Reference: Key
Easton
frequently mentioned in Scripture. It is called in Hebrew maphteah, i.e., the opener (Jg 3:25); and in the Greek New Testament kleis, from its use in shutting (Mt 16:19; Lu 11:52; Re 1:18, etc.). Figures of ancient Egyptian keys are frequently found on the monuments, also of Assyrian locks and keys of wood, and of a large size (comp. Isa 22:22).
The word is used figuratively of power or authority or office (Isa 22:22; Re 3:7; 1:8; comp. Re 9:1; 20:1; comp. also Mt 16:19; 18:18). The "key of knowledge" (Lu 11:52; comp. Mt 23:13) is the means of attaining the knowledge regarding the kingdom of God. The "power of the keys" is a phrase in general use to denote the extent of ecclesiastical authority.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
But, though they tarried a long time, yet lo! he opened not the doors of the parlour, - so they took the key, and opened them , when lo! their lord, fallen to the ground dead.
And I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder, - And he shall open and none shall shut, And shut and none shall open;
And I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder, - And he shall open and none shall shut, And shut and none shall open;
I will give thee, the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, - and, whatsoever thou shalt bind upon the earth, shall be bound in the heavens, and, whatsoever thou shalt loose upon the earth, shall be loosed in the heavens.
I will give thee, the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, - and, whatsoever thou shalt bind upon the earth, shall be bound in the heavens, and, whatsoever thou shalt loose upon the earth, shall be loosed in the heavens.
Verily, I say unto you - Whatsoever things ye shall bind on the earth, shall be bound in heaven; and, whatsoever things ye shall loose on the earth, shall be loosed in heaven.
Alas for you, the lawyers! because ye took away the key of knowledge: yourselves, entered not, and, them who were entering, ye hindered.
Alas for you, the lawyers! because ye took away the key of knowledge: yourselves, entered not, and, them who were entering, ye hindered.
I, am, the A, and, the Z, saith the Lord, - the, God who Is, and who Was, and who is Coming, The Almighty.
and the Living One, - and I became dead; - and lo! living, am I, unto the ages of ages, and have the keys of death and of hades.
And, unto the messenger of the assembly, in Philadelphia, write: - These things, saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and no one shall shut, and shutteth and no one openeth:
And, the fifth messenger, sounded; and I saw a star, out of heaven, fallen unto the earth, and there was given unto him the key of the shaft of the abyss.
And I saw a messenger, coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss, and a great chain upon his hand;
Fausets
Song 5:4-5. A piece of wood, from seven inches to two feet long, fitted with pegs which correspond to small holes in the bolt within; the key put through a hole draws the bolt. The symbol of authority to open or shut (Isa 22:22; Re 3:7; 1:18). A chamberlain's (eunuch) badge of office is often a key, hung by a kerchief "on the shoulders" (Isa 9:6). The power of the keys was given to Peter and the other apostles only at times (Mt 16:19; 18:18) when, and in so far as, Christ made him and them infallible. Peter rightly opened the gospel door to the Gentiles (Acts 10; Ac 11:17-18; 14:27), but he wrongly tried to shut it again (Ga 2:11-18; compare Lu 11:52).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
My beloved, thrust in his hand, at the window, and, my feelings, were deeply moved for him: I myself, arose, to open to my beloved, - and, my hands, dripped with myrrh, and, my fingers, with myrrh distilling, upon the handles of the bolt.
For, A Child, hath been born to us, A Son, hath been given to us, And the dominion is upon his shoulder, - And his Name hath been called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty GOD, Father of Futurity, Prince of Prosperity.
And I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder, - And he shall open and none shall shut, And shut and none shall open;
I will give thee, the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, - and, whatsoever thou shalt bind upon the earth, shall be bound in the heavens, and, whatsoever thou shalt loose upon the earth, shall be loosed in the heavens.
Verily, I say unto you - Whatsoever things ye shall bind on the earth, shall be bound in heaven; and, whatsoever things ye shall loose on the earth, shall be loosed in heaven.
Alas for you, the lawyers! because ye took away the key of knowledge: yourselves, entered not, and, them who were entering, ye hindered.
If therefore the like free-gift God gave unto them, as even unto us, when we had believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, who was, I, that could withstand God? And, having heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying - Hence, even unto the nations, God hath granted repentance unto life.
