38. And they who pierced Him, signifies that they also will see Him who are in falsities from evil. This is evident from the signification of "piercing," as being those who altogether deny the Lord, for these kill and pierce Him in themselves; for these are meant by the soldier who pierced His side (John 19:34-37). By "soldier" and "soldiers" are meant those who are of the church, and who should fight for the Lord. Here in particular are meant those of the Jewish church, and, in general, all that are of the church who are in falsities from evil. And as such were signified by "soldiers," the soldiers divided the Lord's garments, and cast lots upon His coat; which means that the Jewish church dispersed the Divine truths that are in the sense of the letter of the Word, but were unable to disperse interior truths, or the truths of the internal sense (for "garments" signify truths in ultimates; see Arcana Coelestia, n. 5248, 6918, 9158, 9212; "to divide" signifies to dissipate and disperse, see n. 4424, 6360, 6361, 9093; and "the coat" interior truths, n. 9048, 9212, 9216, 9826).

5626. 'And take your brother' means that by that self-submission they would receive the good of faith. This is clear from the representation of Simeon, ¹ to whom 'brother' whom they were to take refers here, as faith in the will, dealt with in 3869-3872, 4497, 4502, 4503, 5482, and so the good of faith since the truth of faith becomes the good of faith when it passes over into the will. For when this happens that truth passes over into the person's life, and when it is there it is not seen as something to be known but as something to be done. That truth then changes its essential nature and becomes truth realized in action, as a consequence of which it is no longer called truth but good.

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