In the early church the ministeries
that developed quickly and hopefully under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, were: overseers (bishops), presbyters (priests) and deacons.
These were the ministeries that developed in the early church communities.
The apostles were not given by Jesus to individual Christian communities, but rather instead to the whole church – all the communities.
Very few of the apostles played the role of overseer in specific church communities. James was the exception. He became the overseer / bishop in Antioch and was both an apostle and a bishop.
The rest of the apostles had a travelling commission to preach and convert in all the many church communitied: “Go out to the whole world……”.
So it’s ridiculous nonsense for the RC bishops to call themselves the successors of the apostles.
A bishop is simply the senior elder or presbyter in a particular place.
Jesus appointed only 12 apostles.
There are 5,000 plus RC bishops today.
PETER
Another “myth” is that Peter was the bishop of Rome.
There were no bishops in Rome in Peter’s time.
It is doubtful if Peter ever was in Rome.
Certainly the “bones” buried in the Vatican are not Peter’s bones.
Why are the Scriptures not enough for RC clerics and Hierarchy?
Why add on unnecessary and unproveable claims.
The papacy is also a political and man made entity.
The bishop of Rome is simply that – the bishop of Rome.
CONCLUSION
If the RCC wants to reproduce the church Jesus founded why they abandoned the ministry of APOSTLE?
Why not have those eleven the “cardinals” instead of 120 Cardinals?
Why not have Francis and 11 other apostles?
And let the world’s bishops be what they should be – the overseeing elders / presbyters of their local churches?
In the man made history of the church the office of Bishop has been moved from being an everyday pastor to being a BIG KNOB.
Very few of them are real pastors and very many of them are behaving as if they were something special and elevated.
How long is it since you saw a bishop sitting in his cathedral in private prayer?
How long is it since you saw a bishop going into a poor home with a box of groceries and an envelope in his pocket to cover the gas or electricity?
GUESS WHO
There once was a bishop called Tom,
Who was not even loved my his Mom,
The thoughts of him made her sick,
He was so like her great uncle Dick.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 