What were people saying about Jesus? John the baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah... All sorts of things. Certainly the Pharisees and Sadducees didn't have much nice to say about Him. Peter recognizes Him as the Christ.
People still say lots of things about Jesus. Some good, some not-so-good. I think what you say about Him has a lot to do with what you want to say about Him. The disciples were close to Him. Peter wanted Him to be the Christ. He wasn't wrong, of course. It's easy to read too much into it, but I sense some hesitation in Peter's answer, as though He's looking for confirmation of that declaration. Jesus confirms it readily, and rewards Peter's confession with expanding what the implications of it are. What exactly is meant by all the talk of rocks is incidental to the fact that Jesus announces His is beginning to build His community of followers. It may be the confession that is the rock. It may just be that Peter is the first to make that confession, so it starts with him almost by default. In any event, Jesus has begun to build His church.
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