4765. And said, The child is not. That this signifies that there was no faith in it is evident from the signification of a "child" as being the truth of faith, for truth is signified by a "son" (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3373, 3704), thus by the "child," who here is Joseph, and who as already shown represents Divine truth. And as all truth is of faith-for what in the ancient churches was called true or truth, in the new church is called faith (see n. 4690)-therefore, by that "the child is not" is signified that there was no faith in it.
