10228. 'To make expiation for your souls' means in order that evils may be removed. This is clear from the meaning of 'expiation being made for their souls' as being purified or delivered from evils by means of the truth of faith, dealt with above in 10218; and since purification or deliverance from evils is nothing other than the removal of them, this too is meant by the same words.

A person is not delivered from evils and consequently purified, but is withheld from them when he is maintained in good by the Lord; and in this way evils are removed, see the places referred to in 10057(end).

7024. 'And caused them to ride on an ass' means the ideas which would be of service to the new kind of intelligence. This is clear from the meaning of 'riding' as ideas that belong to the understanding, here the ideas which would be of service to the new kind of intelligence which will enhance the life of those who belong to the spiritual Church, 7016 (the reason why 'riding' (equitare) means those ideas is that 'a horse' (equus) means the power of understanding - see the matters dealt with in 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321, 6534); and from the meaning of 'an ass' as truth that is of service, in this instance to the new kind of intelligence, dealt with in 2781, 5741, and also as factual knowledge, 5492.