900.“门上有十二位天使，又有名字写在上头，就是以色列人十二支派的名字”表天上的神性真理与良善，也就是在这些认知里面的教会的神性真理与良善，它们会守卫，防止有人进入，除非他凭来自主的衍生物而在它们里面。“十二位天使”在此表示教会的一切真理与良善；因为“天使”在至高意义上表示主，在广泛意义上表示由众天使所构成的天堂；在具体意义上表示来自主的天上真理与良善（参看5，170，258，344，415，465，647，648，657，718节）。在此之所以表示天上的真理与良善，是因为接下来经上说“又有名字写在上头，就是以色列人十二支派的名字”，以此表示教会的一切真理与良善（349节）。在“门上”表示在这些认知里面，因为在圣言中，“在…上”（over）就表示“在…里面或内”。这是因为连续次序中的至高层就是同步次序中的至内层，因此第三层天堂被称为至高和至内层天堂。这就是为何在“门上”表示在对真理的认知里面。“又有名字写在上头”表示其一切性质，因而也表示在其中，因为一切性质皆源自外在事物中的内在。显然，这些话表示守卫，防止有人进入教会，除非他凭来自主的衍生物而在这些认知里面，因为天使被看到站在门上，而且门上还写有以色列人十二支派的名字。之所以说天堂与教会的真理与良善在源于圣言的认知里面，凭这些认知被引入教会，是因为对源于圣言的真理与良善的认知，一旦有从主那里出于天堂的属灵之物在里面，就不再被称为认知，而是称为真理。但若从主那里出于天堂的属灵之物不在他们里面，它们无非就是知识。
900. And over the gates twelve angels, with names written on them, which are those of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. This symbolizes the Divine truths and goods of heaven in those concepts, which are also the Divine truths and goods of the church, and at the same time safeguards to keep someone from entering into them unless he does so from the Lord.
The twelve angels symbolize here all the truths and goods of heaven, since in the highest sense angels symbolize the Lord, in a more general sense heaven, which is composed of angels, and in a more particular sense the truths and goods of heaven from the Lord. See nos. 5, 170, 258, 344, 415, 465, 647, 648, 657, 718. Here they symbolize the truths and goods of heaven, because the statement follows, "with names written on them, which are those of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel," and these symbolize all the truths and goods of the church (no. 349).
Being over the gates means, symbolically, in those concepts, inasmuch as "over" in the Word symbolically means "within." The reason is that the highest component in sequential order becomes the inmost in concurrent order. Consequently the third heaven is called both the highest heaven and the inmost heaven. That is why "over the gates" symbolically means in the concepts of truth. The names written on the angels symbolize their whole character, thus also the character within them, for every quality in outward expressions originates from inner attributes.
It is apparent that the same words symbolize safeguards to keep someone from entering the church without having those concepts from the Lord, because the angels were seen standing over the gates, and the names of the tribes of Israel were also written on them.
We say that the truths and goods of heaven and the church are present in the concepts coming from the Word that serve to introduce into the church, because when concepts of truth and good from the Word have in them a spiritual quality from heaven from the Lord, they are called not concepts, but truths. But if those concepts do not have in them a spiritual quality from heaven from the Lord, they are nothing more than articles of knowledge.
900. 'And over the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel' signifies the Divine truths and goods of heaven, which also are the Divine truths and goods of the Church, in those cognitions, and also guards lest anyone should enter unless he is in them by derivation from the Lord (ex Domino). By 'twelve angels' are here signified all the truths and goods of the Church; since by 'angels' is signified in the highest sense the Lord, in a general sense heaven by virtue of the angels, and in a particular sense the truths and goods of heaven from the Lord, as may be seen (5, 170, 258, 344, 415, 465, 647-648, 657, 718). Here are signified the truths and goods of heaven, because it follows on 'and names written thereon which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel,' by which is signified all the truths and goods of the Church (349). By 'over the gates' is signified in those cognitions, because 'over' in the Word signifies within. This is because that which is highest in successive order is the inmost in simultaneous order, and therefore the third heaven is called both the highest and the inmost heaven. This is why 'over the gates' signifies in the cognitions of truth. By 'names written thereon' is signified every quality thereof, thus also therein, for every quality is derived from the internals in external things. That by the same words are signified guards lest anyone should enter into the Church unless he is in those cognitions by derivation from the Lord, is plain, because the angels were seen standing over the gates, and also the names of the tribes of Israel were written upon them. It is said that the truths and goods of heaven and the Church are in the cognitions that are derived from the Word by which introduction into the Church is effected, because the cognitions of truth and good derived from the Word, when what is spiritual is in them out of heaven from the Lord, are not called cognitions but truths. But if what is spiritual is not in them out of heaven from the Lord, they are nothing but knowledges.
