Was Peter Really Called Rock and Did Jesus Build His Church on Peter?
Some Christians do not believe Peter was called rock. From where I came from, the teaching was most prominent in what were called Chick tracts, which were published by J.T. Chick, and their other publications. These publishers have publications which I do really like, but they also publish the Alberto Rivera series. (See my other article Why I Don’t Believe in Alberto Rivera)
Matthew 16:18 states, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Remember that verse, this text will revolve around that verse. By the way, Hades is a Greek word for hell.
Catholics have claimed that Peter, who was called rock, started the Catholic church, and is considered by the Catholic church as the first pope. If that was true, given what was stated in Matthew 16:18, it would imply that Jesus built the Catholic church, because He said, “on this rock I will build my church,” implying that the Catholic church is the church created by Christ Himself, and is Christ’s church.
Because of this claim, Christians who do not consider Catholicism Christian, do not believe Peter was called rock, and Christ would not and did not build His church on Peter. However, even if Peter was called rock, and even if it was true that Christ built His church on Peter, there is still no proof to the Catholic claim that it was the Catholic church that Peter specifically built as the verse does not imply that Peter built the Catholic church and that He was its first pope. They need historical proof for that because there is none mentioned in that verse or in the rest of the Bible, proof I do not believe exists.
One of the reasons why Christians have disparaged the thought of Peter being called the rock is because of their disdain for the aforementioned Catholic claim. However, my point is, the verse does not prove the Catholic claim, and even if Peter was called rock, it does not prove neither Christ nor Peter started Catholicism.
But is there reason to believe that Peter was not called rock? The Greek equivalent for the English name Peter is Petros, and that part of the Bible was originally written in Greek. So the apostle, whose real name was Simon, was given the name Petros, by Jesus himself (as can be seen in Matthew 16:18, “And I tell you that you are Peter…”). What is the Greek word for rock? One of the Greek words for rock is Petra. So what does Petros mean? One translation of Petros is small rock, suggesting stone. Because of this, Christians have said that Jesus did not call Peter rock, but rather He called Peter stone, a smaller version. These Christians argue that the rock in which Jesus will build his church on is He, Jesus, Himself. Now, that argument makes sense, Jesus built the Christian church, and He is also called the Rock, and He is the right foundation of our lives. However, we’re not trying to disprove that thought. Jesus certainly is also the Rock. But is that the proper interpretation of that verse given that context? Let’s analyze.
Why would Jesus call Simon a stone? Isn’t that a bit insulting to Peter? Even if it was not, why would Jesus say, within the same sentence, “And I tell you Simon that you are a stone, and on this rock I will build my church.” The sentence does not make sense, and it is not cohesive. What is the relevance of calling Peter a stone, and saying Christ will build His church on Himself, considering both points were raised by Christ on the same sentence? This interpretation makes even less sense when taking in context the verses preceding it.
I said earlier that one translation of Simon’s nickname, Petros, was stone. But that is only one. There is another translation. If you ever study Greek, one of the things you’ll learn is that, as a saying goes, “the Greeks have a word for everything.” Another interpretation for Petros is actually also rock, but is the masculine counterpart of the feminine word Petra, also meaning rock. In the Philippines, where I live and was born, Petra is also a feminine name, and would also be an inappropriate nickname for a guy. You must be wondering, why is there a masculine and feminine word for rock, rocks aren’t even living beings. Like I said, that’s how the Greeks rolled. They apparently have masculine and feminine words for the same object, even nonliving things. If you think my interpretation is absurd, my challenge for you is to study the Greek language, then you’ll see it’s not so absurd.
However, granted, let’s say there are two interpretations for the Greek word Petros, how do we know which interpretation was intended? We only need to look at the other verses of the Bible. (It’s usually not a good idea to argue about a single verse, always put the verse in context with other verses and the rest of the Bible.)
The book of John, like the book of Matthew, where the verse we’ve been quoting can be found, is regarded as a Gospel. The first chapter of John tells the story of how Simon Peter first met Jesus. After Andrew met Jesus, Andrew sought Simon, his brother, so he could take Simon to Jesus. John 1:42 states, “And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John, You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter.)”
What does Cephas mean? Cephas is an Aramaic word for rock. Why is Jesus using Aramaic this time? Actually, Jesus’ native dialect is Aramaic. However, in the aforementioned verse, Matthew translated Jesus’ words to Greek, which was the language used in the book of Matthew. John, however, was lead by God to write what Jesus actually said, in his native tongue, Aramaic. John even provided the Greek translation to Cephas, which is Petros, or Peter in English.
I consider God a genius. I’m guessing God must have foreseen this whole debacle about the interpretation of Jesus’ words, which is why the Bible sometimes shows different perspectives on the same story. So we can be guided to the right interpretation. See, all it takes is to actually read the Bible, the whole Bible, rather than nitpicking a few verses, especially as guided by equally misinformed critics who have never even completely read what they’re criticizing.
