(Matthew 16:18 NAS95)
The question is, did Jesus Christ give primacy to Peter, and install him as the first pope?
The question is, did Jesus Christ give primacy to Peter, and install him as the first pope?
As far as verse 18 goes, before we dig into exegesis, it's important to see what it would be like being there in this context first hearing what Jesus said and seeing what that sounds like to us.
What I mean is, let's look at a similar phrase and see if we arrive at the Roman Catholic conclusion that Peter is the rock upon which Christ would build His church, and therefore, the first pope.
If I said, "You're Aaron, and I'll be hanging out with Erin", how many of us would be thinking that I would be hanging out with Aaron? No one would. What's the difference in names? One is masculine (Aaron) while the other is feminine (Erin).
The differences in the genders are present in Matthew 16:18. "You are Peter (masculine), and upon this rock (feminine) I will build my Church...." The fact that there is an obvious distinction between the foundation of the church and Peter, or at least a distinction between the foundation and Peter in isolation is abundantly clear based on genders. Furthermore, the demonstrative pronoun "this" is feminine. And if anyone knows anything about Greek, knows that feminine pronouns don't have masculine antecedents; exceptions cannot be found in our context. In fact, "When a demonstrative functions as a pronoun... Its number and gender are determined by its antecedent, just like any pronoun".1
Another peculiar point of interest if Peter were the rock only that Jesus was referring to, that He would build His church upon, is why didn't Jesus say, "You are Peter, and upon you I will build My church"? It would seem rather cryptic for Jesus to turn His attention away from Peter when Peter is right there in front of Him and in dialogue with Him, why not make it abundantly clear that Peter is the foundation that Christ would build His church on?
Clearly cut, we are forced to not hold to Petrine papacy by the text that is so often presented to prove so. What did Christ mean? I think, contextually, it is absolutely clear that the context has several things present in it:
1). Doctrine of Jesus as Messiah.
2). Doctrine of Jesus as the Son of God, and therefore fully and absolutely of the same Nature i.e. the deity of Jesus Christ.
3). The Father's revelation of these doctrines.
4). Peter's confession of Christ, and therefore faith in Christ.
Now, Jesus wasn't concerned with what only Peter thought, but was concerned about what all the Apostles thought, considering He asked, "But who do you (plural) say that I am?"
So Peter's confession did represent the whole of the confession of the other Apostles. And what we have with the above outline of pertinent information presented are concepts bigger than just simply Peter.
So we understand from the context, that Jesus isn't saying that Peter himself is the foundation upon which He will build His church. What is it that Jesus is saying the rock is then?
There are really only a few other options:
1). The confession of faith that Peter makes (Athanasius' interpretation)
2). Jesus Christ Himself (Augustine's interpretation)
Really, though if we harmonized Matthew 16:18 with Ephesians 2:19-22, we would recognize that both Athanasius and Augustine weren't too disimilar with one another.
The fact is the church isn't literally built on all the apostles, prophets and Jesus Christ. They'd have to have all of the bodies of each, and such is impossible. Instead, it's abundantly clear that it's what they taught, professed, and prophesied about that became the foundation upon which Christ builds the church, namely, Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior, the Anointed one, the Son of God who would save (build the church) all those who believe in Him. And in that sense, we can easily say that all of the apostles and prophets and Jesus Christ are the foundation of the church in that what they said is the bedrock that makes the church impossible to be defeated by the gates of Hades.
With that in mind, it seems clear that we can actually reconcile the concept that the church is built on Jesus with the concept that the church is built on Peter's confession of faith in Christ, namely, because the object of Peter's faith is Christ. The feminine gender can then absolutely be employed to refer to Christ, given the fact that Christ is contained in the confession of faith (the Greek word for faith oddly enough is feminine in gender).
Further denial of Petrine primacy and papacy is seen in the fact that Peter Himself didn't operate as such. Notice,
Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” (1 Peter 5:1–4 NAS95)
So Peter wasn't installed as the first pope or given primacy, nor does speak as a pope, nor does he speak as a superior, nor does he even speak from his apostolic authority, but as a fellow elder, one of equality with another elder. And the one to whom Peter does give primacy to, is actually Jesus Christ Himself.
Notes:
1). Mounce, Basics of Biblical Greek, 107
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