Preview of Christ's Coming Kingdom -- Part 3

As soon as Christ announced the assembly, He reminded the disciples that the foundation on whom the assembly is constructed must be proclaimed: “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 16:18, 19 NASB). As soon as the Divine declaration was made that Adam should not be alone, Divine operation followed. From a rib God made a woman. The Divine presentation occurred when the Lord God brought the woman to the man. This portrays Christ and His assembly (Eph. 5:22-32). Therefore, it was proper that Jesus Christ should have His wife throughout eternity. The declaration and operation are being fulfilled during the age of the assembly (II Cor. 11:1-4), but the presentation is one of the last great events of prophecy (Rev. 19:7-10).

No passage of Scripture has caused more controversy than Matthew 16:18-19. The following questions have divided religionists into many camps:

1. What is the difference between Peter and the rock?

2. Who is the rock on whom the assembly is constructed?

3. Is the assembly of Matthew 16:18 local or universal?

4. Are the assembly and the kingdom equivalent in meaning?

5. What are the keys of the kingdom?

6. To whom were the keys given?

7. What does it mean to bind and to loose?

8. What is Hades?

A note of warning should be given before continuing this controversial study. One would suppose that any person who excelled in things that are good would be filled with self-satisfaction, and the person who is unconcerned with things that are good would be humbled under a sense of his sin and negligence. However, observation and experience attest that the very reverse is true. Paul found himself the victim of injustice, ill treatment, false report, and personal abuse. These are things that are observable to others, but Paul’s real experience was his excelling in good things. He was decreasing that Christ might increase (John 3:30). He counted himself less than the least of all saints (Eph. 3:8). He preferred others in honor before himself (Phil. 2:3). No wonder he said, “BUT HE WHO BOASTS, LET HIM BOAST IN THE LORD. For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends” (II Cor. 10:17, 18 NASB).

There was an essential difference between Paul and his opponents:

1. They gloried in their triumphs. Paul gloried in his tragedies.

2. They gloried in their pleasures. Paul gloried in his pain.

3. They gloried in things that made them strong. Paul gloried in his weakness.

4. They admired those who did well to themselves: “…men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself” (Ps. 49:18 KJV). Paul was unconcerned about judgment by men: “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or of man’s judgment…” (I Cor. 4:3 KJV).

5. Their approval was according to outward appearance, form of godliness, and numerical strength. Paul had God’s approval, which is according to inward grace (Eph. 2:8) that desires more grace (James 4:6) and is growing in grace (II Pet. 3:18).

Christ introduced His work: “And I also say to you that you are Peter [petros], and upon this rock [petra] I will build [progressive future active indicative of the verb oikodomeo] My church [ekklesia]; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower [future active indicative of katischuo] it” (Matt. 16:18 NASB). The two nouns “Peter” (petros, a stone) and “rock” (petra, a rock) must be distinguished. In the New Testament, petros is the Greek rendering of the surname Cephas, the apostle Simon. A rock may be illustrated by the foundation upon which the wise man built: “…a wise man, who built his house upon the rock [petra]” (Matt. 7:24 NASB). Therefore, petros is usually a smaller detachment of the massive rock (petra). The word “rock” is used symbolically of God in both the Old and New Testaments: “For I proclaim the name of the LORD; Ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He” (Deut. 32:3, 4 NASB). “The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me, He who rules over men righteously, Who rules in the fear of God” (II Sam. 23:3 NASB). “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Ps. 18:2 NASB). “And all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ” (I Cor. 10:4 NASB).

A study of the derivation of the two words petros and petra reveals that petros derives from petra. According to I Peter 2:4-12, the apostle is a living stone in Christ’s spiritual house. The genders of petros and petra are different in Matthew 16:18 to show that Christ was speaking not of Peter who confessed Christ, but of the Person of Christ that Peter confessed. That is the rock on which the assembly is being built. Peter’s rock-like character is derived from the massive rock (Christ’s infinite rock-like character of His Person and Work).

The variation of the expressions—petros and petra—proves that Christ intended that Christians should never understand that Peter is the rock on which Christ builds His assembly. Christ gave Peter the name of Cephas at the time his brother Andrew brought him to the Lord Jesus: “…Jesus looked at him, and said, You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas (which translated means Peter)” (John 1:42 NASB). However, not until Matthew 16:18 did the Lord Jesus reveal the reason He gave Simon the name kephas, which translated means petros. Observe that Christ did not say, “You are the rock on which I will build My church.”

Roman Catholicism teaches that Christ made Peter the visible head of His church (assembly) when He said He would build His church (assembly). They believe they are the only true church established by Christ. Their assumption is that her voice is the same as that of God. They consider this an attribute of the Roman Catholic Church and believe that those who know this and willingly refuse to join the Catholic Church cannot be saved.

In contrast to Roman Catholic teaching, Jesus Christ, not Peter, is the only Head of the assembly Christ is building. He is the foundation rock of the assembly. Immediately after the declaration of the assembly’s foundation, Christ revealed to His disciples the way and manner in which He would lay her foundation by His suffering and death: “From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day” (Matt. 16:21 NASB). Each person regenerated by the Holy Spirit is in reality united with the foundation stone. All the regenerated are not only built on Christ, but they are also cemented together in the walls of the spiritual house. They are literally united with Christ’s Person and literally united in the doctrine (teaching) of Christ. Therefore, faith is the fruit of the Christian’s union with Christ, and confession is the fruit of doctrine (I John 4:1-3; Rom. 10:9). Objective truth becomes a subjective reality to the Christian.

Peter was not foolish enough to think Christ made him—the weak and vacillating person he knew himself to be—the rock on which Christ is building His assembly. Subsequent to Christ’s statement, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church [assembly]…” (Matt. 16:18), and before His death, it was necessary for Him to say to Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31, 32 NASB). Afterward, Peter could do nothing greater for the brothers than call their attention to the prophecy of Isaiah: “For this is contained in Scripture: BEHOLD I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. This precious value, then, is for you who believe. But for those who disbelieve, THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone, and, A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY” (I Pet. 2:6-10 NASB).

The prophetical stone of Isaiah 28:16 spoken of by Peter was also the chosen One: “BEHOLD, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry out or raise His voice, Nor make His voice heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not be disheartened or crushed, Until He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law” (Is. 42:1-4 NASB). This prophecy is introduced with “BEHOLD,” an interjection, which means to get an eye full by looking intently. God is calling attention to His Servant, the Messiah. This prophecy is referred to in Matthew 12:14-21.

If the assembly could have been built on Peter, it would have failed. Peter and his successors are imperfect men; therefore, Rome cannot prove its claim concerning them. The inefficiency of the Aaronic priesthood did not perfect the old covenant. However, the new covenant rests on Christ alone because He has the power of an indestructible life (Heb. 7:16). Immediately after Christ said, “upon this rock [petra] I will build My church [ekklesia, noun accusative singular feminine],” He revealed to His disciples how He would lay the foundation by His death, burial, and resurrection. Peter spoke of Christ as a living Stone (I Pet. 2:4) and then passed from the metaphor to the reality. The chosen Stone that was rejected by men has become the corner Stone for His chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession (I Pet. 2:6-9). All the regenerated are not only built upon Christ, but they also have indestructible life because of their endless relationship to the One who has indestructible life. Therefore, those who believe in this tried and tested Rock will never be separated from Him. This is a reality that will not lead to shame because it can never change.