Post 1619 ended this debate.
INDEED.
Diego did a wonderful job in that most Biblical post.
The other position would have us ASSUME, EXTRAPOLATE, INFER from a very fuzzy metaphorical phrase in one verse
the foundation for a very pharisaical, tradition bound, proudly pontifical . . . edifice . . . historicaly often and greatly at odds with the example and statements of JESUS THE CHRIST . . . and that somehow, by some mangled, convoluted rationality, logic . . . all such is ?reasonable?
Whereas the plain Scriptures Diego posted indicate a very different probability, certainty.
IT'S CHRIST'S CHURCH. He COULD have installed a donkey for head, if He'd wanted. Not my call. His call.
And given His acute understanding of the flawed heart of man . . . that He and His Spirit seem to take a lifetime overhauling in each of us . . . It seems rather illogical that He would set up a flawed fisherman as chief church leader--when He then shortly remarks about speaking more out of satan's prompting than The Spirit's.
The only, plausible to me, meanings possible from that vabue metaphorical verse are that Jesus is speaking of Peter's faith in Himself, in Christ; or of Christ, Himself.
I suppose it's conceivable that He could be speaking of His own Power to transform flawed folks like the little pebble Peter into the living stones of His Church Universal. But that's about as much of a stretch as the Roman one, imho.