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What is the rock of Matthew 16:18?


Introduction. Matthew 16: 18 says: "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. The English name "Peter" is from the Greek term "petros" which means a stone. According to some (typically Catholics), Jesus is saying, "...thou art Peter, and upon this rock, Peter, I will build My church..." Physically, any building is no better that its foundation. In this case, Jesus is using this as a metaphor to refer to His church. Consider that Peter was just a man. He 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 Greek word for "this rock" is "petra", While from the same root word as "petros", it is a different gender ("petros"/Peter is masculine while "petra"/rock is feminine). W.E. Vine comments, "Petra denotes a mass of rock, as distinct from petros, a detached stone or boulder, or a stone that might be thrown or easily moved... in Matt. 16: 18, metaphorically, of Christ and the testimony concerning Him. Here the distinction between Petra, concerning the Lord Himself, and Petros, the apostle, is clear." (Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). I suggest "this rock" refers back to "Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (vs. 16).

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). Therefore, Jesus 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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