so who was the first Pope?
To whom did Jesus give the keys to the kingdom? (And yes, it's in the Bible!)
"so who was the first Pope?
To whom did Jesus give the keys to the kingdom? (And yes, it's in the Bible!)"
Just a brief caveat on that bible/keys business. I think you'll find that at least as among the Latins and the Orthodox theologians at the ongoing discussions on the proper exercise of the Petrine Office, this has been left aside on the theory that if they wait around for biblical exegetes to decide the issue, it will be at least another 1000 years before it can be resolved.
"Pope" is actually a word for "father." The word evolved from a token of respect into a title...given to the chief bishops of the early Church's major cities, Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople and Rome.
St. Paul wrote the book of Romans to Rome(before Paul had visited there)...evidently before there was any bishop--as no mention is made of an apostolic leader there, and it would have been rude, to say the least, for Paul not to acknowledge a fellow Apostle there. St. Peter may well have (later) been the first bishop of Rome (though the evidence is against that he founded the Church there) --or even the first Apostle to live (and die) there, though St. Paul lived and was executed there as well.
The first center of the early chruch though was Jerusalem...naturally, as its where the eucharist was instated by our Lord, where Jesus was crucified and resurrected, where Pentacost occured and was the center of the Jewish world--and first generation Christians were mostly Jewish. Please read Acts 15....and it appears St. James was the senior Apostle, not Peter--though the rest of Acts shows Peter was a very important leader. In any event their decisions at that council were made in unanimity without any hint of hierarchy.
The passage you cite, of course Matthew 16:18-20 is difficult to understand...however in light of the biblical book of Acts history of the Church, the idea that Peter was to be a supreme Pope leader in the infant church seems hard to maintain. The definition of proof-texting too is when major doctrines (take pacifism for example, in say Mennonite or Quaker churches--based on just a couple verses taken in isolation) are based on one or two verses. Dangerous...as if an alternative interpretation is proved best, the major doctrine will fall flat. That's why I bring up Acts. Peter's leadership in the Church looks entirely un-pope-like there, throughout the whole book, not just with a couple of verses...
As to the "keys of the kingdom" it appears they were given to the Apostles present...and just what were those "keys" spoken of in verse 19? Belief that Jesus is the Christ, according to Jesus Himself in v. 20.
So the keys were (and are) the gospel, first witnessed to by Peter specifically yes, but given to the Apostles generally to (later) spread throughout the world.
16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ,[a] the Son of the living God."
17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter,[b] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[c] will not overcome it.[d] 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[e] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[f] loosed in heaven." 20Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. (Matt. 18:16-20)