2356. And Lot went out unto them to the door. That this signifies that he applied himself prudently, is evident from the interior sense of the expression “door,” and of “going out to the door.” In the Word a “door” signifies that which introduces or gives admission either to truth, to good, or to the Lord. Hence it is that a “door” signifies truth itself, good itself, and also the Lord Himself; for truth leads to good, and good to the Lord. Such things were represented by the door and veils of the Tent, and also of the Temple (see n. 2145, 2152, 2576).

[2] That this is the signification of a “door,” is evident from the Lord’s words in John:

He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber; but he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep; to him the porter openeth. I am the door of the sheep; by Me if anyone enter in, he shall be saved (John 10:1-3, 7, 9).

Here the “door” denotes truth and good, and therefore the Lord, who is truth itself and good itself. From this it is evident what is signified by being admitted into heaven through the door, and consequently what is signified by the keys with which the door is opened.

[3] But in the present case by the “door” is signified some good adapted to the character of those who beset the house; for the “door” [janua] is here distinguished from the “door” [ostium], and was at the front of the house (as is evident from the fact that Lot went out and closed the door behind him) and from what immediately follows it is evident that the good in question was a blessedness of life by which he would persuade those who were in falsity and evil; for such do not suffer themselves to be persuaded by the veriest good itself, but reject it. From all which it is evident that by “going out to the door” is here signified that he applied himself prudently.

2145. He was sitting at the door of the tent. That this signifies the holy which at that time appertained to Him, namely, the holy of love-which is signified by the day growing hot, as explained in what follows-is evident from the signification of a “tent,” as being what is holy (see n. 414, 1102, 1566, where also the reason of this signification of “tents” is explained). As the Lord was then in the perception which is signified by the oak-groves of Mamre, which is a lower rational perception, but yet is a perception more internal than that which is signified by the oak-grove of Moreh (concerning whichsee n. 1442-1443 it is here represented and therefore signified by His sitting at the door of the tent, that is, at the entrance to what is holy. How the case is with perceptions, as being less or more interior, may be illustrated by the perceptions of the most ancient people, from whom I have heard that the more they were in memory-knowledges from the things which are objects of hearing and sight, the lower were their perceptions; but that the more they were uplifted above them to the celestial things of charity and love, the more interior their perceptions were, because they were then nearer to the Lord.