第一章

翻译：觉醒

宣告耶稣的神性

1. 神的儿子耶稣基督福音的起头。

当我们开始阅读马可福音时，我们需要牢记，在任何一卷圣经中，所说的第一句话，都会成为后面一切内容的精髓。就像音阶上的基调一样，第一句话奠定了主旨，提供了中心主题，并为后面的一切确立了重点。因此，当我们阅读神的话语时，第一句话应该牢记于心，贯穿于后面的内容，这一点至关重要。 ¹

在马太福音中，第一句话是：“关于亚伯拉罕的后裔，大卫的子孙，耶稣基督降生的书。”这是福音叙事的开始。从字面上看，这句话说的不过是耶稣的人类血统。这第一句话将祂描述为“亚伯拉罕的后裔、大卫的子孙”。虽然这个王室血统是一个重要的、受人尊敬的血统，但它仍然是一个人类血统。

这描绘了我们最初看待耶稣的方式。我们把祂看作一个人，由人类父母所生。但是，当我们读到马太福音的结尾时，一些奇妙的事情发生了。随着我们对耶稣的认识不断加深，祂的神性也逐渐显露出来。当我们来到马太福音书的结尾时，耶稣说：“天上地下所有的权柄都赐给我了。”（马太福音28:18）

因此，马太福音使我们认识了耶稣的神性。这标志着我们信仰发展的一个关键阶段。事实上，耶稣自己曾说，承认祂的神性是基督教信仰的第一块基石或房角石。在马太福音中，当彼得对耶稣说：“你是基督，是永生神的儿子”，耶稣没有否认这一点。相反，耶稣告诉他，这个根本真理不是属血肉的指示他的，而是“我在天上的父”指示他的（马太福音16:17）。耶稣说：“我要把我的教会建造在这磐石上。”（马太福音16:18） ²

马可福音从马太福音结束的地方开始，即从承认耶稣的神性开始。马太福音以“关于亚伯拉罕的后裔，大卫的子孙，耶稣基督降生的书”（马太福音1:1）开始，马可福音则以“神的儿子耶稣基督福音的起头”（马可福音1:1）开始。

还要注意的是，马太福音自称为“耶稣基督降生的书”，马可福音则自称为“耶稣基督的福音”。使用不同的术语是有意义的。“书”表示在我们灵性发展的过程中，即在我们逐渐认识耶稣基督神性的过程中，我们所经历的连续的、完美有序的状态。这是我们的“生命之书”，是神所编写的，描述了我们心中爱和智慧的兴起和发展。这被称为重生的过程，或者用圣经的语言来说，是耶稣基督在我们里面降生的过程。 ³

但“福音”不是“书”

“福音”一词来自希腊字εὐαγγέλιον（evangelium），意思是“好消息”。对早期的基督徒来说，该“好消息”是神亲自来到世上，揭示祂的真实本性，征服邪恶，尤其是教导人们通往天堂的道路。因此，在马太福音的结尾，门徒被差遣出去，向万民传扬这个好消息。正如马太福音结尾所记：“所以，你们要去，使万民作我的门徒，奉父、子、圣灵的名给他们施洗。凡我所吩咐你们的，都教训他们遵守。”（马太福音28:19、20）

当我们查考福音叙事中不断涌现的神圣真理时，我们发现马太福音以众所周知的大使命达到高潮。耶稣差遣祂的门徒出去，传扬祂出生、生活、死亡、复活的好消息，尤其是祂的教导。马可福音正是从这一点开始的（“在旷野有人声喊着说”），宣告弥赛亚，神的儿子，已经来到。简而言之，马可福音是以宣告福音开始的，宣告耶稣是弥赛亚，是神的儿子，祂呼召我们到普天下去传福音。然而，我们很快就会发现，好消息是从悔改开始的。

预备主的道

2. 正如先知以赛亚书上记着说，看哪，我要差遣我的使者在你前面，预备道路。

3. 在旷野有人声喊着说，预备主的道，修直他的路。

在耶稣降生伯利恒前五百年，主通过先知玛拉基说：“看哪，我要差遣我的使者，在我前面预备道路。”（玛拉基书3:1）在马可福音的开头，这位将“预备道路”的“使者”就是施洗约翰。他是神差来为弥赛亚预备道路的。

还有一个更古老的预言，在耶稣降生前七百年，主通过先知以赛亚说：“在旷野有人声喊着说，当预备主的道，修直他的路。”（以赛亚书40:3）这两个预言合在一起，成了马可福音开始时的一个陈述，即：“看哪，我要差遣我的使者在你前面，预备道路。在旷野有人声喊着说，预备主的道，修直他的路。”（马可福音1:2-3）这位来预备主的道，以便人们接受主的使者就是施洗约翰。尽管那个重要的时刻已经过去两千年了，但我们仍然可以听到约翰强有力的宣告：“主来了！”“你们要预备道路！”“祂要进入你们的头脑和心灵！”“修直祂的路！” ⁴

在马太福音的结尾，耶稣吩咐祂的门徒说：“你们要出去，使万民作我的门徒，给他们施洗。”马可正是从约翰施洗开始，继续讲述故事。虽然经上没有证据表明施洗约翰曾成为十二门徒之一，但有证据表明他遵照耶稣的吩咐，教导人们“遵守[耶稣]所吩咐的一切”（马太福音28:20），从必要受洗开始。

