Jesus is the Rock!

1. Who holds the keys to Heaven?
By JanEgil Gulbrandsen - 2014

2. Is Peter the rock of the church
as the Catholics claim?

3. According to the Catholic Church
Peter the Apostle is the “Rock”
of the church as described in Matt 16:18
They believe that he
became the first pope (in Rome) and
that his successors ever since have
been the only legitimate leaders
of God’s church on earth.

4. They also believe that it is
Peter that holds
the keys of heaven – who
gets in or not…
But is that what Jesus really said?
Well, read and you will find out…

5. This is the “Coat of armor” of the Catholic church and Vatican city. It shows
the gold key of heaven and the silver key of earth – held together by the popes
red cord. The crown is the crown of heaven.
Therefore the belief of St Peter as heavens gatekeeper.

6. Jesus handing over the key’s of heaven, according to Catholic doctrine

7. • Matt 16:18-19
• “Also I say unto you, you are Peter – and on
this rock I will build my church; and the gates
of hell will not prevail against it –
• and I will give unto you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever you bind
on earth shall be bound in heaven: and
whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be
bound in heaven”

8. • It sure loos like at first glance that “Peter is the
rock” the church is built on
• Especially it you lean toward a church structure
with a single top leader - like a pope
• Then this verse is the clear “proof”
• And the ide’ that this same man – with his church
system and theology – is “the one” that holds the
keys to heaven, and in so doing decides who is in
or out, is perfect for a power-hungry institution

9. • But this is not the case – not by a longshot
• And now we are going to look at why
• First 4 word definitions:
• You are “Peter” – Greek (g4074) petros – a masculine
noun meaning “rock” – small rock – pebble (movable
or unstable rock)
• “and” on this – Greek (g2532) kai, a conjunction
meaning “and” or “but” – in this case “but”
• And on this “the rock” – Greek (g3588) te – meaning
“the” – definite article
• A different “rock” – Greek (g4073) petra – a feminine
noun meaning “rock” – big rock or bedrock (unmovable
rock)

10. • So verse 18 should read like this:
• “also I say to you – you are Peter (petros), the unstable
and movable “rock-man”,
• but on this “the rock” (petra), the unmovable bedrock,
I will build my church”
• Suddenly it is clear: The rock Petra is Christ himself.
Jesus is saying he will build the church on himself.
• After all he is the cornerstone and head of the church
• There is no need for Peter as a middleman or as God’s
earthly manager

11. • Verse 19: “and I will give to you the keys…”
• Who is the “you” here?
• It is the “you” plural – or as King James says; “ey”
or “ey all”
• It is you – the church as a whole – not Peter as an
individual or earthly leader of the church
• The body of Christ with her leader, Jesus Christ,
holds the key’s to heaven…
• (remember it was the Petra – the feminine – the
body of Christ)

12. • Rev. 3:7
• “These are the words of Him that holds the
key’s of David”
• Who is he? Jesus.
• There are many other examples of God as “the
rock” in the Bible
• 1 Cor. 3:11
• “for no man can lay another foundation other
than the one which is laid: Jesus Christ”

13. • Eph. 2:20
• “Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner
stone”
• Deut. 32:4
• “God the rock – his work is perfect”
• 2 Sam. 22:2-3
• “The Lord is my rock”
• Psalm 18:31
• “and who is a rock – except our God”
• Rom. 9:33
• “Jesus – a rock of offence”

14. • And this last one just “nails it”
• In Is. 44:8 God say’s:
• “Is there any other God beside me – or is there
any other rock? I know of none!”
• I guess if God does not know of any, we don’t
either…
• 1 Pet. 2:8
• Even Peter himself writes that “Jesus is a rock
of offence”
• Which proves that he recognised Jesus as the
rock – not himself.

15. • 1 Cor. 10:4
• “Drinking from a spiritual rock – and the Rock
was Jesus”
• And some scriptures that Peter in fact was
“very movable” and not solid as “petra-rock”
• Matt. 14:29-30 – when he walked on water
• Luke 22:57 - when he denied Jesus and lied

16. • Gal 2:11-14 – when Paul had to rebuke him and
“straiten him out”
• John 1:32 – Jesus himself calls Peter “Cefas” –
translated Peter (petros)
• The Catholics has a last desperate argument that
“Peter was the rock” by saying that Jesus never
spoke in Greek but in Aramaic
• In Aramaic the word for Peter and for the rock is
“kephas” – not different words as in Greek.

17. • But no Aramaic manuscripts exists
• And we don’t know if it ever did…
• And by pulling the “Aramaic argument” they
in fact are saying that when Matthew chose
the different Greek words “petros” and
“petra”, he got it all wrong…
• The mystery is now solved.

18. Temporary conclusion:
Jesus holds the keys to heaven.
He made the way –
and it’s only by believing in him access is granted.
The ide’ that he sub-contracted the job to Peter is incorrect.
Only a power hungry church institution could come up with
something like that…
So do I have a problem with the Catholic people?
Not at all! Many of them love the Lord and it’s only by his
grace we all come to Him.
But I do have a problem – huge problem, with any church
institution that want to take the place of our direct
relationship with the Saviour and decide
who is “in” and who is “out”

20. By JanEgil Gulbrandsen
gulbrandsen@islandnet.com
Victoria BC, Canada, November 2014