FRAGMENT OF THE ROCK

"And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." (Matthew 16:18 NIV)

Jesus and his disciples were now in the region of Caesarea Philippi. There, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" “Some say you are John the Baptist; others say you are Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets”, they replied. The responses that they gave were hearsays from people, so Jesus further asked them, "What about you? Who do you say that I am?"

After a period of silence, the Holy Spirit ruptured the lips of Simon and he spoke, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." "This is not your own word, Simon! My Father who is in heaven has given you this revelation from heaven. Praise be to his name! From today I name you Peter [meaning rock], and upon this rock [that my Father has revealed to you from heaven], I will build my own church, and the open gates of Hades shall by no means overpower it [by preventing my resurrection]."

Look closely at this conversation and let us answer few questions.

Petros/Petra

"You are Petros, and on this petra I will build my church." In the English translations you will see that both words translate rock, however, in the Greek, two similar words were used. One is Petros and the other is Petra. Petros literally means a large piece of rock, but Petra means a bedrock or base rock. Petra is larger and broader than Petros. In effect, Jesus is saying that "I name you Petros, and upon this petra I will build my own church." Simon was named Petros but he was not going to be the foundation based upon whom the Lord was going to build his own church. Petros is far too small and far too narrow; less tenacious and less fortitudinous to hold up the church. He was going to build his own church on the petra. So what is this petra?

The rock [petra] upon which Jesus was going to build his own church is the revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, meaning the Anointed One. Jesus was very happy about this revelation because it was going to be the very foundation based upon which his church would be built. Over here, we see that the church refers to the body of believers who believe in and are transformed by the revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, and the open gates of Hades were not going to prevent the church from being born. 

Why is it that the revelation of the Messiah, better still, the Messiah, is the foundation of the church? The single most important proof that Jesus is the Messiah is the resurrection. It was necessary for the Messiah to die and in three days, resurrect from the dead, and afterwards ascend to heaven from where he came to the earth. This revelation eluded everyone in Israel including the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the Lawyers and the Scribes. They had been twisting the Scriptures to mean that the Messiah would not be able to die. The Messiah, truthfully, was to die and resurrect, and ascend to the right hand of God, from whence he should rule the heavens and the earth until his second advent. It is during his second advent that he will not be able to die. All Israel did not perceive this truth, even the disciples. 

After Peter had truthfully declared the revelation from the Father, Jesus was overjoyed and added that the open gates of Hades would never be able to overpower the church, that is, by preventing his resurrection. It is the resurrection that opened the gates of Hades for the dead to break out free. It is the resurrection that brought us back to life from being dead in our trespasses and sins. It is the resurrection that gave us power over all the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. The Messiah is the foundation of the church because it was his resurrection that got us alive unto God, becoming his holy family on the earth. The church is the body of believers who believe in and are transformed by the revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. This rock [firm, irrefutable truth] is the foundation of the church. 

Church leaders

As Christ is the rock, his leaders are fragments of the rock. The headship of the church pertains to the Lord Jesus. It takes being the Messiah to be the head of the church. It takes dying on a cross in-between two transgressors to be the head of the church. It takes being buried in the tomb of a rich man to be the head of the church. It takes being in hell for three days and three nights to be the head of the church. It takes resurrecting from the dead and ascending into heaven and sitting at the right hand of God to be the head of the church. Any person who is not able to satisfy all of these, cannot be the head or foundation of the church. Peter [Petros] was a fragment of the rock. 

Fragment of the rock refers to a person who has been privileged to receive a call from the Lord to take care of his church as the leader of the church. You should not see yourself as equal with Christ in position or authority. You are a partaker, a sharer, an inheritor but not the original owner of the church. Christ is the source of life but you are connected to his power source. You cannot be the same in rank. You must be very humble as a leader of the Lord's church. When you physically die, you cannot will the church to your biological children because it is not your personal property. The church belongs to the Lord, and so, you must always acknowledge him as your head, and you as his steward, answerable to him now and in the coming age. 

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