第十一章

翻译：觉醒

逼迫开始了

1 耶稣吩咐完了十二个门徒，就离开那里，往各城去传道，教训人。

2 约翰在监里听见基督所作的事，就打发两个门徒去，

3 问他说：那将要来的是你吗？还是我们等候别人呢？

4 耶稣回答说：你们去，把所听见、所看见的事告诉约翰。

5 就是瞎子看见，瘸子行走，长大麻风的洁净，聋子听见，死人复活，穷人有福音传给他们。

6 凡不因我跌倒的就有福了！

7 他们走的时候，耶稣就对众人讲论约翰说：你们从前出到旷野是要看什么呢？要看风吹动的芦苇吗？

8 你们出去到底是要看什么？要看穿细软衣服的人吗？那穿细软衣服的人是在王宫里。

9 你们出去究竟是为什么？是要看先知吗？我告诉你们，是的，他比先知大多了。

10 经上记着说：我要差遣我的使者在你前面预备道路，所说的就是这个人。

11 我实在告诉你们，凡妇人所生的，没有一个兴起来大过施洗约翰的；然而天国里最小的比他还大。

12 从施洗约翰的时候到如今，天国不断遭受猛烈的攻击，强暴的人企图把它夺去。

13 因为众先知和律法说预言，到约翰为止。

14 你们若肯领受，这人就是那应当来的以利亚。

15 有耳可听的，就应当听！

16 我可用什么比这世代呢？好像孩童坐在街市上招呼同伴，说：

17 我们向你们吹笛，你们不跳舞；我们向你们举哀，你们不捶胸。

18 约翰来了，也不吃也不喝，人就说他是被鬼附着的；

19 人子来了，也吃也喝，人又说他是贪食好酒的人，是税吏和罪人的朋友。但智慧之子总以智慧为是。

20 耶稣在诸城中行了许多异能，那些城的人终不悔改，就在那时候责备他们，说：

21 哥拉汛哪，你有祸了！伯赛大啊，你有祸了！因为在你们中间所行的异能，若行在推罗、西顿，他们早已披麻蒙灰悔改了。

22 但我告诉你们，当审判的日子，推罗、西顿所受的，比你们还容易受呢！

23 迦百农啊，你已经升到天上，将来必坠落阴间；因为在你那里所行的异能，若行在所多玛，它还可以存到今日。

24 但我告诉你们，当审判的日子，所多玛所受的，比你还容易受呢！

在之前的情节中，门徒们被组织起来，领受了教导，并被差遣出去。由于每个门徒都代表一个对我们的属灵生活极为重要的属灵原则，所以有必要把“我们里面的门徒”（核心属灵原则）好好组织起来。 ¹ 这描绘了将我们的良善情感和真实思想（尽管起初是分散的）组织成形、预备使用的方式。然而，有一条属灵的法则是，在灵性发展的每一步上，我们都会遇到势均力敌的攻击。通过这种方式，主维持一种持续的平衡，从而保守和维护我们的属灵自由。 ²

这正是下一个情节所描绘的，我们发现施洗约翰已经被囚禁了。反击开始了。由于施洗约翰跟从耶稣，公开宣称天国近了，所以他受了逼迫，被下在监里了。

然而，这仅仅是外面的故事。更内在的是，反击发生在我们每个人里面——在我们的头脑中。当我们受了逼迫，感到灰心和不安时，我们开始怀疑跟从主是不是正确的。我们怀疑祂的神性。我们怀疑祂话语的权威性。我们怀疑天国是否真的近了。

就连施洗约翰，耶稣最坚定的支持者之一，也开始怀疑了。虽然约翰被关在监狱里，但他还是能够向耶稣传话说：“那将要来的是你吗？还是我们等候别人呢？”（11:3）耶稣没有直接回应。相反，祂吩咐约翰的使者回去报告所发生的事情：“就是瞎子看见，瘸子行走，长大麻风的洁净，聋子听见，死人复活，穷人有福音传给他们。”（11:5） ³

重要的是要记住，施洗约翰代表圣言的字面教导。 ⁴ 在约翰的时代，神的圣言已经被扭曲和亵渎，除了证实宗教机构想要人们相信的东西之外，变得毫无用处。明确的字面教导被认为不如在位的宗教领袖所传授和施行的严格的传统重要。这一切被表现为约翰被下在监里，这也正是耶稣所说的：“天国不断遭受猛烈的攻击，强暴的人企图把它夺去。”（11:12）

