6119. “我们的银子都用尽了, 我们为什么死在你旁边呢” 表否则, 属灵的死亡就会因真理的缺乏而出现。这从 “死” 和 “银子用尽” 的含义清楚可知: “死” 是指属灵的死亡, 如下文所述; “银子用尽” 表示真理的缺乏, 因为 “银子” 表示含有真理在里面并适合的记忆知识 (参看6112节)。至于这一事实, 即属灵的死亡因真理的缺乏而出现, 情况是这样: 属灵的生命在于照真理行事, 因而在于功用或有用的服务。因为具有属灵生命的人都对关注生活 (也就是说, 他们的目的是照这些真理生活）、因而关注功用或有用服务的真理拥有一种欲求和渴望。因此, 他们能吸收功用或有用服务可照之成就的真理的程度, 就决定了他们拥有多少属灵生命, 因为它取决了他们拥有多少聪明和智慧之光。故当真理缺乏时, 如阴影状态到来时的情形, 在圣言中, 这种状态由 “晚上” 来表示 (6110节), 属灵的生命就会衰竭。它之所以衰竭, 是因为诸如属于阴影状态, 也就是属于属灵死亡的那类事物进来了。当这种情况发生时, 人们无法被保持在他们之前所在的光中, 而是在某种程度上回到自我状态。因此, 一个属灵死亡, 即诅咒的形像从这阴影中产生。

“死” 表示属灵的死亡或诅咒, 这一点从圣言中的许多经文清楚看出来; 在此只引用以下经文就足够了。以赛亚书:

祂却要以公义审判贫穷人, 以正直责备地上的困苦人。以口中的杖击打全地, 以嘴里的气处死恶人。(以赛亚书 11:4)

这论及主。“口中的杖” 和 “嘴里的气” 表示神性真理, 就是审判的源头; “处死” 表示受到诅咒。又:

祂已经吞灭死亡直到永远。主耶和华必擦去各人脸上的眼泪。(以赛亚书 25:8)

又:

死了的不能再活; 利乏音必不能再起; 因为你刑罚他们, 毁灭他们。(以赛亚书 26:14)

又:

你的死人要活过来, 我的尸首在兴起。(以赛亚书 26:19)

又:

你们曾说, 我们与死亡立约, 与阴间结盟。你们与死亡所立的约必然废掉; 与阴间所结的盟必立不住。(以赛亚书 28:15, 18)

耶利米书:

免得你们盼望光明, 祂使光明变为死荫, 成为幽暗。(耶利米书 13:16)

以西结书:

你们为几把大麦, 为几块饼, 在我民中亵渎我, 杀死不该死的人, 救活不该活的人。(以西结书 13:19)

何西阿书:

我必救赎他们脱离阴间之手, 救赎他们脱离死亡。死亡啊, 我要做你的灾害; 阴间哪, 我要做你的毁灭。(何西阿书 13:14)

诗篇:

你是从死门把我提拔起来的。(诗篇 9:13)

又:

求你使我眼目光明, 免得我沉睡至死。(诗篇 13:3)

又:

曾有死亡的绳索缠绕我, 阴间的绳索缠绕我。(诗篇 18:4, 5)

又:

他们如同羊群被派定下阴间; 死亡必牧养他们。(诗篇 49:14)

启示录:

我拿着阴间和死亡的钥匙。(启示录 1:18)

又:

得胜的, 必不受第二次死的害。(启示录 2:11)

又:

我知道你的行为, 按名你是活的, 其实是死的。你要警醒！坚固那剩下将近死去的。(启示录 3:1, 2)

马太福音:

那坐在黑暗里的百姓, 看见了大光; 坐在死荫之地的人, 有光发现照着他们。(马太福音 4:16)

约翰福音:

那听我话、又信差我来者的, 就有永生, 不至于定罪, 是已经出死入生了。(约翰福音 5:24)

又:

我要去了, 你们要找我, 并且你们要死在罪中。所以我对你们说, 你们要死在罪中; 你们若不信我就是那位, 必要死在罪中。人若遵守我的道, 就永远不见死。(约翰福音 8:21, 24, 51, 52)

由于 “死” 表示诅咒, 所以属于代表性教会的人被禁止摸死人, 若摸了, 便不洁净, 就不得不去洁净 (以西结书 44:25; 利未记 15:31; 21:1, 2; 22:8; 民数记 6:6-12; 19:11至末尾)。

2429. 'It is small' means from the small amount of it which he had. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'a city' as truth, dealt with immediately above. The reference to its being 'small' means a small amount of truth, here acting from the small amount he had, as is clear from what comes before and after. As regards this matter, namely that those with the affection for truth possess little truth in comparison with those with the affection for good, this becomes clear from the consideration that they see truth from a poor and obscure good residing with them.

[2] The truth present with someone is altogether as is the good with him. Where there is little good there is little truth. They are present in the same ratio and are of the same degree, or as people say, they march in step with each other. This may indeed seem a paradox but it is nevertheless the truth. Good is the actual essence of truth, and truth without its essence is not truth. Although it looks as though it were, it is no more than something that merely resounds, and is like an empty vessel.

[3] For anyone to have the truth within him he must not only know it, but also acknowledge it and have faith in it. When he does he possesses truth for the first time, for in that case it has an influence on him and remains. It is different when he merely knows the truth but does not acknowledge it and have faith in it. In that case he does not have the truth within him, as applies to many who are governed by evil. They can know of truths, sometimes better than anybody else, but they nevertheless do not possess it. Indeed their possession of it is so much the less because at heart they deny it.

[4] It is provided by the Lord that no one should possess - that is, acknowledge and believe - a greater amount of truth than of the good which he receives. This is why here it is said of the city, which means truth, that 'it is small', and again in this same verse 'is it not small?' and also in verse 22 that 'he called the name of the city Zoar', which means small in the original language. The reason for this is that the subject here is people with the affection for truth, and not so much with the affection for good.