Rey: Dear John. Peace be unto you and all your loved ones. I’m an avid fan of your great website scripturecatholic.com. It’s the most helpful website on Biblical apologetics because it summarizes everything what a catholic should believe and defend. I’m glad to tell you that I used your notes (of course, I acknowledge your authorship) in my Religious Studies classes here in University of St. La Salle, Bacolod City, Philippines Thank you very much for your great help to us Catholics who are in dire need for Biblical support for our faith.
I have observed, by the way, that we Catholics have poor response to Eschatological discussions such as rapture, millennium, tribulation, 70 weeks of Daniel, Revelation and even Dispensationalism. How about working out those topics? I would be very pleased if you can do that. It might be the first Catholic website that is very comprehensive to answer all the interest Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
God bless.
Fraternally,
Rey XXXX
Asst. Prof. Religious Studies Dept.
J. Salza: Dear Rey. Thank you very much for your kind words and use of the website for teaching and apologetics. I currently have a page in the Eschatology section called “The Second Coming / Rapture” that deals with this topic on a basic level. I soon will have a page called “Zionism” that will provide much more depth to the topic, and give a thorough refutation of the Rapture from a biblical perspective. Stay tuned.
Rey: Dear John, Good day! Were you a former Protestant before, what denomination, and were you a pastor? Your analysis of the biblical verses are clear, direct and powerful. You also gave comments on Masonry … were you a Mason before? I hope you can give a bit of your personal info in your website because that would inspire more your readers.
By the way, in your analysis of the term Peter, my students pointed out that you wrote “Petros means rock” and “Petra means stone”. I think it’s the opposite: Petrus, masculine gender in Gk, is small stone and Petra, feminine in Gk, is rock or boulder. Perhaps, a typographical error from you. Your analysis of petrine supremacy is really great and helpful. Same with your textaul analysis about second coming and rapture. Keep up your great work. I’m waiting for your next articles.
In Christ,
Rey
J. Salza: Dear Rey, thanks for the email. I am a cradle Catholic, but I became ensnared in Freemasonry, and became lukewarm in my faith. The Holy Spirit set me on fire, and I left Masonry, and am now devoting myself to Catholic apologetics, especially all the issues that I had to address and resolve during my reversion.
Regarding Petros, I think your students got mixed up a bit. I will try to explain here:
1. The Greek word for rock is “petra” (there is no word “petros”).
2. Jesus called Simon “Kepha” which, in Aramaic, means a large rock, or massive rock formation.
3. When the Gospel was translated into Greek, the writers translated Kepha into Petros (not petra). This was done to masculinize the name of Peter as Petros.
4. Because petra in Greek can mean a small rock and the translation reads Petros, Protestants attempt to say that Jesus was calling Peter a small rock, in order to diminish Peter’s significance.
5. But if Jesus wanted to call Peter a small rock, the translation would have read “lithos” (meaning small pebble in Greek), not “Petros.”
6. Nevertheless, Jesus said Kepha (not “evna” meaning small pebble), so the
Petra v. Petros comparison (which really doesn’t exist in Greek anyway) is
irrelevant. I hope this helps.