THE BIBLICAL ROOT OF THE POPE'S TITLE 'VICAR OF CHRIST' By Ferdinand

St. Peter the Apostle

Ferdinand said...

Father Abe, other Christian denominations do not understand why we call the pope the “Vicar of Christ”. They simply ignore the fact the Jesus was restoring the kingdom of David which was promised to last forever. The Jews are still waiting for the coming of that king, the Messiah who will restore the kingdom of David. He already came and we crucified him.

"Vicar of Christ" is one of the official titles of the pope.

Jesus = "Son of God,"

Jesus = "Christ,"

both are true. But when it comes to vicariate of the pope, "Christ" is used because of the messianic and kingship role the title "Christ" portrays. Peter is the keeper of the keys of the Kingdom, the one who was authorized by Christ himself. This Authority was not Peter's own authority, but one given to him by his sovereign, Christ the King. That means he acts with Christ's own authority.

These duties are equivalent of a "prime minister" in the Old Testament Davidic kingdom, the King's trusted "lieutenant." The "prime minister" is over the household", this means that he exercises a unique, final authority in the name of the King (Jesus Christ). Peter was the vice-regent or prime minister, the lieutenant, the second-in-command.

These are all functions, duties and authority done in the name of "CHRIST THE KING." Mt 16:13-20 refers to the 'KING," "THE ANOINTED ONE OF GOD," "THE MESSIAH" DELEGATING HIS AUTHORITY TO HIS "STEWARD", BY THE HANDING OF THE "KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD" TO PETER THE FIRST POPE.

Peter the first pope was given the keys of the Kingdom of heaven. As the first steward of Christ on earth, Peter is the first of many who will govern the Church of Christ from the Chair of St. Peter. The keys are symbolic of the sovereign's (Christ the King) power and authority as they are entrusted to his prime minister to act for the sovereign (Christ the King) in fulfilling the sovereign's (Christ the King) wishes. Christ the king while still retaining his sovereignty, entrusted the keys to the kingdom of heaven to Peter (and his successors) on earth until the end of time (Mt 16: 13-20).

By conferring the "keys of the kingdom" to Peter, Jesus Christ the King devolved a primacy to him in the form of the office of the "steward" or "the one who is over the house", or in modern parlance, as prime minister. The background of the imagery of the Keys is Isa 22:15-25, which all distinguished bible scholars agree lies behind Mat 16:19. Thus, by Christ will (as agreed by God the Father in Matthew 16:17) St Peter comes to hold the position of "lieutenant" and second in command in the restored and everlasting Kingdom, with Jesus Christ Himself on the throne.

Some commentators have viewed this passage as referring to Christ, but improperly; for the Prophet draws a comparison between two men, Shebna and Eliakim. Shebna shall be deprived of his office, and Eliakim shall succeed him. What has this to do with Christ? For Eliakim was not a type of Christ (king) and the Prophet does not here describe any hidden mystery, but borrows a comparison from the ordinary practice of men, as if the keys were delivered to one who has been appointed to be steward, as has been already said. For the same reason Christ call the office of teaching the word, (Mat 16:19) 'the keys of the kingdom of heaven,' so that it is idle and foolish to spend much time in endeavoring to find a hidden reason, when the matter is plain, and needs no ingenuity. The reason is, that ministers, by the preaching of the word, open the entrance into heaven, and lead to Christ, who alone is the way. By the keys, therefore, he means here that government of the king's house, because the principal charge of it would be delivered to Eliakim at the proper time" (John Calvin, Commentary of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, 1948, 136-137).

It is by virtue of his title as Christ the king that he appointed Peter as his Vicar.

INCs think that is a blasphemy that we call the pope the “Vicar of Christ”. What is blasphemous about this title? Nothing!! For it is by the authority of the sovereign that the vicar performs his duties as the visible leader of the church. The pope by virtue of his position governs the church of our Lord Jesus Christ. How can a pope usurp what was given to him by his sovereign?

Mt 16:19, Peter is given the keys of kingly authority held by his sovereign, and the priestly and kingly power of binding and loosing.

Some commentators have viewed this passage as referring to Christ, but improperly; for the Prophet draws a comparison between two men, Shebna and Eliakim. Shebna shall be deprived of his office, and Eliakim shall succeed him. What has this to do with Christ? For Eliakim was not a type of Christ (king) and the Prophet does not here describe any hidden mystery, but borrows a comparison from the ordinary practice of men, as if the keys were delivered to one who has been appointed to be steward, as has been already said. For the same reason Christ call the office of teaching the word, (Mat 16:19) 'the keys of the kingdom of heaven,' so that it is idle and foolish to spend much time in endeavoring to find a hidden reason, when the matter is plain, and needs no ingenuity. The reason is, that ministers, by the preaching of the word, open the entrance into heaven, and lead to Christ, who alone is the way. By the keys, therefore, he means here that government of the king's house, because the principal charge of it would be delivered to Eliakim at the proper time" (John Calvin, Commentary of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, 1948, 136-137).

