82、犹太人比其他人更不知道他们在灵界，还以为他们仍在自然界。原因在于，他们完全是外在人，根本不出于内层来思想他们的宗教信仰。也正因如此，他们和从前一样谈论弥赛亚。例如，他们说，祂将与大卫一同到来，闪闪发光的冠冕将在他们前头行，把他们领进迦南地；一路上，祂举杖使河流干涸，好叫他们过去。他们说，那时，他们称之为外邦人的基督徒将拉住他们的衣襟，谦卑地恳求与他们同去；他们会接纳足够富有的富人，这些人将成为他们的仆人。他们不想知道，在圣言中，“迦南地”表示教会，“耶路撒冷”表示教义方面的教会，所以“犹太人”表示所有属于主的教会之人。关于犹太人在圣言中的这层意义，可参看《新耶路撒冷教义之圣经篇》（51节）。
当被问到他们是否相信他们真的会进入迦南地时，他们说，那时他们会进入那地。当被告知，那地容不下他们所有人时，他们回答，那时它会扩大。当被告知他们不知道伯利恒在哪里，也不知道谁属大卫那一支时，他们回答，即将到来的弥赛亚知道。当被问到弥赛亚，耶和华的儿子，如何会与如此邪恶的百姓同住时，他们不承认他们是邪恶的。当被告知，但摩西在他的歌中（申命记32章）就是这么描述他们的，说他们是极乖僻的族类时，他们回答，那时摩西因他们的离弃而发怒。但当被告知，摩西是按耶和华的吩咐写这歌时，他们沉默了，退到一边去商量这个问题。当被告知，他们最初出身于一个迦南妇人，以及犹大与他儿媳的淫行（创世记38:2, 16）时，他们被激怒了，说，只要他们是亚伯拉罕的后裔，这就足够了。当被告知，圣言里面有一个灵义，这灵义唯独论述基督时，他们说，这不是真的，圣言里面除了黄金外什么也没有；除此之外还有更多诸如此类的话。
82. More than others, Jews are unaware that they are in the spiritual world; they think they are still in the physical world. This is because they are thoroughly external people and do not think about their religion in an inward way. Therefore they still speak about the Messiah as they had before, saying that he is going to come with David and, gleaming with jewels, go before them and lead them into the land of Canaan, along the way raising up his rod and making the rivers dry so they can cross. The Christians (whom they refer to among themselves as “Gentiles”) will then seize the hem of their garments, pleading to be allowed to go with them. They will accept the rich in proportion to their wealth and the rich will also serve them. They are unwilling to know that in the Word, the land of Canaan means the church and Jerusalem means the church in respect to its teachings, so “Jews” means all the people who will be part of the Lord’s church. On this meaning of “Jews” in the Word, see Teachings on Sacred Scripture 51.
[2] When they are asked whether they truly believe that they are going to come into the land of Canaan, they say that they will indeed go down there when the time comes. When they are told that that land is not big enough for them all, they say that it will be enlarged.
When it is pointed out that they do not know where the Bethlehem [of prophecy] is or who belongs to the lineage of David, they reply that the Messiah who is to come knows this.
When they are asked how the Messiah, the Son of Jehovah, could live among such evil people, they say that they are not evil. When they are reminded that in his song in Deuteronomy 32 Moses describes them and indicates that they are very wicked, they reply that at that point Moses was angry because he was not allowed to go with them; but when they are told that Moses wrote this at Jehovah’s command, they fall silent and withdraw to confer.
When they are told that they were originally descended from a Canaanite woman and also from Judah’s whoring with his own daughter-in-law (Genesis 38:[2, 16]), they get angry and say that it is enough for them that they are descended from Abraham.
When they are told that there is a spiritual meaning within the Word that is about Christ alone, they say that this is not true; there is nothing within the Word except gold. And more along the same lines.
82. The Jews are especially notable for failing to know that they are in the spiritual world, believing themselves still to be in the natural world. The reason is that they are utterly external people, having no inward thoughts about their religious beliefs. They therefore speak about the Messiah in the same way as previously. They say, for instance, that He will come with David and glittering with jewels will go before them, leading them into the land of Canaan, drying up rivers for them to cross by raising his rod. They say that the Christians, whom they refer to among themselves as gentiles, will then catch hold of the skirts of their clothes, humbly begging to be allowed to accompany them; and they will accept the rich if they are well enough off, and these will actually be their servants. They do not want to know that in the Word the land of Canaan means the church, Jerusalem the church as regards its teaching, and so the Jews mean all who are to belong to the Lord's church. (See THE TEACHING ABOUT THE SACRED SCRIPTURE 51 for the meaning of the Jews in the Word.)
