Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: Aquinasfan
I did look it up, and here is what the OCA has to say about it.

"...actually it was the Church that received this right, and not exclusively a single person, turn your attention to another place of the Scriptures, where the same Lord says to also all His Apostles: "Receive ye the Holy Spirit" -- and further after this: "Whoseso sins ye remit, are remitted them: and whoseso sins ye retain, are retained" (Jn 20:22-23); or: "with what ye bind upon the earth, will be bound in Heaven: and with what ye loosen upon the earth, will be loosened in the Heavens" (Mt 18:18). Thus, it is the Church that binds, the Church that loosens; the Church, built upon the foundational corner-stone -- Jesus Christ Himself (Eph 2:20) doth bind and loosen. Let both the binding and the loosening be feared: the loosening, in order not to fall under this again; the binding, in order not to remain forever in this condition. Wherefore "by the passions of his own sins -- says Wisdom -- is each ensnared" (Prov 5:22); and except for Holy Church nowhere is it possible to receive the loosening.

....Besides this, the thrice appealing of the Saviour to Peter and the thrice confession of Peter before the Lord had a particular beneficial purpose for the Apostle. That one, to whom was given "the keys of the kingdom" and the right "to bind and to loosen," himself thrice bound himself by fear and cowardice (Mt 26:69-75), and the Lord thrice loosens him by His appeal and in turn by his confession of strong love. And to shepherd literally the flock of Christ was acquired by all the Apostles and their successors. "Attend yourself to all the flock" -- urges the Apostle Paul to church presbyters -- "in which the Holy Spirit hath established ye as bishops, to shepherd the Church of the Lord God, acquired by His Blood" (Acts 20:28); and the Apostle Peter to the elders: "Feed among you the flock of Christ, attending to it not by need, but by will and according to God: not for unrighteous profit, but zealously: not as commanding parables, but be an image to the flock. And when is appeared the Prince of pastors, ye will receive unfading crowns of glory" (1 Pet. 5:2-4)."

356 posted on 07/02/2003 5:09:40 AM PDT by MarMema
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 352 | View Replies ]


To: MarMema
Re: 356. What does the OCA say about the "key of the House of David?"

I skimmed what you posted, but I'm probably in agreement with you about the power of "binding and loosing" being given to all of the Apostles. Certainly, the Catholic Church recognizes the Sacraments and Apostolic succession within the Orthodox Churches.

What your post doesn't address, however, is the position of the "vice-regent" in the Davidic kingdom and the key which represented the office, the office which is fully realized and fructified when Jesus gives the keys to Peter.

362 posted on 07/02/2003 5:20:41 AM PDT by Aquinasfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 356 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson