Peter the rock (keefa)

PalmettoTree, sorry for making this thread prior to you, but I couldn't help providing my input concerning the back and forth between you and Atticus reference Peter, and I didn't want (like you stated) to derail his thread.

Please feel free to post what it is you would like to share concerning him.

Is Peter really THE "rock"?

[SOURCE: The Refiner's Fire (with permission)]

"With all the difference Bible translations and their respective mistranslations, it's no wonder there are some confusing doctrines.

Take, for instance, the Catholic insistence that "Peter is the rock" or "cornerstone" of their church. They get that idea from mistranslations in the KJV and later versions:

Matthew 16: 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (King James Version)

Matthew 16: 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (New International Version)

Now please note what the Aramaic English New Testament says:

Matthew 16: 18 I say also to you that you are Keefa, and on this Keefa I will build my assembly, and the gates of Sheol will not subdue it.

The Aramaic English New Testament (link) was translated directly from Aramaic into English from a copy of the oldest New Testament ever discovered, the Khabouris Codex, which some scholars date all the way back to 120 A.D. - and a footnote concerning Matthew 16:18 says:

This is a wordplay between Keefa the man and what his nickname means. Y'shua (Jesus) uses Keefa's name to reveal the significance of Keefa's conclusion. Neither flesh nor blood (an individual) can reveal the “nature” of Mashiyach (Messiah), except YHWH Himself by the Ruach haKodesh (the Holy Sppirit)! Using the literal meaning of Keefa's name (rock), Y'shua brings together the understanding of the Tsur (Rock) of D'varim/Deut 32:18, 30, 31; Psalm 18:46; Psalm 61 and 62; Isaiah 8:14; 17:10; 51:1-8. When Shimon Keefa says, “You are the Mashiyach, the Son of the Living Elohim” he confesses faith in Mashiyach, not the person only, but the Spirit of Mashiyach in Y'shua. Y'shua's reply provides Keefa the same reference that David and the Prophets had regarding YHWH's Salvation, the Rock. However, this verse was twisted by Catholicism to first give Peter “authority,” then usurp Peter's “authority” for its leader. Ya'akov (James) was the first Rosh Beit Din of the Netzari, not Peter. See also 1 Corinthians 10:4.

It is important to understand that Keefa's name was both a compliment and an insult. As Lamsa pointed out, to call someone "rock-headed" in Israel was normally a huge insult and Y'shua was being tongue-in-cheek when He made a joke at Peter's expense regarding his stubborness and what we would call today "being dense/slow." But Y'shua in that same moment also turned it into a compliment, calling to the term the other sense of "rock" - that being stability and consistent purpose.

The problem was not that Keefa had the right to lead. The problem was that he established the Aramaic assemblies 20+ years before Rome and that he had put Ya'akov in charge of the Jerusalem assembly. He did this probably because Ya'akov had a better gift for day-to-day management of both Jews and Gentiles. Keefa also preferred his field work in Babylon and Syria to staying in one place and running things that way. Keefa; however, clearly established the assemblies at Antioch and Babylon first. He was never in Rome that we directly know of, except when he was captured and executed (probably), but even here there is uncertainty. One interesting tradition has him buried in pieces under the stairs by the Romans because they were afraid he would resurrect if they kept the body intact...."

Let's look at some other parts of scriptures concerning this.

Attitcus brought up Isaiah 22:22...and tied it to Peter. Who does it really refer to?

John 10:38. If, however, I do them even if you do not believe me, you believe the works that you may know and believe that my Father is in me147 and I am in my Father.”

147 In Isaiah 22:20-25 a priestly father is named Hilkiah (my portion is YHWH) and his son is Eliakim (Elohim raises) which foreshadows Mashiyach whose “portion” is YHWH, and who is raised up by Elohim. Mashiyach is the first begotten of YHWH who suffers, then is raised up and then is given governance over all nations, kindreds, tongues and peoples as foreshadowed in verses 21-22: “And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.”

1 Corinthians 10:4 And they all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that attended them, and that rock was the Mashiyach (Messiah).

1 Peter 1:1. SHIMON PETER,1 a servant and Shaliach (emissary) of Y’shua the Mashiyach, to those who have obtained equally precious faith with us through the righteousness of Our Master and Redeemer, Y’shua the Mashiyach;

1 Intriguing that this Second Letter, which is at times disputed, has the proper full name of “Shimon Peter” whereas the previous letter simply has “Peter”. It is worth noting that the first name is not the Greek adaptation of “Simon” but in Aramaic is clearly “Shimon”. We should also bear in mind that Keefa is a nickname, not his real name; but he is recorded on occasion as Keefa because Y’shua gave him that title, a double meaning of “steady as a rock” and perhaps also suggesting “thick-headed as a rock”.

Ultimately, it is God who is the ROCK and Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone:

Deuteronomy 32:4 “He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: an Elohim of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He.”

Psalms 92 (ends with): "proclaiming that Adonai is upright, my Rock, in whom there is no wrong."

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Peter the rock (keefa)