130. Was Peter the first pope?

Was Peter the first pope?

He was not. There was no pope until long after Peter was dead and buried. The papacy was a later growth, of which there was not even an apparent germ in the days of Peter. So far was Peter from being a pope that the apostle Paul rebuked him openly before them all (Galatians 2:14).

There is no proof that Peter was ever bishop of the church in Rome. There is no decisive proof that he was ever in Rome, but even if he was, he certainly was not a pope in any such sense as the word now bears. There is nothing in the Bible that warrants such an office as that of pope. In fact, Jesus Christ expressly forbids any man holding such an office. He says in Matthew 23:8 and following verses: “Be not ye called rabbi, for One is your teacher, even Christ, and all ye are brethren; and call no man your lather on the earth, for One is your Father, which is in heaven; neither be ye called masters, for One is your Master, even Christ.” Now the pope claims to be a “father” in the very sense used here, in the very sense that Jesus forbids that any man be called father.