I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Matthew 16:19 ESV
Introduction
Why This Study Matters
When Jesus spoke to Peter in Matthew 16:19, He promised something far greater than human authority. “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,” He said. That statement pointed ahead to a divine plan that would unfold step by step through history. The keys were not given for personal status or power, but as a sacred trust, authority to open the way for others to enter God’s kingdom through faith in Christ.
The book of Acts records how that promise came to life. Beginning with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem, the gospel spread step by step in the exact order Jesus had foretold: “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). What began in one city soon touched an empire. The story of the keys isn’t just about Peter and Paul, it’s about how God invites all of us into His plan
Through Peter, the doors of the kingdom were opened to the Jews, to the Samaritans, and finally to the Gentiles. Each opening was marked by the Spirit’s confirmation, proving that God was building one church from every people. Later, Paul carried that same message throughout the Roman world, confirming that the gospel was for all nations. By the time Acts closes, the mission Jesus began had reached the very heart of the empire, and the doors of the kingdom stood wide open.
This study traces that story, from the promise of the keys to the final declaration in Acts 28:28. Along the way, we see how God’s plan moved with perfect order and purpose. More than history, this is our foundation. The same Christ who opened the way still holds the keys today, and the invitation of His kingdom remains open to all who will believe.
Chapter One
The Keys
When Jesus told Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:19), He was pointing to a plan far greater than one man’s authority. Keys are about access and opening doors, and in the story that follows in Acts we see exactly how those keys were used. Step by step, God unfolded His kingdom, first to the Jews in Jerusalem, then to the Samaritans, and finally to the Gentiles.
The book of Acts is not random history but a carefully ordered record of how the gospel spread in the precise order Jesus promised. Peter stood at the center of those turning points, opening the way each time with undeniable signs of the Spirit. Once the doors were opened, Paul carried the message across the empire, ensuring the good news reached the ends of the earth.
By the time we arrive at Acts 28:28, the progression is complete. Israel’s national priority had closed, and the church fully emerged as one body in Christ, made up of Jew and Gentile alike. From the promise of the keys to the bold preaching in Rome, the story shows us that Christ is the true Key, and the doors of His kingdom stand open still today.
The Promise of the Keys
When Jesus spoke of giving Peter the keys of the kingdom, He was not handing over personal power or authority to rule. Instead, He was describing how the kingdom of God would be opened to the world in its proper order. This promise tied directly to Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ and set the stage for the unfolding events in the book of Acts.
Peter’s Confession and Christ’s Response
In Matthew 16:18–19, Jesus responds to Peter’s bold declaration: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Jesus says, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
This was not a promise of power to Peter alone, but a declaration that Christ would establish His people, the ekklesia, on the confession of His identity.
The Meaning of Ekklesia
The word church is the Greek ekklesia, meaning “assembly” or “called-out ones.” In everyday Greek usage, it referred to a gathering of citizens summoned for a purpose. In the New Testament, it always refers to people, never to a building.
When Jesus spoke of building His church, He envisioned a living community called out from the world to belong to Him. This was the true foundation Peter had confessed: Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God.
The Symbolism of Keys
Keys symbolize access, authority, and stewardship. To hold a key is to open or shut doors at will. In Isaiah 22:22, God speaks of placing “the key of the house of David” on His steward’s shoulder: “he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” In Revelation 3:7, this same authority is given to Christ Himself, who alone opens and shuts the door of salvation.
So when Jesus promised Peter the keys, He was not surrendering His authority but sharing it for a purpose. Peter would play a foundational role in opening the kingdom’s doors at key moments in history. These were Christ’s keys, entrusted temporarily to Peter as a steward, to be used when the time was right.
The Wording
In Matthew 16:19, Jesus says:
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
It does not say “keys to the kingdom,” as if Peter was being given possession of the entrance itself. It says “keys of the kingdom,” pointing to something slightly different.
Keys “To” vs. Keys “Of”
Keys “to” would suggest Peter has control of access, like a gatekeeper who decides who gets in and who stays out. That would make him the final authority, and Scripture never teaches that. Christ alone is the door (John 10:9) and the way into the kingdom (John 14:6).
Keys “of” means Peter was entrusted with the use of the kingdom’s keys, the authority to open doors at the right time, according to God’s plan. The keys belonged to the kingdom, not to Peter. He was a steward, not the owner.
Why It Matters
That little preposition makes all the difference. Jesus was not transferring ownership of the kingdom. He was entrusting Peter with a task: to unlock the doors at decisive moments. That’s exactly what we see in Acts 2 (Jews), Acts 8 (Samaritans), and Acts 10 (Gentiles).
It also guards us from error. If we read “keys to,” we might think Peter (and by extension, others) control entrance to salvation. But “keys of” keeps the focus where it belongs, on Christ as the true Keyholder (Revelation 3:7). Peter’s role was temporary and foundational, not permanent and absolute.
