[2] It is from appearance in the spiritual world that a key signifies opening; for houses and chambers are there, also doors by which they enter, and locks and keys by which they are opened, and they all signify such things as are in man. The house itself corresponds to the interiors of his outer (animus) mind and his inner (mens) mind; similarly the chambers. The doors correspond to the communications between the interiors of the inner and the outer mind; and the key corresponds to admission to and opening from one part into the other. In a word, everything in the houses in which angels and spirits dwell, corresponds to particular things in them. Few spirits recognise (norunt) this, because few know (sciunt) anything of correspondences; for they are in them and therefore do not reflect upon them. The case is similar with man in the world, few know the qualities of their affections and thoughts because they are in them, and therefore do not reflect upon them, although they are innumerable, as is evident from the analytical particulars that have been discovered by many learned men, all of which are operations of the mind. From these facts it may be known, why a key is here mentioned, and why it signifies admission and opening.

[3] It has a similar signification in other passages in the Word; thus in Matthew:

Jesus said to Peter, "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens" (xvi. 19); this is explained above (n. 206:3); also in Isaiah (chap. xxii. 21, 22), where the same is said concerning Eliakim, as also explained above (n. 206:4).

Again, in the Apocalypse:

"I have the keys of hell and of death" (i. 18), of which above (n. 86).

And again:

"These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth" (iii. 7): see above (n. 205, 206). And again:

"And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss, and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, and bound him a thousand years" (xx. 1, 2): this passage will be explained in the following pages.

So again, in Luke:

"Woe unto you lawyers! for ye take away the keys of heaven; ye enter not in yourselves, and them that are entering in ye hinder" (xi. 52).

They were called lawyers, who searched the scriptures, and taught how they were to be understood. And because the sacred Scripture, or the Word, is the means of communication, and thence conjunction with heaven, as stated in the article above, and because truths open the communication, and the goods of truth establish conjunction, whereas truths falsified, which in themselves are falsities of evil, cause disjunction, therefore it is said that they take away the keys of heaven, that is, that by means of truths they could open communication with heaven to those whom they taught. But because they perverted the Word by applying it to their own loves, and thence to false principles, it is therefore said, that they entered not themselves, and hindered those who were entering. From these things also it is evident, that the key which opened the well, 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 in applying them to evils of life, and to the false principles thence conceived.