6394. 'And will be one serving for tribute' means so that he may earn merit. This is clear from the meaning of 'being one serving for tribute' as being subject to and serving. And since those who wish to earn merit through works are spoken of as bony asses lying down between burdens and as those who bend their shoulder to bear a burden, 'one serving for tribute' too means those who wish to earn merit through works; for they are lowest-ranking servants, see above in 6389. The fact that 'one serving for tribute' means being subject to and serving is clear in Moses,

When you draw near a city to fight against it you shall proclaim peace to them. ¹ But it shall be, if it responds to you in favour of peace and opens up to you - it shall be, that all the people who are found in it will become tribute to you and serve you. Deuteronomy 20:10-11.

In Jeremiah,

How lonely dwells the city [that was] great with people! She has become like a widow, [she who was] great among the nations; she who had dominion over provinces has become a payer of tribute. Lamentations 1:1.

In these places it is self-evident that 'becoming a tribute' and 'becoming a payer of tribute' mean serving. In Matthew,

Jesus said, How does it seem to you, Simon? The kings of the earth, from whom do they receive tribute or tax, from their own sons or from strangers? Peter said to Him, From strangers. Jesus said to him, Then the sons are free; but so that we may not offend them, set off for the sea and cast a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. Open its mouth and you will find a stater; ² take it and give it for Me and for you. Matthew 17:25-27.

Here also 'giving tribute moneys or taxation' means those who serve, and therefore it says that strangers were to give it but the sons would be free; for strangers were servants, 1097. Peter's taking a fish from the sea and his finding in its mouth a stater which he was to give represented the fact that the lowest part of the natural, which is a servant, would accomplish it; for that part of the natural is meant by 'fish'.

Poznámky pod čarou:

6389. 'Is a bony ass' means lowest-ranking service. This is clear from the meaning of 'an ass' as service, dealt with in 5958, 5959; and from the meaning of 'bone' as that which possesses little spiritual life, dealt with in 5560, 5561. Thus 'a bony ass' is the lowest-ranking service, for people who do good for the sake of recompense do, it is true, perform useful services and act as servants; nevertheless they belong among those in the Lord's kingdom who occupy the lowest position. For the good that is communicated to them they pass on to none but those who can repay them. They overlook all others who may be in the greatest need; or if they do help them out it is to the end that the Lord may recompense them. They look on what they do as that which earns them merit and so on the Lord's mercy as their due. Thus they depart from a state of humility, and to the extent that they depart from it they depart from a state in which blessing and happiness are received from the Lord through heaven. From all this it may be seen that in the next life such people are, it is true, engaged in the performance of useful services; but they are the lowest ranking servants.