In a letter
to his son, H. Chase dated July 14, 1905, Joseph F. Smith wrote the following:
You ask this question: “Matthew 16:17-18.
Does the ‘rock’ here referred to, mean revelation or Christ, or both?” It means
both. The question was, “Whom do men say that I am?” The answer was “Thou art
the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The response was, “blessed art though
Peter, for flesh and blood hath not revealed
it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven.” It was God who revealed to
Simon or Peter that Jesus was The Christ,
The Son of the Living God.”
Now then, it was a revelation from God that
make known to mankind, “The Christ,” &c. And these two constituted “The
Rock” on which Christ’s Church was to be built. Revelation alone is not
sufficient. Christ alone would not suffice, for without Revelation from God,
men, the world, could not know Christ, but they would still say, as of old, “he
is John the Baptist, or ‘Elias’ or ‘Jeremias,’ or ‘one of the prophets,’ or perchance,
he is ‘Beelzubub,’ or a ‘deceiver,’ &c. &c. But Revelation from God,
not only identifies the fact that Jesus is “The Christ, The Son of the Living
God,” but also that “other foundation can no man lay than that [which] is laid,
which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 3:11. And further, that, “the stone which the
builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner.” Matt. 21:42. And
also see Ephes. 2:20. “And this is life eternal that they might know thee, the
only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3. The grand
object of Revelation is that Christ shall be made known to man, and that man
knowing Him, and “the only true God” who sent Him, might through obedience
obtain “life eternal.” On the foundation of “Christ, The Son of the Living God,”
and “Revelation from God,” is built His Church and while the church so remains,
“built” and building upon “this rock,” the “gates of hell cannot prevail against
it.” (Hyrum M. Smith III and Scott G. Kenney, From Prophet to Son: Advice of Joseph F. Smith to His Missionary Sons [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book, 1981], 86-87)
Elsewhere,
in a letter to another of his sons, George C., Joseph F. Smith added the
following:
Some have held that revelation alone was the “Rock” referred to. This could not be,
because without Christ, revelation would not avail. Some have held it was “Christ
alone” that was meant as the “Rock”; but this could not be, because without
revelation, not even Simon Bar-jona could know
that Jesus was “The Christ, the Son of the living God,” for “flesh and blood”
not only did not, but absolutely
cannot reveal Christ unto man. The revelation must come from God. Therefore, it
may be summed up, that “The Christ,” and “Revelation from God” constitute the “Rock”
on which Christ built and will build His Church . . . I know that both Christ
and revelation are essential to the salvation of man, and indispensable to the
building up of the Church. Both go together; for they are inseparable, and one
without the other would not avail. (Ibid., 87-88)
What one
appreciates about the above is that Joseph F. Smith refused to engage in an “either-or”
approach to the “rock” (πετρα) of Matt 16, instead opting for a “both-and”
approach.