The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Matthew 18:18...need help.

Seems like every time I come across this verse I also come across some different interpretation of it. A form of it is also in John. Can someone give me, according to the context, an explanation of it that makes Biblical sense and not Catholic or Pentecostal nonsense?<br><br>[color:red]Matthew 18:18 "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be[4] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[5] loosed in heaven."<br>Matthew 16:19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[1] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[2] loosed in heaven." </font color=red>

William Webster has written a thorough exegetical apologetic for Matt 16:18 within which is included an exegesis of Matt 18:18, which I believe should be considered together. Although he doesn't deal with what Pentecostal's do with the text, he does soundly refute the RCC's twisting of it.<br><br>You can access the article here: The Church Fathers’ Interpretation of the Rock of Matthew 16:18<br><br>I should have also included this one: Popedom Part II<br><br>In His Grace,

I must admit it does not get much better William Webster's article you posted [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/clapping.gif" alt="clapping" title="clapping[/img]

Eleanor,<br><br>I humbly submit a snippet taken from my notes for a Sunday School class dealing with the major differences between Roman Catholicism and the Protestant Reformed faith, and this part was in the area of Indulgences. This is the section dealing with how we might exegete these passages dealing with "binding", "loosing", "retaining", and "remitting" sins.<br><br>Sincerely in Christ,<br><br>~Jason

Webster has been definitely been used by God against the RCC. It's unfortunate that just about two weeks ago that RCC apologist Robert Sugensis's ministry slandered him, along with David King, and couple of fellows that work with James White. It was regarding the book, co-authored by King and Webster, against RCC that took about 6 years. The name of the 3 volume work is "Holy Scripture". I would put the link of the shameful article, but I believe they removed it and replaced with a weak apology. It just shows the shallowness of RCC apologetics. It prompted Eric Svendsen to put a very funny site regarding the issue. He called Sungesis ministry "THE CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS INTERNATIONAL ENQUIRER ". It's quite funny. http://www.ntrmin.org/CAISpoof.htm<br><br>Carlos

This was a good one Carlos. [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/rofl.gif" alt="rofl" title="rofl[/img]<br><br>It is "very bad" when such slanders take place. Of course, it also reveals that if all they can do is slander the individuals then they must not be able to refute the material. I'll have to purchase the volumes now for no other reason than general principle, but they will be a good read as well I am sure [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin[/img]

There is a book review on this magnum opus 3 volume set of Webster and Kings work: Sola Scriptura<br><br>

Thanks, all; these are all helpful. My problem is actually more with the Pentecostal interpretation of this than the Catholic....it's often a proof-text for name-it-and-claim-it theology, but I have become a terribly suspicious person. <br>Sometimes, I could wish being a Christian weren't such a minefield. [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/dizzy.gif" alt="dizzy" title="dizzy[/img]

Commentary on Matt. 18:18<br>Commentary by Louis A. Barbieri, Jr.<br>The Bible Knowledge Commentary<br>Dallas Theological Seminary<br><br>The comments are on 18:15-20:<br><br>The Lord had just spoken about offenses; now He talked about what should be done when known sin occurs. When a brother sins aginst another, the two of them should discuss the matter. If the matter can be settled at that level, there is no need for it to go any futher. But if the sinning brother refuses to listen....two or three witnesses should be taken along for a clear testimony. This was in keeping with Old Testament precedents, as in Deuteronomy 19:15. If the sinning brother still failed to recognize his error, the situation should be told before the entire church, or "assembly." The disciples probably would have understood Jesus to mean the matter should be brought before the Jewish assembly. After the establishment of the church, on the day of Pentecost, these words would have had greater meaning for them. One who refuses to acknowledge his sin is then to be treated as an outsider (a pagan or a tax collector).<br><br>This corporate action was entrusted to the entire apostolic group. Their actions of binding and loosing were to be directed by heaven (Matt. 18:18). Clearly all are addressed for the you pronouns are plural. Besides their binding and loosing, they were also to engage in corporate prayer. Whenever they came together in the name of the Lord, He would be with them. And if two or three would agree together about anything it would be done for them by the Father in heaven.<br><br><br>John 20:23<br>Commentary by Edwin A. Blum<br><br>The comments are on 20:21-23:<br><br>Jesus then recommissioned the disciples as His apostles: He was sending them as His representatives, as the Father had sent Him. They were sent with His authority to preach, teach, and do miraculous signs (Matt. 28:16-20; Luke 24:47-49). for their new commission they needed spiritual power. So He breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit. The image and wording of breathing on them recalls God's creative work in making Adam (Gen. 2:7). Now this post-Resurrection "breathing" was a new kind of creative work for they would soon become new creations (Eph. 2:8-10). This reception of the spirit was in anticipation of the day of Pentecost and should be understood as a partial limited gift of knowledge, understanding, and empowerment until Pentecost, 50 days later.<br><br>Forgiveness of sin is one of the major benefits of the death of Jesus. It is the essence of the New Covenant. Proclaiming the forgivness of sins was the prominent feature of the apostolic preaching in the Book of Acts. Jesus was giving the aposteles (and by extention, the church) the priviledge of announcing heaven's terms on how a person can receive forgivness. If one believes in Jesus, then a Christian has the right to announce his forgivness. If a person rejects Jesus' sacrifice, then Christian can announce that that person is not forgiven.