It is by virtue of his title as Christ the king that he appointed Peter as his Vicar.

INCs think that is a blasphemy that we call the pope the “Vicar of Christ”. What is blasphemous about this title? Nothing!! For it is by the authority of the sovereign that the vicar performs his duties as the visible leader of the church. The pope by virtue of his position governs the church of our Lord Jesus Christ. How can a pope usurp what was given to him by his sovereign?

Mt 16:19, Peter is given the keys of kingly authority held by his sovereign, and the priestly and kingly power of binding and loosing.

Let me borrow the words of various scholars of various denomination regarding the Keys.(taken from Jesus, Peter and the Keys)

Albright and Mann - "The symbol of authority"

Calvin A Protestant reformer - "the office of teaching the word"

IVP Bible Commentary - "delegation of God's sovereignty"

De Vaux - "Master of the house"

Interpreter's Bible - "plenary authority"

Cullman - "authority to establish rules"

France - "making halakhic pronouncements"

Earle - "making decisions based on the teaching of Christ"

IVP Bible commentary - "legislative authority in the Church"

Willoughby - "power to admit, power to exclude"

From these quotes, one can conclude that the Church through her leaders has full authority to prescribe doctrines on matters of faith and morals. Christ made it so with the protection of the Holy Spirit ( John 14:16, 26, 16:13).

So to non-Catholics I ask, would our Lord Jesus Christ leave his kingdom unattended, yes or no, and why?

Knowing the promise of our Lord Jesus that he will be with us forever until the end of times (Mt 28:20) would he leave us unattended even for a second to be ravaged by savage wolves?

Will the Good Shepherd abandon us (Jn 10:16) even for a second?

Would the King who restored the Kingdom of David leave his people unattended without a second in command?

Time for you think about those questions and honestly answer them by using historical and biblical exegesis, and plain common sense.

May 15, 2011 10:24 AM

POPE PIUS IX ON THE VICAR OF CHRIST ON EARTH

Pope Pius IX on The Authority of the Successor of St. Peter as Vicar of Christ on earth. Is Lefebvre and his SSPX exempted from this Authority?

AMANTISSIMUS

ON THE CARE OF THE CHURCHES

ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS IX

APRIL 8, 1862

To the Bishops of the Eastern Churches.

Venerable Brothers, Greetings and Apostolic Benediction.

Our most beloved Redeemer, Christ the Lord, willed as you well know, venerable brothers, to deliver all men from the captivity of the devil, free them from the yoke of sin, call them from darkness into his wonderful light and be their salvation. When he had blotted out the handwriting of the decree against us, fastening it to the cross, he formed and established the Catholic Church, won by his blood, as the one "Church of the living God,"[1] the one "kingdom of heaven,"[2] "the city set on a hill,"[3] "one flock,"[4] and "one body" steadfast and alive with "one Spirit,"[5] one faith, one hope, one love joined and firmly held together by the same bonds of sacraments, religion and doctrine. He further provided his Church with leaders whom he chose and called. In addition, he decreed that the Church will endure as long as the world, embrace all peoples and nations of the whole world, and that whoever accepts his divine religion and grace and perseveres to the end will attain the glory of eternal salvation.

2. To preserve forever in his Church the unity and doctrine of this faith, Christ chose one of his apostles, Peter, whom he appointed the Prince of his Apostles, his Vicar on earth, and IMPREGNABLE FOUNDATION and head of his Church. Surpassing all others with EVERY DIGNITY of EXTRAORDINARY AUTHORITY, POWER AND JURISDICTION, he was to feed the Lord's flock, strengthen his brothers, rule and govern the universal Church. Christ not only desired that his Church remain as one and immaculate to the end of the world, and that its unity in faith, doctrine and form of government remain inviolate. He also willed that the FULLNESS of dignity, power and jurisdiction, integrity and stability of faith given to Peter be handed down in its entirety to the Roman Pontiffs, the successors of this same Peter, who have been placed on this Chair of Peter in Rome, and to whom has been divinely committed the SUPREME care of the Lord's entire flock and the SUPREME rule of the Universal Church.

Let us ask then, How come the SSPX refuses to submit to the full authority of the Holy Father?