What ARE The Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven anyhow?

Trento said:

According to Protestant SBible Scholars.

And what about the "keys of the kingdom"? . . . About 700 B.C. an oracle from God announced that this authority in the royal palace in Jerusalem was to be conferred on a man called Eliakim . . . (Isa. 22:22). So in the new community which Jesus was about to build, Peter would be, so to speak, chief steward.

(F.F. Bruce, The Hard Sayings of Jesus, Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 1983, 143-144)

All these New Testament pictures and usages go back to a picture in Isaiah (Is 22:22) . . . Now the duty of Eliakim was to be the faithful steward of the house . . . So then what Jesus is saying to Peter is that in the days to come, he will be the steward of the Kingdom.

(William Barclay, Gospel of Matthew, Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1975, vol. 2, 144-145)

In biblical and Judaic usage handing over the keys does not mean appointment as a porter but carries the thought of full authorization (cf. Mt. 13:52; Rev. 3:7) . . . The implication is that Jesus takes away this authority from the scribes and grants it to Peter.

(J. Jeremias, in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Gerhard Kittel, abridgement of Geoffrey W. Bromiley, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1985, 440)


The prime minister, more literally 'major-domo,' was the man called in Hebrew 'the one who is over the house,' a term borrowed from the Egyptian designation of the chief palace functionary . . .

The power of the key of the Davidic kingdom is the power to open and to shut, i.e., the prime minister's power to allow or refuse entrance to the palace, which involves access to the king . . . Peter might be portrayed as a type of prime minister in the kingdom that Jesus has come to proclaim . . . What else might this broader power of the keys include? It might include one or more of the following: baptismal discipline; post-baptismal or penitential discipline; excommunication; exclusion from the eucharist; the communication or refusal of knowledge; legislative powers; and the power of governing.

(Peter in the New Testament, Brown, Raymond E., Karl P. Donfried and John Reumann, editors, Minneapolis: Augsburg Pub. House/New York: Paulist Press, 1973, 96-97. Common statement by a panel of eleven Catholic and Lutheran scholars)


Just as in Isaiah 22:22 the Lord puts the keys of the house of David on the shoulders of his servant Eliakim, so does Jesus hand over to Peter the keys of the house of the kingdom of heaven and by the same stroke establishes him as his superintendent. There is a connection between the house of the Church, the construction of which has just been mentioned and of which Peter is the foundation, and the celestial house of which he receives the keys. The connection between these two images is the notion of God's people.

(Oscar Cullmann, Peter: Disciple, Apostle, Martyr, Neuchatel: Delachaux & Niestle, 1952 French ed., 183-184)

Not only is Peter to have a leading role, but this role involves a daunting degree of authority (though not an authority which he alone carries, as may be seen from the repetition of the latter part of the verse in 18:18 with reference to the disciple group as a whole). The image of 'keys' (plural) perhaps suggests not so much the porter, who controls admission to the house, as the steward, who regulates its administration (cf. Is 22:22, in conjunction with 22:15). The issue then is not that of admission to the church . . . , but an authority derived from a 'delegation' of God's sovereignty.

(R.T. France; in Morris, Leon, Gen. ed., Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press / Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1985, vol. 1: Matthew, 256)


The opening words of v.22, with their echo of 9:6, emphasize the God-given responsibility that went with it [possession of the keys], to be used in the king's interests. The 'shutting' and 'opening' mean the power to make decisions which no one under the king could override. This is the background of the commission to Peter (cf. Mt 16:19) and to the church (cf. Mt 18:18).

(New Bible Commentary, Guthrie, D. & J.A. Motyer, eds., Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 3rd ed., 1970 [Reprinted, 1987, as The Eerdmans Bible Commentary], 603)


For further references to the office of the steward in Old Testament times, see 1 Kings 4:6; 16:9; 18:3; 2 Kings 10:5; 15:5; 18:18, where the phrases used are "over the house," "steward," or "governor." In Isaiah 22:15, in the same passage to which our Lord apparently refers in Matt 16:19, Shebna, the soon-to-be deposed steward, is described in various translations as:

1) "Master of the palace" {Jerusalem Bible / New American Bible} ​

2) "In charge of the palace" {New International Version} ​

3) "Master of the household" {New Revised Standard Version} ​

4) "In charge of the royal household" {New American Standard Bible} ​

5) "Comptroller of the household" {Revised English Bible} ​

6) "Governor of the palace" {Moffatt} ​

As the robe and the baldric, mentioned in the preceding verse, were the ensigns of power and authority, so likewise was the key the mark of office, either sacred or civil. This mark of office was likewise among the Greeks, as here in Isaiah, borne on the shoulder. In allusion to the image of the key as the ensign of power, the unlimited extent of that power is expressed with great clearness as well as force by the sole and exclusive authority to open and shut. Our Saviour, therefore, has upon a similar occasion made use of a like manner of expression, Matt 16:19; and in Rev 3:7 has applied to himself the very words of the prophet.

