239. And blind and naked. That this signifies that they are without the understanding of truth, and without the understanding and the will of good, is evident from the signification of blind, as being those who are without the understanding of truth, as will be explained in what follows; and from the signification of naked, as being those who are destitute of the will of good, thus also of the understanding thereof, which will also be explained presently. That those who hold the doctrine of faith alone and of justification thereby are without the understanding of truth is evident from this, that faith alone, or faith without charity, resides wholly in the memory, and nothing of it in the understanding; therefore they remove the understanding from the things of faith, saying that such things are to be believed, and that the understanding has nothing to do with them; thus they can say whatever they will, be it ever so false, provided they know how to adduce something in confirmation thereof from the sense of the letter of the Word, of the spiritual sense of which they are ignorant. In this lies concealed something similar to the statute of the Popes, that everyone should depend on their utterances; thus persuading the people that they know and see all things, although they see nothing. Those therefore who do not see, that is, who do not understand, the things that they believe, are meant by the blind. It is also a consequence of this, that they cannot perfect the life by means of the things that must belong to faith; for the way of access to the life of man is through the understanding, and by no other way can man become spiritual. All in heaven see truths with the understanding, and thus receive them; but what they do not see with the understanding, they do not accept; and if any one say to them that they must have faith, although they neither see nor understand, they turn away, saying, How can this be? What I see or understand, that I believe; but what I do not see nor understand, that I cannot believe; possibly they are falsities, which may destroy spiritual life.

[2] That those who hold the doctrine of faith alone, and of justification thereby, are destitute of the understanding of good, because they are without the will of good, is evident from this, that they know nothing at all of charity towards the neighbour, and consequently nothing of good; for all spiritual good is from charity, and there is no good without it; therefore those who separate faith from charity, and assert that charity does not contribute anything to salvation, but that faith alone does, are entirely ignorant of what good is, because they are ignorant of what charity is, although spiritual good, with its affection, which is called charity, constitutes the very spiritual life of man, but not faith without it. Hence it is plain, that those who are in the doctrine of faith alone, are destitute of the understanding of good. The reason why this is the result of their being without the will of good is because they call themselves just, or justified, when they have faith, and by being justified, they understand that they are not liable to condemnation for any thing which they think and will, because they are reconciled to God; therefore they believe, because it follows from connection with their principle, that the evil may be saved equally with the good, if they only receive faith, although it should be in the last hours of their life.

The secret things of this doctrine consist in this, that they speak of progressive degrees of justification, arising not from anything of man's life, or from the affection of his charity, but from faith alone in the reconciliation of God the Father by the Son; this faith they call confidence, or trust, and saving faith itself. They do not know that there can be nothing of spiritual life, therein unless there be charity; that which is interiorly perceived, or appears, in the confidence which they profess, has nothing in it derived from spiritual affection, but springs from natural thought about the joy of deliverance from damnation.

[3] Besides, those who are ignorant of the good of charity have no will of good, and those who know nothing of this good, know nothing concerning evil, for good discovers evil; therefore neither can such persons explore themselves, nor see their own evils, and thus flee from, and be averse to them. Hence they relax all restraint on their thought and their will, only taking heed not to do evil, from the fear of the laws, of the loss of reputation, of honour, gain and life. This is why, when such persons become spirits, and those fears are removed, they associate themselves with devils; for they think and will as they do, because they had so thought in the world; for it is the spirit in man which thinks; the case, however, is different with those who have lived the life of charity.

[4] Moreover, those who believe themselves to be justified by faith alone, imagine that they are to be led by God, and do good thence. They say that all good is from God, and nothing from man; and that otherwise good would be merit-seeking; they do not know that there ought to be reception on man's part, and that reception is not possible if man does not attend to his thoughts and intentions, and thence to his deeds, and then desists from evils and does good, this being the case when he looks to the truths he has derived from the Word, and lives according to them. And, indeed, unless this takes place there is no reciprocation on his part, and hence no reformation: and in such case, of what use are all the precepts of the Lord in the Word? That a man can do this, is also from the Lord; for such power is given to every man from His Divine presence and His desire to be received. In a word, unless a man receives in his understanding and will, or in his thought and affection, or, what is the same, in his faith and love, there can be no reception on his part, consequently no conjunction with the Lord. Every one may know that the Lord is continually present with good, and desirous to be received, but that where all restraint on the thoughts is cast off, He cannot flow in: He can only do so where the thoughts and intentions of lust are restrained by means of truths from the Word.

