Saint Peter the First Pope: Peter in the Gospels and Acts
Saint Peter, known also as Simon Peter, occupies a pivotal place in Catholic theology as the human instrument through which Christ began to form a visible, shepherded Church. For Catholics, Peter’s vocation is not merely an example of faith but the launching point for a continuous, apostolic succession rooted in the very words and actions of Jesus. The Gospel scene in Matthew 16:18–19 unveils a decisive moment: Jesus declares Peter the rock on which the Church will be built and entrusts him with the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. In the Book of Acts, Peter emerges repeatedly as leader, preacher, and shepherd of the early Christian community. The Catholic understanding of the papacy rests on this Petrine foundation, connecting Peter to the bishop of Rome and to every successive pastor of the Church. Grounding this study in the NABRE helps Catholics see how Scripture and Tradition witness to a living, unified Church.
What is Saint Peter: The First Pope?
Historical context: Peter is one of Jesus’ closest apostles, a fisherman from Galilee who becomes the first leader among the Apostles in the Church begun at Pentecost. In Catholic teaching, the term
Peter (Greek: Petros; Aramaic: Cephas) signifies not only a personal name but a concrete office entrusted by Christ. The Gospel accounts depict Peter as a tireless participant in Jesus’ ministry, a spokesman when the Twelve are called to faith, and a focal point in the Acts of the Apostles as the early Church grows amid various challenges.
Author and canonicity: The Gospels were written by different evangelists, while the two General Epistles bearing Peter’s name (1 Peter and 2 Peter) are attributed to the Apostle Peter in the Catholic canon. These letters are part of the New Testament in the NABRE and are considered canonical by the Catholic Church (unlike the Deuterocanonical books, which are found in the Catholic Bible but not in the Protestant Bible). The Catholic Church thus treats 1 Peter and 2 Peter as inspired writings that reflect Peter’s leadership and pastoral exhortation to early Christian communities.
Catholic canon and deuterocanonical note: This article treats Saint Peter as a canonical figure in the New Testament. The phrase Deuterocanonical: «The Book of Saint Peter: Complete Guide with Verses and Catholic Teaching» is not applicable to Peter’s books, since 1 Peter and 2 Peter are part of the Proto‑canonical Scriptures in the Catholic Bible. This section clarifies that distinction for catechesis and apologetics.
Matthew 16:18–19 (NABRE) — «And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.»
Matthew 28:18–20 (NABRE) — «All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.» (Presents the mission entrusted to the Church under the guidance of Christ, linked to the Petrine mission in the apostolic order.)
John 21:15–17 (NABRE) — Jesus says to Peter, «Do you love me?… Feed my lambs; feed my sheep; feed my sheep.» (Peter’s pastoral charge and shepherding role affirmed after the Resurrection.)
Luke 22:31–32 (NABRE) — «Simon, Simon, Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that your faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers.» (Christ’s pastoral prayer for Peter’s faith and leadership.)
Acts 2:14–36 (NABRE, summarized) — Peter addresses the crowd at Pentecost, proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Christ and calling for repentance and baptism; the sermon marks a turning point in the Church’s mission.
Acts 15:7–11 (NABRE) — Peter speaks at the Council of Jerusalem, affirming that salvation comes through grace and that Gentiles should receive the Holy Spirit without the burden of circumcision; a key moment of Petrine leadership in teaching the Church’s mission to all nations.
Galatians 2:7–8 (NABRE) — Paul notes that God entrusted to Peter the gospel for the circumcised, just as he entrusted to Paul the gospel for the Gentiles; a textual witness to Peter’s special sharing in the apostolic mission.
1 Peter 5:1–4 (NABRE) — Peter exhorts fellow elders to shepherd the flock willingly and eagerly, mirroring his own pastoral authority as an Apostle in the Church’s leadership model.
2 Peter 1:16–18 (NABRE) — Peter testifies as an eyewitness to the Transfiguration, underscoring the apostolic witness on which the Church bases its teaching and authority.
The Catholic Church affirms the primacy of Peter and his successors—the bishops of Rome—as the universal pastors of the Church. Scripture provides the foundation for this teaching, notably in Matthew 16:18–19 where Jesus designates Peter as the rock and entrusts him with the keys of the kingdom. The early Church recognized Peter’s leadership in Acts and in the apostolic preaching that forms the basis of Catholic belief.
Church authority and councils: The Church’s understanding of the Petrine office was formally articulated in later Church teaching. The First Vatican Council (Vatican I, 1870) defined the doctrine of papal infallibility when the pope speaks ex cathedra on matters of faith and morals. Vatican II’s Lumen Gentium (1964) presents the pope as the visible head of the universal Church within the college of bishops in communion with him. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 881–886 and related sections) summarizes the nature of the papacy and its role in safeguarding unity and apostolic continuity.
Apologetics: How to respond to denial—When critics claim there is no biblical basis for a single head of the Church, point to Christ’s words to Peter (Mt 16:18–19) and to Peter’s leadership in Acts (e.g., Acts 2, 15). The continuity of apostolic succession is demonstrated by the Church’s teaching, worship, and governance from the earliest centuries through the papal office. Use patristic testimony (Irenaeus, Clement of Rome) and the witness of the early Church Fathers to illustrate how the Petrine office was perceived and respected from the second century onward.
This Book/Topic in Church History
Petrine authority has shaped church history from the earliest centuries. Early Fathers such as Irenaeus of Lyons (Against Heresies 3.3.2) asserted that Peter and Paul preached and founded the Church in Rome, indicating the central role of Rome in the apostolic witness. Catholic tradition highlights the ongoing succession from Peter to the popes as a sign of continuity and unity in doctrine and governance. Saints and theologians throughout history—reading Peter’s epistles and the Acts narrative—have cited his leadership as a model for episcopal governance and shepherding. The papal office became a concrete means of maintaining unity and orthodoxy through centuries of schism, reform, and renewal, culminating in the modern understanding of the pope as the Vicar of Christ and the visible sign of unity in the Catholic Church.
Was Peter the first pope? Yes. Catholics teach that Jesus established Peter as the rock of the Church and entrusted him with a leadership role that has continued in the succession of the popes in Rome.
What does the phrase ‘the keys of the kingdom’ mean? It symbolizes authority given to Peter (and his successors) to govern, bind, and loose in the Church, especially in matters of church discipline and doctrine (Mt 16:19).
Where is Peter’s leadership described in the Bible? In the Gospels (especially Mt 16:18–19; Jn 21:15–17) and in Acts (leadership during Pentecost and the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 2 and 15).
How does the Catholic Church defend papal authority apologetically? By appealing to Scripture (Mt 16:18–19; Jn 21:15–17), early patristic testimony (Irenaeus, Clement of Rome), and official Church teaching (Vatican I on infallibility; Lumen Gentium on the Petrine office).
Are 1 Peter and 2 Peter the same as the Deuterocanonical books? No. 1 Peter and 2 Peter are proto-canonical New Testament epistles recognized by the Catholic Church; Deuterocanonical books refer to Old Testament books like Tobit and Judith, which Catholics include but Protestants do not.
Closing prayer:
O Saint Peter, prince of the Apostles and shepherd of Christ’s flock, intercede for the Church that she may remain faithful to the Gospel, keep unity in truth, and shepherd all people to Christ. Help the pastors to lead with humility and courage, and guide us to live as one with the Holy Father and the bishops in communion with him. Amen.
Final verse (NABRE): Matthew 16:18–19 — «And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.»
Por Fernando Ortiz 