Cephas means rock, and there is no ambiguity there. What are critics going to say, Cephas is actually stone, and Cephos is rock? Doesn’t really work with Aramaic. If one verse is not enough for you, Paul also calls Simon Peter “Cephas” in 1 Corinthians 1:12, 1 Corinthians 3:22, and 1 Corinthians 9:5, among others.
So, Peter was called rock. I suppose there are many reasons why Jesus called Simon rock, considering he has been calling Simon rock since Simon first met Him, but that’s not really what I want to focus on. What I want to focus on is did Jesus build His church on Simon Peter, and if so, why? Now that we have established that Peter was called rock, we can now give a more appropriate interpretation of that verse. Again, Matthew 16:18 states, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
Again, when Jesus said this, He was not saying Peter would found a religion, or a church, or anything similarly literal. But Jesus did say He was going to build His church on this rock, which in this case was Peter. Why did Jesus say that? To answer that question, we simply need to read the verses before it, to understand the context of that verse.
Matthew 16:13 – 16 says, “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.””
I have two possible interpretations of what Jesus meant when he asked, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Originally, I thought Jesus was asking who people thought He was. After much thought, I think He was asking who do people think the promised Messiah is. Either way, the disciples reported that the people were either saying Jesus was someone He actually was not, or they were saying the Savior was someone else other than Jesus. But when Jesus asked his disciples who they thought He was, it was Simon Peter who answered correctly, identifying who Jesus really was, the Christ, and the Son of the living God. It was because of Peter’s reply that in Matthew 16:17 and 18, “Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
Notice the flow of Jesus’ words. Jesus first identified Simon correctly, showing that Jesus is not using a nickname merely because he forgot Simon’s real name. He then categorically uses the name Peter to refer to Simon, and proceeds to say that He will build His church on this rock. Again, what did Simon do such that Jesus will build His church on Him. Simply this: Peter correctly identified who Jesus was. Peter knew who Jesus was. And He was not ashamed to say who Jesus was.
The Bible teaches us that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). Acts 4:12 says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” The Bible clearly states salvation today can only be through Jesus Christ, and without Jesus, we cannot be saved, and cannot be part of His church, as it is stated in Acts 20:28, “… the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” The church Jesus refers to is the church of God, saved by His blood via His sacrifice on the cross, and that is the church Jesus was referring to when He said He will build His church on this rock. Why build it on Peter? Because Peter knew who Jesus really was. Was Jesus simply referring to Simon Peter? No. He was referring to all believers who knew who Jesus really was. And if you know who Jesus really is, then you also are a rock to which Jesus will build His church. Jesus was not merely praising Peter for a correct answer. He was pointing out what Jesus would do to every person who truly and fully knows who Jesus really is.
When I was a new believer, I was set on sharing the Word of God to all my friends and casual acquaintances. I resolved that all my friends would be Christians, and if they were not, they would either become one or hate me or find my sharings so repulsive that they would not want to be my friend anymore. (See my other article Informed Decisions: Why One Should Speak Out) After all, how could I call someone my friend, and yet not share with them the most important truth, the saving grace that saves me from a sad and miserable life on earth, and then the life after that. So when I was a new believer, I resolved to share the truth to everyone I could, and that included old acquaintances. Some were receptive, others were repulsed; I did not let their reaction discourage me as the point was, I was doing what I was supposed to do, and they were free to receive it any way they wanted to. A weekly Bible study with a few old classmates of mine started, and ultimately, God used this to reach classmates of one of my old classmates, who in turn reached out to their other classmates, who again in turn reached out to their other classmates, etcetera, etcetera. Little did I know that such a small flame could start an entire outreach, which eventually would become a small group, which can as well be considered a church. I never sought out to start my own church, I just wanted to do what the Bible told me to do, that is, share the truth that sets me free, and hold on to Him no matter what, and God did the rest. Even though God transferred me from that outreach, to plant and water seeds elsewhere, God continues to water seeds He planted with me, and I am pleasingly surprised by the fruits whenever God lets me cross paths again with these and other souls He has blessed me to be a part of, souls that continue reaching others and knowing and sharing Christ. I am amazed at the working of God in my life and theirs, and all I did was I got to know Jesus, continued to know about Jesus, spend time with Him, speak the truth, introduce Him to people, and follow Him, and I was a rock, nay, I am a rock that He builds His church on.
Maybe we are not rocks under different contexts of the word, but we are rocks that Jesus will build His church on. Jesus has and is continuously building His church. On us. That includes you. You too are a rock that Jesus can build His church on. All you need to do is know who Jesus is, and speak the truth, and introduce who Jesus really is to other people. We are rocks Jesus will build His church on. And the gates of Hell will not overcome it.
