January 23
Daily Bible Reading: Matthew 16
Verse of the Day: Matthew 16:18 – “And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
In Aramaic (the language Jesus spoke) the words for Peter and rock are same. We lose the wordplay in English. The Greek word for Peter is Pétros (a pebble), and the word for rock is pétra (a cliff or boulder). Some misinterpret this verse to mean that Jesus was going to build His church upon Peter, but the wordplay shows that He will build His church upon Peter’s proclamation – “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16)
The people of God will be joined in Christ’s Church because they believe and accept that Jesus is God. The Church is not man’s design or making – it is the divine structure that Jesus Himself has established for His followers.
Prayer: Jesus, help me to see the truth of the importance of Your Church. This assembly that You created is based upon the pétra that Peter displayed that evening with Jesus. May I be a pétros of this great design. Amen.
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