Primacy of Peter

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I am doing a research paper on how Peter is a leader of the Apostles and of the Church. Its for a class called “The Gospels” and the University is Baptist. (No I am not a Baptist!).

The teacher told me that my primary research would have to be the Gospels but that I could use the Acts of the Apostles for Secondary Research.

I am going to use the following in it:
  1. Declaration of Jesus to Peter on the Rock in Saint Matthew’s Gospel.
  2. Feed my lambs/Feed my sheep in Saint John’s Gospel.
  3. How Peter took charge for the election of St. Matthias in Acts.
What else can I use from the** Gospels** that would help in this report?
 
canadianguy1143 said:
I am doing a research paper on how Peter is a leader of the Apostles and of the Church. Its for a class called “The Gospels” and the University is Baptist. (No I am not a Baptist!).

The teacher told me that my primary research would have to be the Gospels but that I could use the Acts of the Apostles for Secondary Research.

I am going to use the following in it:
  1. Declaration of Jesus to Peter on the Rock in Saint Matthew’s Gospel.
  2. Feed my lambs/Feed my sheep in Saint John’s Gospel.
  3. How Peter took charge for the election of St. Matthias in Acts.
What else can I use from the** Gospels** that would help in this report?
Click to expand...
Mark 16:7

John 20:3-8

Acts 5:12-15

Acts 15:6-11
 
I would use Baptist scholars as a third resource.

Protestant scholars agree: Peter is the rock:

Jesus, Peter & the Keys: a Scriptural Handbook on the Papacy (Scott Butler et al., (Santa Barbara, CA: Queenship Publishing), 1996).

other resources:
John Broadus (Nineteenth-Century Calvinistic Baptist)
“As Peter means rock, the natural interpretation is that ‘upon this rock’ means upon thee. . . . It is an even more far-fetched and harsh play upon words if we understand the rock to be Christ and a very feeble and almost unmeaning play upon words if the rock is Peter’s confession” [Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, 356].

Craig L. Blomberg (Baptist)
“The expression ‘this rock’ almost certainly refers to Peter, following immediately after his name, just as the words following ‘the Christ’ in verse 16 applied to Jesus. The play on words in the Greek between Peter’s name (Petros) and the word ‘rock’ (petra) makes sense only if Peter is the Rock and if Jesus is about to explain the significance of this identification” [New American Commentary: Matthew, 22:252].

Donald A. Carson (Baptist)
“On the basis of the distinction between ‘petros’ . . . and ‘petra’ . . . , many have attempted to avoid identifying Peter as the rock on which Jesus builds his church. Peter is a mere ‘stone,’ it is alleged; but Jesus himself is the ‘rock’ . . . Others adopt some other distinction . . . Yet if it were not for Protestant reactions against extremes of Catholic interpretation, it is doubtful whether many would have taken ‘rock’ to be anything or anyone other than Peter . . . The Greek makes the distinction between ‘petros’ and ‘petra’ simply because it is trying to preserve the pun, and in Greek the feminine ‘petra’ could not very well serve as a masculine name . . . Had Matthew wanted to say no more than that Peter was a stone in contrast with Jesus the Rock, the more common word would have been ‘lithos’ (‘stone’ of almost any size). Then there would have been no pun - and that is just the point! . . . In this passage Jesus is the builder of the church and it would be a strange mixture of metaphors that also sees him within the same clauses as its foundation . . .” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary, [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984], vol. 8: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Matthew: D.A. Carson), 368)

Here is a good debate:
Was the Papacy Established by Christ?
Mark Bonocore flattens Jason Engwer

lots of Gospel references.
 
From “Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma”, here are some additional Gospel and Acts passages indicating the primacy of Peter:
…At the first meeting He announced the change of his name from Simon to Cephas… (John 1:42). … In all the lists of the Apostles Peter is named in the first place. In St. Matthew he is expressly called the first. (Mt. 10:2) Since from the point of view of his time of calling, Andrew was before Peter, the constant placing of Peter’s name at the head of the list of the Apostles indicates the dignity of his office. … The Lord taught from Peter’s boat (Luke 5:3), and paid the temple tax for Himself and Peter jointly (Mt. 17:27), ordered him to strengthen the brethren after His own return (Luke 22:32), appeared to him alone before appearing to the other Apostles (Luke 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5).
…

…; he is the first to proclaim on the Feast of Pentecost the message of the crucified and risen Messiah (Acts 2:14 et seq.); he attests the message of Christ before the High Council (Acts 4:8 et seq.); he accepts the first pagan, the captain Cornelius, into the Church (Acts 10:1 et seq.). He is the first to speak at the Council of the Apostles (Acts 15:7 et seq.). Paul goes to Jerusalem “to see Peter” (Gal. 1:18).

