4736. Cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness. That this signifies that they should conceal it meanwhile among their falsities, that is, that they should regard it as false, but still retain it because it was of importance to the church, is evident from the signification of a “pit,” as being falsities (see n. 4728); and from the signification of a “wilderness,” as being where there is no truth. For the word “wilderness” has a wide signification, it means where the land is uninhabited, and thus not cultivated; and when predicated of the church, it denotes where there is no good, and consequently no truth (n. 2708, 3900). Thus by a “pit in the wilderness” are here meant falsities in which there is no truth, because no good. It is said in which there is no truth because no good; for when anyone believes that faith saves without works, truth may indeed exist, but still it is not truth in him, because it does not look to good, nor is it from good. This truth is not alive, because it has in it a principle of falsity, consequently with anyone who has such truth, the truth is but falsity from the principle which rules in it. The principle is like the soul, from which the rest have their life. On the other hand there are falsities which are accepted as truths, when there is good in them, especially if it is the good of innocence, as with the Gentiles and also with many within the church.

9138. Verses 4-5. When a man shall desolate a field, or a vineyard, and shall let his beast go in, and it shall desolate in the field of another; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, he shall repay. When a fire shall go forth, and shall catch hold of thorns, and a stack is consumed, or the standing crop, or a field; he that kindleth the fire, repaying shall repay. “When a man shall desolate a field, or a vineyard” signifies the deprivation of the good and the truth of the church through cupidities; “and shall let his beast go in,” signifies if he does this with but little knowledge; “and it shall desolate in the field of another,” signifies the consuming of the cohering goods; “of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, he shall repay,” signifies restoration from goods and truths still unimpaired; “when a fire shall go forth,” signifies anger from the affection of evil; “and shall catch hold of thorns,” signifies which betakes itself into falsities; “and a stack is consumed,” signifies injury to the goods and truths of faith that have been received; “or the standing crop, or a field,” signifies also to the goods and truths of faith in their conception; “he that kindleth the fire repaying shall repay,” signifies the restoration of what was taken away through anger from the affection of evil.