Word of the Week
August 27, 2022
Petra, Petros and Lithos: Identifying Rocks
“A stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief cornerstone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”.
1 Peter 2:7-8
Back in the Dark Ages (actually, 1973), I joined a Holy Land tour of Bible lands. We soaked in sights like the Sea of Galilee and the Garden Tomb. But one impression that stands out is the sheer number of rocks covering the landscape. Piles everywhere! A tour guide shared the legend that during the week of creation, the Lord sent out angels with huge bags of rocks to spread on the newly-formed earth. Two of these angels collided over Israel and dropped the whole bags right there!
Whenever Jesus talked about rocks, it was easy to see what He was describing. And there are plenty of references to rocks and stones in Scripture. In a land that specialized in stones, we should not be surprised that there were multiple words to describe those stones.
There are at least three words for “rock” or “stone” in the Greek New Testament, and we will be able to see things more clearly if we understand all three.
- Petra – “rock”
Petra appears 15 times in the New Testament, normally describing a large rock formation, rather than a single stone.
- You can build a house on a petra (Matthew 7:24-25).
- You can carve a tomb out of a petra (Matthew 27:60).
- You can find caves in a petra (Revelation 6:15-16).
- An earthquake can split open a petra (Matthew 27:51).
- Crops won’t grow on a petra (Luke 8:6, 13).
In times of danger, you could retreat to a refuge in the rocky crags of the Judean wilderness. Tourists today visit the red rock city of Petra in Jordan, a natural fortress embedded in the barren hills.
- Petros – “Peter, rock”
When Jesus first met Simon the brother of Andrew, He changed his name to Petros (the Greek equivalent of Cephas), explaining that it meant “rock” (John 1:42). And that was his name from that time on. The word petros occurs over 150 times in the New Testament, always as the name of the apostle, not as a description of rocks or stones.
- Lithos – “stone”
The word lithos appears 59 times in the New Testament, describing various kinds of stones. It is most often used for stones which have been shaped by human hands, rather than the kinds of rocks one would find lying around the countryside.
- You could use a big lithos to cover a tomb entrance (Matthew 27:60).
- Builders used large stones to construct the temple (Mark 13:1-2)
- The Ten Commandments were written on stones (2 Corinthians 3:7).
- Craftsmen carved idols from stones (Acts 17:29).
- Stones were used as a method of execution (John 8:59). In fact, the word for “stoning” is lithazō.
- Lithos is used for precious gems in Revelation 4:3; 17:4; 21:11, 19.
Physical rocks and stones are interesting, but I find myself encouraged by the verses that compare Jesus Christ to a stone.
The word petros is never used to describe Jesus, but 1 Corinthians 10:4 calls Him the “spiritual rock [petra] which followed” the Israelites in the wilderness. Just as water came from the rock to quench the thirst of the tribes, life-giving refreshment for the spirit comes from our Rock.
He is also the divine Lithos, explained in detail in 1 Peter 2:6-8.
He was the Stone rejected by the builders (Psalm 118:22). The Jewish leaders examined Him and rejected Him.
He was the Stumbling Stone (Isaiah 8:14). His own people tripped over him and fell because they refused to obey His word.
He was the precious Cornerstone, chosen specifically by the Father as the key to the temple He is building (Isaiah 28:16).
When you want to take refuge, go to the Rock!
Study Hint:
In Greek as in English, synonyms sometimes overlap in meaning. That is the case here.
Petros usually means a large rock formation found in nature, while lithos usually refers to a smaller stone that can be lifted, often shaped by stonecutters. However, there are exceptions to this set of definitions, so you have to look at the context to be sure that you understand the words properly.
Since petros is not used to describe actual rocks in the New Testament, we have to look at earlier Greek sources to see how it is used. When you check classical Greek, you find that petros usually (but not always) describes smaller rocks that you can move, while petra usually (but not always) describes massive rocks built into the landscape. Again, check the context to be sure you have the right meaning.
Q/A:
Q – What about that passage in Matthew where Jesus says, “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church? Which words for “rock/stone” are used here? And does that help me understand the passage?
A – When Jesus says, “You are Peter,” He uses petros. And when He says, “Upon this rock I will build my church,” He uses petra. People have argued about this passage for two millennia, and we can’t answer all the questions here. But it is true that Christ shifted from one Greek word to another. I assume that He did so for a reason. Personally, I think that He did want to describe Peter as the smaller rock that would be used as building material, while He used petra to describe the foundation on which the church would be built. It is possible to develop arguments for other views, but this is a simple explanation that rests on the most common usage of the words and magnifies Christ as the cornerstone of the church (see Ephesians 2:20).
