Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Matthew 16:18 "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 16:18 "And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades (death) will not overpower it [by preventing the resurrection of the Christ]. [Eph 1:22; 4:15; 5:23; Col 1:18] |
Bible Question: Are people who lived before Christ members of the catholic church we speak of in the apostle's creed? |
Bible Answer: There are two ways to look at this. If you are looking at it as the "one, holy, catholic and apaotolics church, then the Old Testament saints were not part of the apostolic church of the apostles. On the other hand if you think of the church as a communion of saints in Christ, then all those who are in Christ by faith, including the Old Testament saints or "holy ones" of God are in the church. In the Septugint Old Testament, the same Greek work used for church, "eklesia" is used for the assembly of Israel. The Old Testament Church looked forward to Christ in faith, the new Testament Church looks back in faith, although in the bigger picture, God and His salvation is eterrnal and timeless and alsways present. |