Peter: The Head of the Church

                                                             Tradition: Peter is the Head of the Church

                                                             Truth: Christ is the Head of the Church

     Catholicism's ancient tradition says that Peter was the first pope of the church in Rome and therefore the Head of the Church.  Although there is absolutely no historical record that he even visited Rome, this tradition is firmly held based on an inaccurate translation of Matthew 16:18: "Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build My church". This statement made by the Lord Jesus Christ is referring to the declaration/confession made by Peter in v.16: "Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God".

     It is upon this truth of Christ's being the Messiah, the eternal Son of God, that the Lord builds upon, this fact about the identity of Christ the Messiah that Peter openly confessed when questioned by the Lord as to who He was, is the 'rock', the Foundation, the Stone, the Chief Cornerstone, the Lord Jesus Christ upon which He the Lord Jesus will build His Church!

     In addition Peter was not celibate, for Scripture shows that he must have been  married for the Lord Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law Mark 1:29-31. This violation of the requirements of the Catholic church tradition would have disqualified Peter from even being considered as the head of the Catholic church. But, we do know that Peter was a powerful preaching/healing Apostle and an Elder (I Peter 5:1) of the church in Jerusalem for his ministry is seen throughout the early chapters of the book of Acts.

     The Scripture clearly states the fact of the Lord Jesus Christ being the Head of His Church in Ephesians 1:19-23: 

"And what is the exceeding greatness of His power, to usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come. And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all."

      Peter himself points to this very truth in Acts 10:43 when he said this in his sermon to the Gentiles: "To Him (the Lord Jesus Christ) give all the prophets witness..." and again in I Peter 2:25 he calls Christ the "the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls”.  Also in I Peter 5:4 Peter refers to the Lord Jesus as the "chief Shepherd" indicating Peter's teaching as to who is the Head of the church.

     Peter understood the need for God's supernatural working through the Lord Jesus Christ who all the prophets pointed to as the Messiah, the Saviour, the Deliverer.  He also understood that this One Who would die for the sins of mankind would also be the One who would be the Bishop, the Overseer, the Guide, the Leader of the souls of His children, the Lord Jesus Christ, who would also be the Shepherd, feeding, guarding, nourishing His sheep, yes it is Jesus, the Head of the Church, and soon Coming King as revealed in the precious Truth of the Word of God!

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