Matthew 16:18 — "Upon This Rock"

Methodists interpret Matthew 16:18 as affirming Peter's leadership role among the apostles and in the early church, but deny that this passage establishes papal authority or apostolic succession in the Catholic sense. John Wesley rejected the Catholic interpretation while honoring Peter as a leader.

The Methodist tradition emphasizes that the 'rock' can refer to both Peter's faith and his role in the community, without establishing an exclusive hierarchical structure. Methodist ecclesiology is connectionalism: bishops serve as leaders within a connectional system of mutual accountability, not as inheritors of Peter's authority. The focus is on practical leadership and spiritual oversight rather than on historical succession.