And, when they had arrived and gathered together the assembly, they began recounting how many things God had done with them, and that he had opened, unto the nations, a door of faith.
But, when Cephas came unto Antioch, to the face, even , him, I resisted, because he stood condemned; For, before that certain came from James, with them of the nations, used he to eat; whereas, when they came, he used to withdraw, and keep himself separate, fearing them of the circumcision; read more. And the rest of the Jews alsoused hypocrisy with him, so that, even Barnabas, was carried away by their hypocrisy. But, when I saw that they were not walking with straightforwardness as regardeth the truth of the glad-message, I said unto Cephas, before all: If, thou, although, a Jew, like them of the nations, and not like the Jews, dost live, how dost thou compel, them of the nations, to live like Jews? We, by nature Jews, and not sinners from among the nations, Knowing, however, that a man is not declared righteous by works of law, nor at all save through faith in Christ Jesus; even we, on Christ Jesus, believed, that we might be declared righteous - by faith in Christ, and not by works of law; because, by works of law, shall no flesh be declared righteous. Now, if in seeking to be declared righteous in Christ we, ourselves also, were found sinners, - is Christ, therefore, a minister, of sin? Far be it! For, if, the things that I pulled down, these, again, I build, a transgressor, I prove, myself, to be.
and the Living One, - and I became dead; - and lo! living, am I, unto the ages of ages, and have the keys of death and of hades.
And, unto the messenger of the assembly, in Philadelphia, write: - These things, saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and no one shall shut, and shutteth and no one openeth:
Hastings
A. R. S. Kennedy.
Morish
Used symbolically for authority to open or to shut. Spoken of Eliakim, 'established by God,' as having the key of the house of David laid upon his shoulder: "he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open." Isa 22:22. He is a type of the Lord Jesus, as spoken of in Re 3:7, who has also the keys of hades and of death. Re 1:18. To Peter were given the keys of the kingdom of heaven, Mt 16:19, which he opened to the Jews in Acts 2, and to the Gentiles in Acts 10. The Lord charged the doctors of the law with taking away the key of knowledge. Lu 11:52. This they did by their traditions and by hindering those who would have entered in to the blessings brought by Christ.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder, - And he shall open and none shall shut, And shut and none shall open;
I will give thee, the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, - and, whatsoever thou shalt bind upon the earth, shall be bound in the heavens, and, whatsoever thou shalt loose upon the earth, shall be loosed in the heavens.
Alas for you, the lawyers! because ye took away the key of knowledge: yourselves, entered not, and, them who were entering, ye hindered.
and the Living One, - and I became dead; - and lo! living, am I, unto the ages of ages, and have the keys of death and of hades.
And, unto the messenger of the assembly, in Philadelphia, write: - These things, saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and no one shall shut, and shutteth and no one openeth:
Smith
Key.
The key of a native Oriental lock is a piece of wood, from seven inches to two feet in length, fitted with the wires or short nails, which, being inserted laterally into the hollow bolt which serves as a lock, raises other pins within the staple so as to allow the bolt to be drawn back. (Keys were sometimes of bronze or iron, and so large that one was as much as a man could carry. They are used in Scripture as a symbol of authority and power. Giving keys to a person signifies the intrusting of him with an important charge.
In England in modern times certain officers of the government receive, at their induction into office, a golden key. --ED.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
I will give thee, the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, - and, whatsoever thou shalt bind upon the earth, shall be bound in the heavens, and, whatsoever thou shalt loose upon the earth, shall be loosed in the heavens.
Watsons
KEY is frequently mentioned in Scripture, as well in a natural as in a figurative sense. The keys of the ancients were very different from ours; because their doors and trunks were closed generally with bands, and the key served only to loosen or fasten these bands in a certain manner. In a moral sense key has many significations: "And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder: so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open," Isa 22:22,
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder, - And he shall open and none shall shut, And shut and none shall open;
I will give thee, the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, - and, whatsoever thou shalt bind upon the earth, shall be bound in the heavens, and, whatsoever thou shalt loose upon the earth, shall be loosed in the heavens.
Verily, I say unto you - Whatsoever things ye shall bind on the earth, shall be bound in heaven; and, whatsoever things ye shall loose on the earth, shall be loosed in heaven.
and the Living One, - and I became dead; - and lo! living, am I, unto the ages of ages, and have the keys of death and of hades.