10035. And the flesh of the bullock. That this signifies the evil of the former loves there, is evident from the signification of “flesh,” as being the good of love, and in the opposite sense the evil of love (of which below); and from the signification of “the bullock,” as being the external or natural (of which above). For by a “bullock” and a “calf” in a good sense is signified the external or natural of man in respect to the good of innocence and of charity; but in the opposite sense, the external or natural of man in respect to the evil which is contrary to the good of innocence and of charity; for in the Word most things have also an opposite sense. That “the flesh of the bullock” here signifies the evil of the former loves in the external or natural man, is because by “flesh” is signified man’s will, thus his own, for that which is of the will is his own; and as by “flesh” is signified the will or own, therefore by it is also signified the good of love, or the evil of love. For in man there are two faculties called understanding and will. To the understanding pertain truths or falsities; but to the will, goods or evils. Thus to the understanding pertain the things of faith, and to the will the things of love, because the things of love are perceived as goods, and the things of faith are perceived as truths. Moreover, with those who are in falsities and evils, falsities are of faith, and evils are of love.

[2] From this it can be seen what is meant by the own of the will, which is signified by “flesh” in both senses. Be it known further that all the own of the will of man is evil, because from himself man loves nothing but himself and the world, and if he loves his neighbor it is for the sake of himself. Therefore he must be regenerated, and through regeneration receive a new will; but the will which he receives through regeneration is not of the man, but of the Lord with the man. When this will or will part is meant by “flesh,” then “flesh” signifies the good of love. (But see what has already been shown concerning “flesh,” and concerning own, namely, that “flesh” signifies the Lord’s own which is Divine good, and from this it signifies all the good of love with the regenerate man, n. 3813, 7850, 9127; and that in the opposite sense it signifies the own of the will of man, which is the evil of love, n. 999, 3813, 8409.) (That the Lord’s own denotes the Divine good, and from this the good of love to Him and toward the neighbor, because the Lord’s own is that which gives the life of heaven to man when he is being regenerated, see n. 1023, 1044, 1937, 1947, 3812, 5660, 5786, 8480; and that man’s own is nothing but evil, n. 210, 215, 694, 874-876, 987, 1047, 3812, 4328, 5660, 5786, 8480, 8497.) That by “the flesh of this bullock” is signified the evil of love, is evident from what follows in this verse, namely, that the flesh, the skin, and the dung were to be burned without the camp, because they were sin. But what was represented by the command that the flesh of the sacrifice was to be eaten by the priest and by the people in the holy place, will be seen below (n. 10040).

215. That man’s Own is nothing but evil and falsity has been made evident to me from the fact that whatever spirits have at any time said from themselves has been so evil and false that whenever it was made known to me that they spoke from themselves I at once knew that it was false, even though while speaking they were themselves so thoroughly persuaded of the truth of what they said as to have no doubt about it. The case is the same with men who speak from themselves. And in the same way, whenever any persons have begun to reason concerning the things of spiritual and celestial life, or those of faith, I could perceive that they doubted, and even denied, for to reason concerning faith is to doubt and deny. And as it is all from self or their Own, they sink into mere falsities, consequently into an abyss of thick darkness, that is, of falsities, and when they are in this abyss the smallest objection prevails over a thousand truths, just as a minute particle of dust in contact with the pupil of the eye shuts out the universe and everything it contains. Of such persons the Lord says in Isaiah:

Woe unto those who are wise in their own eyes, and intelligent before their own faces (Isaiah 5:21).

And again:

Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath turned thee away, and thou hast said in thine heart, I, and none else besides me; and evil shall come upon thee, thou shalt not know from whence it riseth, and mischief shall fall upon thee, which thou shalt not be able to expiate, and vastation shall come upon thee suddenly, of which thou art not aware (Isaiah 47:10-11).

In Jeremiah:

Every man is made stupid by knowledge [scientia], every founder is confounded by the graven image, for his molten image is falsehood, neither is there breath in them (Jeremiah 51:17).

A “graven image” is the falsity, and a “molten image” the evil, of man’s Own.