are often alleged to shew that Christ Himself is the fundamental rock on which the church is built: but the meaning of the Apostle manifestly is, that Christ-His doctrine and law-His atonement and grace; are the only foundation on which our hopes for salvation can rest: nor is there salvation in any other for "there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved."* This does not exclude the relation of Peter to the Church as established by Christ Himself, since he is the rock placed by the hands of the Divine Architect, from whom his strength is wholly derived. It would indeed be impious to call Peter the foundation, independently of Christ. His office has been instituted by the Saviour, and is ministerial and instrumental. The faithful are said to be "built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone." Thus it is clear that the apostles and prophets may be represented under the image of the foundation, without any disparagement of the authority of Christ, since the preaching of the apostles and the predictions of the prophets lead men to Him. They are ministers, agents, heralds of the Great King. So may the term be applied to Peter in a special sense, as being His chief minister and representative, without detracting from His sovereignty. Bloomfield avows that the expression as applied to Peter is easily reconcileable with the application of it to Christ, "since the two expressions are employed in two very different senses." St. Leo, the Great, who filled the chair of St. Peter in the middle of the fifth century, beautifully exhibits the harmony of the sacred texts, whilst he paraphrases the address of Christ to Peter: "As my Father has manifested my divinity to thee, I make known to thee thy excellency: for thou art PETER, that is, as I am the inviolable rock, the corner-stone, who make both one, I the foundation other than that which no one can lay-nevertheless, thou also art a Rock, because, thou art strengthened by my power, so that those things which belong to me by nature, are common to thee with me by participation." The figure of the keys of the kingdom, which our Lord adds, confirms and develops the idea of power and authority contained in the preceding metaphor: "I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, it shall be bound also in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven." The keys are the known emblem of authority. † Eph. ii. 20. * Acts iv. 12. In Mat. xvi. 18, 19. Of Eliacim who was to be substituted to Sobna in the high priesthood, it is said: "I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder; and he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut and none shall open."* The key was hung on the shoulder in token of power, wherefore it is said of Christ: "the government is upon his shoulder." Potter, the Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury, says: "Our Lord received from God the keys of heaven; and by virtue of this grant had power to remit sins on earth: the same keys, with the power which accompanied them, were first promised to Peter, as the foreman of the apostolic college." Since our Lord communicated to Peter the keys which He Himself received from the Father, supreme power was clearly delegated by Him, as may be gathered from the same writer. "Our blessed Lord, as the king of this household, who has the supreme power to admit and exclude whomsoever He pleaseth, is said to have the keys of David.-The supreme power of the keys, that is, the authority of admitting and excluding belongs to Christ, the King; but the same is exercised by His apostles and their successors, whom He has appointed to govern the Church, as His stewards, or vicegerents." The force of the emblem is here. admitted, although an attempt is vainly made to render common to all the apostles the power which was so distinctly given to Peter alone: "I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven." In the New Testament the kingdom of heaven generally denotes the Church of Christ, which is heavenly in its principles, means, and tendency. To give the keys of this kingdom is to communicate supreme powerto make Peter His special vicegerent. To loose and to bind is the exercise of that power, but the keys signify a pre-eminent power of binding and loosing. The remission of sins or their retention may be effected in virtue of this authority, as may be inferred from a comparison of this text with the commission recorded in John xx. 23, but other acts are included in this broad commission. To resolve the difficulties of the law, and decide religious controversies, to enact laws binding the members of the Church, and to dispense from their observance, to inflict censures on the refractory, and release the penitent § Ibid p. 300. On Church Government p. 60. "As to the expression 'the keys,' it may also refer to the power and au thority for the said work; especially as a key was anciently an usual symbol of authority, and presenting with a key was a common form of investing with authority, insomuch that it was afterwards worn as a badge of office.”— Bloomfield. In locum. from their bonds, may all be signified by these terms. To all the apostles the power of binding and loosing was afterwards promised, but not without special design it was promised to Peter first, and alone, that his high authority might be manifested. These sublime promises are nowise weakened by the rebuke given on the same occasion to Peter, for opposing the divine counsels. Our Lord charged His disciples to tell no one that He was the Christ, and disclosed to them His approaching death: but Peter could not bear the thought of the sufferings of his Divine Master: "Lord, (he said,) be it far from thee this shall not be unto thee. But He, turning, said to Peter: Go after me, Satan, thou art a scandal unto me: because thou dost not relish the things that are of God, but the things that are of men."