97.“乃是撒但会堂的人”表因为他们在教义上处于虚假。之所以称为“会堂”，是因为所提及的是犹太人。犹太人在会堂施行教导，故“会堂”表示教义。“撒但”表示那些处于虚假之人的地狱，故它被称为“撒但会堂”。地狱被称为“魔鬼”和“撒但”，被称为“魔鬼”的地狱是指诸如处于邪恶的人，确切地说，是处于自我之爱的人；被称为“撒但”的地狱则指诸如处于虚假的人，确切地说，是以自己的才华为骄傲的人。地狱之所以被称为“魔鬼”和“撒但”，是因为凡在地狱者皆被称为魔鬼和撒但。由此明显可知，他们“乃是撒但会堂的人”表示在教义上处于虚假。
由于此处论述的是那些在生活上处于良善，在教义上处于虚假的人，而这种人只知道自己处于良善，其虚假就是真理，故有必要对其加以说明。一切敬拜的良善皆由真理形成，一切真理皆通过良善形成，故良善若没有真理，就不是良善；真理若没有良善，也不是真理；诚然，从外在形式上看，它们似乎是良善与真理，其实并不是。良善与真理的结合被称为天上的婚姻；人里面的教会与天堂就出于该婚姻。因此，
如果虚假取代了真理，那么人就会行虚假的良善，这良善并非良善，因为它要么是伪善，要么是邀功的，要么是与生俱来的属世之善。
举例说明这一点。人若处于这一虚假：他自以为凭自己行善，因为他有行善的能力，那么他的良善就不是良善，因为是他自己，而不是主在这良善中。若人处于这一虚假：他能行出本为良善的良善，而无需知道自己里面的邪恶，因而无需悔改，那么尽管他看似行善，然而并未行善，因为若不悔改，人便处于邪恶。若人处于“良善使他从邪恶中洁净”这一虚假，却对他所处的邪恶一无所知，那么他就只能行出伪善，这种善从内被他的邪恶所玷污。若人处于这一虚假：多神是存在的，并对此加以确认，那么他所行的良善是分裂的，分裂的良善不是良善。若人处于这一虚假：他相信主人性中的神性，不像身体中的灵魂，那么他就无法通过主行善，非出于主的良善并不是良善，因为这与主所说的这些话相悖：
人若不在我里面，我也在他里面，就不能结果子；因为离了我，你们就不能做什么。人若不常在我里面，就像枯枝被丢出去，扔在火里烧了。（约翰福音15:4-6等）
因为良善从真理得其品质，真理从良善得其存在或本质。
谁不知道，若无教义，教会不成教会？因为教义教导人如何思想神并通过神思想，以及人如何通过并依靠神行事。所以教义必须出于真理，照真理行事就被称为良善；由此可知，照虚假行事并非良善。有人以为人所行的良善里面没有任何出于真理或虚假的东西，然而良善的品质并非来自其它源头，因为它们像爱与智慧，也像爱与愚蠢那样结合起来；智者之爱行良善，而愚者之爱所行的，外在看似良善，内在与良善完全不同。因此，智者之善犹如精金，愚者之善犹如包裹污垢之金。
97. "'But are a synagogue of Satan.'" This symbolically means, because as to doctrine they are caught up in falsities.
They are termed a synagogue because they call themselves Jews, and since Jews taught in synagogues, a synagogue symbolizes doctrine. Moreover, because Satan means a hell composed of people caught up in falsities, therefore they are termed a synagogue of Satan.
Hell is called the Devil and Satan, and a hell called the Devil means people there who are caught up in evils - properly speaking, people caught up in a love of self. And Satan means people there who are caught up in falsities - properly speaking, people caught up in a conceit in their own intelligence.
These hells are called the Devil and Satan because all who are in them are called devils and satanic spirits.
It can be seen from this now that their being a synagogue of Satan means, symbolically, that as to doctrine they are caught up in falsities.
[2] Still, because the subject here is people who as to life are engaged in good, but as to doctrine are caught up in falsities, and these do not know otherwise than that they are engaged in good and that their falsities are true, we must say something about them.
