Historically, there have been three proposals for the identity of the “rock” here after which Peter is named: Christ, Peter himself, or Peter’s confession. However, as is widely recognized, the meaning can be polyvalent; these options are not necessarily mutually exclusive. In the early church, for example, all three options were widely held, with many church fathers combining them. In my view, the best interpretation is one that coordinates all three of these options: The rock is Peter in his confessing Christ.
