JEFF TURNER

When Jesus spoke to Peter in Matthew 16:18, he made a statement that has been understood in different ways. He said that upon a certain rock, he would build his church, and the gates of Hades would not be able to overcome it. The question is what did Jesus mean by this rock.

The Roman Catholic Church has long taught that Peter himself was the rock Jesus mentioned. According to this view, Peter traveled to Rome and became the first leader in what would become the papacy. The church, they say, was built on Peter as a person. However, I believe this understanding faces problems when we look at what the Bible shows us about Peter.

Right after Jesus made this statement about building his church, he had to rebuke Peter harshly. Jesus told him to get behind him and called him Satan. This happened because Peter was trying to prevent Jesus from going to the cross. It would seem strange for Jesus to say he would build his church on someone he had to correct so strongly just moments later.

Peter also showed weakness at other times. When Jesus was arrested and taken away, Peter denied even knowing him. He did this not just once but three separate times. These actions show that Peter was not a stable foundation on which to build anything lasting. He struggled and failed like any other person.

The actual meaning becomes clearer when we look at what happened just before Jesus made his statement. Peter had declared that Jesus was the Christ, the son of the living God. Jesus praised Peter for this confession because God the Father had revealed this truth to him. It was not something Peter figured out on his own.

When Jesus said he would build his church on the rock, he used different Greek words. For Peter’s name, he used the word that means a small stone or pebble. But for the rock on which he would build his church, he used a different word that means a large rock formation or bedrock. I believe Jesus was making a clear distinction between Peter the person and the truth Peter had just spoken.

Was the rock Jesus spoke about the confession itself? The truth that Jesus is the Christ and the son of the living God. He is the foundation of the church. This truth came from God through Peter’s mouth, but it is the truth itself that matters, not the man who spoke it. The church stands on who Jesus is, not on any human leader.

Our faith is not in any human being, no matter how devoted they are. Our faith is in Jesus Christ and the truth of who he is.

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 3:11