Peter NOT The Rock Upon Which The Church Was Built

Matthew 16:18, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

A common false belief, especially among Roman Catholics, is that Peter is the rock upon which the church was built.

Here is the Greek meaning of the name, Peter:

pet'-ros

Apparently a primary word; a (piece of) rock (larger than G3037); as a name, Petrus, an apostle: - Peter, rock. Compare G2786.

Here is the Greek meaning of the word in Matthew 16:18, rock:

pet'-ra

Feminine of the same as G4074; a (mass of) rock (literally or figuratively): - rock.

SOURCE: Strong's Concordance 

As we just learned, the name “Peter” means petros, “a piece of rock.” But Jesus is Petra, “the Rock.” Hence, Jesus told Peter: “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter (a piece of rock), and upon this rock (The Rock) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Most people are unfamiliar with the Greek language, so they commonly misinterpret this Scripture. This is a good example of why it helps to look up the Greek meaning of words. However, you DON'T need to be a Greek scholar to understand the Holy Bible. A simple cross reference with 1st Corinthians 3:11 would show you that Jesus alone is THE FOUNDATION of the Church...

1st Corinthians 3:9-11, “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

Jesus alone is THE FOUNDATION of the Church. Christ is also THE HEAD of the Church. 

Ephesians 5:23, “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.” Colossians 1:18, “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” Jesus is the HEAD and we as saints are the BODY of Christ. That is beautiful! 

Also, carefully notice in Colossians 1:18 that Jesus is the FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD. We read in the Bible that some bodies of the saints resurrected from the dead when He died on the cross. Matthew 27:52-53, And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” Did not these saints rise up from the dead before Christ? Yes, the dead. So how can Jesus be “the firstborn from the dead”?

The simple answer is that Jesus is the first person to ever be resurrected in His glorified immortal body. Those saints who raised up when Christ died on the cross, had to die again. The same is true of Lazarus, whom Jesus resurrected from the dead. Lazarus was raised up in his mortal earthly body, as were the saints at Calvary when Jesus died on the cross. They all needed to die again. But Jesus was the first person to ever be resurrected in a glorified immortal body. Jesus didn't need to die when He raised up from the dead, because He now had His perfect resurrected body. Philippians 3:20-21, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

So, Jesus is the mountain (The Rock) upon which Christ has built His Church. Please don't miss that! Jesus said that He, and not Peter, would build His Church! Jesus Christ alone builds His New Testament Church. John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” Unless the Holy Spirit come down in power, nothing can happen. Psalms 127:1, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

Peter is NOT the Rock upon which the Church was built, Jesus Christ alone is THE ROCK!!!