I also find it interesting that in the Luke 22: 31-34 passage, Jesus prays specifically for Peter even tho Satan will tempt all of the apostles:
  • "demanded to have you (“you” is plural here, referring to all the apostles), that he might sift** you **(again, plural) like wheat, but I have prayed for you (“you” is singular here, referring just to Peter) that your faith may not fail; and when **you *(again, singular) have turned again, strengthen your brethren."
 
canadianguy1143 said:
I am doing a research paper on how Peter is a leader of the Apostles and of the Church. Its for a class called “The Gospels” and the University is Baptist. (No I am not a Baptist!).

The teacher told me that my primary research would have to be the Gospels but that I could use the Acts of the Apostles for Secondary Research.

I am going to use the following in it:
  1. Declaration of Jesus to Peter on the Rock in Saint Matthew’s Gospel.
  2. Feed my lambs/Feed my sheep in Saint John’s Gospel.
  3. How Peter took charge for the election of St. Matthias in Acts.
What else can I use from the** Gospels** that would help in this report?
Click to expand...
The name change is significant from Simon to Cephas (aramaic) or Petros (greek). During those times, a name change meant a change in status or role or one was given authority.

Example would be Abram to Abraham…Jacob to Israel…there are several more but could not recall them…research of ancient practices should help you more here into why the name change is significant…

Also, the location of where the name change took place as recounted in Matthew. Find this author’s books, Steve Ray, he wrote two books on the papacy…as this were issues he had to grappled prior to converting to CC.
 
canadianguy1143 said:
I am doing a research paper on how Peter is a leader of the Apostles and of the Church. Its for a class called “The Gospels” and the University is Baptist. (No I am not a Baptist!).

The teacher told me that my primary research would have to be the Gospels but that I could use the Acts of the Apostles for Secondary Research.

I am going to use the following in it:
  1. Declaration of Jesus to Peter on the Rock in Saint Matthew’s Gospel.
  2. Feed my lambs/Feed my sheep in Saint John’s Gospel.
  3. How Peter took charge for the election of St. Matthias in Acts.
What else can I use from the** Gospels** that would help in this report?
Click to expand...
I do not know if you can, but the writings of the Early Church Fathers…how they understood the primacy of peter and his successors…
 
canadianguy1143 said:
I am doing a research paper on how Peter is a leader of the Apostles and of the Church. Its for a class called “The Gospels” and the University is Baptist. (No I am not a Baptist!).

The teacher told me that my primary research would have to be the Gospels but that I could use the Acts of the Apostles for Secondary Research.

I am going to use the following in it:
  1. Declaration of Jesus to Peter on the Rock in Saint Matthew’s Gospel.
  2. Feed my lambs/Feed my sheep in Saint John’s Gospel.
  3. How Peter took charge for the election of St. Matthias in Acts.
What else can I use from the** Gospels** that would help in this report?
Click to expand...
In Matthew 14 where Simon joins Jesus in walking on the water, the Lord is manifesting His Divinity because in the OT it is GOD Who “walks upon the water.” We see also that it is God Who has power over the water, the place of chaos, the region where demonic powers dwell. This always harkens back to Genesis where God calls order - “Cosmos” - out of “chaos”. Water chaos is the sense that we find in many of the prophets and in many of the psalms, going back to that primitive idea that this was the realm of dis-order. Now God in Genesis gives order to the water, and divides the water, bringing forth dry land, conquering watery chaos. Job, e.g., in Ch. 38 makes it a point that God puts His heel and walks upon the water, again an ancient sign of conquest - when the winner would come and place his heel on the head of the person vanquished, who humbly prostrated himself before his conqueror. Here it is GOD conquering watery chaos. When Jesus walks on the water, doing what only GOD does, He shows His creative power and His judgmental, governing, victorious power.

In Matthew’s presentation of the walking on the water we see an addition (because this is the ecclesial Gospel) - Our Lord is asked by Peter in his usual blustery way: “Let me walk with you.” Peter is successfully walking on the water, but then he realizes his own frailty and takes his eyes off the Lord and begins to sink. Then Jesus takes him by the hand and keeps him from sinking in the water, and takes him to the boat, a symbol of the Church, the Apostolic boat, the barque of Peter where the Fishermen of the Church ply their trade - on they are told by Christ, “henceforth you will be fishers of men.” But it is only Peter who walked on the water with Christ.

