The answer
The Master Christ made this statement when the Apostle Peter, in the presence of the Disciples, made his great confession, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matt. 16:16).
The Master Christ meant by the rock the Faith that was proclaimed by the Disciples in the person of the Apostle Peter, and not at all the person of Peter.
In the New Testament, as well as the Old Testament, there are many references to Christ being the Rock and the Chief Cornerstone in the building of the Church: 2 Sam. 22:2; Ps. 18:31; Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:4, 5, 7. The Disciples, then, are the stones, or pillars, of the building of the Church and Her foundation.
It is noteworthy that the Catholic Church explains these verses incorrectly by referring to Peter as being the rock upon which Christ establishes His Church! From this explanation, it began to claim that the Pope of Rome is entitled to preside over all of the Christian churches throughout the world, given that Peter is the first bishop of Rome.50 This explanation is rejected by our Orthodox Church, because it is unacceptable Scripturally, linguistically, historically, or spiritually.
His Holiness Pope Tawadros II
Notes
50 Translator’s note: See Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History: “After the martyrdom of Paul and of Peter, Linus was the first to obtain the episcopate of the church at Rome. Paul mentions him, when writing to Timothy from Rome, in the salutation at the end of the epistle” (3.2).
Pope Tawadros II, My Faith: A Series of Dialogues on the Creed (Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, 2014), 140–141.
The pages in the book (140–141)
