3205. 'Who is that man there walking in the field to meet us?' means regarding the Rational immersed in good alone, that is to say, an investigation regarding it. This is clear from what has been stated above about Isaac's coming out to meditate in the field, by which is meant a state of the Rational immersed in good, see 3196. Here the rational is meant by 'that man', and being immersed in good by 'walking' - that is to say, by meditating - 'in the field'. 'To meet us' means so as to be joined together.

3196. 'And Isaac came out to meditate in the field' means a state of the Rational immersed in good. This is clear from the representation of 'Isaac' as the Divine Rational, often dealt with already, and from the meaning of 'meditating in the field' as its state when immersed in good. For 'meditating' is a state of the rational when this controls the mind. 'A field' however is doctrine and the things that constitute doctrine, 368, and so the things that constitute the Church as regards good, 2971. Consequently the expression of old 'meditating in the field' stands for thought immersed in good, which is the condition of an unmarried man (homo) with thoughts of a wife.