正如我们在马太福音中已经指出的，受洗代表愿意接受新的真理。它与代替赎罪、因信称义或瞬间得救无关。相反，它表明了一种意愿，即愿意通过学习并实践真理来洗净灵魂，同时相信是主赐给我们遵行真理的力量。虽然洗礼本身并不使人得救，但它代表了得救是如何发生的，即通过悔改的过程，使罪得赦。 ⁵

福音的宣告从一位强有力的传道人的话开始，敦促我们不仅要预备主的道，而且要接受“悔改的洗礼，使罪得赦”，这不是偶然的（马可福音1:4）。显然，约翰的讲道很受欢迎，因为“犹太全地和耶路撒冷的人都出去到约翰那里，承认他们的罪，在约但河里受他的洗。”（马可福音1:5）

那么，悔改的洗和承认自己的罪将是我们进入马可福音的关键理念。

圣灵的洗

4. 照这话，约翰来了，在旷野施洗，传悔改的洗礼，使罪得赦。

5. 犹太全地和耶路撒冷的人都出去到约翰那里，承认他们的罪，在约但河里受他的洗。

6. 约翰穿骆驼毛的衣服，腰束皮带，吃的是蝗虫野蜜。

7. 他传道说，有一位在我以后来的，能力比我更大，我就是弯腰给他解鞋带，也是不配的。

8. 我是用水给你们施洗，他却要用圣灵给你们施洗。

9. 那时，耶稣从加利利的拿撒勒来，在约但河里受了约翰的洗。

10. 他从水里一上来，就看见天裂开了，圣灵仿佛鸽子降在他身上。

11. 又有声音从天上来，说，你是我的爱子，我喜悦你。

12. 圣灵就把耶稣催到旷野里去。

13. 他在旷野四十天受撒但的试探，并与野兽同在一处，且有天使来伺候他。

施洗约翰知道自己的局限。虽然他知道他的讲道可以帮助人们认识到他们需要一位救主，但他也知道单凭他的话不能带来拯救。因此，他说：“有一位在我以后来的，能力比我更大。”（马可福音1:7）当然，他指的是耶稣，施洗约翰正在为祂铺路。施洗约翰说：“我是用水给你们施洗，他却要用圣灵给你们施洗。”（马可福音1:8）

在圣经的语言中，接受“水的洗礼”代表愿意接受真理，尤其是基于圣经字面教导的真理。这是第一次的洗。但之后必须有另一种洗，就是“圣灵的洗”。这第二次的洗发生在我们所知的真理在属灵争战中受到考验的时候。在这种时候，仅仅相信是不够的。相反，我们的信必须经受考验，使它们更加坚固，最终成为我们性格的重要组成部分。在受试探的时候，如果我们让主话语中的真理充满我们的心，主就会藉着真理带着爱和能力来到我们中间。在圣经的语言中，这被称为“圣灵的洗”。 ⁶

因此，施洗约翰不仅仅是一个历史人物。当他在贫瘠的旷野呼喊，以“预备主的道路”时，这代表我们需要用主话语中的真理武装自己，为属灵的争战做准备。作为我们在凡事上的榜样，这正是耶稣在下一节所做的。我们读到：“那时，耶稣从加利利的拿撒勒来，在约但河里受了约翰的洗。”（马可福音1:9）当耶稣从约但河上来的时候，天裂开了，“圣灵仿佛鸽子降在他身上”（马可福音1:10）。

圣灵“仿佛鸽子”降在祂身上，代表耶稣即将经历内在净化的过程。每当我们战胜试探时，我们就会变得更柔和，也能够从更高的层次看问题，就像鸽子一样。在这方面，鸽子降下是从天上来的记号，接着有声音从天上来，说：“你是我的爱子，我所喜悦的。”（马可福音1:11） ⁷

在马太福音中，耶稣受洗后立即被圣灵引到旷野，受魔鬼的试探，然后对耶稣所受的试探有详细的描述，包括祂被试探，要把石头变成饼，从殿顶跳下去，并敬拜撒旦。这些试探概括性地代表了耶稣在逐步征服地狱、恢复自由和教导通往天堂的道路的过程中将要经历的所有试探。

马可福音是同样的顺序。耶稣受洗后，圣灵立即把祂催到旷野里去（马可福音1:12）。这与属灵的法则是一致的，即我们不仅要相信真理，还要按照真理生活。因此，我们在受洗（接受真理）之后，必然要经受试探（按照真理生活）。所以，接受真理仅仅是我们灵性成长的开始。要使真理成为我们自己的，就必须在属灵争战的时候，把它记在心里，并使用它。这就是为什么我们在两部福音书中看到了同样的顺序。然而，在马可福音中，整个试探的过程只用一节经文来描述。如经上所记：“他在旷野四十天受撒但的试探，并与野兽同在一处，且有天使来伺候他。”（马可福音1:13） ⁸

这里的“野兽”指的是阻碍我们按照真理生活的邪恶欲望和错误思想。它们是对自我和世界的邪恶而残暴的爱，要吞噬我们里面来自主的一切。但是，当我们在试探中得胜，强迫自己按真理行事时，我们就会始终受到主话语中的真理的保护，最终得到这些真理的安慰。如经上所记：“有天使来伺候他。”（马可福音1:13） ⁹

