What did Jesus say to Peter about the church
Ava Hudson
Updated on April 19, 2026
In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
What did Jesus say to Peter about building his church?
Jesus pronounced a blessing upon Peter and proclaimed Peter’s answer as having been derived by divine inspiration. He then stated, “And I say also unto thee, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18).
Why did Jesus make Peter the head of the church?
Why did Jesus make Peter the head of the Church? Jesus was leaving the world and he wanted to leave a leader as his representative on earth. … They saw him as the head of all the apostles and obeyed him as they had done to Jesus.
What does Peter say about the church?
In other words, Jesus reinterprets Peter’s declaration: “You are Peter (a piece of the rock), and on this rock (the fact that I am the Messiah, the Son of the living God), I will build my church.”What did Jesus said to Peter?
Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus said that Peter was blessed as this was revealed to him by God. He added, “you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church”. Jesus promised Peter that he would be given authority, then warned them not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
Why did Jesus build His church?
He then instructed His disciples. Jesus taught His followers that revelation from God was the rock on which He would build His Church. At the end of His life, Jesus Christ suffered and died for the sins of everyone who has lived or who will live on earth. … Thus the Church of Jesus Christ was led by God and not by men.
What did Jesus mean by church?
The church is the body of Christ—his heart, his mouth, his hands, and feet—reaching out to the world: Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ( 1 Corinthians 12:27, NIV) The church is the people of the Kingdom of God.
What is the significance of Peter denying Jesus three times?
Peter was a man who would die with Jesus rather than deny him in any way. Peter crucified himself when he denied Jesus three times. Because denying Jesus was the cross Peter had to take up to follow him, the legend was started that Peter was crucified upside down.What does Matthew 16 18 mean?
The Greek word used to denote church in Matthew 16:18 is ecclesia, which literally means a “calling out” and originally referred to a civil assembly. Thus Jesus’ use of the phrase “my church” referred to an assembly “called” by him. … The phrase “gates of hell” refers to the place of restriction for the unjust dead.
How was Peter called by Jesus?As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
Article first time published onWhy was Peter so important to Jesus?
Peter was one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus. Roman Catholic tradition holds that Jesus established St. Peter as the first pope (Matthew 16:18). … After Jesus’ death, he served as the head of the Apostles and was the first to perform a miracle after Pentecost (Acts 3:1–11).
What did Jesus say to Peter after he denied him?
Jesus restored Peter to fellowship after Peter had previously denied him and told Peter to feed Jesus’ sheep.
Was Peter the head of the church?
The LDS Church teaches that Peter was the chief apostle and head of the church after Christ’s ascension. The LDS Church further teaches that all Melchizedek Priesthood authority in the church must come through a line of authority traceable directly from Christ through Peter.
What did Jesus say to Peter when he walked on water?
28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the waters. … And Peter went down from the boat, and walked upon the waters to come to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me.
Does Jesus forgive Peter?
He is the only Peter mentioned in the New Testament. … Most of us remember Peter for denying Christ three times during the night of Jesus’ trial. Following his resurrection, Jesus took special care to rehabilitate Peter and assure him he was forgiven. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit filled the apostles.
Does the Bible say you have to go to church?
No. There is no command to attend church in the bible only an injuction to not forsake gathering together. But those of us who value being in the presence of those we love are not in need of a command to enjoin us to go to spend time with them.
What is the true church according to the Bible?
The expression “one true church” refers to an ecclesiological position asserting that Jesus gave his authority in the Great Commission solely to a particular visible Christian institutional church— what others would call a denomination, believers of this doctrine consider pre-denominational.
What did Jesus say about places of worship?
Worship will be in Spirit and truth (John 4:23–24). … Jesus’ statement suggests that while the designated places of worship are important, they are not the only places where God can be worshipped.
Why was church created?
So to answer your question, church was formed so that believers could come together and pray, worship, share and have fellowship for the common good.
Where is church first mentioned in the Bible?
The word ekklesia in the Greek is what is commonly translated to the English word church. Matthew 16:18 is the first instance in most English Bibles that the word church is used. Deuteronomy 4:10 is the first instance in the Bible that ekklesia is used in the Septuagint.
Where did Peter build his church?
Church Fathers According to Origen (184–253) and Eusebius, Peter “after having first founded the church at Antioch, went away to Rome preaching the Gospel, and he also, after [presiding over] the church in Antioch, presided over that of Rome until his death”.
What is the story of Peter?
Peter was one of Jesus’ disciples. … He saw the healings Jesus did, and heard him preach, and became his disciple. After the disciples and Jesus ate their last supper together, Peter promised Jesus that he would never desert him. But Jesus told Peter that three times before morning Peter would deny that he knew Jesus.
What does the word Peter mean?
Peter is a common masculine given name. It is derived from Greek Πέτρος, Petros (an invented, masculine form of Greek petra, the word for “rock” or “stone”), which itself was a translation of Aramaic Kefa (“stone, rock”), the nickname Jesus gave to apostle Simon Bar-Jona.
What does Matthew's Gospel teach us about Peter and the Pope?
Matthew’s Gospel is also the only in which Peter is given special church leadership powers. Jesus says that Peter is the rock that on which he’s going to build the church (16:18). … After all, Matthew is living in an age without Jesus and he sees a need for the church to shepherd the faithful.
What were the 3 denials of Peter?
First denial: A girl at the door to the courtyard (John 18:17). Second denial: A servant girl, by the fire in the courtyard (Matthew 26:69, Mark 14:66, Luke 22:56). Third denial: A man by the fire in the courtyard (Luke 22:58).
Why did Jesus tell Peter he would deny him?
Originally Answered: Why did Peter deny Jesus three times? Because he was scared as hell. He was one of the first disciples to be called by Jesus himself and so he followed him around for about 3 years.
Why was St Peter crucified upside down?
He was crucified upside down because he did not feel he was worthy enough to be crucified upright like Jesus Christ. He was buried in a burial ground near the Circus, where pagans had also been buried.
Why did Jesus change Peter's name?
The key to understand this is in the meaning of ‘Simon’ and ‘Peter’ name. Simon (Simeon in Hebrew) have meaning “The one whom hear (Word of God)”, and Peter (Chepas in Hebrew) means “a rock”. The name changes is to underline the transformation of the person whom hear words of God to a spiritual rock.
When did Peter follow Jesus?
In John 1:42-43, Jesus meets Peter and Andrew for the first time, and they start following Jesus because Jesus is a respected teacher. In Matthew 4:18-20, Jesus explicitly calls Peter and Andrew to follow him in a special way, saying that he will make them “fishers of men,” and they obey.
Why was Peter fishing at night?
In John 21, we find the resurrected Jesus assisting his disciples in catching 153 large fish. … Careful readers of John 21 will note that the disciples were fishing at night. This is because the nets of that day were constructed from linen, and were less visible to fish at night.
Who Was Peter before he met Jesus?
Peter’s original name is Simeon or Simon and before he became one of Jesus’ disciples he was a Jewish Fishermen.