KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18–19)

Having been a believer in Jesus Christ for over a half Century, something in these verses recently elicited my attention: the word keys—and the fact that it is plural. If I were to say that I had keys to my house I might be referring to front and back door locks that were keyed differently. Therefore, was Our Lord inferring that there were additional entrances to the kingdom of heaven? And if we could prove that there are many entrances into heaven, could those who proclaim that “all roads lead to heaven” be correct?

However, that would present a conflict of Scripture, for Jesus Christ stated that “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6). This concludes that the only way into God’s plan for salvation is by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

 Explaining the Keys

The Greek verb from which ‘key’ is derived means to shut or close.1 We find that the noun ‘key’ (singular and plural) is used in the New Testament only 6 times. But it was used in ancient writings as early as the 8^th Century B.C., as Dr. Beetham confirms that,

The noun occurs in Homer over 30 times to denote the bar to shut a door or, more specifically, a hook used to manipulate that bar. The term was then applied to a special wooden or metal instrument that served to move or unlock a bolt; thus the meaning “key.”2

However, observing the usage of ‘key’ in the New Testament, Greek scholars consistently state that it is used “metaphorically,”3 in a figurative manner. According to Dr. Unger, “the key is often used in Scripture as a symbol of power and authority, whether in church or state.”4 In this manner, Dr. Zodhiates explains its figurative meaning in the passage quoted at the outset:

The Lord designated Peter as the one who at Pentecost was going to open the kingdom of heaven to a great crowd which was of the Jewish stock (Acts 2) and later at Caesarea Maritime, which was of the Gentiles (Acts 10).5

Our Lord gave to Peter the keys—plural, being a dual authority. First, he declared the gospel of the grace of God to the Jews and secondly, he announced that this same gospel of grace was offered to the Gentiles. This is what the Apostle Paul would later proclaim as “the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God” (Ephesians 3:9).

This idea of power and authority is what shall be noted in the other uses of the word ‘key’ in the New Testament.

Key of Knowledge

“Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering.” (Luke 11:52)

In the passage of Luke 11:45-52, Our Lord charges the lawyers with their malpractice in interpreting the Law. These lawyers are the Jewish scribes who were purportedly the experts in the interpretation of the Mosaic Law. Our Lord declared three ‘woes’ upon them, most notably that their interpretation of the Law “weigh men down with burdens hard to bear” (11:46) which they don’t even follow. The third ‘woe’ is that they “have taken away the key of knowledge” (11:52; cf. Malachi 2:7)—the power of knowledge. They withheld the correct knowledge of God’s Word pertaining to the attainment of eternal life. Instead they substituted “their wretched traditions”6 of a salvation obtained by works, which contradicted the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8).

Keys of Death and Hades

“And I have the keys of death and of Hades.” (Revelation 1:18b)

In John’s initial vision of the Revelation, Our Lord stated that He was in possession of the “keys of death and of Hades.” These are not physical keys but instead it follows the figurative meaning of the word—power and authority. This power and authority He has over the administration of these two realms: over the physical death of His creatures (Hebrews 9:27) and determining who is to be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:15).

Key of David

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this. (Revelation 3:7)

The mention of the “key of David” refers to a passage in Isaiah 22:22 where the key (power and authority) over the house of David was placed on the shoulder of Eliakim, the household administrator. Kiel and Delitzsch note:

The power of the keys consisted not only in the supervision of the royal chambers, but also in the decision who was and who was not to be received into the king’s service.7

The placement of the key on the shoulder of Eliakim alludes to Isaiah’s prophesy concerning the Christ: “And the government will rest on His shoulders” (Isaiah 9:6). And now by this declaration in Revelation 3:7, Jesus Christ, the son of David will have total power and authority over the Messianic Kingdom of David.

Key of the Bottomless Pit

Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. (Revelation 9:1)

Here the angel is given the authority to open the bottomless pit and dispense the Fifth Trumpet judgment of locusts and scorpions.

Key of the Abyss

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. (Revelation 20:1)

In this verse we observe an angel, not physically holding an actual key, but instead possessing the power and authority to access the abyss along with a chain in order to “handcuff” and restrain Satan in order to throw him into the abyss. This abyss is defined as “a prison in which evil powers are confined and out of which they can at times be let loose.”8 Satan will stay in the abyss and be released after the thousand years of the Millennium Kingdom (Revelation 20:7).