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>[color:"blue"][color:red]Matthew 16:19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[1] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[2] loosed in heaven." </font color=red></font><hr></blockquote><p><br>Matthew Henry Commentary:<br><br>Matthew 16:19 is referring to the order and government of the church. When a city or society is incorporated, officers are appointed and empowered to act for the common good. A city without government is a chaos. Now this constituting of the government of the church, is here expressed by the delivering of the keys, and, with them, a power to bind and loose. This is not to be understood of any peculiar power that Peter was invested with, as if he were sole door-keeper of the kingdom of heaven, and had that key of David which belongs only to the Son of David; no, this invests all the apostles and their successors with a ministerial power to guide and govern the church of Christ, as it exists in particular congregations or churches, according to the rules of the gospel. Claves regni caelorum in B. Petro apostolo cuncti suscepimus sacerdotes—All we that are priests, received, in the person of the blessed apostle Peter, the keys of the kingdom of heaven; so Ambrose De Dignit. Sacerd. Only the keys were first put into Peter’s hand, because he was the first that opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, Acts 10:28. As the king, in giving a charter to a corporation, empowers the magistrates to hold courts in his name, to try matters of fact, and determine therein according to law, confirming what is so done regularly as if done in any of the superior courts; so Christ, having incorporated his church, hath appointed the office of the ministry for the keeping up of order and government, and to see that his laws be duly served; I will give thee the keys. He doth not say, "I have given them,’’ or "I do now;’’ but "I will do it,’’ meaning after his resurrection; when he ascended on high, he gave those gifts, Ephes. 4:8; then this power was actually given, not to Peter only, but to all the rest, ch. 28:19, 20; Jn. 20:21. He doth not say, The keys shall be given, but, I will give them; for ministers derive their authority from Christ, and all their power is to be used in his name, 1 Co. 5:4. <br><br>Now, 1. The power here delegated is a spiritual power; it is a power pertaining to the kingdom of heaven, that is, to the church, that part of it which is militant here on earth, to the gospel dispensation; that is it about which the apostolical and ministerial power is wholly conversant. It is not any civil, secular power that is hereby conveyed, Christ’s kingdom is not of this world; their instructions afterward were in things pertaining to the kingdom of God, Acts 1:3. <br><br>2. It is the power of the keys that is given, alluding to the custom of investing men with authority in such a place, by delivering to them the keys of the place. Or as the master of the house gives the keys to the steward, the keys of the stores where the provisions are kept, that he may give to every one in the house his portion of meat in due season (Lu. 12:42), and deny it as there is occasion, according to the rules of the family. Ministers are stewards, 1 Co. 4:1; Tit. 1:7. Eliakim, who had the key of the house of David, was over the household, Isa. 22:22. <br><br>3. It is a power to bind and loose, that is (following the metaphor of the keys), to shut and open. Joseph, who was lord of Pharaoh’s house, and steward of the stores, had power to bind his princes, and to teach his senators wisdom, Ps. 105:21, 22. When the stores and treasures of the house are shut up from any, they are bound, interdico tibi aquâ et igne—I forbid thee the use of fire and water; when they are opened to them again, they are loosed from that bond, are discharged from the censure, and restored to their liberty. <br><br>4. It is a power which Christ has promised to own the due administration of; he will ratify the sentences of his stewards with his own approbation; It shall be bound in heaven, and loosed in heaven: not that Christ hath hereby obliged himself to confirm all church-censures, right or wrong; but such as are duly passed according to the word, clave non errante—the key turning the right way, such are sealed in heaven; that is, the word of the gospel, in the mouth of faithful ministers, is to be looked upon, not as the word of man, but as the word of God, and to be received accordingly, 1 Th. 2:13; Jn. 12:20. <br><br>Now the keys of the kingdom of heaven are, <br><br>(1.) The key of doctrine, called the key of knowledge. "Your business shall be to explain to the world the will