WH7.人类的理性官能若不被主光照，就无法理解神性事物，甚至无法理解属灵事物（2196，2203，2209，2654节）。因此，唯有那些被光照的人才能明白圣言（10323节）。主使那些被光照的人能理解真理，还能辨别那些看似相互矛盾的事物（9382，10659节）。字义上的圣言就看似不一致，有些地方甚至自相矛盾（9025节）。因此，圣言可被那些没有被光照的人任意解读和应用，以证实任何观点或异端邪说，并捍卫任何世俗和肉体的爱（4783，10330，10400节）。从圣言获得光照的，是那些出于对真理和良善的爱而阅读它的人，而不是那些出于对名利地位的爱，因而出于对自我的爱而阅读它的人（9382，10548，10549，10550节）。那些过着良善的生活，并由此处于对真理的情感之人被光照（8694节）。那些内在被打开，因而其内在人能被提升到天堂之光的人被光照（10400，10402，10691，10694节）。光照是对心智内层的一种实实在在的提升，也是进入天堂之光的一种提升（10330节）。对那些视圣言为神圣的人来说，来自内在，也就是经由内在来自主的神圣会流入进来，尽管他们自己对此一无所知（6789节）。那些由主引导的人被光照，并看见圣言中的真理，而那些由自己引导的人则不然（10638节）。受主引导的，是那些因真理而热爱真理的人，以及那些喜欢照神性真理生活的人（10578，10645，10829节）。对人来说，圣言照着他所过的爱与信的生活而活过来（1776节）。那些源于人自己的聪明的事物本身没有生命，因为没有任何良善来自人的自我（8941，8944节）。那些坚定确认虚假教义的人无法被光照（10640节）。
被光照的，正是人的理解力（6608，9300节）。理解力是真理的接受者（6222，6608，10659）。对教会的每个教义来说，我们对它的理解程度取决于我们以自己的理解力和由此而来的思维对它所获得的观念的性质（3310，3825节）。只要人活在这个世界上，他的观念就是属世的，因为那时他在属世层面进行思考；然而，对那些为了真理的缘故而处于对真理的情感的人来说，属灵的观念仍隐藏在他们里面，死后人就进入这些观念中（3310，5510，6201，10236，10240，10551节）。我们若无法以自己的理解力和由此而来的思维获得对任何主题的观念，就无法明白这个主题（3825节）。对信仰问题的观念在来世被揭开，那里的天使会看到这些观念是什么样；然后人照着它们而与其他人结合，只要这些观念植是从爱和情感发出的（1869，3310，5510，6200，8885节）。因此，唯有理性的人才能理解圣言，因为相信某个事物，却对事物本身没有任何概念，也没有理性的洞察，只不是把我们所不明白或喜欢的某句话存在记忆中，这其实是不相信（2533节）。被光照的，正是圣言的字义（3436，9824，9905，10548节）。
7. The Word is understood only by people who are enlightened. Our rational capacity cannot grasp things that are divine; it cannot even grasp things that are spiritual unless it is enlightened by the Lord: 2196, 2203, 2209, 2654. This means that only enlightened people can understand the Word: 10323. The Lord makes it possible for people who are enlightened to understand what is true and to sort out things that seem contradictory: 9382, 10659. Understood on a literal level, the Word is not consistent and often seems self-contradictory (9025); therefore people who are not enlightened can interpret it and constrain it to support all kinds of opinions and heresies and to favor all kinds of worldly and bodily 1loves (4783, 10330, 10400). We gain enlightenment from the Word if we read it out of a love for what is true and good, but not if we read it out of a love for fame, profit, or prestige, and therefore out of a love for ourselves: 9382, 10548, 10549, 10550. We are enlightened if we are committed to living good lives and therefore are affected by what is true: 8694. We are enlightened if our inner self has been opened—that is, if our inner self is capable of being raised into heaven’s light: 10400, 10402, 10691, 10694. Enlightenment is an actual opening of the deeper reaches of our minds as well as a raising of them into heaven’s light: 10330. If we regard the Word as holy, then without our knowing it something holy flows in from within us—that is, through our inner self from the Lord: 6789. We are enlightened and see truths in the Word if we are being led by the Lord, but not if we are leading ourselves: 10638. We are being led by the Lord when we love what is true because it is true; that is, when we love to live by divine truths: 10578, 10645, 10829. The Word is brought to life for us depending on the amount of life there is in our love and faith: 1776. The products of a self-oriented intelligence 2have no life in them, because nothing good comes from our self-centeredness: 8941, 8944. We cannot be enlightened if we have thoroughly convinced ourselves of false teachings: 10640.
