Originally posted by Icemoon:
Sixth, the idea that transfer of highest authority in the
Church on earth was passed from an original apostle (Peter), and
only from him does highest authority come is absurd. Peter held no
preeminence over the other apostles. He did not rule over any man
of God. [b]By all appearances, James (if anyone) was considered the
leader of the Church in Jerusalem (Acts 12:17, 15:13) while Peter
was still alive. He announced the verdict of the earliest Church
council (Acts 15) and alone is mentioned by name as an elder in
Acts 21:1
. Paul rebuked Peter in public one time (Gal.
2:11). The pillars of the Church in Jerusalem, according to Paul,
were James, Peter and John (Gal. 2:9), not just
Peter.
.[/b]
Since you only have bible, I shall quote from the bible on what
has happened to Peter and what he has done.
1. Matthew 16:18: "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell
shall not prevail against it."
The "rock" (Greek, "petra" ) referred to here is St. Peter himself,
not his faith or Jesus Christ. Christ appears here not as the
foundation, but as the architect who "builds." The Church is built,
not on confessions, but on confessors - living men (see, for
example, 1 Pt 2:5). Today, the overwhelming consensus of the great
majority of all biblical scholars and commentators is in favor of
the traditional Catholic understanding. Here St. Peter is spoken of
as the foundation-stone of the Church, making him head and superior
of the family of God - that is, the seed of the doctrine of the
papacy. Moreover, "Rock" embodies a metaphor applied to him by
Christ in a sense analogous to the suffering and despised Messiah
(see 1 Pt 2:4-8; Mt 21:42). Without a solid foundation a house
falls. St. Peter is the foundation, but not founder of the Church;
administrator, but not Lord of the Church. The Good Shepherd (Jn
10:11) gives us other shepherds as well (Eph 4:11).
2. Matthew 16:19: "And I will give unto thee the keys of the
kingdom of heaven."
The "power" of the keys has to do with ecclesiastical discipline
and administrative authority with regard to the requirements of the
faith, as in Isaiah 22:22 (see Is 9:6; Jb 12:14; Rv 3:7). From this
power flows the use of censures, excommunication, absolution,
baptismal discipline, the imposition of penances and legislative
powers. In the Old Testament, a steward, or prime minister, is a
man who is "over a house" (Gn 41:40; 43:19; 44:4; 1 Kgs 4:6; 16:9;
18:3; 2 Kgs 10:5; 15:5; 18:18; Is 22:15, 20-21).
3. Matthew 16:19: "Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven."
"Binding" and "loosing" were technical rabbinical terms, which
meant to "forbid" and "permit" with reference to the interpretation
of the law and, secondarily, to "condemn," "place under the ban" or
"acquit." Thus St. Peter and the popes are given the authority to
determine the rules for doctrine and life by virtue of revelation
and the Spirit's leading (see Jn 16:13), as well as to demand
obedience from the Church. "Binding and loosing" represent the
legislative and judicial powers of the papacy and the bishops (Mt
18:17-18; Jn 20:23). St. Peter, however, is the only apostle who
receives these powers by name and in the singular, making him
pre-eminent.
4. Peter's name occurs first in all lists of apostles (see Mt 10:2;
Mk 3:16; Lk 6:14; Acts 1:13). Matthew even calls him "the first"
(10:2). (Judas Iscariot is invariably mentioned last.)
5. Peter is almost without exception named first whenever he
appears with anyone else. In one example to the contrary, Galatians
2:9, where he is listed after James and before John, he is clearly
preeminent in the entire context (see, for example, 1:18-19; 2:7-8
).
6. Peter alone among the apostles receives a new name, "Rock,"
solemnly conferred (Jn 1:42; Mt 16:18 ).
7. Likewise, Peter is regarded by Jesus as the chief shepherd after
himself (Jn 21:15-17), singularly by name, and over the universal
Church, even though others have a similar but subordinate role
(Acts 20:28; 1 Pt 5:2).
8. Peter alone among the apostles is mentioned by name as having
been prayed for by Jesus Christ in order that his "faith fail not"
(Lk 22:32).
9. Peter alone among the apostles is exhorted by Jesus to
"strengthen your brethren" (Lk 22:32).
10. Peter first confesses Christ's divinity (Mt 16:16).
11. Peter alone is told that he has received divine knowledge by a
special revelation (Mt 16:17).
12. Peter is regarded by the Jews (Acts 4:1-13) as the leader and
spokesman of Christianity.
13. Peter is regarded by the common people in the same way (Acts
2:37-41; 5:15).
14. Jesus Christ uniquely associates himself and Peter in the
miracle of the tribute money (Mt 17:24-27).
15. Christ teaches from Peter's boat, and the miraculous catch of
fish follows (Lk 5:1-11): perhaps a metaphor for the pope as a
"fisher of men" (Mt 4:19).
16. Peter was the first apostle to set out for, and enter, the
empty tomb (Lk 24:12; Jn 20:6).
17. Peter is specified by an angel as the leader and representative
of the apostles (Mk 16:7).
18. Peter leads the apostles in fishing (Jn 21:2-3,11). The "bark"
(boat) of Peter has been regarded by Catholics as a figure of the
Church, with Peter at the helm.
19. Peter alone casts himself into the sea to come to Jesus (Jn
21:7).
20. Peter's words are the first recorded and most important in the
Upper Room before Pentecost (Acts 1:15-22).
21. Peter takes the lead in calling for a replacement for Judas
(Acts 1:22).
22. Peter is the first person to speak (and only one recorded)
after Pentecost, so he was the first Christian to "preach the
Gospel" in the Church era (Acts 2:14-36).
23. Peter works the first miracle of the Church Age, healing a lame
man (Acts 3:6-12).
24. Peter utters the first anathema (Ananias and Sapphira)
emphatically affirmed by God (Acts 5:2-11).
25. Peter's shadow works miracles (Acts 5:15).
26. Peter is the first person after Christ to raise the dead (Acts
9:40).
27. Cornelius is told by an angel to seek out Peter for instruction
in Christianity (Acts 10:1- 6).
28. Peter is the first to receive the Gentiles, after a revelation
from God (Acts 10:9-48 ).
29. Peter instructs the other apostles on the catholicity
(universality) of the Church (Acts 11:5-17).
30. Peter is the object of the first divine interposition on behalf
of an individual in the Church Age (an angel delivers him from
prison - Acts 12:1-17).
31. The whole Church (strongly implied) prays for Peter "without
ceasing" when he is imprisoned (Acts 12:5).
32. Peter presides over and opens the first council of
Christianity, and lays down principles afterward accepted by it
(Acts 15:7-11).
33. Paul distinguishes the Lord's post-resurrection appearances to
Peter from those to other apostles (1 Cor 15:4-5).
34. Peter is often spoken of as distinct among apostles (Mk 1:36;
Lk 9:28,32; Acts 2:37; 5:29; 1 Cor 9:5).
35. Peter is often spokesman for the other apostles, especially at
climactic moments (Mk 8:29; Mt 18:21; Lk 9:5; 12:41; Jn
6:67).
36. Peter's name is always the first listed of the "inner circle"
of the disciples (Peter, James and John - Mt 17:1; 26:37,40; Mk
5:37; 14:37).
37. Peter is often the central figure relating to Jesus in dramatic
Gospel scenes such as walking on the water (Mt 14:28-32; Lk 5:1, Mk
10:28; Mt 17:24).
38. Peter is the first to recognize and refute heresy, in Simon
Magus (Acts 8:14-24).
To be continued...
