Matthew 16: Binding & Loosing
Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven
Matthew 16:19 (NKJV)
Taking a Bible Verse out of context is like taking a child from his parents; a child isn't supposed to stand alone. His role is as part of a family: a group with a past, present, and future. Alone, he can be confused or abused.
If the Bible is like a strand of pearls, connecting the Earth straight up to Heaven, then gazing at one pearl may be lovely. But if you take it apart from the rest, the progressive direction is broken, and the destination may not be reached..
When I turned to Jesus at 51, I lapped the Bible like a thirsty lamb. I leaped into flocks of true believers. I watched and listened to them eagerly. I'd been hunted by the prowling lion and wanted to learn the best Way to fight:
I heard Christian soldiers say words like these:
“In the Name of Jesus, I bind Satan away from such and such or so and so.”
In a surface read of Matthew 16, binding seems like a cool power from God: as if we're tying up pesky demons.
With more study, I learned differently. Check out what Bible scholars have to say:
'This does not refer to persons, but to things–' whatsoever,' not whosoever. It refers to rites and ceremonies in the church... The rules laid down by them in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Epistles, in connection with the teachings of the Saviour as recorded in the evangelists, constitute the only law binding on Christians in regard to the order of the church, and the rites and ceremonies to be observed in it' (Barnes Notes on the Bible regarding binding and loosing).*
Actors, models, and talent for Christ:
Each one of us needs to grow up in Christ. No matter our brethren’s good intentions, focusing on their favorite verses and applying them out of God’s context… which is neither mature nor effective.
Together, let's embrace the whole Bible. Let's study the Greek and Hebrew scholars who spent their entire lives in Christ’s pursuit.
Let's also ask God to give us wisdom to chew and digest the Bread and the “meat,” each book and each chapter, to grow up STRONG!
Matthew 16: Binding & Loosing (Part 16)
* Binding and Loosing References:
* Barnes Notes on the Bible: Matthew 16 Barnes' Notes
* Blue Letter Bible Commentary: Revealing Who Jesus Is and What He Came To Do (see section G on binding and loosing):
David Guzik: Study Guide for Matthew 16
* Got Questions (read toward the end): What are the keys of the kingdom? | GotQuestions.org
NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God! We’re ALL called to be actors (action stars) for Jesus. We’re ALL called to models of Jesus, and we ALL have gifts, talents, and callings from God– to multiply them in the world for His glory.
P.S. NO DEVOTION, PREACHER, or SERMON… can begin to replace personal time in the Bible. I wholeheartedly and clear-headedly recommend READING THE BIBLE DAILY.
WARNING: Don’t focus on favorite verses, because out of context, they’re often misinterpreted. I plead with you to READ AT LEAST 1 BIBLE CHAPTER DAILY. How long does it take? An average of 5 to 10 minutes!