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:

9088. 'He shall give silver to its owner' means by means of truth with him whose good or truth in the natural has been perverted. This is clear from the meaning of 'silver' as truth, dealt with in 1551, 2048, 5658, 6112, 6914, 6917, 7999, and of 'giving silver' as redeeming by means of truth 2954; and from the meaning of 'its owner' - the owner of the ox or ass that fell into the pit - as the one whose good or truth in the natural has been perverted. For 'ox' is good in the natural, and 'ass' the truth there, 9086; and 'falling into a pit' means perverting them, 9086.

[2] The situation here is that if good or truth is perverted by falsity, then what has been perverted must be amended by means of truth, within the Church by means of truth from the Word, or from teachings drawn from the Word. The reason why it must be done this way is that truth teaches what evil is and what falsity is, and thereby a person sees and acknowledges them; and when he sees and acknowledges them amendment can be accomplished in him, since the Lord enters into those things with a person that the person knows, not into those he does not know. He does not therefore amend evil or falsity until the person has learned that it is evil or falsity. So it is that those who have to do the work of repentance must see and acknowledge their evils, and accordingly lead the life of truth, 8388-8392. The situation is similar with purification from the evils of self-love and love of the world. Purification from those loves cannot at all be accomplished except by means of the truths of faith, because these teach that all sinful desires spring from those loves. This explains why circumcision among the Israelite and Jewish nation was performed with a knife made of flint; for circumcision was a sign of purification from those foul loves, and the knife of flint with which it was performed was a sign of the truth of faith, 2799 (middle), 7044. By means of the truths of faith also a person is regenerated, 8635-8640, 8772. This was meant by the washings used in former times for ritual cleansings; and the same thing is also meant at the present day by the waters of baptism. For the waters are a sign of the truths of faith, by means of which evils are removed, 739, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 7307, 8568, and baptism is a sign of regeneration, 4255, 5120 (end).

[3] From all this it is evident how false the thinking is of those who believe that a person's evils or sins are wiped away as dirt on the body is washed away by water, that the interiors of those who were washed with water in former times according to the rules of the Church were cleansed, and also that people at the present day are saved through undergoing baptism. In actual fact the washings in former times did no more than represent the cleansing of people interiorly, and baptism is only the sign of regeneration. The waters there mean the truths of faith by means of which a person is cleansed and regenerated, for by means of those truths are evils removed. Baptism is for those within the Church, because they have the Word, where the truths of faith, the means by which a person is regenerated, are to be found.