Can anyone answer this for me? This is a matter of being able to talk to my family or not. What I come up sith so far, in the book of Matthew, is that Jesus handed over power to Peter.
Who set up a new church when the Jews lost their favor?
by FairGame 5 Replies latest watchtower bible
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FairGame
BTT
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peacefulpete
A study of the interpolations and revisions of the NT will answer many of the odd wording or difficult passages. Matt 16:18-19 is a ine example of a very late interpolation (addition). It is felt by most scholars that Mark 3:16 represents a "more" original reading of this passage. There it has Jesus addressing Peter as Kefa (Kefas greek) Rock. According to the Codex Strassburg the name Kefa was given because he received his 'calling" while standing upon a Kefa (stone)that Ezekiel had once prophesied from. By the late 3rd and early 4th century their were numerous sects and self appointed authorities representing what came to be called Christianity. The Roman Catholic church was estabishing it's supremacy thru politics and intrigue. A late Catholic interpolator simply slipped in the Matt words "And on this Rock(kefas) I'm going to establish my church, ....I am going to give you the keys of the kingdom." This mated well with a popular fictional tale about Peter teaching in Rome. These words were subsequntly hailed as final proof that the Roman Curch and it's Popes as alledged successors to Peter were the True Church. 2 of Peters fictional "successors" (Linus and Anacletus)were even created to make the new "history" seem less improbable that Pope Siricius could be Peters heir. The Bible is full of alterations and revisions.
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seedy3
The "Church" as we know most of it today was based upon Pauls teachings, not Peter. When the origanal religon was started they still considered themselves to be Jewish sect, until Paul came along and changed things.
Seedy
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mizpah
There can be little doubt that the Christian church has Christ as its foundation. Peter was used in a unique way to open up the new message to the Jews at Pentecost and then to the Gentiles with the conversion of Cornelius. So, in this sense, Peter was instrumental in the early establishment of the Christian church. Later, Paul became the leading apostle to preach to the Gentiles who, evenutally, became the majority within the church. Peter continued to focus his ministry on the Jews. And he seems to "fade out of the picture" even in the recorded Acts of the Apostles.
A remnant of believing Jews were an important part of the early church. That is why some felt that Christianity was merely another "Jewish Sect." But as the Gentiles became greater in number, the "Jewishness" of the church became less of a factor. Later, there seems to be a real effort of the Gentiles to completely erase this early history. Note the labelling of the "Narzarenes" and the "Ebionites" as apostates around this time.
As Paul aptly put it, some like himself, laid a foundation of early believers but others built upon that foundation. But no one person could take the credit for the church. Paul discouraged this sectarian view by emphasizing that we are all built upon the Christ.
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peacefulpete
"There can be little doubt?..."