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What is the rock of Matthew 16:18?


Introduction. Matthew 16: 18 reads as follows: "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."

Some say the rock is Peter. Peter is from petros which means a stone. According to some, Jesus is saying, "...thou art Peter, and upon this rock, Peter, I will build My church..." The building, in this case, the church, is no better that its foundation. Beloved, Peter was a man. Peter sinned and exhibited sin on numerous occasions (Matt. 16: 21-23, 26: 51-52, 69-75). Peter even had to be publicly rebuked because of his sin on one occasion (Gal. 2: 11-14). Peter rightly refused worship, explaining that he himself was also a man (Acts 10: 25-26).

The rock is Peter's answer as to Jesus' identity. The word "rock" is a different word than "Peter." It also has a different gender ("Peter" is masculine; "rock" is feminine). W.E. Vine comments, "Petra (the word "rock," dm) denotes a mass of rock, as distinct from petros ("Peter," dm), a detached stone or boulder, or a stone that might be thrown or easily moved..." (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). I suggest the "this rock" refers back to "Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (vs. 16). "...in Matt. 16: 18, metaphorically, of Christ and the testimony concerning Him," Vine continues. "Here the distinction between Petra, concerning the Lord Himself, and Petros, the apostle, is clear (see above)." (Ibid)

Conclusion. We are to hear Jesus who has all authority in heaven and earth (Matt. 17: 5; 28: 18). Jesus is the mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2: 5), and Jesus is sinless (Heb. 4: 15). Jesus rightly accepted worship from man (Matt. 8: 1-4). Jesus, then, is the rock or foundation of the church, not Peter. "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 3: 11).
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