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    Mini Exegetical Paper

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    The Pinoy Apologist
    This document provides a summary of a mini exegetical paper that examines Matthew 16:18-19 and debates whether Jesus established Peter as the foundation of the church and head of ecclesiastical authority. The paper analyzes the Greek meanings of "petros" and "petra" and determines Christ was referring to Himself, not Peter, as the rock upon which the church is built. It also argues Peter and the apostles collectively played a role in establishing the church, rather than Peter alone. The conclusion is that the text does not support claims of Peter's primacy or papal supremacy, as Jesus is the true foundation and forgiveness of sins comes directly from God.

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    Mini Exegetical Paper

    Uploaded by

    The Pinoy Apologist
    23 views5 pages
    This document provides a summary of a mini exegetical paper that examines Matthew 16:18-19 and debates whether Jesus established Peter as the foundation of the church and head of ecclesiastical authority. The paper analyzes the Greek meanings of "petros" and "petra" and determines Christ was referring to Himself, not Peter, as the rock upon which the church is built. It also argues Peter and the apostles collectively played a role in establishing the church, rather than Peter alone. The conclusion is that the text does not support claims of Peter's primacy or papal supremacy, as Jesus is the true foundation and forgiveness of sins comes directly from God.

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    This document provides a summary of a mini exegetical paper that examines Matthew 16:18-19 and debates whether Jesus established Peter as the foundation of the church and head of ecclesiastical authority. The paper analyzes the Greek meanings of "petros" and "petra" and determines Christ was referring to Himself, not Peter, as the rock upon which the church is built. It also argues Peter and the apostles collectively played a role in establishing the church, rather than Peter alone. The conclusion is that the text does not support claims of Peter's primacy or papal supremacy, as Jesus is the true foundation and forgiveness of sins comes directly from God.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    23 views5 pages

    Mini Exegetical Paper

    Uploaded by

    The Pinoy Apologist
    This document provides a summary of a mini exegetical paper that examines Matthew 16:18-19 and debates whether Jesus established Peter as the foundation of the church and head of ecclesiastical authority. The paper analyzes the Greek meanings of "petros" and "petra" and determines Christ was referring to Himself, not Peter, as the rock upon which the church is built. It also argues Peter and the apostles collectively played a role in establishing the church, rather than Peter alone. The conclusion is that the text does not support claims of Peter's primacy or papal supremacy, as Jesus is the true foundation and forgiveness of sins comes directly from God.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 5

    Mini Exegetical Paper

    By Melecio B. Gasmen Jr.

    Topic: “The Rock and the Role: An Exegetical Examination of Matthew 16:18, 19 and the

    Authority of Peter in the Early Church”

    Key text(s): “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. 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 16:18, 19, NKJV).

    Introduction

    One of the most debated topics in the Bible revolves around the question of to whom

    Jesus Christ committed the keys of heaven, whether it was to “petros” or “petra.” This question

    arises from the passage in Matthew 16:18 where Jesus says, “And I tell you that you are Peter,

    and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” The

    Roman Catholic Church claims that Peter was the first Pope and the successor of Christ,
    asserting that he is Christ’s vicar, the visible and infallible head of the church, with authority

    over all the other apostles and the entire church. These claims are based on their interpretation of

    the verses found in Matthew 16:18,19. In this mini exegetical paper, we will carefully examine

    these verses and seek to understand what Jesus truly meant.

    Body

    Meaning of “Petros” and “Petra”

    The New Testament was originally written in Greek, and according to the Greek text, the

    words “Peter” and “rock” used by Jesus in Matthew 16:18 are two distinct words with different

    meanings. “Peter,” or “petros,”1 means “a piece of rock, a stone, movable, insecure, shifting, or

    rolling.” On the other hand, “rock,” or “petra,”2 means “a rock, a cliff, a projecting rock, mother

    rock, huge mass, solid formation, fixed, immovable.” So, the question arises, on which of these

    two, “petros” or “petra,” did Christ establish His church? The text itself provides clarity: “Thou

    art Peter [petros], and upon this rock [petra] I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall

    not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). It is evident from this verse that the church of Christ is

    built on “petra” and not on “petros.” Theologically, the rock on which Christ built His true
    1
    Johnson, Robert A. The Meaning of Matthew 16:18 “and the Gates of Hades Shall Not Prevail Against It”. (New
    York: Theological Publications, 2017), 72. Johnson explains that the Greek word “petros” refers to a smaller stone
    or pebble, highlighting Peter’s role as a disciple within the larger context of Christ’s church.

    2
    France, R.T. The Gospel of Matthew. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007), 363. France supports the interpretation that
    “petra” refers to a massive rock or bedrock, whereas “petros” denotes a smaller stone or pebble. According to
    France, Jesus’ declaration in Matthew 16:18 indicates that the church is established on the unshakeable foundation
    of Jesus Himself, rather than on the human frailty of Peter.
    church is Jesus Himself. This is affirmed by the Bible, where it says, “They drank of that

    spiritual Rock [petra] that followed them, and that Rock [petra] was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4).

    Peter’s Testimony

    In 1 Peter 2:8, Peter refers to Jesus as the “stone of stumbling and a rock [petra] of

    offense.” Both Peter and Paul agree that Christ is the Rock upon which God builds His church. If

    Jesus intended to build His church on Peter, He would have said, “Thou art petros, and upon this

    petros I will build My church.” However, this is not the case; He clearly says, “Thou art petros,

    and upon this petra I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). Therefore, it is evident that Peter is

    not the foundation of the church, but Jesus alone.

    Authority and Forgiveness of Sin

    Contrary to the claims of the Roman Catholic Church, Jesus did not give Peter

    ecclesiastical authority to forgive sins or to sell indulgences. Jesus charged His disciples to

    preach the remission of sin in His name among all nations, but they themselves were not

    empowered to remove stains of sin from people. Jesus did not establish the papacy as the

    foundation of the church, granting authority to forgive sins. Only God, the heavenly Pardoner,

    has the authority to forgive sins. This is supported by various passages in the Bible. For instance,

    in Mark 2:7, the scribes questioned Jesus’ authority to forgive sins, to which Jesus responded by

    demonstrating His authority as the Son of God. Additionally, in 1 John 1:9, it is written, “If we

    confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
    unrighteousness.” This shows that forgiveness of sins is obtained through confession to God, not

    through an intermediary like the Pope or any human authority.

    The Role of Peter and the Apostles

    While Peter was a significant figure among the apostles, it is important to recognize that

    Jesus did not confer upon him exclusive authority or primacy over the other apostles. In fact, in

    Matthew 18:18, Jesus speaks to all the disciples, not just Peter, saying, “Truly I tell you,

    whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be

    loosed in heaven.” This statement indicates that all the apostles were granted the authority to

    bind and loose, symbolizing their role in proclaiming the gospel and making decisions in the

    early church.

    Furthermore, in Ephesians 2:20, the apostles and prophets are referred to as the

    foundation of the church, with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. This further emphasizes

    the collective role of the apostles in establishing the church, rather than singling out Peter as the

    sole foundation.

    Conclusion

    Based on a careful examination of the texts, it is clear that Jesus’ statement in Matthew

    16:18 and 19 does not establish Peter as the foundation of the church or confer upon him
    exclusive authority. Rather, Jesus is the rock (petra) upon which the church is built, and Peter,

    along with the other apostles, played a vital role in the establishment and spreading of the gospel.

    The authority to forgive sins resides with God alone, and the concept of papal supremacy and

    infallibility finds no basis in this passage.

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