Bekir Dönmez

Before rediscovering the beauty of Church Authority, the individualist in me, and my side trip to Protestantism, had an allergic reaction to authority.

I decide. It was up to me.

I became accustomed to hearing, ‘check this church and see if you like it’. Or akin to say where do I feel like to go? Or I didn’t find the church that I like the most. And churches continue to split. I thought, what is this behind the division and conflict? So who can I go to, if me and my Christian brothers/sisters argued? 

What can unify us? Authority.

Approx. reading time – 18 minutes.

I stumble a book called The Popes: Every Question Answered. This seemed to promise that every question I have in this subject, have answers. I borrowed it right away at my local library. And began to learn more about the top official in the Catholic Church, called the Pope.

The Office of Papacy, the arbitrator

The Pope holds the highest authority over the Universal Church (Catholic). As with every large institution in the world, it is only natural to have a leader. The Pope is also an arbitrator. He is the one who resolves disputes and settles resolution between people and groups. They do not teach heresy. They keep the moral code and traditions passed down by their predecessors. The papacy office is like a presidency, but both political and religious. It is the longest existing office in the world.

The Pope is from a Greek word meaning ‘father’. This is not a formal title, but more of a nickname. In the early centuries AD, people will say to a bishop ‘pope‘, if he showed care for his congregation. Then by 470 AD, the bishops of Rome were being given this title whether they show pastoral care or not. It was not exclusive to the Roman Bishop until Pope Gregory VII made it so.

The Origin

‘Upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. ‘ – Matthew 16

The verse above is of crucial importance to the papacy. This verse is taken to mean that Jesus entrusted the care of His followers to Simon Peter. Peter had to carry this duty, which is later passed on to his successors. The successors became what we now call ‘Popes’. Jesus Christ gave Peter the name or title of ‘Cephas‘, an Aramaic word for ‘Rock’. This name was later rendered into Greek as ‘Peter’. Simon became Peter, as he is known today.

This is a debatable verse to undermine the Scriptural authority of the Pope. With 30,000+ denominations today, it is easy to claim preposterousness that Peter is the origin of Papacy.

Jesus Christ continued speaking to Peter. “I will give you keys to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound on heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

The verses above have been disputed, particularly by Protestant theologians. But there can be no doubt that Jesus intended Peter to have a special role of some kind. Jesus later reinstate him to feed His lambs, take care of His sheep, and feed His sheep (John 21:15).

I came back to the Catholic Church because of Authority. If there is something hard to understand in the scriptures, I go to the church to interpret it for me. Thus, finding the correct church was key for the right meaning. The easiest way to understand this verse is by going back to the history. There is more depth-ness of what is going on here. We should not look at it in the lens of a democratic America, nor an experience of a 21st western civilization. But rather from the place and time of Jesus Christ. In culture, events, and types of people.

But before I go over the depth-ness of history, let me tell you 3 factors on this verse.

Critical Pointers

1. The disputed term for ‘rock’ in Greek.

Critics often refer to the masculine and feminine Greek word for rock. The term Petros (Peter) and the term for petra (rock). Going by ‘You are Petros (Peter) and on this petra (rock), I will build my church.’ The petra term which is a feminine noun, has been modified to have a masculine ending (petros). Since one would not refer to a man (Peter) as feminine.

Also, Jesus actually spoke Aramaic. As John 1:42 tells us, in everyday life he referred to Peter as Kepha or Cephas.

And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

John 1:42

But critics overlook that it is this very term ‘Cephas or Kephas’ that is translated into Greek as petros (the masculine version of Rock). In short, what Jesus actually said to Peter in Aramaic was:

"You are Kepha and on this kepha I will build my church."

2. If the first verse is not significant, then why did Jesus give Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven?

Peter is in charge as the royal steward of the Kingdom in the absence of Jesus. He has a mission. So clearly, this second verse is related to the first verse.

Read the section of Why is there a Succession?

3. Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter.

The change of name is remarkable and life-changing. It implies that something is about to happen and reflects a mission that a person receives. Only God can change names. See the example of Abram to Abraham (father of multitude of nations), from Simon to Peter. Peter has a mission in the divine kingdom. On Mother Mary, ‘Hail full of grace’, in Greek actually means ‘You who have been made full of Grace’. That was Mary’s name in the eyes of God.

