A lot of people teach that Peter is known to be the rock of the church. They teach that since Peter is the rock, the church must be built upon Peter, the rock.
The Catholic Church will use Matthew 18:16 as their proof text that Peter is the rock of the church
The Catholic church teaches that the church is built upon Peter as the rock and is the foundation of the church. They believe that Peter is the first pope. If the church is founded upon Peter, then it makes sense that the church should listen to Peter. If Peter died, the church should also listen to any other pope that took after Peter. The Catholic church’s belief is built upon this verse. Catholics will claim that the rock of the church is the pope, and that the church would not exist without the rock, which is the pope.
Matthew 16:18 “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.”
It sounded like Jesus was talking to Peter and referring to Peter as the rock of the church. However, we deny this. We deny that this refers to Peter. We believe that it is referring to Jesus Christ, who is supposed to be the rock of the church. We do not listen to Peter, or any pope who supposedly followed after Peter. We listen to Jesus Christ Himself.
Jesus Christ was referring to Himself when He said upon this rock
“That thou art Peter” is referring to Jesus speaking to Peter. “Upon THIS rock” is referring to Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus was pointing to Himself, He was talking to Peter, but talking to Peter about Himself being the rock of the church.
Let’s compare scripture with scripture for more evidence. Let’s look at John 2:19-21 for the manner in which Jesus speaks to reflect His speech and character.
John 2:19-21 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body.”
Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees here. Jesus said to “destroy this temple”, referring to Himself. But to the Pharisees, they were thinking of a physical temple. The Pharisees did not understand Jesus’ speech. Verse 21 confirms that Jesus was referring to Himself, and not the physical temple.
In like manner, Jesus was referring to Himself as the rock while addressing Peter in Matthew 16:18.
Peter himself claims that Christ is the rock
Even Peter admitted that Jesus is the rock, and he never referred to himself as the rock.
1 Peter 2:6 “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.”
Peter is writing that Jesus is a chief corner stone. That one should believe in Jesus Christ for salvation.
1 Peter 2:7-8 “Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.”
Peter admitted right here that Jesus Christ has to be the rock.
Scripture is very plain that Jesus Christ has to be the rock of the church, of which the church is built upon. It is not Peter, let alone any pope. Even assuming that Peter was the rock that the church was built upon, no verse ever assumed that any pope was a rock that the church was built upon. There is no verse that says the pope took over Peter, and there is no verse that says Peter is the pope.
The apostle Paul also claims that Christ is the rock
Paul the apostle also admitted that Jesus Christ is the rock.
1 Corinthians 10:4 “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”
Paul admitted that Jesus Christ has to be the rock of the church. Nothing can get clearer than that. We can say that Matthew 16:18 was Jesus referring to Himself as the rock of the church. Catholics will use only this verse to argue Peter as the rock, but many verses can argue against it.
Catholics will also try to use this verse to prove that Peter has to be the rock of the church.
John 1:42 “And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.”
However, we can argue that Peter is called Cephas, which is a stone. He is not the rock.
1 Peter 2:5 “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”
Peter also refers to all Christians here as “lively stones”. Neither Peter nor Christians are the rock.
The answer is very simple. The church is built upon the rock, Jesus Christ. On top of that, we are the little stones that are built upon the rock. The foundation of the church is Jesus Christ. The church has to follow Jesus Christ. All of us Christians are little stones, and are going to be built upon the rock of Jesus Christ. Peter is a stone just like all the other Christians. Peter is not some special pope nor a special rock that the church is built upon.
Furthermore, John 1:42 was at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, where Jesus met Peter for the first time. While in Matthew 16:18, Jesus was speaking to Peter about Himself being the rock. These are separate incidents that happened. John 1:42 does not prove Matthew 16:18 about Peter as the rock. In fact, this supports the Bible that all of us Christians are stones built upon the big rock, which is Jesus Christ as the rock.