Passage anchorMatthew 16:13–20 — Peter’s confession, the rock, church, keys, and binding/loosing
This timeline documents who argued what, where, and when. Age, fame, office, tradition, or chronology does not make an interpretation true. Primary-source documentation establishes attribution, not correctness. Era and tradition filters are navigation only and never change evidence weight.
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c. 248 CE · Patristic · Primary Source Via Translation
Origen — the promise can extend to disciples who confess as Peter did
Interpreter: Origen
Work: Origen — Commentary on Matthew, Book XII
Tradition / method: Greek patristic / Alexandrian interpretation
Historically documented readingOrigen treats Peter as the immediate blessed confessor but argues that disciples who confess Christ in the same divinely revealed way may likewise become “Peter/rock” figures; he explicitly questions restricting the church-building and keys language to Peter alone.
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Interpretive use: This is early reception evidence for a non-exclusive extension of Petrine language; it is not proof that Matthew intended every later ecclesial office to possess identical authority.
Original context: History-of-interpretation evidence only. This record documents a reading and its context; it does not gain original-meaning authority from age or reputation.
What this does not establish
- That this interpreter originated the reading.
- That the reading is correct because it is early, famous, orthodox, Reformed, or influential.
- That later doctrinal structures can be read back into Matthew 16 without separately supporting each dependency.
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c. 251 CE · Patristic · Primary Source Via Translation
Cyprian — Peter as visible starting-point of unity with equal apostolic partnership
Interpreter: Cyprian of Carthage
Work: Cyprian — On the Unity of the Church
Tradition / method: Latin patristic / early Western Christian interpretation
Historically documented readingCyprian uses Matthew 16 to make Peter the starting-point/sign of the Church’s unity while also saying that the other apostles were what Peter was and shared like honor and power.
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Interpretive use: The textual transmission of On the Unity includes variant forms of the Petrine passage; v57 therefore uses Cyprian cautiously and does not flatten his unity language into later universal-jurisdiction claims.
Original context: History-of-interpretation evidence only. This record documents a reading and its context; it does not gain original-meaning authority from age or reputation.
What this does not establish
- That this interpreter originated the reading.
- That the reading is correct because it is early, famous, orthodox, Reformed, or influential.
- That later doctrinal structures can be read back into Matthew 16 without separately supporting each dependency.
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c. 390 CE · Patristic · Primary Source Via Translation
Chrysostom — rock as the faith of Peter’s confession
Interpreter: John Chrysostom
Work: Chrysostom — Homily 54 on Matthew
Tradition / method: Greek patristic / Alexandrian interpretation
Historically documented readingChrysostom glosses “upon this rock” as the faith of Peter’s confession while also treating Peter as personally strengthened and made a shepherd.
Evidence audit: Documented Reception Only · Curated Pass As Reception History · audit →
Interpretive use: This witness shows that confession-centered and Petrine-role readings could coexist; it does not by itself answer later questions of succession or Roman jurisdiction.
Original context: History-of-interpretation evidence only. This record documents a reading and its context; it does not gain original-meaning authority from age or reputation.
What this does not establish
- That this interpreter originated the reading.
- That the reading is correct because it is early, famous, orthodox, Reformed, or influential.
- That later doctrinal structures can be read back into Matthew 16 without separately supporting each dependency.
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c. 416 CE · Patristic · Primary Source Via Translation
Augustine — Christ/confession as rock; Peter represents the Church
Interpreter: Augustine of Hippo
Work: Augustine — Tractate 124 on John
Tradition / method: Latin patristic / early Western Christian interpretation
Historically documented readingAugustine distinguishes Peter from petra, identifies Christ/the confessed Christ as the rock, and treats Peter as representing the Church that receives the keys.
Evidence audit: Documented Reception Only · Curated Pass As Reception History · audit →
Interpretive use: This is a documented patristic reading, not an automatic override of the Greek wording or of other patristic readings.
Original context: History-of-interpretation evidence only. This record documents a reading and its context; it does not gain original-meaning authority from age or reputation.
What this does not establish
- That this interpreter originated the reading.
- That the reading is correct because it is early, famous, orthodox, Reformed, or influential.
- That later doctrinal structures can be read back into Matthew 16 without separately supporting each dependency.
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16th century · Reformation · Primary Source Via Translation
Calvin — confession/faith as the Church’s shared foundation
Interpreter: John Calvin
Work: Calvin — Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists, Volume 2
Tradition / method: Reformed Protestant interpretation
Historically documented readingCalvin reads the rock in relation to the faith/confession of Christ and argues that the foundation is shared by all believers founded on Christ rather than constituting a unique Petrine foundation for papal claims.
Evidence audit: Documented Reception Only · Curated Pass As Reception History · audit →
Interpretive use: This is a Reformation reading and polemical context; it does not become correct merely because it challenges Rome.
Original context: History-of-interpretation evidence only. This record documents a reading and its context; it does not gain original-meaning authority from age or reputation.
What this does not establish
- That this interpreter originated the reading.
- That the reading is correct because it is early, famous, orthodox, Reformed, or influential.
- That later doctrinal structures can be read back into Matthew 16 without separately supporting each dependency.
Open complete interpretation record →