3. Peter's Confession and the Keys to the Kingdom (Matthew 16:13-27)


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James J. Tissot, detail of 'The Primacy of St. Peter' (1894-1902)
James J. Tissot, detail of 'The Primacy of St. Peter' (1894-1902), gouache on grey wove, Brooklyn Museum, NY. Full image.

Now we move forward in the Gospels to the next important story in which Peter is a central figure -- Peter's Confession at Caesarea Philippi. We'll spend most of today's lesson examining it.

Withdrawing to Caesarea Philippi

The Twelve have just completed their two-by-two training mission to the surrounding villages. Jesus has learned of the beheading of John the Baptist and wants to withdraw from ministry for a time alone with just his disciples (Luke 9:10-11), to debrief them after their ministry experiences and perhaps to mourn the death of his cousin John.

So shortly after the Feeding of the Five Thousand, Luke tells us that Jesus travels with his disciples into the villages around Caesarea Philippi.

Location of Caesarea Philippi in the Tetrarchy of Herod Philip
Location of Caesarea Philippi in the Tetrarchy of Herod Philip. Larger map.

Caesarea Philippi was built by Herod the Great near a famous cave-shrine at a spring, a main source of the Jordan River, dedicated to Pan, the Greek god of the wild, shepherds, and flocks.65

Herod the Great's son Philip the Tetrarch is given the territory as a tetrarchy following Herod's death in 4 BC. Philip rebuilds the city and makes it his capital.66 While Herod Antipas threatens Jesus' ministry in his territories, Philip the Tetrarch is well-known for his tolerance, providing Jesus and his disciples greater security at this tense time. This is largely a pagan area, so Jesus has more time to spend teaching his disciples.

3.1 Peter's Confession in All the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 16:13-15, 20-27)

All three Synoptic Gospels67 share six elements in common surrounding the confession:

  1. Question: Who do people say Jesus is?
  2. Confession: Peter's confession of Jesus as the Messiah.
  3. Secrecy: Jesus' command to keep this secret.
  4. Prediction: Jesus says he must suffer, be killed and rise from the dead.
  5. Objection: Peter refuses to accept the suffering of the Son of Man (not in Luke).
  6. Requirements: Deny self, take up your cross, and follow me.

We'll examine these six elements first, and then look at Jesus' special words to Peter recorded only in Matthew, not the other Synoptics. This approach will make it easier to understand what is going on overall.

1. Question: Who do people say Jesus is? (Matthew 16:13-14)

"13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say the Son of Man is?' 14 They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'" (Matthew 16:13--14)

The disciples have mingled with the crowds that surround Jesus. So he asks them what the general opinions are concerning who he is. They respond with various popular theories.

  1. John the Baptist. Some are speculating that John has been raised from the dead, explaining the miracles (Mark 6:14, 16).
  2. Elijah is widely expected to return at the end of the age to usher in the era of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5-6; Mark 9:12-13; Matthew 17:11-13).
  3. Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Herod had heard reports that "one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life" (Luke 9:8).

Jesus allows the disciples to voice all the speculations before continuing.

2. Confession: Peter's Confession of Jesus as the Messiah (Matthew 16:15-16)

Now Jesus gets personal.

"15 'But what about you?' (plural) he asked. 'Who do you (plural) say I am?' 16 Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'" (Matthew 16:15--16)

Peter seems to answer here as spokesman for the group voicing what they are coming to believe. The Synoptics vary a bit, but they are essentially the same:

"You are the Christ." (Mark 8:29)

"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16)

"The Christ of God." (Luke 9:19)

The Greek word christos (transliterated "Christ") and the Hebrew word māshîaḥ (transliterated "Messiah") mean exactly the same thing, that is, one who has had oil rubbed or poured on him to induct him into a role or ministry, such as king, priest, or prophet.

In the classic accounts of kings, the prophet would pour oil over the chosen man's head. When Samuel is directed to anoint David, son of Jesse, to be king, he "took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power" (1 Samuel 16:13).

David becomes the prototypical anointed king. Later the prophet Nathan speaks to him by the word of the Lord, "Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever" (2 Samuel 7:15-16). David dies, and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah eventually go into exile; Judah later returns. But the Jews still look to the promises God had made that a descendent of Jesse of the tribe of Judah should reign again upon the throne of David (Micah 5:2; Isaiah 11:1, 10; Daniel 9:25-26).

I could cite many references, but suffice it to say that as Jesus comes on the scene, messianic expectation is white-hot. Some claiming to be the messiah have already appeared; others will follow.

So when Peter answers Jesus' question with a title that includes "Christ" or "Messiah," he is declaring that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah who will act for God, restore the Kingdom to be independent as it was in David's day, and bring about the salvation long promised to Israel.

The title "Son of God" (included by Matthew) seems to be used by the Jews as another way to refer to the Messiah.68 By saying this, the Jews aren't affirming Jesus' divinity; rather they are proclaiming that he is the descendant of David to whom it is promised in the Davidic Covenant, "I will be his father, and he will be my son" (2 Samuel 7:14).

As the Christian community begins to better understand Jesus' divinity, believers begin to use the phrase "Son of God" to refer to Jesus being divine, the Son of God on a whole other level (Luke 1:35)

Peter answers: You are God's Messiah! The Deliver! The Son of God!

What about you? my dear reader. Who do you believe Jesus is? There is the question, waiting for us to answer.

(This lesson has more Discussion Questions than usual due to the many important lessons for us to understand. If you don't have time to answer them all, that's okay.)

Q10. (Matthew 16:15-16) Why does Jesus ask his disciples who they think he is? What does Peter's confession tell us about his faith at this point? If Jesus were to ask you who you think he is, what would you say? Do you follow Jesus in a way appropriate to who you say he is?

3. Secrecy: Jesus commands them to keep this Messianic secret (Matthew 16:20)

The third element of these parallel passages is Jesus' command to keep secret what Peter has declared.

"Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ." (Matthew 16:20)

Jesus doesn't deny that he is the Messiah, but commands the disciples not to speak of it publicly.69

To reveal himself prematurely as Messiah publicly would raise political expectations that would frame him as leader of a rebellion that challenges the Roman occupation of Israel. He would rapidly attract a following with political and revolutionary goals, not spiritual, and his ministry of teaching the gospel would be cut short by prison and death.

During his earthly ministry, Jesus refers to himself as "the Son of Man," using a phrase from Daniel's prophecy of one who appears before the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:13-14). It is a powerful title, but in Jesus' day, it didn't immediately raise Messianic associations, since the term "son of man" is a common Hebraic way of designating a human being.

Q11. (Matthew 16:20; optional) What would have happened if Jesus had publicly acknowledged he was the Messiah? What group(s) would likely try to subvert Jesus' cause for their own political ends? Would Jesus be in charge of his own movement any longer? What happens when the church embraces politics and politicians. What happens to the clarity of the Gospel message?

4. Prediction: Jesus says he must suffer, be killed, and rise from the dead (Mt. 16:21)

Jesus states his suffering and death to his disciples on each of three separate occasions.70 Here at Caesarea Philippi is the first time the disciples hear it. Herod Antipas has drawn the first blood in killing John the Baptist. Things are getting dangerous for Jesus -- and for those who will follow him.

"From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." (Matthew 16:21)

There are several elements to this prediction:

  • Son of Man (omitted in Matthew).
  • Go to Jerusalem (omitted in Mark and Luke).
  • Suffer from and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and scribes (all).
  • Be killed (all).
  • On the third day be raised (all).

Mark adds: "He spoke plainly about this" (Mark 8:32a). This is no dark hint of future problems; Jesus is crystal clear about what will happen to him.

The elders refer to the members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling body in Jerusalem. The chief priests are the members of the high priestly family who seem to trade the high priest role back and forth. Annas is the patriarch; Caiaphas is the current high priest. The scribes are the Scripture experts in Jerusalem, many of whom have their own disciples training to be rabbis.

Jesus is talking about literal death, specifically crucifixion as indicated by Matthew 16:28. But notice that after each of the three times Jesus predicts his death, he also predicts his resurrection on the third day. His disciples can't seem to process all this until after his resurrection.

Q12. (Matthew 16:21) Why does Jesus tell his disciples three times that he will suffer, be killed by the Jewish leaders, and be raised on the third day? What does he need his disciples to understand? What values is he trying to instill in these disciples?

5. Objection: Peter refuses to accept Jesus' prediction of suffering (Matthew 16:22-23)

Both Matthew and Mark include Peter's reaction. Jesus makes the prediction before all the disciples, who are shocked. But Peter tries to contend with Jesus privately; he "took him aside."71

"Peter took him aside and began to rebuke72 him. 'Never, Lord!' he said. 'This shall never happen to you!'" (Matthew 16:22)

Apparently, this is not very private. The other disciples are watching the lead disciple starting to rebuke the rabbi. Peter's rebuke is couched in nice terms, literally, "God be kind73 to you, Master, this shall never happen to you." But it is a rebuke nevertheless -- saying that your rabbi, your master is wrong about something. Mark tells us,

"When Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter." (Mark 8:33)

"Rebuke" (epitimaō), means "to express strong disapproval of someone, rebuke, reprove, censure.74 Unless Jesus immediately confronts this kind of resistance and attitude, his entire disciple-training program is endangered. And so, apparently publicly, Jesus turns to Peter:

"Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." (Matthew 16:23)

Danker suggests rendering "Get behind me!" as something like, "Get out of my sight!"75 It is a strong rebuke. Especially immediately following Jesus' honoring Peter as being blessed, being the rock and giving him the keys to the kingdom, etc., as we'll see in a moment. One minute Peter is flying high, the next he receives a scathing rebuke.

Jesus calls him "Satan." The word in Greek literally means "adversary," but in the New Testament it is always the title of the enemy of God.76 Jesus' rebuke of Peter echoes Jesus' rebuke of Satan when he tempted Jesus with all the kingdoms of the world: "Away from me, Satan!" (Matthew 4:10a). Jesus isn't equating Peter with Satan. But he is saying that Peter is in direct opposition to Jesus' messianic mission in the same way as is the devil.

Notice Jesus reasoning: "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men" (Matthew 16:23b). You are looking at this from a purely human perspective, but God sees many things you do not see. In your ignorance, you are standing up against God saying you know better than he does!

I'm afraid that it isn't just Peter who is stubbornly resistant. Faith is essentially trusting that God knows what He is doing. That His plan is better than our plan. That His way is better than our way. So often, Jesus chides his disciples: "O you of little faith." Little trust. So bound to what we know that we can't venture out beyond to a new realm with God.

We can criticize Peter for rebuking Jesus. But, often, we too deserve Jesus' rebuke. We don't want to be God's adversary.

Q13. (Matthew 16:22-23) Why does Peter rebuke Jesus? In what way is Peter acting as Satan here? In what ways do we rebuke God by telling him what to do and not do in our prayers? How can it be that Peter can be exalted by Jesus one moment and rebuked the next moment? What is Jesus' disciple-training process here by strongly rebuking Peter?

6. Requirement: Deny self, take up cross, and follow (Matthew 16:24-25)

The final common element in the Synoptic Gospels is Jesus statement of requirements for following him. With Herod Antipas's murder of John the Baptist, there is new danger. Jesus has predicted that he himself will be killed. No longer should disciples see following Jesus as a spiritual guru with whom they can spend some time. Now only the serious should follow. It is no longer safe.

"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." (Matthew 16:24--25)

Denying ourselves, living ready to die, and following Jesus -- that is to be our practice until he comes.

