The Rock and the Stone

1) Introduction

The apostle Petros (Peter) is widely regarded as „the rock“. The popes are considered to be Peter’s successors. This belief, spread by the Catholic Church, legitimises the papacy, the „seat of Peter“, whose founders, defenders and followers refer to the passage in the Bible in which Yehoshua (Jesus) says to Peter:

„And I also say to you that you, you are Petros, and upon this Rock, I will build my Assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it“ (Matthew 16:18).

Many people believe that the papacy is thus rooted in the Bible. But does the Catholic doctrine of „Peter, the rock“ correspond to the truth, or are we perhaps victims of a millennia-old misconception? The purpose of this treatise is to examine the meaning of „rock“ in the light of the Bible.

Meaning of the rock

In the Bible, a rock generally symbolises solidity and stability. It also serves as protection and refuge. It offers security and lasts a long time. Sometimes the rock also serves as a source of water or food.[1]

2) Petros and Petra

To better understand, we need to examine certain words in the above Bible verse in the original Greek text.

The Greek word „petros“ means „stone„. The „rock„, on the other hand, is „petra“ in Greek. In this context, let’s reread the verse:

„And I also say to you that you are Petros (a stone), and upon this Rock („petra“), I will build my Assembly (community, Church), and the gates of Hades (the gates of hell) will not prevail against it.“

Petros and Petra, meaning rock, do not in any way refer to one and the same person. Petros is not the rock, otherwise the Lord Yehoshua would have used the word „petros“ again and said, ‘and on this stone I will build my assembly’.

So who is „petra“? In reality, the Lord was referring to himself. We can imagine Yehoshua pointing to Shim’on Petros (Simon Peter) and saying, „You are ‚petros'“, then pointing to himself and continuing, „on this ‚petra‘ I will build my Church“. Let us be honest and realistic: can something as great as a Church be built on one man alone?

3) A small word, so important

Let’s continue our analysis of the sentence: „And I also say to you that you, you are Petros, and upon this Rock, I will build my Assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it“ (Matthew 16:18)

Let us consider a small word, seemingly insignificant, which nevertheless contributes greatly to the correct or incorrect understanding of the verse. It is the Greek conjunction „kaí„, which in our case has been translated as „and„. What is not obvious is that „kaí“ can also be translated by other small words (also, even, indeed, but…).

If we use the word „but„, our statement would then be as follows: „And I also say to you that you, you are Petros, but upon this Rock, I will build my Assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it“

In this case, the contradiction between Petros and the rock is even more obvious. Petros is not the rock.

4) The answer

If we read Yehoshua Mashiah’s (Jesus Christ’s) statement in the context of the preceding verses, another light is shed on it.

„13 But Yehoshua, having come into the territory of Caesarea Philippos, he asked his disciples saying: Who do humans say that I, the Son of human being, am? 14 And they said: Surely Yohanan the Baptizer; and others, Eliyah; and others again, Yirmeyah or one of the prophets. 15 He said to them: But who do you say that I am? 16 Shim’on Petros answered and said: you are the Mashiah, the Son of Elohim, of the Living One. 17 And Yehoshua answered and said to him: Blessed are you, Shim’on, Bar-Yonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in the heavens. 18 And I also say to you that you, you are Petros, and upon this Rock, I will build my Assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it„ (Matthew 16:13-18).

Yehoshua asks his disciples who they think he is. Peter replies, „you are the Mashiah, the Son of Elohim, of the Living One“. Yehoshua immediately makes him understand that this correct answer does not come from him, Simon Peter, but from Elohim. He then points out to the disciple his insignificance by making him understand, „You are a stone“. In other words, Yehoshua says, „Yes, Simon, you gave the right answer, but it did not come from you; Elohim whispered it to you. Such a revelation cannot come from you, for you are only a small stone!“. And he then reveals himself: „But I am the great rock.“

Yohanan the Baptist (John the Baptist) once said to the crowd: „… For I say to you that Elohim is able to raise children, to Abraham, out of these stones“ (Luke 3:8).

