Apologetical Explanation of the

Primacy of Peter

On what scriptural basis do Catholics believe in the papacy?

“I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades 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.”  (Mt 16:18-19)

The papacy, or the office of Pope, derives directly from the primacy of St. Peter among the Apostles and the leadership for which Christ designated him when he established the Church.

The authority given by Christ to St. Peter—and to his successors, the Popes—is called the primacy of Peter.  While the role of the papacy has evolved through the centuries, it is the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, who has the final authority to resolve and clarify matters of faith and morals, and it is the Pope who helps preserve the unity of the Church.

In Scripture evidence for the primacy of Peter is both implicit and explicit:

  • All of the Twelve Apostles are listed four times in the Scriptures, and St. Peter is named first every time (cf. Mt 10:2-4, Mk 3:16-19, Lk 6:14-16, Acts 1:13).
  • St. Peter was chosen by the Father to receive the revelation that Jesus is “the Christ, the son of the living God” (Mt 16:15-16).
  • The angel told the women after the Resurrection, “Go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you” (Mk 16:7).
  • St. Peter is listed separately as a witness to the Resurrection before the other Apostles (cf. 1 Cor 15:5-6, Lk 24:34).
  • St. Peter is charged by Christ to “strengthen your brethren” (Lk 22:31-32) and “feed my sheep” (Jn 21:5-17; cf. 10:11).
  • St. Peter proposed and presided over the election of St. Matthias as an Apostle and announced the requirements for candidacy (cf. Acts 1:15-22).
  • St. Peter was the first to preach the Gospel on the day of Pentecost, which was accompanied by signs of the Holy Spirit (wind, fire, tongues) and 3000 conversions (cf. Acts 2:14-40).
  • St. Peter defended the Apostles before the Sanhedrin (cf. Acts 3:6-7, 5:15, 9:36-41).
  • St. Peter exercised his authority to discipline Ananias, Sapphira, and Simon the magician (cf. Acts 5:1-11, 8:18-24).
  • St Peter received the vision of the Lord in order to inspire the Jewish Christians to allow Gentiles into the Church (cf. Acts 10:9-48, 11:1-18).

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 553 and 881.

The contents of this page are Copyright © 2014 Rev. James Socias (of the Midwest Theological Forum). These apologetics are reproduced with written consent of said copyright holder for St Patricks Parish, Jaffrey, NH website only. Reproduction of any sort must be approved directly by said copyright holder.

To get a hardcopy of these Apologetics or the Didache Bible please visit the Midwest Theological Forum (publisher) at: http://www.theologicalforum.org