10536. 'And no one put on his finery' means the nature of their external which is such that it lacks what is Divine. This is clear from the meaning of 'finery' as the presence of what is Divine in external things, so that 'not putting on his finery' means the absence of what is Divine in those things. The reason why 'finery' has this meaning is that 'finery' relates to clothing, and Divine Truths are meant by clothing generally. The reason why Divine Truths are meant by clothing generally lies in things in the next life that are representative. All there, both angels and spirits, appear clothed in garments, each one in garments that accord with his truths. Those in possession of truths that are authentic and come from God appear clothed in brilliantly white garments; others appear in others different from these. Spirits indeed do not know where their garments come from; they are clothed without their knowing how. And also the garments they wear are varied, as determined by the changes of state they undergo in respect of truths. In short, the character of their understanding is what is revealed and represented by their garments; for everyone's understanding is shaped by truths and comes to have the same nature as the truths which compose it. The understanding which angels in heaven possess resides on an inner level with them, as a consequence of which their garments are brilliant and white. The brilliance is due to Divine Good, and the whiteness to the light of heaven, which is Divine Truth. But the garments of those whose interest lies in external things and not in what is internal are drab and torn, like those of beggars in the streets or robbers in the forests. From all this what is meant by 'finery' may be seen, namely the Church's holy truths, and therefore 'not putting on finery' means the absence of the Church's holy truths, and in reference to the Israelite nation, whose interest lay in external things and not in what was internal, means the nature of their external which was such that it lacked truths from God.

Truths are meant by 'garments', see 2132, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5319, 5954, 6378, 6914, 6917, 6918, 9093, 9158, 9212, 9216, 9814, 9827, 9952.

What is meant by the garments of Aaron and his sons, 9814, 10068.

'Finery' in the Word means the Church's holy truths, see below in 10540.

10243. 'They shall wash with water' means purification effected by means of the truths of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'washing' as purification from evils and falsities, dealt with above in 10237; and from the meaning of 'water' as the truths of faith, also dealt with above, in 10238. Anyone who does not know what 'washing' means, nor what 'feet' and 'hands' mean, cannot possibly know what is implied by the following words in John,

Jesus poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the linen towel with which He was girded. And He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, Do you wash my feet? Jesus answered, What I am doing you do not know as yet; but you will know afterwards. Peter said to Him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me. Peter said to Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and head. Jesus said to Him, He who has been washed has no need except to wash his feet, but the whole person is clean. Already you are clean. John 13:5-10.

Is there anyone who can know what the real meaning is when the Lord said, 'What I am doing you do not know as yet, but you will know afterwards', also 'If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me', as well as 'He who has been washed has no need except to wash his feet', and 'the whole person is clean'?

[2] These words refer to purification from evils and falsities, but no one can know of this except from the internal sense. From this sense it is evident that 'washing' is used to mean purification from evils and falsities; 'water in a basin' to mean the truth of faith within the natural; 'the linen towel' which the Lord was girded with, and which He used for wiping, to mean Divine Truth emanating from Him; 'feet' to mean the natural level in a person; and 'washing the head, hands, and feet' to mean regeneration, as is 'he who has been washed', so that 'washing the feet' is used to mean purifying the natural level in a person. Unless this level with a person is purified and cleansed while he is living in the world he cannot ever be purified after that. For whatever a person's natural level is like when he dies it remains the same; no improvement takes place afterwards, for it is the level into which interior things, that is, spiritual ones flow, and it is their receptacle. Consequently when it has been perverted the interior things are similarly perverted on flowing in. The situation is like that with the eye or any other sensory organ or a member of the body when it has been damaged; inner abilities to perceive or to act by means of that organ or member are conditioned by the state of reception there.

[3] A person's inability therefore ever to be purified if his natural is not purified in the world is the meaning of the Lord's words, What I am doing you do not know as yet; but you will know afterwards. The fact that nothing except the natural needs to be purified in one who has been regenerated is the meaning of He who has washed has no need except to wash his feet, and of the whole person is clean. And the accomplishment of all purification by the Lord alone is the meaning of If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me. The accomplishment of it by means of the Divine Truth which emanates from the Lord is meant by His wiping with the linen towel with which He was girded.

'A linen towel' means truth from God, see 7601, so that 'the linen towel with which the Lord was girded' is Divine Truth from Himself.

'Water' means the truth of faith, 10238.

'A basin' or a laver with water in it means the natural, 10235.

'Washing the head, hands, and feet' - that is, the whole body - means regeneration, 10239, 'feet' being the natural within a person, 10241.

From all this it again becomes evident that the Lord spoke by means of correspondences, thus in accordance with the internal sense, since He spoke from heaven's point of view, where that sense exists. Consequently there is little understanding of the Lord's Word unless it is understood on that level of meaning.