Thursday, August 18, 2005

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.



You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
This is a pun on Peter's name. In Greek it would be Petros (Peter), petra (rock). In Aramaic it would be both kepa. The Church that Jesus would build would remain steadfast. It would find its footing on the faith proclaimed by Peter.

I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus gives to Peter the leadership over his Church.

Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
God shall bind and loose what Peter binds and looses. In the language of the rabbis this would mean binding the devil in exorcism, juridical acts of excommunication and definitive decision making. This verse thus gives enormous authority to Peter.

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