Cooling Twilight

Tag: rock

  • In which I reveal that I might be a closet Catholic

    In which I reveal that I might be a closet Catholic

    friendly-preacher

    Yesterday I was banned from a Facebook group for refusing to admit that I’m Catholic. The discussion at hand was whether or not Peter was the first Pope and if Jesus recognized Peter as “the rock” upon which he would build his Church. To be clear, I’m not Catholic and I don’t recognize the authority of the Pope over the Church. But I, along with most other modern commentators, do think that in Mat 16.18 Jesus declares that Peter is the rock. But for Protestants of a certain variety, any agreement with Catholic theology is tantamount to heresy. (more…)

  • Like A Rock

    Like A Rock

    Peter the Rock

    In light of Pope Benedict’s abdication, it seems relevant to take a look at one of the verses often understood as relating to the papacy, Matthew 16.18: “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

    The NIV note provides some helpful clarification: “The Greek word for Peter means rock.” You can see this in the Greek: κἀγὼ δέ σοι λέγω ὅτι σὺ εἶ Πέτρος, καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν ἐκκλησίαν καὶ πύλαι ᾅδου οὐ κατισχύσουσιν αὐτῆς.
    (more…)