Therefore, the Rock is Jesus Christ not our faith. We have faith in the Rock. Jesus was also referred to as the Cornerstone. It was not our faith that was referred to as the cornerstone. You do not seem to understand what the subject of that exchange between Christ and Peter was. The subject was Jesus, not our faith.
Peter statement was a statement of faith. Peter had full assurance that Jesus was the Savior.
We see Calvins comment on this statement by Jesus:
"
And on this rock. Hence it is evident how the name
Peter comes to be applied both to Simon individually, and to other believers.
It is because they are founded on the faith of Christ, and joined together, by a holy consent, into a spiritual building,
that God may dwell in the midst of them, (
Ezekiel 43:7.) For Christ, by announcing that
this would be the common foundation of the whole Church, intended to associate with Peter all the godly that would ever exist in the world. “You are now,” said he, “a very small number of men, and
therefore the confession which you have now made is not at present supposed to have much weight; but ere long a time will arrive when that confession shall assume a lofty character, and shall be much more widely spread.” And this was eminently fitted to excite his disciples to perseverance, that
though their faith was little known and little esteemed, yet they had been chosen by the Lord as the first-fruits, that
out of this mean commencement there might arise a new Church, which would prove victorious against all the machinations of hell."
Calvin is seems to be stating that by Peter statement of Faith the church would rise and be built upon that faith.
John Gill, "...here,
by the rock, is meant, either the confession of faith made by Peter; not the act, nor form, but the matter of it, it containing the prime articles of Christianity, and which are as immoveable as a rock;
or rather Christ himself, who points, as it were, with his finger to himself, and whom Peter had made such a glorious confession of; and who was prefigured by the rock the Israelites drank water out of in the wilderness; and is comparable to any rock for height, shelter, strength, firmness, and duration; and is the one and only foundation of his church and people, and on whom their security, salvation, and happiness entirely depend. Christ is a rock that is higher than they, where they find safety in times of distress, and the shadow of which is refreshing to them; and therefore betake themselves to him for shelter, and where they are secure from the wrath of God, and rage of men: he is the rock of ages, in whom is everlasting strength; and is the sure, firm, and everlasting foundation on which the church, and all true believers, are laid: he is the foundation of their faith, and hope, and everlasting happiness, and will ever continue; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The Jews speak of the gates of hell: sometimes of the gate of hell, in the singular numberF16; and sometimes of the gates of hell, in the plural number."
Gill says it is either or that is it is the statement of Peter's Faith or Christ, he saw it could be either way.
Henry's third point on this says,
"
Thirdly, Others by this rock understand this confession which Peter made of Christ, and this comes all to one with understanding it of Christ himself. It was a good confession which Peter witnessed,
Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God the rest concurred with him in it. "Now," saith Christ, "this is that great truth
upon which I will build my church." 1. Take away this truth itself, and the universal church falls to the ground. If Christ be not the Son of God, Christianity is a cheat, and the church is a mere chimera
our preaching is vain, your faith is vain, and you are yet in your sins, 1 Corinthians 15:14-17. If Jesus be not the Christ, those that own him are not of the church, but deceivers and deceived. 2.
Take away the faith and confession of this truth from any particular church, and it ceases to be a part of Christ's church, and relapses to the state and character of infidelity. This is
articulus stantis et cadentis ecclesia--that article, with the admission or the denial of which the church either rises or falls "the main hinge on which the door of salvation turns " those who let go this, do not hold the foundation and though they may call themselves Christians, they give themselves the lie for the church is a sacred society, incorporated upon the certainty and assurance of this great truth and great it is, and has prevailed."
Henry's first two points are on other views and not enough room to place them here, but they can be found in his commentary.
So the teaching of the Faith and the statement of Peter upon which Rock the would be built is not unfounded.