- A. L. E. -
(Originally written: 2008, Sept. 16, 9:13 pm)
Matthew 16:18 states, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Remember that verse, this text will revolve around that verse. By the way, Hades is a Greek word for hell.
Catholics have claimed that Peter, who was called rock, started the Catholic church, and is considered by the Catholic church as the first pope. If that was true, given what was stated in Matthew 16:18, it would imply that Jesus built the Catholic church, because He said, “on this rock I will build my church,” implying that the Catholic church is the church created by Christ Himself, and is Christ’s church.
Because of this claim, Christians who do not consider Catholicism Christian, do not believe Peter was called rock, and Christ would not and did not build His church on Peter. However, even if Peter was called rock, and even if it was true that Christ built His church on Peter, there is still no proof to the Catholic claim that it was the Catholic church that Peter specifically built as the verse does not imply that Peter built the Catholic church and that He was its first pope. They need historical proof for that because there is none mentioned in that verse or in the rest of the Bible, proof I do not believe exists.
One of the reasons why Christians have disparaged the thought of Peter being called the rock is because of their disdain for the aforementioned Catholic claim. However, my point is, the verse does not prove the Catholic claim, and even if Peter was called rock, it does not prove neither Christ nor Peter started Catholicism.
But is there reason to believe that Peter was not called rock? The Greek equivalent for the English name Peter is Petros, and that part of the Bible was originally written in Greek. So the apostle, whose real name was Simon, was given the name Petros, by Jesus himself (as can be seen in Matthew 16:18, “And I tell you that you are Peter…”). What is the Greek word for rock? One of the Greek words for rock is Petra. So what does Petros mean? One translation of Petros is small rock, suggesting stone. Because of this, Christians have said that Jesus did not call Peter rock, but rather He called Peter stone, a smaller version. These Christians argue that the rock in which Jesus will build his church on is He, Jesus, Himself. Now, that argument makes sense, Jesus built the Christian church, and He is also called the Rock, and He is the right foundation of our lives. However, we’re not trying to disprove that thought. Jesus certainly is also the Rock. But is that the proper interpretation of that verse given that context? Let’s analyze.
Why would Jesus call Simon a stone? Isn’t that a bit insulting to Peter? Even if it was not, why would Jesus say, within the same sentence, “And I tell you Simon that you are a stone, and on this rock I will build my church.” The sentence does not make sense, and it is not cohesive. What is the relevance of calling Peter a stone, and saying Christ will build His church on Himself, considering both points were raised by Christ on the same sentence? This interpretation makes even less sense when taking in context the verses preceding it.
I said earlier that one translation of Simon’s nickname, Petros, was stone. But that is only one. There is another translation. If you ever study Greek, one of the things you’ll learn is that, as a saying goes, “the Greeks have a word for everything.” Another interpretation for Petros is actually also rock, but is the masculine counterpart of the feminine word Petra, also meaning rock. In the Philippines, where I live and was born, Petra is also a feminine name, and would also be an inappropriate nickname for a guy. You must be wondering, why is there a masculine and feminine word for rock, rocks aren’t even living beings. Like I said, that’s how the Greeks rolled. They apparently have masculine and feminine words for the same object, even nonliving things. If you think my interpretation is absurd, my challenge for you is to study the Greek language, then you’ll see it’s not so absurd.
However, granted, let’s say there are two interpretations for the Greek word Petros, how do we know which interpretation was intended? We only need to look at the other verses of the Bible. (It’s usually not a good idea to argue about a single verse, always put the verse in context with other verses and the rest of the Bible.)
The book of John, like the book of Matthew, where the verse we’ve been quoting can be found, is regarded as a Gospel. The first chapter of John tells the story of how Simon Peter first met Jesus. After Andrew met Jesus, Andrew sought Simon, his brother, so he could take Simon to Jesus. John 1:42 states, “And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John, You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter.)”
What does Cephas mean? Cephas is an Aramaic word for rock. Why is Jesus using Aramaic this time? Actually, Jesus’ native dialect is Aramaic. However, in the aforementioned verse, Matthew translated Jesus’ words to Greek, which was the language used in the book of Matthew. John, however, was lead by God to write what Jesus actually said, in his native tongue, Aramaic. John even provided the Greek translation to Cephas, which is Petros, or Peter in English.
I consider God a genius. I’m guessing God must have foreseen this whole debacle about the interpretation of Jesus’ words, which is why the Bible sometimes shows different perspectives on the same story. So we can be guided to the right interpretation. See, all it takes is to actually read the Bible, the whole Bible, rather than nitpicking a few verses, especially as guided by equally misinformed critics who have never even completely read what they’re criticizing.
