“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.” Matthew 16:19 ESV1
Read Matthew 16:18-19
If you are a Christian, striving to know Jesus better and consistently reading The Holy Bible, you probably believe that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man [or woman] of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). But that doesn’t mean you always understand what you read. If you are like me, there are times when you read something that is so above your head that it doesn’t even seem worth trying to contemplate. Consequently, you are tempted to close your Bible, get up, and move on with your day without giving what you read another thought. Today’s passage has been for me one of those seemingly incomprehensible texts.
Once, when Jesus “was praying alone, the disciples were with Him … He asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say that I am?’ And they answered, ‘John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen. Then He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ And Peter answered, ‘The Christ of God’ (Luke 9:18-20). That part of the account is pretty self-explanatory.
It is what Jesus then said to Peter which confuses: “‘I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. 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” (Matthew 16:18-19).
Maybe you are far more knowledgeable and spiritually wiser than I, but when I read this text, I needed a little help in understanding it. For that help, I turned to a website entitled www.gotquestions.org. Here I have found answers to many of my Biblical questions. So, this is what the good people at gotquestions.org had to say about the Keys of the Kingdom and about what, in this passage, is meant by binding and loosing. Their comments shed much light on the issue for me. May what they say enlighten you as well.
What are the Keys of the Kingdom?
“Jesus had asked His disciples who people thought He was. After hearing several of the more popular opinions, Jesus aimed His question directly at His disciples. Peter, responding for the twelve, acknowledged Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. After this great confession, Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 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’ (Matthew 16:17–19).
Keys are used to lock or unlock doors. The specific doors Jesus has in mind in this passage are the doors to the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is laying the foundation of His church (Ephesians 2:20). The disciples will be the leaders of this new institution, and Jesus is giving them the authority to, as it were, open the doors to heaven and invite the world to enter. At this point, it is important to understand how, biblically speaking, one enters the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus said that, unless one is born again, he will not see the Kingdom of Heaven (John 3:3). One is born again as the Holy Spirit works through the Word of God to bring about new life in a dead sinner. The content of the message is the substitutionary death of Christ and His subsequent resurrection (Romans 10:9–10). So the faithful preaching of the gospel is the key to the kingdom.
In Matthew 16:19, Jesus is specifically addressing Peter, so it is significant that, in the book of Acts, Peter figures prominently in the ‘opening of doors’ to three different groups of people so they can enter the Kingdom. In Acts 2, it is Peter who preaches in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost; about three thousand Jewish people are saved that day. Peter’s preaching had “unlocked the door” of heaven for the Jews. Later, in Acts 8, the Samaritans believe the gospel and receive the Holy Spirit; again, Peter (and John) was present for this event. Peter had “unlocked the door” for the Samaritans. Then, in Acts 10, Peter brings the gospel to a Roman centurion’s household, and they, too, receive the Holy Spirit. Peter had “unlocked the door” for the Gentiles. The “keys” that Jesus had given him worked in each case.
Of course, keys can be used to lock doors as well as open them. Part of the gospel message is that faith is necessary. Without faith in Christ, the door to heaven is shut and barred (see John 3:18). As the apostles preached the gospel, those who responded in faith and repentance were granted access to the Kingdom of Heaven; yet those who continued to harden their hearts and reject the gospel of God’s saving grace were shut out of the Kingdom (Acts 8:23).”2
What is meant by binding and loosing?
“Jesus is speaking directly to the apostle Peter and indirectly to the other apostles. Jesus’ words meant that Peter would have the right to enter the kingdom himself, that he would have general authority symbolized by the possession of the keys, and that preaching the gospel would be the means of opening the kingdom of heaven to all believers and shutting it against unbelievers. The book of Acts shows us this process at work. By his sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14-40), Peter opened the door of the kingdom for the first time. The expressions “bind” and “loose” were common to Jewish legal phraseology meaning to declare something forbidden or to declare it allowed.
Peter and the other disciples were to continue Christ’s work on earth in preaching the gospel and declaring God’s will to men and they were armed with the same authority as He possessed. In Matthew 18:18, there is also a reference to the binding and loosing in the context of church discipline. The apostles do not usurp Christ’s lordship and authority over individual believers and their eternal destiny, but they do exercise the authority to discipline and, if necessary, excommunicate disobedient church members.
It’s not that the apostles were given the privilege of changing God’s mind, as if whatever they decided on earth would be duplicated in heaven; rather, they were encouraged that, as they moved forward in their apostolic duties, they would be fulfilling God’s plan in heaven. When the apostles “bound” something, or forbade it on earth, they were carrying out the will of God in the matter. When they “loosed” something, or allowed it on earth, they were likewise fulfilling God’s eternal plan. In both Matthew 16:19 and 18:18, the syntax of the Greek text makes the meaning clear: “Whatever thou mayest bind upon the earth shall be having been bound in the heavens, and whatever thou mayest loose upon the earth shall be having been loosed in the heavens” (Matthew 16:19, Young’s Literal Translation). Or, as the Amplified Bible puts it, “Whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth will have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth will have [already] been loosed in heaven.”
