Binding and Loosing

[Augustine3]

“At that time the disciples approached Jesus… Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” – Matthew 18:1&18

It seems this passage in context is referring to the 70 or 72 disciples rather than just the 12 apostles. I thought only the apostles how the power to bind and loose?

 

[adrift]

DISCIPLE One who is learning or has learned. In the New Testament the word describes any follower of Jesus’ teaching (Matthew 10:1). During his public ministry it referred as well to his twelve chosen aides, but in the Acts of the Apostles they are always referred to as Apostles (Acts 1:26). (Etym. Latin discipulus, pupil, follower.)

The passage is not referring to the 72 but to the 12.

 

[fisherman_carl]

My commentary says:

ver. 18: “Peter was invested with Christ’s authority as the visible head of the Church. A derivitive - but subordinate - authority is given to the apostles as royal ministers in the kingdom. Jesus’ authority in this context is related to Church discipline; by extension it is also a sacramental authority to forgive sins (cf. Jn 20:23; CCC 553, 1444).”

• ICSB

" Ver. 18. Whatsoever you shall bind, &c. The power of binding and loosing, which in a more eminent manner was promised to St. Peter, is here promised to the other apostles and their successors, bishops and priests. (Witham) — The power of binding and loosing, conferred on St. Peter, excelled that granted to the other apostles, inasmuch as to St. Peter, who was head and pastor of the whole Church, was granted jurisdiction over the other apostles, while these received no power over each other, much less over St. Peter. (Tirinus) — Priests receive a power not only to loose, but also to bind, as St. Ambrose writeth against the Novatians, who allowed the latter, but denied the former power to priests. (Lib. i. de pœnit. chap. ii.) (Bristow)"

• Haydock

 

[Augustine3]

Thanks guys, I think I realised where the confusion lies. The New Living Translation bible had the below verses. The other bible versions do not include the word “disciple” in their translations. Man we have to be careful of these non Catholic translations, they can really trick you…

*“The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit” – Luke 10:1

“When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, "Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”” – Luke 10:17*

God bless,

 

[Link0126]

e below verses. The other bible versions do not include the word “disciple” in their translations. Man we have to be careful of these non Catholic translations, they can really trick you…

Yes, that is what they’re there for.

 

[mercytruth]

“At that time the disciples approached Jesus… Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” – Matthew 18:1&18

It seems this passage in context is referring to the 70 or 72 disciples rather than just the 12 apostles. I thought only the apostles how the power to bind and loose?

There is the possibility that the 70, or 72 disciples of Jesus Christ are the NT representation of the 70, or 72 OT elders who were given the Holy Spirit through Moses to judge the twelve tribes of Israel regarding disputes surrounding the adjudication of the Torah. (Numbers 11:16-29).

Later, this group of 70, or 72 spiritual elders became the Sanhedrin whose President was the High Priest, and they had the authority to bind and loose regarding the interpretation and application of the Torah. This authority was later assumed by the various rabbinic schools among the Pharisees.
jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/3307-binding-and-loosing

We have Bishop Ignatius’ epistle to the Traillians which state that the apostles, and later the presbyters, represented the authority of the Sanhedrin to rightly judge the scriptures.
newadvent.org/fathers/0106.htm

Quoting from the Apostolic Constitutions:
Let also a double portion be set apart for the presbyters, as for such who labour continually about the word and doctrine, upon the account of the apostles of our Lord, whose place they sustain, as the counsellors of the bishop and the crown of the Church. For they are the Sanhedrin and senate of the Church.
newadvent.org/fathers/07152.htm

In this week’s gospel reading, Jesus tells his twelve apostles that they will be judging the twelve tribes of Israel in the kingdom to come.

 

[Chowmah]

Matthew 18:16-18 (KJV)
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that **in the mouth of two or three witnesses **every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

what about these bindings and loosings

 

[BraveCatholic]

Matthew 18:16-18 (KJV)
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that **in the mouth of two or three witnesses **every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

what about these bindings and loosings

The Binding & Loosing still refers back to Peters authority given by Christ but the Apostles also have authority as royal ministers of the kingdom. For example they have the authority to forgive sins. This section Matthew 18:15-20 is in reference to the binding and loosing of sins (see verse 15) and relates to Church discipline by extension of that authority.

 

[animalis]

“And I will clothe him with thy robe, and will stregthen him with thy girdle, and will give thy power in his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Juda. And I will lay a key of the house of David upon his shoulder: and he shall open, and none shall shut: and he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him as a peg in a sure place, and he shall be for a throne of glory to the house of his father.” (Is 22:21-23)

This has been taught at Franciscan University of Stubenville to be a prophecy of the Pope. (It explains priestly clothing in the first verse. And the third points to a source of influence that a Pope would have.)

There was a figure in the hierachy of the temple priests in Jesus’s time that carried the keys for the temple’s useage. His title would be something like “the prefect (or deputy) of the High Priest”, for he was directly subject to the high priest like no other. You find him in Acts named “the officer of the temple” in the Douay-Rheims: “as they were speaking to the people, the priest, the officer of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them…”(Acts 4:1) and again, “Now the officer of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were in doubt concerning them, what would come to pass.”
(5:24) I wonder how Peter knew that he became that man in the new covenant with the heavenly temple that was in a vision from God to Enoch. The temple that the people of God have also in some way have become.

 

[mercytruth]

Matthew 18:16-18 (KJV)
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that **in the mouth of two or three witnesses **every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

what about these bindings and loosings

Other scriptures and apostolic tradition help us to understand this meaning and teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Beginning with the OT: Deut.19:15-20.

Continuing with the NT: 1 Corinth. 6:1-6

Expounding with the teaching of the early church fathers, (which I highly recommend):
Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Book II, Section 6, Chapters XLV-LII.

newadvent.org/fathers/07152.htm

(Just one small portion from the above citation):

**What are to Be the Characters of Accusers and Witnesses.

XLIX . When, therefore, you are set down at your tribunal, and the parties are both of them present (for we will not call them brethren until they receive each other in peace), examine diligently concerning those who appear before you; and first concerning the accuser, whether this be the first person he has accused, or whether he has advanced accusations against some others before, and whether this contest and accusation of theirs does not arise from some quarrel, and what sort of life the accuser leads. Yet, though he be of a good conscience, do not give credit to him alone, for that is contrary to the law; but let him have others to join in his testimony, and those of the same course of life. As the law says: “At the mouth of two or three witnesses everything shall be established.” Deuteronomy 19:15 But why did we say that the character of the witnesses was to be inquired after, of what sort it is? **