Comment to 'What does Jesus mean when He says, "upon this rock I will build my assembly"?'
  • It is Hebraic phraseology and the spiritual fulfilling of the temple, wherein God dwells and people come to worship.

    God told his people that they would build the tabernacle/temple, where God would dwell with them, in the place that God chooses.

    Deuteronomy 12:5 KJV — "But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:"

    Deuteronomy 12:11 KJV — "Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:"

    Deuteronomy 14:23 KJV — "And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always."

    Deuteronomy 14:24 KJV — "And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:"

    Deuteronomy 16:2 KJV — "Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the LORD thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there."

    Deuteronomy 16:6 KJV — "But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt."

    Deuteronomy 26:2 KJV — "That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there."

    Placed his name in Jerusalem

    1 Kings 14:21 KJV — "And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess."

    Previously placed his name in the mount

    Acts 7:38 KJV — "This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:"

    To worship in the temple that was in the mountain and in Jerusalem. 

    2 Kings 18:22 KJV — "But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?" (Also Isaiah 36:7)

    Jeremiah 7:2 KJV — "Stand in the gate of the LORD'S house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD."

    Jeremiah 26:2 KJV — "Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD'S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD'S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:"

    God chooses to neither place his name in the mountain or at Jerusalem

    John 4:21-24 KJV — "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."

    God chooses to place his name in a spiritual temple; which is our bodies (individually and collectively); one that the enemy has no power to destroy.

    Matthew 16:18 KJV — "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of **** shall not prevail against it."

    1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV — "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"

    1 Corinthians 3:17 KJV — "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."

    1 Corinthians 6:19 KJV — "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

    2 Corinthians 6:16 KJV — "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

    Ephesians 2:20-22 KJV — "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."

    "The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:"

    Numbers 6:24-25 KJV