Jesus taught that the apostles had a special task on earth. Their words of authority, as recorded in the New Testament epistles, reflect God’s will for the church. When Paul declared an anathema on those who pervert the gospel, then we know that anathema was already declared in heaven (see Galatians 1:8–9).”3
I hope you were blessed as much as I was with a greater understanding of this passage upon reading these comments. But I still wanted to go deeper. Instead of just reading these commentaries on Matthew 16:19, I looked up the Bible verses mentioned and prayed about those verses. This process so cleared the water for me that the Holy Spirit was able to reveal what I believe was a previously concealed treasure. Let me explain.
How does this apply to Christians today?
We are in a fortified position: In Christ
Jesus may have told Peter that he was the one on whom Jesus would build His Church, but all Believers are part of that Building. “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in Whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him, you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22). Our position is in Christ, and Christ is in us. We are on a solid foundation that cannot be moved.
Ultimately, the Church is built upon Jesus. And, “through Him, we … have access in one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:18). “Since then, we have a Great High Priest Who has passed through the Heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the Throne of Grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).
We have a disabled enemy: The Devil
According to Matthew 16:19, Jesus has given the Keys of the Kingdom to the Church. Christ’s Body has the authority to help show the way to Heaven, to be instrumental in aiding in the eternal release from the bondage of sin those who believe, and to have a hand in forever sealing the destiny of those who will not choose faith in Christ. But according to Revelation 1:17b-18, Jesus has kept the Keys of Death and Hades for Himself. “‘Fear not, I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the Keys of Death and Hades.’” With Jesus as the Ultimate Authority and Actively Present One, nothing is getting out of Hell without Jesus letting it out, and nothing is getting thrown into Hell without Him doing it. We have nothing to fear. As long as we remain with Jesus, nothing from Satan can touch us unless God allows it. And even then, we can be assured: “that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
“We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the Heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). But “the gates of Hell shall not prevail against” (Matthew 16:18) the Church, because Jesus holds the Key, and it is through “the strength of His might” (Ephesians 6:10) that we battle.
We have a powerful weapon: Prayer
Jesus concluded the above-mentioned passage in Matthew 18 on Church Discipline with, “‘Truly, 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. Again, I say to you, if two of you agree on Earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in Heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My Name, there am I among them’” (Matthew 18:18-20). Clearly, gathering and asking in agreement in connection with binding and loosing is talking about prayer!
If we take up all God has provided for us by “put[ting] on the whole armor of God, that [we] may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil, [we can also be] praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, [keeping] alert with all perseverance” (Ephesians 6:11 &18a).
Jesus taught that we “ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). And Jesus told His followers, “‘If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:17). Jesus’ half-brother, James, reminded us that “the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16b). And the Apostle Paul encouraged us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Jesus has given us authority to fight evil through prayer and, through prayer, to ask Him to do a whole lot of binding and loosing.
What are we doing with the authority we have been given?
Of course, Jesus will allow the binding and loosing according to God’s will, but I believe He has given His Bride much freedom as to whom or what she wants to extend the invitation. Unfortunately, I don’t think we are even coming close to doing all the binding and loosing for which we have been given authority.
The book of 2 Kings records an event in which “Joash king of Israel went down to [the Prophet, Elisha] … And Elisha said to him, ‘Take a bow and arrows.’ So, [Joash] took a bow and arrows. Then [Elisha] said to the king of Israel, ‘Draw the bow,’ and he drew it. And Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. And he said, ‘Open the window eastward,’ and he opened it. Then Elisha said, ‘Shoot,’ and he shot. And [Elisha] said, ‘The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them.’ [Then Elisha] said, ‘Take the arrows,’ and [Joash] took them. And [Elisha] said to the king of Israel, ‘Strike the ground with them.’ And he struck three times and stopped. Then the man of God was angry with [the king] and said, ‘You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times’” (2 Kings 13:14b, 15-19).
Similarly, Jesus has said, “‘Whatever you bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven’” (Matthew 16:19, emphasis mine). I don’t want to get to Heaven and find out that God is disappointed in me because I wimped out in my responsibility of asking for more to be bound or loosened. I don’t want to, like Joash, think I was obeying and find out that I could have had so much more. I don’t want you to find yourself in that boat either.
So, where should we start?
Begin with praying the way Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:9-13: “‘Our Father in Heaven,
hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’” But don’t just mindlessly repeat these words. Find out what those words mean. Resolve to agree with them. Pray them with sincerity. Look forward to His answers.
Then begin praying according to God’s promises. God will answer all prayers which are in accordance with His will. It may take time for prayers to be answered, and the answers may look different than the one who prayed initially expected, but prayers will always be answered in the best possible way. The more time one spends praying, the more in tune he/she will get with God’s will, and the more he/she will recognize His answers. Believe God’s promises, hold God to His Word, and use the Keys to the Kingdom to bind and loose accordingly by praying:
For the Lost:
The Scriptures tell us that “the Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). We can without hesitation pray for all of our unsaved family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and anyone else to whom God draws our attention, that God would “‘open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to [Him], that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in [Jesus Christ]’” (Acts 26:18).
