2114. All the men of his house, he that was born in the house, and he that was bought with silver. That this signifies all those who are within the church, is evident from the signification of “him that was born in the house,” as being the celestial; and from the signification of “those bought with silver,” as being the spiritual (concerning which above, n. 2048, 2051, 2052); and also that these are they who are within the church, for all who are within the church, that is, all who constitute the church, are either celestial or spiritual; but who the celestial and who the spiritual are, may be seen above (n. 2088). In this last verse of this chapter there is a summary of all that has been said above, namely, that they who have been purified from the loves of self and of the world, both those within the church and those outside the church, are justified by the Lord. Both these classes are called the “men of the house;” for in the internal sense “the house” signifies the Lord’s kingdom (n. 2048).

2051. Circumcising he shall be circumcised. That this signifies that they must wholly remove from themselves the loves of self and of the world, that is, that they must do this who are within the church and who are signified by him “that is born in the house,” and by him “that is bought with silver,” is evident from the representation of circumcision,” as being purification from the loves of self and of the world (see above, n. 2039). It is here repeated that they are to be circumcised, and it is said, “circumcising he shall be circumcised,” by which is expressed the necessity, that is, for their being wholly purified from those loves. And as those are signified who are within the church, the “sons that are strangers” are not mentioned here, because by them (as shown above, n. 2049) are signified those who are outside the church.

[2] From the repetition of what was said in the preceding verse concerning those born in the house and those bought with silver, everyone can see that there is a Divine arcanum which is not seen from the sense of the letter. The arcanum is, that purification from those filthy loves is necessary most of all within the church, and this for the reason that they who are within the church are able to render holy things themselves impure, which they who are outside the church-that is, the Gentiles cannot do; so that the danger of damnation is greater in the case of the former. Moreover those who are within the church are able to form principles of falsity contrary to the very truths of faith, and to become imbued with them; whereas those who are outside the church cannot do this, because they are ignorant of these truths. Thus the former can profane holy truths, but not the latter (concerning which more may be seen in Part First, n. 1059, 1327, 1328).