[5] That the Lord is continually present with good, and desires to be received, He Himself teaches in the following words of this chapter, where He says,

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (ver. 20).

To open the door, denotes reception on man's part as just stated. The Lord teaches the same also in other parts of the Word, as in John:

"He that loveth me keepeth my words, and my Father will love him; and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my words" (14:23, 24).

In Matthew:

"He that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the Word and understandeth it, which beareth and bringeth forth fruit" (13:23).

In Mark:

"These are they which received the seed into good ground, such as hear the Word and receive it, and bring forth fruit" (4:20).

Because it is reception on man's part that conjoins him with the Lord, and thus makes him spiritual, therefore, when the Lord uttered those things, He cried, saying,

"He that hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 13:9; Mark 4:9; Luke 8:8).

[6] That the blind signify those who have no understanding of truth, and that the naked signify those who have no understanding of good, because they are not in the will thereof, is evident from many passages in the Word; of which I desire to adduce a few, as a means also of showing that the Word internally is spiritual, but that in the letter it is natural, consequently that the sense of the letter, which is natural, has a spiritual sense treasured up within it.

That the blind signify those who have no understanding of truth is clear from the following passages. In Isaiah:

"Then in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness" (29:18).

In this passage, the re-establishment of the church is treated of: and by the deaf who shall hear the words of the book, are understood those who are willing to obey truths, and therefore to live in the practice of good, but cannot because they have not the Word. And by the blind, whose eyes shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness, are meant those who have not the understanding of truth because they are in ignorance, and that they shall then understand. That the deaf and the blind are not meant literally is evident.

[7] Again:

"Behold, your God will come to vengeance; he will come to the retribution of God, and will save you; then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be opened; waters shall break out in the desert, and rivers in the plain of the desert" (35:4-6).

These things are spoken of the Lord's advent, to show that at that time those who believe in Him will be saved. That those who are destitute of the understanding of truth shall then understand is signified by the eyes of the blind being opened; and that those who have not the perception and will of good, shall then obey and live in good, is signified by the ears of the deaf being opened. It is therefore said that waters shall break out in the desert, and rivers in the plain of the desert: desert signifies where there is no good, because there is no truth; and waters signify truths, and rivers intelligence from truths.

[8] Again:

"I will give thee for a covenant to the people, for a light of the nations; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the bound from the prison. I am Jehovah; that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another". (42:6-8).

These things also are said of the Lord, and the establishment of a church from Him among the nations. That those who were before in ignorance should then understand truths is signified by the blind eyes which the Lord should open; and that they should be led out from ignorance and from falsities is meant by His bringing the bound out of prison. That the Divine himself would assume the Human is meant by, I am Jehovah; that is My name; and My glory will I not give to another.

[9] Again:

"I will lead the blind into a way which they have not known; I will lead them into paths which they have not known; I will make their darkness light" (42:16).

The blind here also denote those who are without any understanding of truth; the truths and goods of truth which they should receive are signified by their being led into a way, and into paths which they have not known; the dissipation of the falsity of ignorance, and enlightenment, are signified by I will make their darkness light.

[10] Again:

"I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; every one that is called by my name I have created, I have formed, yea, I have made him. Bring forth the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears" (43:5-8).

The establishment of the church by the Lord among the nations is here treated of. To bring seed from the east, the west, the north, and the south denotes all of whatever religion they be; for the east and west signify respectively where the good of love is clear and obscure; and the north and the south, where the truth of faith is in obscurity and in brightness. Here those who are in obscurity from ignorance are meant, for it is said, "Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth:" those are called sons who receive truths, and those who receive good, daughters; from far, and "from the ends of the earth," signify those who are remote from the truths and goods of the church. That all will be received and reformed by the Lord who acknowledge Him, is signified by I have created, I have formed, I have made every one that is called by my name. These then are those who are meant by the blind who have eyes, and by the deaf who have ears.

