The purpose of this article is to show that the scriptures don’t say (as some contend), that in the beginning Peter and only Peter served as the vicar of Christ. If Peter were the one and only vicar of Jesus, the position given to him in the organization of the Lord’s church was indeed greater than that given unto others. However, the scriptures say Jesus promised all apostles that the Holy Spirit would teach them all things (John 14:25-26); and guide them into all the truth (John 16:12-15). Then too, it is declared in I Corinthians 2:6-16 and Ephesians 3:1-5 that God’s way for the last days was made known unto us by the Spirit through the holy apostles and prophets.

Again the apostle Paul declared all the counsel of God (Acts 20:26-27). Did he receive all the will of God from Peter? Not according to Galatians 1:11-12 which states that he did not receive it from man nor was he taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus. It was three years after Paul was called to be an apostle before he saw Peter or any of the other apostles (Galatians 1:15-19). If Peter was the one and only apostle through whom God spoke, then no man could have said he added anything to me; but this is what Paul stated (Galatians 2:1-6). He also said, "…For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles." (II Corinthians 11:4-5)

Peter in the beginning was not the only apostle who served as the vicar of Jesus. All thirteen of them served as earthen vessels through whom Christ revealed unto the world God’s will during this, the last days. Yes, the Holy Spirit revealed all the teachings of Jesus unto each of the thirteen apostles. Nevertheless, there are some that believe that there are scriptures stating Peter (and only Peter) served as the vicar of Christ. Some believe that (Matthew 16:18) shows that Jesus promised Peter that he would be the foundation of the church. What is stated is, Peter saying unto Christ, "…thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," and Jesus replies to him, "…thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church."

Discussed below are two reasons why Matthew 16:18 doesn’t teach that Peter was to be the foundation upon which Christ would build his church.

The first contention that must be made is that one scripture cannot ever contradict what is stated in another scripture. It has already been proven (John 14:25-26 and John 16:12-15) that the Holy Spirit would give unto all twelve of the apostles all the teachings of Jesus. It is also a fact (Acts 20:26-27 and Galatians 1:11-12) that the Holy Spirit revealed unto Paul, the thirteenth apostle, all the teachings of Jesus. Therefore, if Matthew 16:18 teaches that Peter was the foundation of the church, it is in disharmony with what is discussed in these four scriptures.

In Isaiah 28 the prophet Isaiah states that some day God will make someone to be the foundation of the church. Who was this to be? Was it Peter? No, because according to I Peter 2:1-6 the apostle Peter said the one of who Isaiah spoke was Christ. Then Paul declares that Christ is the one and only foundation upon which the church is built (I Corinthians 3:11). Thus we know that Matthew 16:18 does not teach that Peter is the foundation of the church.

What is stated is that Christ would build the church upon a rock; but what rock was he talking about? The word rock in this passage comes from the Greek word petra, which means a bedrock or solid rock. Petra is of the feminine gender; hence, the rock upon which Christ said the church would be built upon was not Peter. The name Peter comes from the masculine Greek word petros, which means stone, and refers to a loose rock. Christ did not say that he would build his church upon Peter. What he said is that it would be built upon that which Peter had confessed, which was, "…thou art the Christ the Son of the living God."

Some also say Matthew 16:19 proves that in the beginning Peter was ordained to be the one and only vicar of Christ. This is based upon their assumption that Christ promised him power to bind and loose all things.

True, this scripture proves Peter was to receive authority to bind and loose. That is, he, by the word of God would declare what all people would and would not do. However this does not prove he was to be the only one to do this. The Holy Spirit revealed all the teachings of Christ unto all the apostles (John 14:25-26; John 16:12-15; Acts 20:26-27; and Galatians 1:11-12). Christ also commanded all of them, not just Peter, to go into the entire world to bind and loose for him (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:44-47; and Acts 26:15-20). In Matthew 18:18 Jesus said unto all the apostles the same thing he said unto Peter in Matthew 16:18.

Peter did not serve as the "vicar" of Christ; but he and all the other apostles served as the vicars of Christ. All of the teachings of Jesus were revealed unto each and they gave all of God’s will to the world. Therefore, any new doctrine which has been since approximately 90 AD is not the doctrine of Jesus as given unto the world through his apostles; but rather is the doctrine of man.

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