Bible Lesson:
Church, or Ecclesiastical Authority
Dear reader, please see the post “Bible Questions Answered: Rock Of The Church,” regarding the explaination of who is the rock of the church (Matthew 16:18). Please read this section first.
Matthew 16:13-19 KJV
[13] When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
[14] And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
[15] He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
[16] And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
[17] And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven.
[18] And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock (upon this confession) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
[19] And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
In this lesson we will consider who has the “Keys Of The Kingdom.”
Our Saviour addressed Peter, because he was the one who spoke up, in regards to the Lord's question..see verses 15,16...
[15] He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
[16] And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
That Matthew 16:18 is not directed just to Peter, all one has to do is to turn to Matthew 18:18-20 KJV and read.....
[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.
[19] Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
[20] For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Here again our Lord is talking about the “Keys of the Kingdom.” (The laws of Binding and Loosing.)
But the question is, who is He talking to?
Matthew 18:1 tells us.....”...At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus,...”
Jesus, was not just speaking to one individual, He was speaking to all His Disciples, and what He had said in Matthew 16:18, He now again repeats to them all.
Matthew 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
We all know what a Key is for, it was made for a lock. A lock, locks something up, a key opens the lock, and makes something accessible.
That which was once unobtainable, now has been made open, and accessible.
What then are “The Keys of the Kingdom?”
And we could say further....
What can bind something here on earth and heaven/ and again, what can be loosed on earth that can be loosed in heaven?
The Lord Jesus Christ has the keys...
Revelation 3:7 “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; “
Isaiah 22:22 “And the key of the house of David will I lay upon His (The promised Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.) shoulder; so He shall open, and none shall shut; and He shall shut, and none shall open.”
The Lord Jesus Christ, the living Son of God, has the key of David, the power to lock, and to unlock the Kingdom of God (the House of God).
John 6:63 “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
John 6:68 “Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.”
Christ's word is the Gospel.
The “Words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
To obey the gospel, and to turn to the Saviour, brings life. (To obey Christ's words-The Gospel-, opens the way to the Kingdom of Heaven.)
To refuse the gospel, and to turn away from the Saviour brings spiritual death. (To disobey Christ's words-The Gospel-, Closes the way to the Kingdom of Heaven.)
What then are “The Keys of the Kingdom?”
They are the Words, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, showing the way to the Saviour and life, and the blessings of God.
All the disciples of the Lord Jesus are to present the Gospel (The Keys, opening the way to the Kingdom of heaven) to the lost, so that they may see and find the Saviour, and receive Him.
Are these Keys of the Kingdon delegated to just some few?
As we have already seen, Jesus told “All His Disciples to use the Key's of the Kingdom (preaching and teaching the “Good News,” of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ). (Matthew 18:1, 18)
Are some select few able to forgive mens sins?
John 20:23 “Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”
Acts 10:43 “To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name (The Lord Jesus Christ) whosoever believeth in Him (Through the preaching of the Gospel) shall receive remission of sins.”
John 3:16,18,36
[16] For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him (Through the preaching, the witnessing of the Gospel) should not perish, but have everlasting life.
[18] He that believeth on Him (Through the preaching, witnessing of the Gospel) is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
[36] He that believeth on the Son (Through the preaching and witnessing of the Gospel) hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Are you a Disciple of the Lord Jesus?
Then you are to use “The Keys of the Kingdom,” to open the Gospel to the lost!
Mark 16:15,16 KJV
[15] And He said unto them, Go ye (All Christian Disciples of the Lord Jesus) into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
[16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
This is the high calling of every Christian Disciple of the Lord Jesus.
Romans 8:10-15 KJV
[8] But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
[9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
[10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
[11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
[12] For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
[13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
[14] How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
[15] And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Dear friend, may that one day be said of you!
Church, or Ecclesiastical Authority
Dear reader, please see the post “Bible Questions Answered: Rock Of The Church,” regarding the explaination of who is the rock of the church (Matthew 16:18). Please read this section first.
Matthew 16:13-19 KJV
[13] When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
[14] And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
[15] He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
[16] And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
[17] And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven.
[18] And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock (upon this confession) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
[19] And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
In this lesson we will consider who has the “Keys Of The Kingdom.”
Our Saviour addressed Peter, because he was the one who spoke up, in regards to the Lord's question..see verses 15,16...
[15] He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
[16] And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
That Matthew 16:18 is not directed just to Peter, all one has to do is to turn to Matthew 18:18-20 KJV and read.....
[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.
[19] Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
[20] For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Here again our Lord is talking about the “Keys of the Kingdom.” (The laws of Binding and Loosing.)
But the question is, who is He talking to?
Matthew 18:1 tells us.....”...At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus,...”
Jesus, was not just speaking to one individual, He was speaking to all His Disciples, and what He had said in Matthew 16:18, He now again repeats to them all.
Matthew 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
We all know what a Key is for, it was made for a lock. A lock, locks something up, a key opens the lock, and makes something accessible.
That which was once unobtainable, now has been made open, and accessible.
What then are “The Keys of the Kingdom?”
And we could say further....
What can bind something here on earth and heaven/ and again, what can be loosed on earth that can be loosed in heaven?
The Lord Jesus Christ has the keys...
Revelation 3:7 “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; “
Isaiah 22:22 “And the key of the house of David will I lay upon His (The promised Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.) shoulder; so He shall open, and none shall shut; and He shall shut, and none shall open.”
The Lord Jesus Christ, the living Son of God, has the key of David, the power to lock, and to unlock the Kingdom of God (the House of God).
John 6:63 “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
John 6:68 “Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.”
Christ's word is the Gospel.
The “Words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
To obey the gospel, and to turn to the Saviour, brings life. (To obey Christ's words-The Gospel-, opens the way to the Kingdom of Heaven.)
To refuse the gospel, and to turn away from the Saviour brings spiritual death. (To disobey Christ's words-The Gospel-, Closes the way to the Kingdom of Heaven.)
What then are “The Keys of the Kingdom?”
They are the Words, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, showing the way to the Saviour and life, and the blessings of God.
All the disciples of the Lord Jesus are to present the Gospel (The Keys, opening the way to the Kingdom of heaven) to the lost, so that they may see and find the Saviour, and receive Him.
Are these Keys of the Kingdon delegated to just some few?
As we have already seen, Jesus told “All His Disciples to use the Key's of the Kingdom (preaching and teaching the “Good News,” of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ). (Matthew 18:1, 18)
Are some select few able to forgive mens sins?
John 20:23 “Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”
Acts 10:43 “To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name (The Lord Jesus Christ) whosoever believeth in Him (Through the preaching of the Gospel) shall receive remission of sins.”
John 3:16,18,36
[16] For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him (Through the preaching, the witnessing of the Gospel) should not perish, but have everlasting life.
[18] He that believeth on Him (Through the preaching, witnessing of the Gospel) is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
[36] He that believeth on the Son (Through the preaching and witnessing of the Gospel) hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Are you a Disciple of the Lord Jesus?
Then you are to use “The Keys of the Kingdom,” to open the Gospel to the lost!
Mark 16:15,16 KJV
[15] And He said unto them, Go ye (All Christian Disciples of the Lord Jesus) into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
[16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
This is the high calling of every Christian Disciple of the Lord Jesus.
Romans 8:10-15 KJV
[8] But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
[9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
[10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
[11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
[12] For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
[13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
[14] How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
[15] And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Dear friend, may that one day be said of you!
