It seems that even among Christian scholars it’s admitted that the word ‘ecclesia” didn’t mean a “church” in the sense you are suggesting a new religion, but rather what it meant previously and later - a group that are called out to learn and pray.
http://bible.cc/matthew/16-18.htm
The word for rock, Petra, is commonly believed to have been used at least partially or in its entirely to create the pun on the name Peter and I concede possibly to make a metaphor evoking the discarded rock that was chosen for the cornerstone of the first Holy Temple in Jerusalem. There is big debate among Christian scholars on exactly who or what the speaker means.
It’s consistent with the times that Jesus could have been starting a break-away congregation.
There’s an old self-deprecating joke that Jews tell. Two Jews get stranded on a desert Island. The have to fend for themselves and recreate the things that will make them feel at home. After many years, a seafaring crew finds the men and upon landing on shore see three buildings in a row and ask what the three buildings are.
The first man answers:
“The first building is the synagogue I built and attend because I like its approach to prayer. The second building is the one my neighbor built and the one he attends. The third building is the synagogue neither of would ever set foot in.”
In the Jewish tradition of religious debate and disputation, “both these and those are the words of the living Torah.”
That is the way I have always perceived it. I want to give the man from Nazareth the benefit of the doubt and say he was a reformer. His criticisms of the Jewish leadership is not that different than those of the prophets.
I dont think he meant to start a new religion either. It is somewhat difficult to say since he did not write one word of his own teaching. Which to me is odd, frankly since his is "god-in-the-flesh". So, if G-d was going to start a new religion, wouldnt he at least write it in his own hand? If HaShem could write it on stone at Sinai....He could easily do so 1500 years later when scrolls exist right?
Loved your story! Will get back to more serious issues as time permits.
God bless you.