The Depth-ness of History, Explained

The Rock

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” – Matthew 16:13

The Context of this verse is to understand the Setting.

Jesus took his disciples to the land of Caesarea Philippi. This place is the land of the Gentiles. They went from Galilee all the way to the tip of Israel. This is a pagan territory, far from Jerusalem. It is a place of pagan worship. When Jesus asked, ‘Who do you say that I am’, it was Peter who got it right. Not exactly by himself, this time, but is a revelation from God. Jesus saying, you did not get this from your own head. You received this from my father who is in heaven. Now I am going to define you and return the favor.

On this site, has a huge rock, the foothills of Mt Hermon. On the left has a huge cave, and to the right are pagan idols used to be placed right in the rock. Unholy masses are going on in front of this statues. There was a white marble temple in front of the cave. A temple that was built by Herod the Great, and there, the gentiles came to worship Cesar as their lord. And people came there to make devotions to Cesar Augustus and give obeisance. There was a flowing river water at the bottom of the cave. These pagans consider it as the entrance to the netherworld or hades. Early historians wrote that the water is bottomless. That’s why it’s believed that it was the entrance to the supernatural world. That is why, Jesus said to Peter on giving the keys, ‘No gates of Hades or hell will prevail against it.’ They would throw their living sacrifice into the water. As described by Josephus, if blood is present in the river water, the god(s) rejected the sacrifice. If there is no blood, the god(s) accepted it. This is the very opposite of Christianity. Without the shedding of blood, there is no sacrifice. Today, this place is called Banyas. Originally, Panyas, which means the city of pan, the god – Pan.

For Jesus to take his disciples all the way to this pagan site, He was making an announcement. That on this false rock, worshipping a false god, in a false church, He said-

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 16:18

Matthew wrote the gospel in Hebrew. Then was later translated into Greek. In reference to John 1:42, Bible translator used the word Petros, the Greek male version of Rock. But Jesus did not say it in Greek. Jesus spoke Aramaic, which is cephas/kepha, for rock.

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The Keys

Other Christians think that the ‘keys’ Jesus was referring to, are the Gospel!

But this is a very different meaning in the place and time of Jesus Christ. What did the jews think when they heard about the keys?

Answer is : The Royal Steward. See ‘Why is there a succession?’ for Bible verses.

In that place and time, in Jewish kingdom, the king had a royal steward! In Isaiah 22:22, this royal steward had a special robe, a special office. He was called father. See, Peter and his disciples were thinking about Israel, the monarchy and the kings. This is not the same thinking as the modern day, democratic America. The keys of the steward are bigger. The romans invented smaller keys. But the keys of Israelites, they were a lot bigger. So, whoever was carrying the keys, they know who he was.

Jesus did not say y’all. He said ‘you’. It is exclusive. Like an owner (Jesus) of the house, he appointed a steward for his house. When the owner comes back, the steward gives the keys back to the owner. In Jewish kingdom, a king will need a royal steward, and he will also need a queen. In Jewish monarchy, the queen is the mother of the king.

The Chair

The Chair of Peter, the Holy Office, is not a Catholic invention, but an inheritance from the Chair of Moses. This chair is not only over 2000 years old but over 3500 years old! Isn’t that amazing?

The Teaching Authority

When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai, he had three things: the written word of God, the oral tradition, and a teaching authority.

In Exodus 18, Moses took his seat among people, and he judged them day and night. Moses sat in the chair, which is the chair of Moses, and that tradition carried on. The successors of Moses, Scribes and Pharisees, sat down on the chair, when they preach. When they teach, they sit down on the chair.

In Matthew 23:1-3 verse tells us,

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do.

Matthew 23:1-3

Jesus was saying don’t do what they do because they’re hypocrites! But do what they tell you when they teach the word of God.

On the following verses, Jesus is implying that these Pharisees and Scribes have failed. For they are hypocrites! Jesus, as the now Jewish Messiah, is instituting a new community. What was the chair of Moses, is now going to be the chair of Peter. By the declaration of Jesus Christ, for the true priesthood. Cyprian of Carthage in the year 251 AD wrote,

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?

