2954. I will give the silver of the field; take it of me. That this signifies redemption as to the truths of the church which are from the Lord, is evident from the signification of “giving silver,” as being to redeem by truth (see above, n. 2937); for “silver” is truth (n. 1551); from the signification of “field,” as being the church, and also the doctrine of truth (see n. 368, 2936); and from the signification of “taking of me,” as being what is reciprocal with those who are of the church; the reciprocal is faith that redemption is from the Lord alone. As regards redemption, it is the same as reformation and regeneration and the consequent deliverance from hell and salvation. The redemption or reformation and salvation of the men of the spiritual church is effected through truth; but that of the men of the celestial church through good. The reasons have been repeatedly stated above, namely, that the spiritual have nothing of the will of good, but in its stead have been gifted with the faculty of understanding what is good. The understanding of good is what is principally called truth, and indeed the truth of faith; but willing and thence doing this is what is called good. The spiritual therefore, through the understanding of good, or what is the same, through truth, are introduced into the will of good, or what is the same, into good; not however into anything of the will of good from themselves, for with them all the will of good has been lost (see n. 895, 927, 2124); but into a new will which they receive from the the Lord, (n. 863, 875, 1023, 1043, 1044); and when they have received this will they are then called specifically the redeemed.

2937. In full silver. That this signifies redemption through truth, is evident from the signification of “silver,” as being truth (see n. 1551); and from the signification of “let him give me in silver,” or “for silver,” as being to buy, and in the spiritual sense to redeem. That the spiritual are said to have been “bought with silver,” may be seen above (n. 2048), that is, redeemed by truth. The reason of this is that they are regenerated, that is, are introduced to good, through the truth of faith; for the spiritual man has no perception of good, as the celestial man has; but truth is that by means of which he knows, and from which he afterwards acknowledges, that there is good; and when he acknowledges and believes, then it becomes good to him, and he is affected by it as good, which becomes such in quality as is the truth which he has. Hence it is that the spiritual are said to have been redeemed by means of truth. But still the quality of the good is not born and produced from truth, but from the influx of good into truth of that quality.