What does Matthew 16:18 mean?

This verse is often misunderstood because it is often misused. As with other verses, this is partly due to t***slation. The words written in Greek show a relationship not so obvious in English. Here, Jesus is responding to Peter's declaration that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He declared Peter blessed for understanding this and insisted this understanding was given to Peter by God the Father (Matthew 16:13–17).

Roman Catholics point to what Jesus says here as evidence that Jesus established Peter as the first holder of a special office in the church on earth. They believe Peter to have been the first Pope, that Jesus gave him a spiritual authority over the other disciples and all believers in this moment. According to that claim, the "rock" Jesus will build on is Peter, himself.

However, there is an element of wordplay involved here. As written in Greek, Peter's name is Petros, meaning "a rock" or "a stone," and the word Jesus uses for the foundation is petra, which means "rock" in the sense of a substance or material. Jesus does not say "you are Petros, and on this Petros I will build…" nor does He say, "you are petra, and on this petra I will build." Rather, He says "you are Petros [a stone], and on this petra [rock] I will build my church." The rock on which God will establish His church is in the confession Peter has just made: that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16).

Peter certainly becomes the leader of the disciples and first spokesman for Christ in the earliest days of the church. Under the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter preaches the initial sermon as the church is born and 3,000 people come to faith in Christ in a single day (Acts 2). Peter, though, is far from infallible and his faith falters on several occasions, both before Christ's death and resurrection (Matthew 16:23) and during the time of the apostles (Galatians 2:11–14).

However, the church—the collection of all people who come to faith in Christ as Savior––exists only because of the central t***h that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. That is the power that keeps the gates of hell from overcoming those who are in Christ, His people, the church. Peter plays a vital role for a time, but eventually disappears even from the story of the church's beginnings after Acts 16. Just as was promised, the foundation of God's new covenant is not centered around any fallible person or place, but in the hearts and minds of each individual person (Hebrews 8:6–13).

What does Matthew 16:18 mean?

This verse is often misunderstood because it is often misused. As with other verses, this is partly due to t***slation. The words written in Greek show a relationship not so obvious in English. Here, Jesus is responding to Peter's declaration that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He declared Peter blessed for understanding this and insisted this understanding was given to Peter by God the Father (Matthew 16:13–17).

Roman Catholics point to what Jesus says here as evidence that Jesus established Peter as the first holder of a special office in the church on earth. They believe Peter to have been the first Pope, that Jesus gave him a spiritual authority over the other disciples and all believers in this moment. According to that claim, the "rock" Jesus will build on is Peter, himself.

However, there is an element of wordplay involved here. As written in Greek, Peter's name is Petros, meaning "a rock" or "a stone," and the word Jesus uses for the foundation is petra, which means "rock" in the sense of a substance or material. Jesus does not say "you are Petros, and on this Petros I will build…" nor does He say, "you are petra, and on this petra I will build." Rather, He says "you are Petros [a stone], and on this petra [rock] I will build my church." The rock on which God will establish His church is in the confession Peter has just made: that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16).

Peter certainly becomes the leader of the disciples and first spokesman for Christ in the earliest days of the church. Under the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter preaches the initial sermon as the church is born and 3,000 people come to faith in Christ in a single day (Acts 2). Peter, though, is far from infallible and his faith falters on several occasions, both before Christ's death and resurrection (Matthew 16:23) and during the time of the apostles (Galatians 2:11–14).

However, the church—the collection of all people who come to faith in Christ as Savior––exists only because of the central t***h that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. That is the power that keeps the gates of hell from overcoming those who are in Christ, His people, the church. Peter plays a vital role for a time, but eventually disappears even from the story of the church's beginnings after Acts 16. Just as was promised, the foundation of God's new covenant is not centered around any fallible person or place, but in the hearts and minds of each individual person (Hebrews 8:6–13).

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I see that some posters here at OPP are personally attacking each other. Our focus is about Trump and Joe Biden, or Democrat -Marxist versus the Republicans. In an actual forum, personal attacks are not allowed.

Most of all I don't like LIARS! You'll find most LIARS among the Biden team.

Present the reasons why one of them, or their party is better than the other.

Present reasons how Joe Biden has totally destroyed the Unites States and the American people and how he created millions of dependents and handouts by buying v**es, using our tax money, so he wins again in the 2024 e******n.

We know that Joe Biden has destroyed this country. The worst president of the United States.

I'd like to see how Biden destroyed this country, and how Trump will build it back again. Instead of calling each other's name!

We know that Biden is the worst president since Jimmy Carter. The only advantage Carter has over Biden is Cater has a Christian religious faith. Biden does not.

==================
I see that some posters here at OPP are personally attacking each other. Our focus is about Trump and Joe Biden, or Democrat -Marxist versus the Republicans. In an actual forum, personal attacks are not allowed.

Most of all I don't like LIARS! You'll find most LIARS among the Biden team.

Present the reasons why one of them, or their party is better than the other.

Present reasons how Joe Biden has totally destroyed the Unites States and the American people and how he created millions of dependents and handouts by buying v**es, using our tax money, so he wins again in the 2024 e******n.

We know that Joe Biden has destroyed this country. The worst president of the United States.

I'd like to see how Biden destroyed this country, and how Trump will build it back again. Instead of calling each other's name!

