1. The vocabulary:
a. The Hebrew word for rock is tsûr (ø { ö ) [pronounced tsoor] and it means rock, cliff.
b. Another word often translated rock in the Bible is çela< (ò ìÇ ñ ) [pronounced SEH- lah] and it can mean
craggy rock, fortress, stronghold. This word is not really the subject of this study.
c. The Hebrew word for stone is eben (ï á à ) [pronounced EH-ben]; this can refer to smaller stones, even
precious stones, whereas tsûr means boulder or larger. This is not the primary subject of our p resent
study, although there will be some references to this word.
d. The Greek word for rock is ðÝôñá, which is the feminine form.
e. Another Greek word for rock is ðÝôñïò is the masculine form, which means piece of rock; it is also the
proper name for Peter. This is not found in the New Testament except in connection with Peter.
f. The Greek word for stone is ëßèïò and it corresponds well with the Hebrew word.
2. Our first Hebrew word tsûr is found at the very beginning to be a type. In Ex. 17:6, Moses is commanded to
strike this rock and out of it would come waters which would cause the Jews to live. This is one of the most
important events of the Old Testament, as it is mentioned in Psalm 78:20 105:41 114:8. Of the Jews it was
said in the New Testament: And all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock
which followed them; and the rock was the Messiah (I Cor. 10:4). The Greek word for rock here is ðÝôñá. This
identifies the Hebrew word tsûr with the Greek word ðÝôñá, establishes the rock of the Old Testament as a
type of Jesus Christ and identifies Jesus Christ with both of those words (which is the actual focus of our
study). I should point out that in order for an incident or a thing in the Old Testament to be a type, it does not
have to be so identified in the New Testament. Several are, such as this example.
