159、在被告知这一切之前，他们以为我们这群人也属于那些想要通过把神想象为三位来迷惑他们的人。所以当听到这些事时，他们感到欢喜，说有些使者也被神差到他们这里来教导他们关于主的事，那时他们称这些使者为主。他们说，他们不愿接纳搅扰他们，尤其通过谈论神性中的三个位格来搅扰他们的访客，因为他们知道神是一，因而神性是一，而不是三位一体。不过，或许他们愿意认为神就像一位天使；在他里面，生命的至内层是允许他思想并变得智慧的不可见元素，生命的外层是允许他看见并行动的人形式中的可见元素，生命的发出是从他发出的爱与信的气场，因为每个灵人或天使都有一个生命的气场，凭这气场从远处就能认出他。至于主，从祂发出的生命是神性本身，这神性充满并构成众天堂，因为它是从爱与信的生命的存在本身发出的。他们说，他们只能以这种方式同时感知三位一体和神的一体。
听到这里，我被允许说，这种与一体性共存的三位一体的概念符合天使对主的概念。因为主教导说，父与祂为一，父在祂里面，祂在父里面；凡看见祂的，就看见了父，凡信祂的，就是相信并认识父。祂还教导说，保惠师是从祂发出的，表示发出的神性，祂称其为真理的灵，以及圣灵；保惠师不是凭自己说话，而是凭主说话。
我继续提议说，与一体共存的三位一体的概念符合主在世时的生命的存在和显现。祂生命的存在就是神性本身，因为祂从耶和华成孕，任何人的生命的存在都是他从中成孕的源头。来自这存在的显现是形式上的人。每个人都从他的父亲那里获得自己的生命存在，这生命的存在被称为灵魂；来自这个源头的生命的显现被称为身体。灵魂和身体构成一个人。这两者之间的相似性就像包含在努力中的东西与由此而来的行为中的东西之间的相似性，所以两者为一。
人里面的努力被称为意愿，行为中的努力被称为行动。身体是工具，作为主体的意愿通过身体行动；工具和主体在行动中为一；灵魂与身体也是这样为一。天上的天使对灵魂和身体就具有这种概念，并由此知道主通过祂自己里面的神性，也就是祂从父所获得的魂而将祂的人身变成神性。此外，整个基督教界都接纳的信经也不反对这一点，因为它教导说：基督虽为神，亦为人，然非为二，乃为一基督。事实上，祂完全是唯一的一个人，因为如灵与身成为一人，神与人成为一基督。由于主里面有这样一个合一，或这样一个一体，所以祂不同于任何人，不但在灵魂上复活，还在祂在世上所荣耀的身体上复活；关于这人身，祂还教导祂的门徒说：
摸我看看！灵无肉无骨，你们看，我是有的。(路加福音24:39)
这些灵人完全明白这些话，因为它们在天使灵的理解范畴之内。于是他们补充说，唯独主在天堂拥有权柄，天堂是祂的。在回应这句话时，我能告诉他们说，我们地球上的教会从主在升天之前所说的话中也知道这一点。因为那时祂说：
天上地上所有的权柄，都赐给我了。(马太福音28:18)
注：一个属灵气场，就是他们生命的气场，从每个世人、灵人和天使那里涌流并倾泻而出，包围着他们(AC 4464, 5179, 7454节)。它的源头就是他们的情感和由此而来的思维的生命(AC 2489, 4464, 6206节)。在来世，这些气场决定了群体如何形成，以及如何解散(AC 6206, 9606-7, 10312节)。来自亚他那修信经。死后人在灵里立即复活，这灵拥有人的形式，在每一个细节上都是一个人(AC 4527, 5006, 5078, 8939, 8991, 10594, 10597, 10758节)。人只在灵里复活，在身体上不能复活(AC 10593-4节)。唯独主也在身体上复活(AC 1729, 2083, 5078, 10825节)。
159. Before I said all this, they had believed that our group was another one intending to confuse them with the notion of God as three, so when they heard this they were moved with joy and declared that God (whom they now called “the Lord”) had sent them people to teach them about himself. They asserted that they are no longer willing to admit visitors who disturb them, especially with the notion of three persons in the Godhead, because they know that God is one and that there is only one Divinity; there is not a unanimity among three-unless we think of God as being similar to an angel. In angels, they explained, there is indeed an invisible core of life that enables them to think and be wise, a visible outer level of life in human form that enables them to see and act, and an emanation of life that is an aura of love and faith that comes from them. From every spirit and angel there emanates an aura of life by which they can be recognized at a distance. 1In the Lord’s case, this emanation of life from him is the divine nature itself, which fills the heavens and makes them what they are, because it comes from the true reality underlying the life within everyone’s love and faith. They said that this was the only way they could conceive of a trinity and a unity at the same time.