那么，这就是约翰所说的“圣灵的洗”。 ¹⁰

耶稣传福音

14. 约翰下监以后，耶稣来到加利利，宣传神的福音。

15. 说，日期满了，神的国近了。你们当悔改，信福音。

16. 耶稣顺着加利利的海边走，看见西门和西门的兄弟安得烈在海里撒网。他们本是打鱼的。

17. 耶稣对他们说，来跟从我，我要叫你们得人如得鱼一样。

18. 他们就立刻舍了网，跟从了他。

19. 耶稣稍往前走，又见西庇太的儿子雅各和雅各的兄弟约翰在船上补网。

20. 耶稣随即招呼他们。他们就把父亲西庇太和雇工人留在船上，跟从耶稣去了。

21. 到了迦百农，耶稣就在安息日进了会堂教训人。

22. 众人很希奇他的教训，因为他教训他们，正像有权柄的人，不像文士。

本福音以施洗约翰传悔改赦罪的道开始，这是本福音的主旨。在旷野受试探之后，耶稣继续传同样的主题。如经上所记：“约翰下监以后，耶稣来到加利利，宣传神的福音。”（马可福音1:14）在连续的内在意义上，施洗约翰被囚禁是一个重要的时刻。正如我们已经提到的，施洗约翰代表圣经的字面含义，即我们开始学习圣经时最先学到的真理。然而，如果我们被剥夺了这些真理，或者这些真理被扭曲了，这就好比施洗约翰被“下监”了。 ¹¹

当这种情况发生时，耶稣接替了约翰的工作。和约翰一样，耶稣以悔改为主题开始传道。“日期满了，”耶稣说，“神的国近了。你们当悔改，信福音。”（马可福音1:15）然后，耶稣立即召集门徒，协助祂完成使命。祂在加利利海边行走，看见西门和安得烈在海里撒网，就对他们说：“来跟从我，我要叫你们得人如得鱼一样。”（马可福音1:17）祂对雅各和约翰也是如此说。他们都毫不迟疑地跟从了祂（马可福音1:19-20）。

耶稣的行动是迅速的。祂没有耽误任何时间，“立即进入会堂教训人”（马可福音1:21）。“众人很希奇他的教训，因为他教训他们，正像有权柄的人，不像文士。”（马可福音1:22）

耶稣不许污鬼作声

23. 在会堂里，有一个人被污鬼附着。他喊叫说，

24. 拿撒勒人耶稣，我们与你有什么相干？你来灭我们吗？我知道你是谁，乃是神的圣者。

25. 耶稣责备他说，不要作声，从这人身上出来吧。

26. 污鬼叫那人抽了一阵疯，大声喊叫，就出来了。

27. 众人都惊讶，以致彼此对问说，这是什么事？是个新道理啊！他用权柄吩咐污鬼，连污鬼也听从了他。

28. 耶稣的名声就传遍了加利利的四方。

马可福音的记载简短、直接、直达要点。他没有记录家谱，没有记录耶稣降生，没有记录山上宝训——这些涵盖了马太福音的前七章。他直接从施洗约翰在旷野传道开始，现在又转到耶稣在会堂里传道。祂的教导使众人惊讶，又赶出了一个污鬼。当污鬼承认耶稣是“神的圣者”时，耶稣不许他作声，污鬼就听从了祂。会堂里的人都很惊讶。他们大声说：“这是什么事？是个新道理啊！”他们看到耶稣的大能，说：“他用权柄吩咐污鬼，连污鬼也听从了他。”（马可福音1:27）

本福音经常提到“污鬼”、“邪灵”和“魔鬼”。虽然这些术语都有特定的含义，但它们经常交替使用，意指任何违背主旨意的邪恶欲望或错误信仰。在这方面，重要的是要记住，“污鬼”、“邪灵”和“魔鬼”曾经都是人，当生活在世上时，他们选择了欺骗而不是诚实，选择了残忍而不是仁慈，选择了相信自己而不是神。因此，当耶稣赶出污鬼并要求他“不要作声”时，这代表主通过圣经的神圣教导来赶出我们心中的恶欲，并使我们的错误思想安静下来。 ¹²

所以，在本福音中，耶稣立即开始作工，实现祂的目的：祂来是要传福音，并因此赶出魔鬼。好消息迅速传播开来。如经上所记：“耶稣的名声传遍了加利利的四方。”（马可福音1:28）但我们要注意，这个“好消息”是关于悔改的。这在耶稣最初的布道和祂的第一次医治中体现了出来。祂宣传悔改之道，并赶出魔鬼。

不许鬼说话

29. 他们一出会堂，就同着雅各、约翰进了西门和安得烈的家。

30. 西门的岳母正害热病躺着，就有人告诉耶稣。

31. 耶稣进前拉着她的手，扶她起来，热就退了，她就服事他们。

32. 天晚日落的时候，有人带着一切害病的和被鬼附的来到耶稣跟前。

33. 合城的人都聚集在门前。

34. 耶稣治好了许多害各样病的人，又赶出许多鬼，不许鬼说话，因为鬼认识他。

在前面的情节中，当耶稣把污鬼从被鬼附的人身上赶出去时，那污鬼对祂说：“我知道你是谁，乃是神的圣者。”（马可福音1:24）一个污鬼竟然认出耶稣的神性，这很奇怪，但耶稣不许污鬼说什么。祂对污鬼说：“不要作声。”然后命令他从那人身上出来，污鬼就听从了祂。