We know that Biden is the worst president since Jimmy Carter. The only advantage Carter has over Biden is Cater has a Christian religious faith. Biden does not.

==================
I see that some posters here at OPP are personally attacking each other. Our focus is about Trump and Joe Biden, or Democrat -Marxist versus the Republicans. In an actual forum, personal attacks are not allowed.

Most of all I don't like LIARS! You'll find most LIARS among the Biden team.

Present the reasons why one of them, or their party is better than the other.

Present reasons how Joe Biden has totally destroyed the Unites States and the American people and how he created millions of dependents and handouts by buying v**es, using our tax money, so he wins again in the 2024 e******n.

We know that Joe Biden has destroyed this country. The worst president of the United States.

I'd like to see how Biden destroyed this country, and how Trump will build it back again. Instead of calling each other's name!

We know that Biden is the worst president since Jimmy Carter. The only advantage Carter has over Biden is Cater has a Christian religious faith. Biden does not.

==========

Cardinal Burk was Conservative and followed all the doctrines and Magisterium of the Catholic Church, all taken from the Bible since 2000 years ago. Francis now changes many of them.

Several interpretations of men came in 1517, by the Luther reformation.
Fact is many Protestant Pastors became multi-billionaires during their own versions of interpretations. Now it became a professional careers how to
become very wealthy.

Amazing that so m any Protestant Pastors in Africa, became some of the richest people of the world, among the poorest people of the world.

The are ten richest pastors in Africa.

https://www.tuko.co.ke/facts-lifehacks/celebrity-biographies/473202-who-richest-pastor-africa-net-worth-properties/

Here is the ACTUAL HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF WHO WAS WORST PRESIDENT BY HISTORIANS.


Unfortunately for you, they did not take your FEELINGS into their determination.


“ 2018–present

Donald Trump, first ranked in 2018, has polled among the bottom four in the first five polls to rank him, finishing in last place twice; his score dropping after breaking longstanding norms like the peaceful t***sition of power.
APSA conducted a repeat of their 2015 poll in 2018, with Donald Trump appearing for the first time, in last position.[24]
The 2018 Siena poll of 157 p**********l scholars reported George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson as the top five US presidents, with SCRI director Don Levy stating, "The top five, Mount Rushmore plus FDR, is carved in granite with p**********l historians...."[25] Donald Trump—entering the SCRI survey for the first time—joined Andrew Johnson and James Buchanan among the bottom three US presidents. George W. Bush, whom p**********l scholars had rated fifth lowest in the previous 2010 survey, improved in position to 12th lowest.”

Here is the ACTUAL HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF WHO WAS WORST PRESIDENT BY HISTORIANS.


Unfortunately for you, they did not take your FEELINGS into their determination.


“ 2018–present

Donald Trump, first ranked in 2018, has polled among the bottom four in the first five polls to rank him, finishing in last place twice; his score dropping after breaking longstanding norms like the peaceful t***sition of power.
APSA conducted a repeat of their 2015 poll in 2018, with Donald Trump appearing for the first time, in last position.[24]
The 2018 Siena poll of 157 p**********l scholars reported George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson as the top five US presidents, with SCRI director Don Levy stating, "The top five, Mount Rushmore plus FDR, is carved in granite with p**********l historians...."[25] Donald Trump—entering the SCRI survey for the first time—joined Andrew Johnson and James Buchanan among the bottom three US presidents. George W. Bush, whom p**********l scholars had rated fifth lowest in the previous 2010 survey, improved in position to 12th lowest.”

What does Matthew 16:18 mean?

This verse is often misunderstood because it is often misused. As with other verses, this is partly due to t***slation. The words written in Greek show a relationship not so obvious in English. Here, Jesus is responding to Peter's declaration that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He declared Peter blessed for understanding this and insisted this understanding was given to Peter by God the Father (Matthew 16:13–17).

Roman Catholics point to what Jesus says here as evidence that Jesus established Peter as the first holder of a special office in the church on earth. They believe Peter to have been the first Pope, that Jesus gave him a spiritual authority over the other disciples and all believers in this moment. According to that claim, the "rock" Jesus will build on is Peter, himself.

However, there is an element of wordplay involved here. As written in Greek, Peter's name is Petros, meaning "a rock" or "a stone," and the word Jesus uses for the foundation is petra, which means "rock" in the sense of a substance or material. Jesus does not say "you are Petros, and on this Petros I will build…" nor does He say, "you are petra, and on this petra I will build." Rather, He says "you are Petros [a stone], and on this petra [rock] I will build my church." The rock on which God will establish His church is in the confession Peter has just made: that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16).

Peter certainly becomes the leader of the disciples and first spokesman for Christ in the earliest days of the church. Under the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter preaches the initial sermon as the church is born and 3,000 people come to faith in Christ in a single day (Acts 2). Peter, though, is far from infallible and his faith falters on several occasions, both before Christ's death and resurrection (Matthew 16:23) and during the time of the apostles (Galatians 2:11–14).

However, the church—the collection of all people who come to faith in Christ as Savior––exists only because of the central t***h that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. That is the power that keeps the gates of hell from overcoming those who are in Christ, His people, the church. Peter plays a vital role for a time, but eventually disappears even from the story of the church's beginnings after Acts 16. Just as was promised, the foundation of God's new covenant is not centered around any fallible person or place, but in the hearts and minds of each individual person (Hebrews 8:6–13).