第十七章

翻译：觉醒

瞥见天堂

1 过了六天，耶稣带着彼得、雅各和雅各的兄弟约翰，暗暗地上了高山，

2 就在他们面前变了形像，脸面明亮如日头，衣裳洁白如光。

3 忽然，有摩西、以利亚向他们显现，同耶稣说话。

4 彼得对耶稣说，主啊，我们在这里真好！你若愿意，我就在这里搭三座棚，一座为你，一座为摩西，一座为以利亚。

5 说话之间，忽然有一朵光明的云彩遮盖他们，且有声音从云彩里出来，说，这是我的爱子，我所喜悦的。你们要听他！

6 门徒听见，就俯伏在地，极其害怕。

7 耶稣进前来，摸他们，说，起来，不要害怕！

8 他们举目不见一人，只见耶稣在那里。

在上一情节的结尾，耶稣应许说：“站在这里的，有人在未尝死味以前，必看见人子降临在他的国里。”在接下来的故事中，祂实现了祂的应许，但不是以门徒所期望的方式。当他们正在想象一个有宝座，有君王，有政治权柄的地上的国时，耶稣正在为他们准备一个属灵的国，这个国由神圣的真理所支配，且充满神圣的爱。在接下来的情节中，耶稣让祂的几个门徒瞥见了这个国。

有幸被选中的门徒是彼得、雅各和约翰。耶稣离开黑门山脚下的凯撒利亚腓立比，就带着这三个门徒上了黑门山顶，在那里向他们显现祂自己：“过了六天，耶稣带着彼得、雅各和雅各的兄弟约翰，暗暗地上了高山，就在他们面前变了形像，脸面明亮如日头，衣裳洁白如光。”（17:1-2） ¹

这个被称为“变像”的山顶时刻，正是耶稣在上一情节的结尾所作应许的灵性层面的实现。这是“人子降临在他的国里。”它描绘了当神圣真理（“人子”）从圣经中闪耀出来时是什么样子的。“他的脸明亮如日头”，这是神的爱的形象，“他的衣服洁白如光”，这是真理从神的爱中闪耀出来的形象。正是在这样的时刻，人们对圣经的神性和主的神性的怀疑被消除了。耶稣充满神性的真理闪耀出来，应验了以赛亚的预言：“到那日......日光必加七倍，像七日的光一样。”（以赛亚书30:26）

这种对神性的瞥见是赐给与试探争战的每一个人的。凡是愿意在爱与智慧的服务中舍弃生命并因此找到生命的人，都能获得这种瞥见。在圣经中，试探的劳苦是由数字“六”来代表的。如经上所记：“六日要劳碌作你一切的工，但第七日是安息日。”（出埃及记20:9）在这一情节的开始，我们读到：“过了六天，耶稣带着彼得、雅各和雅各的兄弟约翰，暗暗地上了高山。” ²

在之前的情节中，耶稣一直在教导祂的门徒关于经历试探的必要性，并为此预备他们。耶稣自己也要往耶路撒冷去，并且要受许多的苦，然后复活。同样，我们也必须经历试探，好叫我们的低级本性被降服，高级本性“被举起来”（raised up，或复活）。这些争战使我们有机会放下自私的顾虑。虽然争战可能是困难和艰巨的，但它会引向山顶的状态。在圣经的语言中，这种崇高的体验被描述为“与耶稣一起上了高山”。

当耶稣告诉门徒，在他们中间，有人“在没尝死味以前”，必看见祂降临在祂的国里，他们不可能知道祂指的是彼得、雅各和约翰。那么问题来了，为什么是他们三人被选中，而不是其他人呢？是因为他们特别蒙主喜悦吗？还是因为他们代表着什么？如前所述，每位门徒都代表一个独特的属灵原则。在这种情况下，彼得、雅各和约翰代表我们觉醒的属灵生活的三个主导原则，其中彼得代表信心，雅各代表仁爱，雅各的兄弟约翰代表仁爱的行为，也就是于人有益的服务。请注意，仁爱和仁爱的行为是多么密切相关：他们是兄弟。由于这是我们属灵生活的三个主导原则，所以根据描述，他们与其他门徒是分开的：“他就带着他们上了高山。” ³

耶稣现在开始行另一个伟大的奇迹。祂使他们暂时从身体和世界的思虑中退出来，打开他们灵魂的眼睛，叫他们看见天上的事物。 ⁴ 我们有时也会被白白赐予一瞥天堂的机会，以便激励我们，继续我们的旅程。在这里，彼得、雅各和约翰被带到一个更高的灵性状态，因为耶稣想要预备他们，为他们终必忍受的试探坚固他们。像这样的天堂一瞥，在重生之初是必要的。这就像在婚姻开始的时候，人们体验到对伴侣的纯洁的、属天的爱。他们坚信自己找到了真爱，愿意为对方付出一切，甚至舍弃自己的生命。当试探出现时，回忆这些天堂的景象可以增强他们的信心。 ⁵

