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Jesus Has the Key to Heaven and Hell

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GOD IS THE ROCK OF OUR SALVATION
His name on earth is Jesus


The keys of heaven and hell belong to Jesus who says in Rev 3:7 CEV “I have the keys that belonged to David.”

Isa 22:15-22 The Sovereign LORD Almighty told me to go to Shebna, the manager of the royal household, and say to him, (16) "Who do you think you are? What right do you have to carve a tomb for yourself out of the rocky hillside? (17) You may be important, but the LORD will pick you up and throw you away. (18) He will pick you up like a ball and throw you into a much larger country. You will die there beside the chariots you were so proud of. You are a disgrace to your master's household. (19) The LORD will remove you from office and bring you down from your high position." (20) The LORD said to Shebna, "When that happens, I will send for my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah. (21) I will put your official robe and belt on him and give him all the authority you have had. He will be like a father to the people of Jerusalem and Judah. (22) I will give him complete authority under the king, the descendant of David. He will have the keys of the office; what he opens, no one will shut, and what he shuts, no one will open. (GNB)

Summary The keys belong to Jesus, to give and take away as it pleases Him (Mat 16:19). Jesus gave the keys to Peter (Mat 16:19) while Peter lived, and He gave the angel the key to the deep pit. (Rev 20:1-3). Jesus has all authority both in heaven and on earth and ultimately it is Jesus who holds the keys.

GOD THE ROCK IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
Deu_32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

1Sa 2:2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

2Sa 22:32 For who is God, save the LORD? And who is a rock, save our God?

2Sa 22:47 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.

Psa_18:2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Psa_18:31 For who is God save the LORD? Or who is a rock except for our God?

Psa 18:46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

Psa 78:35 And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.

Psa 89:26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

Psa_94:22 But the LORD is my defence, and my God is the rock of my refuge.

1Corithians_10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

Continued
 
THE KEY
The ancient Jews knew God was their Rock and redeemer as we can see from the Old Testament scriptures. The Hebrew Bible says that God is the Rock, and Peter, being Jewish, knew the redeemer was talking to him when he said to Jesus “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

The keys of heaven and hell went first to Shebna. The Lord took it away and gave it to Eliakim son of Hilkiah, saying, “No one will be able to unlock what he locks, and no one will be able to lock what he unlocks.” (Isa 22:15-22) Later Jesus gave the key to Peter Mat 16:17-19, and the angel had the key to the deep pit.

After the resurrection, Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples she had seen the Lord, and he had spoken these things unto her. Then the same day in the evening, being the first day of the week when the disciples were together, and the doors locked for fear of the Jews, in came Jesus and stood in their midst, saying “Peace be unto you.” (20) And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. (21) Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so, send I you. (22) When he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto all of them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: (23) whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. (John 20:18-23)

The ultimate key holder is, of course, Jesus the Lord who has all authority both in heaven and on earth, giving and taking away the key as he will. In Revelation 1:8 Jesus says,”I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” In Revelation 3:7 Jesus says to John, “I have the keys that belonged to David.”

JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES
When Jesus asked the disciples, “who say ye that I am?” Simon Peter, knowing the Old Testament and being in the presence of God in Christ, straightaway answered Jesus without hesitation and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus the rock responded to Peter by saying, “And whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt lose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.” Mat 16:17-19. Peter had them while he lived, but they belong to Jesus to give to whom he pleases.

The Bible also speaks of Christ the Rock in 1Co_10:4, and Morgan gives a helpful reminder:
“Remember, Jesus was talking to Jews. If we trace the use of the word rock through Hebrew Scriptures, we find that it is never used symbolically of man, but always of God. So here at Caesarea Philippi, it is not upon Peter that the Church is built. Jesus did not trifle with figures of speech. He took up their old Hebrew illustration—rock, always the symbol of Deity—and said, “Upon God Himself —Christ, the Son of the living God—I will build my church.”

