536. And there was given unto him the key of the pit of the abyss, signifies communication and conjunction with the hells. This is evident from the signification of "key," which is opening (of which presently); and from the signification of "the pit of the abyss," as meaning the hells where and from which are the falsities of evil (of which in the following articles). It is said that the key of the pit of the abyss was given to "the star from heaven fallen unto the earth," because the "star" signifies the knowledges of truth from the Word falsified by application to evils and falsities therefrom; and the evils of falsity and the falsities of evil that are with man open the hells where there are like evils and falsities. But what is meant by opening the hells will also be explained in the following article, for immediately it is said, "and he opened the pit of the abyss."

[2] It is from the appearance in the spiritual world that a "key" signifies opening; in that world there are houses and chambers, there are doors through which there is entrance, and locks and keys by which they are opened, and every one of these things signifies such things as are with man. The house itself corresponds to the interiors of his disposition and mind; likewise the chambers; and the doors correspond to the communication between the interior things of the mind and disposition; and a "key" corresponds to the admission and opening from one part into another; in a word, each particular thing in a house in which angels and spirits dwell corresponds to the particular things within them. Few of the spirits know this, because few know anything about correspondences, for being in them they do not reflect upon them. It is the same as it is with men in the world; few of whom know what their affections and thoughts are, because being in them they thence do not reflect upon them, and yet they are innumerable, as can be seen from the results of mental analysis set forth by many of the learned, all which are operations of the mind. This makes clear why a "key" is mentioned, and that it signifies admission and opening.

[3] So elsewhere in the Word, as in Matthew:

Jesus said to Peter, I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens (Matthew 16:19).

(This may be seen explained above, n. 206.) Also in Isaiah (Isaiah 22:20, 22), where the like is said of Eliakim (this, too, is explained above, n. 206.

Also in Revelation:

I have the keys of hell and of death (Revelation 1:18). (Respecting this see above, n. 86.)

Again:

These things saith the Holy, the True, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth and no one shutteth, and shutteth and no one openeth (Revelation 3:7). (See above, n. 205, 206.)

And again:

I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss, and a great chain upon his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, and bound him a thousand years (Revelation 20:1, 2). (This will be explained hereafter.)

And in Luke:

Woe unto you lawyers! For ¹ ye take away the keys of heaven; ² ye enter not in yourselves, and those entering in ye hinder (Luke 11:52).

Those were called "lawyers" who searched the Scriptures and taught how their contents must be understood; and as it is by means of the Sacred Scripture or the Word that there is communication and consequent conjunction with heaven, as was said in the article just above, and as truths are what open the communication, and the goods of truth are what constitute conjunction, while truths falsified, which in themselves are the falsities of evil, are what cause disjunction, so they are said "to take away the keys of heaven," that is, that they are able by means of truths to open communication with heaven to those whom they teach; but because they perverted the Word by applications to their loves and to false principles therefrom, therefore it is said, "Ye enter not in yourselves, and those entering in ye hinder." From this it can be seen that "the key that opened the pit" signifies communication and conjunction with the hells by means of the falsities into which the truths of the Word are turned by those who falsify them by applying them to the evils of life and to the false principles derived therefrom.

Poznámky pod čarou:

86. And I have the keys of hell and of death, signifies that He has power to save. This is evident from the signification of "keys," as being the power to open and shut (See Arcana Coelestia 9410); and from the signification of "hell," as being evils, for all evils are from hell and belong to hell; and from the signification of "death," as being damnation, which is also called spiritual death (See n. 5407, 6119, 9008). "To have the keys of hell and of death" means also the power to save, because the Lord alone removes the hells with man and thereby damnation; and when the hells are removed man is saved, for in their place heaven and eternal life flows in; for the Lord is constantly present with man, and desires to fill him with heaven, but evils stand in the way of its being received; so far, therefore, as the hells are removed, that is, so far as man refrains from evils, so far the Lord with heaven flows in.

The Lord here says that He "has the keys of hell and of death," because it is said immediately before that He is "alive unto the ages of the ages," by which is meant that from Him is eternal life; and so far as the Lord is received in faith and in love so far as He is in man, and so far as He is in man so far He removes evils, thus the hells and eternal death. This the Lord alone does, and for this reason He ought to be received, as is evident also from the passages from the Word cited just above n. 83. By "hell" evils of every kind are signified, because all evils are from hell. Whatever man thinks and wills is either from hell or from heaven. If he thinks and wills evil it is from hell, but if he thinks and wills good it is from heaven. There is no thought and will in man from any other source. The man who supposes that he thinks and wills from himself is not aware of this; but I can assert from all experience on this subject that every thing that a man thinks and wills is either from one or the other of these sources. For this reason, moreover, the man who thinks and wills evil is actually in hell; and where one actually is while he lives in the world thither will he come after death.

He can come into no other place because man's spirit is formed and composed of those things that he thinks and wills. When, therefore, he thinks and wills evil, the whole man is formed and composed of evil, so that he is his own evil in form. From this it is that infernal spirits are altogether images of their own evil, and are monstrosities, horrible according to the kind of evil. Furthermore, the only means whereby a spirit can be formed and constituted for heaven is receiving the Lord in faith and love; for the Lord alone, by His presence in faith and love with man, removes evils, and forms man into an image of heaven, which is an angel. From this it can be seen what is signified by "having the keys of hell and of death." The word "keys" is used because all the hells are closed up, and are opened only when evil spirits are cast into them, and when any are taken out of them, which occurs when evils increase with men. The openings that are then made are called "gates," and as they are called "gates," so also "keys" are mentioned, and these signify the power to open and to shut, since the opening and shutting of gates is effected by means of keys.

The keys given to Peter (Matthew 16:18, 19) have a like signification; for by "Peter" is there signified truth from the good which is from the Lord, thus it is meant that the Lord alone, from whom is all the truth of faith and the good of love, has that power (See the little work on The Last Judgment 57).