4191. 'And Jacob said to his brothers' means people who perform works that are inherently good. This is clear from the representation of 'Jacob' as the Lord's Divine Natural, dealt with already, and from the meaning of 'brothers' as goods, dealt with in 3815, 4121, in this case people performing works that are inherently good, who, as shown above in 4189, are the gentiles. For all who are governed by good are joined to the Lord's Divine, and because they are joined to Him they are called 'brothers' by the Lord, as in Mark,
Jesus looking around on those who were sitting around Him said, Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother, and My sister, and My mother. Mark 3:31, 34, 35.
Every joining together is effected through love and charity, as anyone may recognize, for a joining together spiritually is nothing other than love and charity. Love to the Lord, it is evident, causes one to be joined to Him; and so does charity towards the neighbour, as is clear from the Lord's words in Matthew,
Insofar as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers you did it to Me. Matt 25:40.
This refers to charitable works.
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