Lesson 2 - Question 9 of 41

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Who Gave This Authority to Peter?

As we have studied so far...the church was first established on a Sunday (the day of Pentecost)*.  On that day, Peter told them of the Christ and His death, burial and resurrection (Acts 2:22-36).  Peter instructed believers in Acts 2:38-47 to repent and be baptized for forgiveness of sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit...and so the Lord would add them to His church.

Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 16:19:

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19 (NAS)

Question:

According to Matthew 16:19, who gave Peter this authority to teach these things to the Jews on the day of Pentecost?

Jesus Himself No Authority

Other Translations - Matthew 16:19:

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (NIV)

"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." (NKJ)

I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  (ASV)

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (KJV)

*Note:  the day of Pentecost (also called the "Feast of Harvest" and the "Feast of Weeks") is on a Sunday...as it is 50 days after the Jewish Passover feast (see Leviticus 23:16).  The Passover feast is held once each year on the Sabbath day -- the seventh day of the week.  Jesus rose from the grave on Sunday following the Passover.  So the day of Pentecost referred to in Acts chapter 2 was seven weeks after Jesus' resurrection. 

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