4686. For behold we were binding sheaves in the midst of the field. That this signifies that they were teaching from doctrine, is evident from the signification of a “sheaf,” as being doctrine, and hence of “binding sheaves,” as being to teach from doctrine (of which hereafter); and from the signification of a “field,” as being the, church (n. 2971, 3766, 4440, 4443). The “midst of the field” is what is interior in the church, thus it is those who are in the faith of some charity; for the “midst” in the internal sense is what is interior and what is inmost (n. 1074, 2940, 2973). For there are some in every church who are in the midst of it, or who are inmost, being those who are in charity, here those who are in the faith of some charity. With these the Lord is present, because the Lord is in charity, and through charity in faith (n. 4672). That these are signified is evident also from what follows-that Joseph’s sheaf arose, and the other sheaves came round about it; for by Joseph’s sheaf is signified doctrine from the Lord’s Divine truth.

[2] That a “sheaf” signifies doctrine is because as just said a field is the church, and the standing corn in a field is the truth in the church; therefore a sheaf in which there is corn signifies doctrine in which there is truth. “Sheaves” have a similar signification in David:

Those who sow in tears will reap with singing; he who indeed goes forth weeping, carrying a cast of seed, will indeed come with singing, carrying his sheaves (Psalms 126:5-6);

said of those who have been in spiritual captivity and are liberated. To “bear the cast of seed” denotes instruction in truths, to “come with singing” denotes the gladness of the affection of truth, and to “bear the sheaves,” the doctrinal things of this truth.