Binding and Loosing
Notes
Transcript
Matthew 16:19 “Binding and loosing are Jewish terms of our Lord’s day that is attested in modern day to interpret the Biblical word. And this an authority that Moses gave to the Levitical priests back in Deuteronomy 17:8-13. In that chapter there is a verse that says if you don’t know how to interpret the word of God then go up into the sanctuary of the Levitical priests, and the Levitical priests will tell you how to interpret it. And you have to obey that, on pain of death.
Matthew 16:19 “Binding and loosing are Jewish terms of our Lord’s day that is attested in modern day to interpret the Biblical word. And this an authority that Moses gave to the Levitical priests back in Deuteronomy 17:8-13. In that chapter there is a verse that says if you don’t know how to interpret the word of God then go up into the sanctuary of the Levitical priests, and the Levitical priests will tell you how to interpret it. And you have to obey that, on pain of death.
Moses gave it to the Levitical priests. Jesus gave it to Peter here in Matthew 16, and then two chapters later will give it to the Apostles as a group.
This is significant because what Scripture is telling us is that interpreting Scripture IS A PRIESTLY DUTY!
To say it again, but in a slightly different manner:
Moses, who is seen by the Jewish people to hold a special place next to God, or nearer to Him than any other person, is the one who gave the Law. Moses, whom no one is greater, made it part of the Law that when needing interpretation to the Scriptures to go to the priests.
Now Jesus, who has been working miracles, clarifying the Law, and in some cases CHANGING the Law is now saying to Peter, and I am paraphrasing, “Peter, you now are filling in the role of Priest, and that means that since you are performing the duties of a priest... you are a priest”
OK, why does this matter?
To bind and loose is to interpret what Scripture means. Jesus says He will be with the Apostles/ AKA the Church until the end of Time. He sends the Spirit to Help the Church in all things. The Church, and specifically the successors to the Apostles are the ones who given Authority to interpret Scripture.
We know also that this binding and loosing is the institution of the Apostles and their successors to bind and loose sins. Why?, because they interpret Jesus’ message and all of Scripture to come to that conclusion. The sacrifices of the Old Testament were meant for a variety of reasons, but there were Sin Offerings. The Offerings that were meant to appease God and be a way to express a person’s sorrow, and a way to ask for forgiveness.