There is one God and one Christ, and one Church, and one chair founded on Peter by the word of the Lord. It is not possible to set up another altar or for there to be another priesthood besides that one altar and that one priesthood. Whoever has gathered elsewhere is scattering.

This is about 200 years prior to the establishment of the New Testament!

What the Early Christians believed

The most obvious source to look for is to start at the very early Christians. They are closest to Jesus Christ and the apostles. For me, they are a whole lot more credible than other Bible enthusiasts in the modern day. These people understood it before the Bible was even compiled.  The Bible was put together not until the 4th century. Get to know more of the Early Church Fathers Writings here.

“Ignatius, also called Theophorus, to the Church that has found mercy in the greatness of the Highest Father and in Jesus Christ, his only son; to the Church beloved and enlightened after the love of Jesus Christ, our God, by the will of him that has willed everything which is; to the Church which also holds the presidency in the place of the country of the Romans, worthy of God, worthy of honor, worthy of blessing, worthy of praise, worthy of success, worthy of sanctification, and because you hold the presidency of love, named after Christ and named after the Father; here, therefore, do I salute in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father.”

Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Romans (to disciples Peter and Paul), 35-107 AD

“Simon Cephas answered and said, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah: flesh and blood has not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say unto thee also, that you are Cephas, and on this rock will I build my Church; and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it.” 

Tatian the Syrian, The Diatesseron 23, 170 AD

“Was anything withheld from the knowledge of Peter, who is called ‘the rock on which the Church would be built’ [Matt. 16:18] with the power of ‘loosing and binding in heaven and on earth’ [Matt. 16:19]?” 

“The Lord said to Peter, ‘On this rock, I will build my Church, I have given you the keys of the kingdom of heaven [and] whatever you shall have bound or loosed on earth will be bound or loosed in heaven’ [Matt. 16:18–19]. . . . What kind of man are you, subverting and changing what was the manifest intent of the Lord when he conferred this personally upon Peter? Upon you, he says, I will build my Church; and I will give to you the keys”.

Tertullian, Demurrer Against the Heretics 22, Modesty 21:9–10, 200 AD

“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 Letter of Clement to James 2, 221 AD

“[Simon Peter said to Simon Magus in Rome:] ‘For you now stand in direct opposition to me, who am a firm rock, the foundation of the Church’ [Matt. 16:18]”.

The Clementine Homilies 17:19, 221 AD

“Look at [Peter], the great foundation of the Church, that most solid of rocks, upon whom Christ built the Church [Matt. 16:18]. And what does our Lord say to him? ‘Oh you of little faith,’ he says, ‘why do you doubt?’ [Matt. 14:31]”.

Origen, Homilies on Exodus 5:4, 248 AD

“The Lord says to Peter: ‘I say to you,’ he says, ‘that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it. And to you I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven . . . ’ [Matt. 16:18–19]. On him [Peter] 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. . . . 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; 1st edition [A.D. 251]. 

“There is one God and one Christ, and one Church, and one chair founded on Peter by the word of the Lord. It is not possible to set up another altar or for there to be another priesthood besides that one altar and that one priesthood. Whoever has gathered elsewhere is scattering” – Letters 43[40]:5 [A.D. 253]. 

“There [John 6:68–69] speaks Peter, upon whom the Church would be built, teaching in the name of the Church and showing that even if a stubborn and proud multitude withdraws because it does not wish to obey, yet the Church does not withdraw from Christ. The people joined to the priest and the flock clinging to their shepherd are the Church. You ought to know, then, that the bishop is in the Church and the Church in the bishop, and if someone is not with the bishop, he is not in the Church. They vainly flatter themselves who creep up, not having peace with the priests of God, believing that they are secretly [i.e., invisibly] in communion with certain individuals. For the Church, which is one and Catholic, is not split nor divided, but it is indeed united and joined by the cement of priests who adhere one to another” – ibid., 66[69]:8.

Cyprian of Carthage, 251 AD

“But what is his error . . . who does not remain on the foundation of the one Church which was founded upon the rock by Christ [Matt. 16:18], can be learned from this, which Christ said to Peter alone: ‘Whatever things you shall bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth, they shall be loosed in heaven’ [Matt. 16:19]” (collected in Cyprian’s Letters 74[75]:16 [A.D. 253]). 

