8904. 不可奸淫表不可败坏那些属于信与仁之教义的事物; 因而不可利用圣言来支持虚假与邪恶; 以及不可颠倒秩序的律法. 这从 “奸淫”, “淫乱” 和 “淫行” 的含义清楚可知, “奸淫”, “淫乱” 和 “行淫” 在灵义上是指玷污良善, 歪曲属于信与仁之教义的真理. “奸淫” 因表示这些事, 故也表示利用圣言来支持邪恶与虚假; 因为圣言构成最纯正的信与仁之教义本身; 当圣言被用来支持虚假与邪恶时, 那里的真理与良善就被败坏了. 如今几乎没有人知道 “奸淫” 在灵义上表示这些事, 因为如今在教会中, 几乎没有人知道何为属灵领域, 它与属世领域有何不同. 几乎没有人知道这二者之间存在一种对应关系; 事实上, 这种对应关系具有这样的性质: 这一个的形像就呈现在那一个里面, 也就是说, 属灵领域表现在属世领域中. 因此, 属灵领域就像灵魂, 属世领域则像这个灵魂的身体; 因此, 它们通过流注和由此产生的结合而构成一个单一实体; 正如也被称作属灵人的内在人与还被称作属世人的外在人在一个已重生的人里面构成一体.

现在的人对这些事一无所知, 故不可能知道 “奸淫” 除了表示非法的肉体结合外还表示什么. 由于现在的人对这些事一无所知, 所以就让我们在此阐明 “奸淫” 在灵义上表示败坏那些属于信与仁之教义的事物, 也就是玷污良善, 歪曲真理的原因. 这个原因如今是一个深藏的秘密, 即: 婚姻之爱是从被称为 “天上婚姻” 的良善与真理的婚姻那里降下来的. 存在于天上的良善与真理之间的爱是从主流入的, 并在地上变成婚姻之爱, 这一切是通过对应发生的. 这解释了为何就内义而言, “行淫” 表示对真理的歪曲, “奸淫” 表示对良善的玷污. 这也解释了为何那些未处于信之良善和真理的人不可能拥有纯正的婚姻之爱在里面, 又为何那些以奸淫为生活的乐趣之人再也无法获得信的任何事物. 我曾听天使们说, 一旦有人在地上犯了奸淫, 并以此为乐, 天堂就向他关闭, 也就是说, 他拒绝再从那里接受信或仁的任何事物. 如今在教会所在的国家, 许多人之所以轻视奸淫, 是因为教会已经走到尽头, 因此信不复存在, 因为没有了仁; 事实上, 这一个对应于那一个. 没有信的地方, 虚假就会取代真理, 邪恶则取代良善; 由此产生的后果或态度是, 奸淫不再被视为犯罪. 因为当天堂在一个人那里关闭时, 这种事或态度就会从地狱流入进来. 关于这个主题, 可参看前面的阐述和说明 (2727-2759, 4434, 4835, 4837节).

“奸淫” 在内义或灵义上表示歪曲和玷污信与仁之真理与良善, 因而也指错误利用圣言里的话来支持虚假与邪恶, 这一点从圣言中提及 “奸淫”, “行淫” 的几处经文清楚看出来. 这一点从以下经文明显可知, 如以西结书:

人子啊, 你要使耶路撒冷知道她那些可憎的事. 你因你的名声就行淫, 向路人纵情淫乱. 你拿了你的一些衣服, 为自己做成各色高地, 又在那上头行淫; 你拿我为装饰你所赐给你的金银所造的器皿, 为自己制造男性的像, 与他们行淫. 你将给我所生的儿女祭献给它们. 你的淫行岂是小事? 你也和你那肉体肥大的邻邦埃及人行淫, 加增你的淫乱, 惹我发怒. 你因贪色无厌, 又与亚述人行淫, 与他们行淫之后, 仍不满足. 并且多行淫乱直到那迦勒底的贸易之地, 你仍不以此为满足. 一个淫妇, 虽服从丈夫, 仍接纳外人. 人都是把淫资送给妓女, 你反倒把淫资赠送你所爱的人, 贿赂他们从四围来与你行淫. 所以妓女啊, 要听耶和华的话. 我要用奸淫和流人血的典章来审判你. (以西结书 16:2等)