[2] It is our understanding that is enlightened: 6608, 9300. Our understanding is what receives truth: 6222, 6608, 10659. For every teaching of the church, how well we understand it depends on the nature of the concepts we have of it in our intellect and in our thinking: 3310, 3825. As long as we are living in this world, our concepts are earthly because we are thinking on an earthly level. However, there are spiritual concepts hidden within them if we are passionately interested in the truth for its own sake, and these concepts become ours after death: 3310, 5510, 6201, 10236, 10240, 10551. If we cannot conceive of something in our intellect and in our thinking, we cannot comprehend it, either: 3825. Our concepts of matters of faith are disclosed in the other life, and angels 3there see what our concepts are like; we are then united with others in keeping with our concepts, provided that they are rooted in love and affection: 1869, 3310, 5510, 6200, 6201, 8885. This means that the Word is understood only by rational people, since without some concept of a subject and some rational insight, “believing” is only keeping in our memory some statement that we do not comprehend or love. This is not believing: 2533. It is the literal meaning of the Word that is enlightened for us: 3436, 9824, 9905, 10548.
Footnotes:
1. The Latin word here translated “bodily” is corporeus. For more on the concept of the bodily in Swedenborg’s works, see notes 40 and 249. [Editors]
2. The Latin here translated “self-oriented intelligence” is propria intelligentia. For more on the adjective in question, proprius, “one’s own,” “belonging to oneself,” see note 1 in New Jerusalem 70. [Editors]
3. On the concept of angels in Swedenborg’s works, see note 2 in New Jerusalem 25. [Editors]
7. The Word is not understood except by those on whom enlightenment has shone.
The human intellect cannot grasp divine ideas, nor even spiritual ones, unless it is enlightened by the Lord: 2196, 2203, 2209, 2654. In this way only the enlightened grasp the Word: 10323. The Lord grants to those who are enlightened understanding of truths, and discernment of things which appear to contradict one another: 9382, 10659. The Word in its literal sense may not be consistent with itself, and often appears to contradict itself: 9025. For that very reason it can be explained and interpreted by the unenlightened in order to confirm any opinion and heresy whatsoever, and to provide a justification for any earthly and bodily love whatsoever: 4783, 10330, 10400. Those who read the Word from a love of truth and goodness are enlightened by the Word, but not those who read it from a love of fame, gain, honour, or indeed a love of self: 9382, 10548-10551. Those who lead a life of good and so have an affection for the truth are enlightened: 8694. Those whose internal self is opened may be enlightened, and so they can be raised to the light of heaven as regards the internal man: 10400, 10402, 10691, 10694. Enlightenment is an actual opening of the interior parts of the mind, and also a raising into the light of heaven: 10330. Holiness from the internal self, that is, from the Lord through the internal self, flows into those who hold the Word sacred, even when they do not know it: 6789. Those people are enlightened, and see truths in the Word, who are led by the Lord, but not those who are led by themselves: 10638. Those are led by the Lord who love truth because it is the truth, who also love to lead a life according with divine truths: 10578, 10645, 10829. The Word is brought to life for a person in the same measure that a life of love and faith resides in that person: 1776. Things which come from a person's own personal understanding have no life in themselves, because nothing good derives from a person's own properties: 8941, 8944. Those who have confirmed themselves in large measure in false doctrine cannot be enlightened: 10640.
It is the understanding which is enlightened: 6608, 9300. It is the understanding which is a recipient of the truth: 6222, 6608, 10659. Regarding every doctrinal point of the Church, there are ideas from the understanding and so from thought, according to which the doctrinal point is perceived: 3310, 3825. The ideas of a person, as long as he or she lives on earth, are natural, because then a person thinks on the natural level; but further, spiritual ideas are concealed in people, at least among those who have affection for the truth because it is the truth; and a person comes to these ideas after death: 3310, 5510, 6201, 10237, 10240, 10551. Without ideas from the understanding and so from thought there is no perception about any thing at all: 3825. Ideas about matters of faith are revealed in the next life, and there they are seen as they truly are by the angels, and a person is then linked to other ideas, as far as those ideas proceed from an affection belonging to love: 1869, 3310, 5510, 6200, 6201, 8885. For that reason the Word is not understood other than by a person who sees truth in God's light; for to believe something without an idea of that thing and without any such insight of it is just to retain in the memory an utterance devoid of all life of perception and affection, which is [the same as] not believing: 2553. It is the literal sense of the Word which is enlightened: 3436, 9824, 9905, 10548.
