Peter.

means rock according to New International Version.
But is it literal or ...?

©Loba™ says: there's 2 ways of reading the bible
©Loba™ says: Hermeneutics & Exegesis
©Loba™ says: the 1st is the application
©Loba™ says: the 2nd is the literal meaning

Loba referred me to http://greatcommission.com/Matthew161720.html
A lot of info there.

Anyway, I always preferred King James Version [KJV].

In Matthew 16:17-20 KJV,

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.


According to my study bible,

The rock on which Jesus would build his church has been identified as:

1) Jesus himself (His work of salvation by dying for us on the cross)

2) Peter (the first great leader in the church at Jerusalem)

3) the confession of faith that Peter gave and that all subsequent true believers would give in. It seems most likely that the rock refers to Peter as the leader of the church (for his function, not necessarily his character)