14.基督教界完全不知道天堂和地狱皆来自人类。人们以为天使是起初被造的，天堂是由他们形成的，或说这是天堂的来源；而魔鬼或撒旦原是光明天使，因变成反判者而与其同党被逐出，这是地狱的来源。对于基督教界的这种信仰，天使大为震惊，尤为震惊的是：人们竟然对天堂一无所知，然而，这原本是教会的主要教义之一。鉴于这种无知已经占据主导地位，所以他们由衷高兴，如今主乐意向人们揭示关于天堂，以及地狱的大量信息，用这种方式尽可能地驱散与日俱增的黑暗，因为教会已经走到尽头。因此，他们想叫我代表他们声明：在整个天堂，没有一位天使是起初被造的天使；在地狱，没有任何魔鬼曾被造为光明天使，并被逐出。无论在天堂还是在地狱，所有人都来自人类；在天堂的，是那些在世时过着天堂的爱与信的生活之人，在地狱的，则是那些在世时过着地狱的爱与信的生活之人。地狱作为一个整体被称为魔鬼和撒旦；靠后的地狱，就是被称为恶魔的人所住的地方，称作魔鬼；靠前的地狱，就是恶灵的住所，则是撒旦。至于这两种地狱各是何性质，可参看《天堂与地狱》一书临近结尾的地方（536-588节）。基督教界对天堂和地狱里的人为何执守这种信念？天使告诉我说，这是由于圣言中的某些经文，他们仅照字义来理解，没有通过取自圣言的纯正教义来解释和说明；而事实上，若没有教会纯正教义的事先光照，字义会将心智朝各个方向引入歧途；无知、异端和错误由此而来。
14. Heaven and Hell Come from Humankind
The Christian world is totally ignorant of the fact that heaven and hell come from humankind. People believe that angels were created at the beginning and that this was the origin of heaven. 1They believe that the Devil or Satan was an angel of light who was cast out with his gang because he became a rebel, and that that was the origin of hell. 2
Angels are utterly astounded that this is what the Christian world believes, and even more astounded that people know absolutely nothing about heaven even though this should be central to what the church is teaching. 3Because this kind of ignorance has become dominant, angels rejoice at heart that it has now pleased the Lord to reveal a great deal about heaven and also about hell and by this means to dispel-as much as possible-the darkness that has been increasing every day because the church has reached its end. 4So they want me to assure you on their behalf that there is not one angel in all heaven who was created an angel from the beginning and that there is no devil in hell who was created an angel of light and cast down. No, all the people in heaven and all the people in hell have come from humankind. The ones in heaven are the ones who lived lives of heavenly love and faith while in the world, and the ones in hell are the ones who lived lives of hellish love and faith. Further, what is called “the Devil” and “Satan” actually refers to hell as a whole. “The Devil” means the back area of hell, where people called “evil demons” live, and “Satan” means the front area of hell, where people called “evil spirits” live. 5On the nature of each of these hells, see toward the end of my book Heaven and Hell [536-588].
Why has the Christian world seized on this belief about the people in heaven and the people in hell? Angels have told me that it comes from a few passages in the Word 6understood only in their literal meaning and not illuminated and explained by means of a genuine body of teaching drawn from the Word, when in fact if the real body of teaching of the church does not light the way, the literal meaning of the Word leads the mind astray in a variety of directions, causing ignorance, heresies, and errors. 7
Footnotes:
1. The theory that “angels were created at the beginning” falls under a theological concept known as separate or immediate creation, that is, the creation by God of something from nothing without any intermediary stage (in this case the intermediary stage would be human beings). Throughout the history of the church, Christians have generally accepted the immediate creation of angels, and it is a distinctive feature of Swedenborg's theology that he rejects it. [SS]
2. See Swedenborg's explanation of the meaning of the terms “Devil” and “Satan” later in this section, and compare a similar statement in Divine Providence 27:1. In these passages and others, Swedenborg denies the reality of one supreme “Devil,” or “Satan,” or “Lucifer,” that is, a rebel angel who was cast down and became the Devil, a concept commonly based on Isaiah 14:12; Luke 10:18; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude verse 6; Revelation 12:7-9. He does, however, use “the Devil” and “Satan” as collective terms for hell, and each also is associated with a general region of hell (see the immediately following material here in Last Judgment 14, and Secrets of Heaven 251:2; Heaven and Hell 311, 544). Furthermore, he speaks of two classes of people in hell, one called “satans,” and the other called “devils” or “demons.” The distinction between these two classes is outlined in Divine Love and Wisdom 273; Divine Providence 310:3; True Christianity 281:12. In general, “satans” are associated with false thoughts, a love of gaining others' possessions by whatever means necessary, and a tendency to rationalize their obsessions with evil, whereas “devils” are associated with a love of power for selfish reasons, self-love as the primary motivation in life, and a tendency to act out their obsessions with evil. Swedenborg consistently describes “devils” or “demons” as more profoundly wicked than “satans.” For a survey and analysis of the biblical and extrabiblical roots of the more traditional concept of the Devil, see Mobley and Wray 2005. For a one-volume history of the origin of the concept of the Devil and its ancient, medieval, and modern reception, see Kelly 2006. [JSR, SS, DNG]
3. In Last Judgment 19 Swedenborg explains how this knowledge is accessible from the Bible and thus could have been made part of the church's teaching. [SS]
