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== Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament <ref name="term_56350" /> == | == Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament <ref name="term_56350" /> == | ||
<p> <b> KEYS. </b> —The word (κλείς) occurs 6 times in the New Testament, twice in the Synoptic Gospels, and 4 times in Revelation. In Luke 11:52 Jesus upbraids the lawyers on the ground that they have ‘taken away the key of knowledge,’ the instrument by which entrance into knowledge could be obtained, and thereby hindered the people from the privilege which should have been theirs. This they had done by substituting a false conlidence in the wrong kind of knowledge, with the result that the right kind was ignored and forgotten. The knowledge from which the people are thus excluded is ‘that of the way of salvation’ (Plummer), or, more profoundly, that knowledge of the Lord, for lack of which the ‘people perish’ (Hosea 4:6), to seek which they had been urged by the prophets (cf. John 17:3). </p> <p> In Matthew 16:19 the word is used again metaphorically, in the address to Peter: ‘I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.’ The apparent limitation of the promise to one [[Apostle]] is to be controlled by the repetition of the following and interpretive clause addressed to the [[Apostles]] in general in Matthew 18:18. The keys are to be intrusted to Peter as to a steward of the house (and in like manner to the Apostles in general), to whom might be given the power of locking and unlocking, but not of deciding who did or did not belong to the household (Weiss). The significance of this promise would be fully met if it announced the effectual proclamation, through the Apostles, of the gospel by means of which the believer obtains entrance into the kingdom. On the passage as a whole see artt. [[Caesarea]] Philippi, p. 249, and Peter. </p> <p> In Revelation 1:18 the Son of Man in John’s vision says: ‘I have the keys of death and of Hades,’ <i> i.e. </i> control over the entrance to the realm of the dead. The figure of death as a realm with portals comes down from Psalms 9:13, and was freely developed in the Rabbinic writings. The ‘key of death’ was one of the three (four) keys which were said to be in the hand of God alone. Thus in <i> [[Sanhedrin]] </i> , 113, ‘Elijah desired that there should be given to him the key of rain; he desired that there should be given to him the key of resurrection of the dead: they said to him, “Three keys are not given into the hand of a representative, the key of birth, the key of rain, and the key of resurrection of the dead.’ ” There is therefore strong significance in the claim here made by the [[Risen]] Messiah. </p> <p> In like manner a claim to at least Messianic dignity is involved in the phrase in Revelation 3:7 ‘he that hath the key of David.’ The allusion is clearly to the promise in Isaiah 22:22 ‘I will give to him (Eliakim) the key of the house of David upon his shoulder,’ a passage which, according to Zullich, was commonly referred by [[Jewish]] commentators to the Messiah. </p> <p> In the two remaining passages (Revelation 9:1; Revelation 20:1) the use of the word (‘the key of the pit of the abyss,’ ‘the key of the abyss’) depends on the idea familiar in Jewish cosmogony, viz. that there was a communication between the upper world and the under world or abyss by means of a pit or shaft, the opening to which might be conceived as covered and locked. According to Rabbinic tradition, this opening was placed beneath the foundations of the Temple, as the [[Moslems]] hold to this day that it is to be found beneath the [[Dome]] of the Rock, or [[Mosque]] of [[Omar]] (see Gunkel, <i> Schopfung und [[Chaos]] </i> , pp. 91–98). </p> <p> C. Anderson Scott. </p> | <p> <b> KEYS. </b> —The word (κλείς) occurs 6 times in the New Testament, twice in the Synoptic Gospels, and 4 times in Revelation. In Luke 11:52 Jesus upbraids the lawyers on the ground that they have ‘taken away the key of knowledge,’ the instrument by which entrance into knowledge could be obtained, and thereby hindered the people from the privilege which should have been theirs. This they had done by substituting a false conlidence in the wrong kind of knowledge, with the result that the right kind was ignored and forgotten. The knowledge from which the people are thus excluded is ‘that of the way of salvation’ (Plummer), or, more profoundly, that knowledge of the Lord, for lack of which the ‘people perish’ ( Hosea 4:6), to seek which they had been urged by the prophets (cf. John 17:3). </p> <p> In Matthew 16:19 the word is used again metaphorically, in the address to Peter: ‘I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.’ The apparent limitation of the promise to one [[Apostle]] is to be controlled by the repetition of the following and interpretive clause addressed to the [[Apostles]] in general in Matthew 18:18. The keys are to be intrusted to Peter as to a steward of the house (and in like manner to the Apostles in general), to whom might be given the power of locking and unlocking, but not of deciding who did or did not belong to the household (Weiss). The significance of this promise would be fully met if it announced the effectual proclamation, through the Apostles, of the gospel by means of which the believer obtains entrance into the kingdom. On the passage as a whole see artt. [[Caesarea]] Philippi, p. 249, and Peter. </p> <p> In Revelation 1:18 the Son of Man in John’s vision says: ‘I have the keys of death and of Hades,’ <i> i.e. </i> control over the entrance to the realm of the dead. The figure of death as a realm with portals comes down from Psalms 9:13, and was freely developed in the Rabbinic writings. The ‘key of death’ was one of the three (four) keys which were said to be in the hand of God alone. Thus in <i> [[Sanhedrin]] </i> , 113, ‘Elijah desired that there should be given to him the key of rain; he desired that there should be given to him the key of resurrection of the dead: they said to him, “Three keys are not given into the hand of a representative, the key of birth, the key of rain, and the key of resurrection of the dead.’ ” There is therefore strong significance in the claim here made by the [[Risen]] Messiah. </p> <p> In like manner a claim to at least Messianic dignity is involved in the phrase in Revelation 3:7 ‘he that hath the key of David.’ The allusion is clearly to the promise in Isaiah 22:22 ‘I will give to him (Eliakim) the key of the house of David upon his shoulder,’ a passage which, according to Zullich, was commonly referred by [[Jewish]] commentators to the Messiah. </p> <p> In the two remaining passages ( Revelation 9:1; Revelation 20:1) the use of the word (‘the key of the pit of the abyss,’ ‘the key of the abyss’) depends on the idea familiar in Jewish cosmogony, viz. that there was a communication between the upper world and the under world or abyss by means of a pit or shaft, the opening to which might be conceived as covered and locked. According to Rabbinic tradition, this opening was placed beneath the foundations of the Temple, as the [[Moslems]] hold to this day that it is to be found beneath the [[Dome]] of the Rock, or [[Mosque]] of [[Omar]] (see Gunkel, <i> Schopfung und [[Chaos]] </i> , pp. 91–98). </p> <p> C. Anderson Scott. </p> | ||
== Holman Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_41824" /> == | == Holman Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_41824" /> == | ||
<p> Old [[Testament]] The holder of the keys had the power to admit or deny entrance to the house of God (1 Chronicles 9:22-27; Isaiah 22:22 ). In late Judaism, this key imagery was extended to angelic beings and to God as keepers of the keys of heaven and hell. </p> <p> New Testament In the New Testament, keys are used only figuratively as a symbol of authority, particularly the authority of Christ over the final destiny of persons. The risen Christ holds the key of David and controls access to the New [[Jerusalem]] (Revelation 3:7 ). By overcoming death, He has the keys to the world of the dead (Revelation 1:18 ). </p> <p> In Matthew 16:18-19 , Jesus delegated the power of the keys to His disciples, combining the imagery of keys with that of binding and loosing. When Peter confessed that Jesus was the Son of God, Jesus proclaimed that the gates of death would have no power over His church. The gates would not be able to resist the keys he was giving to Peter as a representative of the church. [See also <i> Disciple's Study | <p> Old [[Testament]] The holder of the keys had the power to admit or deny entrance to the house of God ( 1 Chronicles 9:22-27; Isaiah 22:22 ). In late Judaism, this key imagery was extended to angelic beings and to God as keepers of the keys of heaven and hell. </p> <p> New Testament In the New Testament, keys are used only figuratively as a symbol of authority, particularly the authority of Christ over the final destiny of persons. The risen Christ holds the key of David and controls access to the New [[Jerusalem]] ( Revelation 3:7 ). By overcoming death, He has the keys to the world of the dead ( Revelation 1:18 ). </p> <p> In Matthew 16:18-19 , Jesus delegated the power of the keys to His disciples, combining the imagery of keys with that of binding and loosing. When Peter confessed that Jesus was the Son of God, Jesus proclaimed that the gates of death would have no power over His church. The gates would not be able to resist the keys he was giving to Peter as a representative of the church. [See also <i> Disciple's Study Bible </i> , note on Matthew 16:18-19 , pp. 1198-1199.] </p> <p> With the other apostles, Peter also received the power of binding and loosing ( Matthew 16:19; Matthew 18:18 ), a phrase used to describe the work of scribes who sought God's will through a study of [[Scripture]] and declared it through teaching and judging. The scribes could also exclude persons from the community (compare Matthew 18:15-17 ), but Christ denounced them for misusing their key ( Luke 11:52 ) and blocking the entrance to the kingdom ( Matthew 23:13 ). In their place, through the gift of the Spirit, the disciples received the authority to proclaim forgiveness and judgment ( John 20:23 ). See [[Keys]] of the Kingdom. </p> <p> Barbara J. [[Bruce]] </p> | ||
