Keys And Apostles

Cum omnes beatissimi Apostoli parem gratiam apud Dominum sanctitatis obtineant, nescio quo tamen pacto Petrus et Paulus videntur prae caeteris peculiari quadam in Salvatore fidei virtute praecellere. Quod quidem ex ipsius Domini iudicio possumus approbare. Nam Petro, sicut bono dispensatori, clavem regni coelestis dedit; Paulo, tanquam idoneo doctori, magisterium ecclesiasticae institutionis injunxit: scilicet ut quos iste erudierit ad salutem, ille suscipiat ad quietem; ut quorum corda Paulus patefecerit doctrina verborum, eorum animabus Petrus aperiat regna coelorum. Clavem enim quodam modo a Christo scientiae et Paulus accepit. Clavis enim dicenda est qua ad fidem peccatorum dura corda reserantur, mentium secreta panduntur, et quidquid intrinsecus clausum tenetur, in palam rationabili manifestatione producitur. Clavis, inquam, est quae et conscientiam ad confessionem peccati aperit, et gratiam ad aeternitatem mysterii salutaris includit. Ambo igitur claves a Domino perceperunt; scientiae iste, ille potentiae. Divitias immortalitatis ille dispensat; scientiae thesauros iste largitur. Sunt enim thesauri scientiae, sicut scriptum est: In quo sunt omnes thesauri sapientiae et scientiae absconditi. Ergo beati Petrus et Paulus eminent inter universos Apostolos, et peculiari quadam praerogativa praecellunt. Sanctus Maximus Taurinensis, LXXII De Natali SS Apostolorum Petri et Pauli V Source: Migne PL 57.402c-404a

Since all the most blessed Apostles received an equal grace of sanctity from the Lord, I do not know how it might be that Peter and Paul seem to excel before the others in a special virtue of faith in the Saviour. Which certainly we can confirm by the judgement of the same Lord. For He gave to Peter the key of the kingdom of heaven, as to a good treasurer, and to Paul, as a capable teacher, He enjoined the teaching office of the Church, that as he educated to salvation, the former received into rest, for Paul opened hearts by the teaching of words, and Peter opened the kingdom of heaven for their souls. And certainly Paul did receive the key of knowledge from Christ. For that should be called a key which opens up the hard hearts of sinners to faith, and reveals the secrets of the soul, and brings out into the open by manifest reason whatever is held shut within. A key, I say, is that which opens up the conscience of the sinner to confession, and encloses him in the eternity of the mystery of salvation. Both, then, took possession of keys from the Lord, the one of knowledge, the other of power. The one dispensed the riches of immortality, the other bestowed the treasury of knowledge. For there are indeed treasuries of knowledge, as it is written: 'In which are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.' 1 Therefore the blessed Peter and Paul are eminent among all the Apostles, and certainly excel by this special privilege. Saint Maximus of Turin, from Homily 72, On The Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul 1 Colos 2.3