307.就属天之义而言，“父”指我们的主耶稣基督，“母”指圣徒的团契，也就是祂分散在世界各地的教会。主是“父”，这从下列经文明显看出来：
因有一婴孩为我们而生；有一子赐给我们。政权必担在祂的肩头上；祂名称为奇妙策士、全能的上帝、永在的父、和平的君。（以赛亚书9:6）
亚伯拉罕虽然不认识我们，以色列也不承认我们，祢却是我们的父。耶和华啊！祢是我们的父，从万古以来，祢名称为我们的救赎主。（以赛亚书63:16）
腓力说：“将父显给我们看。” 耶稣对他说：“人看见了我，就是看见了父。你怎么说，‘将父显给我们看’呢？你们当信我，我在父里面，父在我里面。（约翰福音14:8－11；12:45）
“母”是指主的教会，这从以下经文明显看出来：
我又看见圣城新耶路撒冷如新妇妆饰整齐，等候丈夫。（启示录21:2）
天人对我说：“你到这里来，我要将新妇，就是羔羊的妻，指给你看。天人将圣城耶路撒冷指示我。（启示录21:9，10）羔羊婚娶的时候到了，新妇也自己预备好了，凡被请赴羔羊之婚筵的有福了。（启示录19:7，9；马太福音9:15；马可福音2:19；路加福音5:34，35；约翰福音3:29；19:25，26，27）
“新耶路撒冷”是指主如今要建立的新教会（参看《破解启示录》800，881节）。正是这个教会，而不是先前的教会，是“妻子”和“母亲”。从该婚姻（主与新教会的婚姻）受生的属灵后代，就是由仁爱构成的各种良善，以及由信仰构成的各种真理。通过主拥有这些善与真的人就被称作“婚礼之子”、“神的儿子”、“从神生的”。
307. 就屬天之義而言, "父"指我們的主耶穌基督, "母"指聖徒的團契, 也就是祂分散在世界各地的教會。
從下列經文可明顯看出, 主就是"父":因有一嬰孩為我們而生; 有一子賜給我們。政權必擔在祂的肩頭上; 祂名稱為奇妙策士,全能的上帝,永在的父,和平的君(以賽亞書9:6) 。亞伯拉罕雖然不認識我們, 以色列也不承認我們, 禰卻是我們的父。耶和華啊！禰是我們的父, 從萬古以來, 禰名稱為我們的救贖主(以賽亞書63:16)。腓力說:"將父顯給我們看。" 耶穌對他說:"人看見了我, 就是看見了父。你怎麼說, '將父顯給我們看'呢？你們當信我, 我在父裡面, 父在我裡面(約翰福音14:8-11; 12:45)。
從以下經文也可明顯看出, "母"的屬天意思是指主的教會:
我又看見聖城新耶路撒冷如新婦妝飾整齊, 等候丈夫(啟示錄21:2)。天人對我說:"你到這裡來, 我要將新婦, 就是羔羊的妻, 指給你看。天人將聖城耶路撒冷指示我(啟示錄21:9-10)。羔羊婚娶的時候到了, 新婦也自己預備好了, 凡被請赴羔羊之婚筵的有福了(啟示錄19:7, 9; Revelation 19: 還可參看馬太福音9:15;馬可福音2:19;路加福音5:34-35;約翰福音3:29; 19:25-27)。
"新耶路撒冷"表示主今時所建的全新的教會(參看破解啟示錄800, 881節)。這樣的教會(而非先前的教會)就是"妻子"與"母親"所表示的意思。如此婚姻結合而生產的屬靈子女, 就是構成義的各樣良善, 以及構成信的各樣真理。由主而擁有這些品性的人則被稱為"上帝的眾子","上帝所生的"。
307. In the heavenly meaning, "father" stands for our Lord Jesus Christ and "mother" stands for the communion of saints, meaning his church that is scattered throughout the entire world. The following passages show that the Lord is the Father:
A Child is born to us; a Son is given to us. His name will be called God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
You are our Father. Abraham did not know us and Israel did not acknowledge us. You are our Father; our Redeemer from everlasting is your name. (Isaiah 63:16)
Philip said, "Show us the Father. " Jesus says to him, "Those who see me see the Father. How then are you saying, Show us the Father? Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. " (John 14:7-11; 12:45)
The following passages show that in the heavenly meaning mother stands for the Lord's church:
I saw a city, the holy New Jerusalem, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2)
The angel said to John,
Come. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb,
and he showed him the holy city Jerusalem (Revelation 21:9-10).
