PETER SENT TO ROME IS TOTAL NONSENSE!
PART I
PETER SENT TO ROME
IS TOTAL NONSENSE!
JAN LILLEBY
Have you read all my articles and books in which I show – by Biblical proof and quotations – how Jesus Christ sent, not Peter, but Paul out to places in the Empire?
Please feel free to send these articles/books to the Pope! He could need to learn that only Paul was the one God and Christ sent to give us Gentiles the Gospel.
Most Christians know that the Vatican always propagate Peter as the one whom the Pope has succeeded, and thus the papal seat in Rome was founded upon that heresy.
Sorry to have to correct all Catholics in this regard…but do not take offence. It is rather the other way around: You should be grateful for any Biblical correction coming your way. For you do want to learn Biblical truth, yes?
If the office of the Pope should have propagated a particular apostle of Christ as his spiritual forefather, it would have to be Paul – the apostle to the Gentiles!
If you are a Catholic, or a representative of another denomination, holding Peter as an apostle to us Gentiles, - you will very well have to admit that Paul was the one who was sent out to us Gentiles in particular, not Peter. Just check the Bible.
WHERE DID PETER GO ACCORDING TO ACTS?
It is easily verifiable to learn where exactly Peter went during Acts.
Let us read Acts 5 and Acts 10-11 first, using AMP Bible Web version –
Acts 5:12-16,
“At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders (attesting miracles) were continually taking place among the people. And by common consent they all met together [at the temple] in [the covered porch called] Solomon’s portico. 13But none of the rest [of the people, the non-believers] dared to associate with them; however, the people were holding them in high esteem and were speaking highly of them. 14More and more believers in the Lord, crowds of men and women, were constantly being added to their number, 15to such an extent that they even carried their sick out into the streets and put them on cots and sleeping pads, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on one of them [with healing power]. 16And the people from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all being healed.”
Acts 5 was around the year 30-31 CE, two years after Pentecost in Acts 2. And we still find not only Peter, but all the apostles of Christ right there at Jerusalem. Even more so: They were preaching right inside the very stronghold of Judaism, the Temple! And in doing so, the whole district around was influenced by their presence – bringing their sick and also people who were demon-possessed, and they all were cured. Even the shadow of Peter, as he passed by these sick ones, brought instant miraculous healing to them.
Acts 10-11 tells of Peter’s whereabouts; he had gone to Joppa (Jaffa) staying with Simon the tanner, right after his escape from his persecutors the Sanhedrin.
Acts 10:5, 6 -
“Now send men to Joppa and have them call for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter [and invite him here]; 6he is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
Conclusion: Peter was lodging in Simon the tanner’s house in Joppa. It was the year 36, eight years after Acts 2 and Pentecost.
It was an angel of the Lord who told Cornelius to send an escort to Simon’s house, to have Peter come to Caesarea to speak to him and his guests.
Acts 10:24, 25 –
“The next day Peter got up and left with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him. 25On the following day he [and the others] entered Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends.” - (Historians figure about 40 people present)
Are we clear now of Peter’s whereabouts in the summer of 36 CE? It was at the very stronghold of the Roman Empire in Palestine, the seaport of Caesarea.
It was the town in which all the procurators mentioned in the Bible lived, together with a large contingent of soldiers, near 5000. Names like Pilate, Felix, Festus, and others had their office and home there. When Cornelius was a captain (Centurion), he had procurator Pilate as his superior officer. And the Emperor was Tiberius, who reigned from 14 to 37 CE. 36 CE was the final year of Pilate as procurator there.
Acts 11:1-3 places Peter back in Jerusalem,
“Now the apostles and the believers who were throughout Judea heard [with astonishment] that the Gentiles also had received and accepted the word of God [the message concerning salvation through Christ]. 2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision [certain Jewish believers who followed the Law] took issue with him [for violating Jewish customs], 3saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and [even] ate with them!” (Editor’s emphasize)
Between the timespan of the year 30 when Peter was at Jerusalem in Acts 5, and the events around Peter’s travel to Joppa first and then down to Caesarea in 36 CE, we can find Peter inside Israel’s borders still. He had not taken off for Rome at all!
Acts 8:14-17 places Peter, as well as John at Samaria,
“When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that [the people of] Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15They came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; 16for He had not yet fallen on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus [as His possession]. 17Then Peter and John laid their hands on them [one by one], and they received the Holy Spirit.”
