R
RyanL
Guest
Pastor,
You mentioned in another thread that you wouldn’t agree with our interpretation of Matt 16 (v18, I presume). In reading my Protestant sources on this topic, I couldn’t find much discord; could you please show me who you agree with?
The meaning is, “You are Peter, that is Rock, and upon this rock, that is, on you, Peter I will build my church.” Our Lord, speaking Aramaic, probably said, “And I say to you, you are Kepha, and on this kepha I will build my church.” Jesus, then, is promising Peter that he is going to build his church on him! I accept this view.
Nowadays a broad consensus has emerged which — in accordance with the words of the text — applies the promise to Peter as a person. On this point liberal (H. J. Holtzmann, E. Schweiger) and conservative (Cullmann, Flew) theologians agree, as well as representatives of Roman Catholic exegesis. Gerhard Maier evangelical Lutheran theologian, “The Church in the Gospel of Matthew: Hermeneutical Analysis of the Current Debate” Biblical Interpretation and Church Text and Context page 58.
Although it is true that petros and petra can mean “stone” and “rock” respectively in earlier Greek, the distinction is largely confined to poetry. Moreover the underlying Aramaic is in this case unquestionable; and most probably kepha was used in both clauses (“you are kepha” and “on this kepha”), since the word was used both for a name and for a “rock”. The Peshitta (written in Syriac, a language cognate with Aramaic) makes no distinction between the words in the two clauses. The Greek makes the distinction between petros and petra simply because it is trying to preserve the pun, and in Greek the feminine petra could not very well serve as a masculine name. Donald A. Carson III Baptist and Professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Seminary, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Volume 8 (Matthew, Mark, Luke) page 368
The word Peter petros, meaning “rock” (Gk 4377), is masculine, and in Jesus’ follow-up statement he uses the feminine word petra (Gk 4376). On the basis of this change, many have attempted to avoid identifying Peter as the rock on which Jesus builds his church. Yet if it were not for Protestant reactions against extremes of Roman Catholic interpretations, it is doubtful whether many would have taken “rock” to be anything or anyone other than Peter.
You mentioned in another thread that you wouldn’t agree with our interpretation of Matt 16 (v18, I presume). In reading my Protestant sources on this topic, I couldn’t find much discord; could you please show me who you agree with?
The meaning is, “You are Peter, that is Rock, and upon this rock, that is, on you, Peter I will build my church.” Our Lord, speaking Aramaic, probably said, “And I say to you, you are Kepha, and on this kepha I will build my church.” Jesus, then, is promising Peter that he is going to build his church on him! I accept this view.
Code:
William Hendriksen member of the Reformed Christian Church Professor of New Testament Literature at Calvin Seminary New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew, page 647.Although it is true that petros and petra can mean “stone” and “rock” respectively in earlier Greek, the distinction is largely confined to poetry. Moreover the underlying Aramaic is in this case unquestionable; and most probably kepha was used in both clauses (“you are kepha” and “on this kepha”), since the word was used both for a name and for a “rock”. The Peshitta (written in Syriac, a language cognate with Aramaic) makes no distinction between the words in the two clauses. The Greek makes the distinction between petros and petra simply because it is trying to preserve the pun, and in Greek the feminine petra could not very well serve as a masculine name. Donald A. Carson III Baptist and Professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Seminary, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Volume 8 (Matthew, Mark, Luke) page 368
The word Peter petros, meaning “rock” (Gk 4377), is masculine, and in Jesus’ follow-up statement he uses the feminine word petra (Gk 4376). On the basis of this change, many have attempted to avoid identifying Peter as the rock on which Jesus builds his church. Yet if it were not for Protestant reactions against extremes of Roman Catholic interpretations, it is doubtful whether many would have taken “rock” to be anything or anyone other than Peter.
Code:
Donald A. Carson III Baptist and Professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Seminary, Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary — New Testament, vol. 2, page 78.