The papacy sees itself as the “god-given” successorship of the apostle Peter. According to this hypothesis, he was the first pope of the Roman Catholic Church. The apostolic succession is therefore founded on the rock. A fable.
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Papacy stubbornly clings to fable
The Roman Catholic Church bases its apostolic self-understanding on a misunderstanding that has become dear to it and has been told many times. The Pope is the legitimate successor of the Apostle Peter. Simon, son of Jonah, also called Peter, was the first pope of this church. Jesus Christ appointed Peter as the first church leader, handed him the “keys” to heaven’s gate and also transferred all powers of attorney. If you look for such information in the Bible, you will not find much on it.
In short: This traditionally erected steep thesis of this church about an “apostolic succession” has just as much truth content as the former “Donation of Constantine”, which turned out to be the greatest fraud of the world and time at that time. A (clumsily) fake deed of gift. In this, as in the successorship of Peter, nothing is correct at all.
In the book of Matthew, chapter 16, verses 18-19 the following statement is found:
“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. 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.”
Rock or stone?
At first glance, the verse sounds a lot like Jesus Christ calling His disciple Simon the “rock”. But that is not the case.
Because “Peter” is a title, an appendage or an epithet of Simon. In the basic text of the Bible one finds the word “petros” (πετρος) at this point and that is definitely not the rock, but “only” a boulder or a stone. Behind the word “rock” is the Greek word “petra” (πετρα) and that is actually a rock or a stone foundation.
Now who is the rock? That is Jesus Christ Himself. He Himself is the foundation, the rock of the church, and Simon (Peter) is a stone, a part of that church. The fact that Jesus Christ was repeatedly referred to as the rock can also be understood in other places in the Bible. Even Moses had to experience this when he was supposed to hit the rock so that water would come out. However, in his anger at “stubborn” Israel, Moses struck the rock twice, and this had consequences. The smiting of the rock symbolized the smitten body of Jesus Christ through His crucifixion. Therefore, only hit once and not twice or more. Because Jesus Christ gave himself once and thus finally as a sacrifice. A circumstance which, for example, the Eucharist of the Roman Catholic Church completely ignores(more Info). Paul also unequivocally confirms the portrayal of Jesus Christ as the rock, as in 1 Corinthians 10:2-4:
“And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”
This would already prove that Simon Peter was not the rock, but a stone, a boulder that springs from this rock. At this point, nothing would remain of a foundation in the self-understanding of the Roman Catholic Church.
The handed over key
The key to the “kingdom of heaven” symbolically handed over to Simon Peter was apparently interpreted by the Church of Rome during hyperventilation. In no time at all, the “fathers of this church” want to have recognized the transfer of the house rights when the keys were handed over. Comparing this handing over of keys to handing over a car key, Simon Peter received the task of teaching people how to drive. What did the Church of Rome make of it? They understand it as a right to ownership of the car, the right to change the model and color of the vehicle at will and also to change the road traffic regulations (change of commandments) at their own discretion. In addition, there is a separate set of rules (catechism) that is superordinate to this order and that also contains the statute that traffic police officers (priests) can judge at their own discretion and the judge (God) has to kindly stick to it.
This presumption sounds absurd, but it is recorded in writing and thus attested by the “saint” Alphonsus Liguori(more Info).
Key thesis of the power of attorney to date
The sermon of Bishop Abromeit in the St. Nikolai Cathedral in Greifswald on Whit Monday on June 10, 2019, proves that this Catholic “key theory” has endured to this day.
An excerpt from this sermon:
“It is about the keys with which one can open and close the kingdom of heaven. Dear community, this is about something unbelievable. A person is given the power to open the kingdom of God or to keep it closed. It’s outrageous that Jesus gave Peter the authority to open heaven for other people. The office of the keys does not only mean confession. It means the power to forgive sins in time and eternity – or to leave them.”
Who alone can forgive sins but God alone? The Pharisees asked Jesus Christ this question when he forgave the sins of a sinner. Simon Peter received the keys for the opening of the gate not in the sense of a power of attorney for all time, but in the sense of what today one would say as access codes for the knowledge of how people can enter the kingdom of heaven. So the gospel and its statements about conversion, repentance, baptism, sanctification, etc. So the pure teaching within a missionary assignment.
For rocks, Mithras’ origin rather than Simon
The Vatican accommodates the so-called “Pontifex Maximus” with the Pope. A title of “supreme bridge builder” inherited from ancient Babylon through the ancient Roman Empire. The highest priest of “Baal” and thus also his adorable deputy. He also held the keys to the gate of Baal. Furthermore, the practices and symbols of this church are more closely related to Mithraism (Info) and ancient Egyptian superstitions (Info) than to Christianity. For example, “God” Mithras sprung from a rock. Anyone who builds on Mithras can of course refer to a rock.
This self-empowerment of the Church of Rome has run like a (blood) red thread through history since its formation to the present day. And there are more and more church communities that, as daughters of this “mother church” of Rome, seek solidarity through forced ecumenism. However, as the Bible foretells, while this church will mostly (not fully) bring people into line, it will only do so for a short time.
Bible verses from King James Version
