Peter, the unifying pillar of the Christian community

21st Sunday of the Year (A)

In this Sunday’s Gospel, the unfolding of God’s plan is seen in St. Peter’s increasing faith and in the mission of strengthening the faith of others that the Lord entrusts to him. Guided by divine inspiration, Peter’s faith developed rapidly from being so weak that he almost drowned when crossing the sea to meet Jesus to the point where his faith-filled insight was strong enough for him to proclaim boldly that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

Jesus used Peter’s strident faith as the firm foundation upon which to build his church community. It is important that we always keep these two Gospel events together – in the story of Peter’s attempt to walk toward Jesus across the sea, we see the depth of his enthusiastic love for Jesus. In this Sunday’s Gospel story, we see Peter’s great faith in Jesus. Both would be necessary for Peter in his mission to be the pillar of the Christian community.

The Gospel opens with Jesus having gone to Caesarea Philippi in Northern Palestine. This actually marked the beginning of his journey toward Jerusalem and the cross. Jesus begins a conversation with his disciples, asking them who the crowds think he is. Their answers betray a diversity of viewpoints: some say he is John the Baptizer (like Herod, many in the crowd saw Jesus as a populist, charismatic leader similar to John); others say he is Elijah (recalling the expectation that Elijah was to return before the day of the Lord); still others see him as Jeremiah (the prophet Jeremiah suffered much rejection and persecution for the message he proclaimed, just as Jesus would).

Taking their conversation to a more personal level, Jesus next asked his disciples who they thought he was. The question gives Peter the opportunity for his confession of faith, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16). By recognizing Jesus as the Christ, Peter was acting within the general expectations of Israel, but by further recognizing Jesus as the Son of God, Peter dispels any misconceptions about Jesus’ exact role and significance. In combining these two titles, Peter captured the essence of Jesus’ unique relationship with the Father.

Jesus next commissions Peter to be the solid rock foundation of his soon to be established Church. Significantly, Matthew uses a word for church which means “the gathered assembly;” Jesus commissions Peter as the strong, unifying pillar of the Lord’s community – his faith and love will be the sturdy support which will hold the community together and keep the “gates of the netherworld” (Matthew 16:18b) at bay.

As a symbol of Peter’s authority and stewardship, Jesus confers upon him the “keys to the kingdom of heaven.” Peter is being given responsibility for the proper functioning of the Christian community. He must keep all in good order, having special oversight concerning admission into the kingdom (for example through Baptism, subsequent church discipline, etc.). The Catechism of the Catholic Church, #553, tells us “The power of the keys designates authority to govern the house of God, which is the Church.”

Finally, Jesus gives Peter the power to bind and to loose both on earth and in heaven. In rabbinic literature, the power to bind and to loose involved the power to impose and dispense from obligations; to bind and to loose could also be used in a technical sense to mean excluding someone from the community and granting re-admission. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, #553, offers, “The power to bind and to loose connotes the authority to absolve sins, to pronounce doctrinal judgments, and to make disciplinary decisions in the Church.” Peter is assured that his decisions regarding the Christian community will accord with heavenly truth.

Peter’s special place in the Christian community is recognized throughout the New Testament. In Catholic tradition, we believe that the special authority and stewardship handed by Christ to Peter continue to be wielded by Peter’s successors, the Bishops of Rome. Each Pope, then, is commissioned to be the strong support who upholds and defends the Christian community. As the Second Vatican Council taught in its Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, #23, “The Roman Pontiff, as the successor of Peter, is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity . . . of the whole company of the faithful.”

Msgr. Fell is a Scripture scholar and director, diocesan Office for Priest Personnel.