4765. 'And said, The lad is no more' means that no faith in Him exists. This is clear from the meaning of 'the lad' as the truth of faith; for 'a son' means truth, 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3373, 3704, and so 'the lad', which here refers to Joseph, represents Divine Truth, as has been shown. Now because all truth is the truth of faith - for that which was called truth or what is true in the Ancient Churches is called faith in the new Church, 4690 - 'the lad is no more' consequently means that no faith in Him exists.