847. 在圣言的各处经文中，经上论到某些人说，他们“被杀”、“被刺”，甚至“被治死”，然而意思并不是说他们被杀了、被刺了，或被治死了，而是说他们被那些陷入邪恶和虚假的人弃绝了（参看59，325，589节）。下一节中的“死人”所表相同，在那里，经上说“其余的死人还没有复活，直等那一千年完了”（启示录20:5）。由此明显可知，经上所说那些“被（斧头）斩首者”表示他们被那些陷入源于自我聪明的虚假之人弃绝。“斧”表示源于自我聪明的虚假，这一点从以下经文明显看出来：
这些民族的规例都是虚空，不过是林中砍下的木头，是匠人用斧头做成的手工。（耶利米书10:3）
埃及的声音好像蛇行一样；他们必如砍伐树木的拿着斧子而来。（耶利米书46:22）
他好像人扬起斧子砍伐树丛。圣所中一切雕刻的，他们现在用斧子、锤子打坏了。他们亵渎你名的居所于地。（诗篇74:5-7）
你若围困一座城，就不可举斧子砍坏树木。（申命记20:19）
在这些经文中，“斧子”表示源于自我聪明的虚假；原因在于，“铁”表示终端真理，也就是所谓的感官真理，这类真理若脱离理性和属灵的真理，就会沦为虚假；它之所以表示源于自我聪明的虚假，是因为感官层在小我或统我里面（参看424节）。正因“铁”和“斧子”具有这种含义，所以经上吩咐以色列人：
若筑一座石坛，要用整块石头，不可在这些石头上动铁器，免得把坛亵渎了。（出埃及记20:25；申命记27:5）
因此，经上论到耶路撒冷圣殿说：
这殿本身要用要用整块石头建成；建殿的时候，锤子、斧子和别样铁器的响声都没有听见。（列王纪上6:7）
相反，当论到雕像，以此表示源于自我聪明的虚假时，经上论到这些事物说：
他用铁器、钳子或斧子和锤子制造。（以赛亚书44:12）
“雕像”和“偶像”表示源于自我聪明的虚假（参看459节）。
847. We are told here and there in the Word that people were slain, pierced or stabbed, or simply put to death, and yet the meaning is not that they were slain, pierced, stabbed, or put to death, but that they were rejected by people caught up in evils and falsities, as may be seen in nos. 59, 325, 589. This is also the symbolic meaning of the dead in the next verse, where we are told:
The rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were completed. (Revelation 20:5)
It is apparent from this that those who are said to have been beheaded symbolize people rejected by those caught up in falsities hatched out of their own intelligence.
That an axe used to behead someone symbolizes falsity hatched out of people's own intelligence is apparent from the following:
...the statutes of the peoples are vanity, if indeed one cuts wood from the forest, the work of the hands of an artisan, with an ax. (Jeremiah 10:3)
(Egypt's) voice shall go like a serpent, ...they come... with axes, like hewers of wood. (Jeremiah 46:22)
He is known as one who lifts up axes against a thicket of wood, and already they are demolishing his carvings with axes and hammers... They have profaned to the ground the dwelling place of Your name. (Psalms 74:5-7)
When you besiege a city..., you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them. (Deuteronomy 20:19)
Axes in these passages symbolize falsity hatched out of people's own intelligence, and this for the reason that iron symbolizes truth in its lowest form, which we call sensual truth, which when divorced from rational and spiritual truth turns into falsity. It is falsity hatched from people's own intelligence because sensuality is inherent in people's native character, as may be seen in no. 424.
Because iron and axes have this symbolic meaning, the command was given to Israel that if they built an altar of stone, it should be built of unhewn stones, and that no iron tool should be used on the stones, lest they profane it (Exodus 20:25, Deuteronomy 27:5).
Therefore, regarding the temple in Jerusalem, we are told the following:
...the edifice itself... was built with unhewn stone, and no hammer or ax or any iron tool was heard in the edifice while it was being built. (1 Kings 6:7)
Conversely, when a carved image is the subject, which symbolizes falsity hatched out of people's own intelligence, we are told that it was fashioned with iron, with tongs or axes and hammers (Isaiah 44:12). To be shown that falsity hatched out of people's own intelligence is symbolically meant by a carving or idol, see no. 459 above.
847. In the Word in various passages it is said [of certain persons] that they were 'slain,' 'pierced,' even 'dead,' and yet it is not understood that they were slain, pierced or dead, but that they were rejected by those who are in evils and untruths, as may be seen (59, 325, 589). The like is signified by 'the dead' in the following verse where it is said that 'the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished.' From these considerations it is plain that by those who are said to be 'beheaded with the axe' is signified that they were rejected by those who are in untruths derived from self-intelligence. That by an 'axe' is signified untruth derived from self-intelligence is plain from these passages:
The statutes of the nations are vanity, if one hews wood out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe. Jeremiah 10:3.
The voice of Egypt goes as a serpent, they came with axes like hewers of logs. Jeremiah 46:22.
He is known as one lifting up axes on a trellis (implexum) of wood, and now they demolish the carved work thereof at once with the axe and hammers; in the land they have profaned the habitation of Thy Name. Psalms 74:5-7.
When thou shalt besiege a city, thou shalt not destroy the tree thereof by wielding an axe against it. Deuteronomy 20:19.
