Isaiah 22:22: “And the key to the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder so he shall open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open.”

Matthew 16:19: “And I will give to you the keys to the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatsoever  you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Maybe I came to this passage in desperation.  As with any ministry you will go through a period of trials and difficulties which we are experiencing presently with this work.  My study partner has always looks for something, clocks, license plates, addresses that have the number 22 as a sign from God. I thought I would give it whirl and pick a passage like 22:22 and see if I come up with anything.  Well, this is what I get for trying to copy someone else’s experience with God.  But it is an interesting passage and although it does address the issue at hand, it does take my mind off of Job’s messengers who have been paying me a visit these last few days and will at least momentarily allow me to enjoy my ham sandwich.

Ok, Isaiah 22:22 is Messianic, I know that, I agree 100%.  I am also not a Catholic, but I do take a very Catholic interpretation of Matthew 16:19 although I do not believe the authority given to Peter by Jesus was intended to have apostolic succession. I find no Scriptural basis to believe that such powerful authority granted to Peter was meant to live beyond Peter’s life time.  It was given only to establish the church.

Eliakim was the prime minister or finance minister to King Hezekiah.  God used him as a picture of the Messiah and I believe Jesus, as a good rabbi, used this Biblical picture to explain the authority he would grant to Peter. Which leads to the obvious conclusion that I reject the popular interpretation of Matthew 16:19 that Jesus is granting to us the authority to rule over demonic spirits.  Although I believe we have that authority through the Blood of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, I do not believe it was granted here, nor do I accept the many other interpretations that seem to be coming down the pike on Matthew 16:19.  As there are many interpretations of this verse, I figure I may as well jump into the frey and  wave my flag in some overt fashion.  So before you pick up rocks to throw at me, let me just explain why I believe what I do, and why I am walking through this mine field.  My study partner has been rapping me pretty hard with this religious bondage thing and I need to address it, at least to myself.  Maybe that is the source of all my present Jobian trials.

In Matthew 16:19 Jesus gave the keys to the kingdom to Peter and told him that whatever he binds on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever he loosens on earth will be loosed in heaven.   The words binding in Greek is dein and loose is luein.  The Septuagint uses these very same words for the Hebrew words asar and hitir.  My Aramaic Bible the Peshitta shows the Aramaic word ‘esar for bind which is directly related to the Hebrew word ‘asar and the Aramaic word shira for loose which is also directly related to the Hebrew word hitir.  Both of these words are legal terms found throughout the Mishnah and Talmud and represents forbidding and permitting.  The council of sages and rabbis of the Sanhedrin were granted the authority (by man) to asar or ‘esar (bind) and hitir or shira (loosen) Jews to aspects of the law. It was believed that whatever the rabbis bound ‘asar, ‘esar on earth was bound in heaven and whatever they loosened hitir shira on earth was loosened in heaven. This was recorded in the Tradition of the Fathers during the time of Jesus which eventually became the Jewish Talmud.   The word heaven was just another term used to represent God so one would not speak the sacred name of God.   Thus, it was believed that what the Sanhedrin ruled whether to bind ‘asar, ‘esar or loosen hitir, shira, was automatically ratified by God.  It would seem that Jesus used this same popular expression to grant similar authority to Peter to resolve future disputes in the establishment of the church.

We find one such example of this binding ‘asar, ‘esar  and loosening hitir, shira to take place in Acts 15 where the apostles and elders convened in a sort of Church Sanhedrin in Jerusalem to address the issue as to whether Gentiles were bound to the law.  In Acts 15:10 we find Peter exercising his rabbinic authority granted to him by the very lips of Jesus of binding ‘asar, ‘esar and loosening hitir, shira to declare that the commandments were too heavy for the Gentiles and that they should be loosened from the obligations of the law.  In verse 20 James chimed in and said that he agreed but that the Gentiles should still be bound by laws that the Jews considered universal prohibitions such as murder, adultery and idolatry etc.  In verse 22 it appears everyone gave a hearty amen and then sent Paul and Barnabas out to spread the Word.

From this I believe the issue of the law and our obligation to the law was resolved and later confirmed by the Apostle Paul in the first century and under the authority of binding ‘asar, ‘esar and loosening hitir, shira granted to Peter by Jesus.  We as, Gentiles, are not bound to the Judaic laws that are indigenous to Judaism such as the dietary laws, laws of festivals, tithing etc. But we are bound to those laws that are considered universal laws such as murder, adultery, idolatry, etc. It helps to look through Jewish literature to find out what the universal laws are, but the Holy Spirit does a better job at that within our own hearts.

Did I say tithing?  Hooky smokes, what am I saying, scratch that one.

The point is, if you look at Isaiah 22:22 and Matthew 16:19 from a Jewish historical and cultural context it would help us understand the significance of Acts 15 and maybe cause us to rethink our interpretation of Matthew 16:19.  Also, it may help us gain some insight into our obligation of the law.  Many a rabbi have told me that as a Gentile I am not ‘asar, ‘esar (bound) to the 513 commandments and hitil, shita (loosened) from all but the 10 commandments.  Some have even said I am only bound to 3 of the 10 commandments. But I prefer to take my cues direct from the Spirit of God.

So based upon if you will excuse me while I bite into this ham sandwich which I am free to eat, but not freedom to commit idolatry. Munch, I think I could easily make that ham on wheat at Subways an idol.