If the keys were not given to Peter, then to whom was Jesus speaking?

Question

Try to use the context of scripture to prove your point.

Doug Lawrence -- first of all, calm down. Secondly, what do you want to do with heretics? Burn them just like in the good ole days?

It is obvious from your answer that you are very passionate about your position, but I am waiting for you to use some supporting scripture. Your refernce to Peter being the Rock sure does look like it is being taken way out of context, especially when compared to others scriptures about the Rock. Please clarify your point from scripture for all those who hold to your position. This we will all receive respectfully.

Answer 1

Mat 16:18 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.

Mat 16:19 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."
(ESV Translation)

We all know that more controversy has swirled around this verse than almost any other verse in the Gospel. The question is, “Who or what is the rock?” Part of the problem arises from the fact that the Greek words for Peter and for rock are similar, but the meanings are different. The first, petros, means a stone or loose rock; the second, petra, means rock, such as a rocky ledge. So what Jesus really said was “ ... you are Peter (stone), and on this rock I will build My church.” He did not say He would build His church on a stone but on a rock.

If Peter is not the rock, then what is? If we stick to the context, the obvious answer is that the rock is Peter's confession that Christ is the Son of the living God, the truth on which the church is founded. Eph_2:20 teaches that the church is built on Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone. Its statement that we are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets refers not to them, but to the foundation laid in their teachings concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ is spoken of as a Rock in 1Co_10:4.

Remember, He was talking to Jews. If we trace the figurative use of the word rock through Hebrew Scriptures, we find that it is never used symbolically of man, but always of God. So here at Caesarea Philippi, it is not upon Peter that the Church is built. Jesus did not trifle with figures of speech. He took up their old Hebrew illustration—rock, always the symbol of Deity—and said, “Upon God Himself —Christ, the Son of the living God—I will build my church.

Peter never spoke of himself as the foundation of the church. Twice he referred to Christ as a Stone (Act_4:11-12; 1Pe_2:4-8), but then the figure is different; the stone is the head of the corner, not the foundation.

“I will build My church.” Here we have the first mention of the church in the Bible. It did not exist in the OT. The church, still future when Jesus spoke these words, was formed on the Day of Pentecost and is composed of all true believers in Christ, both Jew and Gentile. A distinct society known as the body and bride of Christ, it has a unique heavenly calling and destiny.

We would scarcely expect the church to be introduced in Matthew's Gospel where Israel and the kingdom are the prominent themes. However, consequent to Israel's rejection of Christ, a parenthetical period—the church age—follows and will continue to the Rapture. Meanwhile, God will resume His dealings with Israel nationally. So it is fitting that God should introduce the church here as the next step in His dispensational program after Israel's rejection.

“The gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” may be understood in two ways. First the gates of Hades are pictured in an unsuccessful offensive against the church—the church will survive all attacks upon it. Or the church itself may be pictured as taking the offensive and coming off the victor. In either case, the powers of death will be defeated by the translation of living believers and by the resurrection of the dead in Christ.

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven” does not mean that Peter was given authority to admit men to heaven. This has to do with the kingdom of heaven on earth—the sphere containing all who profess allegiance to the King, all who claim to be Christians. Keys speak of access or entrance. The keys which open the door to the sphere of profession are suggested in the Great Commission (Mat_28:19)—discipling, baptizing, and teaching. (Baptism is not necessary for salvation but is the initiatory rite by which men publicly profess allegiance to the King.) Peter first used the keys on the Day of Pentecost. They were not given to him exclusively, but as a representative of all the disciples. (See Mat_18:18 where the same promise is given to them all.)

“Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” This and a companion passage in Joh_20:23 are sometimes used to teach that Peter and his supposed successors were given the authority to forgive sins. We know that this cannot be so; only God can forgive sins.

There are two ways of understanding the verse. First, it may mean that the apostles had power to bind and to loose that we do not have today. For example, Peter bound their sins on Ananias and Sapphira so that they were punished with instant death (Act_5:1-10), while Paul loosed the disciplined man in Corinth from the consequences of his sin because the man had repented (2Co_2:10).

Or the verse may mean that whatever the apostles bound or loosed on earth must have already been bound or loosed in heaven. Heaven, not the apostles, initiates all binding and loosing, while the apostles announce these things.

The only way in which the verse is true today is in a declarative sense. When a sinner truly repents of his sins and receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, a Christian can declare that person's sins to be forgiven. When a sinner rejects the Savior, a Christian worker can declare his sins to be retained. Whenever the Church acts in the name of the Lord and really does His will, the stamp of God is upon their deeds.

Answer 2

Prior to the 15th century, everybody in the whole world understood that St. Peter was the first leader of the whole church, and that the keys were given only to his office, to be used in union with all the other bishops of the church, whenever possible.

Just to make sure everyone CLEARLY understood this, Constantine actually BUILT the new headquarters of the Church right ON TOP of Peter's grave, in Rome.

So the Church was LITERALLY built ON Peter, the Rock, both spiritually AND temporally!

How's THAT for a clear statement, and absolute confirmation of Christ's prophetic words?

All the nonsense from the other responders is merely diabolical disorientation and delusion.

