What does Matthew 16:13-20 mean?

Matthew 16:16 Direct teaching

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16:17 Direct teaching

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Direct teaching

The Apostle Peter, however, the most eminent of all the disciples, was able to acknowledge Him on that occasion, when all were putting forth the several opinions which they entertained respecting Him: for he said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God;

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

but Peter on his confession was called blessed in their hearing, because of his saying, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God;

Hippolytus, Discourse on the Holy Theophany Supporting witness

By this Spirit Peter spoke that blessed word, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness

And how was it that He also pronounced Peter blessed, because he acknowledged Him to be the Son of the living God?

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

Luke 9:21 But what is the this? Was it that also according to him, Peter answered and said to the question, Who say ye that I am.— The Christ, the Son of the living God?

Tertullian, Against Praxeas Supporting witness

Matthew 16:17 By asserting all this, He determined the distinction which is between the two Persons: that is, the Son then on earth, whom Peter had confessed to be the Son of God;

Clement of Rome, Connection to Matthew 16:13 Supporting witness

For at the very time when the Lord said, `Who do they say that I am? '

Victorinus, Commentary on the Apocalypse Supporting witness

Or when by Peter it is answered and said: You are the Son of the living God?

Pamphilus, Exposition on the Acts of the Apostles Supporting witness

And here we have * the interposition of the chief priests through jealousy of what had taken place, and their judgment on the miracle, and Peter's confession of the power and grace of Christ.

Tertullian, Against Praxeas Supporting witness

Matthew 16:16 And He affirmed Himself that they were quite right in their convictions;

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

... after this, let us see in what sense it is said to Peter, and to every Peter, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 16:19). First, I think that the saying, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven," is spoken in a way consistent with the words, "The gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). For he is worthy to receive from the same Word the keys of the kingdom of heaven, who is strengthened against the gates of Hades so that they do not prevail against him. He receives, as it were, as a prize, the keys of the kingdom of heaven, because the gates of Hades had no power against him, so that he might open for himself the gates that were closed to those who had been conquered by the gates of Hades. And he enters, as a temperate man, through an opened gate, the gate of temperance, by the key that opens temperance. And as a righteous man, he enters by another gate, the gate of righteousness, which is opened by the key of righteousness. And so it is with the rest of the virtues. For I think that for every virtue of knowledge, certain mysteries of wisdom are opened up to him who has lived according to virtue, corresponding to the kind

Tertullian, On Prescription Against Heretics Supporting witness

Was anything withheld from the knowledge of Peter, who is called the rock on which the church should be built, who also obtained the keys of the kingdom of heaven, with the power of loosing and binding in heaven and on earth?

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

The Lord speaks to Peter, saying, I say unto you, that you are Peter;

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Background

And in the middle of the plain he showed me a large white rock that had risen out of the plain. The rock was higher than the mountains and rectangular in shape, so that it could contain the whole world. And that rock was old, and a gate had been cut out of it. The cutting of the gate seemed to me to have been done recently. The gate shone so brightly in the sun's rays that I was amazed at its splendor. Around the gate stood twelve virgins. The four who stood at the corners seemed to me more remarkable than the others, though all of them were remarkable. They were standing at the four sides of the gate, with two virgins between each side. They were clothed in linen tunics and were gracefully girded, with their right shoulders uncovered, as if they were about to carry some burden. In this way they stood ready, for they were extremely cheerful and eager. After I had seen these things, I marveled within myself, because I was looking at great and glorious sights. And again I was puzzled about the virgins, because although they were so delicate, they were standing bravely, as if they were about to carry the whole heaven. And the Shepherd said to me, "Why are you reasoning within yourself

Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Background

but now, believing in Christ, we build our houses upon the holy flesh of Christ as upon a rock?

Tertullian, Against Marcion Background

Was it because Christ was both a rock and a stone?