[11] Again:

"We look for light, but behold darkness; in thick darkness we walk, we grope for the wall as the blind, and we grope as they that have no eyes, we stumble in the noon-day as in twilight, among the living we are as dead" (59:9, 10).

Here also the blind denote those who are without the understanding of truths; darkness and thick darkness denote falsities; to stumble at noonday as in twilight denotes to err in falsities, although they may be in light from the Word.

[12] Again:

"His watchmen are all blind; they are shepherds who know not to understand" (56:10, 11).

Here also the blind denote those who do not understand truths, although they have the Word. That such are signified by the blind is evident; for it is said they know not, and know not to understand.

[13] In Jeremiah:

"Behold, I bring them from the land of the north, the blind and the lame amongst them; with tears they shall come, and with prayers I will bring them; I will lead them to fountains of waters in the way of right" (31:8, 9).

Here by the land of the north, is denoted where the falsity of ignorance prevails; those who are in it are called blind; their being led to fountains of waters in the way of right, denotes their being led into truths.

[14] In Lamentations:

"Jehovah hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof, for the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests; they have wandered in the streets as the blind, they are polluted with blood, the things which they cannot, they touch with their garments" (4:11, 13, 14).

Zion here denotes the church; by the fire which is said to devour her foundations is meant the love of self, which will disperse all the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth; the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, signify the perversities of those who teach truths and goods: and that consequently they understand nothing of truth is signified by their wandering in the streets as the blind. The blood with which they are polluted, denotes the falsification of truth and the adulteration of good in the Word: the profanation of good, and of truth therefrom, by evils and falsities, is meant by the things which they cannot, they touch with their garments.

[15] In Zechariah:

"In that day I will smite every horse with astonishment, and the horseman with madness: I will smite every horse of the peoples with blindness" (12:4).

Horse signifies the Intellectual, and a horseman, one who is intelligent; hence it is evident what is signified by smiting every horse with astonishment, and every horse of the people with blindness, also the horseman with madness. (That a horse signifies the Intellectual, may be seen in the small work, The White Horse 1-6.)

[16] In David:

"Jehovah looseth the bound, Jehovah openeth the blind eyes" (Psalms 146:7, 8).

Those are called bound who are in falsities and desire to be loosed from them; the blind are those who are consequently without the understanding of truth; to open their eyes is to make them to understand.

[17] In John:

"Esaias said, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart" (12:39, 40).

That to blind their eyes that they should not see with their eyes, denotes not to understand truths, is evident.

[18] Again:

"Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they who see not might see; and that they who see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin; but now ye say, We see, therefore your sin remaineth" (9:39-41).

By those who do not see are meant those who are outside the church, and do not know truths because they have not the Word, thus the Gentiles; but by those who see are meant those who are within the church, and have the Word, thus the Jews; concerning the latter it is said that they should be made blind, but concerning the former, that they should see. The reason why their sin remains is because they said that they are not blind, but that they see; for they were in the church where the Word is, and yet were not willing to see and acknowledge truths, thus neither the Lord. This is why the Scribes and Pharisees with the Jews are called by the Lord

"blind leaders of the blind" (Matthew 15:14; Luke 6:39); also "blind guides, fools and blind" (Matthew 23:16, 17, 19, 24).

[19] In John:

Jesus "saw a man which was blind from birth. He said to the disciples, As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam. He went his way, therefore, and washed, and came seeing" (9:1, 5-7).

No one can understand why the Lord thus acted, unless he knows the internal or spiritual sense of the Word; in which sense, by the man who was blind from his birth, are meant those who are born out of the church, and hence can know nothing concerning the Lord, nor be instructed from the Word. By the clay which the Lord made from the spittle on the ground is signified reformation by means of truths from the sense of the letter of the Word. The ground denotes the church where the Word is; the clay the ultimate Divine, forming. To anoint the eyes of the blind with clay denotes to impart thereby the understanding of truth; the pool of Siloam also signifies the Word in the letter, to be washed therein denotes to be purified from falsities and evils. That these things are meant in the above passage has been hitherto hidden. (That ground signifies the church, may be seen,Arcana Coelestia 566, 10570: that clay signifies good from which is truth, thus good forming, see n. 1300, 6669; that the pool of Siloam signifies the Word in the sense of the letter is evident in Isaiah 8:6; and in general the pools that were in Jerusalem, Isaiah 22:9, 11.)

