“Bigger Than A Boulder Pt. 2”

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Your explanation for Matt. 16:18 (“Bigger Than A Boulder”) says Peter is not the rock Jesus will use to begin building His church.  Isn't Jesus referred to as the rock (petra – feminine) in 1 Cor. 10:4?  Is Jesus a small rock?  Will the church be built on Him?  The fact that two different, but similar, words are used does not mean He is not talking about the same person.  When we let the Bible interpret itself, we see that, in the verses in question, Peter states something about Jesus' identity, and then Jesus states something about Peter's identity.  Peter tells Jesus that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Jesus tells Peter that Peter got this from the Father – that it was a revelation.  Jesus then gives him more revelation by telling Peter something about Peter's identity.  He is Peter, a small stone, who, through the power of God, Jesus will be able to use as a massive stone to begin house-building His people whom He is calling out of this world to His assembly.

Sincerely,
Rocky

Dear Rocky,

You stated “the fact that two different, but similar words are used does not mean He is not talking about the same person.”… that is true, but it is also true that two different, but similar words doesn’t mean He is talking about the same person.  So now we are stuck; Matt 16:18 could be referring to Peter as the foundation for the church, or it could be referring to the Lordship of Christ as the foundation of the church.  When a verse could be interpreted two different ways, how do we find the truth?  God tells us that we find the truth by studying the sum of the Bible (Ps 119:160).  Is there any other verse in the Bible that talks about the foundation of the church?  YES!  In 1 Cor 3:9, Paul says that the church is God’s building, and then he says in 1 Cor 3:11, “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus.”  So what is the foundation that the church is built upon?  Jesus the Christ.  The dilemma is easily solved when we look at the sum of God’s teachings on the subject.  If you have further questions regarding this passage, please feel free to write back and include an e-mail address, so your question is sure to be answered.

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