Did Jesus say that Peter was the foundation of the church?

Immediately after Peter’s wonderful confession of Christ as the Son of God (verse 16), Jesus spoke the words, “You are Peter.” Jesus used the same Greek word that is used 161 times in the New Testament for Simon Peter—“Petros.” In fact, the word “Petros” is never used for any other purpose in the New Testament than to designate Peter. The name means “pebble” or “rolling stone.”

But after Jesus called Peter by his name Petros, He said, “On this rock I will build My church.” This time Christ used the word “petra” for rock. The word “petra” represents a huge, unmovable boulder—a real Gibraltar. This word is never used to designate Peter. Instead, it is used repeatedly to describe Jesus Himself. Paul speaks of Christ as our Rock (see 1 Corinthians 10:4).

The church was not built upon the unstable Peter (Petros). In fact, just a few verses later (v. 23), Christ rebuked Peter with strong language, speaking of him as an agent of Satan! Rather, God’s church would be built on Christ (petra), the Rock of Salvation. It is Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Son of God that comprised the firm rock of truth at the foundation of the church, not the shifting character of the unconverted Peter.

Notice how Jesus responded right after Peter made the confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (v. 16). Christ assured him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (v. 17). Peter is blessed for his confession, not because the church would be built upon him. We, too, may be blessed when we confess Christ as the true Rock of our salvation.

Key Bible Texts

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. (Matthew 16:18 KJV)