God chose Peter as the leader (the rock) and gave him helpers.
The Pope, Peter’s successor, is not alone. He has thousands upon thousands of helpers.
The type of logic and argument you presented is flawed. Yes they served together but one was the leader.
Why do I hear Highlander in the distance… There can only be one
Which Pope, the one at: Jerusalem, Antioch, Constantinople, Rome, Avignon, Alexandria…? Perhaps the multitude of popes were Peter’s helpers? But I’d much rather see Christ Jesus get the credit, as they’re really his helpers.
For a Church that puts so much more focus on the Virgin Mary than many others, why don’t I hear more about St. John the Apostle who was the only one worthy enough to care for Christ Jesus’ mother?
John 19: The Crucifixion
25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”
27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
Peter, Scripturally didn’t exactly behave infallible: denied Christ Jesus three times, cut off a soldiers ear when directly told by Christ Jesus to stand down, falls through the water due to a lack of faith, wasn’t able to cast out demons due to a lack of faith, Christ Jesus calls him by the name “Satan” when he offered to die for our sins in Christ Jesus’ place, was rebuked by St. Paul for forcing Christians to be circumcised as Jews before allowing baptism.
Merriam-Webster: infallible–incapable of error, incapable of error in defining doctrines touching faith or morals, not liable to mislead, deceive, or disappoint
Don’t get me wrong, God can work miracles of his choosing, and the other Apostles had their issues as well. In the end, all of them served purpose God had for them, they passed on, and a new generation of believers emerged to carry God’s Word forward with them to Jews and Gentiles alike. Believers are the Church, and they’re carried by God to where the Word is needed, period. I simply can’t comprehend an apostolic evangelism that sits upon a throne and remains of virtual lock-down, considering all the other Apostles became martyrs in the mission field. I have never been presented with comprehensive Scripture that says none of the other Apostles evangelized on the level Peter did.
The Office of the Keys or Institution of the Keys is the most significant part of Scripture that pertains to Peter, but he certainly isn’t beyond sin, error, or properly defining doctrine as we can clearly tell from Scripture. What he can do, is forgive sins and withhold forgiveness, as he manages the “narrow gate” into heaven.
Matthew 16
Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter replied, “
You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on
this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
22 And Peter took him aside and
began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”
23 But he turned and said to Peter, “
Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Heck, most of the NT is written by saint Paul.