When asked whether they believe they will really reach the land of Canaan, they say they will then go down into it. When they are told that the land could not hold them all, they reply that it will then be enlarged. When told that they do not know where Bethlehem is, and who are of the stock of David, they reply that the Messiah who is to come knows that. When asked how the Messiah, the Son of Jehovah, can live with such wicked people, they deny that they are wicked. When told that Moses nonetheless so describes them in his song (Deuteronomy 32), saying they are very wicked, they answer that Moses was then angry at their turning away 1. But when they are told that Moses wrote that at Jehovah's orders, they keep quiet and go away to discuss it. When told that they are descended from a woman of Canaan and from Judah's fornication with his daughter-in-law (Genesis 38), they are angry, saying it is enough that they are descended from Abraham. When told that the Word inwardly contains a spiritual sense, which deals with nothing but Christ, they reply that this is untrue, but there is nothing inside the Word but gold, and much of the same sort besides.
Footnotes:
1. Reading respondent...discederent for respondet...discederet.
82. The Jews are more ignorant than others as to their being in the spiritual world, believing that they are still in the natural world. The reason is, that they are wholly external men, and do not think at all of their religion from the interior. On this account also they speak of the Messiah just as they did before, as that He will come with David, and will go before them glittering with diadems, and introduce them into the land of Canaan; and that in the way, by lifting His rod, He will dry up the rivers which they will pass over; and that Christians, whom among themselves they call Gentiles, will then lay hold of the skirts of their garments, and humbly entreat to be allowed to accompany them, and that they will receive the rich according to their wealth, and that even the rich are to serve them. For they are unwilling to know, that "the land of Canaan" in the Word, means the church, and "Jerusalem," the church as to doctrine; and hence that "Jews" mean all those who will be of the Lord's church. That such is the meaning of "Jews" in the Word, may be seen in The Doctrine Concerning the Sacred Scripture 51. When they are asked, whether they believe that they also are to enter the land of Canaan, they reply, that they will then descend into it. When it is said, that this land cannot possibly hold them all, they reply that it will then be enlarged. When it is said that they do not know where Bethlehem is nor who is of the stock of David, they say, that it is known to the Messiah who is to come. When asked, how the Messiah the Son of Jehovah, can dwell with those who are so evil, they reply that they are not evil. When it is said that still Moses describes them in his song (Deuteronomy 32) as the worst of nations, they answer, that Moses at that time was angry, because he was to die. But when they are told, that Moses wrote it by the command of Jehovah, they are silent, and go away to consult about the matter. When it is said, that they took their origin from a Canaanite, and from the whoredom of Judah with his daughter-in-law (Genesis 38), they are enraged, and say, that it suffices them to be descended from Abraham. When they are told that interiorly in the Word there is a spiritual sense, which treats of Christ alone, they reply, that it is not so, but that interiorly in the Word there is nothing but gold; besides many such things.
82. Judaei prae aliis non sciunt quod in mundo spirituali sint, sed credunt quod adhuc in mundo naturali; causa est, quia prorsus externi homines sunt, et non aliquid de religione sua cogitant ex interiori; quare etiam loquuntur similiter de Messia sicut prius, ut quod venturus sit cum Davide, et fulgens diadematibus praeiturus illis, ac introducturus illos in terram Canaanem, et in via, elevatione baculi, exsiccaturus fluvios quos transibunt; et quod Christiani, quos inter se Gentes vocant, tunc alas vestium illorum arrepturi, suppliciter orantes ut liceat comitari, et quod recepturi divites secundum copias, et quod etiam hi illis servituri sint: non volentes scire, quod in Verbo per "Terram Canaanem" intelligatur ecclesia, per "Hierosolymam" illa quoad doctrinam, et inde per "Judaeos" omnes illi qui ab ecclesia Domini erunt: quod hi per "Judaeos" in Verbo intelligantur, videatur in Doctrina de Scriptura Sacra (51). Cum interrogantur num credant se etiam in Terram Canaanem venturos esse, dicunt quod tunc descensuri. Cum dicitur, quod terra illa non possit capax esse omnium, respondent quod tunc ampliabitur. Cum dicitur, quod non sciant ubi Bethlechem, et quisnam ex stirpe Davidis, respondent quod venturus Messias id sciat. Cum dicitur, quomodo Messias Filius Jehovae potest habitare cum tam malis, respondent quod non mali sint: cum dicitur quod usque Moses in Cantico suo (Deuteronomium 32) describat illos, et dicat quod pessimi sint, respondet quod Moses tunc iratus fuerit quod discederet: at cum dicitur quod Moses id scripserit ex mandato Jehovae, tunc tacent, et abeunt consultaturi. Cum dicitur, quod ortus illorum sit ex Canaanitide, et ex scortatione Judae cum nuru sua (Genesis 38), irascuntur, dicentes, quod satis sit quod ex Abrahamo sint. Cum dicitur illis, quod interius in Verbo sensus spiritualis sit, qui agit de solo Christo, respondent quod non ita sit, sed quod interius in Verbo non sit, nisi quam aurum praeter similia plura.