851.“这是头一次的复活”表得救和永生首先在于敬拜主，并照其圣言中的诫命生活，因为与主的结合并与天上天使的联系通过这些方法得以实现。“这是头一次的复活”之所以表示所有这些事，是因为这句话是之前那些事的一个总结，因而涉及它们。这些话所涉及之前的事就包含在第4节经文中，有一些也包含第5节经文中。在第4节中的有这些：
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，和那没有拜过兽与兽像，也没有在额上和手上受过他印记的人，他们与基督同生活、同作王一千年。（启示录20:4）
“因为给耶稣作见证，并为神之道被斧头斩首者的灵魂”表示被那些陷入源于自我聪明的虚假之人弃绝的人，因为他们敬拜主，并照其圣言中的诫命生活（参看846，847节）。他们“没有拜过兽与兽像，也没有在额上和手上受过他印记”表示他们拒绝唯信的异端教义（848节）；“他们与基督同生活、同作王一千年”表早已与主结合并与天上的天使相联（849节）。因此，这些就是“这是头一次的复活”所涉及的事。“复活”表示得救和永生，“头一次的复活”不是指第一次的复活，而是指复活的根本，因而是指得救和永生；因为生命只有一次复活，没有第二次；因此，没有一处提到第二次复活；事实上，一旦与主结合，就会与祂永远结合，并在天堂，因为主说：
我就是复活和生命；信我的人虽然死了，也必活着；凡活着信我的人，必永远不死。（约翰福音11:25，26）
这就是“头一次的复活”所表示的，这一点也可从接下来的经文明显看出来。
851. This is the first resurrection. This symbolically means that salvation and eternal life consist primarily in worshiping the Lord and living according to His commandments in the Word, because these are the means to conjunction with the Lord and affiliation with angels in heaven.
All of this is symbolized by the declaration, "This is the first resurrection," because it follows as a conclusion from the preceding declarations and so embraces them. The preceding ones that these words embrace are contained in verse 4, and partly also in verse 5. The declarations contained in verse 4 are the following:
I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or its image, and had not received its mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ... (Revelation 20:4)
The souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God symbolize people 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 His commandments in the Word, as may be seen in nos. 846 and 847 above. Their not worshiping the beast or its image, and not receiving its mark on their foreheads and hands, means symbolically that they rejected the heretical doctrine of faith alone, as may be seen in no. 848 above. And their living and reigning with Christ for a thousand years means symbolically that they were conjoined with the Lord and affiliated with angels in heaven, as may be seen in no. 849 above. This, then, is what is involved in the declaration, "This is the first resurrection."
Resurrection symbolizes salvation and eternal life, and the first resurrection does not mean a first resurrection but the primary and essential implication of resurrection, thus salvation and eternal life. For there is but one resurrection to life. There is no second one. Consequently nowhere is a second resurrection mentioned. For once conjoined with the Lord, people remain conjoined with Him to eternity, and this in heaven. As the Lord says,
I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, shall live. Everyone who lives and believes in Me shall not die to eternity. (John 11:25-26)
That this is what is meant by the first resurrection is plain also from the verse that follows now.
851. 'This is the first resurrection' signifies that salvation and eternal life is first of all to worship the Lord and to live in accordance with His precepts in the Word, because by their means there is conjunction with the Lord and association with the angels of heaven. The reason that all these things are signified by 'this is the first resurrection' is because it follows as the conclusion resulting from the things preceding, and consequently involves them. The preceding things that these words involve are contained in verse 4, and some also in verse 5. In verse 4 are these:
I saw the souls of those beheaded with the axe for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God, and who did nor adore the beast or his image, and did not accept the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand, and they lived and reigned with Christ.
That by 'the souls beheaded with the axe for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God' are signified those who were rejected by those who are in untruths derived from self-intelligence because they worshipped the Lord and lived in accordance with His precepts in the Word, may be seen above (846-847). That by 'they did not adore the beast or his image, and did not accept the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand' is signified that they rejected the heretical [doctrine] concerning faith alone may be seen above (848); and that by 'they lived and reigned with Christ for the thousand years' is signified that they had conjunction with the Lord and an association with the angels of heaven may be seen above (849). These therefore are the things that 'this is the first resurrection' involve. By 'resurrection' is signified salvation and eternal life, and by 'the first' is not understood the first resurrection but the very and primary thing of resurrection, thus salvation and eternal life; for there is only one resurrection to life, a second is not given. And therefore a second resurrection is not mentioned anywhere for they who have once been conjoined to the Lord have been conjoined to Him for ever and are in heaven, for the Lord says:
I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me, though he were dead, shall live; every one who lives and believes in Me shall never. John 11:25-26.
