3148. Dat de woorden ‘en de voeten der mannen, die met hem waren’ de reiniging betekenen van alle dingen die Hem toebehoorden in de natuurlijke mens, blijkt uit de betekenis van de voeten, namelijk de dingen die tot de natuurlijke mens behoren, waarover nr. 2162;

en uit de betekenis van ‘de mannen die met hem waren’, namelijk alle dingen daar. Het was een gebruik dat reizigers, wanneer zij in een huis kwamen, hun voeten wasten, zoals toen de broeders van Jozef in het huis van Jozef werden binnengeleid, (Genesis 43:24);

toen de Leviet en die met hem was in het huis van de oude man ontvangen werden, (Richteren 19:21);

en toen Uria, van de reis komende, door David bevolen werd, af te gaan naar zijn huis en zijn voeten te wassen, (2 Samuël 11:8). De reden hiervan was, dat reizen en vreemdelingschappen de dingen betekenden die tot het onderricht en vandaar tot het leven behoren, zie de nrs. 1293, 1457, 1463, 2025, en dat deze dingen gereinigd moesten worden, is kort hiervoor in nr. 3146 aangetoond; en bovendien, opdat de in geestelijke zin bedoelde onreinheden niet zouden aankleven en het huis, dat wil zeggen de mens, bezoedelen; wat ook hieruit duidelijk blijkt ‘dat zij het stof van hun voeten zouden afschudden, wanneer de stad of het huis de vrede niet ontvangen zou, (Mattheüs 10:14).

209. FROM THE ARCANA COELESTIA.

Baptism signifies regeneration by the Lord through the truths of faith from the Word (n. 4255, 5120, 9088, 10239, 10386-10388, 10392). Baptism is for a sign that man is of the church, where the Lord is acknowledged, from whom is regeneration, and which has the Word, from which are the truths of faith, by which regeneration is effected (n. 10386-10388). Baptism gives neither faith nor salvation, but testifies that faith and salvation will be received by those who are regenerated (n. 10391).

The washings in the ancient churches, and in the Israelitish church, represented and thence signified purifications from evils and falsities (n. 3147, 9088, 10237, 10239). "The washings of garments" signified the purification of the understanding from falsities (n. 5954). "The washing of the feet" signified the purification of the natural man (n. 3147, 10241). What is signified by "the washing of the disciples' feet" by the Lord, is explained (n. 10243).

"Waters" signify the truths of faith (n. 28, 2702, 3058, 5668, 8568, 10238). "A fountain" and "a well of living waters" signifies the truths of faith from the Lord, thus the Word (n. 3424). "Bread and water" signify all the goods of love and truths of faith (n. 4976, 9323). "Spirit" signifies the life of truth, or the life of faith (n. 5222, 9281, 9818). What "the spirit" and "the flesh" signify, that "the spirit" signifies life from the Lord, and "flesh," life from man (n. 10283). Hence it is evident what is signified by these words of the Lord:

Except a man be begotten of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5).

Namely, that unless man is regenerated by the truths of faith, and by a life according to them, he cannot be saved (n. 10240). All regeneration is effected by the truths of faith, and by a life according to them (n. 1904, 2046, 9088, 9959, 10028).

The total washing, which was effected by immersion in the waters of the Jordan, signified regeneration itself, in the same manner as baptism (n. 9088, 10239). What "the waters of Jordan," and "Jordan" signified (n. 1585, 4255).

"A flood" and "inundation of waters" signify temptations (n. 660, 705, 639, 756, 790[1-4], 5725, 6853). "Baptism" signifies the same (n. 5120, 10389). In what manner baptism was represented from heaven (n. 2299).

639. That 'the ark' means the member of this Church, or the Church called Noah, becomes sufficiently clear from the description of it below, and also from the fact that the Word of the Lord in every part embodies things that are spiritual and celestial, that is, the Lord's Word is spiritual and celestial. If the ark and the covering of it with bitumen, its measurements, and its construction, and also the Flood, meant no more than what the letter declares there would be absolutely nothing spiritual and celestial about it. It would be mere history and of no more use to the human race than similar descriptions found in secular authors. Now because the Word of the Lord in every part contains and embodies within its bosom or inner recesses things that are spiritual and celestial it is quite clear that 'the ark' and everything said about the ark mean arcana which are as yet undisclosed.

[2] The same is meant elsewhere by, for example, the little ark in which Moses was hidden and which was placed in the reeds by the riverbank, Exodus 2:3; and the sacred Ark in the wilderness, constructed according to the design indicated to Moses on Mount Sinai, is an even more sublime example. Unless every single thing in this sacred Ark had been representative of the Lord and His kingdom, it would have been no more than a kind of idol, and the worship that took place would have been idolatrous. So too with Solomon's Temple. Of itself it was in no sense holy. Nor did the gold, silver, cedar, and stone there make it so, but the particular things represented by those materials. And similarly in the present context, unless the ark and the construction of it with all its details meant some arcanum of the Church, the Word would not be the Word of the Lord but some dead piece of literature such as that found among the works of any secular author. From this it is clear that 'the ark' means the member of the Church, or the Church called Noah.