Matthew 16:18

σὺ εἶ Πέτρος κ.τ.λ. The precise meaning of πέτρα in relation to Πέτρος has been keenly disputed. To suppose no connection between Πέτρος and πέτρα is opposed to candid criticism. On the other hand, to view πέτρα as simply equivalent to Πέτρος, and to regard the personal Peter as the rock on which the Church is built, narrows the sense. Πέτρα is the central doctrine of the Christian Church—the Godhead of its Lord. Yet Peter is not named in connection with the πέτρα without cause. To Peter first was granted spiritual insight to discern, and courage to confess this great truth; and therefore it was his privilege to be the first scribe instructed to the kingdom of heaven, and to Peter as such the blessing is addressed. For an illustration of this view of Peter, regarded, not as an individual, but as a representative of a truth, cp. Apol. Soc., p. 23 b., καὶ φαίνεται τοῦτʼ οὐ λέγειν τὸν Σωκράτη, προσκεχρῆσθαι δὲ τῷ ἐμῷ ὀνόματι, ἐμὲ παραδεῖγμα ποιούμενος, ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ εἴποι ὅτι οὗτος ὑμῶν, ὦ ἄνθρωποι, σοφώτατός ἐστιν ὅστις ὥσπερ Σωκράτης ἔγνωκεν ὅτι οὐδενὸς ἄξιός ἐστι τῇ�.

On these words mainly rest the enormous pretensions of the Roman pontiff. It is therefore important (1) To remember that it is to Peter with the great confession on his lips that the words are spoken. The Godhead of Christ is the πέτρα—the keystone of the Church, and Peter is for the moment the representative of the belief in that truth among men. (2) To take the words in reference: (a) to other passages of Scripture. The Church is built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Ephesians 2:20, on Christ Himself, 2 Corinthians 3:11. (b) To history; Peter is not an infallible repository of truth. He is rebuked by Paul for Judaizing. Nor does he hold a chief place among the Apostles afterwards. It is James, not Peter, who presides at the Council at Jerusalem. (c) To reason: for even if Peter had precedence over the other Apostles, and if he was Bishop of Rome, which is not historically certain, there is no proof that he had a right of conferring such precedence on his successors.

μου τὴν ἐκκλησίαν. The word ἐκκλησία occurs twice in Matthew and not elsewhere in the Gospels. See note ch. Matthew 18:17 where the Jewish ἐκκλησία is meant. From the analogy of the corresponding Hebrew word, ἐκκλησία in a Christian sense may be defined as the congregation of the faithful throughout the world, united under Christ as their Head. The use of the word by Christ implied at least two things: (1) that He was founding an organized society, not merely preaching a doctrine: (2) That the Jewish ἐκκλησία was the point of departure for the Christian ἐκκλησία and in part its prototype. It is one among many links in this gospel between Jewish and Christian thought. The Greek word (ἐκκλησία) has passed into the language of the Latin nations; église (French), chiesa (Italian), iglesia (Spanish). The derivation of the Teutonic Church is very doubtful. That usually given—Κυριακόν (the Lord’s house)—is abandoned by most scholars. The word is probably from a Teutonic root and may have been connected with heathen usages. See Bib. Dict. Art. Church.

πύλαι ᾅδου. Cp. Eur. Hec. I., ἥκω νεκρῶν κευθμῶνα καὶ σκότου πύλας | λιπὼν ἵν Ἄιδης χωρὶς ᾤκισται θεῶν. Theocr. Idyll. II. 159 (Schol.) τὴν τοῦ ᾄδου κρούει πύλην. τοῦτʼ ἐστιν�. Verg. Aen. VI. 126, Noctes atque dies patet atri janua Ditis. Here the expression symbolises the power of the unseen world, especially the power of death: cp. Revelation 1:18, καὶ ἔχω τὰς κλεῖς τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τοῦ ᾄδου. 1 Corinthians 15:55, ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ κέντρον, ποῦ σου, ᾄδη (var. lect. θάνατε), τὸ νῖκος. Ἅιδης is used for the Hebrew Sheol, the abode of departed spirits in which were the two divisions, Paradise and Gehenna. The introduction of such Greek religious terms to translate Hebrew religious terms is full of interest. It may be thought to ratify in part, at least, Greek religious ideas, to blend and modify those ideas with Jewish doctrine, and to bring the result of both to be raised and enlightened by the teaching of the Master.

οὐ κατισχύσουσιν αὐτῆς. The gates of Hades prevail over all things human, but the Church shall never die.