若不知道 “行淫” 表示这些事, 以及经上所说耶路撒冷与之 “行淫” 的 “埃及人”, “亚述人” 和 “迦勒底” 表示什么, 谁能看出 “行淫” 在此表示对真理的歪曲和对良善的玷污? 谁又能明白这段经文中的一个词. 显然, 耶路撒冷不会按字面那样与这些人本身行淫; 故必须说明这些事物在内义上表示什么. “耶路撒冷” 表示败坏的教会; “它的衣服” 在此是指被歪曲的真理; 因此, “各色高地” 表示已经被承认或接受的虚假; “埃及人” 是指记忆知识, “亚述人” 是指推理, “迦勒底” 是指对真理的亵渎. “衣服” 表示真理 (参看1073, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5319, 5954, 6914, 6918节); “高地” 表示敬拜, “各色高地” 在此表示对虚假的敬拜 (796节); “金银所造的装饰的器皿” 是指关良善与真理的认知或知识, “器皿” 是指知识或认知 (3068, 3079节); “金” 是指良善 (113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917节); “银” 是指良善之真理 (1551, 2048, 2954, 5658节); “男性的像” 表示真理的形像和样式 (2046节); “他们所生的儿女” 表示他们所败坏的真理和良善, “儿子” 是指真理 (参看489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3373节), “女儿” 是指良善 (489, 2362, 3024节). “埃及人” 是指记忆知识, 败坏通过它们得以发生 (1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588末尾, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 5702, 6004, 6015, 6125, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692, 6750, 7296, 7779, 7926节); “亚述” 是指推理, 推理通过记忆知识败坏了信之真理, 玷污了信之良善 (119, 1186节); “多行淫乱直到那迦勒底之地” 是指甚至亵渎真理, “迦勒底” 是指对真理的亵渎 (1368节). 由此明显可知为何他被称为 “一个淫妇” 和 “妓女”.

在启示录, 同样的话论及巴比伦:

拿着七香瓶的七位天使中, 有一位来跟我讲话, 对我说, 来; 我将坐在众水上的大淫妇所要受的审判指示你. 地上的君王与她行淫, 地上的居民喝醉了她淫乱的酒. 大巴比伦, 作地上的淫乱和可憎之物的母. (启示录 17:1, 2, 5; 14:8; 18:3)

“巴比伦” 是指那些为了自己的统治权和利益而败坏教会的真理和良善, 直到亵渎的地步之人, 这一点从 “巴比伦” (1182, 1283, 1295, 1304, 1306-1308, 1321, 1322, 1326, 1327末尾节) 的含义明显可知. 这解释了为何巴比伦被称为 “淫妇或妓女” 和 “淫乱之母”. 对内义一无所知的人会以为与她行淫的地上君王是指世上的国王或王国. 然而, 他们不是指国王或王国, 而是指教会的信之真理, 与这些 “行淫” 是指败坏它们. 因为 “王” 表示信之真理 (参看1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148节); “地” 表示教会 (566, 662, 1067, 1262, 1413, 1607, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118末尾, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577, 8011, 8732节). “地上的居民喝醉了淫乱的酒” 表示教会里的人通过邪恶所生的虚假被带入错误和疯狂的观念中; 因为 “喝醉” 是指通过虚假的推理和对圣言的错解而被引入错误当中 (1072节); “酒” 是指邪恶所生的虚假 (6377节); 因此, “淫乱的酒” 是指由对真理的歪曲所产生的虚假; “地” 是指教会, 如刚才所示. 经上之所以说她 “坐在众水上”, 是因为 “水” 在正面意义上是指真理, 在反面意义上是指虚假 (729, 790, 8137, 8138, 8568节).

“奸淫” 和 “行淫” 表示败坏教会的良善和真理, 这一点也可从以西结书中的另一段经文很明显地看出来:

有两个女子, 是一母的女儿, 在埃及行淫; 在幼年时行淫. 阿荷拉就是撒马利亚, 阿荷利巴就是耶路撒冷. 阿荷拉在我手下行淫; 贪恋所爱的人, 就是她的邻邦亚述人, 穿着紫衣, 做总督, 领袖, 全都是可爱的少年人, 骑着马的兵. 她便在他们, 就是亚述人中的精英身上放纵淫行. 她从埃及的时候, 就没有离弃过淫乱; 因为她年轻时, 有人与她同寝. 阿荷利巴闹恋爱却比她更腐败, 她的淫乱比姐姐的淫乱更甚. 她贪恋亚述人. 阿荷利巴又加增淫行, 因她看见人像画在墙上, 就是用丹色所画迦勒底人的像; 阿荷利巴一眼看见, 就恋上了他们. 巴比伦人也来到她那里, 登上爱情的床; 以他们的淫行玷污了她. 然而她还加增她的淫行, 追念她幼年在埃及地行淫的日子. 她比他们的妾还要贪恋他们. (以西结书 23:2等)

