SS16.没有灵义，没有人知道为何先知耶利米被吩咐为自己买一根腰带，束在腰上，但不可把它放在水中，而是藏在幼发拉底河附近的磐石穴中（耶利米书13:1-7）；为何先知以赛亚被吩咐解掉腰间的麻布，脱下脚上的鞋，露身赤脚行走三年（以赛亚书20:2-3）；为何先知以西结被吩咐用剃头刀剃过他的头和他的胡须，然后须发平分，将三分之一在城中间焚烧，将三分之一用剑砍碎，将三分之一任风吹散，取几根包在衣襟里，最终扔在火中间焚烧（以西结书5:1-4）；为何以西结被吩咐向左侧卧三百九十日，向右侧卧四十日，还要为自己用小麦、大麦、扁豆、小米、粗麦做糕饼，用牛粪烤着吃；与此同时还要造台筑垒攻击耶路撒冷，又围困这城（以西结书4:1-15）；为何先知何西阿被吩咐两次为自己娶妓女为妻（何西阿书1:2-9；3:2-3）；以及许多类似性质的事。此外，没有灵义，谁会知道会幕的一切表示什么？如约柜、施恩座、基路伯、灯台、香坛、桌子上的陈设饼或脸饼、帷帐和幔子。没有灵义，谁会知道亚伦的圣衣、外袍、内袍、以弗得、乌陵和土明、冠冕，以及与他相关的其它许多事物表示什么？没有灵义，谁又会知道关于燔祭、祭物、素祭和奠祭，以及安息日和节期的一切吩咐表示什么？事实上，关于它们所吩咐的一切事，哪怕最小的事，无不表示主、天堂和教会的某种事物。从这几个例子可以清楚看出，圣言的一切事物，无论总体还是细节，都有灵义在里面。
16. Lacking a spiritual understanding, no one would know why the prophet Jeremiah was commanded to buy a belt and put it around his waist, not to put it in water, and to hide it in a crevice in the rocks near the Euphrates (Jeremiah 13:1-7). No one would know why the prophet Isaiah was commanded to take the sackcloth off his waist and the sandals off his feet and to go naked and barefoot for three years (Isaiah 20:2-3). No one would know why the prophet Ezekiel was commanded to take a razor to his head and his beard and then to divide the hair, burning a third of it in the middle of the city, striking a third with a sword, and scattering a third to the wind; also, to bind a few hairs in his hems, and eventually to throw a few into the midst of a fire (Ezekiel 5:1-4). The same prophet was commanded to lie on his left side for three hundred ninety days and on his right side for forty days and to make himself a cake out of wheat, barley, millet, and spelt and bake it over cow dung and eat it; and at another time to make a siege wall and a mound against [an image of] Jerusalem and besiege it (Ezekiel 4:1-15). No one would know why the prophet Hosea was twice commanded to take a whore as his wife (Hosea 1:2-9; 3:2-3), and other things of the same sort.
Beyond that, without a spiritual understanding who would know the meaning of all the objects in the tabernacle - the ark, for example, the mercy seat, the angel guardians, the lampstand, the altar of incense, the showbread on the table, its veils and curtains? Without a spiritual understanding, who would know the meaning of Aaron’s sacred garments - his tunic, robe, ephod, the Urim and Thummim, his turban, and so on? Without a spiritual understanding, who would know the meaning of all the commandments about burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings, and drink offerings, about Sabbaths and festivals? The truth is that every bit of what was commanded meant something about the Lord, heaven, and the church.
You can see clearly in these few examples that there is a spiritual meaning throughout the Word and in its details.
16. Without the spiritual sense no one would know why the prophet Jeremiah was commanded to buy himself a sash and put it around his waist, not to drag it through water, and to hide it in a hole in the rock by the Euphrates (Jeremiah 13:1-7).
Or why the prophet Isaiah was commanded to loose the sackcloth from upon his loins and put off the sandals upon his feet, and to go naked and barefoot three years (Isaiah 20:2-3).
