8321. Until Thy people shall pass over. That this signifies that thus without danger of infestation all shall be saved who are capable of receiving the truth of good and the good of truth, is evident from the signification of "passing over," as being to be saved without danger of infestation; for when they who are in falsities from evil, and have infested, are cast into hell, and are removed, then there are none who obstruct by injecting falsities and evils, and who thus prevent the reception of good and truth from the Lord. This is what is here signified by "passing over." For so long as the evil were not cast into hell, scarcely any could "pass over," that is, be saved; for the evil then continually excited evils and falsities with those who were coming into the other life, and thus withheld them from good and truth. In order therefore that those who were in good and truth might be liberated from such infesters, the Lord came into the world; and when He was in the world, then by means of continual temptations admitted into Himself, and by means of continual victories therein, He subjugated all such spirits, and afterward by His presence caused them to be cast into hell, where being taken possession of by their own evils and falsities, they might be kept bound to eternity.
[2] By "people" are here meant those who are in the capacity of receiving the truth of good and the good of truth, for "people" in general signifies those who are in the truth and good of faith (n. 1259, 1260, 3295, 3581, 4619); here, it signifies Israel, that is, those who are of the spiritual church, or what is the same, who are in the truth of good and the good of truth (n. 7957, 8234). It is said "in the capacity of receiving the truth of good and the good of truth," because no others are in this capacity than those who have lived a life of charity. This life gives this capacity. Hugely do those err who believe that faith without charity can confer this quality; for faith without charity is hard and resistant, and rejects all the influx from the Lord; but charity with faith is yielding and gentle and receives the influx. From this it is that charity gives this capacity, but not faith without charity; and as charity gives this capacity, it is this also which saves; for they who are saved are not saved through charity from themselves, but through charity from the Lord, consequently through the capacity of receiving it.