在这段经文中, 若不知道 “埃及人”, “亚述人” 或 “亚述之子”, “迦勒底” 和 “巴比伦” 表示什么, 没有人能看出 “淫行” 表示属灵的淫行, 也就是对良善的玷污和对真理的歪曲, 这些良善和真理是教会所拥有的; 此处内义所包含的事也不会变得显而易见. 显然, 所指的不是这些民族, 而是诸如属于虚假的那类事物; 因为撒玛利亚和耶路撒冷的居民并未与他们行淫. 不过, 刚才已经说明 “埃及”, “亚述”, “迦勒底” 和 “巴比伦” 表示什么.

从以下经文也明显可知 “淫行或淫像” 和 “奸淫或淫态” 在内义上是指对良善和真理的歪曲和败坏, 因而是指对它们的玷污, 如何西阿书:

你们要与你们的母亲大大争辩, 因为她不是我的妻子, 我也不是她的丈夫. 叫她除掉脸上的淫像和胸间的淫态. 我必不怜悯她的儿女, 因为他们是从淫乱的儿女. 他们的母亲行了淫乱, 说, 我要随从我所爱的, 就是那给我饼, 水, 羊毛, 麻, 油, 酒的. 我也必毁坏她的葡萄树和无花果树, 就是她说, 这是我所爱的给我的淫资. (何西阿书 2:2, 4, 5, 12)

此处 “母亲” 在内义上表示教会 (289, 2691, 2717, 4257, 5581, 8897节); “妻子” 也是 (252, 253, 409, 749, 770节); 不过, 经上说她 “不是妻子”, 因为她沉浸于败坏的真理, 也就是沉浸于虚假; “儿女” 或 “儿子” 是指教会的真理, 在此是指虚假, 因为他们被称为 “淫乱的儿女” (489, 491, 533, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3373, 3704, 4257节). 至于 “饼”, “水”, “羊毛和麻”, 以及 “油和酒”, 还有 “葡萄树和无花果树” 分别表示什么, 这在它们自己的地方已经说明; 即: 它们是指爱与仁之良善; 但反面意义上是指虚假与邪恶; 因为当它们被败坏时, 良善就变成了邪恶, 真理就变成了虚假. 至于 “饼” 表示什么, 可参看前文 (276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3464, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4217, 4735, 4976, 5915, 6118, 6409节); “水” 表示什么 (739, 790, 8137, 8138, 8568节); “麻” 表示什么 (7601节); “油” 表示什么 (886, 3728, 4582节); “酒” 表示什么 (3069, 3168, 3772, 8562节); “葡萄树” 表示什么 (1069, 5113, 6376节); “无花果树” 表示什么 (4231, 5113节). “淫资” 是指他们试图视之为真理的教义中的虚假.

同一先知书:

我的民求问木头, 他们的杖给他们答复, 因为行淫的灵使他们失迷, 他们就在他们的神之下行淫. 他们在各山顶献祭, 在各山冈烧香, 所以, 你们的女儿就行淫, 你们的儿妇就犯了奸淫. 我不因你们的女儿行淫 或你们的儿妇犯奸淫惩罚她们; 因为人自己与娼妓同分, 与妓女一同献祭. 以色列啊, 你虽然行淫, 犹大却不可犯罪. (何西阿书 4:12-16)

“在他们的神之下行淫” 表示歪曲真理, 因为 “神” 在内义上表示真理, 在反面意义上表示虚假 (2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 4295, 4402, 4544, 7010, 7268, 7873, 8301, 8867节); “山和山冈” 表示各种爱, 在此表示对自我和世界的爱 (795, 796, 1691, 2722, 6435节); 所 “求问” 的 “木头” 是指与属于某种欲望的快乐有关的良善 (643节); “给答复” 的 “杖” 是指看似来自人自己的理解力的幻觉力量 (4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 7011, 7026节). 由于 “神” 在正面意义上表示真理, 在反面意义上表示虚假, 所以他们行邪淫, 随从外邦的神, 如随从巴力, 摩洛, 偶像 (利未记 20:5; 以西结书 6:9; 以及别处) 就表示歪曲真理和玷污良善.

