When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” Matthew 16:13-19
What was the rock? Was it Peter? Peter means stone right? But Jesus was talking about his church.....as a matter of fact it's one of the only three times he used the word "church" in the four gospels. I'm pretty positive that he wasn't talking about Peter. I'm convinced that He was actually using the new name that he'd given Simon as a prophetic picture. He was talking about a revelation. It's the revelation God had given Peter and it's the revelation that we all need to have to be born again. What was this amazing revelation that Jesus would build His church upon? It's this; that Jesus is the anointed One, Jesus is the one true Messiah, and Jesus is the Son of the living God. This was the revelation that Jesus Christ's church would be built upon and it's the only foundation that once built upon, can push back the gates of hell. This revelation is what gives us the keys to the kingdom because it's actually this revelation where we honor Jesus in His proper place as our only sovereign King.
