9127. “就为他没有流血的罪” 表那么他不会犯有所施暴行的罪. 这从 “血” 的含义清楚可知,

“血” 在至高意义上是指从主的神性良善发出的神性真理, 在源于至高意义的内义上是指良善之真理 (参看4735, 6378, 6978, 7317, 7326, 7846, 7850, 7877节). 因此,

“流血” 表示向神之真理或良善之真理, 以及良善本身施暴. 事实上, 凡向真理施暴的, 同样向良善施暴, 因为真理与良善结合得如此紧密, 以致这一个属于那一个, 或说这一个永远不会离开那一个. 因此, 向这一个施暴, 就是向那一个施暴. 由此明显可知,

“为他没有流血的罪” 表示他不会犯有向真理或良善所施暴行的罪.

人若对圣言的内义一无所知, 只能认为圣言中的 “血” 表示血液;

“流血” 仅仅表示杀人. 但内义并不论述人的肉体生命, 只论述其灵魂的生命, 也就是他的属灵生命, 这生命会永远活着. 在圣言的字义上, 这生命通过诸如构成肉体生命的那类事物来描述, 即肉和血. 由于人的属灵生命源于属于仁爱的良善和属于信仰的真理, 并靠它们来维持, 所以在圣言的内义上,

“肉” 表示属于仁爱的良善,

“血” 表示属于信仰的真理. 在更内在的意义上,

“肉” 表示属于对主之爱的良善,

“血” 表示属于对邻之爱的良善. 但在唯独论述主的至高意义上,

“肉” 是指主的神性良善, 因而是指神性良善方面的主自己; 而 “血” 是指从主发出的神性真理, 因而是指神性真理方面的主. 当一个人阅读圣言时,

“肉和血” 在天上就被理解为这些事物. 当这个人参加圣餐礼时, 同样理解为这些事物, 只是在圣餐中, 饼是肉, 酒是血, 因为 “饼” 与 “肉” 所表相同,

“酒” 与 “血” 所表相同.

但那些像当今大多数世人那样在感官层进行思考的人, 根本不理解这一切. 所以只要他们相信圣餐和圣言因来自神而含有某种神圣之物在里面, 就让他们持守自己的信仰吧. 就算他们不知道这种神圣在哪里; 还是让那些被赋予某种内在觉知, 也就是能在高于感官的层面上进行思考的人考虑一下, 在以下经文中,

“血” 是用来表示血,

“肉” 是用来表示肉吗?

人子啊, 主耶和华如此说: 你要对天上的各种鸟和田野的各种走兽说: 你们聚集来吧! 要从四方聚集来吃我为你们所献的祭物, 就是在以色列山上所献的大祭物, 好叫你们吃肉喝血. 你们要吃勇士的肉, 喝地上首领的血. 你们要从我为你们所献的祭物中喝血喝到醉. 你们要在我席上因马匹和战车, 并勇士和一切的战士而饱足. 我要这样将我的荣耀立在列族中.(以西结书 39:17-21)

启示录:

我又看见一位天使站在日头中, 向飞在空中的一切鸟大声呼喊说, 你们聚集来赴大神的筵席! 可以吃君王的肉, 千夫长的肉, 壮士的肉, 马和骑马者的肉, 并自主的, 为奴的, 小的大的, 众人的肉.(启示录 19:17-18)

很明显, 在这些经文中,

“肉” 并非表示肉,

“血” 并非表示血. 这同样适用于约翰福音中主的 “肉” 和 “血”:

我所要赐的粮, 就是我的肉. 我实实在在地告诉你们: 你们若不吃人子的肉, 不喝人子的血, 就没有生命在你们里面. 吃我肉喝我血的人就有永生, 在末日我要叫他复活. 我的肉真是可吃的, 我的血真是可喝的. 吃我肉, 喝我血的人住在我里面, 我也住在他里面. 这就是从天上降下来的粮.(约翰福音 6:51-58)

主的 “肉” 是指祂的神性之爱的神性良善, 祂的 “血” 是指从祂的神性良善发出的神性真理; 这一点从以下事实可以看出来: 它们都是滋养一个人的属灵生命的食物. 这解释了为何祂接着说 “我的肉真是可吃的, 我的血真是可喝的”, 又说 “这就是从天上降下来的粮”. 由于人通过爱和信与主结合, 故祂还说:

“吃我肉, 喝我血的人住在我里面, 我也住在他里面”. 不过, 如前所述, 只有那些能在高于身体感官的层面上进行思考的人, 尤其那些信主爱主的人才能明白这个问题, 因为主把他们从其肉体感官的生命提升到其灵的生命, 因而从世界之光提升到天堂之光; 在天堂之光中, 对物质事物的概念, 也就是在心智中通过肉体所获得的印象会逐渐消失.

