Papacy

The term "papacy" refers to the office and jurisdiction of the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, who is considered the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church. While the Bible does not explicitly mention the papacy or establish a formal office of the Pope, several passages are often cited to support the authority attributed to the Pope and the structure of church leadership.One of the primary biblical references used to underpin the concept of papal authority is Matthew 16:18-19, where Jesus says to Peter, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” This passage is interpreted by many as establishing Peter as the foundational leader of the Church, with the “rock” symbolizing both Peter himself and his confession of faith. Additionally, John 21:15-17 records Jesus commissioning Peter to "feed my sheep,” which is seen as a charge to provide pastoral leadership. Over time, the Catholic Church has come to understand the papacy as a continuation of Peter’s leadership, with the Pope as his successor in the apostolic line. While the Bible emphasizes the importance of leadership and order within the Church (e.g., 1 Timothy 3:1-13 on the qualifications for overseers), the specific structure of the papacy as it is understood today has developed through tradition and ecclesiastical history rather than being directly prescribed in Scripture. Thus, while the papacy is not explicitly described in the Bible, its roots are often traced back to the early Church's understanding of Peter's role and the subsequent development of church authority.

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