Ref. Section:church Authority/apostolic Succession

[phatcatholic]

pham,

since church authority and apostolic succession are so inter-related, i thought we could just combine these two. at any rate, this is the thread where you provide the scriptural support.

thanks,

phatcatholic

[cmotherofpirl]

I. Ordained Leaders Share in Jesus' Ministry and Authority

Matt. 10:1,40 - Jesus declares to His apostles, "he who receives you, receives Me, and he who rejects you, rejects Me and the One who sent Me." Jesus freely gives His authority to the apostles in order for them to effectively convert the world.

Matt. 16:19; 18:18 - the apostles are given Christ's authority to make visible decisions on earth that will be ratified in heaven. God raises up humanity in Christ by exalting his chosen leaders and endowing them with the authority and grace they need to bring about the conversion of all. Without a central authority in the Church, there would be chaos (as there is in Protestantism).

Luke 9:1; 10:19 - Jesus gives the apostles authority over the natural and the supernatural (diseases, demons, serpents, and scorpions).

Luke 10:16 - Jesus tells His apostles, "he who hears you, hears Me." When we hear the bishops' teaching on the faith, we hear Christ Himself.

Luke 22:29 - the Father gives the kingdom to the Son, and the Son gives the kingdom to the apostles. The gift is transferred from the Father to the Son to the apostles.

Num 16:28 - the Father's authority is transferred to Moses. Moses does not speak on his own. This is a real transfer of authority.

John 5:30 - similarly, Jesus as man does nothing of His own authority, but He acts under the authority of the Father.

John 7:16-17 - Jesus as man states that His authority is not His own, but from God. He will transfer this authority to other men.

John 8:28 - Jesus says He does nothing on His own authority. Similarly, the apostles will do nothing on their own authority. Their authority comes from God.

John 12:49 - Father's authority is transferred to the Son. The Son does not speak on his own. This is a transfer of divine authority.

John 13:20 - Jesus says, "he who receives anyone who I send, receives Me." He who receives the apostles, receives Christ Himself. He who rejects the apostles and their successors, rejects Christ.

John 14:10 - Jesus says the Word He speaks is not His own authority, but from the Father. The gift is from the Father to Jesus to the apostles.

John 16:14-15 - what the Father has, the Son has, and the Son gives it to the apostles. The authority is not lessened or mitigated.

John 17:18; 20:21 - as the Father sends the Son, the Son sends the apostles. The apostles have divinely appointed authority.

Acts 20:28 - apostles are shepherds and guardians appointed by the Holy Spirit / 1 Peter 2:25 - Jesus is the Shepherd and Guardian. The apostles, by the power of the Spirit, share Christ's ministry and authority.

Jer. 23:1-8; Ezek. 34:1-10 - the shepherds must shepherd the sheep, or they will be held accountable by God.

Eph. 2:20 - the Christian faith is built upon the foundation of the apostles. The word "foundation" proves that it does not die with apostles, but carries on through succession.

Eph. 2:20; Rev. 21:9,14 - the words "household," "Bride of the Lamb," the "new Jerusalem" are all metaphors for the Church whose foundation is the apostles.

Top

II. Authority is Transferred by the Sacrament of Ordination

Acts 1:15-26 - the first thing Peter does after Jesus ascends into heaven is implement apostolic succession. Matthias is ordained with full apostolic authority. Only the Catholic Church can demostrate an unbroken apostolic lineage to the apostles through the sacrament of ordination and thereby claim to teach with Christ's own authority.

Acts 1:20 - a successor of Judas is chosen. The authority of his office (his "bishopric") is respected notwithstanding his egregious sin. The necessity to have apostolic succession in order for the Church to survive was understood by all. God never said, "I'll give you leaders with authority for about 400 years, but after the Bible is compiled, you are all on your own."

Acts 1:22 - literally, "one must be ordained" to be a witness with us of His resurrection. Apostolic ordination is required in order to teach with Christ's authority.

Acts 6:6 - apostolic authority is transferred through the laying on of hands (ordination). This authority has transferred beyond the original twelve apostles as the Church has grown.