当我们考虑后面一系列神奇的医治时，这第一个故事很重要，要牢记在心。接下来是西门的岳母得了医治（西门是门徒彼得的名字）。她患了热病，耶稣一摸她的手，热就退了（马可福音1:31）。显然，她迅速得了康复，便起来服事他们。这和医治被污鬼附身的人一样，引起了不小的轰动。耶稣神奇医治的消息传遍了四方。当天晚上，日落以后，有人带着一切害病的来到耶稣跟前，耶稣就治好了他们，“又赶出许多鬼”。祂再次不许鬼说话，“因为鬼认识他”（马可福音1:34）。

这是一个重要的细节。虽然这是第一章，但我们已经看到耶稣至少有两次不许鬼说话。从字面上看，我们可能认为耶稣想要隐藏祂的身份。毕竟，如果祂被发现拥有这种异能，就可能引起那些想要除灭祂的宗教领袖的怀疑。因此，祂最好将这些事情保密。

然而，在更内在的层面上，重要的是要记住，耶稣在行医治的神迹时是直接对魔鬼（也被称为邪灵）说话。魔鬼和邪灵的话不可信，无论他们说什么。他们喜欢撒谎，歪曲事实；他们编造从未发生的故事；他们假装知道没有人能预测的未来。他们引起忧虑和恐惧，使我们想起早应该忘记的事情，又让我们忘记应该记住的事情。因此，最好的办法是不要听他们说话。这就是为什么耶稣叫他们“不要作声”（马可福音1:25），又“不许他们说话”（马可福音1:34），即使是祂神奇的医治。他们一定会把好的扭曲成不好的。 ¹³

耶稣宣告祂的目的

35. 次日早晨，天未亮的时候，耶稣起来，到旷野地方去，在那里祷告。

36. 西门和同伴追了他去，

37. 遇见了就对他说，众人都在找你。

38. 耶稣对他们说，我们可以往别处去，到邻近的乡村，我也好在那里传道，因为我是为这事出来的。

39. 于是在加利利全地，进了会堂，传道赶鬼。

40. 有一个长大麻风的来求耶稣，向他跪下，说，你若肯，必能叫我洁净了。

41. 耶稣动了慈心，就伸手摸他，说，我肯，你洁净了吧。

42. 大麻风即时离开他，他就洁净了。

43. 耶稣严严的嘱咐他，就打发他走。

44. 对他说，你要谨慎，什么话都不可告诉人，只要去把身体给祭司察看，又因为你洁净了，献上摩西所吩咐的礼物，对众人作证据。

45. 那人出去，倒说许多的话，把这件事传扬开了，叫耶稣以后不得再明明地进城，只好在外边旷野地方。人从各处都就了他来。

到了下一节，我们看到耶稣去到旷野，在那里祷告。西门和同伴找到祂，对祂说：“众人都在找你。”（马可福音1:37）耶稣的回答很重要，因为它揭示了祂的目的：“我们可以往别处去，到邻近的乡村，我也好在那里传道，因为我是为这事出来的。”（马可福音1:38）是的，耶稣是来传福音的。如经上所记：“于是在加利利全地，进了会堂，传道赶鬼。”（马可福音1:39）再一次，重要的是要注意到，耶稣传道的目的是“赶鬼”，这是从悔改开始的。 ¹⁴

大多数人都同意，“好消息”应该传扬开来。有趣的是，对于向谁传扬好消息，耶稣很谨慎。正如我们在前两节所看到的，耶稣叫污鬼不要作声，不许魔鬼说话。我们将看到，被禁止出声的不只是污鬼和魔鬼。例如，在接下来的情节中，耶稣治愈了一个麻风病人。治好他以后，耶稣对他说：“你要谨慎，什么话都不可告诉人。”耶稣再次严严地叮嘱，不可将这事告诉人，只要去把身体给祭司察看，并“献上摩西所吩咐的礼物”。耶稣说，摩西所吩咐的这些事可作为麻风病人得了洁净的“证据”。（马可福音1:44）

在一个层面上，耶稣指的是在希伯来圣经中随处可见的洁净仪式。根据这些教义，任何患有传染性皮肤病的人（在这里是大麻风）都要遵守特别的规矩，包括彻底清洁麻风病人的房子和衣服，并在活水上宰一只活鸟，将其血洒在麻风病人身上七次。此外，还要献上一只没有瑕疵的羊羔，并献上用油调和的细面（利未记14:1-16）。这些都象征一种纯真的意愿，即愿意遵守主的诫命，让内心得到净化，摆脱邪恶的欲望和支持这些欲望的错误思想。 ¹⁵

简单地说，从属灵的角度来理解，摩西所吩咐的真正祭物是按照诫命生活，放弃自私的意念。这是唯一需要的证据。这是生命得到内在净化的证据，而不仅仅是外在的治愈。希伯来圣经中所有的献祭和洗濯都与净化欲望和思想有关。正因为如此，大卫说：“神啊，求你为我造清洁的心，使我里面重新有正直的灵。”（诗篇51:10、17） ¹²

