Who is really the "stone " of the Church?

[Dr Denis O'Callaghan]

Let’s examine the word stone or rock in Hebrew, it is eben/even and looks like this:

אבן

The Aleph, א , is the first character in the Hebrew alphabet and represents Elohiym/God or Heavenly Father.

The Bet, ב , combined with the Nun, ן , signifies the Son in Hebrew or Yahushua Ha'Maschiach/Jesus Christ.

Hence, stone in Hebrew means the Father and the Son.

So when we are told in the New Testament (Luke 6:48) to build our house on a rock and not sand, we should build them on a foundation made up of the Father and the Son.

Another example and the one we'll be discussing in greater detail is in the New Testament is when Messiah tells Kefa/Peter in Matt 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.”

Peter/Cephas in english, Kefas in the Semitic, the Kefas refers to a small green stone used for revelation ( discover hidden knowledge usually by the interpretation of omens or by the aid of supernatural powers) in english it was called a SEERSTONE.

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.( John 1:42 )

Divination had been explained as seeking knowledge by supernatural means: the methods or practice of attempting to foretell the future or discovering the unknown through omens, oracles, or supernatural powers. Jesus Christ called Simon a Peter/Kefa, the means through which mysteries are known. This is known as revelation in Christian theology.

Revelation of hidden mysteries is an integral part of the Christian Church. This is not to say that divination is the sole essential of the Church. But this could be explained as the revelation of the mind of God through the exegesis and application of the scriptures to contexts. The more a Christian knows about God and his love and action for humankind through Jesus Christ, the more he or she gets stronger in faith. This is just one theory, lets look a little further into scripture.

Interestingly, Peter, in Greek, means rock. Hence, the Church will be built upon a rock or upon the Father and the Son, the source of all revelation shown in Peter, a rock, as a symbol of those of the Community/ Church of Messiah, who represents the Father and the Son here on earth.

In this scripture we see it's not about Peter only, but more about the event that just took place. Revelation was given to Peter of the Father or from the Father, the Father and Messiah we see in the same place, On that Rock ( the Father and the Son ) will the Messiah's community ZION the rebirthed Isra'el be built, the olive tree and those engrafted- Romans 11:17-24. Death/Sheol shall never over power this love and strength, for in the Father and the Son is Life. Messiah says no man shall snatch you out of the Fathers hand. I and the Father are One. Up to this point in scripture an event of this proportion has not happened except for the Baptism of Ha'Mashiach ( Matt.3:17, Mark 1:11) John saw the Holy Spirit and heard the Voice. Messiah is the Gate in which Peter entered. All the dealings up to this point were just between Father and Son, now man is once again included. Completing this beautiful triune Spirit. This symbolizes what was to take place when the veil was rent, and the day of Pentecost and all man would be able to go boldly to the throne of grace, the throne of the Father and the Son- Revelations 22:1. Even hear His Voice and recieve Torah-Instruction and Guidance in the Father (John 14, 1 Corinthians 2:10-13)

God himself is termed (even yisrael). According to tradition, the concrete, primordial foundation stone of the world, labeled (even shetiyah), is found today in the Mosque of Omar on the Temple Mount. And, let us not forget that the Ten Commandments were inscribed on two tablets of stone, (shenei luhot avanim). The Father and the Son.
The Book of Psalms employs our word (even) to teach a psychological lesson about usefulness. There we are told that the (even ma'asu ha-bonim), a stone that was disdained by some builders, can be used by others as a cornerstone (T'hillim /Psalms 118:22).

He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am ? And Simon Peter answered and said , Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

And Messiah explains why,,,, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father whivh is in heaven. vs 17
It's Peter's response that is accredited for the next statement,,,,,That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” ( Matthew 16:15-16 )


Peter calls Yeshua the Son of the living God ( Ben Elohiym Chayim ) The word Chayim is one of our keys into this interpretation. Even the word Zao in the greek also represents the difference between Elohiym and all other gods made by man. He is Life and the Creator of it!!! The word Chay in Hebrew can mean life as well as community as in,,,,,,The LORD liveth (chay); and blessed be my rock (even); and exalted (segub) be (hayah-will be or i am) the God of the rock (even) of my salvation (yeshua). ( 2 Shemu'el /Samuel 22:47 )

