4256.“求你救我脱离我哥哥的手，就是以扫的手，因为我怕他”表相对良善来说，真理的状态，在这种状态下，真理曾使自己成为首先的。这从前面各处所述，尤其从对雅各用扁豆汤为自己获得长子名份，并以欺骗的手段夺走以扫祝福的论述清楚可知。从论述他们的地方可以看出这两件事代表并表示什么，那里说明，当人正在重生时，真理看似占据第一位，良善占据第二位；但实际上，良善占据第一位，真理占据第二位；当他重生后，这一点尤其明显（参看3539，3548，3556，3563，3570，3576，3603，3701，4243，4244，4247节）。因此，当次序正在颠倒，良善明显占据第一位时，也就是当它开始向真理掌权时，属世人就会陷入惧怕和愁烦（4249节），也会陷入试探。
原因在于，当真理占据第一位时，也就是当它似乎对良善掌权时，虚假就会混进来。因为真理凭自己无法看清它是不是真理，而是必须凭良善看到这一点；哪里有虚假，良善靠近时哪里就有惧怕。此外，当虚假看似处于从良善所接受的光中时，所有处于良善的人就开始害怕；因为他们害怕虚假，想把它们根除。但虚假若根深蒂固，是不可能被根除的，除非通过主所提供的神性手段。这解释了为何那些将要重生的人在经历了惧怕和愁烦后也会陷入试探；因为试探是用来移除虚假的神性手段。正在重生之人经历属灵试探的原因是最为深刻、隐秘的原因。此人本人根本看不到这个原因，因为它远远超出其洞察的范畴，搅动、刺痛和折磨他良知的一切事也是如此。
Potts(1905-1910) 4256
4256. Rescue me I pray from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him. That this signifies the state relatively, because it made itself prior, is evident from what has been said occasionally above, especially when treating of the birthright which Jacob procured for himself by the pottage of lentils, and of the blessing which he took away from Esau by craft. What was thereby represented and signified may be there seen, namely, that when man is being regenerated truth is apparently in the first place, and good in the second; but that good is actually in the first place and truth in the second, and is manifestly so when he is regenerate (see n. 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4243, 4244, 4247). When therefore the order is being inverted, and good is taking its prior place manifestly (that is, when it is beginning to have the dominion over truth), the natural man is in fear and distress (n. 4249), and also enters into temptations. The reason is that when truth was in the first place, that is, when it seemed to itself to have the dominion, falsities intermingled themselves; for from itself truth cannot see whether it is truth, but must see this from good; and where falsities are, there is fear at the approach of good. Moreover, all who are in good begin to fear when falsities appear in light from good; for they fear falsities, and will them to be extirpated; but this is impossible if the falsities stick fast, except by Divine means from the Lord. This is the reason why those who are to be regenerated, after fear and distress come also into temptations, for temptations are the Divine means for removing the falsities. This is the most secret cause why man when being regenerated undergoes spiritual temptations. But this cause is in no way apparent to the man, because it is above the sphere of his observation, as is everything which moves, harasses, and torments the conscience.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4256
4256. 'Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him' means the state of truth in relation to good, in which truth has made itself first. This becomes clear from what has been stated in various places above, especially from those which deal with the birthright which Jacob acquired to himself by means of the lentil pottage and with the blessing which he took from Esau by the use of deceit. What is represented and meant by those two incidents may be seen in the places dealing with them, where it is shown that truth seems to occupy the first position when a person is being regenerated and good the second, but that in reality good occupies the first and truth the second, as is plainly so once he has been regenerated. These matters are dealt with in 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4243, 4244, 4247. When therefore order is being turned around and good plainly takes up the first position, that is, when it starts to have dominion over truth, the natural man experiences fear and distress, 4249, and also enters into temptations.
[2] The reason for this is that when truth occupied the first position, that is, when it seemed to itself to have dominion over good, falsities intermingled themselves. For truth is not able to see from itself whether it is the truth, but has to do so from good; and where falsities exist so does fear when good draws near. Furthermore all who are governed by good start to experience fear when falsities are seen in the light received from good, for they fear falsities and want to have them rooted out. But they cannot be rooted out if they are well established, except by Divine means provided by the Lord. This explains why, following the experience of fear and distress, those who are to be regenerated enter into temptations too; for temptations are the Divine means by which falsities are removed. And this reason why a person who is being regenerated undergoes spiritual temptations is a most profound one. Yet it is not seen at all by the person himself because it lies beyond his range of discernment, as does everything which stirs, pricks, and torments his conscience.
Latin(1748-1756) 4256
4256. `Eripe me quaeso e manu fratris mei, e manu Esavi, quia timeo ego eum quod significet statum respective quia priorem se fecit, constare potest ab illis quae supra passim dicta sunt, imprimis ex illis ubi agitur de primogenitum quam Jacobus sibi per pultem lentium comparavit, et ubi de benedictione quam per astum Esavo ademit; quid per illa repraesentatum et significatum sit, ibi videatur quod nempe verum primo loco sit apparenter cum regeneratur homo et bonum secundo; at quod bonum primo loco sit actualiter (c)ac verum secundo, (c)et ita manifeste, cum regeneratus est, de quibus n. 3539: 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4243, 4244, 4247; cum itaque invertitur ordo et bonum priorem suum locum manifeste sumit, hoc est, cum dominari incipit super verum, tunc naturalis homo est in timore et angustia, n. 4249, et quoque intrat tentationes; [2] causa est quia cum verum primo loco fuit, hoc est, cum dominari sibi visum, tunc falsa se intermiscuerunt; verum enim ex se non videre potest num verum sit, sed videbit illud ex bono, et ubi falsa, ibi timor cum {2} adventat bonum; omnes etiam qui in bono sunt, timere incipiunt quando falsa apparent in luce a bono, timent enim falsa et volunt ut illa exstirpentur, sed non possunt si inhaerent, nisi per media Divina a Domino, inde est quod regenerandi post timorem et angustiam etiam in tentationes veniant, tentationes enim sunt media Divina removendi illa; haec causa arcanissima est quod {3} homo cum {4} regeneratur, tentationes spirituales subeat {5}; sed causa illa nullatenus apparet homini, quia est supra sphaeram ejus apperceptionis, sicut est omne quod conscientiam movet, lacessit et cruciat. @1 quando$ @2 cur$ @3 qui$ @4 subit$