Matthew 16 Footnotes

16:19 Within the Roman Catholic tradition this passage has been used to support the infallibility of the pope as Peter’s successor. Peter and other NT writers don’t sustain this view. Peter was one among a number who were leaders in the first generation of the church (Ac 15:13-21; 1Co 3:11; Gl 2:9,14; 1Pt 2:7). The context demands that the binding and loosing had especially to do with opening or closing access to the kingdom, most likely through the preaching of the gospel, that is, confessing Christ. Peter was uniquely used by God to build Christ’s church (Ac 2:14-42; 3:1-26; 10:27-48). Matthew 18:18 indicates that the church as an assembly has similar authority; see note there.