10239. And Aaron and his sons shall wash from it. That this signifies a representative of the purification and regeneration of man by the Lord, is evident from the signification of “washing,” as being purification (see above, n. 10237); from the representation of Aaron, as being the Lord as to Divine good celestial (n. 9806, 10068); and from the representation of the sons of Aaron, as being the Lord as to Divine good spiritual (n. 9807, 10068); from which it is evident that by Aaron and his sons “washing from the laver” is signified a representative of the purification of man by the Lord. That it is also a representative of regeneration, is because regeneration also was represented by washing, but by the washing of the whole body, which washing was called “baptizing” (that “baptizing,” or “baptism,” signifies regeneration, see n. 4255, 9088).

[2] But regeneration differs from purification in that regeneration precedes, and purification follows; for no one can be purified from evils and falsities except the man who is being regenerated, and after he has been regenerated; for he who has not been regenerated is indeed withdrawn from evils insofar as he allows; but he is not purified from them, for he is always impure. It is otherwise with the regenerate man, who is being purified from day to day, which is meant by the Lord’s words to Peter:

He that hath been washed needeth not save to be washed as to his feet, and so is wholly clean (John 13:10).

“He who hath been washed” signifies one who is regenerate.

[3] That the washing of everything was called “baptizing,” is evident in Mark 7:4; and the washing of the whole body, in Matthew 3:13-16; Mark 1:9; an. 2 Kings 5:10, 14. The Jordan, in which the washings took place, which were baptizings (Matthew 3:6-13; Mark 1:5; 2 Kings 5:10, 14), signified the natural (n. 1585, 4245). By the washing of baptism is also signified temptation (Matthew 20:21-23), because all regeneration is effected by means of temptations (n. 5036, 5773, 8351, 8958, 8959).

[4] A few words shall be added to say why the Lord, when He was in the world, Himself also wished to be baptized, when yet by baptizing is signified the regeneration of man by the Lord. It was because the baptizing of the Lord Himself signified the glorification of His Human; for in the Word that which signifies the regeneration of man signifies also the glorification of the Human in the Lord, because the regeneration of man is an image of the glorification of the the Lord, (n. 3138, 3212, 3296, 3490, 4401, 5688). Therefore when the Lord suffered John to baptize Him, He said:

Thus it becometh us to fulfil all the righteousness of God (Matthew 3:15).

“To fulfill all the righteousness of God” denotes to subdue the hells by His own power, and reduce them and the heavens into order, and at the same time glorify His Human; which things were done by means of temptations admitted into Himself, thus by means of continual combats with the hells, even to the last on the cross. (That this is the “righteousness” which the Lord fulfilled, see n. 9486, 9715, 9809, 10019, 10152) The like things are also signified by “all things being fulfilled which were written concerning the Lord in the Law and the Prophets” (Luke 18:31; 22:37; 24:44); and by the Lord’s coming “to fulfill all things of the law” (Matthew 5:17-18).

[5] He who does not know the arcana of the Word believes that the Lord became righteousness by fulfilling all things of the Law, and that by this fulfillment He set free the human race from the yoke of the Law, thus from damnation. But this is not the meaning of these words; but that He became righteousness through the subjugation of the hells, the reduction of the heavens into order, and the glorification of His Human; for by this He introduced Himself into power, so that He could, from His Divine Human, eternally subjugate the hells, and keep the heavens in order, and so regenerate man, that is, deliver him from the hells, and save him.

4933. That in the Grand Man the hands, arms, and shoulders correspond to power, is because the forces and powers of the whole body and of all its viscera have reference to them; for the body exerts its forces and powers by the arms and hands. It is for this reason also that power is signified in the Word by the “hands,” “arms,” and “shoulders.” That this is signified by the “hands,” may be seen above (n. 878, 3387); and that it is signified by the “arms” also, is plain from many passages, as from the following:

Be Thou their arm every morning (Isaiah 33:2).

The Lord Jehovih cometh in strength, and His arm shall rule for Him (Isaiah 40:10).

He worketh it with the arm of His strength (Isaiah 44:12).

Mine arms shall judge the peoples (Isaiah 51:5).

Put on strength, O arm of Jehovah (Isaiah 51:9).

I looked, and there was no one helping, therefore Mine arm brought salvation unto Me (Isaiah 63:5).

Cursed is he that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm (Jeremiah 17:5).

I have made the earth, the man, and the beast, by My great power and by My outstretched arm (Jeremiah 27:5; 32:17).

The horn of Moab is cut off, and His arm is broken (Jeremiah 48:25).

I break the arms of the king of Egypt, but I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon (Ezekiel 30:22, 24-25).

O Jehovah, break Thou the arm of the wicked (Psalms 10:15).

According to the greatness of Thine arm reserve the sons of death (Psalms 79:11).

Brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm (Deuteronomy 7:19; 11:2-3; 26:8; Jeremiah 32:21; Psalms 136:12).

From these passages it is also evident that by “right hand” in the Word is signified superior power, and by “sitting at the right hand of Jehovah,” omnipotence (Matthew 26:63-64; Luke 22:69; Mark 14:61-62; 16:19).