Taking Up Your Cross

The key to understanding this passage is to discern the meaning of "take up his cross." Unfortunately, our understanding of this phrase is clouded by the way the phrase is often used in the English language. Indeed, one of the dictionary definitions of the English noun "cross" is "an affliction that tries one's virtue, steadfastness, or patience."77

We have to unlearn this definition if we want to understand Jesus' statement here. He is talking about literal death, about gruesome punishment for following him. Cross in this saying is a metaphor for death, not for a burden!

Crucifixion in the Ancient World

The cross in Jesus' day is an instrument of torture and execution. Death on the cross is shameful, excruciating, and often protracted. Execution on the cross often included flogging beforehand, the victim carrying the beam to the place of execution, being nailed to it with outstretched arms, raised up, and seated on a small wooden peg. Death would come slowly by suffocation, when the victim is no longer able to bear the pain to pull up and lift his chest to take in a breath.

But Seneca indicates there were many variations:

"I see crosses there, not just of one kind but made in many different ways: some have their victims with their head down to the ground; some impale their private parts; others stretch out their arms on the gibbet."78

Josephus, an eyewitness of Roman cruelty to the defenders at the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, gives a similar gruesome picture:79 I share all this so we can understand what the cross represented in Jesus' day.

Three-fold Obedience

Now let's look at the three elements of this saying.

"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24)

1. Denying self. The Greek word is arneomai, originally, "refuse, disdain," here, "deny, disregard oneself, that is, act in a wholly selfless way."80 Christianity is not an add-on to a self-directed way of life. Discipleship means deliberately choosing to follow another person's way rather than making our own way.

2. Taking up81 one's cross. Jesus seems to be saying that just as a condemned man is forced to carry the crossbeam of his own cross, we are to "take up our cross." Jesus is saying, let the disciples take up the position of a man already condemned to death, carrying the patibulum or cross-piece of his cross to the place of execution.

Luke makes explicit that which Mark and Matthew imply, adding the word "daily." The disciples must begin their day with the deliberate willingness to die, if need be.82

3. Following Jesus. The Greek word is akoloutheō, "accompany, go along with," with transition to the figurative meaning, "follow" someone as a disciple,83 a word we saw at Peter's call in Lesson 1.3 and Lesson 1.5. This is the common and characteristic word used for the way a disciple is to follow Jesus, and is the central concept of our JesusWalk' understanding of discipleship -- walking along with him wherever he leads.

The Apostle Paul understood well what this meant and lived it out day by day until the day he was beheaded by the Roman emperor about 64 AD:

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

It is said of missionaries of the nineteenth century, embarking on missions overseas, that they often packed their belongings in a coffin instead of a trunk so they would have something to be buried in. Many never expected to return.

Forfeiting One's Life (Matthew 16:25-27)

The passage continues for a few more verses in Matthew 16:25-27 giving the reasons why following Christ is so vital.

"25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done." (Matthew 16:25--27)

Jesus is forming disciples who are tough, committed, ready to encounter persecution if necessary, eyes on the mission to declare Christ boldly, lovingly, and joyfully.

Q14. (Matthew 16:13-16, 20-23; Luke 9:23) Why does understanding "cross" as "burden" distort Jesus' meaning in this passage? How does the commitment to die if necessary to serve Christ change a disciple? What is the mindset of a disciple who is prepared to die vs. one who makes no such commitment? What values is Paul trying to instill in Timothy when he says, "All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12)?

3.2. Jesus' Special Words to Peter (Matthew 16:16-19)

Pietro Vannucci Perugino, detail of 'The Delivery of the Keys' (1481-82)
Pietro Vannucci Perugino, detail of 'The Delivery of the Keys' (1481-82), fresco, Sistine Chapel, Vatican.

We've studied the elements of Peter's confession that are common across the three Synoptic Gospels. Now it is the time to tackle three astounding verses found only in Matthew's Gospel that focus directly upon Peter. They are spoken by our Lord immediately following Peter's confession.

"16 Simon Peter replied, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' 17 And Jesus answered 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 tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 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.'" (Matthew 16:16-19)

Verses 17 to 19 contain four distinct elements.

  1. Jesus blesses Peter (verse 17).
  2. Jesus calls Peter the rock upon which the Church is built (verse 18).
  3. Jesus grants Peter the keys of the Kingdom (verse 19a).
  4. Jesus grants Peter the power to bind and loose (verse 19b).

These verses are controversial and difficult to understand precisely, but let's dig in.

Before we begin, however, realize that our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters point to Matthew 16:17-19 as support for the Roman papacy. To avoid confusion, therefore, we must differentiate between:

  1. The Primacy of Peter, and
  2. The Primacy of the Pope, the Roman bishop.

They are different. See Appendix 5. Primacy of Peter and Papal Primacy.

My plan is to first lay out the basics for interpreting these controversial verses, then give you my own conclusions.

1. Jesus blesses Simon Bar-Jonah (Matthew 16:17)

In the first of four elements found in these verses, Jesus blesses Simon.

"Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 16:17)

Jesus makes two points:

  1. Peter is "blessed" for the reason that
  2. God has "revealed" Jesus' true nature to him.

"Blessed" here refers to being a "privileged recipient of divine favor."84 Peter is a recipient of grace, not something he has earned. Peter is to be congratulated, not for what he has accomplished in figuring this out, but for insight that God has revealed to him.85 As we'll see, Peter is speaking out loud this emerging understanding of all the apostles.

2. Jesus calls Peter the rock upon which the Church is built (Matthew 16:18)

The next statement is much more difficult to interpret confidently.

"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." (Matthew 16:18)

We need to determine the nature of the rock, what the church is, and determine what "the gates of hell" signify.

Peter the Rock

As you'll recall from Lesson 1.1, Jesus identified Peter with a rock when they first met in Judea following John's baptism.

"'You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas' (which, when translated, is Peter)." (John 1:42)

In our passage, Jesus explains the basis for this nickname. Jesus is comparing the Church to a structure or temple that Jesus is building86 on a firm foundation, a solid rock, so strong that "the gates of hell" won't be able to destroy it.

