96. And the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and are not, signifies the false assertion that the goods of love are with them, when yet they are not. "Blasphemy" here signifies a false assertion; by "Jews" are not signified Jews, but they who are in the good of love, and, abstractly, the goods of love; so by "the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not," is signified the false assertion that the goods of love are with them, when yet they are not. By "Jews" are meant they who are in the good of love, because in the Word by "Judah," in the supreme sense, is meant the Lord as to the Divine good of Divine love, and by "Israel" the Lord as to the Divine truth of Divine wisdom; hence by "Jews" are signified they who are in the good of love from the Lord, and by "Israel" they who are in Divine truths from the Lord. That these are meant by "Jews," may appear from many passages, which will be adduced below (n. 350); something may also be seen on this subject in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture (n. 51).* In the abstract sense the goods of love are meant by "Jews," because the spiritual sense is abstracted from persons, as may be seen above (n. 78, 79). He who does not know that by "Jews," in the Word, are meant those who are of the Lord's celestial church, who are they that are in love to Him, may fall into many mistakes when reading the Word in the prophets; but see below (n. 350).
* The original Latin has "The Lord."