How Far Back Can We Trace The Papacy!?!?!?!?

Question

Can we trace it to it's first roots or how it began? If so, was Peter the first Pope?

Answer 1

Yes, we can trace the papacy back to Simon Peter.

John 21:15-17 states:

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."

He then said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."

He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." (Jesus) said to him, "Feed my sheep.

Matthew 16:17-19 states:

Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Here are a few non-biblical proofs of Peter as Bishop of Rome, all of them from before the council of Nicea in 325 A.D.

Irenaeus in 189 C.E.:
"The very ancient, and universally known Church founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul; ... The blessed apostles, then, having founded and built up the Church, committed into the hands of Linus the office of the episcopate." (Against Heresies 3:3:2-3) http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.ix.iv.iv.html

Tertullian in 200 C.E.:
"For this is the manner in which the apostolic churches transmit their registers: as the church of Smyrna, which records that Polycarp was placed therein by John; as also the church of Rome, which makes Clement to have been ordained in like manner by Peter." (Demurrer Against the Heretics 32) http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0311.htm

Anonymous in 211 C.E.:
"For they say that all the early teachers and the apostles received and taught what they now declare, and that the truth of the Gospel was preserved until the times of Victor, who was the thirteenth bishop of Rome from Peter" (The Little Labyrinth, in Eusebius, Church History 5:28:3) http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.x.xxix.html

Cyprian of Carthage in 251 C.E.:
"And although to all the apostles, after His resurrection, He gives an equal power, and says, “As the Father hath sent me, ..., they shall be retained;” (John 20:21-22) yet, He founded a single Chair. That He might set forth unity, He established by His authority the origin of that unity, as having its origin in one man alone. No doubt the others were all that Peter was, but a primacy is given to Peter, and it is thus made clear that there is but one Church and one Chair. So too, even if they are all shepherds, we are shown but one flock which is to be fed by all the apostles in common accord. If a man does not hold fast to this oneness of Peter, does he imagine that he still holds the faith? If he deserts the Chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, has he confidence that he is in the Church?" (The Unity of the Catholic Church 4) http://www.romancatholicism.org/jansenism/cyprian-church.htm

And in 252 C.E.:
"Moreover, Cornelius was made bishop by the judgment of God and of His Christ, by the testimony of almost all the clergy, by the suffrage of the people who were then present, and by the assembly of ancient priests and good men, when no one had been made so before him, when the place of Fabian, that is, when the place of Peter24612461 [On the death of Fabian, see Ep. iii. p. 281; sufferings of Cornelius (inference), p. 303; Decius, p. 299.] and the degree of the sacerdotal throne was vacant; which being occupied by the will of God, and established by the consent of all of us, whosoever now wishes to become a bishop, must needs be made from without; and he cannot have the ordination of the Church who does not hold the unity of the Church." (Letters 51:8) http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf05.iv.iv.li.html

Eusebius of Caesarea in 312 C.E.:
"As to the rest of his followers, Paul testifies that Crescens was sent to Gaul; but Linus, whom he mentions in the Second Epistle to Timothyas his companion at Rome, was Peter’s successor in the episcopate of the church there, as has already been shown. Clement also, who was appointed third bishop of the church at Rome, was, as Paul testifies, his co-laborer and fellow-soldier." (Church History 3:4:9–10). http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.viii.iv.html

More other early Christian writings that refer to Peter as Bishop of Rome, see: http://www.americancatholictruthsociety.com/docs/ecfpapacy.htm

The Catholic Church believes the Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the "rock" of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock.

The Pope is the senior pastor of 1.1 billion Catholics, the direct successor of Simon Peter.

The Pope’s main roles include teaching, sanctifying, and governing.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 880-882: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p4.htm#880

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

They claim that Peter was the first pope, but that cannot be proven. I looked into this question in the past and there were at least two different lists of offical popes. Usually the earliest ones were in question. The fact is that the that after the Jesus left the earth through his acension, that the apostles went to different countries and regions. Rome was not the most prominent "parish" . But with conversion of Constanine, the Catholic church became more identified with Rome and they pushed to make Rome the most important center of Christianity. As a person who follows a Protestant tradion, I find that the idea of a Pope is man made, because when Jesus was on the earth, He did not designate who would sit on his right hand side in heaven. If Christ would have wanted to have establish that sort of authority, he would have left clear instructions with first Christians, and it would have been recorded clearly in the book of Acts. Paul doesn't mention a Pope. Peter might not have ever visited Rome as he was the one who was most closely identified with the Jews

