“and gave him to be head over all things
to the church” (Ephesians 1:22)
There are estimated to be 1.2 billion Catholics
in the world (www.bbc.com/news)
Catholics are to submit to the supreme power
and authority of the Roman Pontiff, or Pope
Many Catholic practices and doctrines
approved by the Pope are not found in the NT
This is a key question: “Was Peter the first
Pope?”
Papacy – “This term is employed in an
ecclesiastical and in an historical signification.
In the former of these uses it denotes the
ecclesiastical system in which the pope as
successor of St. Peter and Vicar of Jesus Christ
governs the Catholic Church as its supreme
head” (www.catholic.org/encyclopedia)
Peter – “Peter becomes Head of the Apostles.
In especially solemn fashion Christ accentuated
Peter's precedence among the Apostles, when,
after Peter had recognized Him as the Messias,
He promised that he would be head of His
flock” (www.catholic.org/encyclopedia)
Peter – “By the word ‘rock’ the Saviour cannot
have meant Himself, but only Peter, as is so
much more apparent in Aramaic in which the
same word (Kipha) is used for "Peter" and
"rock". His statement then admits of but one
explanation, namely, that He wishes to make
Peter the head of the whole community of
those who believed in Him as the true Messias;
that through this foundation (Peter) the
Kingdom of Christ would be unconquerable;
that the spiritual guidance of the faithful was
placed in the hands of Peter, as the special
representative of Christ”
(www.catholic.org/encyclopedia)
Pope – “The title pope , once used with far
greater latitude (see below, section V ), is at
present employed solely to denote the Bishop
of Rome, who, in virtue of his position as
successor of St. Peter, is the chief pastor of the
whole Church, the Vicar of Christ upon earth …
The proof that Christ constituted St. Peter head
of His Church is found in the two famous
Petrine texts, Matthew 16:17-19, and John
21:15-17” (www.catholic.org/encyclopedia)
That Christ established an office of an earthly
Head called Pope
That Peter was chosen to first fill this office
That Christ appointed successors to this office
and this authority was transmitted to others
That the Bishops of Rome have been the
rightful successors of this office
Argument: “According to Matthew 16:18, the
church is built upon the foundation of Peter as
the first Pope.”
The parallel passages are Mark 8:29 and Luke 9:20
and there is no confirmation in these verses
The word “rock” (feminine of petra) meaning “solid
rock ledge”, bedrock, is slightly different than
“Peter” (masculine of petros) meaning “small
stone”; the word “this” modifies “rock”, not Peter
The “rock” is the confession of Peter: “Thou art
Christ, the son of the living God” (see 1 Cor. 3:11)
Argument: “According to Matthew 16:19, Jesus
gave Peter the keys to the kingdom and he
would exercise this as the first Pope.”
“Keys” refers to the binding and loosing authority of
the Apostolic teaching (see Jn. 20:21-23)
All the Apostles were given the keys, not just Peter
(Mt. 18:18)
Argument: “According to Luke 22:31-32, Jesus
told Peter to establish his brethren and Peter
would do this by acting as the first Pope.”
Peter is singled out because of his denial (v. 34)
The “establishing” (Gr. sterizo) of the brethren was
not limited to the work of Peter, but it is also found
with Paul and others (Acts 14:22; 15:32, 41; 18:23)
Argument: “According to John 21:16-17, Jesus
told Peter to feed his sheep and he would do
this as the first Pope.”
Elders in the local church feed the flock (Acts 20:28)
Peter was a fellow-elder with other (1 Peter 5:1-2)
Jesus is the “chief Shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4; see
Jn. 10:16)
Argument: “According to Matthew 10:2, Mark
3:16, Luke 6:14, Peter was prominent among
the Apostles because he was listed first.”
Peter stood up with the eleven in Acts 2
Peter is not listed first in 1 Cor. 3:22 or Galatians 2:9
Yes, Peter was prominent, but prominence does not
mean primacy, or preeminence (see Peter’s
prominent actions in Acts 1:15ff; 2:14ff; 5:1ff; etc.)
Jesus did not give the office of Pope, or
Apostolic Succession (1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11ff;
Acts 14:22; 20:28; Tit. 1:5; 1 Peter 5:1-2)
Peter was given no title of “Pope” or “Head” of
the church; “His Holiness;” “Holy Father”;
“Vicar of Christ”; “Prince of the Apostles”; etc.
(Mt. 23:9)
Peter was sent by the Apostles to Samaria
(Acts 8:14)
Peter refused worship (Acts 10:25-26)
Peter, Paul, and James spoke at the meeting in
Jerusalem (Acts 15; see verse 23)
Peter was given the same responsibilities as the
other Apostles(Mt. 19:28; 28:18-20; Lk. 22:2430; Jn. 14:26; Acts 1:8; 2:4, 14; 6:2-3)
Peter was not over Paul (2 Cor. 11:5; 12:11)
Peter was rebuked by Paul (Gal. 2:11-14; note
that Papal Infallibility was not until 1870)
Peter had a wife (Mt. 8:14; 1 Cor. 9:5)
Peter appointed a successor to Judas with
specific qualifications (Acts 1:17-25)
The Lord’s body (church) has one head, not two
(Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4-6; 5:23; Col. 1:18)
We listen to Jesus only (Mt. 28:18); we worship
though Jesus only (1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 4:15)
Did Christ establish an office of an earthly Head
called Pope? No!
Was Peter chosen to first fill this office? No!
Did Christ appoint successors to this office? No!
Have the Bishops of Rome been the rightful
successors of this office? No!