218. That no one take thy crown. That this signifies lest intelligence perish is evident from the signification of a crown, as denoting wisdom (concerning which see above, n. 126), in this case, intelligence, because those who are in spiritual love, or charity, and thence in faith, are in intelligence, but those who are in celestial love, or love to the Lord, and thence in the perception of truth, are in wisdom. The reason why by that no one take thy crown, is signified lest intelligence perish, is, because evils and falsities therefrom take away man's intelligence; for intelligence is from truth, and this is taken away from man by evil spirits when he is in evils, because he is then associated with them, and what is thus taken away perishes.

2717. 'And his mother took for him' means the affection for truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'mother' as the Church, dealt with in 289. And because the spiritual Church which is represented here is governed by the affection for truth, and it is this affection which makes it a Church, 'mother' here therefore means that affection.