9996. “要把它们装在一个筐子里” 表包含它们或这些事物的感官层. 这从 “一个筐子” 的含义清楚可知, “一个筐子” 是指感官层. “一个筐子” 之所以表示感官层, 是因为感官层构成一个人生命的最末和最低层, 最末和最低层依次隐藏着一切内层在自己里面, 或说一切内层都依次储存在最末和最低层里面 (参看9828, 9836节); 在圣言中, 各种器皿都表示含有内层事物的外在事物 (3079节). 这解释了为何经上说无酵的饼, 糕饼和薄饼要装在一个筐子里, 要用一个筐子带来. 关于感官层是一个人生命的最末和最低层, 可参看前文 (9212, 9216节). 此处的情况如下: 有两样事物或心智的能力构成一个人的生命, 即理解力和意愿. 理解力的最低层被称为感官知识, 意愿的最低层被称为感官快乐. 感官知识, 就是理解力的最低层通过两种感官, 即听觉和视觉被吸收; 感官快乐, 就是意愿的最低层也通过两种感官, 即味觉和触觉被吸收. 属于这二者感知的最低层, 或说属于心智的这两种能力的感知的最低层是嗅觉.

感官知识, 就是理解力的最低层在圣言中由 “杯子” 或 “碗” 来表示, 因为它里面的酒或水是指属于理解力的真理; 而感官快乐, 就是意愿的最低层, 在圣言中由 “筐子或篮子” 来表示. 由于最末和最低之物是一切内层事物的容器, 所以这些内层事物也由这些器皿来表示. “杯子” 或 “碗” 表示理解力中的真理, 在反面意义上表示虚假; “筐子或篮子” 表示意愿中的良善, 在反面意义上表示邪恶; 因为良善属于意愿, 真理属于理解力. “杯子” 或 “碗” 是指都共存于理解力中的真理 (参看5120, 9557节); “筐子或篮子” 是指都共存于意愿中的良善 (5144节). 无论你说 “意愿中的良善”, 还是说 “属天良善”, 意思都一样; 无论你说理解力中的真理, 还是说 “属灵真理”, 意思也都一样. 装在筐子或篮子里的东西表示属天良善 (可参看刚才9992-9994节). 由于感官层是它们的最末和最低层, 所以经上说, 所有这些东西都要 “装在一个筐子里”.

2533. That 'now return the man's wife' means that the spiritual truth of doctrine was by him to be brought back untouched from the rational is clear from the meaning of 'a wife' as spiritual truth, dealt with in 2507, 2510, and from the meaning of 'a man' as doctrine itself. Actually when Abraham who represents the Lord in that state is called 'a man' he means celestial truth, which is the same as doctrine from a celestial origin; for 'man' in the internal sense means the understanding part of the mind, see 158, 265, 749, 915, 1007, 2517. From this it is evident that 'resuming the man's wife' means bringing back the spiritual truth of doctrine untouched. Its being brought back untouched from the rational is meant because 'Abimelech' who was required to return her means doctrine that has regard to rational things, or what amounts to the same, means the rational things comprising doctrine, 2510.

[2] It has been stated above that although the doctrine of faith is in itself Divine and so stands above all human, even angelic, range of understanding, it has nevertheless been expressed in the Word in a rational manner in accordance with man's range of understanding. It is like a parent who is teaching small boys and girls. When teaching them he explains every single thing in accordance with their own mentality, even though he himself thinks from what is more interior or higher. Otherwise he would be teaching without their learning, or it would be like casting seed on bare rock. The same applies also to the angels who in the next life instruct the simple in heart. Although the angels possess celestial and spiritual wisdom they nevertheless do not go above the heads of those they are teaching but use simple ideas to talk to them, yet advance by degrees to higher ideas as the instruction advances. For if they were to speak from angelic wisdom the simple would not grasp anything at all and so would not be led on to the truths and goods of faith. Much the same would happen if in the Word the Lord had not taught in a rational manner in accordance with man's range of understanding. Nevertheless in its internal sense the Word is raised up to angelic understanding. But even so, that highest level of meaning on which the Word exists with angels is infinitely lower than the Divine. This shows what the Word is like in origin, and so what it is in itself, and thus that at every point it embodies more than the whole of heaven is capable of comprehending, even as to one small part, though in the letter it seems so ordinary and so crude.

[3] The fact that the Lord is the Word, because the Word derives from Him and He is in the Word, is clear in John,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the Only Begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1, 4, 14.

See also Revelation 19:11, 13, 16. And because the Lord is the Word, He is doctrine also, for no other doctrine exists which is itself Divine.