由此可见以下经文中 “奸淫或奸夫” 和 “行淫或淫妇” 表示什么:

你们这些巫婆的儿子, 奸夫和淫妇的种子, 都要前来! 你们向谁戏笑, 向谁张口吐舌呢? 你们岂不是悖逆所生的, 虚谎之种呢? 你们在各青翠树下的神明中间欲火焚烧. (以赛亚书 57:3-5)

以赛亚书:

七十年终了以后, 耶和华必眷顾推罗, 她就仍得淫资, 面对世界与地上的众国行淫. (以赛亚书 23:17)

耶利米书:

人若休妻, 妻离他而去, 成了别人的; 但你和许多情郎行淫. 你竟用你的淫行和邪恶把这地都玷污了. 背道的以色列所行的, 你看见没有? 她上了各高山, 到了在各青翠树下, 在那里行淫. 她奸诈的妹妹犹大也去行淫, 以致她用行淫的声音玷污这地; 和石头木头行淫. (耶利米书 3:1, 2, 6, 8, 9)

同一先知书:

这是你的阄分, 因为你忘记了我, 倚靠虚假. 你那些可憎恶之事, 就是你在田野, 在小山上的奸淫, 嘶声, 淫乱的的恶行, 我都看见了. 耶路撒冷啊, 你有祸了! (耶利米书 13:25, 27)

又:

论到那些先知, 地满了行奸淫的人; 因受咒诅, 地就悲哀, 旷野的草场都枯干了. 连先知带祭司, 都假冒为善. 我在耶路撒冷的先知中曾见可怕的顽固, 他们行奸淫, 行在虚谎中; 又坚固恶人的手. 他们所说的异象, 是出于自己的心, 不是出于耶和华的口. (耶利米书 23:9-11, 14, 16)

又:

他们在以色列中行了丑事, 与同伴的妻行奸淫, 又假托我名说我未曾吩咐他们的话. (耶利米书 29:23)

从这些经文很明显地看出, “行奸淫” 表示出于自己的心, 也就是人的自我, 因而照着对自我和世界的爱所指示的来解释并歪曲圣言的真理; 因此, 这就是说谎, 也就是说虚假, 如经上明确说明的. 何西阿书:

以色列啊! 不要欢喜! 因为你在你神之下行了淫, 在各谷场上喜爱妓女的淫资. (何西阿书 9:1)

又:

耶和华对何西阿说, 你去娶淫妇为妻, 也收那从淫乱的儿女; 因为这地大行淫乱, 离弃耶和华. (何西阿书 1:2)

那鸿书:

祸哉! 这流人血的城, 都因那美貌的妓女, 行邪术的主母多有淫行, 借淫行卖列族, 用邪术卖各家族. (那鸿书 3:1, 4)

民数记:

你们的儿女必在旷野飘流四十年, 担当你们的淫行; 按你们窥探那地的天数, 一天顶一年. 你们要担当罪孽四十年. (民数记 14:33, 34)

由于对真理的歪曲和良善的玷污对应于地上的淫行, 所以奸夫淫妇受到的惩罚就是死刑 (利未记 20:10); 做祭司的人的女儿因行淫辱没了自己, 必被火烧 (利未记 21:9); 以色列的女儿不可暴露于淫乱 (利未记 19:29). 同样, 私生子不可入耶和华的会, 直到他的十代 (申命记 23:2); 娼妓所得的钱不可带入耶和华的殿, 因为这是可憎恶的 (申命记 23:18).

从这些经文能充分看出 “奸淫” 表示什么, 即: 在外在意义上, 它是指犯奸淫; 但在内在代表意义上, 它是指通过教会所拥有的那类事物来拜偶像和别神, 因而是指外在和内在的偶像崇拜行为; 不过, 在内在灵义上它是指对良善的玷污和对真理的歪曲. 这一切清楚表明为何奸淫本身如此邪恶, 令人作呕, 被称为可憎的; 也就是说, 它们这样是因为, 它们对应于虚假与邪恶的的婚姻, 也就是地狱的婚姻. 另一方面, 这一切也表明为何真正的婚姻是神圣的, 即因以下事实: 它们对应于良善与真理的婚姻, 也就是天上的婚姻. 事实上, 真正的婚姻之爱是从良善与真理的婚姻降下来的, 因而是出于天堂, 也就是经由天堂从主而来; 而奸淫之爱源于虚假与邪恶的婚姻, 因而源于地狱, 也就是源于魔鬼.