In the wake of Philip’s successful ministry at Samaria, they called for two of the most prominent apostles, Peter and John. These new converts had seen Philip’s marvelous healings and miracles performed among them, and he wanted the apostles to come and minister to them for the filling in of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 9:1-32 introduce Saul (later called Paul) to us. A fierce persecutor still, after having witnessed the killing of Stephen (Acts 7) – but Peter was continuing his ministry, travelling to places inside Israel. The new convert, Saul, was now back in his hometown Tarsus, because of the persecution against him. The apostles wanted to get Saul (Paul) out of harm’s way!
Acts 9:33-44 place Peter at Lydda and finally at Joppa – after first telling that Peter travelled THROUGOUT THE LAND…in other words, he went ‘high-and-low- and everywhere’ inside of Israel’s borders. But these two towns are mentioned in particular because of the astounding marvelous miracles which took place. The healing of the paralyzed believer Aeneas, resulting in Lydda’s population turning to the Lord. And the even more astounding miracle in Joppa, as Peter raised the dead Tabitha up. This caused people at Joppa to turn to the Lord, like it had happened at Lydda.
“Now as Peter was traveling throughout the land, he went down to [visit] the saints (God’s people) who lived at Lydda. 34There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. 35Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 36Then all who lived at Lydda and the plain of Sharon saw [what had happened to] him, and they turned to the Lord.
37Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, (which translated into Greek means Dorcas). She was rich in acts of kindness and charity which she continually did. 38During that time it happened that she became sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upstairs room. 39Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Come to us without delay.” 40So Peter got up [at once] and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upstairs room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing [him] all the tunics and robes that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. 41But Peter sent them all out [of the room] and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise!” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 42And he gave her his hand and helped her up; and then he called in the saints (God’s people) and the widows, and he presented her [to them] alive. 43This became known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord [that is, to adhere to and trust in and rely on Jesus as Christ and Savior]. 44And so it was that Peter stayed in Joppa for many days with Simon, a tanner.”
In Acts 11 we find that Barnabas went to Tarsus and brought Paul back with him to Antioch, and ministered to the assembly there together.
Notice how the Acts brings up Paul in a gradually manner. In Acts 7 he was a witness to Stephen’s murder, in Acts 8 Paul was now engaged in a full war against the Messianic believers, casting them in jail for execution. In Acts 9 we find Paul being captured and converted by the Lord Himself, and thus into the care of the assembly at Damascus Paul recovered and were baptized; in Acts 10 Paul is not mentioned, but his future audiences were: Gentile proselytes. Peter and his visit to Cornelius’ house brought the Gentiles into New Testament scriptures as people who could be received by God, as saved. But to Peter this was clearly a ‘One-Off’ – as he never changed his ministry to go to Gentiles. Only Paul was sent out to us Gentiles, and the Bible proves this.
In Acts 12 we find Peter back again ‘in the saddle’ – and it was now the Passover at Jerusalem in the year 44 CE. Verses 1 to 19 are dramatically. Herod Agrippa I was on a killing spree after having arrested a number of believers in the assembly at Jerusalem. He killed James with his sword, and shortly after he put Peter in jail (to be executed).
“Now at that time Herod [Agrippa I] the king [of the Jews] arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to harm them. 2And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword; 3and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to have Peter arrested as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread [the Passover week]. 4When he had seized Peter, he put him in prison, turning him over to four squads of soldiers of four each to guard him [in rotation throughout the night], planning after the Passover to bring him out before the people [for execution]. 5So Peter was kept in prison, but fervent and persistent prayer for him was being made to God by the church.
6The very night before Herod was to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries were in front of the door guarding the prison. 7Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared [beside him] and a light shone in the cell. The angel struck Peter’s side and awakened him, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off his hands. 8The angel said to him, “Prepare yourself and strap on your sandals [to get ready for whatever may happen].” And he did so. Then the angel told him, “Put on your robe and follow me.” 9And Peter went out following the angel. He did not realize that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10When they had passed the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city. Of its own accord it swung open for them; and they went out and went along one street, and at once the angel left him. 11When Peter came to his senses, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and has rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting [to do to me].” 12When he realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, who was also called Mark, where many [believers] were gathered together and were praying continually [and had been praying all night]. 13When he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she failed to open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gateway. 15They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel!” 16But [meanwhile] Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were completely amazed. 17But motioning to them with his hand to be quiet and listen, he described how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and the brothers and sisters.” Then he left and went to another place.
18Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he interrogated the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea [Maritima] and spent some time there.”
This places Peter – still NOT AT ROME – but first at Jerusalem, and finally at Caesarea. He spent some time there, it says. But we do not learn how long he stayed there. It was probably with believers who had heard Peter’s speech in the house of Cornelius several years earlier, as told in Acts 10 which was 36 CE.
(But we do not lose Peter yet! He pops up in Acts 15, as the apostles at Jerusalem had a conference regarding the Gentile proselytes’ standing in relation to the Law of Moses.)
The gradual succession of Paul’s ministry as an apostle of Christ had at that time moved up one notch: He went into his first mission travel abroad together with Barnabas and John Mark, landing first at Cyprus. But as he came back from that mission he went up to Jerusalem meeting with Peter and the other apostles.
Acts 15:1-12 is the very last time we learn of Peter and his whereabouts.
Again, it was undeniably Jerusalem, and it was the year of 48-50 CE (disputed), as it was Claudius Caesar Augustus holding the reign of the Empire. He was emperor until 54 CE according to Roman history. The procurator at that time was Ventidius Cumanus. He was replaced in 52 CE by the known procurator from Paul’s encounters in Acts 23, the ‘fixer and money embezzler’ Marcus Antonius Felix. See Acts 23:23-31 where we first meet Felix.
The Jerusalem Council of apostles, quote -
“Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2Paul and Barnabas disagreed greatly and debated with them, so it was determined that Paul and Barnabas and some of the others from their group would go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders [and confer with them] concerning this issue. 3So, after being supplied and sent on their way by the church, they went through both Phoenicia and Samaria telling in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the believers. 4When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received warmly by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported to them all the things that God had accomplished through them. 5But some from the sect of the Pharisees who had believed [in Jesus as the Messiah] stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise the Gentile converts and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”
6The apostles and the elders came together to consider this matter. 7After a long debate, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the message of the gospel and believe. 8And God, who knows and understands the heart, testified to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; 9and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith [in Jesus]. 10Now then, why are you testing God by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to endure? 11“But we believe that we are saved through the [precious, undeserved] grace of the Lord Jesus [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life], in just the same way as they are.”
12All the people remained silent, and they listened [attentively] to Barnabas and Paul as they described all the signs and wonders (attesting miracles) that God had done through them among the Gentiles.”
We find nothing more regarding Peter and his whereabouts. But on notoriously basis we find him at Jerusalem, and not Rome, it is sound and safe to say that Peter never went to Rome, supposedly sent there by the Lord.
The papal church has no proven historical facts to claim that the Pope is a successor of Peter, as a representative for God and Christ.
Should God ever have chosen a modern ‘successor’ of an apostle of Christ, it would have to be after Paul – the apostle to us Gentiles!
Peter’s known greeting to the believers in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia Minor and Bithynia, - was an epistle written as he still stayed in Jerusalem, which he nick-named as ‘Babylon’.
He had obviously read the Revelation Book. He knew that Jerusalem was the Great Harlot Babylon. (1 Pet. 5:12-14). Thus he wrote,
“By Silvanus, our faithful brother (as I consider him), I have written to you briefly, to counsel and testify that this is the true grace [the undeserved favor] of God. Stand firm in it! 13She [the church] who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son [in the faith], Mark. 14Greet one another with a kiss of love.» (Editor’s emphasize).
It is also room for a second thought regarding Peter’s whereabouts, namely – he was at least staying within the land of Israel, and not abroad.
Notice, he refers to Silvanus as a mediator…one who wrote this epistle on Peter’s behalf, because Peter was hiding from his persecutors and would not tell where in Israel he lived. And Silvanus may have been the one living in Jerusalem, as well as Mark.
The ending conclusion remains: Peter never went to Rome. Paul was the one that Jesus Christ sent to Rome.
Jesus’ command to Paul was, Acts 23:11,
“On the following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Be brave; for as you have solemnly and faithfully witnessed about Me at Jerusalem, so you must also testify at Rome.”
Why was such words and command not reported in Acts as spoken to Peter?
My answer is: Peter was apostle to Israel only, not to us Gentiles.
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