This is a rather lengthy essay about a deep and impactful subject.
The earth is the center of the solar system, which in turn is the center of the universe.
Peter was the first pope, who functioned as authoritative head over all Christians.
Both of these statements are myths! The first one ruled as “true” until material science proved it false.
Because the second one is not contained within the realm of the material, it still rules as true in the minds of its devotees, who have extended it to all Popes of Rome. Neither of the highlighted statements above were ever true.
In two of the three main divisions of “established” Christianity, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, the story behind the myth that Peter was at one time a resident of Rome is also mythical. (Eastern Orthodoxy departs from Roman Catholicism regarding papal authority and function. Therefore, even though EO accepts Peter’s Roman residency, it is not considered here.)
Catholics believe Peter’s Roman residency as part and parcel of the bedrock of their existence. Protestants believe it as an historical reference and the erroneously emphasized starting place of the Roman Catholic Church. They still believe it is a fact that Catholics have misinterpreted.
Neither branch understands the scope and function of Jesus designating Peter as His rock, upon which He would build His assembly.
Starting with the myth behind the myth, it is pure patristic tradition that Peter and Paul functioned in Rome as apostles who founded and established the Church there. It is an historical fact, established by Luke, that Paul was taken to Rome as a Roman prisoner and placed under house arrest with limited freedom. That freedom allowed visitors and the ability to write four letters of correspondence which became part of the New Covenant Canon. That was his first residency in Rome. Later, it is implied through Paul’s correspondence with Timothy that he was awaiting execution in Rome after he was taken there for the second time. Both of those happenings in Rome were completely different realities than the patristic myth perpetuates. Like all church myths, it a self-perpetuating “fact”, which gains strength and momentum solely via the authoritative recitation of the tradition. The tradition began as an inferred interpretation gathered from the church letter 1st Clement, written about the end of the first century. It was not until the middle of the second century that a church father named Dionysius stated (according to Eusebius) that Peter and Paul planted the Church at Rome. He also stated that they were martyred at the same time. Very soon thereafter, Irenaeus stated that Peter and Paul founded and established the Church at Rome. This was one of many errors established by Irenaeus. In the Peter-in-Rome myth, Dionysius and Irenaeus function just like Papias before them regarding the sacred writings of New Covenant scripture. He was the formal fountain-head. All roads of tradition and interpretation lead back to him. The Peter-in-Rome myth leads back to Dionysius and Irenaeus.
The Peter-in-Rome myth disappears in the light of historical evidence and scrutiny. Beyond this house built on sand, the very meaning of Jesus establishing Peter as His rock, upon which He would build His assembly needs to be properly understood and taught. When one understands the meaning and intention of Jesus, the final bulwark of the Petrine edifice falls.
Consider: At a pivotal point in the life of Jesus He asked His disciples who men said that He was. Matthew, Andrew, and Luke all record the event, but it is Matthew, the most Jewish oriented of the three, who fully develops the meaning. In fact, it is only here among the four narratives of Jesus (the canonical Gospels) that the very Greek word assembly is used to identify the gathered people of God. Why did Matthew do that? Why did he not use synagogue, the very Jewish word for the gathered people of God? He used a great master stroke to distance the followers of Jesus, which began in Israel, from those who followed the Pharisees or other Jewish parties. This was the same method used by John in his narrative when he distanced the faithful believers of Jesus from “the Jews”. Obviously, Jesus, John, the rest of the apostles, and almost all of the first followers of Jesus were Jews. However, for spiritual distinction and emphasis, John used the title “the Jews” to stand for the Jews who submitted to the will of the Pharisees and other unbelieving Jews in contradistinction from the believing and faithful Jews who followed Jesus.
Matthew did the very same thing. I’ve said in other of my writings that the best way to designate – and thereby understand – the gathered first century people (Jews and gentiles) who believed in Jesus during the last days of the Law of Moses is to understand “My assembly” as “My synagogue”.
Returning to the question Jesus asked His disciples, after Peter answered that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the Living God”, Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My assembly; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
A major spiritual event occurred here; an epochal event. This was the implementation of the appointed new direction in the plan of God, one diametrically opposed to the second-third century interpretations of the patristic fathers. The new direction was declared by Jesus regarding His movement and His people. Jesus was and is Emanuel (prophesied by Isaiah) – God with us! Jesus was and is Jahveh is here (prophesied by Ezekiel)! The only begotten Son of God is one and the same, The only begotten God, Whom, from the bosom of Jahveh, has made Him known! This great event, this new direction, found its focal point in the public confession of Peter. Jahveh of old had appointed 12 sons of Israel to function as heads over His chosen people under the Old Covenant. Jesus, during the last days of that covenant, had appointed 12 apostles to function as heads over His chosen people. In this declaration of Peter, Jesus set the authority and focus for His assembly. Upon Peter declaring that Jesus was the Christ – the awaited Messiah of Israel – and the very Son of God, Jesus revealed God’s will.
Here I will translate with comments. Jesus said to Peter, “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonas, because human nature did not reveal this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven did. And I also say to you that you are (functioning as) Peter (a stone, a piece of rock; that name I gave to you when Andrew brought you to Me), and upon this massive rock (this reality – your declaration of Who I Am) I will build My synagogue (in distinction from the synagogue of the Jews); and the gates of the nether-world (the forces of evil) will not overpower it. I will give to you the keys (the authority) of the kingdom of the heavens; and whatever you bind (tie, fasten, establish) on earth will be bound (tied, fastened, established) in the heavens, and whatever you dissolve (destroy) on earth will be dissolved (destroyed) in the heavens.”
