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.

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206. He that openeth and no one shutteth, and shutteth and no one openeth, signifies power to admit into heaven all who are in the faith of charity, and to remove from heaven all who are not. This is evident from the signification of "that openeth and no one shutteth," as being, in reference to the Lord, to admit into heaven (of which presently); and from the signification of "and shutteth and no one openeth," as being to remove from heaven. The former means to admit into heaven, and the latter to remove from heaven, because the Lord alone opens heaven to those who are admitted. This no man, spirit, or angel can do from himself. How this is shall be explained in a few words. When a man after death is in such a state that he can be admitted into heaven, there appears to him a way that leads to the heavenly society in which he is to be; until he is in this state the way thither does not appear to him; this way is opened to him by the Lord only. Such is each one's introduction and admission into heaven. The same is true of the evil man after death. When he is in the state for passing into hell, a way appears to him that leads to the infernal society in which he is to be; until he is in this state the way thither does not appear to him. The reason of this is that ways in the spiritual world appear to each one according to the intention of his thought, thus according to the affection of his love. When, therefore, a spirit has been brought into his reigning love (for everyone after death is brought into that love), then ways to the society where his love reigns appear. From this it is clear that it is love itself that opens; and as all the love of good and truth is from the Lord, it follows that the Lord alone opens the ways for those who are admitted into heaven. On the other hand, as all the love of evil and of falsity is from the man or spirit only, it follows that the spirit himself opens for himself the way to hell. (These things may be seen more clearly in the work on Heaven and Hell 545-550, where it is shown that the Lord casts no one into hell, but that it is the spirit who casts himself thither. That ways in the spiritual world appear to everyone according to the intention of his thought, thus according to the affection of his love, see in the same work, n. 479, 590.)

[2] As regards the hells, they are all shut, and can in no wise be opened except by the Lord's permission; they are shut because of the evils and falsities that are continually striving to break out from them and do harm to those who are in goods and truths from the Lord (about which see also in the work on Heaven and Hell 584-592). From this then it is clear how it is and thence how it is to be understood that, "He that hath the key of David openeth and no one shutteth, and shutteth and no one openeth." Heaven is opened to those who are in the faith of charity, and is shut to those who are not, for those who are in the faith of charity are here treated of (See above, n. 203), and those who are in the faith of charity are in Divine truth from the Lord, and Divine truth from the Lord has all power, as was shown in the articles that immediately precede.

[3] Similar to what is here meant by the "key of David" is the signification of the "key of Peter," thus referred to in Matthew:

I say unto thee, Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail over it. And unto thee will I give the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in the heavens; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in the heavens (Matthew 16:18-19).

"Peter" here, in like manner as "David," signifies in the highest sense, Divine truth proceeding from the Lord's Divine good, and in the internal sense, every truth from good that is from the Lord. The "rock" [petra] that is spoken of in the Word where Peter is mentioned, and from which Peter's name is derived, has a like signification. The Lord's twelve disciples represented all the truths and goods of the church in the complex; Peter represented truth or faith, James charity, and John the works of charity. But here Peter represented faith from charity, or truth from good which is from the Lord, because Peter here acknowledged the Lord in heart, saying:

Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering, said, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah; ¹ for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father, who is in the heavens. I say unto thee, Thou art Peter, etc. (Matthew 16:16-18, and the following).

(This may be seen illustrated in The small work on The Last Judgment 57.)

[4] There is a like meaning in the Lord's words to the rest of the disciples, in Matthew:

Jesus said to His disciples, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Matthew 18:18).

These things are said to the disciples because they represented all the truths and goods in the complex that are from the Lord. (That those things were represented by the twelve disciples, as also by the twelve tribes of Israel, see Arcana Coelestia 2129, 3354, 3488, 3858, 6397) The like is meant by the disciples where it is said, that:

They shall sit upon twelve thrones, and shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30);

(See Arcana Coelestia 2129, 6397). And the like is meant by "Eliakim," who was to succeed Shebna over the house of the king, in Isaiah:

I will give dominion into his hands, that he may be for a father to the inhabitant of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah; and the key of the house of David I will lay upon his shoulder, that he may open and none shut, and that he may shut and none open (Isaiah 22:21-22).

By "the house of the king" over which he was to be, is signified the church that is in truth out of good from the Lord; "opening and shutting," and "binding and loosing," mean in general to save (See above, n. 86).

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