+ Saint Peter, The Foundation Stone of the Christian Church +
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Saint Peter the Apostle
We live in a time various Christian denominations differ on the doctrine of St. Peter as the foundation stone of the church and interpret Matthew 16:18 in different ways. In the three Gospel accounts, after asking about the views of "the multitudes", Jesus asks his disciples about their own opinion: But who do you say that I am? Only Simon Peter answers him: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Only in Matthew 16:17 Jesus blesses Peter for his answer, and later indicates him as the rock of the Church. This begins with: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonah: for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father who is in heaven. In blessing Peter, Jesus not only accepts the titlesChrist and Son of God which Peter attributes to him, but declares the proclamation a divine revelation by stating that his Father in Heaven had revealed it to Peter. In this assertion, by endorsing both titles as divine revelation, Jesus unequivocally declares himself to be both Christ and the Son of God.
Views of the Churches...
Antiochian Patriarchate, Damascus, Syria
In the Roman Catholic Church, Jesus' words, "upon this rock I will build my church" are interpreted as the foundation of the doctrine of the papacy, whereby the Church of Christ is founded upon Peter and his successors. Jesus' next statement, "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." are interpreted as the foundation of the doctrine of papal infallibility.
Protestants believe that the verse states that Peter was the foundation stone of the Church, but do not accept that it applies to the continuous succession of popes. The statement "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" is usually taken to mean that the Church will never become extinct.
The Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches also reject the succession of popes and see Jesus' words, "whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven" as bestowing first upon Peter what was later bestowed upon all of the Apostles collectively.
The Syrian Orthodox church believe St. Peter as the first Patriarch and the succession of the patriarch of the Antioch. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts of the Apostles 11:26). Apostle Peter is believed to have established a church in Antioch in AD 37, the remnants of which are still in Antakya (the modern name of Antioch), Turkey. After the martyrdom of Apostle Peter, he was succeeded by St. Euodius and St. Ignatius Noorono as shepherds of the flock in Antioch and in the writings of St. Ignatius we find the evolution of the ecclesiastical order of bishops—ordained successors of the Apostles in whom continued the spiritual authorities vested by our Lord in the Apostles.
Protestants believe that the verse states that Peter was the foundation stone of the Church, but do not accept that it applies to the continuous succession of popes. The statement "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" is usually taken to mean that the Church will never become extinct.
The Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches also reject the succession of popes and see Jesus' words, "whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven" as bestowing first upon Peter what was later bestowed upon all of the Apostles collectively.
The Syrian Orthodox church believe St. Peter as the first Patriarch and the succession of the patriarch of the Antioch. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts of the Apostles 11:26). Apostle Peter is believed to have established a church in Antioch in AD 37, the remnants of which are still in Antakya (the modern name of Antioch), Turkey. After the martyrdom of Apostle Peter, he was succeeded by St. Euodius and St. Ignatius Noorono as shepherds of the flock in Antioch and in the writings of St. Ignatius we find the evolution of the ecclesiastical order of bishops—ordained successors of the Apostles in whom continued the spiritual authorities vested by our Lord in the Apostles.
Views of Church Fathers...
St. John Chrysostom
St. Augustine the church father says, "...Peter, the first of the apostles, receive the keys of the kingdom of heaven for the binding and loosing of sins; and for the same congregation of saints, in reference to the perfect repose in the bosom of that mysterious life to come did the evangelist John recline on the breast of Christ. For it is not the former alone but the whole Church, that bindeth and looseth sins….the keys that were given to the Church,"
St. John Chrysostom by clarifying that "rock" simultaneously refers to Peter (instrumentally) as well as Peter's confession of faith, which is what, has ultimate significance in establishing the Church.
But the question arise here is that if the statement applies to Peter, why and how could Peter who even after recognizing and proclaiming Jesus as the Son of living God, later called as Satan, the Stumbling Block, one who does not understand the things of God and think about the things of men by Jesus? How this rock, later denied Jesus?
St. John Chrysostom by clarifying that "rock" simultaneously refers to Peter (instrumentally) as well as Peter's confession of faith, which is what, has ultimate significance in establishing the Church.
