Matthew 16:18–19: Edit history

Context

In the region of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asks his disciples who people say that he is, and then who they themselves say that he is. When Peter confesses, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16), Jesus declares that it was his Father in heaven who revealed this to him, and then speaks these words. In Greek, "Peter" (Petros) and "rock" (petra) share the same root and form a wordplay. In Aramaic, the language Jesus would actually have spoken, both words are thought to have been Kepha (Cephas). The authority to bind and loose is also given to the whole community of disciples in Matthew 18:18.

Interpretations

• Catholic reading: The rock is Peter himself, whom Jesus established as the foundation and head of the church. The teaching that this primacy passes to the pope as bishop of Rome is the basis of papal authority.
• Orthodox reading: Peter's preeminence is acknowledged, but it is understood as a primacy of honor among the apostles, and every orthodox bishop is held to stand upon Peter's confession of faith. The jurisdictional supremacy of the bishop of Rome is not accepted.
• Protestant reading: The rock is understood either as Peter's confession of faith or as Christ himself (1 Corinthians 3:11; 10:4). Even where the rock is identified with Peter personally, this is taken to mean that the apostles formed the original foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:20), not that Peter held an office passed on to successors.

Debates and Issues

The Catholic Church understands the keys of the kingdom of heaven as the church's power to forgive sins and its teaching authority. The Heidelberg Catechism of the Reformed tradition explains the keys of the kingdom as the preaching of the gospel and church discipline. Many interpreters hold that "binding and loosing" was the language rabbis of the time used when ruling on what was permitted and what was forbidden, and that it refers to the authority of both teaching and church discipline.

It is also noteworthy that the word "church" (ekklesia) appears in the Gospels only in Matthew 16:18 and 18:17. This is cited as evidence that Jesus intended to found a church, while some scholars regard the term as reflecting the situation of the early church.

Related Passages

• Matthew 18:18
• John 21:15–17
• Ephesians 2:20
• 1 Corinthians 3:11