“Your name shall be Peter” (Jn 1:42)

[ironmonk]

[quote][b]Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church
Sermon 190 [/b]

[b]“Your name shall be Peter” (Jn 1:42)[/b]

[b]“You are ‘Rock’ [Peter], and on this rock I will build my church.” [/b]This name [u]Peter is given to him because he was the first to lay the foundations of faith among the nations and he is the indestructible rock on which rest the foundations and the whole of Jesus Christ’s edifice[/u]. He is called Peter because of his fidelity, whereas according to the word of Saint Paul, the Lord received this same name because of his power: “They drank from the spiritual rock that was following them, and the rock was Christ.” (1 Cor 10:4) Yes, the apostle who was chosen to cooperate in his work deserved to share a same name with Christ. Together, they built the same edifice. Peter planted and the Lord gives the growth; it is also the Lord who sends those who have to give it water (cf. 1 Cor 3:6f.).

As you know, beloved brothers, starting from his own faults, the blessed Peter was raised up at the time when his Savior was suffering. After he denied the Lord, he became the first with him. In weeping over the faith which he had betrayed, he was made more faithful, he received a greater grace than the one he had lost. [b]Christ entrusted his flock to him so that he might lead it like the good shepher[/b]d, and he who had been so weak now became a support for everyone. He who had been questioned about his faith had fallen, and now he had to set up the others on the unshakeable foundation of faith. [b]Therefore he is called the foundation stone of the Churches’ piety[/b]. [/quote]


I've seen many Protestants quote him... Please meditate on this quote.

[cmotherofpirl]

Why is this in debate??

[OLAM Dad]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' date='Feb 22 2006, 10:58 AM']Why is this in debate??
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Why shouldn't it be in debate? (there, now it belongs)

[Brother Adam]

I'd imagine it is for Colin and Briguy. Remember, our Protestant friends don't visit other forums, and the only way to start a discussion is to make the first post. I don't see why regulators question it every time we start a post in the debate table before our Protestant brethren have a chance to respond.

[ironmonk]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' date='Feb 22 2006, 11:58 AM']Why is this in debate??
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I've seen many Protestants quote him... there are protestants that view this board.

It is a debatable topic.

[jezic]

(to play devil's advocate)

does this establish him as the first pope though?

How does the system of government of the Roman Catholic Church follow from that?

[ironmonk]

[quote name='jezic' date='Feb 22 2006, 12:16 PM'](to play devil's advocate)

does this establish him as the first pope though?

How does the system of government of the Roman Catholic Church follow from that?
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Because...

It shows a Catholic view of the scripture referenced by St. Augustine. Logically, protestants who quote him must pay attention to other quotes of his too.

It does indeed establish Peter as first Pope...

"he(Peter) is the indestructible rock on which rest the foundations and the whole of Jesus Christ’s edifice."

"Christ entrusted his flock to him"

"he is called the foundation stone"


To be a foundation stone, everything else would be built on top of it. Peter was the stone that Christ used as a foundation for His Church. Many if not most prots deny this.


God Bless,
ironmonk

[rkwright]

If you look throughout the Bible, any name change is a significant deal. Changing from Simon to Peter signifies a very important role for the apostles then and the Church now.

This topic is also very relavent to the Eastern Orthodox Christians....

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='OLAM Dad' date='Feb 22 2006, 10:59 AM']Why shouldn't it be in debate?  (there, now it belongs) 
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Cause its not a debatable point :

[Era Might]

AFAIK, Augustine was the only Father to deny that the "foundation" of the Church spoken of by Christ in Matthew 16 was Peter himself. In the passage where he denies this, however, he admits that he could go either way in his interpretation; as you note, he elsewhere provides support to Peter as the foundation.

One explanation that makes sense to me is that Augustine did not know Greek very well (and no Hebrew), so he wasn't in a position to provide an authoritative exegesis; hence, he was expressly ambivalent on the matter.

No other Father denies Peter as the rock spoken of by Christ, although they also understood the "rock" in other senses. (And just because Augustine was ambivalent on Matthew 16:18 does not mean he didn't believe in the authority of the Roman see; he just wasn't sure on that specific verse.)

Edited February 22, 2006 by Era Might