“[Pope] Stephen [I] . . . boasts of the place of his episcopate, and contends that he holds the succession from Peter, on whom the foundations of the Church were laid [Matt. 16:18]. . . . [Pope] Stephen . . . announces that he holds by succession the throne of Peter” (ibid., 74[75]:17).

Firmilian, 253 AD

“[Jesus said:] ‘Simon, my follower, I have made you the foundation of the holy Church. I betimes called you Peter, because you will support all its buildings. You are the inspector of those who will build on earth a Church for me. If they should wish to build what is false, you, the foundation, will condemn them. You are the head of the fountain from which my teaching flows; you are the chief of my disciples’” (Homilies 4:1 [A.D. 351]).

Ephraim the Syrian, 351 AD

“You cannot deny that you are aware that 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 [‘Rock’]—of all the apostles; the one chair in which unity is maintained by all” (The Schism of the Donatists 2:2 [A.D. 367]).

Optatus, 367 AD

“‘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]).

Jerome, 393 AD

“If the very order of episcopal succession is to be considered, how much more surely, truly, and safely do we number them [the bishops of Rome] from Peter himself, to whom, as to one representing the whole Church, the Lord said, ‘Upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not conquer it.’ Peter was succeeded by Linus, Linus by Clement. … In this order of succession a Donatist bishop is not to be found” (Letters 53:1:2 [A.D. 412]). 

Augustine, 412 AD

“Philip, the presbyter and legate of the Apostolic See [Rome], said: ‘There is no doubt, and in fact it has been known in all ages, that the holy and most blessed Peter, prince and head of the apostles, pillar of the faith, and foundation of the Catholic Church, received the keys of the kingdom from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the human race, and that to him was given the power of loosing and binding sins: who down even to today and forever both lives and judges in his successors’” (Acts of the Council, session 3 [A.D. 431]).

Council of Ephesus, 431 AD

“Our Lord Jesus Christ . . . has placed the principal charge on the blessed Peter, chief of all the apostles. . . . He wished him who had been received into partnership in his undivided unity to be named what he himself was, when he said: ‘You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church’ [Matt. 16:18], that the building of the eternal temple might rest on Peter’s solid rock, strengthening his Church so surely that neither could human rashness assail it nor the gates of hell prevail against it” (Letters 10:1 [A.D. 445]). 

Pope Leo, 445 AD

“Wherefore the most holy and blessed Leo, archbishop of the great and elder Rome, through us, and through this present most holy synod, together with the thrice blessed and all-glorious Peter the apostle, who is the rock and foundation of the Catholic Church, and the foundation of the orthodox faith, has stripped him [Dioscorus] of the episcopate” (Acts of the Council, session 3 [A.D. 451]).

Council of Chalcedon, 451 AD

The Foundation

When Jesus ascended into heaven, Peter took the leading role among the disciples. In the Book of Acts, he organized the election of Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot as a disciple (Acts 1:12). He ruled over a variety of issues. Early Christians wrote letters, that depict his leadership over the development of the church.

Peter went to Rome and lead the Christian community. The church fathers wrote that he taught with St. Paul in Rome, where they died. Before he died, he appointed a man named Linus to take over his role as a leader of the Christians in Rome. This move is a key moment that made the papacy as what it is today. This is the foundation of the Papacy.

As Jesus handed to Peter authority over his flock, Peter was also handing that authority to Linus. It is the unbroken line of apostolic succession passed from person to person. Thus, links the current pope back to the ministry of Jesus Christ.

Linus, the 2nd Pope

The first successor of St. Peter. The earliest mention of Linus is in the letters of St. Paul to Timothy (book 2). Paul wrote this letter roughly 65 AD, in Rome, expecting his martyrdom. In 2 Timothy 4:21, he writes “Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens, and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.”

This same Linus is the man recorded by historians as Pope Linus, and that Claudia was his mother.

There are only two recorded actions of Linus as pope. The first was he issued an edict enforcing a rule laid down by St. Paul in his first epistle to the church of Corinth. This states in conformity with the ordinance of St. Peter. Says that women had to cover their heads in church (1 Corinthians 11:5). The second one was the appointment of 15 men, not clear whether they are bishops or not. Those are men who know enough about the teachings of Jesus and who will then instruct others. Linus was sort of a chairman to those men, and the appointment implies practicality of organizing the community. His gravesite was close to the grave of Peter. Sources: The Popes Every Question Answered, Pope Linus, and Liber Pontificalis.