不幸的是，尽管麻风病人得了医治，但他没有听从耶稣的吩咐。他没有保持沉默，把身体给祭司察看，并献上摩西所吩咐的礼物，而是违背了耶稣的吩咐。他出去，“倒说许多的话”，把耶稣为他做的事传扬开了（马可福音1:45）。

麻风病的属灵含义

在本章早些时候，耶稣叫污鬼“不要作声，从这人身上出来”（马可福音1:25）。在后面几节经文，耶稣赶出许多鬼，“不许鬼说话”（马可福音1:34）。在这一节，祂对麻风病人说：“你要谨慎，什么话都不可告诉人。”值得注意的是，每当耶稣赶出污鬼或魔鬼时，祂不许他们说话。正如我们已经提到的，邪灵和魔鬼不是可靠的见证人。他们喜欢撒谎，夸大其词，忽略重要的细节，扭曲事实，让自己看起来良善，让别人看起来败坏。因此，耶稣让他们闭嘴是最好的。

但是，耶稣刚刚治好的麻风病人又如何呢？这一次，耶稣没有对污鬼或魔鬼说话。相反，他直接对麻风病人说话，叫他不要告诉任何人。

这是为什么？

一种解释可能从麻风病的属灵含义以及这种疾病被治愈的含义中找到。因为麻风病是一种皮肤病，它代表了当人们知道真理，却不真正相信真理时，在灵性上是什么样子。可以说，他们没有从心里接受真理。由于治愈只是“表面的”，所以它代表了外在缺陷的治愈。这是麻风病的一种。

然而，还有一种更深、更严重的麻风病。当麻风病没有得到治疗，并渗透到身体内部，影响神经系统和内部器官时，就会出现这种情况。这代表了当人们知道真理，深深地相信它，却不按照他们所信的去生活时，在灵性上是什么样子。更糟糕的是，他们歪曲圣经的真理，为自己的私欲和恶欲辩护。虽然他们看起来毫无瑕疵，洁白如雪，但他们内心充满了邪恶的欲望和诡计。每当这种情况发生时，属天的良善与真理就会与地狱的邪恶与虚假混合在一起。这种善与恶、真与假的混杂被称为“亵渎”。 ¹⁷

回到耶稣刚刚治愈的麻风病人的例子，我们应该记住，耶稣嘱咐他不要对任何人讲说他被治愈的事。此外，耶稣还嘱咐他去把身体给祭司察看，并献上摩西所吩咐的礼物。倘若他如此行，他就会经历内在的治愈，而不仅仅是外在的治愈。可恰恰相反，他没有遵从耶稣的指示，随从了自己的意愿。这种意愿的不顺从表明他可能只是得了外在的治愈，没有得到内在的治愈。

从属灵的角度来看，外在的治愈是人的悟性得到了纠正，能够正确地理解圣经。而内在的治愈是情感得到了治愈，这将表现为对主的话语的顺从。麻风病人无视耶稣的嘱咐，证明他的治愈是外在的。因此，正如耶稣不许污鬼和魔鬼说话一样，祂也吩咐麻风病人不可将所发生的事情告诉任何人。在麻风病人做什么之前，特别是在他传扬他身体被治愈的消息之前，耶稣吩咐他首先遵守代表内在得到洁净的利未人的律法。

第一章到此就结束了。耶稣已经受了洗，与魔鬼争战，也传扬了福音，赶走了魔鬼，医治了病人，洁净了长大麻风的。至少有三次，耶稣叫人们不要谈论所发生的事情。当我们继续学习马可福音时，我们将仔细看看耶稣是如何预备祂的门徒（以及我们）接受和传扬福音的。

脚注:

619. But in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey, signifies outwardly delightful. This is evident from the signification of "mouth," as being what is exterior; for this treats of the little book and eating it up, and "the little book" signifies the Word, and "eating it up" signifies perception and exploration; thence "the mouth," which first receives, means the external of the Word. It is evident also from the signification of "sweet as honey," as being the delight of natural good. The external of the Word was "sweet as honey," that is, thus delightful, because the external of the Word is such that it can be applied to any love whatever, or to any principle derived therefrom; and these can be confirmed by it. The external of the Word, which is the sense of its letter, is such because many things in it are written in accordance with the appearances presented to the natural man, and many appearances, when not interiorly understood, are fallacies, like the fallacies of the senses. Those, therefore, who love to live for the body and for the world, by means of these appearances draw over the external of the Word to confirm evils of life and falsities of faith.

