70.这类社群或天堂之所以被容忍，原因有很多。主要原因是，他们通过表面的圣洁，以及表面的诚实和公正而与简单的善人联结，无论是构成最低层天堂的善人，还是仍在灵人界，尚未获准进入天堂的善人。在灵界，所有人都与同类灵人接触并联结。最低层天堂和灵人界中的简单善人主要关注外在，尽管他们本人内在并不邪恶。因此，如果在指定时间之前他们就被拆开，天堂的最低层就会被撕裂，而最低层是天堂的高层停靠于其上的基础。
主在下面这段经文中教导，这就是为何他们被容忍，直到末期：
家主的仆人来对祂说，主啊，你不是撒好种在田里吗？从哪里来的稗子呢？他们说，你要我们去薅出来吗？祂说，不必，恐怕薅稗子，连麦子的根也一同拔出来。容这两样一齐长，等着收割。当收割的时候，我要对收割的人说：先将稗子薅出来，捆成捆，好烧掉；惟有麦子要收在我的仓里。那撒好种的就是人子；田地就是世界，好种就是天国之子；稗子就是那恶者之子；收割的时候，就是时代的末了。将稗子薅出来，用火焚烧，时代的末了，也要如此。（马太福音13:27-30，37-40）
这“时代的末了”表示教会的末期；“稗子”表示那些内心邪恶的人；“麦子”表示那些内心良善的人；“将稗子薅出来，捆成捆，好烧掉”表示最后的审判。
在这一章，主以聚拢各种鱼的比喻表达类似的含义；好的收在器具里，不好的丢弃了。论到这些人，经上还说：
时代的末了，也要这样；天使要出来，从义人中把恶人分别出来。（马太福音13:47-49）
这些人被比作鱼，是因为就圣言的灵义而言，“鱼”表示那些属世和外在的人，无论善恶。至于“义人”的含义，可参看下面的脚注。
脚注：
1.在圣言中，“捆”表示在一个人里面将真理或虚假排列成各个系列，所以“捆”也表示拥有这些真理或虚假的人（AC4686，4687，5339，5530，7408，10303节）。“人子”是指神性真理方面的主（AC1729，1733，2159，2628，2803，2813，3373，3704，7499，8897，9807节）。“子”是指对来自良善的真理的情感（AC489，491，2623，3373，4257，8649，9807节），所以“天国之子”表示那些对来自良善的真理拥有情感的人，“恶者之子”表示那些对来自邪恶的虚假拥有情感的人；因此，后者被称为“稗子”，前者被称为“好种”，因为“稗子”表示来自邪恶的虚假，“好种”表示来自良善的真理；“田里的种子”表示一个人从主所获得的来自良善的真理（AC1940，3038，3310，3373，10249节）。在反面意义上，“种”表示来自邪恶的虚假（AC10249节）。“田里的种子”也表示通过来自圣言的神性真理对心智的滋养；“撒种”就是教导（AC6158，9272节）。“时代的末了”表示教会的末期（AC4535，10622节）。
2.就圣言的灵义而言，“鱼”表示属世人或外在人的记忆知识或事实知识，因而也表示属世人或外在人，无论善恶（AC40，991节）。各种动物对应于诸如在人里面的那类事物（AC45，46，246，714，719，2179，2180，3519，9280，10609节）。在圣言中，主的公义和功德被归于的人被称为“义人”；如果他们的公义和功德来自他们自己，他们就被称为“不义的人”（AC5069，9263，9486节）。
70. There are many reasons why allowances were made for communities or heavens like these. The main one is that through the people's outward holiness, honesty, and fairness they were joined to simple but good-hearted people, whether those people constituted the lowest heaven or were still in the world of spirits and had not yet become part of heaven. This is because in the spiritual world there is a communication among all, and everyone is therefore joined to kindred spirits; and the simple but good-hearted people who live in the lowest heaven and the ones who are in the world of spirits pay attention primarily to outward appearances, although they themselves are not evil people inwardly. So if [those who were joined to them] had been pulled away from them before the appointed time, heaven would have been torn apart at its lowest levels, and yet the lowest level is what the higher heaven rests on as its foundation.
