The following questions are in no way meant as an attack against the Apostle Peter. However, I do have questions pertaining to the authority of Peter and, specifically, was he the first "Pope"?
1. Did Peter know he was the first Pope, because in 1 Peter 5:1 he refers to himself as an elder?
2. Did he ever refer to himself as Pope? Did anyone else in scripture ever address him as such?
3. How many churches did Peter establish vs. the number of churches established by Paul?
4. Was Paul establishing churches under Peter's authority?
5. Why did Paul publicly check Peter in Antioch about eating with Gentiles until the Jews arrived, at which time Peter then withdrew from the Gentiles out of fear of the opinion of the Jews (see Galatians 2:11-14)? As Pope, would Peter have acted in this way? And would Paul have publicly admonished him in such a way?
6. In scripture, what ties does Peter have to Rome? Was Peter the founder of the early Church in Rome?
7. Why didn't Paul address Peter in any of his letters to churches, especially in Rome?
8. Matthew 23:9 "And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven." The title of Pope comes from the Greek word "Papas" which originally meant "Father". Popes are also often referred to as the "Holy Father". In vs. 8 of this same scripture, Messiah advises the apostles against being called by lofty titles because "all ye are brethren". Does, then, calling Peter a Pope, line up with this scripture?
9. Why doesn't scripture identify Peter (instead of James) as head of the Jerusalem Council mentioned in Acts 15?
10. How many epistles did Peter write? Or, put another way: Why are the majority of the epistles attributed to Paul if Peter was actually the Pope or head of the early churches?
Please, when answering any of the above questions, include scripture in your explanations. While I don't mind entertaining opinions or even outside sources, the only explanations I can accept as valid truth are those that are aligned with scripture.
Thanks!
~Free
Showing posts with label Early Christianity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Early Christianity. Show all posts
Thursday, September 20, 2007
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