151、在此需要解释一下内在人如何被改造，外在人如何通过内在人被改造。单凭获得知识、理解并变得智慧，因而单凭思维，内在人无法被改造；相反，内在人是通过意愿知识、聪明和智慧的教导而被改造的。当一个人的知识、聪明和智慧告诉他有一个天堂和一个地狱，一切邪恶皆来自地狱，一切良善皆来自天堂时，他若因邪恶来自地狱而停止意愿邪恶，因良善来自天堂而意愿良善，就处于改造的第一个阶段，在从地狱到天堂的门槛处。当他迈出下一步，愿意停止邪恶时，就处于改造的第二个阶段，在地狱之外，但尚未进入天堂；他看见天堂在他上面。人若要被改造，就必须拥有这样一个内在。然而，他不会被改造，除非外在和内在都被改造。当外在停止内在所不意愿的邪恶，因为它们来自地狱时，尤其当外在因此避开邪恶，并与它们争战时，外在就通过内在被改造。以这种方式，意愿是内在，行动是外在；因为除非人做他所意愿的事，否则他里面就缺乏真正的意愿，最终变得没有意愿。
从这几句话可以看出外在人如何通过内在人被改造。这就是主对彼得说这些话的意思：
耶稣说，我若不洗你，你就与我无分了。彼得对祂说，主啊，不但我的脚，连手和头也要洗。耶稣对他说，凡洗过澡的人，只要把脚一洗，全身就干净了。（约翰福音13:8-10）
“洗”表示属灵的洗，就是从恶中洁净；“洗头和手”表示洁净内在人；“洗脚”表示洁净外在人。“凡洗过澡的人，只要把脚一洗，全身就干净了”表示当内在人洁净时，外在人必须洁净。“我若不洗你，你就与我无分了”表示从恶中的一切洁净都来自主。《属天的奥秘》一书多处说明，在犹太人当中，洗代表从恶中洁净，这就是“洗”在圣言中所表示的，“洗脚”表示属世人或外在人的洁净。
151. Here, however, we must say something about how the inner self is reformed and by it the outer self.
The inner self is not reformed simply by knowing, understanding, and becoming wise, consequently not by thinking only, but by willing what its knowledge, understanding and wisdom teach. When a person knows, understands and perceives that there is a heaven and a hell, and that all evil originates from hell, and all good from heaven - if he then does not will evil because it originates from hell, but wills good because it originates from heaven, he is then in the first stage of his reformation and at the threshold of going from hell to heaven.
When the person progresses further and resolves to desist from evils, he is in the second stage of his reformation, and is then out of hell, but not yet in heaven. Heaven is something he sees above him.
This must be his inner character for a person to be reformed. However, unless his outer self as well as his inner self is reformed, the person has not been reformed. His outer self is reformed by the inner self when the outer self desists from the evils which the inner self does not will because they are hellish, and even more when he refrains from them and fights against them. Thus the internal component is the willing, and the external component the doing; for unless one does what he wills, it is something that he does not will inwardly, and eventually becomes something he does not will at all.
[2] From these few observations it can be seen how the outer self is reformed by the inner self. This, too, is the meaning of the Lord's words to Peter:
Jesus (said), "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." . . .Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!" Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to have his feet washed, and is completely clean. . ." (John 13:8-10)
By washing is meant a spiritual washing, which is a purification from evils. To wash the head and hands means to purify the internal self, and to wash the feet means to purify the external self. The fact that once the internal self has been purified, the external self needs to be purified, is meant by the statement, "He who is bathed needs only to have his feet washed." That all purification from evils is the Lord's doing is meant by the statement, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me."
That washing among the Jews represented a purification from evils, that this is symbolically meant in the Word by washing, and that washing the feet symbolically means the purification of the natural or outer self, is something we have shown in many places in Arcana Coelestia (The Secrets of Heaven)
151. At this point, though, I need to explain how the inner self is reformed and how this leads to the reformation of the outer self.
