4760.“他们就把约瑟带到埃及去了”表请教记忆知识。这从“埃及”的含义清楚可知，“埃及”是指记忆知识（参看1164-1165，1186，1462节）；当神性真理被带到这些知识那里时，它就要请教它们；因为如前所示，“约瑟”代表神性真理。有必要简要描述一下何谓向记忆知识请教关于神性真理的事。向记忆知识请教关于神性真理的事，就是从记忆知识来看它是否如此。不过，那些对真理就是真理持肯定态度的人以一种方式如此行，因为他们在请教记忆知识时，会用它们确认真理，因而强化他们的信仰；而那些持否定态度的人则以另一种方式如此行，因为他们在请教记忆知识时，更容易陷入虚假；事实上，否定态度在这些人里面占据主导地位，而肯定态度在前者里面占据主导地位。此外，这些差异取决于各人的理解力。那些没有较高的洞察力，也就是内在洞察力的人若请教记忆知识，就看不见对自己里面的真理的确认，因而被记忆知识带入否定态度；但那些拥有较高的洞察力，也就是内在洞察力的人则看见确认，即便不是以其它方式看见，也会通过对应看见。
以这一真理为例：人死后仍活着。那些对这个真理持否定态度的人请教记忆知识时，会用无数观念来确认反面，如动物也有生命，拥有感官知觉和活动，和人没什么两样，甚至在许多方面比人更完美；人所拥有的超越动物的思维是他逐渐获得的某种东西，因为他要花更长时间才能成熟；人就是具有这种天赋的动物；此外还有上千个其它观念。由此明显可知，那些持否定态度的人若请教记忆知识，更容易陷入虚假，以致最后他们不相信关于永生的任何事。
但那些对人死后仍活着这一真理持肯定态度的人请教记忆知识时，会用它们来确认，并且通过无数观念来确认。因为他们发现，自然界的一切事物都在人之下；动物出于本能行动，而人出于理性行动；动物只能向下看，而人能向上看，并能运用思维理解灵界的事物，以及被它们感染，甚至通过爱与神自己联结，由此将来自神性的生命变成他自己的；这是为了叫他能被引领并提升到祂那里，所以他需要花更长时间才能成熟。此外，他在属于自然界的其它一切事物中看到确认，最终在整个自然界中看到天国的代表。
有学问的人比简单人更不相信死后的生活，一般来说，他们看神性真理不如简单人那么清晰，这是一个众所周知的常见事实。原因在于，他们带着否定态度请教记忆知识，而他们所拥有的记忆知识远比其他人丰富得多，他们由此在自己里面摧毁了从更高或更内在位置所获得的洞察力。一旦这种洞察力被摧毁，他们就再也不能在天堂之光中看见任何事物，只能在尘世之光中观看；因为记忆知识存在于尘世之光，这些知识若不被天堂之光光照，就会带来黑暗，无论这黑暗在他们看来何等不同。因此，信主的是简单人，而不是文士和法利赛人，而后者都是犹太民族中有学问的人，这一点从约翰福音中的这些话明显看出来：
众人听见这话，有的说，这真是那先知。有的说，这是基督。法利赛人就回答他们说，官长或是法利赛人岂有信他的？（约翰福音7:40-41，47-48）
路加福音：
耶稣说，父啊，天地的主，我感谢你！因为你将这些事向聪明通达人就藏起来，向婴孩就显出来。（路加福音10:21）
“婴孩”表示简单人。还有马太福音：
所以我用比喻对他们讲，是因他们看也看不见，听也听不见，也不明白。（马太福音13:13）
Potts(1905-1910) 4760
4760. And they brought Joseph into Egypt. That this signifies consultation from memory-knowledges is evident from the signification of "Egypt" as being memory-knowledges (see n. 1164-1165, 1186, 1462); and when Divine truth is brought to these it is to consult them; for by Joseph as before shown is represented Divine truth. What is meant by consultation about Divine truth from memory-knowledges shall be briefly described. To consult memory-knowledges about Divine truth is to see from them whether it is so. But this is done in one way by those who are in the affirmative that truth is truth, and who when they consult memory-knowledges, confirm the truth by them, and thus strengthen their faith; and in another way by those who are in the negative, who when they consult memory-knowledges cast themselves still more into falsities; for with these the negative rules, but with the former the affirmative. Moreover, this is according to the intellectual faculty of every man. If those who have not a higher, that is, an interior insight, consult memory-knowledges, they do not see the confirmation of truth in them, and they are therefore carried by the memory-knowledges into the negative; but those who have a higher, that is, an interior insight, see confirmations, and if in no other way, still by correspondences. [2] Take for example the truth that man lives after death. When those who are in the negative as to this being true consult memory-knowledges, they confirm themselves against it by innumerable considerations, such as that brute animals equally live, have sensation, and act, and in many things more acutely than man; and that thought, which man has above the brutes, is a thing which he obtains by coming to maturity later; and that man is this kind of animal; and by a thousand other considerations. Thus it is evident that if those who are in the negative consult memory-knowledges, they cast themselves still more into falsities, so that at last they believe nothing whatever relating to eternal life. [3] But when those who are in the affirmative as to the truth that man lives after death consult memory-knowledges, they confirm themselves by them, and this also by things innumerable; for they see that everything in nature is below man, and that the brute animal acts from instinct, while man acts from reason, and that brutes cannot but look downward, while man can look upward, and by thought comprehend the things of the spiritual world, and also be affected by them, and even by love be conjoined with God Himself, and thus appropriate to himself life from the Divine; and that it is in order that he may be led and elevated thither that he comes to maturity so late. Moreover, man sees confirmations in everything else that belongs to nature, and at last sees in universal nature a representative of the heavenly kingdom. [4] It is as is well known a common thing for the learned to have less belief in a life after death than the simple, and in general to see Divine truths less clearly than the simple. The reason of this is that they consult memory-knowledges (of which they possess a greater abundance than others) from a negative standpoint, and thereby destroy in themselves insight from what is higher or interior; and when this is destroyed, they no longer see anything from the light of heaven, but only from the light of the world; for memory-knowledges are in the light of the world, and if these are not illuminated by the light of heaven they induce darkness, however different it may appear to themselves. For this reason it was that the simple believed in the Lord, but not the scribes and Pharisees who were the learned in the Jewish nation, as is evident from these words in John:
