Jesus said that it was his church, but that he was going to "build" it--not found it--on Peter.
Jesus designated Peter for the task, and on Pentecost Sunday Peter preached his miraculous sermon to the people gathered from all around the empire resulting in 3000 of them being converted to the new faith. That was the first big membership breakthrough for the church, so Peter was the one on whom the church may be said to have been "built (up)."
Hold on there, can we back that bus up some, Beep, Beep, Beep
I hear a lot of assumption, and supposition based upon those few words Jesus spoke to Peter. (But no Substance) In fact it was enough to actually build a whole culture around that belief in particular.
But looking at it, we see a different Picture than the one that has been hung before us for so long a time.
My Substance submitted in rebuttal.
A Mother's Request
Mat 20:20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
Mat 20:21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
Mat 20:22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
Mat 20:23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
Mat 20:24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.
Mat 20:25
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
Mat 20:26
But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Mat 20:27
And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Who Is the Greatest?
Luk 22:24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
Luk 22:25
And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
Luk 22:26
But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
Luk 22:27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
Luk 22:28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.
Luk 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
Luk 22:30
That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
These verses from Jesus, speak against such a Position as that one perceived to have been given to Peter, or anyone for that matter to be over the Apostles.
When Jesus says they will be Judges over the Twelve tribes, He is speaking of ALL not just Peter, that are ALL equal.
Divisions in the Church
1Co 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1Co 1:11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
1Co 1:12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
1Co 1:13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
1Co 1:14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
1Co 1:15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
1Co 1:16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
1Co 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
1Co_3:4
For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
Here we see how Paul was forced to handle this very thing about.
(WHO IS THE LEADER OVER US)
This is exactly the same thing which would have happened if Jesus HAD appointed Peter as the Head as people believe, that is exactly the reason He did not do it, it would have fostered Carnality and Division in the Church right from the beginning, and we all know what Jesus said about that.
Mar_3:24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
Mar_3:25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
Now here comes the crux of the whole argument.
According to Belief, (Tradition) Peter was declared to be the Head of the Church by Jesus' own words.
But what we see from Scripture, contradicts this Teaching, Belief.
Paul Accepted by the Apostles
Gal 2:1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
Gal 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
Gal 2:3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
Gal 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
Gal 2:5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Gal 2:6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person, for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
Gal 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me,
as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Gal 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles)
Gal 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
Gal 2:10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
A couple of things here,
1) The Gospel of the Uncircumcision was to Paul,
2) While the Gospel of the Circumcision was to Peter.
Don't you think Peter would have said something about his being the ROCK and being appointed by Jesus, therefore as the Head of the entire Church, at that time in the conversation?
If as people believe Peter was the HEAD of the Church, why then do we read it was
James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, people just don't notice that Peter is not mentioned except in the context of having the Gospel of the Jews committed unto him.
How then does he become the Head of the Gentiles when he hasn't done anything to Evangelize them?
Lastly, the passage in question which gives Peter this supposed position.
Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ
Mat 16:13 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?
Mat 16:14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
Mat 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said,
((((Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. ))))
Mat 16:17
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.
Mat 16:18
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.
Mat 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Mat 16:20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
The ROCK being spoken of by Peter and Jesus was, the TRUTH spoken by Peter, and that this TRUTH would be reveled to man only by GOD the FATHER.
"Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God."