9088. He shall pay silver to its master. That this signifies by truth appertaining to him whose good or truth in the natural has been perverted, is evident from the signification of “silver,” as being truth (see n. 1551, 2048, 5658, 6112, 6914, 6917, 7999); of “giving silver,” as being to redeem by means of truth (n. 2954); and from the signification of “its master,” namely, of him whose ox or ass had fallen into the pit, as being the one whose good or truth in the natural has been perverted; for “an ox” denotes good in the natural, and “an ass” denotes truth there (n. 9065, 9086); and “to fall into a pit” denotes to pervert these (n. 9086).

[2] The case herein is this. If good or truth is being perverted by means of falsity, then that which has been perverted must be amended by means of truth; within the church by means of truth from the Word, or from doctrine which is from the Word. The reason why this must be so, is that truth teaches what is evil and what is false, and in this way the man sees and acknowledges it; and when he sees and acknowledges, he can then be amended. For the Lord flows into those things in man which the man knows; but not into those things which he does not know; and therefore He does not amend what is evil or what is false until the man has been instructed that it is evil or false. From this it is that those who do the work of repentance must see and acknowledge their evils, and thus live a life of truth (see n. 8388-8392). The case is the same with purifications from the evils of the love of self and the love of the world. Purifications from these loves cannot possibly be effected except by means of the truths of faith, because these teach that all concupiscences are from these loves. It was for this reason that among the Israelitish and Jewish nation circumcision was performed by means of a knife of stone; for “circumcision” signified purification from these filthy loves; and the “knife of stone” by which it was performed signified the truth of faith (n. 2799, 7044). Moreover man is regenerated by means of the truths of faith (n. 8635-8640, 8772). This was signified by the “washings,” whereby in olden time they were cleansed. The same is also signified at this day by the waters of baptism, for “waters” signify the truths of faith by means of which evils are removed (n. 739, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 7307, 8568), and “baptism” signifies regeneration (n. 4255, 5120).

[3] From all this it is evident how erroneously those think who believe that evils or sins in man are wiped away, as the impurities of the body are washed away by water, and that those were cleansed as to the interiors who in old time were washed with water according to the statutes of the church, and also that at the present day men are saved by being baptized; when yet in old time washings merely represented the cleansing of the interiors; and “baptism” signifies regeneration, the “waters” thereof denoting the truths of faith whereby man is cleansed and regenerated, for evils are removed by their means. Baptism is for those who are within the church, because these have the Word, in which are the truths of faith through which man is regenerated.

6112. And Joseph gathered together all the silver. That this signifies all true and adaptable memory-knowledge, is evident from the signification of “gathering together,” as being to bring together into a one; from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (of which often above); and from the signification of “silver,” as being truth (see n. 1551, 2954, 5658), but here true and adaptable memory-knowledge, for it is said of the silver in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, as presently follows. Hence it is that by “Joseph gathered together all the silver” is signified that the internal celestial brought together into a one all the true and adaptable memory-knowledge. A memory-knowledge is said to be true and adaptable that has not been darkened by fallacies, which, so long as they cannot be dispelled, render the memory-knowledge unadaptable; and so also is a memory-knowledge which has not become perverted by applications to falsities and to evils by others or by oneself, for when these have once been impressed on any memory-knowledge, they remain. Therefore all memory-knowledge that is free from such vitiations, is true and adaptable memory-knowledge.