BindingandLoosingintheNewTestament

DoMatthew16:19and18:18givechurchestheauthority
tomakedecisionscontrarytotheLawsofGod?
The Roman Catholic Church claims that Jesus gave to the apostle Peter and his future
successorsthepowers ofbindingandloosingsothatwhatevertheywouldbindorlooseonearth,
wouldbeboundorloosedinheaven.Theyfurthercontendthatthisauthoritygrantsaninfallible
popethepowertobindandloosecontrarytotheWordofGodthusmakingtheWordofGod
voidandthatthis authoritywasgiventoPeterby JesusChristasrecordedin Matthew16:19
and18:18.However,anexegeticalstudyoftheGreekdoesnotsupportsuchclaims.
InBasics of Biblical Greek Grammar, William D. Mounce gives a clear and insightful
explanation of the underlying Greek text showing that what Jesus taught is entirely different
from what many religious authorities assume, teach and practice. He writes, In some transla
tions of Matthew [16:19 and] 18:18, it sounds like Jesus promised his disciples that whatever
they bound on earth would be bound in heaven, and whatever they loosed on earth would be
loosedinheaven.Inotherwords,theyhadthepowertobindandloose,andHeaven(i.e.God)
wouldsimplybackuptheirdecrees.Butthematterisnotquitesosimpletheactionsdescribed
inheavenarefutureperfectpassiveswhichcouldbetranslatedwillhavealreadybeenbound
inheavenwillhavealreadybeenloosedinheaven.Inotherwords,theheavenlydecreecon
firmingtheearthlyoneisbasedonapriorverdict[GodhadalreadymadeForever,OLORD,
Yourwordissettledintheheavens(Psa.119:89).]
Thisisthelanguageofthelawcourt.JewishlegalissueswerenormallydecidedinJe
susdaybyeldersinthesynagoguecommunity(laterbyrabbis).ManyJewishpeoplebelieved
thattheauthorityofHeavenstoodbehindtheearthlyjudgeswhentheydecidedcasesbasedona
correctunderstandingofGodslaw.(Thisprocesscametobecalledbindingandloosing.)Je
sus contemporaries often envisioned Gods justice in terms of a heavenly court by obeying
Godslaws,theearthlycourtsimplyratifiedthedecreesoftheheavenlycourt(p.121).
JesusdidnotgiveHisapostlesanddisciplestheauthoritytomakebindingdecisionsre
gardinganythingonearththathadnotalreadybeendecreedinheaven.Jesusspecificallytaught
that He did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets (Matt. 5:17). Therefore, whatever is
boundorloosedcannotbecontrarytothelawsandcommandmentsofGod,therevelationofthe
prophetsortheteachingsofJesusChrist.ChristdidnotgiveHisapostlestheauthoritytoloose
anyoftheTenCommandmentsoranyofGodslawsthatarenotconnectedwiththepriesthood
andTempleritual.However,JesusdidgiveHis apostlesthe authoritytoloosemanmadereli
gioustraditionsoftheJews(Mark7:113 Acts10:28)aswell aspaganreligioustraditions(I
Pet. 1:18 Acts 14:818). New Testament teachings that were foreshadowed and prophesied in
theOldTestamentandwereboundordecreedinheavenbeforeJesusChristcameintheflesh
are as follows: to love the Lord God with all ones heart, soul and might (Deut. 6:46 Matt.
22:3740)forJesustomagnifytheLawandmakeitglorious(Isa.52:14Matt.57)forChrist
todieforthesinsoftheworld(Psa.22Isa.53John1:36Rev.13:8)forgivenessofsin,upon
repentance, without temple animal sacrifices (Psa. 32:12 51:117 Rom. 3:2024 Heb. 10:1
17)circumcisionofthe heart(Deut.10:16Rom.2:2829Col.2:213)Sabbathand holyday
keepingforuncircumcisedGentiles(Isa.56:16),taughtbyPaul(Acts13:4244Heb.4:9ICor.
5:8)andmanyothers.
AnyChristianprofessingministryorchurchthatpromotessinthetransgressionofthe
LawinitsbindingorloosingdecisionsisoperatingcontrarytotheWordandwillofGod.Its
decisions aresimplyinventionsof menanddo nothavethe authorityof heaven behindthem.
Examplesoftheseare:addingtoortakingaway fromthe WordofGod(Deut.12:3032Rev.
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22:1819)worshipingothergodsorgoddesses(Ex.20:23ICor.10:2021)endorsingthemak
ingandworshipingofidols(Ex.20:46Isa.42:8,1744:920ICor.10:1412:2Rev.9:2021
21:8) worshiping dead saints (Isa. 8:1920) and exchanging the Sabbath and holy days of
GodforpaganSundayworshipandoccultholidayssuchasHalloween,Christmas,NewYears,
Lent,Easter,oranyothersocalledholidayofthereligionsofthisworld.
AllbindingandloosingdecisionsmadebytheministryandbrethrenofJesusChristmust
beincompleteaccordwiththeWordofGodandtheteachingsofJesusChrist.Thesedecisions
are authoritative because they have already been bound or loosed in heaven. As Jesus said,
AllauthorityinheavenandonearthhasbeengiventoMe(Matt.28:18).Allbindingand
loosingmustbebased ontheauthorityofJesusChristandtheWordofGod.