Why is there a succession?

In Matthew 16:18, How the 1st Century audiences would interpret at that time is that Simon Peter will be the second-in-command person next to the King. In the Jewish monarchy, when the King leaves, this second-in-command person carries the keys of the kingdom. And when this person dies, he passes down the keys to another person, and hand over the authority over the kingdom. This is why there is a succession.

Examples of bible passages in the Old Testament depicting the key person in charge of a kingdom (Jewish monarchy).

“And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut, and he shall shut, and none shall open.” 

Isaiah 22:22

“Three Judeans came out to meet him: the official in charge of the palace, Eliakim son of Hilkiah; the court secretary, Shebna; and the official in charge of the records, Joah son of Asaph.” 

Isaiah 36:3

“Ahishar was in charge of the palace, and Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of the forced labour”. 

1 Kings 4:6

“And when they called for the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebnah the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder.” 

2 Kings 18:18

History of the Bishop of Rome

The bishops of Rome maintained a special primacy, because of its predecessor, Peter. This was actually disputed in the early centuries. The bishops of Antioch claimed precedence because Peter had been a bishop of Antioch first. Patriarchs of Constantinople claimed as equals too.

Later, the bishop of Rome became accepted as the one primal and dominant. This attracted many great minds, and finest thinkers in Rome, which eventually sparked the Renaissance Period.

The Papacy on the Fall Of Rome (500 AD)

The earliest popes led the Christian community in pagan Rome. By the 300 AD, the bishop of Rome emerged as powerful within Christianity and the Roman Empire. Christianity had become the mainstream faith in Rome. As wealth thrived into the hands of the church, the bishop of Rome took roles of caring for the people. They were building churches, caring for the poor, and administering finances. But right after Christianity is starting to take presence in Rome, the fall of Rome struck. The church, however, survived and provided anchors for the citizens of the fallen empire.

The Voting of the Pope

How they vote back then is through a method called ‘showing of hands’ or ‘loud cheering’.

Christians of Rome met in a field near the city to elect a new bishop. This election is being held by the show of hands or praise. But as Christianity grew, this kind of election would no longer be enough. From the 700 AD onward, there had been a dispute on how to elect and who can vote. The people, the clergy, the nobles – all claim the exclusive rights to vote. Which, sadly often trying to undermine the other groups.

For a short time, it was the nobles who controlled the election. The election of a new pope should be for the benefit of families. In the end, it was the clergy who won the dominance at election time.

In 1100 AD, it established the clergy of the parishes within Rome as the sole electors. The Cardinals, at first, suffered bullying and bribery. Then, a system of secret election within a closed conclave developed to stop this. Because of this secret election, and by no longer having an opportunity to bribe cardinals, the influence of the election to the masses declined to almost nothing.

The Cardinals

What are the priest and cardinal roles?

A Cardinal concentrates on serving the pope in a higher capacity. While the priest does the actual work of the parish. 

At first, the Cardinals were priests and deacons from parishes in Rome. Soon, popes began appointing cardinals that are not exclusive of Rome, but from elsewhere.

Over the years, the electorate lost its primacy in Rome. Cardinals are now more global, not necesarily from Rome. It’s the global nature of the papacy that shows today.

The Role of Papacy

As with every large institution in this world, it is only natural to appoint a leader to govern the people. The popes led Christianity, followers of Jesus Christ, for over 2 millennia. In the same manner and footsteps and traditions passed over by the apostles. The Pope performs preaching and ordaining the same way the blessed apostles did. Each bishop gets ordained into office by bishops who were also ordained by Popes. This is called the unbroken line of successors by their predecessors that can be traced back to the history of Jesus Christ.

The dynamics of church authority, tradition, and history are so important in interpreting the Bible Scriptures. 

The Church is the foundation and pillar of truth. – 1 Timothy 3:15 

The information above is taken from my research along with references from the book below. I highly recommend doing your own reading from reputable sources. Check this for your own study.

Recommended Reading / Notes from: