Here is the biblical description of the church.
Show any faith other than catholic that meets this description...
Jesus [did not] gave Peter authority over the church, and is
so wrong to say the pope is now the the vicar of Christ.
The Rock
Then Jesus added: “And I say also unto thee, That thou art
Peter” (Greek inspired original word, Petros, meaning a stone),
“and upon this rock” (Greek inspired original word, petra,
meaning a ledge or shelf of rock or a crag) “I will build my
church …” (Matthew 16:18).
Peter was also called Cephas (Greek Képhas, from the Aramaic Kêpha).
In John 1:40-42 is related how Andrew,Simon Peter’s brother, found Peter,
and brought him to Jesus.“And when Jesus beheld him, he said,
Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas,
which is by interpretation, a stone”
The English word stone is translated from the Greek word petros,
meaning a single stone or loose stone. Also the Greek word Kephas
means such a stone, referring definitely to a human man.
when Jesus said “upon this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18),
the Greek word, as written originally by Matthew, was not either Kephas or petros,
but petra, which means a large massive rock.
a few other passages where this same Greek word petra is used. In Matthew 7:24,
Jesus spoke of the man who built his house on a rock. The Greek word is petra
In Matthew 27:60, it is stated that the tomb in which Jesus was buried, after the crucifixion,
was hewn out in the rock — in the petra! This is a mass of rock, not a single stone.
The Greek petra cannot mean the human Peter, but the glorified Christ! Speaking of the
Israelites under Moses, in the wilderness, Paul writes: “… for they drank of that spiritual
Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4).
In plain language, then, that petra was Christ—but the
smaller stone, petros, or Kephas, was Simon Peter.
Behold, I lay in Sion [the Church] a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that
believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is
precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed,
the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of
offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also
they were appointed” (1 Peter 2:6-8).
In the above passage Peter is speaking to the Church.
He quoted from Isaiah 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”!
This pictures Christ as that foundation of the Church, on which it is built.
God’s Church was built on the ROCK (its foundation),Christ—not on the stone, Peter
The Church is described in Ephesians 2:20 as being “built upon the foundation of the
apostles and prophets [including Old Testament prophets], Jesus Christ himself being
the chief corner stone.”
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid,
which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11)
“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5)He is shown
in Revelation 1:13, 18 to be the living Head, spiritually in the midst of the Church.
“Christ is the head of the church”! (Ephesians 5:23). Read it
also in Ephesians 4:15; 1:22; Colossians 1:18; 2:19.
He has been the living Head and High
Priest of the true Church, which He built.
Mat 16:17 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.
Mat 16:18 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.
Mat 16:19 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 the Greek the word for Peter and Rock are different. We find this written about the Rock...
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.
1Pe 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner
stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
1Pe 2:7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient,
the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
1Pe 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the
word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
In these cases the Rock is referring to Christ, not Peter.
Keys to the Kingdom, binding and loosing?
Suppose the one who bears the keys through the primacy of Peter decides to worship the Devil.
Will that be bound in heaven? Now I know that is an extreme case but it makes the point.
Let's look at this. First of all the key is a symbol of authority...
Isa 22:22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open,
and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
Rev 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;
Do we then suppose that Peter would allow or deny access into the Kingdom of God?
Pretty sure that is not the case...
Joh 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
Here it plainly says that Christ does ALL judging. So how are we then to understand...
Mat 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.
Mat 18:19 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.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Context...
Mat 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.
Mat 18:16 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.
Mat 18:17 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 an heathen man and a publican.
Mat 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.
Mat 18:19 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.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
The context is how to deal with a brother that has wronged you. Step by step conflict resolution...
1) First and foremost, go directly to him and talk to him.
If you can come to resolution, great! If not...
2) Take two or three witnesses (impartial, I should add) and again talk to him.
If you come to resolution great. If not...
3) Take the matter to the church. If he still won't come to resolution,
then he is to be put out of the church.
When these steps are done correctly and in good faith, then the decision is bound
in heaven as well as on earth in the church.
This procedure is not to change doctrine established in the Bible, it is to deal with
case by case situations that arise and are not covered by Biblical precedents.