在山上，彼得、雅各和约翰短暂地瞥见了耶稣的神圣人性。对这一神奇时刻的记忆，将使他们在未来的试探中受益。对他们来说，知道耶稣与希伯来圣经密切相关也很重要。因此，我们读到：“有摩西、以利亚向他们显现，同耶稣说话。”（17:3）这是一幅美妙的画面：律法（摩西）、先知（以利亚）和福音（耶稣），现在共同作为神的完整圣言——“一起说话”。在与试探的争战中，我们需要的不仅仅是欢喜快乐的回忆。我们需要的不仅仅是对天堂的“瞥见”。我们还需要圣经的活泼真理，包括摩西的律法、先知的话语和耶稣的教导，活跃在我们的头脑中。我们需要看见这些教导在本质上的一致性。我们需要看见它们“一起说话”。

彼得对这奇妙的异象感到希奇和震惊，表示他渴望将这段记忆永远珍藏在心里。他说：“主啊，我们在这里真好！你若愿意，我就在这里搭三座棚，一座为你，一座为摩西，一座为以利亚。”（17:4）但当彼得还在说话的时候，从天上有声音回答说：“这是我的爱子，我所喜悦的。你们要听他！”（17:5）从天上来的声音并没有说：“这是我的三位先知，你们要听他们。”而是说：“这是我的爱子，你们要听他！”

在这样的时刻，每一个情节甚至每一句话的无缝连接变得尤为清晰。我们的灵性重生可能始于看见一些真理从圣经中闪耀出来——人子降临在祂的国里。但重生的过程不能停在那里。它不仅仅是看见真理，还包括聆听真理。那声音说：“你们要听他！”

听觉胜过视觉，因为所听见的内容超越所看见的内容。如果我们对某人说：“我听见你的话了”，这意味着我们不仅理解了话的意思，也感受到了话语背后的情感。在圣经中，“听主的话”不仅仅是听，还包括对真理有一种内在的领悟，同时虔诚地渴望遵守所听见的内容。 ⁶

因此，当门徒听见从天上来的声音时，就俯伏在地，极其害怕（17:7）。真正的崇拜和敬拜来自于极其谦卑的状态。这是人在神面前所感受到的敬畏。在这样的状态下，我们体验到一种类似于敬畏的感觉——感觉神是多么的伟大，而我们在祂面前是多么的卑微。正是在这种极其谦卑的状态下，我们才能被天国的温暖和光明所触动。因此，我们读到：“耶稣进前来，摸他们，说，起来，不要害怕！”（17:7）他们听从了，并立刻经历了最深刻、最内在的时刻。我们读到：“他们举目不见一人，只见耶稣在那里。”（17:8） ⁷

“他们举目不见一人，只见耶稣在那里”，这话表明整部圣经只指向耶稣一个人。耶稣的言行事迹不仅应验了全部律法和先知，还使它们充满了更内在的智慧。耶稣成了我们理解希伯来圣经所含神圣真理的道路。当我们根据耶稣的教导（“举目”）阅读这些经卷时，我们不仅是在阅读经文，也是在聆听作者本人的声音。

移山的信心

9 下山的时候，耶稣吩咐他们说，人子还没有从死里复活，你们不要将所看见的告诉人。

10 门徒问耶稣说，文士为什么说以利亚必须先来？

11 耶稣回答说，以利亚固然先来，并要复兴万事。

12 只是我告诉你们，以利亚已经来了，人却不认识他，竟任意待他。人子也将要这样受他们的害。

13 门徒这才明白耶稣所说的是指着施洗的约翰。

14 耶稣和门徒到了众人那里，有一个人来见耶稣，跪下，说，

15 主啊，怜悯我的儿子。他害癫痫的病很苦，屡次跌在火里，屡次跌在水里。

16 我带他到你门徒那里，他们却不能医治他。

17 耶稣说：嗳！这又不信又悖谬的世代啊，我在你们这里要到几时呢？我忍耐你们要到几时呢？把他带到我这里来吧！

18 耶稣斥责那鬼，鬼就出来，从此孩子就痊愈了。

19 门徒暗暗地到耶稣跟前，说，我们为什么不能赶出那鬼呢？

20 耶稣说，是因你们的信心小。我实在告诉你们，你们若有信心，像一粒芥菜种，就是对这座山说，你从这边挪到那边，它也必挪去，并且你们没有一件不能做的事了。

21 至于这一类的鬼，若不祷告、禁食，他就不出来。

当彼得、雅各和约翰“举目”，“只见耶稣”在那里时，他们在山顶的异象就结束了。虽然这只是对天堂的一瞥，却是他们为即将面临的属灵争战作准备的重要组成部分。现在是时候从山上下来，开始正常的日常生活了。

我们自己的生活也与此相似。神不时地让我们体验“山顶的状态”，让我们瞥见祂在我们生命中的工作是多么奇妙。也许是一些真理从圣经中闪耀出来，带着巨大的荣耀，让我们感到振奋和鼓舞。也许是在反思的时候（无论是在山顶上，还是在刷牙看镜子时），我们获得一种顿悟，将我们心中的许多问题汇集起来。我们感到振奋，被提升到新的高度。

但我们不能留在那里。我们需要带着这些新的顿悟下山，重新开始我们在世界上的生活。虽然彼得想留在山上，在那里支搭帐幕，但事实是，真正的帐幕在我们心里，无论我们走到哪里，总是与我们同在。这是一个有血有肉有灵的活帐幕。以赛亚书说，这是一个“不被拆除，橛子永不拔出，绳索一根也不折断”（以赛亚书33:20）的内在的帐幕。