'That these things are understood by 'the first resurrection' is established also from the verse now following.
851. This is the first resurrection, signifies that salvation and life eternal is primarily to worship the Lord, and live according to His commandments in the Word, because thereby conjunction is effected with the Lord and consociation with the angels in heaven. The reason why all these things are signified by "This is the first resurrection," is because it follows as a conclusion from what goes before, and therefore involves them; the preceding things which these words involve, are contained in verse 4, and partly also in verse 5. In verse 4 are these things: "I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God, and who had not adored the beast nor his image, nor had received his mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they lived and reigned with Christ." That by "the souls of them that were beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God," are signified such as were rejected by those who are in falsities from their own intelligence because they worshiped the Lord, and lived according to His commandments in the Word, may be seen above, (846, 847). That by "they adored not the beast nor his image, neither received his mark upon their forehead and upon their hand," is signified that they rejected the heresy of faith alone, may be seen above, (848); and that by "they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years," is signified that they have conjunction with the Lord and consociation with the angels of heaven, may be seen above, (849). These things therefore are what are involved in these words, "This is the first resurrection." By "resurrection" is signified salvation and life eternal, and by "the first" is not meant the first resurrection, but the very and primary of resurrection, thus salvation and life eternal; for there is only one resurrection to life, a second is not given; therefore a second resurrection is nowhere mentioned; for they who are once conjoined with the Lord, are conjoined with Him for ever; and this in heaven, for the Lord says:
I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, shall live; whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall not die to eternity, (John 11:25-26).
That this is what is meant by "the first resurrection" appears also from the following verse.
851. "Haec illa est Resurrectio prima," significat quod salvatio et vita aeterna primario sit colere Dominum, et vivere secundum praecepta Ipsius in Verbo, quia per illa fit conjunctio cum Domino et consociatio cum Angelis Caeli. -Quod haec omnia significentur per "Haec illa est Resurrectio prima," est quia sequitur ut conclusum ex antecedentibus, et inde involvit illa. Antecedentia quae haec verba involvunt, continentur in versu 4, et aliquid etiam in versu 5. In versu 4 sunt haec: "Vidi 1animas securi percussorum propter Testimonium Jesu et propter Verbum Dei, et qui non adoraverunt Bestiam, neque imaginem ejus, neque acceperunt characterem super fronte sua et super manu sua, et vixerunt et regnaverunt cum Christo:" quod per "animas securi percussorum propter testimonium Jesu et propter Verbum Dei" significentur qui rejecti ab illis qui in falsis ex propria intelligentia sunt quia coluerunt Dominum et vixerunt secundum praecepta Ipsius in Verbo, videatur supra (846, 847); quod per "non adoraverunt Bestiam neque imaginem ejus, neque acceperunt characterem super fronte sua et super manu sua" significetur quod haereticum de sola Fide rejecerint, 848; et quod per "vixerunt et regnaverunt cum Christo mille annos" 2significetur quod illis sit conjunctio cum Domino et consociatio cum angelis Caeli, 849. Haec itaque sunt, quae "haec illa est resurrectio prima" involvit. 3Per "resurrectionem" significatur salvatio et vita aeterna, et per "primam" non intelligitur prima resurrectio, sed ipsum et primarium resurrectionis, ita salvatio et vita aeterna; non enim est nisi quam una resurrectio ad vitam, secunda non datur; quare nec resurrectio secunda ullibi nominatur; qui enim semel conjuncti sunt Domino, in aeternum Ipsi conjuncti sunt, et in Caelo; nam dicit Dominus,
'Ego sum Resurrectio et Vita; qui credit in Me, etsi moriatur, vivet; (et) omnis qui vivit et credit in Me, non morietur in aeternum," (Johannes 11:25-26).
Quod illa per "resurrectionem primam" intelligantur, constat etiam a versu nunc sequente.
Footnotes:
1. Vidi pro "Vidit"
2. annos pro "annis"
3. involvit pro "involvunt"