897.启21:11.“城中有神的荣耀，城的光辉如同极贵的宝石，好像碧玉石，明如水晶”表在新教会，圣言将被理解，因为它将凭其灵义而变得透明。稍后会看到，“神的荣耀”表示在其神性之光中的圣言；“城的光辉”表示其中的神性真理，因为在圣言中，光就表示神性真理（796，799节）；“如同极贵的宝石，好像碧玉石，明如水晶”表示圣言凭其灵义而发光、透明，如下文所述。这些话描述了那些处于新耶路撒冷教义和照之的生活之人对圣言的理解。对他们来说，当阅读圣言时，它仿佛在发光；通过主藉着灵义而发光，因为主是圣言，灵义就在显为太阳的主所发出的天堂之光，显为太阳的主所发出的这光本质上就是其神性智慧的神性真理。圣言的每一个细节里面都有一个灵义，天使就在灵义中，并且他们的智慧就来源于灵义；对那些处于来自主的纯正真理之人而言，圣言凭灵义之光而透明；这一切在《新耶路撒冷教义之圣经篇》一书有所说明。
“神的荣耀（或荣光）”表示在其神性之光中的圣言，这一点从以下经文明显看出来：
道（即圣言）成了肉身，我们见过祂的荣光，正是父独生子的荣光。（约翰福音1:14）
显然，“荣光”表示圣言或道的荣耀，或表示主里面的神性真理，因为经上说“道（即圣言）成了肉身”；下文中的“荣耀”所表相同，那里说：
神的荣耀光照它，又有羔羊为城的灯。（启示录21:23）
当人子驾着天上的云降临时，他们所看见祂所具有的“荣耀”（马太福音24:30；马可福音13:26）所表相同（参看22，642，820节）。人子降临施行最后审判时所坐“荣耀”的宝座（马太福音25:31）并非表示别的，因为祂将照着圣言的真理审判各人；所以，经上来说“祂将在祂荣耀里降临”。主变像时，经上也说：
摩西和以利亚在荣光（glory）中显现。（路加福音9:30，31）
此处“摩西和以利亚”表示圣言；那时，主也让自己作为在其荣耀中的圣言显现给门徒看。“荣耀”表示神性真理，这一点从前面所引用的大量经文（629节）明显看出来。
圣言之所以被比作“极贵的宝石，好像碧玉石，明如水晶”，是因为“宝石”表示圣言的神性真理（231，540，726，823节），“碧玉石”表示字义中的圣言神性真理，凭灵义中的神性真理而透明；这就是“碧玉石”的含义（出埃及记28:20；以西结书28:13），后来在本章，经上说圣耶路撒冷的“墙的构造是碧玉的”（｛21:18）；由于字义中的圣言凭其灵义而透明，所以经上说碧玉“明如水晶”；那些处于来自主的神性真理之人所拥有的一切启示皆由此而来。
897. 21:11 Having the glory of God, and its light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, bright as crystal. This symbolically means that in that church the Word will be understood, because its spiritual sense will come shining through.
The glory of God symbolizes the Word in its Divine light, as will be seen next. Its light symbolizes the Divine truth in it, for this is the meaning of light in the Word (no. 796). "Like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, bright as crystal," symbolizes the Word shining and translucent because of its spiritual sense, as will also be seen next.
These words describe the understanding of the Word among people who possess the doctrine of the New Jerusalem and live in accordance with it. In their case the Word seems to shine when they read it. It shines because of the Lord's presence in the midst of the spiritual sense, because the Lord embodies the Word, and the spiritual sense exists in the light of heaven that emanates from the Lord as its sun. Moreover, the light that emanates from the Lord as a sun is in its essence the Divine truth of His Divine wisdom.
Every single thing in the Word contains a spiritual meaning, which angels see and from which they have their wisdom, and the light of that spiritual sense comes shining through with people who possess genuine truths from the Lord, as we showed in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture.
[2] That the glory of God means the Word in its Divine light can be seen from the following passage:
The Word became flesh..., and we beheld His glory, the glory as though of the only begotten of the Father... (John 1:14)
That the glory is the glory of the Word, or the Divine truth in the Lord, is plain, since it says, "The Word became flesh."
Glory has the same meaning in verse 23 below, where it says, "the glory of God illuminated it, and the Lamb is its lamp" (Revelation 21:23).
The same is meant by the glory in which people will see the Son of Man when He comes in the clouds of heaven (Matthew 24:30, Mark 13:26). See nos. 22, 642, 820 above.
Nor is anything else meant by the throne of glory on which the Lord will sit when He comes to execute the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:31), because He will judge everyone in accordance with the Word's truths. Therefore we are told as well that He will come in His glory.
We are, moreover, told that after the Lord was transfigured, Moses and Elijah appeared in glory (Luke 9:30-31). Moses and Elijah there symbolize the Word. The Lord Himself also then caused Himself to appear to the disciples as the Word in its glory.
To be shown that glory symbolizes Divine truth, more citations from the Word may be seen in no. 629 above.
