Peter
In the Bible, there is no mention of a Pope having the leadership role over all of the church.
There are elders & deacons prescribed in the Bible for leadership in the church (as well as pastors and teachers, etc.).
Obviously, apostles in early times were part of the leadership of the church as well.
The Levitical priesthood was no longer practiced in the OT way in the Biblical early church - since Jesus is the High priest (Hebrews 6:20) and all believers are priests (1 Peter 2:9 ).
Peter was one of many apostles.
He had much authority among Jewish believers while Paul had much authority among the Gentile believers.
Peter is not the chief cornerstone of the church.
Believers are a holy temple built on the prophets and the apostles with Jesus as the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20-22; 1 Peter 2).
Peter was not infallible.
In Galatians 2:11-13, Paul opposed Peter to his face. If Peter was supreme, would Paul have had that right? Peter also called himself a "fellow elder" in 1 Peter 5:1.
Peter was a man who sinned like all of us do.
Jesus said something like, "Get thee behind me, Satan" to Peter at one time, and Peter also denied Jesus 3 times. Peter was chosen as a disciple and apostle, but there is nothing in the Bible showing that Peter was the authority over the other apostles.
What about being called the rock?
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus called Peter "Petros", but He used the word "Petra" to refer to the truth about Himself (which Peter had just confessed...that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God).
We know that Peter was only one of the people used for the foundation of God's household based on what I read in Ephesians 2:20.
Christ is the head of the church (Ephesians 5:23-24).
You can read more about the stone/rock interpretations HERE.
God's Words are true and inspired, so as a Christian I cannot trust in man but in God.
The Bible warns about wolves coming in & false prophets bringing destructive heresies.
God did use Peter, and even used him to write some of His Word, but only the inspired Word of God is what we can rely upon as pure truth).
"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. John 17:17 NASB
...Christ did not redeem His church with His blood that the Pope might come in and steal away the glory! He never came from heaven to earth and poured out His very heart that He might purchase His people so that a poor sinner, a mere man, should be set upon high to be admired by all the nations and to call himself God’s representative on earth! Christ has always been the head of His church. - Charles Spurgeon
In the Bible, there is no mention of a Pope having the leadership role over all of the church.
There are elders & deacons prescribed in the Bible for leadership in the church (as well as pastors and teachers, etc.).
Obviously, apostles in early times were part of the leadership of the church as well.
The Levitical priesthood was no longer practiced in the OT way in the Biblical early church - since Jesus is the High priest (Hebrews 6:20) and all believers are priests (1 Peter 2:9 ).
Peter was one of many apostles.
He had much authority among Jewish believers while Paul had much authority among the Gentile believers.
Peter is not the chief cornerstone of the church.
Believers are a holy temple built on the prophets and the apostles with Jesus as the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20-22; 1 Peter 2).
Peter was not infallible.
In Galatians 2:11-13, Paul opposed Peter to his face. If Peter was supreme, would Paul have had that right? Peter also called himself a "fellow elder" in 1 Peter 5:1.
Peter was a man who sinned like all of us do.
Jesus said something like, "Get thee behind me, Satan" to Peter at one time, and Peter also denied Jesus 3 times. Peter was chosen as a disciple and apostle, but there is nothing in the Bible showing that Peter was the authority over the other apostles.
What about being called the rock?
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus called Peter "Petros", but He used the word "Petra" to refer to the truth about Himself (which Peter had just confessed...that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God).
We know that Peter was only one of the people used for the foundation of God's household based on what I read in Ephesians 2:20.
Christ is the head of the church (Ephesians 5:23-24).
You can read more about the stone/rock interpretations HERE.
The Bible warns about wolves coming in & false prophets bringing destructive heresies.
God did use Peter, and even used him to write some of His Word, but only the inspired Word of God is what we can rely upon as pure truth).
"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. John 17:17 NASB
...Christ did not redeem His church with His blood that the Pope might come in and steal away the glory! He never came from heaven to earth and poured out His very heart that He might purchase His people so that a poor sinner, a mere man, should be set upon high to be admired by all the nations and to call himself God’s representative on earth! Christ has always been the head of His church. - Charles Spurgeon
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