872. 'The face ¹ of the ground' means those things that reside with the member of the Church, and the expression 'the ground' is used because it is the first stage at which man comes to be the Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'the ground', dealt with already, as the member of the Church who is at that point called 'the ground' when the goods and truths of faith can be sown within him. Previously he is called 'the land', as in Genesis 1 where 'the land' refers to man prior to his becoming celestial, while Chapter 2, when he has become celestial, refers to him as 'the ground' and 'the field'. It is similar in the present chapter. The expression 'the land' and the expression 'the ground' are sufficient by themselves to enable someone to recognize what is meant in the internal sense, not only here but also anywhere else in the Word. 'The ground' in the universal sense means the Church, and as the Church is meant so too is the member of the Church for, as stated already, every member of the Church is the Church.

Footnotes:

5963. 'And he said to them, Do not quarrel on the way' means the perception imparted to them that they should be at peace. This is clear from the meaning of 'saying to them' as a perception imparted by the internal, which is 'Joseph', dealt with often; and from the meaning of 'not quarreling on the way' as that they should be at peace. For quarreling with others is an absence of peace because there is disturbance of mind. The varying states in the next life, which are referred to immediately above in 5962, are determined by the perception of goodness and truth among those there, and so by their perception of the Lord's presence. That perception determines the degree of peace they enjoy, for those who have a perception of the Lord's presence also have a perception that every single thing that happens to them is conducive to their own welfare and that no evil influences can reach them. This is what gives them the peace they enjoy. Without such faith or trust in the Lord no one can ever attain that peace, nor accordingly the bliss which joy brings since that bliss resides within such peace.