Friday, August 15, 2025

Primasius, Bishop of Hadrumetum (sixth century) on the “Rock” Being Christ

  

The Church Is Built on the Unshakeable Rock. Primasius: The apostle certainly recalls the dimension of the city when he says, “according to the measure of Christ’s gift,” and again, “To me, though I am the least of all the saints, this grace was given to me, to preach to the Gentiles.” Therefore, the city is said to be foursquare and each side given an equal dimension, so that nothing might be marked by inequality. To be perfect, according to the apostle, is to have the same wisdom and to have peace, that is, truly to exist in the strength of a square. This is, then, that city that the Lord said in the Gospel was built on a hill, that is, was built on himself. And concerning this he also said to Peter, who is the image of the whole church, “You are Peter, and upon this rock I shall build my church.” It is as if he had said, “I will build you upon me.” For Christ was the Rock, and therefore from the Rock is the rock, even as the Christian is from Christ. And Christ indeed teaches that every invention of human error is to be avoided and only the monuments of divine truth are to be followed. Commentary on the Apocalypse 21:15–16. (Revelation, ed. William C. Weinrich [Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture; Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic, 2005], 370; the refence for the above is CCL 92:292–93)