Apocalypse Explained # 1169
1169. Verse 17. And every pilot, and all that are employed on ships, and sailors, and as many as work at sea, stood afar off.
17. "And every pilot, and all that are employed on ships, and sailors, and as many as work at sea," signifies all that have believed themselves to be in wisdom, in intelligence, and in knowledge, and have confirmed the falsities of that doctrine and religious persuasion by reasonings from the natural man (n. 1170); "stood afar off" signifies not now in these things as before because of fear (n. 1171).
