9021. 'And anyone cursing his father and his mother' means complete rejection of the Lord and of His kingdom by those belonging to the Church, and so profanation of the Church's goodness and truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'cursing' as turning away and separating from, dealt with in 245, 379, 1423, 3530, 3584, 5071, and therefore also complete rejection, since one who turns away and separates from the Lord rejects Him in his heart; and from the meaning of 'father and mother' as the Lord and His kingdom, or in a relative sense goodness and truth that come from the Lord, dealt with in 8897, 9015. The reason why it is a rejection by those within the Church is that the commandments, judgements, and statutes which were declared by the Lord from Mount Sinai were intended specifically for the children of Israel, among whom a representative of the Church was at that time established, and who therefore served to mean the Church, 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223, 7957, 8234, 8805. So it is too that 'cursing father and mother' means profanation; for those within the Church who completely reject the Lord and the things of His kingdom and Church profane them. The fact that those within the Church can profane holy things, but not those outside the Church, see 1008, 1010, 1059, 2051, 3398, 3399, 3898, 4289, 4601, 6348, 6959, 6963, 6971, 8882. Consequently rejection of the Lord is not profanation among those who are outside the Church; it is not such among gentiles, Muslims, or Jews.

5833. 'And now, when I come to your servant my father' means the good of the Church corresponding to the spiritual good which is that of the internal Church. This is clear from the representation of Judah, who says this about himself, as the good of the Church, dealt with in 5583, 5603, 5782, and from the representation of Israel, who is his 'father' here, as spiritual good, dealt with in 5807, 5812, 5813, 5817, 5819, 5825. The good of the Church that 'Judah' represents is the good of the external Church, whereas the spiritual good that 'Israel' represents is the good of the internal Church, 4286. For every Church of the Lord's is both internal and external, and features of the external Church correspond to features of the internal Church, so that the good of the Church which is 'Judah' corresponds to spiritual good which is 'Israel'.