572. That they should kill the third part of men, signifies of depriving themselves of all understanding of truth, and thus of spiritual life. This is evident from the signification of "to kill," as being to deprive of spiritual life (See above, n. 547); and from the signification of "men," as being the understanding of truth (See also above, n. 546, 547); "the third part," in reference to truths, means all (See above, n. 506); so here "to kill the third part of men" signifies the deprivation of all understanding of truth. It means to deprive themselves, because those who become sensual through evils of life and falsities of doctrine deprive ¹ themselves, by reasonings from fallacies, of the understanding of truth, but not others, except such as are sensual. They thus deprive themselves of spiritual life, because man has spiritual life through his understanding, for he becomes a spiritual man in the measure in which his understanding is opened and permits itself to be enlightened by means of truths. But it is by means of truths from good that the understanding is opened, not by means of truths without good; for man thinks truth so far as he lives in the good of love and charity. Truth indeed is the form of good, and all good with man is of his will, and all truth is of his understanding; therefore the good of the will presents its form in the understanding, and the form itself is thought from the understanding which is from the will.

Notes de bas de page:

7957. 'Both you and the children of Israel' means together with their truth from God, and with truth that leads to good and truth which springs from good. This is clear from the representation of 'Moses' as the truth from God, dealt with just above in 7955; and from the representation of 'the children of Israel' as those belonging to the spiritual Church, dealt with often, thus those guided by truth that leads to good and by truth which springs from good. For the spiritual Church differs from the celestial Church in that it is brought to the good of charity by means of the truth of faith, which being so it considers truth to be the essential thing. Initial contact with that good for them is effected through truth, for truth teaches them what they ought to do; and when they do that truth it is called good. This good, once they have been brought in contact with it, becomes the standpoint from which they see truths, that show them further how to act. From this it is evident that whether you say those belonging to the spiritual Church or those guided by truth through Which good is done, and by truth seen from the standpoint of good, it amounts to the same thing.