Conclusion

The word key is never used in Scripture as an instrument for unlocking a door or a padlock. Nor is it used to describe an essential (key) person or a fundamental (key) point in a discussion. It is used figuratively of a given power or authority to open a divinely administered realm or knowledge of truth.         

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[1] Zodhiates, S. (2000). κλείω. In The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G2808.

[2] Beetham, Christopher A. (Ed.) (2021). The Concise New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, p. 461.

[3] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). In Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 2.341.

[4] Unger, M. F., Harrison, R. K., Vos, H. F., Barber, C. J., & Unger, M. F. (1988). In The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (Rev. and updated ed.). Chicago: Moody Press.

[5] Zodhiates, κλείς, G2807.

[6] Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc, 2.111.

[7] Keil, C.F. & Delitzsch, F. (n/d). Isaiah, In Commentary on the Old Testament (Electronic Ed.). Ages Software, p. 338.

[8] Zodhiates, ἄβυσσος, G12.

© 2024 David M. Rossi 

THE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE OF WORK

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.

(Colossians 3:23)

The subject of work is mentioned throughout Scripture. Even prior to the Fall of Adam, there was work: God’s work of creation (Genesis 1); Adam’s cultivation of the Garden of Eden and categorization of the animals (Genesis 2:15 & 19). After the Fall, Adam and his progeny to this day, have been burdened with the toil and sweat of labor in order to maintain our physical lives.

The Lord gave this directive to Israel concerning His requirements for their work endeavors:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (Exodus 20:8–11)

Moses reiterated this at the second giving of the Law:

“Six days you shall labor and do all your work.” (Deuteronomy 5:13)

This mandate for work is reaffirmed in the New Testament teachings of the apostle Paul, who was a tentmaker during his missionary tours (Acts 18:3).

But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you. (1 Thessalonians 4:10b–11)

This is in harmony with Paul’s overall teaching that “whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31; cf. Colossians 3:17). This should be the believer’s principal objective in the workplace, just as in every endeavor of life.

What is more, Paul had a warning for those who refused to work:

For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. (2 Thessalonians 3:10–11)

Yet the main difference between God’s works and man’s is this: God’s works are righteous, supernatural and eternal acts of creation and redemption; while man’s works are often times characterized as dead (Hebrews 6:1; 9:14), evil (2 Timothy 4:18; 1 John 3:12; 2 John 11, and ungodly (Jude15). The righteous works of believers are only those which are executed while empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; Romans 8:4, 14; 1 Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 3:16). Dr. Francis Schaeffer aptly points this out:

There is no source of power for God’s people—for preaching or teaching or anything else—except Christ Himself. Apart from Christ, anything which seems to be spiritual power is actually the power of the flesh...The Lord’s work in the Lord’s way is the Lord’s work in the power of the Holy Spirit and not in the power of the flesh. 1

These works, empowered by the Holy Spirit, glorify God and may involve everyday activities—in the workplace, recreation, with family, and even mundane housework. Glorifying God is not just doing ‘religious’ works or church work or ‘spiritual’ stuff, but it is serving the Lord full-time, empowered by the Holy Spirit. For this is what true spirituality is all about: a moment-by-moment relationship with God—thinking His thoughts and glorifying Him by all that we do.

Our Lord’s Work

When we come to the New Testament, we see that the religious Jews were highly critical of any work performed on the Sabbath. They criticized Our Lord for healing (Luke 13:14; John 7:23; 9:16); and He and His disciples for working to obtain food (Matthew 12:1-2); and of a man who carried his bed after being healed (John 5:8-10).

In John’s gospel account, more so than the synoptic gospels, he draws attention to the subject of the works which the Father had sent Our Lord to accomplish. This was concisely stated by Our Lord:

“But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John 2; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.” (John 5:36; cf. John 10:25, 37-38)

And in John chapter 9, we see Our Lord expanding the scope of responsibility for doing the works of the Father with His disciples. Here Jesus and His disciples happen upon a man blind from birth. The disciples naively ask Him who had sinned that caused his blindness, his parents or himself. Jesus answered them:

“It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” (John 9:3–5 [emphasis added)

In verse 4 of this passage, Our Lord states that “we must work the works of Him who sent Me.” The “we” refers specifically to Himself and His disciples as coworkers in performing the Father’s work. What must not be confused is that the “Father’s work” which Our Lord is conscripting His disciples for, is not entirely the same as the Father’s work for Jesus—His was to preach, to perform miraculous wonders and to procure redemption. Jesus summarized what this work was when He stated:

“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him [Jesus Christ] whom He has sent.” (John 6:29)

Believing in Jesus Christ is tantamount to obeying His commandments (1 John 2:4) and emulating His holy/sinless character (1 Peter 1:15-16).

