The Church of The Bible Has No "Pope"
The title “pope” was not utilized or associated with any formal office within the first-century Church as depicted in the Bible…
IT IS CLEARfrom the Bible that the first-century Church of Christ was led by the apostles and assisted by other ministers of the Gospel. Local churches were led by bishops, deacons, and even deaconesses. However, nowhere in the Bible can we read that the whole Church was led by a “pope.” In fact, the Lord Jesus Christ never established an office having the title of “pope” and had never called any of His apostles and disciples “pope” because He Himself said:
“But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.” (Matthew 23:8-9 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
Christ explicitly said, “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.” The word “pope” comes from the Latin word papa, which comes from the Greek word pappas, meaning “father”. The pope is recognized as a “spiritual father” which is why the pope is referred to as the “Holy Father.” Thus, it is only right to conclude that the Lord Jesus Christ never called and made Apostle Peter a “pope.”
When Apostle Paul mentioned the “offices” that the Lord God appointed inside the Church, he never mentioned the “office of pope”:
“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?”
(Reference: I Corinthians 12:27-29 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
In Ephesians 4:11-12, Apostle Paul mentioned again the primary offices appointed inside the Church, but still, no “pope”:
“Now you are the body of Christ, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
(Reference: Ephesians 4:11-12 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
In the leadership of the local churches, Apostle Paul mentioned the office or position of the “bishops” and “deacons,” but still no “pope”:
“This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
“Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.”
(Reference: I Timothy 3:1-2, 8-9 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
Thus, nowhere in the Bible can we read that the whole Church is led by a “pope.” It is evident from Scripture that the “office,” which holds significant importance for the Roman Catholic Church, is not referenced in the New Testament—the text that chronicles the history of the first-century Church of Christ. In contrast, the Roman Catholic Church claims that it is the one true Church, the true Church of Christ.
The “office of the pope” represents the most significant position within the Roman Catholic Church, as the “pope” is regarded as the head of the church. Note the Bible never mentioned any office/position with the title “pope” because the head of the one true Church or the Church of the Bible is not the pope but the Lord Jesus Christ:
“For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.”
(Reference: Ephesians 5:23 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
The fact that the office and title “pope” didn’t exist in the first century and was never mentioned in the Bible clearly proves that the Roman Catholic Church is not the Church of the Bible but a different institution. Actually, the title “pope” came a little later and was firmly established in the fourth century:
“The title pope (papa) was, as has been stated, at one time employed with far more latitude. In the East, it has always been used to designate simple priests. The Western Church, however, it seems from the beginning to have been restricted to bishops (Tertullian, ‘De Pud’ xiii). It was apparently in the fourth century that it began to become a distinctive title of the Roman pontiff… Gregory VIII finally prescribed that it should be confined to the successors of Peter.”
(Reference: Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913, vol. xii, p. 272, Emphasis Mine)
At first, the title “pope” was employed with far more latitude, being used to designate simple priests. The Western Church, however, the title “pope” has been restricted to bishops from the beginning. It was apparently in the fourth century that it began to become a distinctive title of the Roman pontiff.
Truly, the Church of the Bible has no “pope,” and this proves that the Roman Catholic Church is a different institution from the first-century Church of Christ, from the Church of Christ of the Bible.
IN CONCLUSION
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The true Church of Christ in the first century, beginning with the onset of the apostasy, gradually evolved into an organization that was remarkably different from the original structure established by Christ and the Apostles. Notably, the title “pope” was not utilized or associated with any formal office within the first-century Church as depicted in the Bible. It is, therefore, apparent that the true Church of Christ and the Catholic Church are fundamentally and vastly different from one another.
TO LEARN MORE about the Apostasy or the restoration of the true Church built by Christ, you may visit the following links below:
The Apostasy
AFTER THE DEATH of Jesus Christ and His Apostles, the Apostasy took place. Christians were hunted down, persecuted, and killed, causing the church to drift from the original teachings of Christ and His Apostles. False teachings emerged, leading to the contamination of the pure doctrine. With the Apostles no longer around to defend the truth, the Church Of Christ evolved into a different organization ( the Catholic Church), adopting many pagan rituals and deviating from the pristine gospel established by Christ. This era is known as the “Great Apostasy.”
The Third Group of Christ
THE TRUE CHURCH of Christ is Comprised of 3 Groups. Before Christ’s ascension to heaven, He prophesized about His other sheep (the third group of people) or flock that were not part of His flock then. The flock being the Church of Christ (Acts 20:28 Lamsa). Christ said he will call his other sheep “in the future” they will be one flock or Church of Christ:
“I have other sheep too. They are not in this flock here. I must lead them also. They will listen to my voice. IN THE FUTURE there will be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16 Easy-to-Read Version, Emphasis Mine)
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