5237. Servant to the prince of the guards. That this signifies wherein was truth that might serve primarily for interpretation, is evident from “servant” being predicated of truth (see n. 2567, 3409); and from the signification of the “prince of the guards,” as being things primary for interpretation (n. 4790, 4966, 5084); and because truth is of service for the interpretation of the Word, the truth thus serving is signified here by “servant to the prince of the guards.”

4790. Prince of the guards. That this signifies things which are primary for interpretation, is evident from the signification of “prince,” as being what is primary (n. 1482, 2089). That the “prince of the guards” here denotes things primary for interpretation, is because the subject treated of is Divine truth, which was sold by those who were in the truth of simple good by their consulting memory-knowledges; whence came a wandering and estrangement from Divine truth, and hence interpretations from the sense of the letter of the Word (see n. 4783); and by “guards” are signified those things which minister.