Upon This Rock

"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which art in heaven." (Mt.16:16,17)

"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Mt.16:18)

In this chapter, Matthew begins the account with Jesus asking His disciples, "Whom do men say that I am?" (Mt.16:13) Notice that Jesus' question is met with a variety of man-made responses: "Some say that Thou art John the Baptist: some, Elijah..." (Mt.16:14) ?Not unlike today, some men say this and some men say that about the Word of God...

And then Jesus asked them (in vs.15), "But whom say ye that I am?"

Peter's answer, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, comes to Peter (vs.17) not by Peter's natural understanding ["by flesh and blood"] but this has been revealed to him by the Father in heaven.

At that moment Peter's knowledge is not by way of human understanding, this knowledge did not come by human deduction, or logic, nor by man's powers of reasoning. Peter has been given a rhema "word of knowledge" i.e., by divine revelation, -as Jesus Himself said it came to Peter not by flesh and blood but by "My Father which is in heaven". After acknowledging the fact that the Father had just given Peter this revelation of Jesus as the Christ, Jesus then gives a prophetic word, saying: "Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build My church..."

Peter is called Cephas, or "Petros" in the Greek, which means: a rock, and because of the fact that Jesus referred to Peter as Petros, as a rock, it has been erroneously interpreted by some ("some men say") that Jesus was establishing Peter -as the head of the Church, since they believe that Jesus was identifying the man Peter as "the rock" upon which Jesus would build His church.

"Peter" (Cephas) or Petros is a moveable "rock" upon which most of the church HAS unfortunately been built. But Peter (Cephas or Petros) is not The Rock to which Jesus was referring when He said "upon this rock" I will build My Church.

Peter's name Petros, as translated in the Greek does indeed mean "a rock" but this word "Petros" -used to describe Peter, is the masculine tense of another word, the word "Petra" which Jesus also used in that same sentence.

The word "Petros" and "Petra" --have similar but different meanings. Petros refers to a large piece of rock, even a large stone but with the sense that the stone is still "a moveable stone". Petros does NOT mean a massive immovable (foundation) rock.

[*see Strong's Exhaustive Concordance #4074 Petros, and #4073 Petra and the W.E.Vines Expository Dictionary]

In Mt.16:18 in effect, Jesus verbally pointed out Peter and used the word "Petros" to describe him as a large stone, a very big rock -but still a moveable one. Then in the same sentence, Jesus continues by saying, "and upon this rock I will build My church..." But the actual word that Jesus uses for "this rock" in this part of the verse is not the word "Petros" -it is not the same word that Jesus used to describe Peter in the first part of His statement. Instead in the latter part of His declaration, Jesus uses a different word for rock -He used the word, PETRA.

In the second part of the verse, Jesus uses the Greek word "Petra" which is also translated as a "rock", and it is important that Jesus used the word "Petra" instead of "Petros". It is important because "Petra" means a huge massive stone, an immovable rock. And it is a veiled reference to Jesus Himself who is the Chief Cornerstone!

Contrary to what many theologians erroneously believe about this verse of scripture, Jesus was NOT confirming Peter as the rock upon which He would build His Church! Jesus was not referring to Peter (Petros)-as the foundation, even though Petros does mean a large rock or stone. Petros specifically means a moveable stone and not an immovable foundation or cornerstone which should serve as the true Foundation for the Church!

While in the process of teaching His disciples, Jesus was identifying "man himself" and the teachings of men to be a faulty foundation -like a moveable stone -like institutions of men. No matter how large the institution, the institutions of men and the teachings of men are not our TRUE Foundation!

Jesus was referring to Peter on this wise, -you Peter, are a moveable rock (Cephas or Petros) That moveable stone is like "whom do men say that I am" --it is like the knowledge of man, and the teachings of man, which may seem to be right but are subject to change like a moveable stone. After comparing Peter to a moveable stone, Jesus continued His teaching saying, and "upon this rock"... (upon Petra, I will build My Church. And "Petra" means -a massive immovable rock --which could be likened unto the rhema word of God, the divine revelation of Jesus Christ which was given by the Father. Jesus was not referring to Peter but to Himself, as Petra -and He was in effect telling His disciples (and us) that the revelation of Jesus Christ, Jesus Himself is the True Foundation upon which HE will build HIS Church. Upon THIS ROCK, upon this Foundation, upon the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus said, "I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it"

Unlike petros, petra refers to the immovable "rock," like a fortress, a massive foundation Stone. Jesus' use of the word Petra in the latter portion of that verse, refers to none other than Jesus Himself, as the Chief Cornerstone upon which HE would build HIS church.

It must be kept in mind that the entire discussion between Jesus and His disciples centered around the question: "Whom do men say that I am?" But whom say ye? and their discussion centered upon Peter's (Rhema Word) response: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God"

The conversation was about which foundation, upon "which rock" would His church be built. And the center of focus is not upon Peter himself but upon Peter's revelation by the Holy Spirit which came as a rhema word from the Father, not by man or the knowledge of man, but by divine revelation directly from the Father.

Peter's revelation came directly from the throne of the Father. The revelation of Jesus Christ did not come by the saying of men, nor man's own understanding. The revelation of Jesus Christ, as the Christ -the Son of the Living God, came NOT by flesh and blood, not by private interpretation of what MEN say the word of God is! Not by "flesh and blood" -nor by man's powers of perception, insight or reason but only by revelation -and that, by the Spirit of God.

In John 1:1 and Rev.19:13, Jesus Himself is called the "WORD OF GOD". Jesus is the "WORD OF GOD" made flesh.

Jesus is the Word of God incarnate, He is the divinely revealed word of God and as such, Jesus is that Immovable Rock, the Chief Cornerstone, the only foundation upon which His church must be built.

Since Peter had received divine revelation that Jesus is the Christ, then in connection with that revelation, Jesus prophesies about His church by saying that HE (Jesus) will Himself build HIS church upon the divinely revealed word of the Living God, i.e., upon Himself.

Jesus has in effect told Peter, that man cannot be that foundation, because (Peter) man is a movable stone, and man's knowledge is constantly changing. But the Church's only sure foundation is the immovable ROCK (Jesus), the Chief Cornerstone (Jesus), the foundation of the word of God (Jesus) according to the divine revelation of the Word of God (Jesus) upon which Jesus will build HIS church. It is sad to say but much of the Church has instead been built by men upon what "men say" and upon "what men think" instead of by revelation of the Word by the Spirit of God.Much of the Church has been built upon man's own private interpretation of scripture -versus that which is revealed by the Holy Spirit. In fact, most of the Church has been built --not upon the revelation of Jesus Christ, -not upon the revelation of the Living Word of God by His Spirit, -but it has instead been built upon men the interpretations of man -upon the opinions and sayings of men regarding the word!

In fact, we have not taken heed how we have built upon that Foundation... The church we see today is the work of men's hands. The church today is the product of theological institutions and teachings of men, which Bible colleges and the ministries they spawn, reproducing after their own kind: built upon that which is gleaned from the written word by the mind of man ("FLESH AND BLOOD") -built upon the words of men, -upon that which seems right in the sight of man, -upon that which is highly esteemed among men. Upon these things Jesus will not build His Church! Instead these, like the temple of Jerusalem, will be torn down (in the process of His last days judgments) and not one STONE will be left upon another; even now that process of tearing down (to rebuild) has begun.

As discussed earlier, -at the beginning of their discourse Jesus had asked the disciples: Whom do men say that I am? And then He asked them, But whom say ye that I am? and Peter, answers by a "word of knowledge" from the Holy Spirit.

This illustrates two different kinds of knowledge: "knowledge" of the mind of man, and "revelation" knowledge, by the Holy Spirit:

First, in chapter 16 (verses 13, 14,15) we have the example of "knowledge" from the understanding or "mind" of man: "Some (men) say"...

Secondly, (in verse 16) there is an example of divine revelation of the word of God, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God". Which is (rhema) Knowledge by the Spirit of God, and not that which is derived from or obtained by the mind or knowledge of man.

The first is the so-called wisdom of man, the second is the Wisdom of God by the Spirit of God! The first is from below and has no life; the second is from above by the Spirit of God, which is Life. A demonstration of two very different sources of "knowledge".

There are many "spirits" and many "voices" but no scripture is of any private interpretation: this means that the interpretation of scripture is not to be "of any man" but only "OF GOD" -meaning "by the Holy Spirit". "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake (as they were) moved by the Holy Spirit." (IIPeter 1:20,21)

The Spirit of God and the word of God ALWAYS AGREE! The spirit of man, the mind of men, the word of men, other voices and other spirits, are NOT -the revelation of the word of God, that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. (see IJohn4:1-3)

In the course of the conversation Jesus was having with His disciples (found in Matthew chapter sixteen, beginning in verse thirteen) the Lord was attempting to teach His disciple (and us) by way of an illustration about two different kinds or sources of "knowledge" AND in verse eighteen, about the two different foundations for the church. (That which is of men and that which is of God)

In Matthew chapter 16 (verse 18) there are represented two very different "foundation stones." The first, is represented by (the man) Peter or Petros, as defined in the Greek: a movable stone; which as has already been shown is not the same as an immovable (solid) rock or foundation stone.