JESUS CALLS THE FIRST DISCIPLES
The next day John the Baptist was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two men with John the Baptist heard this and walked toward Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi'' (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He went looking for his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah.” He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon, son of John. You are to be called Cephas'' (which means Peter). (Joh 1:35-42 NRSV)

Commentary.
Andrew brought his brother to the right place and the right Person. He did not bring him to a church, a creed, or a clergyman. He brought him to Jesus. What an important act that was! Because of Andrew’s act of bringing Simon to Jesus, Simon later became a great fisher of men, and one of the leading apostles of the Lord. Simon has received more publicity than his brother, but Andrew will doubtless share Peter’s reward because it was Andrew who brought him to Jesus. The Lord knew Simon’s name (Simon Peter) without being told. He also knew that Simon had an unstable character. And finally, Jesus knew Simon’s character would change and he would become firm as a rock. How did Jesus know all this? Because He was and is God. Simon’s name did change to Cephas (Aramaic for stone), and he did become a man of strong character, especially after the Ascension of the Lord and the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

“At first, Christians and Jews worshipped alongside each other in the Temple referred to by historians as Jewish Christianity, but within twenty years of Christ’s death and resurrection, Sunday came to be regarded as the primary day of worship for Christians, and as preachers like Paul of Tarsus began converting more and more Gentiles, those who followed Jesus turned away from earthly trappings, that Jesus shunned, and the Pharisees loved. Jesus had no time for ceremonial robes, candles, incense etc., that cannot save, and instead, people followed Jesus the Saviour of the world, for only God can forgive those who sin against him and only those who drink from the rivers of living water that flow from the ROCK CHRIST JESUS, will never thirst again.

PETER
Peter is only one of the numerous believers on whom Jesus built the Christian Church, of which He is the chief cornerstone. “You, believers, are like a building that God owns. That building was built on the foundation that the apostles and prophets prepared. Christ Jesus himself is the most important stone in that building. (21) The whole building is joined together in Christ, and he makes it grow and become a holy temple in the Lord. (22) And in Christ you are being built together with his other people. You are being made into a place where God lives through the Spirit.” Eph 2:20-22 ERV

PETER TELLS THE COUNCIL THE CHURCH IS BUILT ON JESUS AND NOT ON HIM
Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, answered them, “Leaders of the people and elders: (9) if we are being questioned today about the good deed done to the lame man and how he was healed, (10) then you should all know, and all the people of Israel should know, that this man stands here before you completely well through the power of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth—whom you crucified and whom God raised from death. (11) Jesus is the one of whom the scripture says, ‘The stone that you the builders despised turned out to be the most important of all.’ (12) Salvation is to be found through him alone; in all the world there is no one else whom God has given, who can save us.” Act 4:8-12 GNB

Peter continues to confirm Jesus of Nazareth is the living stone rejected by the builders when he writes in 1Pe 2:1-8 GNB

Rid yourselves, then, of all evil; no more lying or hypocrisy or jealousy or insulting language. (2) Be like newborn babies, always thirsty for pure spiritual milk, so that by drinking it you may grow up and be saved. (3) As the scripture says, “You have found out for yourselves how kind the Lord is.” (4) Come to the Lord, the living stone rejected by people as worthless but chosen by God as valuable. (5) Come as living stones, and let yourselves be used in building the spiritual temple, where you will serve as holy priests to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. (6) For the scripture says, “I chose a valuable stone, which I am placing as the cornerstone in Zion; and whoever believes in him will never be disappointed.” (7) This stone is of great value for those who believe; but for those who do not believe: “The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all.” (8) And another scripture says, “This is the stone that will make people stumble, the rock that will make them fall.” They stumbled because they did not believe in the word; such was God’s will for them.
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Jesus gave the keys to Peter (Mat 16:19) while Peter lived
Why do you assume that the keys could not be passed on to Peter's auccessor?

Jesus had no time for ceremonial robes, candles, incense etc.
Where does scripture say that?

If we trace the use of the word rock through Hebrew Scriptures, we find that it is never used symbolically of man, but always of God.

Abraham is refered to as a rock in Is 51:1-2
 
Why do you assume that the keys could not be passed on to Peter's auccessor?
What makes you think dying mankind rises above all things written in the law and prophets (sola scriptura)?

Christians are warned in 1 Corinthian 4 of those who venerate the dying flesh of the apostles making the word of God to no efect so they can keep thier I heard it through the fathers grape vine.

Christ defines apostles as sent messages . Not highly venerable dying mankind a oral law of man

I would hope false apostles would heed the many warning of those who would seduce us to beleive that we do need a succession of dying mankind as the infalible teaching master.

An abomination of desolation making the word of God useless as a living word. the final word of our living Holy Father in matters of faith the unseen things of God.

When two or three gather under the hearing of His mighty faith he is present. Yoked with Christ our daily sufferings burdens are made lighter with a living future hope beyond our last breath of oxygen. the breath of life. . and it was good the clay became mankind

1 Corinthians 4:6-7 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure (parable) transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

We receive no reward from the labor of another dying as good as dead sinner. Christ poured out His Spirit in jeopardy of his own power on His sons of God (Christians ) From Him we receive eternal life. . as it is written
 
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