588. Which can neither see nor hear nor walk, signifies in which and from which there is nothing of the understanding of truth or the perception of good, and thus nothing of spiritual life. This is evident from the signification of "to see," as being to understand truth (See above, n. 11, 260, 529); also from the signification of "to hear," as being to perceive and obey (See also above, n. 14, 249), and as being to have understanding to perceive, n. 529; also from the signification of "to walk," as being to live spiritually, and in reference to the Lord that it is life itself (See above, n. 97). From this it is clear that "not to see, to hear, or to walk," signifies that there is no understanding of truth, no perception of good, and thence no spiritual life; these are not in idols or from them, for "idols" signify the falsities of doctrine, of religion, and of worship, and such things are not in falsities, but in truths that are from good; in truths and from them is all understanding, all perception from the will of good, and consequently spiritual life. It is said "consequently," because spiritual life consists in the understanding of truth and in perception from the will of good; for truths are in the light of heaven, and this so much that the truths themselves give light in heaven, and this because the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord makes all light in the spiritual world, and that light gives all intelligence and wisdom to angels.

Now as truths themselves are of the light it follows that falsities are of no light, for they extinguish light, consequently falsities are called in the Word "darkness" (See above, n. 526); and as they are darkness, they are the shadow of spiritual death. But it is to be known that the falsities of evil constitute such darkness, not falsities that are not from evil. "To hear" signifies perception from the will of good, and thence obedience, because speech enters the ear at the same time with the sound, and the truths uttered enter the understanding and thence the thought, while sounds enter the will and thence the affection. That in the spiritual world sounds present and produce the affection which is of the will, and the words of the sound the thought which is of the understanding, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 236, 241, and above n. 323. From this it can be seen why "to hear" and "to hearken" also signify to obey, and the "ear" and "hearing" obedience.

249. If any one hear My voice, signifies if one attends to the Lord's precepts. This is evident from the signification of "to hear," as being to attend, that is, to observe with attention, and to hearken or obey; for the things that enter by the hearing are not only seen by the understanding, but also, if they are in accord with man's affection, are obeyed; for interior affection joins itself to things heard, but not to things seen. There are therefore two significations of hearing and hearkening in common discourse, namely, to hear anyone or listen, and to hear anyone or hearken to him; the latter means to obey, but the former means to perceive; consequently "hear thou" means to be obedient, and "see thou" means to be intelligent. Such things in common discourse have their origin in the spiritual world, in which man is in respect to his spirit (See above, n. 14 and 108). This is evident also from the signification of "My voice," or the Lord's voice, as being the truths of the Word, of doctrine, and of faith therefrom, thus precepts (See Arcana Coelestia 219, 220, 3563, 6971, 8813, 9926).

[2] It is said, if one attends to the Lord's precepts; which means if one wishes to know truths, and to study them from the Word; this no one can do who is in evils of life, and who has confirmed himself in falsities of doctrine. Those who have confirmed themselves in falsities of doctrine attend to nothing in the Word except what favors the principles of their falsity; other things they either pass by, as if not seen, or pervert and falsify; while those who are in evils of life do not care about truths, and when they hear them do not listen to them. Thus in one way of hearing, which is seeing and perceiving truths, they receive, but not in the other way, which is hearkening to or obeying truths. But those who wish to know truths, and to study them from the Word, are such as are in the spiritual affection of truth; these love truth because it is truth; and those are in that affection who wish to live according to truths from the Word, thus according to the Lord's commandments. Such are meant by "If anyone hear My voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me."