7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; 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; -Revelation 3:7 King James Version (KJV)
Apocalypse Explained, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1757-9], tr. by John Whitehead [1911], at sacred-texts.com
Verse 7. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, signifies those of the church who are in the faith of charity. This is evident from the things written to the angel of this church understood in the internal sense, for (as was said above, n. 20) the "seven churches" mean, not seven churches, but all persons whatever who are of the church, or all things whatsoever with man that constitute the church; for "seven" in the Word means all persons and all things; for every number in the Word signifies something either of thing or state, as can be most plainly seen in this prophetic book, in which numbers are so frequently mentioned... (That all numbers in the Word signify things and states, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 263.)...
He that hath the key of David, signifies who has power by means of Divine truth. This is evident from the signification of "key," as being the power of opening and shutting, here heaven and hell, for it follows, "He that openeth and no one shutteth, and shutteth and no one openeth;" therefore "key" means here the power of saving (as above, n. 86), since to open heaven and to shut hell is to save. It is evident also from the representation of "David," as being the Lord in respect to Divine truth... The Lord is represented especially by king David, because David had much care of the matters of the church, and also wrote the Psalms... [2] That by "David" in the Word the Lord is meant is clearly evident from certain passages where he is mentioned in the prophets. As in Ezekiel: They shall be to Me for a people, and I will be to them for a God, and My servant David king over them, that they may all have one shepherd. They shall dwell upon the land, they and their sons and their son's sons even to eternity; and David My servant shall be prince to them to eternity (Ezek. 37:23-25)... It is said "They shall seek Jehovah their God, and David their king," because "Jehovah" in the Word means the Lord in respect to Divine good, which is the Divine Esse, [Essence] and "David a king" means the Lord in respect to Divine truth, which is the Divine Existere. [Existence] ...The like is meant by "the key of Peter," as by "the key of David," namely, that the Lord has all power, and that He has this power through His Divine truth, as will be seen in the article that now follows.
He that openeth and no one shutteth, and shutteth and no one openeth, signifies power to admit into heaven all who are in the faith of charity, and to remove from heaven all who are not. This is evident from the signification of "that openeth and no one shutteth," as being, in reference to the Lord, to admit into heaven...; and from the signification of "and shutteth and no one openeth," as being to remove from heaven. The former means to admit into heaven, and the latter to remove from heaven, because the Lord alone opens heaven to those who are admitted. This no man, spirit, or angel can do from himself. How this is shall be explained in a few words. When a man after death is in such a state that he can be admitted into heaven, there appears to him a way that leads to the heavenly society in which he is to be; until he is in this state the way thither does not appear to him; this way is opened to him by the Lord only. Such is each one's introduction and admission into heaven. The same is true of the evil man after death. When he is in the state for passing into hell, a way appears to him that leads to the infernal society in which he is to be; until he is in this state the way thither does not appear to him. The reason of this is that ways in the spiritual world appear to each one according to the intention of his thought, thus according to the affection of his love. When, therefore, a spirit has been brought into his reigning love (for everyone after death is brought into that love), then ways to the society where his love reigns appear. From this it is clear that it is love itself that opens; and as all the love of good and truth is from the Lord, it follows that the Lord alone opens the ways for those who are admitted into heaven. On the other hand, as all the love of evil and of falsity is from the man or spirit only, it follows that the spirit himself opens for himself the way to hell. (These things may be seen more clearly in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 545-550, where it is shown that the Lord casts no one into hell, but that it is the spirit who casts himself thither. That ways in the spiritual world appear to everyone according to the intention of his thought, thus according to the affection of his love, see in the same work, n. 479, 590.) [2] As regards the hells, they are all shut, and can in no wise be opened except by the Lord's permission; they are shut because of the evils and falsities that are continually striving to break out from them and do harm to those who are in goods and truths from the Lord (about which see also in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 584-592). From this then it is clear how it is and thence how it is to be understood that, "He that hath the key of David openeth and no one shutteth, and shutteth and no one openeth." Heaven is opened to those who are in the faith of charity, and is shut to those who are not, for those who are in the faith of charity are here treated of (see above, n. 203), and those who are in the faith of charity are in Divine truth from the Lord, and Divine truth from the Lord has all power, as was shown in the articles that immediately precede. [3] Similar to what is here meant by the "key of David" is the signification of the "key of Peter," thus referred to in Matthew: I say unto thee, Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail over it. And unto thee will I give the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in the heavens; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in the heavens (Matt. 16:18-19). "Peter" here, in like manner as "David," signifies in the highest sense, Divine truth proceeding from the Lord's Divine good, and in the internal sense, every truth from good that is from the Lord. The "rock" [petra] that is spoken of in the Word where Peter is mentioned, and from which Peter's name is derived, has a like signification. The Lord's twelve disciples represented all the truths and goods of the church in the complex; Peter represented truth or faith, James charity, and John the works of charity. But here Peter represented faith from charity, or truth from good which is from the Lord because Peter here acknowledged the Lord in heart, saying: Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering, said, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father, who is in the heavens. I say unto thee, Thou art Peter, etc. (Matt. 16:16-18,...). (This may be seen illustrated in The small work on The Last Judgment, n. 57.) [4] There is a like meaning in the Lord's words to the rest of the disciples, in Matthew: Jesus said to His disciples, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Matt. 18:18)...
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