896.启21:10.“我在灵里被那天使带到一座又大又高的山上，他将那大城，就是由神那里从天而降的圣耶路撒冷指示我”表约翰被提到第三层天堂，他的视觉被打开了，主的新教会教义以城的形式显现在他面前。“我在灵里被带到一座又大又高的山上”表示约翰被提到第三层天堂，那些处于对主之爱和来自祂的纯正真理教义的人所在之地；“大”也论及爱之良善，“高”论及真理。被带到“一座山上”之所以表示被提到第三层天堂，是因为经上说“在灵里”，就心智及其视觉而已，凡在灵里的，都在灵界；在那里，第三层天堂的天使就住在大山上，第二层天堂的天使住在小山上，最低层天堂的天使则住在小山和大山之间的山谷中。所以，当有人在灵里被带到大山上时，就表示他被提到第三层天堂；这种提升是瞬间实现的，因为它是通过心智状态的改变而完成的；他“指示我”表示当时他所打开的视觉，以及显明。“那大城，就是由神那里从天而降的圣耶路撒冷”表示主的新教会，如前所述（879，880节）；那里还解释了它为何被称为“圣”，为何经上说它“由神那里从天而降”；它以城的形式显现，是因为“城”表示教义（194，712节），教会之所以为教会是凭着教义和照之的生活。它看上去也的确就像一座城，以便可以描述它的一切性质，并且它的性质就是以城墙、城门、根基和各种尺寸来描述的。在以西结书，经上以同样的方式描述了新教会，在那里，经上也说，先知：
在神的异象中，被带到至高的山上，看到南边有一座城，有天使量了城墙城门，及其宽高。（以西结书40:2等）
撒迦利亚书中的这段经文所表相同：
我对天使说，你往哪里去？他说，要去量耶路撒冷，看有多宽多长。（撒迦利亚书2:2）
896. 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit onto a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. This symbolizes John's being transported into the third heaven and his sight opened there, and the Lord's New Church in respect to its doctrine being presented to him in the form of a city.
John's being carried away in the spirit onto a great and high mountain means, symbolically, that he was transported into the third heaven, where those people dwell who are impelled by love from the Lord and possess a doctrine of genuine truth from Him. Greatness is also predicated of goodness, and height of truths.
His being carried away onto a mountain symbolically means into the third heaven, because he is said to have been in the spirit, and someone who is in the spirit is as to his mind and sight in the spiritual world. Moreover, in the spiritual world angels of the third heaven dwell on mountains, angels of the second heaven on hills, and angels of the lowest heaven in valleys between the hills and mountains. Consequently, when someone is carried away in the spirit onto a mountain, it symbolically means into the third heaven. This carrying away takes place in a moment, because it is achieved by a change in the person's state of mind.
The angel's showing to John symbolizes his sight being opened then and a revelation. The great city, the holy Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God symbolizes the Lord's New Church, as in nos. 879, 880 above, where we also explained why it is called a holy city, and why it is said to be coming down out of heaven from God. It was seen in the form of a city because a city symbolizes doctrine (nos. 194, 712), and a church is a church by virtue of its doctrine and its living in accordance with that doctrine. It was also seen as a city in order that its whole character might be described, and this is described by the city's walls, gates, foundations, and various dimensions.
The church is similarly described in Ezekiel, where we are also told that the prophet was taken in the visions of God onto a very high mountain, where he saw a city to the south, whose wall and gates an angel also measured, together with its various widths and heights (Ezekiel 40:2ff.).
The following passage in Zechariah has a similar meaning:
I said (to the angel), "Where are you going?" He said..., "To measure Jerusalem, to see how great its width is and how great its length." (Zechariah 2:2)
896. [verse 10] 'And he carried me away in the spirit above a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God' signifies John transported into the third heaven, and his sight opened there, before whom was made manifest the Lord's New Church as to doctrine in the form of a city. By 'he carried me away in the spirit above a great and high mountain' is signified that John was transported into the third heaven, where are those who are in love from the Lord and in the doctrine of genuine truth from Him; 'great' being predicated of the good of love, and 'high' of truths. The reason why by to be carried away 'into a mountain' is signified into the third heaven is because it is said 'in the spirit,' and he who is 'in the spirit' is as to his mind and sight in the spiritual world, and there the angels of the third heaven dwell upon mountains, the angels of the second heaven upon hills, and the angels of the ultimate heaven in the valleys between the hills and mountains. When, therefore, anyone is carried away in the spirit into a mountain, there is signified [his being taken up] into the third heaven. This carrying away is effected in a moment because it is effected by means of a change of state of the mind. By 'he showed me' is signified the sight then opened, and a making manifest. By 'the great city the holy Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God' is signified the Lord's New Church, as above (879-880), where it has also been expounded, which is the reason why it is termed 'holy' and is said to be descending out of heaven from God. Its being seen in the form of a city is because 'a city' signifies doctrine (194, 712), and the Church is a Church by virtue of doctrine and a life in accordance therewith. It was also seen as a city so that it might be described as to its every quality, and this is described by its wall, gates, foundations, and by the various measurements. The Church is described in a similar manner in Ezekiel, where it is also said that the prophet:
In visions of God was brought upon a very high mountain [and] saw a city on the south, which an angel also measured as to the wall and gates, and as to the breadth and height. Ezekiel 40:2 seq.
