Matt. 16:16-18--". . . . On this rock I will build my church." Here
is the Church in prophecy and promise; the first mention of the
Church in the New Testament. Note the distinction here recognized
between the "Kingdom" and the "Church."
The Church is to be founded on Peter's confession of Jesus Christ
as the Son of the living God. No supremacy is here given to Peter,
as a comparison of these verses with John 20:19-23, and Matt.
18:18--in which the same privilege of the binding and loosing is
given to the whole Church and to all the apostles--will show.
In Matthew 18:15-20 our Lord recognizes the fact of the Church, and
also that it has the divine seal and sanction in the exercising of
the power of the keys.