Every good pertaining to worship is formed in accordance with truths, and every truth is formed from good. Therefore goodness without truth is not good, nor is truth without goodness true. In outward form, indeed, they appear as though they were, but still they are not.
We call the union of goodness and truth the heavenly marriage. It is this that forms the church in a person and that forms heaven in him. Consequently if falsities are substituted for truths in a person, he then does the good of falsity, which is not good, being either pharasaic or merit-seeking, or something natural inborn.
[3] But let examples serve to illustrate:
Someone caught up in the falsity of believing that he does good of himself because he has the ability to do good - his good is not good, because he is at the core of it, and not the Lord.
Someone caught up in the falsity of believing that he can do good that is good without recognizing any evil in himself, thus who acts without repentance - such a person, when doing good, does not do good, because without repentance he is prompted by evil.
Someone caught up in the falsity of believing that good purifies him of evils, unaware of any of the evils that motivate him - the only good that he does is spurious good, which is inwardly contaminated with his evils.
Someone caught up in the falsity of believing in the existence of more than one god, who confirms himself in that belief - the good that he does is a fragmented good, and a fragmented good is not good.
Someone caught up in the falsity of believing that the Divine does not reside in the Lord's humanity like the soul in its body cannot do good from the Lord, and good that does not come from the Lord is not good, for it is contrary to these words of the Lord:
(If anyone does not abide in Me, and I in him, he cannot bear any fruit,) for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch (that is) withered; and (it is thrown) into the fire, and... burned. (John 15:4-6)
The like is found in many other places. For good takes its character from truths, while truths take their essence from good.
[4] Who does not know that the church is not a church without doctrine? And the doctrine must teach a person how to think about God and from God, and how to behave from God and with God. Therefore the doctrine must be composed of truths, according to which the person does what is called good. It follows from this that to act in accordance with falsities is not good.
People suppose that the good that a person does has in it nothing derived from truths or falsities, when in fact the character of the good is due to nothing else; for the two go together like love and wisdom, and also like love and foolishness. A wise person's love is what does good, while a foolish person's love does something like it outwardly, but something altogether unlike it inwardly. A wise person's good is accordingly like pure gold, while a foolish person's good is like excrement overlaid with gold.
97. 'But are a synagogue of Satan' signifies because as to doctrine they are in untruths. 'Synagogue' is said because the Jews have been mentioned, and as they used to teach in synagogues, by 'synagogue' is signified doctrine; and since by 'Satan' is understood the hell [formed] out of those who are in untruths, therefore 'a synagogue of Satan' is said. Hell is called 'the Devil' and 'Satan,' and by the hell that is called 'the Devil' those are understood who are in evils there, properly those who are in the love of self; and by the hell that is called 'Satan' those are understood who are in untruths there, properly those who are in the pride of their own intelligence. Those hells are termed 'the Devil' and 'Satan' because all who are in them are called devils and satans. From these things it can now be established that by the fact that they 'are a synagogue of Satan' is signified that as to doctrine they are in untruths.
[2] But as it treats here of those who are in good as to life but in untruths as to doctrine, and these do not know otherwise than that they are in good and that their untruths are true, something will be said about them. Every good of worship is formed by means of truths, and every truth is formed out of good, and therefore good without truth is not good, while truth without good is not true. They appear indeed in external form to be so, but they are not. The conjunction of good and truth is called the heavenly marriage, out of which there is the Church with a man, and heaven with him. If therefore there are untruths instead of truths with a man, then he does the good of untruth, and this is not good, for it is either pharisaical, or for the sake of recompense, or it is connate natural good.
