6263. 'I did not think to see your face' means that he had not entertained any hope of an inflowing of his love. This is clear from the meaning of 'face' as the interiors, dealt with in 358, 2434, 3527, 3573, 4066, 4796, 4798, 5695, thus the affections since they shine primarily from the face, 4796, 5102 - 'God's face' therefore is Divine love and accordingly mercy, 5585; and from the meaning of 'I did not think' as not entertaining any hope. As regards an inflowing of love, this is meant by 'seeing the face', as is also evident from what is stated in the narrative immediately before and after.

2434. That 'he said to him, Behold, I have accepted you as regards this matter also' means assent, provided that the interior aspects of that truth derive anything from good. This is clear from the meaning of 'face'. 'Face' occurs very many times in the Word and in those places it means the interiors, as shown in 358, 1999; and when the word 'face' is used in reference to Jehovah or the Lord it means mercy, peace, and good, 222, 223. Here therefore 'face' means good which is interiorly within truth, so that 'accepting the face' means assent, provided that the interior aspects of that truth derive anything from good. 'As regards this matter' means as regards this thing. Unless truth has good within it, it is not truth, see 1496, 1832, 1900, 1904, 1928, 2063, 2173, 2269, 2401, 2403, 2429; and the source of man's blessing and happiness after death is not truth but the good lying within truth, 2261. Consequently blessing and happiness are for him increased the more good there is lying within truth. That good lies within truth and causes it to be truth becomes clear also from goods and truths as they exist in worldly things. When a person takes in and acknowledges something within these as being good, then whatever regards that good with favour he calls the truth. But whatever does not regard it with favour he rejects and calls falsity. He may also call something the truth which does not regard that good with favour; but in that case he is pretending one thing and thinking another. The same also applies in spiritual things.