A
adventistnomore
Guest
As a Protestant theology major I was taught that each indvidual passage must be understood within its own sphere, before* interpretive connections were drawn with other verses of Scripture. Sadly, my professors failed to conistently apply this standard when interpreting Matt. 16:18: To interpret the passage, they immediately attempted to link Matt. 16:18 (“upon this Rock”) with other references to Christ the “Rock.” (1 Pet. 2:8, etc) As Catholics we’ve all heard that same rhetoric.
Take a step back and study the original passage again for a moment, especially the imagery. My question: where is Christ in the passage’s imagery? Christ is the subject of v.18b: “upon this rock, I*** will build my Church.”
Christ compares the edification of Chrstianity to the construction of an edifice. The Church is described as a building, built upon a rock (the foundation in question). Where is Christ in this imagery? He is the edifier of the building: the architect/engineer, if you will. If we are consistent with the passage’s imagery ** Christ does not identify Himsef with the edifice being constructed, or with its foundation, but illustrates Himself as the external agent raising up the edifice. **
Two (oft-quoted NT) passages that picture Christ as the Rock picture ** the Father ** as the edifier of that Rock. (Rom. 9:33, 1 Pet 2:8) In Matt. 16:18, Christ identifies Himself as the edifier of the Rock (and the Church), and thus we expect another distinct subject to be described as the rock in Matt. 16:18. Likewiese, the image used in the other two passages is different: the Father lays down a rock of stumbling, and not the foundation of an edifice. Let Matt 16:18’s imagery be interpreted naturally, on its own clear terms, rather than imposing upon it ** a foreign image employed in a foreign passage. **
Take a step back and study the original passage again for a moment, especially the imagery. My question: where is Christ in the passage’s imagery? Christ is the subject of v.18b: “upon this rock, I*** will build my Church.”
Christ compares the edification of Chrstianity to the construction of an edifice. The Church is described as a building, built upon a rock (the foundation in question). Where is Christ in this imagery? He is the edifier of the building: the architect/engineer, if you will. If we are consistent with the passage’s imagery ** Christ does not identify Himsef with the edifice being constructed, or with its foundation, but illustrates Himself as the external agent raising up the edifice. **
Two (oft-quoted NT) passages that picture Christ as the Rock picture ** the Father ** as the edifier of that Rock. (Rom. 9:33, 1 Pet 2:8) In Matt. 16:18, Christ identifies Himself as the edifier of the Rock (and the Church), and thus we expect another distinct subject to be described as the rock in Matt. 16:18. Likewiese, the image used in the other two passages is different: the Father lays down a rock of stumbling, and not the foundation of an edifice. Let Matt 16:18’s imagery be interpreted naturally, on its own clear terms, rather than imposing upon it ** a foreign image employed in a foreign passage. **