Some other “clues” to Peter’s authoritative position:
  • Jesus and Peter share coin for the Temple tax.
  • Jesus preaches from Peter’s boat.
  • “We will fish with you” - in union with Peter.
  • Peter is (with one exception) the head of the list of Apostles.
  • Peter is first preacher to the crowds after Pentecost.
  • Peter is first to administer discipline (Ananias & Sapphira).
  • Peter performs the post-Pentecost miracle.
  • Peter is the first to baptize gentiles.
  • Peter emerges as spokesmen for the Twelve, for the inner core.
  • The writer of Matthew uses the setting of the Kingdom of David to set the scene of Jesus establishing His New Kingdom. Jesus is the New Hezekiah, constructing His Kingdom by naming His Prime Minister.
 
In Matthew’s Gospel, he lists the Twelve Apostles, saying, “First Peter, then …”.

We know from John’s Gospel that Peter wasn’t the first Apostle chosen?
 
canadianguy1143 said:
I am doing a research paper on how Peter is a leader of the Apostles and of the Church. Its for a class called “The Gospels” and the University is Baptist. (No I am not a Baptist!).

The teacher told me that my primary research would have to be the Gospels but that I could use the Acts of the Apostles for Secondary Research.

I am going to use the following in it:
  1. Declaration of Jesus to Peter on the Rock in Saint Matthew’s Gospel.
  2. Feed my lambs/Feed my sheep in Saint John’s Gospel.
  3. How Peter took charge for the election of St. Matthias in Acts.
What else can I use from the** Gospels** that would help in this report?
Click to expand...
I took this from Tim Staples a long time ago. It won’t paste correctly but I think you will be able to follow it:

Acts 1 Peter in charge in choosing & replacing Judas.
Acts 2 Peter preaches first sermon whereby 3,000 souls come into the Church.
Acts 3 Peter performs the first miracle.
Acts 4 Peter preaching again and 5,000 more souls come into the Church.
Acts 5 Peter in charge when the Church collects funds for world evangelism.
Acts 8 Peter leading to confirm new converts in Samaria. It was Peter who pronounces
judgement on Simon the Sorcerer.
Acts 9 v32 “…Peter passed through all…” (Greek = Pontone = All) This means the
“Whole World”. Peter is pastor of the whole world. Peter raises first person from
the dead.
Acts 10 Peter is given vision to baptize gentiles and leads the whole church into accepting
them.
Acts 11 v18 When Peter spoke, it says, “They held their peace.” The issue was settled.
Acts 12 v5 When Peter went into prison again, the “Whole Church” prayed around the
clock. This shows how serious it was to have the leader in prison.
Acts 15 Protestants try to use this verse to show that James was the leader. They believe
the order was James, Paul, and then maybe Peter. Paul and Barnabas could not
settle the problem of the Judaizers. This problem was solved based on Matt 18:15-17.

Matt 18:15-17 Notice in these verses:
  1. Code: 
      Hierarchial – All problems are to be solved locally, then take it to the Church, if
necessary.
Deut 17:8-13 2. Here the Lord is referring back to these verses. Hierarchial in the O.T.
3. The Church has the final say.

Matt 18:20 Protestant: Will quote Matt 18:20 which says, “ Where 2 or 3 are gathered…” They
will say this is where the church is.
Answer: In context, this is true but if they can’t solve the problem, they are to take it
Matt 18:17 to the Church. (Matt 18:17)

Acts 15 v2 “ And when Paul and Barnabas had no small contest with them, they determined
Cont’d that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of the other side, should go up to the
apostles and priests to Jerusalem about this question.” Paul took the problem to the
Church. Paul recognizes he has elders.
Prot: v13 (14) “ And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying: Men,
brethren, hear me.” Protestants say this shows that James handed down the decision. He
is the one in charge.
Answer: James is only restating what Peter had said (v9-12) and, as a result, James said,
“….I judge…”. (v19)
v7 Peter rises up and settles the question.
v12 All the multitude held their peace. Peter had spoken.
v22 After James had spoken, the whole Church agreed and the laws were promulgated.
Notice: James has to have the whole Church agree to make laws. Peter does not.
 
Here’s the rest of what I have from Tim Staples. You already spoke on some of this:

Matt 16:15-19 v18-“ And I say unto thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church,
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
v19-“ And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou
thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt
loose on earth, it shall be loosed in heaven.”

I.Context

Matt 17:23-26 v26 – Jesus says, “ Go to the sea, and cast in a hook: and that fish which shall first come
(24-27) up, take: and when thou hast opened its mouth, thou shalt find a stater (sheckel): take that, and give it to them for me and thee.”
  1. Right after Jesus gives Peter the keys notice:
    A. The tax collectors know who the head of the apostles is; they go to Peter.
    B. Jesus commands Peter to pay the tax and miraculously pay the tax for Jesus
    John 21:10-11 and himself. Jesus “Empowers” Peter to do this. (see also John 21:10-11)
(Principle in scripture – John 20:30-31 says, “ Many other signs also did Jesus in the
sight of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written, that you
may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: And that believing, you may have
life in His name.”)

