In both Matt 16:19 and Matt 18:18, Jesus talks of binding and loosing. There has been much debate over the years about the meaning of these verses, and it is important that we understand the difference between the blessing of spiritual authority and the stumbling-block of spiritual arrogance, and we need to approach such subjects with humility and reverence. Jesus is not giving us carte blanche here to do as we please and twist God’s arm to make Him do things He does not want to do. Rather, as we grow in our relationship with Him, we see the natural outworking of doing His will on earth, as it is in heaven.
In Matthew 18, the context of these words about binding and loosing is church discipline. Jesus is talking about what to do if a brother or sister sins. The first step is to talk to them personally about this: ‘go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.’ (Matt 18:15) If the matter can’t be resolved at that level, take two or three others with you to continue the discussion. If this is still not enough, the matter must be brought to the church and if they will still not listen, these are the grounds for excommunication. (Matt 18:16-17) The decision made on earth – whether to welcome the person back to fellowship if repentance is evident or to refuse them this privilege because of their refusal to repent – is ratified, so to speak, in heaven. The Greek is not quite as simple as ‘will be bound’ or ‘will be loosed’, which implies our action has an effect in heaven, that our action actually enforces what happens in heaven; it’s more a case of ‘will have been bound’ or even ‘must have been bound.’ One translator says, ‘whatever you forbid on earth must be already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth must be already permitted in heaven.’ (Charles Williams)
God does give us spiritual authority; Luke 9:1-2 gives us some idea of the scope of this authority, and John reminds us that ‘the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.’ (1 Jn 4:4) In a more general sense, we can see the idea of binding as something which is restrictive and loosing as something which is liberating. Isaiah talks about loosing the chains of injustice and untying the cords of the yoke to set the oppressed free. (Is 58:6) When Jesus healed a crippled woman, He told her that she was set free (or ‘loosed’ from her infirmity.) (Luke 13:12) The greatest loosing that can happen to anyone is when they are transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, but we may well need to be set free in a whole host of other areas – loosed from addictions, set free from anxieties and fears, liberated in praise and worship, delivered from powers that seem too strong for us, but which are no match for Jesus. All these things are possible with God. (Matt 19:26) As we grow closer to Him, He is able to give us the victory in all things and set us free from anything which would restrict us in our walk with Him. Sometimes that requires us to speak out in faith words that can act as keys to set free and to bind up, to unlock and to lock.
