8043.“就是凡打开子宫的”表凡源于仁的。这从“凡打开子宫的”的含义清楚可知，“凡打开子宫的”是指凡直接从某个已重生的人那里生出的，因而是指凡源于仁的，正如刚才所述（8042节）。因为当一个人重新被孕育时，可以说他再次进入子宫；当一个人重新出生时，可以说他再次从子宫里出来。不过，这一次在子宫孕育并从子宫出生的，不是作为一个人的人，而是仁之信。这信构成人的属灵层，或说赋予此人一种属灵品格；因此，可以说它重塑了这个人自己，因为现在他的生命源于它，或由它所生。由此可见“凡打开子宫的”在内义上是什么意思。唯独处于属灵观念的天使不以其它任何方式来理解这个词。至于“子宫或母胎”，以及“在子宫或母胎里”、“从子宫或母胎里出来”表示什么，可参看前文（3293e，3294，3967，4904，4918，4931，5052，5054，6433节）。
由于“子宫或母胎”表示这些事物，所以主被称为“从母胎造就者”，也就是使人重生者（Regenerator），如以赛亚书：
造作你，又从母胎造就你，并要帮助你的耶和华如此说：我的仆人雅各、我所拣选的耶书仑哪，不要害怕！因为我要将水浇灌口渴的人，将河浇灌干旱之地；我要将我的灵浇灌你的种，将我的福浇灌你的子孙。（以赛亚书44:2，3）
主之所以被称为“从母胎或子宫造作和造就的”，是因为祂使人重生，把他从属世的变成属灵的。由于重生通过真理和良善实现，所以经上说祂“要将水浇灌口渴的人，将祂的灵浇灌他的种”；因为“水”表示信之真理（参看2702，3058，3424，4976，5668，7307节），“灵”表示仁之良善。约翰福音中的“水和灵”所表相同：
耶稣对尼哥底母说，我实实在在地告诉你，人若不重生，就不能见神的国。尼哥底母对祂说，人已经老了，如何能重生呢？岂能再进母胎生出来吗？耶稣回答，我实实在在地告诉你，人若不是从水和灵生的，就不能进神的国。从肉身生的，就是肉身；从灵生的，就是灵。你是以色列人的先生，还不明白这事吗？（约翰福音3:3-6，10）
在以赛亚书的其它经文中，主也被称为“从母胎或子宫造就的”：
从母胎造就你的救赎主耶和华如此说：我耶和华是创造万物的，是独自铺张诸天、铺开大地的。（以赛亚书44:24）；
“诸天和大地”在一般意义上表示内在和外在的教会（82，1411，1733，1850，3355，4535节），在具体意义上表示在重生之人那里的教会的内在和外在方面；“铺张”和“铺开”表示用神性大能造作或创造（7673节）。这就是为何主作为那使人重生的而被称为“造作者”和“创造者”，重生被称为“一个新造”。
“母胎或子宫”以同样的方式用在以赛亚书中：
雅各家、以色列家一切余剩的要听我言，你们自出母腹，就蒙保抱；自从出母胎，便蒙怀搋。（以赛亚书46:3）
诗篇：
主耶和华啊，我从出母胎被你扶持，把我从母腹中领出来的就是你；我必常常赞美你！（诗篇71:6）
由此可见“凡打开子宫的”，因而“头生的”在内义上表示什么。
Potts(1905-1910) 8043
8043. That which openeth every womb. That this signifies which is from charity, is evident from the signification of "that which openeth the womb," as being that which is born immediately of a regenerate one, thus that which is from charity (according to what was said just above, n. 8042). For he who is conceived anew, comes as it were again into the womb; and he who is born anew, goes forth as it were again from the womb; but that which is conceived in the womb and born from the womb is not man as man, but is the faith of charity, for this makes the spiritual of man, thus as it were makes the man himself anew, for then his life is derived from this. From all this it can be seen what is meant in the spiritual sense by "that which openeth the womb." The angels, who are in spiritual ideas alone, understand nothing else by this. (What is meant by the "womb," and also by "being in the womb," and by "going forth from the womb," see n. 3293e, 3294, 3967, 4904, 4918, 4931, 5052, 5054, 6433.) [2] As such things are signified by the "womb," therefore in the Word the Lord is called "the Former from the womb," that is, the Regenerator, as in Isaiah:
Thus said Jehovah, thy Maker, and thy Former from the womb; He helpeth thee: Fear not, Jacob My servant, and Jeshurun whom I have chosen, because I will pour out water upon him that is thirsty, and rivulets upon the dry ground; I will pour out My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thy children (Isa. 44:2, 3);
the Lord is called "the Maker and Former from the womb," because He regenerates man, and from natural makes him spiritual; and as regeneration is effected by means of truth and good, therefore it is said that He "will pour out water upon him that is thirsty, and His spirit upon his seed;" for by "water" is signified the truth which is of faith (see n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 7307), and by "spirit" the good which is of charity. In like manner by "water and spirit" in John:
Jesus said unto Nicodemus, Verily, verily, I say to thee, Except anyone be begotten anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said unto Him, Now can a man be begotten when he is old? Can he come a second time into his mother's womb? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say to thee, Except anyone be begotten from water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which has been born from the flesh is flesh; but that which has been begotten from the spirit is spirit. Art thou a teacher in Israel, and knowest thou not this? (John 3:3-6, 10) [3] The Lord is called "the Former from the womb" in other passages also, as in Isaiah:
Thus said Jehovah thy Redeemer, and thy Former from the womb: I am Jehovah, that doeth all things; that spreadeth out the heavens alone; and that stretcheth out the earth by Myself (Isa. 44:24); by "the heavens and the earth" is meant in the general sense the church internal and external (n. 82, 1411, 1733, 1850, 3355, 4535), and in the particular sense the internal and external of the church with the man who has been regenerated; and by "spreading out" and "stretching out" is signified to make or create by Divine power (n. 7673), for which reason the Lord, as the Regenerator, is called "the Maker," and "the Creator," and regeneration is called "a new creation." [4] In like manner in the same:
Attend ye unto Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remains of the house of Israel, that have been carried from the belly, that have been borne from the womb (Isa. 46:31). And in David:
Upon Thee, O Lord Jehovih, have I been laid from the womb; Thou art my Bringer-forth out of my mother's bowels; Thou art my praise continually (Ps. 71:6). From all this it is now evident what is signified in the internal sense by "that which openeth the womb," and consequently what by "the firstborn."
Elliott(1983-1999) 8043
8043. 'Whatever opens the womb' means which springs from charity. This is clear from the meaning of 'whatever opens the womb' as that which is born directly from someone who has been regenerated, thus which springs from charity, in accordance with what has been stated immediately above in 8042. For when a person is conceived anew he so to speak enters the womb again; and when a person is born anew he so to speak comes out of the womb again. But this time, what is conceived in and born from the womb is not the person as a person; rather it is faith, the offspring of charity. This faith gives the person a spiritual character; it so to speak remakes the person himself since his life is now begotten by it. From all this one may now see what is meant in the spiritual sense by 'whatever opens the womb'. Angels, whose ideas are solely spiritual ones, do not understand the expression in any other way. What 'the womb' means, and also what 'being in the womb' and 'coming out of the womb' mean, see 3293 (end), 3294, 3967, 4904, 4918, 4931, 5052, 5054, 6433.
[2] Since those things are meant by 'the womb', the Word speaks of the Lord as Him who 'formed from the womb', that is, who is the Regenerator, as in Isaiah,
Thus said Jehovah who made you and formed you from the womb, who helps you, Fear not, O My servant Jacob, and Jeshurun whom I have chosen, for I will pour out water upon thirsty land, and streams upon the dry I will pour out My spirit upon your seed, and blessing upon your sons. Isa 44:2,3.
The Lord is spoken of as Him who 'made and formed from the womb' because He regenerates a person, making a spiritual person out of one who is natural. Since regeneration is accomplished through truth and good it says that He will pour out water upon thirsty land and spirit upon his seed; for 'water' means the truth of faith, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 7307, and 'spirit' means the good of charity, in the same way as 'water' and 'spirit' do in John,
Jesus said to Nicodemus, Truly, truly I say to you, Unless a person is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to Him, How can a person be born when he is old? Can he come a second time into his mother's womb? Jesus answered, Truly, truly I say to you, Unless a person has been born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, but that which has been born of the spirit is spirit. Are you a teacher in Israel, and do not know this? John 3:3-6, 10.
[3] The Lord is again called the One who 'formed from the womb' elsewhere in Isaiah,
Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb, I am Jehovah who makes all things, who spreads out the heavens Alone, and who stretches out the earth by Myself. Isa 44:24.
