[b]Proper Interpretation of Matthew 16:18-9[/b]: A Catholic’s Often Misconception About the “Rock”: Matthew 16:18 begins by stating, “[i]And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it[/i].” From an initial read, it almost appears that Christ referred to Peter as the “rock” or “foundation” on which Christ will build His Church, but actually, [b]this statement is a victim of the common vague pronoun usage error[/b] (widely known as “the pronoun game”), in which the “rock” was not Peter but the “truth” Peter just recently stated in the previous verses, saying, “[i]He[/i] (Jesus) [i]said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven[/i]” (Matthew 16:14-17, ESV). The “truth” that Peter stated and that Christ later confirmed was Peter’s “’[i]You are the Christ, the Son of the living God[/i]’” statement, not actually Peter for that would go against the metaphorical passages referring to Christ as the rock (Ac. 4:11), the foundation (1 Cor. 3:11), and the cornerstone (Eph. 2:20) of His Church. If you continue to read into verse 19, you will find it stating, “[i]I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind [/i](damn) [i]on earth shall be bound [/i](damned) [i]in heaven, and whatever you loose[/i] (forgive) [i]on earth shall be loosed [/i](forgiven) [i]in heaven[/i]” (Mat. 16:19, ESV). As all acclaimed Christians know, Peter was one of the twelve apostles (Gal. 2:8), and this was the moment during Peter’s apostleship that he was given the gifts that were later granted to the rest of the apostles in John 20:22, stating, “[i]And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld[/i],' which adequately syncs with, “…[i]whatever you bind [/i](damn) [i]on earth shall be bound[/i] (damned) [i]in heaven, and whatever you loose[/i] (forgive) [i]on earth shall be loosed[/i] (forgiven) [i]in heaven[/i].”