Incorporating His disciples into His work is mentioned on another occasion. At His post-Resurrection appearance to his disciples, Jesus stated: “as the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21). Redemption had already been accomplished, so therefore, the sending of His disciples was for a different mission—their sending was to testify to the world of the reality of Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah and therefore the proclamation of the gospel of salvation.

Three decades later, the apostle Paul wrote of God’s logical order for the preparation of believers to do His work of service, which applies to all believers today:

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11–13)

The body of Christ will be successful at doing His work when three factors are realized: 1) the unity of doctrine is achieved; 2) the individual is mature (the completed training of the inner man); 3) to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ, i.e. the demonstration of the mature inner man to the surrounding world.

This is how His work will be accomplished here on earth. There is no other way. It must be done in the Lord’s prescribed way—in the power of the Holy Spirit. Any other methodology, system or human energy dishonors God and is nothing more than wood, hay and straw (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). It must be just as Dr. Schaeffer stated: "The Lord's work in the Lord's way."

 

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[1] Schaeffer, Francis A. (1985). The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 3.42-43.

[2] John the baptizer

 

THE 33 RICHES OF GRACE GIVEN AT SALVATION

Every believer in Jesus Christ should know and understand all the spiritual riches they possess. The following outline by Dr. L.S. Chafer details the riches bestowed upon believers by God's unmatchless grace. 

It would be of great benefit for the reader to copy and study each of these riches and frequently meditate upon their own personal and eternal relationship with God.    

THE 33 RICHES OF DIVINE GRACE

By: Lewis Sperry Chafer*

These thirty-three positions and possessions are not bestowed in succession, but simultaneously.

1. In The Eternal Plan of God

a.    Foreknown – Romans 8:20; 1 Peter 1:2

b.    Predestinated – Ephesians 1:11; Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:5

c.     Elect – 1 Thessalonians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:2; Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12; Titus 1:1

d.    Chosen – Matthew 22:14; 1 Peter 2:4

e.    Called – 1 Thessalonians 5:24

2. Redeemed

a.    By God – Colossians 1:14; 1 Peter 1:18; Romans 3:24

b.    Out of Condemnation – Romans 8:1; John 5:24; 3:18; 1 Corinthians 11:32

3. Reconciled

a.    By God – 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Colossians 1:20

b.    To God – 2 Corinthians 5:20; Romans 5:10

4. Related to God through Propitiation

1 John 2:2; Romans 3:25-26

5. Forgiven All Trespasses

Colossians 2:3 [Ephesians 1:7; 4:32; Colossians 1:14; 3:13]

6. Vitally Conjoined to Christ for the Judgment of the Old Man “unto a New Walk”

a.    Co-crucifixion – Romans 6:6

b.    Co-death – Romans 6:8; 1 Peter 2:24

c.     Co-burial – Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12

d.    Co-resurrection – Romans 6:4; Colossians 3:1

7. Free From the Law

a.    Dead – Romans 7:4

b.    Delivered – Romans 7:6; cf. Romans 6:14; 2 Corinthians 3:11; Galatians 3:25

8. Children of God

a.    Born Again – John 3:7; 1:2; 1 Peter 1:23

b.    Regenerated – Titus 3:5

c.     Quickened – Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13

d.    Sons of God – 1 John 3:2 (KJV); 2 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 3:26

e.    A New Creation – 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 2:10

9. Adopted

Ephesians 1:4-5; Romans 8:15, 23

10. Acceptable to God by Jesus Christ

a.    Made Righteous – Romans 3:22; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9

b.    Sanctified Positionally – 1 Corinthians 1:30; 6:11

c.     Perfected Forever – Hebrews 10:14

d.    Made Accepted in the Beloved – Ephesians 1:6

e.    Made Meet – Colossians 1:12

11. Justified  

Romans 3:24-26; 5:1; 8:30

12. Made Nigh

Ephesians 2:13 – accompanied by a corresponding Christian experience: James 4:8; Hebrews 10:22

13. Delivered from the Power of Darkness

Colossians 1:14 - cf. Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4; Ephesians 2:1-2

14. Translated into the Kingdom of the Son of His Love

Colossians 1:13 – cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 2 Peter 1:11

