Fro Protestants: If Jesus did not establish a church?

Question

Which He placed into Peter's hands, and which Peter named the Holy Roman Catholic Church,and which has apostolic succession, which church did Jesus Christ form and place into Peter's hands.

that should read For Protestants

33 A.D.
Roman Catholic Church (moved to Rome by Peter after he fled Jerusalem) was founded by God-made-man, Jesus Christ. He said: "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it... Feed my lambs; feed My sheep" (Matt. 16:18,19; John 21:15,17). He also said: "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who gathers not with me scatters" (Matt.12:30).


Around or about 45 AD, Peter went to Rome and from there lead the Catholic Church. As of today, there have been 263 Popes in direct succession to Peter. The position of Pope was established by Christ and the office has been maintained in an apostolic manner since the time of Christ.

Answer 1

You mean you don't know the answer? Let me clarify this for you, my dear fellow Catholic.

Everyone knows that Jesus established over 30,000 or so churches at latest count.

Oh, and he waited until the 1500's to do so. For the first 1500 years I guess we were all just floundering, and patiently waiting for good ol' Martin Luther. (While they won't admit it, in reality Luther is the "savior" for Protestants, because he "saved" them from our very evil Catholic Church.)

(A star-worthy question indeed!)

Answer 2

I can agree that Peter played a very important role in the early church - being the leader in effect for the first few years. The meeting Paul had with him, mentioned in Galatians, 10-15 or suchlike years later, has him as one of three leaders - the other two being John and James, the brother of Jesus.
So perhaps Jesus did mean he would establish the body of believers under Peter's leadership with his "on this rock i will build my church" (some interpretations of the verse don't think the "rock" referred to Peter, but I think it probably did).

However to say that every leader of Roman church is "Peter" in some sense seems to be pushing things. After Peter's death, John would be the most highly regarded church figure, and he was in the Ephesus region, i.e. southern Turkey today, not Rome.

Also submitting to Rome's leadership I'm doubtful about. Patriarchate leaders in other major cities were also important. Then Thomas church in India, the Ethiopian church would know nothing of Rome - too far away. Were the Armenians were subordinate to Rome also - didn't they go their own way?

Then many popes may have followed in a line, but many were very worldly and corrupt. Some probably weren't even "saved". Jesus would not consider them as individuals part of the True Vine. They did some shockingly wicked things to try to oppose the Reformation.

The church is the body of believers. Organising believers is good, but ultimately the True Vine (John 15) is not a particular church organisation, but Christ united with believers.

The Popes tasted the nectar of worldly power ... and were hooked unfortunately. God does not want a dictatorial church imo.

Answer 3

In response to Jack --

I will list for you the first ten Popes just to get you started. It looks to me like this was way before the third century. Maybe you are confused about what a century is?

1 St. Peter (32-67)
2 St. Linus (67-76)
3 St. Anacletus (Cletus) (76-88)
4 St. Clement I (88-97)
5 St. Evaristus (97-105)
6 St. Alexander I (105-115)
7 St. Sixtus I (115-125) -- also called Xystus I
8 St. Telesphorus (125-136)
9 St. Hyginus (136-140)
10 St. Pius I (140-155)

Answer 4

The Apostle Peter was not and could not have named the Roman Catholic Church. Neither did Jesus Christ form a church and place it into Peter's hands. Peter was based in Jeruselum, not Rome. Paul was a gentile and he was based in Rome. Furthermore, Peter would not have sanctioned a church that addressed holy men as "Father," because he was an Isrealite and he followed God's law, which commanded that no holy man is to be called Father. God is our only Father and Peter knew this. He would have NEVER associated himself with the Catholic Church.

Jesus established the Church of God, which will be his bride. The Catholic Church is an imitation of God's church. It is a counterfeit--an imposter.

Answer 5

Jesus did not place any church into Peter's hands. Peter never named anything a "Universal" Church. Fact is that Peter and James were near content to keep the Christian faith a Jewish only belief. If anybody is responsible for making the Church a "Universal" faith it is Paul. Sure Peter preached to the Roman Centurian and fellowshipped with his Roman family but when James and the Jewish Christians came around Peter pretended like he didn't want to associate with the Gentiles. I guess Catholics disregard Pauls remarks in Galatians Chapter 2. By the way...Jesus told peter that He, Jesus Christ, is the Rock the that the Church is built on. To think that Peter is the corner stone of the Church is very foolish and is completely unBiblical.

Answer 6

It was a pentecostal church. There is no record of the apostles doing anything like what the Catholic church does today. According to the Petrine doctrine the bishop of Rome was the Pope, and Peter was supposed to be the first Pope I believe. There is no evidence of Peter ever traveling to Rome. Paul did on his final trip, but there is no evidence of many of the other apostles making it to Rome.

Fancy That: I would like a chapter and verse on where Jesus left the church to Mary Magdeline. That is "Davinci Code" lies, not to be taken as fact, but as fiction. There is however Scripture to support the claim that Jesus left the church in the hands of Peter.

Edit: is that information Biblical? or is it what you have been taught? I do not go along with whatever I am told about my religion, I research the Bible to determine the validity of the claim. Maybe you should too.

Answer 7

first you need to know what you are asking. There is church, the place you go on Sunday, some on Saturday. Or, there is The Church. which is the physical embodiment of all believer unified in a belief in Jesus Christ. Doctrine is religion. That is people telling you "how" to believe in Jesus. If you believe in Jesus Christ and you follow his teachings. Mainly love your Neighbor and Love your God with all your heart soul mind and strength. Then you ARE the Church.

Answer 8

I used to be Protestant and now am Catholic.

I agree with you but do not care for the argumentative tone of the question. There are so many great Protestant people out there.

We are all Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

Peace and God Bless.

Answer 9

I do not read anywhere in the Bible of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, I do however read about the Chruch of God at Corinth, My Church, My kingdom, Churches of Christ etc. The Catholic did not come into being until around 606 AD.

Answer 10

First of all, Jesus left the church to mary magdeline, not peter. Peter was the usurper.

Jesus's message was about eliminating an instutution that stood between God and man. Call no man 'father' or 'rabbi' except your father in heaven. Do not look for me in buildings made of stone and wood. Split the wood and there I am, crack the stone and you will find me.

Christ annointed people directly, so the idea of a structured 'church' being an interceededn between God and man conflicts with Christs teachings.