Simon Peter and the Keys of the Kingdom

sd-7

Yes, the title is an intentional Indiana Jones joke. Anyway, so I was reading the new book, 'Bearing Thorough Witness Etc.', and they mentioned an often-used doctrine in the Borg--the belief that Peter was given 3 keys to the Kingdom. I immediately paused when I read that and realized, hey, I've taken that for granted all this time. Who said how many keys Peter got? The Bible doesn't elaborate on its significance, does it?

So I'm turning to you folks and asking a pointed question: is this doctrine valid? I know of no scripture that specifies how many keys Peter got or what exactly that would even mean. Any thoughts on this?

SD-7

BurnTheShips

Matthew 16:17-19

Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

I am not aware of any scripture stating the number of keys.

BTS

snowbird

The WT uses Acts 2 - Peter's preaching to Jewish listeners on Pentecost

Acts 8 - Peter's preaching to the Samaritans

Acts 10 - Peter's preaching to Cornelius - a Gentile

to show that three keys were given to Peter by Jesus of Nazareth.

Let the reader use discernment.

Sylvia

sd-7

Hey! I got more posting privileges--and all without having to do a lick of field service. Nothing like apostate Christianity, right, people?

sd-7

Yeah, I know it's three of them, and I vaguely remembered why--thanks, snowbird, for mentioning the Samaritans. I just wondered if there could be another explanation apart from the Society's. Hope to get more comments on this.

SD-7

BurnTheShips

What explanation are you looking for? The number of keys? There is no specific number. To be given keys by the King means to be granted authority. To specify a number of keys is pretty much a JW thing, as far as I know.

BTS

Narkissos

The plural can be indefinite (as in "give me the keys", lol), and I would certainly not look for an allegorical/prophetic application of this Matthean expression in (two or three) episodes in the book of Acts. The phrase is vaguely reminiscent of Isaiah 22:22 but the key (maphteach, from ptch "open") is singular there (as in the clearer allusions to this text in Revelation 1:18; 3:7), and the metaphor is lost in the LXX ("I will give him the glory of David"). It is a symbol of authority, and the book of Acts emphasises Peter's authority in many circumstances, but I would not press the connection further.

wobble

In illustrations I have seen by Christendom there are two keys,presumably Jews and Gentiles, sometimes they are crossed, perhaps showing Jews and Gentiles coming together in Christ.

The crossed keys have another meaning too, I can't remember what at present.

But what would Peter loose and bind ?

Love

Wobble

snowbird

At one time the WT taught there were two keys, but voila! New Light!

A reading of the Acts of the Apostles certainly shows Peter using his authority on more than three occasions, e.g., appearing before the Sanhedrin, pronouncing judgment on Ananias and Sapphira. and crossing swords with the sorcerer, Simon.

Sylvia

snowbird

Also healing a lame man at the Temple, a paralytic in Lydda, raising Tabitha (Dorcas) from the dead at Joppa, being miraculously set free from jail, etc.

Lots of food for thought, huh?

Sylvia

Simon Peter and the Keys of the Kingdom

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