SS17.主在世时通过对应说话，因此，当从属世的角度说话时，祂也是从属灵的角度说话。这一点从祂的比喻明显看出来，因为这些比喻中的一字一句都有一个灵义。以十个童女的比喻为例：
天国好比十个童女，拿着灯，出去迎接新郎。其中有五个是聪明的，五个是愚拙的。愚拙的拿着灯，却没有带油。聪明的带着灯里的油。新郎迟延的时候，她们都打盹睡着了。半夜里有嚷叫，看哪，新郎来了，你们出来迎接他。然后那些童女就都醒来收拾灯。愚拙的对聪明的说，请把你们的油分一点给我们，因为我们的灯要灭了。聪明的回答说，不行，恐怕不够你我用的。不如你们自己到卖油的那里，自己买吧。她们去买的时候，新郎到了。那预备好了的，同他进去赴婚筵。门就关了。其余的童女，随后也来了，说，主啊，主啊，给我们开门。他却回答说，我实在告诉你们，我不认识你们。（马太福音25:1-12）
只有知道灵义的存在和性质的人才能看出这个比喻的细节中有一个灵义，因而有某种神圣的神性事物。就灵义而言，“神的国”表示天堂和教会；“新郎”表示主；“婚筵”表示主与天堂并教会藉由爱与信之良善的婚姻；“童女”表示那些属于教会的人；“十”表示他们所有人；“五”表示他们当中的一些人；“灯”表示信之真理；“油”表示爱之良善；“睡着了”和“醒来”表示人在世上的属世生活和他死后的属灵生活；“买”表示为自己获取；“到卖油的那里去买”表示死后从他人那里为自己获取爱之良善。由于那时无法再获取这种良善，所以尽管他们拿着灯来，并且也买了油来到婚礼的门前，然而新郎却对他们说：“我不认识你们。” 原因在于，人在世上的生活结束之后，他仍是他活在世上时的那种人。
由此可见，主通过纯粹的对应说话；这是因为祂出于在祂里面并属于祂的神性说话。“新郎”表示主；“天国”表示教会；“婚筵”或“婚礼”表示主与教会藉由爱与信之良善的婚姻；“童女”表示那些属于教会的人；“十”表示他们所有人；“五”表示他们当中的一些人；“睡着了”表示一种属世状态；“买”表示为自己获取；“门”表示进入天堂的入口；“不认识她们”当由主来说时，表示不在祂的爱里面，这一切从预言圣言中的许多经文明显看出来；在那里，这些话具有同样的含义。正因“童女”表示那些属于教会的人，所以预言圣言经常提到锡安、耶路撒冷、犹大和以色列的童女和女子或女儿。正因“油”表示爱之良善，所以以色列教会的一切圣物都用油膏抹。其它一切比喻，以及主所说并记录在福音书中的一切话都是如此。这就是为何主说：
祂的话就是灵，就是生命。（约翰福音6:63）
主的一切神迹，也就是神性行为，同样如此，因为它们表示那些主即将在其中重新建立教会之人的各种状态。如得以看见的瞎子表示那些不知道真理的人要获得聪明，或被赐予理解力；得以听见的聋子表示那些从未听说主和圣言的人要听从并顺服；复活的死人表示那些从属灵的角度来说本来要灭亡的人将活过来，等等。这就是主回答约翰门徒的话的含义，约翰曾派他们去问祂是不是将要来的那一位；主回答说：
你们去，把所听见、所看见的事报告约翰。就是瞎子看见，瘸子行走，长大麻疯的洁净，聋子听见，死人复活，穷人听见福音。（马太福音11:3-5）
此外，圣言中所记载的一切神迹都包含诸如属于主、天堂和教会的那类事物在里面。这使得这些神迹成为神性，并把它们与那些不是神性的事物区分开来。举这几个例子是为了说明何为灵义，并说明这灵义就存在于整部圣言及其每个细节中。
17. We can tell from the Lord’s parables, which have a spiritual meaning in their very words, that when he was in the world he spoke in correspondences - that is, he was speaking in spiritual terms when he was naming earthly things. The parable of the ten young women may serve as an example. He said,
The kingdom of the heavens is like ten young women who took their lamps and went out to meet a bridegroom. Five of them were prudent and five were foolish. The foolish women took their lamps but brought no oil. The prudent women took oil in their lamps. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. In the middle of the night there was a shout: “Behold, the bridegroom is coming! Go out to meet him.” At that, all the women woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish women said to the prudent ones, “Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.” The prudent women replied, “There might not be enough for us and for you. Go instead to the sellers and buy some for yourselves.” But while they were away buying some, the bridegroom arrived, and the women who were prepared went in with him to the wedding, and the door was closed. Later the other women came along and said, “Lord, Lord, open up for us.” But he answered and said, “I tell you truly, I do not know you.” (Matthew 25:1-12)
[2] Only people who know that there is such a thing as a spiritual meaning and what it is like will see that there is a spiritual meaning, and therefore something holy and divine, in the details of this parable. Spiritually understood, the kingdom of God means heaven and the church; the bridegroom means the Lord, the wedding means the marriage of the Lord with heaven and the church brought about by good actions that come from love and faith; the young women mean the people of the church, ten meaning all of them and five meaning some of them; the lamps mean truths we believe; the oil means a love for doing good; sleeping and waking mean our life in this world, which is earthly, and our life after death, which is spiritual; buying means gaining for ourselves; going to the sellers and buying oil means trying to gain from others after death a love for doing good. Since this could then no longer be done, even though they came to the door of the wedding room with their lamps and the oil they had bought they were told by the bridegroom, “I do not know you.” This is because after our life in this world we are still the same kinds of people we were when we were living in this world.
