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).

5. Verse 1. The revelation of Jesus Christ, signifies predictions from the Lord respecting the last times of the church. This is evident from the signification of "revelation," as being predictions; and since these are from the Lord alone, it is said, "the revelation of Jesus Christ." The revelation, or predictions, are respecting the last times of the church, since those times are especially treated of. It may be supposed that in Revelation the successive states of the church from beginning to end are treated of; these, however, are not there treated of, but only the state of heaven and of the church near the end, when the Last Judgment takes place, thus the last times. The successive states of the church were foretold by the Lord Himself in Matthew 24, Matthew 25; and also in Mark 13; yet what is there given is written in the Divine prophetic style, that is, by means of correspondences; consequently it is of such a character that it can only be revealed and made evident by the internal or spiritual sense. (It has therefore been granted me from the Lord to unfold these things in the Arcana Coelestia, at the beginning of chapters Genesis 26 to Genesis 40 of Genesis; which explanations may be seen in their order, in the following places: n. Arcana Coelestia 3353-3356, 3486-3489, 3650-3655, 3751-3757, 3897-3901, 4056-4060, 4229-4231, 4332-4335, 4422-4424, 4635-4638, 4661-4664, 4807-4810, 4954-4959, 5063-5071)

3897. CHAPTER 30

In the preliminary section of this chapter - in accordance with the method of presentation adopted previously - those things which the Lord has taught in Matthew 24 about the Last Judgement or final stages of the Church come up for explanation. The preliminary section of the previous chapter explained the contents of Matthew 24:19-22, and now an explanation appears below of verses 23-28, which are,

Then if anyone says to you, Behold, here is the Christ! or There! do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you beforehand. If therefore they say to you, Behold, He is in the wilderness! do not go out; Behold, He is in the inner rooms! do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and is seen as far as the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there also the eagles will be gathered together.