Cephas means rock, and there is no ambiguity there. What are critics going to say, Cephas is actually stone, and Cephos is rock? Doesn’t really work with Aramaic. If one verse is not enough for you, Paul also calls Simon Peter “Cephas” in 1 Corinthians 1:12, 1 Corinthians 3:22, and 1 Corinthians 9:5, among others.
So, Peter was called rock. I suppose there are many reasons why Jesus called Simon rock, considering he has been calling Simon rock since Simon first met Him, but that’s not really what I want to focus on. What I want to focus on is did Jesus build His church on Simon Peter, and if so, why? Now that we have established that Peter was called rock, we can now give a more appropriate interpretation of that verse. Again, Matthew 16:18 states, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
Again, when Jesus said this, He was not saying Peter would found a religion, or a church, or anything similarly literal. But Jesus did say He was going to build His church on this rock, which in this case was Peter. Why did Jesus say that? To answer that question, we simply need to read the verses before it, to understand the context of that verse.
Matthew 16:13 – 16 says, “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.””
I have two possible interpretations of what Jesus meant when he asked, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Originally, I thought Jesus was asking who people thought He was. After much thought, I think He was asking who do people think the promised Messiah is. Either way, the disciples reported that the people were either saying Jesus was someone He actually was not, or they were saying the Savior was someone else other than Jesus. But when Jesus asked his disciples who they thought He was, it was Simon Peter who answered correctly, identifying who Jesus really was, the Christ, and the Son of the living God. It was because of Peter’s reply that in Matthew 16:17 and 18, “Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
Notice the flow of Jesus’ words. Jesus first identified Simon correctly, showing that Jesus is not using a nickname merely because he forgot Simon’s real name. He then categorically uses the name Peter to refer to Simon, and proceeds to say that He will build His church on this rock. Again, what did Simon do such that Jesus will build His church on Him. Simply this: Peter correctly identified who Jesus was. Peter knew who Jesus was. And He was not ashamed to say who Jesus was.
The Bible teaches us that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). Acts 4:12 says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” The Bible clearly states salvation today can only be through Jesus Christ, and without Jesus, we cannot be saved, and cannot be part of His church, as it is stated in Acts 20:28, “… the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” The church Jesus refers to is the church of God, saved by His blood via His sacrifice on the cross, and that is the church Jesus was referring to when He said He will build His church on this rock. Why build it on Peter? Because Peter knew who Jesus really was. Was Jesus simply referring to Simon Peter? No. He was referring to all believers who knew who Jesus really was. And if you know who Jesus really is, then you also are a rock to which Jesus will build His church. Jesus was not merely praising Peter for a correct answer. He was pointing out what Jesus would do to every person who truly and fully knows who Jesus really is.
When I was a new believer, I was set on sharing the Word of God to all my friends and casual acquaintances. I resolved that all my friends would be Christians, and if they were not, they would either become one or hate me or find my sharings so repulsive that they would not want to be my friend anymore. (See my other article Informed Decisions: Why One Should Speak Out) After all, how could I call someone my friend, and yet not share with them the most important truth, the saving grace that saves me from a sad and miserable life on earth, and then the life after that. So when I was a new believer, I resolved to share the truth to everyone I could, and that included old acquaintances. Some were receptive, others were repulsed; I did not let their reaction discourage me as the point was, I was doing what I was supposed to do, and they were free to receive it any way they wanted to. A weekly Bible study with a few old classmates of mine started, and ultimately, God used this to reach classmates of one of my old classmates, who in turn reached out to their other classmates, who again in turn reached out to their other classmates, etcetera, etcetera. Little did I know that such a small flame could start an entire outreach, which eventually would become a small group, which can as well be considered a church. I never sought out to start my own church, I just wanted to do what the Bible told me to do, that is, share the truth that sets me free, and hold on to Him no matter what, and God did the rest. Even though God transferred me from that outreach, to plant and water seeds elsewhere, God continues to water seeds He planted with me, and I am pleasingly surprised by the fruits whenever God lets me cross paths again with these and other souls He has blessed me to be a part of, souls that continue reaching others and knowing and sharing Christ. I am amazed at the working of God in my life and theirs, and all I did was I got to know Jesus, continued to know about Jesus, spend time with Him, speak the truth, introduce Him to people, and follow Him, and I was a rock, nay, I am a rock that He builds His church on.
Maybe we are not rocks under different contexts of the word, but we are rocks that Jesus will build His church on. Jesus has and is continuously building His church. On us. That includes you. You too are a rock that Jesus can build His church on. All you need to do is know who Jesus is, and speak the truth, and introduce who Jesus really is to other people. We are rocks Jesus will build His church on. And the gates of Hell will not overcome it.
- A. L. E. -
(Originally written: 2008, Sept. 16, 9:13 pm)