因此，我们的目标是从山上下来，同时不失去我们的启示。当我们为他人提供有用的服务时，山顶的异象应该成为我们不可分割的一部分。这当然是耶稣对门徒的期望，但祂嘱咐不要将这段经历告诉别人。他们下山的时候，耶稣说：“人子还没有从死里复活，你们不要将所看见的告诉人。”（17:9）

这不是耶稣第一次嘱咐门徒要对祂神性的认识保持缄默。就在彼得宣告耶稣是基督，是永生神的儿子时，耶稣嘱咐他们不要告诉任何人（16:20）。而在这里，祂也说了类似的话：“你们不要将所看见的告诉人。”彼得在凯撒利亚腓立比的信仰告白和在山顶上看见的异象都是耶稣神性逐渐显露的重要时刻，但门徒还没有经历过任何严峻的灵性挑战。他们还没有在自己的心中经历“先知约拿的神迹”——灵性的复活。他们也没有经历“人子从死里复活”——不只是耶稣身体上的复活，还有耶稣教导的一些真理在他们里面复活，给予他们生命。因此，虽然他们见证了惊人的神迹，看见了伟大的异象，但这并不是耶稣想要的见证。祂从他们（以及我们）身上所寻求的唯一见证，是在经历了与试探的争战之后，从一颗被洁净的心里出来的见证。 ⁸

这就是为什么我们必须不断地回到日常生活的平地，无论我们曾经有过多么崇高的悟性或感受。无论我们升到怎样的高度，我们都必须回到应用和服务的世界。因此，当耶稣和祂的三个门徒从山顶探险回来时，他们立刻得到了一个服务的机会：一个人找到门徒，请他们医治他的儿子。门徒已经被赐予医病和赶鬼的能力，但他们没有成功。那人对耶稣说：“我带他到你门徒那里，他们却不能医治他。”（17:16）

这是门徒第一次尝试医治人，但这次尝试失败了。 ⁹ 耶稣似乎对他们很不满意，祂说：“嗳！这又不信又悖谬的世代啊，我在你们这里要到几时呢？我忍耐你们要到几时呢？”（17:17）然后，耶稣立即治好了那孩子：“耶稣斥责那鬼，鬼就出来，从此孩子就痊愈了。”（17:18）

耶稣似乎对门徒很不喜悦，称他们又“不信”又“悖谬”——相当强烈的语言——仅仅因为他们无法治愈被鬼附的孩子。这意味着什么呢？他们刚刚从山顶的经历中下来，在那里特别瞥见了耶稣的神性。他们的信心一定达到了空前的高度。早些时候，耶稣应许“给他们权柄，能赶逐污鬼”，并吩咐他们“医治病人，叫长大麻风的洁净，把鬼赶出去”（10:8）。那么，为什么他们现在做不到呢？

他们私下里问耶稣说：“我们为什么不能赶出那鬼呢？”耶稣回答说：“是因你们的信心小。我实在告诉你们，你们若有信心，像一粒芥菜种，就是对这座山说，你从这边挪到那边，它也必挪去，并且你们没有一件不能做的事了。”（17:20）

门徒在山上得了启示，然后在山谷中遭遇失败的故事，包含了一个重要的属灵教训。如果我们在得了启示以后，对启示的来源没有坚固的信心，那么这种经历就会导致骄傲自大，认为自己是特别被拣选的，是特别蒙喜悦的，因此觉得自己比别人强。真正的启示则恰恰相反。它总是伴随着一种谦卑和感恩的感觉。它向我们揭示了我们的罪恶本性。我们开始意识到自己不如别人，应该下地狱，而不是上天堂。这是启示。虽然彼得、雅各和约翰在山顶上瞥见了这一点（当时他们充满敬畏地俯伏在地），但门徒仍然需要学习谦卑的功课。 ¹⁰

谦卑是唯一能接受主的能力的东西，它能移走大山——我欲和骄傲自大的大山。但这需要一种特殊的信心，即相信我们自己没有能力，所有的能力都是来自主。 ¹¹

然后耶稣解释了应该如何操练这种信心。祂指着先前被鬼附的男孩说：“至于这一类的鬼，若不祷告、禁食，他就不出来。”（17:21）“祷告”在本质上是转向主，接受从主流入的良善和真理；“禁食”是拒绝接受从地狱流入的邪恶和虚假。 ¹²

这就是不仅能赶鬼，而且能移山的信心。

纳税

22 他们还住在加利利的时候，耶稣对门徒说，人子将要被交在人手里。

23 他们要杀害他，第三日他要复活。门徒就大大地忧愁。

24 到了迦百农，有收丁税的人来见彼得，说，你们的先生不纳丁税（丁税约有半块钱）吗？

25 彼得说，纳。他进了屋子，耶稣先向他说，西门，你的意思如何？世上的君王向谁征收关税、丁税？是向自己的儿子呢？是向外人呢？

26 彼得说，是向外人。耶稣说，既然如此，儿子就可以免税了。

27 但恐怕触犯（触犯：原文是绊倒）他们，你且往海边去钓鱼，把先钓上来的鱼拿起来，开了它的口，必得一块钱，可以拿去给他们，作你我的税银。

当我们从得了启示的山上下来，进入日常生活时，我们不仅要赶逐魔鬼，还要履行公民义务。当我们“下山”时，有一项简单的义务在等候我们，那就是纳税。虽然纳税不能与我们在山顶上的荣耀状态相比，也不能与移除罪恶的重要工作相比，但它仍然是我们当尽的本分。真正的灵性涉及生活的方方面面，包括世俗的生活和灵性的生活。当我们在这个世界上时，我们不可能成为纯粹的属灵生命，而不关心短暂的世俗事物。事实上，负责任的公民生活能为灵性生活提供坚实的基础，正如身体为灵魂的活动提供坚实的结构一样。 ¹³

