Before becoming a Catholic, there were a number of Catholic doctrines that I thought were clearly contrary to the Christian faith. I had been taught that these doctrines were not found in Scripture, and that they were foreign to the faith of the early church. I could not have been more wrong.
I now recognize that there are so many things in Scripture that I hadn’t noticed. I thought of Scripture primarily as a systematic theology textbook, one which would explicitly and plainly tell me everything that I could possibly know about Christian life and doctrine. My assumption was that the Holy Spirit was all I needed to guide me. I didn’t understand the degree to which Sacred Scripture is subtle and nuanced (on, for example, the doctrine of the trinity, or Christ’s two natures in one person), and I failed to realize that Christ had not only sent the Holy Spirit to guide me, but had also founded a visible Church.
Since joining this Church, there are so many patterns in Scripture that have come alive to me. I now want to focus on one at length: the primacy of Peter among the apostles, and the specific authority that Christ gave him as leader of the Church on earth.
Peter’s Primacy in Scripture
As a start, who are the twelve apostles? Let’s look at Scripture:
These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
-Matthew 10:2-4
Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James, and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot, and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
-Luke 6:12-16
So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter);James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder);and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
-Mark 3:16-18
When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
-Acts 1:13 (Judas Iscariot, having taken his own life, is obviously now omitted.)
If you are wondering why I just listed four Scripture references that all basically say the same thing, it is because I wanted to point out a pattern: when ever the apostles are named, Peter’s name always comes first. (For another example, see John 21:2.) That might seem arbitrary, and maybe it would be if it were the only argument for Peter’s primacy, but this is one, small clue out of many. Any one piece of evidence may seem insignificant on its own, but when examined as a whole, Peter’s emerging status as the leader of the apostles becomes clear.
When you look closely at the Scripture, you’ll also notice that Peter speaks up much more often than the other apostles, and that he often voices the questions or opinions of the group:
Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.”
– Mark 8:27-29
Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?”
– Luke 12:41
Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?”Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
– John 6:66-69
Many passages also start out with “Peter and the disciples…” (Mark 1:36, Mark 16:7, Luke 9:32), and it is Peter whom the tax collectors approach to ask if Christ will pay the temple tax:
When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?” He said, “Yes, he does.” And when he came home, Jesus spoke of it first, asking, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their children or from others?”When Peter said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the children are free. However, so that we do not give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you and me.”
-Matthew 17:24-27
Again, it may seem insignificant that Peter is mentioned more than the others, that he is named explicitly while the others are simply referred to as “the apostles”, and that he speaks up more than the others. But we also see that among the twelve, Jesus seems to show special attention to Peter, James, and John, often taking them aside at important moments:
The raising of Jairus’ daughter
When he came to the house, he did not allow anyone to enter with him, except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother.
-Luke 8:51
The transfiguration
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white.
-Matthew 17:1-2
Christ’s agony in the garden of Gethsemane
He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated.
-Mark 14:33
Christ was especially close with Peter, James, and John. Not only does he pull them aside on occasion, but these are the only three apostles that Christ renamed. In Scripture, names are often very meaningful, and when God himself gives you a new name, it always signifies a special calling or vocation. Remember that Abram, “Exalted Father,” becomes Abraham, “Father of Many Nations,” and Sarai becomes Sarah, signifying that she will be the mother of many nations. Jacob, “Supplanter” becomes Israel “God prevails,” Saul, “Asked for, Prayed for” becomes Paul, “Small, Humble,” James and John become Boanerges, or “Sons of Thunder,” (perhaps because they asked Christ if he wanted them to rain down fire on a Samaritan village? cf. Luke 9:54), and Simon, from the Hebrew, “listen,” becomes Kepha, Aramaic for “rock,” which in the Greek New Testament is rendered, “Petros.”
