4731.“流便听见了”表总体上教会的信仰条。这从“流便”的代表清楚可知，“流便”是指在理解或教义上的信仰，也就是重生的第一个阶段，能获得生活的良善所凭借的整体上的教义真理（3861，3866节）；因而在此是指总体上教会的信仰条。流便在此介入的原因是，从信开始的教会不再是一个教会，除非这一神性真理留在其中，即：主的人身是神性，因为这是教会的至高或至内在真理。这就是流便想要救在此代表这一真理的约瑟脱离他哥哥们的手，把他交给他父亲的原因，以此表示他想为教会争取这一真理。此外，当流便回到坑边，发现约瑟不在坑里时，就撕裂衣服，对他的兄弟们说：“孩子不在了！我往哪里去才好呢”（37:29，30），以此表示对主之信，因而教会不复存在。
教会中那些坚持唯信的人否认这一至高或至内在的真理：主的人身是神性；然而，他们因从圣言知道主里面有神性，又不理解这人身如何变成神性，故将这二者都归于主，并在祂的神性和人性之间作了区分。但那些过着信仰生活，也就是拥有仁爱的人却拜主为他们的神和救主；当进行敬拜时，他们想到的是没有与这人身分离的主之神性，因而发自内心承认主里面的一切都是神性。但当出于教义思考时，他们因同样不能理解这人身如何变成神性，于是便纯粹照着他们的教义说话。
Potts(1905-1910) 4731
4731. And Reuben heard. That this signifies the confession of the faith of the church in general, is evident from the representation of Reuben, as being faith in the understanding or doctrine, which is the first thing of regeneration-the complex the truth of doctrine by which the good of life can be attained (n. 3861, 3866); and here therefore the confession of the faith of the church in general. That Reuben here interposes is because the church which begins from faith would cease to be a church unless this Divine truth remained in it - that the Lord's Human is Divine, for this is the supreme or inmost truth of the church. For this reason Reuben wished to rescue Joseph, by whom this truth is here represented, out of the hand of his brethren, to restore him to his father-by which is signified that it wished to claim this truth for the church. Moreover, when Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he rent his clothes and said to his brethren, "The child is not, and I, whither do I come?" (verses 29, 30) by which is signified that there was no longer any faith in the Lord, and thus no church. [2] This supreme or inmost truth, that the Lord's Human is Divine, is denied by those in the church who are in faith alone; and yet because they know from the Word that in the Lord there is the Divine, and do not apprehend how the Human can be Divine, they therefore attribute both to the Lord, making a distinction between His Divine nature and His Human nature. Those however who are in a life of faith, or in charity, adore the Lord as their God and Savior; and when in adoration, they think of the Lord's Divine without separating it from the Human, and thus at heart acknowledge all in the Lord to be Divine. But when they think from doctrine, because they likewise cannot comprehend how the Human can be Divine, they speak according to their doctrine.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4731
4731. 'And Reuben heard it' means the Church's confession of faith in general. This is clear from the representation of 'Reuben' as faith in the understanding, or doctrine, which is the first stage of regeneration - the truth of doctrine in its entirety by means of which one is able to arrive at the good of life, dealt with in 3861, 3866, here therefore the Church's confession of faith in general. The reason for Reuben's intervention here is that the Church which begins with faith would cease to be a Church if this Divine truth did not remain within it, namely the truth that the Lord's Human is Divine, this being the highest or inmost truth of the Church. This is the reason for Reuben's wishing to rescue Joseph, who represents that truth here, from the hands of his brothers to return him to his father- actions meaning that he wished to claim that truth for the Church. And further on, when Reuben went back to the pit and saw no Joseph there, it is said that he rent his clothes and said to his brothers, 'The lad is no more; and I, where do I go?' verses 29, 30, meaning that no faith in the Lord existed any longer and so no Church.
[2] This supreme or inmost truth that the Lord's Human is Divine is denied by those within the Church who adhere to faith alone Nevertheless because they know from the Word that there is a Divine side to the Lord and yet they do not grasp how the Human can be Divine, they therefore say He is both, by making a distinction between His Divine nature and His Human nature. But those who lead the life of faith - that is, those who have charity - worship the Lord as their God and Saviour; and while engaged in worship they think of the Lord's Divine without separating it from His Human. In so doing they acknowledge in their hearts everything in the Lord to be Divine. But because, when thinking from doctrine, they cannot grasp how the Human can be Divine, they speak purely from what doctrine teaches.
Latin(1748-1756) 4731
4731. `Et audivit Reuben': quod significet confessionem fidei Ecclesiae in communi, constat ex repraesentatione `Reubenis' quod sit fides intellectu seu doctrina quae primum est regenerationis, in complexu verum doctrinae per quod ad bonum vitae perveniri potest, de qua n. 3861, 3866, hic ideo confessio fidei Ecclesiae in communi. Quod Reuben hic interponit se, est quia Ecclesia quae incohat a fide, desineret esse Ecclesia nisi Divinum hoc verum in illa maneret, nempe quod Humanum Domini Divinum sit, hoc enim est supremum seu intimum verum Ecclesiae; (m)quapropter Reuben {1} voluit eripere Josephum, per quem id verum hic repraesentatur, e manu fratrum {2} ad reducendum eum ad patrem ejus, per quae significatur quod illud verum vellet vindicare {3} Ecclesiae; et ulterius cum rediit Reuben ad foveam, et vidit quod nullus Joseph ibi, quod `disciderit vestes suas, et dixerit ad fratres, Natus non amplius, et ego quo ego venio,' vers. 29, 30, quibus significatur quod nulla in Dominum fides amplius, ac ita nulla Ecclesia.(n) [2] Supremum seu intimum hoc verum quod Humanum Domini Divinum sit, ab illis in Ecclesia qui in sola fide sunt, negatur; sed usque quia ex Verbo sciunt quod Domino Divinum sit, et non capiunt quomodo Humanum possit esse Divinum, idcirco utrumque Domino tribuunt, distinguendo inter naturam Ipsius Divinam et Humanam; at qui in vita fidei seu charitate sunt, Dominum ut suum Deum et Salvatorem adorant, et cum in adoratione sunt, cogitant de Divino Domini, non separando illud ab Humano, ita omne in Domino Divinum corde agnoscunt; sed cum ex doctrina cogitant, tunc quia nec illi comprehendere possunt quomodo Humanum possit esse Divinum, loquuntur ex doctrinali. @1 ideo Ruben interposuit se, quapropter etiam$ @2 eorum$ @3 ut vindicaret$