8904. 'You shall not commit adultery' means that what belongs to teachings about faith and charity must not be perverted, thus that the Word must not be used to lend support to falsities and evils, also that the laws of order must not be turned upside down. This is clear from the meaning of 'committing adultery' ¹ and 'committing whoredom.' In the internal or spiritual sense they mean perverting the forms of good and falsifying the truths that belong to teachings about faith and charity. And since these things are meant by 'committing adultery', using the Word to lend support to evils and falsities is also meant, since the Word constitutes the most genuine teachings about faith and charity, and truth and good there are perverted when used to support falsities and evils. Scarcely anyone at the present day knows that these things are meant 'by committing adultery' in the spiritual sense, because few people within the Church at the present day know what the spiritual realm is and how it differs from the natural. And scarcely anyone knows of the correspondence that exists between the two, which indeed is such that an image of the one presents itself in the other, that is, the spiritual realm is represented in the natural. Consequently the spiritual exists as a soul and the natural as its body, so that through influx and the joining together that results they constitute a single entity, just as the internal man, also called the spiritual man, and the external man, also referred to as the natural man, make one in a person who has been regenerated.

[2] Since people nowadays are ignorant of such matters they cannot know what else 'committing adultery' means beyond unlawful bodily coupling. Because people nowadays are ignorant of these matters, as has been said, let the reason be stated here why 'committing adultery' in the spiritual sense means perverting what belongs to teachings about faith and charity, that is, adulterating forms of good and falsifying truths. That reason, which is deeply hidden at the present day, is that conjugial love descends from the marriage of goodness and truth, called the heavenly marriage. The love existing between goodness and truth in heaven flows in from the Lord and changes into conjugial love on earth; and this happens through correspondence. This explains why the falsification of truth is meant by 'whoredom' in the internal sense, and the perversion of good by 'adultery'. It also explains why those who are not governed by the goodness and truth of faith cannot have genuine conjugial love within them, and why those who experience the delight of life in adulterous relationships can no longer receive anything of faith. I have heard it said by angels that as soon as anyone commits adultery on earth and takes delight in doing so, heaven is closed to him, that is, he refuses to receive any longer from there anything of faith or charity. The reason why at the present day in countries where the Church exists very many people make light of adulterous relationships is that the Church is at its end, and so there is no longer any faith because there is no charity; for the one corresponds to the other. Where no faith exists there is falsity instead of truth and evil instead of good; and from this flows attitudes in which adultery is no longer considered to be an offence. For when heaven has been closed with a person such attitudes flow in from hell. See what has been stated and shown previously on these matters in 2727-2759, 4434, 4835, 4837.

[3] The meaning of 'committing adultery' in the internal or spiritual sense as falsifying and perverting the truths and forms of the good of faith and charity, and therefore also lending support to falsity and evil by using statements in the Word wrongly, becomes clear from individual places in the Word in which 'committing adultery' and 'committing whoredom' are mentioned. That meaning will be plainly evident from places quoted below, as in Ezekiel,

Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations. You committed whoredom because of your renown, and poured out your acts of whoredom on every passer-by. You took some of your garments and made for yourself high places variously coloured, and on them committed whoredom. For your adornment you took vessels made of My gold and of My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself figures of the male; you committed whoredom with them. You took your sons and your daughters, whom you had borne to Me, and sacrificed them to them. Were your acts of whoredom a small matter? You committed whoredom with the sons of Egypt, your neighbours, great in flesh, and multiplied your whoredom to provoke Me to anger. And you committed whoredom with the sons of Asshur, since you were insatiable; with them you indeed committed whoredom and were not satisfied. And you multiplied your whoredom, even as far as the trading land of Chaldea; and yet you were not satisfied with this. An adulterous woman - though subject to her husband, she takes strangers. To all harlots [men] make payments; but you have made payments to all your lovers, and have bribed them to come to you from all around for your whorings. Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of Jehovah. I will judge you with the judgements of adulteresses and of shedders of blood. Ezekiel 16:1ff.

