174. 'Having the key of David, and opening and no one shuts, and shutting and no one opens' signifies Who Only has the Omnipotence to save. By 'David' is understood the Lord as to Divine Truth; by 'the key' is signified the Lord's Omnipotence over heaven and hell; and by 'opening that no one may shut' and by 'shutting that no one may open' is signified to lead forth out of hell and introduce into heaven thus to save in like manner as above (n. 62), where it has been expounded. That by 'David' is understood the Lord as to Divine Truth may be seen [in] THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE LORD (n. 43, 44). Something similar to what is here signified by the key of David is signified by 'Peter's keys' (Matt. xvi 15-19), which passage may be seen expounded below (n. 798), as also by these words to all the disciples:-
Whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Matt. xviii 18.
For the twelve disciples were representing all things of the Church as to its good and truths, while Peter was representing it as to truth, and truths and goods save man, thus the Only Lord from Whom they are. A similar thing is understood also by the 'key of David' given to Eliakim, of which it is thus [written]:-
I will give the dominion into his hand, that he may become a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the house of Judah, and I will give the key of the house of David upon his shoulder, that he may open and none shall shut, and shut and none shall open Isa. xxii 21, 22.
He was over the king's house, and by 'the king's house' is signified the Church as to Divine Truth.
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