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Background

He says that the word “rock” is used for Adam. He says this rock is Adam: “The chief cornerstone has become the head of the corner.” For in the head is the substance of the forming brain, from which the whole family is formed, as in Ephesians 3:15. “Whom,” he says, “I place as a rock in the foundations of Zion.” Speaking allegorically, he says this is about the creation of the man. The rock is placed within the teeth, as Homer says, “the enclosure of teeth”; that is, a wall and a fortress. In it exists the inner man, who has there fallen from Adam, the first man above. And he has been cut off without hands to bring about the division, and has been carried down into the image of forgetfulness, being earthly and made of clay. And he says that the chirping spirits follow him, that is, the Word:—

Matthew 16:19 Direct teaching

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 18:18 Supporting witness

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching

And I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven, and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Tatian, The Diatessaron Supporting witness

Matthew 16:19 To you will I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

Wherefore he has the keys of the kingdom of heaven, opening to those who have been loosed on earth that they may be also loosed in heaven, and free;

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

... may be bound not in one heaven only but in them all. This is unlike the many who bind on earth and loose on earth, so that these things are bound and loosed not in the heavens, as in Peter’s case, but in only one. For they do not rise to such a high level, with power like Peter’s, to bind and loose in all the heavens. Matthew 16:19 Therefore, the better the one who binds, the more blessed is the one who has been loosed, so that his release has been accomplished in every part of the heavens.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

For to you, O bishops, it is said: Whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...h, sit as one having authority to judge offenders. For to you, O bishops, it is said, "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matthew 18:18

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Matthew 18:18

Tatian, The Diatessaron Supporting witness

19 Matthew 18:18 Verily I say unto you, All that you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: 20 and what ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. James Supporting witness

and whatsoever things you loose upon earth, shall be loosed in heaven: for, you are our God, a God able to pity, and to save and to forgive sins;

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

But if you suppose that the whole church is built by God on that one Peter only, what would you say about John, the son of thunder, or about each one of the Apostles? Shall we dare to say otherwise, that the gates of Hades will not prevail against Peter in particular, but that they will prevail against the other Apostles and the perfect? Does not the saying spoken before, "The gates of Hades shall not prevail against it," Matthew 16:18, hold true for all and for each one of them? And also the saying, "Upon this rock I will build My church," Matthew 16:18? Are the keys of the kingdom of heaven given by the Lord to Peter only, and will no other of the blessed receive them? But if this promise, "I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven," Matthew 16:19, is common to the others, how will not all the things spoken before, and the things added afterward as addressed to Peter, be common to them? For in this place these words seem to be addressed to Peter only: "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven," Matthew 16:19, and so on. But in the Gospel of John, the Savior, after giving the Holy Spirit to the disciples by breathing on them, said, "Receive the Holy Spirit,"

Tertullian, Scorpiace Supporting witness

... welcomed. For even if you think heaven is still shut, remember that the Lord left its keys here to Peter, and through him to the Church. Everyone who has been examined here, and has also made confession, will carry those keys with him. But the devil stubbornly says that we must confess there, so that he may persuade us that we must deny here. No doubt, then, I am to send good documents ahead of me. I am to carry excellent keys with me: fear of those who kill only the body and do nothing against the soul. I am to be honored by neglecting this command. I am to stand well in heavenly places, though I could not stand on earth. I am to hold firm against greater powers, though I gave way to lesser ones. I am to deserve at last to be let in, though now I am shut out. A further point quickly comes to mind. If men must confess in heaven, then they must also deny there. For where one is, both must be. Opposites always go together. There would even have to be persecution in heaven, since persecution is what gives occasion for confession or denial. Why then, most reckless heretic, do you stop short of moving to the world above the whole set of things used to frighten Christians? Above all,

Cyprian, Epistles Background

and they are the Church who are a people united to the priest, and the flock which adheres to its pastor.

Hippolytus, Discourse on the Holy Theophany Supporting witness

By this Spirit the rock of the Church was established.

