> I think that the divine authority is implied, but it seems
> to me that the NT writers had a more concrete idea of "in heaven"
> than that -- a notion that is only slightly removed, if at all,
> from "in the skies." Paul talks about being "caught up to
> the third heaven," and the author of Ephesians refers frequently
> to the overheavens (as in 1.3: "EN TOIS EPOURANIOS). It seems
> there was a fairly concrete notion of a hierarchy of sky-y levels,
> and that in passing from this AIWN to the next, we are also
> passing to "a new sky and a new land" (2 Pet 3.13 or Apoc. 21.1,
> for example).
>
> Given this, there may also be a more concrete notion of the
> binding or loosing being found already to have been made effective
> in the other AIWN/OURANOS/GH.
This imagery was ubiquitous throughout the ANE. The Sun (shamash
(Samson)) is pictured sawing his way through a mountain at sunrise
or carrying a "key" (rod and loop) to the gates of heaven, i.e. those
through which the Sun, Moon, etc. rise. In Egypt, the key is an ankh.
In Sumeria and Babylonia, it looks similar, but the head is round
rather than tear-dropped. The key may represent the "the sceptre
and ring, emblems of rule and justice" taken as one, that is, bound
together, the "Crown of Shamash, staff(?) of Shamash".
Shamash and Thoth are pictured sitting on a box containing two gods.
They represent the binding force(s), e.g. the gods binding Upper and
Lower Egypt together, the solstices or equinoxes binding the year.
Since they are boxed, they themselves are bound by the lord sitting
atop, e.g. Thoth, Shamash.
All these are therefore symbols of covenant, ratified by the Lord Sun.
Here (Mt 18:18), Simon bar Jona is dubbed "the rock". The rock is
an allusion to the cosmic mountain from which the sun emerges.
So, Peter is the rock, mountain, the gate, itself, in fact. Therefore,
whatever he binds or looses, etc (Mt 18:18). Peter becomes, in
effect, Maxwell's invisible demon, endowed with the physically
impossible task of separating good and evil at the very gate of
heaven.
The overall imagery is solar, the covenant with the sun to defeat
the forces of darkness and chaos, to avoid the mixing of light and
dark, to avoid becoming lukewarm, homogenous.
Jesus seems to be referring, once again, to the Near Eastern notion
of magical invocation of gods by uttering their true names. In Mt 16:16,
Simon bar Jona invokes "the Christ": He is promptly rewarded with a
promotion. In Mt 18:15-20, the legal concept of proper witness is
introduced, as if the force of two people uttering a thing could create
reality (DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME), i.e. the lord will accept the witness as
fact, thus making it so, as would occur in the settling of a land title,
a banishment, or other civil "reality".
Does any of this affect the theological perspectives ? It seems to me
that the followers are clearly charged with the authority and
responsibilty of policing their own. The earthly judgment consisting
only of whether one is permitted in the Church, i.e. determining who
may pass through the gates of heaven. Although judgment is Christ's
perogative, he has bestowed it upon Peter and legal (church) witnesses.
To refuse to exercise it would not only be impractical (as in any human
organization), but downright disobedient to the charge of keeping the
riff-raff out of heaven, resulting, I'm sure, in the charter being revoked.
However, to artificially extend this charter to creating physical reality
by agreement or to seeking out people outside the church to punish
seems unjustified by these passages.
Will
PS Thanks to all the "Swedes" who helped me.