See Revelation 1:18, where Jesus declares He holds the keys of Death and Hades, reminding us the authority always remains His.
The Bigger Truth
So yes, it does matter. Jesus’ wording shows us that the authority remained God’s. Peter was not master of the gate but a servant entrusted with the tools of the kingdom for a season. Once the doors were open, the keys had done their work.
Chapter Two
The Blueprint (Acts 1:8)
Before His ascension, Jesus gave His disciples a clear roadmap for how the gospel would spread. His words were more than simple instruction, they were a prophetic outline that would shape the entire book of Acts.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
A Commission with Power
Jesus began with the promise of power. The disciples would not be left to carry out their mission in their own strength. The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost would equip them to bear witness with boldness and authority. This same Spirit that filled them would also direct the unfolding of God’s plan, ensuring that the gospel reached the exact destinations Jesus named.
The Three Stages of Witness
The order given by Christ was deliberate:
- Jerusalem – the city at the heart of Israel’s worship and identity. It was here the church would be born.
- Judea and Samaria – the wider region surrounding Jerusalem, including the Samaritans, who were often despised by the Jews.
- Ends of the earth – the Gentile nations, represented in Luke’s narrative by the city of Rome, the center of the empire.
Each stage marked a widening circle of God’s kingdom, showing that salvation was not confined to one people but intended for all.
Acts as the Roadmap Fulfilled
The book of Acts faithfully follows this pattern. At each stage, the Spirit moved decisively, and Peter stood present as the keyholder, unlocking the door of faith. What began in Jerusalem would ripple outward until the message of Christ reached the very heart of the Gentile world.
With this blueprint in place, the story unfolds as Peter uses the keys Jesus promised, turning them one by one as each new group is welcomed into the kingdom.
Peter Turns the Keys
After Jesus promised Peter the keys of the kingdom, the book of Acts records three decisive moments when those keys were turned. Each time, a new group of people was welcomed into the kingdom. Each moment was accompanied by unique signs of the Spirit, leaving no doubt that God Himself was opening the door. Together, these three key turns fulfill the pattern Jesus gave in Acts 1:8: Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth.
And so the stage was set. The Spirit would move, the apostles would speak, and the keys would turn, just as Jesus promised.
Chapter Three
Day of Pentecost (The Jews, Acts 2)
The first key turn came at Pentecost, during the Jewish festival fifty days after Passover. About 120 disciples were gathered in an upper room, waiting for the promise of the Spirit. Suddenly, the Spirit fell with unmistakable signs:
- A sound like a rushing wind filled the house.
- Tongues of fire rested on each believer.
- They spoke in other tongues, understood by Jews from across the empire.
These dramatic signs drew a crowd, and Peter stood to preach. His message centered on Jesus crucified and risen, the fulfillment of prophecy and the hope of Israel. The result was staggering: about 3,000 souls were baptized that day (Acts 2:41).
This was the door of the kingdom opening to Israel, right in the city of Jerusalem. The unique sign-pattern was public and undeniable. God Himself confirmed the birth of the church by pouring out His Spirit in visible and audible ways. The key had been turned, and the church was born.
The Upper Room: Foundation, Not Salvation
The experience of the 120 disciples in the upper room was foundational, not salvational. These were already followers of Christ, gathered in obedience to His command to wait for “the promise of the Father.” They had already believed in Jesus as Lord and witnessed His resurrection. What they received at Pentecost was not conversion but power, the power Jesus had promised in Acts 1:8: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses.”
The tongues of fire and the rushing wind were God’s visible signs that His Spirit had come to dwell in His people. This was the official beginning of the church, the moment when the ekklesia, the called-out ones, became a living, Spirit-filled body. The tongues were a sign of empowerment, not of new salvation. The same believers who had followed Jesus in life were now equipped to carry His message to the world.
This was the foundation upon which the rest of the book of Acts is built. God was establishing His church on solid ground, showing that His Spirit had truly arrived. What began in the upper room would soon spill into the streets, reaching hearts that had not yet heard the gospel.
Peter’s Sermon: The Message of Salvation
When the sound of the Spirit-filled believers spread through Jerusalem, devout Jews from every nation gathered to see what was happening. Some were amazed, while others mocked. In that moment, Peter, once fearful and uncertain, stood boldly and preached his first sermon under the power of the Holy Spirit.
His message was not about tongues; it was about Christ. Peter explained that the strange sounds they heard were the fulfillment of prophecy from Joel—that God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh. Then he turned to the heart of the gospel: “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:23–24).
Peter’s sermon brought conviction. The crowd was “cut to the heart” and cried out, “Brothers, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). His response gave the pattern for salvation:
“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” (Acts 2:38–39).