[2] In the following words the Lord teaches that this was why allowances were made right up to the final moment:
The servants of the owner came and said to him, “Didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did these tares come from?” And they said, “Do you want us to go and gather in the tares?” But he said, “No, because in gathering the tares you might also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘First gather the tares and bind them in bundles for burning; then gather the wheat into the barn.'” The one who sowed good seed is the Son of Humanity; the field is the world; the good seeds are the children of the kingdom; the tares are the children of the evil one; the harvest is the close of the age. As the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, that is how it will be at the close of the age. (Matthew 13:27-30, 37-40)
The close of the age means the final time of the church; the tares mean people who are inwardly evil; the wheat means people who are inwardly good; the gathering and binding of the tares into bundles for burning means the Last Judgment. 1
[3] In the same chapter, there is much the same meaning in the Lord's parable of the gathering in of fish of every kind; in that story the good fish are put in vessels and the bad fish are thrown away. Then it says, “That is how it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come forth and separate the wicked from among the righteous” (Matthew 13:47, 48, 49). These people are compared to fish because in the spiritual meaning of the Word fish mean people who are earthly and external, whether they are good or evil. On the meaning of the righteous, see the footnote below. 2
Footnotes:
1. [Swedenborg note] Bundles in the Word mean arrangements within us of truths or else falsities in series, so bundles also mean the people who have such truths or falsities: 4686, 4687, 5339, 5530, 7408, 10303. The Son of Humanity means the Lord as divine truth: 1729, 1733, 2159, 2628, 2803, 2813, 3373, 3704, 7499, 8897, 9807. Children mean desires for truth that arise from doing good: 489, 491, 2623, 3373, 4257, 8649, 9807. Thus the children of the kingdom mean people who love truth because they do what is good, and the children of the evil one mean people who love falsity because they do what is evil. So the latter are called tares and the former are called good seed, because tares mean falsity that comes from evil and good seed means truth that comes from goodness. The seed of the field means the truth that serves goodness, something we receive from the Lord: 1940, 3038, 3310, 3373, 10249. In an opposite sense, seed means falsity that serves evil: 10249. The seed of the field also means nourishment for the mind by divine truth from the Word, and sowing means teaching: 6158, 9272. The close of the age means the final time of the church: 4535, 10622.
2. [Swedenborg note] In the spiritual meaning of the Word, fish mean the knowledge that belongs to our earthly or outer self, and therefore also mean people who are earthly or external, whether they are good or evil: 40, 991. Animals of all kinds correspond characteristics within us: 45, 46, 246, 714, 719, 2179, 2180, 3519, 9280, 10609. The Word refers to people as “righteous” if the Lord's merit and righteousness are attributed to them, but as “unrighteous” if their righteousness and merit come from themselves: 5069, 9263, 9486.
70. There are many reasons why such communities, or such heavens, were tolerated. The chief is that by means of outward holiness and outward honesty and fairness they were linked with the simple good people in the lowest heaven, and with those who were still in the world of spirits and not yet admitted to heaven. In the spiritual world all are in touch with and so linked with similar spirits. The simple good people in the lowest heaven and those in the world of spirits pay attention mainly to externals, yet without being inwardly wicked. If therefore they were torn apart before the appointed time, heaven would suffer at its lowest level; yet the lowest level is the basis on which the higher levels of heaven rest.
[2] The Lord teaches in this passage that this was why they were tolerated until the final period:
The servants of the head of the household came to him and said, Was it not good seed you sowed in your field? Where then do the weeds come from? And they said, Do you want us then to go and gather them? But he said, No, for fear that in gathering the weeds you uproot the wheat together with them. So let them both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest-time I shall say to the reapers, Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into the barns. He who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; the good seed is the children of the kingdom, the weeds the children of evil; the harvest is the ending of the age. As therefore the weeds are gathered and burnt with fire, so shall it be at the ending of this age. Matthew 13:27-30, 37-42.
The ending of this age is the final period of the church; the weeds are those who are inwardly wicked; the wheat those who are inwardly good; their gathering and tying in bundles for burning is the Last Judgment. 1
[3] A similar meaning is conveyed by the Lord's parable in the same chapter about the gathering of fish of every kind, when the good were put into vessels and the bad thrown out; of these too it is said:
So shall it be at the ending of the age; the angels will go out and separate the wicked from among the righteous. Matthew 13:47-49.