The "movable" foundation is of man and the doctrines of men but Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever! (Cf. Heb. 13:8 KJV)

The word Jesus uses for this rock indicates the immovable foundation (verse 18) of that which is "of God" alone. By using the word Petra Jesus is referring to that Stone which the Builders rejected, the foundation stone of God, the revelation of Jesus Christ! Jesus is not referring to Peter, but to Jesus Himself, He is specifically referring to the "revelation of Jesus Christ" (revealed not by men or what some men say, but "by my Father which is in heaven") That is the firm, immovable foundation, the Chief Cornerstone, this Rock!

Two kinds of "knowledge" and two types of "rock." One kind of knowledge, that of man; and one kind of foundation, of man. All that is of man is movable, unstable and is unsuitable, poor building material.

(1) Man himself is not to build the church and (2) the church is not to be built upon either the so-called wisdom of man OR upon the knowledge of man. (3) The church MUST be built upon the revelation of the word of God by the Spirit of God.

Satan, also known as Beelzebub is the "lord" of flies, literally, dung-god (see Strong's Exhaustive Concordance #954 in the Greek). It is interesting to note that James said knowledge that was not from above, was demonic (see Jas.3:15) AND the Apostle Paul referred to all things which came before, of man (including his religious "knowledge" which came NOT by revelation but by the mind of man) as but dung.

Jesus is the Lord of lords, the Word made flesh; Jesus is the revelation of the word of God by the Spirit of God And Jesus is the Fountain of Living Waters (of revelation knowledge).

Jesus is the Word of God incarnate, revealed by God's Spirit to mankind. Only upon this Rock, the revealed Word by the Spirit of God (upon Jesus) is the church (HIS church) is to be built.

When Jesus said, "I will build MY church," He is clearly saying that it is ONLY upon the divinely revealed word of God, the revelation of Jesus Christ by the Spirit of God -that the church must be built because He is the Cornerstone, the only firm foundation. By the revelation of the word of God, by the revelation of Jesus Christ is how by His Spirit (as the Fountain of living waters) Jesus Himself will build HIS church.

Without the revelation of God's word (by HIS Spirit) -without the revelation of Jesus Christ, we have only the wisdom of man or man's knowledge; we have no life giving water for living stones. Jesus never intended the church to be built upon man (Peter) but upon Jesus Himself.

Jesus never intended the church to be built upon the wisdom of man or upon man's own understanding of the Word of God. The church was NOT meant to be the work of mens hands, but the work of the Holy Spirit, by the "Hand" of God.

By His Hand alone, NOT upon the "saying's of men" but upon the revelation of the Word of God (Jesus) by the Spirit of God.

"But If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another...(IJn.1:7) It is quite apparent that the church has not been walking in the revelation of Jesus Christ, she has not been walking in the "Light" of God's word but rather in the traditions of men, in the teachings and doctrines and commandments of men.

The church has in fact, (just as Jesus said, of Judaism) been built mostly upon man's doctrines, traditions, ceremonies, formulas etc., according to our "own understanding" of the word of God; she has been built by man according to the "sayings of men." Jesus referred to these "saying's of men" as (false) teachings, devoid of God's wisdom; from "blind guides" who were "teaching for doctrine the commandments of men".

Jesus however will build HIS church upon a firm foundation, a tried Stone, (a precious) Cornerstone, upon THE Rock, upon the revelation of the word of God, upon the end time revelation of Jesus Christ by the Spirit of God, "in Spirit" and "in Truth".

The church has for the most part been built upon "private interpretation". Interestingly enough, in the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance "private" refers to that of one's own self. (Built upon the gospel of self.) Most of the church has been built by men, according to the doctrines of the mind and wisdom of men, built upon traditions and commandments of men IS not a church whose builder and maker is God (not by the King of kings and Lord of lords).

"Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchmen waketh but in vain." (Ps.127:1)

The Lord is tearing down the "synagogue" (church) built upon the knowledge and wisdom of man. Jesus will cause the church(es) to be torn down to the foundation which is Christ.

The Lord tears down, AND the Lord builds up. What the Lord has said, He will surely do, and in Mt.16:18 Jesus said, "...I will build MY church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."