Nobody thought that was was what Jesus was referring to until some “enlightened” people came up with that idea in the past few hundred years. Find one historical reference to one sect/denomination anytime that believed what you are saying in relation to Matthew 16:18-20. It is made up and a fabrication.
Largely true, impimp, but not exactly accurate.
While defending the notion of the primacy of Peter, one of the Church Fathers (I’m sorry, but I forget which one) defined that Peter’s faith was that within Peter upon which the Church was built.
HereInTheHeartland’s assertion is simply wrong. “Peter” comes from the Greek, “Petros,” which is a translation of “Cephas.” The bible repeatedly notes that Peter was actually named “Cephas,” and neither “Petros” or “Petra.” Thus, Jesus said, “You are Cephas, and upon this Cephas I will build my church.” The notion that Jesus meant some distinction between “Petros” and “Petra” is both anachronistic, and, when considering that Jesus was speaking in Hebrew/Aramaic, nonsensical.
(Anachronism: Certain Greek poets would poetically speak of a “motherlode” as “Petra”, and a hewn rock as “Petros,” but this distinction is alien to the bible. “Petros” is simply the masculine form of “Petra.” It exists nowhere in the Greek bible, including the translated Old Testament. )
But Peter would become the embodiment of the church: “I am the Good Shepherd,” Jesus says, but later says, “Peter, shepherd my sheep.” But the Church would not be comprised in the sinful MAN named Peter, but in the faith embodied and professed by Peter. Thus, Peter is told, “Whatever you declared bound (law) on Earth, (has been/shall be)* bound in Heaven, and whatever you declared loosed (permitted) on Earth, (has been/shall be)* loosed in Heaven.”
*The verb suggests a constant state, thus although it is often translated, “shall be,” it also will always have been. Bonus points for translating “will always have been” into Greek!