3819. 'The name of the elder was Leah' means the nature of the affection for external truth; 'and the name of the younger Rachel' means the nature of the affection for internal truth. This is clear from the representation of 'Leah' as the affection for external truth, and of 'Rachel' as the affection for internal truth, both dealt with in 3793; and from the meaning of 'the name' as the nature of, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006. Leah is called 'the elder' because external truth is learned first, and Rachel 'the younger' because internal truth is learned from then on after that; or what amounts to the same, a person first of all feels an affection for external truths, and from then on after that an affection for internal truths. external truths provide the basic outline for internal truths, for they are the general outlines into which particular details are added. Unless a person has a general outline of the idea of a thing he does not make sense of any particular aspect of it. This explains why the literal sense of the Word contains general truths but the internal sense particular truths. General truths are called external, but particular truths internal. And because truths devoid of affection are not truths because there is no life to them, the affections for them are therefore meant when external and internal truths are referred to.

4754. 'Because he is our brother, our flesh' means because that which is received from them is accepted. This is clear from the meaning of 'brother' as a blood relationship by virtue of good, dealt with in 3815, and from the meaning of 'flesh' as that which is one's own in both the genuine and the contrary senses, dealt with in 3813, and so means that it was accepted because it was received from those who belonged to the Church, and that it was accepted by these because it was accepted by those in whom simple good was present. For the Ishmaelites represent those in whom simple good is present, while Joseph's brothers represent the Church that adheres to faith separated from charity. Those in whom simple good is present acknowledge that the Lord's Human is Divine and also that the works of charity must be done so that a person may be saved. Adherents to faith separated from charity know this, and therefore they do not in everyone's presence insist emphatically on faith separated from charity; indeed they hardly mention it among those in whom simple good is present. The main reason for this is that they do not dare to express anything contrary to common sense, thereby robbing themselves of position and gain. For if those in whom simple good is present rejected such ideas about faith separated from charity, they would say that these adherents to those ideas were stupid. Those in whom simple good is present know what love is and what the works of love are; but what faith separated from these may be they do not know. Arguments favouring faith rather than works and concerning the distinction drawn between the Lord's Divine and His Human they would call sophisticated ones beyond their grasp. This being so, to get themselves accepted, and because what is received from them is accepted, the adherents to faith alone choose to compromise their position; for if those truths were annihilated it would be no profit to them and would not give them any superiority, 4751.