What does Matthew 16:19 mean?

[Landon Caeli]

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

What did Jesus mean by this?

 

[Landon Caeli]

...Is it related to John 20:23 ?

 

[sandman]

What did Peter unlock with they keys?
He unlocked the kingdom for the Jews first ...then later in Acts 10 the kingdom for the Gentiles.
And we know the progression of the mystery from there...

 

[Landon Caeli]

But scripture doesn’t mention locking or unlocking the kingdom... The scripture tells us that Peter was given the authority to "bind" and 'loosen". And whatever he binds or loosens on earth will be bound or loosened in heaven.

 

[HTacianas]

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

What did Jesus mean by this?

Binding and loosing is a Jewish term that means the authority given to a senior rabbi to make decisions regarding the Jewish law. Think of it as someone becoming a judge. A judge has the authority to interpret the law and issue orders based on it. See also Matthew 18:18 where Jesus gave that authority to all of the apostles.

Ultimately that authority has been exercised by the Ecumenical Councils. As the successors to the apostles the bishops of the Councils had the authority to "bind and Loose", meaning to render decisions affecting the Church. See Matthew 18:19-20. It begins "two or more" and ends "two or three". The meaning is "two out of three", or a majority vote.

 

[Landon Caeli]

Interesting, that the authority to comprise Church rules and laws were given to men, by Jesus... But not only that, Jesus went even further, in offering men the ability to forgive sins in John 20:23 .

 

[Maria Billingsley]

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

What did Jesus mean by this?

It is more like....what ever you bind on earth will have already been bound in heaven and what ever you loose on earth will have already been loosed in Heaven. The Keyes symbolize authority that already exists in heaven and is now given to the Apostles.
Blessings

 

[BobRyan]

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

What did Jesus mean by this?

Same teaching in two places in the Gospel of Matthew - and in Matt 18 we see it in more context and detail than the short snip we find in Matt 16.

Matt 18:

15 “Now if your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be confirmed. 17 And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, he is to be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

21 Then Peter came up and said to Him, “Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me and I still forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus *said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy-seven times.

…32 Then summoning him, his master *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ 34 And his master, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he would repay all that was owed him. 35 My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”

 

[2PhiloVoid]

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

What did Jesus mean by this?

I'm going with what Maria B. said up in post #7.

 

[ozso]

Interesting, that the authority to comprise Church rules and laws were given to men, by Jesus... But not only that, Jesus went even further, in offering men the ability to forgive sins in John 20:23 .

I believe that any power or authority we wield, is by way of the Holy Spirit working within us and through us.

Also when it comes to Matthew 16:19 and John 20:23; Matthew 21:21-22 comes to mind:

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

​

 

[Neogaia777]

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

What did Jesus mean by this?

Well, if you take where it says "the kingdom of God (or heaven) is within you", or is "within your midst", then it could just mean whatever you permit or else do not permit for yourself personally, or your own personal yes's or no's, etc.

But many have tried to use it as a way to saying they can bind of loose things anywhere and everywhere also, and it being supernatural, etc.

I don't yet know how far it can extend or go, or whether it can mean against the will of anything or anyone that is not just you or that is not only just within your own midst, etc.

But I think it most definitely does 100% apply to your own yes's and no's in yours/mine/ours own hearts at the very least, etc.

God Bless!

 

[disciple Clint]

...Is it related to John 20:23 ?

you have it exactly

 

[ViaCrucis]

...Is it related to John 20:23 ?

Yes.

The Keys refers to the authority of Christ given to His Church which is exercised for the benefit of the Church. The ancient fathers affirm this, that to Peter and all the Apostles was given this authority, but in them for the Church, hence why those tasked to exercise the Keys by the Church sit in the seat of the Apostles as Christ's ministers. That the word is preached and the Sacraments administered.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Guojing]

But scripture doesn’t mention locking or unlocking the kingdom... The scripture tells us that Peter was given the authority to "bind" and 'loosen". And whatever he binds or loosens on earth will be bound or loosened in heaven.

Many Christians have no problem claiming that authority for themselves, even though it was given specifically to Peter.

But for John 20:23, those same Christians will tend to say, "Only the 12 apostles were given that power to forgive sins, we cannot claim that for ourselves".

That to me represents inconsistency.

 

[Yarddog]

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

What did Jesus mean by this?

