21. 灵义
若非得到纯正真理的光照，无人能明白灵义。基于这个道理，人若有了一些对应的知识，就能看出灵义。
但人若受教于伪谬，就无法明白任何灵义。他会曲解所知的对应，用于迎合错误的教义，他还会进一步歪曲圣经。
这是因为圣经的真正灵义单单来自主。这就是为何不允许物界或灵界中任何人凭字义来探究圣经的灵义，除非此人完全受神性真理之教义的引领并受主光照。
因此，在圣经字义的基础上，经由神性真理的教导便可以看到灵义。但决不能先从灵义看到教义。
若有人知道许多对应，便据此认为自己能明白圣经的真教义，认为灵义会指教他认识教义，那么他就大错特错了，因为这决不可能发生。
如前所述，人应该如此对自己说：“我知道神性真理的教义，假如我也知道对应，就有可能看出灵义。”
即便如此，他还需要被主光照，因为灵义乃是神性真理本身，呈现在其本体之光中。圣经中的灵义以荣耀代表，而字义以云来象征。这就是圣经有关章节相应描述的意思 1
[2] 圣经中存在灵义，可以从十段来自先知书的经文，或从福音书和启示录的讲述得到支持。引用这些经文目的为说明，离了灵义它们将毫无意义。
Footnotes:
1. 附注：马太福音24:30，马可福音13:26，路加福音21:27。
21. With respect to the spiritual sense of the Word, no one can see the spiritual meaning except in the light of a doctrine of genuine truth. From this one can see the spiritual meaning, when one has some knowledge of correspondences. But no one caught up in false doctrine can see anything of the spiritual meaning. Such a one takes any correspondences he may know and turns them to support the falsities of his doctrine, so that he is able to falsify the Word still more. Therefore the true spiritual meaning of the Word comes from the Lord alone. This is the reason that no one In either the natural world or the spiritual world is permitted to search out the spiritual meaning of the Word from its literal meaning unless he is guided entirely by a doctrine of genuine truth and is enlightened by the Lord. Consequently, the spiritual meaning can be seen in the light of a doctrine of Divine truth verified from the Word's literal meaning; but the doctrine can never be seen first from the spiritual meaning. He thinks falsely who says to himself, "I know many correspondences. Now I can know the doctrine of Divine truth. The spiritual sense will teach it to me." This cannot happen. Rather let him say to himself, as we indicated above, "I know the doctrine of Divine truth. Now I can see the spiritual meaning, provided I know correspondences." But even so, he must still be enlightened by the Lord, because the spiritual meaning is Divine truth itself appearing in its own light-the spiritual meaning being meant by glory in the Word, and the literal meaning by cloud, in those places in the Word where glory and cloud are spoken of. 1
[2] (Support the existence of a spiritual meaning in the Word with ten passages from the prophetic Word, as well as from the Gospels, and also from the book of Revelation. Cite these passages and show that they would be meaningless without a spiritual sense.)
Footnotes:
1. As in Matthew 24:30, Mark 13:26, Luke 21:27.
21. XXI. The spiritual sense.
No one can see the spiritual sense unless he has been taught real truth. This enables him to see the spiritual sense, when he has some knowledge of correspondences. Someone who has been taught what is false cannot see anything of the spiritual sense; he warps and applies the correspondences he knows to suit his false teaching. He may therefore falsify the Word still more. This is because the truly spiritual sense of the Word comes from the Lord alone. This is the reason that no one in the natural world or in the spiritual world is allowed to seek out the spiritual sense of the Word from the literal sense, unless he is completely under the guidance of the teaching of Divine truth and enlightened by the Lord. The spiritual sense therefore can be seen by the teaching of Divine truth supported by the literal sense of the Word. But the teaching can never first be seen from the spiritual sense. It is false to think to oneself, 'I know many correspondences; so I can know the true teaching of the Divine Word, the spiritual sense will teach it to me.' This cannot happen; but as I have said, let someone say to himself, 'I know the teaching of Divine truth, now I can see the spiritual sense, provided I know the correspondences.' But this must still be by enlightenment from the Lord, because the spiritual sense is Divine truth itself bathed in its own light; and this is meant by glory, the literal sense being the cloud, in the passages of the Word about these subjects.
[2] The existence of a spiritual sense in the Word is to be supported by ten passages in the prophetic books, also in the Gospels and the Book of Revelation. These passages are to be quoted and a demonstration given that they would be meaningless without a spiritual sense.
21. XXI. THE SPIRITUAL SENSE.
No one can see the spiritual sense except from the doctrine of genuine truth; from this doctrine the spiritual sense can be seen, when there is some knowledge of correspondences. He who is in false doctrine cannot see anything of the spiritual sense. He draws out and applies the correspondences which he sees to the falsities of his doctrine; and thus he can still more falsify the Word. Wherefore the true spiritual sense of the Word is from the Lord alone. This is the reason why it is not permitted anyone in the natural world, nor in the spiritual world, to investigate the spiritual sense of the Word from the sense of its letter, unless he is wholly in the doctrine of Divine truth and in enlightenment from the Lord, wherefore from the doctrine of Divine truth confirmed from the sense of the letter of the Word, the spiritual sense can be seen, but doctrine can never first be seen from the spiritual sense. He thinks falsely who says with himself, I know many correspondences, I can know the true doctrine of the Divine Word, the spiritual sense will teach it to me. This cannot be done. But, as has been said, let him say with himself, I know the doctrine of Divine truth, now I can see the spiritual sense, provided I know correspondences. But still this must be in enlightenment from the Lord, because the spiritual sense is Divine truth itself in its light, and is meant by glory, and the sense of the letter by a cloud in passages in the Word where these are mentioned.
[2] That there is a spiritual sense in the Word is to be confirmed by ten passages in the Prophetic Word, likewise in the Evangelists, and also in Revelation, which passages are to be adduced, and it is to be shown that they would have no meaning without the spiritual sense.
21. [1] De sensu spirituali, nemo potest videre sensum spiritualem nisi ex doctrina genuini veri; ex hac videri potest sensus spiritualis, quando aliqua scientia correspondentiarum est; at qui in doctrina falsi est, ille non potest videre aliquid sensus spiritualis; trahit et ducit correspondentias, quas novit, ad falsa doctrinae suae; quare potest adhuc plus falsificare Verbum: quare sensus vere spiritualis Verbi est a solo Domino; haec causa est, quod non liceat alicui in Mundo naturali nec in mundo spirituali investigare sensum spiritualem Verbi ex sensu literae ejus, nisi sit prorsus in doctrina Divini veri, et in illustratione a Domino; quare ex doctrina Divini Veri confirmata ex sensu literae Verbi potest videri sensus spiritualis; sed nusquam potest doctrina primum videri ex sensu spirituali; false cogitat qui dicit secum, scio correspondentias plures, nunc scire possum doctrinam Divini Veri, sensus spiritualis docebit me illam; hoc non fieri potest; sed ut dictum, secum dicat, scio doctrinam Divini Veri, nunc videre possum sensum spiritualem, modo sciam correspondentias; sed tamen usque erit in illustratione a Domino, quia sensus spiritualis est ipsum Divinum Verum in sua luce, et intelligitur per gloriam, et sensus literae per nubem, in locis in Verbo de quibus.
[2] Quod sensus spiritualis in Verbo sit, confirmetur per 10 loca in Verbo Prophetico, tum in Evangelistis, et quoque in Apocalypsi, quae loca adducantur, et ostendatur quod non forent aliquid absque sensu spirituali.