15. On the Rock, Christ Jesus

1 Corinthians 3:9-11 – cf. Matthew 7:24-27

16. A Gift from God the Father to Christ

John 17:6, 9, 11, 24

17. Circumcised in Christ

Colossians 2:11 – cf. Romans 2:29; Philippians 3:3

18. Partakers of the Holy and Royal Priesthood

a.    Holy – 1 Peter 2:5

b.    Royal – 1 Peter 2:9 – cf. Revelation 1:6

19. A Chosen Generation, a Holy Nation, a Peculiar People

1 Peter 2:9 – cf. Titus 2:14

20. Heavenly Citizens

Philippians 3:20 – cf. Luke 10:20; Hebrews 12:22; Ephesians 2:19

21. Of the Family and Household of God

Ephesians 2:19 – cf. Galatians 6:10; 2 Tim. 2:19-21

22. In the Fellowship of the Saints

John 17:11, 21-23 – cf. Ephesians 4:1-3

23. A Heavenly Association

a.    Partners with Christ in Life – Colossians 1:27; 3:4; 1 John 5:11-12

b.    Partnership in Position – Colossians 3:1; Ephesians 2:6

c.     Partners with Christ in Service – 1 Corinthians 1:9; 3:9; 2 Corinthians 6:1-4

d.    Partners with Christ in Suffering – 2 Tim. 2:12; Philippians 1:29; 1 Peter 4:12-13; Colossians 1:24; Romans 8:18; 1 Thessalonians 3:3

e.    Partners with Christ in Prayer – John 14:12-14

f. Partners with Christ in Betrothal – 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:25-27

g.    Partners in Expectation – Titus 2:13; Hebrews 10:13

24. Having Access to God

a.    Access into His grace – Romans 5:2; 2 Peter 3:18

b.    Access unto the Father – Ephesians 2:18

c.     Access is reassuring – Hebrews 4:16; 10:19-20

25. Within the much more care of God – Romans 5:8-10

a.    Objects of His love – John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 1 John 3:16

b.    Objects of His grace

                              i.   Salvation – Ephesians 2:7-9

                            ii.   Safekeeping – Romans 5:2

                          iii.   Service – John 17:18; Ephesians 4:7

                          iv.   Instruction – Titus 2:12-13

c.     Objects of His power – Ephesians 1:19; Philippians 2:13

d.    Objects of His faithfulness – Hebrews 13:5; Philippians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:24

e.    Objects of His peace – John 14:27; Colossians 3:15; Galatians 5:22

f. Objects of His consolation – 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

g.    Objects of His intercession – Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24

26. His Inheritance 

Ephesians 1:18

27. The Inheritance of the Saints

1 Peter 1:4; Ephesians 1:14; Colossians 3:24; Hebrews 9:15

28. Light in the Lord

Ephesians 5:8; 2 Corinthians 4:6

29. Vitally United to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

a.    The believer in God the Father – 1 Thessalonians 1:1

b.    God the Father in the believer – Ephesians 4:6

c.     The believer in Christ – Romans 8:1

                              i.   A member of Christ’s Body – 1 Corinthians 12:13

                            ii.   A branch to the vine (Christ) – John 15:5

                          iii.   A stone in the building, Christ the Chief Cornerstone – Ephesians 2:19-22

                          iv.   A sheep in His Flock – John 10:27-29

                            v.   A part of the company who forms the Bride of Christ – Ephesians 5:25-27

                          vi.   A priest in a kingdom of priests – 1 Peter 2:5, 9

                        vii.   A part of the New Creation – 2 Corinthians 5:17

d.    Christ in the believer – John 14:20

e.    The believer in the Holy Spirit – Romans 8:9

f. The Holy Spirit in the believer – 1 Corinthians 2:12

30. Blessed with the Earnest of First-Fruits of the Spirit

a.    Born of the Spirit – John 3:6

b.    Baptized by the Spirit – 1 Corinthians 12:13

c.     Indwelt or anointed by the Spirit – 2 Corinthians 1:21; Galatians 4:6; 1 John 2:27; 3:24

d.    Sealed by the Spirit – 1 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 4:30

e.    Filled with the Spirit – Ephesians 5:18

31. Glorified

Romans 8:18, 30; Colossians 3:4

32. Complete in Him

Colossians 2:9-10

33. Possessing Every Spiritual Blessing

Ephesians 1:3

 

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* Compiled from Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, 3.234-266