Was Peter the First Pope?

By Mark Swarbrick

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by Mark Swarbrick

On This Rock…What Rock?

In Matthew Chapter 16 Jesus says to Peter, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church…” Catholicism claims that this statement is proof that Peter was the first pope. However, we know from many other scriptures that Jesus is the Rock and that Jesus is the Cornerstone of the church, not Peter.

It also should be be noted that Peter never claimed to some sort of pope. Rather, he refers to himself in his epistles as a ‘fellow elder’. Neither is there any instructions in the New Testament for selecting subsequent popes. While there are instructions for elders and deacons, nothing is said about so-called popes. Indeed, the entire word is foreign to Scripture. Clearly, papism is an invention of Catholicism.

Let us look at this passage in context and we can see what it really says. As you read the passage below, ask yourself, “What is the context?”

 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. (Matthew 16:13-20)

Context is King 

Any student of Scripture knows that context is king when it comes to proper hermeneutics. Cults and false teachers are notorious for taking scriptures out of context and twisting them to mean what they were never intended. Catholics do this in Matthew 16: 13-20 to try to prove that Peter was the first pope. But the context of the passage is not who Peter is, but who Jesus is.

The discussion was not about Peter being appointed as a pope, but rather it is all about Jesus’ identity. Throughout the New Testament the central message is the personage of Jesus. “Who do you say that I am?” is the question upon which rests every individual’s salvation. It is faith in who Jesus said he was that is fundamental to the gospel message. When Peter gets it right, “You are the Christ,” then Jesus commends him. Jesus expounds that this statement is foundational, that it is the rock upon which Christ will build his church. He commends Peter and explains that in God’s providence and plan, that the one whose name means rock, was the first to proclaim forth the foundational rock of Christianity – belief in the name of Jesus as the Christ, as it says in Romans 10:8-9

…the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Confession of Christ as Lord is the Rock

Do you see that this is the rock? It is confession of Christ which is the rock, not Peter. Think about it: When you confess that Jesus is the Christ and confess with your mouth and make him Lord of your life, it is that which brings salvation, adds you to the church, and brings you into right relationship with God. It is that which is the rock upon which Christ builds his church. His church is built by adding members to it, and members are added, not by faith in Peter as a pope, but by people professing and confessing their faith in Jesus as the Christ.

Keys of the Kingdom

Jesus said to Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”  What did he mean by that? What are the keys? Catholics are taught to believe that this gave Peter some special authority. But we know that cannot be so, for shortly after this Jesus instructs them that all in the church are to be equal brothers and sisters and that the authoritative pompous way of the world was not to be the pattern for the church:

Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. (Luke 22:25-26)

Here was the perfect place for Jesus to say that Peter was the greatest, and proclaim him the first pope, if that were really the case. But that is not said. Instead Jesus says, “You are not to be like that.” So what did Jesus mean by this reference to the keys of the kingdom? The phrase “keys to the kingdom of heaven” is merely a poetic reference to the gospel message, for acceptance thereof is what grants one entrance to heaven. Jesus was going to give the authority and responsibility of the proclamation and definition of the gospel to Peter, but not to him (or any imagined successors) exclusively as Catholicism would say.  Peter, as representative of the apostles as a whole, was to be given the keys, and by inference and extension, all the apostles were to be recipients of the keys.

Notice Jesus speaks in the future tense: Peter doesn’t yet have the keys, but Jesus will (future tense) give them to him. Jesus next launches into an explanation that he is going to die, which is the reason for speaking of the keys. Peter had just declared to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Jesus, upon hearing this declaration and seeing that his disciples have come to understanding of his nature, realizes that his earthly mission was nearly finished, for the disciples were nearly ready to become apostles; thus the discussion of the keys.

Jesus currently held the keys, in that while he was on earth his word was the ultimate authority for truth. After Christ’s death and resurrection, and the disciples tarried in wait for the Holy Spirit, they at that time received the keys to the kingdom. Now, as possessors of the “keys to the kingdom of heaven” they were no longer just disciples, but were now fully qualified apostles, with authority to proclaim the word of God by their writing and speaking. They realized the mantle had passed to them and immediately began to minister in that capacity.

Although Jesus was speaking to Peter, in the hearing of the apostles, these words were not only for Peter, but by extension to all the apostles, for all the apostles proclaimed salvation to “whosoever believes.” The “key” to entering heaven is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostles proclaimed that message and any Christian who preaches salvation to others is wielding the keys to the kingdom of heaven, for it is not Peter who decides who goes to heaven, it is determined by our choice, by whether we believe or not. And when the apostles or any Christian proclaims the truth of God’s word, that there is salvation in Jesus and in no other name, signs and wonders follow the preaching of this message and people make decisions which will affect them for eternity in this life and the next. Truly, response to the word of God binds things in heaven and on earth, but not only for Peter but for all Christians.

Double Reference

Proper understanding of double reference is a hermeneutical  principle that is key to the proper interpretation of Scripture. Sometimes Jesus spoke a truth to one disciple which was in fact truth for all. At times, when Jesus spoke to the disciples, his words to them were also words to us. Communion is a perfect example: Jesus told the twelve at the last supper, “Do this in remembrance of me.” But nowhere did Jesus ever tell the rest of the church to practice communion. He only said it to the twelve. Jesus never told any others to do this.

Yet we practice communion. Why? Because there was a double reference intended. We practice communion and rightly so, for those words were not just for the twelve, but for us as well. He said those words to the apostles, but by extension they applied to us also. In the same way then, these words to Peter about the keys of the kingdom and binding and loosing were not just for Peter and not just for the twelve, but for us also.

And this is mighty wonderful news!  How sad it would be if only Peter could proclaim the truth of the gospel and loose the powers of heaven upon earth. Praise be to God that all believers have this power! When we proclaim and believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of the living God, then we stand upon the solid rock of truth upon which the church is built and we can, with faith, command demons to flee and mountains to move as we believe Jesus’ words:

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24)

All Christians Have the Keys

This power to bind the powers of Satan and to loose the mercies of God was not only for Peter, but for all of the church to use as we make disciples of all nations. We all – all Christians – hold the keys to the kingdom of heaven. We can speak with authority to all who will hear us, that if they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, that entrance to heaven is given to them. Faith in Christ is the key to heaven.

How much more wonderful this truth is than Catholicism’s distortion! Catholicism would take this great truth and twist into a depraved system wherein a pompous pope supposedly holds the keys to God’s kingdom and can decide who enters there based upon indulgences purchased for money. What wicked arrogance this is! Truly this is a doctrine of demons.

This article is part of our series on Catholicism. See the full index here: The False Teachings of Catholicism



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