The Case For Peter As Pope
Numerous Protestant pastors, including John MacArthur, deny the Papacy of St. Peter and the existence of a designated leader of the church. Nevertheless, I can present biblical evidence and the writings of the early church fathers that support Peter's role as the Pope. I believe that the evidence for Peter being the first Pope and having primacy over the other apostles is clear and substantial. This article will be part 1 of an ongoing series regarding the papacy.
First, we will look at what Scripture has to say about Peter's primacy. The most popular verses regarding Peter's primacy that has been debated for a long time between Catholics and protestants is Matthew 16:18-19 Where the Apostle Simon is given the name change to Peter. Let's take it back 3 more verses to verse 13 so may get the full context of this passage.
“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” - Matthew 16:13-19”
In this paragraph, Jesus is asking the Apostles who people say he is. Now Peter is the only one at this moment who claims him to be the Christ. This is not the first time that someone has called Jesus the son of God for John the Baptist had called Jesus the son of God (John 1:34). So the argument for his name change being due to Peter proclaiming him the Son of God first is false for John the Baptist had already done so along with the man not named at Simons's house (Luke 4:41). The unclean spirits by the sea in (Mark 3:11) also said he was the Son of God and received no name change or received a special blessing like Peter. In Matthew 14:25-33 when Peter and Peter alone walked on water with Jesus everyone in the boat worshiped him and called him the Son of God yet no name changes. Jesus gave Peter a special blessing with a name change after Peter proclaimed him to be the Christ. This blessing resembles the name change of Abram to Abraham which God established a covenant with Abraham. Jesus changing Simon’s name to Peter has to have a special reason or he would’ve renamed all the other Apostles and not just Peter.
The argument for the word rock in Greek (Petros & Petra) being big rock or small rock is irrelevant due to Jesus speaking Aramaic, not Greek and John confirming this with Peter being called (Cephas) in his introduction in the Gospel of John, by crediting Simon with the name Cephas, John is stating that Peter stands out among the other apostles. “He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). - John 1:42”
Peter was instructed first that “whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” Yes the other apostles were given this ability in chapter 18 but Peter being told this first signifies his primacy. However, the keys to the kingdom of heaven are uniquely only given to Peter. Why would Matthew add that the other Apostles were able to forgive sins but leave out that they also had the keys to the kingdom of heaven? Jesus gives this clear statement that Peter is the leader of the church by telling him individually that he has the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus is referencing Isaiah 22 when he tells Peter “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” let us look at what Isaiah 22 says.
“In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your belt on him, and will commit your authority to his hand, and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. - Isaiah 22:20-22”
In Jesus referencing this specific scripture, Jesus delegates his authority to Peter as the head of his household, that is, the Church. This act can be likened to the practice of ancient kings who would appoint a trusted official to oversee their household in their absence. In this case, Jesus is preparing to ascend into heaven and he entrusts Peter with the responsibility of leading and overseeing the Church until his return.
“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. - John 21:15-17”
After Jesus’s resurrection, he went and visited Peter and gave him instructions regarding his flock. He said to Peter specifically to feed and tend to his flock. Peter becomes the vicar of Christ on earth and is responsible for his flock as Jesus entrusted him. In the Book of Acts, it becomes evident that Peter is the Pope. Peter gives the first speech after Jesus ascended, showing that when Jesus left earth Peter would be in charge.
In Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas brought the circumcision controversy of the Gentiles to the council to seek a resolution. Upon hearing the inquiry, Peter rose and provided his verdict on the matter as the leader of the council. Peter also attested that God had chosen him to be the messenger through whom the Gentiles would hear the gospel. Jesus had entrusted Peter with the responsibility of spreading his message to the rest of the world. Peter's authority over the council was evident from his declaration, "that God made choice among you, that by my mouth," which he made before teaching on the circumcision of Gentiles.
“The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter rose and said to them, “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. - Acts 15:6-7”
There is so much more evidence from scripture that points to Peter’s primacy but I'm writing a blog, not a book at this time. There are many books on this topic and I'll put some great resources down at the bottom for further study. Now I will provide a few quotes from early church fathers regarding Peter.
“The Lord says to Peter: ‘I say to you,’ he says, ‘that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.’ . . . On him [Peter] he builds the Church, and to him he gives the command to feed the sheep [John 21:17], and although he assigns a like power to all the apostles, yet he founded a single chair [cathedra], and he established by his own authority a source and an intrinsic reason for that unity. Indeed, the others were that also which Peter was [i.e., apostles], but a primacy is given to Peter, whereby it is made clear that there is but one Church and one chair. So too, all [the apostles] are shepherds, and the flock is shown to be one, fed by all the apostles in single-minded accord. If someone does not hold fast to this unity of Peter, can he imagine that he still holds the faith? If he [should] desert the chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, can he still be confident that he is in the Church?” - St. Cyprian of Carthage (The Unity of the Catholic Church 4; 1st edition [A.D. 251]).
“[Pope] Stephen . . . was the blessed Peter’s twenty-second successor in the See of Rome” -St. Jerome (Against the Luciferians 23 [A.D. 383]).
“For though you think that heaven is still shut up, remember that the Lord left the keys of it to Peter here, and through him to the Church, which keys everyone will carry with him if he has been questioned and made a confession [of faith]” - Tertullian of Carthage (Antidote Against the Scorpion 10 [A.D. 211]).
“[T]he blessed Peter, the chosen, the preeminent, the first among the disciples, for whom alone with himself the Savior paid the tribute [Matt. 17:27], quickly grasped and understood their meaning. And what does he say? ‘Behold, we have left all and have followed you’ [Matt. 19:27; Mark 10:28]” - St. Clement of Alexandria (Who Is the Rich Man That Is Saved? 21:3–5 [A.D. 200]).
Some great resources for more information about this topic are: “Meeting the Protestant Response” by Karlo Broussard, “Pope Peter” by Joe Heschmeyer, and Catholic Answers.
