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Another interpretation is that Christ's assembly is built on Peter's confession: " Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God ". This rock is on this view taken to mean the fact that Jesus is the Christ, God's Son. This is not very different from saying that the assembly is built by Christ on Christ. However, the confession of Peter was, as all confessions are, an outward thing. What is of first importance is not the confession itself, but what underlay it - what was in Peter's heart. Confession has its own importance, because without it what is in ones heart would not be communicated to others, and they would not therefore know about it, and it would do them no good. There are no scripture passages that would corroborate the thought that the assembly was built on Peter's confession, though the fact that Jesus was the Christ, God's Son, is a truth that the assembly holds as essential to its existence. |
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From what we have said, it will I think be clear that the assembly as a visible structure was brought into being by Christ through the instrumentality of his twelve apostles initially, but that he later used Paul to form assemblies in Asia Minor and Europe. He was also used to set forth the truth as to the assembly as a spiritual body that was being built as a habitation of God in the spirit (Ephesians 2:19-22). As to the visible body this deteriorated after the apostles had left this scene and a lot of wood, hay and stubble were introduced into it. However, the assembly as a spiritual body still exists and it includes all true Christians. Living stones are still being added to it (1 Peter 2:4/5). Note: Peter says nothing of the building being built upon him ! |
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However, these things we have mentioned are objective things (they are outside ourselves), but what Christ has in mind in Matthew 16 is the subjective side (what is in God's people). The truth is Christ is building his assembly on a solid foundation, not on flesh and blood but what is of God in the hearts of his people. The Father had given Peter the ability to discern that Jesus was more than a man of Adam' race, more indeed than a prophet. He had discerned that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Note: Son of the living God. In saying what he did Peter was not trotting out mere orthodoxy. He had the sense that the one who he was with had a connection with the living God. Put another way Christ was going to build on the work of God. The coming into being of the assembly was not to be just his work, but that of the Father also. In John's Gospel Christ says: " No one can come to me except the Father who has sent me draw him " (John 6:44). Matthew in chapter 16 really touches on John's teaching as he is dealing with what was in Peter and John deals almost entirely with the Christian's inner state. However, what was in Peter's heart was brought out by Christ's question, and what happened can be summarised as follows:- |
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(1) The Father revealed to Peter that Jesus was the Christ, his Son. It was not something he would naturally have discerned; that is, not by flesh and blood. |
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(2) Peter not only knew who Jesus really was, but he openly confessed it when asked by Jesus who he thought he was. |
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(3) Jesus recognised that there was more in Peter than what was of nature and therefore addressed him by the name Peter, meaning a stone. There was something of permanent value in Peter and Christ recognised it, and in effect said that this was the kind of material he wanted to build upon. |
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(4) Peter had the distinction of being the first one to make a full confession as to who Jesus really was, but he was not to be the only one who would recognise Christ, as John tells us that there were those who believed on Christ's name and were born, not of blood, nor of flesh's will, nor of man's will, but of God (John 1:13). |
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(5) On the kind of material that was reliable and permanent (this rock) Christ would build his assembly. He did not build it until the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost. Material for it was there in the apostles and it was on them the Spirit came (Acts 2). Peter had a prominent place in that day. He was the spokesman, but the other apostles were involved, for Peter stood up with the eleven. |
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(6) Certainly Peter was a stone and he had a prominent place at the beginning. At Pentecost he spoke out boldly for and of Christ, and God's work in him became evident publicly. He magnified Christ, not Peter, as all Christ's servants should. He was no Pope ! |
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May 1998 |