It is claimed that Christ turned headship of the Church
over to Peter and his successors. In plain language, that Christ
“bowed out,” as it were—that men rule in place of Christ, as
head of the Church.
He merely taught His message—His gospel—to His disciples
during His mortal human lifetime! But the Church of
God was founded—was started—on the day of Pentecost
Now, since it is claimed that the rock on which the Church
was founded refers to Peter—and not Christ—notice the true
meaning, as originally written by Matthew. Matthew wrote in
the Greek language
Then Jesus added: “And I say also unto thee, That thou art
Peter” (Greek inspired original word, Petros, meaning a stone),
“and upon this rock” (Greek inspired original word, petra,
meaning a ledge or shelf of rock or a crag) “I will build my
church …” (Matthew 16:18).
Peter was also called Cephas (Greek Képhas, from the
Aramaic Kêpha). In John 1:40-42 is related how Andrew,
Simon Peter’s brother, found Peter, and brought him to Jesus.
“And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son
of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation,
a stone”
The English word stone is translated from the Greek word petros,
meaning a single stone or loose stone. Also the Greek word Kephas
means such a stone, referring definitely to a human man.
when Jesus said “upon this rock I will build my
church” (Matthew 16:18), the Greek word, as written originally
by Matthew, was not either Kephas or petros, but petra, which
means a large massive rock.
a few other passages where this same Greek word petra
is used. In Matthew 7:24, Jesus spoke of the man who built his
house on a rock. The Greek word is petra
In Matthew 27:60, it is stated that the tomb in which Jesus
was buried, after the crucifixion, was hewn out in the rock —
in the petra! This is a mass of rock, not a single stone.
The Greek petra cannot mean the human Peter, but the
glorified Christ! Speaking of the Israelites under Moses, in
the wilderness, Paul writes: “… for they drank of that spiritual
Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ”
In plain language, then, that petra was Christ—but the
smaller stone, petros, or Kephas, was Simon Peter.
Behold, I lay in Sion [the Church] a chief corner stone, elect, precious:
and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto
you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them
which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed,
the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the
word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed”
(1 Peter 2:6-8).
In the above passage Peter is speaking to the Church.
He quoted from Isaiah 28:16: “Therefore thus saith the Lord
God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried
stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation”! This pictures
Christ as that foundation of the Church, on which it is
built. God’s Church was built on the ROCK (its foundation),
Christ—not on the stone, Peter
The Church is described in Ephesians 2:20 as being “built
upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets [including
Old Testament prophets], Jesus Christ himself being the chief
corner stone.”
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid,
which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11)
“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5)He is shown
in Revelation 1:13, 18 to be the living Head, spiritually in the midst of the Church.
“Christ is the head of the church”! (Ephesians 5:23). Read it
also in Ephesians 4:15; 1:22; Colossians 1:18; 2:19.
He has been the living Head and High
Priest of the true Church, which He built.
It was on the day of Pentecost, a.d. 31. On that day, Christ, as He had promised (John 16:7),
sent the Holy Spirit to enter into His disciples,thus baptizing—or plunging them into, the Church.
The word church comes from the Greek ekklesia, which means congregation
of people. The Church of God consists of people—the
begotten children of God. It consists of—and only of—those who
have been begotten of God by having received His Holy Spirit.
So it was Jesus Christ, who went to heaven, and sent God’s
Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, who founded the Church.
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves
as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their