因此, 凡知道 “血” 表示来自主的神之真理的人也能看出在圣言中,

“流血” 并非表示杀人, 或剥夺一个人的肉体生命; 而是表示杀害或剥夺他灵魂的生命, 也就是摧毁他的属灵生命, 这生命就是对主的信和爱.

“血” 用来论及非法所流的血时, 表示因邪恶所生的虚假而被毁的神之真理, 这一点从以下经文清楚看出来, 以赛亚书:

那时, 主以审判的灵和洁净的灵, 将锡安女子的污秽洗去, 又将耶路撒冷的血从它中间冲走.(以赛亚书 4:3)

同一先知书:

你们的手被血沾染, 你们的指头被罪孽沾污. 他们的脚奔向邪恶, 他们急速流无辜人的血; 他们的思想全是恶念.(以赛亚书 59:3, 7)

耶利米书:

并且你的衣襟上有贫穷无辜灵魂的血.(耶利米书 2:34)

耶利米哀歌:

这都因先知的罪恶和祭司的罪孽, 他们在耶路撒冷中间流了义人的血. 他们在街上瞎逛, 又被血玷污; 他们不能玷污的东西, 竟用衣服触摸了.(耶利米哀歌 4:13-14)

以西结书:

我从你旁边经过, 见你滚在血中, 就说: 你虽在血中, 仍可存活; 我实在对你说, 你虽在血中, 仍可存活. 我用水洗你, 冲去你身上的血, 又用油抹你.(以西结书 16:6, 9)

同一先知书:

人子啊, 你要与这流血的城争辩吗? 向她宣布她一切可憎的事. 你要说, 因你所流人的血, 就为有罪; 又因你所造的偶像, 就被玷污了. 看哪! 以色列的首领各逞其能, 在你中间流人之血. 在你中间有好谗谤的人, 预备流人的血; 在你中间有在山上吃过的.(以西结书 22:2-4, 6, 9)

约珥书:

我要在天上地下显出奇事, 有血, 有火, 有烟柱. 日头要变为幽暗, 月亮要变为血, 都在耶和华大而可畏的日子未到以前.(约珥书 2:30-31)

启示录:

日头变黑像毛布, 满月变得像血.(启示录 6:12)

又:

第二位天使吹号, 就有仿佛火烧着的大山扔在海中, 海的三分之一变成血.(启示录 8:8)

又:

第二位天使把他的香瓶倒在海里, 海就变成好像死人的血, 海中一切活着的灵魂都死了. 第三位天使把他的香瓶倒在江河与众水的泉源里, 它们就变成了血.(启示录 16:3-4)

在这些经文中,

“血” 并非表示所流的人的肉体生命的血, 而是表示他的属灵生命的血, 也就是神之真理, 邪恶所生的虚假就是向它施暴的. 马太福音中的 “血” 所表相同:

叫世上所流义人的血, 都归到你们身上. 从义人亚伯的血起, 直到你们在殿和坛中间所杀的撒迦利亚的血为止.(马太福音 23:35)

这些话表示从古时直到现在, 犹太人一直对圣言的真理施暴, 以致他们根本不愿接受任何内在和天上的真理. 所以他们也不接受主. 他们流祂的血表示他们对神之真理的完全弃绝, 因为主就是神性真理本身, 也就是 “成了肉身的圣言” (约翰福音 1:1, 14). 在马太福音中, 这些话就表示他们对来自主的神之真理的完全弃绝:

彼拉多在众人面前洗手, 说, 流这义人的血, 罪不在我, 你们承当吧. 众人都回答说, 祂的血归到我们和我们的子孙身上.(马太福音 27:24-25)

这就解释了约翰福音中所描述的以下事件:

惟有一个兵拿枪扎祂的肋旁, 随即有血和水流出来. 那看见的人就作见证, 他的见证也是真的; 并且他知道自己所说的是真的, 叫你们也可以信.(约翰福音 19:34-35)

水也流出来的原因是,

“水” 表示外在形式的神之真理, 就是构成字义的那种真理.

“水” 表示真理 (参看2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8568节).

由此也明显可知被主的宝血洗净是什么意思, 即从主领受信之真理 (7918, 9088节). 由此也明显可知启示录中的这些话是什么意思:

他们胜过那龙, 是因羔羊的血, 和他们所见证的圣言.(启示录 12:11)

“因羔羊的血” 是指通过来自主的神性真理, 神性真理也是 “他们所见证的圣言”.

“羔羊的血” 是指纯真之血, 因为 “羔羊” 表示纯真 (3519, 3994, 7840节). 在天上, 从主发出的神之真理含有纯真在它的核心处; 因为它只感染那些拥有纯真的人, 或说, 除了那些拥有纯真的人外, 没有人对它拥有任何感觉 (2526, 2780, 3111, 3183, 3494, 3994, 4797, 6013, 6107, 6765, 7836节的末尾,7840, 7877, 7902节).