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Supporting witness

First of all, sir, I said, explain this to me: what is the meaning of the rock and the gate? He answered, "This rock and this gate are the Son of God." "How, sir?" I said. "The rock is old, and the gate is new." He said, "Listen and understand, O ignorant man. The Son of God is older than all His creatures, so that He was a fellow-councillor with the Father in His work of creation. For this reason He is old." "And why is the gate new, sir?" I said. He answered, "Because He became manifest in the last days of the divine arrangement. For this reason the gate was made new, so that those who are to be saved by it might enter into the kingdom of God. You saw," he said, "that those stones which came in through the gate were used for the building of the tower, and that those which did not come were thrown back again to their own place?" "I saw, sir," I replied. He continued, "In like manner, no one shall enter into the kingdom of God unless he receives His holy name. For if you desire to enter a city, and that city is surrounded by a wall and has only one gate, can you enter into that city except through the gate that it has?" "Why, how can it be otherwise, sir?" I said. "If, then, you ca

Hermas, Connection to Matthew 16:18 Background

The tower was built upon a great rock... Before the world was founded, He prepared this rock and this gate for the sake of the Church.

Cyprian, Treatises Background

...n example is given to us, so that we may avoid the way of the old man and stand in the footsteps of Christ who conquered. Then we will not carelessly be turned back again into the nets of death. Instead, by seeing our danger ahead of time, we may hold fast to the immortality we have received. But how can we hold fast to immortality unless we keep those commands of Christ by which death is driven out and overcome? He Himself warns us and says, "If you will enter into life, keep the commandments," Matthew 19:17. And again, "If you do the things that I command you, from now on I call you not servants, but friends," John 15:14-15. Finally, these are the people He calls strong and steadfast. These He declares to be founded in strong safety upon the rock, established with firm and unshaken strength against all the storms and whirlwinds of the world. "Whoever," He says, "hears my words and does them, I will compare him to a wise man, who built his house upon a rock. The rain came down, the floods came, the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it did not fall, because it was founded upon a rock," Matthew 7:24. Therefore, we ought to stand firm on His words, and to learn and do what

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Background

... a careful feeder of the flock, search out your flock and keep account of it. Seek what is missing. Matthew 18:12 For the Lord God, our gracious Father, sent His own Son, the good Shepherd and Saviour, our Master Jesus, and commanded Him to leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and to go search for the one that was lost. And when He found it, He was to place it on His shoulders and carry it into the flock, rejoicing that He had found what was lost. In the same way, be obedient, O bishop, and seek what was lost. Guide what has wandered out of the right way. Bring back what has gone astray. For you have authority to bring them back and to deliver those who are broken-hearted by remission. For through you our Saviour says to the one discouraged by the sense of his sins, “Your sins are forgiven you; your faith has saved you; go in peace.” But this peace and haven of tranquillity is the Church of Christ. When you have loosed them from their sins, restore them to it, since they are now sound and blameless, full of good hope, diligent, and laborious in good works. Like a skillful and compassionate physician, heal all who have wandered in the ways of sin. For those who are whole have n

Anonymous, Treatise on Re-Baptism Background

...elves had been, yet on the night when He was arrested they are found to have all deserted Him. Even Peter himself, who had boasted that he would remain firm in his faith, and had most stubbornly resisted the prediction of the Lord Himself, still at last denied Him. This was so that it might be shown to us that whatever sins they had contracted in the meantime, and in whatever way, those same sins were without doubt put away by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, since afterward their faith was shown to be sincere. Nor, as I think, was it for any other reason that the apostles charged those whom they addressed in the Holy Spirit to be baptized in the name of Christ Jesus, except that the power of the name of Jesus, invoked upon any man in baptism, might give no small advantage toward obtaining salvation for the one being baptized, as Peter says in the Acts of the Apostles: "For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved," Acts 4:12. The Apostle Paul also explains this, showing that God has exalted our Lord Jesus and given Him a name above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and on earth and under the e