因此，在下一个情节里，耶稣面临祂和门徒是否应该缴纳圣殿税的问题，这是合宜的。圣殿税是所有以色列人每年都要缴纳的税，用于支持和维护耶路撒冷的圣殿。由于耶稣和祂的门徒一直受到腐败的圣殿当局的批评，所以耶稣是否应该缴纳圣殿税，或者祂是否会拒绝缴纳圣殿税，是一个重要的问题。耶稣和祂的门徒应该继续支持一个腐败的宗教机构吗？

耶稣打算缴纳圣殿税，但其方式表明祂并不直接支持宗教领袖的所作所为。此外，祂将利用这种局面来教导一个永久的属灵教训，即日常生活的忧虑和关注必须服从更内在的属灵原则。换句话说，灵性价值永远不应该屈从于物质上的关注。在上的应该支配在下的，而不是相反。

这是耶稣对彼得所说的话中所包含的内在教训。祂说：“你且往海边去钓鱼，把先钓上来的鱼拿起来，开了它的口，必得一块钱。”（17:27）彼得照做了，神奇的是，在有成千上万条鱼的海里，他钓到的第一条鱼，嘴里竟含着一枚硬币。此外，这枚硬币正好支付耶稣和彼得所需的税银。耶稣说：“可以拿去给他们，作你我的税银。”（17:27）

这进一步彰显了耶稣的神性。祂怎么知道鱼嘴里会有一枚硬币，且这枚硬币的价值正好支付祂和彼得所需的税银呢？在更内在的层面上，祂怎么有此等智慧预备一个事件，完美地回答关于缴纳圣殿税的难题呢？

这个问题在两个层面上得到了回答。首先，在最外在的层面上，耶稣似乎在说，主总是会预备，甚至以最神奇的方式预备。因此，我们永远不需要担心。但在更内在的层面上，耶稣是在说，由水中的鱼所代表的属肉体的生命，必须服务于由耶稣和彼得所代表的更高的属灵原则。耶稣和彼得都没有直接提供支持——而是间接地用水中的鱼支付——这一事实表明，耶稣（代表神圣的事物）和彼得（代表对神圣事物的信仰）都没有直接支持圣殿。 ¹⁴

这一事件中的另一个奇迹涉及钓鱼的细节。这些细节包括往海边去用鱼钩钓鱼，打开鱼的嘴，从鱼嘴里取出银币。每当我们去查考圣经，寻找一些真理时，我们就是在“钓鱼”。我们使用的“鱼钩”是我们希望获得启示的真诚愿望，以便我们可以发现一些真理，帮助我们过上更好的生活。我们钓到的“鱼”是圣经的字面教导。我们从鱼嘴里取出的银币是包含在字面教导里的内在真理。内在真理像明亮的银子一样闪耀，能直接应用于我们的生活。

然而，在这一切中，我们应该牢记从山顶变像开始的一连串情节的最普遍教导。无论我们在灵性上被提升到怎样的高度，都必须落实到实际生活中去。虽然这一章是从山顶开始，在那里耶稣向门徒显出祂的荣耀，但它的结尾是海边一个纯朴的乡村场景，门徒在鱼嘴里找到一枚硬币。在这个结尾的场景中，耶稣揭示了祂的全知和全能，表明祂在山顶显出的荣耀和祂在海边显出的光辉一样普遍。它无处不在，充满整个宇宙，每时每刻供应我们的需要。

一个更明显的启示是，彼得本不必担心缴纳圣殿税的问题。在他的情况下，主会奇迹般地提供金钱。虽然这不应该被解读为主会永远供应我们的经济需求，但它确实提供了保证，即祂会以不可思议的方式丰富地满足我们的灵性需求，就像门徒在鱼嘴里找到一枚硬币一样。凭着祂的无所不知，神时刻引导着我们，在每一个最小的细节上安排我们的生活环境——从山顶到海底——以便引导我们进入我们所能得到的最大喜乐。

凭着祂的无所不知，主觉察到我们每一个决定的可能结果。因此，祂在每一步上都与我们同在。祂预见到我们可能会走的错路，同时引导我们走上通往最大喜乐的道路（如果我们愿意跟随的话）。正如诗人所写的：“你必将生命的道路指示我，在你面前有满足的喜乐，在你右手中有永远的福乐。”（诗篇16:11） ¹⁵

在鱼嘴里找到硬币的神迹中，耶稣揭示了神的全知——一种神圣的全知，既能预见，又为我们每个人提供一条奇妙的道路。认识到这个深刻的真理，可以引导我们降服于主的旨意，相信祂的引导，最终进入极其谦卑的状态。 ¹⁶