Acts 8:17; 19:6 - Luke clearly states that the Holy Spirit is transferred beyond the original apostles by the laying on of hands, which is the sacrament of Holy Orders, or ordination.

Acts 9:17-19 - even Paul, who was directly chosen by Christ, only becomes a minister after the laying on of hands by a bishop. This is a powerful proof text for the necessity of sacramental ordination in order to be a legitimate successor of the apostles.

Acts 13:3 - apostolic authority is transferred through the laying on of hands (ordination). This authority must come from a Catholic bishop.

Acts 14:23 - the apostles and newly-ordained men appointed elders to have authority throughout the Church.

Acts 15:22-27 - preachers of the Word must be sent by the bishops in union with the Church. We must trace this authority to the apostles.

2 Cor. 1:21-22 - Paul writes that God has commissioned certain men and sealed them with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee.

Col 1:25 - Paul calls his position a divine "office." An office has successors. It does not terminate at death. Or it's not an office.

1 Tim. 3:1 - Paul uses the word "episcopoi" (bishop) which requires an office. Everyone understood that Paul's use of episcopoi and office meant it would carry on after his death by those who would succeed him.

1 Tim. 4:14 - again, apostolic authority is transferred through the laying on of hands (ordination).

1 Tim. 5:22 - Paul urges Timothy to be careful in laying on the hands (ordaining others). The gift of authority is a reality and cannot be used indiscriminately.

2 Tim. 1:6 - Paul again reminds Timothy the unique gift of God that he received through the laying on of hands.

2 Tim. 4:1-6 - at end of Paul's life, Paul charges Timothy with the office of his ministry . We must trace true apostolic lineage back to a Catholic bishop.

2 Tim. 2:2 - this verse shows God's intention is to transfer authority to successors (here, Paul to Timothy to 3rd to 4th generation). It goes beyond the death of the apostles.

Titus 1:5; Luke 10:1 - the elders of the Church are appointed and hold authority. God has His children participate in Christ's work.

1 John 4:6 - whoever knows God listens to us (the bishops and the successors to the apostles). This is the way we discern truth and error.

Exodus 18:25-26 - Moses appoints various heads over the people of God. We see a hierarchy, a transfer of authority and succession.

Exodus 40:15 - the physical anointing shows that God intended a perpetual priesthood with an identifiable unbroken succession.

Numbers 3:3 - the sons of Aaron were formally "anointed" priests in "ordination" to minister in the priests' "office."

Numbers 16:40 - shows God's intention of unbroken succession within His kingdom on earth. Unless a priest was ordained by Aaron and his descendants, he had no authority.

Numbers 27:18-20 - shows God's intention that, through the "laying on of hands," one is commissioned and has authority.

Deut. 34:9 - Moses laid hands upon Joshua, and because of this, Joshua was obeyed as successor, full of the spirit of wisdom.

Sirach 45:15 - Moses ordains Aaron and anoints him with oil. There is a transfer of authority through formal ordination.

[cmotherofpirl]

Apostolic Succession

2 Chronicles 19:11 See now, Amariah is high priest over you in everything that pertains to the Lord, and Zebadiah, son of Ishmael, is leader of the house of Judah in all that pertains to the king; and the Levites will be your officials. Act firmly, and the Lord will be with the good.

Also, Mal 2:7 (seek instruction from priest, he is God's messenger),

Eph 2:20 (church built upon foundation of apostles & prophets),

Eph 4:11 (God gave some as apostles, others as prophets),

1 Cor 12:28-29 (God designated in church: apostles...),

Acts 1:20 (let another take his office),

Acts 1:25-26 (Matthias takes Judas' apostolic ministry),

1 Tim 3:1, 8; 5:17 (qualifications for: bishops, priests & deacons),

and 1 Tim 4:14, 1 Tim 5:22, Act 14:23, 2 Tim 2:2, Titus 1:5

from cattholicapologetics .com cheat sheet

[cmotherofpirl]

Papacy/Infallibility

"It is easier to believe that God made one person infallible than to believe that he made fifty-one out of every one hundred infallible." -- G. K. Chesterton