The Orthodox and some Protestants have taught that Peter is the rock in the sense that his faith is like a rock. That the "rock" is Peter's confession and this confession of the incarnate God is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Thus, the church is built on Peter-like faith rather than on Peter himself. I'm not convinced, as you'll see in a moment.

Christ's Church (ekklēsia)

What does Jesus mean by "my church"? "Church" is the Greek noun ekklēsia, which has a long history in the Greek-Roman world. It is a compound word from ek-, "out" + kaleō, "to call." Preachers like to refer to the church as the "called out ones," but ekklēsia really is not used with that meaning in the New Testament.

Rather, the word developed as designating "a regularly summoned legislative body, assembly," such as in Acts 19:39. Then the word could describe a casual gathering, "an assemblage, gathering." Here, ekklēsia has a more specific meaning: "people with shared belief, community, congregation."87

Here and in Matthew 18:17 are the only times the word ekklēsia is used in the Gospels, though "flock" (Matthew 26:31; John 10:16) has the same idea.88 Ekklēsia is common elsewhere in the New Testament, where it can be used both in the larger sense (the whole of God's people) and in a local sense (a local congregation).

Jesus' church begins with the twelve apostles he is training -- especially Peter as leader -- upon whom he will build his church.

Gates of Hell

The phrase "gates of hell" may seem simple to interpret, but it is not. "Hell" (ESV, KJV) is a transliteration of the Greek word hadēs (NIV, NRSV). In the Old Testament, hadēs was thought of as the place of the dead, the underworld, not so much a place of punishment.

A city gate89is the strengthened entry to a walled city to prevent entry by enemy forces. Strong gates can keep people in the city also, as when the underworld's dead are seen as locked in a fortress or prison with strong gates. Gates can also represent the seat of power of a city, where the elders meet in the gates of the city.

Thus, the phrase, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it," isn't clear. There are two possibilities.

a. Gates of Hell = Power of Death. Often in the Old Testament and the Apocrypha we see the gates referring to an entry to the place of the dead, the underworld.90

Thus, "gates of hell" could refer to "the power of death," as the Revised Standard Version and New English Bible translate it.91

b. Gates of Hell = the Ungodly Forces of the Underworld. There's another possibility, however. In the phrase "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18b), the verb "prevail" (NRSV, ESV, KJV), "overcome" (NIV) means "to have the capability to defeat, win a victory over."92This is a bit strange, since gates passively defend a city against its enemies, but here the gates of hell are actively attacking, seeking to prevail. Jeremias understands this to be an eschatological context, where the "gates of hell" are aggressors. "The reference is to the final attack of the powers of the underworld along the lines of the descriptions in Revelation."93 I lean toward this interpretation.

Whichever interpretation we adopt, we need to reject the whole popular mythology of Satan being the king of hell seeking to pull people down into hell with him. That goes way beyond what the Bible teaches. Satan is behind persecution and attack, but is under God's limits. He does not control death -- God does. Satan is an enemy of God, but doesn't have power over life and death.94

3. Jesus grants Peter the keys of the Kingdom (Matthew 16:19a)

Next, Jesus tells Peter,

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven... ." (Matthew 16:19a)

Keys and locks go back at least to 4,000 BC.95 Three additional Bible verses talk about locks and keys. The first refers to a royal official who is in charge of the palace, controlling access to the king.96

"I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David;
what he opens no one can shut,
and what he shuts no one can open." (Isaiah 22:22)

Giuseppe de Fabris, detail of right hand, 'St. Peter' (1838), marble
Giuseppe de Fabris, detail of right hand, 'St. Peter' (1838), marble, statue height 17.5 ft., pedestal, 16.2 ft. in St. Peter's Square, outside the Basilica, Vatican.

Revelation draws on this imagery, with Christ holding the key.97

"These are the words of him who is holy and true,
who holds the key of David.
What he opens no one can shut,
and what he shuts no one can open." (Revelation 3:7)

In Jesus' woes against the scribes and Pharisees we read:

"Woe to you lawyers!98 For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering." (Luke 11:52)

In this passage we see the idea of the key being necessary to enter the Kingdom. I conclude that Peter's keys of the kingdom refer to access and entry into the kingdom.

4. Jesus grants the power to bind and loose (Matthew 16:19b)

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,
and whatever you bind (singular) on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose (singular) on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
(Matthew 16:19)

Jesus sometimes speaks with Hebrew parallelism. In verse 19, keys of the kingdom seem to be parallel with the power to bind and loose.

Two other New Testament passages use this kind of terminology.99 In Matthew 18:15-18, Jesus is explaining steps in church discipline. Just as local synagogues could judge on local matters, Jesus sees the gathered congregation judging matters within their local body.

"If he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18 "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind (plural) on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose (plural) on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 18:17--18)

Notice that the verbs "bind" and "loose" are plural in this passage. Here, the power is shared by the church, not confined to Peter.

A related passage comes when Jesus appears to the apostles in the upper room on the very evening of Resurrection Day.

"22 He breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive (plural) anyone his sins, they are forgiven;100 if you do not forgive (plural) them, they are not forgiven.101'" (John 20:22--23)

In this passage, the power to forgive or withhold forgiveness is given to all the apostles.

How are we to understand Jesus' words to Peter about binding and loosing?

1. Forgiving and not forgiving sins. One aspect of binding and loosing is forgiving and not forgiving sins as in John 20:22-23.102

2. Permitted and forbidden. Another aspect of binding and loosing draws on Rabbinical practice, where binding and loosing are "academic language for the decision of the rabbis as to what was to be regarded as 'bound,' that is, forbidden, or 'loosed,' that is, permitted."103We see this in the Council of Jerusalem that decides that Gentiles could be saved without being circumcised (Acts 15:1-29). They are guided by Peter's counsel that "permitted" Gentiles to become full Christians without prior circumcision.

Interpretation of the Passage on the Keys

Icon of St. Peter holding the church
Icon of St. Peter holding the church, illustrating his role as the rock on which the church was founded. Anonymous iconographer. The Greek words in the icon are: 'The Holy Peter.'