(Adam Clarke, [Methodist], Commentary on the Bible, abridged ed., Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1967 [orig. 1832], 581)

In the . . . exercise of the power of the keys, in ecclesiastical discipline, the thought is of administrative authority (Is 22:22) with regard to the requirements of the household of faith. The use of censures, excommunication, and absolution is committed to the Church in every age, to be used under the guidance of the Spirit . . .

So Peter, in T.W. Manson's words, is to be 'God's vicegerent . . . The authority of Peter is an authority to declare what is right and wrong for the Christian community. His decisions will be confirmed by God' (The Sayings of Jesus, 1954, p.205).

(New Bible Dictionary, ed. J.D. Douglas, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1962, 1018)



I can show how the First Fathers of the Church interpreted this also but it's obvious Jesus does not give the keys of the kingdom “to his Apostles.” Jesus gives the keys to Peter alone. If Jesus really gives Peter alone the keys, then it looks like Peter has special authority that the other apostles do not have.What "role" did Christ give "individually" to Peter? Well, in Matthew 16:17-19, Christ individually imparts to Peter the office of "Rock," "Key-bearer," and the authority to "bind and loosen." Also, in Luke 22:31-32, the Lord individually imparts to Peter the task of strengthening his brethren (i.e. the other Apostles). Also, in John 21:15-19, the Lord makes Peter a shepherd, telling him three times to "feed my lambs" and "tend my sheep."Peter unlocks the door to the Gentiles because he is the one with the keys. Unlocking the door to the Gentiles is a divine act that only Jesus can do, and yet Peter performs the act. Why? Because Jesus delegated divine authority to Peter, and Peter acts in Jesus’ name. Also, note that the authority to “bind and loose” is not limited to “unlocking the door to the Gentiles.” It also refers to declaring dogmatic and disciplinary decrees as well as forgiving and retaining sin (which is set forth in the passage John 20:21-23).

The Greek uses the passive voice which indicates that heaven is receiving the binding and loosing from Peter. This is an incredible statement that Jesus makes. Heaven will ratify Peter’s binding and loosing decisions. But in order for this to be true, Peter must be prevented from teaching error, for God cannot lie. Thus, God must penetrate the mind of Peter (just as He did when Peter confessed Jesus as the Messiah) and prevent him from teaching error. Otherwise, Jesus could not make such a sweeping promise. All this supports the Catholic understanding of the papacy.

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jeffweeder said:

Peter was to make disciples by preaching the gospel.
To bring souls into the kingdom. He had the key when he was the first to say that Jesus was the Christ, the son of the living God--the only way into the kingdom.

3000 people found their way into the kingdom the very first day, when Peter preached this truth.
He did indeed have the keys to the kingdom.

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What???

Peter preached at Pentecost which was hardly the same day (something like 50 days later)that Jesus gave him the Keys (not key it is plural).

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jeffweeder said:

He was told to wait until he was clothed with power.
His first sermon netted 3000 souls.
believe in Jesus, repent, baptism, the keys to getting in.


45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
46 and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ[19][I.e. Messiah] would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day,
47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
48 "You are witnesses of these things.
49 "And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

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sunlover1 said:

Scripture would be awesome and helpful.

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JacktheCatholic;...Jesus gave him the Keys (not key it is plural).

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Not to say that metaphorically what you are teaching is wrong. BUT the use of the word "Keys" in Matthew is NOT metaphorical.

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It is also almost the same wording as the words from Isaias 22 when it mentions the 'Key' of the house of David. The Key or Keys...

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...in Matthew are a symbol of Power. When Jesus spoke these words the correlation to Isaias 22 would not have been lost on any educated person of the scriptures.

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Ishida said:

I haven't read this whole topic, but from these last couple pages, I'd think all of us who know and believe the truth have something of a "key" to heaven. And we can copy them and pass it on to others as well!

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JacktheCatholic said:

Ley us hope the devils don't have copies...

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Rick Otto said:

I thought you said it wasn't plural!?
You're backpeddaling over a cliff.

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Rick Otto said:

How can it NOT be metaphor if He isn't literaly handing Peter real keys?

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Rick Otto said:

Main Entry: met·a·phor
1 : a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them (as in drowning in money); broadly : figurative language -- compare [SIZE=-1]SIMILE[/SIZE]
2 : an object, activity, or idea treated as a metaphor : SYMBOL 2

Your denial of your mistake & ignorance is becoming embarassingly hilarious, Jack.

First you you can't admit you were wrong that "keys" is plural in Matt16:19,
& now you can't admit that symbol & metaphor are the same thing, because you'd have to admit you're wrong about that too.

Albion was right, you take yourself too seriously, & it is at your own expense as well the expense of those you claim to defend.

Remain Catholic. Your arguments are an outstanding example of why not to be one.

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OrthodoxyUSA said:

It's clear that the autority to bind and loose sin is given to all the Apostles. And that authority was transferable. (See ACTS 1)

Forgive me...

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