Christ the Rock

Yesterday, we saw that Jesus Christ is the only, God appointed foundation for the Christian life.

The apostle Paul says this clearly: ‍

“For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 3:11)

This is confirmed also by Peter as he speaks of Jesus Christ:

“Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious.’” (1 Pet. 2:6)

Here Peter is referring to the passage in Isaiah which reads: “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation’ ” (Is. 28:16). Thus, Old Testament and New Testament alike, agree in this vital fact: The true foundation of the Christian life is Jesus Christ Himself – nothing else, and no one else. It is not a creed, a church, a denomination, an ordinance or a ceremony. It is Jesus Christ Himself – and “no other foundation can anyone lay.”

Consider the words of Jesus.

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying:

“‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’ So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ And Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.’” (Matt. 16:13-18)

It has sometimes been suggested that these words of Jesus, mean that Peter is the rock upon which the Christian Church is to be built, and thus, that Peter is, in some sense, the foundation of Christianity, rather than Christ Himself.

This question is of such vital and far-reaching importance, that it is imperative to examine the words of Jesus very carefully, to ascertain their proper meaning. This is what we will do tomorrow!