[3] But let there be examples for enlightenment. He who is in the untruth that he believes himself to be doing good of himself because he has the faculty of doing good: his good is not good, because he himself and not the Lord is in it. He who is in the untruth that he is able to do a good that is good without acquainting himself with what evil is with him, thus without repentance: he while doing good is not [really] doing good, because without repentance he is in evil. He who is in the untruth that good purifies him from evils, and does not know anything about the evils in which he is: he is doing no other than a spurious good that has been contaminated within by his evils. He who is in the untruth that there are many gods, and confirms himself therein: in his case the good that he is doing is a divided good, and a divided good is not good. He who is in the untruth that he believes that the Lord's Divine is not in His Human as the soul is in the body, is unable to do good out of Him, and a good not out of the Lord is not good, for it is contrary to these words of the Lord:
Except anyone abide in Me and I in him, he cannot bear any fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Except anyone abide in Me, he is cast out of the house as a withered branch, and is cast into the fire and is burned. John 15:4-6.
Similarly in many other instances. For good draws its own quality from truths, and truths draw their being (esse) from good.
[4] Who does not know that a Church is not a Church without a doctrine, and the doctrine will teach how a man will think about God and out of God, and how he will act out of God and with God? The doctrine will therefore be [formed] out of truths and to act in accordance with these is what is called good. It follows from this that to act in accordance with untruths is not good. It is believed that in the good that a man does there is not anything out of truths or untruths, when yet the quality of the good is from no other source, for they cohere like love and wisdom, and also like love and foolishness. It is the love of the wise that does good, but it is the love of the foolish that does what may be alike in externals, but is altogether unlike in internals. The good of the wise, therefore, is like pure gold, but the good of the foolish is like gold wrapped round about dirt.
97. But are the synagogue of Satan, signifies because they are in falsities as to doctrine. It is called "synagogue," because the Jews are mentioned, and as they taught in synagogues, by "synagogue" is signified doctrine; and because by "Satan" is meant the hell of those who are in falsities, therefore it is called "the synagogue of Satan." Hell is called "the Devil" and "Satan," and by the hell which is called "the Devil," are meant such there as are in evils, properly who are in the love of self; and by the hell which is called "Satan," are meant such there as are in falsities, properly who are in the pride of their own intelligence. The hells are called the "Devil" and "Satan," because all who are in them are called devils and satans. Hence then it may appear, that by their being "the synagogue of Satan," is signified that as to doctrine they are in falsities.
[2] But as they who are in good as to life, and in falsities as to doctrine, are here treated of, and as such know no other than that they are in good, and that their falsities are truths, something shall be said respecting them. All the good of worship is formed by truths, and all truth is formed from good, therefore good without truth is not good, neither is truth, without good, truth; they appear indeed in external form to be so, but still they are not. The conjunction of good and truth is called the heavenly marriage; from this is the church with man, and it is heaven with him. If therefore there are falsities instead of truths with man, then he does the good of falsity, which is not good, for it is either pharisaical or meritorious, or innate natural good.
[3] But examples will illustrate this. He who is in this falsity, that he believes he does good from himself, because he has the faculty of doing good; his good is not good, because he himself is in it, and not the Lord. He who is in this falsity, that he can do good which is in itself good, without a knowledge of what evil is in himself, thus without repentance, although he appears to do good, yet he does not do good, because without repentance he is in evil. He who is in this falsity, that good purifies him from evils, and does not know anything of the evils in which he is, he does no other good than spurious good, which is inwardly contaminated by his evils. He who is in this falsity, that there are many gods, and confirms himself in this, the good which he does is divided good, and divided good is not good. He who is in this falsity, that he believes the Divine in the Lord's Human is not like the soul in the body, cannot do good from Him, and good not from the Lord is not good, for it is contrary to these words of the Lord:
Except one abide in Me and I in Him, he cannot bring forth any fruit; for without Me ye cannot do anything. Except one abide in Me, he is cast forth as a dried branch, and is cast into the fire and burned, (John 15:4-6).
For good derives its quality from truths, and truths derive their esse from good.
[4] Who does not know, that the church is not a church without doctrine; and doctrine must teach how a man shall think of God and from God; and how he shall act from God and with God; therefore doctrine must be from truths, to act according to which is called good; whence it follows, that to act according to falsities is not good. It is believed, that in the good which a man does, there is not anything from truths or falsities, when yet the quality of good is from no other source, for they cohere together like love and wisdom, and also like love and foolishness; it is the love of the wise which does good, but the love of the foolish does what is like good in externals, but totally unlike it in internals; therefore the good of the wise is like pure gold, but the good of the foolish is like gold covering over dung.