7. THE WORD IS NOT UNDERSTOOD EXCEPT BY THOSE WHO ARE ENLIGHTENED.
The human rational, if it be not enlightened by the Lord, cannot grasp Divine things, nor even spiritual things, (2196, 2203, 2209, 2654). So it is that only they who are enlightened comprehend the Word, (10323). The Lord enables those who are enlightened to understand truths and, moreover, to discern truths in those things which appear to contradict each other, (9382, 10659). The Word in the sense of the letter is not consistent with itself and sometimes appears to contradict itself, (9025), and on that account it can be explained and interpreted, by those who are not enlightened, to confirm any opinion or heresy, and to defend any worldly and corporeal love, (4783, 10330, 10400). They are enlightened from the Word, who read it from a love of truth and good, but not those who do so from a love of reputation, gain or honour, and so from a love of self, (9382, 10548-10551). They are enlightened who are in the good of life and thence in the affection of truth, (8694). They are enlightened whose internal is open, thus who as to their internal man can be raised up into the light of heaven, (10400, 10402, 10691, 10694). Enlightenment is an actual opening of the interiors of the mind, and also an elevation into the light of heaven, (10330). Holiness from the internal, that is, through the internal from the Lord, flows in with those who hold the Word sacred, they themselves being ignorant of it, (6789). They are enlightened and see truths in the Word, who are led by the Lord, but not they who are led by themselves, (10638). They are led by the Lord, who love truth because it is truth, who indeed are they who love to live in accordance with Divine truths, (10578, 10645, 10829). The Word is made living with man according to the life of his love and faith, (1776). Those things which are derived from his own intelligence have no life in themselves, because from man's proprium 1there is nothing good, (8941, 8944). They cannot be enlightened, who have confirmed themselves strongly in false doctrine, (10640).
It is the understanding that is enlightened, (6608, 9300). The understanding is receptive of truth, (6222, 6608, 10659). Concerning every doctrinal thing of the Church there are ideas of the understanding and of thought thence, according to which the doctrinal is perceived, (3310, 3825). Man's ideas are natural as long as he is living in the world, because he then thinks in the Natural; but, nevertheless, with those who are in the affection of truth for its own sake, spiritual ideas are concealed within them, and man comes into these ideas after death, (3310, 5510, 6201, 10236, 10240, 10551), [10237]. There can be no perception concerning any subject whatsoever, without ideas of the understanding and thence of thought, (3825). Ideas concerning matters of faith are laid open in the other life, and their quality is there seen by angels, and man is then conjoined with others according to them, in so far as they proceed from an affection which is of love, (1869, 3320, 5510, 6201, 8885), [3310, 6200]. Therefore the Word is not understood except by a rational man, for to believe something without an idea of the thing itself and without the insight of reason, is only to retain an expression in the memory devoid of all life of perception and affection, which is not believing, (2533). It is the literal sense of the Word which is enlightened, (3619, 9824, 9905, 10548).
Footnotes:
1. The Latin word Proprium means "what is one's own." Swedenborg uses it in a special sense involving "what is of the self".
7. The Word is not understood, except by those who are enlightened. The human rational faculty cannot comprehend Divine, nor even spiritual things, unless it be enlightened by the Lord (2196, 2203, 2209, 2654). Thus they only who are enlightened comprehend the Word (10323). The Lord enables those who are enlightened to understand truths, and to discern those things which appear to contradict each other (9382, 10659). The Word in its literal sense appears inconsistent, and in some places seems to contradict itself (9025). And therefore by those who are not enlightened, it may be so explained and applied, as to confirm any opinion or heresy, and to defend any worldly and corporeal love (4738, 10339, 10401). They are enlightened from the Word, who read it from the love of truth and good, but not they who read it from the love of fame, of gain, or of honor, thus from the love of self (9382, 10548, 10549, 10550) They are enlightened who are in the good of life, and thereby in the affection of truth (8694). They are enlightened whose internal is open, thus who as to their internal man are capable of elevation into the light of heaven (10401, 10402, 10691, 10694). Enlightenment is an actual opening of the interiors of the mind, and also an elevation into the light of heaven (10330). There is an influx of holiness from the internal, that is, from the Lord through the internal, with those who regard the Word as holy, though they themselves are ignorant of it (6789). They are enlightened, and see truths in the Word, who are led by the Lord, but not they who are led by themselves (10638). They are led by the Lord, who love truth because it is truth, who also are they that love to live according to Divine truths (10578, 10645, 10829). The Word is vivified with man according to the life of his love and faith (1776). The things derived from one's own intelligence have no life in themselves, because from man's proprium there is nothing good (8941, 8944). They cannot be enlightened who have much confirmed themselves in false doctrine (10640).
It is the understanding which is enlightened (6608, 9300). The understanding is the recipient of truth (6242, 6608, 10659). In regard to every doctrine of the church, there are ideas of the understanding and of the thought thence, according to which the doctrine is perceived (3310, 3825). The ideas of man during his life in the world are natural, because man then thinks in the natural; but still spiritual ideas are concealed therein, with those who are in the affection of truth for the sake of truth, and man comes into these ideas after death (3310, 5510, 6201, 10236, 10240, 10550). Without ideas of the understanding, and of the thought thence, on any subject, there can be no perception (3825). Ideas concerning the things of faith are laid open in the other life, and their quality is seen by the angels, and man is then conjoined with others according to those ideas, so far as they proceed from the affection which is of love (1869, 3320, 5510, 6201, 8885). Therefore the Word is not understood except by a rational man; for to believe anything without an idea thereof, and without a rational view of the subject, is only to retain in the memory words destitute of all the life of perception and affection, which is not believing (2533). It is the literal sense of the Word which admits of enlightenment (3619, 9824, 9905, 10548).
7. Quod Verbum non intelligatur quam ab illustratis. Quod Rationale humanum non capere possit Divina, ne quidem Spiritualia, nisi a Domino illustretur, 2196, 2203, 2209, 2654. Ita quod modo illustrati capiant Verbum, 10323. Quod Dominus illis, qui illustrantur, det intelligere vera, ac discernere illa qua sibi apparent contradicere, 9382, 10659. Quod Verbum in sensu literae non sibi simile sit, et aliquoties appareat sibi contradicens, 9025. Et quod ideo a non illustratis possit explicari et trahi ad confirmandum quamcunque opinionem et haeresin, et ad patrocinandum cuicunque amori mundano et corporeo, 4738, 10330, 10401. Quod illi ex Verbo illustrentur, qui legunt illud ex amore veri et boni, non autem qui ex amore famae, lucri, honoris, ita ex amore sui, 9382, 10548, 10549, 10551. Quod illi illustrentur qui in bono vitae sunt, et inde in affectione veri, 8694. Quod illustrentur, quibus Internum apertum est, ita qui quoad internum suum hominem possunt elevari in lucem coeli, 10401, 10402, 10691, 10694. Quod Illustratio sit actualis aperitio interiorum quae mentis, et quoque elevatio in lucem coeli, 10330. Quod Sanctum ab Interno, hoc est, per Internum a Domino, influat apud illos qui sanctum habent Verbum, illis nescientibus, 6789. Quod illustrentur illi, et in Verbo videant vera, qui a Domino ducuntur, non autem qui a semet, 10638. Quod illi a Domino ducantur, qui amant verum quia est verum, qui etiam sunt qui amant vivere secundum divina vera, 10578, 10645, 10829. Quod Verbum vivificetur apud hominem secundum ejus amoris et fidei vitam, 1776. Quod illa quae a propria intelligentia sunt, non vitam in se habeant, quia a proprio hominis nihil bonum, 8941, 8944. Quod non illustrari possint, qui se multum confirmaverunt in Doctrina falsa, 10640.
Quod Intellectus sit qui illustratur, 6608, 9300. Quod intellectus sit recipiens veri, 6240, 6608, 10659. Quod de omni Doctrinali Ecclesiae sint ideae quae intellectus et cogitationis inde, secundum quas Doctrinale percipitur, 3310, 3825. Quod ideae hominis, quamdiu vivit in mundo, sint naturales, quia tunc homo cogitat in naturali, sed quod usque spirituales ideae in illis reconditae sint apud illos qui in affectione veri propter verum sunt, et quod in eas veniat homo post mortem, 3310, 5510, 6201, 10236, 10240, 10551. Quod absque ideis intellectus et inde cogitationis de quacunque re nulla perceptio, 3825. Quod ideae de rebus fidei aperiantur in altera vita, et ibi ab Angelis videantur quales sunt, et quod homo tunc conjungatur aliis secundum illas quantum ex affectione quae amoris procedunt, 1869, 3320, 5510, 6201, 8885. Quod ideo Verbum non intelligatur quam a rationali homine; nam credere aliquid absque idea rei et absque rationis intuitione, est modo memoriter retinere vocem omni vita perceptionis et affectionis destitutam, quod non est credere, 2533. Quod Sensus literalis Verbi sit qui illustratur, 3619, 9824, 9905, 10548.