The sixth summary point summarizing my full explanation of the newest
ELS doctrinal statement builds upon the fifth point.
When the statement speaks of an “office of the keys,” it refers
sometimes to the office of ministry in the narrow sense (the pastoral
office), which belongs to the Church, and through which the Church
exercises the keys. Other times, it refers to the authority Jesus gave
both to His apostles and to His Church to bind and loose the sins of
sinners.
The context must determine which of these two meanings applies in each
case. As I read the PMW, I do so in the context of the orthodox,
Lutheran and ecumenical doctrinal expressions that have preceded the
PMW. This context is even more important than the internal context of
the PMW itself, because it defines what was already accepted by the ELS
when the PMW was formulated and adopted.
One might ask, "How can the pastoral office be called the office of the
keys?" The answer seems exceedingly obvious to me, but here it is
anyway. The office of the ministry in the narrow sense was explicitly
and specifically instituted by our Lord through His command and promise
for the very purpose of applying Law and Gospel to sinners, and for no
other purpose. In other words, it exists to administer the keys. To
put it yet another way, the characteristic duties of the pastoral office
(the preaching and teaching of God's Word and the administration of the
sacraments) are exhaustive examples of the application of Law and Gospel
to sinners. Hence, the office may be called the office of the keys.
The pastoral office belongs to the Church, which means it belongs to
every Christian. This does not mean that every Christian is in the
office, but it does mean that every Christian possesses the office.
This is also the same God-given office through which the Church
exercises the Keys. When a congregation calls a pastor, it demonstrates
that the pastor's ministry is its own ministry.
On the other hand, sometimes "office" is used in a different sense.
Sometimes it means an authority, without reference to a specific
position which uses that authority. "Office of the keys" is sometimes
used in the PMW to mean only the authority that Jesus gave both to His
apostles and to His Church, to apply Law and Gospel to sinners.
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