There are various schools of thought on what this passage means.
Some interpret it to mean that humans have the power to bind and loose spiritual entities (such as demons and angels) by using special prayers (or whatever) to engage in what they believe to be spiritual warfare. At best, this doctrine creates some hilarious prayer circles, and at worst it starves epileptic people to death during attempted exorcisms.
Some interpret it to mean that contracts and agreements made amongst christians will be honored and supported by Jehovah. In this interpretation, the word "bind" is used in the legal sense.
Still others think it means that god honors church-made rules and declarations and holds the church's constituents to these rules as if they were his own. This is also pretty much a legalistic sense of the word "bind."
Some interpret it to mean that humans have the power to bind and loose spiritual entities (such as demons and angels) by using special prayers (or whatever) to engage in what they believe to be spiritual warfare. At best, this doctrine creates some hilarious prayer circles, and at worst it starves epileptic people to death during attempted exorcisms.
Some interpret it to mean that contracts and agreements made amongst christians will be honored and supported by Jehovah. In this interpretation, the word "bind" is used in the legal sense.
Still others think it means that god honors church-made rules and declarations and holds the church's constituents to these rules as if they were his own. This is also pretty much a legalistic sense of the word "bind."
