Keith Devens .com

I think you should start with Matthew Henry as he got the interpretation right (I own a hardbound copy of the book but I didn't know there was another copy on the web).

I would also pay attention to the subtle difference in meaning between Peter (petros) and the Rock (petra) - helps if you have Strong's Concordance and Vines' Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words.

The following would also help: Jesus referring to himself as the "Son of Man" and Peter confessing him as "Christ the Son of the Living God", Christ is a greek word transliterated into english, so I suspect he might have said "You are the Anointed One, the Son of the Living God". (The "Anointed One" being foretold by the prophets such as Isaiah).

Also pay attention to the apparent confusion down the ages when Peter publicly confessed Christ and Jesus switched methaphors (depending on who you read), then a few verses later, Jesus foretold his crucifixion, and the same Peter attempted to talk him out of it and Jesus said to him "Get behind me Satan". This was in verse 23 by the way.

My point is that this stuff should not be interpreted in isolation.

I think you should start with Matthew Henry ... (I own a hardbound copy of the book but I didn't know there was another copy on the web).

Yep. Though I didn't read it in the online version. I have an enormous hardbound one-volume unabridged version that's around 2500 pages, with three columns on a page. It's an incredible volume of work.

I do have a concordance, but not Vines'. And I own a word-study of Old Testament words, but not New, unfortunately. I was aware that different Greek words are used, but I'm not currently sure of its significance.

as he got the interpretation right

Well, I didn't finish the entire passage, but he seemed to present a few different possible interpretations, among them, that:

• Christ was speaking of himself as the rock, and "this rock" is analagous to "this temple" elsewhere.
• Christ was speaking of Peter's confession itself ("you are the Son of the living God") as the rock.

There may have been others... I'd have to go back and re-read. Was there one interpretation that Henry definitely preferred?

We probably have the same version of Matthew Henrys (I assume 2500 pages is a roundup number - mine is 2485 pages).

The way I see it, what you call Matthew Henrys' possible interpretations are simply chain of thoughts leading to the same conclusion that Peter isn't the Rock on which the Church is built (it is his confession of Christ which is the Rock).

Here are more chains of thoughts from Matthew Henry:

The New-Testament charter is here delivered to Peter as an agent, but to the use and behoof of the church in all ages, according to the purposes therein specified and contained. Now it is here promised, 1. That Christ would build his church upon a rock. This body politic is incorporated by the style and title of Christ’s church. It is a number o the children of men called out of the world, and set apart from it, and dedicated to Christ. It is not thy church, but mine. Peter remembered this, when he cautioned ministers not to lord it over God’s heritage.

Some by this rock understand Peter himself as an apostle, the chief, though not the prince, of the twelve, senior among them, but not superior over them. The church is built upon the foundation of the apostles, Eph. 2:20. The first stones of that building were laid in and by their ministry; hence their names are said to be written in the foundations of the new Jerusalem, Rev. 21:14. Now Peter being that apostle by whose hand the first stones of the church were laid, both in Jewish converts (Acts 2), and in the Gentile converts (Acts 10), he might in some sense be said to be the rock on which it was built.

Others, by this rock, understand Christ; "Thou art Peter, thou hast the name of a stone, but upon this rock, pointing to himself, I will build my church." Perhaps he laid his hand on his breast, as when he said, Destroy this temple (Jn. 2:19), when he spoke of the temple of his body. Then he took occasion from the temple, where he was, so to speak of himself, and gave occasion to some to misunderstand him of that; so here he took occasion from Peter, to speak of himself as the Rock, and gave occasion to some to misunderstand him of Peter. But this must be explained by those many scriptures which speak of Christ as the only Foundation of the church; see 1 Co. 3:11; 1 Pt. 2:6. Christ is both its Founder and its Foundation; he draws souls, and draws them to himself; to him they are united, and on him they rest and have a constant dependence.

But this is the chain of thought I was actually referring to:

Others by this rock understand this confession which Peter made of Christ, and this comes all to one with understanding it of Christ himself. It was a good confession which Peter witnessed, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God; the rest concurred with him in it. "Now," saith Christ, "this is that great truth upon which I will build my church." 1. Take away this truth itself, and the universal church falls to the ground. If Christ be not the Son of God, Christianity is a cheat, and the church is a mere chimera; our preaching is vain, your faith is vain, and you are yet in your sins, 1 Co. 15:14–17. If Jesus be not the Christ, those that own him are not of the church, but deceivers and deceived. 2. Take away the faith and confession of this truth from any particular church, and it ceases to be a part of Christ’s church, and relapses to the state and character of infidelity. This is articulus stantis et cadentis ecclesia—that article, with the admission or the denial of which the church either rises or falls; "the main hinge on which the door of salvation turns;’’ those who let go this, do not hold the foundation; and though they may call themselves Christians, they give themselves the lie; for the church is a sacred society, incorporated upon the certainty and assurance of this great truth; and great it is, and has prevailed.

There is an old preacher called John G Lake who lived between 1870 and 1935; he has more thoughts like the last chain of thought but expressed strongly (he was a preacher afterall).

And I tell you that you are Peter,[2] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[3] will not overcome it.[4] 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[5] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[6] loosed in heaven."

"And I tell you that you are Peter":
Jesus is giving "Simon son of Jonah" a new name, which means petro,petra or rock...Isnt it strange?
In the same sentence he says:
...and on this rock I will build my church.

its obvious he is refering to Simon son of Jonah, who is now Peter...

The other interpretation is nonsense, dont you think?

By the way: If Jesus was talking about himself and not Peter. Why didnt he called him tree, water, or anything else?