The time for the Lamb's wedding has come; his bride has prepared herself. Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:7, 9; see also Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19-20; Luke 5:34-35; John 3:29; 19:25-27)
"The New Jerusalem" means the new church that the Lord is establishing today (see Revelation Unveiled 880-881). This church, not the one before it, is the "wife" and "mother" in this sense. The spiritual offspring that are born from this marriage are acts of goodwill and true insights related to faith. The people who have these things from the Lord are called "children of the wedding," "children of God," and "those who are born of him. "
307. In the celestial sense father means our Lord Jesus Christ, and mother means the communion of saints, that is, His church scattered throughout the world. It is clear from the following passages that the Lord is father:
A child is born for us, a son is given to us, whose name is God, Hero, the everlasting father, the Prince of peace, Isaiah 9:6.
You are our father. Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us. You are our father, our Redeemer from eternity is your name, Isaiah 63:16.
Philip said, Show us the Father; Jesus says to him, He who sees me sees the Father. Why then do you say, Show us the Father? Believe me, that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, John 14:8-11; 12:45.
It is clear from the following passages that mother in this sense means the Lord's church:
I saw the holy city the New Jerusalem arrayed like a bride adorned for her husband, Revelation 21:2.
The angel said to John, Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb; and he showed me the city, the holy Jerusalem, Revelation 21:9-10.
The time has come for the wedding of the Lamb, and his wife has made ready; blessed are those who are invited to the wedding-feast of the Lamb, Revelation 19:7, 9. (See further Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19-20; Luke 5:34-35; John 3:29; 19:25-27.)
On the New Jerusalem meaning the new church now being established by the Lord, see Apocalypse Revealed (800, 881). It is this church, not the earlier one, which is wife and mother in this sense. The spiritual offspring born of this marriage are the various kinds of good which constitute charity, and the truths which constitute faith; and those whom the Lord puts in possession of these are called 'sons of the wedding,' 'sons of God,' and 'born of God.'
307. In the celestial sense, "father" means our Lord Jesus Christ, and "mother" the communion of saints, which means the Lord's church spread throughout the whole world. That the Lord is the Father, is evident from the following passages:
Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. His name is God, Mighty, Father of eternity, Prince of Peace (Isa.9:6).
Thou art our Father; Abraham knoweth us not and Israel doth not acknowledge us; Thou art our Father, our Redeemer from everlasting is Thy name (Isa.63:16).
Philip said, show us the Father; Jesus saith unto him, He that seeth Me seeth the Father; how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me (John 14:8-11; also 12:45).
That "mother" in this sense means the Lord's church, is evident from the following passages:
I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband (Apoc.21:2).
The angel said to John, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb; and he showed me the city, the holy Jerusalem (Apoc.21:9, 10).
The time of the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready: Blessed are they that have been called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb (Apoc.19:7, 9 (See also Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19, 20; Luke 5:34, 36; John 3:29; 19:25-27)
That "the New Jerusalem" means the New Church which the Lord is at this day establishing, may be seen in Apocalypse Revealed 880-881; this church, and not the preceding, is the wife and the mother in this sense. The spiritual offspring which are born from this marriage are the goods of charity and the truths of faith; and those who are in these from the Lord, are called "sons of the marriage," "sons of God," and "born of God."
