7835. 'Then he and his neighbour immediately next to his house shall take one' means being joined to the nearest good of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'taking' - that is, taking along with one's immediate neighbour, a single animal - as being joined together; and from the meaning of 'neighbour next to his house' as the nearest good of truth. The meaning of 'immediate neighbour' as the nearest is self-evident; and for the meaning of 'house' as good, see above in 7833. The term 'good of truth' is used because those belonging to the spiritual Church are the subject, and with them good is the good of truth, the good of truth being truth present in will and action. For when the truth of faith is received together with charitable affection it is implanted in the inward parts of the mind. And when that truth presents itself again, the affection to which that truth has been linked presents itself too, appearing in the form of good. So it is then that good in that Church is the good of truth, which is also called spiritual good.

6765. 'And he said to the one in the wrong, Why are you striking your companion?' means a rebuke, deploring that one person should wish to destroy another's faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'the one in the wrong' as a person who does not uphold the truth of faith and yet is within the Church (for within the Church there are those who uphold the truth of faith and there are those who do not, as the existence of various heresies goes to prove; and those who subscribe to heresy, that is, who do not uphold the truth of faith, are meant here by 'the one in the wrong'); from the meaning of 'striking' as destroying, as above in 6758; and from the meaning of 'companion' as a person who upholds the truth of faith. For when 'the one in the wrong' means a person who does not uphold the truth of faith, 'companion' means one who does uphold it. The word 'companion' is used, not 'brother', even though both of them were Hebrews, because they were hostile to each other. The fact that this is a rebuke is self-evident. What all this implies is that when a person is being regenerated he is sent into battles against falsities. During these the Lord maintains him in truth, but in what he has convinced himself to be the truth; and this is what is used in the battles against falsity. Even that which is not the real truth can be used, provided that it is such as can in some way be joined to good. And it is joined to good through innocence, for innocence is the means which enables that conjunction to be effected. This explains why people within the Church who have accepted any teaching whatever can be regenerated, though those who are in possession of real truths are in a better position than others.