[3] The Word is likened to a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, bright as crystal, because a precious stone symbolizes the Divine truth in the Word (nos. 231, 540, 726, 823), and a jasper stone symbolizes the Divine truth in the spiritual sense shining through the Divine truth in the literal sense. This is the symbolic meaning of jasper stone in Exodus 28:20, Ezekiel 28:13, and in the following verses in the present chapter, where we are told that the construction of the wall of the holy Jerusalem was of jasper (verse 18). Moreover, because the Word's spiritual sense shines through in its literal sense, we are told that the jasper stone was as bright as crystal. All enlightenment that people have who possess Divine truths from the Lord comes from that.
897. [verse 11] 'Having the glory of God, and the light thereof like a most precious stone as it were a jasper stone shining crystal clear' signifies that in that Church the Word will be understood, because it will be transparent by virtue of its spiritual sense. By 'the glory of God' is signified the Word in its Divine light, concerning which [something] follows. By 'the light thereof' is signified the Divine Truth there, for this is understood by 'light' in the Word (796 1). By 'like a most precious stone as it were a jasper stone shining crystal clear' is signified this [Word] shining and transparent by virtue of its spiritual sense, concerning which also [something] follows. By those words there is described the understanding of the Word with those who are in the doctrine of the New Jerusalem and in a life in accordance therewith. With them the Word shines as it were when it is being read. It shines from the Lord by means of the spiritual sense, because the Lord is the Word, and the spiritual sense is in the light of heaven that proceeds from the Lord as the Sun. And the light that proceeds from the Lord as the Sun is in its essence the Divine Truth of His Divine Wisdom. That in the details of the Word there is the spiritual sense in which the angels are and from which their wisdom is, and that the Word is transparent by virtue of the light of that sense with those who are in genuine truths from the Lord, has been shown in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE SACRED SCRIPTURE.
[2] That by 'the glory of God' is understood the Word in its Divine light can be established from these passages:
The Word was made flesh, and we saw His glory as the glory of the Only begotten by the Father. John 1:14.
That by 'the glory' is understood the glory of the Word or the Divine Truth in Himself is plain, since it is said 'the Word was made flesh.' The like is understood by 'the glory' in the words following, where it is said:
The glory of God has enlightened it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb (verse 23).
A similar thing is understood by:
The glory in which they are going to see the Son of Man when He comes in the clouds of heaven. Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26; as may be seen above (24, 642, 820). Nor is anything else understood by:
The throne of glory upon which the Lord will sit when He comes to the last judgment. Matthew 25:31; because He is going to judge everyone in accordance with the truths of the Word; and therefore it is also said that He is going to come 'in His glory.' When the Lord was transformed, it is also said that:
Moses and Elijah were seen in glory. Luke 9:30-31.
By 'Moses and Elijah' is signified the Word there. The Lord Himself also permitted the seeing of Himself before the disciples as the Word in its glory. That 'glory' signifies Divine Truth may be seen many times out of the Word above (629).
[3] The reason why the Word is compared to 'a most precious stone as it were a jasper stone shining crystal clear' is because 'a most precious stone' signifies the Divine Truth of the Word (231, 540, 726, 823), and 'a jasper stone' signifies the Divine Truth of the Word in the sense of the letter transparent by virtue of the Divine Truth in the spiritual sense. This is signified by 'a jasper stone' (Exodus 28:20; Ezekiel 28:13), and in the things following in this chapter, where it is said:
That the construction of the wall of the holy Jerusalem was of jasper (verse 18); and because the Word in the sense of the letter is transparent by virtue of its spiritual sense, it is said 'a jasper shining crystal clear.' All the enlightenment which those have who are in Divine Truths from the Lord is therefrom.
Footnotes:
1. The Original Edition has 796, 799; but 799 cannot be correct. Perhaps it should be 920 or 940.
897. Verse 11. Having the glory of God; and her light was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, shining like crystal, signifies that in that church the Word will be understood, because translucent from its spiritual sense. By "the glory of God" is signified the Word in its Divine light, as will be seen presently; by "its light" is signified the Divine truth therein, for this is meant by light in the Word, (796, 799); like a stone most precious, like a jasper stone, "shining like crystal," signifies the same shining and translucent from its spiritual sense, of which also in what follows. By these words is described the understanding of the Word with those who are in the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, and in a life according to it. With these the Word shines as it were when it is read; it shines from the Lord by means of the spiritual sense, because the Lord is the Word, and the spiritual sense is in the light of heaven which proceeds from the Lord as a sun, and the light which proceeds from the Lord as a sun, is in its essence the Divine truth of His Divine wisdom. That in every particular of the Word there is a spiritual sense, in which the angels are, and from which their wisdom is derived, and that the Word is translucent from the light of that sense to those who are in genuine truths from the Lord, is shown in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture.
[2] That by "the glory of God" is meant the Word in its Divine light, may appear from the following passages:
The Word was made flesh, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father, (John 1:14).
That by "glory" is meant the glory of the Word or the Divine truth in Him, is evident, because it is said "the Word was made flesh;" the same is meant by "glory" in what follows, where it is said:
The glory of God did lighten it, and its lamp is the Lamb, (John 1:23).
