Peter Was Not the First Pope

1. Peter WasNot the First Pope “and gave him to be head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:22)

2. Catholics and the Pope • 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?”

3. The Catholic Position on Peter • 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)

4. The Catholic Position on Peter • 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)

5. The Catholic Position on Peter • 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)

6. The Catholic Position on Peter • 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)

7. Catholics Must Prove • 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

8. Answering Arguments • 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)

9. Answering Arguments • 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)

10. Answering Arguments • 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)

11. Answering Arguments • 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)

12. Answering Arguments • 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.)

13. Jesus is the Head of the Church • 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)

14. Jesus is the Head of the Church • 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. 22:24-30; 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)

15. Jesus is the Head of the Church • 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)

16. Peter Was Not the First Pope • 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!