4099. 'And also completely consumed our money' means it would destroy the truth belonging to those affections if they were not separated. This is clear from the meaning of 'consuming' as destroying, and from the meaning of 'money' or 'silver' as truth, dealt with in 1551, 2954. 'Our money' clearly means the truth belonging to those affections since 'Rachel' and 'Leah' represent affections for truth, as shown in various places already. No one can know what is implied in all this unless he knows about the implanting of goods and truths by means of intermediate good, that is, unless he knows the nature of those communities of spirits which serve as intermediate good. Communities of spirits which serve as intermediate good are interested in worldly things, whereas communities of angels which serve to introduce affections for truth are not interested in worldly things but in heavenly ones.

[2] These two types of communities are present with and active in a person who is being regenerated. To the extent he is introduced into heavenly things through the angels, the spirits who are interested in worldly things are removed. And if they are not removed truths are dispersed, for worldly things and heavenly things accord with one another in a person when the heavenly have dominion over the worldly, but they do not accord when the worldly have dominion over the heavenly. When they accord, truths within man's natural are in that case multiplied, but when they do not accord, they decrease in number, indeed they are destroyed since worldly things darken heavenly ones, and so make them subject to doubt. But when heavenly things have dominion they shed light on worldly ones, set them in clear light and dispel doubts. Those things have dominion that are loved more than anything else. From this one may see what is meant by the statement about the destruction of the truth belonging to affections if they were not separated, meant by 'he has completely consumed our money'.

2954. 'I will give the price of the field, accept it from me' means redemption as regards the truths of the Church which come from the Lord. This is clear from the meaning of 'giving the silver' as redeeming by means of truth, dealt with above in 2937, for 'silver' means truth, 1551; from the meaning of 'the field' as the Church, and also the doctrine of truth, dealt with in 368, 2936; and from the meaning of 'accept it from me' as a willing response with those who belong to the Church. That response involves a belief that redemption comes from the Lord alone. As for what redemption is, it is the same as reformation and regeneration, and therefore being delivered from hell and being saved. The redemption, or reformation and salvation, of members of the spiritual Church is effected by means of truth, whereas that of members of the celestial Church is effected by means of good.

[2] The reasons why have been stated in various places already - that spiritual people possess no will at all for what is good, but instead have been provided with an ability to understand what good is. The understanding of what is good is primarily called truth, and indeed the truth of faith, while the willing of it and from this the doing of it is called good. Spiritual persons therefore, by means of an understanding of good, or what amounts to the same, by means of truth, are led on to a will for what is good, or what amounts to the same, to good. They are not led on to any will for what is good from anything that is their own, since all will for what is good has with them been destroyed, 895, 927, 2124. Instead they are led on to a new will which they receive from the Lord, 863, 875, 1023, 1043, 1044; and when they have received this new will they specifically are called the redeemed.