Many of the multitude when they heard these words said, This is truly the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ [Messias]. The Pharisees answered them, Hath any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in Him? (John 7:40-41, 47-48). And in Luke:
Jesus said, I confess to Thee O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and intelligent, but hast revealed them unto babes (Luke 10:21);
"babes" denote the simple. Also in Matthew:
Therefore speak I to them by parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand (Matt. 13:13).
Elliott(1983-1999) 4760
4760. 'And they led Joseph to Egypt' means a consultation with factual knowledge. This is clear from the meaning of 'Egypt' as facts, dealt with in 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462; and when Divine Truth is brought to these it is to consult them, for as shown above, 'Joseph' represents Divine Truth. What is implied by a consultation with factual evidence regarding Divine Truth must be stated briefly. Consulting facts regarding Divine Truth is seeing from them whether it is indeed such. But those with an. affirmative attitude that the truth is the truth do so in one way, in that when they consult facts they use them to confirm the truth and so to strengthen their belief, whereas those with a negative attitude do so in another way. When these people consult facts they sink themselves all the more into falsities; for a negative attitude reigns in these people but an affirmative one in the former ones. And these differences are determined in addition in each individual by his capacity to understand. If those who do not have higher, that is, interior insight, consult facts, they fail to see any confirmation of what is true within these and therefore they are drawn aside into a negative attitude. But those who do have higher, that is, interior insight see confirmations, through correspondences if in no other way.
[2] Take for example the truth that a person lives after death. When those with a negative attitude towards this truth consult facts they confirm the contrary for themselves by means of countless ideas, such as that animals have life, sensory perception, and activity no less than man does, and in many respects to a more perfect degree; that thought which man possesses pre-eminently over animals is something he comes to have because he takes longer to reach maturity, and that man is an animal belonging to a genus of this kind; and a thousand other ideas besides these. From this it is evident that if those with a negative attitude consult facts they sink themselves all the more into falsities, so that at length they believe nothing whatever about eternal life.
[3] But when those with an affirmative attitude to the truth that man lives after death consult facts they confirm themselves in it by means of them, doing so by means of countless ones. They see that everything in nature is below man; that animals act from instinct-but man from reason; and that animals cannot do other than look downwards, whereas man can look upwards and by the use of thought can come to understand things belonging to the spiritual world and also to feel an affection for them - indeed that through love he can be joined to God, thereby making life from the Divine his own; and that it is to enable him to be led and raised up to Him that he takes longer to reach maturity. And in everything else in addition belonging to nature he sees confirmations, and at length within the whole natural order sees that which is representative of the heavenly kingdom.
[4] It is a common and well-known fact that the learned have less belief than the simple in a life after death, and that in general they see Divine Truths less clearly than the simple do. The reason is that they consult facts, of which they possess a greater abundance than others, with a negative attitude, and by this destroy in themselves any insight gained from a higher or more interior position. Once this has been destroyed they no longer see anything in the light of heaven but in the light of the world; for facts exist in the light of the world, and if they are not lit up by the light of heaven they bring darkness, however different it may seem to be to them. This was why the simple believed in the Lord but not the scribes and Pharisees, who were the learned in that nation, as is evident from the following in John,
Many from the crowd when they heard this utterance said, This is truly the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ (Messiah). The Pharisees answered them, Has any of the leaders believed in Him, or any of the Pharisees? John 7:40, 41, 47, 48.
