The proclamation of Jesus as Christ is fundamental to Christology and the Confession of Peter, and Jesus' acceptance of the title is a definitive statement for it in the New Testament narrative.[3][4] In this New Testament episode, Jesus not only accepts the titles Christ and Son of God, but declares the proclamation a divine revelation by stating that his Father in Heaven had revealed it to Peter, unequivocally declaring himself to be both Christ and the Son of God.[4]
In this episode Jesus also selects Peter as the leader of the Apostles, and states that "upon this rock I will build my church". Most Christian denominations agree that the statement applies to Peter, but they diverge on their interpretations of what happens after Peter.[5]
The Confession of Peter is also the name of a liturgical feastday celebrated by several Christian churches, often as part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.[6][7]
In the New Testament, this pericope and the account of the Transfiguration of Jesus which follows it appear towards the middle of the Gospel narrative and jointly mark the beginnings of the gradual disclosure of the identity of Jesus to his disciples.[8][9]
v· Matthew 16:13, Mark 8:27 and Luke 9:18. Jesus begins to ask about the current opinions about himself among "the multitudes", asking: "Who do the multitudes say that I am?"[2] The disciples provide a variety of the common hypotheses at the time, ranging from John the Baptist to Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets.[2] Earlier in the Gospel narrative, these hypotheses about Jesus' identity were provided in Mark 6:14-16 by those in the court of Herod Antipas when he wondered if Jesus was John the Baptist restored to life.[2][10]
Proclamation and acceptance
In the three Gospel accounts, after asking about the views of "the multitudes", Jesus asks his disciples about their own opinion: But who do you say that I am? Only Simon Peter answers him: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.[1][11]
Only in Matthew 16:17 Jesus blesses Peter for his answer, and later indicates him as the rock of the Church. This begins with:
Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven.
In blessing Peter, Jesus not only accepts the titles Christ and Son of God which Peter attributes to him, but declares the proclamation a divine revelation by stating that his Father in Heaven had revealed it to Peter.[4] In this assertion, by endorsing both titles as divine revelation, Jesus unequivocally declares himself to be both Christ and the Son of God.[4]
The reference to "my Father" is distinguished in that in the New Testament, Jesus never includes other individuals in such references and only refers to his Father, however when addressing the disciples he uses your Father, excluding himself from the reference.[12]
Selection of Peter
Pietro Perugino's depiction of the "Giving of the Keys to Saint Peter" by Jesus, 1492
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
The word "church" (ekklesia in Greek) as used here, appears in the Gospels only once more, in Matthew 18:17, and refers to the community of believers at the time.[3] The "gates of hell" (of Hades) refers to the underworld, and the abode of the dead, and refers to the powers opposed to God not being able to triumph over the church.[13] The keys of the kingdom of heaven refer to the metaphor of the Kingdom of Heaven being a "place to be entered" as also used in Matthew 23:13, where the entrance to it can be shut.[13]
Peter's authority is further confirmed by: "Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven". As discussed below, various Christian denominations have assigned different interpretations to the authority granted in this passage.
All three of the Synoptics end the account with Jesus telling the disciples not to reveal that he was the Messiah to anyone, a statement which in the 20th century gave rise to theory of the Messianic Secret in the Gospel of Mark.
Various Christian denominations interpret Matthew 16:18 in different ways. Although most denominations agree that the statement applies to Peter, they diverge on their interpretations of what happens after Peter.[5]
In the Roman Catholic Church, Jesus' words, "upon this rock I will build my church" are interpreted as the foundation of the doctrine of the papacy, whereby the Church of Christ is founded upon Peter and his successors, the Bishops of Rome.[14] Jesus' next statement, "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." are interpreted as the foundation of the doctrine of papal infallibility.[15]
Protestants believe that the verse states that Peter was the foundation stone of the Church, but do not accept that it applies to the continuous succession of popes, as the Bishops of Rome. The statement "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" is usually taken to mean that the Church will never become extinct.[15][5]
The Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches also reject the succession of popes and see Jesus' words, "whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven" as bestowing first upon Peter what was later bestowed upon all of the Apostles collectively. The Orthodox believe in the infallibility of the Church as a whole, but that any individual, regardless of their position can be subject to error.[5]
Ecumenical meetings among different denominations have taken place regarding these interpretations, but no final agreement has emerged.[5]
Commemorations
Prior to the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church celebrated the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter on January 18. Since then the feast is celebrated on February 22. The Catholic Church never celebrated a feast under the title of the "Confession of Peter.[16] In the Anglican, and Lutheran churches the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter is celebrated as the Feast of the Confession of Peter on 18 January.[7]
The Confession of Peter is the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, is actually an octave rather than a week and was originally known as the Octave of Christian Unity. It is an international Christian ecumenical observance that began in 1908. It spans from 18 January to 25 January (the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul).[7]
^ abcWho do you say that I am? Essays on Christology by Jack Dean Kingsbury, Mark Allan Powell, David R. Bauer 1999 ISBN 0664257526 page xvi
^ abcdeThe Collegeville Bible Commentary: New Testament by Robert J. Karris 1992 ISBN 0814622119 pages 885-886
^ abThe Gospel of Matthew by Rudolf Schnackenburg 2002 ISBN 0802844383 pages 7-9
^ abcdOne teacher: Jesus' teaching role in Matthew's gospel by John Yueh-Han Yieh 2004 ISBN 3110181517 pages 240-241
^ abcdeThe people's New Testament commentary by M. Eugene Boring, Fred B. Craddock 2004 ISBN 0664227546 page 69
^Pocket Dictionary of Liturgy & Worship by Brett Scott Provance 2009 ISBN 9780830827077 page 59
^ abcExciting holiness: collects and readings for the festivals by B. Tristam ISBN 1853114790 Canterbury Press 2003 pages 54-55
^The Christology of Mark's Gospel by Jack Dean Kingsbury 1983 ISBN 0800623371 pages 91-95
^ The Cambridge companion to the Gospels by Stephen C. Barton ISBN 0521002613 pages 132-133
^The Gospel of Mark, Volume 2 by John R. Donahue, Daniel J. Harrington 2002 ISBN 0814659659 page 336
^Christology and the New Testament by Christopher Mark Tuckett 2001 ISBN 0664224318 page 109
^Jesus God and Man by Wolfhart Pannenberg 1968 ISBN 0664244688 pages 53-54
^ abThe Gospel of Matthew (Sacra Pagina Series, Vol 1) by Dainel J. Harrington 1991 ISBN 9780814658031 page 248
^Upon this Rock: St. Peter and the Primacy of Rome in Scripture and the Early Church by Stephen K. Ray 1999 ISBN 9780898707236 pages 11-15
^ abPapal infallibility: a Protestant evaluation of an ecumenical issue by Mark E. Powell 2009 ISBN 9780802862846 pages 35-40
^Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary Year A: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Part 1 by Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman 1992 ISBN 068733800X page 130
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Stained glass window of the Confession of Peter in Luke 9:20: "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered: "The Christ of God".[1]