This was the message that opened the door of salvation to Israel. The Spirit had fallen in the upper room as a sign of power, but now the invitation was being preached to the crowd as a call to faith. Those who responded in repentance and baptism received forgiveness and the promised gift of the Spirit. About 3,000 were baptized that day.
Notice the difference: the first group in the upper room received power; the second group in the crowd received salvation. Tongues had already served their purpose as confirmation that the Spirit had come. The gospel now stood on its own, proclaimed by Peter under that same Spirit’s power.
The Door Opens to Israel
The Day of Pentecost marked the first great key-turn in God’s plan. The kingdom door opened wide to Israel, beginning in the city where Jesus had been crucified. The signs were visible, the message was clear, and the Spirit’s power was undeniable.
This was not the end of God’s promise but the beginning. The same Spirit who filled the upper room now filled new believers across Jerusalem. The foundation had been laid, the message had been preached, and the first key had turned. The church of Jesus Christ was born, and the work of the kingdom had begun.
The message that began in Jerusalem did not stop there. The same Spirit who fell at Pentecost would soon move beyond the city walls. The next key turn would take place in Samaria, where a long-divided people would receive the same gospel and the same Spirit, proving that God was building one church, not many.
Chapter Four
Samaria (The Outsiders, Acts 8)
The next key turn came in Samaria, a region long looked down upon by the Jews because of centuries of division and rivalry. Yet it was there that the gospel found open hearts. Philip, one of the evangelists, preached Christ with great power. Crowds listened, miracles followed, and many believed his message and were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
The Two-Step Process
Something unusual happened, however, the Holy Spirit did not fall immediately. Luke explains, “They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:16–17).
At first, Philip’s preaching brought belief and baptism, but not the immediate gift of the Spirit. This two-step process was not a delay caused by human failure; it was part of God’s plan. The Lord allowed the moment to unfold slowly so that everyone would see His purpose clearly.
If the Spirit had fallen as soon as Philip baptized the new believers, the Samaritan church might have developed independently from Jerusalem. Centuries of religious tension already stood between Jews and Samaritans. God wanted unity, not division. By waiting, He created a moment where the Spirit’s coming would tie the two communities together under one authority, the authority of Christ working through His apostles.
This pause between belief and the Spirit’s arrival was intentional. It demonstrated that the gospel, though preached freely by many, still operated under the authority Jesus had given to His chosen witnesses. It also made a vital distinction: what was happening in Samaria was salvation, not the laying of a new foundation. The foundation had already been set in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. Now, that same salvation was spreading outward to a new people.
Peter and John Arrive
When news of Samaria’s revival reached Jerusalem, the apostles sent Peter and John to see what God was doing. These two men had walked with Jesus, heard His promise of the Spirit, and witnessed its first outpouring. Their presence in Samaria was not for control but for confirmation.
When Peter and John arrived, they laid their hands on the new believers, and the Holy Spirit came. Luke does not mention tongues, yet something unmistakable happened. Simon the magician “saw” that the Spirit was given through the apostles’ hands and tried to buy the ability to impart it (Acts 8:18). Whatever Simon saw, it was visible proof that the Spirit had come.
This was no accident of timing. God was showing that the same Spirit who had filled the upper room in Jerusalem was now filling Samaria through the hands of His appointed apostles. Peter, the keyholder, was once again present to unlock the door of faith, and John, the apostle of love, stood beside him as witness. Together they represented both authority and unity.
The Spirit’s coming through their hands confirmed that Christ was building one church, not two. The believers in Samaria received the same salvation and the same Spirit as those in Jerusalem. The visible manifestation, whatever form it took, was heaven’s way of saying, “These, too, belong to Me.”
Unlike Pentecost, there were no tongues or flames of fire. The absence of those signs reminds us that this was not another foundational moment but a continuation of the same work. The church was not being rebuilt; it was being expanded.
The Door Opens to Samaria
The Samaritan believers, once despised and distant, were now part of the same family of faith. The Spirit’s arrival through Peter and John sealed that reality. What centuries of argument and prejudice could not accomplish, the Holy Spirit achieved in a single act of divine grace.
This was the door of the kingdom opening to the Samaritans. In a region scarred by hostility, God joined two divided peoples into one body. The same gospel, the same Spirit, and the same name of Jesus united them. What began in Jerusalem as a local movement was now spreading outward across cultural and religious boundaries.
The Samaria event teaches us that the Spirit’s work is both orderly and inclusive. God does not act randomly; He moves with purpose. Each new step in Acts builds on the one before it. The Jews received the message first, the Samaritans next, and soon the Gentiles would follow. The same Spirit confirmed each stage so that no group could claim superiority over another.
By waiting for Peter and John, God preserved unity and affirmed the authority He had established through His apostles. The Spirit’s arrival in Samaria proved that salvation in Christ transcends every human barrier. What once divided Jew and Samaritan was now overcome by the presence of the living God.
