841. [verse 2] 'And he arrested the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan' signifies that those were held back who are understood by 'the dragon', who, because they think sensually and not spiritually about matters of faith, are termed the serpent of old, and because they are in evils as to life are termed 'the Devil', and because they are in untruths as to doctrine are termed 'Satan'. Who they are who are understood by 'the dragon' may be seen above (n. 537). The reason why both here and there he is called 'the serpent of old', 'the Devil' and 'Satan is because a 'serpent' signifies those who think sensually and not spiritually (n. 455, 550). 'The Devil' signifies those who are in evils as to life, and 'Satan' signifies those who are in untruths as to doctrine (n. 97, 550). For all those who do not approach the Lord directly think sensually about matters of the Church, and they cannot think spiritually, for the Lord is the light itself (n. 796, 799*). 'Therefore those who do not approach the Lord directly cannot think out of the spiritual light that is the light of heaven but out of natural light separated from spiritual light, which is to think sensually. This is why they are termed 'the serpent of old'. Those who do not approach the Lord directly, nor flee from evils as sins, remain in sins, in consequence of which the dragon is termed 'the Devil'; and because the same are in untruths as to doctrine, the dragon is in consequence termed 'Satan * Perhaps n. 797 was intended.