I will build my church upon this rock. What is the rock that Jesus is talking about?

Answer 1

I have read each answer to this question & as usual I realized that to know anything one has to know the whole. Therefore, for me & I'm sure for the most of you, I did not rely upon my memory so I went to God’s Word & studied the whole chapter for context to contemplate these answers represented.

As have stated, the first few versus before this text answers it for me.
Verse 13; Jesus asks His disciples who are people saying “I am” (I just love that, the Great I am”).
Peter says basically that men are saying He is one of the DEAD prophets, men, risen.
Now Jesus asks Peter, as if Jesus didn’t know, who he thought He was. (Who say ye that” I am”?), I just love this “I am!
Peter answered and said; Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Next Jesus tells Peter how blessed he is to know this & how he knows it: not by man but by God.
Then Jesus gets back to the subject of His question; who man are saying He is, & to Peter on his answer, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the LIVING God. To help understand this, we can omit vs. 17 Jesus' comment about Peter, & read 16 & 18:
And Simon Peter answered and said; Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And I also say 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.

Now notice the commas, in Jesus’ answer, this signifies something added to clarify or describe further the text before it, in this case, that thou art Peter is clarifying the word thee in the text “and I say unto thee”. So thee is Peter so we can now skip the “that thou art Peter”.
And I also say unto Peter and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.

Here is the way which I read this text:
Jesus asks His disciples who are people saying I am.
Peter answers: men are saying You are one of the DEAD prophets risen.
Jesus asked Peter who he thought He, Jesus, was.
Peter answers: Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Jesus says to Peter: I say upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.
To me “The True Church” is not any man made structure or institution. I truly believe that our fellowship right here on YA is a part of that church & I see no building. Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there “am I” in the midst of them.
Further, I think that churches do build on one foundation or the other as by the differing answers here.
As for man’s institutionalizing & organization of their churches, that is being build & laid upon Peter’s, man’s, foundation.
To state that of having a church physically built on dead man bones, I think of the spiritual aspect of that, the spiritual building (body), I had much prefer a foundation of a living spirit, Word, to those of the dead.
This whole subject recalls me to Amos 8:11; Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
My hope & prayer is that we each have our faith built on the spirit which flow the living waters & not that of dead man’s bones, dry & without life.

And Tommy you rock & yes, Jesus Rocks. Gotta love it.

Answer 2

Jesus was making reference to the revelation which the Father gave to Peter. Because that revelation came to Peter he was given the name change and the keys. The keys were used at the house of Cornelius when the Holy Spirit fell upon the Gentiles. The rock, upon which the Lord has built his true church, is revelation. Revelation Rocks.

Answer 3

In all references to rock and rock mass it is toward Jesus being the Christ.

The congregation or people of God have faith that Jesus is the Christ, the foundation from God.

(Matthew 7:24) 24 “Therefore everyone that hears these sayings of mine and does them will be likened to a discreet man, who built his house upon the rock-mass.

(Matthew 16:15-18) 15 He said to them: “YOU, though, who do YOU say I am?” 16 In answer Simon Peter said: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 In response Jesus said to him: “Happy you are, Simon son of Jo′nah, because flesh and blood did not reveal [it] to you, but my Father who is in the heavens did. 18 Also, I say to you, You are Peter, and on this rock-mass . . .

(Romans 9:33) as it is written: “Look! I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock-mass of offense, but he that rests his faith on it will not come to disappointment.”

(1 Corinthians 3:11) For no man can lay any other foundation than what is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

(1 Corinthians 10:4) and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they used to drink from the spiritual rock-mass that followed them, and that rock-mass meant the Christ.

(Ephesians 2:20) and YOU have been built up upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, while Christ Jesus himself is the foundation cornerstone.

(1 Peter 2:8) and “a stone of stumbling and a rock-mass of offense.” These are stumbling because they are disobedient to the word. To this very end they were also appointed.

Even Peter recognized that Jesus was the rock-mass.

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Answer 4

Peter

Peter was the rock upon which Jesus built his church

Answer 5

The rock was Simon Peter, and "Rock" was the new name that Jesus gave him, to signify his new position as head of the church, just as God gave Abram a new name, and Jacob a new name, when he gave them their new missions.

