13/01/11

Church is not built on Petros but on Petra

Mark 3:16 - And Simon he surnamed Peter;


If we look in the Bible God changed the name of Abram to Abraham. Abraham means (father of nation) it was a promise to him and so we find thereafter he was not called Abram but always referred to Abraham.

Let's take another case of Jacob being called Israel. Israel (Isra-El) means Prince of God, but we find in scriptures Jacob and his descendants are sometimes referred in the previous name and sometimes with the new name. There are also cases wherein both the names are used at the same time. If one looks up the scripture connected, whenever the people disobeyed God and angered Him, they were referred a children of Jacob and when they walk in His Word or when mercy was shown to them they were called Israel. Israel is a promise to the people of God which means He would make Sons of them.

In the case of Simon Barjona the son of Jonas, Jesus gave him a pet name or surname Peter (Petros). But we see in scriptures Simon is called with both the names. Even Jesus called Simon by the name Peter very few times (recorded only twice) but used the name Simon more often. People think the name Peter means rock. This understanding has deceived many people and churches to be led away from God for they do not understand this name or the reason why Jesus called Simon also Peter. The name Simon means 'heard' and there was nothing wrong with the name that Jesus needed to call him 'Peter'.

The name Peter (Petros) means 'pebble' or 'stone'. It is actually not a good name for in Hebrew this name (Tyre) was used for Satan. Does that mean Jesus was calling Simon a devil? No.

If you see after resurrection Jesus does not call Simon as Peter but only by the name Simon.

Jesus had chosen Simon to lead His flock in His absence (confirmed by Simon Peter picking up the robes of Jesus fallen on the floor after entering the tomb after Jesus' death and resurrection) but Jesus also knew what people would do in the name of Simon Peter; they would build the church on the name of Simon Peter and this church would cause spiritual death to many.

Petros (Peter) in Greek or Tyrus / Tyre in Hebrew means stone which symbolizes small truth or part truth. Satan is a deceiver and also clever, he does not speak all lie but speaks half truth so as to mislead and cause destruction of the people of God. He does not want the people of God to receive what is due to them as Israel. Not that he will gain from it, for his end is written and nothing can change it. He has deep hatred and evil in his heart because what he lost in Heaven and much more will be given unto redeemed man.

It is the Lord Who is been referred as the Rock (Petra in Greek). In the Old Testament there are 2 Rocks referred to. The first Rock which the Lord allowed Moses to strike symbolized God the Son who humbled Himself as man. The second Rock which Moses struck and for which the Lord did not allow him to enter the Promised Land symbolized the Holy Spirit Who humbled Himself and came as Spirit of Truth. This was done to symbolize any sin against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven even if that person has been a very anointed person and has done great in the Kingdom of God.

The book of Revelation also speaks of the woman (prostitute) on the beast or the church built on Tyrus (Petros).

When Jesus spoke to Simon Peter about the foundation of His Church the scripture says:

Matthew 16:17-18
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 (Holy Spirit - the Rock - Petra) which is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter (Petros - pebble), and upon this rock (Petra - the Rock - the Spirit of Truth) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee ('soi' - you in plural - Jesus was talking to the disciples) 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.
20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.


The Church of God is built on the Holy Spirit of which Jesus is the corner stone. People who built their Church on anything else other than the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of Truth is building a church which is not on firm foundation.

God the Son is the Rock of our salvation and the Holy Spirit is the Rock of God's salvation. The Son broke the curses and became the payment for our punishment, but it is the Holy Spirit Who makes us able to enter into our inheritance in Heaven.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, You are our Rock. The Rock of our salvation and the Rock of our inheritance in You. You paid the price for us and opened the door of Heaven making it possible for us to enter. It is You Who works in us, guides us and helps us to walk in the path which Jesus as set to become sons, so that we can enter Heaven and inherit that which God has set forth for us in our Lord Jesus Christ. Let this Truth be rooted in every heart so that they do not get deceived and destroyed...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scripture ]
Numbers23:10
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!

Mark 14:37
37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

Luke 22:34 (the second time Jesus used the name Peter to Simon)
34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

Ezekiel 28:1-15
1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:
3 Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:
4 With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:
5 By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:
6 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;
7 Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.
8 They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas.
9 Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.
10 Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. 11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.


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