[2] This was done especially by the sons of Jacob, who applied all things of the Word to themselves, and from the sense of the letter they held the belief, and also maintain it to this day, that they were chosen in preference to others, and therefore were a holy nation; that their Jerusalem, the temple there, the ark, the altar, the sacrifices, with innumerable other things, were holy of themselves; they did not know, and did not wish to know, that the holiness of all those things proceeded solely from this, that they represented things Divine proceeding from the Lord that are called celestial and spiritual, and are the holy things of heaven and the church, and that to think that these are holy of themselves, and not because of the Divine things they represent, would be to falsify and adulterate the Word by applying it to themselves and to their own loves. It was similar with their belief respecting the Messiah, that he would be king of the world, and would raise them above all other nations and peoples throughout the globe; not to mention other things which they gathered from the mere sense of the letter of the Word, which to them were sweet as honey in the mouth. This is why the things in the spiritual sense of the Word are undelightful, for in that sense are the truths themselves which are not according to appearances; as that the Jewish nation itself was not holy, but worse than every other nation, consequently that it was not chosen; that the city of Jerusalem merely signifies the Lord's church and doctrine respecting Him and the holy things of heaven and the church; and that the temple, the ark, the altar, and the sacrifices represented the Lord and the holy things that proceed from Him, and that for this and no other reason were they holy. These are truths that are stored up inwardly in the sense of the letter of the Word, that is, in its internal spiritual sense; and these truths they deny, because, as was said, they have falsified and adulterated the Word in the sense of the letter; and these things therefore are undelightful to them, like foods that are bitter in the belly.

[3] It is said that the little book was "in the mouth sweet as honey," because "honey" signifies the delight of natural good; that "honey" signifies that delight can be seen from the following passages. In Ezekiel:

It was said to the prophet, Open wide thy mouth and eat that I give thee. And I saw and behold, a hand was put forth unto me, and lo, the roll of a book was therein; and when he had spread it before me it was written in front and behind, and written thereon were dirges, moaning, and woe. Then he said unto me, Son of man, eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. Then he said unto me, Feed thy belly and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee; and when I ate it, it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And he said, Go to the house of Israel and speak my words unto them (Ezekiel 2:8-10; 3:1-4).

These things involve things altogether similar to those in Revelation. The command to the prophet Ezekiel "to eat the roll of the book" involves something similar as the command to John "to eat the little book," namely, to explore how the Divine truth which is in the Word is yet received, perceived, and appropriated by those who are of the church; for the prophet Ezekiel and John represent the doctrine of truth and the Word, therefore the exploration was made with them. It was made by eating a book, because "to eat" signifies to perceive and thus to appropriate, as has been shown above; and when this has been ascertained, namely, how the Word was still perceived, it is said to the prophet Ezekiel that "he should go to the house of Israel and speak to them the words of God;" also to the prophet John that "he must prophesy," that is, still teach the Word in the church; and this because the book was perceived to be "in his mouth sweet as honey," that is, because the Word in the sense of the letter is still delightful, but for the reason that this sense can be applied to any principles of falsity and to any loves of evil, and can thus serve them in confirming the delights of the natural life separated from the delights of the spiritual life; and when these are separated they become mere delights of the loves of the body and of the world whence are principles of falsity from fallacies.

[4] In Isaiah:

A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name God-with-us. Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good (Isaiah 7:14, 15).

That this was said of the Lord is proved in Matthew (Matthew 1:23). Anyone can see that "butter and honey" do not mean here butter and honey, but something Divine corresponding to them, for it is added, "that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good," and that is not known by eating butter and honey; but "butter" signifies the delight of spiritual good, and "honey" the delight of natural good, consequently the two signify the Lord's Divine spiritual and Divine natural, and thus His Human, interior and exterior. That the Lord's Human is meant can be seen from its being said that "a virgin shall conceive and bear a son;" and that it is Divine from its being said, "and shall call His name God-with-us," "to call a name" signifying the quality of a thing, here what the Divine is, for He was to be called "God-with-us."

[5] "Butter and honey" also signify the delight of spiritual and natural good in these words in the same chapter:

Butter and honey shall everyone eat that remains in the land (verse 22).

"That remains" mean those that are inwardly and also outwardly good from the Lord, consequently who receive the good proceeding from the Lord in truths; the blessedness therefrom of the internal or spiritual man, and also of the external or natural man, is signified by "butter and honey."

[6] In Job:

He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall slay him. He shall not see the streams, the flowings of the brooks of honey and butter (Job 20:16, 17).

This is said of hypocrites who talk well and smoothly about God, about the neighbor, and about heaven and the church, and yet think altogether otherwise; and because they cunningly contrive by these means to captivate minds, although in heart they cherish what is infernal, it is said, "He shall suck the poison of asps, the viper's tongue shall slay him." That such have no delight in natural good or spiritual good is meant by "He shall not see the streams, the flowings of the brooks of honey and butter," "streams" meaning the things of intelligence, and "the flowings of the brooks of honey and butter," the things therefrom that are of affection and love, which are the very delights of heavenly life. Every delight of life that abides to eternity is a delight of spiritual good and truth, and from that a delight of natural good and truth; but hypocritical delight is a natural delight separate from spiritual delight, and this delight is turned in the other life into what is direfully infernal. Evidently "butter and honey" do not mean here butter and honey, for where, in the world, can there be found "flowings of brooks of honey and butter"?

[7] "Milk and honey" have a similar signification as "butter and honey;" and as "milk" signifies the delight of spiritual good, and "honey" the delight of natural good, and these delights are with those who are of the Lord's church, therefore the land of Canaan, which signifies the church, was called:

A land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8, 17; Leviticus 20:24; Numbers 13:27; 14:8; Deuteronomy 6:3; 11:9; 26:9, 15; 27:3; 31:20; Joshua 5:6; Jeremiah 11:5; 32:22; Ezekiel 20:6).