[4] Is there anyone who cannot see that falsifications of truth and adulterations of good are meant here by 'acts of whoredom'? And is there anyone who can understand a single word here unless he knows that such things are meant by 'whoredom', and also unless he knows what is meant by 'the sons of Egypt', 'the sons of Asshur', and 'Chaldea', with whom Jerusalem is said to have committed whoredom? Jerusalem, it is obvious, did not literally commit whoredom with those actual peoples; therefore what the things in this passage mean in the internal sense must be stated. 'Jerusalem' is used to mean the perverted Church, 'its garments' here being truths that are perverted; and therefore falsities that are accepted are meant by 'high places variously coloured'. 'The sons of Egypt' are factual knowledge, 'the sons of Asshur' are reasoning, and 'Chaldea' is the profanation of truth. For truths are meant by 'garments', see 1073, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5319, 5954, 6914, 6918; and worship is meant by 'high places', so that the worship of falsity is meant here by 'high places variously coloured', 796. 'Vessels for adornment. made out of gold and silver' are cognitions or knowledge of good and truth - 'vessels' being cognitions, 3068, 3079; 'gold' being good, 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917; and 'silver' the truth of good, 1551, 2048, 2954, 5658 'figures of the male' means appearances and likenesses of truth, 2046; 'the sons and daughters whom they had borne' are the truths and forms of good which they perverted, 'sons' being truths, 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3373, and 'daughters' forms of good, 489, 2362, 3024. 'The sons of Egypt' are factual knowledge, by means of which the perversion is brought about, 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588 (end), 4749, 4964, 4967, 5700, 5702, 6004, 6015, 6125, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692, 6750, 7296, 7779, 7926; 'Asshur' is reasoning, which by means of factual knowledge has brought about the perversion of the truths of faith and the adulteration of forms of the good of faith, 119, 1186. 'Multiplying whoredom even as far as the land of Chaldea' is even to the profanation of truth, 'Chaldea' being the profanation of truth, 1368. From all this it is evident why the expressions 'adulterous woman' and 'harlot' are used.

[5] Something similar is said about 'Babylon', in the Book of Revelation,

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me, saying to me, Come, I will show you the judgement of the great harlot who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed whoredom, and with the wine of whose whoredom the inhabitants of the earth have become drunk. Babylon the great was the mother of whores and of the abominations of the earth. Revelation 17:1-2, 5; 14:8; 18:3.

'Babylon' is those who pervert the Church's truths and forms of good for the sake of their own dominion and gain, perverting them to the point of profanation, as is clear from the meaning of 'Babel' in 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304, 1306-1308, 1321, 1322, 1326, 1327 (end). This explains why Babylon is called 'a harlot' and 'the mother of whores'. People who know nothing about the internal sense will think that 'the kings of the earth who have committed whoredom with her' means kings on earth or kingdoms. Neither kings nor kingdoms are meant however, but the Church's truths of faith; and 'to commit whoredom' with these is to pervert them. For the meaning of 'kings' as the truths of faith, see 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148; and 'the earth' as the Church, 566, 662, 1067, 1262, 1413, 1607, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118 (end), 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577, 8011, 8732. 'The inhabitants of the earth have become drunk with the wine of whoredom' means that those within the Church have been carried away into errors and insane ideas by falsities arising from evil. For 'being made drunk' is being led into errors by false reasonings and wrong interpretations of the Word, 1072, and 'wine' is falsity arising from evil, 6377, so that 'the wine of whoredom' is falsity resulting from the perversion of truth; and 'the earth', as shown just above, is the Church. She is said 'to be seated on many waters' because she rests on falsities; for 'waters' in the genuine sense are truths, and in the contrary sense falsities, 729, 790, 8137, 8138, 8568.