of God, both as to truth and duty; and for this you shall have your commissions, credentials, and full instructions to bind and loose:’’ these, in the common speech of the Jews, at that time, signified to prohibit and permit; to teach or declare a thing to be unlawful was to bind; to be lawful, was to loose. Now the apostles had an extraordinary power of this kind; some things forbidden by the law of Moses were now to be allowed, as the eating of such and such meats; some things allowed there were now to be forbidden, as divorce; and the apostles were empowered to declare this to the world, and men might take it upon their words. When Peter was first taught himself, and then taught others, to call nothing common or unclean, this power was exercised. There is also an ordinary power hereby conveyed to all ministers, to preach the gospel as appointed officers; to tell people, in God’s name, and according to the scriptures, what is good, and what the Lord requires of them: and they who declare the whole counsel of God, use these keys well, Acts 20:27. <br><br>Some make the giving of the keys to allude to the custom of the Jews in creating a doctor of the law, which was to put into his hand the keys of the chest where the book of the law was kept, denoting his being authorized to take and read it; and the binding and loosing, to allude to the fashion about their books, which were in rolls; they shut them by binding them up with a string, which they untied when they opened them. Christ gives his apostles power to shut or open the book of the gospel to people, as the case required. See the exercise of this power, Acts 13:46; 18:6. When ministers preach pardon and peace to the penitent, wrath and the curse to the impenitent, in Christ’s name, they act then pursuant to this authority of binding and loosing. <br><br>(2.) The key of discipline, which is but the application of the former to particular persons, upon a right estimate of their characters and actions. It is not legislative power that is hereby conferred, but judicial; the judge doth not make the law, but only declares what is law, and upon an impartial enquiry into the merits of the cause, gives sentence accordingly. Such is the power of the keys, wherever it is lodged, with reference to church-membership and the privileges thereof.<br><br> [1.] Christ’s ministers have a power to admit into the church; "Go, disciple all nations, baptizing them; those who profess faith in Christ, and obedience to him, admit them and their seed members of the church by baptism.’’ Ministers are to let in to the wedding-feast those that are bidden; and to keep out such as are apparently unfit for so holy a communion. <br><br>[2.] They have a power to expel and cast out such as have forfeited their church-membership, that is binding; refusing to unbelievers the application of gospel promises and the seals of them; and declaring to such as appear to be in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity, that they have no part or lot in the matter, as Peter did to Simon Magus, though he had been baptized; and this is a binding over to the judgment of God. <br><br>[3.] They have a power to restore and to receive in again, upon their repentance, such as had been thrown out; to loose those whom they had bound; declaring to them, that, if their repentance be sincere, the promise of pardon belongs to them. The apostles had a miraculous gift of discerning spirits; yet even they went by the rule of outward appearances (as Acts 8:21; 1 Co. 5:1; 2 Co. 2:7; 1 Tim. 1:20), which ministers may still make a judgment upon, if they be skilful and faithful.

yes, that site is a classic![img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif" alt="laugh" title="laugh[/img]<br><br>In addition to the stuff that pilgrim provided, here's also a review of the 3 volume work by Keith A. Mathison. <br>I also looked for better prices, but I did not find any.<br><br>http://www.gospelcom.net/ligonier/review/revheader.php?resourceid=657<br><br><br><br>Carlos<br><br><br>

James White's ministry had the best price thus far I could find (about 57.00 for the set--WOW I save $3 [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif" alt="laugh" title="laugh[/img]). I am going to check a few more places, before I buy...but it is a MUST have now that I have seen some of these reviews.

well i'm sure that 3$ dollar can come in handy somehwere [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/smile.gif" alt="smile" title="smile[/img]. <br>I plan to get it also...but first I must plow my way through Whitaker's work[img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/heavy.gif" alt="heavy" title="heavy[/img] .<br><br><br>Carlos