Posted by
ValiantForTruth on Saturday, March 08, 2008 9:02:17 PM
How does Peter define the ROCK?
You have heard it said that Peter is the first Pope and the leader of the Church through apostolic succession. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the head of His Church and that the Pope is the head of the apostate church.
The first thing we should ask is whether the Bible gives us Peter’s interpretation of this passage. Emphatically we say yes! The Holy Spirit has not left us without testimony to the true meaning of our Lord’s words. The apostle gives us divine commentary in 1 Peter 2 and 5. Let’s look at Peter’s words and draw the truth from the words of Christ.
We freely admit that our presupposition is that the Scripture is not divided; it is one in the things necessary for faith and practice. Will we take the words of Matthew 16 and build a doctrine contrary to the rest of Scripture? God forbid! This is the practice of the apostates.
The first passage from Peter is 1 Peter 2:4-8. He uses the figure of living stones being built into a spiritual house in the context of coming to the Lord Jesus. Now this is how Christ builds His Church. Peter then quotes from the Old Testament showing that the chief cornerstone and the rock of the Church is none other than Jesus Christ.
Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
“ Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” [Isaiah 28:16]
Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
“ The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,” [Psalm 118:22]
and
“ A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.” [Isaiah 8:14]
They stumble, being disobedient to the word to which they also were appointed.
This passage destroys the foundation of the apostate church. They say that their priests are the interpreters of the Scriptures. Peter says all believers are priests; together we are a holy priesthood. They say that they are the only true church. Peter says that like the Jews before them they have rejected the chief corner stone and established their own tradition. They say their tradition supersedes the authority of Scripture. Peter says they stumble because they will not submit to the Word.
The other passage from Peter shows his attitude toward other elders and the churches…
The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly,not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. [1 Peter 5:1-4]
Peter exhorts his fellow elders to be examples to the flock and warns them against tyrannical rule. The Chief Shepherd is their example. He did not come to be served but to serve. He taught them that the one who would be great among them must be their servant. He gave Himself for the good of others.
In the light of these passages from Peter the deceitfulness of the apostate church is evident. Based on a false reading of Matthew 16 that Peter himself denies, they have built a false doctrine of authority that denies the authority of Christ by rejecting the supremacy of His Word. What shall we say to these things? Peter says that to this ‘they also were appointed.’ That is, a counterfeit church is to be expected.