The gospel’s next advance would reach even farther. From the hills of Samaria, the message would travel west to the coastal city of Caesarea. There, in the house of a Roman centurion named Cornelius, another key would turn. For the first time, the door of the kingdom would open to the Gentiles, and the promise of Acts 1:8 would continue its steady march “to the ends of the earth.”
Chapter Five
Caesarea (The Gentiles, Acts 10)
The third key turn came in Caesarea, in the home of Cornelius, a Roman centurion. Cornelius was a Gentile who feared God, gave generously, and prayed faithfully. Though not a Jew, he worshiped the God of Israel with sincerity. One afternoon, as he prayed, an angel appeared and said, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. Send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter” (Acts 10:4–5).
At the same time, God was preparing Peter for what was about to happen. While staying at Simon the tanner’s house in Joppa, Peter fell into a trance and saw a vision of a large sheet filled with every kind of animal. A voice said, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” Shocked, Peter replied, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” The voice answered a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common” (Acts 10:13–15).
The vision happened three times and then the sheet was taken up into heaven. As Peter pondered its meaning, the messengers from Cornelius arrived. The Spirit told him, “Rise and go down, and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them” (Acts 10:20). God was orchestrating both sides of the encounter—one man seeking truth, the other learning grace.
Peter’s Vision and the Breaking of Barriers
For centuries, Jews had seen Gentiles as outsiders, unclean, excluded from covenant fellowship. Even after Pentecost, most Jewish believers assumed the gospel was primarily for Israel. Peter’s vision shattered that assumption. God was showing him that salvation through Christ was not confined to one people. The cross had removed the wall that divided Jew and Gentile.
When Peter entered Cornelius’s home, he crossed more than a threshold; he crossed centuries of separation. Speaking to the gathered household, Peter admitted, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean” (Acts 10:28).
This moment was transformative. Peter was learning that the same Spirit who had fallen in Jerusalem and Samaria was now ready to fall among those once called “unclean.” The gospel was expanding exactly as Jesus said it would, to the ends of the earth.
The Spirit Falls Before Baptism
Peter began to preach, summarizing the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He declared, “To Him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name” (Acts 10:43). Then, without warning, something extraordinary happened.
“While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God” (Acts 10:44–46).
Here the Spirit came before baptism and without the laying on of hands. God Himself acted directly, showing that Gentiles were fully accepted apart from Jewish ritual or apostolic mediation. The order was reversed, Spirit first, baptism second, making it clear that salvation was by grace through faith alone.
The tongues were the visible confirmation, just as they had been in Jerusalem. But the purpose was not to repeat Pentecost; it was to prove inclusion. The same Spirit, the same sign, and the same salvation had now reached the nations.
Peter, astonished at what he witnessed, turned to the Jewish believers who had accompanied him and asked, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” (Acts 10:47). And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
This was the third great key-turn. The door of the kingdom had now swung fully open, to the Gentiles, the nations beyond Israel’s borders.
Salvation Without Distinction
What happened in Caesarea forever changed the church’s understanding of God’s plan. For the first time, Jewish believers saw Gentiles filled with the Spirit without converting to Judaism. Peter later testified in Jerusalem, “If then God gave the same gift to them as He gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” (Acts 11:17).
The message was unmistakable: the gospel was not limited by nationality, heritage, or law. The Spirit was drawing a single body from every nation, fulfilling what Jesus had declared before His ascension.
Through this encounter, God confirmed that His salvation is not earned through ritual or race but received through faith. Peter had learned what Paul would later write to the Romans: “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him” (Romans 10:12).
The Three Keys Together
Three groups, three doors, three Spirit-signs. Together they fulfilled the pattern Jesus gave in Acts 1:8. The gospel had gone from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria, and now to the ends of the earth.
By the time Peter left Cornelius’s house, the entire world, Jew, Samaritan, and Gentile, had been welcomed into the kingdom. The keys had turned, the doors stood open, and the foundation was complete.
With the doors opened, the focus of the story begins to shift. Peter’s part in laying the foundation was finished. The next stage would belong to Paul, who would take the open door and carry the gospel far into the Gentile world, confirming that what began in Jerusalem was meant for every nation under heaven.
Chapter Six
Three Keys, Three Tongues
There’s a hidden rhythm in Acts, three manifestations of tongues that align perfectly with the three key turns of Peter’s ministry. Each appearance marks a new doorway opening in God’s plan, confirming that the gospel was expanding exactly as Jesus said it would in Acts 1:8.
When Jesus gave Peter the keys of the kingdom, He entrusted him with authority to open the way of salvation at decisive moments. Luke carefully records those moments, and in each, the gift of tongues serves as heaven’s visible confirmation that a new group has entered through that open door.
