Scripture & Authority

The Pope & the Rock of Peter

Jesus made Simon the rock on which he builds his Church, gave him alone the keys of the kingdom, and told him to strengthen his brothers and feed the whole flock. The pope is the successor of Peter in that office.

The short answer. Jesus renamed Simon ‘Rock’ and said ‘on this rock I will build my Church,’ handing HIM the keys. In the Old Testament, giving one man ‘the key’ established a royal office with successors — that's the point.

‘You are Rock, and on this rock’

Jesus changes Simon's name to ‘Rock’ (Aramaic Kepha, rendered Petros) and in the same breath builds his Church on ‘this rock.’ In Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke, it's one and the same word both times: ‘You are Kepha, and on this kepha I will build my Church.’

Matthew 16:18I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

The keys — a royal office with successors

Jesus gives Peter alone ‘the keys of the kingdom.’ He is echoing Isaiah 22, where God takes the ‘key of the house of David’ from one steward and lays it on another — a single prime-minister office under the king, filled by succession. The keys signal an enduring office, not a one-time favor.

Matthew 16:19I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.”

Isaiah 22:22I will lay the key of David’s house on his shoulder. He will open, and no one will shut. He will shut, and no one will open.

Strengthen your brothers; feed my sheep

Jesus prays specifically for Simon's faith and charges him to ‘strengthen your brothers.’ After the Resurrection he three times commissions Peter to ‘feed / tend my sheep’ — the whole flock, shepherds included.

Luke 22:31–32The Lord said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have all of you, that he might sift you as wheat, but I prayed for you, that your faith wouldn’t fail. You, when once you have turned again, establish your brothers.”

John 21:15–17So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for me?” Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you have affection for me?” He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Common objections

“The ‘rock’ is Peter's confession / is Christ, not Peter.”

Christ is the ultimate foundation (1 Cor 3:11) — and he made Peter the rock in a derived sense, just as he alone is the Shepherd yet makes Peter shepherd. The grammar points at Peter: Jesus is speaking TO him, renames HIM, and gives HIM the keys. You don't rename a man 'Rock' and then build on something else.

“Greek uses petros (small stone) vs. petra (large rock) — so Peter isn't the rock.”

Jesus spoke Aramaic, which has one word, Kepha, used both times — which is why Paul just calls him ‘Cephas.’ In Greek a masculine name couldn't take the feminine ending petra, so petros is simply the masculine form of the same word. In the poetic parallel, both mean the same rock.

Scripture quoted verbatim from the World English Bible (public domain).

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