Augustine
on the Supremacy of Peter
First Citation: In his interpretation of Matthew
16:18, St. Augustine wrote, "Because thou hast said unto me, 'thou art
the Christ the Son of the living God;' I also say unto thee, 'Thou art
Peter.' For before he was called Simon. Now this name of Peter was given him
by the Lord, and in a figure, that he should signify the Church. For
seeing that Christ is the rock (Petra), Peter is the Christian people.
For the rock (Petra) is the original name. Therefore Peter is also called
from the rock; not the rock from Peter; as Christ is not called Christ from
the Christian, but the Christian from Christ. Therefore he saith, 'Thou
art Peter and upon this rock' which thou hast confessed, upon this rock which
thou hast acknowledged, saying, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
God' will I build my Church' that is upon Myself, the Son of the living God,
'will I build My Church.' I will build thee upon me, not myself upon thee . .
. For men who wished to be built upon men, said 'I am of Paul; and I am
of Apollos; and I of Cephas,' who is Peter. But others did not wish to be
built upon Peter, but upon the Rock, said,'But I am of Christ.' And when the
Apostle Paul ascertained that he was chosen, and Christ despised, he said,
'Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in the
name of Paul?' And, as not in the name of Paul, so neither in the name of
Peter; but in the name of Christ.; that Peter might be built upon the Rock,
not the Rock upon Peter." (Philip Schaff, Nicene and Post-Nicene
Fathers, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1956, Volume VI, St. Augustine, Sermon
XXVI.1-2, p. 340)
Second
Citation: (Augustine, Volume VI, Sermon XXVI)
"Again, when the Lord Jesus
Christ asked, whom men said that He was, and when the disciples gave the
various opinions of men, and the Lord asked again and said, "But whom
say ye that I am?" Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of
the living God." One for many gave the answer, Unity in many. Then said
the Lord to Him, "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonas: for flesh and blood
hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven." Then
He added, "and I say unto thee." As if He had said, "Because
thou hast said unto Me, 'Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God;' I
also say unto thee, 'Thou art Peter.'" For before he was called
Simon.For the rock (Petra) is the original name. Therefore Peter is so called
from the rock; not the rock from Peter; as Christ is not called Christ from
the Christian, but the Christian from Christ. "Therefore," he
saith, "Thou art Peter; and upon this Rock" which thou hast
confessed, upon this Rock which thou hast acknowledged, saying, "Thou art
the Christ, the Son of the living God, will I build My Church;" that is
upon Myself, the Son of the living God, "will I build My Church." I
will build thee upon Myself, not Myself upon thee.
2. For men who
wished to be built upon men, said "I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I
of Cephas," who is Peter. But others who did not wish to be built upon
Peter, but upon the Rock, said, "But I am of Christ." And when the
Apostle Paul ascertained that he was chosen, and Christ despised, he said,
"Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in
the name of Paul?" And, as not in the name of Paul, so neither in the
name of Peter; but in the name of Christ: that Peter might be built upon the
Rock, not the Rock upon Peter.
3. This same Peter therefore
who had been by the Rock pronounced "blessed," bearing the figure
of the Church, holding the chief place in the Apostleship, a very little
while after that he had heard that he was "blessed," a very little
while after that he had heard that he was "Peter," a very little
while after that he had heard that he was to be "built upon the
Rock," displeased the Lord when He had heard of His future Passion, for
He had foretold His disciples that it was soon to be. He feared test he should
by death, lose Him whom he had confessed as the fountain of life. He was
troubled, and said, "Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be to
Thee." Spare Thyself, O God, I am not willing that Thou shouldest die.
Peter said to Christ, I am not willing that Thou shouldest die; but Christ
far better said, I am willing to die for thee. And then He forthwith rebuked
him, whom He had a little before commended; and calleth him Satan, whom he
had pronounced "blessed." "Get thee behind Me, Satan," he
saith, "thou art an offence unto Me: for thou savourest not the things
that be of God, but those that be of men." What would He have us do in
our present state, who thus findeth fault because we are men? Would you know
what He would have us do? Give ear to the Psalm; "I have said, Ye are
gods, and ye are all the children of the Most High." But by savouring
the things of men; "ye shall die like men." The very same Peter
a little while before blessed, afterwards Satan, in one moment, within a few
words! Thou wonderest at the difference of the names, mark the difference of
the reasons of them. Why wonderest thou that he who was a little before
blessed, is afterwards Satan? Mark the reason wherefore he is blessed.
"Because flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which
is in heaven." Therefore blessed, because flesh and blood hath not
revealed it unto thee. For if flesh and blood revealed this to thee, it were
of thine own; but because flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but
My Father which is in heaven, it is of Mine, not of thine own. Why of Mine?
"Because all things that the Father hath are Mine." So then thou
hast heard the cause, why he is "blessed," and why he is
"Peter." But why was he that which we shudder at, and are loth to
repeat, why, but because it was of thine own? "For thou savourest not
the things which be of God, but those that be of men." (Roberts, Alexander and Donaldson,
James, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series: Augustine, Volume VI,
Sermon XXVI (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1997.)
Third Citation: Augustine,
Tractates on John; Tractate 3, CXXIV
"For petra (rock)
is not derived from Peter, but Peter from petra; just as Christ is not called
so from the Christian, but the Christian from Christ. For on this very account
the Lord said, "On this rock will I build my Church," because Peter
had said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." On
this rock, therefore, He said, which thou hast confessed. I will build my
Church. For the Rock (Petra) was Christ; and on this foundation was
Peter himself also built. For other foundation can no man lay than that is
laid, which is Christ Jesus." (Roberts, Alexander and Donaldson, James, Nicene and
Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series: Volume VII, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos
Research Systems, Inc.) 1997.
Fourth Citation (Augustine, Volume
VII, Homily X)
"He saith unto
them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answered and said, Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the Living God." And this he heard from the Lord:
"Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed
it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." See what praises follow
this faith. "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my
Church." What meaneth, "Upon this rock I will build my Church"?
Upon this faith; upon this that has been said, "Thou art the Christ, the
Son of the Living God. Upon this rock," saith He, "I will build
my Church."
(Roberts, Alexander and Donaldson, James, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers,
First Series: Volume VII, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.)
1997.)
Fifth Citation (Augustine on the
Psalms, Volume VII, Psalm LXI
"For Christ
Himself is the tower, Himself for us hath been made a tower from the face
of the enemy, who is also the Rock whereon hath been builded the Church." (Roberts, Alexander and Donaldson,
James, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series: Volume VIII, (Oak
Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1997.)
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