* By this severe reproof our Lord would teach us that the humiliating mystery of His sufferings must be adored with the same faith wherewith His glory is believed. Simon was blessed in the divinely inspired faith wherewith he acknowledged Christ to be the Son of God; but he became a Satan, that is an adversary, when he opposed the divine counsels for the redemption of mankind by the sufferings and death of his Lord. The promise made him is not recalled, although his earthly views are corrected and reproved. The enemies of the primacy have availed themselves of the popular acceptation of this term, to obscure the eulogy previously pronounced, and the promise made to Peter. Severe as the reproof undoubtedly is, it does not suppose any sin on the part of the apostle, but a human error of judgment, proceeding from the ardor of his affection, and deriving a colouring of truth from the faith of the divinity of Christ. In the solemn circumstance of the approaching passion of Christ, the apostles did not cease to entertain the petty rivalry and jealousy which during their attendance on Him they had often manifested. He had occasion more than once to rebuke them for their disputes about superiority, and yet they were still contending which of them was greater. The many marks of His special favor to Peter, and the position of leader which this apostle uniformly occupied, and the promise made to him especially, seemed to leave no room for doubting; but the tender love shewn to John, and the kindness and affection exhibited to all, led them to question, whether the actual headship of Peter, or the promised office, rendered him absolutely greater than his brethren. Christ had, on a former occasion, brought forward a child to insinuate humility, and animated the apostles to its exercise by the hope of * Mat. xvi. 22. heavenly exaltation:* in this instance He contrasts the spirit which should animate them with the domineering pride of earthly princes, and offers Himself as the model which they should copy. "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and they that have power over them, are called beneficent. But you not so: but he who is the greatest among you, let him be as the least: and he that is the leader as he that serveth. For which is greater, he that sitteth at table, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at table? but I am in the midst of you as he that serveth." He will not have them act in the lordly spirit of the rulers of this world, or content themselves with flattering titles. The difference of rank among them He plainly recognises, but wishes the greatest to sustain his dignity by the humility of his deportment, even as He had descended to act as a servant to them all. He then proceeds to intimate the high dignity of all, and the special prerogative and duty of Peter. "You are they who have continued with me in my temptations: And I appoint to you, as my Father hath appointed to me a kingdom. That you may eat and drink at my table, and may sit upon thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Thus, in reward of their fidelity and attachment, He bestows on them a kingdom, even as His Father had made Him king. His kingdom is not, indeed, of this world, but of a far sublimer order, and the apostles are made priests and kings to their God, partaking of the mysterious banquet, and sitting on thrones of judgment. These honors are common to all: to Peter peculiar privileges are promised. Satan has sought to overthrow their thrones, and altars, and to sift them, even as the wheat is winnowed, to cast them as chaff to the wind, and in the impenetrable but just counsels of the Deity, he is left to realize partially his wishes: but Christ interposes with His Father to rescue the throne of Peter, and through him to secure all from ruin. "And the Lord said: Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I HAVE PRAYED FOR THEE THAT THY FAITH FAIL NOT: AND THOU BEING ONCE CON VERTED, CONFIRM THY BRETHREN." He had just spoken of the kingdom and thrones of the apostles: He now discloses the dark designs of hell against them and addresses Peter especially, and emphatically assures him that He had prayed for him in particular, that his faith might not fail. Against him the powers of hell shall not prevail, as they cannot prevail against the Church founded on him. He foretells, a moment afterwards, his fall, but His prayer is specially offered up for him, as the *Luke ix. 48. † Ib. xxii. 25--28. See also Mat. xx. 25. head of his brethren, and He charges him to confirm them, that is to strengthen them in that faith which cannot fail. "The danger arising from the temptation of fear," St. Leo remarks, "was common to all the apostles, and they likewise needed the aid of the divine protection, since the devil was desirous of harassing them all, and of destroying them all; and yet special care is taken of Peter by the Lord, and supplication is made especially for the faith of Peter, as if the state of the others is likely to be more secure, if the mind of the prince be not overcome."* The fall of Peter is often objected as a proof that he was not the head of the Church: which is true, since at that time, although the promise of Christ had been made, and His prayer offered up for Peter, the office of chief pastor had not been conferred. It was only after His resurrection that our Lord, being about to withdraw His visible presence, gave Peter charge of His lambs and sheep. The weakness, then, of one chosen for so high an office must lead us to admire the Divine power by which the weak are strengthened, and the Divine mercy, which pardons enormous transgressions, and elevates the penitent to dignities, to which the innocent themselves have no title. * Serm. 3, in anniversario assumptionis suæ. |