[citation needed] The verb 'to loose' (or to free) is used this way in John 20:23, Revelation 1:5 and by the Early Church Fathers.
There is a description of the conferral of the Power of the Keys on St. Peter (originally named Simon) in Matthew 16:13: 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” – Matthew 18:18–20This point of view is furthered ( the collective authority / power of the keys ) in the first Council of Jerusalem.
[citation needed] Roman Catholic dogma states that in Matthew 16, Jesus was paraphrasing a passage from Isaiah well known among the Jews (Is 22:15-25) in which Hezekiah, the King of Israel, had a general cabinet of ministers and his chief chamberlain, the Prime Minister Shebna was proved unworthy of his post and was thrown out.
To fill his office, King Hezekiah names Eliakim son of Hilkiah as the new prime minister: 15 Thus says the Lord God of hosts, “Come, go to this steward, to Shebna, who is over the household, and say to him: 16 What have you to do here, and whom have you here, that you have cut out here a tomb for yourself, you who cut out a tomb on the height and carve a dwelling for yourself in the rock?
20 In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, 21 and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand.
With these keys, like Eliakim, St. Peter the first Bishop of Rome and his successors are entrusted with Christ's own teaching authority over the new House of David, the Church here on earth (Rev.
Through this office of the Papacy and the Magisterium, Roman Catholics believe that the Kingdom of Heaven governs the Church on earth to lead it to all truth in matters of faith and morals (1 Tim 3:15, Mt 28:20, Jn 16:13).
[7] The Methodist tradition holds that the office of the keys is exercised when the Church baptizes an individual and pronounces him/her saved.