||    The Orthodox Faith (Dogma)    ||    Family and Youth    ||    Sermons    ||    Bible Study    ||    Devotional    ||    Spirituals    ||    Fasts & Feasts    ||    Coptics    ||    Religious Education    ||    Monasticism    ||    Seasons    ||    Missiology    ||    Ethics    ||    Ecumenical Relations    ||    Church Music    ||    Pentecost    ||    Miscellaneous    ||    Saints    ||    Church History    ||    Pope Shenouda    ||    Patrology    ||    Canon Law    ||    Lent    ||    Pastoral Theology    ||    Father Matta    ||    Bibles    ||    Iconography    ||    Liturgics    ||    Orthodox Biblical topics     ||    Orthodox articles    ||    St Chrysostom    ||   

Peter, Prince of the Apostles

CATHOLIC tradition makes mighty claims for Simon Peter. It holds that Peter was lifted to an unrivaled position of honor and preeminence among the original apostles. It holds, too, that Peter was the chief shepherd and teacher of the early Church. Since these points have generated debate and even division among Christian groups, there is need to reexamine the biblical data that shapes the Catholic perspective on the primacy of Peter. Do these claims reflect the intentions of Jesus? Are they consistent with the evidence of the NT?

Peter in the Gospels Simon Peter is at once the most visible and the most vocal apostle in the Gospels. (1) When the evangelists recount how Jesus selected the Twelve, they put Peter at the top of the apostolic list (Mk 3:16; Lk 6:14), with Matthew even specifying that he was "first" (Mt 10:2). (2) When the evangelists mention the apostles together, Peter is often singled out from the group in a way that is not done with any other apostle (Mk 1:36; 16:7; Lk 9:32). (3) When the collectors of the Temple tax approached the apostles for the annual half-shekel, they approached Peter as the conspicuous representative of the group (Mt 17:24-27). (4) When Peter spoke with Jesus, he often did so on behalf of the Twelve (Mk 8:29; Lk 12:41; Jn 6:66-69). (5) Peter was one of three apostles given special attention by Jesus. Together with James and John, the sons of Zebedee, he was chosen to witness the raising of Jairus' daughter (Mk 5:37), the Transfiguration (Mk 9:2), and the agony of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane (Mk 14:33). These are also the only three disciples among the Twelve whom Jesus renamed—Simon being called "Peter" (the rock, Mk 3:16) and James and John being called "Boanerges" (the sons of thunder, Mk 3:17). (6) On the night of his betrayal, when Satan was about to test the disciples, Jesus told Peter that he had prayed for him personally that he might turn again and steady the faith of his brother apostles (Lk 22:31-32). (7) On Easter morning, Peter and John raced to inspect the empty tomb. Though John outran him, he waited for Peter to catch up and in deference allowed him to enter the tomb first (Jn 20:3-8). (8) Later that Easter day, Jesus appeared privately to Peter, making him the first witness of the Resurrection among the apostles (Lk 24:34; 1 Cor 15:5). (9) Lastly and most importantly, Jesus made promises to Peter that he never made to any other apostle. He promised to build his Church on Peter, so that he alone would be the foundation stone of Christ's new and living Temple (Mt 16:18), that he alone would be the keeper of the keys of Christ's kingdom (Mt 16:19), and that he alone would be the head shepherd in charge of Christ's sheep (Jn 21:15-17).