2362. “看哪, 我有两个女儿, 还没有亲近过男人” 表对善与真的情感. 这从 “女儿” 的含义清楚可知, “女儿” 是指情感 (参看489-491节). 她们 “还没有亲近过男人” 表虚假还没有玷污过她们, “男人” 表理性真理, 在反面意义上表虚假 (265, 749, 1007节). 情感有两种类型, 即对良善的情感和对真理的情感 (参看1997节). 前者, 即对良善的情感构成属天的教会, 在圣言中被称为 “锡安的女儿或女子”, 或 “锡安的处女”; 而后者, 即对真理的情感构成属灵的教会, 在圣言中被称为 “耶路撒冷的女子”.

如以赛亚书:

锡安的处女藐视你, 嗤笑你; 耶路撒冷的女子在你后面摇头. (以赛亚书 37:22; 列王纪下 19:21)

耶利米哀歌:

耶路撒冷的女子哪, 我可用什么与你相比呢? 锡安的处女哪, 我可拿什么和你比较, 好安慰你呢? (耶利米哀歌 2:13)

弥迦书:

你这羊群的高台, 锡安女子的山冈哪, 从前的权柄, 就是耶路撒冷女子的国权, 必归与你. (弥迦书 4:8)

西番雅书:

锡安的女子哪, 应当欢呼. 以色列阿, 应当发声. 耶路撒冷的女子哪, 应当满心欢喜快乐. (西番雅书 3:14)

撒迦利亚书:

锡安的女子哪, 应当大大喜乐; 耶路撒冷的女子哪, 应当发声. 看哪, 你的王来到你这里! (撒迦利亚书 9:9; 马太福音 21:5; 约翰福音 12:15)

属天的教会, 或主的属天国度被称为来自对良善的情感, 即来自对主自己之爱的 “锡安的女儿或女子” (参看以赛亚书 10:32; 16:1; 52:2; 62:11; Jer. 4:31; 6:2, 23; 耶利米哀歌 1:6; 2:1, 4, 8, 10; 弥迦书 4:10, 13; 撒迦利亚书 2:10; 诗篇 9:14). 属灵的教会, 或主的属灵国度被称为来自对真理的情感, 因而来自对邻之仁的 “耶路撒冷的女子” (参看耶利米哀歌 2:15). 第一卷多次论述了这两种教会及其特征.

由于属天教会通过存在于对邻之爱中的对主之爱而存在, 故它尤其好比未结婚的女子或处女. 事实上, 它也被称为 “童女”, 如启示录:

这些人未曾沾染妇女, 他们原是童女. 羔羊无论往哪里去, 他们都跟随他, 因为他们在神的宝座前没有瑕疵. (启示录 14:4-5)

这一点在犹太教会中也有所体现: 承接圣职的不可娶寡妇, 要娶处女为妻 (利未记 21:13-15; 以西结书 44:22).

由本节内容可以看出圣言在内义上何等纯洁. 但它在文字上没有表现出来, 如当读到 “看哪, 我有两个女儿, 还没有亲近过男人, 容我领她们出来给你们, 就照你们看为好的对待她们吧! 只是这两个人, 不要向他们作什么” 这些话时, 人们只会想到淫秽的事, 尤其那些过着邪恶生活的人. 然而, 通过所给出的解读明显可知, 这些话在内义上何等贞洁, 也就是说, 它们表示对良善与真理的情感, 以及不向主的神性和神圣施暴的人出于这些情感的享受所感知到的幸福.

5248. 'And changed his clothes' means the change made so far as coverings of the interior natural were concerned, by the putting on of what was rightly suited to this. This is clear from the meaning of 'changing as removing and casting aside, and from the meaning of 'clothes' as the coverings of the interior natural, dealt with below. The putting on of what was rightly suited, meant by 'new clothes', follows on from this. Frequent reference is made in the Word to clothes, by which are meant lower or outward things which, being such, serve to cover higher or inward ones. 'Clothes' consequently means the external part of man and therefore what is natural, since this covers the internal and the spiritual part of him. In particular 'clothes' means truths that are matters of faith since these cover forms of good that are embodiments of charity. This meaning of 'clothes' has its origin in the clothes that spirits and angels are seen to be wearing. Spirits are seen dressed in clothes that have no brightness, whereas angels are seen dressed in clothes full of brightness and so to speak made of brightness. For the actual brightness that surrounds them looks like a robe, much like the Lord's garments when He was transfigured, which were 'as the light', Matthew 17:2, and 'glistening white', Luke 9:29. From the clothes they wear one can also tell what kinds of spirits and angels they are so far as truths of faith are concerned since these are represented by their clothes, though only truths of faith such as exist within the natural. The truths of faith such as exist within the rational are revealed in the face and in the beauty it possesses. The brightness of their garments has its origin in the good of love and charity, for that good shines through and is the producer of the brightness. From all this one may see what is represented in the spiritual world by clothes and as a consequence what is meant in the spiritual sense by 'clothes'.

[2] But the clothes which Joseph changed - that is, cast aside - were those of the pit or prison-clothing, which mean the delusions and false ideas that are stirred up by evil genii and spirits in a state involving temptations. Consequently the expression 'he changed his clothes' means a casting aside and a change made in the coverings of the interior natural. And the clothes which he put on were ones such as were properly suitable, so that the putting on of what was rightly suited is meant. See what has been stated and shown already regarding clothes,

Celestial things are unclothed, but not so spiritual and natural ones, 297.

'Clothes' are truths, which are of a lower nature when they are compared with what they cover, 1073, 2576.

'Changing one's garments' was representative of the need to put on holy truths, and therefore 'changes of garments' had the same meaning, 4545.

'Rending one's clothes' was representative of mourning on account of the loss of truth, 4763.

What is meant by someone entering who was not wearing a wedding garment, 2132.