledgment of the Lord's Divine in His Human, the like as by these statements above:
John bare witness of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 1:2.
Michael and the angels overcame the dragon by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. Revelation 12:11.
The dragon went away to wage war with the remnant of her seed, who were keeping the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 12:17.
I am the fellow-servant of thy brothers having the testimony of Jesus Christ: the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy. Revelation 19:10.
That by these statements is signified the acknowledgment of the Lord's Divine in His Human, and also a life in accordance with the truths of His Word, specifically in accordance with the precepts of the Decalogue, may be seen in the expositions on those passages. These souls are the same ones of whom these things are said above:
I saw underneath the altar the souls of those slain for the Word of God and for the testimony that they held; and they were crying out with a great voice, saying, How long, O Lord, Who art Holy and True, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on those dwelling upon the land? And white robes were given to each one, and it was said unto them that they should rest yet a little while until both their fellow-servants and their brothers, who were going to be slain as they also had been, are made up no the full extent. Revelation 6:9-11; which may be seen expounded (325-329).
846. And the souls of them that were beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God, signifies that they were rejected by those who are in falsities from their own intelligence, because they worshiped the Lord, and lived according to the truths of His Word. By "the souls of them that were beheaded (smitten with the axe), for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God" are meant men after death, who are then called spirits, or men clothed with a spiritual body, who were concealed by the Lord in the lower earth, until the evil were removed by the Last Judgment. They are said "to be beheaded," because they were rejected by those who were in falsities from their own intelligence, all of whom are in evils and thence in falsities, or in falsities and by them in evils, and yet in externals are in Divine worship. That this kind of falsity is signified by an axe, will be seen in the next article. By "the testimony of Jesus and the Word of God," is signified the acknowledgment of the Lord's Divine in His Human, like as by these passages above:
John testified of the Word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, (Revelation 1:2).
Michael and his angels overcame the dragon by the blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their testimony, (Revelation 12:11).
The dragon went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments, of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ, (Revelation 12:17).
I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus Christ; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, (Revelation 19:10).
That by these passages is signified the acknowledgment of the Divine of the Lord in His Human, and a life according to the truths of His Word, and in particular according to the commandments of the Decalogue, may be seen in the explanations given above. These souls are the same as are spoken of above in these words:
I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held; and they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Lord, who art holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell upon the earth? And white robes were given unto everyone of them, and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little time, until their fellow-servants and their brethren, who should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled, (Revelation 6:9-11);
which may be seen explained, (325-329).
846. "Et animas securi percussorum propter testimonium Jesu, et propter Verbum Dei," significat rejectos ab illis qui in falsis ex propria intelligentia sunt, quia coluerunt Dominum, et vixerunt secundum vera Verbi Ipsius. -Per "animas securi percussorum propter testimonium Jesu et propter verbum Dei" intelliguntur homines post mortem, qui tunc vocantur spiritus, seu homines spirituali corpore induti, qui a Domino in inferiori terra occultati sunt, usque dum per Ultimum Judicium remoti sunt mali: dicuntur "securi percussi," quia rejecti ab illis qui in falsis ex propria intelligentia sunt, qui sunt omnes qui in malis et inde falsis, aut in falsis et per illa in malis, et tamen in externis in cultu Divino: quod per "securim" id falsum significetur, videbitur in sequenti articulo: per "testimonium Jesu et Verbum Dei" significatur agnitio Divini Domini in Humano Ipsius, simile quod per haec supra:
Johannes "testificatus est Verbum Dei et Testimonium Jesu Christi," (Apocalypsis 1:2);
Michael et angeli vicerunt Draconem "per Sanguinem Agni et Verbum Testimonii sui," (Apocalypsis 12:11);
Draco "abivit ut faceret bellum cum reliquis seminis ejus, qui tenebant mandata Dei, et habent Testimonium Jesu Christi," (Apocalypsis 12:17);
"Conservus fratrum tuorum sum habentium Testimonium Jesu Christi: Testimonium Jesu est spiritus prophetiae," (Apocalypsis 19:10); 1
quod per illa significetur Agnitio Divini Domini in Humano Ipsius, atque Vita secundum vera Verbi Ipsius, in specie secundum praecepta Decalogi, videatur in explicationibus super illis locis. Sunt hae animae eaedem, de quibus supra dicuntur haec:
"Vidi subter altari animas occisorum propter Verbum Dei et propter Testimonium quod habebant: et clamabant voce magna, dicentes, Usque quo Domine, Qui Sanctus et Verus, non judicas et vindicas sanguinem nostrum de habitantibus super terra: et datae singulis stolae albae, et dictum eis, ut requiescerent adhuc tempus parvum, usque dum complentur et conservi eorum et fratres eorum, qui futuri occidi sicut et illi," (Apocalypsis 6:9-11);
quae explicata videantur (325-329).
Footnotes:
1. Propter iterationem et erratum, delevi "Conservus fratrum tuorum sum habentium Testimonium Jesu Christi, 12:17"