Monday, July 25, 2016

πετρος, πετρα, and Matthew 16:18

Matt 16:18 reads as follows (emphasis added):

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.

κἀγὼ δέ σοι λέγω ὅτι σὺ εἶ Πέτρος, καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν ἐκκλησίαν καὶ πύλαι ᾅδου οὐ κατισχύσουσιν αὐτῆς.

Much ink has been spilt about this passage vis-à-vis the Roman Catholic Papacy, which is a discussion for another time. However, I do wish to address what I find to be a mistake made in the current footnotes to the LDS edition of the Bible. The note to Matt 16:18 reads:

Here is a subtle wordplay upon ‘Peter’ (Greek petros = small rock) and ‘rock’ (Greek petra = bed rock). Christ is the Stone of Israel.

Unfortunately, this argument, though popular, does not hold up, and is one that I hope LDS apologists and commentators will discard. Firstly, in John 1:42, we read:

And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona; thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, a stone.

Most scholars, with the exception of an absolute minority of commentators such as Chrys Caragounis (Peter and the Rock [1990]), argue that the Aramaic term kephas (כֵּיפָא) was uttered twice by Jesus in Matt 16:18, reflecting a word play that the Greek captures, viz., “You are kepha and on this kepha I will build my Church” (Caragouis argues that Jesus said "you are kepha and upon this minrah . . . ") The use of πετρος for Peter instead of περτα is simply due to the fact that the latter is being used as a male name, thus the –ος ending, while the latter it is being used as a noun, not a proper name.

Note the following from these Protestant scholars:

“That thou art Peter”—At his first calling, this new name was announced to him as an honour afterwards to be conferred on him (John 1:[42]). Now he gets it [in Matthew 16:18], with an explanation of what it was meant to convey. “And upon this rock”—as “Peter” and “Rock” are one word in the dialect familiarly spoken by our Lord—the Aramaic or Syro-Chaldaic, which was the mother tongue of the country—this exalted play upon the word can be fully seen only in languages which have one word for both Even in the Greek it is imperfectly represented. In French, as Webster and Wilkinson remark, it is perfect, Pierre-pierre. (Robert Jamieson, Andrew Robert Faussett, and David Brown, One Volume Commentary, 47-48, as cited by Scott Butler, Norman Dahlgren, and David Hess, Jesus, Peter, and the Keys: A Scriptural Handbook on the Papacy [Santa Barbara, Calif.: Queenship Publishing, 1996], 17)

PETER (Gr. Petros). Simon Peter, the most prominent of Jesus’ twelve disciples. Peter’s original name was Simon (Aram. Sim’on, represented by Simon and Symeon). Jesus gave him the Aramaic name kepha “rock” (Matt. 16:18); Luke 6:14 par.; John 1:42), which is in Greek both transliterated (Kephas; Eng. Cephas) and translated (Petros).” Allen C. Myers, ed., The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1987), 818 (as cited by Butler et al. Jesus, Peter and the Keys, 26)

Also note the following under the entry of πετρα in BDAG:

b. in wordplay (as symbol of firmness Reader, Polemo p. 265) w. the name Πτρος (GGander, RTP n.s. 29, ’41, 5-29). The apostle so named, or the affirmation he has just made, is the rock on which Christ will build his church (for the figure s. Od. 17, 463: Antinous fails to shake Odysseus, who stands firm as rock.—Arrian, Anab. 4, 18, 4ff; 4, 21, 1ff; 4, 28, 1ff πτρα is a rocky district [so also Antig. Car. 165] as the foundation of an impregnable position or a rocky fortress; 4, 28, 1; 2 this kind of πτρα could not be conquered even by Heracles.—Diod. S. 19, 95, 2 and 4; 19, 96, 1; 19, 97, 1 and 2; 19, 98, 1 al. πτρα [always with the article] is the rock [Petra] that keeps the Nabataeans safe from all enemy attacks; Stephan. Byz. s.v. Στσις: πλις π πτρης μεγλης of a city that cannot be taken) Mt 16:18 (s. ADell, ZNW 15, 1914, 1-49; 17, 1916, 27-32; OImmisch, ibid. 17, 1916, 18-26; Harnack, SBBerlAk 1918, 637-54; 1927, 139-52; RBultmann, ZNW 19, 1920, 165-74, ThBl 20, ’41, 265-79; FKattenbusch, Der Quellort der Kirchenidee: Festgabe für Harnack 1921, 143-72, Der Spruch über Pt. u. d. Kirche bei Mt: StKr 94, 1922, 96-131; SEuringer, D. Locus Classicus des Primates: AEhrhard Festschr. 1922, 141-79; HDieckmann, Die Verfassung der Urkirche 1923; JJeremias, Αγγελος II 1926, 108-17; ECaspar, Primatus Petri 1927; KGoetz, Pt. als Gründer u. Oberhaupt der Kirche 1927; JGeiselmann, D. petrin. Primat (Mt 16:17ff) 1927; BBartmann, ThGl 20, 1928, 1-17; HKoch, Cathedra Petri 1930; TEngert, ‘Tu es Pt’: Ricerche relig. 6, 1930, 222-60; FSeppelt, Gesch. d. Papsttums I ’31, 9-46; JTurmel, La papauté ’33, 101ff; VBurch, JBL 52, ’33, 147-52; JHaller, D. Papsttum I ’34, 1-31; ACotter, CBQ 4, ’42, 304-10; WKümmel, Kirchenbegr. u. Gesch.-bewusstsein in d. Urgem. u. b. Jesus: SymbBUps 1, ’43; OSeitz, JBL 69, ’50, 329-40. OCullmann, TManson mem. vol., ’59, 94-105; OBetz, ZNW 48, ’57, 49-77; cp. 1QH 6:26-28; HClavier, Bultmann Festschr., ’54, 94-107.—OCullmann, TW VI 94-99: πτρα. S. also the lit. under Πτρος, end).

Also note BDAG’s entry under πετρος, defining the term as “rock,” not a “small rock”:

5898  Πτρος
Πτρος, ου, ( πτρος=‘stone’ Hom.+; Jos., Bell. 3, 240, Ant. 7, 142.—Π. as a name can scarcely be pre-Christian, as AMerx, D. vier kanon. Ev. II/1, 1902, 160ff, referring to Jos., Ant. 18, 156 [Niese did not accept the v.l. Πτρος for Πρτος], would have it. But s. ADell [πτρα 1b] esp. 14-17. Fr. the beginning it was prob. thought of as the Gk. equivalent of the Aram. כֵּיפָא= Κηφς: J 1:42; cp. Mt 16:18 and JWackernagel, Syntax II2 1928, 14f, perh. formed on the analogy of the Gk. male proper name Πτρων: UPZ 149, 8 [III BC]; 135 [78 BC]; Plut., Mor. 422d.—A gentile named Πτρος in Damasc., Vi. Isid. 170. S. also the Praeses Arabiae of 278/79 AD Aurelius P.: Publ. Princeton Univ. Arch. Expedition to Syria III A, 1913, 4 no. 546) Peter, surname of the head of the circle of Twelve Disciples, whose name was orig. Simon. His father was a certain John (s. ωννης 4) or Jonah (s. ωνς 2). Acc. to J 1:44 he himself was from Bethsaida, but, at any rate, when he met Jesus he lived in Capernaum (Mk 1:21, 29). Fr. that city he and his brother Andrew made their living as fishers (Mk 1:16). He was married (Mk 1:30; cp. 1 Cor 9:5), but left his home and occupation, when Jesus called, to follow him (Mk 1:18; 10:28). He belonged to the three or four most intimate of the Master’s companions (Mk 5:37; 9:2; 13:3; 14:33). He stands at the head of the lists of the apostles (Mt 10:2; Mk 3:16; Lk 6:14; Ac 1:13). Not all the problems connected w. the conferring of the name Cephas-Peter upon Simon (s. Σμων 1) have yet been solved (the giving of a new name and the reason for it: Plato [s. νομζω 1] and Theophrastus [Vi. Platonis 2 ln. 21 in Biog. p. 388 W.= Prolegom. 1 in CHermann, Pla. VI 196 Θεφραστος, Τρταμος καλομενος πλαι, δι τ θεον τς φρσεως Θ. μετεκλθη]; CRoth, Simon-Peter HTR 54, ’61, 91-97). He was at least not always a model of rock-like (πτρος is a symbol of imperturbability Soph., Oed. Rex 334; Eur., Med. 28 al.) firmness (note Gethsemane, the denial, the unsuccessful attempt at walking on water; his conduct at Antioch Gal 2:11ff which, though, is fr. time to time referred to another Cephas; s. KLake, HTR 14, 1921, 95ff; AVöllmecke, Jahrbuch d. Missionshauses St. Gabriel 2, 1925, 69-104; 3, 1926, 31-75; DRiddle, JBL 59, ’40, 169-80; NHuffman, ibid. 64, ’45, 205f; PGaechter, ZKT 72, ’50, 177-212; but s. HBetz, Gal [Hermeneia] p. 105f w. n. 442). Despite all this he was the leader of Jesus’ disciples, was spokesman for the Twelve (e.g. Mt 18:21; 19:27; Mk 8:27ff; Lk 12:41; 18:28) and for the three who were closest to Jesus (Mk 9:5); he was recognized as leader even by those on the outside (Mt 17:24). He is especially prominent in the pronouncement made Mt 16:18. Only in the Fourth Gospel does Peter have a place less prominent than another, in this case the ‘disciple whom Jesus loved’ (s. Hdb. exc. on J 13:23). In connection w. the miraculous events after Jesus’ death (on this ELohmeyer, Galiläa u. Jerusalem ’36; WMichaelis, D. Erscheinungen d. Auferstandenen ’44; MWerner, D. ntl. Berichte üb. d. Erscheinungen d. Auferstandenen: Schweiz. Theol. Umschau ’44) Pt. played a unique role: 1 Cor 15:5; Lk 24:34; Mk 16:7. He was one of the pillars of the early church (Gal 2:9 [Κηφς]). Three years after Paul was converted, on his first journey to Jerusalem as a Christian, he established a significant contact w. Peter: Gal 1:18. At least until the time described in Gal 2:1-10 (cp. Ac 15:7) he was prob. the head of the early Christian community/church. He was also active as a missionary to Israel Gal 2:8; cp. 1 Cor 9:5 (Κηφς).—MGoguel, L’apôtre Pierre a-t-il joué un role personnel dans les crises de Grèce et de Galatie?: RHPR 14, ’34, 461-500.—In 1 Pt 1:1 and 2 Pt 1:1 he appears as author of an epistle. On Paul’s journey to Rome: ρτμων κυβερντης το πλοου ν λελουμνος π Πτρου Artemon, the ship’s captain, was baptized by Peter AcPl Ha 7, 20. It is probable that he died at Rome under Nero, about 64 AD.