We've looked at all the important elements of the passage -- but by doing so risk confusion. How do we interpret the passage as a whole? Though many might disagree, here is how I personally work through the various issues.

1. Primacy of Peter. Jesus clearly makes Peter leader of the disciples here.

2. Peter as the "rock" refers to his foundational role in both the early church in Jerusalem and the other churches where he had a formative evangelistic and teaching role.

3. The "gates of hell" probably refer to the powers of the enemy that attack the Church, rather than the power of death.

4. The "keys of the kingdom of heaven" represent Peter's authority to open the kingdom to those who trust in Jesus. It includes "binding" and "loosing" -- both establishing doctrine and practice as well as forgiveness and admission into Church.

Qualifying My Interpretation

Having said that -- and acknowledging Peter's primacy among the disciples -- I need to qualify my conclusions.

1. Peter clearly has a primary foundational role, but the other apostles also have a foundational role. As Peter is the spokesman for the apostles and their leader, so he is invested with an authority and foundational role that is shared by the other apostles.

"Consequently, you are ... members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone." (Ephesians 2:19--20)

I don't say that to somehow take away from Peter or minimize his role, but to acknowledge the foundational role of all the apostles.104

2. Peter is personally given the keys to the kingdom, that is, authority from Christ in the Church (though the Kingdom is surely larger than the Church). He has powerful authority, but other apostles also have this authority, including Paul.105

Thus, in a sense, Jesus' powerful gift of the keys of the kingdom to his lead apostle Peter is not exclusive, but an example of what Christ gives to the other apostles, as well, and through them to the Church.

There's much more that could be said here. And I know that on these matters some churches have very fixed dogmas that may differ from my conclusions, so I hope I haven't offended you, my brothers and sisters.

Okay, it's your turn to put this in your own words.

Q15. (Matthew 16:18) In what sense is Peter a rock? In what sense might we say that Jesus' church is built upon him?

Q16. (Matthew 16:19) What does the power to loose and bind consist of? How are these important to the church as a whole. In what way is granting the keys to the kingdom another way of granting the power to loose and bind?

Further Questions

It is natural to have questions about the power of the Keys. Here are some that come to mind.

Do apostolic powers extend beyond the Apostolic Age? Yes. I am not a cessationist. I believe that miracles and healings such as were performed by apostles can still be seen today. Not everyone who is prayed for is healed, but many are. More on this in my study of spiritual gifts.106

Does Peter's primacy extend to his successors as bishops of Rome? My Roman Catholics brothers and sisters believe that bishops of the ancient church of Rome are successors to Peter's special power of the keys giving Rome primacy over all other regions of the church. However, I don't see Scripture to support successors to Peter's special role. See Appendix 5. Primacy of Peter and Papal Primacy.

Does the power of the keys continue today. Yes, if you define the power of the keys as the authority to declare forgiveness of sins to those who repent, correct error, exercise church leadership and discipline, and conduct spiritual warfare.

Does the power of the keys relate to doctrine? Yes. Church leaders must defend against heresies that crop up in every generation.107

Do church leaders today have the power to absolve a person of sin? The short answer is: God is the one who forgives the penitent, but his ministers declare this forgiveness of sin to those who repent. The answer to this question is quite complex and somewhat controversial, so I'll consider it in Appendix 7. Can a Human Minister Forgive or Absolve from Sin?

Where do we see Peter exercising the power of the Keys? At the very minimum, you can see examples of this power exercised when Peter rebukes Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11) and the corrupt teacher Simon Magus in Samaria (Acts 8:20-23). He exercises authority to baptize the Gentiles in the house of Cornelius (Acts 10), breaking precedent. Peter's opinion seems to be the decisive one that shifts the debate at the Jerusalem Council to include Gentiles as full Christians without circumcision (Acts 15:7-11, see Lesson 10.4). Arguably, Peter's teaching about Jesus, recorded by Mark, forms one of the written documents that underlie the Synoptic Gospels. (See Appendix 4. The Synoptic Problem, and Lesson 11.2).

Hans Memling, detail of 'The Blessed at the Gate to Heaven with St. Peter' (1467-1471)
Hans Memling, detail of 'The Blessed at the Gate to Heaven with St. Peter' (1467-1471), triptych, left wing (inner) of 'The Last Judgment,' altarpiece, National Museum in Gdansk, Poland.

The Legend of St. Peter at the Pearly Gates

St. Peter at the pearly gates of heaven is the subject of many jokes, some of which include lawyers appearing before St. Peter for admission into heaven. Does this idea have any basis in Scripture?

The Scripture tells of Peter receiving the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16:19), which, as we have established, relate to admission to the Kingdom, among other things. Scripture describes the twelve gates of the City of God as being made of pearls (Revelation 21:21). But nowhere in Scripture do we see St. Peter personally admitting people to heaven who appear at its gates. It is a folk legend.108

3.3. Peter's Other Confession (John 6:67-69

Peter has another confession recorded in John's Gospel. It was said during an especially difficult time. During Jesus' teaching on the Bread of Life (John 6:35-71), he moves from the analogy of eating bread from heaven, to one that was highly offensive to Jews, using imagery that suggested cannibalism.

"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you...." (John 6:53)

For many of Jesus' followers, this kind of imagery is just too much! It is the turning point for many.

"On hearing it, many of his disciples said, 'This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?' ... From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him." (John 6:60, 66)

Jesus' crowd numbers suddenly diminish. The disciples are confused, disoriented, discouraged by the defection of so many. Jesus asks a question to open up a conversation about what is troubling them.

"67 'You do not want to leave too, do you?' Jesus asked the Twelve.

68 Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.'" (John 6:67-69)

Peter doesn't say much here -- and perhaps he is merely acting as a spokesman for the other disciples. But I see Peter's confession of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God moving forward here. He now calls Jesus "the Holy One of God," apparently some kind of messianic title,109 just as "Holy One of Israel" is often used of God in the Old Testament, especially in Isaiah.

Sometimes we are discouraged, confused. We don't understand why these things are happening. But this is not a reason to turn away from the Lord. In spite of all we don't know, Jesus brings us "the words of eternal life," words of comfort to our souls in the midst of darkness. And we, like Peter, know him as "the Holy One of God."

Q17. (John 6:67-69) How did Peter's confession of Jesus as "the Holy One of God" stabilize him and the other disciples in the midst of many falling away from Jesus. How can who we believe Jesus to be affect the way we live day-to-day and act in times of crisis?

St. Peter: Disciple Lessons from the Rock, by Ralph F. Wilson
Available in book versions: paperback, PDF, and Kindle

We have spent a lot of time in this lesson, examining Peter's confession and Jesus' promises to Peter. In the next lesson, we'll look at some very high glory times in Peter's life, as well as times of humbling.

Prayer

Thank you, Father, for the faith of our fathers and mothers who, in many instances, have confessed Jesus as Lord before us and modelled a walk of obedience. We also thank you for those who have found their way to you through the faithful confession of Christ by people outside their immediate family. Help us to be willing to freely confess Jesus as Lord wherever we are and be willing to take whatever persecution that may cause. Help us to be faithful. In Jesus' holy name, we pray. Amen.

Lessons for Disciples

These few verses provide lots of lessons for disciples to learn and absorb.

  1. Withdrawing on a retreat with a ministry team for a time of private reflection and training goes back to Jesus and his disciples (Matthew 16:13a; §3).
  2. A clear public confession of who we believe Jesus to be is the foundation of effective witness and building a community (Matthew 16:15; §3.1.2).
  3. Jesus is the Davidic messiah, the Christ, and the Son of God (Matthew 16:15; §3.1.2).
  4. Jesus keeps his true title secret so that his mission won't be subverted by those who would immediately politicize it (Matthew 16:20; §3.1.3).
  5. Jesus predicts his death and resurrection, Peter rebukes him, and Jesus rebukes Peter. We must avoid telling God what to do, since we don't have only a human perspective (Matthew 16:21-23; §3.1.4-5).
  6. Jesus cautions would-be followers to be prepared to die, if need be. Following Jesus can be dangerous (Matthew 16:24-25; §3.1.6).
  7. Jesus' blessing of Peter isn't based on what he has discovered about Jesus' identity, but what God has revealed to him (Matthew 16:17; §3.2.1).
  8. Peter is a rock in the sense that Jesus uses him to provide a foundation for the church in its early stages, especially in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and Caesarea (Matthew 16:18; §3.2.2).
  9. Though Christ's enemies will attack the Church, they will not succeed in overthrowing it (Matthew 16:18; §3.2.2).
  10. Jesus grants Peter the "keys to the Kingdom" in the sense that Peter opens the way to salvation for many by his evangelism and ministry, in addition to the decisions he makes that provide direction for the early church (Matthew 16:19a; §3.2.3-4).
  11. The "power of the keys" are given not to Peter exclusively, but shared with the other apostles, and later given to leaders of Christ's church all over the world (John 20:22-23; Matthew 18:17-18).

Key Verses

"'Who do you say I am?' Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'" (Matthew 16:15b--16, NIV)

"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." (Matthew 16:24--25, NIV)

"'You do not want to leave too, do you?' Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.'" (John 6:67-69, NIV)

 

End Notes

References and Abbreviations

[65] Josephus Antiquities of the Jews, xv.10.3; xvii.8.1 This spring gave rise to the city name of Paneion, the surrounding territory being known as Paneas.

[66] R. Riesner, "Archeology and Geography," in Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown, and Nicholas Perrin (editors), Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Second Edition (IVP Academic, 2013), p. 52; W. Ewing and R. K. Harrison, "Caesarea Philippi," ISBE 1:569.

[67] Matthew 16:13-23; Mark 8:27-33; Luke 9:18-22, Parallels §122.

[68] John 1:32; 1:49; 11:27; 20:31.

[69] Jesus has commanded secrecy of his more spectacular miracles, as well, because he knows that the people who will gather as a result will negatively impact his ability to minister (Mark 1:38).

[70] The three occasions where Jesus predicts his Passion are: (1) at Caesarea Philippi, which we are studying, Parallels §122; (2) in Galilee following the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:22-23 = Mark 9:30 = Luke 9:43-45, Parallels §127), and (3) going up to Jerusalem (Matthew 20:17-19 = Mark 10:32-34 = Luke 18:31-34, Parallels §191).

[71] "Took aside" (NIV, ESV, NRSV), "took" (KJV, RSV) is Aorist middle participle of proslambanō, "to take or lead off to oneself, take aside" (BDAG 883, 3).

[72] "Began to rebuke" is two words, the Aorist middle indicative of archō, here, "to initiate an action, process, or state of being, begin" (BDAG 140, 2aα); and the present active infinitive of epitimaō, "to express strong disapproval of someone, rebuke, reprove, censure," also "speak seriously, warn" in order to prevent an action or bring one to an end (BDAG 384, 1).

[73] Hileōs, "pertaining to being favorably disposed, with implication of overcoming obstacles that are unfavorable to a relationship, gracious, merciful," here, "may God be gracious to you, Lord," that is, may God in mercy spare you this, "God forbid!" The adjective hileōs is from eleos, "mercy" (BDAG 474).

[74] Epitimaō, BDAG 384, 1; Thayer 245, "to tax with fault, rate, chide, rebuke, reprove, censure severely."

[75] "Get behind" is two words, the imperative of hypagō, "to leave someone's presence, go away" (BDAG 1028, 1); and the adverb, opisō, "behind." Together, the words mean, "get behind me! get out of my sight" (BDAG 716, 1).

[76] Satan, BDAG 916.

[77] Merriam Webster, p. 276.

[78] Seneca, Dialogue 6 (De consolatione ad Marciam) 20.3. Cited by Hengel, Crucifixion, p. 25.

