And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Matthew 16:18–19
You’re running late. The alarm clock didn’t go off. You grab your wallet, your watch, your phone, and your keys.... Well, where are those keys? Did you leave them in the car? Did they fall between the cushions of the sofa? Are they in the pocket of the jacket you wore yesterday? One thing is sure: without those keys you aren’t going anywhere. When Jesus told Peter that He would give him the keys to the kingdom of heaven, that might make us wonder where those keys are now. Can we get into the kingdom without them?
Locks have been used for a number of purposes in the 4,000 years since their invention. We use them to restrict access to our cars, homes, and even computers. They come in many forms––combinations, passwords, etc. They are designed not only to keep people out (John 20:19), but also to keep people in (Luke 3:20). Keys symbolize possession and authority as well as trust and responsibility. Something else to keep in mind about keys is that they require accuracy. If the key is not a perfect fit, it will not turn the lock. Any copy must be exactly like the original. If we want to gain access to the kingdom of heaven, we must find a key that is identical to the original set given by the Lord to the apostles.
What is it that is guarded by the lock we hope to open? Paul tells us that the Jews are locked up under the “curse of the law” (Galatians 3:10–12), that is, until they remove the veil (2 Corinthians 3:12–17) and find the keys. Furthermore, until we find the keys, we all remain locked up together with the Jews (Galatians 3:23), because we share in their enslavement to sin until we meet the liberating power of Jesus (vv 24–29).
What then were the keys given to the apostles? Naturally these keys are not physical in nature; they consist of knowledge. Jesus accused the scribes of “shutting up the kingdom of heaven against men” (Matthew 23:13). This they did by “taking away the key of knowledge” (Luke 11:52). Whereas one could be a member of the kingdom of Israel by physical birth, one would need knowledge of God and of His redemptive work to enter the kingdom of heaven (see Hebrews 8:11; Jeremiah 31:34).
These keys are found only in the gospel of Christ, for without it there is no knowledge of God’s saving power or of the conditions placed upon His saving grace. Although this gospel was delivered in seed form to patriarchs like Abraham (Galatians 3:8), it was preached in its fullness first at Pentecost by Peter. This marked the moment when the kingdom keys were first used, when the first souls were granted entrance through baptism in Jesus’ name (Acts 2:38–41). Peter is not standing at the gates of heaven itself as many believe, but he did stand at the gates of the kingdom of heaven on that great day as thousands poured in.
Where are those keys now? The apostles still hold those keys today, and we have access to them through the words they wrote (John 17:20). When God tells us to go into all the world and make disciples of men, he entrusts those same keys to our care––a charge not to be taken lightly!
Jesus later told John that He also possesses “the keys of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:18). If you would like to know the one who can deliver you from death and admit you into His eternal kingdom, all He asks is that you humbly submit to His will.