Footnotes:

513. Verse 9. And there died the third part of the creatures in the sea having souls, signifies that in consequence every living knowledge [scientificum] in the natural man perished. This is evident from the signification of "dying," as being to perish spiritually, that is, in respect to the life of heaven; also from the signification of the "third part," as being all (See above, n. 506); also from the signification of the "creatures in the sea" (or fishes), as being knowledges [scientifica] (of which presently); also from the signification of "having souls," as being to be alive; consequently "there died the third part of the creatures in the sea having souls" signifies that in consequence every living knowledge perished. A living knowledge means a knowledge that derives life from spiritual affection; for that affection gives life to truths, and thus gives life to knowledges, for knowledges are containants of spiritual truths (See above, n. 506, 507, 511).

[2] "The creatures of the sea" (or fishes) signify knowledges, because the "sea" signifies the natural man, and thus "fishes in the sea" signify the knowledges themselves that are in the natural man. This signification of "fishes" also is from correspondence, for the spirits that are not in spiritual truths, but only in natural truths, which are knowledges, appear in the spiritual world in seas, and when viewed by those who are above, as fishes; for the thoughts that spring from the knowledges with such present that appearance. For all the ideas of the thought of angels and spirits are turned into various representatives outside of them; when turned into such things as are of the vegetable kingdom they are turned into trees and shrubs of various kinds; and when into such things as are of the animal kingdom they are turned into land animals and flying things of various kinds; when the ideas of the angels of heaven are turned into land animals they are turned into lambs, sheep, goats, bullocks, horses, mules, and other like animals; but when into flying things they are turned into turtle doves, pigeons, and various kinds of beautiful birds. But the ideas of thought of those who are natural and who think from mere knowledges are turned into the forms of fishes. Consequently in the seas various kinds of fishes appear, and this it has often been granted me to see.

[3] It is from this that in the Word "fishes" signify knowledges, as in the following passages. In Isaiah:

At My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers into a wilderness; their fish shall rot because there is no water, and shall die of thirst (Isaiah 50:2).

"The rebuke of Jehovah" means the ruin of the church, which takes place when there is no knowledge of truth and good, that is, no living knowledge, because there is no perception; "dry up the sea" signifies to deprive the natural man of true knowledges [scientifica], and thus of natural life from the spiritual; "to make the rivers into a wilderness" signifies a similar deprivation in the rational man whence there is no intelligence; "their fish shall rot because there is no water, and shall die of thirst," signifies that there is no longer any living knowledge [scientificum], because there is no truth, "fish" meaning knowledge, "water" truth, and "to rot" meaning to perish in respect to spiritual life.

[4] The like that is here said of the sea, that "a third part of it became blood, and thence the third part of the creatures in it died," is said also of Egypt, that its river and all its waters became blood, and consequently the fish died, in Moses:

Moses said to Pharaoh that the waters of the river should be turned into blood, and that consequently the fish should die, and the river should stink, and that the Egyptians would loathe to drink the waters of the river; and this was also done in respect to all the water in Egypt (Exodus 7:17-25).

It is said of this in David:

He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish (Psalms 105:29).

The like was done in Egypt, because "Egypt" signifies the natural man in respect to its knowledge [scientificum], or the knowledge belonging to the natural man; "the river of Egypt" signifies intelligence acquired by means of knowledges; "the river becoming blood" signifies intelligence from mere falsities; "the fish dying" signifies that true knowledges were destroyed by falsities, for knowledges live by truths but are destroyed by falsities, for the reason that all spiritual truth is living, and from it is all the life, or as it were the soul, in the knowledges; therefore without spiritual truth knowledge is dead.

[5] In Ezekiel:

I am against thee, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great whale that lieth in the midst of his rivers, that hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made myself. Therefore I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers, that all the fish of thy rivers may stick unto thy scales. And I will abandon thee in the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers (2 Ezekiel 29:3-5).

"Pharaoh" has a similar signification as "Egypt," for the king and the people have a similar signification, namely, the natural man and knowledge therein; therefore he is called "a great whale;" "whale (or sea-monster)" signifying knowledge in general; therefore it is said that "he shall be drawn out of the river," and that then "the fish shall stick to his scales," which signifies that all intelligence is to perish, and that knowledge (scientia) which will take its place will be in the sensual man without life. In the sensual man, which is the lowest natural, standing out nearest to the world, there are fallacies and falsities therefrom, and this is signified by "the fish sticking to the scales" of the whale. That the natural man and the knowledge therein will be without life from any intelligence is signified by "I will abandon thee in the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers." That such things would come to pass because the natural man attributes all intelligence to itself, is signified by "that hath said, My river is mine own, I have made myself," "river" meaning intelligence.

[6] In Moses:

The sons of Israel said in the wilderness, We remember the fish that we did eat in Egypt freely, and the cucumbers and the melons, and the leeks and the onions and the garlic; now our soul is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes. Afterwards there went forth a wind from Jehovah, and snatched quails from the sea, and let them fall over the camp. But because of this lust Jehovah smote the people with a very great plague; consequently the name of that place was called the Graves of Lust (Numbers 11:5, 6, 31, 33, 34).