[3] We can see from this that the Lord spoke in pure correspondences; and this is because he was speaking from the divine nature that was within him and that was his own.
That the bridegroom means the Lord; the kingdom of the heavens means the church; the wedding means the marriage of the Lord with the church through good actions that come from love and faith; the young women mean the members of the church; ten means all and five means some; sleeping means an earthly state; buying means gaining for ourselves; the door means admission to heaven; and our not being known by the Lord means our not participating in his love - all this we can conclude on the basis of many passages from the prophetic Word, where these words have similar meanings.
It is because young women mean members of the church that it so often speaks of the virgin and daughter of Zion, of Jerusalem, and of Israel in the prophetic Word. It is because oil means good actions that are done out of love that all the holy utensils of the Israelite church were anointed with oil.
[4] It is much the same in other parables and in all the words that the Lord spoke and that are written in the Gospels. That is why the Lord said that his words were spirit and were life (John 6:63).
It is much the same with all the Lord’s miracles, which were divine acts, because they pointed to the various states in which the church was to be established by the Lord. For example, the blind receiving sight meant that people who had been in ignorance of what is true would be given understanding; the deaf being given hearing meant that people who had not listened to the Lord and the Word would heed and obey; the dead being revived meant that people who would otherwise perish spiritually would be brought to life, and so on. This is the meaning of the Lord’s answer to the disciples of John when they asked whether he was the one who was to come:
Tell John the things that you hear and see: the blind are seeing, and the lame are walking; lepers are being cleansed, and the deaf are hearing; the dead are rising again, and the poor are hearing the gospel. (Matthew 11:3-5)
All the miracles that are recounted in the Word have something in them that involves matters of the Lord, heaven, and the church. That is what makes them divine miracles and distinguishes them from wonders that are not divine.
These few examples are offered by way of illustrating what the spiritual meaning is and showing that it is present throughout the Word and in all its details.
17. When the Lord was in the world, He spoke in terms of things that correspond, thus speaking spiritually while speaking naturally, and this can be seen from His parables, in which every single word has in it some spiritual meaning. Consider, for example, the parable of the ten virgins. The Lord said:
...the kingdom of heaven is like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were prudent, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil..., while the prudent took oil in...their lamps. But while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was made: “Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!” Then all those virgins awakened and trimmed their lamps. But the foolish said to the prudent, “Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.” However, the prudent answered, saying, “No, lest there not be enough perhaps for us and you; go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.” But when they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. And finally the other virgins came also, saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us!” But he answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.” (Matthew 25:1-12)
[2] The presence in these words of a spiritual meaning, and so of a Divine holiness, is seen only by someone who knows of the existence of the spiritual sense, and the nature of it.
In the spiritual sense, the kingdom of God means heaven and the church. The bridegroom means the Lord. The wedding means the marriage of the Lord with heaven and the church through the goodness of love and faith. The virgins symbolize people who are members of the church. Ten symbolizes all. Five, some. Lamps, truths of faith. Oil, the goodness of love. Slumbering and awaking symbolize a person’s life in the world, which is natural, and his life after death, which is spiritual. To buy is to procure for oneself. To go to those who sell and buy oil means, symbolically, to procure for oneself the goodness of love from other people after death. And because it can then no longer be procured, therefore even though the foolish virgins came with their lamps and the oil they bought to the door where the wedding was taking place, they were nevertheless told by the bridegroom, “I do not know you.” The reason is that, after his life in the world, a person remains such as he had lived in the world.