[6] The fact that 'committing adultery' and 'committing whoredom' mean perverting the Church's forms of good and its truths is also quite clear from the following words elsewhere in Ezekiel,

Two women, the daughters of one mother, committed whoredom in Egypt. In their youth they committed whoredom. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem. Oholah committed whoredom under Me and doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours - clothed in purple, governors and leaders, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses. She bestowed her acts of whoredom on them, the choicest of all the sons of Asshur. But her acts of whoredom brought from Egypt she did not give up, for they had lain with her in her youth. Oholibah corrupted her love more than she, and her acts of whoredom more than her sister 's acts of whoredom; she desired the sons of Asshur. She added to her acts of whoredom, when she saw men portrayed on the wall, images of the Chaldeans, painted in vermilion. As soon as her eyes saw them she desired them. The sons of Babel came also to her, into her love-bed; they defiled her through their whoredom. Yet she multiplied her acts of whoredom when she remembered the days of her youth, in which she committed whoredom in the land of Egypt. She desired them more than their concubines did. Ezekiel 23:1ff.

Here also no one can fail to see that 'acts of whoredom' is used to mean spiritual acts of whoredom, that is, perversions of the good and falsifications of the truth which the Church possesses, and also that what the internal sense contains does not become evident unless one knows what is meant by 'the sons of Egypt', 'the Assyrians' or 'sons of Asshur', 'Chaldea', and 'Babel'. Those nations are plainly not the meaning but such things as belong to falsity; for the inhabitants of Samaria and Jerusalem did not literally commit whoredom with them. But what 'Egypt', 'Asshur', 'Chaldea', and 'Babel' mean has been shown and may be seen just above.

[7] From the following passages also it is clear that 'whoredoms' and 'adulteries' in the internal sense are falsifications and perversions of goodness and truth, thus adulterations of them, as in Hosea,

Contend with your mother, contend, since she is not My wife, and I am not her husband, in order that she may remove her whoredoms from her sight, ² and her adulteries from between her breasts. I will not have mercy on her children, for they are children of whoredoms, because their mother committed whoredom saying, I will go after my lovers giving [me] my bread, and my water, and my wool, and my flax, my oil, and my drink. But I will lay waste her vine and her fig tree, about which she has said, These are my harlot's reward that my lovers have given me. Hosea 2:2-12

'Mother' in the internal sense here means the Church, 289, 2691, 2717, 4257, 5581, 8897, and so does 'wife', 252, 253, 409, 749, 770; but she is said 'not to be a wife' because she is steeped in perverted truths, that is, in falsities. 'Children' or 'sons' are the Church's truths, in this instance falsities since they are called 'children of whoredoms', 489, 491, 533, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3373, 3704, 4257. What 'bread', 'water', 'wool', and 'flax' mean, also 'oil' and 'drink', and 'vine' and 'fig tree' too, has been shown in their own places. In these it has been shown that they are forms of the good of love and charity, and also forms of the good and the truths of faith, interior and exterior; but that in the contrary sense they are evils and falsities, since forms of good become evils and truths become falsities when they are perverted. What 'bread' means, see 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3464, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4217, 4735, 4976, 5915, 6118, 8410; 'water', 739, 790, 8137, 8138, 8568; 'flax' 7601; 'oil', 886, 3728, 4582; 'drink', 3069, 3168, 3772, 8562; 'vine', 1069, 5113, 6376; and 'fig tree', 4231, 5113. 'Harlot's reward' is falsity contained in religious teachings which they try to palm off as truth.

[8] In the same prophet,

My people inquire of a piece of wood, and their rod gives them a reply, for the spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have committed whoredom beneath their god. They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burn incense on the hills, therefore your daughters commit whoredom and your daughters-in-law commit adultery. Shall I not punish ³ your daughters because they commit whoredom and your daughters-in-law because they commit adultery? For the men themselves divide with whores and sacrifice with cult-prostitutes. If you commit whoredom, O Israel, do not let Judah become guilty. Hosea 4:11 f

'Committing whoredom beneath their god' stands for perverting truth; for 'god' in the internal sense means truth and in the contrary sense falsity, 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 4295, 4402, 4544, 7010, 7268, 7873, 8301, 8867. 'Mountains' and 'hills' are types of love, at this point self-love and love of the world, 795, 796, 1691, 2722, 6435; 'a piece of wood' which is 'inquired of' is the good associated with the delight belonging to some desire or other, 643; and 'a rod which gives a reply' is the illusory power that one's own understanding seems to provide, 4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 7011, 7026. Since truths are meant in the genuine sense by 'gods' and falsities in the contrary sense falsifying truths and adulterating forms of good is meant by they went whoring after foreign gods - after baal, after Molech, after idols, Leviticus 20:5; Ezekiel 6:9; and elsewhere.