Or why the prophet Ezekiel was commanded to pass a razor over his head and his beard, and then to divide the hair, burn a third part in the midst of the city, strike a third part with a sword, and scatter a third part in the wind, and to bind a few of the hairs in the edges of his garment, and finally throw them into the midst of the fire (Ezekiel 5:1-4).
Or why the same prophet was commanded to lie three hundred and ninety days on his left side and forty days on his right side, and to make himself bread of wheat, barley, millet and spelt mixed with cow dung and eat it; and in the meantime to put up a wall and a mound against Jerusalem and lay siege to it (Ezekiel 4:1-15).
Or why the prophet Hosea was twice commanded to take to himself a harlot as a wife (Hosea 1:2-9, 3:2-3).
And many other passages of a similar kind.
[2] Furthermore, without the spiritual sense, who would know the symbolic meanings of everything connected with the Tabernacle, such as the ark, the mercy seat, the cherubim, the lampstand, the altar of incense, the showbread upon the table, and the Tabernacle’s veils and curtains?
Without the spiritual sense, who would know the symbolic meanings of Aaron’s holy vestments — of his tunic, robe, ephod, urim and thummim, turban, and more?
Without the spiritual sense, who would know the symbolic meanings of all the commandments regarding the whole burnt offerings, other burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings? Or regarding the sabbaths and feasts?
The truth is that not the least of these particulars was commanded that did not symbolize something having to do with the Lord, heaven and the church.
It may be plainly seen from these few examples that there is a spiritual meaning present in each and every constituent of the Word.
16. Without the spiritual sense no one would know why the prophet Jeremiah was commanded to buy himself a girdle, and put it upon his loins, and not to draw it through water, and to hide it in a hole of the rock by the Euphrates. Jeremiah 13:1-7;
Why the prophet Isaiah was commanded to loose the sackcloth from off his loins, to put off the shoe
from his foot, and to go naked and barefoot three years. Isaiah 20:2-3;
Why the prophet Ezekiel was commanded to pass a razor over his head and over his beard, and then to divide the hairs, to burn a third part in the midst of the city, to smite a third part with the sword, and to scatter a third part to the wind; but to bind a little of them in his skirts, and finally to cast them into the midst of the fire. Ezekiel 5:1-4;
Why the same prophet was commanded to lie upon his left side three hundred and ninety days, and upon his right side forty days; to make himself a cake of wheat, and barley, and millet, and fitches, with cow's dung, and eat it; and in the meantime to cast a trench and mound against Jerusalem, and lay siege to it. Ezekiel 4:1-15;
Why the Prophet Hosea was commanded twice to take himself a harlot to be his wife. Hosea 1:2-9; 3:2-3;
and many more things of a like nature.
Moreover, without the spiritual sense, who would know what is signified by all the things of the tabernacle, as by the ark, the mercy-seat, the cherubim, the candlestick, the altar of incense, the shewbread on the table, the veils and its curtains? Without the spiritual sense who would know what is signified by the holy garment of Aaron, by his vest, his robe, the ephod, the urim and thummim, the mitre, and the many other things associated with him? Who also, without the spiritual sense, would know what is signified by all those things commanded relating to burnt-offerings, sacrifices, meat offerings, and drink offerings? and also by those relating to sabbaths and feasts? The truth is that not the least of these things was commanded which did not signify something relating to the Lord, to heaven and to the Church. From these few examples it may be clearly seen that there is a spiritual sense in all things of the Word in general and in particular.
16. Without the spiritual sense no one would know why the prophet Jeremiah was commanded
To buy himself a girdle, and put it on his loins; and not to draw it through the waters, but to hide it in a hole of the rock by Euphrates (Jeremiah 13:1-7).
Or why the prophet Isaiah was commanded
To loose the sackcloth from off his loins, and put the shoe from off his foot, and go naked and barefoot three years (Isaiah 20:2-3).
