MATTHEW: 16: 13-19
"When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, ‘Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?’ And they said, some say thou are John the Baptist, some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, ‘But whom do you say that I am?’ And Simon Peter answered and said, ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ 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. 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. 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."
From this most widely known and most famous Holy Bible Text, the Roman Catholic Church extracted the following lines: "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona" (and married it with) "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church."
The Roman Catholic Church may be based upon Christianity and Christian beliefs to a degree,
but,
The Roman Catholic Church controvertially and wrongfully declares Peter as the foundation stone, the rock, upon which Christianity is founded, and the Roman Catholic? Church hails Peter as its first "POPE", in an effort to subvert and usurp Christianity.
From one of my earlier articles, we now know this to be totally wrong making the Catholic Church in error, something that it claims it can never be.
Let’s take a look at Peter, the so called "Rock". Peter is a fisherman who is called by Jesus to follow Jesus as a witness and an observer of Jesus and Jesus teachings and miracles. Peter spends 3 years following Jesus, learning from Jesus and observing all of the miracles Jesus performs.
If Peter were indeed the "Rock" he would be a man of strong character and faith after witnessing Jesus perform so many miracles with the people. Instead he gives in to the tiniest little fear as his "Faith" crumbles when Jesus bids him to join him walking upon the water. Jesus says to Peter, "Oh yea of little faith."
If we continue a few verses farther in MATTHEW: 16: at verse 23; Jesus admonishes Peter. "But he turned, and said unto Peter, ‘Get thee behind me Satan: thou art an offence unto me:"
Why would Jesus wish to establish His Church upon a man? Why would Jesus wish to establish His Church upon this man Peter, whom Jesus sees up front and close at hand, lacks Faith and Trust in Jesus and who Jesus sees as a devil, as Jesus actually calls Peter, satan. Why would Jesus find Peter offensive if Jesus thought Peter to be the "Rock" of His soon to come church? Would Jesus or any other person wishing to begin a new church want someone with little faith, and seen as offensive as the foundation to base that church upon?
Jesus knows His apostles and knows Peter as the weakest link. At the last supper Peter boasts that he will never turn against Jesus, then Jesus tells Peter, MATTHEW: 26: 34: "Verily I say onto thee, That this night, before the cock crows, thou shalt deny me thrice." Peter is a lose cannon, and doesn’t know what to do or which way to turn.
Peter knows that Jesus is a man of peace and non-violence, yet as Jesus is being arrested, even though Peter knows what’s going down and that it is being done to fulfill God’s scriptures, but what does Peter do? He draws a sword and lops off the ear of one of the guards come to take Jesus.
Finally sure enough, as Jesus is being beaten and persecuted, three times Peter is questioned about his affiliation with Jesus and three times, Peter denies even knowing Jesus let alone being one of Jesus followers.
Peter this faithless, coward, is the Apostle of Jesus that the Roman Catholic Church chooses to head up the church of Rome. The Catholic Church wrongfully declares Peter, not Jesus as the "Rock" the foundation of Christianity and the Catholic Church.
How could any church take the Word of Almighty God and twist it, subverting it to suit their own purpose? How could any church elevate a man like Peter as the head of the Christian Church over its founder Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Was it not Jesus who was crucified and resurrected? Was it not Jesus the Old testament fortold? If the Catholic Church seeks to elevate Peter over Jesus as the "Cornerstone" the "Rock" upon which Christianity is based the Roman Catholic Church is wrong.
It is written: REVELATION: 22: 16, 18-19 "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David and the bright and the morning star. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book if this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from the things which are written in this book."
Although this warning makes reference to the book of Revelation, the Holy Bible is a book of Revelation of Almighty God and of Jesus Christ, therefore I believe the Holy Bible, not just Revelation is the book Jesus is referring to, and to take any portion of the Holy Bible, to twist it and subvert it to agree with anything that is not in agreement with the Holy Bible is a sin against God.