That in the Word "the land of Canaan" means the church has been shown above (n. 29, 304, 431); and the church is with those only who are in spiritual good and at the same time in natural good; in such the church is formed by the Lord; for the church is in man and not outside of him, consequently is not with those with whom these goods are not. These goods with their delights are signified by "milk and honey."

[8] There was also much honey in the land of Canaan at that time, because at that time the church of the Lord was there, as can be seen from the first book of Samuel, where it is said:

That they came into the forest, where there was honey upon the face of the ground, and there was a stream of honey, and Jonathan's eyes were opened by tasting the honey (1 Samuel 14:25-27, 29).

"Jonathan's eyes were opened by tasting the honey" because "honey" corresponds to natural good and its delight, and this good gives intelligence and enlightens, from which Jonathan knew that he had done evil; as we read in Isaiah, "He shall eat butter and honey, that he may know to reject the evil and to choose the good." For at that time correspondences exhibited their effects outwardly, since all things of the Israelitish Church consisted of correspondences, which represented and signified things celestial and spiritual.

[9] Again, "oil and honey" have a similar signification as "butter and honey" in the following passages. In Moses:

He made him to ride on the high places of the earth, and fed him with the produce of the fields; he made him to suck honey out of the cliff, and oil out of the flint of the rock (Deuteronomy 32:13).

This is in the song of Moses, which treats of the church in its beginning, and afterward in its progress, and finally in its end. Those that constituted the Ancient Church are described by these words, not those however who constituted the Israelitish Church, for these were evil from the beginning even to the end, as can be seen from their fathers in Egypt, and afterwards in the wilderness; but the Ancient Church, the men of which are meant by "their fathers," was that which the Lord "made to ride on the high places of the earth, and fed with the produce of the fields." That to these the good of natural love and the good of spiritual love with their delights were given by means of truths, from which they had their intelligence and according to which they lived, is signified by "he made him to suck honey out of the cliff, and oil out of the flint of the rock," "honey" signifying the delight of natural love, "oil," the delight of spiritual love, and "the cliff" and "the flint of the rock," truth from the Lord. (That "oil" signifies the good of love and charity, may be seen above, n. 375; and that "cliffs" and "rocks" signify truth from the Lord, n. 411, 443)

[10] In David:

I fed ¹ them with the fat of wheat, and with honey out of the rock I satisfied them (Psalms 81:16).

"The fat of wheat" signifies the delight of spiritual good, and "honey out of the rock," the delight of natural good through truths from the Lord (as above). It is to be known that natural good is not good unless there is also spiritual good; for all good flows in through the spiritual man or mind into the natural man or mind, and so far as the natural man or mind receives the good of the spiritual man or mind so far man receives good; that there may be good there must be both, or the two sides, consequently natural good separated from spiritual good is in itself evil, although by man it is still perceived as good. Since there must be both, it is said in the passages cited and yet to be cited, "butter and honey," "milk and honey;" "fat and honey," as also "oil and honey;" and "butter," "milk," "fat," and "oil" signify the good of spiritual love, and "honey" the good of natural love, together with their delights.

[11] In Ezekiel:

Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy garments were fine linen and silk and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, honey, and oil, whence thou didst become exceeding beautiful, and didst prosper even to a kingdom. But my bread which I gave thee, and the fine flour and oil and honey with which I fed thee, thou didst set before idols as an odor of rest (Ezekiel 16:13, 19).

This is said about Jerusalem, which signifies the church, first the Ancient Church, and afterwards the Israelitish Church. Of the Ancient Church it is said "she was decked with gold and silver," which signifies the love of good and truth that the men of that Church had; "the garments of fine linen, silk, and broidered work," signify the knowledges of celestial, spiritual, and natural truth, "fine linen" signifying truth from a celestial origin, "silk" truth from a spiritual origin, and "broidered work" truth from a natural origin, which is called knowledge [scientificum]. "She ate fine flour, honey and oil," signifies the perception of natural and spiritual truth and good, and their appropriation, "to eat" signifying to be appropriated, "fine flour" truth, "honey" natural good, and "oil" spiritual good, which were appropriated to them by a life according to the truths above mentioned. "She became exceeding beautiful and prospered even to a kingdom" signifies to become intelligent and wise so as to constitute a church, "beauty" signifying intelligence and wisdom, and a "kingdom" the church. But of the Israelitish Church, which was merely in externals without internals, whence the men of that church were idolatrous, it is said that "they set the fine flour, honey, and oil before the images of a male, or idols, as an odor of rest," that is, they perverted the truths and goods of the church into falsities and evils, and thus profaned them.

[12] In the same:

Judah and the land of Israel were thy merchants in the wheats of Minnith and Pannag, and honey and oil and balsam they gave for thy merchandise (Ezekiel 27:17).

This is said of Tyre, which signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good; so, too, "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good themselves belonging to the church; "oil and honey" have a similar signification as above. What is meant here in the spiritual sense by "Judah and the land of Israel," by "the wheats of Minnith and Pannag," and by "balsam," also by "the merchandise of Tyre," may be seen explained above n. 433.

[13] In Moses:

A land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths going forth from the valley and mountain; a land of wheat and barley, and of vine and fig-tree and pomegranate; and of olive oil and honey (Deuteronomy 8:7, 8).

