Peter's Confession of Faith
By Arthur V. Fox
WHEN Jesus asked His disciples, "Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?" the disciples told Him that opinions were divided. Some thought He was John the Baptist; some, Elijah; others, Jeremiah, or some other of the ancient prophets. Jesus doubtless asked the question to bring out a confession of faith from the disciples about Him; for He immediately asks, "But whom say ye that I am?" We are not to be unconcerned about the belief of others; but the great question is: What is Christ to me? What is the state of my heart toward Him? Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." How had he learned this? Not of man, but of God. "Flesh and blood" had not revealed it to him, but God the Father. Blessed and happy was he, to have been brought to this faith. And blessed is every one who has been brought to a saving faith in Christ. The revealing of Christ in the heart is the gift of God, the work of the Spirit; a gift more precious than all earthly things, but which God waits to give to those who seek Him. Then follow those remarkable words about the rock and the church, upon which the church of Rome has grounded so much, against which Protestants protest. What is the true meaning of the words? Did our Lord, in any sense, call Peter the rock on which He would build His church? Or does the rock mean something else altogether? Other scriptures clearly show that our Lord did not mean Peter, but Himself, when He said, "Upon this rock I will build My church." Christ is not only the "precious Corner-stone," but He is the "sure Foundation" upon which prophets and apostles are built. Isa. 28:16; Eph. 2:20. Besides, the whole passage before us is about Him. "Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am? . . . Whom say ye that I am?" Then, when Peter acknowledges Him as "the Christ, the Son of the living God," "Blessed art thou!" He says. Why? Because God had taught him that great fundamental truth, that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 3:11. Peter was blessed, because he had learned to believe, and so to rest his soul on that Foundation—a living stone, built upon Christ the Rock. On that same Foundation, that Rock, that Corner-stone, Jesus would build His church; on Himself, and on the full, open, heartfelt6acknowledgment of Him as Christ. It was not he who believed and professed that was to be the foundation, but He who was believed in, and about whom that profession was made. "Upon this Rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Founded on Christ, the church—that is, the believers of every age and country—shall be safe from the powers of darkness. And if the whole church, so also every member of it, every true believer.