The inner self is not reformed simply by gaining knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, not, that is, simply by thinking. We are reformed inwardly by intending to do what our knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom tell us. When our knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom tell us that there is a heaven and a hell, that everything evil comes from hell, and that everything good comes from heaven, then if we do not intend evil, on the grounds that it is from hell, and instead intend good, on the grounds that it is from heaven, we are on the first step of reformation. We are on the threshold of hell, facing heaven. When we take the next step and intend to stop doing wrong, we are on the second step of reformation. We are outside of hell, but not yet in heaven. We see heaven as above us, and it has to be within us if we are to be completely reformed. Still, we are not reformed until both the outer and the inner self are reformed. The outer self is reformed by means of the inner self when the outer self refrains from the evils that the inner self intends not to do because they are from hell. We are more completely reformed when for that reason we abstain from them and fight against them. In this way, what is within is intending and what is outside is acting; for unless we do what we intend, there is a lack of real intention inside that eventually becomes unwillingness.
[2] These few observations show how our outer self is reformed by means of our inner self. This is what the Lord's words to Peter mean as well:
Jesus said, "If I do not wash you, you have no part in me." Peter said to him, "Lord, don't wash just my feet; wash my hands and head as well." Jesus said to him, "Those who have been washed need only to have their feet washed, and they are wholly clean." (John 13:8-9, 10)
Washing means spiritual washing, which is cleansing from evils. Washing head and hands means cleansing the inner self, and washing feet means cleansing the outer self. When the inner self has been cleansed, the outer self needs to be cleansed, which is what is meant by saying that those who are washed need only to have their feet washed. It means that all cleansing from evils is done by the Lord when it says that "If I do not wash you, you have no part in me."
There is ample evidence in Secrets of Heaven that for the Jews washing meant cleansing from evils, that this is what washing means in the Word, and that washing feet means cleansing the earthly or outer self.
151. At this point something will now be said on how the internal man is reformed and how the external man is reformed by means of it. The internal man is not reformed merely by knowing, understanding and being wise, and consequently merely by thinking; but by willing what knowledge, understanding and wisdom teach. When a man knows, understands and has wisdom to see that there is a heaven and a hell, and that all evil is from hell and all good is from heaven; and if he then does not will evil because it is from hell, but wills good because it is from heaven, he is in the first stage of reformation, and is at the threshold out of hell into heaven. When he progresses further, and wills to desist from evils he is in the second stage of reformation, and is now outside hell but not yet in heaven, which he sees above him. A man must have such an internal in order that he may be reformed; but he is not reformed unless the external as well as the internal is reformed. The external is reformed by means of the internal when the external desists from the evils which the internal does not will because they are infernal, and still more when the external for this reason shuns them and fights against them. Thus willing is the part of the internal and doing of the external. For unless a man does that which he wills there is within him the failure to will which eventually becomes want of will.
[2] From these few considerations it can be seen how the external man is reformed by means of the internal. This also is what is meant by the Lord's words to Peter:
Jesus said: If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
[Simon] Peter saith unto Him: Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
Jesus saith to him: He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit. John 13:8-10.
By washing is meant spiritual washing, which is purification from evils; by washing the head and hands is meant purifying the internal man; and by washing the feet is meant purifying the external man. That the external man must be purified when the internal has been purified is meant by this, "He that is washed, needeth not save to wash his feet." That all purification from evils is from the Lord is meant by this, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me." It has been shown in many places in the ARCANA CAELESTIA that washing among the Jews represented purification from evils, and that this is signified in the Word by washing; and that by washing the feet is signified the purification of the natural or external man.
