3778. 'And he said to them, Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?' means, Did they possess good from that stock? This is clear from the representation of 'Laban' as a parallel good springing from a common stock, dealt with in 3612, 3665, and from the representation of 'Nahor' as that common stock from which the good meant by 'Laban' springs - 'knowing' meaning, in the internal sense, from that source, as is evident from the train of thought. Let a brief statement be made about the representation of a parallel good by means of Nahor, Bethuel, and Laban. Terah who was the father of three sons - Abram, Nahor, and Haran, Genesis 11:27 - represents the common stock from which the Churches sprang. Terah himself was in fact an idolater, but representatives have no regard to the person, only to the actual subject represented by him, see 1361. And since the Jewish representative Church had its beginnings in Abraham and was re-established among his descendants from Jacob, Terah and his three sons take on the representation of Churches. Abram takes on the representation of the genuine Church as it exists among those who possess the Word, while Nahor his brother takes on that of the Church as it exists among gentiles who do not possess the Word. The Lord's Church is spread throughout the whole world, existing also among gentiles who lead charitable lives, as is evident from what has been shown in various places regarding the gentiles.

[2] This then is why Nahor, his son Bethuel, and Bethuel's son Laban represent a parallel good that springs from a common stock, that is, the good which exists with people who belong to the Lord's Church among the gentiles. This good differs from good coming in a direct line from the common stock, in that those gentiles do not have genuine truths which are joined to their good. Instead they have for the most part external appearances which are called illusions of the senses, for they do not possess the Word from which they may receive light. Actually good is in essence a single entity, but it acquires a specific character from the truths implanted in it and in this way is made various. The truths that are seen by gentiles as truths are in general the idea that they should worship some God from whom they seek their own good and to whom they attribute it - though they do not know so long as they live in this world that that God is the Lord; also the idea that they should adore their God under images which they hold sacred; besides many other ideas. But these ideas do not make it any less possible for them to be saved than for Christians, provided that they lead lives in which love to their God and love towards the neighbour are present. For by leading such lives they have the ability to receive interior truths in the next life, see 932, 1032, 1059, 2049, 2051, 2284, 2589-2604, 2861, 2863, 3263. This shows what is meant by a parallel good that springs from a common stock. For Nahor represents those outside the Church who by virtue of good are bound together as brethren, see 2863, 2864, 2868; Bethuel represents good as it exists with those who make up a first group of gentiles, 2865, 3665; and Laban represents the affection for external or bodily good, strictly speaking a parallel good springing from a common stock, 3612, 3665.

[3] This good is such that first of all it serves a person as a means for acquiring spiritual good, for it is external and bodily and derives from external appearances which in themselves are illusions of the senses. In childhood a person acknowledges nothing other than these as truth and good, and although taught what internal good and truth are he still has no more than a bodily concept of it. This being his concept at first, this kind of good and truth is the initial means by which interior truths and goods are brought in. This is the arcanum which Jacob and Laban represent here.

2590. I have been taught in many ways that gentiles who have led a morally correct life and have been obedient ones, who have led charitable lives one with another, and have received some kind of conscience in keeping with their religion, are accepted in the next life, where with anxious desire and care angels instruct them in the goods and truths of faith. While they are being instructed they behave in an unassuming, intelligent, and wise manner, receiving and taking in what they are taught with ease. For they have not formed for themselves any ideas which are contrary to the truths of faith and need to be dispelled, still less any obstacles to the Lord, as with so many Christians who have led a life of evil. What is more, such gentiles do not hate others, or seek revenge for injuries, or plan devices and deceits. Rather, they wish well to Christians, even when Christians for their part despise them and so far as they are able do them violence. But they are rescued by the Lord from the merciless ways of those Christians and are protected by Him. For the situation with Christians and gentiles in the next life is that Christians who have acknowledged the truths of faith and at the same time have led a life of goodness are received ahead of gentiles; but such at the present day are few. Gentiles however who have led obedient and charitable lives one with another are received ahead of Christians who have not led so good a life. For everyone throughout the whole world who has led a good life is in the Lord's mercy received and saved; for good itself is that which receives truth. Good in a person's life is the ground itself for the seed, that is, for the truth, but evil in his life cannot possibly receive it. Although those immersed in evil are taught in a thousand different ways, indeed even if they are fully taught, the truths of faith with them still do not advance beyond the memory and do not penetrate through to the affection, which is in the heart. Consequently in the next life truths present in their memory are dispersed and cease to have any real existence.