Dude Where's My Keys?

I left the following comment on the blog I Love Mormons about this post Dude Where's My Keys?

faithoffathers was quoted:

"LDS interpretation of these verse [Matthew 16:16-19], in my opinion, is the only one that makes sense and provides the cohesive context for why these concepts are placed together. 1. Spirit of Revelation of Christ 2. Establishment of Church on a foundation 3. Keys of authority. Other interpretations break up these verses into different topics. "

When I was an LDS teacher (gospel doctrine, Elder's quorum and High Priest group), I also taught this progression of the concepts, that each statement builds on the other.  However, I have come to realize that each statement is built upon the first.  Each one points back to the original question and thesis: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (v.16).

Let's look at each statement and discover that the antecedent in each case is v.16 not the statement which immediately precedes it

Statement: "for flesh and blood hath not revealed it" (v. 17)

Immediate antecedent: "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona"

Correct Antecedent: The "it" of verse 17 is "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God"

Conclusion: The Spirit of Revelation (as faithoffathers puts it).

Statement: "upon this rock I will build my church" (v. 18)

Immediate antecedent: "That thou art Peter"

Correct Antecedent: The "this rock" of verse 18 is "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God"

Conclusion: Establishment of Church on a foundation (as faithoffathers puts it) is upon Jesus' "Christ-ness," if you will, and not upon Peter the man (or his office as the Catholics would insist).

Statement: "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (v. 19)

Immediate antecedent: "gates of hell shall not prevail against it"

Correct Antecedent: The "keys of the kingdom of heaven" of verse 17 is "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God"

Conclusion: Keys of authority (as faithoffathers puts it) to open and shut the doors of the kingdom based on the testimony of the divinely-given knowledge that Jesus is the "Christ, the Son of the living God" not based on man-made ordinances and ceremonies.

John MacArthur teaches that binding and loosing (v.19) are about forbidding and permitting entrance based on testimony that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the Living God."  The keys are authority based on revelation.

"Then Jesus said, 'I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind [forbid] on earth [shall have been forbidden] in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose [permit] on earth [shall have been permitted] in heaven.' The apostles' decisions would reflect the will of God." (Christ Displays His Glory)

"In other words, when you say to someone...'You won't repent, you're bound in your sin,'heaven is in agreement with that.  You're doing on earth what has been done in heaven, like the disciples' prayer says. And if you say to someone, 'You know, I want to tell you, because of your confession of faith in Jesus Christ and your affirmation that He's your Savior and Lord, your sins are loosed from you, you are forgiven,' and when you said that you know you're saying on earth what heaven has already said.  So here we are, this great eternal plan is being worked out that God ordained before time began with the Son and heaven is on schedule with it and we get to be the earthly gate keepers who act in harmony with heaven.  What a privilege." (I Will Build My Church)