We can put this stupid argument to bed FOREVER.
Peter, James and the Council of Jerusalem
Many non-Catholics claim that Peter could not have been the head of the earthly Church or “pope” because they believe that it was James, not Peter, who gave the final decision concerning circumcision of the Gentiles at the Council of Jerusalem recorded in Acts 15. This position indicates a complete misunderstanding of the dynamics of the council. Mark Bonocore, a noted Catholic apologist, addressed this misunderstanding in his debate with Jason Engwer in 1999.
Regarding the Jerusalem council in
Acts 15, I pointed out in my [opening statement] how Peter gives the definitive teachings and how, after he speaks, all debate comes to an end. However, Engwer rejects this, citing the amendments given by James, and says how James is the only one to render “judgment.” Well, first of all, it must be noted that James bases his remarks on Peter’s teaching:
“Brothers, listen to me.
Symeon (i.e.,
Peter) has described how …” (
Acts 15:13-14).
Secondly, look at what James actually says in relation to his “judgment”:
“It is my
judgment, therefore, that
we ought to
stop troubling the Gentiles” (
Acts 15:19).
Well, who is this “we”? Who was “troubling the Gentiles”? Certainly not Peter (
Acts 10:44-49, 11:1-18, 15:7-10). Certainly not Paul or Barnabas. So, who?
Acts 15:1 tells us:
“Some who had come
down from Judea were instructing the brothers, ‘Unless you are circumcised …, you cannot be saved.”
It was the
Jewish faction under James (bishop of
Jerusalem) that was troubling the Gentiles (
Acts 15:5, Gal 2:12). Thus, James is speaking for
them, not for the whole council. Indeed, that’s why his remarks are recorded at all—to show that the leader of the
Jewish faction subscribed to the decisions of the council, and so silence the Judaizers who Paul will encounter later (
Titus 1:10-11).*
To Bonocore’s reference from Titus, I would add this passage from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians:
Galatians 2:11-14
11When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.
Clearly, James headed up the group who thought that Gentiles must become Jews through circumcision in order to become Christians. However, after hearing Peter’s doctrinal pronouncement, he accepted Peter’s teaching and added his own pastoral comments for the benefit of the pro-circumcision group present and for those who might doubt that the leader of the “Judaizers” had really accepted the decision of the full ecumenical council.
*Taken from:
Mark Bonocore v. Jason Engwer: Was the Papacy Established by Christ?
bringyou.to/apologetics/debate13.htm