Also see The Early Church and the Papacy Peter always mentioned first, as foremost apostle Mt 10:1-4; Mk 3:16-19; Lk 6:14-16; Acts 1:13; Lk 9:32

Peter speaks for the apostles Mt 18:21; Mk 8:29; Lk 12:41; Jn 6:69

Pentecost: Peter who first preached Acts 2:14-40

Peter worked first healing Acts 3:6-7

Gentiles to be baptized revealed to Peter Acts 10:46-48

Simon is Cephas (Aramaic: Kepha for rock) Jn 1:42

"on this Rock I will build my Church; Peter given keys to Kingdom; Given power to bind and loose" Mt 16:18-19

Keys as symbol of authority Is 22:22; Rev 1:18

"feed my sheep" Jn 21:17

"Simon strengthen your brethren" Lk 22:31-32

"Vicars" of Christ Lk 10:1-2; 16; Jn 13:20; 2 Cor 5:20; Gal 4:14; Acts 5:1-5

The Seat of Moses as teaching authority Matt 23-2

Built on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets Eph. 2:20

Brothers of Jesus?

Traditional Christianity held that Jesus is Mary's only son. The references to Jesus' brothers refers to other family members, and in some cases to his disciples.

Mary wife of Cleophas and sister of the Virgin Mary (Jn 19:25) is the mother of James and Joseph (Mk 15:47; Mt 27:56) who are called the "brothers of Jesus" (Mk 6:3).

Acts 1:12-15 Apostles, Mary, some women and Jesus' brothers number about 120. That is a lot of brothers.

Gen 14:14 Lot, Abraham's nephew (Gen 11:26-28), described as Abraham's brother (KJV).

Gen 29:15 Laban, Jacob's uncle, calls Jacob his brother (KJV).

John 19:26-27 Jesus gives care of Mary to John, not one of his brothers.

Zechariah 12:10 Predicts the Messiah will be an only child.

from catholic doctrinal concordance

[Lil Red]

Traditional Catholic Apologetics

Lk. 10: 16 -- "Whoever listens to you listens to me..." Jesus himself says it clearly and without equivocation: The Church speaks for Christ.

1 Tim. 3: 15 -- Paul says the foundation of truth is not scripture, but the Church: "...Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth."

Heb. 13: 17 -- "Obey your leaders and defer to them, for they keep watch over you..." The Church hierarchy is ordained by God.

Mt. 28: 18-20 -- "'All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them...teaching them to observe all I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the world.'" Jesus' authority is passed on to his Church.

Eph. 3: 10 -- Even the angels are instructed by the church: "...so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the principalities and authorities in the heavens."

John 11: 47-52 -- John states clearly that even Caiaphas was inspired by

the Holy Spirit when, speaking from the chair of Moses, he declared that Jesus must die so the whole nation might not perish: "He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he ophesied..." If the Holy Spirit spoke through the unchristian conniver Caiaphas, how is it he cannot speak through a faithful Christian pope?

Mt. 23: 1 -- Jesus acknowledges authority of even the Pharisees when they speak from the Chair of Moses: "...Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, 'The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example.'" Again, infallibility.

1 John 4: 6 -- "We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us, while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us. This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit." Submission to apostolic authority is the hallmark of one's faithfulness.

Eph. 2: 19-20 -- The Church stands upon the solid rock of salvation history.It is the "...household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets..."

Mt. 18: 15-18 -- Take disagreements to the Church, not to scriptures: "If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector." Parallels following passage:

Dt. 17: 8-12 -- The Old Testament form of the Magisterium. It is clear here that disagreements were to be settled by priests and judges, not by dueling scriptures: "Any man who has the insolence to refuse to listen to the priest... shall die."

Eph. 3: 4-5 -- "...mystery of Christ... has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit." Revelation comes to us through the Church.

Acts 15: 30-31 -- Paul and Barnabas take the Church's dogma to Antioch: "Upon their rrival in Antioch they called the assembly together and delivered the letter."

Acts 16: 4 -- Paul and Timothy take Church dogmas to world: "As they travelled from city to city, they handed to the people for observance the decisions reached by the apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem."

Eph. 5: 25-27 -- "...even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her... that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle... that she might be holy and without blemish."

Num. 12: 1-15 -- Miriam rebels: "Is it through Moses alone that the Lord speaks? Does he not speak through us also?" Miriam is rendered leprous for hersin. Yet hers is the same objection we hear from so many Protestant brethren who are aghast at the ierarchical structure of the Mystical Body. Even though it has always been thus, all the way back to Adam and Eve.

Num. 16: 1-35 -- An account of revolt of Korah: "They stood before Moses and held an assembly against Moses and Aaron, to whom they said, 'Enough from you! The whole community, all of them, are holy; the Lord is in their midst. Why then should you set yourselves over the Lord's congregation?' ...They went down alive to the nether world with all belonging to them; the earth closed over them, and they perished from the community..." Again we see clearly that the community of the faithful is hierarchical, and those who refuse to submit to it are punished.

Jude 4-11 -- Revolt of Korah is referred to: "They followed the way of Cain... and perished in the rebellion of Korah." (See passage immediately above.) Clearly the individual is not the most elemental unit of God's authority; the community is.

John 14: 16-18 -- "...I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always." Jesus' promise of infallibility is implicit in the word, 'always.'

John 14: 25 -- "...the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name -- he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you." Again, Jesus' promise of infallibility is clear in his use of the collectives, "everything" and "all." He does not equivocate.

John 16: 13 -- "...when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth." Jesus' promise to the Church he instituted is sweeping.

1 Peter 5: 2-3 -- "Tend the flock of God in your midst... Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock." Peter is speaking with great authority here. If he were not in a special leadership role, he would not be able to command others to lead.

2 Peter 1: 20 -- "Know this first of all, that there is no prophecy of scripture that is a matter of personal interpretation..."

2 Peter 2: 1-2 -- "...there will be false teachers among you, who will introduce destructive heresies and even deny the Master who ransomed them, bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their licentious ways..." This passage is often used to defend belief in the supposed Great Apostasy.' But the passage actually proves that Church cannot have apostacized en masse, or there would not have remained a 'you' for the false teachers to be 'among.'

2 Peter 3: 16 -- "...there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures."

1 Thes. 5: 12-13 -- "We ask you, brothers, to respect those who are laboring among you and who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you, and to show esteem for them with special love on account of their work." St. Paul upholds the hierarchy of the Church.

1 Cor. 14: 37-38 -- Community discernment takes precedence over personal discernment: "If anyone thinks that he is a prophet or a spiritual person, he should recognize that what I am writing to you is a commandment of the Lord. If anyone does not acknowledge this, he is not acknowledged."

Eph. 4: 11-16 -- "And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God... so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery..." The Church is our protection against apostasy.

Gal. 1: 8 --"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed. As we have said before, and now I say again, if anyone preaches to you a gospel other than the one that you received, let that one be accursed." We should not believe interpretations of the Word that are not endorsed by the apostolic authority of the Church.

[Lil Red]

Catholic Apologetics Network

THE PAPACY AND INFALLIBILITY

Part I : THE CHURCH

a.) Christ is the 'TRUE' Head of the Church; Eph 5:23; Eph 1:22; Col 1:18; 1 Cor 12:23;

Eph 2:20; 1 Cor 3:11.

b.) Christ is Foundation and Cornerstone; (see above)

c.) Eph 3:10; 1 Tim 3:15

d.) Are we all to read and interpret the Constitution according to our own fancies?

e.) Visibility: see Isaiah 2:2

1.) Bride of Christ: Rev 22:17

a.)Cyprian:" Has Christ then committed adultery and married another?"