Matt 14:26-31 Jesus supplies supernatural power for Peter to walk on water. Jesus did this because he
will never let Peter falter. Why? Because Peter is the one to Shepherd the flock. This is
not on Peter’s abilities but on the power and promise of Jesus.

Themes of the Primacy of Peter:
  1. John 21 – Peter miraculously provides nourishment for the apostles.
    Luke 5:1-3 2. Luke 5:1-3 Jesus steps into Peter’s boat to preach. The “Barque of Peter.”
    Luke 5:4 It is Peter’s boat and Peter’s net that bring in the fish. Why did the author of scripture
    put this verse there?
    Mark 1:17 Answer: Mark 1:17 says, “ And Jesus said to them: come after me, and I will make
    you to become fishers of men.” Jesus said this to Peter and Andrew his brother.
Matt 16:15-19
  1. Prot: Petras = Peter = Small Rock
    Petra = Jesus = Massive rock
Both greek words have different meaning according to the Protestant.

Answer: Petras and Petra are really masculine and feminine forms of the same word. No
difference in meaning. To say these two words have a different meaning is a protestant
tradition; it is not found in scripture. (Ask Protestant where in scripture do they find
“Petras” means small rock? The Gospel of Matthew was originally written in aramaic.
Jesus spoke aramaic and would have said, “…Thou art ‘Kepha’ and upon ‘Kepha’ thou
shalt build my church…” There are no distinction in the words.

John 1:42 2. “ …thou shalt be called Cephas, which is interpreted Peter.”
Cephas = Kepha = Peter

Simon = Wavering
Peter = Rock

continued in next post
 
  1. Greek - 2 possible names for “Rock”:
a. Petros
b. Lithos – Almost always used to denote a “Small Rock”.
Examples:
Matt 4:3 “ And the tempter coming said to him: if thou be the Son of God, command that
these ‘stones’ be made bread.”
Luke 4:3 “ And the devil said to him: If thou be the Son of God, say to this ‘stone’ that it
be made bread.”
John 10:31 “ The jews then took up ‘stones’ to stone him.”
Matt 16:18 Matt could just as well used “Lithos” in Matt 16:18 for “Rock” but he didn’t.
I Peter 2:5 Peter describes all of us as little rocks. He uses “Lithoi”. (I Pet 2:5)
  1. Look at whole text:
Matt 16:17 v17 – “ Blessed are YOU…” Not his confession of faith.
Matt 16:19 v19 – “ I will give to YOU the keys and whatsoever YOU bind on earth…”

Point: Jesus says “You” (Peter) all the way through these verses. It would make no
sense for Jesus then to say, “ But I’m building the church on me.”
  1. Context Compared To Old Testament Context:
Is 22:15-22 The Prime Minister had the “Keys” to the kingdom.
v21 “Father” = Pope = Papa
Typeology:
A. King of Israel
David was type,Christ is the real king.
B. Prime Minister
Eliacim was type, Peter is the real Prime Minister.

More Proof:

Luke 22:31-32 Jesus prayed for “Peter” and not for the rest of the apostles yet Christ said, “ Behold,
Satan hath desired to have ‘you’ (Greek: Sew), that he may sift you as wheat. But I
have prayed for ‘thee’ (Greek: Humas – Peter) that thy faith fail not…” The point is
that the Pope’s faith will not fail.
  1. John 21
    John 21:3 “ Simon Peter saith to them: I go a fishing. they say to him: We also come with
    thee…” The disciples go with him because Peter has the keys and the power over
    Satan. Disciples caught nothing.
    John 21:4 Disciples did not recognize Jesus.
    John 21:6 Jesus commands the disciples to draw the net and they were unable to draw it
    because of the number of fish. The disciples couldn’t draw it even though it was in
    the water yet Jesus commanded Peter to drag the net on land!
    John 21:15 After perfomring 2 miracles, Jesus asks Peter if he loves him 3 times:
    v15 1. v15 = Feed = Boskein = Feed (Teach)
    v16 2.v16 = Feed = Poimanao = Shepherd or Tend; To Govern. (Sheep)
    v17 3. v17 = Feed = Boskein = Feed (Teach) Jesus was emphasizing v15 & v16 again.
    Jesus entrusts all his sheep to Peter.
John 10:11 Jesus says he is the shepherd.
John 21:17 Jesus then makes Peter the shepherd.
 
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