All of this occurred and was fulfilled just as Jesus had spoken! This reality, that Peter would function as leading apostle among the 12 in all that meant, and until the terminal point, was gloriously completed at the return of Jesus! Like with many Biblical things, Roman Catholicism completely misses the mark. The spiritual tragedy is that the massive error of their unique self-identity continues unabated to this day.
An examination of the reality puts the confession episode in true perspective. Peter was leader of the 12. That is firmly established. This was not because he was more spiritual that the others. By spiritual I mean directed and filled with God’s Spirit. A very strong case can be made that his brother Andrew was stronger spiritually than he was. Clearly John, son of Zebedee, was more spiritual than Peter. The leadership that Jesus placed upon Peter had to do with personality and appointment. Jesus saw in Peter the qualities of leadership for His purpose as He stated. His naming Simon with the name Peter (a stone) demonstrated and underscored that fact. Someone once properly observed that the narrative of Acts or the Acts of the Apostles should more accurately be named the Acts of Peter and Paul. That is because the narrative starts by emphasizing God’s will accomplished through Peter’s leadership and then shifts to emphasizing God’s will accomplished through Paul’s leadership.
It was Peter who publicly proclaimed the great fulfillment of the Feast of Pentecost when that day was fulfilled after the fulfillment of the Passover! It was Peter through whom God harvested the gentiles and made them part and parcel with Israel through the very same Pentecostal baptism of the Holy Spirit experienced by the house of Cornelius, the Roman centurion – both in the very event and by persuading the Jewish council when they gathered to determine the facts about that new movement. Peter’s function as leader among the 12 was extremely pivotal and decisive! Jesus accomplished the inauguration of His Kingdom through His stone, Peter.
When the terminal point was reached the pronouncement and declaration of Jesus was fulfilled. “I will build My assembly, and the gates of the nether-world shall not overpower it!” Like Satan, sin, death, and the grave, the authority, power, and function of the nether-world (Hades) was terminated at the return of Jesus Christ in glory to fulfill the Kingdom of God. Approximately 15 years before this event, Paul made this end of death crystal clear. (Death and the Nether-world are clearly linked and united.)
I will quote the full statement of Paul to the Corinthians because of its very force and supreme importance. I will place emphasis and give comments. Paul said, “Now, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man is death, by a Man also is the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming! Then (that is) the end, when He hands over the kingdom to our God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power (this includes the gates, that is, the authority and power of Hades). For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For He (Jahveh) has put all things in subjection under His (Jesus’) feet. But when He (Jahveh) says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is clear that this excludes the Father who put all things in subjection to Him (Jesus). When all things are subjected to Him (Jesus), then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be All in all.”
Paul also made crystal clear that this final event, this end of death, was to take place at the end of the Mosaic Age, the last days of which he was appointed as an apostle of Jesus to the gentiles. Next I quote what he went on to say to the same Corinthians. This statement has been extremely and crassly hijacked by misinterpreters and perpetually used in the furtherance of the detrimental delay of the Kingdom of God. I will also quote this statement in full because of its power and reach. Again, I will use emphasis. Paul said, “Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law (of Moses); but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Finally, approximately just months before the event, Jesus said through John, (I quote at length with comment) “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven (the Mosaic rule and reign – supremacy and exercise) fled, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them; and they were judged, each one of them according to their deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” As Jesus intended, this declaration, this promise, this hope of deliverance, must be joined to this part of this same prophecy He gave through John in the same last message before the end of that order, (the second-third century churches and their spiritual step-children have missed the mark in all of this to their detriment) “And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show His bond-servants the things which must soon take place. “And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the one who does wrong still do wrong, and the one who is filthy still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous still practice righteousness, and the one who is holy still keep himself holy (this a prophetic maxim indicating God’s immanence and finality). Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life, and may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral persons, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you of these things for the assemblies. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.”
In summary, Peter was temporarily appointed by Jesus as leader of the 12 apostles, who were all Jews, to inaugurate the fulfillment of God’s mission through His Son Jesus. The appointment of Peter was that he was to authoritatively begin to build the Kingdom of God on earth beginning with the house of Israel, both native and scattered abroad, manifested in the assemblies of Jesus. In this quest, Satan would muster all of his opposition through the gates of Hades to seek to overthrow God’s Kingdom. Jesus triumphed! Satan, sin, death, and Hades were all ultimately defeated and judged. Hallelujah! Glory to God in the Highest! Peter accomplished his mission. Jesus accomplished all things.
To interpret the last days appointment of the stone as an ever-abiding and authoritative appointment over all of God’s people as functioning head, and, to give it a meaning it never had until second and third century based misinterpretation, is to be locked in a foreign myth regarding the purpose of Jesus Christ as stated to Peter!
Peter was the first pope (of ongoing popes) is a church myth! Jesus is the ever-abiding Head over all of God’s people for all time is THE TRUTH. “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.” “There is only one mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus.” He has not, needs not, nor requires any substitutes representing Himself. He never did and He never will!
The temporary and terminal appointment of Peter was to lead in gathering the lost sheep of the House of Israel. To this end Peter was appointed as apostle to the Jews and, correspondingly, Paul was appointed as apostle to the gentiles. That harvest has been fulfilled. Hallelujah! Passover, Pentecost, Booths, and Jubilee are all fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus has gathered His chosen people, Jews and gentiles alike, from the four corners of the earth to recline with Abraham as one eternal body in the Kingdom of God! Glory to God in the Highest! God, through His Massive Rock Jesus Christ accomplished all and is now All in all! Amen! And you, you are living stones in the House of God! You have inherited the outcome of all of this!