243. And white garments, that thou mayest be clothed. That this signifies genuine truths and intelligence therefrom, is evident from the signification of white garments, as being genuine truths; for garments signify truths (as may be seen above, n. 195), and white signifies what is genuine, and is said of truths (as may be seen also above, n. 196); and from the signification of to clothe as being to procure for oneself intelligence therefrom, for by means of genuine truths all intelligence is obtained; for the human understanding is formed to receive truths, therefore such as are the truths of which it is formed, such is its quality. It is believed that it is a matter of the understanding to be able to reason from thought and to speak from falsities, and to confirm them by many arguments; but this is not understanding, it is only a faculty given to man with the memory to which it is adjoined, and of which it is an activity. Nevertheless, the understanding is thereby born and formed, in proportion as man receives truths from affection; but to receive genuine truths from affection is not possible for any man, except from the Lord alone, because they are from Him. Consequently, to receive understanding, or to become intelligent, is imparted to man by the Lord alone, and to every one who applies himself to receive, according to what was said above (n. 239). This therefore is what is signified by, I counsel thee to buy of me white garments, that thou mayest be clothed.

10536. 'And no one put on his finery' means the nature of their external which is such that it lacks what is Divine. This is clear from the meaning of 'finery' as the presence of what is Divine in external things, so that 'not putting on his finery' means the absence of what is Divine in those things. The reason why 'finery' has this meaning is that 'finery' relates to clothing, and Divine Truths are meant by clothing generally. The reason why Divine Truths are meant by clothing generally lies in things in the next life that are representative. All there, both angels and spirits, appear clothed in garments, each one in garments that accord with his truths. Those in possession of truths that are authentic and come from God appear clothed in brilliantly white garments; others appear in others different from these. Spirits indeed do not know where their garments come from; they are clothed without their knowing how. And also the garments they wear are varied, as determined by the changes of state they undergo in respect of truths. In short, the character of their understanding is what is revealed and represented by their garments; for everyone's understanding is shaped by truths and comes to have the same nature as the truths which compose it. The understanding which angels in heaven possess resides on an inner level with them, as a consequence of which their garments are brilliant and white. The brilliance is due to Divine Good, and the whiteness to the light of heaven, which is Divine Truth. But the garments of those whose interest lies in external things and not in what is internal are drab and torn, like those of beggars in the streets or robbers in the forests. From all this what is meant by 'finery' may be seen, namely the Church's holy truths, and therefore 'not putting on finery' means the absence of the Church's holy truths, and in reference to the Israelite nation, whose interest lay in external things and not in what was internal, means the nature of their external which was such that it lacked truths from God.

Truths are meant by 'garments', see 2132, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5319, 5954, 6378, 6914, 6917, 6918, 9093, 9158, 9212, 9216, 9814, 9827, 9952.

What is meant by the garments of Aaron and his sons, 9814, 10068.

'Finery' in the Word means the Church's holy truths, see below in 10540.