5619. And carry down the man a present. That this signifies obtaining favor, is evident from the signification of “offering a present to the man,” here to Joseph, who is called the “lord of the land,” as being to obtain favor. It was customary in the Ancient representative Church, and thence in the Jewish, to give some present to judges, and at a later period to kings and priests, when they were approached; moreover, this was commanded. The reason was that the presents they gave them represented such things in man as ought to be offered to the Lord when He is approached, which are things that are from freedom, consequently from the man himself; for his freedom is what is from the heart, and what is from the heart is from the will, and what is from the will is from the affection which is of the love, and what is from the affection which is of the love is free, thus of the man himself (see n. 1947, 2870-2893, 3158). From this it is that a present should be given by man to the Lord on approaching Him. It was this present that was represented; for kings represented the Lord as to Divine truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4581, 4966, 5044), and priests as to Divine good (n. 1728, 2015, 3670). That these presents were initiations, see n. 4262; and initiations are for obtaining favor.

5148. The work of the baker. That this signifies according to every use of the sensuous, is evident from the signification of “work,” as being according to every use (of which hereafter); and from the signification of a “baker,” as being the sensuous subject to the will part (see n. 5078, 5082). The reason why “work” denotes use is that it is predicated of the will part, or of the sensuous subject to the will part; and whatever is done by means of this, and can be called “work,” must be use. All the works of charity are nothing else, for works of charity are works from the will that are uses.