5168. As Joseph interpreted to them. That this signifies prediction from the celestial in the natural, is evident from the signification of “interpreting,” as being to say what the dream has in it, or what is within it, and also what would happen (see n. 5093, 5105, 5107, 5141), thus to predict; and from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial in the natural (n. 5086, 5087, 5106). How it was that the sensuous things of the intellectual part were retained, and those of the will part rejected, may be seen above (n. 5157).

[2] The subject treated of in the internal sense of this chapter is the subordination of the exterior natural, which is to be made subordinate in order that it may serve the interior natural as a plane (n. 5165); for unless it is made subordinate, interior truths and goods, and consequently interior thoughts which have in them what is spiritual and celestial, have not anything in which they can be represented; for they are presented in the exterior natural as in their face, or as in a mirror; and therefore when there is no subordination the man can have no interior thought; nay, he cannot have any faith; for there is no comprehension, whether distant or eminent, and therefore no perception of such things. The only thing that can make the natural subordinate, and reduce it to correspondence, is the good in which there is innocence, which good in the Word is called “charity.” Sensuous things and memory-knowledges are only the means into which this good may flow, and in which it may present itself in form, and unfold itself for every use; but without this good in them, memory-knowledges, even if the very truths of faith, are nothing but scales among filth, which fall off.

[3] But how through good by means of memory-knowledges and truths of faith exterior things are reduced into order, and to correspondence with interior things, is at this day further from apprehension than it was formerly; and this for several reasons, the chief of which is that at this day there is no longer charity within the church; for it is the last time of the church, and therefore there is no affection of knowing such things. For this reason somewhat of aversion at once shows itself when anything is said that is within or above sensuous things, and consequently when anything of angelic wisdom is set forth. But as such things are in the internal sense (for the things contained in this sense are adapted to angelic wisdom), and as the Word is now being unfolded in respect to the internal sense, they must be declared, however remote they will appear from what is sensuous.

5157. And the bird shall eat thy flesh from upon thee. That this signifies that the falsity of evil will consume what is of these sensuous things, is evident from the signification of “eating,” as being to consume (of which above, n. 5149); and from the signification of “bird,” as being falsity (of which also above, n. 5149); and from the signification of “flesh,” as being good (see n. 3812, 3813), and hence in the opposite sense evil; for most of the expressions in the Word have also an opposite sense, which is known from their signification in the genuine sense; and from the signification of “from upon thee,” as being from the sensuous things subject to the will part, for these are represented by the baker (n. 5078, 5082). That these were evil, and therefore to be rejected, is evident from what goes before.

[2] How the case is in regard to this-that the sensuous things subject to the intellectual part, which are represented by the butler, were retained, and that the sensuous things subject to the will part, which are represented by the baker, were rejected-is a secret that without enlightenment cannot be comprehended, but what follows may help to throw light upon it. By sensuous things are meant those memory-knowledges and those delights which have been instilled through the five external or bodily senses into man’s memory and into his desires, and which together constitute the exterior natural, from which a man is called a sensuous man. These memory-knowledges are subject to the intellectual part, but the delights are subject to the will part; the memory-knowledges also bear relation to the truths which are of the understanding, and the delights to the goods which are of the will; the former are what are represented by the butler and were retained, and the latter are what are represented by the baker and were rejected.

[3] The reason why the former were retained is that for a time they could agree with intellectual things; and the reason why the latter were rejected is that they could not possibly agree. For the will part in the Lord (who is the subject here treated of in the supreme internal sense) was Divine from conception, and was the Divine good itself; but the will part that He had by birth from the mother was evil; and therefore this was to be rejected, and in its place a new one was to be procured from the Divine will part by means of the intellectual, or from the Divine good by means of the Divine truth, thus from His own power. This is the secret that is here described in the internal sense.