A stone is a mute and inanimate object. It can do nothing. But Elohim, who breathes life, can even make stones cry out:

„37 And as he is coming near now, at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples rejoicing, began to praise Elohim with a great voice for all the miracles they had seen, 38 saying: Blessed is the King who is coming in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. 39 And some of the Pharisees, from among the crowd, said to him: Teacher, rebuke your disciples sharply! 40 And answering, he said to them: I tell you that, if these will be silent, the stones will cry out“ (Luke 19:37-40).

Yohanan the Baptist and Yehoshua clearly indicate here that a man receives only through the power of Elohim understanding and revelation in his heart, so that he in turn can praise Elohim with his voice and speak of Him to other people. Our praise is only the automatic response to the grace and work of Elohim. Without the will and grace of Elohim, we remain silent and lifeless stones. No one, not even a pastor or bishop, should therefore boast or exalt themselves above others!

5) From pride to humility

The disciple Simon Petros had to experience for himself the truth of the proverb, „Pride goes before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall“ (Proverbs 16:18).

Despite the vehement warning of his master Yehoshua, he still considered himself more than a small stone. He thought he could accomplish something on his own. So he assured the Lord that he would follow him to death if necessary. He imagined himself defending Yehoshua of Nazareth with weapons and dying heroically in battle.

What happened next we have called it the „Gethsemane shock“. Peter first cut off the ear of Malchus, the high priest’s servant, in the Garden of Gethsemane with his sword (John 18:10). Peter’s sword here symbolises human strength, human thinking, and the defence of one’s own interests. Then came Yehoshua’s reaction, which turned Petros‘ whole life upside down:

„Then Yehoshua says to him: Turn back your sword to its place, for all who took the sword will perish by the sword„ (Matthew 26:52).

The foundation on which Simon the fisherman had relied until then, namely himself, ‘petros’, collapsed. Until then, he had never used any other strategy than to impose his will by masculine force. But his strength counted for nothing before Elohim, and his arrogance prevented him from acting. Since he was not yet founded on „petra“, „the rock“, Petros sank into fear, lies, and ultimately frustration. 

After the „shock of Gethsemane“, he first denied his Lord three times. Then he returned to the world, to his life as a fisherman. He had lost his vision because he was not founded on the rock. He knew no other way out and had forgotten everything his master Yehoshua had shown him, because he had not yet internalised it.

Petros had to go through a painful process of humiliation in order for his character to change from self-confidence to confidence in Elohim, from „Saul“ to „David“ (see below). And that was a good thing: for his own salvation and that of many people whom he was to bring to faith in Yehoshua Mashiah, the living Elohim. That is why he writes in his letter: 

„6 In this you exult, even if now, since it is necessary, you are for a little while, grieved by various trials, 7 so that the test of your faith, much more precious than gold that perishes, but is tested through fire, may be found a subject of praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Yehoshua Mashiah. 8 Whom you love without having seen him; in whom, without seeing him now, but believing, you exult with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 obtaining the goal of your faith, the salvation of souls„ (1 Peter 1:6-9).

Peter now understood that it was not about his own glory and greatness, but about the salvation of souls and the glory of Elohim.

6) Elohim YHWH, the rock

A thousand years before the fisherman Peter lived, a young shepherd, David (who would later become king of Israel), was already far ahead of him: he refused the sword that King Saul had offered him to defend Israel’s cause against Goliath. He could do so because he had already had personal experience of his Elohim. He knew Elohim’s salvation from the wild beasts in the fields (1 Samuel 17:31-40). Shaul (Saul), on the other hand, relied on his own strength throughout his life. He tried repeatedly to save his honour. This attitude ultimately cost him his life (read in 1 Samuel from chapter 13).

David recorded his experiences with Elohim as saviour and protector in the Psalms, in which he regularly refers to his Elohim as the ROCK. Here is a selection:

„YHWH is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my El, my strength, in whom I will trust …“ (Psalm 18:3)

„Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: you have given commandment to save me; for you are my rock and my fortress“ (Psalm 71:3)

In Psalm 19, we see a clear parallel between YaHWeH and YEHOSHUA: „… O YHWH, my strength, and my redeemer“ (Psalm 19:15). We know that there is only one Saviour, namely Yehoshua Mashiah! It is amazing to see how well David already knew his Saviour, who was only to reveal himself to all 1000 years later, as a human being. Those who say that YEHOSHUA is not YaHWeH are not reading the Bible correctly.

