4760. About the Dragon in Revelation
It was revealed to me who are meant by the dragon in Revelation. They are those who reason about Divine truths on the basis of the natural sciences, thus on the basis of such things as are in nature, and who for the purpose of corroborating [their conclusions] make use of the literal sense of the Word, which they twist into agreement. Thus, by the Dragon are meant those who want to be wise about the Divine from natural Theology. They are chiefly those who are naturalistic and at heart deny the Divine, for they reason and argue more than others and bring everything down to denial.
There was a certain man who when in the world had been the leading theologian in his kingdom. He had not believed in the Word but had believed that it is natural theology that enlightens minds and teaches spiritual truths. He did the same as those who are dragons simply in this: he twisted the literal sense of the Word to whatever he wanted, but yet had in mind to destroy it and to destroy the inner meaning chiefly by using the literal sense.
4760. CONCERNING THE DRAGON IN THE APOCALYPSE.
It was discovered to me who are understood by the dragon in the Apocalypse. They are those who reason about divine truth from sciences, thus, from such things as are in nature, and, for confirmation, take the literal sense of the Word, which they torture into agreement; thus, those who wish to be wise concerning Divine things from Natural Theology; and, especially, those who are naturalistic, and, in their heart, deny the Divine; for they reason more than others, and bring all things to the negative. There was a certain one, who, in the world, was the first theologian in his kingdom. He did not believe in the Word, but believed that Natural Theology enlightened the mind and taught spiritual truths. He acted like such as are dragons merely in this, that he tortured the literal sense of the Word to whatsoever he wished, when yet his purpose was to destroy it, and, especially, by means of the literal sense to destroy the internal sense.
4760. De Dracone in Apocalypsi
Detectum mihi est quinam per draconem in Apocalypsi intelliguntur, sunt illi qui ratiocinantur de Divinis veris ex scientiis, ita ex talibus quae sunt in natura, et ad confirmationem assumunt Verbi sensum literalem, quem ad consensum torquent, ita qui sapere volunt de Divinis ex Theologia naturali, qui praecipue sunt naturalistae, et corde suo negant Divinum, nam ratiocinantur plus quam alii, et omnia deducunt ad negativum. Fuit quidam qui in mundo theologus in suo regno primus, is non credidit Verbo, sed credidit quod theologia naturalis illustraret mentes, et doceret veritates spirituales, is agebat tales qui dracones sunt, solum in eo, quod torqueret sensum literalem Verbi ad quodcunque vellet, cum tamen animo esset destruere illud, et praecipue per sensum literalem destruere sensum internum.