St. Peter Was Not The Pope
When He Denied Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Denial of St. Peter
There is a myth that Pope St. Peter became a heretic when he denied our Lord Jesus Christ three times yet remained pope.
St. Luke 22:34
"And Jesus said: I say to thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, till thou thrice deniest that thou knowest me..."
St. Luke 22:55-62
"And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were sitting about it, Peter was in the midst of them. Whom when a certain servant maid had seen sitting at the light, and had earnestly beheld him, she said: This man also was with him. But he denied him, saying: Woman, I know him not. And after a little while, another seeing him, said: Thou also art one of them. But Peter said: O man, I am not. And after the space, as it were of one hour, another certain man affirmed, saying: Of a truth, this man was also with him; for he is also a Galilean. And Peter said: Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, as he was yet speaking, the cock crew. And the Lord turning looked on Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, as he had said: Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter going out, wept bitterly."
St. Luke 22:34
"And Jesus said: I say to thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, till thou thrice deniest that thou knowest me..."
St. Luke 22:55-62
"And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were sitting about it, Peter was in the midst of them. Whom when a certain servant maid had seen sitting at the light, and had earnestly beheld him, she said: This man also was with him. But he denied him, saying: Woman, I know him not. And after a little while, another seeing him, said: Thou also art one of them. But Peter said: O man, I am not. And after the space, as it were of one hour, another certain man affirmed, saying: Of a truth, this man was also with him; for he is also a Galilean. And Peter said: Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, as he was yet speaking, the cock crew. And the Lord turning looked on Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, as he had said: Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter going out, wept bitterly."
According to the teachings of the Catholic Church, heretics cannot be pope. Francis cannot be the Pope because he doesn't profess the true faith. He cannot be the head when he is not part of the body.There is a myth that Heretics can be Pope. Pope St. Peter became a heretic when he denied our Lord Jesus Christ three times and yet he remained pope. Therefore, Francis is still the Catholic Pope even if he is a heretic.
The problem with that argument is that St. Peter was not the pope until after the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. St. Peter didn't become the pope until the Lord entrusted him with the flock.
The problem with that argument is that St. Peter was not the pope until after the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. St. Peter didn't become the pope until the Lord entrusted him with the flock.
St. John 21:15-17
"When therefore they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter: Simon son of John, lovest thou me more than these? He saith to him: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs. He saith to him again: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith to him: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs. He said to him the third time: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved, because he had said to him the third time: Lovest thou me? And he said to him: Lord, thou knowest all things: thou knowest that I love thee. He said to him: Feed my sheep."
Our Lord's statements to St. Peter in Matthew 16:17-19 were a promise about what he would confer upon him in the future after the resurrection.
Matthew 16:17-19
"Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to 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 to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven."
"When therefore they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter: Simon son of John, lovest thou me more than these? He saith to him: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs. He saith to him again: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith to him: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs. He said to him the third time: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved, because he had said to him the third time: Lovest thou me? And he said to him: Lord, thou knowest all things: thou knowest that I love thee. He said to him: Feed my sheep."
Our Lord's statements to St. Peter in Matthew 16:17-19 were a promise about what he would confer upon him in the future after the resurrection.
Matthew 16:17-19
"Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to 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 to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven."
St. Peter was not the Pope when he denied Our Lord Jesus Christ. The fact that St. Peter did not become Pope until after the resurrection was defined by the Catholic Church.
Pope Pius IX, July 18, 1870, First Vatican Council, Session 4, Chapter 1, #3:
"And it was to Peter alone that Jesus, after his resurrection, confided the jurisdiction of Supreme Pastor and ruler of his whole fold, saying: 'Feed my lambs, feed my sheep'... So then, should anyone, which God forbid, have the temerity to reject this definition of ours: let him be anathema."
Pope Pius IX, July 18, 1870, First Vatican Council, Session 4, Chapter 1, #3:
"And it was to Peter alone that Jesus, after his resurrection, confided the jurisdiction of Supreme Pastor and ruler of his whole fold, saying: 'Feed my lambs, feed my sheep'... So then, should anyone, which God forbid, have the temerity to reject this definition of ours: let him be anathema."