By 'an axe' in these places is signified untruth derived from self-intelligence. This is because by 'iron' is signified the truth in ultimates that is called sensual truth, which when it is separated from rational and spiritual truth is turned into untruths. The untruth is derived from self-intelligence because what is sensual is in the proprium, as may be seen (424). On account of this signification of 'iron' and 'an axe' it was commanded that:
If a stone altar should be built, it should be built of whole stones, and that iron should not be moved upon the stones, lest it be profaned, Exodus 20:25; [H.B. 22]; Deuteronomy 27:5.
Therefore these words are said of the Jerusalem temple:
The house itself was being built with whole stone, neither hammer nor axe nor any instrument of iron was heard in the house when it was being built, 1 Kings 6:7; and on the contrary, where graven images are treated of, by which is signified untruth derived from self-intelligence, it is said that:
He shall work it with iron, with tongs, or with the axe and hammers. Isaiah 44:12.
That untruths derived from self-intelligence is signified by 'a graven image' and 'an idol' may be seen above (459).
847. In many parts in the Word it is said that some "were slain," "thrust through," and "dead," and yet it is not meant that they were slain, thrust through, and dead, but that they were rejected by those who were in evils and falsities (see 59, 325, 589). The like is signified by "the dead" in the following verse, where it is said, that "the rest of the dead lived not again, until the thousand years were finished," from which it is plain, that by those who are said "to have been beheaded," are signified that they were rejected by those who were in falsities from their own intelligence. That by "an axe" is signified falsity from their own intelligence, appears from the following passages:
The statutes of the nations are vanity, if one cutteth wood out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe, (Jeremiah 10:3).
The voice of Egypt shall go like a serpent; they shall come with axes like hewers of wood, (Jeremiah 46:22).
He is known as one lifting up axes in the thicket of trees. And now they break down the carved work thereof with axe and hammers; they have profaned the habitation of Thy name to the earth, (Psalms 74:5-7).
When thou shalt besiege a city, thou shalt not destroy the tree thereof by forcing an axe against it, (Deuteronomy 20:19).
By "an axe" in these passages is signified falsity from their own intelligence; the reason is because "iron" signifies truth in ultimates, which is called sensual truth, which when separated from rational and spiritual truth, is turned into falsity; the reason why it means falsity from their own intelligence, is because the sensual is in the proprium (see 424). On account of this signification of "iron" and of "an axe," it was commanded that:
If an altar was built of stone, it should be built of whole stones, and that iron should not be moved upon the stones, lest it be profaned, (Exodus 20:25; Deuteronomy 27:5).
Therefore of the temple of Jerusalem it is said:
The house itself was built of whole stone; neither hammers nor axe, nor any instrument of iron, were heard in the house while it was building, (1 Kings 6:7);
and, on the contrary, when graven images are treated of, by which is signified falsity from their own intelligence, these things are said:
That he maketh it with iron, with tongs, or with the axe and hammers, (Isaiah 44:12).
That falsity from their own intelligence is signified by "a graven image" and "an idol," may be seen above, (459).
847. In Verbo passim dicitur, quod "occisi sint," quod "transfixi," imo "mortui;" et tamen non intelligitur quod occisi, transfixi et mortui, sed quod rejecti ab illis qui in malis et falsis sunt (videatur 59, 325, 589); simile per "mortuos" significatur in sequenti versu, ubi dicitur quod "reliqui mortuorum non revixerint, donec consummarentur mille anni:" ex quibus patet, quod per hos qui dicuntur "securi percussi" significetur quod rejecti ab illis qui in falsis ex propria intelligentia sunt. Quod per "securim" significetur falsum ex propria intelligentia, patet ex his "Statuta gentium vanitas, si quidem lignum de sylva excidit, opus manuum fabri per Securim," (Jeremias 10:3);
"Vox Aegypti sicut serpentis ibit; cum Securibus venerunt, sicut excisores lignorum," (Jeremias 46:22);
"Cognoscitur sicut tollens sursum in implexum ligni Secures, et jamjam sculpturas ejus Securi et malleis contundunt; in terram prophanarunt habitaculum Nominis Tui," (Psalm 74:5-7);
"Cum obsideris urbem non perdes arborem ejus impellendo in illam Securim," (Deuteronomius 20:19);
per "securim" in illis locis significatur falsum ex propria intelligentia; causa est, quia per "ferrum" significatur verum in ultimis, quod vocatur verum sensuale, quod cum separatur a vero rationali et spirituali vertitur in falsum; quod sit falsum ex propria intelligentia, est quia sensuale est in proprio (videatur 424). Propter illam significationem "ferri" et "securis," mandatum est Quod si aedificaretur Altare lapideum, aedificaretur ex lapidibus integris, et quod Ferrum non moveretur super lapides, ne prophanaretur, (Exodus 20:22 (B.A. 25); Deuteronomius 27:5).
Quare de Templo Hierosolymitano haec dicuntur:
"Ipsa Domus aedificabatur lapide integro; ac Mallei et Securis, et ulla Instrumenta Ferri, non audita sunt in Domo cum aedificabatur," (1 Regnum 6:7); 1
ac vicissim, ubi agitur de sculptili, per quod significatur falsum ex propria intelligentia, dicitur,
Quod operetur id Ferro, Forcipe seu Securi et Malleis, (Esaias 44:12);
quod falsum ex propria intelligentia significetur per "sculptile" et "idolum," videatur supra (459).
Footnotes:
1. 7 pro "6"