Additionally, they do not comprehend the concept of Apostolic succession (cf Acts 1:15ff, and many other examples of episcopal ordinations
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WRONG.
We COMPREHEND quite well.
We DISAGREE that your interpretation is the correct one.
The FAITH of Peter the pebble IN CHRIST THE ROCK fits the text MUCH BETTER AS THE FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH Christ was referring to than does your explanation.
We COMPREHEND quite well.
OK, OK. So instead of being ignorant, you are puffing your chest out and are declaring that you have a complete understanding and have intentionally, with your eyes wide open, separated yourself from that teaching. Works for me!
Speaking of that, just for fun, you should do a little word study on the scriptural usages of αφιστημι, αποστασιον and αποστασια. You might find it interesting.
Or you might not...
Balderdash. Where is "faith" in the text?
Since some seem not to tire of repeating this argument, neither do we sons of Holy Mother Church tire in refuting it.
John 1:42 shows that Christ called Peter "Cephas" in Aramaic, not "Peter" in Greek. John 1:42 shows that Cephas was translated into Greek. Look up John 1:42, and tell me which was the original name.
Also, the presence of "taute" in the Greek of Matt 16 shows that Christ intended that the rock he founded was the SAME as Peter the Rock. "You are Rock, and upon THIS SAME (taute) Rock I will build my Church.
Taute in Greek means "the same". Look it up in any concordance. So for your interpretation to be right, you have to read a word "faith" in there that isn't there, pretend Christ named Peter "Petros" when he actually named him "Cephas", summarily ignore the word "same", and then pretend the whole rest of the passage does not deal with Peter in the second person singular. So you get a saying of Christ that looks like:
"For Thou Art Rock, and upon this same [faith of] Rock [i.e. me, Christ] I shall build my church. And I will give you the keys..."
Pure nonsense. Instead of:
"For Thou art Rock, and upon this same Rock I shall build my Church. And I will give you the keys..."
Clean. Simple. Neat. Sensible. It only "fits better" if you totally ignore what's in the original Greek.