THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND
Matthew 16:13-19: “When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 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.””
What do keys symbolize in the Bible? They are used in Scripture as a symbol of authority and power. Giving keys to a person signifies the entrusting of that person with an important charge.
In this context, Yeshua is speaking to Peter, one of his twelve Disciples who became the Apostle to the Jewish people, and says to him: “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.”
The phrase “keys of the kingdom” symbolizes: ‘Authority’.
Jesus is granting Peter (and, by extension, the church) the authority to make decisions and take actions that will have spiritual and eternal consequences.
