4229. 第32章

最后的审判 (续)

我们从第三卷 (系指拉丁文的第3卷) 开始解释主在马太福音 24章关于最后审判的预言. 这些解释被放在了那一卷最后几章的开头部分, 目前已解释到31节 (参看3353-3356, 3486-3489, 3650-3655, 3897-3901, 4056-4060节).

概括地说, 主的这些预言的内义从所给出的解释很清楚看出来, 即祂预言了教会的逐渐毁灭和最终一个新教会的建立, 其次序如下:

⑴教会成员不再知道何为良善与真理, 反而开始彼此争论它们.

⑵他们蔑视它们.

⑶他们从心里不承认它们.

⑷他们亵渎它们.

⑸由于信之真理和爱之良善仍存留在某些被称为 “选民” 的人当中, 故经上描述了那时信之真理所具有的状态.

⑹然后描述了仁的状态.

⑺最后论述了一个新教会的开始, 由最后所解释的那些话来表示, 即:

祂要差遣祂的使者, 用号筒的大声, 将祂的选民从四风, 从天这边到天那边, 都招聚了来. (马太福音 24:31)

这些话表示一个新教会的开始 (参看4060末尾节).

4230. When the end of the old Church and the start of the new is at hand, that is the time of the Last Judgement. For such a time is meant in the Word by the Last Judgement, see 2117-2133, 3353, 4057. That time is also meant by the coming of the Son of Man. It is that very coming which is being referred to now, and the coming which the disciples asked the Lord about when they said,

Tell us, when will those things take place; what especially will be the sign of Your coming and of the close of the age? Matthew 24:3.

There now remains to be explained therefore that which the Lord has foretold about the actual time of His coming and of the close of the age, which is the Last Judgement.

[2] But in this present foregoing section to a chapter the contents of only verses 32-35 are covered, which verses are these,

But from the fig tree learn a parable. When its branch now becomes tender and leaves sprout forth, you know that summer is near. So also yourselves - when you see all these things, know that He is near at the doors. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away

The internal sense of these words is as follows.