Many Roman Catholic fellows really believe that Peter is the rock on which Jesus laid the foundation for His church. The Roman Catholics even go further by saying that Peter was more than just the rock; they suggest that Christ designated Peter as the first pope. Is this really true?
My friends, once again, it is easy for man to be deceived. Don't you know that Satan also know the Scripture? Read from your own Bible when Jesus was tempted by Satan. Satan used Scripture when he said 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone' (Psalm 91:11-12) to test Jesus to throw himself down.
If you think Satan is anti with Bible, never read Bible, you have been deceived. I just laugh when I saw movie about Vampire, Dracula or any ghost movie, where the ghost, demon was afraid with Bible, holy water, or cross symbol. It really works in deceiving many Christian, who are just so-so, who still need milk, not meat.
So, what about Peter as the rock that Jesus will build His church? Let's go to Scripture
Matthew 16:13-18
When Jesus had come to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They said, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. He said to them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” Then Jesus said to him, “How blessed are you, Simon, son of John! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven has. I tell you that you are Peter, and it is on this rock that I will build my church, and the forces of hell will not overpower it.
Yes, at first glance, it may appear that Jesus was referring to Peter as "the rock", but you have to keep in mind that the New Testament was written in Greek, not English. This is one instance where the original wording reveals the true meaning of what is being said. The Greek word for Peter is petros, which means "a pebble" or a small stone.
Peter (petros)
On the other hand, the Greek word that Jesus used for rock is petra, meaning "a massive rock" or bedrock.
Petra (Jesus)
Now you can see that there is an obvious difference! Peter was correct when he stated that Jesus was "the Christ" and it was this profession of truth that the church would be founded upon: Jesus Christ "the chief cornerstone" (Matthew 21:42). Jesus was talking about building His church upon the solid bedrock, not a small pebble.
Matthew 7:24-25
Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on a rock (petra). The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, but it did not collapse because its foundation was on the rock.
Paul also explained it clearly in
1 Corinthians 3:11
After all, no one can lay any other foundation than the one that is already laid, and that is Jesus Christ
How can mere human being like Peter be the foundation of the Christian church? It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man (Psalm 118:8). Even Peter himself, their 'first Pope', wrote in his epistle 1 Peter 2:4-10 tells us that Jesus is the "cornerstone", and we are also stones resting on the foundation of Christ:
1 Peter 2:4-6
As you come to him, the living stone who was rejected by people but was chosen and precious in God's sight, you, too, as living stones, are building yourselves up into a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, so that you may offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. This is why it says in Scripture: “Look! I am laying a chosen and precious cornerstone in Zion. The one who believes in him will never be ashamed.
Peter was not "rock solid", my friends. If you read on in Matthew 16, just a few verses after Jesus spoke of the rock, Christ rebuked Peter for trying to hinder His ministry: "But He turned and said to Peter, Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." (Matthew 16:23). Later, it was Peter who denied three times that he even knew Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75). So he obviously had some growing to do in his relationship with the Lord, and Jesus knew that (Luke 22:31-32).
Peter was not the "rock" that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 16, but he was one of the many that would be among the body of believers throughout time. We are all "rocks" in God's church, but Jesus is the Rock.
But because of this view, Peter and his successors became dictators who could, and did, control the building of the Church. It is much opposite with what Jesus told to His disciples and us that every leader in His Church must be servants, and not masters. But what I see is that the Catholic Church leadership has set themselves up as masters. You can see how Pope is glorified in every place he visited.
I wonder why people still being ignorant about this fact. There are many Greek manuscripts out there. You don't need to be fooled all the time, my friends. If you don't believe in what I said, you just need to prove it by yourself. Go and find Greek manuscript and open Matthew 16:18, you will find the term petra and petros there. Do you want to risk your eternity by neglecting this fact? By being lazy to check it? By choosing to close your eyes and ears? Please before you think bad of me, trying to bring havoc among Christianity, do check that first, my friends.
Your Roman Catholic Church is trying to make you believe their version. For as their own writings in their Catechism states, that their entire organization stands on their interpretation. To admit that the Church was built on Jesus Christ as the massive rock, and that Peter was only a small stone in the Church building, would cause their entire Church to collapse.
If you are still disagree with me, then I suggest that you look at how the leaders of the Catholic Church live, and then look at the poor of the world whom they will not help. Look at how Jesus and the Apostles lived and compare with the way that the leaders of the Catholic church live today (celebrating World Youth Day in Australia) , in rich splendor. They certainly are not living as Jesus did. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, I think that you would play hell trying to get the Pope, or the Cardinals to wash your feet. They do not serve, they rule. You bow down to them and kiss their hands. And if you do not, they call you a heretic.
Open your eyes and see, my friends. God bless you
1 comment:
Greetings! Saw your post in Google Blogsearch and came to read.
>"you have to keep in mind that the New Testament was written in Greek, not English."
You also have to keep in mind that Christ and the Apostles spoke Aramaic and not Greek. The New Testament is a translation of oral Aramaic into written Greek. In Aramaic Bibles, just as in early Aramaic, the words in Matthew 16 are "kepha" and "kepha", both feminine nouns. The problem arises when translating the feminine noun "kepha" into the feminine Greek noun "petra". Peter is obviously masculine and the feminine ending cannot be used, thus the noun ending for Peter was written in Greek as "Petros".
Also, it is not the fact that Peter is referred to as rock in Matthew 16 that is the basis for the authority of Peter and his successors, but the following verses where Peter is given the keys. Jesus is directly quoting Isaiah 22:22 and re-establishing the ancient Davidic office of the chamberlain, i.e., vicar. Why non-Catholics allow themselves to become disctracted and miss the obvious has long escaped me.
You also ignored the obvious elephant in the room. Peter or Petros was not the Apostle's given name. The Apostles name was Simon. Jesus, the Lord God incarnate, renamed Simon to Peter. Why? What is the significance of God changing a person's name? Why did God rename only Peter among the 12?
I'll admit the petra 'petros story sounds much more interesting, but nonetheless it is anti-Catholic myth and has little basis in truth. That the petro/petra interpretation is nonsense is backed up by the early Christians of the Ante-Nicene period and by modern Protestant theologians of the current period. You weren't born with that myth, so who lied to you and for what reason?
In your words: Do you want to risk your eternity by neglecting this fact? By being lazy to check it? By choosing to close your eyes and ears?
>"If you are still disagree with me, then I suggest that you look at how the leaders of the Catholic Church live,..."
Hmmm. Protestant ministers make about $100,000 per year while Catholic priests make about $20,000 per year. The priests live humble celibate lives alone in modest quarters while the Protestant ministers live in large lavish quarters with families and nice cars. The priests' lifestyle seems closer to Christ, especially when barefoot Catholic monks are taken into consideration. Where are the barefoot Protestant monks living a vow of poverty?
>... and then look at the poor of the world whom they will not help."
The Catholic Church operates the world's largest network of schools, hospitals and charities for the poor. Catholics even invented the hospital.
>"Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, I think that you would play hell trying to get the Pope, or the Cardinals to wash your feet."
Buzzz. That's incorrect. Have you never bothered to witness the Holy Week services broadcast worldwide from the Vatican? Every year we see the Pope modeling humility by washing the feet of other people.
>"They do not serve, they rule. You bow down to them and kiss their hands. And if you do not, they call you a heretic."
Only in your mind.
God bless...
+Timothy
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