Gospel Reflections #821: Our sure foundation is Jesus alone

Matthew 16:18 "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church."

"Peter" is Petros in Greek, and "rock" is Petra. The important thing is that these are two different words.

"Petros" means a small stone or a shaky rock.

"Petra," however, is a large rock. It is something massive, measuring several meters in size.

Therefore, Jesus is not building the church upon Simon Peter himself. This "Petra" refers to Peter's confession recorded before this very word.

When Jesus asked, "Who do you say I am?" Peter confessed, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

The church is built upon the confession that "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God."

And as Jesus said, "I will build my church," the church does not belong to us, but to Christ.

The relationship between the church and Jesus is like that of a shepherd and his sheep.

Therefore, by constantly following Jesus, we gain peace, security, and joy.

Just as Peter, who was like a shaky stone, exists upon the foundation of the great rock, no matter how much we waver, Jesus is our foundation. 

If we rely on Jesus and follow Him, we need no worry or anxiety.

What remains is only joy, gratitude, and hope.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.