Coming Up
When I hit my thumb with a hammer, I don’t feel joy. Yet James tells me to “consider it all joy.” How can I do that? Next week we will examine a Greek word that sheds light on this command.
©Ezra Project 2022
18 Responses
There are not two words Πέτρος and πετρα. In Greek like most fully declined IE languages there is only one stem that determines the definition. For example, in Lithuanian, the word uola is fem. nom. sing. But if I use uolas in a nominative singular way everyone will notice it masculine, but still meaning rock but having a masculine use. You see the stem uol- means rock. The same applies in Greek. The stem πετρ- gives it the meaning large rock putting masculine endings on it means it will be used to for a masculine use like a man’s name or a throwing rock or war rock. Whereas if I add the feminine ending it will be used for a feminine use, like a place or fixed object.
In reality the dictionary/lexicon entries should only be the stem but normally they are the nominative singular (and for adjectives, masculine).
You have a point, and I agree that it would be technically more accurate to describe the variations in meaning on the basis of the stem.
Unfortunately, most of the people who use this Web site do not have access to the broader range of resources that you have available. Because of this, I find it best to base my explanations on the standard Greek lexicons, which treat words like petra and petros as separate words.
One way, we can say, “These two words mean such and such.” The other way, we can say, “The two endings added to the stem mean such and such.” I believe it’s possible to use either terminology to help people discern what the New Testament passages are saying. Thanks for your clarification!
I am not a scholar but let’s make this simple. Jesus used two words. Why? Two different meanings.
Simple is good! Two different words can sometimes have the same meaning – or at least meanings that are so close that it’s hard to tell the difference. But I think you’re right about this passage. Jesus purposely used two words because he wanted to communicate two different ideas.
Petra is a large rock upon which the Church was to be founded, but it is also a feminine word. Petros is the closest male equivalent to Petra. It is gender inappropriate to call Peter a female rock so Petra and Petros is the closes the language will allow if the Church is feminine and Peter is masculine. This is akin to amiga and amigo meaning female friend and male friend in Spanish. Jesus tells that he is blessed because the father reveals to him things that were not revealed to others, then changes his name to rock, thereby grafting Peter onto Himself (the rock of the Old Testament), then gives Peter the keys of heaven. It makes no sense to bless Peter, curse Peter by calling him an unfit small rock, and then blessing him again, this time with the keys of heaven. Jesus was clearly making Peter his heir to lead the Church after His death.
Jesus is the head of the church and we are the parts of the building including Petros but he is the foundation?
You are correct in saying that Jesus is the foundation of the church according to 1 Peter 2. However, Paul uses a slightly different word picture in Ephesians 2:20. In that verse, he says that Jesus Christ is the cornerstone and the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. The Matthew 18 passage teaches a similar truth, but each verse describes it with varied imagery.
It does NOT matter how fit anyone is, no one is better than Jesus. Two words were used because of two different meanings. Why would Jesus build his church on an imperfect human being instead of building it on a perfect, immovable cornerstone as himself? Why would Peter call Jesus, and not himself, the cornerstone in 1 Peter 2:4-8? Why Ephesians 2:20, describes “Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” of the household of God, which agrees with Isaiah 28:16 that says “He was the precious Cornerstone, chosen specifically by the Father as the key to the temple He is building”?
No he wasn’t. This is what we call confirmation bias. You are trying to read into the text something that isn’t there because you believe Peter to be the head of the church. I will break this down a little further but also use church history from a Catholic bishop.
If Jesus wanted to build his church on Peter (and the Greek word is ekklesia which is an assembly of believers, not an institution), he would have said and on this rock (Petros) I will build my church. Jesus could have used masculine or feminine. The choice was up to him. He was using a play on Peter’s name as a small rock to designate the big rock on which the church would be built. There’s also the context and use of the name Petros as noted above always referring to Peter and no one else.
In 1 Corinthians 10:4, Paul references Jesus as the spiritual rock. Again, he uses the word Petra to refer to Jesus. Peter himself in 1 Peter 2:6-8, quotes three passages from the OT. In the last one, it notes the rock that causes people to stumble. Clearly he is referring to Jesus and the word he uses is Petra.
There are numerous references to Jesus being the rock and every time the word used is Petra. So if Peter’s name is Petros and every reference to Jesus being a spiritual rock or the foundation of the church, why is the word Petra used and why does Jesus use that same word?