人类正迅速陷入有史以来最黑暗的夜晚，正如魔鬼附身的流行所表明的那样。尽管耶稣正在做大能的工作，许多人仍然拒绝相信。审判的日子似乎正在逼近。因此，祂警告他们说：“迦百农啊，你已经升到天上，将来必坠落阴间；因为在你那里所行的异能，若行在所多玛，它还可以存到今日。”（11:23）耶稣确实做了大能的工作，就连所多玛的恶人也可能悔改并信了。神通过耶稣基督来到世界，但有些人已经习惯了黑暗，以致厌弃光明——即使光明就在他们中间。

耶稣继续警告他们即将到来的厄运和毁灭。“但我告诉你们，当审判的日子，所多玛所受的，比你还容易受呢！”（11:24）那些拒绝相信、厌弃光明的人，代表我们里面不愿改变的部分，即使有足够的光明可以让我们改变。

“我的轭是容易的”

25 那时，耶稣说：父啊，天地的主，我感谢你！因为你将这些事向聪明通达人就藏起来，向婴孩就显出来。

26 父啊，是的，因为你的美意本是如此。

27 一切所有的，都是我父交付我的；除了父，没有人知道子；除了子和子所愿意指示的，没有人知道父。

28 凡劳苦担重担的人，可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息。

29 我心里柔和谦卑，你们当负我的轭，学我的样式；这样，你们心里就必得享安息。

30 因为我的轭是容易的，我的担子是轻省的。

在这些可怕的警告中，耶稣继续提供希望和安慰。在本情节的结尾，祂带着父的温柔和怜悯说：“一切所有的，都是我父交付我的；除了父，没有人知道子；除了子和子所愿意指示的，没有人知道父。”（11:27）换句话说，万物都源于神圣的爱（父）。由于世界变得越来越黑暗，人们甚至不再意识到这种爱的存在。但耶稣正在把它展示出来，要显给“子所愿意指示的”的人看。

虽然看似只有一些人被拣选来接受这种爱，但邀请是发给所有人的。耶稣不再用父与子分离的方式来说话，祂现在说话很温柔，就像一位慈爱的父亲对疲惫的孩子说话。祂说：“凡劳苦担重担的人，可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息。”（11:28）值得注意的是，耶稣不是说：“父必使你们得安息。”而是说：“我必使你们得安息。”这是一个美丽的安慰，一个应许，即在耶稣里，我们不仅可以找到肉体的安息，更重要的是，我们将找到属灵的安息，也就是灵魂的安息：“我心里柔和谦卑，你们当负我的轭，学我的样式；这样，你们心里就必得享安息。因为我的轭是容易的，我的担子是轻省的。”（11:30）

随着耶稣揭示祂与内在神性的合一，祂的言语中包含了越来越多的温柔与亲切。我们越来越多地看到父的神圣的爱体现在子的神圣智慧中，我们开始感觉到在某种程度上祂们是一体的。在耶稣身上，我们没有看到一位严厉的、愤怒的、惩罚人的、令人惧怕的神。相反，我们看到的是一位可爱的、慈悲的、宽容的父，祂对我们每个人说：“到我这里来......因为我的轭是容易的，我的担子是轻省的。”（11:30）

Poznámky pod čarou:

821. And he maketh the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, signifies in consequence of which those in the church who are in falsities and in evils therefrom acknowledge the agreement in heart. This is evident from the signification of "the earth and them that dwell therein," as being those of the church who are in falsities and in evils therefrom; for "the earth" signifies the church that is in truths or that is in falsities, here, that which is in falsities; and "them that dwell therein" signify the goods or the evils of the church, here the evils; therefore as applied to the persons upon it, "the earth and them that dwell therein" signify those in the church who are in falsities and in evils therefrom. (That "the earth" signifies the church in respect to truths and in respect to falsities see above, n. 304, 413, 417, 697, 741, 752; and that "those that dwell" signify the good in the church, and also the evil, and in an abstract sense goods or evils, see above, n. 479) The above is evident also from the signification of "worshiping," as being to acknowledge as certain, to acknowledge in heart, and to believe (See above, n. 790, 805); also from the signification of "the first beast," as being reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from the life (See above, n. 774), here the agreement of reasonings with the sense of the letter of the Word, because this "beast" signifies confirmations therefrom (See also above, n. 815). From this it is clear that the words "the beast coming up out of the earth maketh the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast" signifies that those in the church who are in falsities and in evils therefrom acknowledge the agreement in heart.

[2] In the preceding article it was shown that "Peter" signified truth and faith in both senses, namely, truth from good and truth without good; so also faith from charity and faith without charity. Something shall now be said about the apostle John, as signifying the works of charity. It has been said above that the twelve apostles, like the twelve tribes of Israel, represented the church in the whole complex, or all things of truth and good, or all things of faith and charity; likewise that Peter, James, and John, signified faith, charity, and the works of charity, in their order; from which it follows that when they were together they represented these as one. It is said as one, because without charity there is no faith that is faith; and without works there is no charity that is charity.

