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Thank you so much for the ping to your sidebar!

Seems to me there are two views, either Christ named Simon Peter in the incident recorded in Matthew 16 - or Simon was already known as Peter and Christ used that other name to emphasize His point in Matthew 16.

I have no leaning in the Spirit either way on that point but strongly on the point that God is the Rock (Deu 32:1-4) - and Peter is more like Abraham in the construction of the body of believers, both Christian and Jew. Which is to say, first rocks in their confessions - and both called by Almighty God.

Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock [whence] ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit [whence] ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah [that] bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. – Isaiah 51:1-2

And 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. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. – Matt 16:17-18

See John 1:42. It appears Jesus renamed Simon to Peter the first time He met him.

Interestingly, the Catechism Of The Catholic Church teaches that it was Peter's confession of faith which was/is the rock.

424 Moved by the grace of the Holy Spirit and drawn by the Father, we believe in Jesus and confess: 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. On the rock of this faith confessed by St. Peter, Christ built his Church.

I have no leaning in the Spirit either way on that point but strongly on the point that God is the Rock (Deu 32:1-4) - and Peter is more like Abraham in the construction of the body of believers, both Christian and Jew. Which is to say, first rocks in their confessions - and both called by Almighty God.

Indeed! That's a great way to put it: "cornerstone" rocks in the true "Rock" which is God.

I regret that your comments on the "specially-announced Name of God--the Rock" got kinda lost in the shuffle here. I'll go back and read your posts on that.