Was Peter a Pope?

1). Acts 11:26/Acts 26:28, 1 Peter 4:16 Followers of Christ are called Christians not Catholics. The word “catholic” are not mentioned historically until the 100 Ad quote of Ignatius and Justin. They meant “catholic” as all believers universal not a subjected church to one city (Rome). There was no Pope or Papacy concept whatsoever in the early church. The first to use the word “pontifex” was Bishop Hygnius of Rome in 149 AD. And he didn’t recognize himself as Pope. Later Pope Leo I and Pope Damascus would make claims of universal primacy of Rome, but even in the 300’s and 400’s, many people dissented with that idea. The Papacy is therefore by gradual development and isn’t biblical whatsoever.

In fact, there is no historical evidence whatsoever to prove Peter is the first bishop of Rome. Polycarp, Clement of Rome, Irenaeus, etc mentioned not one line of him being bishop of Rome. Only by Jerome’s literature do we see signs of people believing in the 25-year episcopate reign of Peter in Rome. Historically, Linus is the first bishop of Rome not Peter. Hippolytus and even Eusbeius mentioned Peter as dying in Rome, but Linus as the first bishop of Rome.

2). 1 John 2:26-27 You don’t need a church or men to interpret scripture for you.

3). Philippians 1:1 Throughout the NT, the early church composed of the offices of bishop (overseers), elders, and presbyter (terms used interchangeably to show the same office), deacons, and other stations without a Pope or Papacy.

4). Eph. 1:22-23 Christ is the head of all the church not Karol.

5). 1 Thes. 5:21 Individuals who are believers have a right to test the teachings of any church. God wants his people to check things out for themselves using Scripture as a yardstick. It keeps us mature, as Christians not swayed by false doctrine. The Papacy rarely has its believers to question their so-called “infallible” beliefs, decrees, bulls, etc.

6). 1 Cor. 10:4 The Rock was Christ (not Peter). Also see Ps. 94:22.

7). 1 Cor. 3:11 No other foundation exists but Christ. The Greek word for foundation in that verse is Themelios meaning of institution or system of truth or the foundation. Christ is the pure system and all order of the church originates from Jesus Christ not from the magisterium or any false Church. The foundation isn’t Peter or the church but God alone.

8). John 14:26, John 16:13, 1 Cor. 2:13 the Holy Spirit, not the magisterium of the Catholic Church will interpret scripture for God’s children and help them understand all things.
9). Romans 9:33 Christ is the foundation again. See also 2 Timothy 2:19 mentioning the foundation of God.

10). Matthew 18:18 The keys Christ gives to the disciples and apostles not Peter solely. The keys are used as a steward though.

11). Acts 8:14 Peter was sent by the other apostles along with John. If Peter were a Pope, wouldn’t he do the sending or travel without a proclamation from other Christians to adamantly do so.

12).Acts 13:9 Saul had a name change to Paul; just like Peter presenting even more equality between the 2.

13).Eph. 2:20 Christ is shown as the chief cornerstone. Also all the apostles are foundation stones of the church showing more equality. There are many instances of Rome being reminded that it wasn’t possessing full jurisdiction throughout the church. Here are a couple of examples of this:

A). In the 100’s Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus, rebuked Victor, bishop of Rome over the Easter issue. He said that “We ought to obey God rather than man” to bishop Victor. Also Polycarp, disciple of John couldn’t agree with Anicetus, bishop of Rome on the issue of Easter as well.

B). Cyprian rebukes Stephen, bishop of Rome in his Council of Carthage decree saying, “No man sits himself up as bishop of bishops (or Pope)”

C). Polycarp and Ignatius used the words Bishop or elder interchangeably and even used mentioned multiple bishops existing in one city and that in no way denote a Papacy.

D). Pope Damascus and Pope Leo I makes claims of being the only successor of Peter deriving solely from Rome, yet even in the 300’s and 400’s, many people denied that claim and even in the Council of Chalcedon in 451 recognized the equal standing between Rome and Constantinople. I’m not even mentioning the immoral conduct of many Popes during the Dark Ages.

E). Many early popes denied many Catholic doctrines like Gelasius denying the Assumption of Mary, etc. The consensus for a Papacy existing in 33 AD. or 100 AD. is a myth.

F). Many early Popes even denied papal infallibility. Popes Vigilinus, Innocent III, Clement Iv, Gregory IV, Adrian VI, and Paul IV all disclaimed the attribute of infallibility.

G). Hippolytus disagreed with Bishop Callistus I of Rome’s dealing with Modalist heretics of Sabellius. As a result, Hippolytus rebuked Callistus and Callistus ended ties with Hippolytus. Catholic apologists say he had a re-uniting period before Hippolytus’ death, but even with that there’s still one bishop of Rome disagreeing with one of the greatest early church leaders, which was Hippolytus, in that span of time. Some historians even call Hippolytus an anti-pope (popes didn’t exist in Hippolytus’ age.)

