2382. 'And the men who were at the door of the house' means rational concepts and matters of doctrine deriving from these by means of which violence is offered to good flowing from charity. This is clear from the meaning of 'the men' as rational concepts, dealt with in 158, 1007; from the meaning of 'a door' as something that introduces or affords access, which leads either to truth or to good, and so means something to do with doctrine, dealt with above in 2356; and from the meaning of 'a house' as good that flows from charity, dealt with in various places. The subject here being those who 'came near to break down the door', that is, who tried to destroy the good of charity as well as the Lord's Divinity and His Holiness, 2376, rational concepts that are evil and derivative matters of doctrine that are false are meant, by means of which violence is offered to the good of charity.

158. That 'man' (vir) means the internal man, or what amounts to the same, one who is intelligent and wise, is clear in Isaiah,

I look, and there is no man, and from these there is no counsellor. Isaiah 41:18.

['No man'] stands for no wise and intelligent person. In Jeremiah,

Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem and see if you find a man, if anyone is executing judgement and seeking truth. Jeremiah 5:1.

'Executing judgement' stands for being wise, and 'seeking truth' for having intelligence.