Refuting a Protestant, Roughly (or closely or exactly, don't know) 7DA

What Does the Bible Say About the Pope? (And Why it Matters to Your Faith)
30 April 2025 | Becoming Christians
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=964t2wnJa64

2:23 That allegation is not in the Bible.

[The allegation that the papacy "as we know it today" is not in the Bible]

2:39 Suppose we grant the rock is Jesus.

Who receives the keys in next verse? "I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven" ... I suppose Jesus was not using "thee" for "myself", right?

Becoming Christians

@becomingchristians

You're absolutely right that in Matthew 16:19, Yahshua says, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven..."—and yes, He was speaking to Peter directly. But here’s where it gets interesting:

Receiving the keys doesn’t mean exclusive or supreme authority over the Church. In Jewish culture, keys represented the authority to open or close access—like a steward, not a king. Peter was entrusted with a special role: opening the doors of the Kingdom through the gospel. And that’s exactly what he did! In Acts 2, he preached to the Jews. In Acts 10, he brought the gospel to the Gentiles (Cornelius' household). That’s Peter using the keys.

But here’s the key part: that authority wasn't limited to Peter alone.

Hans-Georg Lundahl

@hglundahl

@becomingchristians "like a steward, not a king"

Exactly how we view the papacy.

However, in the physical or more precisely social absence of the king (not physically absent from the Eucharist, but also not usually talking from it), the steward exercises the powers of the King.

"that authority wasn't limited to Peter alone."

That's where we agree. He had successors too. Linus, Cletus, Clemens ...

Or wait, did you mean Matthew 18? Well, St. Peter had some equality with the others of the twelve. The Pope has some equality with the other bishops.

3:09 Here is a parallel verse about foundation:

Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone:
[Ephesians 2:20]

However, the verse you cited, if you would like some context, here it is:

For we are God's coadjutors: you are God's husbandry; you are God's building According to the grace of God that is given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid; which is Christ Jesus [1 Corinthians 3:9-11]

So we have learned two things from here about foundations:

• the only foundation is Christ Jesus
• nevertheless Apostles are laying it, it is not just Himself or the Father who's laying it, no, Apostles are in fact active as laying it ... which is what you find in Eph 2:20.

Becoming Christians

thanks for the additional insight

3:43 This is a historic allegation, contradicted by Church Tradition.

Here is St. Irenaeus:

Since, however, it would be very tedious, in such a volume as this, to reckon up the successions of all the Churches, we do put to confusion all those who, in whatever manner, whether by an evil self-pleasing, by vainglory, or by blindness and perverse opinion, assemble in unauthorized meetings; [we do this, I say,] by indicating that tradition derived from the apostles, of the very great, the very ancient, and universally known Church founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul; as also [by pointing out] the faith preached to men, which comes down to our time by means of the successions of the bishops. For it is a matter of necessity that every Church should agree with this Church, on account of its preeminent authority

The blessed apostles, then, having founded and built up the Church, committed into the hands of Linus the office of the episcopate. Of this Linus, Paul makes mention in the Epistles to Timothy. To him succeeded Anacletus; and after him, in the third place from the apostles, Clement was allotted the bishopric. This man, as he had seen the blessed apostles, and had been conversant with them, might be said to have the preaching of the apostles still echoing [in his ears], and their traditions before his eyes. Nor was he alone [in this], for there were many still remaining who had received instructions from the apostles. In the time of this Clement, no small dissension having occurred among the brethren at Corinth, the Church in Rome dispatched a most powerful letter to the Corinthians, exhorting them to peace, renewing their faith, and declaring the tradition which it had lately received from the apostles, proclaiming the one God, omnipotent, the Maker of heaven and earth, the Creator of man, who brought on the deluge, and called Abraham, who led the people from the land of Egypt, spoke with Moses, set forth the law, sent the prophets, and who has prepared fire for the devil and his angels. From this document, whosoever chooses to do so, may learn that He, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, was preached by the Churches, and may also understand the apostolic tradition of the Church, since this Epistle is of older date than these men who are now propagating falsehood, and who conjure into existence another god beyond the Creator and the Maker of all existing things. To this Clement there succeeded Evaristus. Alexander followed Evaristus; then, sixth from the apostles, Sixtus was appointed; after him, Telephorus, who was gloriously martyred; then Hyginus; after him, Pius; then after him, Anicetus. Soter having succeeded Anicetus, Eleutherius does now, in the twelfth place from the apostles, hold the inheritance of the episcopate. In this order, and by this succession, the ecclesiastical tradition from the apostles, and the preaching of the truth, have come down to us. And this is most abundant proof that there is one and the same vivifying faith, which has been preserved in the Church from the apostles until now, and handed down in truth.

Against Heresies (Book III, Chapter 3)
https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103303.htm

4:12 You forget that it is Catholic doctrine that papal authority can take turns with collegial authority of a council.

By contrast, Peter in Acts 2 founded the Church in Jerusalem, and in Acts 8 together with John the Church in Samaria.

Becoming Christians

You're right that Catholic doctrine teaches a shared authority between the Pope and Church councils (collegiality), especially in ecumenical councils. However, what I addressed in the video is not just the shared structure, but the claim that the Pope holds supreme, universal, and infallible authority—a claim the Bible simply doesn’t support.

As for Peter in Acts 2, he certainly played a key role in preaching the first sermon at Pentecost. But nowhere in Scripture does it say he founded the Church in Jerusalem—if anything, James became the leading figure there (Acts 15:13-21). And in Acts 8, Peter and John went to confirm the work that was already started by Philip in Samaria—they didn't plant a new church.

The pattern we see in Acts and the New Testament isn’t of one supreme human leader, but of apostles and elders working together, always under the headship of Yahshua the Messiah.

No doubt, Peter was bold and faithful. But the Church was never built on Peter as a person—it was built on Christ and the confession of faith in Him (Matthew 16:16-18, 1 Corinthians 3:11).

Much love and blessings to you as we all keep seeking the truth in His Word!

Hans-Georg Lundahl

@becomingchristians "As for Peter in Acts 2, he certainly played a key role in preaching the first sermon at Pentecost."

Let me refresh your memory.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak
[Acts Of Apostles 2:4]

But Peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them: Ye men of Judea, and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you, and with your ears receive my words
[Acts Of Apostles 2:14]

The preaching of the 120 who had received the Holy Ghost was a sign, but indecisive.

The preaching of Peter was decisive.

5:02 Before you get from there to "no stand-ins" you need to skip a real lot.

"As the Father hath sent me, so I send you"
"He who heareth you heareth me, and him who hath sent me"

Jesus is the good shepherd and makes Peter the shepherd of his flock at lake Genesareth.

Becoming Christians

Hi! I have explained to you that Peter isn't the sole authority in the church.

Hans-Georg Lundahl

@becomingchristians And you claimed in so doing he was not in any way, shape or form a standin for Jesus.

I give the obvious counterexample.

5:16 If the words of a man, like Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, can be the words of God, and infallible, when that man is writing a Gospel, the words of a man, like Peter and Paul, Linus and Cletus and Clement, can be the words or decisions of God too.

Becoming Christians

What is the words of a man go against the established word of God?

Hans-Georg Lundahl

@becomingchristians You have to prove there are ways in which the words of the papacy have gone against the word of God.

However, if you do not show a pedigree back to the apostles, and pretend to be a Church, that in itself is against the word of God, like Matthew 28:16 through 20.