[3] It is apparent from this that the Lord spoke solely in terms of correspondences, and this because He spoke from the Divinity that He had in Him and that He possessed.
That the bridegroom symbolizes the Lord, and the kingdom of God the church; that the wedding symbolizes the marriage of the Lord with the church through the goodness of love and faith; that the virgins symbolize people who are members of the church, ten symbolizing all, and five some; that slumbering symbolizes a natural state; that buying symbolizes the procuring of something for oneself; that a door symbolizes entrance to heaven; and that not knowing, when said by the Lord, is to be without love for Him — all this can be seen from many passsages in the prophetic Word where these same depictions have similar symbolic meanings.
Because virgins symbolize people who are members of the church, therefore the prophetic Word so often makes mention of virgins and the daughter of Zion, of Jerusalem, and of Israel. And because oil symbolizes the goodness of love, therefore all the holy accouterments of the Israelite Church were anointed with oil.
[4] The same is the case in the rest of the parables, and in all the words spoken by the Lord and recorded in the Gospels. That is why the Lord says that His words are spirit and life (John 6:63).
The same is the case with the Lord’s miracles, which were Divine miracles, because they symbolized the various states of the people among whom the Lord was going to establish the church. For example, when the blind were given sight, it symbolically meant that people ignorant of truth would gain understanding. When the deaf were given hearing, it symbolically meant that people who had heard nothing before about the Lord and the Word would hearken and obey. When the dead were raised, it symbolically meant that people who would otherwise have perished would be made alive. And so on.
This is what the Lord meant by His reply to John’s disciples, when John wished to know whether the Lord was the one who was to come:
...tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead rise again and the poor hear the Gospel. (Matthew 11:3-5)
Moreover, all the miracles mentioned in the Word contain within them such matters as have to do with the Lord, heaven and the church. This is what makes them Divine miracles and distinguishes them from miracles that are not Divine.
Let these few example serve to illustrate what the spiritual sense is, and its presence in each and every constituent of the Word.
17. That the Lord when He was in the world spoke by correspondences, and thus both spiritually and naturally at the same time, may appear from His parables, in which every single expression contains a spiritual sense. Take for example, the parable of the ten virgins. He said:
The kingdom of the heavens is like unto ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise. Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying (A.V. Not so;) lest there be not enough for us and you; but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut. Afterwards came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said; Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Matthew 25:1-12.
[2] That in every part of this parable there is a spiritual sense, and consequently a Divine holiness, none can see but those who know that there is a spiritual sense, and are acquainted with the nature of it. In the spiritual sense by the kingdom of God is meant heaven and the Church; by the bridegroom, the Lord; by the wedding, the marriage of the Lord with heaven and the Church by means of the good of love and of faith. By the virgins are meant those who belong to the Church; by ten are meant all, and by five a certain part; by lamps are meant the truths of faith, and by oil, the good of love. By sleeping and waking are meant the natural life of man in the world, and his spiritual life after death. By buying is meant to procure for themselves; and by going to those that sell, and buying oil, is meant to procure for themselves after death the good of love from others. Because this can no longer be acquired after death, therefore, although they came to the marriage door with their lamps and the oil they had purchased, still the bridegroom said to them, "I know you not." This is because man, after his life in the world, remains such as he had been in the world.
[3] From these things it is evident that the Lord spoke by pure correspondences, and this because He spoke from the Divine that was in Him and was His own. That the bridegroom signifies the Lord, and the kingdom of the heavens, the Church; that the wedding signifies the marriage of the Lord with the Church by means of the good of love and of faith; that virgins signify those who belong to the Church; that by ten are meant all, and by five a certain part; that sleeping means a natural state, and buying, procuring for themselves; that the door means entrance into heaven, and not to know, when spoken by the Lord, not to be in His love; all this may appear from many passages in the prophetic Word, where these expressions have a similar signification.
Because virgins signify those who belong to the Church, therefore, in the prophetic Word is there such frequent mention of virgin, and daughter of Zion, of Jerusalem and of Israel, and because oil signifies the good of love, that all the holy things of the Israelitish Church were anointed with oil. The case is the same with the other parables, and with all the words spoken by the Lord and recorded in the Evangelists. For this reason the Lord declares that His words are spirit and life. John 6:63.
