4741.“他们就剥了他的外衣”表他们除去并毁灭真理的表象。这从“剥了”和“外衣”的含义清楚可知：“剥了”论及此处“约瑟”所代表的神性真理时，是指除去，以及毁灭；“外衣”因具有各种颜色，故是指真理的表象（4677节）。一旦真理本身被抛弃，除去并毁灭真理表象的事就会发生；因为真理本身会在人的心智中闪耀，无论它如何被除灭，仍会显现，尤其向那些处于良善的人显现。那些毁灭真理的人也清楚看见它，所以才努力除去并毁灭它的表象。
举例说明。谁看不出，意愿并行出良善是教会生命的全部精髓？若有人被告知，这就是仁爱，他必定赞同。事实上，凡赞同的人甚至会说，他们知道何为意愿并行出良善，因为这是事关生命的大事。但一涉及出于信仰所赋予的信心思想这个或那个是真的（这是坚持与仁分离之信的人想要行的），他们就会说，他们不知道意愿并行出良善是什么，因为他们对这一点，如同对消散的烟雾那样没有任何概念。由于唯信和它所赋予的信心在所有认真思考它的人，尤其善人看来就是这样，所以坚持与仁分离之信的信徒通过削去接近神性真理或与之邻近的一切观念而除去并毁灭这些表象。这就是剥去约瑟身上的外衣所表示的。
也正是这些人以为那些一旦接受某个信条，无论这个信条是什么，就以各种方式确认之，并利用各种推理使它看似真理的人比其他所有人都更有智慧。然而，这决不是智慧人的标志。凡有点聪明才智的人都能如此行，恶人甚至比义人更精通此道。事实上，这也不是理性人的标志；因为理性人可以说能从更高观点看到它是不是被证实的真理，或是不是虚假。他因看到这一点，故视对虚假的确认为毫无意义，荒唐可笑，无论别人如何相信它们是为获得纯粹的智慧而进行角力的结果。简言之，这决不是智慧人的标志，也决不是理性，只不过是能出于虚假确认罢了；因为智慧的标志，以及理性首先是看出某事是真理，然后确认之。也就是说，看见真理就是出于来自主的天堂之光看见；而将虚假看为真理就是出于地狱的昏昧之光看见。
Potts(1905-1910) 4741
4741. That they stripped Joseph of his tunic. That this signifies that they dispelled and annihilated the appearances of truth, is evident from the signification of "stripping," when predicated of Divine truth, which here is "Joseph," as being to dispel and also to annihilate; and from the signification of the "tunic," because it was of various colors, as being appearances of truth (n. 4677). The dispelling and annihilating of the appearances of truth takes place after truth itself has been rejected; for truth itself shines forth of itself in the mind, and however it may be extinguished, still appears, especially in those who are in good. This is also clearly seen by those who have annihilated truth in themselves, wherefore also they endeavor to dispel and to annihilate these appearances. [2] Take as an example for the sake of illustration - who does not see that to will well and do well is the veriest Christian life? And if anyone is told that this is charity, he cannot but affirm it; and those who affirm it will even say that they know what this is, because this is of the life. But as regards thinking this or that to be true, even from confidence (as they are willing to do who are in faith separate), they will say that they do not know what it is, for they have no other perception of it than as of smoke which vanishes. As faith alone and the confidence from it appear of this character to everyone who thinks seriously about it, especially to the good, therefore such persons labor to dispel and annihilate even these appearances, by thus paring off whatever touches them more nearly, and whatever is round about this Divine truth. This is signified by stripping Joseph of the tunic that was on him. [3] The same persons also believe that those are wiser than all others, who having once accepted a dogma, whatever it may be, can confirm it by various things, and by various reasonings make it appear like truth. But nothing could be less the part of a wise man; it is what everyone can do who possesses any ingenuity, and the evil more skillfully than the upright. For to do this is not the part of a rational man, inasmuch as a rational man can see, as from above, whether that which is confirmed is true or false; and because he sees this, he regards confirmations of falsity as of no account, and they appear to him as simply ludicrous and empty, no matter how much anyone else believes them to have been taken from the school of wisdom itself. In a word, nothing is less the part of a wise man, nay, nothing is less rational, than to be able to confirm falsities; for it is the part of a wise man and it is rational, first to see that a thing is true, and then to confirm it. In fact to see what is true is to see from the light of heaven, which is from the Lord; but to see what is false as true is to see from a fatuous light, which is from hell.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4741
4741. 'That they stripped Joseph of his tunic' means that they removed and annihilated the appearances of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'stripping', when used in reference to Divine Truth represented here by 'Joseph', as removing and also annihilating; and from the meaning of 'tunic', because this consisted of various colours, as appearances of truth, dealt with in 4677. The removal and annihilation of the appearances of truth takes place once truth itself has been cast aside, for truth itself cannot but shine in people's minds, and no matter how much it is blotted out it remains visible, especially to those who are governed by good. Those who have annihilated truth see it too, and therefore they try to remove and annihilate even those appearances of it.
