Question:
Please explain Matthew 16:18-19. What is the meaning of the Greek words for “Peter” and “rock,” as well as John 1:42? What are the keys to the kingdom of heaven?
Answer:
- The name “Peter” comes from the Greek word “petros,” which means a stone or a mass of rock that is broken off from a larger original rock.
- The word “rock,” in this context, comes from “petra,” which is consistently translated as “rock” throughout the New Testament. “Petros” refers specifically to Peter as a stone or mass of rock from the original rock. Peter made a confession of Christ Jesus. Our Lord indicated that this confession did not arise from any wisdom that Peter possessed but rather through divine revelation from God. It is upon that rock—the confession of Christ as Savior—that God would build His church. Understanding what is meant by that “Rock” relies not on a scholarly interpretation of a Greek word but on the declarations found in Scripture. This is clearly illustrated in Deuteronomy 32:4 and Psalm 18:31, which state, “For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?” Only God is the Rock, and “His work is perfect.” Additionally, the apostle Paul notes the true foundation in 1 Corinthians 3:11: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Moreover, Peter explicitly states that believers are “lively stones,” being “built up a spiritual house,” and a “holy priesthood” on the “chief corner stone” Christ Jesus, who is also a “Rock of offense” to those who do not believe. The word “rock,” derived from “petra,” is the same as that in Matthew 16:18. This uniform testimony of Scripture asserts that the foundation under God is Christ Jesus alone.
- Keys represent things that open. The keys of the kingdom of heaven open the kingdom itself, and this kingdom is accessed through faith in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter preached this gospel to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost and to Gentiles, as exemplified by Cornelius, a Roman centurion (see Acts 2 and Acts 10). God chose Peter to present this wonderful gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, giving him the keys to do so. As recorded in Acts 15, Peter stated, “Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us” (verses 7-8). However, this did not elevate Peter above the other apostles, for at the council where Peter spoke, James presided. It is upon the foundation of Christ Jesus and belief in that foundation that God builds His church. This establishment is not the work of any man or group of men but rather the power of God Himself through His Son, who gave His life to redeem humanity. Everyone who believes in Him, like Peter, is a living stone built upon that foundation.
