6158. 'For seed of the field' means for mental nourishment. This is clear from the meaning of 'seed' as truth and good, and so faith and charity, dealt with above in 6154; and from the meaning of 'the field' in a general sense as the Church, dealt with in 2971, 3766, and in a particular sense as the Church with the individual person, thus a person who has the Church within him, that is, who is receptive of truth and good. When that person is called 'the field', his mind is what is meant; for a human being is not a human being by virtue of the outward form he takes but by virtue of his mind, that is, of his understanding and will which constitute his mind, and also by virtue of the truth of faith and the good of charity which constitute a yet more interior mind. Since the latter, the mind, is in a genuine sense the human being, he is nourished and sustained by truth and good. And because truth and good are meant by 'seed', nourishment is also meant by it. This is also evident from the words that immediately follow - 'for your food, and for those in your households, and for food for your young children'. From all this one may now see that 'seed of the field' means mental nourishment.

2971. 'The field and the cave which was in it' means as regards the good and truth of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'the field' as the Church and also good itself which constitutes the Church (that which is celestial - or good that stems from love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour - is compared to 'the ground' as well as to the field, and is actually called these, because that which is celestial - or good - is the recipient of the truths of faith; and these truths are compared to and are also actually called 'seeds'); and from the meaning of 'a cave' as the truth of faith which is enveloped in obscurity, dealt with in 2935. It is said to be in obscurity because it is with spiritual people, see 1043, 2708, 2715.