4644. The present chapter deals with the following matters - the Good which was Divine and which the Lord had from when He was born; the joining of that Good to the truth and good which, as one who was born a human being, He acquired to Himself; also the derivatives from this. But because these matters, as has been stated, are of a kind which does not come within the range of anyone's understanding, not even that of any angel, it is not therefore possible for them to be explained in detail. What is more, mere names are used to describe that Divine [Natural Good] together with its derivatives, and to explain mere names devoid of any historical context which sheds light confirming the explanation given would leave the whole thing in doubt. For few are able to believe that spiritual things are meant by the names used in the Word, no matter how clearly this is shown to them. For all these reasons the actual words used in this chapter are being copied out, with the addition of no more than a general explanation of them involving the kinds of things which people are able to grasp, yet which are merely vague outlines. For no one can possibly see the things that exist within the Divine; but people can gain a general picture of things emanating from the Divine. What is then seen depends on the kind of understanding within whose range those things can come, though even then they are but vague outlines.

[2] In addition it should be recognized that no human being at all is born into any good. Rather, each person is born into evil - into more internal evil from his father and into more external from his mother - for everyone's heredity is an evil one. The Lord alone was born into good, actually into Divine Good itself, in that He received this from His Father. This Divine Good into which the Lord was born is the subject now. Its derivatives are those things which came to exist in the Lord's Human when He made this Divine and by means of which He glorified it. All this explains why it is possible for just a general explanation to be added here.

4337. THE INTERNAL SENSE

Where Jacob is referred to in previous chapters, the subject in the internal sense has been the acquisition of truth within the Natural, an acquisition which is made there so that such truth may be joined to good; for all truth exists for the sake of that end. In the internal sense 'Jacob' is that truth, and 'Esau' is the good to which it is joined. Before the two are joined together truth seems to occupy first place, but after they have been joined good in fact does so, see 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 3995.

This is also what is meant by Isaac's prophecy addressed to Esau,

By your sword you will live, and you will serve your brother; and it will be, when you have dominion over him, that you will break his yoke from your neck. Genesis 27:40.

That state foretold there is the actual subject now. And this is why in verses 5, 8, 13-14 of the present chapter Jacob calls Esau his lord and himself Esau's servant

[2] It should be recognized that 'Jacob' at this point represents the good of truth. But regarded in itself such good is simply truth, for as long as truth exists solely in the memory it is referred to as truth. But once it exists in the will and as a consequence in action it is called the good of truth, for the performance of truth is nothing else. Whatever proceeds from the will is called good since in essence the will consists in love and in affection flowing from love, and everything that is done from love and attendant affection is termed good. Nor is truth able to be joined to good which flows in by way of the internal man and is Divine in origin - which good is represented here by 'Esau' - until truth exists as truth in will and action, that is, as the good of truth. For good which flows in by way of the internal man and is Divine in origin flows into the will, and there meets the good of truth which has been introduced by way of the external man.