If I were to ask you, "Who is the rock of the church" who would you say? (Believe me, this is a huge disagreement with some who claim Peter is the rock) If you do not agree that it is Jesus, here is a list of scripture stating who the rock is.
DT 32:3 I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! 4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.
DT 32:15 Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, he became heavy and sleek. He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior.
DT 32:18 You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth.
1SA 2:2 "There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
2SA 22:2 He said: "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; 2SA 22:3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn* of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior-- from violent men you save me.
2SA 22:32 For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?
2SA 22:47 "The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!
2SA 23:3 The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me:
PS 18:2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn* of my salvation, my stronghold.
PS 18:31 For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?
PS 18:46 The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!
PS 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
PS 28:1 To you I call, O LORD my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me.
PS 31:1 In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.
PS 31:2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. 3 Since you are my rock and my fortress for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
PS 42:9 I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me?"
PS 62:1 My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken
PS 62:5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
PS 62:7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
PS 71:1 In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. 3 Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
PS 78:35 They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.
PS 89:26 He will call out to me, `You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.'
PS 92:15 proclaiming, "The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him."
PS 94:22 But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.
PS 95:1 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
PS 118:21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. 22 The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;
PS 144:1 Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.
ISA 8:14 and he will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel he will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. (Note: this is taking to enemies of God. That's why He is a rock to stumble over)
ISA 17:10 You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress.
ISA 26:4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.
ISA 30:29 And you will sing as on the night you celebrate a holy festival; your hearts will rejoice as when people go up with flutes to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel.
ISA 44:8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one."
ISA 51:1 "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn;
HAB 1:12 O LORD, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, we will not die. O LORD, you have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, you have ordained them to punish.
MT 7:24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
MK 12:6 "He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, `They will respect my son.' 7 "But the tenants said to one another, `This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 8 So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 "What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven't you read this scripture: " `The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; (note - The Father is God, The Son is Jesus, the son was killed, the son is the capstone that was rejected)
AC 4:10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 He is " `the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' (Note - this is PETER calling Jesus this)
RO 9:33 As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
1CO 10:3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
1PE 2:4 As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him (Note - Again this is Peter speaking about Jesus)
1PE 2:7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone," (Note - Again this is Peter speaking about Jesus)
Where else is someone referred to as a rock?
MT 16:23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
So if we look at Mat 16:18 and have ANY confusion on who the Rock is, let me repeat the question:
Forty one verses say directly, with no question that the Lord is the rock. One verse (Mat 16:18) is one some disagree on. Yet I believe it too clearly refers to Jesus for these reasons:
1) The word used for Peter is “petros” which is translated to small stone or pebble. The word used for rock is “petra”, a completely different word meaning boulder or cliff.
2) Jesus says “and upon THIS rock” (emphasis mine). Basic grammar says Peter is not a “this”, peter is a “who”. To find what “this” refers to we have to look back one verse where Jesus says “flesh and blood did not reveal THIS to you” (emphasis mine). The “this” the church will be built upon is not the pebble of Peter, but the Confession that Jesus is the Christ.
3) There IS one verse that does specifically points to Peter as a rock, a STUMBLING rock and in the same sentence Jesus refers to Peter as SATAN. This verse is merely 3 sentences after the passage in question.
MT 16:15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
ISA 26:4 and ISA 44:8 say it all - The LORD, is the Rock eternal. No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.
In His service... Arthur Smith
If I were to ask you, "Who is the rock of the church" who would you say? (Believe me, this is a huge disagreement with some who claim Peter is the rock) If you do not agree that it is Jesus, here is a list of scripture stating who the rock is.
DT 32:3 I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! 4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.
DT 32:15 Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, he became heavy and sleek. He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior.
DT 32:18 You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth.
1SA 2:2 "There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
2SA 22:2 He said: "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; 2SA 22:3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn* of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior-- from violent men you save me.
2SA 22:32 For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?
2SA 22:47 "The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!
2SA 23:3 The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me:
PS 18:2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn* of my salvation, my stronghold.
PS 18:31 For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?
PS 18:46 The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!
PS 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
PS 28:1 To you I call, O LORD my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me.
PS 31:1 In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.
PS 31:2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. 3 Since you are my rock and my fortress for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
PS 42:9 I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me?"
PS 62:1 My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken
PS 62:5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
PS 62:7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
PS 71:1 In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. 3 Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
PS 78:35 They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.
PS 89:26 He will call out to me, `You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.'
PS 92:15 proclaiming, "The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him."
PS 94:22 But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.
PS 95:1 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
PS 118:21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. 22 The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;
PS 144:1 Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.
ISA 8:14 and he will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel he will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. (Note: this is taking to enemies of God. That's why He is a rock to stumble over)
ISA 17:10 You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress.
ISA 26:4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.
ISA 30:29 And you will sing as on the night you celebrate a holy festival; your hearts will rejoice as when people go up with flutes to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel.
ISA 44:8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one."
ISA 51:1 "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn;
HAB 1:12 O LORD, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, we will not die. O LORD, you have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, you have ordained them to punish.
MT 7:24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
MK 12:6 "He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, `They will respect my son.' 7 "But the tenants said to one another, `This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 8 So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 "What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven't you read this scripture: " `The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; (note - The Father is God, The Son is Jesus, the son was killed, the son is the capstone that was rejected)
AC 4:10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 He is " `the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' (Note - this is PETER calling Jesus this)
RO 9:33 As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
1CO 10:3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
1PE 2:4 As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him (Note - Again this is Peter speaking about Jesus)
1PE 2:7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone," (Note - Again this is Peter speaking about Jesus)
Where else is someone referred to as a rock?
MT 16:23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
So if we look at Mat 16:18 and have ANY confusion on who the Rock is, let me repeat the question:
Forty one verses say directly, with no question that the Lord is the rock. One verse (Mat 16:18) is one some disagree on. Yet I believe it too clearly refers to Jesus for these reasons:
1) The word used for Peter is “petros” which is translated to small stone or pebble. The word used for rock is “petra”, a completely different word meaning boulder or cliff.
2) Jesus says “and upon THIS rock” (emphasis mine). Basic grammar says Peter is not a “this”, peter is a “who”. To find what “this” refers to we have to look back one verse where Jesus says “flesh and blood did not reveal THIS to you” (emphasis mine). The “this” the church will be built upon is not the pebble of Peter, but the Confession that Jesus is the Christ.
3) There IS one verse that does specifically points to Peter as a rock, a STUMBLING rock and in the same sentence Jesus refers to Peter as SATAN. This verse is merely 3 sentences after the passage in question.
MT 16:15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
ISA 26:4 and ISA 44:8 say it all - The LORD, is the Rock eternal. No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.
In His service... Arthur Smith
