Posted on 02/04/2002 12:55:13 PM PST by Sir Gawain
Was Peter the "Rock"?
Question: Was Peter the "rock" on which Jesus will build His church?
Answer: Here is the passage that you are referring to:
Matthew 16:13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He began asking His disciples, saying, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
Matthew 16:14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets."
Matthew 16:15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Matthew 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 16:18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it."
The Greek word for Peter is petros, meaning "a pebble." The Greek word for rock is petra, meaning "a massive rock" such as bedrock. Jesus is the Rock, petra. Everyone who receives this revelation from the Father like Peter received it—that Jesus is the Son of God (Lord and Savior)—becomes a part of His Church.
Christ used the word petra when He told the parable of the man building a house upon a rock to illustrate its size.
Matthew 7:24-25 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock (petra). And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock (petra)."
Jesus was talking about building upon bedrock, not a pebble.
The apostle Paul tells us that Jesus is the foundation upon which we build our lives:
1 Cor. 3:11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
The apostle Peter also informed up that every believer is a "stone" and that Jesus Christ is the "cornerstone" or foundation.
1 Peter 2:4-6 And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: "Behold I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, and he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed."
Every believer is a stone in Christ’s Church. Peter was not the rock, but just one of many who are a part of this spiritual house of worship.
My friend that should not be a surprise..a God that can create the universe can surely protect HIS word
If we want to take this to the nth degree, as one with the Father, Jesus could speak all the languages of God's people on earth. Jesus was about 4 years old when the Holy Family returned to Israel. I don't care how smart he was, he wasn't that much of a sponge to speak a language that was spoken outside of his home. His parents' tongue was Aramaic.
And Joseph was an architect, not a common carpenter or stonemason.
........7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, ......
[In Vain]
Was Peter the "Rock"? Was Peter the "Christ"?
The Messiah is the "Rock of Ages" The "Rock of Ages" of Israel is God Himself!
Done!
Where in Scripture does it say that the tearing of the temple veil means that the saints in heaven have no power to pray for the saints on earth?
" I don't care how smart he was, he wasn't that much of a sponge to speak a language that was spoken outside of his home. His parents' tongue was Aramaic."
Do you not think that the Son of God could speak any language he darned well pleased? After all, on the Day of Penticost, the Apostles were given the gift of speaking in tongues by the Holy Spirit. The gift of speaking tongues (although very much mis-interpeted by some denominations) is actually the ability to speak another language other than your own. This gift was given to the Apostles to enable them to spread the word to people who spoke different languages that the Apostles themselves wouldn't have known otherwise.
Incidentally, intellectual dishonesty is a sin, like all dishonesty. What does it profit a man to hold religious views, if he clings to them only by practicing intellectual dishonesty?
I don't know. But I do know Who died for me and why. And knowing that I can leave the saints in peace. Assuming they're saints. And that they are in heaven. Maybe uncle pete is, but maybe he ain't. Do you know for sure? I kinda miss old pete. Where in scripture does it say we can be sure that they were saints and not just fooling us?
Well Lucretia Borgia and her folks used the luigi board.
As for questioning the Bible, what Bible do you mean? Any Bible? Any translation? Any version in any language? For example, my Spanish Bible quotes some of my favorite scriptures in an entirely different way than the way they read in my KJV. Can you tell me which is correct?
The focus in the passage is Who is Jesus? Peter (petros, individual smaller rock) confessed that Jesus was the Messiah, Son of the Living God. Jesus welcomed this as a produce of divine revelation, and said He would (in the future) build His assemly on that massive foundational rock (petra) — His deity, confessed. That is what ties together His people, and is the foundation for their fellowship. Not Peter, who would be called "Satan" in just a few minutes, but common belief in and confession of Jesus' Divine nature.
Dan
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