4822. And he called his name Er. That this signifies its quality, is evident from the signification of “calling a name,” as being quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421), namely, the quality of the falsity of the church, of which just above (n. 4821). It is said “the quality of the falsity,” because falsities differ one from another, just as truths do, and to such a degree that their different kinds can scarcely be enumerated; and each kind of falsity has its own quality by which it is distinguished from another. There are general falsities which reign with the depraved in every church, and the falsity is varied with everyone in the church according to his life. The falsity which was in the Jewish Church, and which is here treated of, was falsity from the evil of the love of self, and of the derivative love of the world (see n. 4818).

3421. And he called their names. That this signifies their quality, is evident from the signification of “calling names,” as being the quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3237); and as “to call names” or “a name” signifies the quality, therefore “to call” without a name being mentioned, in the internal sense of the Word signifies to be of such a quality. As in Isaiah:

Hear ye this, O house of Jacob ¹ who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah. For they call themselves of the city of holiness, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel (Isaiah 48:1-2); where “calling themselves of the city of holiness” signifies being of such a quality. And in Luke:

Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus; He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:31-32);

“to be called the Son of the Most High” denotes being.

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