Keys to the Kingdom.

[JD27076]

Matthew 16:18 is such a popular verse in Catholicism why post it. Your not a good Catholic without memorizing Matthew 16:18.

Aynways. I read an article, protestant, about how the keys symbolically represent the gifts of God. Well, we understand it as Jesus handing over Church authority to Peter. (I think that is how it went, the Church still lies jurisdiction to Jesus though.)

But why did Jesus only give it to Peter, not the rest of the apostles?

How is this article wrong?

Here is article: thekeysofthekingdom.com/

 

[Safia]

Well, that’s a lovely narrow reading of Scripture. Maybe she didn’t read the sentence beforehand?

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter,** and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[c] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you** the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven.”

Christ is speaking to Peter. There’s absolutely no doubt of it. Peter, as Pope, and the one with authority.

 

[A_G]

St. Peter was the Apostle who recognized Our Lord Jesus as the Christ.

**“Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16) **Douay-Rheims Bible

 

[fermat]

But why did Jesus only give it to Peter, not the rest of the apostles?

Because you cannot rule by committee. If you give authority to everyone, then nobody has it. Jesus knew this, so he singled out Peter and gave him the keys.

 

[pablope]

Matthew 16:18 is such a popular verse in Catholicism why post it. Your not a good Catholic without memorizing Matthew 16:18.

Aynways. I read an article, protestant, about how the keys symbolically represent the gifts of God. Well, we understand it as Jesus handing over Church authority to Peter. (I think that is how it went, the Church still lies jurisdiction to Jesus though.)

But why did Jesus only give it to Peter, not the rest of the apostles?

How is this article wrong?

Here is article: thekeysofthekingdom.com/

The significance of the name change of Simon to Kepha/Peter…which protestants ignore and overlook.

In that culture of the time, when someone’s name is changed…it signifies a change in status and authority…

Consider the following name changes in the Bible and the commands after the name change…

Abram to Abraham…and God’s command…to be the Father of Nations…
Jacob to Israel…to be the father of the nation of Israel…
Simon to Peter/Kepha…God/Jesus command…to build His Church.

And look at the Temple Tax in Matthew…

Matthew 17:24-27
24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”
25 “Yes, he does,” he replied.

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”

26 “From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. 27 “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

Here…Peter is approached, and not the other apostles…as Peter is recognized as the spokesman for the apostles.

 

[kepha1]

The article is wrong because the interpretation of keys is wrong. The usage of keys is found in Isa. 22 which is how the Apostles understood it.

Isa. 22: 19 I will thrust you from your office, and you will be pulled down from your station.
Shebna is described as having an “office” and a “station.”

An office, in order for it to be an office, has successors. In order for an earthly kingdom to last, a succession of representatives is required.
This was the case in the Old Covenant kingdom, and it is the case in the New Covenant kingdom which fulfills the Old Covenant. Jesus our King is in heaven, but He has appointed a chief steward over His household with a plan for a succession of representatives.

Isa.22:20 In that day I will call my servant Eli’akim the son of Hilki’ah,

Isa. 22:20 - in the old Davidic kingdom, Eliakim succeeds Shebna as the chief steward of the household of God. The kingdom employs a mechanism of dynastic succession. King David was dead for centuries, but his kingdom is preserved through a succession of representatives.

Isa.22:21 and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your girdle on him, and will commit your authority to his hand; and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

Isa. 22:21 - Eliakim is called “father” or “papa” of God’s people. The word Pope used by Catholics to describe the chief steward of the earthly kingdom simply means papa or father in Italian. This is why Catholics call the leader of the Church “Pope.” The Pope is the father of God’s people, the chief steward of the earthly kingdom and Christ’s representative on earth.

Isa.22:22 And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

Isa. 22:22 - we see that the keys of the kingdom pass from Shebna to Eliakim. Thus, the keys are used not only as a symbol of authority, but also to facilitate succession. The keys of Christ’s kingdom have passed from Peter to Linus all the way to our current Pope with an unbroken lineage for almost 2,000 years.

23: And I will fasten him like a peg in a sure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house.

Rev. 1:18; 3:7; 9:1; 20:1 - Jesus’ “keys” undeniably represent authority. By using the word “keys,” Jesus gives Peter authority on earth over the new Davidic kingdom, and this was not seriously questioned by anyone until the Protestant reformation 1,500 years later after Peter’s investiture.

Revelation 3:7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: `The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one shall shut, who shuts and no one opens.

Matthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Matt. 16:19 - whatever Peter binds or looses on earth is bound or loosed in heaven / when the Prime Minister to the King opens, no one shuts.

This “binding and loosing” authority allows the keeper of the keys to establish “halakah,” or rules of conduct for the members of the kingdom he serves.

Jer. 33:17 For thus saith the Lord: There shall not be cut off from David a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel.

Jeremiah prophesies that David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the earthly House of Israel. Either this is a false prophecy, or David has a successor of representatives throughout history.

Dan. 2:44 But in the days of those kingdoms the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, and his kingdom shall not be delivered up to another people, and it shall break in pieces, and shall consume all these kingdoms, and itself shall stand for ever.

Daniel prophesies an earthly kingdom that will never be destroyed. Either this is a false prophecy, or the earthly kingdom requires succession.

The article is wrong because it ignores the usage of keys as it is found in Isa. 22, denies the nearly word for word parallel between Matthew 16:19 and Rev. 3:7, and ignores the prophecies of Jeremiah and Daniel.

Scott Hahn explains Papal Infallibility, keys, and authority here:
youtube.com/watch?v=5crScs1uWtg

 

[TimothyH]

Kepha1 is exactly correct.

Jesus is a King and he was appointing Peter to the position of Prime Minister.

This is why in Jesus strictly forbids them from telling anyone that he is the Messiah in the very next verse, because the Roman military leaders and Jewish authorities would have seen this as an attempt to establish and earthly kingdom.

The granting of the keys to the kingdom is forshadowed in Isaiah 22, and there are many other places where Israelites were placed into positions of great authority in Kingdoms. The most famous of these appointments was Joseph’s appointment by Pharoah.

“Could we find another like him,” Pharaoh asked his servants, “a man so endowed with the spirit of God?” So Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you are. You shall be in charge of my household, and all my people will obey your command. Only in respect to the throne will I outrank you.” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Look, I put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” With that, Pharaoh took off his signet ring and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He then had him ride in his second chariot, and they shouted “Abrek!” before him. Thus was Joseph installed over the whole land of Egypt. I am Pharaoh,” he told Joseph, “but without your approval no one shall lift hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 41:38-44)

This is exactly consistent with Catholic belief about the Holy Father; a man endowed with the spirit of God who speaks with the authority of the king and rules in the king’s absence. Just like Joseph was appointed “Lord over the house” of Pharoah, so was Peter appointed to the same postion within Jesus’ kingdom.

-Tim-

 

[ESMDHokie77]

First person ever to be named “Peter”?? Probably a big deal! Not only that, you track the pronoun of “I will give YOU…” and it references the last mentioned proper noun, Peter!