Yes it is true the rock in Matthew is both the same word in Aramaic, BUT the Scriptures were written in Greek! The two rocks in that verse are two different words in Greek. You have to understand that the message of Salvation was to the gentiles who spoke Greek, not Aramaic.
Jesus Christ IS God and He created all the languages that the people spoke in the World. Since Jesus Christ created all the Languages why would He limit Himself only to Aramaic? Your argument for Aramaic only falls flat on its face.
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Ken.
The conversation took place in aramaic, whether or not it was then translated for a greek audiencethere can have been no distinction, which was for literary effect. A matter of history. (do you ignore history now you have bought into sola scriptura?).
Indeed to prove the point he said Simon "bar jonah" which is a description (not a name) in aramaic, and nothing to do with greek. Sure jesus could have spoken any language - ancient japanese if you like - but not if he wanted a simple fisherman to understand him, which will have been aramaic!
Indeed if you knew the historical setting of that conversation (sorry - I forgot you do not now do history) you would know precisely why he said peter was the rock on which he built is church, as a contrast to the location where it took place.
It all makes sense if you accept history which is a part of tradition.
Until you receive Salvation and the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit you will never understand what the Holy Spirit says in the Bible.
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Here ends our conversation. You have no basis on which to state that is so, and I tire of the presumption.
Indeed I travelled your road before, and dont worry for me, if that stuff you preach is true, I am already "saved" in the context you think it means from time in an evangelical sect until I discovered none of what they said actually made sense.
Neither did I find answers talking to cradle catholics either, most like you had not studied their faith, nor can explain it, and some of what they do is not to catechism giving the rest a bad name. But those people do not define catholicism, the catechism does.. I did find the answers in the catechism and the church fathers, and a lot of very well qualified scholars who as a result went from ardent anticatholics to join RCC. Indeed the more you study history, the less protestant you can be in my opinion. I am not forcing that down anyones throat as the evangelicals do.
My suggestion is you play on the safe side now you promote this unsupportable "fast food notion" of salvation (as in McGees tenets of the faith at church of the open door) I suggest you also do the myriad of things you are actually asked to do for eternal life. Like obey the commandments Luke 18:20 or works of mercy Matthew 25:41, since they are not as Mcgee would have it just things that might incur displeasure or whatever rot Mcgee wrote, Jesus said they are needed for salvation, and I would rather believe him not either of you!
But that is my last word to you Ken. All those verses you throw at me, I could easily throw back at you - so why do you insult me so?.
You have left RCC for all the wrong reasons, and have bought into a lot of anti RCC myths not even really knowing what it stood for or why.
I studied your side of the fence for years, indeed saw the same arguments used, discovering one by one they were phony. I hope you do in time as well.
I ask you again to consider one thing. If protestantism is the true church , why does it fracture into millions of bits, with everyone making their own version up. Including mr mcgee! Who left Presbyterian ism , to launch his version on the world instead, so assuming the role of arbiter of doctrine , adopting the very position that he so abhors in the pope! The reason for the endless fractures is lack of authority. The mark of the true church is consistency of doctrine over millenia, and only one denomination can even be candidate for that.