And finally, let’s look at Eusebius a bishop of Caesarea. In his book History of the Church, Eusebius clearly states that James is the first bishop of the Jewish church and that leadership was bestowed upon him by the apostles. Here are a couple of quotes:
History of the Church 2:1:2
Then James, whom the ancients surnamed the Just on account of the excellence of his virtue, is recorded to have been the first to be made bishop of the church of Jerusalem. This James was called the brother of the Lord…
History of the Church 7:19
The chair of James, who first received the episcopate of the church at Jerusalem from the Saviour himself and the apostles, and who, as the divine records show, was called a brother of Christ, has been preserved until now…
In Galatians 2, Peter comes to Antioch and eats and fellowships with the Gentiles. Then men from James (again the head of the church) are sent to Antioch and Paul has to rebuke Peter for distancing himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of the Jewish people that were sent from James.
Now you have all this evidence in scripture of using the word Petra to refer to Jesus and the evidence from a bishop himself that says James was the first bishop and that Peter deferred to him and was even afraid of the men he sent. And that sounds like the first leader, bishop, Pope of the church?
But Christ is repeatedly referred to as the feminine ‘petra’, which is what makes the usage distinct here. Also, Hebrew and Aramaic didn’t always match masculine grammar with the gender of the person. Your name could be feminine grammatically (they wouldn’t have referred to it as feminine) despite being a man, and vice versa.
The Spirit of God didn’t pick different Greek words for variety. That is one thing we can be certain of. Thanks for the article. Christ is the cornerstone. The rest of the building of God is plumb and level with respect to the cornerstone. Like a good building is. Peter laid the foundation of the Church together with the other NT apostles and NT prophets and it has been laid. We see the foundation, Christ, has been laid. How many foundations does a building need? The rest of us are living stones having been built upon it and we continue to build and “Take heed how you build upon it…” Believer, are you building with Gold, Silver, and Precious Stones? Are you building with Wood, Hay, or Stubble? It’ll be obvious at the Bema of Christ for that Day shall declare the type and quality of work. Did you utilize His building materials or did you supply your own building materials?
Scripture interprets scripture and we can see from other texts that Christ is the corner stone and the church is built in Him and not on Peter. If Peter was the head of the church why did Paul rip into him for hypocrisy, As Tom said previously how many foundations does a building need, The Church is built on Christ and we would do well to love respect and worship Him and not a man. Paul and John would not receive worship so why would Peter do so.
May God reveal the truth of this by His Spirit and not make a false religion the main religion but to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ
Ever read 1 Peter 2:5-6?
Clearly, Peter did NOT see HIMSELF as the base rock or cornerstone. He saw Jesus as the foundation , we all as the living stones! These words from Peter speak louder than all translation arguments.
When I read this scripture (Matth. 16:18), I understand it this way:
Jesus does not say, “on you, Petros, I will build my church”, but He says, “on this the petra, I will build my chuch”.
This is clearly a different subject, and I strongly believe, Jesus is referring to Peter’s revelation he just received from the Father in heaven, that is, that Peter identifies Him as the Messiah (Christos), and on this petra (Christos) He will build His church.
Just my 5 cents!
Did not Jesus and the 12 speak Aramaic in daily use? If so, then some of the scuffles about this passage may stem from the difficulty in translating Aramaic into Greek. No doubt the inspired human author used the Greek words the Holy Spirit led him to do but grammatical arguments many years later should not be used to obscure the original meaning of the wordplay (aka, pun) which doubtless took place in Aramaic.
There’s no doubt Christ is the Rock and head of the Church
Peter is not, was not or can be the first “pope”. What nonsense.
Jesus is ROCK.
Peter was a small pebble that can be blown about by a small wind just as he the man was in life.
You are rock and upon this ROCK, I will build my church. (You, person named Rock, and upon this perfect bedrock/precious cornerstone is where my church (ekklesia/the congregation/people who believe) will be built and stand.
My $0.02.
I go by Occam’s Razor. The most likely answer is generally the correct solution. I always do literal first before allegorical (which I consider “90% of the time, made up stuff to force-fit God’s Word to corroborate erroneous man’s Doctrine “. As such, I’ll go with Christ as the Massive Rock His “congregation” is built upon. “Church” is an anachronism not used or intended in God’s true Word; supports a made up anti-Semitic doctrine intended to hijack the Jewish Messianic Synagogue solution God intended by a man-made religion only uplifting half of God’s indelible, unchanging Word.