Upon This Rock I Will Build My Church

"When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? ... And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." - Matthew 16:13, 16

"And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 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 16:17-18

In this verse, “Peter” means “a detached but large fragment” while “rock” means “the massive living rock.” In other words, Peter is like a chip off the massive rock, which is Christ.  (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon Matthew 16:18 (some interpretations regard the distinction between πέτρα, the massive living rock, and πέτρος, a detached but large fragment, as important for the correct understanding of this passage)

What is “this rock” that Jesus says “I will build my church”?

The Bible says that spiritual rock which the fathers did drink spiritual drink was Christ.

It appears the church is built on this rock, which is Christ.

"Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." - 1 Corinthians 10:1-4

The Bible tells how this rock was smitten by Moses on two different occasions. Each time, water flowed out of the rock, supplying life sustaining water to the thirsty Israelites.

The first time the rock was smitten appears to be a type of baptism in Jesus name.

God told Moses to smite the rock with the rod that turned the river to blood. Thus, there was the remembrance of blood when the water flowed out of the rock.

"And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go." - Exodus 17:5

When the people were slaves in Egypt, God told Moses to smite the river with his rod.

"And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood." - Exodus 7:20

When we are baptized in water in the name of Jesus, symbolic of His death and burial, there is the remembrance of blood.

"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death..." - Romans 6:3-4

At Jesus’ death on the cross, there was blood and water.

"But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe." - John 19:34-35

"This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth." - 1 John 5:6

The second time the people cried for water, Moses was to SPEAK to the rock and water would flow out to the thirsting Israelites. This appears to be a shadow of Spirit baptism with SPEAKING in tongues. (Acts 2:4)

"Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink." - Numbers 20:8

Instead of BELIEVING that God would bring forth the water by Moses speaking, Moses decided he was going to bring forth the water, smiting the rock twice. For this reason, God did not allow Moses to enter the Land of Promise.

"And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also." - Numbers 20:9-11

"And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them." - Numbers 20:12

God demonstrated with Moses in the Old Testament, that in order to enter into God’s PROMISE, it takes believing. It is not by the work of man, but by the work of God.

"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" - John 7:37-39

When we BELIEVE God for the promise of His Spirit, and SPEAK to Him, God fills us with His Spirit.

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39

Thus, when Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build my church,” He was speaking of building His church upon Himself, the smitten spiritual rock out of which flows water and Spirit, building the church upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it!

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." - Isaiah 53:4-5