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Following Peter’s great confession Jesus responds, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18 ESV) 

If you recall, the two most popular interpretations of this passage are the Roman Catholic view which they believe sets up their doctrine of Apostolic Succession and the rock is Peter. The Protestant view is that Jesus is referencing Peter’s confession and the rock here is the confession of Jesus as the Christ. After a little examination, I do hope that yesterday was helpful. Obviously, as Protestants we agree that this has to do with Peter’s confession, however, I did put forward what I called “Interpretation 2.5” arguing that Jesus not just referencing Peter’s confession, but the object of Peter’s confession. He’s referencing Himself. I was asked if I could lay this out on paper, so here we are! I have three reasons that I would like to propose. One comes directly from the text and two will come from a wider context. 

Immediate Context

Notice Jesus' use of language. Every time Jesus references Peter He does so personally. "Blessed are you... flesh and blood did not reveal this to you... I tell you, you are Peter…" Then, when he references the rock he says, ”…and on this rock I will build my church.” He dos not say, “You are Peter and upon you I will build my church.” The language Jesus uses here is intentional and it is clear that Jesus was not propping Peter up in position that He, Himself came to fulfill. Which actually points us to our wider context. 

Wider Context

Let’s compare Peter's final words to Jesus' final words in the Gospel. Peter's are of denial, “I do not know the man.” (Matthew 26:72, 74) Jesus' are the Great Commission, “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV) His instructions are to make disciples, under His authority... not the authority of Peter.. or even the Church. 

A Quick Word Study on the Word Rock

Rock or stone is used four times in the book of Matthew and twelve times in the New Testament. Of those twelve, eight are used in reference to a person and every time it is in reference to a person it is the person of Jesus with the exception the passage in 1 Peter below. Later in Matthew 21 Jesus refers to Himself as the cornerstone, in Peter's Sermon at Pentecost in Acts 4 he rebukes the Jews for rejecting Jesus, the stone, who has become the cornerstone, Paul directly quoting Isaiah 28 in chapter 9 of the book of Romans calls Jesus the stumbling stone for those who rebel against Him, to the Corinthians in his first letter, chapter 10 he reminds them that they drank from the Spiritual Rock and the "Rock was Christ”, to the Ephesians he writes, that yes, the church is built on a foundation of the apostles and prophets but Jesus is the “cornerstone”. 

Peter, himself, in chapter 1 Peter 2:4-8, writes something that is so important to this conversation, “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:4-9 ESV)

You see, this passage alone, is enough to undo the Papacy altogether! Christ is the final Priest and through faith has made us a priesthood with Him. We have become living stones, building blocks of the Church, and Christ is the cornerstone upon which the church is built!