3780. 'And he said to them, Does he have peace?' means, Does it - that good - come from the Lord's kingdom? This is clear from the meaning of 'peace' dealt with below. In the historical sense it is an inquiry into whether Laban 'has peace', but in the internal sense it is an inquiry concerning the good which Laban represents. For 'Laban' is a parallel good springing from a common stock, that is, the kind of good that exists among gentiles who belong to the universal Church, that is, to the Lord's kingdom, see immediately above in 3778. From this it is evident what those words mean - Does it come from the Lord's kingdom?

[2] As regards 'peace', this means in the highest sense the Lord Himself, and from this in the internal sense His kingdom. Peace is also the Lord's Divine affecting inmostly the good which governs people there. The fact that these things are meant in the Word by 'peace' becomes clear from many places, as in Isaiah,

To us a Boy is born, to us a Son is given, whose government will be upon His shoulder; and His name will be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom. Isaiah 9:6-7.

Here 'Prince of Peace' clearly stands for the Lord, 'the increase of government and of peace' for the things that exist in His kingdom, and so it stands for the kingdom itself. In the same prophet,

The work of righteousness will be peace, and the labour of righteousness quietness and security for ever. And My people will abide in a habitation of peace. Isaiah 32:17-18.

This refers to the Lord's kingdom, where 'peace', 'quietness', and 'security' follow consecutively. 'A habitation of peace' stands for heaven.

[3] In the same prophet,

The angels of peace weep bitterly. The highways have been laid waste, the wayfarer has ceased. Isaiah 33:7-8.

'The angels of peace' stands for members of the Lord's kingdom, and so 'peace' stands for the kingdom itself, and in the highest sense for the Lord. 'The highways have been laid waste and the wayfarer has ceased' stands for the fact that truth existed nowhere any longer - 'highways' and 'ways' meaning truths, see 627, 2333. In the same prophet,

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of Him who is bringing good tidings, causing peace to be heard, bringing good tidings of good, causing salvation to be heard, saying to Zion, Your God reigns. Isaiah 52:7.

'Bringing good tidings and causing peace to be heard' stands for the Lord's kingdom. In the same prophet,

The mountains will depart and the hills be removed, but My mercy will not depart from you, and the covenant of My peace will not be removed. Isaiah 54:10.

In the same prophet,

The way of peace they have not known, and there is no judgement in their tracks. Isaiah 59:8.

[4] In Jeremiah,

I will assemble My peace from this people, said Jehovah, pity and mercy. Jeremiah 16:5.

In the same prophet, The folds of peace have been laid waste, because of the fierce anger of Jehovah. Jeremiah 25:37.

In the same prophet,

The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known, that Jehovah has in truth sent him. Jeremiah 28:9.

In the same prophet,

I know the thoughts that I am thinking towards you, said Jehovah, thoughts of peace. Jeremiah 29:11.

In Haggai,

The glory of this latter house will be greater than that of the former, for in this place I will give peace. Haggai 2:9.

In Zechariah,

They will be the seed of peace; the vine will give its fruit, and the land will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew. Zechariah 8:12.

In David,

Care for the blameless one, and behold the upright, for the latter end of that man is peace. Psalms 37:37.

In Luke,

Jesus said to the disciples, Whatever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this house! And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest on it; but if not, it shall return to you. Luke 10:5-6.

In John,

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. John 14:27.

In the same gospel,

Jesus said, These things I have said to you, that in Me you may have peace. John 16:33.

[5] In all these places 'peace' in the highest sense means the Lord, in the representative sense His kingdom and good from the Lord in that kingdom, and so means the Divine which flows into good or into affections for good, which also, from what is inmost, brings feelings of joy and happiness. This shows what is meant by the words of the blessing,

Jehovah will lift up His face upon you and give you peace. Numbers 6:26.

It also shows what is meant by the customary greeting received from ancient times, Peace to you, the same words as were used by the Lord to greet the apostles, John 20:19, 21, 26. See also about 'peace' in 92, 93, 1726, 2780, 3170, 3696.

3778. 'And he said to them, Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?' means, Did they possess good from that stock? This is clear from the representation of 'Laban' as a parallel good springing from a common stock, dealt with in 3612, 3665, and from the representation of 'Nahor' as that common stock from which the good meant by 'Laban' springs - 'knowing' meaning, in the internal sense, from that source, as is evident from the train of thought. Let a brief statement be made about the representation of a parallel good by means of Nahor, Bethuel, and Laban. Terah who was the father of three sons - Abram, Nahor, and Haran, Genesis 11:27 - represents the common stock from which the Churches sprang. Terah himself was in fact an idolater, but representatives have no regard to the person, only to the actual subject represented by him, see 1361. And since the Jewish representative Church had its beginnings in Abraham and was re-established among his descendants from Jacob, Terah and his three sons take on the representation of Churches. Abram takes on the representation of the genuine Church as it exists among those who possess the Word, while Nahor his brother takes on that of the Church as it exists among gentiles who do not possess the Word. The Lord's Church is spread throughout the whole world, existing also among gentiles who lead charitable lives, as is evident from what has been shown in various places regarding the gentiles.

[2] This then is why Nahor, his son Bethuel, and Bethuel's son Laban represent a parallel good that springs from a common stock, that is, the good which exists with people who belong to the Lord's Church among the gentiles. This good differs from good coming in a direct line from the common stock, in that those gentiles do not have genuine truths which are joined to their good. Instead they have for the most part external appearances which are called illusions of the senses, for they do not possess the Word from which they may receive light. Actually good is in essence a single entity, but it acquires a specific character from the truths implanted in it and in this way is made various. The truths that are seen by gentiles as truths are in general the idea that they should worship some God from whom they seek their own good and to whom they attribute it - though they do not know so long as they live in this world that that God is the Lord; also the idea that they should adore their God under images which they hold sacred; besides many other ideas. But these ideas do not make it any less possible for them to be saved than for Christians, provided that they lead lives in which love to their God and love towards the neighbour are present. For by leading such lives they have the ability to receive interior truths in the next life, see 932, 1032, 1059, 2049, 2051, 2284, 2589-2604, 2861, 2863, 3263. This shows what is meant by a parallel good that springs from a common stock. For Nahor represents those outside the Church who by virtue of good are bound together as brethren, see 2863, 2864, 2868; Bethuel represents good as it exists with those who make up a first group of gentiles, 2865, 3665; and Laban represents the affection for external or bodily good, strictly speaking a parallel good springing from a common stock, 3612, 3665.

[3] This good is such that first of all it serves a person as a means for acquiring spiritual good, for it is external and bodily and derives from external appearances which in themselves are illusions of the senses. In childhood a person acknowledges nothing other than these as truth and good, and although taught what internal good and truth are he still has no more than a bodily concept of it. This being his concept at first, this kind of good and truth is the initial means by which interior truths and goods are brought in. This is the arcanum which Jacob and Laban represent here.