Now before we go any further lets get some more info on the reference of the cornerstone as it may help us along,,,,,

The story of Hiel the Bethelite, who rebuilt Jericho, laying "the foundation thereof in Abiram, his first-born," and setting up "the gates thereof in his youngest son" (I Kings xvi. 34; Josh. vi. 26), seems to be connected with the primitive custom of laying foundations with blood, as, indeed, skulls were found built in with the brickwork when the tower ("ziḳḳurat") of the temple of Bel at Nippur was excavated (see "Jour. Bibl. Lit." 1896, xvi. 11, and Cheyne and Black, "Encyc. Bibl." s.v. "Hiel"). The Midrash also knows of Hebrews who were immured in buildings in Egypt (Ex. R. v.; compare Trumbull, l.c. pp. 47 et seq., and Simrock, "Handbuch der Deutschen Mythologie," 1874, p. 57). One of the many symbolical names given to the terraced tower of the temple of Bel-Marduk was "the foundation-stone of heaven and earth" (Jastrow, "Religion of Babylonia and Assyria," p. 639).

The same importance seems to have been attributed also to the foundation-stone of the Temple at Jerusalem. In I Kings v. 17, vii. 9, the costly wrought stones used for the foundation of Solomon's Temple are described, and in I Kings vi. 37 the time of the laying of the corner-stone is especially mentioned. In Ezra iii. 10-11 the solemnities at the laying of the corner-stone of the Second Temple by Zerubbabel are detailed (see also Hag. ii. 15, 18-23, and Zech. iii. 9, iv. 9-10, viii. 9). Indeed, the exilic seer must have been familiar with solemn corner-stone rites when picturing the rebuilding of Jerusalem. (Isa. liv. 11; compare li. 1), just as Isaiah was when predicting a new and "tried and precious corner-stone of sure foundation" for Zion (Isa. xxviii. 16 et seq.; compare xiv. 32, Hebr.). The fragmentary beginning of Ps. lxxxvii. obviously refers to the foundation-stone of Zion as the most sacred spot of the earth, and the rabbinical "eben shetiyyah" (the foundation-stone of the world, Yoma 54b) is but the proof of a continuous popular tradition. But that here also the ancient rite of some blood-sacrifice was not altogether forgotten, seems to be indicated by the connection, preserved at least in the Book of Chronicles, between the laying of the corner-stone of the Temple and the sacrifice offered by David for the cessation of the plague, at the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite (II Chron. iii. 1-3; compare I Chron. xxi. 18-31 with II Sam. xxiv.).

The ceremonious laying of the corner-stone of public buildings, especially of religious and charitable institutions, has become a universal custom, and was adopted by the Jews during the last century. The ceremony consists of placing an appropriate record or memorial in the hollow part of the stone beneath, and then of laying in place the corner-stone, accompanied by certain solemn forms.

The first born of Hiels ( Elohiym Lives ) son name is Abiram ( my father is exalted ) The Foundation. John 10:23- 38, John 14 and Luke 10:22 show a discourse between man and Messiah and how he loves and exalted His Father and His Father exalted Him. The youngest son of Hiel is names Segub (exalted)
As Hiel set up the gates in His youngest son we see a picture coming together here of what this " Even=Stone " is. This foundation stone is lain with blood. On this rock I shall build my church. This foundation with the cornerstone by blood. The Ben Elohiym Chayyim, the Son, the King, the Messiah ( Matthew 11:27 ). So it is mis-interpretation that believes that Peter (the man) is that rock instead as we said he recieved of the Father Foundation who's gates thereof was in the youngest Son ( 1 Corinthians 15:47 ), " I am the way the truth and the Life " No man comes unto the Father but by me " At that wonderfully beautiful moment within Peter known and called by Messiah " the stone" of revelation was The Father and upon him the Voice and Light of the Son is revealed in and upon a man.

Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: "Look, I am laying in Tziyon a tested stone, a costly cornerstone, a firm foundation-stone; he who trusts will not rush here and there. ( Yesha'yahu / Isaiah 28:16 )

Bibliography: Cheyne and Black, Encyc. Bibl.;
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