2.) Body of Christ:

f.) Ambassadors: 1 Cor 4:1; 2 Cor 5:20

g.) Authority: Luke 10:16; Matt 10:40; Romans 1:5

h.) Teaching Authority: 2 Tim 4:2-5; Tit 2:1

i.) Pastoral Care: 1 Tim 5:19-21; Tit 2:15

j.) Sacerdotal Care: 1 Tim 5:22; Tit 1:15

PART II THE PRIMACY

a.) Matt 16:18 and John 1:42

b.) Matt 10:12 List of Apostles; Peter always first

1.)Acts 2:37 "Peter and the Apostles"

2.)Acts "Peter and the Twelve" etc.

c.) Luke 5:3 Peters' boat (Church?)

d.) Matt 17:27 Temple Tax

e.) Acts of Peter? see 1:15; 2:14; 3:1ff; 4:1ff; 5:1ff; 9:32; 9:36; 10:1ff; 15:11

f.) Matt 16:18; "the Rock"; The "Keys"; the "Gates of Hell"; "Binding & Loosing"

g.) Luke 22:31

h.) John 21:16ff

i.) Objections; a.)Peter never in Rome;

b.)Gal 2:11

PART III; INFALLIBILITY

a.) review : Matt 16:18; John 14:16; John 14:26; Luke 10:16; John 13:20; Matt 10:40;

b.) If Church could "error", then the Gates of Hell " would prevail!

c.) Good and Bad in the Church;Matt 13:24-30;13:47-50;25:1-13;1Cor 11:18; 2 Cor12:20

EXCERPTS FROM SCOTT HAHN:

On The "Church":

If the Church was an invisible, spiritual unity made up of Methodists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians and Baptists all equally sharing in the one Catholic Church, then what Jesus should have said and what Paul should have said is that we are the soul of Christ, because the soul's invisible and yet unified. But the fact is that human life comes to us in bodily form, in visible appearances, in physical bodies. So the physicality, the embodied life of Christ in His own individual body is expanded and shared visibly and physically by means of supernatural grace in the Church. For by one spirit, we were all baptized in the one body.

On the "Rock":

One of the greatest Protestant Biblical scholars of the century supports this -- W. F. Albright says, "In commenting upon Matthew 16 and Jesus giving to Peter the keys of the kingdom, Isaiah 22:15 and following undoubtedly lies behind this saying." Albright, a Protestant, non- Catholic insists that it's undoubtable that Jesus is citing Isaiah 22, "The keys are the symbol of authority and Father Roland DeVoe rightly sees here the same authority as that vested in the vicar, the master of the house,

the chamberlain of the royal household of ancient Israel." In other words, the Prime Minister's office. Other Protestant scholars admit it too, that when Jesus gives to Peter the keys of the kingdom, Peter is receiving the Prime Minister's office, which means dynastic authority from the Son of David, Jesus, the

King of Israel, but also an office where there will be dynastic succession.

[Lil Red]

50 NT Proofs for Petrine Primacy and the Papacy

50 NEW TESTAMENT PROOFS FOR PETRINE PRIMACY AND THE PAPACY

The Catholic doctrine of the papacy is biblically-based, and is derived from the evident primacy of St. Peter among the apostles. Like all Christian doctrines, it has undergone development through the centuries, but it hasn't departed from the essential components already existing in the leadership and prerogatives of St. Peter. These were given to him by our Lord Jesus Christ, acknowledged by his contemporaries, and accepted by the early Church. The biblical Petrine data is quite strong and convincing, by virtue of its cumulative weight, especially for those who are not hostile to the notion of the papacy from the outset. This is especially made clear with the assistance of biblical commentaries. The evidence of Holy Scripture (RSV) follows:

1. Matthew 16:18: "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church; and the powers of death shall not prevail against it."

The rock (Greek, petra) referred to here is St. Peter himself, not his faith or Jesus Christ. Christ appears here not as the foundation, but as the architect who "builds." The Church is built, not on confessions, but on confessors - living men (see, e.g., 1 Pet 2:5). Today, the overwhelming consensus of the great majority of all biblical scholars and commentators is in favor of the traditional Catholic understanding. Here St. Peter is spoken of as the foundation-stone of the Church, making him head and superior of the family of God (i.e., the seed of the doctrine of the papacy). Moreover, Rock embodies a metaphor applied to him by Christ in a sense analogous to the suffering and despised Messiah (1 Pet 2:4-8; cf. Mt 21:42). Without a solid foundation a house falls. St. Peter is the foundation, but not founder of the Church, administrator, but not Lord of the Church. The Good Shepherd (John 10:11) gives us other shepherds as well (Eph 4:11).