[20] In Mark:

Jesus "cometh to Bethsaida; where they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw aught. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up; and he was restored, and saw every man clearly" (8:22-27).

What these words involve can be understood only from the internal or spiritual sense of the Word; if this is not understood, nothing can be seen but the transaction itself, and the thought concerning it will, perhaps, be entirely from the senses: but all things which the Lord spoke and did in the world contained spiritual things in order, from highest to ultimates, thus fully, as do also all the miracles and the descriptions of them. The blind whom the Lord restored to sight signified the spiritually blind, who are those who do not know and understand truths. The reason why the blind man here mentioned was led out of the town of Bethsaida was, because Bethsaida signified damnation on account of non-reception of the Lord; the spitting on his eyes has a similar signification with the making clay of spittle, mentioned above; the Lord afterward touching his eyes, signifies that He enlightened him from the Divine; hence it is that the blind man first saw men as trees, walking; by which is signified a general and obscure perception of truth from the sense of the letter. By trees also are signified knowledges, and by walking is signified living. By his seeing every man clearly after the Lord put His hands on him again is signified that, after instruction and enlightenment from the Lord, he understood truths; this meaning is contained in these words, and is perceived by the angels.

[21] (That Bethsaida signifies damnation on account of non-reception of the Lord is evident in Matthew 11:21, and in Luke 10:13; that touch signifies communication and transfer, but here enlightenment, because the eyes were touched, may be seen above, n. 79. That trees signify knowledges, see in Arcana Coelestia 2722, 2972, 7692: that to walk signifies to live, see n. 519, 1794, 8417, 8420; and above, n. 97.)

Moreover, by all the blind whom the Lord restored to sight, are meant those who are in ignorance, and yet receive Him, and are enlightened by the Word from Him; and in general all the miracles of the Lord signified things that concern heaven and the church, that is spiritual things; for this reason His miracles were divine; for it is divine to act from primaries, and to manifest those things in ultimates. From these considerations it is clear what is signified by the blind whom the Lord restored to sight (concerning whom see Matthew 9:27-31; 12:22; 20:29 to end; 21:14; Mark 10:46 to end; Luke 7:21, 22; 18:35 to end).

[22] Because by the blind are signified those who have not the knowledges of truth, and consequently do not understand truth, it was amongst the laws and statutes given to the sons of Israel, that the blind of the sons of Aaron and of the Levites should not draw near to offer the bread of his God, that is, to offer sacrifice (Leviticus 21:18; Deuteronomy 15:21); also that what was blind should not be offered (Leviticus 22:22; Deuteronomy 15:21); similarly that they should not put a stumbling-block before the blind (Leviticus 19:14); that he who made the blind to go astray from the way should be cursed (Deuteronomy 27:18). The reason why these laws were enacted was that the church instituted amongst the Jews was a representative church, in which all the observances represented spiritual things, because they corresponded to them. Therefore also the following curse is pronounced upon those who do not keep the commandments:

"If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to observe to do all his commandments, Jehovah shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart. And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness" (Deuteronomy 28:15, 28, 29).

By these words is also meant that those will be smitten with spiritual blindness and astonishment who do not obey the voice of the Lord, in doing the things which He has commanded in the Word. Spiritual blindness of the eyes, and spiritual astonishment of the heart denote no understanding of truth, and no will of good; to grope at noonday is to be of such a character in the church, where the light of truth is given by the Word. (That noonday signifies where truth is in light may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 9642; and in the work, Heaven and Hell 148, 149, 151.)

