Thou Art Peter, and upon This Rock I Will Build My Church
Matthew 16:18-19 “18And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19I 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.”
If we understand the words above, which Jesus spoke to Peter, simply as words spoken to the man “Peter” himself, then we may come to accept the reason why “St. Peter’s Basilica,” also called the Vatican Basilica, was built in that place in the city of Rome, Italy. This is because that basilica is said to have been built over the place regarded as Peter’s tomb. And those who regard Peter as the first pope seem to believe that, just as the keys of the kingdom of heaven were given to Peter, the popes who succeed him also have the same authority and power, so that, as with Peter, whatever they bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever they loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
First, I want to make clear that this writing has not been written in order to judge any particular religion (Rom. 14:13), but only to discern the passage above rightly through Scripture (Rom. 12:2).
Above all, we must all know that every Scripture is inspired of God (2 Tim. 3:16), and that it is a book which testifies of Jesus alone.
John 5:39 “Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me.”
Therefore, just as the Old Testament is not a book written to testify of Moses, King David, or the prophets,
Luke 24:44-45 “44And he said unto them, These are my words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me. 45Then opened he their mind, that they might understand the scriptures.”
the New Testament, all the more, is not a book written to testify of any particular person.
John 8:17-18 “17Yea and in your law it is written, that the witness of two men is true. 18I am he that beareth witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.”
John 15:26-27 “26But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me: 27and ye also bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.”
Keeping in mind that the Bible is a book which testifies of Jesus alone, we must read again the words of Matthew 16:18-19 above.
Because “Peter” means “rock,” Jesus said, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock...” And through Scripture, we can know that “this rock” is not Peter, but Jesus Himself.
Exodus 17:6 “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.”
Numbers 20:8 “Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock; so thou shalt give the congregation and their cattle drink.”
Thus, the people of Israel drank water from the rock twice in the wilderness, and this rock testified of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 10:1-4 “1For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea... 4and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.”
It is said that predecessors in faith such as Martin Luther and Augustine also testified, in connection with the following passage, that “this rock” was not Peter but Jesus.
Isaiah 28:16 “Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone of sure foundation: he that believeth shall not be in haste.”
In this passage, the one stone, that is, the foundation stone, also testifies of Jesus. Such testimony from these predecessors in faith is right because Scripture testifies of Jesus alone. The rock, the foundation stone, the chief cornerstone, and the foundation testified of in Scripture are all Jesus.
Acts 4:8-12 “8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders... 11He is the stone which was set at nought of you the builders, which was made the head of the corner. 12And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.”
1 Corinthians 3:11 “For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
Therefore, because Jesus used Peter’s name, which means rock, to reveal Himself, the church of Jesus must be built upon Jesus, who is the Rock. The church of Jesus is not a building. See “Concerning the Temple, the Church.”
Ephesians 2:20-22 “20being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone; 21in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord; 22in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.”
Therefore, through Jesus, the gates of Hades will not be able to prevail against us who are the church of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 “55O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? 56The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law: 57but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Also, because Jesus has the keys of the kingdom of heaven, whatever Jesus binds will be bound, and whatever He looses will be loosed. Therefore, by the name of Jesus, we can receive forgiveness of sins and salvation, and we can also receive the things we ask for.
Matthew 9:1-6 “1And he entered into a boat, and crossed over, and came into his own city. 2And behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven. 3And behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5For which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins...”
That is why “Peter” went to the household of Cornelius, a Gentile, and preached as follows:
Acts 10:42-43 “42And he charged us to preach unto the people, and to testify that this is he (Jesus) who is ordained of God to be the Judge of the living and the dead. 43To him (Jesus) bear all the prophets witness, that through his name (the name of Jesus) every one that believeth on him (Jesus) shall receive remission of sins.”
This is because Peter knew that the authority to forgive sins belonged not to himself, but to Jesus. Therefore, today we also must receive forgiveness of sins not through a man, but “in the name of Jesus.”
Thus, Scripture truly testifies of Jesus alone, and it also testifies that all authority belongs to Jesus. Therefore, it is only natural that whatever we do should be done through Jesus, that is, in the name of Jesus.
John 5:21-23 “21For as the Father raiseth the dead and giveth them life, even so the Son also giveth life to whom he will. 22For neither doth the Father judge any man, but he hath given all judgment unto the Son; 23that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father that sent him.”
John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
John 10:9 “I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture.”
John 16:23-24 “23...Verily, verily, I say unto you, if ye shall ask anything of the Father, he will give it you in my name. 24Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be made full.”
Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Amen.
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In fact, after healing the man who had been lame from birth, Peter, when the people fixed their eyes on him, did not draw attention to himself, but instead proclaimed salvation in the name of Jesus, as recorded in the passages below. Therefore, we also must not try to rely on a man like Peter, but must become those who rely only on the name of Jesus, who is our Savior.
Acts 3:1-16 “1Now Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2And a certain man that was lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked to receive an alms. 4And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him, with John, said, Look on us. 5And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something from them. 6But Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, that give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. 7And he took him by the right hand, and raised him up: and immediately his feet and his ankle-bones received strength. 8And leaping up, he stood, and began to walk; and he entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 10and they took knowledge of him, that it was he that sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. 11And as he held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering. 12And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this man? or why fasten ye your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him to walk?... we are witnesses of this. 16And by faith in his name hath his name made this man strong, whom ye behold and know: yea, the faith which is through him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”
Acts 4:9-12 “9if we this day are examined concerning a good deed done to an impotent man, by what means this man is made whole; 10be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even in him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11He is the stone which was set at nought of you the builders, which was made the head of the corner. 12And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.”