Bible Truth FAQs
THE ROCK OF MAT 16:18
Jesus said, "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." Many have concluded that the "rock" upon which the church is built is the person of Simon Peter, while a great many others say it is Jesus Christ. It is neither.
The Greek text says literally, "..thou art Petros (small stone, or piece of rock, masculine gender) and upon this petra (massive rock, or bedrock, feminine gender) I will build my church "Neither Peter nor Christ was feminine, but the rock upon which the church was built is feminine gender.
The church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone (Eph. 2:20). Matt. 16:17-18 tells us what gives firm and everlasting support to the foundation. It is that massive bedrock of truth, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
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