[2] On hearing this, it occurred to me to say that this way of holding a trinity and a unity at the same time is in agreement with the way angels conceive of the Lord and also squares with what the Lord actually taught about himself: he taught that he and the Father are one, that the Father is in him and he in the Father, that whoever sees him sees the Father, and that whoever believes in him believes in the Father and knows him. The Lord also taught that the Comforter, whom he calls “the Spirit of Truth” and “the Holy Spirit,” emanates from him and speaks on his behalf, not on its own authority; the Comforter means the emanating divine nature. 2
[3] I went on to say that this concept of a trinity and a unity at the same time is in agreement with the underlying reality and manifestation 3of the Lord’s life when he was in the world. The reality underlying his life was the divine nature itself, since he was conceived by Jehovah and the reality underlying anyone’s life comes from that by which it is conceived. The manifestation of that life from that underlying reality is what is human in form. The reality underlying our life that we get from our fathers is called the soul, 4and the consequent manifestation of life is called the body. The soul and the body together make one person. The relationship between the two is like the relationship between a force and a resulting action. The action is in fact the force at work, so the two are one. In us, what is referred to as our will is the driving force, and what are called our actions are that force at work. Our body is the instrumental element by means of which our will acts, our will being the principal element behind it; and when we are doing something, the instrumental element (our body) and the principal element (our soul) are one. This is how the angels in heaven conceive of the soul and the body. Therefore they know that the Lord made his human nature divine from the divine nature within himself that was the soul he had from the Father.
The statement of faith that has been accepted throughout the Christian world is not in disagreement with this, since it teaches the following:
Although Christ is God and a human being, yet he is not two, but one Christ. Indeed, he is one altogether, one person. Therefore as the body and the soul are one human being, so God and a human being are one Christ. 5, 6
Because there is this kind of union, this kind of oneness, in the Lord, he unlike anyone else rose from the dead not only with respect to his soul but also with respect to his body, which he glorified in the world. In fact, he taught his disciples this when he said, “Touch me and see, because a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have” [Luke 24:39]. 7
The spirits readily understood this because spirits who are angelic find such concepts understandable. They then added that only the Lord has power in the heavens and that the heavens are his. I was inspired to say that the church on our planet knows this as well, from the mouth of the Lord himself before his ascension into heaven: he then said, “All power has been given to me in heaven and on earth” [Matthew 28:18]. 8
Footnotes:
1. [Swedenborg note] See note on 64.
2. Bible verses on these topics are as follows. Jesus and the Father are one: John 10:30; 17:11, 22. The Father is in Jesus and he is in the Father: John 10:38; 14:10-11; 17:21. Whoever sees Jesus sees the Father: John 12:45; 14:9 (compare Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). Whoever believes in Jesus believes in the Father: John 12:44; 14:1 (compare Matthew 10:40; Mark 9:37; John 5:24; 6:40; 1 John 5:1), and knows him: Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22; John 17:25-26 (compare John 1:18; 8:19; 14:7-9; 16:3; 17:3). “The Spirit of Truth,” or “the Holy Spirit,” emanates from Jesus, John 15:26, and does not speak on its own but from him: John 14:26; 16:13; Acts 1:2. [SS, LSW]
3. The Latin here translated “underlying reality and manifestation” is Esse et Existere, literally, “to be and to come forth.” For a discussion of these terms, see note 2 in New Jerusalem 23. [Editors]
4. On the idea that one’s soul comes from one’s father, see note 1 in New Jerusalem 287. [Editors]
5. [Swedenborg note] This is from the Athanasian Creed.
6. As Swedenborg’s own footnote at this spot indicates, the words just quoted are from the Athanasian Creed. For more information on this creed, including an example of the adaptive manner in which Swedenborg quotes it, see note 1 in New Jerusalem 288. [Editors]
7. [Swedenborg note] We rise in spirit immediately after death and are in human form; we are [then still] human in absolutely every respect: 4527, 5006, 5078, 8939, 8991, 10594, 10597, 10758. We rise from the dead in our spirit, not in our body: 10593, 10594. Only the Lord rose from the dead with his body as well: 1729, 2083, 5078, 10825.
8. This conversation on the nature of the divine Trinity and the Incarnation is the same in substance as the material presented elsewhere in Swedenborg’s theological writings in a more topical format. See especially the chapter in New Jerusalem titled “The Lord” (280-310) and the first three chapters of True Christianity, titled “God the Creator” (4-70), “The Lord the Redeemer” (81-133), and “The Holy Spirit and the Divine Action” (138-184). For more on the Trinity, see note 1 in New Jerusalem 289. [LSW]
159. Before being told this, they thought that our company too belonged to those who wanted to confuse them about God by conceiving Him as three. So they were pleased to hear this, and said that messengers have been sent to them too by God, whom they then called the Lord, to teach them about Himself. They said they did not want to admit visitors who upset them, especially by speaking of three Persons in the Divinity, since they know that God is one and consequently there is one Divine, not a unanimous group of three. But perhaps they were willing to think of God as being like an angel, in whom the inmost level of life is the invisible element which allows him to think and be wise, the outward level of life is the element visible in human form which allows him to see and act, and the outgoing life is the sphere of love and faith radiating from him, for each spirit or angel has a sphere of life, which allows him to be recognised at a distance. 1As regards the Lord, the life going forth from Him is the Divinity Itself, which fills the heavens and makes them to be heavens, because it goes forth from the very Being of a life of love and faith. They said that this was the only way they could perceive the Trinity and the Unity [of God] at once.
[2] On hearing this I was allowed to say that such a concept of a Trinity co-existing with a Unity is in agreement with the concept angels have of the Lord. For He teaches that the Father and He are one, and that the Father is in Him and He is in the Father; that he who sees Him sees the Father, and he who believes in Him believes in and knows the Father. He also teaches that the Comforter, whom He calls the Spirit of truth, as well as the Holy Spirit, goes forth from Him, and does not speak of His own accord, but what the Lord says; by this is meant the Divine which goes forth.
[3] I went on to suggest that the concept of a Trinity co-existing with a Unity is in agreement with the Being and the Coming-into-being of the Lord's life, when He was in the world. The Being of His life was the Divine Itself, since He was conceived of Jehovah. The being of anyone's life is the source from which he was conceived. The Coming-into-being of the life from that Being is the human in form. The being of everyone's life which he has from his father is called the soul, and the coming-into-being of life from that source is called the body. Soul and body make up a single person. The analogy between them is as between what is contained in effort and what is in the resultant action, for an act is an effort in action, so that the two are one. Effort in a person is called the will, and effort in action is called an act. The body is the instrument by means of which the principal, that is, the will, acts; and instrument and principal are one in acting. So it is with the soul and body, and this is the concept of them held by angels in heaven. From this they know that the Lord made His Human Divine by the Divine in Himself, which was His soul derived from the Father.
Moreover, the creed everywhere accepted in the Christian world is not against this, for it teaches:
Although Christ is God and Man, yet He is not two, but one Christ. Indeed, He is wholly one and a single person; because, as the body and the soul are one man, so too God and Man is one Christ. 2
Because there was such a union, or such a unity, in the Lord, He rose again not only as to the soul, but also as to the body, which He glorified in the world, unlike any man. He also taught His disciples about this, saying:
Feel me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see me have. 3[Luke 24:39.]
The spirits could perfectly well understand these words, since they fall within the grasp of angelic spirits. They then added that the Lord alone has power in the heavens, and the heavens are His. In reply to this I was able to tell them that the church in our world also knows this from the Lord's words spoken before He went up into heaven. For He then said:
All power has been given me in heaven and on earth. [Matthew 28:18.]
Footnotes:
1. A spiritual sphere, that of their life, flows out and pours forth from each person, spirit and angel and envelops them (Arcana Caelestia 4464, 5179, 7454). Its source is their life of affection and thus thought (Arcana Caelestia 2489, 4464, 6206). In the next life these spheres determine how groups are formed and also dissolved (Arcana Caelestia 6206, 9606-9607, 10312).
2. From the Athanasian Creed.
3. Immediately after death a person rises again in spirit, and this spirit has human form and is a person in every detail (Arcana Caelestia 4527, 5006, 5078, 8939, 8991, 10594, 10597, 10758). People rise again in spirit and not bodily (Arcana Caelestia 10593-10594). The Lord alone rose again bodily (Arcana Caelestia 1729, 2083, 5078, 10825).
159. Before this was said, they believed that our company also was of those who wished to confuse them by the idea of three concerning God. When therefore they heard these things, they were affected with joy, and said that some were also sent to them by God, whom they then called the Lord, who teach them concerning Him; and that they were not willing to admit visitors who disturb them, especially by the idea of three Persons in the Divinity, since they know that God is one, consequently that the Divine is one, and not a unanimity of three, unless they would think of God as of an angel, in whom the inmost of life is something invisible, from which he thinks and is wise, and the external of life what is visible under the human form, from which he sees and acts, and the proceeding of life that which is the sphere of love and faith from him, for from every spirit and angel proceeds a sphere of life by which he is known at a distance; and as to the Lord, that the proceeding of life from Him is the Divine Itself which fills and constitutes the heavens, because it proceeds from the esse itself of the life of love and faith. They said that in this and in no other way could they perceive a Trine and a One at the same time. On hearing this, it was given me to say that such an idea of a Trine and a One together agrees with the angelic idea of the Lord; and that it is from the Lord's own teaching concerning Himself; for He teaches that the Father and He are one; that the Father is in Him, and He in the Father; that whoso sees Him, sees the Father; and that He who believes in Him, believes in the Father and knows Him; also that the Comforter, by whom is meant the proceeding Divine, and whom He calls the Spirit of truth, as also the Holy Spirit, proceeds from Him, and speaks not from Himself, but from Him. Moreover, that the idea of a Trine and of One at the same time agrees with the esse and existere of the Lord's life, when He was in the world. The esse of His life was the Divine Itself, for He was conceived of Jehovah, and the esse of any one's life is that from which he is conceived; the existere of life from that esse is the Human in form. The esse of every man's life which he has from his father, is called the soul; and the existere of life therefrom is called the body. The soul and the body constitute one man. The likeness between both is like that between that which is in effort and that which is in the act thence, for the act is the effort acting, and so the two are one. Effort in man is called the will, and effort acting is called action. The body is the instrument, by which the will, which is the principal, acts; and the instrument and the principal in acting are one; thus the soul and the body are one. The angels in heaven have such an idea concerning the soul and the body; and thus they know that the Lord made His Human Divine from the Divine in Himself, which He had as His soul from the Father. The faith also received everywhere in the Christian world does not dissent from this, for it teaches: "Although Christ is God and Man, yet He is not two, but one Christ; yea, He is altogether a one and only Person; for as the body and the soul are one man, so also God and Man is one Christ." 1Because there was such a union, or such a One in the Lord, He therefore, otherwise than any man, rose not only as to the soul, but also as to the body, which He glorified in the world; concerning which He also instructed His disciples, saying:
Handle Me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have. 2
These things those spirits well understood, for such things fall into the understanding of angelic spirits. They then added that the Lord alone has power in the heavens, and that the heavens are His. To which it was given me to respond that the church on our earth also knows this, from the mouth of the Lord Himself, before He ascended into heaven; for He then said:-
All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.
Footnotes:
1. From the Athanasian Creed.
2. Man rises again as to his spirit immediately after death, and he is the human form, and that as to each and every particular he is a man (Arcana Coelestia 4527, 5006, 5078, 8939, 8991, 10594, 10597, 10758). Man rises again only as to his spirit, and not as to his body (Arcana Coelestia 10593, 10594). The Lord alone rose again as to the body also (Arcana Coelestia 1729, 2083, 5078, 10825).
159. Antequam haec dicta sunt, crediderunt quod etiam noster comitatus esset inter illos qui vellent confundere eos per ideam Trium de Deo, quapropter his auditis gaudio affecti sunt et dixerunt, quod a Deo, Quem tunc vocabant Dominum, etiam missi sint qui docent eos de Ipso et quod non admittere velint advenas qui perturbant eos, imprimis per tres Personas in Divinitate, quoniam sciunt quod Deus unus sit, proinde quod Divinum unum, et non ex Tribus unanimum, nisi velint cogitare de Deo Sicut de Angelo, in quo Intimum vitae est quod invisibile ex quo cogitat et sapit, et Externum vitae quod visibile sub humana forma ex quo videt et agit, et Procedens vitae quod est sphaera amoris et fidei ab illo, nam ab unoquovis Spiritu et Angelo procedit sphaera vitae, ex qua ad distantiam noscitur 1; et quoad Dominum, quod Procedens vitae ab Ipso sit Ipsum Divinum quod implet Coelos et facit illos, quia procedit ex Ipso Esse vitae Amoris et Fidei; dicebant, quod sic non aliter possint percipere Trinum et Unum simul. His auditis dicere dabatur, quod talis idea de Trino et simul Uno concordet cum idea Angelica de Domino; et quod sit ex ipsa Doctrina Domini de Se Ipso; nam docet quod Pater et Ipse unum sint, quod Pater in Ipso et Ipse in Patre; quod qui videt Ipsum videat Patrem; ac qui credit in Ipsum credat in Patrem et cognoscat Illum; tum quod Paracletus, quem vocat Spiritum veritatis, ut et Spiritum Sanctum, procedat ab Ipso, et non loquatur a Se sed ab Ipso, per quem intelligitur Divinum procedens. Porro, quod idea de Trino et simul Uno concordet cum Esse et Existere vitae Domini cum fuit in mundo; Esse vitae Ipsius fuit Ipsum Divinum, nam conceptus est a Jehovah; et Esse vitae cujusvis est a quo concipitur; Existere vitae ex illo Esse est Humanum in forma: esse vitae cujusvis hominis quod ei a patre, vocatur Anima, et existere vitae inde vocatur Corpus; Anima et Corpus unum hominem constituunt; similitudo inter utrumque est sicut inter id quod est in Conatu et quod est in Actu inde, est enim actus conatus agens, et sic duo unum: Conatus in homine vocatur Voluntas, et conatus agens vocatur actio; Corpus est instrumentale per quod Voluntas quae est principale agit, ac instrumentale et principale in agendo unum sunt; ita Anima et Corpus: talem ideam de anima et corpore habent Angeli in Caelo; inde sciunt, quod Dominus Humanum Suum fecerit Divinum ex Divino in Se quod fuit Ipsi Anima ex Patre. Fides etiam recepta ubivis in Christiano Orbe nec dissentit, nam illa docet, "Quamvis Christus est Deus et Homo, usque tamen non est duo, sed unus Christus; imo est prorsus unus et unica Persona; quia sicut Corpus et Anima sunt unus homo, ita quoque Deus et Homo est unus Christus" 2. Quia talis unio fuit, seu tale Unum in Domino, ideo non modo quoad animam, sed etiam quoad corpus, quod in mundo glorificavit, resurrexit, secus ac ullus homo; de quo etiam instruit discipulos, dicens, "Palpate Me et videte, nam Spiritus Carnem et Ossa non habet, sicut Me videtis habere." 3Haec bene intellexerunt Spiritus illi, nam talia cadunt in intellectum Spirituum angelicorum; addebant tunc, quod soli Domino sit potestas in Coelis, et quod Coeli sint Ipsius; ad quae respondere datum est, quod etiam id sciat Ecclesia in nostra Tellure ex Ipsius Domini ore antequam ascendit in Coelum; dixit enim tunc "Data est Mihi omnis potestas in Coelo et in Terra."
Footnotes:
1. [NCBSP: In the Latin text, Swedenborg's footnote here refers back to footnote 1 of section 64, the text of which is copied here.] Quod sphaera spiritualis, quae est sphaera vitae, effluat exundet ex unoquovis homine, spiritu, et angelo, et circumstipet illos, Arcana Coelestia 4464, 5179, 7454. Quod effluatex vita affectionis et inde cogitationis eorum, Arcana Coelestia 2489, 4464, 6206. Quod in altera vita consociationes fiant secundum sphaeras, et quoque dissociationes, Arcana Coelestia 6206, 9606, 9607, 10312.
2. Ex Athanasii symbolo.
3. Quod homo statim post mortem resurgat quoad spiritum; et quod ille sit in humana forma, et quod sit homo quoad omnia et singula, n: Arcana Coelestia 4527, 5006, 5078, 8939, 8991, 10594, 10597, 10758. Quod homo resurgat tantum quoad spiritum non quoad corpus, n: 10593, 10594. Quod solus Dominus etiam quoad Corpus resurrexerit, n: 1729, 2083, 5078, 10825.