3125. Previous verses dealt with the investigation of truth that was to be joined to good in the Rational, as regards its innocence, charity, and origin. For since by His own power the Lord made His Rational Divine as regards good as well as regards truth, He consequently investigated the truth which He joined to good. With men however truth is never joined to good by means of their own power but by means of the Lord's. This becomes evident from the considerations that all good and truth flow in from the Lord, that the whole of reformation and regeneration is from Him, and that man does not know at all how he is being regenerated. At the present day man does not even know that he is regenerated by means of truth and good, let alone that truth is introduced into and joined to good, and that this is effected so to speak by investigation, that is, with very great precision. These two verses have dealt with perception of the nature and origin of truth, and at the same time with joy on that account. What follows next therefore deals with the introduction.

The relationship between men and women is deep and nuanced, and one entire book of the Writings -- Conjugial Love -- is devoted to the subject. So we can hardly offer a full explanation here. In a very general sense, though, the Writings say that men are creatures of intellect, driven by the love of growing wise; women, meanwhile are creations of affection, driven by the love of wisdom and the good that wisdom can do. They are formed this way to reflect the Lord's Divine Love and Divine Wisdom, and so that they can form marriages that reflect the unity of Divine Love and Divine Wisdom. Marking differences between men and women can be a touchy thing, but realistically it's easy to see that men tend to love acquiring knowledge whether it has any practical application or not. Many of them can spout out sports statistics or hold court on the workings of the internal combustion engine, even though it is knowledge they are not likely to ever use. They find such knowledge interesting for its own sake. It follows, then, that when the Bible speaks of men, the men represent facts, ideas, knowledge, truth, intellect and wisdom -- or in the negative sense falsity, twisted logic, and reasoning that is devoid of concern for others.