476. And have made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb, signifies the implantation of Divine truth from the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "making robes white," as meaning to put off falsities and to put on truths, for "white" and "to be made white," are predicated of truths, and these are signified by "robes." (That "white" and "to be made white," are predicated of truths, see above, n. 196; and that "robes" signify truths in general see above, n. 395.) It is said "made their robes white," because the garments of those who are in falsities appear in the spiritual world dusky and also spotted, and the garments of those who are in temptations appear filthy; but as soon as they emerge from temptations, as they have then been imbued with Divine truths, white and shining garments without spots appear upon them, as was mentioned just above. This is why "they have made their robes white" signifies that they have put off falsities and put on truths. The above is evident also from the signification of "the blood of the Lamb" as being Divine truth proceeding from the Lord (of which above, n. 329 e New Jerusalem 293, 294, and in the extracts there from the Arcana Coelestia.) This can be seen from this also, that the garments of angels appear glistening from what is white and bright, not from faith in and thought about the blood of the Lord on the cross, but from Divine truth with them from the Lord; for, as was said above, their garments are all in accord with the truths with them; nor is any angel permitted to think of the Lord's passion, but only of His glorification, and of the reception by Him of the Divine.); and because in temptations falsities are shaken off, and truths are implanted, so in general, "they have made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb" signifies the implantation of Divine truth from the Lord. In the sense of the letter of the Word, "the blood of the Lamb" means the passion of the cross, but in the internal or spiritual sense it means Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; for it is by this that man is purified from falsities and evils, that is, his garments are made white. The passion of the cross was the Lord's last temptation, by which He fully subjugated the hells, and glorified His Human; and when this was accomplished and completed, the Lord sent the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, by which is meant Divine truth proceeding from His glorified Human, as the Lord teaches in John (John 7:39) and elsewhere. It is by means of Divine truth, when it is received, that man is reformed and regenerated by the Lord and saved, and not by the shedding of blood on the cross. (On this more may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 293-294.)

196. And they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy, signifies their spiritual life, which they have by means of the knowledges of truth and good from the Word. This is evident from the signification of "to walk," as being to live (See above, n. 97 [1-2]); from the signification of "in white," as being in truths, for "whiteness" and "brightness" in the Word are predicated of truths (of which presently); therefore by these words, "they shall walk with me in white," is signified spiritual life, since spiritual life is the life of truth, that is, a life according to truths, or according to the precepts of the Lord in the Word. This is evident also from the signification of "for they are worthy," as being because they have spiritual life from the Lord. So far as anyone receives from the Lord he is worthy; but so far as he receives from self, that is, from what is his, or from what is his own [proprium] he is not worthy. Nothing else constitutes spiritual life with man but the knowledges of truth and good from the Word applied to life; and they are applied to life when man holds them as the laws of his life, for he then looks to the Lord in everything, and with such the Lord is present, and gives intelligence and wisdom and an affection for them and delight in them. For the Lord is in His truths with man, since every truth proceeds from the Lord, and what proceeds from the Lord that is His, even so that it is He; therefore the Lord says:

I am the truth and the life (John 14:6).

He that doeth the truth cometh to the light, [that his works may be made manifest] that they have been wrought in God (John 3:21).

The Word was with God, and God was the Word. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. That was the true light, that lighteth every man. And the Word was made flesh (John 1:1, 4, 9, 14).

The Lord is called "the Word" because the Word signifies Divine truth; He is also called "the Light" because Divine truth is the light in the heavens; He is also called "the Life," because everything that lives, lives from that life; from that also angels have intelligence and wisdom, in which their life consists. He who would derive life from any other source than from the Divine that proceeds from the Lord, which in heaven is called Divine truth and is there seen as light, is greatly mistaken. From this it can be seen how it is to be understood that "God was the Word," and that "in Him was life, and that the life was the light of men. "

[2] "White" in the Word is predicated of truths, because Divine truth is the light of heaven, as was just said, and whiteness and brightness are from the light of heaven. From this it was:

That when the Lord was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, His face appeared as the sun, and His garments as the light (Matthew 17:2);

And as white, dazzling (Luke 9:29);

And glistering as snow, so as no fuller on earth could whiten (Mark 9:3);

That the angels at the Lord's sepulcher had raiment white as snow (Matthew 28:3);

(Luke 24:4)

And shining (Luke 24:4);

That there appeared to John seven angels from the temple clothed in linen clean and shining (Revelation 15:6);

That those who stood before the throne of the Lamb were clothed in white robes (Revelation 6:11; 7:9, 13-14; 19:8);

That the armies of the One sitting upon the white horse followed Him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Revelation 14:14).

From this also it was:

That Aaron had garments of linen, and that he put them on when he went within the veil before the mercy-seat (Leviticus 16:1-5, 32).

"Linen" also signifies truth, because of its whiteness (Arcana Coelestia 7601, 9959). As "white" signifies truth, and truths are what disclose falsities and evil with man and thus purify him, it is said in David:

Behold, Thou desirest truth in the reins, and in the hidden part Thou makest me to know wisdom. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop that I may be made clean; Thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter than snow (Psalms 51:6-7).

[3] Because the Nazirites represented the Lord in respect to Divine truth in ultimates, which on earth is the Word in the sense of the letter, and this with the Jews was falsified and perverted, it is said of them in Lamentations:

The Nazirites were whiter than snow, they were brighter than milk, their bones were more ruddy than pearls, their polishing was sapphire; but their form is darkened, that they are not known in the streets (Lamentations 4:7-8

(That "Nazirites" represented the Lord in respect to Divine truth, see Arcana Coelestia 6437; that "the crown of the head of the Nazirites" means Divine truths in ultimates, or the Word in the letter, n. 6437, 9407. That the "hair" which was of the Naziriteship, and was called "the crown of the head of the Nazirite," is Divine truth in ultimates, n. 3301, 5247, 10044. That Divine truth in ultimates has strength and power, n. 9836; that therefore the strength of Samson was in his hair, n. 3301.)

[4] From this it is clear what is signified by "the Nazirites were whiter than snow and brighter than milk," and "sapphire was the polishing of their bones; but their form was darkened, that they were not known in the streets;" for "whiteness" and "brightness" signify Divine truth in its light (as was said above); and "bones," as they are man's ultimates, being the supports of his whole body, correspond to ultimates in heaven. (For all things of man correspond, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 87-102; consequently "bones" signify the ultimates in the spiritual world, which are also the ultimates of Divine truth or the Word, Arcana Coelestia 5560-5564, 8005; that "sapphire" signifies what is translucent from truths, n. 9407; and "not to be known in the streets" signifies that Divine truth is no more seen, since "streets" signify where there are truths of doctrine, n. 2336.)