MF Blume
There has been much talk about who or what the rock of Matt. 16
is upon which the church is built. I wish to propose a thought
of the answer with the comparison of Scripture with Scripture in
mind, and a look at Peter's own words.
Matthew 16:17-18
Notice the name Jesus addressed Peter as: Simon Barjona.
"Barjona" means "son of Jonah." Notice the two elements in Jesus' discussion with Peter of the name Simon Barjona and the note regarding the gates of Hell not prevailing against the church. If we were to look at the name Barjona (son of Jonah) as a spiritual connection to JONAH, the prophet, about whom the book in the Old Testament is written, we can see a truth. The two elements are connected in the book of Jonah. Jonah proved very much an object lesson in the New Testament. He was a great foreshadow of Christ in the shadow of being three days and three nights in the depths.
When we read about Jonah's account in the whale's belly we notice something that links him with Jesus' words to Peter.
The depths of Jonah's predicament were described by him as the "belly of hell." And we read of "the earth with her bars." This seems to connect with Jesus' statement regarding Peter, son of Jonas, and the "gate of hell shall not prevail against it."
Jesus not only called Peter the son of Jonah, but also told him that the Church was to be built upon a rock, and such a church would experience the lack of the gates of hell prevailing against it.
In Jonah's experience, the gates of hell did not prevail against him. They tried to entrap him due to his error and his fear which caused him to disobey God.
In the light of Jonah's experience, can we see that Jesus' words
to Peter were a kind of prophecy and preparatory warning
regarding Peter's future error and fear? Like Jonah, Peter
later walked out on God when Jesus was taken prisoner.
John 18:15-17
Like Jonah, Peter, in fear, walked away from the will of God and found himself bound in condemnation, much like Jonah was bound in the belly of hell with her gates around him.
Many of Jesus' words were later realised and found to be of great encouragement long after they were first spoken. I think He intended them to be that way. For example:
These words spoken in Matt. 16 to Peter were to be realised later when Peter would feel the sting of condemnation.
Peter had a ministry as did Jonah. Peter's ministry included the encouraging of other disciples. The enemy weas out to stop it:
The word, "you," in verse 31 is a PLURAL word in the Greek, referring to ALL the disciples. But the term "THEE" in verse 32 was singularly referring to Peter. He would strengthen people. However his ministry was thwarted when he feared the events of the crucifixion and cursed three times. He backed out of his ministry just as Jonah backed out of his ministry and ran away from Ninevah instead of heading there to fulfill God's will for him. But Jonah found MERCY in God's eyes.
Jonah commented about the MERCY God could show, which he believed for God to show to him. Jonah manifested FAITH! Before he was delivered from the bars and the belly of hell, Jonah thanked God for deliverance. It requires faith for us to thank God for something He has not yet done. Since, however, Jonah prayed for deliverance, and believed he would be delivered, he thanked God for the answer that was as sure as done. Jonah commented about the heathen who do not see MERCY and in effect forsake their own mercy. Jonah's story stresses MERCY of God.
Notice how God showed mercy to Jonah, who in turn felt no mercy for the people of Ninevah before and after he preached to them. Perhaps Jonah fled away after hearing God's command to preach to Ninevah due to the lack of desire to see God spare them. If he could run away, Ninevah would not hear God's words of command to repent that they might be spared, and indeed be destroyed. And after Jonah did preach the message, he was still upset that God did not destroy them. He did not understand the need for MERCY to anybody else but himself. So you can see how the emphasis of the book is upon God's MERCY.
Peter had need of knowing God's MERCY after he so shamefully forsook the Lord. Condemnation heaped upon him and the gates of hell encompassed him about.
Hell's greatest tool in captivating people of God has always been CONDEMNATION. In thinking in such a condemning manner of themselves such people forget the MERCY of God. The condemnation Peter felt MUST have been alluded to by Jesus in Matt. 16 since Jesus mentioned Jonah and gates of hell in that discussion with Peter. Looking at the prophet Jonah, and his predicament in the belly of "hell" where the earth's "bars" held him back, and coupling that together with the MERCY of God that set Jonah free, we see a parallel with Peter that cannot be excused. It's too perfect a parallel.
So MERCY of God is definitely involved in this thought of Matt. 16. Thinking of God's MERCY and tying that thought together with the Church built on the ROCK we go to Peter's own words.
Notice the word "gracious" in verse 3 connected with the "stone" of Christ in verse 4. The picture of MERCY and the ROCK becomes clearer when we read on.
It is so clear what the rock is when thinking about both Jonah's and Peter's experiences, together with Peter's words. The Rock is, of course, Christ. And those who are in the church, built upon it, have received MERCY since we were formerly not a people, but heathens, excepting the few Jews who believed.
The lesson we can learn is that the MERCY of God makes the stone so precious to us. And WHEN WE ARE BLOWN WITH WINDS OF OPPOSITION AND CONDEMNATION due to our failure, we can see the utter precious nature of our Rock, Jesus, in manifesting His mercy to us, and reinstating us.
The wise man built his house on the rock, as Jesus built His house, the church, upon Himself.. The winds blew and beat upon that house, but it fell not. When we are in error and fail, and begin experiencing condemnation we can look to our rock, Who is higher than we are, and enjoy His restoring MERCY. That is how we will not fall if we're upon this rock.
The gates of hell lock souls up in the devil's prison-house of condemnation. But such gates cannot prevail against a soul who cries out to God for MERCY.
Jesus, in Matt. 16, told Peter in effect, "Son of Jonah, you shall slip and fall, and hell shall lock you up in condemnation. But the gates of hell will not prevail against you or anybody else in my Church if you will choose to remember my mercy and call upon me. Hell's gates closed in upon Jonah, but they did not prevail against him. He was set free. Neither will you be bound by hell's gates. You are upon a rock - Me. My mercy will be your precious stay."
He is the rock. And that rock encompasses God's mercy. When we make a mistake and fall, we will not be destroyed, even if we become weak.