3049. And every good of his lord was in his hand. That this signifies the goods and truths of these knowledges with the natural man, is evident from the signification of “every good of his lord,” as being both good and truth; for in itself truth is good, because from good; and truth is the form of good, that is to say, when good is formed so as to be perceived intellectually, it is then called truth: and also from the signification of “hand,” as being power (see n. 878); “in his hand” therefore meaning that which he had. In themselves general memory-knowledges are not goods, nor are they alive; it is the affection of them that causes them to be goods, and to be alive; for when there is this affection they are for the sake of use; since no one is affected by any memory-knowledge or truth except for some use; use makes it a good; and such as the use is, such is the good.

10397. 'And the people gathered together to Aaron' means that they directed themselves to the outward features of the Word, the Church, and worship, detached from what was inward. This is clear from the meaning of 'gathering themselves together' as directing themselves; and from the representation of 'Aaron' here as the outward aspect of the Word, the Church, and worship, detached from the inward. The reason why Aaron has this representation here is that in the absence of Moses he was the head of that nation, and Moses, who was absent, represents the Word, from which the Church and worship are derived, in both its inward and its outward senses, see in the places referred to in 9372. The fact that Aaron has such a representation here is also evident from every single thing that is mentioned in what follows regarding Aaron, namely that it was he who made the calf, proclaimed the feast, and caused the people to become undisciplined, all of which is in exact accord with the outward aspect of the Word, the Church, and worship, when detached from the inward. Anyone who separates the inward aspect of the Word, the Church, and worship from the outward separates from it that which is Divine and holy. For the inward aspect of these is their spirit, whereas the outward is the body belonging to that spirit; and the body without the spirit is dead. To worship what is dead therefore is to worship an idol, in this instance to worship a golden calf, proclaim a feast to it, and so cause the people to become undisciplined, from all of which it becomes clear what 'Aaron' means in the present chapter. What the inward aspect of the Word, the Church, and worship is, and what their outward aspect is, has been shown in what has gone before.