9088. He shall pay silver to its master. That this signifies by truth appertaining to him whose good or truth in the natural has been perverted, is evident from the signification of “silver,” as being truth (see n. 1551, 2048, 5658, 6112, 6914, 6917, 7999); of “giving silver,” as being to redeem by means of truth (n. 2954); and from the signification of “its master,” namely, of him whose ox or ass had fallen into the pit, as being the one whose good or truth in the natural has been perverted; for “an ox” denotes good in the natural, and “an ass” denotes truth there (n. 9065, 9086); and “to fall into a pit” denotes to pervert these (n. 9086).

[2] The case herein is this. If good or truth is being perverted by means of falsity, then that which has been perverted must be amended by means of truth; within the church by means of truth from the Word, or from doctrine which is from the Word. The reason why this must be so, is that truth teaches what is evil and what is false, and in this way the man sees and acknowledges it; and when he sees and acknowledges, he can then be amended. For the Lord flows into those things in man which the man knows; but not into those things which he does not know; and therefore He does not amend what is evil or what is false until the man has been instructed that it is evil or false. From this it is that those who do the work of repentance must see and acknowledge their evils, and thus live a life of truth (see n. 8388-8392). The case is the same with purifications from the evils of the love of self and the love of the world. Purifications from these loves cannot possibly be effected except by means of the truths of faith, because these teach that all concupiscences are from these loves. It was for this reason that among the Israelitish and Jewish nation circumcision was performed by means of a knife of stone; for “circumcision” signified purification from these filthy loves; and the “knife of stone” by which it was performed signified the truth of faith (n. 2799, 7044). Moreover man is regenerated by means of the truths of faith (n. 8635-8640, 8772). This was signified by the “washings,” whereby in olden time they were cleansed. The same is also signified at this day by the waters of baptism, for “waters” signify the truths of faith by means of which evils are removed (n. 739, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 7307, 8568), and “baptism” signifies regeneration (n. 4255, 5120).

[3] From all this it is evident how erroneously those think who believe that evils or sins in man are wiped away, as the impurities of the body are washed away by water, and that those were cleansed as to the interiors who in old time were washed with water according to the statutes of the church, and also that at the present day men are saved by being baptized; when yet in old time washings merely represented the cleansing of the interiors; and “baptism” signifies regeneration, the “waters” thereof denoting the truths of faith whereby man is cleansed and regenerated, for evils are removed by their means. Baptism is for those who are within the church, because these have the Word, in which are the truths of faith through which man is regenerated.

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.