<div data-contents="true">I Was Asked;
What is the text found in Matthew 16:18?

Again, Context is very important to our text.
Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 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.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter [Cephas], and upon this rock [Petras] I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Jesus is not only speaking to Peter (Cephas interpreted as a stone.) here.
Jesus the Rock (Petras) is speaking to the group of Apostles gathered around Him as He asked them this question and gave them this answer.
[Let us look at and identify this “Rock”.
Deuteronomy 32:3 Because I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
Deuteronomy 32:15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
2 Samuel 22:32 For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God?
God is the Rock of Israel. God is the Rock of Israel who Israel made an oath to as a Nation under Moses to the Law.

God revealed to Peter who Jesus is. Just as John recorded in John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
God revealed it to Peter.
Jesus said that the “Gates of Hell” would not prevail against the Church.
There were at that time many of the dead waiting for Jesus to come and set the captives free. It would not be long before the dead would hear the voice of Jesus and be part of the first fruits of the 1st Resurrection and follow Him through the Gates of Hell.
Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Matthew 27:52And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

Then Jesus goes on to say to all His disciples.
19 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.
Jesus says this again to His disciples in Matthew 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
And again in John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
So Jesus was speaking to all His Disciples and not only to Peter.

Later Paul wrote. 1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: . .
What was very important that needed to be “loosed” before the establishment of the Dispensation of the Grace of God?
Israel needed to get loosed from the oath they had made to God concerning the Law.
Exodus 19:8 "And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do". And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.

 Oh, Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 16:9 "For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries."
Now how is that door opened?
A Key.

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