[2] Take an example to illustrate this. Who does not see that willing what is good and doing it is the whole essence of the Christian life? And if anyone is told that this is charity he is bound to agree. Indeed all who agree will go on to say that they know what willing and doing good is because this is a matter of life. But as for thinking, by the confidence imparted through faith, that this or that is true, as the adherents to faith separated from charity wish to do, they will say that they do not know what this is, for they can have no other conception of it than of smoke which vanishes. Now since faith alone and the confidence it imparts is seen to be like this by all who think seriously about it, especially by the good, those adherents to faith separated from charity strive to remove and annihilate even those appearances by cutting away every idea that is close to Divine Truth or in the neighbourhood of it. This is what is meant by stripping Joseph of the tunic that was on him.
[3] The same people also believe that those persons are wiser than all others who, once they have accepted some dogma, can substantiate it in various ways, and use various reasonings to present it as the truth. This however is anything but the mark of one who is wise. Anyone who is clever enough can do it, the wicked being more expert at it than the upright. Nor indeed is it the mark of a rational man; for a rational man can see from so to speak a higher viewpoint whether it is truth that is being substantiated or whether it is falsity. And this being what he sees he is quite unmoved by arguments substantiating falsity but regards them as senseless and absurd, no matter how much another person believes they are the result of wrestling to obtain pure wisdom. In short, it is anything but the mark of one who is wise, indeed anything but rationality, to be able to substantiate falsities; for it is the mark of a wise one, and it is rationality, when something is first seen to be the truth and is substantiated only after that. That is to say, seeing the truth implies seeing it by the light of heaven which comes from the Lord, but seeing falsity as truth implies seeing it by the inferior light which comes from hell.
Latin(1748-1756) 4741
4741. `Et exuebant Josephum tunica sua': quod significet apparentias veri quod discuterent et annihilarent, constat ex significatione `exuere' cum praedicatur de Divino Vero quod hic est `Joseph', quod sit discutere et quoque annihilare; et a significatione `tunicae' quia variorum colorum quod sint apparentiae veri, de qua n. 4677. Discutere et annihilare apparentias veri, fit postquam ipsum verum rejectum est; ipsum enim verum ex se in mentibus elucet et utcumque exstinguitur, apparet, imprimis apud illos qui in bono sunt; hoc etiam pervident illi qui verum apud se annihilarunt, quapropter etiam illas apparentias discutere et annihilare conantur; [2] sit exemplum illustrationi:quis non videt quod bene velle et benefacere sit ipsissima vita Christiana? et si ei dicitur quod hoc sit charitas non potest non affirmare; immo dicturi illi qui affirmant, quod hoc sciant quid sit, quia hoc est vitae; sed cogitare quod hoc vel illuc sit verum, etiam ex confidentia, sicut volunt qui in fide separata dicent quod non sciant quid sit, (o)nam non aliam perceptionem de eo habere possunt quam sicut de fumo qui evanescit; quia talis apparet sola fides et inde confidentia, apud quoscumque qui {1} de illa serio cogitant, cumprimis apud bonos; idcirco allaborant etiam apparentias illas discutere et annihilare, circumcidendo sic quicquid propius tangit, ac quicquid in circuitu est; hoc significatur per `exuere Josephum tunica quae super illum'. [3] Credunt etiam iidem quod sapientes sint prae reliquis qui dogma semel receptum qualecumque sit, variis confirmare possunt, et illud per `varia ratiocinia vero simile sistere; sed hoc nihil minus quam sapientis est; hoc potest quicumque aliquo ingenio pollet, ac solertius mali quam probi; hoc enim facere, non est rationalis hominis; rationalis enim homo videre potest sicut ex superiore, num verum sit quod confirmatur, vel num falsum; et quia hoc videt, confirmantia falsi nihili facit, (c)ac illa apud se non aliter spectat quam ludicra et vana, utcumque alter credit ea ex ipsius sapientiae palaestra desumpta esse; verbo, nihil minus quam sapientis est, immo nihil minus quam rationale, posse falsa confirmare, nam sapientis est et rationale, videre prius quod verum sit et dein hoc confirmare; quippe verum videre est a luce caeli quae a Domino, at falsum videre ut verum, est a lumine fatuo quod ab inferno. @1 cum$ @2 speciosa$