Life79.“奸淫”在属灵意义上表示玷污圣言的良善，歪曲圣言的真理，这一点从以下经文明显看出来：
巴比伦叫列族喝她邪淫的酒。（启示录14:8）
天使说，我将坐在众水上的大淫妇所要受的审判指示你，地上的君王与她行淫。（启示录17:1-2）
巴比伦叫列族喝她邪淫的酒，地上的君王与她行淫。（启示录18:3）
神判断了那用淫行使地败坏的大淫妇。（启示录19:2）
“邪淫或淫乱”论及巴比伦，因为“巴比伦”表示那些将主的神性至高权柄硬性归于自己，通过玷污并否认它而亵渎圣言的人。这就是为何巴比伦被称为：
地上的淫乱和可憎之物的母。（启示录17:5）
先知书中的“行奸淫（或译行邪淫、行淫乱、行淫）”所表相同，如耶利米书：
我在耶路撒冷的先知中曾见可怕的事，他们犯奸淫，行虚谎。（耶利米书23:14）
以西结书：
有两个女子，一母的女儿，在埃及行邪淫；她们在幼年时行邪淫；一个归我之后行邪淫，贪恋所爱的人，就是她的邻居亚述人；她对他们施以淫乱，在埃及就没有放弃淫乱；另一个败坏她的爱，比她更甚，她的淫乱比她姐姐的淫乱更厉害。她又加增淫乱，贪恋迦勒底人，巴比伦人就来登她爱情的床，以他们的淫行玷污了她。（以西结书23:2-17）
这些话论及以色列和犹太教会，在此被称为“一母的女子”；她们的“淫乱”表示对圣言的玷污和歪曲；由于在圣言中，“埃及”表示记忆知识，“亚述”表示推理，“迦勒底”表示对真理的亵渎，“巴比伦”表示对良善的亵渎，所以经上说他们与这些国家“行淫”。
在以西结书，同样的话论及“耶路撒冷”，以此表示教义方面的教会：
你倚靠你的美丽，又因你的名声就行淫。你纵情淫乱，使过路的任意而行；你和你那身体肥大的邻居埃及人行淫，加增你的淫乱；你又与亚述人行淫；与他们行淫之后，仍不满意。并且多行淫乱直到那贸易之地，就是迦勒底。你这行淫的妇人啊，宁肯接外人不接丈夫！都是把淫资送给妓女，惟独你却把你的淫资送给你所爱的人，使他们从四围来与你行淫。所以妓女啊，要听耶和华的话。（以西结书16:15，26，28-29，32-33，35等等）
“耶路撒冷”表示教会，这一点可见于《新耶路撒冷教义之主篇》一书（62-63节）。其它经文（如以赛亚书23:17，18；57:3；耶利米书3:2，6，8，9；5:1，7；13:27；29:23；弥迦书1:7；那鸿书3:4；何西阿书4:10，11；利未记20:5；民数记14:33；15:39；以及别处）中的“行淫”所表相同。这就是为何主称犹太民族为“淫乱的一代”（马太福音12:39；16:4；马可福音8:38）。
79. The following passages show that spiritually understood, "adultery" means polluting what is good in the Word and distorting what is true in it:
Babylon has made all nations drink of the wine of her fornication. (Revelation 14:8)
An angel said, "I will show you the judgment of the great whore who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication." (Revelation 17:1-2)
Babylon has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her. (Revelation 18:3)
God has judged the great whore who corrupted the earth with her fornication. (Revelation 19:2)
Fornication is associated with Babylon because Babylon means people who claim the Lord's divine power for themselves and profane the Word by polluting and distorting it. That is why Babylon is called "the Mother of Fornications and of the Abominations of the Earth" in Revelation 17:5.
[2] Fornication means much the same in the prophets - in Jeremiah, for example:
In the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen appalling obstinacy; they commit adultery and walk in a lie. (Jeremiah 23:14)
In Ezekiel:
Two women, daughters of one mother, played the whore in Egypt; in their youth they behaved wantonly. The first was unfaithful to me and took delight in lovers from neighboring Assyria. Upon them, too, she bestowed her acts of whoredom, but without giving up her wantonness in Egypt. The second became more corrupt in her love than the first, and her acts of whoredom were worse than her sister's. She increased her whoredom and made love to Chaldeans; sons of Babel came to her, into the bed of love, and defiled her with their debauchery. (Ezekiel 23:2-17)
This is about the church of Israel and Judah, who are the "daughters of one mother" in this passage. Their acts of whoredom mean their pollutions and distortions of the Word, and since in the Word Egypt means factual knowledge, Assyria reasoning, Chaldea the profanation of what is true, and Babel the profanation of what is good, it says that they committed acts of whoredom with those countries.