But the question arise here is that if the statement applies to Peter, why and how could Peter who even after recognizing and proclaiming Jesus as the Son of living God, later called as Satan, the Stumbling Block, one who does not understand the things of God and think about the things of men by Jesus? How this rock, later denied Jesus?
...Peter is the Rock
Church Rock, Utah, N. America
In the original Greek the word translated as "Peter" is Petros and that translated as "rock" is petra, two words that, while not identical, give an impression of one of many times when Jesus used a play on words. Furthermore, since Jesus presumably spoke to Peter in their native Aramaic language, he would have usedkepha in both instances. The Old Syriac text use the word "kepha" for both "Peter" and "rock" in Matthew 16:18. John 1:42 says Jesus called Simon "Cephas", as does Paul in some letters. He was instructed by Christ to strengthen his brethren, i.e., the apostles Peter also had a leadership role in the early Christian church at Jerusalem according to The Acts of the Apostles chapters 1–2, 10–11, and 15.
Reflection
However, a deep analyze of the meaning of the name Peter in Aramaic would give more light to the real foundation of the church. First, the birth of Jesus retained by the Lucan community Joseph and Mary going to Bethlehem to fulfill the decree of the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1). According to tradition Jesus was born, in a cave and was The Greek noun translated as manger also means open hollow space on a surface of a vertical or inclined terrain. The hollow space could be because of the rock pieces taken by the people to construct buildings. The hollow space formed in the rocks, in Aramaic is Kepha and manger. The Greek noun translated as manger also means open cavity on a surface of a vertical or inclined terrain.
The manger at the birth of Jesus has important symbolic value. Hence the meaning of Kepha is excavated in the rock grotto. The poor remained the misfortune of living in these caves and grottoes. Kepha and fatné have meaning correlative. Kepha translates the Greek noun Petro’s (Peter). Peter does not mean rock. Yes, but taken in the former sense, can mean the cave in the rock ladder and here.
Let us return to the initial thought: Peter (Kepha) is connected to the birth of Jesus. It is daring to think that Jesus remembers his birth in a Kepha when he said to Peter: "Thou art cave hewn into the rock, and under (under) this cave, where the poor live, there I will build my Church" (Mt 16:18). The semantic meaning of the noun Aramaic Kepha completely changes the traditional interpretation of "Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church." Or does not it? The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem served to lay the foundation for future community of faith, which later came to be called the Church. Jesus is born poor to liberate the poor. Peter continues to be rock and cave, home of the poor in the periphery of the world where church need to find its base and continue to build.
*insights http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syriac_Orthodox_Church 28/02/12 9pmhttp://sor.cua.edu/History/index.html The Syriac Orthodox Church is one of the most ancient Christian Churches tracing its roots. 28/02/12, 10 pmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nativity_of_Jesus#Critical_analysis 29/02/12 8amhttp://www.jesus.org/birth-of-jesus/bethlehem/was-jesus-born-in-a-cave.html
The manger at the birth of Jesus has important symbolic value. Hence the meaning of Kepha is excavated in the rock grotto. The poor remained the misfortune of living in these caves and grottoes. Kepha and fatné have meaning correlative. Kepha translates the Greek noun Petro’s (Peter). Peter does not mean rock. Yes, but taken in the former sense, can mean the cave in the rock ladder and here.
Let us return to the initial thought: Peter (Kepha) is connected to the birth of Jesus. It is daring to think that Jesus remembers his birth in a Kepha when he said to Peter: "Thou art cave hewn into the rock, and under (under) this cave, where the poor live, there I will build my Church" (Mt 16:18). The semantic meaning of the noun Aramaic Kepha completely changes the traditional interpretation of "Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church." Or does not it? The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem served to lay the foundation for future community of faith, which later came to be called the Church. Jesus is born poor to liberate the poor. Peter continues to be rock and cave, home of the poor in the periphery of the world where church need to find its base and continue to build.
*insights http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syriac_Orthodox_Church 28/02/12 9pmhttp://sor.cua.edu/History/index.html The Syriac Orthodox Church is one of the most ancient Christian Churches tracing its roots. 28/02/12, 10 pmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nativity_of_Jesus#Critical_analysis 29/02/12 8amhttp://www.jesus.org/birth-of-jesus/bethlehem/was-jesus-born-in-a-cave.html
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