3236. That Abraham here represents the Lord as to Divine good spiritual, and his woman as to Divine truth adjoined to this good, is evident from what has been said before concerning husbands and wives, namely, that the husband represents good and the wife truth (as Abraham and Sarah heretofore, n. 1468, 1901, 2063, 2065, 2172, 2173, 2198, 2904; and as Isaac and Rebekah in the preceding chapter, n. 3077). The reason why the husband represents good, and the wife truth, is that the church is compared to a marriage, and also is the marriage of good and truth. Good is what the husband represents, because it is in the first place; but truth is what the wife represents, because it is in the second place; therefore also in the Word the Lord is called a “bridegroom,” a “man” [vir], a “husband”; and the church is called a “bride,” a “woman,” a “wife.”

[2] What spiritual good is, and what the spiritual truth adjoined to this good, may be seen from the passages cited immediately above (n. 3235). Spiritual good in man is in general what is called the good of faith, and this is no other than charity toward the neighbor; but in order that it may be charity, it must come from the new will with which the spiritual man is gifted by the Lord. The spiritual truth adjoined to this good is what is called the truth of faith, and this is no other than that which regards charity first as the end for the sake of which it exists; and afterwards as the beginning from which it proceeds; but in order that it may be the truth of faith to the spiritual man, or faith, it must come from the new understanding with which he is gifted by the Lord; and the new understanding must have its light from the new will.

2661. On account of his son. That this signifies on this account, that He loved it, namely, the first rational, is evident from the signification of the “son,” namely, that of the handmaid, as being the merely human or first rational, described before. Although the cause of this grief is not told, it is evident from what follows. That the cause is the love is plain enough, for it is said “on account of his son;” and the same son is treated of in what follows, from verse 13 to 21 verse 21. Nevertheless in order that it may be known why there was this grief, or on what account it is said that the word was very evil in Abraham’s eyes on account of his son; take these few things by way of illustration.

[2] The Lord did not come into the world to save the celestial, but the spiritual. The Most Ancient Church, called “Man,” was celestial; and if this church had remained in its integrity, the Lord would have had no need to be born a man. But as soon as this church began to decline, the Lord foresaw that the celestial church would wholly perish from the world; and on that account the prediction was then made concerning the Lord’s coming into the world (Genesis 3:15). After the time of that church there was no longer a celestial church, but a spiritual church; for the Ancient Church which was after the flood (spoken of many times in Part First) was a spiritual church; and this church, that is, those who were of the spiritual church, could not have been saved unless the Lord had come into the world. This is meant by the Lord’s words in Matthew:

They that are well have no need of a physician, but they that are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:12-13).

Also by these words in John:

And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd (John 10:16).

Also by the parable of the hundred sheep, in Matthew 18:11-13.

[3] Now as by Isaac is represented the Lord’s Divine rational, and as by him are also signified the celestial who are called “heirs;” and as by Ishmael is represented the Lord’s merely human rational, and as by him are also signified the spiritual who are called “sons” (as is manifest from (2658) what was said above, n. 2658), this was the reason why the Lord felt grief from Divine love, as shown in the words of this verse; and also in those which follow from verse 13 to verse 21, where by Hagar’s son and the mother of that son is represented the spiritual church; and the state of this church, that is, the state of those who were of this church, is treated of (n. 2612). These arcana cannot as yet be set forth more fully; it may simply be said that with the Lord when in the world all the states of the church were represented, and also in what manner those who belonged to the church were to be saved by Him; and for this reason the same states of the church are likewise signified by these same names.