The Pope of Roman Catholicism
By Nick Bibile
What
is the meaning of Pope?
The word pope means Papa, Father.
Many are calling him Holy Father. This
is an abomination to God. Jesus said, "Call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father,
which is in heaven" (Matt. 23:9)
Here Jesus is not talking of our physical
fathers but referring to a spiritual father, the only spiritual Father we have
is God not the Pope. The Pope commands all to call him `Holy Father', and his priests feel
insulted if persons do not address them as `Father'
The word was first applied about 500
A.D to all Bishops and then it became restricted to the Bishop of Rome. Roman
Catholic Church will list Peter as the first Pope but in truth for 500 years
there were no Popes. It was first
given to Gregory I by the wicked emperor Phocas, in
the year 604. Gregory, however, refused the title, but his second successor,
Boniface III (607) assumed the title, and it has been the designation of the
bishops of Rome ever since.
Was Peter
the first Pope in Rome?
Pope is falsely called the successor of Apostle
Peter, historically; no one can prove Peter
was the first bishop of Rome. Acts 28:30 it says that Paul spent two entire
years at Rome in his own quarters, welcoming everyone who came to him. Now if
Peter were in Rome being the first pope why didn’t Apostle Paul mention that he
visited Peter even once.
If Peter was the first Pope why
didn’t the rest of the apostles recognize his divine appointment? They gave
more supremacy to Apostle James.
In Acts
15 we find the great Jerusalem Council. Again, if anywhere Peter’s papacy
should be recognized, here is the first counsel and we see Peter does not act
like a pope but makes his defense but it is not Peter who has the last word, it
is James. It was James who concludes the matter and then the vote is taken.
James had more supremacy over Peter.
Ac 21:18 And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and
all the elders were present.
Ga 2:9 And when James, Cephas,
and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me,
they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go
unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
If Peter was the first Pope then
why Apostle Paul rebuke him?
According
to the Roman Catholic Church the Pope is infallible, means he never makes
mistakes. No one can rebuke the pope. However Apostle Paul rebuked Peter.
Ga 2:11 But
when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to
be blamed.
Did Peter ever claim to be the
Pope?
There is
not one verse in the Bible where Apostle Peter claimed to be the first Pope.
Peter said he was apostle and elder but not a pope.
1Pe 5:1 The elders which are among you
I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and
also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.
Pope
had stolen the titles that belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and by committing
blasphemy against God.
Universal Bishop
Pope is called the
Universal Bishop. This is again blasphemy again the
God as this title belongs not to the pope but to the Lord Jesus Christ.
1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree,
that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes
ye were healed. 25 For ye were as sheep
going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your
souls.
Our
Most Holy Lord
Pope is
called, 'Our Most Holy Lord' - Council of Trent, 1545. Here again the glory that belongs
to God is being stolen by the pope. Read Isaiah 6:3
Isa 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is
the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
God’s holiness is repeated not to
the second degree but to the third degree, which means he is infinitely holy.
On the other hand the Antichrist is called with the number 666, repeated to the
third degree of evil
Head of the Church
The
pope is called the head of the church. Again this title does not belong to the
pope but to Christ Jesus.
Col 1:18 And
he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn
from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
The Chief Shepherd.
Pope
is not the Chief Shepherd but Christ is the Chief Shepherd.
1Pe 5:3 Neither
as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall
appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth
not away.
Is the Church built on Peter or
Jesus?
Roman
Catholics go to the Bible to say that Peter was the first Pope. Let us see the
scripture.
Mt 16:15
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 Barjona: 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.
In Verse
17, Jesus calls Peter Simon Barjona. He does not call him Peter but calls his real
name, Simon Barjona, Barjona
means son of Jonah. He calls him blessed are you Simon, son of Jonah.
Then in verse 18 Jesus said, thou
art Peter. It is very interesting a
verse later he doesn’t call him Simon son of Barjona
but address him, thou art Peter. Simon Barjona was
also called Peter.
Mt 4:18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw
two brethren, Simon called Peter,
and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
What is the meaning of Peter?
Peter in Greek is Petros it means a small rock or a
stone. Jesus in Matthew 16:18 said, Thou art Peter, meaning a small rock/stone. Then Jesus
said upon this rock. Rock here in Greek is not Petros
but Petra meaning a large rock and on that large rock he will build his church
not on a stone.
He did not say upon you Peter the
small rock/stone I am going to build by church. But Jesus said upon this rock
referring to him as the large rock. If Jesus appointed Peter to be the first
Pope then a few verses later Jesus called the First Pope Satan get thee behind.
Infallibility of the pope is vanished in few seconds!
