Why isn't Nathanael the rock?

[hazcompat]

John 1:44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth. 46But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true Israelite.* There is no duplicity in him.” 48* Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” 49Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God;* you are the King of Israel.”

Some say it is Peter’s confession of faith that is the rock upon whom Jesus builds His church. Why not Nathanael?

Peace

 

[AnneElizabeth]

I don’t have an answer for you. Just curious to see what others would say about this.

Maybe God knew Nathaniel was too perfect for the job? (no duplicity in him)

 

[Jennifoo]

Because Jesus said so. Peter’s confession of Jesus was evidence of knowledge imparted to Peter by the Eternal Father Himself.

 

[Iron_Donkey]

Some say it is Peter’s confession of faith that is the rock upon whom Jesus builds His church. Why not Nathanael?

Peace

Because Jesus didn’t name Nathanael “Rock” and say that he was the rock. He did that to Peter.

 

[JonNC]

John 1:44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth. 46But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true Israelite.* There is no duplicity in him.” 48* Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” 49Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God;* you are the King of Israel.”

Some say it is Peter’s confession of faith that is the rock upon whom Jesus builds His church. Why not Nathanael?

Peace

Christ chose, in His own time, to make that statement about St. Peter’s confession of faith. That isn’t to undervalue the importance of St. Peter in the development of the Church.

Jon

 

[josephback]

Christ chose, in His own time, to make that statement about St. Peter’s confession of faith. That isn’t to undervalue the importance of St. Peter in the development of the Church.

Jon

Hi John, does it have to be either/or? Can’t it just as easily be both/and, both Peter and his confession?

 

[JonNC]

Hi John, does it have to be either/or? Can’t it just as easily be both/and, both Peter and his confession?

If you are asking my personal view, I would respond that, to say Peter himself plays no role here requires a theological gymnastics. Yes, Christ is speaking to Simon Peter. Yes, He is referring to Peters confession of faith. Christ also recognizes that Peter’s confession of faith is a revelation from God.

Is Peter a (maybe even the) central leader in the early Church? Absolutely, and it seems this is true because of Christ’s words - “feed my sheep”. However, that does not by necessity mean that his leadership somehow translates into all that the CC says it means.

Jon

 

[Gabriel_of_12]

John 1:44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth. 46But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true Israelite.* There is no duplicity in him.” 48* Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” 49Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God;* you are the King of Israel.”

Some say it is Peter’s confession of faith that is the rock upon whom Jesus builds His church. Why not Nathanael?

Peace

The devils before being excommunicated by Jesus also professed him as the Son of God. Jesus found the greatest faith in all of Israel from the Centurion pagan, who confessed he was not worthy to receive Jesus under his roof and to “only speak a word and my servant will be healed” see Matthew 8:5-10

Jesus begins to build his church upon Peter because God revealed the Son of the living God to Peter, not flesh and blood.

It was both faith professed from Simon bar Jona what God revealed to him, that Jesus chose Simon to build his church upon his new (name) office on Peter (Rock)

Peter’s faith denied Jesus three times before the passion, and then confessed his love for Jesus three times after the resurrection.

Peace be with you

 

[Gabriel_of_12]

Some say it is Peter’s confession of faith that is the rock upon whom Jesus builds His church. Why not Nathanael?

Peace

I don’t think “Peter’s confession of faith” can possess the keys of the kingdom of God? To possess the keys to the kingdom of God requires an office of the person of Peter not his profession of faith alone. It takes the office of Peter (Rock) to bind and loose on earth while Jesus binds and looses in heaven what ever Peter binds and looses on earth (Mt.16:18-19).** It takes the office of Peter not a profession of faith**,** to feed** Jesus lambs and to tend and feed Jesus sheep (John 21:15-17)

Flesh and blood did not reveal to Simon Peter that Jesus was the Son of God, but our heavenly Father in heaven revealed this to Simon called Peter. Nathanuel’s profession came by flesh and blood, he understood the miracle it took of being under the fig tree to come to recognize Jesus as the Son of God, who saw him there.

After the resurrection it was God who revealed to Peter alone to allow the Gentiles into the Church and Paul became the apostle to the Gentiles after the Jews rejected his gospel of Jesus Christ.

Peter is the only human being in all of history to have walked on water with Jesus Christ.