307. In the celestial sense, by father is meant our Lord Jesus Christ, and by mother, the communion of saints, or His Church throughout the whole world. That the Lord is the Father is evident from these passages:
"Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and His name shall be called... The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" Isaiah 9:6.
"Thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: Thou... art our Father, our Redeemer; thy name is from everlasting" Isaiah 63:18.
Philip said, "Show us the Father... Jesus saith unto him... He that seeth me seeth the Father (A.V., hath seen) and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?... Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me" John 14:8-11; John 12:46.
That the Church of the Lord is meant by mother in this sense is evident from these passages:
"I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem... prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" Revelation 21:2.
The angel said to John, "Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife... and he showed me that... city, the Holy Jerusalem" Revelation 21:9-10.
"The marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready... Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb" Revelation 19:7, 9;
and see also Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19-20; Luke 5:34-35; John 3:29; 19:25-27.
By the New Jerusalem is meant the New Church, which is at this day being established by the Lord, as may be seen in The Apocalypse Revealed 880-881. It is this Church, and not the former, which is the wife and mother in this sense. The spiritual offspring, which are the fruits of this marriage, are the goods of charity and the truths of faith; and those who are principled in these from the Lord are called the sons of the marriage, the sons of God, and born of God.
307. In SENSU COELESTI, per Patrem intelligitur Dominus noster Jesus Christus, et per Matrem Communio Sanctorum, per quam intelligitur Ecclesia Ipsius per universum orbem sparsa. Quod Dominus sit Pater, constat ex his, Puer natus est nobis, Filius datus est nobis, Cujus Nomen Deus, Heros, PATER AETERNITATIS, Princeps pacis, Esaias 9:5. 1 Tu PATER NOSTER, Abraham non cognoscit nos, et Israel non agnoscit nos, 2 TU PATER NOSTER, Redemptor noster a saeculo Nomen tuum, Esaias 63:16. Dixit Philippus, monstra nobis Patrem; dicit illi Jesus, QUI VIDET ME VIDET PATREM; quomodo ergo tu dicis, monstra nobis Patrem; credite Mihi, quod Ego in Patre, et Pater in Me sit, Johannes 14:7-11; 12:45. 3 Quod per Matrem in hoc sensu intelligatur Ecclesia Domini, constat ex his, Vidi Urbem, sanctam Hierosolymam 4 novam, paratam sicut SPONSAM ORNATAM MARITO, Apocalypsis 21:2. Angelus dixit ad Johannem, veni, ostendam tibi SPONSAM AGNI UXOREM, et ostendit Urbem Sanctam Hierosolymam, Apocalypsis 21:9-10. Venit tempus NUPTIARUM AGNI, et UXOR EJUS paravit se: beati, qui ad Coenam NUPTIARUM AGNI vocati sunt, Apocalypsis 19:7, 9; 5 et praeterea, Matthaeus 9:15; Marcus 2:19-20, Luca 5:34-35; Johannes 3:29: 6 quod per Novam Hierosolymam intelligatur Nova Ecclesia, quae a Domino hodie instauratur, videatur APOCALYPSIS REVELATA 880-881; haec Ecclesia, et non prior, est Uxor et Mater in hoc sensu. Proles spirituales, quae ex hoc Conjugio nascuntur, sunt bona charitatis et vera fidei; et illi qui in his a Domino sunt, vocantur filii nuptiarum, filii Dei, et nati ab Ipso.
Footnotes:
1. Sic Schmidt et Biblia Hebraica sed 9:6 apud Biblia Anglica. Prima editio: Esaias 9:15.
2. Prima editio: Abraham non cognoscit nos, et Israel non agnoscit nos (absque italicis).
3. Prima editio: 15.
4. Prima editio: Hierosolismam.
5. Prima editio: 9.
6. Prima editio: Johannes 3:29; 25, 26, 27.