144.我们读到：当耶稣受洗时，天开了，约翰看见圣灵仿佛鸽子降下（马太福音3:16；马可福音1:10；路加福音3:22；约翰福音1:32；33）。这是因为洗礼表示重生和洁净；鸽子也有这样的含义。谁看不出鸽子不是圣灵，圣灵也不是鸽子？鸽子经常出现在天堂，每当它们出现时，众天使就知道它们对应于附近某些天使心智中涉及重生和洁净的情感和随之而来的思维。他们一靠近这些天使，并与他们谈论其它话题，而不是鸽子出现时他们正在思考的问题，这些鸽子就会立刻消失。这种情形类似于先知们所看到许多异象，如约翰看见羔羊站在锡安山上的异象（启示录14:1等）。
有谁不知道主不是羔羊，也不在那羔羊里面？羔羊只是代表了祂的纯真。这就将那些通过主受洗时所见到的鸽子，和那时从天上传来的声音，即“这是我的爱子”（马太福音3:16，17）来推论三位一体的三位格之人的错误置于光天化日之下。施洗约翰所说的话意思是主通过信与仁使人重生：
我是用水给你们施洗，叫你们悔改；但那在我以后来的，要用圣灵与火给你们施洗。（马太福音3:11；马可福音1:8；路加福音3:16）
用圣灵与火施洗就是凭信的神圣真理和仁的神圣良善使人重生。主所说下面这句话也是这个意思：
人若不是从水和灵生的，就不能进神的国。（约翰福音3:5）
在圣言中，水在此和在别处一样，皆表属世人或外在人里面的真理，而灵则表示由属灵人或内在人里面的良善所产生的真理。
144. 我們讀到, 當耶穌受洗時, 天開了, 約翰看見聖靈像只鴿子降下(馬太福音3:16;馬可福音1:10;路加福音3:22;約翰福音1:32; 33)。這是因為受洗有更新與潔淨之意, 鴿子也是。
無疑, 每個人都知道這鴿子並非聖靈, 聖靈並非在這鴿子裡面。鴿子在天國經常出現, 每當鴿子出現時, 天人們知道這些對應于附近其他天人對更新和潔淨的喜愛之情,並因此正在思考更新與潔淨。當他們接近附近的天人, 並與他們談論其它話題,而非他們正在思考的更新與潔淨時, 這時鴿子就立即消失。
這種情形類似于眾先知看到的許多異象, 例如約翰看見羔羊站在錫安山上的異象(啟示錄14:1及其它地方)。每個人當然知道, 主並非那只羔羊, 也不在那只羔羊之中。羔羊用來代表主的純潔天真。這就將以下錯誤置於光天化日之下:憑著主受洗時上方出現的鴿子, 以及天上來的聲音:'這是我的愛子'(馬太福音3:16-17), 便推論出聖三一包含三個位格。
主利用信與義來重生(或更新)我們。這就是施洗約翰所說之意:"我用水給你們施洗, 但那在我以後來的, 要用聖靈與火給你們施洗"(馬太福音3:11;馬可福音1:8;路加福音3:16)。用聖靈與火施洗的意思指藉著聖理(在信之中)與聖善(在義之中)來使人重生。以下主所說的表達同樣的意義:"人若不是從水和靈生的, 就不能進上帝之國"(約翰福音3:5)。這裡的"水"表示在屬世或外在人之中的真理; "靈"表示與屬靈或內在人之中的與善相關的真理(或由善而來的真理)。
144. We read that when Jesus was baptized the heavens opened and John saw the Holy Spirit coming down like a dove (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32-33). This happened because baptism means regeneration and purification, and so does a dove.
Surely anyone can see that that dove was not the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit was not in the dove. In heaven doves appear quite often. Every time they appear, the angels know that they correspond to feelings and thoughts in other angels nearby about regeneration and purification. As soon as the angels go to those other angels and start a conversation on a different subject than the one being pondered when the doves appeared, the doves immediately vanish.
The situation is similar with many things the prophets saw. John, for example, saw a lamb on Mount Zion (Revelation 14:1 and elsewhere). Surely everyone realizes that the Lord was not that lamb and was not in that lamb. The lamb was instead a representation of the Lord's innocence. This highlights the error of those who deduce the existence of three persons in the Trinity from the dove seen above the Lord when he was baptized and the voice heard from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son" [Matthew 3:16-17].
The Lord uses faith and goodwill to regenerate us. This is the meaning of John the Baptists saying, "I baptize you for repentance with water, but the one who is coming after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16). Baptizing with the Holy Spirit and with fire means regenerating through the divine truth that is in faith and the divine goodness that is in goodwill. The following words of the Lord also mean the same thing: "Unless you have been born of water and spirit you cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). "Water" in this passage, and elsewhere in the Word, means truth in our earthly or outer self, while "spirit" means truth connected with goodness in our spiritual or inner self.
144. We read that when Jesus was baptised, the heavens were opened and John saw the Holy Spirit coming down in the form of a dove (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:21; John 1:32-33). This was because baptism stands for regeneration and cleansing, and so does a dove. How can anyone fail to see that the dove was not the Holy Spirit, nor was the Holy Spirit in the dove? In heaven doves are often to be seen, and the angels know that, when they are, they are correspondences of affections and consequently of thoughts about regeneration and cleansing in the minds of some bystanders. So as soon as they approach them and engage them in conversation about any subject other than what they were thinking about when they appeared, the doves immediately vanish. This is similar to many of the visions seen by the prophets, as for instance John's vision of the Lamb on Mount Zion (Revelation 14:1 and elsewhere).
