Lesson 3187

 (Lesson 3187)(09-23-20) Matthew 16:18-20

    “ And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 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. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.”

    There are millions of so-called Christians who believe that by stating what He did in today’s quote, Jesus gave Peter full authority over the church. That contention is absolutely and totally false. It is proven false by the interaction between Jesus and Peter througout the rest of their relationship. For example, Jesus called Peter Satan only days after they had the conversation mention in today’s lesson.  Mark 8:33, “But when He had turned about, and looked on his disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.” I cannot believe that Jesus would give all power over His church to Satan. Peter also denied Jesus three times as Jesus was being readied to be crucified. In Acts 10:34 Peter himself said, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respector of persons”. 

    Again, there is NO way that Jesus would have intended for Peter to be set in dominion over His church. That contention was established and hardened by the Roman Catholic church. 

    Peter, the first to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, being given the keys to the kingdom was a demonstration of the power that was given to the entirety of the church. That power was NOT just given to Peter Alone. ~