366. That they should slay one another, signifies the falsification or extinction of truths. This is evident from the signification of "slaying," as meaning the extinction of truths; for "to slay" in the Word signifies to slay spiritually, that is, to slay the spiritual part of a man or his soul, which is to extinguish truths. It also means to falsify, because when truths are falsified they are also extinguished; for falsification produces a different understanding of truths, and truth is true to everyone according to his understanding of it; for the love and principle that rule in man draw and apply all things to themselves, even truths themselves; consequently when the love is evil, or the principle is false, then truths are infected with the evil of the love or the falsity of the principle, and thus are extinguished. This, therefore, is what is here signified by "they should slay one another." That this takes place when there is no good with man, and especially when there is no good in the doctrine of his church, is evident from the preceding words, where it is said, "When he had opened the second seal there went forth a red horse; and to him that sat upon him it was given to take peace from the earth;" which signifies a second state of the church when the understanding of the Word is destroyed in respect to good, which is the source of dissensions in the church (of which see above, n. 361, 364, 365).

[2] That the understanding of the Word, or what is the same, the understanding of the truth, is destroyed when there is no good with man, that is, when there is no love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbor, may be seen above n. 365; for good with man, or what is the same, love with him, is the fire of his life, and truth with him, or the faith of truth, is the light therefrom; consequently such as the good is, or such as the love is in man, such is truth, or such the faith of truth in him. From this it can be seen that when evil or an evil love is with man there can be no truth or faith of truth with him; for the light that goes forth from such fire is the light that those have who are in hell, which is a fatuous light like the light from burning coals, which light, when light from heaven flows in, is turned into mere thick darkness. Such also is the light that with the evil, when they reason against the things of the church, is called natural light [lumen].

[3] That they would falsify and thereby extinguish truths is meant also by the Lord's words in Matthew:

Jesus said to the disciples, The brother shall deliver up the brother, the father the son; children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death (Matthew 10:21).

And in Luke:

Ye shall be delivered up by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death (Luke 21:16).

"Parents," "brethren," "children," ["kinsfolk, "] and "friends," do not mean here parents, brethren, children, kinsfolk, friends, nor do "disciples" mean disciples, but the goods and truths of the church, also evils and falsities; it is also meant that evils would extinguish goods and falsities truths. (That such is the signification of these words, see Arcana Coelestia 10490.)

155. And ministry and faith, signifies good and truth therein. This is evident from the signification of "ministry," as being good (of which presently); and from the signification of "faith," as being truth. Faith signifies truth, because truth is of faith, and faith is of truth. "Ministry" signifies good, because in the Word "ministry" is predicated of good. For this reason the function of Aaron, of his sons, and of the Levites, and the priestly function in general, was called a "ministry." For the same reason, "ministering" to Jehovah, or to the Lord, means to worship Him from the good of love. From this it is clear that "ministry" has reference to works, and "faith" to charity, of which just above, where it is said, "I know thy works and charity," for faith and charity make one, since where there is no charity there is no faith (See The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 108-122; and the small work on The Last Judgment 33-40).

[2] That "ministry" and "ministering" in the Word are predicated of the good of love can be seen from the following passages. In David:

Jehovah maketh His angels spirits, His ministers a flaming fire (Psalms 104:4).

Jehovah's "making His angels spirits" means that they are recipients of Divine truth (See above, n. 130). "Making His ministers a flaming fire" means that they are recipients of Divine good for "flaming fire" signifies the good of love (See above, n. 68). From this it is clear that by "ministers" those who are in the good of love are meant.

[3] In the same:

Bless Jehovah, all ye His hosts; ye ministers of His that do His will (Psalms 103:21).

Those are called "hosts of Jehovah" who are in truths (See n. 3448, 7236, 7988, 8019), and "ministers" those who are in goods; therefore it is said, "that do His will." Doing the Lord's will is acting from the good of love; for all good has reference to the will, as all truth has to the understanding.

[4] In Isaiah:

Ye shall be called the priests of Jehovah, the ministers of our God (Isaiah 61:6).

Priests are called "ministers" because they represented the Lord in respect to the good of love; those, therefore, who are in the good of love are called "priests" in the Word (See Arcana Coelestia 2015, 6148, 9809, 10017); and for the same reason they are called "ministers of God." On this account the function of Aaron and of his sons is called "a ministry;" also the function of the Levite priests; and entering into the tent of meeting and officiating in the ministry there, also approaching the altar and officiating in the ministry there, is called "ministering" (See Exodus 28:35; 30:20; Numbers 8:15, 19, 24-26).

And in Jeremiah:

Then shall My covenant become void with the Levites the priests, My ministers (Jeremiah 33:21).

(That Aaron represented the Lord in respect to the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia 9806, 9946, 10017; likewise priests in general, n. 2015, 6148 consequently by "priesthood" in the Word the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love is signified, n. 9806, 9809)

[5] There are two kingdoms into which the whole heaven is divided, in one of which are the angels who are in the good of celestial love, in the other the angels who are in the good of spiritual love, or in charity. The Lord's celestial kingdom is called His "priesthood," the spiritual kingdom His "royalty" (See in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 24, 226). "Ministry" is predicated of those in the celestial kingdom, and "service" of those in the spiritual kingdom. From this it is clear what is meant in the following passages by "ministering" and "minister," and by "serving" and "servant":

Jesus said to the disciples, Whosoever would be great let him be your minister; and whosoever would be first, let him be your servant; as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister (Matthew 20:26-28; 23:11-12; Mark 9:35; Luke 22:24-27).

Jesus said, If any man will minister to Me let him follow Me; then where I am, there shall also My minister be; yea, if any man will minister to Me, him will My Father honor (John 12:26).

Jesus said, Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching; I say unto you, that He shall gird Himself, and make them to recline to eat, and He will come forth and minister to them (Luke 12:37).

In Isaiah:

The sons of the alien that conjoin themselves to Jehovah to minister to Him, and to love the name of Jehovah (Isaiah 56:6).

Because "ministering" is predicated of the good of love, "the sons of the alien" are said "to minister to Jehovah," and "to love Him;" and of the Lord Himself it is said that "He would minister." From all this it can now be seen that by "ministry" is signified everything that is done from the good of love, thus the good of love.