[9] From all this one may now recognize what is meant by 'adultery' and 'whoredom' in the following places: In Isaiah,

Draw nearer, sons of the sorceress, seed of the adulterer, and [of her who] committed whoredom. Whom are you mocking? ⁴ Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue? Are you not those born of transgression, the seed of deceit, who inflamed yourselves among the gods under every green tree? Isaiah 57:3-5.

In the same prophet,

It will happen at the end of seventy years, that Jehovah will visit Tyre, so that she may return to her harlot 's reward and may commit whoredom with all the kingdoms of the earth on the face of the world. Isaiah 23:17-18.

In Jeremiah,

And a man has put away his wife, and she has gone from him and become another man's .., .. you ⁵ have committed whoredom with many partners. You have profaned the land with your nets of whoredom and with your wickedness. Have you not seen what estranged Israel has done? Going up onto every high mountain and under every green tree, you have committed whoredom there. Also her treacherous sister Judah, she also has gone and committed whoredom, so much so that with the voice of her whoredom she has profaned the land; she has committed adultery with stone and wood. Jeremiah 3:1-10.

In the same prophet,

This is your lot, because you have forgotten Me and trusted in a lie. Your adulterous acts and your neighings, the wickedness of your whoredom committed on the hills, in the field - I have seen your abominations. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! Jeremiah 13:25, 27.

In the same prophet,

Against the prophets: The land is full of adulterers; for because of a curse the land mourns, the pastures of the wilderness have dried up. For both prophet and priest practice hypocrisy. In the prophets of Jerusalem also I have seen a horrible obstinacy, in their committing adultery and walking in a lie; they strengthen the hands of the evil. They speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of Jehovah. Jeremiah 23:9-10ff.

In the same prophet,

They have committed folly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their companions' wives, and have lyingly spoken in My name a word which I did not command them. Jeremiah 29:23.

[10] From these places it is plainly evident that 'committing adultery' means explaining and perverting the truths of the Word because of self-centred desires, that is, the proprium, thus as self-love and love of the world dictate; it is therefore speaking lies, that is, falsities, as is explicitly stated. In addition to those places, in Hosea,

Do not rejoice, O Israel, for you have committed whoredom under your God - you have taken delight in a harlot's reward on every threshing-floor. Hosea 9:1.

In the same prophet,

Jehovah spoke to Hosea, Go, take yourself a wife of whoredoms, and children of whoredoms; for the land has committed great whoredom by forsaking Jehovah. ⁶ Hosea 1:2.

In Nahum,

Woe to the city of blood, ⁷ because of the multitude of the acts of whoredom of a harlot with goodly grace, the mistress of sorceries, the seller of nations through her acts of whoredom, and of families through her sorceries. Nahum 3:1, 4.

In Moses,

Your sons will be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years, and will bear your acts of whoredom; according to the number of days in which you explored the land, each day for a year. You shall bear your iniquities forty years. Numbers 14:33-34

[11] Because falsifications of truth and adulterations of good corresponded to acts of whoredom in the land, adulterers received the death penalty, Leviticus 20:10; and the daughter of a priest, if she profaned herself by committing whoredom was to be burned with fire, Leviticus 21:9; also no daughter in Israel was to be exposed to whoredom, Leviticus 19:29. In like manner one who was illegitimate was not to come into the assembly of Jehovah, down to the tenth generation of his descendants, Deuteronomy 23:2; and a harlot's reward was not to be brought into the house of Jehovah because it was an abomination, Deuteronomy 23:18, 19.

[12] All this now shows fully what 'committing adultery' means - that in the external sense it means committing acts of adultery; in the internal representative sense it means worshipping idols and other gods by means of the kinds of things the Church possesses, consequently acts outwardly and inwardly idolatrous; but in the internal spiritual sense it means adulterations of good and perversions of truth. All this shows plainly why it is that adulterous actions are intrinsically disgusting and called abominations; that is to say, they are such because they correspond to the marriage of evil and falsity, which is the hellish marriage. It also shows conversely why genuine marriages are holy - that they are such because they correspond to the marriage of goodness and truth, which is the heavenly marriage. Indeed genuine conjugial love descends from the marriage of goodness and truth, and so from heaven, that is, from the Lord by way of heaven. But adulterous love springs from the marriage of falsity and evil, and so from hell, that is, from the devil.

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