Does Matthew 16:18 prove that Christ built the Church on the apostle Peter?

No, it does not. There are two valid explanations to this inquiry.

First, contextually, Christ has just asked His disciples, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am” (verse 13)? Some, they said, speculated that He was John the Baptist. Others thought He was Elijah, Jeremiah, or some other prophet. “But whom do you say I am?” Jesus pursued (verse 15). “And Simon Peter answered and said, ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (Matthew 16:16). “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’” (Matthew 16:17). “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell [Greek: hades, meaning death or the grave] shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

Jesus was saying that UPON THIS TRUTH—this revelation from God the Father that He, Jesus, was indeed, the Messiah, the Son of the living God—He would build His Church.

Read verse 18 again carefully. This scripture does not say that Christ made Peter the head of His Church. The verse reads, “And I [Christ] 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.”

The key to understanding this scripture lies in the correct translation of the Greek words here rendered “Peter” and “rock.”

The Greek word translated “Peter” is petros, meaning a pebble, or a piece of a larger stone. The Greek word translated “rock” upon which Christ would build His Church is petra, meaning a massive rock or huge boulder.

Christ said plainly that He would build His Church on a Rock (Himself), not on a pebble (Peter). Christ Himself is the Rock. Compare 1 Corinthians 10:4: “And [their forefathers] did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock [?????, petra] that followed them: AND THAT ROCK [petra] WAS CHRIST.”

He is also the chief cornerstone upon which the Church is built: “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF BEING THE CHIEF CORNER STONE” (Ephesians 2:20).

Peter was not infallible. For example, in Matthew 16:21–23, Jesus had to severely rebuke Peter for a wrong attitude immediately after His statement about the “Rock.” Later, Christ rebuked him for hastily cutting off the ear of the high priest’s servant, Malchus (John 18:10). Years later, the Apostle Paul reported, “But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed” (Galatians 2:11).

In the Psalms, David repeatedly called God his Rock: Psalm 62:2, 6, 7; 71:3; 92:15; 94:22; 95:1, etc.

Five times in Deuteronomy 32, God, who is the Creator (who became Jesus Christ—Hebrews 1, John 1), is described as “the Rock,” not any man or organization of men.

Through the centuries, men have tried to usurp the office of Jesus Christ! Some, in attempting to prove one-man RULE over God’s Church, cite the passage in Matthew 16: “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.”

Note, however, that Jesus was speaking to all the disciples at this moment (read the entire chapter in context), and only two chapters later once again tells all the disciples, “Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

The apostle Paul said a great deal about “those that have the rule over you,” and spoke of settling church difficulties with “a rod.”

By the simple process of continual preaching, teaching, and repetitive emphasis on “authority”—by emphasizing the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in preaching, teaching, and Bible study—a powerful, charismatic, persuasive religious leader is able to convince his followers that, when he stands in the pulpit, he is speaking “under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,” and is therefore BEYOND QUESTION! Gradually, his followers begin to believe they are hearing virtually firsthand, directly from GOD.

But Jesus said, “Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. BUT IT SHALL NOT BE SO AMONG YOU: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant” (Matthew 20:25–27).

Today millions of humans, in many different nations, and in many different religions, in effect, virtually worship men.

Carried to its ultimate extreme, this concept has led to the declaration of papal infallibility for the popes in Rome! The Catholic Church teaches that, when a pope speaks from the “Holy See,” in the Vatican, he is infallible! The Catholic Church places at least two sources of supposed “authority” on an equal or higher level than the Bible!

The first is the pope himself, when making official pronouncements from the “Holy See.” Such pronouncements carry the weight of Scripture with