307. Verse 5. And one of the elders, signifies a society of heaven superior in wisdom to the rest. This is evident from the signification of "elders," as being those who are in truths from good, and abstractly truths from good (of which above, n. 270), thus those who are superior to the rest in intelligence and wisdom; for all intelligence is from good through truths, or through truths from good, and from no other source. "One of the elders" signifies a society of heaven because "an angel" in the Word does not mean one angel, but a whole society (see above, n. 90, 302); in like manner also "one of the elders." A society superior in wisdom to the rest is meant, because this elder declared that it is the Lord alone who acquired to Himself Divine wisdom in respect to the Human in order that He might know, recognize, and explore everyone, and the states of the life of all in general, and of each one in particular; which things are signified by his saying, "Weep not; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath overcome to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof;" for to know this, namely, that it is the Lord alone who is such, belongs to the wisdom of the angels of heaven; and the angelic societies of the third or inmost heaven know this from perception, that is, by influx from the Lord. The others also know it, yet not by perception but by the illustration of the understanding. The angels of the third or inmost heaven have perception; angels of the second and of the last heaven have illustration of the understanding; the difference is this, that perception is full confirmation by influx from the Lord, but the illustration of the understanding is spiritual sight. This those have who are in charity towards the neighbor and in faith therefrom; but the former, namely, perception, those have who are in love to the Lord (see further what perception is, in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n. 135-140).