The Bible Teaches that Jesus made St. Peter the First Pope

 

By Bro. Peter Dimond

 

 

 

Matthew 16:18-19- “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. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

 

The Bible teaches that Jesus made St. Peter the first pope [1 hr. 11 min. audio]

 

This is a very important audio for people to hear.  It contains irrefutable evidence from the Bible that Jesus made St. Peter the first pope.  Among other things, this audio covers: the change of Peter’s name; the keys of the kingdom – Matthew 16 and Isaias 22; who is the Rock of Matthew 16?  It’s Peter; Peter’s unfailing faith; Jesus entrusts all of His sheep to Peter; the prominence of Peter’s name in Scripture; Peter takes the prime role in the replacement of Judas; Peter’s primacy in the Acts of the Apostles and more.  This Part 1 contains the Biblical (and some patristic) evidence for the Catholic teaching on the Papacy.  Part 2 (which is below) demonstrates that the early Church recognized the Bishop of Rome as the successor to St. Peter’s authority.

 

This audio also covers the following issues: “Was Peter ever in Rome?  If so, how come the Bible doesn’t say so?  Even if Jesus gave great authority to Peter, what does that have to do with Rome?  Didn’t St. Paul rebuke St. Peter in Galatians 2:11?  Where does the term Catholic Church come from anyway?”  This section shows that the offices of the Apostles (bishops) and the office of St. Peter (the Papacy) were instituted to continue with successors.  They were founded by Jesus to continue through the history of the Church after the original apostles and Peter had died.  This section demonstrates that St. Peter was in Rome and was its first bishop; it demonstrates that apostolic and papal succession come from the teaching of the Bible; it discusses the origin of the term “Catholic Church,” Gal. 2:11 and more.  

 

Clement and Ignatius - The Early Church recognized the Bishop of Rome as the successor to St. Peter's authority - Section A of Part 2 [14 min. audio]

 

This section moves into the evidence that the Bishop of Rome/the Church of Rome was recognized as supreme in the primitive Christian Church (precisely because it inherited the authority of St. Peter).  This section covers the famous epistle of Clement of Rome to the Corinthians (A.D. 90-100) and the famous epistle of Ignatius of Antioch to the Romans (circa A.D. 110).  Learn what you probably didn’t know about these most famous documents of early Christianity.  These documents are some of the most important in the history of Christianity and they are regarded with great respect by essentially all students and scholars of the early Church, regardless of denomination.  Learn how they demonstrate Catholic teaching on the Papacy.  Hear the very interesting admissions about these documents from an Eastern “Orthodox” scholar, and how such admissions serve to refute the Protestant and Eastern “Orthodox” position.  (Section C of Part 2 will be posted in the future.)

 

Hermas, Victor, Irenaeus and Cyprian - The Early Church recognized the Bishop of Rome as the successor to St. Peter's authority - Section B of Part 2 [15 min. audio]

 

This section covers the evidence for the Papacy from the second and third centuries.  It covers Hermas, Anicetus and Victor in the Easter Controversy, Irenaeus, Cyprian and the rebaptism controversy.  It shows how, at this early stage of the primitive Christian Church, the supreme authority of the Bishop of Rome was recognized.  The primitive Christian Church recognized the unique authority and primacy of the Bishop of Rome because he held the universal jurisdiction which was given by Jesus Christ to St. Peter.

 

Nicea, Sardica, Athanasius, Damasus, Emperors - The Early Church recognized the Bishop of Rome as the successor to St. Peter's authority - Section C of Part 2 [15 min. audio]

 

This section finishes up the evidence for the primacy of the Roman Pontiff in the third century and moves into the fourth.  It covers the case of Paul of Samosata; the Councils of Nicea and Sardica; Athanasius and Julius; the Emperors Gratian and Theodosius; and Pope Damasus. 

 

Constantinople, Ephesus, Chalcedon  - The Early Church recognized the Bishop of Rome as the successor to St. Peter's authority - Section D of Part 2 [new 22 min. audio]

 

This section covers the evidence for the primacy of the Roman Pontiff at the second, third and fourth ecumenical councils (Constantinople, Ephesus and Chalcedon).  It also covers St. Jerome.  This evidence from the councils is especially important because the “Eastern Orthodox” and many Protestants accept the first seven ecumenical councils.  This section also responds to objections from certain canons of Constantinople and Chalcedon.  These objections are frequently raised by critics of Catholic teaching.  The section ends with more evidence from the early Church historians Socrates and Sozomen. 

 

A letter refuting Eastern Orthodoxy

 

For more on related topics, see: Refuting Protestantism and Eastern "Orthodoxy"

 

 

 

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