Mt 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou
art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the
things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Also the rest of the scriptures
in the Bible the rock is referred not to Peter but to
Jesus.
1Co 10:4 And
did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock
that followed them: and that Rock was
Christ.
Jesus is the rock not Peter or
the Popes. They all died but Jesus
lives. If the church is built on a man’s foundation we are in trouble. But the
true church is built on Jesus the rock and it cannot be destroyed.
Mt 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken
him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods
came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was
founded upon a rock.
In the Old Testament the Rock was
referred to the LORD.
Ps 94:22 But
the LORD is my defense; and my God is the rock of my refuge.
Peter
himself said in his epistle that we are all living stones built up a spiritual
house and Christ is the Chief Cornerstone.
1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a
holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus
Christ.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the
scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, and precious: and
he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
Apostle
Paul said the chief cornerstone is Jesus not Peter.
Eph 2:19
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with
the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed
together groweth unto a holy temple in the
Lord:
Foundation
of the Church is not Peter but Christ as per Apostle Paul.
1 Cor 3: 11
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is
Jesus Christ.
Isa 28:16
Therefore thus saith the
Lord GOD, Behold; I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a
precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make
haste.
Did Jesus give authority to Peter
only?
What
about Jesus telling Peter: “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.” (Matt 16: 19)
The word
keys are used as metaphorically as a key has to do with a door. Keys of the kingdom of heaven has to do with door of faith,
the door for the gospel. It was first given to Peter and we see at the
Pentecost how the Lord used Peter opening this door to the Jews in preaching
the gospel (Acts 2:1) and then to the Gentiles (Acts 10:1) But it was not only
given to Peter but to the rest of the apostles, a commission to preach the
gospel to all nations, then to all the believers. It was not given to one man
but to the church in unity.
Only
Jesus has the keys to hell and death.
Re 1:18 I
am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am
alive for evermore, Amen; and have the
keys of hell and of death.
Only
Jesus has the authority to shut and open doors
Re
3:7 And to the angel of the church in
Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is
holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and
shutteth, and no man openeth;
What
about when Jesus said, “whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed
in heaven.”
Here we
see Jesus gave the church to exercise authority in reference to church
discipline, this authority was not only to Peter but to the church.
Mt 18:15 Moreover if thy
brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and
him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take
with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every
word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell
it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the
church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.
Mt 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind
on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall
be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say unto you, that if two of you
shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they
shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
Then who is the Pope?
Pope is the substitute of Christ
Jesus, very clearly an anti Christ.
The New
York Catechism says, "The Pope
takes the place of Jesus Christ on earth. By divine right, the Pope has supreme
and full power in faith and morals over each and every pastor and his flock. He
is the true Vicar of Christ, the Head of the entire Church, the father and
teacher of all Christians. He is the infallible ruler, the founder of dogmas,
the author of and the judge of councils, the universal ruler of truth, the
arbiter of the world, the supreme judge of heaven and earth, the judge of all,
being judged by no one, God Himself on earth."
The Greek word [anti] in
scripture most nearly denotes something that is "in place of" another
thing. The root meaning is, "instead of" or "in place of".
It is not the original but a substitution, not Christ but a substitute for
Christ. Instead of
Christ a false Christ an Antichrist.
Mt 24:4 And Jesus
answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceives you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am
Christ; and shall deceive many.
Conclusion.
Now let’s see the greatest preacher
of all time next to Jesus and the apostles, Charles Spurgeon what he had to say
of the Pope.
“Of all the dreams that ever deluded
men, and probably of all blasphemies that ever were uttered, there has never
been one which is more absurd, and which is more fruitful in all manner of
mischief, than the idea that the Bishop of Rome can be the head of the church
of Jesus Christ. No, these popes die, and how could the church live if its head
were dead? The true Head ever lives, and the church ever lives in him.” - MTP Vol 14 pg. 621.
“Christ did not redeem his church
with his blood that the pope might come in and steal away the glory. He never
came from heaven to earth, and poured out his very heart that he might purchase
his people, that a poor sinner, a mere man, should be set upon high to be
admired by all the nations, and to call himself God's representative on earth.
Christ has always been the Head of the church.” - MTP Vol
60 pg. 592
Roman
Catholicism is not telling the truth but the word of God the Bible is telling
the truth. The Roman church is not infallible but the word of God is infallible.
The pope
is not infallible but the Lord Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
He is
the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
The teachings of Rome is full of error as it denies the original sin,
justification by faith alone, salvation by grace alone.
The
Church of Rome takes great pains in not telling the truth and wants people to
stay in ignorance of the word of God.