40、有些灵人从天堂被告知，水星灵曾被应许他们会看到主。于是，我周围的灵人就问他们，他们是否记得这应许。他们说，他们的确回想起来了，但他们不知道这应许是不是以不容置疑的方式作出的。就在他们彼此议论这一点的时候，天堂的太阳向他们显现了。只有那些至内在或第三层天堂的人才能看到天堂的太阳，也就是主；其他人只能看到由此而来的光。一看到这太阳，他们说，这不是主神，因为他们没有看见祂的脸。与此同时，灵人继续彼此交谈，但我没有听见他们说的话。这时，太阳忽然又出现了，主就在它中间，被太阳的光环围绕。一看到这一幕，水星灵深深谦卑下来，并沉了下去。这时，主也从那太阳向这个星球的灵人显现，这些灵人为人时，曾在世上看到过祂。他们所有人，一个接一个，因而许多人依次承认，这是主自己；他们当着所有会众的面承认这一点。然后，主还从那太阳出来，向木星灵显现；他们大声宣称，这是主自己；当宇宙之神向他们显现时，他们曾在自己的星球看见过祂。主是天堂的太阳，是那里一切光的源头(AC 1053, 3636, 4060)。主向那些在其属天国度的人如此显现，在那里，对主的爱居于主导地位(AC 1521, 1529-31, 1837, 4696)。祂出现在右眼层面上方的中等高度处(AC 4321, 7078)。因此，在圣言中，“太阳”表示神性之爱方面的主(AC 2495, 4060, 7083)。灵人和天使看不见尘世太阳，取而代之的是一团黑暗，这黑暗不是在前面，而是在后面，与天堂太阳，也就是主相对立(AC 9755)。
40. Some spirits were told by a heavenly source that spirits from the planet Mercury had at one time been promised that they would see the Lord. So the spirits around me asked the spirits from Mercury whether they remembered receiving this promise. They said they did remember receiving it, but they were not sure the promise had been so definite that there was no possibility of doubt about it.
While this conversation was going on, the sun of heaven appeared to them. (Only the inhabitants of the inmost or third heaven see the sun of heaven, which is the Lord-the rest just see its light.) 1When the spirits from Mercury saw the sun, however, they said that it was not the Lord God, because they did not see a face. Then the spirits had a conversation with each other, but I did not hear what they were saying.
Then, suddenly, the sun reappeared, but this time at its center was the Lord surrounded by a solar ring. When they saw this, the spirits from Mercury felt profoundly humbled and bowed themselves down.
At that time, the Lord appeared in the sun to spirits from our planet as well, those who had seen him in the flesh when he was on earth. One after another, a large number testified that this was the Lord, and they said this in front of everyone.
At the same time the Lord also appeared in the sun to spirits from the planet Jupiter, who said in the clearest terms that this was the one they had seen on their planet when the God of the universe had appeared to them. 2
nnn1. For extensive discussion of the Lord as the sun of heaven, see Heaven and Hell 116-140 and part 2 of Divine Love and Wisdom (83-172). For more specifically on how the angels in the various heavens see the Lord as the spiritual sun or as light from that sun (including as the moon of heaven, as noted in the parallel passage in Secrets of Heaven 7173), see Other Planets 170:2; Secrets of Heaven 1053, 1529-1531, 5097, 8812; Heaven and Hell 118, 123, 128, 146, 159. For further references on the Lord’s presence in heaven as the sun and as light, see New Jerusalem 49, 307. [SS, LSW]
Footnotes:
2. [Swedenborg note] The Lord is the sun of heaven, the source of all the light that is there: 1053, 3636, 4060. The Lord appears as a sun to the people in his heavenly kingdom, where love for the Lord reigns supreme: 1521, 1529, 1530, 1531, 1837, 4696. He is seen at a middle altitude above the level of the right eye: 4321, 7078. In the Word, therefore, the sun means the Lord’s divine love: 2495, 4060, 7083. The sun of our world is not visible to spirits or angels. In its place there is a kind of darkness behind them, in the direction that is opposite the sun of heaven or the Lord: 9755.
40. There were some spirits who had been told from heaven that the spirits of the world of Mercury had once been promised that they would see the Lord. So they were asked by the spirits around me whether they remembered that promise; they said that they did, but they did not know if the promise had been made in such terms that there was no doubt attached to it. While they were discussing this among themselves, the sun of heaven appeared to them. (The only ones who see the sun of heaven, which is the Lord, are those in the innermost or third heaven; the rest only see the light from it.) On seeing the sun they said that this was not the Lord God, because they had not seen His face. Meanwhile the spirits went on talking among themselves, but I did not hear what they said. Then the sun suddenly appeared again, with the Lord in its midst surrounded by a solar halo. On seeing this the spirits of Mercury made a profound obeisance and sank down. Then the Lord also appeared out of that sun to the spirits of this world also who, when people on earth, had seen Him in the world. Each of these, one after the other in a long series, asserted that it was the Lord Himself; this they did in the presence of all assembled. Then the Lord also appeared out of the sun to the spirits of the planet Jupiter; they asserted in plain terms, that it was He whom they had seen in their own world, when the God of the universe appeared to them. 1
Footnotes:
1. The Lord is the sun of heaven, the source of all light there (Arcana Caelestia 1053, 3636, 4060). The Lord appears thus to those who are in His celestial kingdom, where love to Him is dominant (Arcana Caelestia 1521, 1529-1531, 1837, 4696). He is to be seen at middle height above the level of the right eye (Arcana Caelestia 4321, 7078). The sun in the Word therefore means the Lord as regards the Divine love (Arcana Caelestia 2495, 4060, 7083). The sun of the world is not visible to spirits and angels, but its place is taken by a dark mass behind the back, opposite the sun of heaven, that is, opposite the Lord (Arcana Caelestia 9755).
40. There were certain spirits who knew from heaven, that on a time a promise was made to the spirits of the earth Mercury, that they should see the Lord; wherefore they were asked by the spirits about me whether they recollected that promise. They said that they did recollect it; but that they did not know whether it had been promised in such a way as to be beyond doubt. Whilst they were thus discoursing together, the sun of heaven then appeared to them. The sun of heaven, which is the Lord, is seen only by those who are in the inmost or third heaven; others see the light thence derived. On seeing the sun, they said that this was not the Lord God, because they did not see a face. Meanwhile the spirits discoursed with each other, but I did not hear what they said. But suddenly, the sun again appeared, and in the midst of it the Lord, encompassed with a solar circle: on seeing this the spirits of Mercury humbled themselves profoundly and subsided. Then also the Lord, from that sun, appeared to the spirits of this earth, who, when they were men, saw Him in the world; and they all, one after another, and thus many in order, confessed that it was the Lord Himself. This confession they made before all the company. Then also the Lord, out of the sun, appeared to the spirits of the planet Jupiter, who declared aloud that it was He Himself whom they had seen on their earth when the God of the universe appeared to them. 1
Footnotes:
1. The Lord is the sun of heaven, from whom is all light there (Arcana Coelestia 1053, 3636, 4060). And the Lord thus appears to those who are in His celestial kingdom, where love to Him reigns (Arcana Coelestia 1521, 1529-1531, 1837, 4696). He appears at a middle distance above the plane of the right eye (Arcana Coelestia 4321, 7078). Therefore by "sun" in the Word is signified the Lord as to Divine love (Arcana Coelestia 2495, 4060, 7083). The sun of this world does not appear to spirits and angels, but in the place thereof there appears somewhat as it were darkish, not in front, but behind and opposite to the sun of heaven, or to the Lord (Arcana Coelestia 9755).
40. Quidam spiritus sciebant ex coelo, quod spiritibus Telluris Mercurii quondam promissum fuerit videre Dominum; quare interrogabantur a spiritibus circum me, num recordarentur illius promissi, dicebant, quod recordentur; sed quod non sciant, an ita promissum sit, ut de eo nihil dubii haberi possit. Cum ita loquebantur inter se, tunc apparuit illis Sol coeli: (Solem coeli, qui est Dominus, non alii vident quam qui in intimo seu tertio coelo sunt, reliqui vident lucem inde) viso sole dicebant, quod hoc non esset Dominus Deus, quia faciem non videbant. At interea spiritus inter se loquebantur, sed quid loquuti sunt, non audivi. Subito autem tunc iterum apparuit Sol, et in ejus medio Dominus circumcinctus solari circulo; hoc viso, Spiritus Mercurii humiliabant se profunde, et subsidebant. Tunc quoque Dominus ex Sole illo visus est spiritibus hujus telluris, qui, cum homines fuerunt, Ipsum in mundo viderunt, ex quibus unus post alterum fassi sunt, et sic ordine plures, quod Ipse Dominus esset; et hoc fassi sunt coram omni coetu. Tunc quoque Dominus e Sole visus est Spiritibus Planetae Jovis, qui manifesta voce dicebant, quod Ipse esset, Quem in Tellure sua, cum apparuit illis Deus universi, viderant. 1
Footnotes:
1. Quod Dominus sit sol coeli, ex quo omnis Lux ibi, Arcana Coelestia 1053, 3636, 4060. Et quod Dominus ita appareat illis, qui in Regno coelesti Ipsius sunt, ubi amor in Ipsum regnat, Arcana Coelestia 1521, 1529, 1530, 1531, 1837, 4696. Quod appareat ad mediam altitudinem supra planum oculi dextri, Arcana Coelestia 4321, 7078. Quod idea per solem in Verbo significetur Dominus quoad divinum amorem, Arcana Coelestia 2495, 4060, 7083. Quod sol mundi non appareat spiritibus et angelis, sed loco ejus sicut tenebricosum quid a tergo ex opposito ad Solem coeli seu ad Dominum, Arcana Coelestia 9755.