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paulf ago

OK, I'll take a small bite...

I'm not trolling, just trying to have a debate.

No matter how well articulated, you are completely wrong.

It doesn't matter how articulated I am, just whether what I say is true or not and how Christ would have been understood by the disciples at that time.

First off, your argument regarding papal infallibility has no basis, as you misunderstand the term and confuse it with impeccability. Popes can make mistakes, and can also be rebuked. The only time a pope speaks infallibly is during an official teaching - which is what the Church considers to be doctrine. Popes are our equals in matters of opinion, but superiors in matters of explicit teaching.

I'm well aware of the difference between impeccability and infallibility. And the only person who qualifies is Christ. If a Pope can make mistakes, be rebuked and is my equal in matters on opinion then I fail to see how he suddenly becomes infallible when doing official teaching. I believe Martin Luther also had a problem with that, among other things.

Your Petros/petra question stems from a grammatical issue that results from translating Christ's words to Greek. Kepha can be used in both places in Aramaic, but Greek nouns must take different gender endings - which is why feminine petra cannot be used as Peter's name in the Greek translation. What Jesus is saying here is, "You are Kepha, and on this kepha I will build my Church." Jesus was equating Simon and the rock, not contrasting them.

We don't know exactly what Christ spoke in Aramaic - no documents survive. So your conjecture is just that: conjecture. Besides, this passage is not about Peter but about Jesus. There are a couple of places where Jesus is referred to as a 'petra', including in Peter's own letter:

"4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”[a] 8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock [Note: petra] of offense.”

Only God is referred to as a rock in Scripture, never of man.

There is no one holy like the Lord; Indeed, there is no one besides Thee, Nor is there any rock like our God. —1 Samuel 2:2

For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? —Psalm 18:31

Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none. —Isaiah 44:8

Matthew's Jewish readers would have been well aware of this imagery and not even entertained the idea that Jesus was talking about Peter himself as a petra.

bopper ago

sola scriptura