DISCERN | MAY/JUNE 2021

CHRIST VERSUS CHRISTIANITY

On What Rock Did Christ Build His Church?

A major denomination claims its authority on the premise that Jesus founded His Church on Peter. But did “on this rock I will build My church” refer to Peter?

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atthew 16:18 has been used to claim Peter and those considered his successors were given nearly unlimited spiritual authority. Is this what Jesus said?

Jesus had posed a question to His disciples: “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” Peter spoke up first—eventually giving the right answer (verse 16). Instead of just complimenting Peter for speaking correctly, Jesus Christ made a statement about rocks.

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (verse 18).

Peter, Christ, rocks, church, gates of Hades. Christ packed a lot into this short statement! So what exactly was He talking about?

One interpretation of “on this rock I will build My church” The Roman Catholic Church essentially believes that Christ was saying this: “And I also say to you that you are Peter (the rock), and on you, Peter, I will build My one Holy Catholic Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

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This interpretation forms the basis of the doctrine of the primacy of Peter, the idea that Christ founded the church on Peter. He was the foundation and was given the “keys of the kingdom of heaven” (verse 19)—supreme authority to establish doctrine and govern the church.

This theology leads to the connected doctrine of papal succession. The Roman Catholic Church believes Peter moved to Rome and led the church from Rome for about 25 years until his martyrdom in A.D. 67.

They believe Peter started a succession of popes that continues unbroken to this day (from Pope Linus to Pope Francis), and that each of these succeeding popes carries the same authority that Christ supposedly gave Peter in Matthew 16:18-19.

The consequences of this belief: popes who changed biblical doctrine

Believing that Peter and those they claim are his successors are truly “the rock” on which Christ built His Church and are the possessors of the “keys,” the Roman Catholic Church has therefore claimed the authority to declare doctrine—even changing or adding to biblical doctrines. Catholics maintain that when a

May/June 2021