On this episode, Jonathan Leeman joins Kirk E. Miller to debate the theologically complicated passage of Matthew 16:19 and its point out of the “keys of the dominion.” Collectively, they unpack the that means of “binding and loosing,” parallel passages like Matthew 18:18, and the way totally different interpretations have yielded competing conceptions of church authority. Be part of us as we discover how church participates in Christ’s mission by means of the authority he entrusts to it.
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Episode visitor: Jonathan Leeman
Jonathan Leeman is the editorial director at 9Marks and co-host of the Pastors Speak podcast. He teaches at a number of seminaries and is the creator of a variety of books on the church, in addition to on the intersection of religion and politics, together with How the Nations Rage: Rethinking Faith and Politics for a Divided Age and most lately, Authority: How Godly Rule Protects the Vulnerable, Strengthens Community, and Promotes Human Flourishing.
Jonathan lives along with his spouse and 4 daughters in a Maryland suburb of Washington, DC, and he’s a member and elder at Cheverly Baptist Church.
Episode synopsis
Why Matthew 16:19 issues
In Matthew 16:19, Jesus grants Peter the keys of the dominion of heaven together with the authority to bind and free on earth, actions that shall be mirrored in heaven. This passage opens up questions on ecclesiastical authority and the character of the church. Kirk E. Miller and Jonathan Leeman outlines how differing interpretations of this passage can vastly have an effect on one’s understanding of church authority and its position in Christianity.
Surveying the differing interpretations
Jonathan Leeman outlines varied interpretations of Matthew 16:19, from the Roman Catholic declare that Peter’s authority extends by means of apostolic succession and the Pope, to some Protestant interpretations that regard the “rock” as Peter’s confession fairly than Peter himself, to Pentecostal readings that see on this passage authority to bind evil spirits. Jonathan argues, nonetheless, that current evangelical scholarship tends to acknowledge Peter as the rock upon which Jesus builds his church, with out essentially supporting the Catholic view of papal authority.
Exegetical evaluation
Jonathan and Kirk delve into the grammatical and contextual nuances of the important thing phrases like “binding” and “loosing.” They focus on how these phrases are utilized in essential parallel texts, notably Matthew 18:18, to stipulate ecclesiastical authority.
The character of the keys
Jonathan clarifies that this authority granted by Jesus in Matthew 16 entails a judicial, declarative energy vested within the church. This authority is seen within the church’s accountability to affirm the gospel (“what”) and its confessors (“who”), as mirrored in practices such inclusion into the church neighborhood (church membership) and exclusion by church self-discipline (excommunication).
Peter’s foundational position
Their dialogue considers Peter’s distinctive position, each as a person apostle and as consultant of the apostles. Jonathan posits that Peter stands as a foundational determine upon which Jesus builds his church. Kirk and Jonathan present scriptural examples to help this declare. But Jonathan disagrees with the Roman Catholic view that extends Peter’s position to an ongoing apostolic succession embodied within the papacy.
The marks of a real church
Kirk connects the textual content to the Belgic Confession, particularly Article 29, illustrating how the marks of the true church embody (1) the pure preaching of the gospel, (2) the right administration of sacraments, and (3) the apply of church self-discipline. Kirk explains that the church workouts the keys of the dominion by way of these features that serve to outline the gospel and its adherents.
Software to the Christian life
Jonathan and Kirk stress the sensible significance of those teachings for modern church life. In distinction to many individualistic expressions of Christianity as we speak, we should acknowledge the native church’s position within the Christian life, embody its authority and steerage.
Sensible strategies for instructing
Kirk and Jonathan recommend delving deeply into the passage’s theological and ecclesial implications to raised inform congregants and assist them perceive the collective authority of the church. Kirk emphasizes that the that means of the keys of the dominion is central to a correct understanding and software of this passage, and thus its warrant thorough exploration.
Encouragement and assurance
The episode concludes with the encouragement that Jesus’s promise to be along with his church, empowering them with the authority to hold out its mission. Kirk connects Jesus’s phrases in Matthew 16 to the Great Commission (Matt 28), positioning the church as Christ’s deputized agent of Christ on earth.
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