1. Matt. 16:13-20

2. DID PETER HAVE THE “PRIMACY”? I. WHAT IS MEANT BY “PRIMACY”? (Was Peter The First Catholic Pope?) A. Primary, Privileged position, 1 st place. B. Argument used to support the Papacy of Catholicism. - An attempt to provide authority. - An appeal to “church” tradition. - Contradicts Truth. C. Catholicism claims an earthly centralized hierarchy all the way back to Peter.

3. DID PETER HAVE THE “PRIMACY”? II. MATTHEW 16:13-20 –“The Classical Witness Of The Primacy of Peter”? (Was Peter The First Catholic Pope?) A. Christ Is The Central Figure (Mk. 8:27-30; Lk. 9:18-21). B. Note WHO Is Being Discussed (Mt. 16:13, 15, 16, 17, 20). C. The Greek Points To Christ (16:18): - PETROS (Peter, Pebble) masculine. - PETRA (Rock, Foundation) feminine. D. Christ Is The Rock (PETRA) (1 Cor. 3:11; 10:4; Eph. 2:20).

4. DID PETER HAVE THE “PRIMACY”? III. PETER DENIED “PRIMACY” (Was Peter The First Catholic Pope?) - Promoted Christ (Acts 4:12; 1 Pet. 2:4-8). IV. PAUL DENIED “PRIMACY” OF PETER - Paul rebuked Peter (Gal. 2:11). - Paul worked more than Peter (1 Cor. 15:10). - Paul was not less than any of the other apostles (2 Cor. 11:5). - Paul directed Bishops to God’s Word, not Rome, Peter, etc (Acts 20:28, 32). - Refused Worship (Acts 10:25-26).

5. DID PETER HAVE THE “PRIMACY”? (Was Peter The First Catholic Pope?) V. PAUL WOULD BE A BETTER CANDIDATE! - Paul was in Rome, not Peter (Acts 28:16). - Paul was not married, Peter was (1 Cor. 7:7; Mt. 18:14; 2 Cor. 9:5). - Paul wrote 13 letters, Peter wrote 2 letters. - Acts shows 7 chapters about Peter, 16 about Paul. - NT records several of Peter’s sins as a Christian… not Paul So, Who Is More Prominent In Scripture? NEITHER! CHRIST IS THE FOCUS!

6. DID PETER HAVE THE “PRIMACY”? (Was Peter The First Catholic Pope?) VI. JESUS HAS PREEMINENCE IN ALL THINGS. - No “Lord” System (Mt.20:20-28). - No Titles, Including “Father” (Mt. 23:5-12, 9). - Paul Was “Last” Witness (1 Cor. 15:7-8; Ax 1:22). - Traditions Of Men Condemned, Because The Make Void God’s Word (Mt. 15:6). - Christ Is “The” Head (Eph. 1:22; 5:23). WHEN WE RECOGNIZE CHRIST AS THE LORD, WE WILL PAY MORE ATTENTION TO HIS WORD! - Who Is Preeminent in Colossians 1:12-20? (John 12:48; 1 Pet. 2:3-8)