4. “The church” in this context refers specifically to Christianity in its various existing branches (primarily the Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox churches) as the reigning religious paradigm in the world in which Swedenborg and his intended audience lived. According to Swedenborg, as stated in Last Judgment 35 and elsewhere, a church comes to an end when there is no faith because there is no caring. For more on Swedenborg's definition of churches and the various church eras, see note 3 in New Jerusalem 4 and the passages cited there. [LSW]
5. [Swedenborg note] “The Devil” and “Satan” mean the hells taken collectively, or hellish people taken collectively: 694. People who were devils in this world become devils after death: 968. 6. Though there are no clear statements in the Bible about the origin or creation of angels, some of the passages that have been cited in support of angels being a separate creation are Job 38:4-7; Psalms 8:5; 148:2-5; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 2:7. For this theory about the creation of angels, see note 1 in Last Judgment 14. For Bible passages that have been cited in support of devils being fallen angels, see note 2 in Last Judgment 14. [LSW]
7. [Swedenborg note] The church's body of teaching must be drawn from the Word: 3464, 5402, 5432, 10763, 10765. Without a body of teaching, the Word is not intelligible: 9025, 9409, 9424, 9430, 10324, 10431, 10582. A true body of teaching is a lamp for us when we read the Word: 10400. Any authentic body of teaching must come from people who are enlightened by the Lord: 2510, 2516, 2519, 9424, 10105. People who are focused on the literal meaning of the Word without having a body of teaching do not arrive at any understanding of divine truths: 9409, 9410, 10582. They fall into many errors: 10431. The nature of the difference between people who teach and learn on the basis of the church's body of teaching drawn from the Word and those who teach and learn solely on the basis of the Word's literal meaning: 9025.
14. 1III. HEAVEN AND HELL ARE FROM THE HUMAN RACE.
No one in the Christian world is aware that heaven and hell are from the human race. It is believed that angels were created from the beginning, and so heaven was formed; and that the Devil or Satan was an angel of light, but becoming a rebel was cast down together with his crew, and so hell was formed. The angels are exceedingly surprised that such is the belief of the Christian world; and even more so by the fact that people know nothing at all about heaven, when this is a leading point in what the church teaches. Because such ignorance abounds the angels were delighted that it has now pleased the Lord to make further revelations to Christians about heaven, and also about hell; and so as far as possible to dispel the darkness that deepens day by day, because the church has reached its end. The angels therefore wish me to assert as their own statement that the whole of heaven does not contain one angel who was created from the beginning, nor does hell contain any devil who was created an angel of light and then cast down; but that all the inhabitants of both heaven and hell are from the human race. Heaven contains those who lived in the world in a state of heavenly love and faith, hell those who lived in a state of hellish love and faith. They said that it is the whole of hell taken together which is called the Devil and Satan; the rear hell, the home of those called wicked genii, is called Devil, the front hell, the home of those called wicked spirits, is called Satan. 2On the nature of the two hells see the final part of my book HEAVEN AND HELL. The angels explained the reason for the Christian world's belief about the inhabitants of heaven and of hell as the result of a failure to understand certain passages in the Word as anything but literal accounts, instead of interpreting them and illustrating them in the light of the correct teaching from the Word. Yet the literal sense of the Word, unless previously illuminated by the church's correct teaching, causes people's minds to go astray in various directions; and this is the source of ignorance, heresy and error. 3
Footnotes:
1. [14-16, 18, 20, 21 are repeated with minor changes from 311-316.]
2. The hells taken together, or their inhabitants taken together, are called the Devil and Satan (694) Those who were devils in the world become devils after death (968).
3. The church's teaching is to be drawn from the Word (3464, 5402, 6832, 10763, 10765). The Word cannot be understood without teaching (9025, 9409, 9424, 9430, 10324, 10431, 10582). True teaching is a lamp to readers of the Word (10400). Correct teaching must come from those who are enlightened by the Lord (2510, 2516, 2519, 9424, 10105). Those who without the benefit of teaching follow the literal sense of the Word cannot achieve any understanding of Divine truths (9409, 9410, 10582). They fall into many errors (10431). The nature of the difference between those whose teaching and learning is based on the church's teaching derived from the Word, and those who rely only on the literal sense of the Word (9025).
