Continued from previous post;
…He is the principle of
unity, since what is not joined to that foundation is no part of the
Church; of
stability, since it is the firmness of this foundation in virtue of which the
Church remains unshaken by the storms which buffet her; of
increase, since, if she grows, it is because new stones are laid on this foundation.
"And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." It is through her union with
Peter,
Christ continues, that the
Church will prove the victor in her long contest with the
Evil One:
The gates of
hell shall not prevail against it.
There can be but one explanation of this striking metaphor.
The only manner in which a man can stand in such a relation to any corporate body is by possessing authority over it. The supreme head of a body, in dependence on whom all subordinate authorities hold their power, and he alone, can be said to be the principle of stability,
unity, and increase. The
promise acquires additional
solemnity when we remember that both
Old Testament prophecy (
Isaiah 28:16) and
Christ’s own words (
Matthew 7:24) had attributed this office of foundation of the
Church to Himself. He is therefore assigning to
Peter, of course in a secondary degree, a prerogative which is His own, and thereby associating the
Apostle with Himself in an altogether singular manner.
"And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven." In the following verse (
Matthew 16:19) He
promises to bestow on
Peter the
keys of the
kingdom of heaven.
The words refer evidently to
Isaiah 22:22, where
God declares that Eliacim, the son of Helcias, shall be invested with office in place of the worthless Sobna:
And I will lay the
key of the house of
David upon his shoulder: and he shall open, and none shall shut: and he shall shut and none shall open.
In all countries the key is the symbol of authority. Thus,
Christ’s words are a
promise that He will confer on
Peter supreme power to govern the
Church.
Peter is to be His vicegerent, to rule in His place.
"And whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven." Further the character and extent of the power thus bestowed are indicated. It is a power to “bind” and to “loose” — words which, as is shown below, denote the grant of legislative and judicial authority. And this power is granted in its fullest measure. Whatever
Peter binds or looses on earth, his
act will receive the
Divine ratification.”
Continued at source;
newadvent.org/cathen/12260a.htm
In regard to the use of “father” in general, in addition to what I offered in the previous post, the title as referred to both in the Catholic Church today as well as throughout scripture including the Old Testament as an acknowledgement of respect and some form of authority to those who have been recognized as of the Holy and “is applied to the early spokesmen and defenders of Christianity, bishops who attend regional and especially ecumenical councils, and priests in general or specific priests in their role as confessors or spiritual counselors of the faithful.” This definition in quotes is the reference Paul speaks of as a chosen apostle of God. These were not terms people were demanded to use, but rather terms people chose to use which became titles. Some Protestant faiths today act as though it is something that was demanded of people but the underlying reason for the resentment is their rejection of his authority in justification of their particular beliefs.
