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In Matthew 16:18, Jesus directly identifies Peter (“Petros,” Greek for “rock”) as the foundational “Rock” (“Petra”) upon which the church will be built. Linguistically, Petros and Petra are cognates, with Petros adapted to Peter’s masculine identity, while Petra refers to a foundational rock. Contextually, Jesus speaks to Peter in the second person, making Peter the immediate referent of “this rock.” Historically, Peter’s foundational role is confirmed in Acts 2:14-41, where he delivers the inaugural sermon at Pentecost, initiating the church. Scripture further supports this in Ephesians 2:20, where apostles are described as the church’s foundation with Christ as the cornerstone. Early church fathers affirmed this interpretation until the Reformation. Thus, Peter’s identity as the “Rock” is validated by linguistic, contextual, historical, and scriptural evidence, making his foundational role essential to the church’s establishment.