Acts 2 – The Jews (Jerusalem)
The first occurrence came at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit fell on the 120 in the upper room, and they spoke in tongues understood by Jews from many nations. Peter’s sermon followed, and thousands believed. This was the first key-turn—the door of the kingdom opened to Israel. The tongues here were not a sign of personal salvation but a sign of empowerment and inclusion, showing that the Spirit had come to dwell among God’s people.
Acts 10 – The Gentiles (Caesarea)
The next tongues event came in Cornelius’s house. While Peter preached, the Holy Spirit fell, and the Gentiles spoke in tongues and praised God. The Jewish believers with Peter were astonished, realizing that the Gentiles had received the Spirit “just as we have.” This was the second key-turn, the door opening to the nations beyond Israel.
Acts 19 – All Peoples (Ephesus)
The final mention of tongues appears when Paul meets about twelve disciples of John in Ephesus. After he baptizes them in Jesus’ name and lays hands on them, the Spirit comes, and they speak in tongues and prophesy. This was not a new key-turn but a confirmation that the same gospel pattern continued under Paul’s ministry—the Spirit now fully established among all peoples.
The Pattern in Full
| Passages | Group | Apostle | Purpose | Door Opened |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 2 | Jews | Peter | Empowerment & Purpose | To Israel |
| Acts 10 | Gentiles | Peter | Confirmation of inclusion | To the Nations |
| Acts 19 | All Peoples | Paul | Continuity of the same Spirit | To the World |
After these three moments, no further tongues events are recorded in Acts, because the doors of the kingdom now stand open to all. The Spirit had confirmed His work; the keys had done their job.
The Spirit Still Confirms the Message
Though the visible signs of tongues and prophecy marked specific turning points in Acts, the Holy Spirit still confirms the message of Christ today. His witness may not come through sound and fire, but through transformed hearts, answered prayer, and the power of a changed life. Every time a soul believes and is filled with the Spirit, heaven is still opening doors. The same God who worked through Peter and Paul continues to work through His people, building His church one open heart at a time.
The Spirit’s confirmation through Peter’s ministry had reached its fullness, but the story of the kingdom was still unfolding. As the message spread across the empire, God raised up another messenger, Paul, to carry the same gospel through the doors that now stood open.
With the doors opened and the Spirit’s witness complete, the gospel was ready to move beyond Peter’s ministry into the wider world.
Chapter Seven
Paul Expands the Mission
From Acts 13 onward, the spotlight in Luke’s narrative shifts from Peter to Paul. The foundation had been laid and the keys had been turned. Now the mission was to take the open door of the kingdom and carry it far into the Gentile world. Paul does not introduce a new gospel or receive a different set of keys. Instead, he faithfully builds on what had already been opened, becoming the chief messenger to the nations.
Everywhere Paul traveled, he proclaimed Christ with boldness. In synagogues he reasoned from the Scriptures, showing that Jesus was the promised Messiah. In marketplaces he confronted idolatry and proclaimed the one true God. In Athens he debated with philosophers, declaring that the unknown God they worshiped was the Lord who had raised Jesus from the dead. His journeys took him through Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Greece, where he planted churches in cities like Corinth, Galatia, Philippi, and Ephesus. These congregations became centers of witness, multiplying the gospel’s reach throughout the empire.
One striking moment of Paul’s ministry comes in Acts 19. In Ephesus, he encountered disciples who had only received John’s baptism. They had not even heard of the Holy Spirit. Paul explained the fullness of the gospel, baptized them in the name of Jesus, and when he laid hands on them, the Spirit came. About twelve men were filled, speaking in tongues and prophesying. This was not a new key-turn, but a confirmation that the same gospel pattern revealed through Peter, repentance, baptism in Jesus’ name, and the Spirit’s gift, was consistent everywhere.
Paul’s role was expansion, not foundation. Peter turned the keys, but Paul carried the open door across the empire, ensuring the gospel reached the ends of the earth.
Paul’s Apostleship Confirmed: The Significance of Acts 19
When we read the book of Acts, one of the striking features is how often God Himself confirms the authority of His chosen servants. The apostles did not merely claim their authority; it was demonstrated by visible signs of the Spirit. In Acts 8, the Samaritans did not receive the Holy Spirit until Peter and John arrived and laid hands on them, and that delay was not accidental, it was God’s way of showing that Peter, as the one entrusted with the keys of the kingdom, had authority to unlock that door. Later, in Acts 19, we find Paul laying hands on disciples in Ephesus, and the Spirit falls. This moment is more than a passing detail; it is a powerful confirmation of Paul’s apostleship, proving that his calling and authority came directly from God.
The Background: John’s Disciples in Ephesus
Acts 19 opens with Paul arriving in Ephesus and encountering about twelve men described as disciples. As Paul speaks with them, he learns that they had only received John’s baptism and had not even heard of the Holy Spirit. Their faith was genuine but incomplete.
