MATTHEW 16:19, C. H. Cayce “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven,” etc. Keys are used to unlock, or to open doors. Peter preached the first gospel sermon to the Gentiles. He used the keys then, and unlocked the door of the church to the Gentiles, and it has never been closed against them since that time. When the seventy were sent out by the Saviour before His crucifixion He told them to “go not into the way of the Gentiles,” the door of the church was closed against them then. The keys were given to Peter and he used them in opening the door unto the Gentiles. The Primitive Baptist, June 24, 1913.
C. H. Cayce “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and [pg 86] the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 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.”
The word Peter is translated from a word that means a piece of rock, a particle of rock, or of the rock family. The word rock is translated from a word which means the bed rock, the foundation rock, or foundation stone. Deut. xxxii. 4, “He is the Rock, His work is perfect.” Here again we have the foundation stone, the bed rock. 1 Cor. x. 4, “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” This word Rock in this text is from the same word as that in Matt. xvi. 18.
The church is built upon Christ as the foundation upon which it rests. “’Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone.”—Eph. ii. 19, 20. The apostle here tells us plainly that Jesus Christ Himself is the chief corner stone—the stone, the rock, the foundation upon which the church rests. This is a sure foundation, which shall never be moved.
“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” The keys are used to lock and unlock the doors of a building. Up to this time the door of the kingdom of heaven, the church, had not been opened to the Gentiles. All those whom the Saviour had sent out up to this time had been forbidden to go among the Gentiles. After His resurrection He told His apostles to “go ye into all the world. “—Mark xvi. 15. Their field of labor was now enlarged. Peter was the one who preached the first gospel sermon to the Gentiles. “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them. Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.”—Acts xv. 7. The time the apostle referred to was when he went to the house of Cornelius and preached the first gospel sermon to the Gentiles; and that was when the door of the church was opened to the Gentiles. God had made choice among the apostles that Peter should, by his preaching, open the door of the kingdom to the Gentiles, and they should be admitted into the blessings and privileges of gospel worship and service.
These gospel privileges are yet granted to the Gentiles, though they may be taken from us on account of our disobedience and rebellion, as they were taken from the Jews for the same reason. If we do not wish to be deprived of these blessings and privileges we should awake from our lethargy, and “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” The Jews were cut off from these blessings because of unbelief; and the apostle warns us that “if God spared not the natural branches that sinned, take heed lest He also spare not thee.” May the Lord help us to awake to a full disy charge of our each and every duty. The Primitive Baptist, May 16, 1929.