[2] Is there anyone who does not know that the Lord was not the Lamb, nor in it, but that the Lamb was a representation of His innocence? This makes clear as daylight the error of those who deduce the three persons of the Trinity from the dove seen over the Lord at His baptism, and the voice then heard from heaven saying, 'This is my beloved Son.' The way the Lord brings about a person's regeneration by faith and charity is meant by what John the Baptist said:
I baptise you with water for repentance, but he who will come after me will baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire, Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16.
To baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire is to regenerate by means of the Divine truth of faith and by means of the Divine good of charity. The following words of the Lord have a similar meaning:
Unless a person has been born by water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, John 3:5.
Water here as elsewhere in the Word means truth in the natural or external man; spirit means truth arising from good in the spiritual or internal man.
144. We read:
That when Jesus was baptized the heavens were opened, and John saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:21, 22; John 1:32, 33).
This took place because baptism signifies regeneration and purification; and a dove has the same signification. Who cannot see that the dove was not the Holy Spirit; and that the Holy Spirit was not the dove? Doves often appear in heaven; and whenever they appear the angels know that they are correspondences of the affections and the consequent thoughts concerning regeneration and purification of some who are near by; therefore as soon as these are approached and are spoken to about some other subject than was in their thoughts when that appearance took place the doves instantly vanish. This is like many things seen by the prophets; as that John saw a lamb standing upon Mount Zion (Revelation 14:1); and elsewhere. Who does not know that the Lord was not that lamb, and was not in the lamb, but the lamb was a representation of His innocence? This shows clearly the error of those who deduce a trinity of three persons from the dove seen descending upon the Lord when He was baptized, and from the voice heard out of heaven saying, "This is My beloved Son." That the Lord regenerates man by means of faith and charity is meant by what John the Baptist said:
I baptize you with water unto repentance; but He that cometh after me shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16).
"To baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire" means to regenerate by the Divine truth that belongs to faith and the Divine good that belongs to charity. The same is meant by these words of the Lord:
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5).
"Water," here as elsewhere in the Word, signifies truth in the natural or external man; and "spirit" signifies truth from good in the spiritual or internal man.
144. We read:
, when Jesus was baptized, the heavens were opened, and John saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove, Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:32-33.
This took place because baptism signifies regeneration and purification; and these are also represented by a dove. Any one can see that the dove was not the Holy Spirit, and that the Holy Spirit was not in the dove. In heaven doves frequently appear, and whenever they are seen the angels know that they are correspondences of the affections and the thoughts thence arising, concerning regeneration and purification, in some persons who are near by. Therefore as soon as they approach those persons, and converse with them on some other subject than that which occupied their thoughts when that appearance was presented, the doves instantly vanish. The case is the same with many things that appeared to the prophets, as when John saw a lamb on Mount Sion, Revelation 14:1: and in other passages. Any one can see that the Lord was not that Lamb, nor in it, but that it was a representation of His innocence. Hence is evident the error of those who conclude that there are three Persons in the Trinity from the dove seen when the Lord was baptized, and from the voice heard at the same time from heaven, saving, "This is my beloved Son."
That the Lord regenerates man by means of faith and charity is signified by these words of John the Baptist,
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me... shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire" Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16.
To baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire is to regenerate by means of the Divine Truth of faith, and by the Divine Good of charity. The same is signified by these words of the Lord:
"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" John 3:5.
By water here, as elsewhere in the Word, is signified truth in the natural or external man, and by spirit is signified truth from good in the spiritual or internal man.
144. Legitur, quod cum Jesus baptizabatur, Coeli aperti sint, et Johannes viderit Spiritum Sanctum descendentem sicut Columbam, Matthaeus 3:16, Marcus 1:10, Luca 3:21-22, 1 Johannes 1:32-33, hoc factum est, quia Baptismus significat Regenerationem et purificationem, similiter Columba; quis non percipere potest, quod Columba non esset Spiritus Sanctus, nec quod Spiritus Sanctus esset in columba; in Coelo saepius apparent Columbae, et quoties apparent, sciunt Angeli, quod sint correspondentiae affectionum et inde cogitationum de regeneratione et purificatione apud quosdam qui in vicinia stant, quare ut primum ad illos accedunt, et cum illis de quadam alia re, quam quae in cogitationibus illorum fuit, cum apparitio 2 illa erat, loquuntur, columbae illico evanescunt: hoc simile est sicut cum multis, quae visa sunt Prophetis, ut quod Johanni visus sit Agnus super monte Sionis, Apocalypsis 14:1, et alibi;
[2] quis non scit, quod Dominus non fuerit ille Agnus, neque in Agno, sed quod Agnus esset repraesentatio innocentiae Ipsius; inde elucet error illorum, qui ex Columba visa super Domino cum baptizabatur, et ex voce e Coelo audita tunc, Hic est Filius meus dilectus, tres Personas Trinitatis deducunt. Quod Dominus hominem regeneret per fidem et charitatem, intelligitur per hoc quod Johannes Baptista dixit, Ego vos baptizo aqua in poenitentiam, qui vero post me venturus est, ille baptizabit SPIRITU SANCTO, et igne, Matthaeus 3:11, 3 Marcus 1:8; Luca 3:16 baptizare Spiritu Sancto et igne, est regenerare 4 per Divinum Verum quod est fidei, et per Divinum Bonum quod est charitatis. Simile significatur per haec verba Domini, Nisi quis generatus fuerit aqua et spiritu, non potest ingredi in Regnum Dei, Johannes 3:5, per aquam hic ut alibi in Verbo, significatur verum in naturali seu externo homine, et per spiritum verum ex bono in spirituali seu interno.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: Luca 3:11.
2. Prima editio: apparatio.
3. Prima editio: 15.
4. Prima editio: regenenerare.