And just in case anyone thinks Jesus wasn't serious ... head over to the Vatican and see the bones of St. Peter, resting beneath the basilica named for him, which also constititues the official headquarters of the universal church.

Jesus not only built his mystical body ... the church ... on Peter the Rock, but ... so there could be no doubt ... he also caused the physical infrastructure of his church to be built on St. Peter, as well.

The archeological evidence that proves this is beyond any serious dispute.

Can't top that.

http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0735.html

Answer 6

Upon the same way that Peter new that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Matt 16:17, Jesus says to Peter, "Blessed art thou, Si'mon Bar-jo'na:::FOR FLESH AND BLOOD HATH NOT REVEALED IT UNTO THEE, BUT MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. 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". Not upon Peter, the man, because 4 verses later, Jesus says to Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan:" Peter had just contradicted Jesus. The whole church would come to know by the same means that Peter came to know, "flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven". Paul was added to the church in the same way; Galatians 1:11-12, "But i certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me IS NOT AFTER MAN. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but BY THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST". Peter was taught thru the Spirit and that's how Paul was taught. God is the Rock upon which the church is built. He adds to the church daily such as should be saved; Act 2:47.

Answer 7

Christ didn't build his church upon a man that denied him 3 times; that would be building upon the shifting sand and dead men's bones; spiritually dead.

Those churches which claim to be built upon Peter most likely are!! Deuteronomy 32:31, "For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges". They are right, they are built upon man's traditions not upon the true Rock. Psa 18:31-32, "For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect". Christ's church is built upon the pure, white stones of revelation, not upon man.

Peter had received the "white stone" of Rev 2:17, and had eaten of the "hidden manna", and had had his name changed from Simon Barjona to Peter. The same happened to Paul; his name was Saul and became Paul. Think of Abraham, Sarah, and Jacob; all had this white, pure stone of revelation ,thru the Spirit, and all had their names changed by God, not man.

TO GOD ALONE ALL THE GLORY!!!

Answer 8

i do no longer think Jesus Christ based His Church upon Peter. A careful study of the Greek will divulge Jesus became no longer equating the rock (Peter = Petros) with the rock (Petra) on which He could build His Church; yet quite contrasting them. Petros ability a small indifferent piece of rock, like a stone you need to throw. Petra ability a great crag of rock, like bedrock (evaluate Matthew 7:24-27). i think the "rock" on which Jesus based His Church became what had in basic terms transpired interior the case of Peter. Jesus prayed, asked Peter who He became, and Peter confessed that He became the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the residing God. Jesus declared him blessed, and then disclosed Peter wasn't asserting this on his own accord, yet by utilising the direct revelation of God the daddy to Peter by utilising the Holy Spirit. that's the muse upon which the Church of Jesus is equipped - the confession of Jesus Christ as Lord which comes for the duration of the direct revelation of God the daddy to the human spirit. that's what saves, and brings the soul into the Church of the residing God. "yet what does it say? "The observe is close to you; that is on your mouth and on your coronary heart," that is, the observe of religion we are proclaiming: That in case you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and have self assurance on your coronary heart that God raised him from the ineffective, you would be saved. For that is with your coronary heart which you suspect and are justified, and that's with your mouth which you confess and are saved." Romans 10:8-10

Answer 9

Since He was talking to Peter, some say it is Peter that He built the church upon, which is rediculous! The rock is HIMSELF---our rock of ages.

Answer 10

Peter, The Papacy. People don't understand the Papacy, because they don't understand the Old Testament. Let my try to explain...In the Old Testament, The Davidic Kings would set up Prime Ministers (stewards) to execute their power for them. Such as in Isaiah 22:15, in which the "shedna" is the office of prime minister, who has the authority to arrest or pardon crimes. The King would also allow the Prime Minister to rule the Kingdom for them in their absence and such. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ, The King, gives St. Peter the office of Prime Minister, in order to rule the kingdom of God on earth (The Church), until Jesus returns. We can see this in Matthew 16:18. Jesus gives the keys of the Kingdom to Peter, in order for Peter (The Pope) to have full authority on behalf of the King, Jesus Christ.