Peter and the Rock (Chrys Caragounis)--Matthew 16:18
On page 89 of Peter and the Rock, Caragounis writes that "in normal [Greek] syntax a phrase like KAI EPI TAUTHi THi PETRAi can only refer to something outside of the speaker and his interlocutor. Therefore, if this phrase here--contrary to syntax--is to be referred to Peter, some very good reasons for this anomaly will need to be presented. However, to date no one seems to have been able to produce any such reasons. Consequently, it must be firmly asserted that Greek syntax goes against the assumption that PETRA refers to PETROS, and since there is no valid explanation for this violation of syntax, it must be concluded that there are no objective grounds for referring PETRA to PETROS."
He concludes (in this section of his book) that if Matthew had wanted us to think Peter is the "rock" of Matt. 16:18, he probably would have written: SU EI PETROS, KAI EPI SE OIKODOMHSW. This construction, avers Caragounis, "would have put the matter beyond reasonable doubt" (89).
2 comments:
Caragounis argues that Greek syntax prevents PETRA from referring to PETROS, but this is a narrow reading of the text that overlooks how Jesus speaks directly to Peter. Throughout the passage (Matthew 16:13-19), the focus is on Peter (Simon Bar-Jona) as the recipient of Jesus’ words. Jesus addresses Peter specifically seven times, using second-person pronouns like "you" (σὺ) repeatedly:
1. "Blessed are YOU, Simon Bar-Jona."
2. "Flesh and blood has not revealed this to YOU."
3. "I say to YOU: YOU are Peter (PETROS), and on this rock (PETRA), I will build my Church."
It seems inconsistent with the overall structure of the dialogue to claim that Jesus abruptly shifts focus away from Peter when he says "on this rock" (ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ). Greek syntax and natural dialogue do not demand such a shift. In fact, the demonstrative pronoun ταύτῃ ("this") typically refers to something that has just been introduced or is immediately present in the conversation. Since the only "rock" just introduced is Peter, it is logical that the phrase refers back to him.
Caragounis suggests that the phrase "και ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ" could not refer to Peter, but this contradicts the demonstrative pronoun's natural function in Greek. As mentioned, the word ταύτῃ ("this") points to something that has just been mentioned or is present in the conversation. In this case, the previous word is Πέτρος ("Peter").
Greek syntax often uses ταύτῃ with nouns to emphasize what has already been stated. For example, in Luke 19:9, "This day (ταύτῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ) salvation has come to this house," the demonstrative clearly refers to the present context. Similarly, in Matthew 16:18, ταύτῃ refers to the "rock" that Jesus just named Peter.
The argument that PETROS (Peter) and PETRA (rock) are different in meaning due to the gender of the words (masculine vs. feminine) is frequently raised, but it doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. In Koine Greek (the dialect of the New Testament), PETROS is simply the masculine form of PETRA, both meaning "rock." As mentioned earlier, the difference in gender is purely grammatical; Greek nouns have gender, and because Peter is a man, the masculine form was used for his name.
In Aramaic, which Jesus likely spoke, there is no such gender distinction. Jesus would have used the word KEPHA (or CEPHAS), as we see in John 1:42, which translates directly to "rock" without any gender differences. Thus, Jesus would have said, "You are KEPHA, and on this KEPHA I will build my Church." Matthew, writing in Greek, had to render this in a way that made sense grammatically, so he used PETROS for the name and PETRA for the general word for rock.
Even scholars who may not share the Catholic viewpoint, such as D.A. Carson and Joseph Thayer, admit that in Koine Greek there is no significant difference between Petros and petra in this context.
Caragounis suggests that if Matthew intended for Peter to be understood as the "rock," he would have used the phrase "SU EI PETROS, KAI EPI SE OIKODOMHSW" ("You are Peter, and on you I will build [my Church]"). However, this is unnecessary because the Greek construction used in Matthew 16:18 is perfectly capable of conveying the meaning that Peter is the rock. The demonstrative pronoun ταύτῃ already points back to the previous noun (Peter), and there is no need to use EPI SE ("on you") to make this connection clear. Greek can achieve this without repeating the pronoun, and the use of "this" is sufficient.
Furthermore, Caragounis' alternative construction would imply a tautology or redundancy that is not typical of the elegance seen in biblical Greek. Jesus' words are direct, succinct, and clear: Peter is the rock, and on this rock, the Church will be built.
Theologically, the Catholic interpretation aligns with the role that Peter played in the early Church, as documented in Acts and early Christian writings. Peter is consistently shown as the leader of the Apostles, the one who speaks on their behalf, and the one who takes the initiative in key moments of the Church's formation. The authority that Jesus gives him in Matthew 16:19, symbolized by the "keys of the kingdom of heaven," reinforces this leadership role.
While it is true that Christ is the ultimate foundation of the Church, as noted in other New Testament passages (e.g., 1 Corinthians 3:11), Peter is given a specific and unique role as the "rock" on which the visible Church is built. Early Church Fathers, such as St. John Chrysostom and St. Augustine, recognized this dual foundation: Christ as the ultimate cornerstone, and Peter as the visible leader.
From the earliest days of Christianity, Peter was recognized as the leader of the Apostles and the foundation of the Church’s structure. Early Christian writers like St. Cyprian, St. Ambrose, and St. Augustine consistently interpreted Matthew 16:18 as referring to Peter’s special role. These Fathers understood that Christ is the ultimate foundation of the Church, but they also affirmed that Peter, as the visible head of the Church on earth, was the rock upon which the Church was built.
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