151. But it shall now be told briefly how the internal man is reformed, and the external by means of it. The internal man is not reformed merely by knowing, understanding, and being wise, consequently not by thought alone; but by willing that which knowledge, understanding, and wisdom teach. When a man from his knowledge, understanding, and wisdom sees that there is a heaven and a hell, and that all evil is from hell, and all good is from heaven, if he ceases to will evil because it is from hell, and wills good because it is from heaven, he is in the first stage of reformation, and is at the threshold from hell into heaven. When he goes further and wills to refrain from evils he is in the second stage of reformation, and is outside of hell, but not yet in heaven; he sees heaven above him. Man must have such an internal in order to be reformed; and yet he is not reformed unless the external is reformed as well as the internal. The external is reformed by means of the internal when the external refrains from the evils that the internal does not will because they are infernal, and still more when the external for this reason shuns evils and fights against them. Thus willing is the internal and doing is the external; for unless one does that which he wills there is within a failure to will, and finally the willing ceases.
[2] From these few statements it can be seen how the external man is reformed by means of the internal. This is what is meant by the Lord's words to Peter:-
Jesus said, If I wash thee not thou hast no part with Me. Peter said unto Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus said unto him, He that hath bathed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit (John 13:8-10).
"To wash" means spiritual washing, which is to cleanse from evils; "washing the head and the hands" means to cleanse the internal man; and "washing the feet" means to cleanse the external man. That when the internal man has been cleansed the external must be cleansed is meant by this, "He that hath bathed needeth not save to wash his feet." That all cleansing from evils is from the Lord is meant by this, "If I wash thee not thou hast no part with Me." That among the Jews washing represented cleansing from evils, and this is what "washing" signifies in the Word, and "washing the feet" signifies the cleansing of the natural or external man, has been shown in the Arcana Coelestia, in many places.
151. Sed hic aliquid dicetur, quomodo reformatur internus homo, et per illum externus: Internus homo non reformatur per solum scire, intelligere et sapere; consequenter non per solum cogitare; sed per velle id quod scientia, intelligentia et sapientia docet; quando homo scit, intelligit et sapit, quod coelum ac infernum sint, et quod omne malum sit ex inferno, et omne bonum e coelo, si tunc non vult malum quia ab inferno est, sed vult bonum quia e coelo est, tunc in primo gradu reformationis est, et in limine ex inferno ad coelum: cum homo ulterius progreditur, et vult desistere a malis, in secundo gradu reformationis est, et tunc extra infernum est, sed nondum in coelo; hoc videt supra se: hoc internum erit, ut homo reformetur; sed nisi utrumque tam externum quam internum reformatur, homo non reformatus est; externum reformatur per internum, cum externum desistit a malis, quae internum non vult quia infernalia sunt, et magis cum ideo fugit illa, et pugnat contra illa; sic internum est velle, et externum est facere, nam nisi quis facit quod vult, intus est quod non velit, et tandem fit non velle.
[2] Ex his paucis videri potest, quomodo externus homo reformatur 1per internum: hoc quoque est, quod intelligitur per verba Domini ad Petrum, "Jesus dixit, si non lavero te, non habes partem Mecum: dixit Ipsi Petrus, Domine, non pedes meos tantum, sed etiam manus et caput: dixit illi Jesus, qui lotus est, non opus habet, nisi ut quoad pedes lavetur, et mundus est totus," Johannes 13:8-10: per lavationem intelligitur lavatio spiritualis, quae est purificatio a malis; per lavare caput et manus intelligitur purificare internum hominem, et per lavare pedes intelligitur purificare externum; quod cum internus homo purificatus est, externus purificandus sit, intelligitur per hoc, qui lotus est, non opus habet nisi quoad pedes lavetur; quod omnis purificatio a malis sit a Domino, intelligitur per hoc, si non lavero te non habes partem Mecum. Quod lavatio apud Judaeos repraesentaverit purificationem a malis, et quod haec per lavationem in Verbo significetur, et quod per lavationem pedum significetur purificatio naturalis seu externi hominis, multis ostensum est in ARCANIS COELESTIBUS. 2
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: teformatur
2 Prima editio: COELESTIBUS.