[3] Much the same is said in Ezekiel of Jerusalem, meaning the church in respect to its teachings:
Jerusalem, you trusted in your own beauty, and played the whore because of your fame, even to the point that you poured out your whoredom on everyone who passed by. You played the whore with the Egyptians, your very fleshly neighbors, and increased your acts of whoredom. You played the whore with the Assyrians, because you were insatiable; indeed you played the whore with them. You multiplied your acts of whoredom as far as the land of the trader, Chaldea. An adulterous wife takes strangers instead of her husband. All make payment to their whores, but you made payments to all your lovers to come to you from all around for your whoredom. Now then, O whore, hear the Word of Jehovah. (Ezekiel 16:15, 26, 28-29, 32-33, 35, and following)
On Jerusalem meaning the church, see Isaiah 23:17-18; 57:3; Jeremiah 3:2, 6, 8-9; 5:7; 13:27; 29:23; Micah 1:7; Nahum 3:4; Hosea 4:7, 10-11; also Leviticus 20:5; Numbers 14:33; 15:39; and elsewhere.
That is why the Lord called the Jewish nation "an adulterous generation" (Matthew 12:39; 16:4; Mark 8:38).
79. That to commit adultery in the spiritual sense means to adulterate the Word’s goods and falsify its truths is clear from the following:
Babylon...has made all nations drink of the wine...of her licentiousness. (Revelation 14:8)
(The angel said, ) “...I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed whoredom....” (Revelation 17:1-2)
(Babylon made) all nations (drink) of the wine of the wrath of her licentiousness, and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her.... (Revelation 18:3)
(God) has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her licentiousness.... (Revelation 19:2) Licentiousness is attributed to Babylon because Babylon means people who arrogate the Lord’s Divine power to themselves and profane the Word by adulterating and falsifying it. Consequently Babylon is also called “the mother of the whoredoms and abominations of the earth” (Revelation 17:5).
[2] Licentiousness also has the same symbolic meaning in the Prophets, as in Jeremiah:
In the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a shocking obstinacy in committing adultery and walking in lies. (Jeremiah 23:14) In Ezekiel:
...two women, the daughters of one mother, ...committed harlotry in Egypt; they committed harlotry in their youth.... (One) played the harlot under Me, and she lusted for her lovers, the neighboring Assyrians.... She committed her harlotries with them.... (Yet) she has never given up her harlotries in Egypt....
(The other) corrupted her love more than she, and her harlotries more than her sister’s harlotries.... She increased her harlotries..., she loved (Chaldeans).... Then the Babylonians came to her, into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their licentiousness. (Ezekiel 23:2-17) The reference here is to the Israelite and Jewish churches, which in this passage are the daughters of one mother. Their harlotries mean adulterations and falsifications of the Word. And because Egypt in the Word symbolizes knowledge, Assyria reasoning, Chaldea the profanation of truth, and Babylon the profanation of good, therefore we are told that they committed harlotry with them.
[3] The same is said in Ezekiel of Jerusalem, which symbolizes the church in respect to doctrine:
(O Jerusalem, ) you trusted in your beauty, and played the harlot because of your fame, so that you poured out your harlotries on everyone passing by.... You committed harlotry with the Egyptians, your neighbors, enormously fat, and increased your harlotry.... You played the harlot with the Assyrians.... When you were not satisfied by those with whom you played the harlot, you increased your harlotry as far as the land of the Chaldean trader.... Adulterous woman, who takes strangers instead of her husband! All men make payment to their harlots, but you made your payments to all your lovers, ...to come to you from all around for your harlotries.... Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of Jehovah! (Ezekiel 16:15, 26, 28-29, 32-33, 35ff.) That Jerusalem means the church may be seen in Isaiah 23:17-18, 57:3; in Jeremiah 3:2, 6, 8-9, 5:1, 7, 13:27, 29:23; in Micah 1:7; in Nahum 3:3-4; in Hosea 4:2, 10-11; also in Leviticus 20:5; Numbers 14:33, 15:39; and elsewhere.
For this reason, too, the Lord called the Jewish nation “an adulterous generation” (Matthew 12:39, 16:4, Mark 8:38).
79. That in the spiritual sense by committing adultery is meant to adulterate the good of the Word and to falsify its truth, is evident from the following passages:
Babylon ... made all nations drink of the wine ... of her fornication. Apocalypse 14:8.
The angel said ... I will show unto you the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication. Apocalypse 17:1-2.
Babylon hath made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her. Apocalypse 18:3.
God hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication. Apocalypse 19:2.
Fornication is spoken of in relation to Babylon, because by Babylon are meant those who arrogate to themselves the Lord's Divine power, and profane the Word by adulterating and falsifying it. Therefore also Babylon is called
The mother of fornications and abominations of the earth. Apocalypse 17:5.
[2] The same is signified by whoredom in the Prophets; as in Jeremiah:
I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible stubbornness: they commit adultery, and walk in lies. Jeremiah 23:14.
In Ezekiel:
Two women, the daughters of one mother, committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth ... One played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours ... she bestowed her whoredoms upon them ... Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt. The other corrupted her love more than the former, and her whoredoms more than the whoredoms of her sister. ... She increased her whoredoms ... she loved the Chaldeans ... the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom. Ezekiel 23:2-17.
These words relate to the Israelitish and Jewish Church, which are here called the daughters of one mother. By their whoredoms are meant the adulterations and falsifications of the Word; and as in the Word by Egypt is signified knowledge, by Assyria reasoning, by Chaldea the profanation of truth, and by Babylon the profanation of good, therefore it is said that they committed whoredom with those nations.
[3] The like is said concerning, Jerusalem, by which is signified the Church as to doctrine, in Ezekiel:
Jerusalem, thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by ...
Thou hast committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredom...
Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians because thou wast insatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them...
Thou hast multiplied thy fornication unto Chaldea, the land of merchandise ...
An adulterous wife which taketh strangers instead of her husband.
They all give their gift to their whores; but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers ... that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom.
Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of Jehovah. Ezekiel 16:15, 26, 28-29, 32-33, 35.
That by Jerusalem is meant the Church may be seen in Isaiah 23:17-18; 57:3; Jeremiah 3:2, 6, 8-9; 5:1, 7; 13:27; 29:23; Micah 1:7; Nahum 3:4; Hosea 4:10-11; Leviticus 20:5; Numbers 14:33; 15:39; and elsewhere.
For the same reason also the Jewish nation was called by the Lord "An adulterous generation." Matthew 12:39; Matthew 16:4; Mark 8:38.
79. That to "commit adultery" in the spiritual sense means to adulterate the good of the Word and to falsify its truth, is evident from the following passages:
Babylon hath made all the nations drink of the wine of her fornication (Revelation 14:8).
The angel said, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication (Revelation 17:1-2).
Babylon hath made all the nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her (Revelation 18:3).
God hath judged the great harlot who did corrupt the earth with her fornication (Revelation 19:2).
"Whoredom" is predicated of Babylon, because "Babylon" means those who arrogate to themselves the Lord's Divine sovereign power, and profane the Word by adulterating and falsifying it; and for this reason Babylon is called:
The mother of the whoredoms and of the abominations of the earth (Revelation 17:5).
[2] The same is signified by "whoredom" in the prophets, as in Jeremiah:
In the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible obstinacy in committing adultery and walking in lying (Jeremiah 23:14).
And in Ezekiel:
Two women, the daughters of one mother, committed whoredom in Egypt; they committed whoredom in their youth; the one committed whoredom when she was Mine, and doted on her lovers the Assyrians her neighbors; she bestowed her whoredoms upon them, yet she forsook not her whoredoms in Egypt; the other corrupted her love more than she, and her whoredoms were more than the whoredoms of her sister; she added to her whoredoms, she loved the Chaldeans, the sons of Babel came to her to the bed of loves, and defiled her with their whoredom (Ezekiel 23:2-17).
These things are said of the Israelitish and the Jewish Church, here called the "daughters of one mother." Their "whoredoms" mean adulterations and falsifications of the Word, and as in the Word "Egypt" signifies memory-knowledge, "Assyria" reasoning, "Chaldea" the profanation of truth, and "Babel" the profanation of good, it is said that they "committed whoredom" with them.
[3] The same is said of "Jerusalem," by which is signified the church in respect to doctrine:
Thou didst trust in thy beauty, and didst commit whoredom because of thy renown, so that thou pouredst out thy whoredoms on everyone that passed by; thou hast committed whoredom with the sons of Egypt thy neighbors, great of flesh, and hast multiplied thy whoredom; thou hast committed whoredom with the sons of Asshur; and when thou wast not satisfied with those with whom thou didst commit whoredom, thou hast multiplied thy whoredoms unto the land of traffic, to Chaldea. An adulterous woman that receiveth strangers instead of her husband! All give hire to their harlots, but thou hast given hire to all thy lovers that they may come unto thee on every side in thy whoredoms.
Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of Jehovah (Ezekiel 16:15, 26, 28-29, 32-33, 35).
