A ROCK IN THE PATH: POSSIBLE JEWISH READINGS OF MATTHEW 16:18.

Matthew 16:18 has been object of countless studies, usually of dogmatic, structural or apologetic type. The author's proposal impacts the possibility of other readings of this statement of Jesus from the comments of the Judaism of the first century and its further developments. Special emphasis is placed on the tannaitic midrashic literature, and in its targumic precedent, to capture the theological fabric of that moment. Such a focus will provide greater clarity to Jesus' image as Christ in the Judeo-Christian communities. The paper, in turn, vindicates the employment of haggadic material for a better understanding of the reality of the NT and, especially, of Christology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]