Peter the new Abraham

Matthew 16:16-18 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

• Mission from God: Abraham to go to the promised land (Gen 12:1); Peter to build Jesus's Church (Mt 16:18-19)

• Father of many: Abraham of a great nation (Gen 12:2); Peter as the spiritual father of the Church (Mt 16:18)

• Faith in God: Abraham left his homeland for an unknown land (Gen 12:4) and the sacrifice of Isaac (Gen 22:16-17); Peter's declaration of Jesus's identity (Mt 16:16)

• Blessed by God for his faith (Gen 22:17; Mt 16:17)

• Victory over the gates of their enemies: for Abraham’s offspring (Gen 22:17); hell will not prevail against the Church Peter built for Jesus (Mt 16:18)

• Name changed by God: from Abram (Gen 17:5); from Simon (Mt 16:18)

• Called rock by God: Abraham the rock that Israel came from (Is 51:1-2); the meaning of Peter / Petros as the rock of Jesus's Church (Mt 16:18)