How was Peter the first Pope if James was the first bishop of the church?

Question

well when Peter was let out of prison, he told James and then the others. And of course the church in Jersualem was the first church. And James was leader of that first church.

Wiki

Answer 1

He wasn't!  Mis-translation on the part of some have made this doctrine.  In Acts you hear nothing of Peter after I think Acts 7, then nothing.  In Acts 16 Paul is thanking many people and Peter is never mentioned.  There are many more things that could be used. Good luck with this one..

Just My Thoughts!

Answer 2

Peter was No Pope.

Answer 3

The Pope is the Bishop of Rome.

James was never Bishop of Rome

Answer 4

Peter was appointed by Christ as the First among the Apostles...James was the "bishop" of Jerusalem but didn't displace Peter as the leader of the leaders.  Peter was the first "bishop" of Jerusalem in that he was the first leader of the Christians immediately following the resurrection.  He later was head of the Church in Antioch and later at Rome.  It's Peter's office of being him appointed to have the keys to the kingdom, to bind and loose, and to lead his brethern that makes him the first "pope."  Ergo, his successor in Rome fulfills that role.  Early primacy of the Bishop of Rome is shown by the Church in Corinth writing Rome for help and Clement writing back from Rome in AD 95 EXPECTING to be obeyed.

Answer 5

Probably the best way for you to understand this is through Paul...who did Paul seek council with?  Who's primacy did Paul seek when he wanted to undo the Jewish dietary restrictions and the practice of circumcision for converts?

And as far as Rome is concerned - to what community did Paul write a letter to, which was the ONLY letter he wrote that was not a community to which he himself founded?  Did not Paul himself hold Rome in such esteem that he knew it was the most powerful place on earth at the time?  Since we understand Peter to be the Bishop of Rome (a title which will later be simply called "Pope"), doesn't it make sense that God would want His most powerful Bishop in the most powerful place on earth at the time, while the early church is trying to form?

Answer 6

Yes, James was the first bishop and Peter was over him. We know that Paul spent 15 days seeing Peter while in Jerusalem.

"Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas and remained with him for fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the apostles, only James the brother of the Lord."(Galatians 1:18-19).

The interesting thing about this verse is that in the Greek words used it tells us that he "gained knowledge" from Peter. The Greek word used for "see" where he says he didn't "see any other the Apostles except James," tells us that he probably didn't even speak to James, or if he did it was in passing.

So, in the Ancient Jewish culture, it would have been an insult to James if Paul came to visit with Peter and not with the Bishop of Jerusalem...unless...Peter was of a higher authority then James. The fact that Paul came to learn from Peter and didn't spend time with James really gives us the understanding that Peter was the head of the Church.

Plus, to solidify it, Paul uses the name for Peter that Christ gave him, "Rock" = Cephas.

Answer 7

Because Peter in Scripture is singled out amongst the other apostles. When Jesus first met Peter his name was Simon and Jesus renamed him to Peter (John 1:42). The name Peter means rock as I am sure you know. Jesus did this for a reason. BTW I have never heard a Protestant ever attempt to explain why Jesus renamed Simon to Peter- a name never before used in Scripture up to that point. Christ was not prone to meaningless actions either.  In Matthew (16:18) Jesus says he will build his Church upon Peter the Rock. Then two important things were told the apostle. "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matt. 16:19). Here Peter was singled out for the authority that provides for the forgiveness of sins and the making of disciplinary rules. Later the apostles as a whole would be given similar power [Matt.18:18], but here Peter received it in a special sense.

Peter alone was promised something else also: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 16:19). In ancient times, keys were the hallmark of authority. A walled city might have one great gate; and that gate had one great lock, worked by one great key. To be given the key to the city—an honor that exists even today, though its import is lost—meant to be given free access to and authority over the city. The city to which Peter was given the keys was the heavenly city itself. This symbolism for authority is used elsewhere in the Bible (Is. 22:22, Rev. 1:18).

Finally, after the resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples and asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?" (John 21:15-17). In repentance for his threefold denial, Peter gave a threefold affirmation of love. Then Christ, the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14), gave Peter the authority he earlier had promised: "Feed my sheep" (John 21:17). This specifically included the other apostles, since Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me more than these?" (John 21:15), the word "these" referring to the other apostles who were present (John 21:2). Thus was completed the prediction made just before Jesus and his followers went for the last time to the Mount of Olives.

Immediately before his denials were predicted, Peter was told, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again [after the denials], strengthen your brethren" (Luke 22:31-32). It was Peter who Christ prayed would have faith that would not fail and that would be a guide for the others; and his prayer, being perfectly efficacious, was sure to be fulfilled.

   Peter being singled out by Jesus to start his Church upon is the first Pope-leader of the church.