This signified that the sons of Israel were averse from things spiritual and hungered after natural things; indeed, they were not spiritual but merely natural, only representing a spiritual church by external things. That they were averse from spiritual things is signified by "our soul is dried up, there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes," "manna" signifying spiritual food, which is knowledge (scientia), intelligence, and wisdom. That they hungered after natural things is signified by "their lusting after the fish in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic," all which signify such things as belong to the lowest natural, that is, the sensual-corporeal man; and because they rejected things spiritual, and coveted merely natural things instead, "they were smitten with a great plague, and the name given to the place was the Graves of Lust."

[7] In Ezekiel:

He said to me, These waters go forth toward the eastern boundary, and go down into the plain and come towards the sea, being sent forth into the sea that the waters may be healed; whence it comes to pass that every living soul that creeps, whithersoever the brooks come, shall live; whence there is exceeding much fish. Therefore it shall come to pass that the fishers shall stand upon it from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim; with the spreading of nets are they there; their fish shall be according to their kind, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. But the miry places and the marshes thereof which are not healed shall be given to salt (Ezekiel 47:8-11).

This treats of the house of God, which signifies heaven and the church; and "the waters that go forth out of the house of God towards the east" signify Divine truth reforming and regenerating; the "plain" and the "sea" into which the waters go down, signify the ultimate things of heaven and the church, which with the men of the church are the things that belong to the natural and sensual man, the "plain" signifying the interior things thereof, and the "sea" the exterior things thereof; that both cognitions from the Word and confirming knowledges [scientifica] receive spiritual life through this Divine truth is signified by "the waters of the sea are healed thereby," and by "every soul that creepeth shall live," and by "there shall be exceeding much fish;" that there are in consequence true and living knowledges of every kind is signified by "their fish shall be according to their kind, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many." Those who are reformed, and thence become intelligent, are meant by "the fishers from En-gedi even to En-eglaim." Those who cannot be reformed because they are in the falsities of evil are signified by "the miry places and marshes that are not healed, but are given to salt." Everyone can see that this does not mean that fishes are multiplied by the waters going forth out of the house of God, but that "fishes" mean such things in man as can be reformed, since "the house of God" means heaven and the church, and the "waters going forth therefrom" mean Divine truth reforming.

[8] In the Word here and there mention is made of "the beast of the earth," "the fowl of heaven," and "the fish of the sea," and he who does not know that the "beast of the earth" (or of the field) means man's voluntary faculty, "the fowl of heaven" his intellectual faculty, and "the fish of the sea" his knowing faculty, cannot know at all the meaning of these passages, as in the following. In Hosea:

Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. Therefore the land shall mourn, and everyone that dwelleth therein shall languish, among the beasts of the field, and among the fowl of the heavens; and also the fishes of the sea shall be gathered up (Hosea 4:1, 3).

In Zephaniah:

I will consume man and beast, I will consume the fowl of the heavens, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked (Zephaniah 1:3).

In Ezekiel:

In the day that Gog shall come upon the land of Israel, there shall be a great earthquake over the land of Israel, and the fishes of the sea, and the fowl of the heavens, and the beast of the field, shall quake before Me (Ezekiel 38:18-20).

In Job:

Ask the beasts and they shall teach thee, or the fowl of heaven and they shall tell thee, or the shrub of the earth and it shall teach thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who doth not know by all these things that the hand of Jehovah doeth this? (Job 12:7-9).

In these passages "the beast of the field" means man's voluntary faculty, "the fowl of heaven" his intellectual faculty, and "the fish of the sea" his knowing faculty; otherwise how could it be said "the beasts shall teach thee, the fowl of heaven shall tell thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee, that the hand of Jehovah doeth this"? Also it is said, "Who doth not know by all these things?"

[9] Likewise in David:

Thou madest him to rule over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet, the flock and all herds, the beasts of the fields, the fowl of heaven, and the fish of the sea, whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas (Psalms 8:6-8).

This is said of the Lord and His dominion. That He has dominion over angels in the heavens and over men on the earth is known from the Word, for He says that unto Him "all power in heaven and in earth has been given" (Matthew 28:18); but that dominion was given to Him over animals, fowl, and fishes, is not a matter of sufficient importance to be mentioned in the Word, where each and every thing has reference to heaven and the church. It is therefore evident that "flock and herds, the beasts of the fields, the fowl of heaven, and the fish of the sea," mean such things as belong to heaven with angels and to the church with man, "the flock and the herds" signifying, in general, things spiritual and natural, the "flock" things spiritual, and "herds" things natural that are with man, or that belong to the spiritual mind and to the natural mind with him. "The beasts of the fields" signify things voluntary, which belong to the affections; "the fowl of heaven" signify things intellectual, which belong to the thoughts; and "the fishes of the sea" signify knowledges (scientifica) which belong to the natural man.

[10] Like things are signified by these words in the first chapter of Genesis:

And God said, We will make man in Our image, after Our likeness; that he may have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of heaven, and over every animal that creepeth upon the earth (verses 26, 28).

