SUBJECT:   Key of David

QUESTION:  What is the Key of David?

ANSWER:

First the verses:

Isaiah 22:22

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.

Revelation 3:7

And to the angel of the church 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 man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

Now the commentary:

Isaiah 22:22

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.

[And the key] A key is that by which a house is locked or opened. To possess that is, therefore, to have free access to it, or control over it. Thus we give possession of a house by giving the "key" into the hands of a purchaser, implying that it is his; that he has free access to it; that he can close it when he pleases, and that no other one, without his permission, has the right of access to it.

[Of the house of David] Of the house which David built for his royal residence; that is, of the palace. This house was on Mount Zion; and to have the key of that house was to have the chief authority at court, or to be prime minister (see the note at Isa 22:15). To be put in possession of that key, therefore, was the mark of office, or was a sign that he was entrusted with the chief authority in the government.

[Will I lay upon his shoulder] (see Isa 9:6). This seems to have been designed as an emblem of office. But in what way it was done is unknown. Lowth supposes that the key was of considerable magnitude, and was made crooked, and that thus it would lie readily on the shoulder. He has observed also, that this was a well-known badge or emblem of office. Thus the priestess of Ceres is described as having a key on the shoulder (Callim. "Ceres," ver. 45); and thus in AEschyl. "Supp." 299, a female high in office is described as having a key. But it is not known in what way the key was borne. It may have been borne on the shoulder, being so made as to be easily carried there; or it may have been attached to the shoulder by a belt or strap, as a sword is; or it may have been a mere emblem or figure fashioned into the robe, and worn as a sign of office; or the figure of a key may have been worn on the shoulder as an epaulet is now, as a sign of office and authority. If the locks were made of wood, as we have reason to suppose, then the key was probably large, and would answer well for a sign of office. 'How much was I delighted when I first saw the people, especially the Moors, going along the streets with each his key on his shoulder. The handle is generally made of brass (though sometimes of silver), and is often nicely worked in a device of filigrane. The way it is carried is to have the corner of a kerchief tied to the ring; the key is then placed on the shoulder, and the kerchief hangs down in front. At other times they have a bunch of large keys, and then they have half on one side of the shoulder, and half on the other. For a man thus to march along with a large key on his shoulder, shows at once that he is a person of consequence. "Raman is in great favor with the Modeliar, for he now carries the key." "Whose key have you got on your shoulder?" "I shall carry my key on my own shoulder."' -(Roberts)

[So he shall open ...] This phrase means, that he should have the highest authority in the government, and is a promise of unlimited power. Our Saviour has made use of the same expression to denote the unlimited power conferred on his apostles in his church (Matthew 16:19); and has applied it also to himself in Revelation 3:7. ~from Barnes' Notes

Notice now, this commentary on Revelation 3:7

Rev 3:7

[He that hath the key of David] See this metaphor explained, Matthew 16:19. Key is the emblem of authority and knowledge; the key of David is the regal right or authority of David. David could shut or open the kingdom of Israel to whom he pleased. He was not bound to leave the kingdom even to his eldest son. He could choose whom he pleased to succeed him. The kingdom of the Gospel, and the kingdom of heaven, are at the disposal of Christ. He can shut against whom he will; he can open to whom he pleases. If he shuts, no man can open; if he opens no man can shut. His determinations all stand fast, and none can reverse them. This expression is an allusion to Isaiah 22:22, where the prophet promises to Eliakim, under the symbol of the key of the house of David, the government of the whole nation; i.e., all the power of the king, to be executed by him as his deputy; but the words, as here applied to Christ, show that He is absolute. ~from Adam Clarke's Commentary

Notice now this from a Bible Dictionary:

KEY

(ke) (maphteach, an "opener"; compare kleis, "that which shuts"): Made of wood, usually with nails which fitted into corresponding holes in the lock, or rather bolt (Judges 3:25). Same is rendered "opening" in 1 Chronicles 9:27.

Figurative: Used figuratively for power, since the key was sometimes worn on the shoulder as a sign of official authority (Isaiah 22). In the New Testament it is used several times thus figuratively: of Peter: "the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matt 16:19); of Christ, in Revelation, having the "keys of death and of Hades" (Revelation 1:18), also having "the key of David" (3:7). An angel was given "the key of the pit of the abyss" (9:1; 20:1). Our Lord accused the teachers of the law of His day of taking away "the key of knowledge" from men, that is, locking the doors of truth against them (Luke 11:52; compare Matthew 23:13). ~from International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Strong's Concordance - Key

Isaiah 22:22 (4668) an opener - key (6605) to open wide, to loosen, plough, carve - appear, break forth, draw (out), let go free, ungird, unstop, have vent, loose, be set open, put off.

Matthew 16:19 (2807) Key (as shutting a lock) (2808) to close - shut (up).

The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary - Keys, Power of - The symbol of apostolic authority granted by . A common view in the ancient world was that the earth was separated from the upper and lower worlds by locked doors, access to which was only through the angelic being or deity who held the keys (GK. Kleis). Figuratively, then, keys represent the power and authority to control access to whatever is behind the locked door (e.g., Revelation 9:1; 20:1).

In the New Testament, is the one par excellence who holds the keys. He is the scion of the royal house of David (Revelation 3:7; cf. Isaiah 22:22) and has overcome Death and Hades (Revelation 1:18), thus stripping them of their authority and terror (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:54-57). Moreover, he has the power to delegate authority (Matthew 16:19). accuses the scribes of withholding the key to understanding God's purpose (Luke 11:52).

At Matthew 16:19 grants to Peter "the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, as well as the power to "bind" and to "loose." In accordance with Matthew's understanding of the kingdom of Heaven (i.e., of God) as anywhere God reigns, the keys here represent authority in the Church.

Conclusion:

We see the consensus here.  The key of David represents power and authority in the church.

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