2056. That 'the uncircumcised male' means one who does not possess the truth of faith is clear from the meaning of 'a male' as the truth of faith, dealt with above in 2046. 'The uncircumcised male' here therefore means one who does not possess the truth of faith and so is subject to falsity. 'Uncircumcised' has reference to what stands in the way and defiles, as stated already. When added to the word 'male' it refers to that which stands in the way of and defiles truth. And when added in a similar way to anything else it means the degradation and corruption of that same thing, as with 'an uncircumcised ear' in Jeremiah,

On whom shall I speak and testify and they will hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot listen. Behold, the Word of Jehovah has become a reproach; they have no wish for it. Jeremiah 6:10.

'Uncircumcised ear' stands for the fact that they did not listen at all and that to them the Word was a reproach.

[2] The present verse also deals with those inside the Church who are subject not only to falsity but also to the impurity of self-love and love of the world, for this verse continues what has gone before. Hence the statement 'the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin' - thus having the meaning of falsity joined to impurity of life. How much those persons are in danger of eternal condemnation becomes clear from what has been stated above in 2051. Here it means in particular people inside the Church who profane the goods and truths of faith, of whom it is said that 'that soul will be cut off from his peoples'. For unlike those outside the Church, they are capable of profaning, as shown in Volume One, in 593, 1008, 1010, 1059.

1010. That 'shedding man's blood in man' means destroying charity, and 'in man' means residing with man, is clear from the meaning of 'blood', dealt with already, as the holiness of charity, and from the fact that the expression 'man's blood in man' is used, that is, his internal life, which does not reside in him but with him. For the Lord's life is charity, which does not reside within man, since man is filthy and unholy, but with him. That 'shedding blood' is doing violence to charity is clear from places in the Word, including those quoted already in 374, 376, where it has been shown that violence done to charity is called 'blood'.

[2] In the sense of the letter 'shedding blood' is killing, but in the internal sense it is hating the neighbour, as the Lord teaches in Matthew,

You have heard that it was said to the men of old, You shall not kill, and whoever skills will be liable to judgement. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without cause will be liable to judgement. Matthew 5:21-22.

Here 'being angry' means departing from charity - about which see what has been said already in 357 - and consequently hatred. Someone who hates not only has no charity but also does violence to it, that is, he 'sheds blood'. It is in hatred that murder lies, as is quite clear from the fact that the one desire of him who hates another is to have him killed. And but for the external restraints holding him back he would kill him. This is why killing 'a brother' and 'shedding his blood' is hatred. And being hatred, it is present in every idea he has against him. It is similar with profanation. As has been stated, a person who profanes the Word not only hates the truth but also annihilates it or slays it. This is quite clear in the next life from people who have been guilty of profanation. Although in outward appearance they have been honest, wise, and devout during their lifetime, in the next life they hold in deadly hatred the Lord, and also all goods that stem from love, and all truths of faith, the reason being that these are contrary to all their inner hatred, robbery, and adultery which they have covered over with a display of holiness while adulterating those goods and truths to their own advantage.

[3] That profanation is meant by 'blood' is clear from the following in Moses, in addition to the places quoted already in 374,

Anyone from the house of Israel who slays an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or who slays it outside the camp, and does not bring it to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to offer it as a gift to Jehovah before the dwelling-place of Jehovah, blood will be imputed to that man; he has shed blood, and that man will be cut off from among his people. Leviticus 17:3-4.

Sacrificing anywhere else than on the altar at the Tent of Meeting represented profanation, for 'offering sacrifice' was holy, but offering it 'in the camp' or 'outside the camp' was unholy.