Upon This Rock

 When Jesus asked His disciples, 

"Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" 

Peter answered that Jesus is God manifest in flesh - "the Christ, the Son of the living God."

"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."  (John 8:24 I AM).

Jesus then said, 

"And I 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." - (Matthew 16:13, 16-18).

“Peter” is the Greek word ‘petros,’ while “rock” is the Greek word ‘petra.’  

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon states, “Matthew 16:18 (some interpretations regard the distinction… between πέτρα, the massive living rock, and πέτρος, a detached but large fragment, as important for the correct understanding of this passage…)” 

When Jesus said, “upon this rock I will build my church;” He was speaking of building His church upon Himself. Jesus is ‘the massive living rock,"  (Petra"), while Peter ("Petros") is "a detached but large fragment."

Not only will we not fall, but the gates of hell shall not prevail against us. By the preaching of the church of the gospel of Jesus, souls are set free from hell, saved and delivered. The Gates of hell cannot prevail against the gospel preached by the church! (Acts 2:38-42).

As the song, "I thank God" says - "Hell lost another one I am free, I am free, I am free."!

The gospel of Jesus is that He died for our sins, He was buried, and on the third day He rose again (The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus).

We obey the gospel by repentance, baptism in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance).

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 

"And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." - Acts 2:42