Peter and the rock

John 1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. [kjv]

ηγαγεν αυτον προς τον ιησουν εμβλεψας αυτω ο ιησους ειπεν συ ει σιμων ο υιος ιωαννου συ κληθηση κηφας ο ερμηνευεται πετρος [gnt]

… Cephas … Petrus [v]

The Latin "cephas" ≈ "stone, rock", originally starting with a "k" sound, comes from the Ancient Greek "κήφας" (KEE-fas) ≈ "stone, rock" which comes from the Hebrew/Aramaic word "כיפא" (keph) ≈ "rock".

John, who appears to think as a modern computer scientist in many ways, picks up on the relevance and importance of explicitly recording the double meaning. The word "hermeneutics" comes from the ancient Greek word "ἑρμηνεύς" ≈ "interpreter" as to the meaning of something.

The ancient Greek word "ἑρμηνεύς" ≈ "interpreter" was introduced to science and philosophy by Aristotle in his work entitled "Περὶ Ἑρμηνεία" ≈ "About meaning". The Latin title is "De Interpretatione" ≈ "On Interpretation" .

The word "hermeneutics" comes from the ancient Greek word "ἑρμηνεύς" ≈ "interpreter" as to the meaning of something. This word appears often in the GNT (Greek New Testament). The field of "hermeneutics" is the study of the meaning of texts, especially Biblical texts. This includes syntax, semantics and both textual and non-textual (i.e., implied, nonverbal, etc.) meaning.

More: Aristotle

More: Syntax and semantics

John 1:42

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KJV: And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

Greek: και ηγαγεν αυτον προς τον ιησουν εμβλεψας δε αυτω ο ιησους ειπεν συ ει σιμων ο υιος ιωνα ιωαννου συ κληθηση κηφας ο ερμηνευεται πετρος

Latin: et adduxit eum ad Iesum intuitus autem eum Iesus dixit tu es Simon filius Iohanna tu vocaberis Cephas quod interpretatur Petrus

Luther: Und führete ihn zu Jesu. Da ihn Jesus sah, sprach er: Du bist Simon, Jonas Sohn; du sollst Kephas heißen (das wird verdolmetscht: ein Fels).

The Hebrew word "וכפים" (we-ke-pim) ≈ "and the rocks" and is used in Job 30:6.

Job 30:6 To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks. [kjv]

… וכפים [he]

ων οι οικοι αυτων ησαν τρωγλαι πετρων [lxx]

The Hebrew word "כיפא" (keph) ≈ "rock".

Job 30:6

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KJV: To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.

Hebrew: בערוץ נחלים לשכן חרי עפר וכפים׃

Greek: ων οι οικοι αυτων ησαν τρωγλαι πετρων

Note that the Latin sound for "c" was originally "k" and later changed to the softer "c", just is it did in English. We still have some of those words such as "come", "came", etc., while, for example "Caesar" was originally with a "K" sound, from which comes the German word "Kaiser" and the Russian "Czar" (the "s", "k", "ks", "ts", "z" sounds are very interchangeable linguistically).

The name "Cephas" is the name given to Peter by Jesus.

The modern Greek word "πέτρα" (PEH-tra) ≈ "stone, rock" which is the source of the English word "petrified" and from which we get the English name "Peter".
Another Greek word is "λίθος" (LEE-thos) ≈ "stone, rock", from which we get "lithography", "paleolithic", etc.

The "Peter principle" in business, that one is promoted until one reaches one's level of competence or incompetence, comes from the originator of the idea, Peter Drucker.

The follow-on idea, the "Dilbert principle", by Scott Adams, is that one does not wait for one to reach a level of incompetence, but promotes right to that level from much earlier in the process.

John 1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. [kjv]

… Cephas … Petrus [v]

… Kephas … Fels. [lu]

The German word "der Fels" ≈ "the rock" as in the English word "feldspar".

But what is the "Rock" that Jesus is referring to? A full discussion is left for another time, but the alternatives include the following.

Peter and Peter alone, as in the Catholic (and/or Eastern Orthodox - to all of the apostles, not just Peter) Church
The confession of faith of Peter.
Both of the above.
Something else.
All or some of the above.

Aside: This was at the place considered the "gates of hell".

