572. That they should slay the third part of men.- That this signifies of depriving themselves of all understanding of truth, and thence of spiritual life, is evident from the signification of slaying as denoting to deprive of spiritual life, concerning which, see above (n. 547); and from the signification of men, as denoting the understanding of truth (see also above, n. 546, 547). That the third part, when used in reference to truths, denotes all, may be seen above (n. 506). Here, therefore, by slaying the third part of men, is signified deprivation of all understanding of truth. It is said that they deprive themselves, because those who have become sensual through evils of life and falsities of doctrine by reasonings from fallacies, deprive themselves of the understanding of truth, but not others, except those who are also sensual. The reason why they thence deprive themselves of spiritual life, is, that man acquires spiritual life through the understanding, for in the measure that the understanding is opened by truths, and suffers itself to be enlightened, in the same measure, man becomes spiritual. But the understanding is opened by means of truths from good, but not by means of truths without good; for so far as man lives in the good of love and of charity, so far he thinks truths; for truth is the form of good, and all good with man pertains to his will, and all truth pertains to his understanding, therefore the good of the will manifests its form in the understanding; the form itself is thought from the understanding originating in the will.

5803. 'We have a father, an old man' means that spiritual good is their source. This is clear from the representation of Israel, to whom 'a father refers here, as spiritual good, which is the source, dealt with just above in 5801. As regards Israel's representation, see 4286, 4292, 4570, where it is shown that he represents the spiritual Church, in particular the internal aspect of it, which is the good of truth or spiritual good from the natural. What spiritual good or the good of truth is, see 5526, 5773.