[MHGinTN]

You are in fact not at all embarrassed to contradict the teaching of Rome, apparently. Have you even read the posts Elsie puts up showing the teaching of the Romish Church Fathers on this issue? And I ask you, what gender would a Koine Greek writer have used in 100AD when writing about a declaration or oath?

[Mrs. Don-o]

I am not contradicting the teaching of Rome. It is important to realize that metaphors frequently have multiple applications, which is because metaphors convey meaning allusively, not propositionally.

That's why the Catholic Church so often goes for the both/and meanings, or even moreso the classical four senses (literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical.)

What ruffles my feathers is when people get so twisty-tailed around that they force an opposite meaning:

Like, "I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I am NOT building My Church."