10243.“必用水洗濯”表通过信之真理所实现的洁净。这从“洗濯”和“水”的含义清楚可知：“洗濯”是指从邪恶和虚假中洁净（参看10237节）；“水”是指信之真理（参看10238节）。人若不知道“洗濯”表示什么，“手”和“脚”又表示什么，就不可能知道以下约翰福音中的这些话含有什么意思：
耶稣把水倒在盆里，开始洗门徒的脚，并用束腰的亚麻手巾擦干。祂到了西门彼得跟前，彼得对祂说，你洗我的脚吗？耶稣回答，我所做的，你如今不知道，后来必明白。彼得对他说，你永不可洗我的脚！耶稣回答他，我若不洗你，你就与我无份了。彼得对祂说，主啊，不但我的脚，连手和头也要洗！耶稣对他说，洗过澡的人只需把脚一洗，整个人就干净了。你们是干净的。（约翰福音13:5-10）
谁能知道主所说这些话，即“我所做的，你如今不知道，后来必明白”，还有“我若不洗你，你就与我无份了”，以及“洗过澡的人只需把脚一洗，整个人就干净了”，其真实含义是什么？
这些话是指从邪恶和虚假中洁净，但若不通过内义，没有人能知道这一点。从内义明显可知，“洗”表示从邪恶和虚假中洁净；“盆里的水”表示属世层里面的信之真理；主束在腰里并用来擦干的“亚麻手巾”表示从祂发出的神性真理；“脚”表示人里面的属世层；“洗头、手和脚”表示重生，“洗过澡的人”同样表示重生，因此“洗脚”表示洁净人里面的属世层。除非人活在世时，与他同在的属世层就被洁净和清洁，否则以后他永远不可能被洁净。因为人的属世层在他死的时候是什么样，就仍然是什么样；它以后也不会得到任何改善，因为内层事物，也就是属灵事物流入这个层面，它是它们的容器。因此，当它已经被败坏时，内层事物在流入时同样被败坏。这就像眼睛或其它感觉器官，或某个身体部位损坏时的情形；这时，通过这个器官或部位感知或行动的内在能力或内层就会受到那里的接受状态的制约。
因此，人永远不可能被洁净，除非他的属世层在世上就得以洁净，这一点就是主的这句话的意思，即：我所做的，你如今不知道，后来必明白。已经重生的人只需要属世层被洁净，这一点就是这句话的意思，即：洗过澡的人只需把脚一洗，整个人就干净了。一切洁净都唯独由主实现，这一点则是这句话的意思，即：我若不洗你，你就与我无份了。这种洁净通过从主发出的神性真理实现，这一点由祂“用束腰的亚麻手巾擦干”来表示。“亚麻手巾”表示从神来的真理（参看7601节）；因此，“主束腰用的亚麻手巾”是指来自祂自己的神性真理。“水”表示信之真理（参看10238节）；“盆”或“水盆”表示属世层（参看10235节）；“洗头、手和脚”也就是全身表示重生（参看10239节）；“脚”是指人里面的属世层（参看10241节）。由此再次清楚看出，主通过对应，因而按照内义说话，因为祂从内义存在的天堂的角度来说话。因此，若不根据内义来理解主的圣言，人们几乎不明白圣言。
Potts(1905-1910) 10243
10243. They shall wash with waters. That this signifies purification by means of the truths of faith, is evident from the signification of "washing," as being purification from evils and falsities (see above, n. 10237); and from the signification of "waters," as being the truths of faith (see also above, n. 10238). He who does not know what is signified by "washing," and what by the "feet" and "hands," cannot know what these words involve, in John:
Jesus poureth water into the basin, and beginneth to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the linen towel wherewith He was girded. And He cometh to Simon Peter, who saith unto Him, Dost Thou wash my feet? Jesus answered, What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto Him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me. Peter saith to Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that hath been washed, needeth not save to be washed as to his feet, but is wholly clean. Ye are clean already (John 13:5-10). Who can know what is involved in what the Lord said, "What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter," and "if I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me"? and, "he who hath been washed needeth not save to be washed as to his feet, but is wholly clean"? [2] That the subject here treated of is purification from evils and falsities, cannot be known except from the internal sense, from which it is evident that by "washing" is meant purification from evils and falsities; by the "water in the basin," the truth of faith in the natural; by the "linen towel, with which the Lord was girded and with which He wiped," the Divine truth proceeding from Him; by the "feet," the natural of man; by "washing the head, hands, and feet," regeneration, and in like manner by "him who hath been washed." Thus by "washing the feet" is meant to purify the natural of man, for unless this is purified and cleansed with man while he lives in the world, it can never be purified afterward. For such as the natural of man is when he dies, such it remains. It is not amended afterward, because it is this plane into which the interiors, which are spiritual, flow, it being their receptacle; and therefore when it has been perverted, the interiors are perverted into its image when they flow in. This is as when the eye is injured, or any other organ of sense, or member of the body, in that the interiors then feel and act through the organ or member no otherwise than according to the reception of them there. [3] That for this reason a man can never be purified unless he is purified in the world in respect to his natural, is meant by the Lord's words, "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." That he who has been regenerated is not to be purified except in respect to the natural, is meant by these words, "He that hath been washed needeth not save to be washed as to his feet, and is wholly clean." And that all purification is effected by the Lord alone, by these words, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me." And that this is effected by means of the Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord, is signified by His "wiping with the linen towel with which He was girded." That a "linen