Many “believers” and God-fearing people are of the understanding that:
1. Peter was the “rock” referred to and
2. that Jesus entrusted only Peter to “bind and loose”.
Are these teachings validated by the written verses in the Holy Bible? To answer these questions, let us start from the source, where these beliefs started.
Let us read the narrative in Matthew 18:13-20
Matthew 18:13-20 New International Version
Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ( note plural disciples, not just Peter)
“Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
(Note that the subject of the question was specifically referring to “who the Son of man is”)
14 They (note also plural) replied, “Some say John the Baptist;others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” ( From the context, the “you” had to be specifically asking those disciples ).
16 one among the many responded, Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”( Note that Peter was the one who answered, why only Peter and all of them?)
And here is why:
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[a] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[b] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[c] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[d] loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
The preceding shows that the Father revealed it to Peter and others believed; hence they(plural) were ordered not to tell anyone.
Peter is “not the rock” referred to but Christ the Messiah https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2016:13-20&version=NIV
Not just to Peter but to his disciples
Matthew 18:15-20 Matthew 18:15-20 NIV – Dealing With Sin in the Church – “If – Bible Gateway
9/13/23…
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