When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.He saith unto them, But whom say ye 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 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.And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Matthew 16:13-19
This
ground breaking conversation took place at Ceasarea Phillipi, which lies today
in the modern-day reserve of the Banias in the Golan Heights region of Isreal.
The city was established by Ptolemaic Greeks, a Hellenistic community where the
worship of the god Pan was centered.
Reviled by the Jews of Yeshua’s time and
considered by them the most idolatrous place in the entire Galilee, to this day
it remains a place of nature worship and deep paganism.
What Exactly is the Church?
The
church here simply means the body of Christ, the gathering or the assembly of
people that has confessed Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour and not
those big cathedrals or temples we
gather into for worship.
Hebrews 12: 22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
What then is the Confession that
makes people a part of the body of Christ?
That
is the same (the first) confession of Peter when Jesus asked who he was to them
(the disciples).
Peter
says “You are the Christ (the savior), the son of the living God.
Therefore,
anyone that has come to confess Jesus Christ becomes a member of the assembly
or the church of Christ.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Confession of Christ comes through Revelation
The
revelation knowledge of Christ aids confession; for no one can confess whom he
has not known.
John 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
The
verse above indeed is a vivid replica of what Jesus said to Peter when he made
the bold confession: … “for flesh and
blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven”…
Revelation knowledge of Christ
comes through the Word of God
Romans 10: 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Peter
has the knowledge of Christ, and he can boldly profess the faith because; he
had been with the Word of life and of God Himself, He knows Christ first
handedly, hence, he cannot but confess that which he has seen and witnessed.
Having
this prior knowledge that; the church of Christ is built by confession, a confession which comes through revelation, and revelation by the Word.
We
shall then go on to see exactly what Jesus meant by saying “though art Peter (which means a rock), and
Upon this rock will I build my church and the gate of hell shall not prevail
against it…”
Rock figuratively means; Something that is strong, stable, and dependable; it may be a person who provides security or support to another.
Peter: a strong and dependable rock that provides support for the body of Christ
The meaning of this passage has been debated by scholars and theologians for centuries. Some interpret the "rock" Jesus refers to as Peter himself, while others interpret it as Peter's confession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah. In Catholic theology, it is believed that Jesus was referring to Peter as the "rock" upon which the church would be built; and that Peter was the first bishop of Rome and the first pope.
The
name ‘Peter’ means ‘rock’. In the Old Testament, the word ‘rock’ often
describes the security that God gives to his people. For example, ‘The Lord is
my rock’ (2 Samuel 22:2).
Jesus
used the word ‘rock’ or Peter as a name for Simon (John 1:42).
Peter
himself is like the first rock in Jesus’s building which is the church. Jesus Himself
is the true foundation.
But
Peter was the first person to declare that he believed in Jesus. And Peter became
a leader and teacher in the church. He was the first to speak to the crowds at
Pentecost about Jesus, the Messiah where 3000 people became Christians that day
(Acts 2).
Later, he had a dream when he was staying at Joppa. As a result,
people who were not Jews believed. And Peter gave them a welcome into the church
(Acts 10:1–11:18). He supported the believers who were not Jews at the Council
in Jerusalem (Acts 15).
Here
we can see Peter’s authority in the church being the first rock, as well as the
first leader and guide to the church.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Peter’s
authority was not his alone. God’s special servants and the men that Jesus sent
out were also the foundation and special rocks of the church (Ephesians 2:20).
Hence,
Peter is seen here as a solid rock that provides support to the growth of the
church, but not upon whom the whole church of Christ, the assembly of the
angels and believers is being built.
The
truth unarguable is that, if Peter had been the very rock upon which our faith
is built as Christians, our faith is going to be dashed and shipwrecked and the gate of hell will probably prevail against it. And besides, our confession
of faith cannot be built or placed on Peter.
The Very Rock: The Confession of
Christ
If
the passage is read contextually and not literally, one would see that; the ‘rock’ refers to what
Peter said. He believed that Jesus is the Christ, God’s Son. Everyone who can
say the same thing is like a stone in God’s building (1 Peter 2:4-8).
They are
the ‘church’. As I have stated earlier, the Greek word for the church does not
refer to a building or to a particular organization. It refers to all the
people who believe in Jesus. They who heard the word; believed and confesses
that He is God’s Son.
Nothing
would be able to destroy the church because it was being built upon Revelation and
upon Jesus Christ Himself who is the strong, stable, dependable, unbeatable
Rock, and the true foundation of the Church.
He
(Jesus) is the head and the church is the Body (of Christ).
Ephesians 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted …
What is the Rock That Jesus was talking About
We
can therefore see that; Peter is not the rock upon which the whole church of
Christ is being built, rather he is a solid rock that gives support and guidance to every other rock therein.
The true Rock that the church of Christ is
being built upon is the confession of faith in Christ Jesus and everyone that
has come to confess just as Peter has done became a rock and support in the
Body of Christ.
More
Grace.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the passage mean when it says "upon this rock I will build my church"?
The interpretation of this phrase is debated among scholars and theologians. Some interpret the "rock" as Peter himself, while others interpret it as Peter's confession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah. In Catholic theology, it is believed that Jesus was referring to Peter as the "rock" upon which the church would be built, and that Peter was the first bishop of Rome and the first pope.
What does the phrase "the gates of Hades will not overcome it" mean?
The phrase "the gates of Hades" or "the gates of hell" is a metaphor for the power of death and evil. The statement means that the power of evil and death will not prevail over the church.
Did Jesus actually build a physical church?
No, Jesus did not build a physical church during his lifetime. The Christian church as an institution was established after Jesus' death and resurrection, as his followers spread his teachings and formed communities of believers.
What is the significance of Peter's confession of faith in this passage?
Peter's confession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah is a pivotal moment in the Gospel of Matthew, as it affirms Jesus' identity as the Son of God. It also establishes Peter as a leader among the disciples and the foundation upon which the church is built.
Is the interpretation of this passage the same among all Christian denominations?
No, the interpretation of this passage varies among different Christian denominations. For example, in Catholic theology, Peter is seen as the first pope and the foundation of the papacy, while some Protestant denominations interpret the "rock" as referring to Peter's confession of faith rather than Peter himself.