Paul explains the full gospel of Jesus Christ, and they are baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then, in verse 6, Luke records:
“And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.”
The Parallel with Samaria
This event echoes what had happened earlier in Samaria (Acts 8:14–17). Philip had preached Christ and baptized many, yet the Spirit did not fall until Peter and John came from Jerusalem and laid hands on the believers.
Why the delay? God wanted to make it clear that the Samaritans were not forming a separate movement but were fully joined to the church through the authority of the apostles. Peter, as keyholder, had to be present so that the door could be visibly and undeniably opened.
Now in Acts 19, Paul does the same thing. By laying hands on John’s disciples, he not only brings them into the fullness of Christ but also demonstrates that the Spirit works through his hands in the same way it worked through Peter’s. This was God’s way of confirming Paul’s apostolic calling.
Paul’s Unique Apostleship
From the beginning, Paul’s apostleship was unusual. He was not one of the original Twelve. In fact, he had once persecuted the church. Yet Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus, calling him directly and sending him as an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:3–6).
Paul later wrote that he was “as one untimely born” (1 Corinthians 15:8), but that his calling was every bit as real as Peter’s or John’s. He often had to defend his apostleship, reminding the churches that his authority came not from men but from Christ Himself (Galatians 1:1).
Acts 19 provides a visible demonstration of this truth. When the Spirit falls at Paul’s laying on of hands, it is heaven’s stamp of approval. Just as Peter’s authority had been confirmed in Samaria, Paul’s authority is confirmed in Ephesus.
A Sign to the Church
This moment in Acts 19 was not just for those twelve men. It was for the church as a whole. By showing that the Spirit came through Paul’s hands, God was declaring publicly that Paul’s apostleship was genuine. He was not a second-class apostle. He was not merely a teacher or evangelist. He was a chosen vessel, carrying the same authority that had once been displayed through Peter.
This was especially important as the gospel spread further into Gentile territory. Peter had unlocked the doors with the keys of the kingdom, but now Paul would carry the mission forward. His role was not foundation but expansion. Acts 19 shows the church that God Himself had placed Paul in this role.
Paul and the Question of the “Twelfth”
Some have wondered whether Paul should be considered the true replacement for Judas, rather than Matthias, who was chosen by lot in Acts 1. Scripture never explicitly says so, but there is no question that Paul’s ministry bore unique fruit. He wrote much of the New Testament, planted churches across the empire, and defended the gospel before rulers and kings.
What we can say with certainty is that Paul’s apostleship was directly from God. Acts 19 is one of those moments that makes this plain. The same Spirit who confirmed Peter’s role confirmed Paul’s. The same signs that accompanied the original apostles accompanied him as well (2 Corinthians 12:12).
What It Means for Us
So why does this matter today? Because it reminds us that the church’s foundation was not built on human ambition or self-appointed leaders. It was built on men who were called, chosen, and confirmed by God Himself.
Peter turned the keys in Jerusalem, Samaria, and Caesarea.
Paul carried the open door across the empire, confirmed by the Spirit in places like Ephesus.
The result was one church, Jew and Gentile together, built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, with Christ as the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20).
For us, this is encouragement. The same Spirit that worked through Peter and Paul is the Spirit that lives in us today. The gospel we proclaim is not our own invention but the message God Himself has confirmed. We can trust that the foundation is sure, because it was laid by Christ and confirmed by His Spirit.
Acts 19 is more than just another story in Paul’s journeys. It is a moment of confirmation. When the Spirit fell through Paul’s hands, it was God’s way of declaring that Paul was truly His apostle, entrusted with the mission of carrying the gospel to the nations.
Just as Samaria needed Peter’s presence to confirm their inclusion, Ephesus experienced the Spirit through Paul’s hands to confirm his authority. Together, these events show us that the foundation of the church is both orderly and secure. Christ is the Keyholder, Peter opened the doors, and Paul carried the mission forward with God’s own seal of approval.
Chapter Eight
A Timeline Through Acts
By Paul’s third missionary journey, the message of Jesus Christ had reached the farthest edges of the known world. His experience in Ephesus was not a new beginning but a confirmation of what God had already established through Peter. The story of Acts is the story of that promise unfolding, step by step, until the gospel reached Rome, the center of the empire.
From the moment Jesus ascended, His words in Acts 1:8 provided the blueprint: “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Every key moment in Acts fits within that divine pattern. The gospel moved outward like ripples on a pond, beginning with the Jews, expanding to Samaritans, and then reaching the Gentiles until the message filled the known world.
This timeline traces that journey, from the Ascension to Paul’s final declaration in Acts 28:28, showing how each event fulfilled Jesus’ promise and opened the door of the kingdom to all.