[4] It is the same with all the Lord's miracles These were Divine because they signified the various states of those with whom the Church was to be established by the Lord. Thus, when the blind received sight, it signified that those who were in ignorance of truth should receive understanding; when the deaf received hearing, it signified that those who had previously heard nothing concerning the Lord and the Word, should hear and obey; when the dead were raised, it signified that those who otherwise would have spiritually perished, should become alive; and so on. This is meant by the Lord's reply to the disciples of John when he sent them to inquire whether it was He who should come:
Go and tell John those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them. Matthew 11:3-5.
Moreover, all the miracles recorded in the Word contain within them such things as relate to the Lord, to heaven and to the Church. On this account these miracles are Divine, and are distinguished from miracles not Divine. These few examples may serve to illustrate what the spiritual sense of the Word is, and to show that it is present in the whole of the Word, in general and in particular.
17. That the Lord when in the world spoke by correspondences, thus that He spoke spiritually while He spoke naturally, is evident from His parables, in each and every word of which there is a spiritual sense. Take for example the parable of the ten virgins:
The kingdom of the heavens is like unto ten virgins, who took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom; five of them were wise, and five were foolish; they that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil, but the wise took oil in their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept; and at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins awaked, and trimmed their lamps; and the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out; but the wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you; but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the wedding, and the door was shut. Afterwards came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, lord, open to us; but he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not (Matthew 25:1-12).
[2] That there is a spiritual sense in each and every one of these things, and a consequent Divine holiness, can be seen by him only who knows that a spiritual sense exists, and what is its nature. In the spiritual sense, the "kingdom of God" means heaven and the church; the "bridegroom," the Lord; the "wedding," the marriage of the Lord with heaven and the church by means of the good of love and of faith. "Virgins" signify those who are of the church; "ten," all; "five," some; "lamps," the truths of faith; "oil," the good of love; to "sleep," and to "awake," the life of man in this world which is natural life, and his life after death which is spiritual; to "buy," to procure for themselves; to "go to them that sell and buy oil," to procure for themselves the good of love from others after death; and as this can then be no longer procured, although they came with their lamps and the oil they had bought to the door where the wedding was, yet the bridegroom said to them "I know you not." The reason is that after his life in this world a man remains such as he had lived in this world.
[3] From all this it is evident that the Lord spoke exclusively by correspondences, and this because He spoke from the Divine that was in Him, and was His. That the "bridegroom" signifies the Lord; the "kingdom of the heavens," the church; a "wedding," the marriage of the Lord with the church by means of the good of love and of faith; "ten," all; "five," some; to "sleep," a natural state; to "buy," to procure for one's self; a "door," entrance into heaven; and "not to know them," when spoken by the Lord, not to be in His love, is evident from many passages in the prophetic Word where these expressions have a like signification. It is because "virgins" signify those who are of the church that the virgin and daughter of Zion, of Jerusalem, of Judah, and of Israel are so often mentioned in the prophetic Word. And it is because "oil" signifies the good of love that all the holy things of the Israelitish church were anointed with oil. It is the same with all the other parables, and with all the words the Lord spoke, and that were written in the Gospels. This is why the Lord says that
His words are spirit and are life (John 6:63).
[4] It is the same with all the Lord's miracles, which were Divine because they signified the various states of those with whom the church was to be set up anew by the Lord. Thus when the blind received sight, it signified that they who had been in ignorance of truth should receive intelligence; when the deaf received hearing, it signified that they who had previously heard nothing about the Lord and the Word should hearken and obey; when the dead were raised, it signified that they who otherwise would spiritually perish would become living; and so on. This is meant by the Lord's reply to the disciples of John, who sent them to ask whether He was the one that should come:
Tell John the things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead rise again, and the poor hear the gospel (Matthew 11:3-5).
Moreover, all the miracles related in the Word contain in them such things as belong to the Lord, to heaven, and to the church. This makes these miracles Divine, and distinguishes them from those which are not Divine. These few examples are given in order to illustrate what the spiritual sense is, and to show that it is in all things of the Word and in every particular of it.