2. Matthew 16:19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven . . ."

The "power of the keys" has to do with ecclesiastical discipline and administrative authority with regard to the requirements of the faith, as in Isaiah 22:22 (cf. Is 9:6; Job 12:14; Rev 3:7). From this power flows the use of censures, excommunication, absolution, baptismal discipline, the imposition of penances, and legislative powers. In the Old Testament a steward, or prime minister is a man who is "over a house" (Gen 41:40; 43:19; 44:4; 1 Ki 4:6; 16:9; 18:3; 2 Ki 10:5; 15:5; 18:18; Is 22:15,20-21).

3. Matthew 16:19 ". . . whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

"Binding" and "loosing" were technical rabbinical terms, which meant to "forbid" and "permit" with reference to the interpretation of the law, and secondarily to "condemn" or "place under the ban" or "acquit." Thus, St. Peter and the popes are given the authority to determine the rules for doctrine and life, by virtue of revelation and the Spirit's leading (Jn 16:13), and to demand obedience from the Church. "Binding and loosing" represent the legislative and judicial powers of the papacy and the bishops (Mt 18:17-18; Jn 20:23). St. Peter, however, is the only apostle who receives these powers by name and in the singular, making him preeminent.

4. Peter's name occurs first in all lists of apostles (Mt 10:2; Mk 3:16; Lk 6:14; Acts 1:13). Matthew even calls him the "first" (10:2). Judas Iscariot is invariably mentioned last.

5. Peter is almost without exception named first whenever he appears with anyone else. In one (only?) example to the contrary, Galatians 2:9, where he ("Cephas") is listed after James and before John, he is clearly preeminent in the entire context (e.g., 1:18-19; 2:7-8).

6. Peter alone among the apostles receives a new name, Rock, solemnly conferred (Jn 1:42; Mt 16:18).

7. Likewise, Peter is regarded by Jesus as the Chief Shepherd after Himself (Jn 21:15-17), singularly by name, and over the universal Church, even though others have a similar but subordinate role (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet 5:2).

8. Peter alone among the apostles is mentioned by name as having been prayed for by Jesus Christ in order that his "faith may not fail" (Lk 22:32).

9. Peter alone among the apostles is exhorted by Jesus to "strengthen your brethren" (Lk 22:32).

10. Peter first confesses Christ's divinity (Mt 16:16).

11. Peter alone is told that he has received divine knowledge by a special revelation (Mt 16:17).

12. Peter is regarded by the Jews (Acts 4:1-13) as the leader and spokesman of Christianity.

13. Peter is regarded by the common people in the same way (Acts 2:37-41; 5:15).

14. Jesus Christ uniquely associates Himself and Peter in the miracle of the tribute-money (Mt 17:24-27).

15. Christ teaches from Peter's boat, and the miraculous catch of fish follows (Lk 5:1-11): perhaps a metaphor for the pope as a "fisher of men" (cf. Mt 4:19).

16. Peter was the first apostle to set out for, and enter the empty tomb (Lk 24:12; Jn 20:6).

17. Peter is specified by an angel as the leader and representative of the apostles (Mk 16:7).

18. Peter leads the apostles in fishing (Jn 21:2-3,11). The "bark" (boat) of Peter has been regarded by Catholics as a figure of the Church, with Peter at the helm.

19. Peter alone casts himself into the sea to come to Jesus (Jn 21:7).

20. Peter's words are the first recorded and most important in the upper room before Pentecost (Acts 1:15-22).

21. Peter takes the lead in calling for a replacement for Judas (Acts 1:22).

22. Peter is the first person to speak (and only one recorded) after Pentecost, so he was the first Christian to "preach the gospel" in the Church era (Acts 2:14-36).

23. Peter works the first miracle of the Church Age, healing a lame man (Acts 3:6-12).

24. Peter utters the first anathema (Ananias and Sapphira) emphatically affirmed by God (Acts 5:2-11)!

25. Peter's shadow works miracles (Acts 5:15).

26. Peter is the first person after Christ to raise the dead (Acts 9:40).

27. Cornelius is told by an angel to seek out Peter for instruction in Christianity (Acts 10:1-6).

28. Peter is the first to receive the Gentiles, after a revelation from God (Acts 10:9-48).

29. Peter instructs the other apostles on the catholicity (universality) of the Church (Acts 11:5-17).

30. Peter is the object of the first divine interposition on behalf of an individual in the Church Age (an angel delivers him from prison - Acts 12:1-17).

