They seem to think that when Jesus said "upon thi... Read more
They seem to think that when Jesus said "upon this rock" that He meant on Peter. A quick trip back to the original Greek text on a couple of these words gives us a little more insight on what Jesus is saying here. Matthew 16:18 "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter (Greek is "Petros" or little, movable stone) , and upon this rock (Greek word "Petra" or unmovable stone/rock -is Christ speaking of Himself.) I will build my church; and the gates of hell (Greek = "Hades" meaning "the grave") shall not prevail against it. 19 And I 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." Peter is the little stone while Christ is the Rock, the difference is distinguished in the Greek wording. Christ had surnamed this Simon BarJona in John 1:42 "And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone." In this verse Christ had used the Aramaic form of the Greek Petros or Peter. Christ is clearly the subject of the latter half of the first verse (18)shown. It is He who holds the keys to the gates of hell for it is only He who conquered death's hold by His resurrection. Revelation 1:18 "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. " Peter and the other disciples, inclusively, were given the keys to the kingdom of heaven and thusly are the subject of verse 19. They, like Christ, would not bind or loose anything contrary to God's holy spirit or His commandments. (Excerpt from totw.org) Read less
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