Who has a set of keys to your house or to your office? One doesn’t just hand them out to anyone. You probably give a set of your house keys to your children or your parents, and if you have an office, only trusted employees would have a key. There may be special rooms in your house or office that only the most trusted employee or relative would have a key to. Our Scripture today speaks of special keys that the Lord Jesus gave to one of His disciples. Let’s take a look into this Bible passage.
After a busy several days, the Lord Jesus took His disciples into far northern Israel, to the city of Caesarea Philippi. This city was about 120 miles north of Jerusalem, and about 50 miles south of Damascus. Caesarea Philippi was steeped in pagan Greek culture, and was also the site of a major shrine to the pagan god Pan. While here Jesus asked His disciples what people were saying about Him. He wondered what they had heard from the general population as to who the people thought He was (vs. 13). The disciples reported that He was definitely looked upon as a special prophet, and that some were thinking He was a return of one of the great Old Testament prophets, such as Elijah, Jeremiah, or even the recently executed John the Baptist (vs. 14).
Then Jesus asked who they believed He was. Peter was very quick to answer, saying that he believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Son of the living God (vs. 15-16). This is a question that the Lord asks each of us today. Before we pass from this life, each of us needs to make a decision as to who we think Jesus of Nazareth is. Do we think He is a good teacher, a moral leader, or someone who lived a good life during the time of the early Caesars, but is now long dead? Or do we believe Jesus is who He and the Bible says He is? Do we believe that He is the second Person of the Trinity, the Messiah, the Son of God, as Peter stated? Do we believe He came to earth to die to pay the price for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day? Jesus has no interest in what hypothetical or philosophical views of Him are. He wants to know what you, and what each individual person thinks He is. Who do you say He is?
Jesus then continued speaking to the disciples, and specifically to Peter, telling them that He will build His church upon the rock of Peter and the statement he had just confessed (vs 18). The rock has been identified by various denominations as Peter, who became the leader of the early Church, as Jesus and His work of salvation, and as the confession of faith that Peter and all true believers give.
Jesus continued, by promising that our enemy, Satan and his minions, will not be able to prevail, conquer, or overcome His Church (vs. 18). That doesn’t mean that we can just sit back and think we will never be attacked, and that Satan won’t seek to score some victories over believers. The Church is to be on the offensive against the gates of hell, against Satan and his demons. The Church is to aggressively and offensively attack the gates of hell, snatching out victims from darkness, and bring them into Jesus’ kingdom of light.
It is here that Jesus figuratively gave the disciples, and specifically the Apostle Peter, the keys of the kingdom of heaven (vs. 19). Those who have the keys to something have a certain degree of authority. They can come and go into the building when they choose, they have the right to use the vehicle, etc. Jesus gave the keys to the kingdom to those who acknowledge Him as Lord, and who obey Him. Peter and the disciples had the right to enter the kingdom themselves, and by preaching the Gospel they could open the kingdom to others.
Peter and the other apostles were to continue on earth the work of Jesus in preaching and declaring God’s will to men, and be armed with the same authority He possessed. So many go through life defeated, oppressed, and bound because they don’t pray with authority. We have the authority to defeat evil through the power of God. We have also been given the opportunity to bring people into the kingdom by proclaiming the message of salvation.
We have the keys, and we have the authority to bring the message of salvation to others in order to bring them into the kingdom. Jesus has promised us that Satan and the gates of hell will not overcome His kingdom. Let us pray and go forth for Him with the authority He has given us
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