31. The whole Church (strongly implied) offers "earnest prayer" for Peter when he is imprisoned (Acts 12:5).

32. Peter presides over and opens the first Council of Christianity, and lays down principles afterwards accepted by it (Acts 15:7-11).

33. Paul distinguishes the Lord's post-Resurrection appearances to Peter from those to other apostles (1 Cor 15:4-8). The two disciples on the road to Emmaus make the same distinction (Lk 24:34), in this instance mentioning only Peter ("Simon"), even though they themselves had just seen the risen Jesus within the previous hour (Lk 24:33).

34. Peter is often spoken of as distinct among apostles (Mk 1:36; Lk 9:28,32; Acts 2:37; 5:29; 1 Cor 9:5).

35. Peter is often spokesman for the other apostles, especially at climactic moments (Mk 8:29; Mt 18:21; Lk 9:5; 12:41; Jn 6:67 ff.).

36. Peter's name is always the first listed of the "inner circle" of the disciples (Peter, James and John - Mt 17:1; 26:37,40; Mk 5:37; 14:37).

37. Peter is often the central figure relating to Jesus in dramatic gospel scenes such as walking on the water (Mt 14:28-32; Lk 5:1 ff., Mk 10:28; Mt 17:24 ff.).

38. Peter is the first to recognize and refute heresy, in Simon Magus (Acts 8:14-24).

39. Peter's name is mentioned more often than all the other disciples put together: 191 times (162 as Peter or Simon Peter, 23 as Simon, and 6 as Cephas). John is next in frequency with only 48 appearances, and Peter is present 50% of the time we find John in the Bible! Archbishop Fulton Sheen reckoned that all the other disciples combined were mentioned 130 times. If this is correct, Peter is named a remarkable 60% of the time any disciple is referred to!

40. Peter's proclamation at Pentecost (Acts 2:14-41) contains a fully authoritative interpretation of Scripture, a doctrinal decision and a disciplinary decree concerning members of the "House of Israel" (2:36) - an example of "binding and loosing."

41. Peter was the first "charismatic", having judged authoritatively the first instance of the gift of tongues as genuine (Acts 2:14-21).

42. Peter is the first to preach Christian repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38).

43. Peter (presumably) takes the lead in the first recorded mass baptism (Acts 2:41).

44. Peter commanded the first Gentile Christians to be baptized (Acts 10:44-48).

45. Peter was the first traveling missionary, and first exercised what would now be called "visitation of the churches" (Acts 9:32-38,43). Paul preached at Damascus immediately after his conversion (Acts 9:20), but hadn't traveled there for that purpose (God changed his plans!). His missionary journeys begin in Acts 13:2.

46. Paul went to Jerusalem specifically to see Peter for fifteen days in the beginning of his ministry (Gal 1:18), and was commissioned by Peter, James and John (Gal 2:9) to preach to the Gentiles.

47. Peter acts, by strong implication, as the chief bishop/shepherd of the Church (1 Pet 5:1), since he exhorts all the other bishops, or "elders."

48. Peter interprets prophecy (2 Pet 1:16-21).

49. Peter corrects those who misuse Paul's writings (2 Pet 3:15-16).

50. Peter wrote his first epistle from Rome, according to most scholars, as its bishop, and as the universal bishop (or, pope) of the early Church. "Babylon" (1 Pet 5:13) is regarded as code for Rome.

In conclusion, it strains credulity to think that God would present St. Peter with such prominence in the Bible, without some meaning and import for later Christian history; in particular, Church government. The papacy is the most plausible (we believe actual) fulfillment of this.

[phatcatholic]

thanks cmom and red! u two are MY GIRLS!! :cool:

[Lil Red]

thanks cmom and red! u two are MY GIRLS!! 

we know! :P

[MC Just]

amesome!!