Jesus the Rock
1/7/25-
Matthew 16:16-19, Jesus “Said to them (the disciples) But whom say you that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto you, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto you that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
The Roman Catholic Church fathers were all Gentiles. Peter was a Jew, but Catholics claim Peter as their first Pope, claiming Peter is the rock Jesus spoke of in Matthew 16. But the Catholics’ fundamental teachings are based on Paul’s gospel, the apostle to the Gentiles, not Peter’s Gospel.
Question: Is the rock referring to Jesus, Peter, or something else? Peter as a metaphor means a rock or stone. Jesus is also called a “Rock,” upper case.
1 Corinthians 10:4, “For they (Jews) drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” Exodus 17:5-7. But the Greek word for rock used in Matthew 16 is not the same Greek for “Rock” found in 1 Corinthians 10:4. So, if Jesus is not the rock and Peter is not the rock, then what?
Jesus asked a question to His disciples, “Who do you say I am?” Peter, inspired by the Father said, you are “The Son of the living God.”
Let’s compare what Jesus said before he spoke to Peter in Matthew 16. Matthew 10:32, Jesus said, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me (Jesus) before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.”
Ephesians 2:20-21, Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “You are build upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (all Jews), Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. In whom all the building fitly (being joined) framed together growth unto a holy temple in the Lord.” So, the cornerstone is Jesus, and the foundation of the church is the apostles, and prophets, not Peter only.
The coming Church was to be built on the confession that “Jesus is the Son of the Living God,” That is the confession of faith, “the rock” Jesus spoke of. More evidence!
Mark begins his gospel with, “Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” That was Mark’s confession of faith!
Matthew 27:54, The centurion said at the cross, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
Luke 1:35, The angel calls Jesus “the Son of God.”
John said, 1:34, “I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” These were all confessions of faith! So, the confession of faith that Jesus is “The Son of the Living God” is the rock on which Jesus was to build His Church.