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To: BipolarBob

Peter was a “little stone” but Jesus IS the Rock of Ages.
>>Small problem with your interpretation is that Petros is masculine, and in Koine Greek, you don’t use a feminine noun Petra to refer to a male.
http://bit.ly/u86GVJ

However, early evidence suggests that St. Matthew’s Gospel was initially written in Syriac and was later translated into Koine Greek.

The Syriac uses Kepha, which means massive rock.

The 2nd century Syriac/Aramaic Peshitta says:
18 Also I say to you, that you are Keipha, and upon this rock, I will build my Temple, and the gates of Sheol shall not suppress it.”
http://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/08/the-two-rocks-of-matthew-1618-in-the-syriac-peshitta/
http://www.katoliko.com/shua.htm

St. Ephrem the Syrian, a Syriac-speaking father, writes:
“Simon, My follower, I have made you the foundation of the Holy Church. I betimes called you Peter(Kepha), because you will support all its buildings. You are the inspector of those who will build on earth a Church for me...I have given you the keys of my kingdom. Behold, have given you authority over all my treasures.”
Ephraim, Homily 4:1,(A.D. 373),JUR,I:11

The idea that the rock of Matthew 16:18-19 is Jesus is absurd because the declaration was from Jesus to Peter.

Also, John Calvin was the first in Church history to invent this interpretation.

The Church Fathers interpret the verse in the following manner:
JEROME; As much as to say, You have said to me, You are Christ the Son of the living God, therefore I say to you, not in a mere speech, and that goes not on into operation; but I say to you, and for Me to speak is to make it so, that you are Peter. For as from Christ proceeded that light to the Apostles, whereby they were called the light of the world, and those other names which were imposed upon them by the Lord, so upon Simon who believed in Christ the Rock, He bestowed the name of Peter (Rock.)

AUG; But let none suppose that Peter received that name here; he received it at no other time than where John relates that it was said to him, you shall be called Cephas, which is interpreted, Peter.

JEROME; And pursuing the metaphor of the rock, it is rightly said to him as follows: And upon this rock I will build my Church.

CHRYS; That is, On this faith and confession I will build my Church. Herein showing that many should believe what Peter had confessed, and raising his understanding, and making him His shepherd.

AUG; I have said in a certain place of the Apostle Peter, that it was on him, as on a rock, that the Church was built. But I know that since that I have often explained these words of the Lord, you are Peter, and on this rock will I build my Church, as meaning upon Him whom Peter had confessed in the words, You are Christ, the Son of the living God; and so that Peter, taking his name from this rock, would represent the Church, which is built upon this rock. For it is not said to him, you art the rock, but, you are Peter. But the rock was Christ, whom because Simon thus confessed, as the whole Church confesses Him, he was named Peter. Let the reader choose whether of these two opinions seems to him the more probable.

HILARY; But in this bestowing of a new name is a happy foundation of the Church, and a rock worthy of that building, which should break up the laws of hell, burst the gates of Tartarus, and all the shackles of death. And to show the firmness of this Church thus built upon a rock, He adds, And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

GLOSS; That is, shall not separate it from the love and faith of Me.

JEROME; I suppose the gates of hell to mean vice and sin, or at least the doctrines of heretics by which men are ensnared and drawn into hell.

ORIGEN; But in heavenly things every spiritual sin is a gate of hell, to which are opposed the gates of righteousness.

RABAN; The gates of hell are the torments and promises of the persecutors. Also, the evil works of the unbelievers, and vain conversation, are gates of hell, because they show the path of destruction.

ORIGEN; He does not express what it is which they shall not prevail against, whether the rock on which He builds the Church, or the Church which He builds on the rock; but it is clear that neither against the rock nor against the Church will the gates of hell prevail.

CYRIL; According to this promise of the Lord, the Apostolic Church of Peter remains pure and spotless from all leading into error, or heretical fraud, above all Heads and Bishops, and Primates of Churches and people, with its own Pontiffs, with most abundant faith, and the authority of Peter. And while other Churches have to blush for the error of some of their members, this reigns alone immovably established, enforcing silence, and stopping the mouths of all heretics; and we, not drunken with the wine of pride, confess together with it the type of truth, and of the holy apostolic tradition.

JEROME; Let none think that this is said of death, implying that the Apostles should not be subject to the condition of death, when we see their martyrdoms so illustrious.

ORIGEN; Wherefore if we, by the revelation of our Father who is in heaven, shall confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, having also our conversation in heaven, to us also shall be said, you are Peter; for every one is a Rock who is an imitator of Christ. But against whomsoever the gates of hell prevail, he is neither to be called a rock upon which Christ builds His Church; neither a Church, or part of the Church, which Christ builds upon a rock.

CHRYS; Then He speaks of another honor of Peter, when He adds, And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; as much as to say, As the Father has given you to know Me, I also will give something to you, namely, the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

RABAN; For as with a zeal beyond the others he had confessed the King of heaven, he is deservedly entrusted more than the others with the keys of the heavenly kingdom, that it might be clear to all, that without that confession and faith none ought to enter the kingdom of heaven. By the keys of the kingdom He means discernment and power; power, by which he binds and looses; discernment, by which he separates the worthy from the unworthy.

GLOSS; It follows, And whatsoever you shall bind; that is, whomsoever you shall judge unworthy of forgiveness while he lives, shall be judged unworthy with God; and whatsoever you shall loose, that is, whomsoever you shall judge worthy to be forgiven while he lives, shall obtain forgiveness of his sins from God.

ORIGEN; See how great power has that rock upon which the Church is built, that its sentences are to continue film as though God gave sentence by it.
http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea-Matthew16.php


173 posted on 12/28/2011 9:50:42 PM PST by rzman21
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To: rzman21
However, early evidence suggests that St. Matthew’s Gospel was initially written in Syriac and was later translated into Koine Greek.

I don't believe you...I don't believe there's an ounce of evidence...Prove it...

196 posted on 12/28/2011 11:13:08 PM PST by Iscool (You mess with me, you mess with the WHOLE trailerpark...)
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To: rzman21
Cut and paste doesn't impress me and you are letting others do your thinking.

"The idea that the rock of Matthew 16:18-19 is Jesus is absurd because the declaration was from Jesus to Peter."

It is not absurd. Jesus is using the "name"of Peter to contrast the differences in them and to assure Him His Church will survive.

225 posted on 12/29/2011 5:26:39 AM PST by BipolarBob (Of all the taglines in all the posts in all the world and she read mine.)
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