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 (KJV)
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This promise follows Peter's confession of Jesus as the Christ at Caesarea Philippi, a turning point in the Gospel where Jesus speaks of His church for the first time.
What Does Matthew 16:18 Mean?
Jesus declares that He will build His church on a rock, and that the powers of death will never overcome it. The setting is Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and Jesus responds with this promise. There is a play on words: the name Peter (Petros) means a stone, and Jesus speaks of building on "this rock" (petra). Christians have understood the rock in connected ways -- as Peter himself, given a foundational role among the apostles; as the confession of faith he had just made; and as Christ, the cornerstone on whom all rests. What is unmistakable is that the church belongs to Jesus -- "my church" -- and that He Himself is the builder. The phrase "gates of hell" pictures the realm and power of death; Jesus promises that even death cannot finally hold or destroy His people. This is a promise of endurance and victory. The community Christ gathers will face fierce opposition, yet it will stand, because its survival rests not on human strength but on the One who builds it.
In the Original Language
There is a wordplay between Petros (Peter, a stone) and petra (rock); ekklesia means an assembly or called-out community.
Cross References
“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
- Matthew 16:16
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:11
“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;”
- Ephesians 2:20
Application
Build your life on the confession that Jesus is the Christ, taking confidence that His people endure because He, not human strength, sustains them.