H). In 664 AD. at the Synod of Whitby, the Celtic Church and the Roman Catholic also couldn’t agree on the Easter issue and Papal supremacy. The Celtic Church with Columba, Patrick, Colman, Aidan, Columbanus, and other people existed before Roman Catholicism yet again. As centuries past, the Celtic Church was forced to Scotland, while the Catholics forcibly merged their religion on the people left behind.

I). The Catholic Church also didn’t have full jurisdiction on the Church of the East. The apostles Thomas, Jude, and Bartholomew founded the Church of the East. Later as centuries past, the Church of the East and the Nestorians creates an automous structure showing God’s word to the Eastern world. Jesuits by 1599 subjugated the whole Syrian, Eastern Church. The good news is that even today, there are independent bodies of the Eastern Church that aren’t under Catholic jurisdiction that exist even today.

J). By the 14th century the papacy had become a pawn of political power. The French forced the popes to move from Rome to Avignon in what has been called the Babylonian Captivity of the papacy from 1309 to 1377. Following this episode was the Great Western Schism (1378-1418), during which opposing popes tried to rule. This ended with the Council of Constance, which deposed the popes and named Martin V (reigned 1417-31) as pope. In that time span of the early 1400’s, 3 popes were trying to reign at the same time. This and other evidences give the Roman Catholic church in an inconsistent light.

14). 1 Peter 2:68 Jesus is the head of the corner, cornerstone, rock of offense (not Peter).
15).Acts 9:10-16 Jesus said he called Paul, not Peter to go before the Gentiles and preach the gospel also to the children of Israel. Peter preached to the Gentiles and Romans, but Paul was specifically called to preach to do this command.

16). 1 Timothy 4:1-4 Mandatory celibacy for the Pope is forbidden and is a doctrine of demons.

17). Isaiah 44:8 God is the only Rock, and there is no other. See also Isa. 8:14 saying God is a rock of offense.

18). Deut. 32:31 Rock is shown as describing God alone also mentioned in Pslam 18:2.

19). Mat. 21:42 The cornerstone is Christ and Also Acts 5:29 says, “We ought to obey God rather than man.” (Magisterium, councils, decrees, Popes, etc.)
20). 2 Cor. 2:11 Paul isn’t inferior to the other apostles, but equal. Equality of the apostles is definitely conceived. See also Gal. 1:12, 2:2-8.

21).Eph. 4:5 Christ is the one Lord to be acknowledged and also see Mt. 26:72-74 showing Peter denying the Lord. (Peter is just a normal sinner in need of salvation just like all people need salvation and equal to any other human being.) The Papal denotation of Peter is therefore unnecessary.

21). 1 Peter 5:1-4 I, your fellow presbyter (not being lords over God’s heritage). Papal subjection is void as a result. See also Isaiah 22:25. That verse mentioning the kings who had those keys was fallible and broke and fell. They temporary utilized the keys, but Christ eternally possesses the keys of David forever. See also Rev. 2:7, Rev. 1:8.

22). Heb. 13:20 Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep not the Pope.

23). Mt. 23:13, Luke 11:52, Rev. 9:1-2, Rev. 20:1-2 Other beings had keys to be used not Peter alone.

24). 1 Cor. 12:12-27 The members of the church are expressed by body parts, but Christ is its total, heavenly, and earthly head not Karol.

25).Mt. 16:23 Peter is called Satan by Christ showing his frailty and sinfulness devoid of Papal power. Popes are rarely rebuked in the Roman Catholic Church. In a manner of calling a Pope Satan by Catholic flock, Catholic believers can have a risk of being excommunicated, condemned as heretics, etc. by the intensity of it.

26). John 18:36 Christ’s kingdom isn’t of this world, yet the Pope claims to be a temporal monarch of Vatican City. (It’s in heaven not in the Vatican). See also Luke 17:20 proving that the kingdom of God is in heaven being spiritual. There is no earthly headquarters of the church ruled by a human vicar. Also see Exodus 17:6 calling God the Rock.
27). John 17:11 Holy Father is used for God the Father. It’s blasphemy to call a man by God’s name. See also Rev. 15:4 and 1 Sam. 2:2.

28). Acts 10:25-26 Peter refused Cornelius to bow to him, yet many popes are benefluented or bowed to by clergy and other people within the Roman Catholic Church. One example of this is new bishops in an ordination ceremony bowing before the Pope in St. Peter’s Basilica.

