Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 16:19

"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." — Matthew 16:19 (ASV)

The promise about the “keys of the kingdom” goes beyond the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry. What Jesus’ disciples thought this meant at the time is uncertain. Perhaps they hoped that when Jesus established his earthly reign and defeated the Romans, they would hold major posts under his reign. In the postresurrection period, however, the nature of this inaugurated kingdom became progressively clearer.

The metaphor changes from “church” to “kingdom.” The person with “the keys” (GK 3090) has power to exclude or permit entrance (cf. Revelation 9:1–6; 20:1– 3). This is then linked with the idea of “binding” (GK 1313) and “loosing” (GK 3395). It is best to understand this concept by recognizing first that Peter, by proclaiming “the good news of the kingdom” (4:23), opens the kingdom to many and shuts it against many (e.g., Acts 2:14–39; 3:11–26). By this means the Lord adds to the church those who are being saved, or, otherwise put, Jesus builds his church (Matthew 16:18). But the same Gospel proclamation alienates and excludes people, so we also find Peter shutting up the kingdom from some (Acts 4:11–12; Acts 8:20–23). Peter is authoritative in binding and loosing only because heaven has acted first (cf. Acts 18:9–10). Those he ushers in or excludes have already been bound or loosed by God according to the Gospel already revealed, which Peter, by confessing Jesus as the Messiah, has most clearly grasped.

Does this promise apply to Peter only, to the apostolic band, or to the church at large? The disciples were called to be fishers of men (4:19), to be salt (5:13) and light (5:14–16), to preach the good news of the kingdom (10:6–42), and, after the Resurrection, to disciple the nations and teach them all that Jesus commanded (28:18–20). In one sense Peter stands with the other disciples as one who received the Great Commission (in v.20, Jesus warns all his disciples, not just Peter, to tell no one). In that sense the disciples stand as paradigms for all believers during this period of redemptive history. But this fact does not exclude a special role for Peter or the apostles (see comment on v.18). Peter was the foundation; he enjoyed this “salvation-historical primacy.”

Confirmation that this is the way 16:19 is to be taken comes at 18:18. If the church has to exercise the ministry of the keys, if it must bind and loose, then clearly one aspect of that task will be the discipline of those who profess to constitute it. Thus the two passages are tightly joined: 18:18 is a special application of 16:19. If we may judge from Paul’s ministry, this discipline is a special function of apostles, but also of elders and even of the whole church (1 Corinthians 5:1–13; 2 Corinthians 13:10; Titus 2:15; Titus 3:10–11). The continuity of the church depends as much on discipline as on truth. Indeed, faithful promulgation of the latter both entails and presupposes the former.