Chapter
5 of “Rome’s Audacious Claim” deals primarily with John 21:15-17 which states
the following:
When they
had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son
of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord;
you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He
said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He
said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my
sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon,
son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to
him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him,
“Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to
him, “Feed my sheep. …”
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Jesus
tells Peter to feed his sheep, but he does not specify who those sheep are.
Peter himself comes much closer to specifying which sheep were his to shepherd.
The
author points out that Peter openly states that he is to shepherd the sheep
mentioned in 1 Peter 5:1-4:
So
I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the
sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be
revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising
oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not
for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in
your charge, but being examples to the flock. And
when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive
the unfading crown of glory.
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Peter
points out what should be obvious. One can only shepherd those who are near
you.
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Peter
calls himself a “fellow presbyter” and assigns the Chief Shepherd role to
Jesus, who can be with us always (Matthew 28:20). Peter, not being omnipresent,
cannot do this.
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Today
the pope in Rome could at least attempt to shepherd all the churches in the
world using the internet. Peter, though, could not have shepherded the whole
church even by letter. The apostles took the gospel into the Persian Empire,
India, Ethiopia, and probably even the British Isles and southern China during
Peter’s lifetime. Even letters would take months to reach those locations.
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We
cannot deny Peter had a special role among the apostles. Strengthening his
brothers, however, is not the same as having “full, supreme, and universal
power” over them. “Full, supreme, and universal authority” is rather the
opposite of the kind of leadership Jesus gave to any of the apostles. He told
them that while the Gentiles exercise lordship and authority over one another, “it
shall not be so among you” (Mark 10:42-43).
You
may purchase Paul Pavao’s “Rome Audacious Claim” here.
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