And in Luke,
Jesus said, I confess to You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden such things from the wise and intelligent but have revealed them to infants. Luke 10:21.
'Infants' stands for the simple. Also in Matthew,
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because those who see do not see, and those who hear do not hear, nor do they understand. Matt 13:13.
Latin(1748-1756) 4760
4760. `Et adduxerunt Josephum Aegyptum': quod significet consultationem a scientificis, constat a significatione `Aegypti' quod sint scientifica, de qua n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462; ad quae cum affertur Divinum Verum, est consultare illa, nam per `Josephum', ut supra ostensum, repraesentatur Divinum Verum. Quomodo se habet cum consultatione de Divino Vero ex scientificis, paucis dicendum: consultare scientifica de Divino Vero, est videre ex illis num ita sit; `sed' hoc fit aliter apud illos qui in affirmativo sunt quod verum sit verum; illi cum consultant scientifica, confirmant per illa verum et sic corroborant fidem;aliter apud illos qui in negativo sunt; illi cum consultant scientifica, se conjiciunt magis in falsa, nam negativum apud hos regnat sed affirmativum apud illos; et praeterea se habet hoc secundum facultatem intellectualem cujusvis hominis, qui non intuitionem superiorem, hoc est, interiorem habent si consultant scientifica, non vident confirmationem veri in illis, quapropter auferuntur per scientifica in negativum; at qui intuitionem superiorem, hoc est, interiorem habent, hi vident confirmationes, si non aliter, usque per correspondentias. [2] (s)Sit pro exemplo, quod vivat homo post mortem: qui in negativo sunt quod hoc verum sit, cum consultant scientifica, se confirmant per innumerabilia {1} contra illud, ut per quod bruta animalia pariter vivant, pariter sentiant, pariter agant, et in multis solertius homine, et quod cogitatio quae homini prae brutis, sit tale quod ei comparatur per quod serius adolescat, et quod homo tale genus animalis sit; et praeterea ex mille aliis; ex his patet quod qui in negativo sunt, si consultant scientifica, se conjiciant magis in falsa, et tandem ut nihil quicquam credant quod vitae aeternae est; [3] at qui in affirmativo sunt quod verum sit quod homo vivat post mortem, cum consultant scientifica, se confirmant per illa, et hoc quoque per innumerabilia; vident enim quod singula quae in natura, sint infra hominem, et quod animalia bruta ex instinctu agant et quod homo ex ratione, quodque illa non possint aliter quam spectare deorsum, at quod homo sursum, et per cogitationem comprehendere illa quae spiritualis mundi sunt et quoque affici illis, immo per amorem conjungi Ipsi Deo et sic vitam ex Divino sibi appropriare; utque illuc duci et elevari possit, quod ideo serius adolescat; et praeterea in reliquis quae naturae sunt, videt confirmationes; et tandem in universa natura videt repraesentativum regni caelestis. [4] Commune est, et hoc notum, quod eruditi minus quam simplices id credant, et in genere quod minus quam simplices videant (t)Divina Vera; {2} causa est quia consultant scientifica quorum copiam prae aliis possident, ex negativo et per id destruunt apud se intuitionem a superiore seu interiore, qua destructa non amplius a luce caeli aliquid vident sed a luce mundi, nam scientifica sunt in luce mundi, quae si non illuminantur a luce caeli, tenebras inducunt, utcumque aliter ipsis apparet (s); inde erat quod simplices in Dominum crediderint, non autem scribae et Pharisaei, qui in illa gente fuerunt eruditi; ut patet ab his apud Johannem, Multi ex turba [cum] audiverunt {3} verbum, dixerunt, Hic est vere Propheta; alii dixerunt, Hic est Christus (o)(Messias):... responderunt Pharisaei illis,... Num quis ex principibus credidit in Ipsum, aut ex Pharisaeis? vii 40, [41,] 47, 48:
et apud Lucam, Dixit Jesus, Confiteor {4} Tibi, Pater Domine caeli et terrae, quod occultasti talia a sapientibus et intelligentibus, revelasti autem ea infantibus, x 21;
`infantes' pro simplicibus: tum {5} apud Matthaeum, Propterea per parabolas loquor illis, quia videntes non vident, et audientes non audiunt, nec intelligunt, xiii 13. @1 innumera$ @2 i sed$ @3 Gk. [ ] (akousantes) = audientes or cum audiverunt, see 3008.$ @4 Sch and V agree in this rendering of Gk. [ ] (exomologoumai) = `I consent fully' or `I agree entirely'; but modern scholars prefer `I give thanks' or `I praise.'$ @5 et$