I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you
bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is
already loosed in heaven." Matt
16:19
Parking cones? Keys? Authority?
Is it getting clear yet. Probably not?
Why? We take parking cones
seriously. We don’t take the “keys” in
Matthew 16:19 seriously. Not even in the
church! Except when keys relate to keys
to doors and cabinets. We drive around
parking cones. We don’t park in an area
if there is a parking cone there. (Maybe
they should be called “No parking, parking cones” unless you park on top of
those crazy cones.) Enough about the
cones. Let’s get back to the theology
surrounding the concept.
I have been talking about God’s
“Big Plan” and the church is an integral part of the plan. Matthew 16:19 is seen as the cornerstone of
the establishment of the church. The
“keys” are seen as a symbol that represents the “authority” given to the
church. For what are these "keys'
to be used?: “whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you
loose on earth is already loosed in heaven" . Let’s
look else where in the New Testament where “binding” is referenced. One is in Matthew 12:24-29, (The same
interaction is recorded in Mark 3:22-27)
“But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast
out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto
them, Every kingdom divided against
itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself
shall not stand: And if Satan cast out
Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by
whom do your children cast them out? therefore* they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God,
then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his
goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.”
It is clear that in this
interaction, Jesus is talking about Satan and the “strong man” represents
Satan. Jesus is talking to the
Pharisee’s who were saying that He was casting out demons by the power of
Satan. Jesus said no, it was by the
Power of God. It is clear that Jesus has the power to cast out demons.
Luke, the physician, records
another interaction that Jesus had with the religious leaders of His day.
And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity
eighteen** years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up
herself. And when Jesus saw her, he
called her to him, and said unto her,
women thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately
she was made straight, and glorified God.
And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that
Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six
days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not
on the sabbath day. The Lord then
answered him, and said ,Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath
loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of
Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen** years, be loosed from this
bond on the sabbath day? Luke 13:11-16
Jesus refers to her physical
condition, that we today would call scoliosis of the spine or “hunchback”, as a
“spirit of infirmity” and that she was “bound” by Satan. Her miraculous healing was described by Jesus
as being “loosed”. When Jesus sent out
the Twelve disciples and the “Seventy” (Luke 9 and 10), He gave them the task
to proclaim the Power of God and gave them the power and authority over all
demons and to heal the sick. Mark includes similar a statement (lay hands on
the sick) in his recording of the great commission.
I want to note one final
reference to binding. John records in
Revelation 20:2 that God will bind Satan for a thousand years after the second
coming of Jesus. This second coming
follows the “catching up of the church” in I Thess. 4:17 and seven years of tribulation.
And he laid hold on
the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a
thousand years,
Jesus sent His disciples out to
make disciples of all nations. We have been handed the
“keys”. We have been given authority to
bind Satan in this world. We have been
given His armor (Ephesians 6) for this task.
Satan must be delighting in the fact that the majority of the church
does not recognize the power and authority given to the body of Christ. If we believed it, we would be using it. The majority of the church do not act like
Satan is the problem. Jesus’s actions
demonstrated that there was a spiritual war going on. Yes, Jesus defeated Satan; but we, His
church, are charged with keeping Satan in check; therefore, we have been given
the armor of God. Once the church is
removed from the world, (“caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the
Lord in the air” any more”) Satan will be revealed.
It is time that the church
recognized what it’s responsibility is and the authority it has been given, the
Power of the Holy Spirit.
“you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you
will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of
the earth." Acts 1:8
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his
might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the
wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against* flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the
whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and
having done all, to stand. Eph. 6:10-13
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