900. And over the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel, signifies the Divine truths and goods of heaven, which are also the Divine truths and goods of the church, in those knowledges, and also guards to prevent anyone from entering except he be in them from the Lord. By "twelve angels" are signified here all the, truths and goods of heaven, because by "angels," in the highest sense, is signified the Lord, in a general sense the heaven of angels, and in a particular sense the truths and goods of heaven from the Lord (see 5, 170, 258, 344, 415, 465, 647, 648, 657, 718); here the truths and goods of heaven, because it follows, "and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel," by which are signified all the truths and goods of the church, (349). By "over the gates" is signified in those knowledges, because "over" in the Word signifies within; the reason is because that which is highest in successive order becomes the inmost in simultaneous order; therefore the third heaven is called both the highest and the inmost heaven; hence it is, that "over the gates" signifies in the knowledges of truth; by "names written thereon," is signified every quality of them, thus also in them, for all quality is from internals in externals. The reason why by the same words are signified guards lest anyone enter into the church, unless he be in those knowledges from the Lord, is evident, because the angels were seen standing over the gates, and also the names of the tribes of Israel were written over them. It is said that the truths and goods of heaven and the church are in the knowledges which are from the Word, by which introduction into the church is effected, because the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, when there is in them the spiritual from heaven from the Lord, are not called knowledges, but truths; but if there is not in them the spiritual from heaven from the Lord, they are nothing but scientifics.
900. "Et super portis angelos duodecim, et nomina superscripta quae sunt duodecim tribuum filiorum Israelis," significat Divina vera et bona Caeli, quae etiam sunt Divina vera et bona Ecclesiae, in cognitionibus illis, et quoque custodias, ne quis intret nisi in illis sit ex Domino. -Per "angelos duodecim" significantur hic omnia vera et bona Caeli, quoniam per "angelos" in supremo Sensu significatur Dominus, in communi Sensu Caelum ex angelis, et in particulari Sensu vera et bona Caeli a Domino (videatur 5, 170, 258, 344, 415, 465, 647, 648, 657, 718); hic vera [et] bona Caeli, quia sequitur, "et nomina superscripta quae sunt duodecim tribuum filiorum Israelis," per quae significantur omnia vera et bona Ecclesiae (349). Per "super portis" significatur in cognitionibus illis, quia "super" in Verbo significat intra; causa est quia id quod supremum est in ordine successivo fit intimum in ordine simultaneo; quare Caelum tertium vocatur tam supremum quam intimum Caelum; inde est quod "super 1portis" significet in cognitionibus veri: per "nomina superscripta" significatur omne quale eorum, ita quoque in illis, nam omne quale est ex internis in externis. Quod per eadem verba significentur custodiae ne quis intret in Ecclesiam, nisi in cognitionibus illis sit ex Domino, patet; quia angeli visi sunt stantes super portis, et quoque nomina tribuum Israelis erant scripta super illis. Dicitur quod vera et bona Caeli et Ecclesiae sint in cognitionibus quae sunt ex Verbo, per quas fit introductio in Ecclesiam, quia cognitiones veri et boni ex Verbo, quando in illis est spirituale e Caelo a Domino, non vocantur cognitiones, sed vera; at si non in illis est spirituale e Caelo a Domino, non sunt nisi quam scientifica.
Footnotes:
1. super pro "supra"