That "Jerusalem" means the church may be seen in the Isaiah 23:17-18; 57:3; Jeremiah 3:2, 6, 8-9; 5:1, 7; 13:27; 29:23; Micah 1:7; Nahum 3:4; Hosea 4:10-11; Leviticus 20:5; Numbers 14:33; 15:39.)
For the same reason the Lord called the Jewish nation:
An adulterous generation (Matthew 12:39; 16:4; Mark 8:38).
79. Quod per "adulterari" in spirituali sensu intelligatur adulterare bonum Verbi et falsificare verum ejus, constat ex his:-
"Babylon... a vino... scortationis suae potavit omnes gentes" (Apocalypsis 12:8).
Angelus dixit, "Monstrabo tibi judicium meretricis magnae sedentis super aquis multis, cum qua scortati sunt reges terrae" (Apocalypsis 17:1-2).
Babylon "ex vino furoris scortationis suae potavit omnes genes, et reges terrae cum ea scortati sunt" (Apocalypsis 18:3).
Deus "judicavit meretricem magnam, quae corrupit terram scortatione sua" (Apocalypsis 19:2).
"Scortatio" dicitur de Babylone, quia per "Babylonem" intelliguntur illi qui Divinam Domini potestatem sibi arrogant, et profanant Verbum adulterando et falsificando illud; quare etiam Babylon vocatur,
"Mater scortationum et abominationum terrae" (Apocalypsis 17:5).
Simile per "scortationem" significatur apud Prophetas: ut apud Jeremiam,
"In prophetis Hierosolymae vidi obfirmationem horrendam, adulterando et eundo in mendacio" (Jeremias 23:14).
Apud Ezechielem,
"Duae mulieres filiae unius matris scortatae sunt in Aegypto; in adolescentia sua scortatae sunt:... scortata est una sub Me; et dilexit amasios... Assyrios propinquos;... dedit scortationes suas super illos; attamen scortationes suas in Aegypto non deseruit. Altera corrupit amorem suum plus quam illa, et scortationes suas supra scortationes sororis...; addidit ad scortationes suas amavit" Chaldaeos; "venerunt ad illam filii Babelis ad concubitum amorum, et polluerunt eam per scortationem suam" (23:2-17):
Haec de Ecclesia Israelitica et Judaica, quae ibi sunt "filiae unius matris;" per "scortationes illarum" intelliguntur adulterationes et falsificationes Verbi; et quia in Verbo per "Aegyptum" significatur scientia, per "Assyriam" ratiocinatio, per "Chaldaeam" profanatio veri, et per "Babelem" profanatio boni, ideo dicitur quod "cum illis scortatae sint." Simile dicitur de Hierosolyma, per quam significatur ecclesia quoad doctrinam, apud Ezechielem,
Hierosolyma, "confisa es pulchritudini tuae, et scortata es ob famam tuam, adeo ut effuderis scortationes tuas super omnem transeuntem:... scortata es cum filiis Aegypti vicinis tuis, magnis carne, et multiplicasti scortationem tuam;... scortata es cum filiis Aschuris; cum satietas tibi nulla, cum quibus scortata es,... multiplicasti scortationem tuam usque ad terram negotiationis Chaldaeam:... mulier adultera sub viro suo accipit alienos: omnes meretricibus suis dant mercedem, 1tu vero dedisti mercedes omnibus amasiis,... ut veniant ad te in circuitu tuo in scortationibus tuis:... quare, meretrix, audi verbum Jehovae" (16:15, 26, 28-29, 32-33, 35, seq.):
Quod per "Hierosolymam" intelligatur ecclesia, videatur in Doctrina de Domino 62, 63.
(Simile per "scortationes" significatur apud Esaiam 23:17-18; 57:3: apud Jeremiam 3:2, 6, 8; 9; 5:1, 7; 13:27; 29:23 2: apud Micham 1:7: apud Nahum 3:4 3: apud Hoscheam 4:10-11 4: tum Leviticus 20:5: Numeri 14:33; 15:39; et alibi).
Idcirco etiam gens Judaica a Domino vocata est
"Generatio adultera" (Matthaeus 12:39; 16:4: Marcus 8:38)
Footnotes:
1. "Omnes meretricibus suis dant mercedem":- sic editio princeps; sic quoque Apocalypsis Revelata 134, et Apocalypsis Explicata 141(b): sed videatur Apocalypsis Explicata 695(d), ubi legimus,"Omnibus meretricibus dant mercedem.",
2. iii. pro "ii.",
"3, 4 pro "3, 4",
"4, 10, 11 pro "7, 10, 11"