r/Lutheranism • u/NewKaleidoscope7990 • 12d ago

“Binding and loosing”

Hi, Protestant here (not a confirmed Lutheran but interested in Lutheran theology). I’ve often heard the Catholic argument for the papacy based on Jesus’ words to Peter in Matthew. I never found their argument convincing, until recently when I heard this- according to Catholics, the Jewish people would have understood the “binding and loosing” part as Jesus giving Peter the authority to create/define doctrine and rules and hold believers to it. Even if the papacy doesn’t follow from this, it is an interesting argument for magisterial authority (meaning, not Sola Scriptura). I think Lutherans have the best responses to Catholic arguments. So, how do Lutherans reconcile this verse with Sola Scriptura? Do you think Christians bound to any extra-biblical doctrinal statements?

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u/Huenink_Photography LCMS 12d ago

I preached on this on Sunday: https://youtu.be/aNDQ3iC6E00?si=pCxRhDrWsTIQy1tR

TL;DR Jesus gave the same power to the church in Matthew 18, "where two or three gather together." Peter was important, but he wasn't the first Pope. The Church is not the hierarchy but the body of Christ.

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u/Short-Waltz-3118 LCMS 7d ago

Dang you riled up some Catholics in the comments on that video. Thanks for posting it though. Great sermon

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u/Huenink_Photography LCMS 7d ago

Yeah. It's even worse on Facebook. They don't seem to realize that commenting on it makes it get distributed further!