5652. 'And they came near the man who was over Joseph's house means the teachings of the Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'the man over Joseph's house' as that which belongs to the external Church, dealt with above in 5640, thus religious teaching since this belongs to the Church. In addition 'the man' means truth, and so religious teaching, 3134, while 'the house' means the Church, 1795; and since 'Joseph' is the internal, 5469, 'Joseph's house' is the internal Church. Teaching drawn from the Word is what is set over that house, serving and ministering to it.

5640. 'And he said to the one who was over his house' means that which belongs to the external Church. This is clear from the representation of 'the one who was over the house' as the external Church, when 'the one who is in the house' is the internal Church, dealt with in 1795. And since no attention is paid in the internal sense to the person, only to the spiritual reality, 5225, 5287, 5434, 'the one who was over the house' means that which belongs to the external Church.