Ekklesia

[Bruce Michael]

Hello Friends,


Christ said; 'Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church...'

In Greek "Church" is "ekklesia" assembly, from "ekkletos" called out. It is the community of all Christians.

Could we all be that rock?- All parts of the Church?

The Rosicrucian, Robert Fludd comments:

1. That all Christians are said to be living stones, they bear the same name and are the same in significance as S. Peter.

2. That all Christians are stones, members of the great "petra Catholica" it follows that no single man, not even S. Peter, can alone be said to be the foundation of the Catholic Church.

3. As Christ lay hidden in the rock of Moses, and as the spiritual body lies hidden in the natural body, so the words of the apostle are true --"The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life."

4. The true corner stone is Christ.

5. The Incarnation opened the way to the knowledge of the what that corner stone is.

6. Vain, therefore, are all traditions and teachings which would persuade us that Cephas was this foundation.

7. God having willed to tabernacle amongst mortal men, uses the same imagery and confirms its explanation as now given. 'Listen' says the prophet, 'and see the rock from which ye were hewn.'" [Isiah 51:1]

Something to consider...
-Br.Bruce

 

[Dondi]

I consider this a pretty fair assessment of my own view. Even if Christ is referring to Peter as "this rock", the foundation and cornerstone still has to be Christ.

 

[Quahom1]

I consider this a pretty fair assessment of my own view. Even if Christ is referring to Peter as "this rock", the foundation and cornerstone still has to be Christ.

The foundation is not Christ. The church is not Christ. The church is the people...yes? (the bride of Christ?). However, the church has to be built upon a foundation, and for some reason, Peter was selected as that church foundation (which tells me we should be studying up on Peter and his life). The cornerstone (Christ) is what is supposed to hold it all together (key/corner stone), holding the arches of the "building" in place. Take out the key stone, and the church falls apart.

What good is a foundation, when there is no building on top?

v/r

Q

 

[Tao_Equus]

Sto ekklesia eini sto dromo sto hypocratia.... Nikos Kazantakis

 

[mee]

The rock-mass is Jesus christ

 

[bananabrain]

you know, when i read this, i always feel that jesus is quite frustrated and disappointed. he basically seems to me to be calling peter obtuse: "have you got rocks in your head or something?" and then saying, sadly: "i can see how this line of thinking pans out in the long run - my thinking is going to be based upon your prejudices, not on what i'd really like." obviously, i'm reading all this in, but i can't see why this interpretation would really be wrong.

the "cornerstone", which was previously rejected by the builders, is understood by us to be the people of israel, who will be redeemed by the coming of the Messiah. the "arch", (although this word is not used) would therefore be humanity as a whole - it is an indication that the jewish people are a critical part of the Divine Plan for humanity, whatever that may be.

b'shalom

bananabrain

 

[BlaznFattyz]

I consider this a pretty fair assessment of my own view. Even if Christ is referring to Peter as "this rock", the foundation and cornerstone still has to be Christ.

i agree. the foundation and cornerstone is christ. there is nothing that man can do on his own that can be any of these things without god. man can however have the attributes that god favors and uses to do his will, such as all the prophets; david, mary, peter, john, etc.

 

[Dondi]

The foundation is not Christ. The church is not Christ. The church is the people...yes? (the bride of Christ?). However, the church has to be built upon a foundation, and for some reason, Peter was selected as that church foundation (which tells me we should be studying up on Peter and his life). The cornerstone (Christ) is what is supposed to hold it all together (key/corner stone), holding the arches of the "building" in place. Take out the key stone, and the church falls apart.

What good is a foundation, when there is no building on top?

v/r

Q

cor·ner·stone also corner stoneplay_w("C0648200")(kôr

n

r-st

n

) n. 1. a. A stone at the corner of a building uniting two intersecting walls; a quoin.
b. Such a stone, often inscribed, laid at a ceremony marking the origin of a building.

2. An indispensable and fundamental basis: the cornerstone of an argument.

hm();Sources=Sources | 2;

"According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." - I Corinthians 3:10-11

"And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." - Ephesians 2:20-22

"To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded." - I Peter 2:4-6

Maybe Jesus Christ is both the foundation and the cornerstone.

 

[Thomas]

Maybe Jesus Christ is both the foundation and the cornerstone.

The way I see it, Jesus Christ founded the Church — the whole of creation is founded by Him — that is His gift.

Really, it's a matter of whether you want to accept the gift, or not, and part of that acceptance is taking responsibility for it.

Thomas

 

[mee]

Maybe Jesus Christ is both the foundation and the cornerstone.

Jesus Christ is Scripturally spoken of as the "foundation cornerstone" of the Christian congregation, which is likened to a spiritual house. Through Isaiah, Jehovah foretold that He would lay in Zion as a foundation "a stone, a tried stone, the precious corner of a sure foundation." (Isa 28:16) Peter quoted and applied to Jesus Christ this prophecy regarding the "foundation cornerstone" on which individual anointed Christians are built up as "living stones," to become a spiritual house or temple for Jehovah. (1Pe 2:4-6) Similarly, Paul showed that members of the Christian congregation had been built up "upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, while Christ Jesus himself is the foundation cornerstone," in union with whom the whole building harmoniously joined together "is growing into a holy temple for Jehovah," a place for Him to inhabit by spirit.—Eph 2:19-22.