Built on the Rock

 

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." - Matthew 7:24-27 KJV

"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

“Peter” is the Greek word ‘petros,’ while “rock” is the Greek word ‘petra.’  Thayer’s Greek Lexicon states, “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…)”

When Jesus said, “upon this rock I will build my church;” He was speaking of building it upon Himself, ‘rock’ being a metaphor and described as ‘the massive living rock.’ The metaphor for Peter is, ‘a detached but large fragment.’

Because the church as a whole, and us as individuals in particular are built on Jesus our Rock, storms can come and we will not fall. Not only will we not fall, but the gates of hell shall not prevail against us. By the gospel of Jesus, souls are set free, saved and delivered from hell. (Acts 2:38-42).

"The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler [shield], and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." - Psalm 18:2 KJV