What does the Bible mean by binding and loosing?

Response

The teaching of “binding and loosing” in the Bible is found in Matthew 16:19: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” In this verse, Jesus addresses the apostle Peter directly and indirectly the other apostles. Jesus’ words indicated that Peter would have the privilege to enter the kingdom, possess general authority symbolized by the keys, and that spreading the gospel would open the kingdom of heaven to believers and close it to unbelievers. The book of Acts illustrates this process. Through his sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14-40), Peter initiated the kingdom’s access for the first time. The terms “bind” and “loose” were part of Jewish legal language, signifying to declare something forbidden or permitted.

Peter and the other disciples were tasked with continuing Christ’s mission on earth by preaching the gospel and conveying God’s will to people, equipped with the same authority as He held. Matthew 18:18 also mentions binding and loosing in the context of church discipline. The apostles do not assume Christ’s authority over individual believers and their eternal fate, but they do possess the authority to discipline and, if needed, expel disobedient church members.

The apostles were not granted the power to alter God’s decisions, as if their actions on earth would be mirrored in heaven; rather, they were reassured that as they progressed in their mission.In their apostolic duties, they would be fulfilling God’s plan in heaven. When the apostles “bound” something, or forbade it on earth, they were carrying out the will of God in the matter. When they “loosed” something, or allowed it on earth, they were likewise fulfilling God’s eternal plan. In both Matthew 16:19 and 18:18, the syntax of the Greek text makes the meaning clear: “Whatever thou mayest bind upon the earth shall be having been bound in the heavens, and whatever thou mayest loose upon the earth shall be having been loosed in the heavens” «And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. », (Matthew 16:19, Young’s Literal Translation). Or, as the Amplified Bible puts it, “Whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth will have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth will have [already] been loosed in heaven.”

Jesus taught that the apostles had a special task on earth. Their words of authority, as recorded in the New Testament epistles, reflect God’s will for the church. When Paul declared an anathema on those who pervert the gospel, then we know that anathema was already declared in heaven (see Galatians 1:8-9).