[79] Josephus, Wars of the Jews, 5, 11, 1. "... They were first whipped, and then tormented with all sorts of tortures, before they died, and were then crucified before the wall of the city. This miserable procedure made Titus greatly to pity them, while they caught every day five hundred Jews; nay, some days they caught more... The main reason why he did not forbid that cruelty was this, that he hoped the Jews might perhaps yield at that sight, out of fear lest they might themselves afterwards be liable to the same cruel treatment. So the soldiers, out of the wrath and hatred they bore the Jews, nailed those they caught, one after one way, and another after another, to the crosses, by way of jest, when their multitude was so great, that room was wanting for the crosses, and crosses wanting for the bodies."

[80] Arneomai, BAGD 107-108, 4.

[81] The verb is Greek airō, "lift up, take up, pick up," "(lift up and) take or carry (along)" (BAGD 24).

[82] The Greek words are kath hēmeran, literally "daily, every day." Kata, BAGD 406. The preposition kata is used distributively of time, "at, on, during." Hēmera, 2 (BAGD 346, 2).

[83] Akoloutheō, BAGD 31.

[84] "Blessed" is makarios, "pertaining to being especially favored, blessed, fortunate, happy, privileged," from a transcendent perspective, the more usual sense. Here, "privileged recipient of divine favor" (BDAG 611, 2a).

[85] Peter isn't the only apostle who by now realizes that Jesus is the Messiah (Matthew 13:16-17; Luke 10:23; Matthew 11:25, 27; Ephesians 3:5).

[86] "Will build" is the future indicative of oikodomeō, "to construct a building, build," then figuratively, "to construct in a transcendent sense" (BDAG 696, 2). Used of the Church here and in 1 Peter 2:5; Romans 15:20.

[87] The Old Testament Israelites are referred to as an "assembly, congregation." The Septuagint usually translates the Hebrew word qāhāl as ekklēsia. Qāhāl is an "assembly, company, congregation," from qāhal, "to assemble." While an assembly of any sort and purpose may be designated by qāhāl, the word is used especially of an assembly for religious purposes (Jack P. Lewis, TWOT #1991a).

[88] "Flock" in Matthew 26:31 and John 10:16 have the same idea.

[89] Pulē, "gate, door" (BDAG 897, a).

[90] Isaiah 38:10; Psalm 9:13; 107:18; Job 38:17; 17:16; Wisdom 16:13; Psalms of Solomon 16:2; 3 Maccabees 5:51.

[91] So France, Matthew, p. 624-625.

[92] Katischuō with a genitive object, "to have the capability to defeat, win a victory over" (BDAG 534, 2). From kata-, "against" + ischuō, "to have power," Hebraistically, "to have strength to overcome" (Thayer 309, 2a).

[93] Joachim Jeremias, pylon, ktl., TDNT 6:975. "Katischuein when followed by a genitive is always active ('to vanquish') in Jewish Greek. Hence the pulai hadou are the aggressors. Since the two futures in Matthew 16:18 are also meant eschatologically, the reference is to the final attack of the powers of the underworld along the lines of the descriptions in Revelation.... Even the last and most terrible assault of the forces of the underworld will not be able to overcome the rock and the ekklēsia erected upon it." Ladd (Theology, p. 116) agrees with Jeremias about the active use of "vanquish," but concludes, "There is no need to relate this to the final eschatological conflict.... It may be understood as an extension of the same conflict between Jesus and Satan."

[94] Revelation 1:18; 2:10; Luke 12:4-5. For more on "that by [Jesus'] death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-- that is, the devil... ." (Hebrews 2:14-16), see my study Disciple Lessons from Hebrews (JesusWalk, 2011), Lesson 2 (https://www.jesuswalk.com/hebrews/2_tastingdeath.htm)

[95] The first locks were bars placed across doors to prevent opening. Then, beginning perhaps from 4000 BC, we begin to find a lock and key. One early key was found in the ruins of the Khorsabad palace (built about 716-706 BC) in ancient Assyria, near Mosul, Iraq, used to secure personal items belonging to the royal family. A bar would be secured in place by pins that dropped down through the bar to prevent it from being removed. A wood key was developed that, when inserted, would lift the pins out of their holes. Bonomi described it in 1851: "At the end of the chamber ... was formerly a strong gate, of one leaf, which was fastened by a huge wooden lock, like those still used in the East, of which the key is as much as a man can conveniently carry, and by a bar which moved into a square hole in the wall" (Joseph Bonomi, Nineveh and Its Palaces: The Discoveries of Botta and Layard applied to the Elucidation of Holy Writ (London, 1851), pp. 148-149). When used with doors and gates, such a system could still be opened only from the inside, but now those who opened the gate could be limited to authorized persons who had the proper key. All these developed over the centuries by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. By about 200 BC, the Romans had developed the Greek keyhole design replacing wooden parts with metal ones and adding springs to operate the pins (cf. A. S. Wood, "Keys," ISBE 3:10-11; William Sanford LaSor, ISBE 3:149; Wikipedia Article, "Lock and Key").

[96] Eliakim the son of Hilkiah isn't the owner. Some see him as a steward over the palace personnel and resources, responsible to manage the king's household matters properly. His keys would open the king's storehouses that provide provision to the household. So France, Matthew, p. 625; cf. Ladd, Theology, p. 117.

[97] Elsewhere in Revelation, Jesus holds the keys of death and Hades (Revelation 1:18); a star is given the key to the Abyss (Revelation 9:1); an angel throws Satan into the Abyss, then locks and seals it for a thousand years.

[98] "Experts in the law" (NIV), "lawyers" (ESV, NRSV, KJV) is nomikos, "pertaining to being well informed about law, learned in the law,' here substantive, "legal expert, jurist, lawyer" (BDAG 675, 2).