Beyond the unique attention that Christ shows Peter, James, and John, we also see Christ mentoring Peter in a special way. At this point, it is appropriate to bring up the most well-known passage that is used to argue for (or against) Peter’s primacy:
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
– Matthew 16:13-20
Even without worrying too much about what exactly Christ was referring to when he said, “and on this rock I will build my church”, this passage clearly shows that Peter was given a special role among the apostles. Even if you were to omit, “you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church” you still have Christ telling Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” When taken with all of the other passages that mention Peter (some I have already cited, some I will cite in following paragraphs), the context is clear: Christ is preparing Peter to be a leader among the apostles, and a steward and shepherd for the Church. Christ is the Shepherd and the Head of the Church, but in this passage, Christ is referring to Isaiah 22:20-23, where the Lord made His servant Eliakim steward of the kingdom of Judah, giving him the “key of the house of David,” with which “he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” It is to this role of stewardship that Christ refers when he gives Peter “the keys of the kingdom.”
Interestingly, it is only after Christ appoints Peter as leader that he begins to tell the disciples that he must lay down his life. It is immediately after entrusting the Church to the disciples, led by Peter, that he begins to speak about this clearly with them:
(Continuing from the previous passage)
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.
– Matthew 16:21-23
I bring up this passage not only to make my previous point, but also to acknowledge that Peter was far from perfect. Not only does Peter deny Christ three times, but Christ also refers to him as Satan! Peter’s frequent failures should not be ignored, but they also do not change the role and responsibility that Christ gave Peter. In a way, it almost makes sense that Christ would choose Peter as the leader. After all, he is the weakest. As Paul says, “Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) If Christ were to name a leader of the apostles as an steward and shepherd, it should not surprise us that it is the weakest of apostles that he chose.
We continue to see Christ’s special relationship with Peter in Christ’s final days with his disciples. We see Him preparing Peter for leadership in a way that we don’t see with the other apostles. During his agony in the Garden, Christ tells Peter, “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32)
After his death and resurrection, we also see this conversation at the end of John’s gospel:
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.”He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”
– John 21:15-17
After Christ’s ascension, we see that Peter’s leadership in the days of the early Church continues:
It was Peter who “stood up among the brothers” and suggested that Judas Iscariot’s office of apostle be taken by another. (Acts 1:15-26)
It was Peter who addressed the crowd during the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, (Acts 2:14) and it was Peter who exhorted the first converts at Pentecost, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you…” (Acts 2:37-2:40)
Peter performed the first healing of the Church age, (Acts 3:1-10) and we also see that, at one point, even Peter’s shadow had the power to heal. (Acts 5:12-16)
It was Peter who addressed the leaders of the temple in Jerusalem, both after the first healing (Acts 4:1-12), and after the apostles were first imprisoned. (Acts 5:27-32)
When Ananias and Sapphira’s deception is discovered, it was Peter who condemned them. (Acts 5:1-10)
Peter, along with John, went down to Samaria to pray for the new believers and lay hands upon them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:14-17)
When Paul traveled to Jerusalem to join the disciples, it was Peter (along with James) whom he sought. (Acts 9:26-30; Galatians 1:18-19)
When an angel of the Lord tells a Gentile named Cornelius, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God”, the angel tells him to seek Peter. It is Peter who then receives a vision from God illustrating that Gentiles are to be partakers of the new covenant, and it was Peter who ordered that the Gentile believers with Cornelius be baptized. (Acts 10:1-48)
When disagreement arose among Jewish Christians on whether Gentile converts must be baptized, the question was deferred to the apostles and the elders, and the first Church council was called in Jerusalem. After there had been much debate, it was Peter who rose and made a decisive judgement. (Acts 15:1-21)
Clearly, Peter had an incredibly significant role in the early Church. Though he is far from the only disciple or apostle who is used mightily, he plays a more prominent role that the other apostles. Even more interestingly, we see that Peter is often speaking with authority. Though he was certainly a flawed Christian and pastor (even needing a good scolding by Paul for his hypocrisy, see Galatians 2:11-15), the evidence for Peter’s primacy and leadership are clear in the Gospels and in the book of Acts.
Peter’s Primacy in the Early Church
Peter’s primacy is also very explicit in the writings of the Church Fathers. This is significant, because it represents the point of view that the earliest Christians held. When mentioning Peter, they consistently interpret Christ’s words in Matthew 16 as meaning that He will build his Church on Peter–not simply on Peter’s proclamation. They also recognize that Peter’s authority, and the passing on of his authority to his successors, is the guarantee of Christian unity:
Clement of Alexandria
[T]he blessed Peter, the chosen, the preeminent, the first among the disciples, for whom alone with himself the Savior paid the tribute (Matt. 17:27), quickly grasped and understood their meaning. And what does he say? “Behold, we have left all and have followed you” (Matt. 19:2 7, Mark 10:28).