Or why the prophet Ezekiel was commanded
To pass a razor upon his head and upon his beard, and afterwards to divide the hairs, and burn a third part in the midst of the city, smite a third part with the sword, scatter a third part in the wind, and bind a few of them in his skirts, and at last throw them into the midst of the fire (Ezekiel 5:1-4).
Or why the same prophet was commanded
To lie upon his left side three hundred and ninety days, and upon his right side forty days, and to make himself a cake of wheat, and barley, and millet, and spelt, with the dung of an ox, and eat it; and in the meantime to raise a rampart and a mound against Jerusalem, and besiege it (Ezekiel 4:1-15).
Or why the prophet Hosea was twice commanded
To take to himself a harlot to wife (Hosea 1:2-9; 3:2-3).
And many like things. Moreover, without the spiritual sense who would know what is signified by all the things pertaining to the Tabernacle, such as the ark, the mercy-seat, cherubim, lampstand, altar of incense, the bread of faces on the table, and its veils and curtains? Who without the spiritual sense would know what is signified by Aaron's garments of holiness, by his coat, cloak, ephod, urim and thummim, miter, and other things? Who without the spiritual sense would know what is signified by all the things enjoined concerning the burnt-offerings, sacrifices, meat-offerings, and drink-offerings, and also concerning the Sabbaths and feasts? The truth is that not the least thing was commanded concerning them that did not signify something of the Lord, heaven, and the church. From these few examples it may be clearly seen that there is a spiritual sense in all things of the Word and in every particular of it.
16. Absque sensu spirituali non aliquis sciret, quare mandatum est Jeremiae Prophetae,
Ut emeret sibi cingulum, et poneret super lumbis, non traduceret illud per aquas, et absconderet in foramine petrae juxta Euphratem (Jeremias 13:1-7).
Quod mandatum sit Esaiae Prophetae,
Quod dissolveret saccum desuper lumbis, et calceum exueret desuper pede suo, ac iret nudus et discalceatus tres annos (Esaias 20:2-3).
Quod mandatum sit Ezechieli Prophetae,
Quod novaculam traduceret super caput suum et super barbam suam, et postea divideret illa, tertiam partem combureret in medio urbis, tertiam percuteret gladio, tertiam dispergeret in ventum; et parum ex illis alligaret in alis, tandem projiceret in medium ignis (Ezechiel 5:1-4).
Quod eidem Prophetae mandatum sit,
Quod cubaret super latere suo sinistro et dextro, 1trecentos et nonaginta [dies] et quadraginta dies; et faceret sibi placentam ex triticis, hordeis, miliis, et zeis, cum excrementis bovis, et comederet illam; ac interea poneret vallum et aggerem contra Hierosolymam, et obsideret illam (Ezechiel 4:1-15).
Quod Hoscheae Prophetae bis mandatum sit,
Ut acciperet sibi meretricem in uxorem (Hoschea 1:2-9; 3:2-3):
Et plura similia. Praeterea quis absque sensu spirituali sciret quid significatur per omnia tabernaculi, ut per "arcam," "propitiatorium," "cherubos," "candelabrum," "altare suffitus," "panes facierum" super mensa, perque "vela" et "aulaea" ejus? Quis absque sensu spirituali sciret quid significatur per "vestes sanctitatis Aharonis," ejus "tunicam," "pallium," "ephodum," "urim et thummim," "cidarim," et plura ejus? Quis absque sensu spirituali sciret quid significatur per omnia illa quae mandata sunt de holocaustis, sacrificiis, minchis et libaminibus? tum de sabbathis et festis? Veritas est, quod non minimum de illis fuerit mandatum, quod non aliquid Domini, caeli et ecclesiae significaverit. Ex his paucis evidenter videri potest, quod sensus spiritualis sit in omnibus et singulis Verbi.
Footnotes:
1. sinistro et dextro pro "dextro et sinistro" (vide Doctrina de Domino 15).