cloth" denotes truth from the Divine, see above (n. 7601); thus the linen cloth with which the Lord was girded denotes the Divine truth from Him. (That "water" denotes the truth of faith, see n. 10238; that a "basin" or "laver" in which is water denotes the natural, see n. 10235; that the "washing" of the head, hands, and feet, or of the whole body, denotes regeneration, n. 10239; and that the "feet" denote the natural of man, n. 10241.) From all this it can be seen again that the Lord spoke by correspondences, thus from the internal sense, because from heaven in which is this sense; and therefore unless the Word of the Lord is understood as to this sense, it is understood but little.
Elliott(1983-1999) 10243
10243. 'They shall wash with water' means purification effected by means of the truths of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'washing' as purification from evils and falsities, dealt with above in 10237; and from the meaning of 'water' as the truths of faith, also dealt with above, in 10238. Anyone who does not know what 'washing' means, nor what 'feet' and 'hands' mean, cannot possibly know what is implied by the following words in John,
Jesus poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the linen towel with which He was girded. And He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, Do you wash my feet? Jesus answered, What I am doing you do not know as yet; but you will know afterwards. Peter said to Him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me. Peter said to Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and head. Jesus said to Him, He who has been washed has no need except to wash his feet, but the whole person is clean. Already you are clean. John 13:5-10.
Is there anyone who can know what the real meaning is when the Lord said, 'What I am doing you do not know as yet, but you will know afterwards', also 'If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me', as well as 'He who has been washed has no need except to wash his feet', and 'the whole person is clean'?
[2] These words refer to purification from evils and falsities, but no one can know of this except from the internal sense. From this sense it is evident that 'washing' is used to mean purification from evils and falsities; 'water in a basin' to mean the truth of faith within the natural; 'the linen towel' which the Lord was girded with, and which He used for wiping, to mean Divine Truth emanating from Him; 'feet' to mean the natural level in a person; and 'washing the head, hands, and feet' to mean regeneration, as is 'he who has been washed', so that 'washing the feet' is used to mean purifying the natural level in a person. Unless this level with a person is purified and cleansed while he is living in the world he cannot ever be purified after that. For whatever a person's natural level is like when he dies it remains the same; no improvement takes place afterwards, for it is the level into which interior things, that is, spiritual ones flow, and it is their receptacle. Consequently when it has been perverted the interior things are similarly perverted on flowing in. The situation is like that with the eye or any other sensory organ or a member of the body when it has been damaged; inner abilities to perceive or to act by means of that organ or member are conditioned by the state of reception there.
[3] A person's inability therefore ever to be purified if his natural is not purified in the world is the meaning of the Lord's words, What I am doing you do not know as yet; but you will know afterwards. The fact that nothing except the natural needs to be purified in one who has been regenerated is the meaning of He who has washed has no need except to wash his feet, and of the whole person is clean. And the accomplishment of all purification by the Lord alone is the meaning of If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me. The accomplishment of it by means of the Divine Truth which emanates from the Lord is meant by His wiping with the linen towel with which He was girded.
'A linen towel' means truth from God, see 7601, so that 'the linen towel with which the Lord was girded' is Divine Truth from Himself. 'Water' means the truth of faith, 10238. 'A basin' or a laver with water in it means the natural, 10235. 'Washing the head, hands, and feet' - that is, the whole body - means regeneration, 10239, 'feet' being the natural within a person, 10241.
