13. The literal or external sense of the Word

The literal sense of the Word accords with appearances in the world: 589, 926, 1832, 1874, 2242, 2520, 2533, 2719-2720, and is suited to the comprehension of the pure in heart: 2533, 9049, 9063, 9086. The Word in its literal sense is natural, see 8783, because what is natural is the final thing upon which spiritual and celestial things come to rest, and upon which they stand like a house on its foundation; furthermore, an internal sense without an external form would be like a house without a foundation: 9360, 9430, 9433, 9824, 10044, 10436. The Word, because that is its nature, is the container of a spiritual sense and a celestial sense: 9407. And because that is its nature, there is a divine holiness in the literal sense extending to every single detail, right down to the last jot: 639, 680, 1869-1870, 9198, 10321, 10637. Although the laws laid down before the children of Israel have now been totally abrogated they are still the holy Word because of the internal sense in them: 9211, 9259, 9349. The laws, judgements, and statutes laid down for the Israelite or Jewish Church, which was a representative church, are in some cases still valid in both senses, the external and the internal; some of them should be wholly observed according to their external sense; some may be of use if people wish; and some have been totally abrogated; about all these: 9349. The Word is divine even as regards those of the above which have been abrogated, because of the heavenly elements which are concealed in their internal sense: 10637.

What the nature of the Word is in its literal sense if it is not understood at the same time in its internal sense; or, expressed otherwise, according to the true doctrine from the Word: 10402. From the literal sense without the internal sense, or without genuine doctrine from the Word, a vast number of heresies comes gushing out: 10400. Those who live in external elements without internal elements cannot uphold the inner parts of the Word: 10694. Such were the Jews, and such are they today: 301-303, 3479, 4429, 4433, 4680, 4844, 4847, 10396, 10401, 10407, 10694, 10705, 10707.

3761. “雅各举起脚” 表属世层的提升. 这从 “举起” 和 “脚” 的含义清楚可知: “举起” 是指提升; “脚” 是指属世层, 如下文所述. 此处所指的提升就是本章所论述的主题, 即从外在真理提升到内在良善. 就至高意义而言, 所论述的主题是主如何照次序通过从外在真理逐步上升到内在良善而将祂的属世层甚至提升到神性; 就代表意义而言, 所论述的主题是主在使人重生时, 如何照同样的次序将人的属世层变成新的. 成年后正经历重生的人照着本章和随后各章的内义所描述的次序发展, 这一事实鲜为人知. 因为很少有人深思这个问题, 如今也很少有人能重生. 当仁不复存在, 随之信也不复存在之时, 教会的末日就到了. 正因如此, 人们甚至不知道何为信, 尽管所有人都声称人因信得救; 他们因此更不知道何为仁. 他们只知道信和仁这两个术语, 却不知道它们的本质是什么, 所以我们才说, 很少有人能深思人被造为新的或重生所遵循的次序, 也很少有人能重生.

由于此处论述的主题是属世层, 而这属世层由雅各来代表, 故经上说的是 “雅各举起脚”, 而不是说他起来, 到了东方之子的地. 这两种表述都表示提升, “起来” 也具有这种含义 (2401, 2785, 2912, 2927, 3171节). 此处之所以说 “雅各举起脚”, 是因为这话论及属世层, “脚” 表示属世层 (2162, 3147节). “脚” 表示属世层或属世之物是由于与大人的对应关系, 大人就是目前各章末尾所论述的主题. 在这个大人里面, 属于脚部区域的, 是那些居于属世之光和少许属灵之光中的人. 这也是为何脚下的部位, 如脚掌和脚跟, 表示最低级的属世之物 (参看259节); 以及在圣言中偶尔被提及的鞋表示肉体属世层, 它是最最低级的部分 (1748节).

8783. 'And also will believe in you forever' means in order that a faith composed of truth may exist, a faith that is going to be permanent. This is clear from the representation of 'Moses' as the truth from God, dealt with in 6771, 6827, 7014; from the meaning of 'believing' as faith; and from the meaning of 'forever' as that which is going to be permanent. The situation here is that the truth from God cannot be received by anyone unless it is adjusted to what he is capable of understanding, and so unless it is seen in a natural shape and form. For initially human minds can understand only earthly and worldly things, and not at all spiritual and celestial ones. If therefore spiritual and celestial things were made plainly visible they would be cast aside, as if they were worthless. This accords with the Lord's words in John,

If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how [will you believe] if I tell you heavenly things? John 3:12.

Still less would those who lived before the Lord's Coming have believed them. They were eventually so blind that they knew nothing, because they did not wish to know anything, about the life after death, about the internal man, about charity and faith, or about any heavenly reality. They rejected these because they had no liking for them, for those who have earthly and worldly things as their end in view, that is, love them more than anything else, have no liking for spiritual things; they virtually detest the very mention of them. Those things would suffer almost the same rejection at the present day. Learned people in the world do indeed believe that they would be better able to receive the Word if heavenly things were made plainly visible in it and if it were not written in so simple a style. But they are very much mistaken. They would reject it more than simple people, and would see no light in it, only complete and utter darkness. This darkness is brought about by human learning among those who trust in their own intelligence and therefore set themselves up above others. The Lord teaches that such things have been hidden from the wise and revealed to young children, that is, to the simple, in Matthew 11:25-26, and Luke 10:21. This is also perfectly clear from the consideration that those who are atheists and nature-worshippers, as they are called, are people who are learned. The world knows this, and they themselves know it.