The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"And"PRIMACY OF PETER....22clearly alludes to the new name which He Himselfhad conferred upon Simon, when He received himinto the number of His followers (John 42) i*. ;andHe now reveals the reason for the change of name,which was to insinuate the honor He was to confeion him, by appointing him President of the Christian Republic ; just as God, in the Old Law, changedAbram s name to Abraham, ^hen He chose him tobe the father of a mighty nation.The word Peter, in the Syro-Chaldaic tongue, whichour Saviour spoke, means a rock. The sentence runsthus in that language: Thou art a rock, and onthis rock I will build My Church" Indeed, all respectable Protestant commentators have now abandoned, and even ridicule, the absurdity of applying the word rock to any one but to Peter as;thesentence can bear no other construction, unless ourLord sgood grammar and common sense are calledin question.Jesus, our Lord, founded but one Church, whichHe was pleased to build on Peter. Therefore, anychurch that does not recognize Peter as its foundation stone, is not the Church of Christ, and therefore cannot stand, for it is not the work of God.This is plain. Would to God that all would see itaright, and with eyes free from prejudice.He continues :I will give to thee the keysof the kingdom of heaven," etc. In ancient times,and particularly among the Hebrew people, keyswere an emblem of jurisdiction. To affirm that a