236. (Verse 17) Because thou sayest I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing. That this signifies their faith, that they believe themselves to be in truths more than others, is evident from the signification of thou sayest, as involving what is believed by them; and because those are here treated of who are in faith alone, therefore thou sayest signifies their faith. Moreover, to say, in the spiritual sense, signifies to think, because what is said goes out from the thought; and thought is spiritual, because it belongs to man's spirit, and saying and discourse therefrom are natural, because they belong to the body. It is from this that to say, in the Word, has significations varying according to the subject treated of. And from the signification of I am rich, as being to possess the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good, and thence to be intelligent and wise, which will be seen in what follows. Also from the signification of and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing, as being to know all things, so that nothing is wanting.

[2] That those who hold the doctrine of faith alone and justification thereby thus believe, or are of such a character, is not known to those who are not in that faith, although amongst them there are such; nevertheless it has been granted me to know by much experience that they are of such a character.

I have conversed with many who, in the world, believed themselves to be more intelligent and wise than others, from the fact of their knowing so many things concerning faith alone and justification thereby, and indeed such things as the simple were not acquainted with, which they also called interior things, and mysteries of doctrine; and they believed they knew and understood all things, so that they lacked nothing. Amongst these were many who had written concerning faith alone, and justification by that faith; but it was shown them that they knew nothing of truth, and that those who lived the life of faith, which is charity, and did not understand justification by faith alone were far more intelligent and wise than they. It was also shown them that the things which they knew were not truths but falsities, and that to know and think these is not to be intelligent and wise, because intelligence is concerned with truth, and wisdom with the life therefrom. The reason of this was also made known to them, namely, that they were in no spiritual affection of truth, but only in the natural affection of knowing those things which are taught by the learned, or their rulers, some for the sake of employment, others for the reputation for erudition; also that those who are in the latter and not in the former affection, believe that when they know those things they know everything, and especially those who have confirmed themselves in them by the sense of the letter of the Word, and have laboured by fallacies of reasoning to connect them with other falsities.

[3] I will state something here also from experience concerning these persons. Some spirits, who, when they lived as men in the world, were then believed by others to be learned men, were examined to see whether they knew what spiritual faith is. They said that they did know; therefore when communication with those who held that faith had been granted, they perceived that they had not faith, and did not know what faith is. Upon this it was asked them what they now believed concerning faith alone, on which the whole doctrine of their church is founded; but they were ashamed and struck dumb. There were also many from amongst the learned of the church, who were asked whether they knew what regeneration is. They answered that they knew it to be baptism, because the Lord declares that unless a man be born by water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God; but when it was shown them that baptism is not regeneration, but that by water and the Spirit are meant truths and a life according to them, and that no one can enter into heaven unless he is thereby regenerated, they retired, confessing their ignorance. Moreover, when asked about angels, heaven and hell, the life of man after death, and many other things, they were found to be quite ignorant respecting them, such things being all like thick darkness in their minds: they then confessed that they had, indeed, believed that they knew everything, but now they were convinced that they knew scarcely anything.

By knowing something, in the spiritual world, is meant to know something of truth; but to know falsities is to know nothing, because in such knowledge there is neither intelligence nor wisdom. It was afterwards told them that this state is meant by the words of the Lord,

"Thou sayest, I am rich, and become wealthy; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."

[4] The reason why the rich in the Word signify those who are in truths is, that spiritual riches mean nothing else; hence also in the Word, by riches are signified the knowledges of truth and good, and by the rich, those who are intelligent by their means. This is evident from the following passages. In Ezekiel:

"In thy wisdom and in thine intelligence thou hast made to thyself riches, gold and silver in thy treasures; by the multitude of thy wisdom thou hast multiplied to thyself riches" (28:4, 5).

These things are said to the prince of Tyre, by whom, in the spiritual sense, are meant those who are in the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth; by riches are meant those knowledges in general. By gold in thy treasures are meant the knowledges of good and truth. That knowledges are signified by these expressions is quite clear; for it is said, "In thy wisdom and in thine intelligence thou hast made to thyself riches; and by the multitude of thy wisdom thou hast multiplied to thyself riches."

(The reason why by the prince of Tyre are meant those who are in the knowledges of truth is, that prince signifies primary truths (see Arcana Coelestia 1482, 2089, 5044), and Tyre the knowledges of truth, n. 1201: that by treasures are signified possessions of knowledges, may be seen n. 1694, 4508, 10227; and that by gold is signified good, and by silver truth, n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658.)

