836. (Verse 16) And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond. That this signifies lower and higher, wise and simple, both those who think from themselves and those who think from others, is evident from the signification of all, small and great, as denoting lower and higher, or more common and more eminent; and from the signification of rich and poor, as denoting the wise and simple. That those are called rich who possess much knowledge of good and truth, thus who are wise, may be seen above (n. 118, 236); and that those are called poor who have not the knowledges of good and truth, because they have not the Word, but who, nevertheless, desire them, may also be seen above (n.118, 238). The same is evident from the signification of free and bond, as denoting those who think from themselves and those who think from others. To think from themselves is to consider from themselves whether a thing is true or false, and so to choose the one and reject the other. These are they who are made spiritual by the Lord, and are consequently in the light of heaven, and see from and are led of the Lord; for freedom is to think and live from the Lord, and bondage is to think and live from hell; that these are free, may be also seen above (n. 248, 409, 701, 774). That the Lord, by means of His Divine truth, makes them free, is declared in John (8:32-36). And that the church, when it is in faith from love, is in a state of freedom, but when it is in faith without love is in a state of bondage, and that this is meant by the Lord's words in John (21:18), may be seen above (n. 820). From these considerations it follows, that by bondmen are meant those who do not think from themselves but from others, and who do not perceive whether a thing is true or false, and yet acknowledge that it is true. That these are the bond, when those who think from themselves are the free, is evident from contrast.