354. Come and see. That this signifies attention and perception, is clear from the signification of coming when anything is made visible, as denoting to attend; for by coming, in the spiritual sense, is meant to draw near with the sight, thus to attend; all attention also is from the presence of the sight in the object; and from the signification of beholding, as denoting perception, for by seeing in the Word is signified to understand (as may be seen above, n. 11, 260); here to perceive, because out of the inmost heaven; for what comes out of the inmost heaven, is perceived; but what comes out of the middle heaven, is understood. The reason is, that the inmost heaven is in the good of love, but the middle heaven is in the truths therefrom, and all perception is from good, and all understanding from truths. (Concerning this fact see above, n. 307; what perception is may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 140.)

4723. 'They saw him from a distance' means the Lord's Divine Human perceived remotely. This is clear from the meaning of 'seeing' as perception, dealt with in 2150, 3764; from the meaning of 'from a distance' as remotely; and from the representation of 'Joseph' - the one they saw from a distance - as the Lord as regards Divine Truth, dealt with in 4669. The reason the Lord's Divine Human is what 'Joseph' is used to mean here is that His Divine Human is the highest aspect of Divine Truth. There are two essentials which constitute the Church and as a consequence it has two main teachings, the first being that the Lord's Human is Divine, the second that love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour constitute the Church, not faith separated from these. Being the primary aspects of Divine Truth, these too are represented by 'Joseph'. Anyone who represents Divine Truth in general also represents the specific aspects of Divine Truth. But which specific aspect is represented at any point is evident from the train of thought.