AD 30–33 — The Ascension and Pentecost (Acts 1–2)
Jesus ascends from the Mount of Olives, promising that His followers will soon receive the Holy Spirit. Fifty days later, on the Day of Pentecost, the Spirit falls on the 120 disciples in the upper room. They speak in tongues, and Peter preaches his first sermon. About 3,000 Jews believe and are baptized. The door of the kingdom opens to Israel, fulfilling the first stage of Acts 1:8, Jerusalem.
AD 33–35 — Growth and Persecution in Jerusalem (Acts 3–7)
The apostles preach boldly, and the church grows rapidly. Miracles confirm their message. Opposition increases, leading to the martyrdom of Stephen. His death sparks a wave of persecution, scattering believers beyond Jerusalem and preparing the way for the next stage of expansion.
AD 35–36 — The Gospel in Samaria (Acts 8)
Philip preaches Christ in Samaria. Many believe and are baptized, but the Spirit does not fall until Peter and John arrive and lay hands on them. This visible sign confirms that the Samaritans, long despised by the Jews, are fully included in God’s family. The second key has turned, fulfilling the “Judea and Samaria” portion of Acts 1:8.
AD 35–36 — Saul’s Conversion (Acts 9)
On the road to Damascus, Saul of Tarsus encounters the risen Christ. Blinded, he is later healed when Ananias lays hands on him. Filled with the Spirit, Paul begins preaching that Jesus is the Son of God. His transformation sets the stage for the gospel’s spread beyond Israel.
AD 40–41 — Peter and Cornelius (Acts 10–11)
Peter receives a vision of unclean animals and hears the Lord say, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” Obeying that vision, he preaches in the home of Cornelius, a Gentile centurion. The Holy Spirit falls while Peter speaks, and they speak in tongues and praise God. This marks the third key-turn—the kingdom opened to the Gentiles.
AD 44 — Peter Imprisoned and Released (Acts 12)
Herod Agrippa persecutes the church, executing James and imprisoning Peter. God sends an angel to release Peter from prison. After this event, Peter departs “to another place,” and the narrative focus begins to shift toward Paul.
AD 46–48 — Paul’s First Missionary Journey (Acts 13–14)
Paul and Barnabas are sent out from Antioch by the Holy Spirit. They preach in Cyprus, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. Many Gentiles believe, and new churches are planted throughout Galatia. The gospel now moves firmly into Gentile territory.
AD 49 — The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)
A dispute arises about whether Gentile believers must follow the Law of Moses. Peter, Paul, and James affirm that salvation is by grace through faith. A letter is sent confirming that Gentiles are fully accepted without circumcision or the law.
AD 49–52 — Paul’s Second Missionary Journey (Acts 15:36–18:22)
Paul travels with Silas and Timothy through Asia Minor and into Macedonia after receiving a vision of a man calling him to “come over and help.” He preaches in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth, planting churches that will shape the future of Christianity.
AD 53–57 — Paul’s Third Missionary Journey and the Ephesus Confirmation (Acts 18:23–21:17)
Paul returns through Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the believers. In Ephesus, he meets twelve disciples who had only known John’s baptism. After baptizing them in Jesus’ name and laying hands on them, the Holy Spirit comes, and they speak in tongues and prophesy. This event confirms that Paul’s ministry carries the same Spirit-filled authority once displayed through Peter. The gospel is now firmly established among the nations.
AD 57–59 — Paul Arrested in Jerusalem (Acts 21–23)
Paul returns to Jerusalem with offerings for the church. Accused by Jewish leaders, he is arrested in the temple and later transferred to Caesarea for his safety.
AD 59–60 — Trials Before Roman Governors (Acts 24–26)
Paul testifies before Felix, Festus, and King Agrippa, defending the gospel and appealing to Caesar. His bold witness under pressure sets the stage for the gospel’s journey to Rome.
AD 60–62 — Voyage to Rome and First Imprisonment (Acts 27–28)
Paul sails for Rome, survives shipwreck on Malta, and heals the sick. Upon arriving in Rome, he lives under house arrest for two years, teaching and preaching the kingdom of God with boldness. His final recorded words in Acts declare: “Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen” (Acts 28:28).
This marks the close of Israel’s special opportunity and the full embrace of the Gentile mission. The doors of the kingdom stand open to all nations.
Summary
From Jerusalem to Rome, every stage of the gospel’s progress fulfills Jesus’ promise in Acts 1:8. Peter’s keys opened the doors; Paul’s ministry carried the message through them. The Spirit confirmed each step until the kingdom stood open to every tribe and tongue.
The story of Acts does not end, it continues. The same Spirit still calls, the same message still saves, and the same Christ still holds the keys.
Every stage shows the same truth, Christ builds His church, and His Spirit ensures the message reaches every nation.
