PETER AND HIS “SUCCESSOR.”
According to a recognized Catholic authority, the pope’s full title is “Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Patriarch of the West, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, and Sovereign of the Temporal Dominions of the Holy Roman Church.” And in addition to these titles he has numerous other offices. By the title, “Successor of the Prince of the Apostles,” is meant that he is the successor of St. Peter. When we look for Peter’s title, we find that he styled himself, “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ.” As to his ever being ranked as “prince of the apostles,” the Lord emphatically forbade any such assumption on the part of any of the twelve. “And He said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so; but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.” Luke 22: 25, 26. The meaning of an apostle of Jesus Christ is a pioneer missionary. Such were the twelve apostles. Matt. 10: 1-15; 28: 18-20. Peter engaged in this kind of work, as the book of Acts abundantly proves. He was also sent by other apostles and brethren. Acts 8:14. From Peter’s first epistle we learn that his missionary journeyings took him at least as far as Babylon. So Peter did not sit down in one place and play prisoner in royal luxury, as his pretended successors do. He was a veritable prisoner in Jerusalem on one occasion, but was miraculously released and told to go to the temple and continue his preaching. On another occasion he was imprisoned in the same city, with the intent that he should be put to death; but he was again set at liberty by an angel of God, and went away on another missionary tour. The commission to Christ’s apostles is still in force, for it was to continue till the end. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” There is a wide departure from the work of Peter on the part of his professed successor in office.