8162. 'And they were in great fear' means a feeling of horror. This is clear from the meaning of 'being in fear', when used in reference to temptation, as horror or a feeling of horror. 'Fear' means a feeling of horror because when temptation presses on a person his conscience is stricken by falsities and evils, and so is his internal man since conscience belongs to the internal man. This gives rise to horror, which is repulsion combined with a fear of spiritual death. With those who have conscience horror arises from the mere influx of falsity and evil, for conscience consists of the truth and good of faith, and so of those things which constitute spiritual life. Falsities and evils are destructive of that life, and so are constantly attempting to inflict death, that is, damnation, which gives rise to a feeling of horror.