6
ειπεν δε αυτοις υγιαινει οι δε ειπαν υγιαινει και ιδου ραχηλ η θυγατηρ αυτου ηρχετο μετα των προβατων
6
ειπεν δε αυτοις υγιαινει οι δε ειπαν υγιαινει και ιδου ραχηλ η θυγατηρ αυτου ηρχετο μετα των προβατων
3856. 'And He opened her womb' means that this affection gave rise to the doctrines taught by the Churches. This is clear from the meaning of 'opening the womb', or conceiving and bearing, as a Church coming into being. And since it comes into being through doctrinal teachings, 'opening the womb' also means the doctrines taught by the Churches. For conceptions and births in the Word mean spiritual conceptions and births, like those that take place when a person is born anew, see 1145, 1255, 1330, 2584. The implications of these matters will be evident from what follows shortly.
1145. That 'these are the generations of the sons of Noah' means derivative matters of doctrine and derivative forms of worship in the Ancient Church, which in general is Noah, is clear from the meaning of 'generations', dealt with already. In the external or literal sense, generations involve one being begotten from another, as is well known; but in the internal sense everything has regard to things that are celestial and spiritual, that is, to what are matters of charity and of faith. Thus 'generations' here means things of the Church, and therefore matters of doctrine, as will be better evident from what follows.