2051. Circumcising he shall be circumcised. That this signifies that they must wholly remove from themselves the loves of self and of the world, that is, that they must do this who are within the church and who are signified by him “that is born in the house,” and by him “that is bought with silver,” is evident from the representation of circumcision,” as being purification from the loves of self and of the world (see above, n. 2039). It is here repeated that they are to be circumcised, and it is said, “circumcising he shall be circumcised,” by which is expressed the necessity, that is, for their being wholly purified from those loves. And as those are signified who are within the church, the “sons that are strangers” are not mentioned here, because by them (as shown above, n. 2049) are signified those who are outside the church.

[2] From the repetition of what was said in the preceding verse concerning those born in the house and those bought with silver, everyone can see that there is a Divine arcanum which is not seen from the sense of the letter. The arcanum is, that purification from those filthy loves is necessary most of all within the church, and this for the reason that they who are within the church are able to render holy things themselves impure, which they who are outside the church-that is, the Gentiles cannot do; so that the danger of damnation is greater in the case of the former. Moreover those who are within the church are able to form principles of falsity contrary to the very truths of faith, and to become imbued with them; whereas those who are outside the church cannot do this, because they are ignorant of these truths. Thus the former can profane holy truths, but not the latter (concerning which more may be seen in Part First, n. 1059, 1327, 1328).

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.