29). Heb. 7:26, Heb. 7:1-2, Rev. 1:5-6 Christ is the only King and High Priest. Christ paid taxes, yet the Pope is exempt from taxes. Christ is given a crown of thorns, but the Popes wear a triple crown (tiara). The contrasting actions of both individuals make the Papacy dissimilar to Christianity. In John 1:44, Gal. 2:9, 1 Cor. 9:5 Peter was not always mentioned first in the NT. In John he was named after Andrew, in Galatians, James is shown first, and in 1 Cor. He is named after the apostles, etc.

30). Rev. 3:7 The keys of David belong to Christ alone not Popes acting as supposed “successors”. See also 1 Peter 3:22 saying that Christ has full 100% authority over his church without Papal influence. In Matt. 23:10, Christ is the only Master with no Popes as masters.

31). 1 John 3:2 The Holy Spirit is our guide to bear witness to the Word of God not a pope, false church, church, or any anointed man. The Holy Spirit is enough for every single believer in Christ.

32). Mt. 20:25-26, Mark 10:42-43, and Luke 22:25-26 Servant hood is a Christian character and Popes are more in tuned with subjection plus a leadership, control-orientated influence exhibited to the followers of Romanism than servant hood.

33). Acts 15:1-22 The First Council of Jerusalem was presided over by James not Peter. In fact, Paul writes more NT books than Peter and explains the gospel more than Peter. Is Paul a Pope? No, just like Peter isn’t by tons of evidence. Also see Isaiah 42:8 that makes it’s clear that all glory is not to be given to any Pope, but God alone.

34). Mt. 28:18-20 All authority is given unto Christ and not given to Popes. In fact Catholicism had many schisms or divisions like a). Donatist (311 AD.), b). Orthodox (1054 AD.), Reformation (1517 AD.), Sedecavantists (1870 and 1965 AD.), etc

35). Galatians 2:11-14 Paul rebuked Peter for his actions (Popes are rarely rebuked today especially in the past (i.e. Bulls presented by Popes are almost impossible to rebuke. Also in history, cardinals, archbishops, or any other clergy rarely rebukes popes in Catholicism.)
36). Mt. 8:20 Christ has no place to rest his head in his first coming, yet Karol (the pope) lives in a place surrounded by wealth and pomp. Even Mt. 21:42 say that Jesus is the only Rock (stone, cornerstone).

37). Rev. 2:6-15 God dislikes the Nicolaitine spirit of extreme controlling hierarchal systems with that kind of clergy and laity similar to Romanism.

38). Acts 8:18-21 Peter would not take money, for not God would give freely. (It’s the opposite of Ropes giving and receiving tons of money by indulgences, etc) There is nothing wrong with being rich, but can the Vatican sacrifice pompous palaces in exchange to create some reasonable actions like reforming and revising their religion.

39). Acts 1:15-26 A group decision decided who were to be an apostle not Peter solely. (That isn’t Papal in most instances except in papal religious decrees or re-election of clergy).
40). 2 Samuel 22:32, Psalm 94:22, Psalm 18:31 God is the Rock not Peter.

41). Mt. 8:14, Luke 4:38, Mark 1:30, 1 Cor. 9:10 Peter has a wife (modern Popes don’t). Also see Galatians 2:1-9 saying that the apostles are called pillars recognizing their equality to each other.

42). Rev. 2:12-17 Christ condemned the Pergamos church era by adding pagan rituals of Balaam similar to the Papacy adding pagan rituals over the centuries. (i.e. Rosary, Eucharist, Confirmation, image veneration, etc.)

43). 1 Peter 5:1-2 Peter calls himself and elder (not head apostle or Pope) and also John is called “the elder” in 2 John 1.

44). 1 Peter 5:4 Christ is the Chief Shepherd only. See also Rev. 21:14making mention of the foundations of New Jerusalem being 12 named after the 12 apostles making more references of equality to all of the apostles. Also Acts 1:21-22 says that the apostles had no successors, for to succeed them, one had to be a witness to Christ’s resurrection.

45). Luke 22:24-26, Matthew 18:1 An argument occurs with the apostles about who was the greatest. (Peter didn’t expressively admit his supremacy to end the feud with the others, but Christ later called for servant-like statue among all apostles displaying even more equality.

