The Spokesman

Now, becoming the spokesman of the other disciples, he makes the confession "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Then the Lord says to Him, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona." How one admires the perfect wisdom of the blessed One in so addressing His own servant. He takes Peter back into his past; he was Simon Bar-jona. And you and I, who know our sins forgiven for His name's sake, what are we? Each one of us knows that in himself he is nothing but Simon Bar-jona still, It is only the Lord Jesus who can change our name. "Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven." Those people were wise in their guesses about who He was, hut we have divine certainty. It is the word of the Father to draw to the Lord, and when we are drawn, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to make that work effective in our hearts.
“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church." We all know how, from an error in translation, an entirely false impression has been given here. The Lord's meaning was to put a pointed contrast between His servant and that which He speaks of as being the foundation. "Thou art Peter," the stone. The Lord contrasts our old name with this new name He has given us.