This is said of the land of Canaan, which means the church which is in celestial, spiritual, and natural good, and in truths therefrom; but the contents of this verse are explained above (n. 374, 403), showing that "oil and honey" here signify the good of love in the internal or spiritual man and in the external or natural man.

[14] In David:

The judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are righteous altogether; more desirable than gold and than much fine gold; and sweeter than honey and the dropping of honeycombs (Psalms 19:9, 10).

In the same:

I have not departed from Thy judgment; for Thou hast instructed me. How sweet are Thy words to my palate, more than honey to my mouth (Psalms 119:102, 103).

"Judgments" signify the truths and goods of worship, therefore it is said "the judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are righteous altogether;" "righteous" signifies the good of life and worship therefrom; and as good is also signified by "gold" and "fine gold," it is said that "they are more desirable than gold and than much fine gold," "gold" meaning celestial good, "fine gold" spiritual good, and "desirable" means what belongs to affection and love. Since the goods by which a man is affected are delightful it is said that they are "sweeter than honey and the dropping of honeycombs," and that "the words of Jehovah are sweet to the palate, more than honey to the mouth," "sweet" signifying what is delightful, "honey" natural good, and "the dropping of honeycombs" natural truth. And because "honey" means natural good, and the "mouth" signifies what is external, it is said "more than honey to my mouth," as in Revelation, that "the little book was sweet as honey in the mouth."

[15] In Luke:

Jesus said to the disciples, who believed that they saw a spirit, 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 see Me having. Then He said to them, Have ye here anything to eat? And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and of a honeycomb. And He took it and did eat it before them (Luke 24:39, 41-43).

From the series of these words regarded in the spiritual sense it is very evident that "honeycomb" and "honey" signify natural good, for the Lord disclosed to His disciples that He had glorified or made Divine His whole Human, even to its natural and sensual; this is signified by "hands and feet" and by "flesh and bones," which they saw and felt, "hands and feet" signifying the ultimate of man which is called the natural, "flesh" its good, and "bones" its truth; for all things that are in the human body correspond to spiritual things, the "flesh" corresponding to the good of the natural man, and the "bones" to its truths. (On this correspondence, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 87-102.) And this the Lord confirmed by eating before the disciples of the broiled fish and honeycomb; "the broiled fish" signifying the truth of good of the natural and sensual man, and "the honeycomb," the good of the truth of the same. The Lord, therefore, by letting them feel of Him, showed and confirmed that His whole Human, even to its ultimates, was glorified, that is, made Divine; and this He showed, too, by the eating, in that "He ate before them a piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb."

[16] As "honey" signifies the good of the natural man, so also:

John the Baptist had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4; Mark 1:6).

For John the Baptist represented something similar as Elijah; wherefore it is also said that "Elijah should come," by whom John is meant. Elijah represented the Lord in relation to the Word, or the Word from the Lord; John had a similar representation; and as the Word teaches that the Messiah or the Lord was about to come, John was sent before to preach respecting the Lord's coming, according to the predictions in the Word. And as John represented the Word, therefore he represented the ultimates of the Word, which are natural, by his raiment and also by his food, namely, by his raiment of camel's hair and the leathern girdle about his loins; "camel's hair" signifying the ultimates of the natural man, such as are the exterior things of the Word, and "the leathern girdle about the loins," the external bond and connection of these with the interior things of the Word, which are spiritual. "Locust and wild honey" have a like signification, "locust" signifying the truth of the natural man, and "wild honey" its good. It is the same whether you say the truth and good of the natural man or natural truth and good, such as the Word is in its ultimate sense, which is called the sense of the letter or the natural sense, for this was what John represented by his raiment and food.

[17] That:

No leaven and no honey were to be offered in the offerings made by fire to Jehovah (Leviticus 2:11);

because "leaven" signifies the falsity of the natural man, and "honey" the delight of good of the natural man, and in the contrary sense the delight of its evil; this is also like leaven when it is mixed with such things as signify things interiorly holy, for natural delight draws its own from the delights of the love of self and of the world; and as the Israelitish nation was in such delights more than other nations, therefore they were forbidden to use honey in their sacrifices. (On the signification of "honey," as meaning the delight of the good of the natural man, see Arcana Coelestia 5650, 6857, 8056, 10137, 10530)

[18] That:

When Samson had rent the young lion he found in its carcass a swarm of bees and honey, when he was about to take a wife from the Philistine nation (Judges 14:8);

signified the dissipation of faith separated from charity, which the Philistine nation represented; for this reason the Philistines were called "uncircumcised," and this term signified that they were without spiritual love and charity and only in natural love, which is the love of self and of the world. Because such a faith destroys the good of charity it was represented by a young lion that attacked Samson with intent to tear him in pieces, but as Samson was a Nazirite, and by his Naziriteship represented the Lord in respect to His ultimate natural, he rent the lion, and afterwards found in its carcass "a swarm of bees and honey," and this signifies that when such faith has been dissipated, the good of charity succeeds in its place. The other things related of Samson in the book of Judges have a like signification; for there is nothing written in the Word that does not represent and signify such things as belong to heaven and the church, and these can be known only by a knowledge of correspondences, and thus from the spiritual sense of the Word.

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