[5] In Zechariah:

"Tyre collecteth silver as dust, and gold as the mire of the streets; behold the Lord shall impoverish her, and shall shake her wealth into the sea" (9:3, 4).

Here also by Tyre are signified those who procure to themselves knowledges, which are denoted by silver, gold and wealth.

In David:

The daughter of Tyre shall bring to thee a gift," the king's daughter; "the rich of the people shall flatter thy faces" (Psalms 45:12).

The church is here described as to the affection of truth, which is meant by the daughter of Tyre; for daughter denotes the church as to affection (see Arcana Coelestia 3262, 3963, 6729, 9059); and king denotes truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4966, 6148). On this account it is said that the daughter of Tyre shall bring to thee a gift, and that the rich of the people shall flatter thy faces; the rich of the people are those who abound in truths.

[6] In Hosea:

"Ephraim hath said, Truly I am rich; I have found me wealth; all my labours shall not find me iniquity which is sin; but yet I will speak to the prophets, and I will multiply visions" (12:8, 10).

By becoming rich and finding wealth is not meant being enriched in worldly, but in heavenly, riches and wealth, which are the knowledges of truth and good; for by Ephraim is meant the Intellectual of those who belong to the church, which is enlightened when the Word is read (see Arcana Coelestia 5354, 6222, 6238, 6267). Hence it is said, "I will speak to the prophets, I will multiply visions." By prophets are signified truths of doctrine, and also by visions.

[7] In Jeremiah:

"I, Jehovah, giving to every man according to his ways, according to the fruits of his doings. As the partridge gathereth but bringeth not forth, he maketh riches but not with judgment; in the midst of his days he shall forsake them, in the end he shall become a fool" (17:10, 11).

The subject here treated of is those who acquire knowledges (cognitiones) merely as knowledge, when yet the life is that to which they should be subservient. This is what is meant by gathering as a partridge and not bringing forth, by making riches but not with judgment, and by becoming a fool in the end. And because the knowledges of truth and good are intended to be subservient to the life, for this is perfected by them, therefore it is said that Jehovah gives to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruits of his doings.

[8] In Luke:

"Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all his possessions, he cannot be my disciple" (14:33).

He who does not understand that in the Word possessions denote knowledges from the Word, which are spiritual riches and wealth, may suppose that he ought to deprive himself of all wealth in order to be saved, although no such thing is meant by those words. By possessions are meant everything belonging to man's own intelligence, for no one can be wise from himself, but from the Lord alone; hence to forsake all his possessions, is to attribute nothing of wisdom and intelligence to himself; and he who does not do this, cannot be instructed by the Lord, that is, be His disciple.

[9] Those who do not know that by the rich are meant those who possess the knowledges of truth and good, thus who have the Word, and that by the poor are meant those who do not possess knowledges, yet desire them, cannot but suppose that by the rich man who was clothed in crimson and fine linen, and by the poor man who was laid at his gate (Luke 16) are meant the rich and the poor in the common sense of those words, when notwithstanding by the rich man is there meant the Jewish nation, which had the Word, in which all the knowledges of truth and good are contained; by the crimson with which he was clothed, is meant genuine good (see Arcana Coelestia 9467), and by fine linen genuine truth (see Arcana Coelestia 5319, 9469, 9596, 9744), and by the poor man who was laid at his gate are meant the nations which were outside the church, and had not the Word, and yet desired the truths and goods of heaven and the church. Hence also it is clear, that by the rich are meant those who have the Word, consequently who possess the knowledges of truth and good; for these are contained in the Word.

[10] As also in the prophecy of Elizabeth in Luke:

God "hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away" (1:53).

The hungry are those who desire knowledges; such were the Gentiles who received the Lord and doctrine from Him; but the rich are those who have knowledges, because they have the Word; such were the Jews, but still they were not willing to know truths therefrom, therefore they did not receive the Lord and doctrine from Him. The latter are the rich who were sent empty away; the former are the hungry who were filled with good things.