Answer 3

According to Catholic theology, four popes, Linus, Anacletus, Clement I, and Evaristus, are said to have succeeded Peter up to the year 100 C.E. The Bible does mention a Christian named Linus who lived in Rome. (2 Timothy 4:21) However, there is nothing to suggest that Linus, or anyone else, was a papal successor to Peter. The apostle John, who penned five books of the Bible in the last decade of the first century, made no reference to any of the above so-called successors of Peter.
The pope is called “Successor to St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles.” But the Bible does not give the slightest trace that he was “prince of the apostles.” On the contrary, it gives abundant evidence that he was just one of the apostles and not the chief one. At Galatians 2:9 Paul writes of “James and Cephas [Peter] and John, the ones who seemed to be pillars.” Yet he puts James first. Would Paul have slighted the “prince of the apostles” by putting his name second in his list, if Peter was really chief of apostles? At a meeting in Jerusalem Peter made a speech but it was James who presided and made the decisions. If Peter was chief apostle it is unthinkable that he would have allowed James to preside over a most important meeting.

Answer 4

Depends on your definition of Pope. There has been a bishop of Rome since the first century. We have records of them (although not of Peter) They soon started to claim that they had supremacy over all over bishops, but the other bishops didn't really recognise it. Historians often consider Gregory the Great to be the first Pope, from the 7th century.

Answer 5

Peter was a pebble, and Christ is the rock and cornerstone and foundation.No where is the word catholic or pope used or hinted in the new or old books . Every one was called Christians starting at Antioch ..Peter lied and was embarrassed , and lost his faith , and denied being a follower.Is this the first lessons of popesAlso i belive the only time peter went to rome was when he was killed there

Answer 6

Yes. The Catholic Church can and does trace its Authority back to Jesus giving Saint Peter the keys (Authority) to the Kingdom to power to retain or to loose. Mt 16;19

The Popes are listed on NewAdvent.com from Pope Benedict XVI to Saint Peter by name and dates.

In Fact Saint Peter Basilica is built upon the Tomb of Saint Peter. Praise be Jesus Christ now and forever. The gates of hell shall never prevail against the Catholic Church.

Edit***Peter is named 195 in all Biblical translations, more than ALL the other Apostles put together. Why single him out if his ministry was not unique? Because Saint Peter was the Chief Shepherd of the Apostles.

Answer 7

Jesus gave the "keys of the Kingdom" (papal authority) to St. Peter, which makes him the first Pope. After St. Peter's death, the office was held by St. Linus.

The Church began with the celebration of the Mass and Eucharist in private homes, owing to the persecution of Christians. After the persecution was ended, the Church was able to celebrate the sacraments openly.

Edit:

Surely no one in their right minds believes the lies and hatred spewed by the writers of Chick tracts, do they? Chick tracts are virulently anti-Catholic and contain more falsehoods than a dog has fleas.

Answer 8

In order to understand the Papacy, we must know the Old Testament. The Davidic Kings would rule through a "prime minister", the Prime Minister was given full authority to rule in the King's absence, sickness, etc. Read Isaiah 22:22, in which the Prime Minister of David's Kingdom is given the "key to the house of David" and compare to what Christ-The Davidic High Priest-King, gives to St. Peter- the Prime Minister/Pope- in Matthew 16:19, by giving him the "keys of the kingdom of heaven". The Popes/Prime Ministers rule Christ's kingdom on earth-The Roman Catholic Church until he returns.

The Kingdom of Heaven=The Davidic Kingdom. Read 2 Chron. 13:8

Answer 9

yes saint peter was the first pope, go to any mosustary and you can get a poster of all of them like the presidents.

Answer 10

yes Peter was the first Pope. Jesus told Peter "Upon this rock I shall build my church."

Answer 11

        All this malarkey about Peter being the first pope is based upon one misunderstood and mistranslated passage of scripture -- which the devil deceived man into misunderstanding and mistranslating for the devil's own purposes. Here it is:

Mat. 16:13-20 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? (14) And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. (15) He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? (16) And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (17) And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. (18) And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (19) And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (20) Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

        What was Christ saying? If you compare the Greek, here is what He was actually saying:

Mat. 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art a rolling stone [Gr., m., petros], but upon this Immovable Rock [Gr., f., petra -- referring to verse 16] I will build my church; so the gates of the grave shall not prevail against it.

        Now, perhaps it is a minor point but, in the Greek, Peter's name would be "Petrus" (not "petros"). So this would seem to be an example of a purposeful "mistranslation" (into English), by the papal system, in an attempt to justify their claims. Note, also, that Jesus changed from the masculine to the feminine. Thus, He wasn't referring to Peter in any way, shape, or form.

        Further demonstration that Peter was not being elevated is this condemnation from Christ, Himself, which immediately follows the above circumstances:

Mat. 16:21-23 From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. (22) Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. (23) But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

        Finally, Christ was talking to *all* of the disciples -- not just Peter. Thus, the keys of the kingdom were being given to *all* of the disciples -- not just Peter.

God bless.