A similar thing is understood by these words in Zechariah:
I said unto the angel, Where art thou going? He said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, that I may see what is the breadth thereof and what is the length thereof, Zechariah 2:2; [H.B. 6].
896. Verse 10. And he carried me away in the spirit upon a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, signifies that John was carried away into the third heaven, and his sight there opened, before whom was made manifest the Lord's New Church as to doctrine in the form of a city. "He carried me away in the spirit upon a great and high mountain," signifies that John was carried away into the third heaven, where they are who are in love to the Lord, and in the genuine doctrine of truth from Him; great also is predicated of the good of love, and high of truths. The reason why being taken up "into a mountain" signifies to be taken up into the third heaven, is, because it is said "in the spirit," and he who is in the spirit as to his mind and its sight, is in the spiritual world, and there the angels of the third heaven dwell upon mountains, the angels of the second heaven upon hills, and the angels of the lowest heaven in valleys between the hills and mountains. Therefore when anyone in the spirit is taken up into a mountain, it signifies that he is taken up into the third heaven; this elevation is effected in a moment, because it is done by a change in the state of the mind; by "he showed me," is signified his sight then opened, and manifestation. By "the great city, the holy Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God is signified the Lord's New Church as above, (878, 880); where also it is explained, for this reason it is called "holy," and is said "to descend out of heaven from God;" its being seen in the form of a city, is because "a city" signifies doctrine, (194[1-4], 712), and the church is a church from doctrine, and from a life according to it. It was also seen as a city, that it might be described as to all its quality, and this is described by its wall, gates, foundations, and various measures. The church is described in a similar manner in Ezekiel, where it is also said that the prophet:
In the visions of God was brought upon a very high mountain, and he saw a city on the south, which the angel also measured as to its wall and gates, and as to its breadth and height, (Ezekiel 40:2).
The like is meant by this passage in Zechariah:
I said to the angel, Whither goest thou? he said, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof, (Zechariah 2:2).
896. (Vers. 10.) "Et abstulit me in spiritu super montem magnum et altum, et ostendit mihi urbem magnam, sanctam Hierosolymam, descendentem e Caelo a Deo," significat Johannem translatum in tertium Caelum, et visum ejus ibi apertum, coram quo manifestata est Nova Domini Ecclesia quoad doctrinam in forma urbis. -Per "abstulit me in spiritu super montem magnum et altum" significatur quod Johannes translatus sit in tertium Caelum, ubi illi qui in amore a Domino sunt, et in doctrina genuini veri ab Ipso; "magnum" etiam praedicatur de bono amoris, et "altum" de veris; quod per ablatum "in montem" significetur in tertium Caelum, est quia dicitur "in spiritu;" et qui in spiritu est, quoad mentem et ejus visum est in mundo spirituali; et ibi angeli tertii Caeli habitant super montibus, angeli secundi Caeli super collibus, et angeli ultimi Caeli in vallibus inter colles et montes; quare cum quis in spiritu aufertur in montem, significatur in tertium Caelum: haec ablatio fit momento, quia fit per mutationem status mentis: per "ostendit mihi" significatur visus tunc apertus, et manifestatio; per "urbem magnam, sanctam Hierosolymam, descendentem e Caelo a Deo" significatur Nova Domini Ecclesia, ut supra (879, 880); 1ubi etiam explicatum est, unde est quod dicatur "sancta," et quod dicatur "descendens e Caelo a Deo;" quod visa sit in forma urbis, est quia "urbs" significat doctrinam (194, 712), et Ecclesia est Ecclesia ex doctrina et ex vita secundum illam; visa etiam est ut urbs, ut describatur quoad omne quale ejus, et hoc describitur per ejus murum, portas, fundamenta, et per varias mensuras. Similiter describitur Ecclesia apud Ezechielem, ubi etiam dicitur, quod Propheta In visionibus Dei deductus sit super montem altum valde, (et) viderit Urbem a meridie, quam angelus etiam quoad murum et portas, et quoad latitudines et altitudines, mensus est, (40:2, seq.).
Simile intelligitur per haec apud Sachariam:
"Dixi Angelo, Quo tu pergis; dixit, Ad metiendum Hierosolymam, ut videam quanta latitudo ejus, et quanta longitudo ejus," (2:6 (B.A. 2)).
Footnotes:
1. 879, 880 pro "878, 879"