Details are left as a future topic.

1 Corinthians 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. [kjv]

και παντες το αυτο πνευματικον επιον πομα επινον γαρ εκ πνευματικης ακολουθουσης πετρας η πετρα δε ην ο χριστος [gnt]

… spiritali … petra petra … [v]

What does Paul say about the identity of the "rock"?

In the "spiritual Rock", Paul appears to be referring to the "Shekinah glory", a topic for another time.

The Latin word "spiritali" ≈ "spiritual, spirit".

1 Corinthians 10:4

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KJV: And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

Greek: και παντες το αυτο πομα πνευματικον επιον πομα επινον γαρ εκ πνευματικης ακολουθουσης πετρας η δε πετραδε ην ο χριστος

Latin: et omnes eundem potum spiritalem biberunt bibebant autem de spiritali consequenti eos petra petra autem erat Christus

Tyndale: and did all drincke of one maner of spirituall drincke. And they dranke of that spretuall rocke that folowed them which rocke was Christ.

After Peter confesses (states) that Jesus is the "Christ", Jesus uses a double meaning.

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. [kjv]

καγω δε σοι λεγω οτι συ ει πετρος και επι ταυτη τη πετρα οικοδομησω μου την εκκλησιαν και πυλαι αδου ου κατισχυσουσιν αυτης [gnt]

… ecclesiam … portae inferi … praevalebunt … [v]

More: Matthew 16: Calling a masterful gathering of outgoing church believers

More: Matthew 16: 13-19 Prevailing gates

Matthew 16:18

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KJV: 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.

Greek: καγω δε σοι λεγω οτι συ ει πετρος και επι ταυτη τη πετρα οικοδομησω μου την εκκλησιαν και πυλαι αδου ου κατισχυσουσιν αυτης

Latin: et ego dico tibi quia tu es Petrus et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversum eam

Wessex: & ich segge þe þaet þu ert petrus. & ofer þisne stan ich ge-tymbrie mine chyrcan. &. helle gate ne magen on-gean þa.

Wycliffe: And Y seie to thee, that thou art Petre, and on this stoon Y schal bilde my chirche, and the yatis of helle schulen not haue miyt ayens it.

Tyndale: And I saye also vnto the yt thou arte Peter: and apon this rocke I wyll bylde my congregacion. And the gates of hell shall not prevayle ageynst it.

Luther: Und ich sage dir auch: Du bist Petrus, und auf diesen Felsen will ich bauen meine Gemeinde, und die Pforten der Hölle sollen sie nicht überwältigen.

Slavonic: и Аз же тебе глаголю, яко ты еси Петр, и на сем камени созижду Церковь Мою, и врата адова не одолеют ей:

Russian: и Я говорю тебе: ты-Петр, и на сем камне Я создам Церковь Мою, и врата ада не одолеют ее;

Spanish: Y yo también te digo que tú eres Pedro, y sobre esta roca edificaré mi iglesia, y las puertas del infierno no prevalecerán contra ella.

Jeremiah 2:27 Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us. [kjv]

τω ξυλω ειπαν οτι πατηρ μου ει συ και τω λιθω συ εγεννησας με και εστρεψαν επ εμε νωτα και ου προσωπα αυτων και εν τω καιρω των κακων αυτων ερουσιν αναστα και σωσον ημας [lxx]

… lapidi … [v]

Some people (e.g., evolutionists) believe that we came from a rock, as predicted by Jeremiah, using the modern Greek word "λίθος" (LEE-thos) ≈ "stone, rock".

Jeremiah 2:27

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KJV: Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.

Hebrew: אמרים לעץ אבי אתה ולאבן את ילדתני כי פנו אלי ערף ולא פנים ובעת רעתם יאמרו קומה והושיענו׃

Greek: τω ξυλω ειπαν οτι πατηρ μου ει συ και τω λιθω συ εγεννησας με και εστρεψαν επ εμε νωτα και ου προσωπα αυτων και εν τω καιρω των κακων αυτων ερουσιν αναστα και σωσον ημας

Latin: dicentes ligno pater meus es tu et lapidi tu me genuisti verterunt ad me tergum et non faciem et in tempore adflictionis suae dicent surge et libera nos