It is common for Catholic apologists (e.g., Karl Keating, Catholicism and Fundamentalism [1988]) to argue that the rejection of the thesis that Peter is the Rock of Matt 16:18 is a novelty originating with the Reformation. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Augustine and John Chrysostom, for instance, identified the rock (πετρα) in Matt 16:18 with the confession of Peter and distinguished Peter from his confession.
More careful Catholic apologists will admit that this is not a novelty dating to the Reformation. Robert Sungenis wrote the following in Will the Real Rock Please Stand Up!:
For example, it is true that in the writings of Augustine, at least two of the views of the rock can be found. Various other Church Fathers offer one or more of the three interpretations as well. So, we must be careful in accusing the Protestants of a novel interpretation of the rock that was not known until the 16th century.
Today, I read a great study by John F. Bigane, III, Faith, Christ or Peter: Matthew 16:18 in Sixteenth Century Roman Catholic Exegesis (Washington: University of America Press, 1981). While many works refute such a common claim (e.g., Edward Denny, Papalism [1912]), this is a very interesting volume, too, showing that leading Catholic scholars before 1517 rejected the modern Roman Catholic interpretation of Matt 16:18. For instance, when discussing Erasmus, we read the following from pp.15-17:
Erasmus’ “Novum instrumentum” (1516)
First I provide Erasmus’ rendering of the New Testament in parallel columns of Greek and Latin. Matthew 16:18 is translated as follows:
"At ego quoque tibi dico, quod tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo meam ecclesiam, et portae inferorum non valebunt adversus illam."
Erasmus adds the following annotation, beginning with a remark of the Vulgate rendering:
'Quia tu es'. 'Oti' 'that', not 'because,' that is, I say that you are Peter. 'Petrus' signifies rock ("saxum") among the Greeks. 'Petros' just like Cephas in the Syrian tongue and not in the Hebrew, means solidity. For Jesus calls him rock ("saxum"), because he is solid in the confession of faith and does not vacillate here and there with the fickleness of common opinion. And 'super istam petram,' that is, on that solid profession of faith I will build my church, and if it shall stand firm in this foundation no one of hell will be able to be against it. Even though saint Augustine in his homily on this passage accommodates these words 'super hanc petram' to Christ himself, not to Peter: '"you are," Jesus says, "Peter, and upon this rock ("petram") which you have confessed, upon this rock ("petram") which you have acknowledged, saying 'you are the Christ the son of the living God.' I will build my church, that is, upon me I will build my church. I will build you upon me, not me upon you." For men wishing to built upon man were saying: "I am certainly of Paul, but I of Apollos, truly I of Cephas," who is Peter himself. And others who were unwilling to be built upon Peter, but upon the rock used to say "but I am of Christ."’ Therefore I marvel that there are those who twist ("detorqueant") this passage to refer to the Roman pontiff. Truly there are those for whom nothing is enough, unless it be immoderate. And so, some extol Francis with outlandish praises, coming close to envy, and they should have explained him rather to extol him immeasurably. For to the virgin mother of God and to Christ it is probably not possible to ascribe too much. However, here also I wish that all were so inflamed with the desire of imitating, as those we see fanatic in exaggerating praises. However, our interpretation differs only as far as words are concerned from the Augustinian interpretation which we already have mentioned, which seems quite forced, to which nevertheless he preferred to go, rather than to crash on another rock, namely that one may place the foundation of the church on man . . . (Novum instrumentum [1516], p. 272)
Those interested in Christian history, Roman Catholicism, the development of the papacy, and other important topics will get a lot from this volume.