46). John 10:11, 14-16 Jesus is the only good Shepherd. See also 2 Thes. 2:3-4. That verse says that one man like the Pope with so much exalting classifications even trying to call himself Vicar (substitute, or replacement of in Greek and Latin) Christ, which is supremely blasphemous, is like the Antichrist. Antichrist is divided into 1 prefix and 1 suffix, which are anti-, and -Christ making up just a word. Anti in Greek is Ante meaning substitute or in the place of. Add it together and Antichrist in Greek means someone who “tries” to substitute or take the place of Christ. Who is that individual? The Pope is an antichrist in that manner since he claims to be the representative of Christ and tries to takes Christ’s place (i.e. Pope Leo XIII in the l800’s said “We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty.” How obvious is that, but the Pope is not the Antichrist of Revelation but like an antichrist who has blasphemous titles, false beliefs, etc. That real Antichrist according to the Bible and church leaders like Tertullian Justin Marytr, Hippolytus, etc believes it’s a man who will reign for 3 ½ yrs, etc.) Many of the Reformers called the Pope “The Antichrist” because of the great immorality and degenerate religion of Catholicism. The Pope isn’t the Antichrist because he is so blatant and the Bible says he will come as one man not many men. The Pope is most probably the False Prophet in the One World Religion system.

47). Acts 20:28 To feed the sheep is exhorted to all of the church not just Peter. See also Numbers 23:19 displaying that God alone is infallible in all judgments, decisions, etc. A Pope’s decrees are always subjected to God’s word. Many of the Papal decrees have error in it. (i.e. Bull Unum Sanctum of the 1302 by Pope Boniface VIII says every people must be subject to the Pope for salvation or the Syllabus of Errors in the 1800’s condemning Bible societies, religious freedom, and even democracy.)

48). Acts 6:1-4 The leadership of the church is automous (self-governing) under no denominational hierarchy. Also see 1 Peter 1:1 classifying himself as only an apostle (no bishop, Pope, or the head apostle).

49). John 1:42 Cephas means stone not Rock by Christ’s own words. See also Titus 1:5-9 showing that the human leader of any church is a Pastor or Bishop with deacons, etc not popes.

50). Timothy 3:15 The church is the pillar and ground of truth not the truth or the foundation. See also 1 Peter 2:4-8 presenting Jesus as the rock upon which the church is founded. Nowhere in the Bible would you find the Church called the Rock or the foundation but the pillar and ground of truth. God alone is the Rock and the unbreakable foundation.

51). Eph. 1:22-23/ Col. 1:18 The Papacy is forbidden and Christ receives all preeminence not Karol. Also see Romans 11:18-22 which Paul warned the church to be in faith or cut off being fallible, but Christ’s church will never let the gates of hell prevail over it.

52). Acts 14:27, 1 Cor. 16:9, 2 Cor 2:12 Doors are being opened by God using keys. (Not solely Peter can use keys as a steward.)

53). Mt. 23:9 Call no clergy Father in the spiritual term of the word for high religious significance within the church clergy. Therefore, it is forbidden to call a priest by that title as well. Father in the NT is only called for human offspring, lineage, or an important figure in the past at the OT. Certainly no clergy such as priests were called father in the NT.

54). Eph. 5:23-26 Christ is Head over a Pope being all-powerful and having full authority on heaven and on earth.

55). 3 John 9-11 Believers are subjected church-wise to church leaders as long as they’re in submission to God. Any contradicting church leader like a Pope is rejected. The church is therefore democratic and executive only in executing the word of God not legislative adding traditions that are contrary to God’s word. The church is special and important, but no church is above God’s word and any church that tries to contradict God’s word should be rejected and rebuked until the church changes, etc.

56). Mat. 10:16, Luke 10:3, Ezekiel 34:6, 1 Peter 2:25 Sheep are mentioned showing the faithful not necessarily showing clergy or pastors. (It includes all believers).

57). John 16:7-14, Mt. 16:18, Mt. 18:18, John 20:22,23, Matt. 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, 2:1-4 When reading those verses you can find that all apostles received the Holy Spirit, had the same authority, and all received the same commission. If all apostles had the same duties, that represents equality for all apostles. Nowhere in the Bible would you find Peter being called “Pontifex Maximus”, “Holy Father”, “Chief Apostle”, “Vicar of Christ”, “Pope”, etc. You can never deduce that from God’s word or in the early church, but you can find that in Catholicism as a product of gradual development and additions of tons of tradition. Roman Catholicism is an addition tradition submission religion. It’s nothing more or less.

58). Acts 11:1-30 The Church was situated in the early era of Christianity at Jerusalem and Antioch as it main headquarters not Rome. Even those 2 cities didn’t recognized themselves as being superior in religious jurisdiction to all other cities or areas at that time. Roman Catholicism believes that Rome was superior early on in papal primacy, but that isn’t the case. That’s because there was no Pope, papal primacy, cardinal, archbishops, etc even existed in Christianity in its early existence anyway.

59). Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust the Lord than to put confidence in man. (Catholic trusts the Pope to be infallible in faith and morals of his ex-cathedra declarations, etc.)

By TruthSeeker24 (Timothy)