This is very clear from another prophetic book. Yesha’yah (Isaiah) knew Elohim as Saviour and Rock. We read: 

„6 Thus says YHWH the King of Israel, and his redeemer YHWH Tsevaot; I am  the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no Elohim. […] 8 Fear you not, neither be afraid: have not I told you from that time, and have declared it? you are even my witnesses. Is there an Eloah beside me? yes, there is no Rock; I know not any“ (Isaiah 44:6,8).

In these verses, Elohim introduces himself to his people and gives himself some designations/attributes that we cannot ignore: according to his own word, he is:

• the King of Israel 
• the Redeemer of Israel 
• the first and the last 
• the only Rock 
• the only Elohim

It is striking to note that these designations also apply to Yehoshua Mashiah. The concordance is undeniable:

• with Yehoshua, the King of Israel: „And Pilate wrote and put it on the cross. And it was written: Yehoshua, THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS„ (John 19:19).
• Yehoshua, the redeemer: „In him we have redemption through his blood…“ ( Ephesians 1:7).
• Yehoshua, the First and the Last: „I am the Aleph and the Tav, the beginning and the end, the first and the last„ (Revelation 22:13).
• Yehoshua, the rock: „… and upon this Rock, I will build my Assembly …“ (Matthew 16:18).
• Yehoshua, the true Elohim: „But we know that the Son of Elohim has come, and has given us an understanding, so that we may know the True One. And we are in the True One, in his Son Yehoshua Mashiah. This is the True One Elohim, and the eternal life“ (1 John 5:20).

7) The rock provides food and water

Before David and Yesha’yah, another prophet had already become acquainted with the rock: Moshe (Moses). He writes:

„4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are judgment. … […] 12 So  YHWH alone did lead him, and there was no strange el with him. 13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, and he ate the fruits of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock“ (Song of Moses: Deuteronomy 32:4, 12-13).

In Isaiah 44:8, we read Elohim’s declaration that there is no rock but him. This now seems even clearer to us, for no rock has ever been seen to bring forth honey and oil. Nowhere in the Bible do we read that Peter, another disciple, prophet, priest, or king, was a source of honey and oil or a constant source of food. Only Elohim can accomplish this.

Honey has a refreshing and invigorating effect. This is the effect of Elohim’s word, not that of human words! [2]

Oil had many uses: as food, for anointing, for healing wounds, for refreshing the skin, as an offering, as oil for lamps [3]. Oil symbolises the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is Elohim, and only HE can give it; no man can. We do not receive the Holy Spirit through the slap of a bishop during the Catholic sacrament of confirmation! Only where the word of Elohim and the Holy Spirit work together can life be born.

Elsewhere we read: „He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out …“ (Psalm 105:41).

This also refers to what the people of Israel had experienced with Elohim in the wilderness. 

„2 And the people contended with Moshe, and they said: Give us water that we may drink. And Moshe said to them: Why do you contend with me? Wherefore do you tempt YHWH? 3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moshe, and said: Why is this, have you brought us up out of Egypt, to kill me and my sons and my cattle with thirst? 4 And Moshe cried to YHWH, saying: What will I do to this people? Yet a little and they will stone me. 5 And YHWH said to Moshe: Go on before the people, and take with you of the elders of Israel, and your rod, wherewith you smote the river, take in you hand, and go! 6 Behold, I will stand before you there upon the rock in Horeb; and you will smite the rock, and there will come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moshe did so in the eyes of the elders of Israel“ (Exodus 17:2-6).

At that time, the people of Israel, like many religious people today, had not yet understood that no man can give water. That is why they turned on Moses and asked him to do the impossible, namely to keep them alive. However, natural water comes only from the earth or falls from the sky, while water of life in a figurative sense comes only from Elohim. How often do we ‘Christians’ expect our priests and church leaders to take care of us, instead of going ourselves to the rock, to the source?

Only Yehoshua gives life. He is described in the Bible as „… Wonderful, Counsellor, El Gibbor, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace“ (Isaiah 9:5). He wants to take care of all your personal concerns. Is the Pope capable of this?