== Charles Buck Theological Dictionary <ref name="term_20020" /> == | == Charles Buck Theological Dictionary <ref name="term_20020" /> == | ||
<p> Power of the, a term made use of in reference to ecclesiastical jurisdiction, denoting the power of excommunicating and absolving. The Romanists say that the pope has the power of the keys, and can open and shut paradise as he pleases; grounding their opinion on that expression of Jesus Christ to Peter </p> <p> "I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, " Matthew 16:19 . But every one must see that this is an absolute perversion of Scripture; for the keys of the kingdom of heaven most probably refer to the [[Gospel]] dispensation, and denote the power and authority of every faithful minister to preach the Gospel, administer the sacraments, and exercise government, that men may be admitted to or excluded from the church, as is proper. </p> <p> See ABSOLUTION. In St. [[Gregory]] we read that it was the custom for the popes to send a golden key to princes, wherein they inclosed a little of the filings of St. Peter's chain, kept with such devotion at Rome; and that these keys were worn in the bosom, as being supposed to contain some wonderful virtues! Such has been the superstition of past ages!! </p> | <p> Power of the, a term made use of in reference to ecclesiastical jurisdiction, denoting the power of excommunicating and absolving. The Romanists say that the pope has the power of the keys, and can open and shut paradise as he pleases; grounding their opinion on that expression of Jesus Christ to Peter </p> <p> "I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, " Matthew 16:19 . But every one must see that this is an absolute perversion of Scripture; for the keys of the kingdom of heaven most probably refer to the [[Gospel]] dispensation, and denote the power and authority of every faithful minister to preach the Gospel, administer the sacraments, and exercise government, that men may be admitted to or excluded from the church, as is proper. </p> <p> See ABSOLUTION. In St. [[Gregory]] we read that it was the custom for the popes to send a golden key to princes, wherein they inclosed a little of the filings of St. Peter's chain, kept with such devotion at Rome; and that these keys were worn in the bosom, as being supposed to contain some wonderful virtues! Such has been the superstition of past ages!! </p> | ||
==References == | ==References == | ||
Latest revision as of 09:14, 13 October 2021
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament [1]
KEYS. —The word (κλείς) occurs 6 times in the New Testament, twice in the Synoptic Gospels, and 4 times in Revelation. In Luke 11:52 Jesus upbraids the lawyers on the ground that they have ‘taken away the key of knowledge,’ the instrument by which entrance into knowledge could be obtained, and thereby hindered the people from the privilege which should have been theirs. This they had done by substituting a false conlidence in the wrong kind of knowledge, with the result that the right kind was ignored and forgotten. The knowledge from which the people are thus excluded is ‘that of the way of salvation’ (Plummer), or, more profoundly, that knowledge of the Lord, for lack of which the ‘people perish’ ( Hosea 4:6), to seek which they had been urged by the prophets (cf. John 17:3).
In Matthew 16:19 the word is used again metaphorically, in the address to Peter: ‘I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.’ The apparent limitation of the promise to one Apostle is to be controlled by the repetition of the following and interpretive clause addressed to the Apostles in general in Matthew 18:18. The keys are to be intrusted to Peter as to a steward of the house (and in like manner to the Apostles in general), to whom might be given the power of locking and unlocking, but not of deciding who did or did not belong to the household (Weiss). The significance of this promise would be fully met if it announced the effectual proclamation, through the Apostles, of the gospel by means of which the believer obtains entrance into the kingdom. On the passage as a whole see artt. Caesarea Philippi, p. 249, and Peter.