From all this it again becomes evident that the Lord spoke by means of correspondences, thus in accordance with the internal sense, since He spoke from heaven's point of view, where that sense exists. Consequently there is little understanding of the Lord's Word unless it is understood on that level of meaning.
Latin(1748-1756) 10243
10243. `Lavabunt aquis': quod significet purificationem per vera fidei, constat ex significatione `lavare' quod sit purificatio a malis et falsis, de qua supra n. 10,237, et ex significatione `aquarum' quod sint vera fidei, de qua etiam supra n. 10,238. (s)Qui non scit quid `lavare' significat, et quid `pedes et manus,' nequaquam scire potest quid involvunt haec apud Johannem, Jesus mittit aquam in pelvim, et incipit lavare pedes discipulorum, et abstergere linteo quo erat succinctus; et venit ad Simonem Petrum, qui dicit Ipsi, Tune meos lavas pedes? respondit Jesus, Quod Ego facio, tu non scis adhuc, cognosces vero {1}post haec; dicit Ipsi Petrus, Non lavabis pedes meos in aeternum; {2}respondit illi Jesus, Si non lavero te, non habes partem Mecum; dicit Ipsi Petrus, Domine, non pedes meos tantum, sed et manus et caput; dicit illi Jesus, Qui lotus est non opus habet nisi quoad pedes lavetur, sed mundus est totus; jam vos mundi estis, xiii 5-10;quis scire potest quid involvit quod Dominus dixit, Quod Ego facio, tu non scis adhuc, cognosces vero {1}post haec, tum, Si non lavero te, non habes partem Mecum, ut et, Qui lotus est non opus habet nisi [2] quoad pedes lavetur, et mundus est totus? quod de purificatione {3} a malis et falsis hic agatur, non sciri potest nisi ex sensu interno, ex quo patet quod per `lavationem' intelligatur purificatio a malis et falsis, per `aquam in pelvi' verum fidei in naturali' per `linteum quo succinctus Dominus et quo abstersit' Divinum Verum ab Ipso procedens, per `pedes' naturale hominis, per `lavare caput, manus, et pedes' regeneratio, similiter per qui `lotus est'; ita per lavare pedes intelligitur purificare naturale hominis, nam nisi hoc apud hominem cum in mundo vivit, {4}purificetur et mundetur, postea in aeternum non purificari potest; quale enim naturale hominis est cum moritur, tale manet, non enim {5}postea emendatur, est enim id planum in quod interiora, quae sunt spiritualia, influunt, et est receptaculum eorum; quapropter cum id perversum est, interiora cum influunt, ad instar ejus pervertuntur; se habent illa sicut cum oculus est laesus, aut aliud quoddam organum sensus, aut membrum corporis, tunc interiora non aliter [3] sentiunt et agunt per illa quam secundum receptionem ibi; (m)quod itaque homo non purificari possit in aeternum si non purificetur quoad naturale suum in mundo,(n) intelligitur per Domini verba, Quod Ego facio, tu non scis adhuc, cognosces vero {6}post haec; {7}quod qui regeneratus est non purificandus sit nisi quoad naturale, intelligitur per haec, Qui lotus est non opus habet nisi ut quoad pedes lavetur, et mundus est [4] totus; et quod omnis purificatio fiat a solo Domino, {8} per haec {9}, Si non lavero te, non habes partem Mecum; et quod id fiat per Divinum Verum quod a Domino procedit, {10}significatur per quod linteo quo succinctus, absterserit; quod `linteum' sit verum a Divino, videatur n. 7601 ita `linteum quo Dominus succinctus' est Divinum Verum ab Ipso; quod `aqua' sit verum fidei, n. 10,238, quod `pelvis' seu labrum in quo aqua, sit naturale, n. 10,235, quod `lavatio capitis, manuum, et pedum' seu totius corporis, sit regeneratio, n. 10,239, et quod `pedes' sint naturale hominis, n. 10,241. Ex his iterum constare potest quod Dominus per correspondentias locutus fuerit, ita ex sensu interno, quoniam e caelo, in quo ille sensus est; quapropter nisi Verbum Domini quoad illum sensum intelligitur, quod parum intelligatur.(s) @1 posthac IT$ @2 respondet IT$ @3 i hominis$ @4 purificatur et mundatur$ @5 posthac$ @6 posthac IT$ @7 et qui regeneratus est, quod purificandus sit quoad naturale, per sequentia$ @8 i intelligitur$ @9 i verba$ @10 intelligitur$