Is Protestantism legitimate? What are the keys to the kingdom? If true Christians agree on essential matters, why the rivalry? Let’s look at Rome’s exclusive claim in Matthew 16:13-20.
When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (Matthew 16:13-14 NKJV)
Caesarea Philippi, was a city built on a rock for Caesar Augustus. This brutal leader called himself the son of a god. Among other things, Jesus came to teach us right leadership. What world leader has willingly gone to the cross for his people? Church leaders are to be servants.
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 16:15-17 NKJV)
Who do we say Jesus is? Our answer defines us. What a shame that this passage is overshadowed by those who wish to promote their own human church leadership. When we understand who Jesus is, then we too are rocks of the Rock and receive the keys to the kingdom.
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18 NKJV)
Origen
Origen wrote, “if we too have said like Peter, "Thou art the Christ, … we become a Peter… a rock is every disciple of Christ … and upon every such rock is built every word of the church… all bear the surname of ‘rock’ who are the imitators of Christ…”
[ANTE-NICENE FATHERS, VOLUME 9, BOOK XII, 10]
Salmon
Roman Catholic Scholar, George Salmon, observed that 44 of 85 early church fathers said the “rock” was Peter’s faith, 16 said it was Christ, and 8 all of the apostles. Only 17 of 85 thought that it was Peter. The greater number of fathers disagree with Rome on this passage.
This
The pronoun “this” does not agree grammatically with “Peter.” The conversation moves from “you” to “this.” If it meant Peter in Aramaic then, why choose a different meaning in Greek? Peter is not the rock. It is more plausible grammatically, that the rock is Christ or Peter’s confession of faith.
Even if Jesus nicknamed Cephas “Rock,” it would be nothing more than all followers of Christ being named Christian. Nothing declares Peter as the first pope. Nothing in the Bible or early church writings universally supports the dogma of a Roman papacy as the sole Christian authority throughout church history.
[Saint Augustine, Retractions (20.1) and Sermons (vol 6, sermon 229)]
Wouldn’t Jesus say, “upon YOU I will build my church”? The word “this” contradicts Roman dogma, directing our attention away from Peter as its intended meaning. What did it point to? Many early church fathers said that “this rock” was Peter’s confession of faith. Others said it was Christ Himself.
[Peter, the Rock & Matthew 16:18: A Grammatical Analysis inc. Response to Tim Staples]
Aramaic
Where is the evidence that this conversation was originally in Aramaic? People from Galilee commonly spoke several languages. Internal linguistic evidence suggests that Jesus most likely spoke in Greek. Linguistic markers of a translation from Aramaic are absent. Many early church Fathers did not agree with Rome’s interpretation of this.
[Peter, the Rock & Matthew 16:18: A Grammatical Analysis inc. Response to Tim Staples]
Augustine
Augustine of Hippo wrote, “Christ is the rock (Petra), Peter is the Christian people. For the rock (Petra) is the original name. Therefore Peter is so called from the rock; not the rock from Peter; as Christ is not called Christ from the Christian, but the Christian from Christ.”
He continued, “Thou art Peter; and upon this Rock” which thou hast confessed, upon this Rock which thou hast acknowledged, saying, ‘...I build My Church;’ that is upon Myself, the Son of the living God, ‘will I build My Church.’ I will build thee upon Myself, not Myself upon thee.”
[NICENE AND POST-NICENE FATHERS, VOLUME VI, Sermon XXVI]
Chrysostom
Chrysostom of Constantinople also wrote, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my Church;” that is, on the faith of his confession… Peter’s authority … did not continue beyond his grave … “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ…”
[St. Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew; Saint Chrysostom: Homilies on the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians]
Pope Impossible
Jesus most likely used the pagan Greek term “Hades” as a metaphor for the grave. That which overthrows all other societies will not overthrow the church. Many have tried. All failed to destroy the church. Authority was given to Peter AND other Apostles (Matthew 18:18). “Ye” is “you plural.”
Authority over all Christians from India to Britain was historically unrealistic at that time and a matter of practical impossibility. Early church fathers did not interpret this verse as Rome later came to. More logically, wherever the right faith is to be found, there are the keys to the kingdom.
Tertullian
Tertullian believed our faith follows Peter’s. “(Peter) himself, therefore, was the first to unbar, in Christ's baptism, the entrance to the heavenly kingdom…” Any who confess Christ, have the key, “from that time forward, every number (of persons) who may have combined together into this faith is accounted ‘a Church’.”
[ANTE-NICENE FATHERS, VOLUME 4, Chapter XXI]
And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19 NKJV)
As Peter opened the kingdom by confessing Christ, so did Jesus “declare the terms under which God forgives sin and allows entrance to the kingdom.”[1] This is not divine endorsement of mere human decisions but divine guidance, enabling each to be “the faithful steward of God’s prior decisions.”[2]
[1] Wilkins, Michael J. The NIV Application Commentary. Zondervan. 2004. 578. [2] R. T. France. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. The Gospel of Matthew. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 2007. 626-7.
Denominational rivalry damages the Gospel. We are to be one. When the Church was truly catholic [universal], early church fathers had no consensus on Peter’s role. Dogmatism over what Jesus does NOT say dishonors His words. This does not call Peter a pope nor describes an apostolic succession of popes.
Aren’t we ALL (Protestants, Orthodox and Catholics) Christians of Christ, rocks of the Rock WHEN we, with Peter, openly declare that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God”? Because of our CONFESSION, are we not also then His “church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail”?
References
ANTE-NICENE FATHERS, VOLUME 9, BOOK XII, 10
Saint Augustine, Retractions (20.1) and Sermons (vol 6, sermon 229)
Peter, the Rock & Matthew 16:18: A Grammatical Analysis inc. Response to Tim Staples
NICENE AND POST-NICENE FATHERS, VOLUME VI, Sermon XXVI
St. Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew
Saint Chrysostom: Homilies on the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians
ANTE-NICENE FATHERS, VOLUME 4, Chapter XXI
Wilkins, Michael J. The NIV Application Commentary. Zondervan. 2004. 578.
R. T. France. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. The Gospel of Matthew. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 2007. 626-627.
Readings
Exodus 1:8-2:10 Israel descends into slavery. Is this happening in our modern world? Is sin slavery? How does God prepare to save a people from slavery?
Psalm 124 Who gives us victory, politics or God? What does our world need now?
Romans 12:1-8 How is the cross a moral example for us to live? Why does self-sacrifice seem like a losing game to the world? How does a society benefit if we would all live self-sacrificially?
Matthew 16:13-20 in Rhyme
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Who do people say the Son is
A prophet or John the Baptist
Who do you say I am abroad
You are the Christ, the Son of God
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You are blessed Simon Bar-Jonah
THIS is revealed by My Father
YOU are Peter, and on THIS rock
I will erect My called out flock
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The grave won’t prevail against it
And the keys to YOU I remit
Whatever YOU forbid on earth
Is taboo as heaven set forth
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Whatever you permit on earth
Is allowed as heaven set forth
Then He ordered His disciples
That He’s Christ don’t tell the peoples
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