476. That 'male and female' means the marriage of faith and love has been stated and shown already. That is to say, 'male' or man (vir) means the understanding and what belongs to the understanding, and so what belongs to faith, while 'female' means the will, or what belongs to the will, and so what belongs to love. This also is why she was called Eve, from a word meaning life, which belongs to love alone. 'Female' therefore also means the Church, as also shown already, and 'male' the man (vir) of the Church. At present the subject is the state of the Church at the time it was spiritual and shortly to become celestial, which is why the word 'male' comes first, as it does also in 1:26-27. Furthermore the expression 'to create' has regard to the spiritual man. As soon however as that marriage has taken place, that is, the Church has become celestial, it is no longer called 'male and female' but 'Man' (Homo) who by virtue of the marriage means both. Consequently 'and He called their name Man', which means the Church, follows next.

685. Marvellous ties exist between people in the next life. They are comparable to family relationships on earth, that is to say, they accept one another as parents, children, brothers, blood relatives, and relatives by marriage, their love for one another according with such differences. These differences are limitless, and the perceptions communicable are so excellent as to defy description. No thought at all is given to what they once were on earth - parents, children, blood relatives, or relatives by marriage. Nor is any thought given at all to what a person's social position has been, no matter who - to his positions of honour, or his wealth, and so on - only to the varying embodiments of mutual love and faith; and the ability to receive these they acquired from the Lord while they were in the world.