August 21, 2005
The Keys of the Kingdom of God
Isaiah 22:20-23. In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your girdle on him, and will commit your authority to his hand; and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him like a peg in a sure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house.This is not only an interesting Old Testament passage, it also foreshadows the future. As St. Jerome’s Commentary notes: the key of the house of David: Symbolizes authority over all in the royal palace. And note the reference to him being a “father” to others. Now fast forward to Jesus’s words:
Matthew 16:15-19. [Jesus] said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter [rock], and on this rock I will build my Church, and the powers of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”Christ is clearly making a reference that all Jews would immediately know: the keys of the kingdom. Only this time it isn’t just the keys that bind in the house of David, but those which bind on earth and heaven. Peter’s faith resulted in his installation as our first Pope – and a spiritual “father to the inhabitants” as Isaiah refers to.
So, it’s pretty simple. Jesus promised us:
- that He is building the Church
- that Peter (translates as “Rock”) is the earthly head.
- that the gates of hell will not prevail against his Church
- that Peter has the power to bind on earth and in heaven
Do you need more than faith to come home to the Catholic Church? Not after the promises of Christ - I know that my Church will never be overcome.
God bless,
Jay
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