2114. All the men of his house, he that was born in the house, and he that was bought with silver. That this signifies all those who are within the church, is evident from the signification of “him that was born in the house,” as being the celestial; and from the signification of “those bought with silver,” as being the spiritual (concerning which above, n. 2048, 2051, 2052); and also that these are they who are within the church, for all who are within the church, that is, all who constitute the church, are either celestial or spiritual; but who the celestial and who the spiritual are, may be seen above (n. 2088). In this last verse of this chapter there is a summary of all that has been said above, namely, that they who have been purified from the loves of self and of the world, both those within the church and those outside the church, are justified by the Lord. Both these classes are called the “men of the house;” for in the internal sense “the house” signifies the Lord’s kingdom (n. 2048).

2048. That “he that is born in the house” signifies those who are celestial, and that “he that is bought with silver” signifies those who are spiritual, and that they thus signify those who are within the church, is evident from the signification of one “born in the house,” as being those who are within the house. A “house,” in the Word, signifies what is celestial, because this is the inmost; whence by the “house of God” in a universal sense is signified the Lord’s kingdom; in a sense less universal, His church; and in a particular sense, the man himself in whom there is the Lord’s kingdom or church. When man is called a “house,” the celestial of faith in him is signified; and when he is called a “temple,” the truth of faith in him is signified; thus here by one “born in the house” those who are celestial are signified. But that “he that is bought with silver” signifies those who are spiritual, is evident from the signification of “silver,” as being truth, thus the spiritual of faith (see Part First, n. 1551).

[2] Those are called celestial who are in love to the Lord; and as the Most Ancient Church, which was before the flood, was in this love, it was a celestial church. Those are called spiritual who are in love toward the neighbor and thereby in the truth of faith, as was the Ancient Church, which was after the flood. The distinction between the celestial and the spiritual has been treated of many times in Part First. Everyone can see that there are heavenly arcana in what is here said, namely, that those born in the house were to be circumcised, and those bought with silver, and also the sons that were strangers; and also from their being repeatedly mentioned (as in verses 13, 23, and 27, which follow); which arcana do not appear except from the internal sense, which shows that by those born in the house and those bought with silver are signified the celestial and the spiritual, thus those who are within the church; and that by “a son that is a stranger who is not of thy seed” are signified those who are outside the church.