“THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM” Matthew 16:19

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

“THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM” [Matthew 16:19]

“He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son
of Man, am?’ So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah,
and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to the, ‘But
who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You
are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said
to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has
not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also
say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church,
and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give
you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on
earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will
be loosed in heaven” [Matthew 16:13-19].

“Peter/rock”(Gk. πέτρα) is a play on the word for rock in Aramaic and Greek (petros/petra). Rock refers NOT to Peter himself but TO THE CONFESSION OF HIS FAITH. The True Rock and foundation of the Church is, of course, Christ Himself. The Church rests upon this Rock by her unchanging faith, her confession,. With this faith as the foundation, “the gates of Hades” the powers of death, are powerless against her. In the Old Testament “gates” suggest a fortified city (Genesis 22:17; 24:60; Isaiah 14:31). Hence, by shattering the gates, Christ is opening the stronghold of death to set free the souls of righteous men. In the Gospels, “church” is mentioned twice by the Lord, here and in 18:17, describing the true Israel whose citizenship is heavenly. She IS THE BODY OF CHRIST, THE DIVINE-HUMAN ORGANISM, AND TO HER COMES THE CALL OF JESUS FOR THE WHOLE OF MANKIND TO ABIDE WITH HIM AND IN HIM (Ephesians 1:23).

“Keys of the Kingdom” clearly implies a special authority given to the Holy Apostle Peter himself, but NEVER SEPARATED FROM HIS CONFESSION OF FAITH. While Saint Peter was a leader of the disciples and of the early Church, ALL THE HOLY APOSTLES WERE EMPOWERED WITH CHRIST’S AUTHORITY (18:18). Further, the Holy Apostle Peter was NOT a leader over the others but A LEADER AMONG THEM, as seen at the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15), where elders, or presbyters, met with the Apostles together AS EQUALS. Papal claims in later centuries must not be confused with the New Testament witness regarding Saint Peter, nor should the role of the Holy Apostle Peter in the New Testament be minimized in opposition to those claims. After Saint Peter’s confession, Jesus reveals the true nature of His Messiahship, the mystery of the Passion.

“Peter took Him aside” (16:22), expecting Him to enter Jerusalem and establish the Kingdom immediately (as Saint Peter understood it, an earthly political kingdom), not to go to the Cross and death. The Holy Apostle Peter thought the Messiah would reign forever, not die. But Jesus was to be A SUFFERING MESSIAH, a scandalous idea to the Jews.

“The Holy Apostles, departing from this world, put off the earthly body, but have not put off the Church body. They not only were, but they also remain the foundation of the Church. The Church is built “upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20). Being in heaven, they continue to be in communion with believers on earth.”

Orthodox theology views the Holy Apostle Peter as having a primacy OF HONOR as THE FIRST AMONG EQUALS, but NOT a primacy of jurisdiction, and holds that all the Holy Apostles had EQUAL AUTHORITY, with Christ as the one True “ROCK” of the Church. The Orthodox Church rejects the idea t hat Saint Peter’s authority was unique or that it was transferred to a single successor who could rule over the other Apostles and Churches. Matthew 18:18 {“Keys” given to All Apostles) and the disciples’ debate over who was the “greatest” (Luke 22:24-27), arguing that this would have been unnecessary if Saint Peter’s superiority had already been established. He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But NOT SO AMONG YOU; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Yet I AM AMONG YOU AS THE ONE WHO SERVES”.

“First Among Equals” (Primus inter Pares): Saint Peter is seen as the head or spokesman of the Apostles, holding a “primacy of honor.” This preeminence is based on his zeal, his confession of faith, and his leadership in the early Church (e.g., preaching at Pentecost, leading the election of Matthias). The “Rock” in Matthew 16:18 is interpreted by the Orthodox Church “upon this rock I will build My Church” and the Church Fathers interpret the “rock” as the “FAITH OR CONFESSION. Saint Cyprian of Carthage (200-258) emphasized that while a primacy of honor was given to Peter to symbolize unity, all the Apostles received an “equal fellowship both of honor and power.” The Church is settled upon all bishops equally. “This is that firm and immovable faith upon which, as upon the rock whose surname you bear, the Church is founded” (Saint John of Damascus).

“…Two basic problems — the PRIMACY OF THE BISHOP OF ROME and the PROCESSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT — WERE INVOLVED as the cause OF THE SCHISM… These Doctrinal novelties were first openly discussed in Photius Patriarchate. By the 5th century, to repeat, Christendom was divided into Five Sees with Rome holding the primacy. This was determined by canonical decision and DID NOT ENTAIL HEGEMONY OF ANY LOCAL CHURCH OR PATRIARCHATE OVER THE OTHERS. Rome began to interpret her primacy in terms of sovereignty, as a God-given right involving universal jurisdiction in the Church. The collegial and conciliar nature of the Church in effect, was gradually abandoned in favor of a supremacy of unlimited Papal power over the entire Church…Characteristically, Rome insisted on basing her monarchial claims to “true and proper jurisdiction” (as the Vatican Council of 1870 put it) on Saint Peter. This “Roman” exegesis of Saint Matthew 16:18), however, was UNKNOWN TO THE FATHERS WHO HAD RUED ON THE CHURCH’S ORGANIZATION. For them specifically, Saint Peter’s primacy could never e the exclusive prerogative of any one bishop. All bishops must like, Saint Peter, confess Jesus as the Christ and as such, all are Saint Peter’s successors. To believe otherwise WOULD BE TO VIOLATE THE BISHOP’S CHARISMATIC EQUALITY, NO ONE CAN HOLD A POSITION SUPERIOR TO THAT OF OTHERS.

Equally disturbing to the Christian East was the Western (Latin) interpretation of the procession of the Holy Spirit. Like the primacy, this too developed gradually and entered the Creed in the Latin West almost unnoticed. This theologically complex issue involved the addition by the West of the Latin phrase Filioque Clause (“and from the Son”) to the Creed. The original Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed DID NOT CONTAIN this phrase. The original text sates, “the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, ” WHO PROCEEDS FROM THE FATHER.” The Ecumenical Synods had forbidden any subtraction or addition to the Text (Creed). This is one of numerous heresies introduced by the Latins over the centuries. [Resources: Orthodox Dogmatic Theology]

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“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!”
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George