—In the NT he is somet. called Σμων (q.v. 1; in Ac 15:14 and 2 Pt 1:1 more exactly Συμεν=(שִׁמְעוֹן; except for Gal 2:7f Paul always calls him Κηφς )q.v.(. Both names Σμων Π. Mt 16:16; Lk 5:8; J 1:40; 6:8, 68; 13:6, 9, 24, 36; 18:10, 15, 25; 20:2, 6; 21:2f, 7b, 11, 15. Σμων λεγμενος Π. Mt 4:18; 10:2. Σμων πικαλομενος Π. Ac 10:18; 11:13. Σμων ς πικαλεται Π. 10:5, 32.—Outside the NT it is found in our lit. GEb 34, 59; GPt 14:60 (Σμων Πτρος); ApcPt Rainer; GMary 463 (2 times); AcPt Ox 849 (4 times); 1 Cl 5:4 (Paul follows in 5:5); 2 Cl 5:3f (a piece fr. an apocr. gosp.); IRo 4:3 (Πτρος κα Παλος); ISm 3:2=GHb 356, 39; Papias (2:4, w. other disciples; 15, w. Mark as his ρμηνευτς).—Zahn, Einl. II §38-44; KErbes, Petrus nicht in Rom, sondern in Jerusalem gestorben: ZKG 22, 1901, 1ff; 161ff (against him AKneller, ZKT 26, 1902, 33ff; 225ff; 351ff); PSchmiedel, War der Ap. Petrus in Rom?: PM 13, 1909, 59-81; HLietzmann, Petrus u. Pls in Rom2 1927; GEsser, Der hl. Ap. Petrus 1902; CGuignebert, La primauté de St. Pierre et la venue de Pierre à Rome 1909; FFoakes-Jackson, Peter, Prince of Apostles 1927; HDannenbauer, D. röm. Pt-Legende: Hist. Ztschr. 146, ’32, 239-62; 159, ’38, 81-88; KHeussi, War Pt. in Rom? ’36, War Pt. wirklich röm. Märtyrer? ’37, Neues z. Pt.-frage ’39, TLZ 77, ’52, 67-72; HLietzmann, Pt. röm. Märt.: SBBerlAk ’36, XXIX; DRobinson, JBL 64, ’45, 255-67; HSchmutz, Pt. war dennoch in Rom: Benedikt. Monatsschr. 22, ’46, 128-41.—On Mt 16:17-19 s., in addition to the lit. on κλες 1 and πτρα 1b: JSchnitzer, Hat Jesus das Papsttum gestiftet? 1910, Das Papsttum eine Stiftung Jesu? 1910; FTillmann, Jesus u. das Papsttum 1910; AKneller, ZKT 44, 1920, 147-69; OLinton, D. Problem der Urkirche ’32, 157-83; KPieper, Jes. u. d. Kirche ’32; AEhrhard, Urkirche u. Frühkatholizismus I 1, ’36.—JMunck, Pt. u. Pls in der Offenb. Joh. ’50 (Rv 11:3-13).—OCullmann, Petrus2, ’60 (Eng. tr. Peter, FFilson2, ’62), L’apôtre Pierre: NT Essays (TManson memorial vol.), ’59, 94-105; OKarrer, Peter and the Church: an examination of the Cullmann thesis, ’63; RO’Callaghan, Vatican Excavations and the Tomb of Peter: BA 16, ’53, 70-87; AvGerkan, D. Forschung nach dem Grab Petri, ZNW 44, ’52/53, 196-205, Zu den Problemen des Petrusgrabes: JAC ’58, 79-93; GSnyder, BA 32, ’69, 2-24; JGwynGriffiths, Hibbert Journal 55, ’56/57, 140-49; TBarnes, JTS 21, ’70, 175-79; GSchulze-Kadelbach, D. Stellung des P. in der Urchristenheit: TLZ 81, ’56, 1-18 (lit.); PGaechter, Petrus u. seine Zeit, ’58; EKirschbaum, The Tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul (transl. JMurray) ’59; EHaenchen, Petrus-Probleme, NTS 7, ’60/61, 187-97; SAgourides, Πτρος κα ωννης ν τ τετρτ Εαγγελίῳ, Thessalonike, ’66; DGewalt, Petrus, diss. Hdlbg, ’66; RBrown, KDonfried, JReumann edd., Peter in the NT, ’73; CCaragounis, Peter and the Rock (BZNW 58) ’89.—Pauly-W. XIX ’38, 1335-61; Kl. Pauly IV 674-76; BHHW III 1430f. LGPN I. M-M. EDNT. TW. Sv.

One could go into more technical detail and discuss other issues, but this argument, though popular in the 19th century in Protestant polemics against the Papacy have long been retired by more informed Protestant scholars (e.g., D.A. Carson), and even anti-Catholic authors go as far to claim that Peter is “the rock” that the Church will be built upon (e.g., Eric Svendsen, Evangelical Answers [1999]). While I do believe that there are overwhelming historical and biblical problems with the defined dogma of the Roman Catholic papacy (for a detail of a lot of the historical issues against Rome’s claims, see Edward Denny’s seminal Papalism [1912]). However, the πετρος/πετρα issue is not only dated; if a Latter-day Saint were to use it in a discussion with an informed Catholic, they will not go far with it.


As an aside, David Keller has a very good article, "The Apostolic Foundation" that touches upon Matt 16:18-19 and other like-texts from an informed LDS perspective.

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