In Revelation 1:18 the Son of Man in John’s vision says: ‘I have the keys of death and of Hades,’ i.e. control over the entrance to the realm of the dead. The figure of death as a realm with portals comes down from Psalms 9:13, and was freely developed in the Rabbinic writings. The ‘key of death’ was one of the three (four) keys which were said to be in the hand of God alone. Thus in Sanhedrin , 113, ‘Elijah desired that there should be given to him the key of rain; he desired that there should be given to him the key of resurrection of the dead: they said to him, “Three keys are not given into the hand of a representative, the key of birth, the key of rain, and the key of resurrection of the dead.’ ” There is therefore strong significance in the claim here made by the Risen Messiah.
In like manner a claim to at least Messianic dignity is involved in the phrase in Revelation 3:7 ‘he that hath the key of David.’ The allusion is clearly to the promise in Isaiah 22:22 ‘I will give to him (Eliakim) the key of the house of David upon his shoulder,’ a passage which, according to Zullich, was commonly referred by Jewish commentators to the Messiah.
In the two remaining passages ( Revelation 9:1; Revelation 20:1) the use of the word (‘the key of the pit of the abyss,’ ‘the key of the abyss’) depends on the idea familiar in Jewish cosmogony, viz. that there was a communication between the upper world and the under world or abyss by means of a pit or shaft, the opening to which might be conceived as covered and locked. According to Rabbinic tradition, this opening was placed beneath the foundations of the Temple, as the Moslems hold to this day that it is to be found beneath the Dome of the Rock, or Mosque of Omar (see Gunkel, Schopfung und Chaos , pp. 91–98).
C. Anderson Scott.
Holman Bible Dictionary [2]
Old Testament The holder of the keys had the power to admit or deny entrance to the house of God ( 1 Chronicles 9:22-27; Isaiah 22:22 ). In late Judaism, this key imagery was extended to angelic beings and to God as keepers of the keys of heaven and hell.
New Testament In the New Testament, keys are used only figuratively as a symbol of authority, particularly the authority of Christ over the final destiny of persons. The risen Christ holds the key of David and controls access to the New Jerusalem ( Revelation 3:7 ). By overcoming death, He has the keys to the world of the dead ( Revelation 1:18 ).
In Matthew 16:18-19 , Jesus delegated the power of the keys to His disciples, combining the imagery of keys with that of binding and loosing. When Peter confessed that Jesus was the Son of God, Jesus proclaimed that the gates of death would have no power over His church. The gates would not be able to resist the keys he was giving to Peter as a representative of the church. [See also Disciple's Study Bible , note on Matthew 16:18-19 , pp. 1198-1199.]
With the other apostles, Peter also received the power of binding and loosing ( Matthew 16:19; Matthew 18:18 ), a phrase used to describe the work of scribes who sought God's will through a study of Scripture and declared it through teaching and judging. The scribes could also exclude persons from the community (compare Matthew 18:15-17 ), but Christ denounced them for misusing their key ( Luke 11:52 ) and blocking the entrance to the kingdom ( Matthew 23:13 ). In their place, through the gift of the Spirit, the disciples received the authority to proclaim forgiveness and judgment ( John 20:23 ). See Keys of the Kingdom.
Barbara J. Bruce
Charles Buck Theological Dictionary [3]
Power of the, a term made use of in reference to ecclesiastical jurisdiction, denoting the power of excommunicating and absolving. The Romanists say that the pope has the power of the keys, and can open and shut paradise as he pleases; grounding their opinion on that expression of Jesus Christ to Peter
"I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, " Matthew 16:19 . But every one must see that this is an absolute perversion of Scripture; for the keys of the kingdom of heaven most probably refer to the Gospel dispensation, and denote the power and authority of every faithful minister to preach the Gospel, administer the sacraments, and exercise government, that men may be admitted to or excluded from the church, as is proper.
See ABSOLUTION. In St. Gregory we read that it was the custom for the popes to send a golden key to princes, wherein they inclosed a little of the filings of St. Peter's chain, kept with such devotion at Rome; and that these keys were worn in the bosom, as being supposed to contain some wonderful virtues! Such has been the superstition of past ages!!