Who is the Rich Man That is Saved? 21:3-5 [A.D. 200]
Letter of Clement to James
Be it known to you, my lord, that Simon [Peter], who, for the sake of the true faith, and the most sure foundation of his doctrine, was set apart to be the foundation of the Church, and for this end was by Jesus himself, with his truthful mouth, named Peter, the first-fruits of our Lord, the first of the apostles; to whom first the Father revealed the Son; whom the Christ, with good reason, blessed; the called, and elect.
Letter of Clement to James, Chapter 1 [A.D, 221]
Origen
And Peter, on whom the Church of Christ is built, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail left only one epistle of acknowledged genuineness.
Commentaries on John 5:3 [A.D. 226-232]
Cyprian
The Lord says to Peter: “I say to you,” he says, “that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church” . . . On him he builds the Church, and to him he gives the command to feed the sheep (John 21:17), and although he assigns a like power to all the apostles, yet he founded a single chair [cathedra], and he established by his own authority a source and an intrinsic reason for that unity. Indeed, the others were that also which Peter was [i.e., apostles], but a primacy is given to Peter, whereby it is made clear that there is but one Church and one chair. So too, all [the apostles] are shepherds, and the flock is shown to be one, fed by all the apostles in single-minded accord. If someone does not hold fast to this unity of Peter, can he imagine that he still holds the faith? If he [should] desert the chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, can he still be confident that he is in the Church?
The Unity of the Catholic Church 4 [A.D. 251]
Cyril of Jerusalem
In the power of the same Holy Spirit, Peter, both the chief of the apostles and the keeper of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, in the name of Christ healed Aeneas the paralytic at Lydda, which is now called Diospolis. (Acts 9:32-34).
Catechetical Lectures 17:27 [A.D. 350]
Optatus
In the city of Rome the Episcopal chair was given first to Peter, the chair in which Peter sat, the same who was head — that is why he is also called Cephas — of all the apostles, the one chair in which unity is maintained by all. Neither do the apostles proceed individually on their own, and anyone who would [presume to] set up another chair in opposition to that single chair would, by that very fact, be a schismatic and a sinner. . . . Recall, then, the origins of your chair, those of you who wish to claim for yourselves the title of holy Church.
The Schism of the Donatists 2:2 [circa A.D. 367]
Ambrose of Milan
It is to Peter that he says: ‘You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church’ (Matt. 16:18). Where Peter is, there is the Church. And where the Church is, no death is there, but life eternal.
Commentary on Twelve Psalms of David 40:30 [A.D. 389]
Jerome
‘But,’ you [Jovinian] will say, ‘it was on Peter that the Church was founded’ (Matt. 16:18). Well . . . one among the twelve is chosen to be their head in order to remove any occasion for division.
Against Jovinian 1:26 [A.D. 393]
I follow no leader but Christ and join in communion with none but your blessedness [Pope Damasus I], that is, with the chair of Peter. I know that this is the rock on which the Church has been built. Whoever eats the Lamb outside this house is profane. Anyone who is not in the ark of Noah will perish when the flood prevails.
Letters 15:2 [A.D. 396]
Augustine
Among these [apostles] Peter alone almost everywhere deserved to represent the whole Church. Because of that representation of the Church, which only he bore, he deserved to hear “I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven”.
Sermons 295:2 [A.D. 411]
Peter’s primacy is clearly seen in Scripture and the writings of the early Church. What is more, the Church Fathers recognize that the authority of Peter and his successors was crucial to the Church’s unity. Both Scripture and the Church Fathers teach that Christ is the true Head of the Church, the Chief Cornerstone, and the Church’s foundation, but Christ the King appointed a steward, knowing that he would be physically absent from his people. Much could be said about why Peter and his successors’ leadership is both practical and necessary for Church unity, but for now it will have to be enough to point out that it is both very biblical and undeniably supported by Christian tradition.