In the Synoptic narratives the question of Jesus about the opinion of the people leads up to a similar question addressed to the disciples about their own, and the answer in the one case stands in sharp contrast to the report given in the other,— a contrast which is vivid and real because true to the historical situation. To the question addressed to the disciples, ' But who say ye that I am?' Peter answers, ' Thou art the Christ' (so Mk. ; Lk. gives simply 'the Christ of God,' and Mt. ' Tliou art the Christ, the Son of the living God '). Unlike the people, the disciples had recogTiized in Jesus the Messiah, and to this conviction Peter gave brief expression. However inadequate may have been the content which Peter and his com- panions gave to this formal statement of their faith, it was a matter of great importance that they were able to affirm clearly, and in oj^position to the opinion of the people, their belief that in Jesus the Messianic King had come. The readi- ness and decision with which Peter formulated the faith of the disciples are an indication that their faith, though now expressed in this form for the first time, did not originate here (cf. J. Weiss, Das dlteste Evang. p. 51). Their very presence with Jesus at this time gave evidence of such a conviction (cf. Jn G^"-). In this faith they had answered His call to discipleship ; in it tliey had associated with Him, heard His teaching, and seen His wonderful works; their appointment as Apostles iniplied it, as did their subsequent mission to Israel. They had seen opposition arise and de- velop into bitter hostility; but when Jesus with- drew into the region of Tyre and Sidon, and again into tlie region of Cfesarea Philippi, they still com- panied with Him. They knew the poinilar opinion, but they still adhered to their own conviction.
The significance of Peter's confession, however, lies not simply in the fact that it gave expression to a deep and long - cherished conviction, tlius evidencing the permanent, unchanged cliaructer of his faith ; it had reference also to the future. It was made in answer to a question of Jesus which had as its occasion His intention to reveal to the disciples the necessity of His suffering. The faith of the disciples had stood all the tests to which it had been subjected in the past. Jesus, however, clearly foresaw a still greater test in the near future. In order to prepare tliem for it, there was need that definite expression be given to their faith. The revelation which was to be made to them would tlms serve the purpose of clarifying the content of their faith. In Mk. and Lk. the confession of Peter is accordingly brought into close connexion with the announcement of the Passion. Mt. alone gives the words of Jesus to Peter (IB"'"), not only confirming what we may infer from Jesus' reception of the confession (Mk.- Ijk.), its essential correspondence with His own consciousness, but going further and giving us positive knowledge of Jesus' estimate and appre- ciation of Peter's faith.
Addressing Peter as Simon Bar-Jona,* Jesus declares him to be blessed in the possession of a faitli which, transcending the human sphere of flesh and blood, has its origin in the heavenly spliere and from His Father. In thus describing the revelation-character of Peter's faith, Jesus does not define more nearly the process or time of origin, the psychological moment, but treats his faith simply as a definite fact of the past. Con- tinuing witli the emphatic ' But I,' Jesus makes Peter's confession the occasion of revealing His plan for the future, and the part that Peter is to fulfil in it. With the words ' 'Thou art Peter,' Jesus recalls the name He had given to His disciple and apostle (cf. Jn y\ Mk 3", Mt 10=, Lk 6^*). The Greek Uirpos, like the Aramaic KephCi, means a Fock, and suggests tlie idea of firmness or strength. In giving such a name to Simon, Jesus had looked beneath the surface and read the character of Peter in terms of motive and underlying disposi- tion. A man of decision, he was full of energy and strength, a man of action rather than of con- templation, a natural leader ; and if at times im- pulsive, rebuking his Master and even denying Him, he was in the one case loyal to his faith, however unwisely so, and in tlie other was follow- ing Jesus to be near Him when he fell. In main- taining and confessing his faith in Jesus, Peter had shown himself true to the character which Jesus recognized when He named him Peter. Upon this rock Jesus now affirms His intention of founding His Church : not upon any rock, and therefore not simply upon a strong and firm foun- dation, but upon this rock indicated by the name Peter. In the Greek the word for Peter (n^pos) and the word for rock {iriTpa) differ in form, but in Aramaic the same form was probably used. The Pesli. has kipha in both instances (cf. also Mt 27™ ; in Mt. 7=^'- sica is used). The rock intended by Jesus to be the future foundation of His Church is Peter, realizing the character indicated in his name. The function thus assigned to Peter is indeed not apart from his confession, nor is the fact that he evidently spoke in a representative capacity to be overlooked. The address of Jesus, however, is distinctly to Peter, and it is his name that is interpreted. The confession which precedes is indeed closely related to the words of Jesus, but it cannot be understood as the rock -foundation intended by Jesus. In itself it furnishes the occa- sion rather than the ground of Jesus' promise. It cannot therefore be treated abstractedly as some- thing separate from Peter, but must be regarded as a manifestation and, in its measure, a realiza- tion of the character which Jesus .saw in Peter when He gave him his name. Tlie content of Peter's faith, moreover, was entirely inadequate when measured by Jesus' conception of what His Mes.siahship involved. Much had still to be learned in the school of experience (Mk S^'f- 14*"-, Lk 22»', Jn 21^^-, 1 Co 15''), but the character was fixed in principle. Jesus saw its strength, and chose the man for the work He had for him to do. The opening chapters of the Acts of the Apostles "ive some account of the way in which he acconiplislied his charge.