[3] Because these three apostles had this signification they followed the Lord more than the others, as can be seen in Mark, where it is said:

Jesus suffered no man to follow Him save Peter, James, and John the brother of James (Mark 5:37).

For this reason Peter was the first to be called by the Lord through Andrew, "Andrew" signifying the obedience of faith; and afterwards James and John were called; and to these two the Lord gave a new name. Likewise He took Peter, James, and John up into the mountain when He was transfigured; He also spoke with these three about the consummation of the age, and about His coming; they were also with the Lord in Gethsemane. That the Lord called James and John after He had called Peter is shown in the Gospels:

Jesus going on from thence saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. And straightway leaving the boat and their father, they followed Him (Matthew 4:21, 22; Mark 1:19, 20).

[4] That the Lord gave a new name to James and John is evident in Mark:

Jesus called James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, and them He surnamed Boanerges, which is, sons of thunder (Mark 3:17).

"Sons of thunder" signify truths from celestial good. This is the signification of "thunders" in the Word, because in the spiritual world thunders are also heard, and these are produced by truths that are from celestial good when these are descending from the higher heavens into the lower. The light itself of truth from good is then seen as lightning, the good itself is heard as thunder, and the truths themselves therefrom as variations of sound. This is why lightnings, thunders, and voices, are mentioned here and there in the Word with this signification. Good is there heard as thunder, because good, which is of man's affection or love and is also of his will, is not spoken, but only sounds; while truth, which is of man's understanding and of his thought therefrom, articulates that sound into words. Celestial good is the same thing as the good of love in will and in act; before this it is not celestial good; and celestial good is what produces truths by means of thought and speech therefrom. From this it is clear why James and John were called "sons of thunder." (What "lightnings, thunders, and voices," signify in the Word may be seen above, n. 273, 702, 704)

[5] That the Lord took Peter, James and John up into a mountain when He was transfigured appears in Mark (Mark 9:2 Luke (Luke 9:28). These were taken because only those who are in truths from celestial good are able to see the Lord in His glory; and no others can be enlightened and can perceive the Word in enlightenment. For when the Lord was transfigured before them He represented Divine truth, which is the Word; and this is why Moses and Elijah were seen speaking with Him, "Moses and Elijah" signifying the Word. (But on this see above, n. 594. That the Lord talked with Peter, James, and John, about the consummation of the age and about His coming is evident in Mark (Mark 13:3); and that these three were with the Lord in Gethsemane is evident in Matthew (Matthew 26:37 and in Mark (Mark 14:33).

[6] As John represented the church in respect to good works, and good works contain all things of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbor, John was more loved by the Lord than the others, as is evident:

From his reclining in the Lord's bosom, and his gliding on His breast when he spake with Him (John 13:23, 25).

The "bosom" and the "breast" signify in the Word spiritual love, which is love in act; and "the Lord's bosom and breast" Divine love itself; therefore those in heaven who are in spiritual love are in the province of the breast.

[7] So, too, John took the Lord's mother to his own house, and abode with her; which is described thus in John:

Jesus from the cross saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing by; He saith to His mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then He saith to the disciple, Behold thy mother! Therefore from that hour the disciple took her unto his own home (John 19:26, 27).

This signified that the church is where there is charity in act, or where there are good works; for the Lord's "mother" and "woman" signify the church, and "John" signifies charity in act, which is good works. (That "mother" signifies the church may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia (Arcana Coelestia 289), and n. 2691, 2717, 3703, 4257, 5581, 8897; and that "woman" has a similar signification see above n. 555, 707, 721, 730.

[8] That the Lord's church is in those who are in charity in act, or in good works, and not with those who are in faith separated from these, is signified also by what is related about Peter and John, namely:

Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom the Lord loved following, which also leaned upon His breast at supper. Peter seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, but what about this one? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou Me (John 21:20-22).

It may be seen above (n. 820), where also the preceding words are explained, that "Peter" here signifies truth without good, or faith separated from good works, such as the faith will be at the end of the church; and as "John" signifies the goods of charity, which are called good works, and these are with those who constitute the Lord's church; therefore it was not Peter but John who followed the Lord, and to Peter who had asked, "But what about this one?" the Lord replied, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou Me," which means that the good of charity will continue with those who are the Lord's, even to the end of the church and when there is the New Church, but not with those who are in faith separated from that good; and this is what is signified by these words to Peter, "what is that to thee?"