The same is meant by:
The glory in which they will see the Son of man when He shall come in the clouds of heaven, (Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26).
See above, (22, 642, 820); nor is anything else meant by:
The throne of glory upon which the Lord will sit when He shall come to the Last Judgment, (Matthew 25:31);
because He will judge everyone according to the truths of the Word; wherefore it is also said that "He will come in His glory." When the Lord was transfigured, it is also said that:
Moses and Elias appeared in glory, (Luke 9:30-31).
By "Moses and Elias" is there signified the Word; the Lord also then caused Himself to be seen by the disciples as the Word in its glory. That "glory" signifies the Divine truth, may be seen from many passages of the Word above, (629[1-2]).
[3] The reason why the Word is compared to "a stone most precious, like a jasper stone, shining like crystal," is because "a precious stone" signifies the Divine truth of the Word, (231, 540, 726, 823), and "a jasper stone" signifies the Divine truth of the Word in the sense of the letter, translucent from the Divine truth in the spiritual sense; this is the signification of "a jasper stone" (in Exodus 28:20; Ezekiel 28:13), and afterwards in this chapter, where it is said that "the structure of the wall" of the Holy Jerusalem was "jasper" (verse 18); and since the Word in the sense of the letter is translucent from its spiritual sense, it is said, "a jasper shining like crystal," all enlightenment, which they have who are in Divine truths from the Lord, is thence.
897. (Vers. 11.) "Habentem gloriam Dei; et lumen ejus simile lapidi pretiosissimo, tanquam lapidi jaspidi instar crystalli splendenti," significat quod in illa Ecclesia erit Verbum intellectum, quia translucens ex Sensu spirituali ejus. -Per "gloriam Dei" significatur Verbum in sua Divina luce, de qua sequitur; per "lumen ejus" significatur Divinum Verum ibi, hoc enim intelligitur per lucem in Verbo (796, 799); per "simile lapidi pretiosissimo, tanquam lapidi jaspidi instar crystalli splendenti" significatur id lucens et translucens ex Sensu spirituali ejus, de quo etiam sequitur. Per illa verba describitur intellectus Verbi apud illos qui in doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, et in vita secundum illam sunt. Apud hos Verbum quasi lucet cum legitur; lucet a Domino medio Sensu spirituali, quia Dominus est Verbum, et Sensus spiritualis est in luce Caeli quae procedit a Domino ut Sole; et Lux quae procedit a Domino ut Sole est in sua essentia Divinum Verum Divinae Sapientiae Ipsius. Quod in singulis Verbi sit Sensus spiritualis, in quo sunt angeli, et a quo est sapientia illorum, et quod Verbum transluceat ex luce illius Sensus apud illos qui a Domino in genuinis veris sunt, in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Scriptura Sacra ostensum est. Quod per "gloriam Dei" intelligatur Verbum in sua Divina luce, constare potest ex his locis:
"Verbum Caro factum est, et vidimus Gloriam Ipsius sicut Gloriam Unigeniti a Patre," (Johannes 1:14);
quod per "gloriam" intelligatur gloria Verbi seu Divinum Verum in Ipso, patet, quoniam dicitur "Verbum Caro factum est:" simile per "gloriam" intelligitur in sequentibus, ubi dicitur, "Gloria Dei illustravit illam, et Lucerna ejus Agnus," (vers. 23). Simile intelligitur per Gloriam in qua visuri sunt Filium Hominis quando venturus est in nubibus Caeli, (Matthaeus 24:30; Marcus 13:26); 1
(22, 642, 820); 2nec aliud per Thronum Gloriae super quo sedebit Dominus cum venturus est ad Ultimum Judicium, (Matthaeus 25:31);
quia judicaturus est unumquemvis secundum vera Verbi, quare etiam dicitur, quod "venturus sit in gloria Sua." Quando Dominus transformatus est, etiam dicitur quod Moses et Elias "visi sint in Gloria," (Luca 9:30-31);
per "Mosen et Eliam" significatur ibi Verbum; Ipse etiam Dominus tunc dedit Se videndum coram discipulis ut Verbum in gloria Sua: quod "Gloria" significet Divinum Verum, videantur plura ex Verbo supra (629). Quod Verbum comparetur "lapidi pretiosissimo tanquam lapidi jaspidi instar crystalli splendenti," est quia "lapis pretiosus" significat Divinum Verum Verbi (231, 540, 726, 823); et "lapis jaspis significat Divinum Verum Verbi in Sensu literae translucens ex Divino Vero in Sensu spirituali. Hoc significatur per "Lapidem jaspidem," Exodus 28:20; Ezechiel 28:13; et in sequentibus in hoc capite, ubi dicitur, quod "structura muri" sanctae Hierosolymae esset "jaspis," (vers. 18); et quia Verbum in Sensu literae translucet ex Sensu spirituali ejus, dicitur "jaspis instar crystalli splendens." Omnis illustratio quae est illis qui in Divinis Veris a Domino sunt, est inde
Footnotes:
1. 26 pro "25"
2. 22 pro "20"