This chapter treats in the internal spiritual sense of the establishment of the Most Ancient Church, thus of the new creation or regeneration of the men of that church. That it was given to them to perceive all things of their affection which belong to the will, and to see all things of their thought which belong to the understanding, and to so rule over them as not to wander away into the lusts of evil and into falsities, is meant by "that he may have dominion over the fish of the sea, and the fowl of heaven, and every animal of the earth;" and man has dominion over these things when the Lord has dominion over man, for man of himself does not have dominion over anything in himself. "The fish of the sea, the fowl of heaven, and the beast of the field," have this signification because of their correspondence. The correspondences of the interior things of man with these things stand forth so as to be clearly seen in the spiritual world; for there beasts of every kind, and birds, and fishes in the seas, are seen, which nevertheless are nothing else than the ideas of thought that flow forth from affections, and these are presented under such forms because they are correspondences.

[11] Because "fishes" signify the knowledges and cognitions belonging to the natural man that serve the spiritual man as means for becoming wise, so "fishers" mean in the Word those who are merely in knowledges, also those who are acquiring knowledges for themselves, also those who teach others and by means of knowledges reform them. The works of such are meant by "the casting and spreading of nets," as in the following passages. In Isaiah:

The fishers shall moan, and all they that cast the hook into the river shall mourn, and they that spread the net upon the faces of the waters shall languish (Isaiah 19:8).

"The fishers that cast the hook into the river and they that spread the net" mean those who wish to acquire for themselves knowledges and through these intelligence, here that they are unable to do this because there are no knowledges of truth anywhere.

[12] In Jeremiah:

I will bring back the sons of Israel again upon their land; I will send to many fishers who shall fish them; then I will send to many hunters, who shall hunt them from upon every mountain and from upon every hill, and out of the clefts of the cliffs (Jeremiah 16:15, 16).

"To send to fishers who shall fish them, and to hunters who shall hunt them," means to call together and establish the church with those who are in natural good and in spiritual good, as may be seen above n. 405.

[13] In Habakkuk:

Wherefore dost Thou make man as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping thing that hath no ruler? Let him draw up all with the hook, and gather him into his net. Shall he therefore empty his net, and not pity to slay the nations continually? (Mark 1:14, 15, 17).

This was said of the Chaldean nation wasting and destroying the church; and the Chaldean nation signifies the profanation of truth, and the vastation of the church. "To make men as the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping thing that hath no ruler," signifies to make man so natural that his knowledges (scientifica) are devoid of spiritual truth, and his delights are devoid of spiritual good; for in the natural man there are knowledges by which come thoughts, and delights by which come affections; and if the spiritual is not dominant over these, both thoughts and affections are wandering, and thus man is destitute of the intelligence that should lead and rule. That then every falsity and every evil has power to draw them over to their side, and thus wholly destroy them, is signified by "Let him draw out all with the hook, and gather into his net, and afterwards slay," "to draw out" meaning out of truth and good, "into his net" meaning into falsity and evil, and "to slay" meaning to destroy.

[14] In Amos:

The days will come in which they shall draw you out with hooks, and your posterity with fish hooks (Amos 4:2).

This signifies leading away and alienating from truths by means of acute reasonings from falsities and fallacies; it is said of those who abound in knowledges because they have the Word and the prophets; such are here meant by "the kine of Bashan in the mountain of Samaria."

[15] From this the meaning of "fishermen," "fishes" and "nets," so often mentioned in the New Testament, can be seen, as in the following passages:

Jesus saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And He said unto them, Come ye after Me, and I will make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:18, 19: Mark 1:16, 17).

Jesus entered into Simon's boat and was teaching the multitude. After that He told Simon to let out his nets for a draught, and they inclosed a great multitude of fishes, so that the boats were filled, and in danger of sinking. And amazement seized them all, because of the draught of fishes; and He said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men (Luke 5:3-10).

In this also there is a spiritual sense, like that in the rest of the Word; the Lord's choosing these fishermen and saying that "they should become fishers of men," signified that they should gather to the church; "the nets which they let out, and in which they inclosed a great multitude of fishes, so that the ships were in danger of sinking," signified the reformation of the church through them, for "fishes" here signify the knowledges of truth and good by means of which reformation is effected, likewise the multitude of men who are to be reformed.

[16] The draught of fishes by the disciples after the Lord's resurrection has a like signification; it is thus described in John:

When Jesus manifested Himself to the disciples, who were fishing, He told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat. And they took so many that they were not able to draw the net for the multitude of fishes. When they descended upon the land they saw a fire built, and a little fish lying thereon, and bread. And Jesus gave them the bread, and the little fish likewise (John 21:2-13).

The Lord manifested Himself while they were fishing, because "to fish" signified to teach the knowledges of truth and good, and thus to reform. His commanding them "to cast the net on the right side of the boat" signified that all things should be from the good of love and charity, "the right side" signifying that good from which all things should come, for so far as knowledges are derived from good, so far they live and are multiplied. They said that "they had labored all the night and had taken nothing," which signified that from self or from one's own (proprium) nothing comes, but that all things are from the Lord; and the like was signified by the "fire" on which was the little fish, and by the "bread;" for the "bread" signified the Lord and the good of love from Him, and "the fish on the fire" the knowledge of truth from good, the "fish" the knowledge of truth, and the "fire" good. At that time there were no spiritual men, because the church was wholly vastated, but all were natural, and their reformation was represented by this fishing, and also by the fish on the fire. He who believes that the fish on the fire and the bread that were given to the disciples to eat were not significative of something higher is very much mistaken, for the least things done by the Lord and said by Him were significative of Divine celestial things, which become evident only through the spiritual sense. That this "fire of coals" and "fire" mean the good of love, and that "bread" means the Lord in relation to that good, has been shown above; and that a "fish" means the knowledge of truth and the knowing faculty of the natural man is clear from what has been said and shown in this article.

