ur right brother..im just saying for others who doubt when they ask these questions, because some ask Christ got the keys so was it a gift an external authority gave him?
To all brothers, here is a precious gift from my side:
To everyone who desires to deepen their understanding of the Five Sorrowful Mysteries and the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ :
I wholeheartedly recommend reading The Complete Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich . These mystical revelations, recorded by Clemens Brentano and Dr. Wesener, offer an unparalleled and soul-stirring insight into Christ’s suffering.
When I read them, my heart was changed. I discovered so much more about the depth of Jesus’ love, sacrifice, and the mystery of redemption.
You can access the full visions here: http://annecatherineemmerich.com/
I strongly encourage everyone to read it. It truly transformed me.
Brother Sam, diving deep into the Hebrew grammar and morphology of Isaiah 53 was truly transformative for me. As for the ‘keys’ given to Peter, consider Matthew 16:19:
“δώσω σοι τὰς κλεῖδας τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν…”
(dōsō soi tas kleidas tēs basileias tōn ouranōn) – “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…”
The verb δώσω (dōsō) is Future Active Indicative, meaning “I will give”, showing a definitive promise from Christ. The noun κλεῖδας (kleidas) refers to keys, often symbolizing authority and access rather than physical objects.
Would you say these keys are literal, or do they represent spiritual authority?
Johann.
(symbolic) keys symbolize teaching authority, church governance, Gospel proclamation, this aligns with rabbinic context of “binding and loosing” for declaring what is permitted or forbidden, doctrinally or ethically.
Peter is the first recipient, he functions as a representtive of the apostolic body, and by extension, the Church’s authoritative witness. So ultimately the keys are given to the Church.
Veni Sancte Spiritus
Sam.
https:// Only God can fully forgive sin
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). God’s forgiveness is supreme in that He cleanses one from sin or “blots out your transgressions” (Isaiah 43:25). This authority is reserved for God. As Mark 2:7 states, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Now, as Christians, we should “forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12), but this falls short of clearing one’s sins. Our forgiveness involves letting go of grudges, “lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled” (Hebrews 12:15). And this can be extended repeatedly—the implied meaning of “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22). (Study more about this in our articles “How to Forgive” and “Grudges.”)
Nevertheless, we don’t have divine authority to both forgive and cleanse anyone’s sins—only God can do that./change/forgiveness/john-20-23/#:~:text=John%2020%3A23%3A%20Did%20Jesus%20Give%20Authority%20to%20Forgive%C2%A0Sins
The apostles did not have the inherent power to forgive sins in the way that God does. However, John 20:23 states:
“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
The Greek verb ἀφίενται (aphientai, “are forgiven”) is in the perfect passive indicative, meaning the forgiveness has already been granted by God, and the apostles are simply declaring it. This aligns with the rabbinic concept of binding and loosing, where leaders could affirm or deny someone’s standing based on divine principles.
What This Means
The apostles did not personally forgive sins.
They declared what was already forgiven or retained by God.
Their role was ministerial, not divine-they proclaimed God’s forgiveness, not their own.
Only God can fully forgive sin
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). God’s forgiveness is supreme in that He cleanses one from sin or “blots out your transgressions” (Isaiah 43:25). This authority is reserved for God. As Mark 2:7 states, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Now, as Christians, we should “forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12), but this falls short of clearing one’s sins. Our forgiveness involves letting go of grudges, “lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled” (Hebrews 12:15). And this can be extended repeatedly—the implied meaning of “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22). (Study more about this in our articles “How to Forgive” and “Grudges.”)
Nevertheless, we don’t have divine authority to both forgive and cleanse anyone’s sins—only God can do that.
Right brother?
J.
Yes brother u are abolutely right, the apostles do not forgive sins by inherent divine power, they discern, announce and mediate God’s forgiveness, and their authority is delegated, not independent.
BINDING AND LOOSING
WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN?
Many modern day pentecostals and charismatics teach that Christians have the power to bind and loose sickness, disease, finances and circumstances. Some teach that Christians can bind their neighborhoods, countries and even the devil! They often appeal to passages such as Matthew 16:19, 18:18 and Mark 3:27. Is this true? Can Christians bind all of these things? Let’s look at what these passages say in context beginning with Matthew 18:18;
“Now if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, then take with you one or two others, that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every word may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are assembled in My name, there I am in their midst.” Matthew 18:15-20
This passage has nothing to do with binding demons, finances, sickness, circumstances or the Devil. The context of the passage is about sin and church discipline. This passage is about the authority of the local church to pass judgment on unrepentant sinners.
Bind and loose refer to the judicial authority of gathered Christians to decide cases on the basis of God’s law. Most scholars thus recognize that this passage applies to church discipline. IVP New Testament Commentary
What this passage is saying is that the local church has authority to make binding judicial decisions on matters of church discipline, and it has the authority to loose that member when they repent. It’s interesting that as you continue reading Matthew 18 Jesus continues to teach about forgiveness.
So, in conclusion, Christians do not have the power to bind and loose anything they want. They have not been given power or authority to bind their finances, sicknesses, circumstances or the devil.
What Is The Real Meaning of Binding and Loosing? - I THINK BIBLICALLY.
Correct Sam?
J.
Johann, you’re absolutely right to call foul on the circus act theology turning “binding and loosing” into a Christianized version of abracadabra. This isn’t Hogwarts. It’s Holy Scripture. And the context matters more than your charisma.
Let’s talk Matthew 18. The passage isn’t about binding demons—it’s about binding sinners to accountability. Jesus is laying out the structure for church discipline, not casting instructions for a prayer-based hostage negotiation. It’s legal, not mystical. Judicial, not magical. “Whatever you bind on earth” is courtroom language—rendering a verdict in line with what heaven already decreed. The apostles weren’t given a blank check; they were handed a gavel and told to swing it in sync with heaven’s lawbook.
Now, Pentecostals want to fast-forward to Matthew 16:19 and claim Jesus handed Peter the keys to a genie lamp. But context kills that nonsense too. The “keys” aren’t spiritual bolt cutters for unlocking health, wealth, and situational upgrades—they’re the authority to declare and steward the terms of salvation through Christ. Peter opened the door to Jews in Acts 2, and to Gentiles in Acts 10. That’s keys in action. That’s apostolic authority, not personal wish fulfillment.
And then Mark 3:27? That’s about Jesus binding Satan, not your annoying coworker or your overdue bills. Christ wasn’t teaching DIY spiritual warfare for every believer. He was declaring His authority to overthrow the devil’s domain—not outsourcing it to whoever has a loud enough prayer voice.
Here’s the bottom line: binding and loosing is about authority to align with heaven’s will, not hijack it. It’s about the church walking in submission, not believers barking decrees like spiritual warlords. So no, Christians can’t bind traffic jams, loosed promotions, or fence in fallen angels like divine cowboys. That’s not exegesis—that’s wishful thinking with a tambourine.
Let’s stop twisting Scripture into a self-help spellbook. The real power isn’t in what you declare—it’s in what you obey. Heaven’s already spoken. The question is whether we’re listening.
—Sincere Seeker. Scripturally savage. Here for the Truth.