Are there any Old Testament foreshadowings of the role of the papacy?

[Bohm_Bawerk]

This question just popped into my head, and I’m wondering if there are any OT foreshadowings of the pope. There’s a lot of OT foreshadowings of Jesus, Mary, Trinity, and so on and so forth, so it’ll be intriguing to know the answer to this question.

Please cite verses as well . Thanks.

 

[Pug]

Hmm. A likely set of verses come from Isaiah chapter 22:20 In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, 21 and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your girdle on him, and will commit your authority to his hand; and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. 22 And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
This set of verses is paired with the NT reading about Peter in the cycle of readings at mass. The word “key” is likely to catch a Catholic’s eye and be seen as similar to Peter, who is given a key. These verses might also make one think of Jesus, I imagine, from Revelation. I’m not sure if I see the verses as a *foreshadowing *of Peter, though. Just possibly related in idea.

The context is Shebna is getting removed/replaced by a new guy, Eliakim.

 

[JRKH]

This is an interesting question and I will be watching the responses eagerly.

The first thing that popped into my mind was Moses, Aaron etc who led God’s People into the promised land. But then I know that Moses is seen as a foreshadowing of Christ too…

Another idea of this earthly representative would be when the Israelites called out to God to give them a King - God did not originally want them to have an earthly king and instead God was their King and each tribe had a judge. So perhaps the desire, the need, for a unifying earthly “king” could be seen as a foreshadowing of the papal office.

If my understandings above are wrong please do correct me…I’m not great on the OT arrangements etc…

Peace
James

 

[Giacomo222]

IS 22:22 I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.

 

[MarcoPolo]

Though not an Old Testament verse, an interesting passage in the Gospel of John describes a characteristic of the Old Covenant high priest:*John 11:49-51 But one of them, Ca’iaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all; you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation.*You see how the occupant of the office was granted special privilege from God independent of any personal attributes.

 

[TimothyH]

The whole story of Joseph in Genesis is the story of being appointed to the position of Prime Minister or “Lord of the House”.

With that, Pharaoh took off his signet ring and put it on Joseph’s finger. He had him dressed in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. He then had him ride in the chariot of his vizier, and they shouted “Abrek!” before him. Thus was Joseph installed over the whole land of Egypt. “I, Pharaoh, proclaim,” he told Joseph, “that without your approval no one shall move hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 41:42-44)

Any place where you see someone made “Lord over the house” of the king, it points to the papacy, the king being Jesus of course. The biblical character appointed to the office of prime minister or “Lord of the house” is usually placed upon a donkey, allowed to ride in the king’s chariot, dressed in royal or purple robes, given the king’s signet ring, all sysmbols of having the authority of the king. In addition to Joseph in Genesis, we see this privledge given to Mordecai in chapter 8 of the Book of Esther.

That day King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther; and Mordecai was admitted to the king’s presence, for Esther had revealed his relationship to her. The king removed his signet ring that he had taken away from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai; and Esther put Mordecai in charge of the house of Haman. (Esther 8:1-2)

The signet ring was what was used to create the wax seal on official letters and royal decrees. Giving Mordecai the signet ring meant that he had the authority make decrees on behalf of the king. We see exactly that happening a little later on.

These letters, which he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the royal signet ring, he sent by mounted couriers riding thoroughbred royal steeds. (Esther 8:10)

The pope now wears the signet “Ring of the fishermen” which you can read about at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_of_the_Fisherman.
You can watch a video of the Pope vesting new cardinals with his authority by giving them each rings here. The setting is breathtaking.

Pug pointed out Isaiah 22. It is the classic example, pointing directy at the papacy.

I will thrust you from your office
and pull you down from your station.
On that day I will summon my servant
Eliakim, son of Hilkiah;
I will clothe him with your robe,
gird him with your sash,
confer on him your authority.
He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and to the house of Judah.
I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder;
what he opens, no one will shut,
what he shuts, no one will open.
(Isaiah 22:19-22)

The “key to the house” was often literally the keys to the kings personal treasury. One who had the keys to the kings house had the ability to hire laborers and purchase goods on behalf of the king. One who had the “Keys to the Kingdom” had that same ability for the entire kingdom. Having the “Keys to the kingdom” meant you could raise armies, pay laborers to build roads and ports, and administer the day to day functions of the kingdom on behalf of the king. The “what he opens, no one will shut, what he shuts, no one will open” reference in Isaiah above should be very clear to Catholics. Peter was told the same thing by Jesus the King, “What you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, what you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

It’s exciting to see the Old Testament pointing to the papacy for the first time. Once you do, you will be able to pick it out every time and it really brings the idea of who the Pope is and what his office means to life.

-Tim-

 

[Crumpy]

Christ chose 12 apostles in an obvious parallel to the tribes of Israel. There was an earthly king over these tribes. If I squint my eyes, it looks like the Pope is the current visible leader of the tribes, and, as they say, much, much more.

 

[LongJohnSilver]

This is from Exodus 18:

The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”

15 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”

17 Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. 19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. 20 Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. 21 But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 26 They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.

We read here that Moses had not only the role of a supreme judge but also the authority to tell the people how God wants them to live and behave. When Jesus talks about the Pharisees ‘sitting in the seat of Moses’ and says the people should do what the Pharisees say (Matthew 23), He clearly points to this text in Exodus. The seat of Moses, the supreme judge and spiritual leader of all the Israelites, is the same as the seat of the Vicar of Christ, the supreme judge and spiritual leader of all Christians.

I think the notion of choosing capable man who serve as judges for the people at all times and leaving the difficult cases to Moses, points to the hierarchical structure of the Church, where priests can serve as judges but leave the more complex cases to the bishops and the pope.

 

[wisdomseeker]

To Jesus was given the Keys(authority) then Jesus gives to St Peter the Keys(authority) to be in charge since He was leaving. Papa is in charge of the New Israel (Church) to lead the people of God.