[17] It is also said by the Lord that:

The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a net cast into the sea bringing together every kind of fish, which when it was full they drew upon the beach, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be in the consummation of the age (Matthew 13:47-49).

The separation of the good and the evil is here likened to "a net cast into the sea bringing together every kind of fish," for the reason that "fishes" signify natural men in respect to knowledges and cognitions, and in "the consummation of the age," or at the time of the Last Judgment, such are separated from one another; for there are good natural men and bad natural men; and the separation of these in the spiritual world has the appearance of a net or drag-net cast into the sea, bringing together the fish, and drawing them to the shore, and this appearance is also from correspondence. This is why the Lord likens the kingdom of the heavens to "a net bringing together the fish." That the separation of the good from the evil presents this appearance it has been granted me to see.

[18] That natural men are signified by "fish" is clear from this miracle of the Lord:

Those who received the half-shekel came. Jesus said to Simon, The kings of the earth, from whom do they receive tribute or toll? from their sons or from strangers? Peter said unto Him, From strangers. Jesus said unto him, Therefore are the sons free. But lest we cause them to stumble, go thou to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up, and open its mouth and thou shalt find a shekel; that take and give unto them for Me and thee (Matthew 17:24-27).

"To pay tribute and toll," signified to be subject and to serve, therefore tribute was imposed on strangers, who were not of the sons of Israel, as is evident from the histories of the Word. "The sons of Israel," with whom was the church, signified the spiritual, and "strangers" the natural; and what is natural is subject to what is spiritual and serves it, for the spiritual man is like a lord, and the natural man like a servant; and as the natural are servants, and are therefore meant by those who pay tribute, so it was brought about that neither the Lord nor Peter, but the "fish," which signified the natural man, should furnish the tribute.

[19] The Lord's glorification of His Human, even to its ultimate, which is called natural and sensual, is signified by the following:

Jesus, having appeared to the disciples, said, See My hands and My feet, that it is I myself; feel of Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye behold Me having. And He showed them the hands and feet. And He said unto them, Have ye here anything to eat? They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and of a honeycomb. And He took it and did eat before them (Luke 24:38-43).

That the Lord glorified His Human even to its ultimate, which is called the natural and sensual, He made manifest by showing the hands and feet, and by the disciples feeling them, and by His saying that "a spirit hath not flesh and bones as He had;" and by His eating of the broiled fish and honeycomb. "Hands and feet" signify the ultimates of man, likewise "flesh and bones;" and "broiled fish" signifies the natural in respect to truth from good, and "honey" the natural in respect to the good from which is truth. Because these corresponded to the natural man, and thence signified it, they were eaten in the presence of the disciples; for a "fish," as has been shown in this article, signifies from correspondence the natural in respect to knowing [scientificum]; wherefore also "a fish" signifies in the Word knowledge and the knowing faculty [scientificum et cognitivum] which belong to the natural man, and a "broiled fish" signifies knowledge that is from natural good; but with the Lord it signifies the Divine natural in respect to truth from good (that "honey" signifies natural good may be seen in Arcana Coelestia, n. 5620, 6857, 10137, 10530). One who does not know that in each particular of the Word there is a spiritual sense, and that the sense of the letter, which is the natural sense, consists of correspondences with things spiritual, cannot know this arcanum, namely, why the Lord ate of the broiled fish and honeycomb in the presence of His disciples, nor why, as here, He gave broiled fish and bread to His disciples; and yet each and every thing that the Lord said and did was Divine, and these Divine things lie hidden in each thing written in the Word.

[20] From this the signification of "there died the third part of the creatures in the sea having souls" can now be seen, namely, that every living knowledge in the natural man perished; or, what is the same, that the natural man in respect to knowledges therein died. The natural man is said to be dead when it is not made alive from the spiritual man, that is, by influx out of heaven from the Lord through the spiritual man, for the Lord flows in through the spiritual man into the natural. When, therefore, no truth of heaven is any longer acknowledged, and no good of heaven affects man, the spiritual mind, which is called the spiritual man, is closed up, and the natural mind receives mere falsities from evil, and falsities from evil are spiritually dead, since truths from good are what are spiritually alive.

[21] It is said "the third part of the creatures," because "creatures" and "animals" signified in the Word the affections and thoughts therefrom in man; consequently they mean men themselves in respect to affections and thoughts. Such is the signification of "creatures" in Mark:

Jesus said to the disciples, Going into all the world, preach ye the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).

Also above in Revelation:

And every creature that is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and those that are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Unto Him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb be the blessing, and the honor, and the glory, and the strength, unto the ages of the ages (Revelation 5:13).

It is evident that here "every creature" means both angels and men, for it is said that "he heard them saying." (See above, n. 342-346, where this is explained.)