Chapter Nine
The Final Word (Acts 28:28)
The book of Acts closes not in Jerusalem, but in Rome, the heart of the empire and the symbol of the known world. Luke tells us that Paul, though under house arrest, preached the gospel freely for two years, welcoming all who came to him and proclaiming the kingdom of God without hindrance (Acts 28:30–31). This was a remarkable ending, showing that the message of Christ had reached the very center of power and influence in the ancient world.
Before this conclusion, however, Paul made a solemn and decisive statement to the Jewish leaders who had rejected his message. He declared, “Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen” (Acts 28:28). These words carry enormous weight. Throughout Acts, the gospel had consistently been offered to Israel first, at Pentecost in Jerusalem, in synagogues throughout Judea and the wider regions, and even in Rome itself. But again and again, many among Israel turned away. Paul’s announcement marks a turning point: the national opportunity given to Israel has now closed, and the door stands fully open to the Gentiles.
This moment is seen by some as a dividing line, where the old order finally gave way and the new era of the church was fully revealed. Others view it as the natural outworking of the progression Jesus outlined in Acts 1:8, a completion of the roadmap from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. Either way, the meaning is clear: Israel’s special priority had ended, and the gospel was now proclaimed openly and freely to all nations, Jew and Gentile alike, as one body in Christ.
The Overlap of Old and New
So when did the church begin? At Pentecost. That was the birth of the ekklesia, the called-out people of God.
But Acts also shows an overlap period. For many chapters, the gospel is still being preached first to Israel. The temple is still standing. Jewish customs are still observed. It is as if the old and the new touched side by side, both operating for a time under God’s watchful hand.
This overlap reveals God’s grace. He did not cut off Israel suddenly but allowed time for the message of Christ to be heard. The apostles continued to preach in the temple courts, and thousands of Jews believed. Through every sermon and miracle, God was extending mercy to His covenant people, giving them opportunity after opportunity to respond to the truth. The old covenant was fading, but it did not vanish overnight, it was being fulfilled in Christ.
At Acts 28:28, that overlap ends. Israel’s national role closes, and the church emerges fully as one body, Jew and Gentile together, no distinction, all in Christ. The close of that overlap was not rejection but redirection, the gospel now flowed freely to all. God’s plan had not failed; it had reached its next stage. The message of salvation, once centered in Jerusalem, now radiated to every nation under heaven.
The story of Acts, then, is not one of endings but of fulfillment. What began with Peter’s keys and unfolded through Paul’s journeys now comes together in a single, unified vision, the full picture of how God built His church and opened His kingdom to all who believe.
By the time the story closes, we see not a church divided by background, but one united body built on a single foundation.
The Big Picture
When we step back and trace the story of the keys through Scripture, a clear and beautiful pattern emerges. Jesus Himself is the true Key, the one who holds all authority over the kingdom of God. As Revelation 3:7 declares, He is the one who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one can open. The authority never rested in Peter as a man, but in Christ, who entrusted him with a foundational role.
Peter used the keys in three decisive moments, each one unlocking the door of the kingdom to a new group of people. On the Day of Pentecost, the door opened to the Jews in Jerusalem. In Samaria, the door opened to a people long divided from Israel. In the house of Cornelius, the door opened to the Gentiles. These three turns fulfilled the blueprint of Acts 1:8 and demonstrated that the gospel was for all.
Paul then carried the open door throughout the empire, taking the message into synagogues, marketplaces, and even to Rome itself. His ministry confirmed that the same gospel pattern applied everywhere. Finally, Acts 28:28 marked the close of Israel’s national priority and the full embrace of the Gentile mission.
The result is the church, a spiritual house of living stones (1 Peter 2:5), built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, with Christ Himself as the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20).
The Open Door Today
The story of Acts ends with Paul in Rome, preaching the kingdom of God “with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:31). It’s a fitting conclusion to a book that began with Jesus’ words, “You will be my witnesses.” Every key had been turned, every door opened. From Jerusalem to Samaria to the ends of the earth, the gospel had gone forth exactly as Jesus promised.
But Acts is not just history, it is the continuing story of the church. The doors that Peter opened and Paul carried to the nations still stand open today. The same Spirit who empowered them empowers us. The same gospel that crossed cultures and kingdoms continues to call hearts to repentance and faith.
We live in the age of the open door. The keys no longer rest in the hands of one man but in the message of Christ Himself, the crucified and risen Lord who said, “I am the door; if anyone enters by me, he will be saved” (John 10:9). Every time the gospel is preached, every time a soul believes, another door swings wide in the kingdom of God.
The book of Acts closes with the gospel unhindered, and that is where our story begins. The work continues, the invitation remains, and Christ still holds the keys. Our calling, like theirs, is to walk through the open door and carry the message of His kingdom to the world around us.
May we, like Peter and Paul, be found faithful to use the keys we’ve been given, to proclaim Jesus Christ until every heart has heard.
The story of the keys continues in our lives today. The following appendices provide background notes and timelines to help you explore this message further.