Page 472 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

POPE

We see in these Vatican II proclamations that the Pharisees, saying, “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is
pope of Rome retains his supreme position to this very your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And
day. In fact, the Vatican II gave to the pope even more call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your
power and authority than many previous Catholic Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters:
documents. It would be hard to imagine a more exalted for one is your Master, even Christ” (Mt. 23:8-10). Peter,
position than that described above. No other man on who supposedly was the first pope, refused to accept
earth makes such claims as this. worship (Ac. 10:25-26). Yet the Roman pope accepts—
Papal Titles yea, demands—titles of deity and accepts the worshipful
Following are some of the pope’s titles, all of which genuflection of those who approach him. What
show that he is the world’s greatest blasphemer: His unchristian blasphemy!
Holiness, Holy Father, Vicar of Christ, Sovereign, 3. The vicar of christ is the Holy Spirit, not the pope!
Supreme Pontiff, Keeper of the Keys, Head of the Nowhere in the N.T. do we find the blasphemous
Church, Prince of the Apostles, Head of the Bishops, Catholic idea that a mere man would become the vicar
Supreme Pastor, Universal Ruler of the Truth, Infallible [representative] of Christ during His absence in heaven.
Ruler, Father of all Christians, Supreme Teacher of the Instead we read that the Holy Spirit would come to be
Universal Church, Father of Princes and Kings, Ruler of Christ’s representative (Jn. 14:16-18; 15:26; 16:7).
the Round Earth, Viceroy of Jesus Christ, Substitute for 4. Regarding Matthew 16:16-20—The Roman Church
the Son of God, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, uses this passage to support its concept that Peter was
Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City, Primate of made pope by the Lord Jesus Christ. We quoted this
Italy. passage earlier. Magically, the Roman Church finds here
“Pontiff,” meaning “bridge builder,” comes “not from the basis for the papacy. Peter is considered to have
the Bible but from pagan Rome, where the emperor, as been the rock of the church, so the supposed successors
the high priest of the heathen religion, and in that sense of Peter—the Roman popes—form the foundation of the
professing to be the bridge or connecting link between church for all ages. That this strange interpretation is
this life and the next, was called ‘Pontifex Maximus.’ not true is shown in the following considerations:
The title was therefore lifted from paganism and applied First, the Lord Jesus was not saying in Mt. 16:16-20
to the head of the Roman Catholic Church. As the high that he would build the church upon Peter. “There is in
priest of the O.T. was the mediator between God and the Greek a play upon words, ‘Thou art Peter
men, so the pope also claims to be the mediator (“petros”—literally, a little rock), and upon this rock
between God and men, with power over the souls in (“Petra”—a solid rock mass or foundation) I will build
purgatory” (Boettner, p. 125). my church.’ He does not promise to build His church
The Error of the Papacy upon Peter, but upon Himself. Peter himself was careful
1. Peter was not a pope. We must ask an obvious and to tell us that the foundation of the church is Christ.
serious question. Where in the N.T. do we see Peter ‘Wherefore, also it is contained in the scripture, Behold,
claiming to be a pontiff? Where do we see him accepted I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious...’ (1
as such by the early churches? Peter was openly rebuked Pe. 2:6)” (Scofield). According to 2 Sa. 22:32, there is
by Paul because of hypocrisy (Ga. 2:11-14). Peter had a no Rock except God! “...and who is a rock, save our
wife (Lk. 4:38; 1 Co. 9:5). Yet the RCC says the pope— God?” In both the Old and New Testaments it is God
who supposedly is Peter’s successor—cannot marry. The Himself who is the believer’s Rock—Foundation,
N.T. speaks more of Paul than of Peter. And it was Paul Security, and Protection. Thirty times in the Old
and John, not Peter, who wrote most of the N.T. While Testament God is called a Rock. Five times in the New
Peter wrote two epistles of 166 verses, John wrote five Testament Christ is called a Rock—Mt. 16:18, Ro. 9:33,
epistles with 1,415 verses, and Paul wrote 13 epistles 1 Co. 10:4, and 1 Pe. 2:18. Only Deity Himself could be
with 2,033 verses. If, therefore, there was a pope in the the church’s Rock and Foundation! And this is exactly
early church it was Paul, not Peter! The simple truth is what the Lord Jesus Christ was promising in Matthew
that neither Peter nor any other man had the position 16.
among the early churches that the pope has in Roman Second, the Roman Catholic interpretation of Mt.
Catholicism. Jesus Christ alone is the Head and Rock of 16:18-19 is strictly contrary to the pattern of the early
the Church. Peter was no pope! churches as testified by the book of Acts and the
2. The titles used for the pope are blasphemous. Only Epistles. Peter simply was not a pope! The Latin writing
God should be called Holy Father, Holy Lord, His on the fish-shaped hat worn by the pope says, “Vicarirs
Holiness, Supreme Pontiff, Our Most Holy Lord, etc. The Feleii Dei” and means “substitute for the Son of God”!
Lord Jesus Christ condemned this type of thing in the The Apostle Peter no doubt would have cringed in
horror at the very thought of donning such a title.

472 Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity