Dear Protestants ... please explain John 1:42

[Valletta]

So you are saying that these 3 scriptures are wrong? If you do, you have another god, that is named Peter and the one mentioned in the scriptures would never agree with you.

They say Ps 18:31 For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?
1 Samuel 2:2 “There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.
2 Samuel 22:32 “For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?

Rock is not God's name, Rock is a word that sometimes is used to describe God. A rock can be large or small, sedimentary, igneous, metamorphic, does that contradict Holy Scripture? Jesus renamed Simon as Rock, not me, and said "upon this Rock I will build My Church." If Jesus was pointing to himself why not say "I am Jesus and upon this Rock I will build My Church?" Instead he renames Simon as Rock and immediately says "upon this Rock I will build My Church."

 

[Buzzard3]

Once Peter came to see who Jesus truly was he became the little rock and knew Jesus was the true ROCK and there was no other.

Do you think it was just a coincidence that Jesus changed Simon's name to "rock" the very first time they met (John 1:42) ... before Jesus got to know Simon? It had nothing to do with the plan of Christ the "rock" to work through Peter the "rock" after Jesus left this earth?
Why would Jesus give a stranger a new name the first time they met?

Only God can hold "the keys of the kingdom of heaven", but Jesus gave those "keys" to a man, Peter (Matt 16:19). Again, this had nothing to with God working through Peter?
If not, please explain why Jesus gave Peter the divine power of holding the keys of heaven.

 

[iwbswiaihl]

Do you think it was just a coincidence that Jesus changed Simon's name to "rock" the very first time they met (John 1:42) ... before Jesus got to know Simon? It had nothing to do with the plan of Christ the "rock" to work through Peter the "rock" after Jesus left this earth?
Why would Jesus give a stranger a new name the first time they met?


Catholics make much ado over this verse, but tell me this, why did his brother and the rest of the apostles themselves keep calling him, Peter, or Cephas?
Only God can hold "the keys of the kingdom of heaven", but Jesus gave those "keys" to a man, Peter (Matt 16:19). Again, this had nothing to with God working through Peter?
If not, please explain why Jesus gave Peter the divine power of holding the keys of heaven.

And tell me this, why did his brother and all the rest of the apostles keep calling him Peter, or Cephas? And where does the scriptures ever show or tell of anyone who came to Peter to get into heaven other than his declaration that Jesus was the Messiah, and only Son of God? What are the keys to heaven? The only one that opens the doors of heaven for salvation is Jesus Christ who laid down His life as the spotless Lamb of God was sacrificed for salvation to all who place their faith in Him, do you deny this or are people saved also by Peter, Cephas or what are you claiming? As I stated above in another post, even that phrase, whatsoever you bound on earth is bound in heaven and whatsoever you loose is loosed in heaven was given to those who administer church discipline, but the Catholics are the only group that seem to equate Peter on the same standing as Jesus, who indeed is the solid Rock and only true God. Is this not true. Peter was the one who deny even knowing Jesus, but later did repent. Do you deny that the names Peter, Petras, Cephas all mean, rock or little pebble in their language? How many people have the authority to forgive sin? No one but the Lord, do you also deny this? How many died as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, ONE, his name is Jesus. If you want to keep on with your belief, so be it, every tub sets on its own bottom!

 

[Buzzard3]

What are the keys to heaven?

Whatever the "keys of the kingdom of heaven" are, you would have to agree that only God can hold them. Yet Jesus gave those divine "keys" to a man, Peter (Matt 16:19).
That's very important event, don't you think? Yet, amazingly, you (and millions of other Protestants) don't even know what the "keys" are!

The only one that opens the doors of heaven for salvation is Jesus Christ,
who laid down His life as the spotless Lamb of God was sacrificed for salvation to all who place their faith in Him.

Correct ... so how do you explain one of the most incredible events in the Bible ... Jesus Christ giving the divine "keys of the kingdom of heaven"" to a mere man, Peter?

do you deny this or are people saved also by Peter, Cephas or what are you claiming?

I'm claiming that only the Catholic Church can explain what the "keys" are and the significance of Jesus giving them to Peter.
Protestants ignore Matt 16:19 and sweep it under the carpet ... because they have no idea what is means.

As I stated above in another post, even that phrase, whatsoever you bound on earth is bound in heaven and whatsoever you loose is loosed in heaven was given to those who administer church discipline

Which "church" has the authority to decide what is "bound" or "loosed" ... decisions that only God can make?
The Baptists? The Presbyterians? The Methodists? The Anglicans? The evangelicals? The Mormons? The Jehovah's Witnesses? Which one?

And who has the authority to "administer church discipline"?

the Catholics are the only group that seem to equate Peter on the same standing as Jesus

Your absurd suggestion reveals your ignorance of Catholic teaching.
The fact of the matter is, only the Catholic Church understands Matt 16:18-19.

How many people have the authority to forgive sin? No one but the Lord, do you also deny this?

No, I don't deny that, but how do you explain John 20:21-23 ...
"Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

As with Matt 16:18-19, only the Catholic Church understands what John 16:21-23 means.

Btw, did you notice the similarity beween Matt 16:18-19 and John 16:21-23?
In Matt 16:18-19, Jesus gives a mere man (Peter) something that belongs only to God - the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
In John 20:21-23, Jesus gives mere men (the apostles) something that belongs only to God - the power to forgive (or not forgive) sins.

 

[iwbswiaihl]

One last reply on this: the keys that open heaven is the confession that Jesus Christ is Lord and everyone that uses this confession(key) by grace through faith in Jesus Christ gets in to heaven. Its only a Catholic view that they hold the key to heaven, which is foolish. Scripture says, whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved! Do you as a catholic believe that or not?

 

[Buzzard3]

One last reply on this: the keys that open heaven is the confession that Jesus Christ is Lord and everyone that uses this confession(key) by grace through faith in Jesus Christ gets in to heaven.

That point of view is clearly wrong bcoz it makes a nonsense of the text ... for three reasons:
1. Jesus told Peter, "I WILL GIVE YOU the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matt 16:19). In other words, Peter did not have the "keys" at that point in time, but he will receive them at some point in the FUTURE. But Peter had already made his confession in verse 16, which is in the PAST.

2. Peter had already confessed that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (v.16), so according to you, when Jesus said "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven", Jesus will give Peter something he already had!

3. Jesus said he will give the "keys" to PETER ONLY ... but according to you, Jesus said he will give the "keys" to millions of other people!

Its only a Catholic view that they hold the key to heaven, which is foolish.

You don't know and don't understand what the Catholic Church teaches, so it's foolish to judge what you don't know and don't understand.
Your "knowledge" of the CC is probably garnered from rumours, myths and fallacies spread by other equally ignorant Christians.

And neither do you understand the Scriptures (esp Matt 16:18-19). But how could you? ... without the infallible guidance of the one true Church, it's impossible to come to a proper understanding of God's written word (just ask Martin Luther).

Scripture says, whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved! Do you as a catholic believe that or not?

"Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matt 7:21)

 

[PriorityOne Ministries]

This is super helpful. Thanks for the break down of the Greek.