The impulse s t o th e presen t investigatio n hav e com e fro m
various quarter s an d variou s times , whe n i n discussion s wit h
fellow-scholars, I becam e awar e o f th e prevalenc e o f th e
interpretation tha t th e petra of M t 16:1 8 i s to b e identifie d wit h
Petros and tha t consequentl y th e Apostl e Pete r is to be regarded
as the foundatio n o f th e Church. Since this 'consensus' seemed t o
cut acros s th e line s o f theologica l stance , I became intrigue d to
discover wha t compellin g philologica l an d exegetica l reason s
had brought abou t this consensus.