Matthew 16:19
King James Version (KJV)
“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.”
But is this an automatic truth for us all? It depends who you ask. This wonderful message occurring after YHshua asks Peter, “who do you say I am” to which Peter (Petros or rock in Greek) answers, “you are the Messiah, the Son of the living Elohim”…. Messiah then replying says, “upon this rock (Peter) I will build my congregation” (paraphrasing), a response that is filled with blessing, but is it as clear as we think? The world may disagree.
Here Peter’s word or statement (a rock) is definitively what YHshua is to build his congregation on, a rock; and so we learn from the Greek and Hebrew how YHshua is saying more than what we may think he is. Let me expand. In taking verse 19 above without the prior verses we do nothing less than dishonor Messiah’s conversation with his disciples, which begs the question, “what came first” what Peter and Yhshua communicated? or what YHshua says beleivers will receive in verse 16′. When read in context, the Messiah is taking this opportunity to teach us that we must believe in him, which is the same as saying to walk in his example, he who the Father sent (the corner stone or rock) and in that belief do his ministry and works (see John 14:12), what leads to eternal salvation. A lesson to his followers to stay on his example in this building a strong foundation “on rock” that will strengthen same; that we learn how Peter’s belief in YHshua Messiah the son of YHWH Elohim has a much deeper Truth then some want us to grasp.
A message that today is still misinterpreted two-fold, 1) a suggestion that we can’t do works towards salvation (again, see John 14:12), indeed a general statement of salvation teaching that to believe and confess is sufficient to receive the keys to the Kingdom of heaven, an action that will also yield a special connection or power from heaven, or 2) the idea that a congregation (a Church) can be built on an image called Peter, the first purported pope (a Messiah on earth) and those thereafter.
These two outcomes occurr because we forget the Bible is like any other literary work, it needs to be sequentially read but most importantly applied to the original context; a message that man made doctrine will not teach us. With that said, those who have chosen (or choose) to skew the Word to meet their doctrine have proven to fulfill Biblical prophecy and the reason the Word warns us to not be followers of men, and no different to what Israel did in our past, what today has evolved to an empowered man with immediate access to salvation and even a religion that follows the image of a man: An excuse to build up men and images in place of YH’s salvation, YHshua, the Truth, the light, the Way.
So my prayer is that we not fall to this trick, and if we have that we repent (turn back to the Word) and understand that there can only be one way to the blessings the Father offers; a truth that becomes self evident when we read the scriptures as intended by the writers: Never forgetting, YHshua told us as much, “May Your (YH’s) Will (Word and Works) be done on earth (in us) as it is in heaven,” a paraphrase.
The Message? Always remember that when we check scriptures we do so in context (the full message) not loosing sight that man is imperfect; regardless who brings you good tidings, check, check and check!!!!! Always in YHshua.