4742. The tunic of various colors that was on him. That this signifies the quality of the appearances as to truths from good, is evident from the signification of a "tunic of various colors," as being the appearances of truth by which the spiritual of the natural is known and distinguished (n. 4677), here therefore the quality of the appearances; for which reason also a tunic is twice mentioned - "they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of various colors." That the quality of appearances is according to the truths from good, may be seen from the appearances of truth when presented to view in the light of heaven, that is, in the other life, where there is no other light than that which comes through heaven from the Lord, and which comes forth from His Divine truth; for this before the eyes of angels appears as light (n. 2776, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3339, 3340, 3636, 3643, 3993, 4302, 4413, 4415). This light is varied with everyone according to the reception. All the thought of the angels is effected through the variegation of this light, as also is the thought of man, although he is not aware of it; because with man this light falls into material images or ideas, which, being in his natural or external man, are from the light of the world. Thus the light of heaven is obscured in him to such a degree that he scarcely knows that his intellectual light and sight are from it. But in the other life, when the sight of the eye is no longer in the light of the world, but in the light of heaven, it becomes manifest that his thought is from this source.
[2] When this light passes from heaven into the world of spirits, it is there presented under the appearance of various colors, which in beauty, variety, and loveliness immeasurably surpass the colors which are from the light of the world. (See what was said above in regard to colors, from experience, n. 1053, 1624, 3993, 4530, 4677.) As the colors in the other life are from this source, they are in their origin nothing else than appearances of truth from good. For truth does not shine from itself, because there is nothing flaming in it alone; but it shines from good, for good is like a flame which gives forth light. Such therefore as the good is, such does the truth from it appear; and such as the truth is, in such a manner does it shine from good. From this it is evident what is signified in the internal sense by the tunic of various colors, namely, the quality of appearances as to truths from good; for by Joseph, to whom the tunic belonged, is represented Divine truth, as before shown.