2531. Therefore I did not suffer thee to touch her. That this signifies that the rational was not at all consulted, is evident from the signification of “suffering to touch,” as being to consult (as is also meant by “coming near her” in verse 4, n. 2519); and from the signification of “Sarah as a sister,” who is here meant, as being the rational (see n. 1495, 2508).

[2] That it may be further known how the case is with the doctrine of faith, as being spiritual from a celestial origin, be it known that it is Divine truth from Divine good, and thus wholly Divine. What is Divine is incomprehensible, because above all understanding, even the angelic; but still this Divine, which in itself is incomprehensible, can flow in through the Lord’s Divine Human into man’s rational; and when it flows into his rational, it is there received according to the truths which are therein; thus variously, and not with one as with another. Insofar therefore as the truths with a man are more genuine, so far the Divine which flows in is received more perfectly, and so far the man’s understanding is enlightened.

[3] In the Lord’s Word are Truths themselves; but in its literal sense are truths which are accommodated to the apprehension of those who are in external worship; whereas in its internal sense are truths accommodated to those who are internal men; that is, to those who are angelic as to doctrine and at the same time as to life. Their rational is enlightened therefrom to such a degree that their enlightenment is compared to the brightness of the stars and the sun (Daniel 12:3; Matthew 13:43). Hence it is plain how important it is that interior truths be known and received. These truths may indeed be known, but by no means received, except by those who have love to the Lord, or faith in Him; for as the Lord is the Divine good, so He is the Divine truth; consequently He is doctrine itself, since whatever is in the doctrine of true faith looks to the Lord, and looks also to the heavenly kingdom and the church, and to all things of the heavenly kingdom and the church. But all these are His, and are the intermediate ends through which the last end, that is, the Lord, is regarded.

[4] That the Lord is doctrine itself as to truth and good, and thus that it is He who alone is regarded in doctrine, He teaches in John:

Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6-7); where the “Way” is doctrine, the “Truth” all that is of doctrine, and the “Life” the good itself which is the life of the truth. And that love to Him or faith in Him is what receives, He also teaches in John:

His own received Him not; but as many as received Him, to them gave He power to be the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name; who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:11-13).

Those are “born of God” who are in love and thence in faith.

2508. She is my sister. That this signifies rational truth, is evident from the signification of a “sister,” as being rational intellectual truth (see n. 1495). That rational truth is a “sister,” can be seen only from the heavenly marriage; for the things which descend from this have kinships among themselves like the relationships and connections on earth (concerning which see n. 685, 917); and this with indefinite variety. The heavenly marriage itself exists solely between the Divine good and the Divine truth. From this there are conceived in man the intellectual, the rational, and the faculty of knowing; for without conception from the heavenly marriage man cannot possibly be imbued with understanding, with reason, or with knowledge, and consequently cannot be man. In proportion therefore as he receives from the heavenly marriage, in the same proportion is he man. The heavenly marriage is in the Lord Himself, thus the Lord is this marriage itself, for He is the Divine good itself and at the same time the Divine truth. Angels and men are in the heavenly marriage insofar as they are in love to the Lord and in charity toward the neighbor, and insofar as they are thence in faith; that is, insofar as they are in the Lord’s good, and thence in truth; and they are then called “daughters and sons,” and in their relation to one another “sisters and brothers;” but this with differences. The reason why rational truth is called a “sister” is that it is conceived from the influx of the Divine good into the affection of rational truths; the good which is thence in the rational is called a “brother,” and the truth which is thence, a “sister.” But this will be better seen from what is said by Abraham in verse 12 of this chapter: “and moreover truly she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.”