Simon Was A Loyal Disciple; He Followed His Rabbi ...  PRO

Simon was a loyal disciple; he followed his rabbi closely, observing and learning. One day, Simon realized that his rabbi was actually the Messiah. He didn’t figure that out by himself. Jesus said: “Simon, son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church…” (Matthew 16:17-18 JB) Simon thought: “Hey—I get it!”

The problem is: Gentiles don’t! Lacking an intuitive grasp of its historic context, this conversation is often interpreted as one in which Jesus promotes Simon the fisherman to Peter the codfather.

Let it be agreed that this conversation took place in Aramaic: a language in which there is no distinction between petros and petra (the contrived interpretations of the Greek are forced and lead away from a correct understanding of this text).

Let it be understood that the word Church, used here, is ecclesia (i.e. a congregation) not kuriakon (i.e. a cathedral). Let it be observed that Matthew—the evangel to the Jews—is the only writer to record Jesus’ use of ecclesia. Let it be noted that the Septuagint uses ecclesia to refer to the “congregation” of Israel (i.e. Psalms 22:22; see also Hebrews 2:12)....

Continue reading this sermon illustration (Free with PRO)