17. Quod Dominus cum in mundo fuit, locutus sit per correspondentias, ita spiritualiter cum naturaliter, constare potest ex parabolis Ipsius, in quarum singulis vocibus inest sensus spiritualis. Exemplo sit Parabola de decem Virginibus. Dixit,
"Simile est regnum caelorum decem virginibus, quae accipientes lampadas suas exiverunt in occursum Sponsi. Quinque... ex illis erant prudentes, quinque vero stultae. Quae erant stultae, accipientes lampadas suas non acceperunt... oleum, prudentes vero acceperunt oleum in... lampadibus suis. Tardante vero Sponso dormitarunt omnes et obdormierunt. Media autem nocte, clamor factus est, Ecce Sponsus venit, exite in occursum Ejus. Tunc expergefactae omnes virgines istae, et adornarunt lampadas suas. Verum stultae prudentibus dixerunt, Date nobis de oleo vestro, quia lampades nostrae exstinguuntur: verum responderunt prudentes, dicentes, Ne forte non sufficiat nobis et vobis; abite... potius ad vendentes, et emite vobis ipsis. At abeuntibus illis ad emendum, venit Sponsus, et paratae ingressae sunt cum Ipso ad nuptias, et ostium clausum est. Et tandem veniunt etiam reliquae virgines, dicentes, Domine, Domine, aperi nobis; Ille vero respondens dixit, Amen dico vobis, non novi vos" (Matthaeus 25:1-12).
Quod in singulis his sit sensus spiritualis, et inde Sanctum Divinum, non videt nisi qui scit quod sensus spiritualis sit, et qualis ille. In sensu spirituali per "regnum Dei" intelligitur caelum et ecclesia, per "Sponsum" Dominus, per "nuptias" conjugium Domini cum caelo et ecclesia per bonum amoris et fidei; per "virgines significantur illi qui ab ecclesia sunt, per "decem" omnes, per "quinque" aliquae, per "lampades" vera fidei, per "oleum" bonum amoris, per "dormire" et "expergisci" vita hominis in mundo quae naturalis et vita ejus post mortem quae spiritualis; per "emere," comparare sibi; per "ire ad vendentes et emere oleum," comparare sibi bonum amoris ab aliis post mortem; et quia tunc non amplius comparatur, ideo tametsi cum lampadibus et empto oleo ad ostium, ubi nuptiae erant, venerunt, usque illis dictum est a Sponso, "Non novi vos:" causa est, quia homo post vitam in mundo manet qualis in mundo vixerat. Ex his patet quod Dominus per meras correspondentias locutus sit, et hoc quia ex Divino, quod in Ipso et Ipsius erat. Quod "Sponsus" significet Dominum, et "regnum caelorum" ecclesiam, et quod "nuptiae" significent conjugium Domini cum ecclesia per bonum amoris et fidei, "virgines" illos qui ab ecclesia, "decem" omnes, "quinque" aliquos, "dormire" statum naturalem, "emere" comparare sibi, "ostium" ingressum ad caelum, ac "non nosse," cum a Domino, non esse in amore Ipsius, constare potest a multis locis in Verbo Prophetico, ubi illa significant similia. Quia "virgines" significant illos qui ab ecclesia sunt, ideo toties in Verbo Prophetico dicitur Virgo et Filia Zionis, Hierosolymae, Israelis; et quia "oleum" significat bonum amoris, ideo omnia sancta Ecclesiae Israeliticae oleo ungebantur. Simile est in reliquis parabolis, et in omnibus verbis quae Dominus locutus est, et apud Evangelistas scripta sunt; inde est quod Dominus dicat quod
Verba Ipsius spiritus et vita sint (Johannes 6:63).
Simile est cum omnibus Domini miraculis; quae Divina erant, quia varios status, apud quos ecclesia a Domino instauranda erat, significaverunt: ut quod "caeci receperint visum,"' significavit quod illi intelligentiam, qui in ignorantia veri fuerunt, acciperent; quod "surdi receperint auditum," significavit quod illi auscultarent et obedirent, qui nihil prius de Domino et de Verbo audiverunt; quod "mortui resuscitati sint," significavit quod vivi fierent qui alioquin spiritualiter perirent; et sic porro. Hoc intelligitur per Domini responsum ad discipulos Johannis, interrogantis num Ille esset qui venturus:--
"Annuntiate Johanni, quae auditis et videtis. Caeci vident, et claudi ambulant, leprosi mundantur, et surdi audiunt, mortui resurgunt, et pauperes audiunt Evangelium" (Matthaeus 11:3-5).
Praeterea omnia miracula in Verbo memorata, in se continent talia quae Domini, caeli et ecclesiae sunt; per id sunt illa miracula Divina, et distinguuntur a miraculis non Divinis. Haec pauca sint illustrationi, quid sensus spiritualis, et quod ille sit in omnibus et singulis Verbi.