[Iscool]

The grammar doesn't line up for Christ to be speaking about himself - he's speaking to Peter.Just the opposite...Jesus was speaking directly to Peter...Probably face to face...

If Jesus would have made Peter the head of the church, Jesus would have said, "Upon YOU Peter, I will build my church...Didn't happen...

[Mad Dawg]

The grammar doesn't line up for Christ to be speaking about himself - he's speaking to Peter .Just the opposite...Jesus was speaking directly to Peter..

Okay, Christ is "speaking to Peter" is just the opposite of Christ "speaking directly to Peter". Who can argue with that?

Um, I mean ???

[AnAmericanMother]

I'm trying to tell you . . . Greek grammar doesn't work that way. There aren't parallel constructions like "you -- Peter" Especially not in Koine Greek, which is a very simple and straightforward language.

kagw de soi legw oti su ei petroV, kai epi tauth th petra oikodomhsw mou thn ekklhsian, kai pulai adou ou katiscusousin authV.

Literally translated: "And I therefore/also say to thee, that thou art a rock, and upon this rock I will build my ecclesia/church, and gates of Hades shall not prevail against/overcome it." In other words, "on this rock (not some other rock)." His use of the adjective th parallels the 1st and 2nd use of "rock". And "rock" has a masculine ending because you couldn't call Peter "Rockette" - you could call him "Rocky", I guess. One of the modern/teen language Bibles actually perpetrates that.