BIBLICAL REFERENCES FOR
THE PAPACY & THE ONE TRUE CHURCH
I. Peter is the Rock
on which the Church is Built
Mark
3:16; John 1:42 - Simon is renamed "Kepha" in Aramaic by God
which means "rock." Rock was not even a name in Jesus' time.
2
Sam. 22:2-3, 32, 47; 23:3; Psalm 18:2,31,46; 19:4; 28:1; 42:9; 62:2,6,7;
89:26; 94:22; 144:1-2 - God is also called "rock." But:
1
Cor. 3:11 - Jesus is the only foundation / Eph. 2:20 - apostles are the
foundation = there are multiple metaphors for the Church.
Gen.
17:5; 32:28; 2 Kings 23:34 - Abram-Abraham; Jacob-Israel,
Eliakim-Jehoiakim = when God changes a person's name, He changes their
status.
Matt.
16:13 - Jesus renames Simon in Caesarea Philippi near a massive rock
formation on which Herod built a temple to Caesar. This parallels Matt.
16:18.
Matt.
16:17 - Simon "Bar-Jona" shows Jesus was speaking Aramaic. In
Aramaic, Bar = son; Jonah = John or dove (Holy Spirit).
Matt
27:46; Mark 15:34 - another example of Jesus speaking Aramaic as He
cites the first verse in Psalm 22 declaring He is the Christ.
Matt.
16:18 - you are "Kepha" and on this "Kepha" I will
build my Church. In Aramaic, kepha = massive stone, versus evna = little
pebble.
Matt.
16:18 - also, taute = on "this" rock = on "this
same" rock, or "this very" rock. Taute = demonstrative
adjective in Greek, which proves Peter (not his confession of faith) is
the rock on which Jesus builds His Church.
Matt.
16:18 - in Greek, Petros is used to reflect the masculine noun (not
diminish Peter). Petros and petra were synonyms at the time the Gospel
was written. Lithos = pebble.
Matt.
16:18-19 - further, this is a three-fold blessing - Blessed are you, you
are Rock on which I will build my Church, I will give you the keys of
the kingdom (not "you received revelation, you are blessed, but you
are a little pebble, and I will build my Church on a 'real' rock").
Matt.
16:17 - Simon in Aramaic = grain of sand. It would thus be pointless for
Jesus to change the name from "grain of sand" to
"pebble."
Matt.
7:24 - Jesus, like the wise man, builds His house on the rock (Peter),
not on grain of sand (Simon) so the house will not fall.
Luke
6:48 - the house (Church) built upon rock (Peter) cannot be shaken by
floods (heresies, schisms, scandals - >2,000 years).
Matt.
16:21 - it was only after Jesus established Peter as leader of the
Church that He began to speak of His death and departure.
John
21:15 - Jesus asks Peter if he loves Jesus "more than these,"
referring to the other apostles. Jesus singles Peter out as the leader
of the apostolic college.
John
21:15-17 - Jesus selects Peter to be the chief shepherd of the apostles
- "feed my lambs," "tend my sheep," "feed my
sheep."
Luke
22:31-32 - Jesus also prays that Peter's faith may not fail and charges
Peter to be the one to strengthen the other apostles - "Simon,
satan demanded to have you (plural) to sift you (plural) like wheat, but
I prayed for you (singular) that your (singular) faith may not fail, and
when you (singular) have turned again, strengthen your brethren.
Acts
1,2,3,4,5,8,15 - no one questions Peter's authority to speak for the
Church, declare anathemas, and resolve doctrinal debates
II. Peter's Keys and
Papal Succession
Jer.
33:17 - Jeremiah prophesies that David shall never lack a man to sit on
the throne of the earthly House of Israel.
Dan.
2:44 - Daniel prophesies an earthly kingdom that will never be
destroyed. This requires succession.
Isa.
22:20 - in the old Davidic kingdom, Eliakim succeeds Shebna. The kingdom
has dynastic succession. King David was dead for centuries, but his
kingdom is preserved through a succession of representatives.
Isa.
22:19 - Shebna is described as having an "office" and a
"station." An office has successors. A kingdom requires
succession.
Isa.
22:21 - Eliakim is called father or papa of God's people. Pope = papa or
father in Italian. Pope = father of God's people.
Isa.
22:22 - keys of the kingdom pass from Shebna to Eliakim. Keys of
Christ's kingdom have passed from Peter to Linus all the way to our
current Pope.
Acts
1:20 - successors are chosen for the apostles' offices. Just as the
Church replaced Judas, it also replaced Peter after his death.
John
21:15-17; Luke 22:31-32 - Jesus' creation of Peter's office as chief
shepherd with keys passed to Linus, Cletus, Clement I, etc.
Matt.
23:2 - shows succession to the chair. Jesus respects Moses' seat
("cathedra") of authority that was preserved by succession.
Peter's seat is called the "cathedra."
Eph.
3:21 - Jesus Christ's Church will exist in all generations. Only the
Catholic Church can prove by succession such existence.
(Source:
www.scripturecatholic.com)
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