They are compared to fish, because in the spiritual sense of the Word fish mean those who are natural and external, good as well as wicked; on the meaning of the righteous see at the end of the chapter. 2
Footnotes:
1. Bundles in the Word mean the arrangement of the truths and falsities a person has into groups, so also groupings of People possessing those truths and falsities (4686, 4687, 5339, 5530, 7408, 10303). The Son of Man is the Lord as regards Divine truth (1729, 1733, 2159, 2628, 2803, 2813, 3773, 3704, 7499, 8897, 9807). Sons are affections for truth coming from good (489, 491, 533, 2623, 3373, 4257, 8649, 9807); so the children of the kingdom are those with affections for truth coming from good, and the children of evil are those with affections for falsity coming from evil. Consequently the latter are called weeds, and the former good seed, for weeds mean falsity coming from evil and good seed means truth coming from good. The seed of the field is truth coming from good which a person has from the Lord (1940, 3038, 3310, 3373, 10248, 10249). In the contrary sense seed is falsity from evil (10249). The seed of the field is also the nourishment of the mind by means of Divine truth from the Word; to sow is to instruct (6158, 9272). The ending of the age is the final period of the church (4535, 10622).
2. Fish in the spiritual sense of the Word mean the factual knowledge of the natural or external man; and thus also natural or external people, both good and wicked (40, 991). Animals of every kind correspond to the kind of things in a person's character (45-46, 246, 714, 716, 719, 2179, 2180, 3519, 9280, 10609). In the Word people are called righteous if the Lord's righteousness and merit is attributed to them, but unrighteous if self-righteousness and self-acquired merit is attributed to them (3648, 15069, 9263). 3
3. [Arcana Caelestia 15069 seems to be incorrect; a possible reference would be 9486.]
70. There were many reasons why such societies, or such heavens were tolerated; the principal reason was, that by external holiness, and by external sincerity and justice, they were conjoined with the simple good, who were either in the lowest heaven, or were still in the world of spirits and not yet introduced into heaven. For in the spiritual world, there is a communication, and thence a conjunction, of all with their like; and the simple good, in the lowest heaven, and in the world of spirits, look principally to externals, yet are not interiorly evil; wherefore if these spirits had been forcibly removed from them before the appointed time, heaven would have suffered in its ultimates; and yet it is the ultimate, upon which the superior heaven subsists, as upon its own basis. That they were tolerated until the last time on this account, the Lord teaches in the following words:
The servants of the householder came and said unto him, Didst thou not sow good seed in thy field, whence then are the tares? And they said, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay, lest, whilst ye gather up the tares, ye root up at the same time the wheat with them; let both therefore grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn; but gather the wheat into barns. He that hath sowed the good seed, is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the sons of the kingdom, the tares are the sons of evil; the harvest is the consummation of the age: as therefore the tares are gathered together, and burnt with fire, so shall it be in the consummation of the age (Matthew 13:27-30, 37-40).
"The consummation of this age," is the last time of the church; "the tares" are those who are interiorly evil; "the wheat" are those who are interiorly good; "the gathering the tares together, and binding them in bundles to burn," is the Last Judgment. 1The like is meant in the same chapter by the Lord's parable of the fishes of every kind, which were gathered together, and the good placed in vessels, but the bad cast away; concerning which it is also said:
So shall it be in the consummation of the age; the angels shall go forth, and separate the evil from the midst of the just (vers. 47-49).
They are compared to fishes, because "fishes" in the spiritual sense of the Word, signify natural and external men, both good and evil; what "the just" signify may be seen below. 2
Footnotes:
1. "Bundles" in the Word signify the arrangement of the truths and falsities with man into series, thus also the arrangement of men in whom truths and falsities are (4686, 4687, 5339, 5530, 7408, 10303). "The Son of man" is the Lord as to Divine truths (1729, 1733, 2159, 2628, 2803, 2813, 3373, 3704, 7499, 8897, 9807). "Sons" are the affections of truth from good (489, 491, 533, 2623, 3373, 4257, 8649, 9807); therefore "the sons of the kingdom" are those who are in the affections of truth from good; and "the sons of evil," those who are in the affections of falsity from evil; whence the latter are called tares," and the former "good seed," for "tares" signify falsity from evil, and "good seed," truth from good; "the seed of the field" is truth from good, in man, from the Lord (1940, 3038, 3310, 3373, 10248, 10249). "Seed" in the opposite sense is falsity from evil (10249). "The seed of the field" is also the nutrition of the mind by Divine truth from the Word and "sowing" is instruction (6158, 9272). "The consummation of the age" is the last time of the church (4535, 10622).
2. "Fishes," in the spiritual sense of the Word, signify scientifics, which belong to the natural or external man, and hence also natural or external men, both evil and good (40, 991). Animals of all kinds correspond with such things as are with man (45, 46, 246, 714, 716, 719, 2179, 2180, 3519, 9280, 10609). In the Word, they to whom the Lord's justice and merit are attributed, are called "just;" they to whom their own justice and merit are attributed, are called "unjust" (3686, 5069, 9263).
70. Quod tales societates toleratae sint, seu tales caeli; sunt plures causae. Primaria est, quod per externum sanctum, et per externum sincerum et justum, conjuncti fuerint cum simplicibus bonis qui in ultimo caelo, et qui adhuc in mundo spirituum et nondum introducti in caelum fuerunt; nam in mundo spirituali communicatio omnium est et inde conjunctio cum similibus; ac simplices boni qui in ultimo caeli sunt, et qui in mundo spirituum, spectant imprimis ad externa, sed usque non interius mali sunt; quare si ab illis divellerentur ante tempus praestitutum, pateretur caelum in suis ultimis, et tamen ultimum est super quo superius caelum sicut super sua basi subsistit. Quod illa causa fuerit quod tolerati sint usque ad ultimum tempus, docet Dominus his verbis:
"Accedentes servi Patrisfamilias dixerunt ei,... Nonne bonum semen seminasti in agro tuo? unde ergo sunt zizania?... Et dixerunt, Vis ergo abeamus et colligamus ea? At ille dixit, Non, ne colligendo zizania eradicetis simul cum eis triticum; sinite itaque utraque simul crescere usque ad messem, et tempore messis dicam messoribus, Colligite primum zizania, et ligate ea in fasciculos ad comburendum; triticum vero colligite in horrea... Qui seminavit bonum semen est Filius hominis; ager... est mundus; semen... bonum sunt filii regni, zizania... filii mali;... messis est consummatio saeculi:... sicut ergo colliguntur zizania, et comburuntur igne, sic erit in consummatione saeculi hujus" (Matthaeus 13:27-30, 37-42);
"consummatio saeculi hujus" est ultimum tempus ecclesiae; "zizania" sunt qui interius mali sunt; "triticum" qui interius boni; "collectio illorum et ligatio in fasciculos ad comburendum" est ultimum judicium. 1Simile intelligitur in eodem capite per parabolam Domini de Piscibus ex omni genere congregatis, ac bonis injectis in vasa, malis autem ejectis foras, de quibus etiam dicitur,
"Sic erit in consummatione saeculi; exibunt angeli, et separabunt malos e medio justorum" (vers. 47-49):
Comparantur piscibus, quia per "pisces" in Verbi sensu spirituali, significantur naturales et externi, tam boni quam mali; quid per "justos" videatur infra lineam. 2
(EX ARCANIS CAELESTIBUS)
Footnotes:
"1. Quod ""manipuli"" in Verbo significent dispositiones verorum et falsorum apud hominem in series, ita quoque hominum in quibus vera et falsa ("4686-4687, 5339, 5530, 7408, 10303).
Quod "Filius hominis" sit Dominus quoad Divinum Verum (1729, 1733, 2159, 2628, 2803, 2813, 3255 (3373?), 3704, 7499, 8897, 5087 (9807?)).
Quod "filii" sint affectiones veri ex bono (489, 491, 533, 2623, 3373, 4257, 8649, 9807): ita "filii regni" sunt qui in affectionibus veri ex bono, et "filii mali" qui in affectionibus falsi ex malo; unde hi dicuntur "zizania," et illi "semen bonum," nam per "zizania" significatur falsum ex malo, et per "semen bonum" verum ex bono; quod "semen agri" sit verum ex bono apud hominem a Domino (1940, 3038, 3310, 3373, 10248-10249).
Quod "semen" in opposito sensu sit falsum ex malo (10248 (10249?)).
Quod etiam "semen agri" sit nutritio mentis per Divinum Verum ex Verbo, et quod "seminare" sit instruere (6158, 9272).
Quod "consummatio saeculi" sit ultimum tempus ecclesiae (4535, 10622)."2. Quod per ""pisces"" in Verbi sensu spirituali significentur scientifica quae naturalis seu externi hominis, et inde quoque naturales seu externi, tam mali quamboni("40, 991).
Quod animalia omnis generis correspondeant talibus quae apud hominem (45-46, 246, 714, 716, 719, 2179-2180, 3519, 9280, 10609).
Quod "justi" in Verbo dicantur, quibus addicatur justitia et meritum Domini, "injusti" autem quibus justitia propria et meritum sui (3648 (9486?), 5069, 9263?).