Matthew 16:13-20
The Lord Jesus Christ told Peter that he was blessed to receive the revelation from God the Father that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God”.
He then went on to say to him, “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.”
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Does this support the claim of the Roman Catholic Church that Peter was the first pope?
Not at all! The golden rule we must always apply when seeking to find the meaning of obscure or difficult verses is to bring the rest of the Bible to bear on our interpretation of such verses.
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There is a play on the Greek words ‘Petros’ (Peter) and ‘petra’ (stone or rock) on this verse.
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It is important to see that Christ has built His church on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner-stone (Ephesians 2:20).
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The ‘keys of the kingdom of heaven’ speak of authority and Peter’s authority in the early church is not disputed.
He preached the sermon on the Day of Pentecost and was prominent in the leadership of the Jerusalem church.
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The ‘binding and loosing’ spoken of in verse 19 is also shown to be the prerogative of the local church.
*******
Those who trust in ‘apostolic succession’ for church authority deny many essential Christian doctrines and contradict the plain teaching of the Bible.
*******
Their spiritual successors are those who submit to the whole counsel of God as it is taught in the Bible, embracing the doctrine of the apostles.
*******
The word of the Lord Jesus Christ, “I will build my church, and the gates of the hades shall not prevail against it” are very encouraging.
*******
The church is constantly under satanic attack but she will never be destroyed.
We are assured of the triumph of the gospel!
*******
Let us be encouraged and persevere in our work for the Lord.
He will build His church!
The Lord Jesus Christ told Peter that he was blessed to receive the revelation from God the Father that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God”.
He then went on to say to him, “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.”
*******
Does this support the claim of the Roman Catholic Church that Peter was the first pope?
Not at all! The golden rule we must always apply when seeking to find the meaning of obscure or difficult verses is to bring the rest of the Bible to bear on our interpretation of such verses.
*******
There is a play on the Greek words ‘Petros’ (Peter) and ‘petra’ (stone or rock) on this verse.
*******
It is important to see that Christ has built His church on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner-stone (Ephesians 2:20).
*******
The ‘keys of the kingdom of heaven’ speak of authority and Peter’s authority in the early church is not disputed.
He preached the sermon on the Day of Pentecost and was prominent in the leadership of the Jerusalem church.
*******
The ‘binding and loosing’ spoken of in verse 19 is also shown to be the prerogative of the local church.
*******
Those who trust in ‘apostolic succession’ for church authority deny many essential Christian doctrines and contradict the plain teaching of the Bible.
*******
Their spiritual successors are those who submit to the whole counsel of God as it is taught in the Bible, embracing the doctrine of the apostles.
*******
The word of the Lord Jesus Christ, “I will build my church, and the gates of the hades shall not prevail against it” are very encouraging.
*******
The church is constantly under satanic attack but she will never be destroyed.
We are assured of the triumph of the gospel!
*******
Let us be encouraged and persevere in our work for the Lord.
He will build His church!
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