97. "Sed Synagoga satanae," significat quia sunt in falsis quoad doctrinam. - "Synagoga" dicitur, quia Judaei nominati sunt, qui quia in Synagogis docebant, per "synagogam" significatur doctrina; et quia per "satanam" intelligitur Infernum ex illis qui in falsis sunt, ideo dicitur "synagoga satanae." Infernum vocatur "diabolus" et "satanas," et per Infernum quod vocatur "diabolus," intelliguntur illi ibi qui in malis sunt, proprie qui in amore sui sunt; et per Infernum quod vocatur "satanas," intelliguntur illi ibi qui in falsis sunt, proprie qui in fastu propriae intelligentiae sunt: quod Inferna illa dicantur "diabolus" et "satanas," est quia omnes qui in illis sunt, vocantur diaboli et satanae. Ex his nunc constare potest, quod per quod sint "synagoga satanae," significetur quod sint quoad doctrinam in falsis. Sed quia de illis hic agitur qui in bono quoad vitam sunt, sed in falsis quoad doctrinam, et illi non sciunt aliter quam quod in bono sint, tum quod falsa illorum sint vera, dicetur aliquid de illis: omne bonum cultus formatur per vera, et omne verum formatur ex bono; quare bonum absque veri non est bonum, nec verum absque bono est verum; apparent quidem in externa forma quod sint, sed usque non sunt. Conjunctio boni et veri vocatur Conjugium Caeleste; ex hoc est Ecclesia apud hominem, et est Caelum apud illum: si itaque falsa pro veris sunt apud hominem, tunc ille facit bonum falsi, quod non est bonum, est enim bonum vel pharisaicum, vel meritorium, vel connatum naturale. Sed sint exempla illustrationi: Qui in hoc falso est, quod credat se bonum facere ex se, quia ei facultas bonum faciendi est, illius bonum non est bonum, quia ipse est in illo et non Dominus. Qui in hoc falso est, quod bonum quod bonum est, possit facere absque cognitione quid malum apud se, ita absque paenitentia, is dum bonum, non bonum facit, quia absque paenitentia est in malo. Qui in hoc falso est, quod bonum purificet illum a malis, et non scit aliquid de malis in quibus est, is non aliud bonum facit quam bonum spurium, quod intus ab ejus malis contaminatum est. Qui in hoc falso est, quod plures dii sint, et se confirmat in eo, is bonum quod facit, est bonum divisum, et bonum divisum non est bonum. Qui in hoc falso est, quod credat quod Divinum in Humano Domini non sit sicut anima in corpore, non potest bonum facere ex Ipso; ac bonum non ex Domino non est bonum, est enim contra haec Domini verba:
"Nisi quis manserit in Me et Ego in illo, non potest ferre aliquem fructum; nam sine Me non potestis facere quicquam: nisi quis manserit in Me, ejectus est foras, sicut palmes arefactus, et conjicitur in ignem, et comburitur," (Johannes 15:4-6);
similiter in multis aliis;
nam bonum trahit suum quale a veris, et vera trahunt suum esse a bono. Quis non scit, quod Ecclesia non sit Ecclesia absque Doctrina; ac Doctrina docebit, quomodo homo cogitabit de Deo et ex Deo, et quomodo faciet ex Deo et cum Deo; quare Doctrina erit ex veris, secundum quae facere est quod vocatur bonum; ex quo sequitur quod facere secundum falsa, non sit bonum. Creditur quod in bono, quod homo facit, non aliquid ex veris aut falsis sit, cum tamen non aliunde est quale boni; cohaerent enim sicut amor et sapientia, et quoque sicut amor et stultitia; sapientis amor est qui facit bonum, at stulti amor qui facit simile in externis, sed prorsus dissimile est in internis; quare sapientis bonum est sicut aurum purum, at stulti bonum est sicut aurum circumcirca fimum.