See what happens when a bunch of heretics are allowed to run free for 500 years?

Answer 3

If Jesus had clearly given Peter supreme authority over all the apostles, then the other apostles would have known it, however, at the "Last Supper" a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest (Luke 22:24). They clearly did not interpret Jesus' words to mean that Peter was the "greatest" among them or else they would not have argued about it. Another good point we find in this passage is Jesus' response. He did not resolve their dispute by reminding them that Peter was the supreme apostle, rather, He encouraged them all to be servants. The Catholic Church never-the-less construe Peter's keys to mean that he alone was the head of the Church.

However, another problem with their argument is this: Jesus gave not only Peter the power to bind and loose, He gave this power to all His disciples. Look carefully two chapters later. Jesus said the same thing, “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matt 18:18). Who was Jesus speaking to when He made this statement? Matthew 18:1 reveals He was speaking to all His disciples: At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” From this question Jesus gave a lengthy explanation of the role of leaders and there He repeated what He said to Peter earlier that they can bind and loose, thus this proves that all the disciples had the same power that was given to Peter.

In response to this the Catholic Church argues that the bishops and cardinals represent the other disciples who have the power of binding and loosing, so their argument is that bishops and cardinals have “similar” powers of the Pope, for they point to the fact that the Pope is elected by the cardinals and so they give the Pope its powers through election, and so in that sense they have powers to bind and loose. However, I would argue Jesus did not give the disciples “similar” powers, but He gave the disciples “equal” powers. Neither of the apostles was to use their authority over the rest of the apostles. In Catholic practice the Pope uses his authority over all the cardinals and bishops.

Answer 4

Matt.16:19 Jesus tells Peter that he will give him the keys of the kingdom and whatever Peter would bind (forbid) on earth it will be bound (already forbidden) in heaven and whatever would be loosed on earth would be loosed in heaven.
Jesus made another reference to the subject of keys when he said of the religious leaders versed in the law. That they took away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not go in and those going in you hindered.

A comparison to Matthew 23: 13 indicates that the going in referred to is with regard to entrance into the kingdom of the heavens thus we have here a symbolic use of the word key in a relationship paralleling that found in Jesus' statement to Peter earlier.

The promise to Peter did not mean Peter's dictating to heaven what should or should not be loosed, but, rather, Peters being used as heavens instrument in the unlocking or loosing of certain determined things.

Peter was used to introduce persons into privileges as Kingdom heirs that God was impartial as regards Jew or Greek and wanted doers of righteousness thus Peter presented the knowledge that the door of opportunity was unlocked so that the Gentiles could become members of the Christian congregation.

Loose on earth refers to forbidding things...as they were already forbidden in heaven.

Answer 5

Okay, your question is really hard to understand.
If your question is actually:
1) If the keys were not given to peter, then to whom would it gave been given to...
Then the most likely answer is to any of the apostles next to peter, this is indefinit because jesus accg to scripture have no other favorites except judas who hanged himself after betraying jesus.
2) To whom would have jesus been speaking to if the keys were not given to Peter...
Then the answer would be the same with the first...

If none of what is stated is connected with what you were actually asking, please clarify.

And please don't ask for any question based on scriptures because thos things are very inaccurate since they were written more than 30 years after Jesus died. So it is not a good reference for point blank questions like yours.

Answer 6

This is one of the most straightforward passages in Scripture. It take real effort to misinterpret it. Of course some make that effort because they have a vested interest in avoiding the plain meaning of the text. Jesus addresses the Apostle Simon by name; then tells Simon that he is Rock (Peter); then tells him that he has the power of binding and loosing; and then gives him the keys to the kingdom, the traditional symbol of supreme authority. What could be clearer?
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Answer 7

Good question maybe the Holy Spirit and i can bring some light to the your question. All christian are born into the kingdom of God. Thus they all need the keys to operate in the kingdom of God. So you might ask what are the Keys and how should he look at the kingdom of God and its operation. Jesus said i am the door of life. So we have the door and the keys spoke of and life. The Door to our kingdom is Christ. What keys did he give each believer. faith, hope and love are the only Keys to the Kingdoms. For a believer to operate in the kingdom he must first operate in LOVE, not love as men have but as Christ has. Faith must then be applied which will bring into substance the things which are hoped for. Thus we read faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Jesus is the word of God. Jesus when he comes to live with in a new born christian is the fullness of Love he has ask us to open the door of love in our hearts and to live in love and apply faith that our hope and his hope can be manifested thus he is the God with in each of us that brings the conclusion of all things hoped for into being by our proper application faith mixed with the word. Thus he is the hope of Glory.

Answer 8

All that nonsense has been found to have been put to parchment around half a century after the alleged occurrences. I can hardly remember what I have for lunch yesterday, how much more what happened 50 to 60 years ago. Think about that....that's my point.

Answer 9

To you. If you are the first one , because other disciples might be afraid to preach the Gospel, you are bolder like a lion and you allow somebody to stretch your hands and be attired and go preach kingdom to hostile people, you have the key and go preach. Last part of epistle of John.

Answer 10

Matthew 16:19. Read it yourself to find out you are "wrong." Simon Peter "is" the Apostle Peter.....