14. III. HEAVEN AND HELL ARE FROM THE HUMAN RACE.
It is altogether unknown in the Christian world that heaven and hell are from the human race; for it is believed that angels were created at the beginning, and that heaven was formed of them; and that the Devil or Satan was an angel of light, who, becoming rebellions, was cast down with his crew, and that this was the origin of hell. The angels are greatly astonished at such a faith in the Christian world, and still more, that nothing at all is there known of heaven, when yet it is a primary doctrine in the church; and since such ignorance prevails, they are rejoiced in heart that it has now pleased the Lord to reveal to men many things concerning heaven, and also concerning hell; and by this means, as far as possible, to dissipate the darkness which daily increases, because the church has come to its end. Wherefore they wish me to declare from them, that there is in the universal heaven not one who was created an angel from the first, nor any devil in hell who was created an angel of light, and cast down, but that all both in heaven and in hell are from the human race; in heaven those who had lived in the world in heavenly love and faith, and in hell those who had lived in infernal love and faith; and that hell in the whole complex is called the Devil and Satan; that the hell behind, where those are who are called evil genii, is the Devil, and the hell in front, which is the abode of evil spirits, is Satan. 1What the nature of one hell is, and what the other, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell, towards the end. The angels said, that the Christian world have conceived such a belief about those in heaven and hell, from certain passages in the Word no otherwise understood than according to the sense of the letter, and not illustrated and explained by genuine doctrine from the Word; when yet the sense of the letter, if the genuine doctrine of the church does not shine before it, draws the mind away into various opinions; whence come ignorance, heresies, and errors. 2
Footnotes:
1. The hells, or the infernals, taken together, are called the Devil and Satan (694). They who have been devils in the world, become devils after death (968).
2. The doctrine of the church must be from the Word (3464, 5402, 6832, 10763, 10765). The Word is not understood without doctrine (9021, 9409, 9424, 9430, 10324, 10431, 10582). True doctrine is a lamp to those who read the Word (10401). Genuine doctrine must be from those who are in illustration from the Lord (2510, 2516, 2519, 9424, 10105). They who are in the sense of the letter of the Word without doctrine, can come into no understanding of Divine truths (9409, 9410, 10582). And they are led into many errors (10431). The difference between those who teach and learn from the doctrine of the church from the Word, and those who teach and learn only from the sense of the letter of the word (9025).
14. (III.)
QUOD CAELUM ET INFERNUM SINT EX HUMANO GENERE.
In Christiano orbe prorsus nescitur, quod caelum et infernum sint ex humano genere; creditur enim, quod angeli fuerint a principio creati, et quod inde caelum: ac quod Diabolus seu Satanas fuerit lucis angelus; sed quia rebellis factus est, cum turba sua dejectus sit, et quod inde infernum. Quod talis fides in Christiano orbe sit, mirantur angeli quam maxime; et adhuc magis, quod prorsus nihil sciant de caelo, cum tamen id est primarium doctrinae in ecclesia: et quia talis ignorantia regnat, corde gavisi sunt, quod placuerit Domino nunc revelare illis plura de caelo et quoque de inferno; et per id, quantum possibile est, discutere tenebras, quae indies increscunt, quia ecclesia ad suum finem pervenit: quare volunt, ut ex ore illorum asseverem, quod in universo caelo non sit unus angelus qui a principio creatus est, nec in inferno aliquis diabolus qui creatus lucis angelus et dejectus, sed quod omnes tam in caelo quam in inferno sint ex humano genere; in caelo illi qui in mundo in caelesti amore et fide vixerunt, in inferno qui in infernali amore et fide; et quod infernum in toto complexu sit quod vocatur Diabolus et Satanas, illud infernum quod a tergo est, ubi sunt qui vocantur mali genii, Diabolus, et illud infernum quod anterius est, ubi sunt qui vocantur mali spiritus, Satanas. 12Quale unum infernum, et quale alterum, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno circa finem Quod orbis Christianus talem fidem de illis in caelo et de illis in inferno ceperit, dicebant angeli, quod sit ex aliquibus locis in Verbo non intellectis aliter quam secundum sensum litterae, et non illustratis et explicatis per genuinam doctrinam ex Verbo; cum tamen sensus litterae Verbi, nisi genuina doctrina ecclesiae praeluceat, distrahit mentes in varia, unde ignorantiae, haereses, et errores. 3
(EX ARCANIS CAELESTIBUS)
Footnotes:
1. (Nota EDITORIS.- Collecta ex Arcanis Caelestibus, in editione principe, ad finem capitum sistunt.)2. Quod inferna simul sumpta, seu infernales simul sumpti, dicantur Diabolus et Satanas (694).
Quod qui diaboli fuerunt in mundo, diaboli fiant post mortem (968).3. Quod doctrina ecclesiae erit ex Verbo (3464, 5402, 6832, 10763, 10765).
Quod Verbum absque doctrina non intelligatur (9021, 9409, 9424, 9430, 10324, 10431, 10582).
Quod vera doctrina sit lucerna illis qui legunt Verbum (10401(10400?)).
Quod genuina doctrina erit ab illis qui in illustratione sunt a Domino (2510, 2516, 2519, 9424, 10105).
Quod, qui in sensu litterae Verbi absque doctrina sunt, in nullum intellectum veniant de veris Divinis (9409-9410, 10582).
Et quod in plures errores ferantur (10431).
Differentia inter illos qui docent et discunt ex doctrina ecclesiae quae ex Verbo, et inter illos qui ex solo sensu litterae Verbi, qualis (9025).