When Jesus spoke to Peter in Matthew 16:19 and said, “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven,” this passage has often been misunderstood. Many see this as giving Peter or a specific church an exclusive, authoritative control over the kingdom of God. However, a deeper examination of Scripture reveals that the true keys to the kingdom are not a form of hierarchical power but the very message of the Gospel itself.
Let’s dive into the Word together and see how the Gospel is the key that opens the door, leading us into the kingdom of God, and how Jesus, as the Door, welcomes us in.
The True Foundation: Jesus, Not Peter
In the context of Matthew 16:13-19, Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter responds, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus then declares, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church.” Here, Jesus is not establishing Peter as the foundation of the church; the true rock is the revelation of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This revelation, this message, is the bedrock of our faith.
Paul confirms this in 1 Corinthians 3:11, saying, “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” The foundation is Christ, and the key to entering His kingdom is the Gospel—the message that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God who came to save us from our sins.
Jesus is the Door, and the Gospel is the Key
In John 10:9, Jesus says, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” Jesus declares Himself to be the only entry point to salvation and the kingdom of God. The door to the kingdom is Jesus, and the key that unlocks that door is the Gospel.
The Apostle Paul reaffirms this in Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” The power to unlock the door to the kingdom lies not in a specific church or leader but in the preaching of the Gospel. When we share the Gospel, we are using the key Jesus gave us to open the way for others to enter into the kingdom.
The Pharisees Shut the Door: A Warning Against Misusing the Keys
In Matthew 23:13, Jesus delivers a strong rebuke to the religious leaders of His time: “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”
The Pharisees had knowledge of the Scriptures and were in a position of religious authority, yet they used their influence to hinder people from entering the kingdom of God. Instead of using the truth of God’s Word to open the door, they burdened the people with legalism and man-made traditions, effectively locking the door.
This stands in stark contrast to the true purpose of the keys of the kingdom. Jesus gave the keys to the Church not to control access but to proclaim the Gospel and open the way for all to come to Him. The Gospel, when preached rightly, sets people free and leads them to the Door— who is Jesus.
The Authority to Bind and Loose: The Power of the Gospel
Many interpret Matthew 16:19 as giving Peter the authority to dictate who can enter the kingdom. However, in the context of the early church and the broader New Testament teaching, “binding and loosing” refers to the authority to declare what is lawful or unlawful based on the revealed Word of God, not arbitrary decisions of leaders.
When the apostles preached, they were not exercising human authority but proclaiming divine truth. In Acts 2:37-38, after Peter preached the Gospel, the crowd was “cut to the heart” and asked, “What shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” Here, Peter was using the key of the Gospel to open the door of salvation, binding sin through repentance and loosing freedom through forgiveness in Christ.
This binding and loosing is about declaring the terms of entry into the kingdom based on the Gospel. When we preach the Gospel today, we are doing the same—binding the sinner in conviction of sin and loosing the believer in the grace of God through Christ.
The Keys Are for All Believers
Jesus did not give exclusive authority to one man or one denomination; He gave the keys of the kingdom to the whole body of Christ. In Matthew 18:18-20, Jesus repeats the concept of binding and loosing, but this time it is in the context of the entire church, not just Peter. He says, “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then He adds, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
The authority given here is the churches collective authority to govern itself. This has to do with church discipline, which has the authority has a whole to remove people from fellowshipping with them if two or three witnesses are in agreement.
Unlocking the Kingdom: Preach the Gospel
The Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 is the clearest example of how Jesus intended us to use the keys of the kingdom. He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” This command is not limited to a select group of leaders; it is the mission of every believer.
Every time we preach the Gospel, we use the keys of the kingdom. We open the door of salvation for the lost. As Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” The Gospel is the key that opens this way to all who believe.
My Final Thoughts
The true meaning of the “keys of the kingdom” is found in the message of the Gospel. Jesus is the Door, and the Gospel is the key that unlocks the door for all who choose to enter. It is not about ecclesiastical power or authority; it is about the power of the Gospel to transform lives and bring people into the kingdom of God.
In Revelation 3:8, Jesus says to the church in Philadelphia, “I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it.” The door to the kingdom is open wide to all who respond to the Gospel message. It is our privilege as believers to hold the key, the Gospel, and to share it boldly, unlocking the door for all who are willing to enter.
