Americans seem to love polls to help them get a general sense of people’s beliefs or views on things. For example, polling becomes very popular before elections to get a pulse of who will win.
We get the sense that after Jesus asks, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” the results are disastrous. The polls are very divided. Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. No one is quite sure who Jesus is.
Thankfully, Peter speaking on behalf of the disciples, gets it right. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Granted, Peter does not yet understand what this means. It will take the second half of Matthew’s Gospel for him to understand that the Christ must suffer. Nonetheless, he answers correctly. Jesus, in turn, says that Peter is blessed.
Jesus then promises that He will build His Church upon Peter, and hand over to him the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Hence, traditionally, statues or paintings of Peter typically portray him holding a set of keys in his right hand. Intuitively, most people understand that a key is a symbol of authority.
Our first reading from Isaiah, for its part, helps provide context for our Gospel. During the lifetime of the prophet Isaiah, the king had a cabinet of ministers to help manage his kingdom. Among these ministers, there was a master of the palace, somewhat akin to a prime minister or our vice president today.
From our first reading, we learn that this man’s name was Shebna. Unfortunately, Shebna was a crooked man and therefore Isaiah says that he will be “thrust from his office” and “pulled down from his station.” Another man, Eliakim, will replace him.
As a way of symbolizing this transfer of power, Isaiah says, “I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder.” The key, then, symbolizes that Eliakim is the new prime minister. He is second in charge and has the authority to act on behalf of the king.
In this light, by giving Peter the keys, Jesus gives him authority over the Church to act on His behalf. Of course, it’s not just Peter alone who possesses this authority, but all the popes who hold the office of Peter. Currently, Pope Leo holds the office of Peter and has the keys, the symbol of authority. He acts on behalf of Jesus, the king, until He returns.
Traditionally, the Church has understood the authority of the keys given to Peter in a threefold way:
- Teaching authority: the power to determine what is and is not with our faith; this includes what is and is not in accord lawful and unlawful behavior (area of morality);
- Juridical authority: the power to admit and remove people from the Church (God’s house so to speak);
- Spiritual authority: the power to forgive and retain sins.
Without question, the keys given to Peter and his successors are a great gift to the Church. With all the confusion about Jesus, it is wonderful to have a clear voice from the office of Peter boldly saying, “He is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Our Holy Father and his brother bishops provide us with the full truth about Jesus.
Additionally, we need the voice of Peter to remind us that certain behaviors – certain ways of living –bring us closer to Jesus, while others take us away from Him.
When someone begins to propose teachings or behaviors that take us away from Jesus, it is like a cancerous tumor in the Body of Christ. Therefore, we are grateful that the pope, like a good surgeon, has the authority to remove them for the good of the Body. If they repent, they can be readmitted.
Finally, we are grateful that the pope’s authority extends to forgiving sins. Every age needs to experience the mercy of Jesus.
In short, the keys given to Peter and his successors are a great gift to the Church. Jesus ensures that no matter how many waves beat against the Church, the bark of Peter, she will never tip over. The gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. Instead, by God’s power and grace she will make it safely to her port, heaven itself.
~St. Thérèse, pray for us!