[99] "Bind" and "shall be bound" both use the verb deō, "bind, tie." "Loose" and "shall be loosed" are both the verb luō, "loose, untie. Both "bind" and "loose" here are in the rare Greek future perfect tense. Though Jesus is probably speaking to his disciples in Aramaic (similar to Hebrew), the Gospels are written in Koinē Greek, which gives us grammatical clues to what Jesus means. Two particular grammatical things we should note: (1) Jesus is speaking to Peter himself. Greek is an inflected language, meaning that you can distinguish whether someone is speaking to "you" as a single person or to "you" as more than one person. In our text of verse 19, Jesus is addressing Peter alone, not the group of disciples. "I will give you (singular) the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind (singular) on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose (singular) on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19b). However, later, Jesus grants essentially the same power to the apostles (Matthew 18:18; cf. John 20:23). (2) Future perfect tense. While "bind" and "loose" are present active subjunctive verbs, the verbs "bound" and "loosed" are in the very rare future perfect tense. The future perfect tense expresses completed action in the future. This is true both here and at Matthew 18:18. However, authority to forgive and not forgive sin is expressed in the future tense (John 20:23). Most English translations don't render it fully because it is awkward in English: NIV, "shall be bound," vs. NASB, "shall have been bound" (literally). The tenses suggest that the binding and loosing here on earth reflect something that already exists in heaven. The tense has led to some confusion. "Shall be loosed" could be understood as the apostles' acts determining the policies of heaven. The translation, "shall have been loosed" makes the apostles' acts a matter of inspiration or heavenly guidance, and is to be preferred. So Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew (Pillar Commentaries; Eerdmans, 1992), p. 426, citing W. D. Chamberlain, An Exegetical Grammar of the Greek New Testament (New York, 1941), p. 80; and N. Turner, Grammatical Insights into the New Testament (Edinburgh, 1965), p. 80. So R.T. France (Matthew, pp. 626-627), who says: "With future perfects the impression is that when Peter makes his decision it will be found to have been already made in heaven, making him not the initiator of new directions for the church, but the faithful steward of God's prior decisions ... a promise not of divine endorsement, but of diving guidance to enable Peter to decide in accordance with God's already determined purpose."

[100] Perfect passive indicative. Carson (John, p. 655) says, "If these perfects are not temporally construed, but are read aspectually, they will be rendered 'they are in a state of forgiveness,' i.e., 'they stand forgiven' and 'they do not stand forgiven'; but even so, the passive voice implies it is God who is acting." Comparing John 20:23 with Matthew 16:19, Brown (John 2:1039) says, "The comparison is more obvious when we realize that John's passive tenses ("are forgiven"; "are held fast") and Matthew's reference to heaven are two circumlocutions for describing God's action. Brown discusses the John 20:23 passage over several pages (John 2:1039-1045).

[101] Perfect passive indicative.

[102] In early church history, some of the Roman persecutions against Christians were extremely severe, executing Christians who would not renounce their faith by offering a sacrifice to the emperor or gods. Later, the many who had fallen away (the lapsi) posed a problem. Should the local congregation forgive them and receive them back into fellowship, despite those of their number who had died for their faith? In many cases, the congregations did indeed restore the lapsed Christians to fellowship, following the counsel of Cyprian of Carthage (210-258 AD; Cyprian, De Lapsis), who was later martyred himself.

[103] Deō, BDAG 222, 4.

[104] Ephesians 2:19-20; 3:3--5; 4:11; 1 Corinthians 3:10-11; 12:28; Galatians 2:9; Revelation 21:14.

[105] For example, Paul exercises church discipline in Corinth remotely (1 Corinthians 5); calls out false doctrine (Galatians 1:6-9); provides detailed instructions on church leadership, doctrine, and practice (e.g., 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, 2 Thessalonians); and confronts Peter for hypocrisy in Antioch (Galatians 2:11-14; Lesson 10.3). I don't say this to somehow diminish Peter's great apostolic authority, but to note that other apostles have been given tremendous authority, too.

[106] Ralph F. Wilson, Disciple's Guide to the Holy Spirit (JesusWalk, 2018), Lesson 8 (www.jesuswalk.com/spirit/08_spirit_gifts1.htm) and Lesson 9 (www.jesuswalk.com/spirit/09_spirit_gifts2.htm).

[107] Some cite Jesus' words about Jewish experts in the law taking away the "key to knowledge" (Luke 11:52) to claim that the power of the keys includes the authority to set doctrine and interpret Scripture. But just because "key" is used in one analogy about knowledge in one context doesn't mean that "key" always relates to knowledge.

[108] The legend that goes back to at least the seventh century AD. The Synod of Whitby (664 AD) met to decide whether the English churches should accept the Roman ritual in England rather than Celtic Christian rituals introduced by the original Irish missionaries to England. When King Oswy was reminded at the Synod that Peter had introduced the ritual in Rome, he concluded, "I will not contradict the door-keeper, lest when I come to the gates of the kingdom of heaven, there should be none to open them" (Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol. 4, chapter 2, Parallels §13). Everett Ferguson (The Church of Christ: A Biblical Ecclesiology for Today (Eerdmans, 1996), p. 53) claims that this legend goes back to an early medieval interpretation that identified Peter with a figure in Germanic mythology who was the porter of heaven. The British use the word "porter" for "a person stationed at a door or gate to admit or assist those entering."

[109] So Carson, John, p. 303; so also Vincent Taylor as "a Messianic designation" (The Names of God (London, 1953) p. 80, cited by Morris, John, p. 390, fn. 160. See Luke 1:35; Psalm 60:10 quoted in Acts 27:27 messianically, Mark 1:24 = Luke 4:34; Daniel 9:24-27. Morris (John, p. 390) notes, "There can be not the slightest doubt that the title is meant to assign to Jesus the highest possible place. It stresses His consecration and His purity. It sets Him with God and not man." Holy ones can also refer to angels (Daniel 4:13, 23; 8:13; 1 Thessalonians 3:13).

Apostle Peter: Disciple Lessons from the Rock

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