Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 6461

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6461. 'The buying of the field and of the cave that was in it was from the sons of Heth' means the redemption of those who receive truth, and through truth receive good. This is clear from the meaning of 'buying' as redemption, dealt with above in 6458; from the meaning of 'the field' as the Church, dealt with in 2971, 3766, thus the member of the Church since he is the Church; from the meaning of 'the cave' as obscurity, dealt with in 2935, 6453; and from the representation of 'the sons of Heth' as a spiritual Church from the Ancient Church, dealt with in 2913, 2986. And because 'the sons of Heth' are a spiritual Church from the Ancient Church, they are those who receive truth, and through truth receive good; for a spiritual Church arises in this way. From all this it is evident that 'the buying of the field and of the cave that was in it was from the sons of Heth' means the redemption of those who are in the Church but are still in obscurity, and who receive truth and through truth receive good.


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