But why not want Jesus to be the rock your church is built on?
Why pick something inferior?
And *Jesus said so* doesn’t cut it because the interpretation of that passage is not as clear cut as RC’s would like to present it as.
Even the RCC’s CCC states that the rock that the church is built on is Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah.
It’s Jesus’ body that HE died to redeem. Not Peter’s.
The Church is a union of the earthly and the Divine. Jesus Christ, who calls Himself the cornerstone, established the Church on the foundation of the Apostles. Among the Apostles, Jesus designated one with a primacy, calling him "the rock." The visible church on earth is governed by men, but shepherded by Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Why pick something inferior?
I see nothing inferior in accepting a visible, earthly church established by the cornerstone, Jesus Christ. You're here slipping back into your "instead of"/either-or thinking.
And *Jesus said so* doesn’t cut it because the interpretation of that passage is not as clear cut as RC’s would like to present it as.
But since I very truly believe "Jesus said so" (and there are a host of contextual, grammatical, and historical reasons I think that) then it's a very good first cut.
Even the RCC’s CCC states that the rock that the church is built on is Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah.
Yep. And the CCC also says "upon this rock" refers to Peter. We're a 'both/and' -- not 'either/or' -- kind of people. As I've said above, given it's rather artificial to separate Peter from Peter's faith, I have no problem accepting both readings.
It’s Jesus’ body that HE died to redeem. Not Peter’s.
Actually, Jesus's body was not in need of redemption. He's the Redeemer, not one of the redeemed. Peter's body, by contrast, was in need of redemption. As with all of us.
I think you are applying a double standard here. The Protestants In this thread are making just those sorts of arguments, “Jesus said.” I don’t recall you telling them that “Jesus said so” doesn’t cut it. Did I miss something?
Second, I have no idea what you mean by your last sentence: “It’s Jesus’ body that HE died to redeem. Not Peter’s.” Since you capitalized HE, I assume you mean Jesus. Thus, I read this sentence as meaning that Jesus died to redeem the body of Jesus. Is that what you meant?