SS33.由此可知，没有字义，圣言就像一座没有根基的宫殿，因而像一座建在空中而不是地上的宫殿，这不过是转瞬即逝的宫殿影子罢了。此外，没有字义，圣言就像一座盛放许多圣物的圣殿，它中间有一个圣所，却没有保护的殿顶和墙壁，也就是包含它的容器；由于它们的缺失，其中的圣物会被盗贼掠去，或被地上的野兽和空中的飞鸟侵占，因而被毁。或者它就像没有最外在的东西，即幔子和帷帐的会幕（会幕的至内在有约柜，中间有金灯台和金香坛，摆有陈设饼或脸饼的桌子，它们都是圣物）。事实上，圣言没有字义就像人体没有称为“皮肤”的遮盖物和称为骨头的支撑物；没有这些支撑物和遮盖物，人体的所有内部器官都将分崩离析，掉了出来；还像胸腔内的心肺没有称为“胸膜”的遮盖物和称为“肋骨”的支撑物；或像脑子没有称为“硬脑膜”的遮盖物，也没有称为“颅骨”的总遮盖物、容器和支撑物。没有字义的圣言就是这个样子，故经上说：
耶和华在全荣耀之上创造遮盖。（以赛亚书4:5）
33. It follows from all this that without its literal meaning the Word would be like a palace without a foundation, like a castle in the air. The only thing on the ground would be its shadow, and shadows disappear. The Word without its literal meaning would be like a temple containing an abundance of holy objects, with a central inner sanctum, but without a roof or walls to contain them. If these were lacking or were taken away, its holy contents would be plundered by thieves or torn apart by the beasts of the earth and the birds of heaven, and would therefore be scattered far and wide.
By the same token, it would be like the tabernacle’s inmost area, which housed the ark of the covenant, and its middle area, which housed the golden lampstand, the golden altar of incense, and the table with the showbread on it - all its holy contents - without the curtains and veils that surrounded them.
The Word without its literal meaning would be like a human body without the coverings called layers of skin and without the structural supports called bones. Lacking both of these, all the internal organs would spill out.
Then too, it would be like the heart and lungs in the chest without the covering called the pleura and the framework called the rib cage, or like the brain without its specific covering called the dura mater or its general covering, container, and support called the skull.
That is what the Word would be like without its literal meaning, which is why it says in Isaiah that Jehovah creates a covering over all glory (Isaiah 4:5).
33. It follows from this that without its literal sense, the Word would be like a palace without a foundation, thus like a palace in the air and not on the ground, which would be no more than a shadow of it, one that would evaporate.
Again, without its literal sense the Word would be like a temple having in it many holy objects, with a sanctuary at its center, yet lacking a roof or walls to enclose it. Without these, or if these were to be removed, the temple’s holy objects might be stolen by thieves or desecrated by animals and birds, and so be dispersed.
[2] The Word would by the same token be like the Tabernacle, containing in its inmost part the Ark of the Covenant, and in its central part the golden lampstand, the golden altar with incense on it, and the table with showbread on it, which were its holy objects, and yet lacking its outermost constituents, which were its curtains and veil.
Indeed, without its literal sense the Word would be like the human body without its coverings we call skins, and without its supportive framework we call bones. Without these, all its inner organs would fall apart.
It would also be like the heart and lungs in the chest without their covering called the pleura and without their protective framework called ribs. Or like the brain without its covering called the dura mater, and without its case, containing vessel, and buttress called the skull.
The case would be the same with the Word without its literal sense, which is why we are told in Isaiah that Jehovah “creates over all the glory a covering” (Isaiah 4:5).
33. From this it follows that the Word without the sense of its Letter would be like a palace without a foundation, a palace in the air instead of on the ground, a mere shadow which would vanish away. Again, it would be like a temple, containing many sacred things, whose central shrine had no protecting roof or dividing wall, which are its containants. If these were wanting, or were taken away, its holy things would be carried off by robbers, and violated by the beasts of the earth and the birds of the air, and thus destroyed. It would be like the tabernacle (in the inmost of which was the Ark of the Covenant, and in the centre the golden lampstand, the golden altar upon which was the incense, and the table upon which was the shewbread, which were its holy things) without its outermost things, namely, the curtains and the veils. Indeed, the Word without the sense of its Letter would be like the human body without its coverings, called skins, and without the support of its bones: without these all the inward parts would fall asunder. It would also be like the heart and lungs in the thorax without their covering, called the pleura, and their supports, called the ribs; and like the brain without its covering, called the dura mater, and without its general covering, containant, and support called the skull. Thus would it be with the Word without the sense of its Letter. Therefore, it is said in Isaiah that Jehovah will create upon all the glory a covering. Isaiah 4:5.
33. From all this it follows that without the sense of the letter, the Word would be like a palace without a foundation, and thus like a palace in the air and not on the earth, which would be but the shadow of a palace, that would vanish away. Furthermore, that without the sense of the letter the Word would be like a temple containing many holy things, and in its midst a sanctuary, but without roof and walls, which are its containers, and in the absence or loss of which its holy things would be plundered by thieves, or invaded by beasts of earth and birds of heaven, and thus be dispersed. Or it would be like the Tabernacle (in the inmost of which was the ark of the covenant, and in its middle the golden lampstand, the golden altar for incense, and the table on which were the loaves of faces, which were its holy things) without its ultimates, which were the curtains and veils. Nay, without the sense of the letter, the Word would be like a human body without its coverings which are called skins, and without its supports which are called bones; lacking which supports and coverings all the interior things of the body would fall asunder. And it would be like the heart and lungs in the chest without their covering which is called the pleura, and their supports which are called the ribs. Or like the brain without its covering which is called the dura mater, and without its general covering, container, and support, which is called the skull. Thus would it be with the Word without the sense of the letter; and therefore it is said in Isaiah:
Jehovah createth upon all the glory a covering (Isaiah 4:5).
33. Ex his sequitur, quod Verbum absque sensu litterae ejus foret sicut palatium absque fundamento, ita sicut palatium in aere et non super terra, quod modo foret umbra ejus, quae evanesceret. Tum quod Verbum absque sensu litterae ejus foret sicut templum, in quo plura sancta sunt, et in medio ejus adytum, absque tecto et pariete, quae sunt continentia ejus; quae si abessent vel si auferrentur, sancta ejus a furibus diriperentur, aut a bestiis terrae, et a volucribus caeli, violarentur, et sic dissiparentur. Similiter foret sicut tabernaculum, (in cujus intimo fuit arca foederis, ac in medio ejus candelabrum aureum, altare aureum super quo suffimenta, tum mensa super qua panes facierum, quae erant sancta ejus,) absque ultimis suis, quae erant aulaea et vela. Immo foret Verbum, absque sensu litterae ejus, sicut corpus humanum absque integumentis quae vocantur cutes, et absque sustentaculis quae vocantur ossa; absque his et illis diffluerent omnia interiora ejus. Ac foret sicut cor et pulmo in thorace, absque integumento suo, quod vocatur pleura, et sustentaculis suis quae vocantur costae. Aut sicut cerebrum absque integumento suo quod vocatur dura mater, et absque communi tegumento continente et firmamento suo, quod vocatur cranium. Simile foret cum Verbo absque sensu litterae ejus; quare dicitur apud Esaiam,
Quod Jehovah creet super omni gloria obtegumentum (4:5).