The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 145

was an outrage in the eyes of the holy Bon or God; the temple which he would rear was wholly different, built on a Rock more stable, more abiding far. "My Church "- it was a wondrous prophecy. All seemed to have forsaken him save only the twelve; one we.e a traitor· even in that little company; yet the Lord looked forward, in the vision of his Divine foreknowledge, to that great multitude which no man could number, called out from all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues. It was to be the whole congregation of Obristian people called out of the whole world, first by himself, then by his apostles and their successors speaking in his Name. It was to be built up (edified) in him, resting on him the living Rock, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief Comer-stone. It was to oo one, e.nd yet many; many living stones built up into one holy temple, united into one by the one chief Comer-stone, the ·one Rock on which it rests. It was Christ's, "my Church;" given to him by the Father, bought to be his own with his most precious blood, sanctified and illuminated by the indwelling of his most Holy Spirit. It is the Church of the living God ; therefore the gates of Hades cannot prevail against it. Hades is the realm of the disembodied dead; it is insatiable, it bath never enough, it enlargeth itself, and opeueth its mouth without measure. The Lord himself, the Head of the Church, seemed once to yield to its power; he descended into Hades. But it was not possible that he could be holden of death; the third day he rose again from the dead, "He is alive for evermore, and hath the keys of Hades and of death." Because be liveth, his Church shall live also. The gates of Hades shall _not prevent his saints from rising to meet the returning Lord. The abode of the dead shall not retain the Church which belongs to Christ, the Son of the living God, the Church which is his bride, nay, his body ; which Ii veth in the life of Ch1ist and rejoiceth in his love. Filled with this blessed hope, the Church sings its song of triumph in the presence of death, "0 death, where is thy sting? 0 Hades, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Obrist." 3. The promise. (1) The keys. The Church is now presented to our view as the kingdom of heaven, the holy city. The Lord Christ he.th the key of David; he openeth, and no man shutteth; he shutteth, e.nd no man openeth (Rev. iii. 7). That power was now delegated to St. Peter as the representative of the apostolic college. He exercised it when under hi~ ministry three thousand souls were added to the Church on the great Day of Pente- cost; he exercised it when he baptized Cornelius, when he said to Simon Magus, "Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter." The Church exercises that power now in preaching, in baptizing, in admitting to Communion, in declaring by God's authority God's absolution of the penitent. "He pardoaeth and absolveth all them that truly repent.": . (2) Binding and loosing. The words seem to mean, according to constant Hebrew usaae, "to forbid" and" to allow." The Lord commits to Peter, as afterwards (eh. xviii.18) to e.11 the apostles, the government of the Church; he gives him legislative authority, power to declare what is lawful, what is unlawful; what is obligatory, what is open. That power he exercised when he spoke in favour of the Gentiles at the Council of Jer-usalem (Acts xv. 7-11). That power St. Paul exercised again and a.gain. That power in some degree is still vested in the Church. "The Church bath power to decree rites or ceremonies, and authority in controversies of faith; and yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain anything thnt is contrary to God's Word written, neither may it so expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to :motht'r." LESSONS. 1. Whnt is the Lord Jesus to us? Oh that he may reveal himself into our hearts, that we may know him as the Son of the living God I 2. It is a blessed thing to have St. Peter's. strong convictions; let us pray, "Lord, increase our faith." 3, Cllrist is the Rock of Ages; let us seek to be living stones, built into that living Rock. Vera. 20-28.-The cross. I. THE ANNOUNOEMENl' OF COMING SUFFERI:S-0, 1. Tht1 Lord. Two figures come prominently into contrast-the Lord e.nd Peter: the Lord looking forwards with sweet e.nd holy calmness to agony and shame and death; Poter, ee.ger and impetuous, burning with zeal for what seemed to him his Master's honour. The Lord bade the apostles tell no man that he was the Christ. The people were not rcndy for the announcement; if they accepted it, they would in their proscut temper znisundorsto.nd it; they would e.gnin try to take him by force to make him a. King.  148 THE GOSPEL AOCORDING TO ST. MA1'1'HEW. [ou. xvi. 1-28.