not to start a flame war, but
Thou are Peter (rock, not capitalized)
and on this rock (capitalized) I will build my Church
The Rock is Christ himself, and Peter’s confession of Christs lordship. The Church is built on Christ, not Peter. A church built on a man would be a sad thing indeed.
Do I sense a Catholic concern? Does the partial quote in any way diminish the specific use in the article? Will the gates of Hell prevail against Jesus Christ’s Church?
Yeah, I see it as nearly blasphemous to not include a whole quote when quoting the bible,
like “judge not or you will be judged”, a favorite of the left.
Or “he who is without sin cast the first stone” followed by “go and sin no more”. The left likes to take Jesus’ and the Bible’s quotes out of context in order to justify not judging good and evil, right and wrong behavior.
As I read this story, I was awed by the Glory of God in how He has moved these people into life and His Kingdom.
When I read your post, I was dumbfounded that someone would wish to redirect some of that glory to that of their own denomination. Have we become so petty that God must now share credit?
All glory belongs to God!
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Antoninus
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In the News/Activism forum, on a thread titled The untold story of the Middle East: Muslims converting to faith in Jesus Christ in record numbers, Antoninus wrote:
Nice article, but it starts out with a partial Scriptural quote:
“I will build my church,” Jesus said, “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)
He’re’s the full quote.
“For thou art Peter and upon this rock I shall build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Funny how they left off that beginning bit.
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That is because Matthew 16:18 is a pun (a play on words). Two very similar but different words (and different concepts) are used.
Jesus said, “thou art PETER (the Greek word is PETROS), and upon this ROCK (the Greek word is PETRA) I will build My Church.” In other words, He said this: “Thou art PETROS and upon this PETRA I will build my church.”
Let’s think about what these Greek words mean:
1) PETROS
If you wanted to define this word by using just one word you would use the word STONE. See John 1:42 (Peter=Cephas=stone). A stone is a piece that has broken off of or eroded from of a larger rock structure. Thus in the Greek, this usually refers to a loose stone or a movable stone, such as one a man could throw to another (a detached stone or boulder). In context, it can refer to a very large stone, but often this word refers to a small, movable stone. It is used of small stones including flints and pebbles for slings. It is used of a little rock or a little chip off a big rock, a stone, a pebble. This word was also used as a proper name (PETER). Did Peter consider himself to be a stone (1 Peter 2:5)? ________ Would it be wise to build a church on a loose stone? Should a building be erected on a pebble? Would this make a good foundation?
2) PETRA
If you wanted to define this word by using just one word you would use the word ROCK (Matthew l6:18—”upon this ROCK”). Which is bigger (usually), a ROCK or a STONE? ______________________ The word PETRA means a large stone or a massive rock. It often is used to describe a fixed and permanent rock or an immovable rock. This word is often used to describe a cliff by the sea (rock, ledge, cliff). The church is built upon a large, solid, immovable and permanent ROCK! This foundation is so solid and so secure that “the gates of hell (hades) shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
Peter had JUST made a clear confession that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He had clearly pointed to Jesus Christ and WHO HE WAS (Matthew 16:16). The truth that Peter just confessed was the rock foundation upon which the church of Christ would be built. Christ was the BUILDER, Christ was the OWNER (it was His church) and Christ’s identify as God and His divine work was the ROCK FOUNDATION (1 Cor. 3:11).
KJV:
13When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Petros (chief disciple and individual stone), and upon this Petra (Peter’s just-mentioned confession of Jesus’ identify and saving work . . . i.e., the GOSPEL . . . and huge rock foundation) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.