For those in leadership:
The Apostle Paul urged “that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (I Timothy 2:1-4). We can pray for the salvation of all who are in leadership positions and that God would raise up godly leaders in all spheres of leadership from the home to the government, in business, and in churches.
We can pray for our nation that righteous decisions would be made by lawmakers, that God would protect our soldiers and peacekeepers, that we would be kept safe from acts of terror and from natural disasters, that corruption in the government would be eliminated, and that truth would be displayed in the media. But we can take prayer further and make our prayers deeper, asking God to curtail violence, provide real help for the hurting and the vulnerable, destroy prejudice, eliminate poverty, and cure diseases and mental illnesses. We can pray for the mending of broken homes, the purifying of sexuality, the annihilation of addictions, and the eradication of abortion, not only that, but the need for abortion to be eliminated; may no woman be the victim of abuse, may no man abdicate his responsibility, and may no woman find herself in a place where she has so little support that abortion seems reasonable.
For the Church:
The Apostle Paul challenged Believers to be “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication … [keeping] alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints … that words may be given … in opening … [of mouths] boldly to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel” (Ephesians 6:18-19). We can, without a doubt, pray boldly for other Believers all over the world and the Church as a whole.
We can pray that God’s people would love Him with all they have and love others as much as they love themselves. We can pray that Christians would be in God’s Word, understanding it and applying it to their lives and that they would be in prayer, praying according to God’s will, and seeing answers to their prayers. We can pray that God’s people would be filled with the Holy Spirit, displaying His power and His fruit.
We can pray for revival in Church throughout the world. We can pray that hope and help would be supplied for the persecuted, that the Gospel would spread despite the pressure, and the power of God would be so displayed for the benefit of His people that even those doing the persecuting would desire to come to know Jesus as Savior.
For your loved ones:
In a time in which the Jews were trying to obey the LORD in the face of constant taunting, Nehemiah gave the charge: “‘Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes’” (Nehemiah 4:14). We too find ourselves in places where it is difficult and often unpopular to live out our faith. We should be fighting for our loved ones with prayer.
We can pray for the rising up of godly influences and the removal of ungodly ones. We can pray that where there are lies, they will be crushed and, in their place, the truth would be revealed. We can pray that God would open the eyes of all our loved ones who doubt or are caught in sin and soften their hearts and that He would provide the help they need to believe and be set free truly. We can pray for Christian teachers in our schools, godly direction over the selection of curriculum, wisdom in decision making, and safety for everyone. We can pray for Christian friends, strong marriages, practical help in raising godly children, meaningful and adequate employment, and encouragement to walk in the way of the LORD. We can pray for Christian spouses for our children and grandchildren and that all of our descendants would be saved and following the plan God has for their lives.
For yourself:
And we can pray for ourselves, for the eradication of pride and fear, for the power to stand boldly for our faith, and for the elimination of everything which prevents us to be all who God called us to be. We can pray that we would be in love with the LORD and that He would fulfill all our unmet needs. We can pray that our faith would be so real that those who observe us would want the peace, joy, and freedom we possess, and because of it, they would want to come to know Jesus for themselves.
You can probably think of many things upon which I haven’t even touched. The items for which we could pray are endless. Perhaps our days are not much different than the days of Esther. She was warned, “‘For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). The Bible tells us, God “made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place” (Acts 17:26). God has placed each of us exactly where we need to be to do our best binding and loosing.
You might be thinking, “I am no one special. My prayers won’t make much of a difference. How much binding and loosing can I really do?” “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months, it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and Heaven gave rain, and the Earth bore its fruit” (James 5:17-18). It doesn’t take great people to pray for amazing things. It only takes humble people who truly believe God’s promises. And where these ordinary people lack belief, God is right there to strengthen their faith (see Mark 9:24).
Prayers often take time to be answered; rarely do situations change overnight. Sometimes, especially when we frequently pray alone, the burden gets heavy, and it doesn’t seem like anything is happening. We are tempted to give up and believe the lie that all of our praying has been a waste of time. Perhaps that is why Jesus connected binding and loosing with “if two of you agree on Earth about anything they ask, it will be done for [them] by My Father in Heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My Name, there am I among them’” (Matthew 18:20). “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12, NIV4). Find someone with whom you can agree in prayer; together, and in the presence of Christ, may you be empowered to “not grow weary of doing good, for in due season [you] will reap, if [you] do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
Christian, let’s get on our knees and get to work binding and loosing. The God “who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever” ((Ephesians 3:20-21).
And when we get to Heaven, may we each hear, “‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your Master’” (Matthew 25:21). And may we, all around us, see the fruit of the labor of our binding in loosing.
1 Scripture quotations marked with ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All Scriptures are taken from the ESV unless otherwise noted. To aid in understanding, I have capitalized references to God.
2 https://www.gotquestions.org/keys-of-the-kingdom.html
3 https://www.gotquestions.org/binding-loosing.html
4 Scripture quotations marked with NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.