I had a vision regarding this several years ago. I heard the Spirit speak and say, "The Cross is the key". I was a bit bewildered and didn't understand but a few days later I had another vision which cleared it up.

I saw a cross, standing alone in a grassy field. A hand then reached down from heaven and picked up the cross by the base. It then raised the cross up and I then saw a giant gate, which was the entrance to heaven. On the gate was a lock and I saw the hand turn the cross on its side and insert it into the lock and open it.

The Cross is the key which opens the gate to heaven for God's children.

 

[Jonaitis]

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

What did Jesus mean by this?

Christ commissioning the apostles via communicating his power and authority on earth in his stead for the establishment of the faith.

Some think that these "keys" can be passed down, but there is nothing in any of the texts of scripture that validate that; it is an absurd claim in order to preserve the authority of a specific institution and their hold on the faith of their people. It is a characteristic of a cult leader/organization to shut down opposition and be positioned as infallible.

 

[Landon Caeli]

Christ commissioning the apostles via communicating his power and authority on earth in his stead for the establishment of the faith.

Some think that these "keys" can be passed down, but there is nothing in any of the texts of scripture that validate that; it is an absurd claim in order to preserve the authority of a specific institution and their hold on the faith of their people. It is a characteristic of a cult leader/organization to shut down opposition and be positioned as infallible.

Same thing with any bible-based Church though, where the Bible makes them infallible.

 

[Jonaitis]

Same thing with any bible-based Church though, where the Bible makes them infallible.

How true.

 

[BillMcEnaney]

Catholics believe that they keys represent authority. "Bind" and "loose" are rabbinic jargon meaning "to forbid" and "to allow." So when Our Lord tells St. Peter that whatever the Apostle binds on earth will be bound in Heaven, he means that God will ratify Peter's decision. That's why Catholics think Matthew 16:18-19 support the Catholic dogma about papal infallibility. After all, God wouldn't agree with a false statement. When St. Cyprian of Carthage says the other Apostles were what Peter was, he means Peter and the other Apostles were bishops.

Christ gave the keys only to St. Peter.

St. Cyprian of Carthage on the Unity of the Church

During the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D., the Council Fathers believed it taught infallibly and that Pope Celestine used St. Peter's authority. So that suggests that St. Peter has successors.

Finally, Celestine himself, after the conclusion of the whole matter, sends a letter to the holy Council of Ephesus, which he thus begins: “At length we must rejoice at the conclusion of evils.” The learned reader understands where he recognizes the conclusion; that is, after the condemnation of Nestorius by the infallible authority of an Ecumenical Council, viz., of the whole Catholic Church. He proceeds: “We see, that you, with us, have executed this matter so faithfully transacted.” All decree, and all execute, that is, by giving a common judgment. Whence Celestine adds, “We have been informed of a just deposition, and a still juster exaltation:” the deposition of Nestorius, begun, indeed, by the Roman See, but brought to a conclusion by the sentence of the Council; to a full and complete settlement, as we have seen above: the exaltation of Maximianus, who was substituted in place of Nestorius immediately after the Ephesine decrees; this is the conclusion of the question. Even Celestine himself recognises this conclusion to lie not in his own examination and judgment, but in that of an Ecumenical Council. And this was done in that Council in which it is admitted that the authority of the Apostolic See was most clearly set forth, not only by words, but by deeds, of any since the birth of Christ. At least the Holy Council gives credence to Philip uttering these true and magnificent encomiums, concerning the dignity of the Apostolic See, and “Peter the head and pillar of the Faith, and foundation of the Catholic Church, and by Christ’s authority administering the keys, who to this very time lives ever, and exercises judgment, in his successors.” This, he says, after having seen all the Acts of the Council itself, which we have mentioned, so that we may indeed understand, that all these privileges of Peter and the Apostolic See entirely agree with the decrees of the Council, and the judgment entered into afresh, and deliberation upon matters of Faith held after the Apostolic See.

The Historical Introduction to the Council of Ephesus

Since you might wonder whether I'm showing Catholic bias, please remember that I found the quotation in 38-volume set of writings from the early Church in the Christian Classics Ethereal Library. The CCEL is an online collection of Christian documents Calvin College compiled. And you can buy the printed 38-volume set at Christian Book Distributors, Inc.

The Christian Classics Ethereal Library