8) False rocks

Unfortunately, there was a moment in Moses‘ life when he did not trust Elohim, when he ignored the rock and, together with his brother Aaron, presented himself as the rock, as the one who gives water:

„10 And Moshe and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said to them: Hear now, you rebels; must we fetch you waters out of this rock? 11 And Moshe lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the waters came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. 12 And YHWH spoke to Moshe and Aaron: Because you believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you will not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them“ (Numbers 20:10-12).

Elohim’s consequence was immediate. We must not think that there will be no consequences for us simply because we are currently living in a time of grace! All who behave as masters of their own lives and the lives of others will one day fall.

Isaiah 17:10-11: „10 Because you have forgotten the Elohim of your salvation, and have not been mindful of the rock of your strength …“ 

The following is interesting: 

„therefore will you plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: 11 In the day will you make your plant to grow, and in the morning will you make your seed to flourish: but the harvest will be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow … „

In plain language, Elohim tells us here through Yesha’yah that whoever is not built on the rock will lose everything he has accumulated on a terrible day of shame, even if it is growing and flourishing for now. Let us therefore examine our undertakings to see if they are founded on the rock! Has Elohim confirmed to us that we are doing the right thing? Let us examine the works of those on whom we rely, our partners in cooperation, our church communities, so that we do not suffer shame with them and our efforts are not in vain!

We must be careful not to fall permanently with the harlot Babylon because of our wrong decisions: 

„6 And I saw another angel flying in the zenith, having the eternal Gospel to preach to those dwelling on the Earth, and to every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people, 7 saying with a great voice: Fear Elohim, and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come. And worship him who made heaven, and Earth, and the sea, and the springs of waters. 8 And another angel, followed him saying: Fallen, fallen is Babel, the city, the great because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her illicit sexual intercourse!“ (Revelation 14:6-8)

Are we among those who speak uselessly (Proverbs 10:8), who live in ungodliness (Proverbs 11:5), who have chosen a human leader (Proverbs 11:14), who have proudly declared themselves to be their own reference in life (Proverbs 16:18) or who do not understand the Bible (Hosea 4:14)? Then we are founded on Babylon, the gates of Hades (Matthew 16:18), and we fall with her!

Wherever man exalts himself, Elohim is far away. It is high time to change something!

9) On whom do we rely?

There is another passage that speaks of the fall. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord tells the parable of two men building their houses:

„24 Therefore whoever hears these words from me and put them in practice, I will compare him to a wise man who has built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the wind blew and beat upon the house: and it did not fall, because it was founded on the rock. 26 But whoever hears these words from me, and does not put them in practice will be like a foolish man who has built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain came down, and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon this house. And it fell and great was its fall„ (Matthew 7:24-27).

A comparison once again summarises our conclusions:

House on sand        ↔️      House on rock

Old Petros             ↔️      Transformed Petros

King Saul               ↔️     Shepherd and King David

Self-confidence         ↔️     Confidence in Elohim

Own honour            ↔️     Elohim’s honour

Pride                    ↔️     Humility

Petros feels strong     ↔️     Petros is founded on PETRA

Inanimate stone         ↔️     Living stone

No pope, bishop, pastor, elder or deacon, no prophet or apostle can carry the burden of the Church, the body of Christ on earth. Every human being is limited, sinful and makes a series of mistakes and bad decisions. They are totally incapable of carrying the burden of the „Christian community „! Human beings, even Christians, are already busy enough dealing with the burdens of their own lives. This also applies to church leaders. They are not infallible supermen!

That is why there is no representative of Elohim on earth. There is no human being who can save you! They are all just small stones. Some are lifeless, others are alive.

Yehoshua as Elohim, however, is imperishable, infallible, almighty, omnipresent, the source of life and of boundless goodness. He fulfils all the criteria of a rock that we read about above. He is the rock already mentioned in the Old Covenant:

„YHWH lives; and blessed be my rock; and let the Eloah of my salvation be exalted“ (Psalm 18:47).

We can count on him. The community can be built on him. You too can build your life on him!

„And YHWH said: Behold, there is a place by me, and you will stand upon a rock“ (Exodus 33:21)

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[1] See www.bibelwissenschaft.de

[2] http://www.bibelstudium.de/articles/2282/

[3] https://www.bibelkommentare.de/