Matthew Chapter 16, Verse 19
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19: και δωσω σοι τας κλεις της βασιλειας των ουρανων και ο εαν δησης επι της γης εσται δεδεμενον εν τοις ουρανοις και ο εαν λυσης επι της γης εσται λελυμενον εν τοις ουρανοις
19: And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven:
and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven.
19: And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And
whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven:
and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in
heaven.
And I will give unto thee, etc. A key is an instrument for opening a door. He that is in possession of it has the power of access, and has a general care and administration of a house. Hence, in the Bible, a key is used as a symbol of superintendence, an emblem of power and authority. See Isa 22:22, Rev 1:18, Rev 3:7.
The kingdom of heaven here means, doubtless, the Church on earth, See Barnes "Mt 3:2".
When he says, therefore, he will give him the keys of the kingdom of heaven, he means that he will make him the instrument of opening the doors of heaven to the world. The "power of the keys" was given to Peter alone; the power of "binding and loosing" on earth was given to the other apostles as well. See Mt 18:18.
Whatsoever thou shalt bind, etc. The phrase to bind and to loose was often used by the Jews. It meant to prohibit and to permit. To bind a thing was to forbid it; to loose it, to allow it to be done. Thus they said about gathering wood on the sabbath day. "The school of Shammei binds it" - i, e. forbids it; "the school of Hillel looses it" - i. e. allows it. When Jesus gave this power to the apostles, he meant that whatsoever they forbid in the church should have Divine authority; whatever they permitted, or commanded, should also have Divine authority - that is, should be bound or loosed in heaven, or meet the approbation of God. They were to be guided infallibly in the administration of the Church in matters of faith and morals (ie. matters that could affect salvation).
Thus in the previous verse Mt 16:18 and this one, Jesus designates Peter as the foundation of His Church on earth; Gives him the keys to heaven; And gives him the authority to teach without error on matters of faith and morals. This power of teaching without error on faith and morals is later given to the rest of the Apostles as well. This leaves us with an initial hierarchy for Christs Church. Peter at the head with the keys to heaven, and Peter and the Apostles sharing in the duty of teaching the faith.
Detractors often argue that the Church has made many errors in its history, and thus it must not have been protected from error. This argument, however, demonstrates a misunderstanding of the infallibility promised in these verses. The verses clearly relate the authority to bind and loose to entry into the kingdom of heaven. Thus the Church and its hierarchy are not guaranteed freedom from error, or even grave sin by individuals within the Church, but rather only freedom from instructing their flock incorrectly on matters that affect salvation. This follows logically from the verse as a result of each binding and loosing act having affect not only on earth but also in heaven.