'The heavens' and 'the earth' are used to mean in a general sense the internal and the external Church, 82, 1411, 1733, 1850, 3355, 4535, and in a particular sense the internal and the external aspects of the Church with a person who has been regenerated; and 'spreading out' and 'stretching out' mean making or creating by the use of Divine power, 7673. This is why the Lord as Regenerator is referred to as Maker and Creator, and why regeneration is referred to as a new creation.
[4] 'Womb' is used in a similar way in the same prophet,
Hearken to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel who have been carried from the belly who have been borne from the womb. Isa 46:3.
And in David,
On You, O Lord Jehovih, I have been laid from the womb; You brought me out of my mother's bowels; You are my praise continually Ps 71:6.
From all this one may now see what is meant in the internal sense by 'whatever opens the womb' and consequently by 'the firstborn'.
Latin(1748-1756) 8043
8043. `Aperturam omnis uteri': quod significet quae ex charitate, constat ex significatione `aperturae uteri' quod sit quod a regenerato immediate nascitur, ita quod a charitate, secundum illa quae mox supra n. (x)8042 dicta sunt, nam qui e novo concipitur venit quasi iterum in uterum, et qui e novo nascitur exit quasi iterum ex utero; sed quod concipitur in utero et nascitur ex utero non est homo quatenus homo, sed est fides charitatis; haec enim facit spirituale hominis, ita quasi ipsum hominem e novo, nam ejus vita tunc inde est; ex his constare potest quid per `aperturam uteri' in sensu spirituali intelligitur; angeli, qui in solis ideis spiritualibus sunt, {1}non aliud per {2}illud intelligunt; quid `uterus,' tum quid `esse in utero' et `exire ex utero,' videatur n. 3293 fin., 3294, 3967, 4904, 4918, 4931, 5052, 5054, 6433. 2 Quia per `uterum' illa significantur, ideo Dominus in Verbo vocatur `Formator ab utero,' hoc est, Regenerator, ut apud Esaiam, Sic dixit Jehovah, Factor tuus, et Formator tuus ab utero, adjuvat te; Ne time, serve Mi Jacob, et Jeschurun quem elegi; quia effundam aquam super sitientem, et rivulos super aridam; effundam spiritum Meum super semen tuum, et benedictionem super natos tuos, xliv 2, 3;Dominus {3}vocatur `Factor' et `Formator ex utero' quia regenerat hominem et ex naturali (t)facit spiritualem; quia regeneratio fit per verum et bonum, ideo dicitur quod `effundet aquam super sitientem, et spiritum super semen ejus'; per `aquam' enim significatur verum quod fidei, n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 7307, et per `spiritum' bonum quod charitatis: similiter ac per `aquam' et `spiritum' apud Johannem, Dixit Jesus ad Nicodemum, Amen, amen, dico tibi, Nisi quis generetur denuo, non potest videre regnum Dei; dixit ad Ipsum Nicodemus, Quomodo potest homo generari cum senex est? num potest in uterum matris suae secundo venire? respondit Jesus, Amen, amen, dico tibi, Nisi quis generatus fuerit ex aqua et spiritu, non potest ingredi in regnum Dei; quod natum est e carne caro est, sed quod generatum est ex spiritu spiritus est: tune es magister in Israel, et hoc non nosti? iii (x)3-6, 10. 3 Dominus dicitur `Formator ab utero' etiam alibi apud Esaiam, Sic dixit Jehovah Redemptor tuus, et Formator tuus ab utero: Ego Jehovah faciens omnia, expandens caelos solum, (d)et extendens terram a Me Ipso, xliv 24;
per `caelos et terram' intelligitur in communi sensu Ecclesia interna et externa, n. 82, 1411, (x)1733, 1850, 3355, 4535, et in particulari Ecclesiae internum et externum apud hominem qui regeneratus est; et per `expandere' et `extendere' significatur facere seu creare ex Divina potentia, n. 7673; inde Dominus ut Regenerator vocatur 4 `Factor et Creator,' ac regeneratio vocatur `nova creatio': pariter apud eundem, Attendite ad Me, domus Jacobi, et omnes reliquiae domus Israelis, portati a ventre, lati ab (x)utero, xlvi 3:
et apud Davidem, Super Te, (x)Domine Jehovih, impositus sum ab utero, e visceribus matris meae, Tu eductor meus, Tu laus mea jugiter, Ps. lxxi 6. Ex his nunc patet quid per `aperturam uteri' et consequenter quid per `primogenitum' in sensu interno significatur. @1 seu$ @2 i veris et bonis$ @3 nec$ @4 d illud i illam$ @5 After utero$