10087. 'And you shall take the breast' means the Divine Spiritual in the heavens, which those in heaven make their own. This is clear from the meaning of 'the breast' as the good of charity, and in the highest sense as the Divine Spiritual, dealt with below. The reason why its being made their own by those in the heavens is meant is that the subject in what follows next is the flesh from the ram and the bread from the basket which were not burned on the altar but were left as a portion for and were eaten by Moses, Aaron, and his sons. By this is meant making it their own, the process of which is described in what follows next. The origin of the meaning of 'the breast' as the good of charity, and in the highest sense as the Divine Spiritual, lies in correspondence. For the human head corresponds to the good of love to the Lord, which is the good of the inmost heaven and is called the Divine Celestial, whereas the breast corresponds to the good of charity, which is the good of the middle or second heaven and is called the Divine Spiritual; and the feet correspond to the good of faith, thus to the good of obedience, which is the good of the lowest heaven and is called the Divine Natural. Regarding this correspondence, see what has been shown above in 10030.

[2] Since the breast because of its correspondence means the good of charity, and the good of charity results from the will to do good, John - who represented that good - leaned on the Lord's breast or in His bosom, John 13:23, 25, by which the Lord's love of that good is meant. For 'leaning on the breast' or 'in the bosom' means loving. Anyone who knows this may also know what the meaning is of the following words which the Lord addressed to Peter and to John,

Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of Jonah, do you love Me? He said, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My lambs. He said to him again, Simon son of Jonah, do you love Me? He said, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My sheep. He said to him a third time, Simon son of Jonah, do you love Me? Peter was grieved, therefore he said, Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep. Truly I say to you, When you were younger you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands and another will gird you and lead you where you do not wish. When He had said this He said to him, Follow Me. Having turned round Peter saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper. Seeing him Peter said, Lord, what about him? Jesus said to him, If I will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me. John 21:15-22.

None can know what these words mean except through the internal sense. This teaches that the Lord's twelve disciples represented all aspects of faith and love in their entirety, just as the twelves tribes of Israel did, and that Peter represented faith, James charity, and John the works or good deeds that flow from charity.

The Lord's twelve disciples represented all aspects of faith and love in their entirety, see 3488, 3858 (end), 6397.

The twelve tribes of Israel had the same representation, 3858, 3926, 4060, 6335, 6640.

Peter represented faith, James charity, and John the works that flow from charity, Prefaces to Genesis 18, 22, and 3750, 4738, 6344 (end).

'The rock', as Peter is also called, means the Lord in respect of faith, 8581.

[3] Faith without charity does not love the Lord; nevertheless it is able to teach about things connected with faith and love, and the things that are the Lord's. This was why the Lord said three times, 'Do you love Me?', and then, 'Feed My lambs' or 'Feed My sheep'. For the same reason He says, 'When you were younger you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands and another will gird you and lead you where you do not wish', meaning that in its early stages the Church's faith had possessed the good of innocence, like a young child; but when it was in decline, which is the final phase of the Church, faith would not possess that good any longer nor the good of charity, at which point evil and falsity would lead it. All this is what is meant by 'when you are old you will stretch out your hands and another will gird you and lead you where you do not wish', that is, you will pass from freedom into bondage. 'Girding' means being acquainted with and seeing truths in light that flows from good, 9952, and 'walking' leading a life in accord with those truths, 8417, 8420, so that 'girding himself and walking where he wished' means acting in freedom; and people act in freedom when an affection for truth springing from good governs their actions, 2870-2893, 9585-9591, and they are led by the Lord, 9096, 9586, 9589-9591. But 'being girded by another and being led where he did not wish' means being in bondage, and people are in bondage when evil governs their actions, and so they are led by hell, 9096, 9586, 9589-9591. 'Lambs', which the Lord mentions first, are those in whom the good of innocence is present, see 3994; 'sheep', which the Lord mentions the second and third times, are those in whom the good of charity, and faith springing from this, are present, 4169, 4809. Also three means the whole period from beginning to end, 2788, 4495, 7715, 9198; consequently, since the Lord spoke to Peter regarding the Church from its early stages to when it was in decline, He said three times, Do you love Me?

[4] As regards John's following the Lord, this was a sign of the truth that those who perform the good deeds of charity follow the Lord, are loved by the Lord, and do not leave Him, whereas those whose faith is separated from charity not only fail to follow the Lord but are also angered by that truth, as Peter was then; not to mention many more arcana within the words contained in that passage.

From all this it is evident also that leaning on the Lord's breast or in His bosom means being loved by Him, and that this expression is used in reference to those who perform the good deeds of charity. Much the same is meant by carrying in the bosom, Isaiah 40:10-11, and lying in the bosom, 2 Samuel 12:3.