ROMAN CATHOLICISM IN LIGHT OF THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS

XXV. Christ’s Centrality Versus Catholicism’s Centrality Of Its Pope

(Hebrews 13:7-25)

I. Introduction

A. A number of our Church members have come from Roman Catholic backgrounds, and they often seek support in Biblical truths that counter the strong, errant indoctrination they faced in their past.

B. The epistle to the Hebrews was written to counter the errant traditionalism of first century Judaism that was similar in theological thrust to much of Catholicism, so we study Hebrews for edification in this matter.

C. The author of Hebrews in Hebrews 13:7-25 wrote of the centrality of Christ in Biblical Christianity, what contrasts sharply with Catholicism’s centrality of its pope. We view the passage for insight and application:

II. Christ’s Centrality Versus Catholicism’s Centrality Of Its Pope, Hebrews 13:7-25.

A. The New York Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church states: “‘The pope takes the place of Jesus Christ on earth . . . By divine right the pope has supreme and full power in faith and morals over each and every pastor and his flock . . . He is the infallible ruler, the founder of dogmas . . . the universal ruler of truth . . . the supreme judge of heaven and earth, the judge of all, being judged by no one, God himself on earth.’” (Loraine Boettner, Roman Catholicism, 1978, p. 127) “The triple crown the pope wears symbolizes his authority . . . as king of heaven, king of earth, and king of hell . . . (T)hrough his special jurisdiction over the souls in purgatory and his exercise of the ‘power of the keys’ he can release whatever souls he pleases from further suffering and those whom he refuses to release are continued in their sufferings, the decisions he makes on earth being ratified in heaven.” (Ibid., p. 128)

B. In sharp contrast, Hebrews 13:7-25 presents Jesus Christ as the central figure of the Biblical Christian faith:

1. The Christian readers of the epistle were to remember their leaders, what may be past leaders who had since passed, Heb. 13:7a; Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 812. The outcome of their way of life was to be considered so that the readers might imitate their faith in the Lord and their lives of faith, Heb. 13:7b. The contrast between Catholicism’s exaltation of its pope and this honor of past leaders of godly lives is great, for though the readers’ leaders were to be imitated, they were presented as men who believed in God, men who were thus God-centered versus Catholicism’s pope who is held up as “‘God himself on earth’”!

2. The readers were to remember that though their leaders had passed, Jesus Christ of whom such leaders had spoken remained continuously the same, Hebrews 13:8. Jesus Christ is obviously the center of the Biblical Christian faith as opposed to other mortal, godly believing leaders in the church!

3. The readers of this epistle were not to be carried about by diverse and strange teachings, for the heart is to be strengthened by grace, not by certain foods dictated by the Mosaic Law, and that provide no spiritual benefit to those devoted to them, Heb. 13:9 ESV. The Catholic Church dictates fasting for Lent in violation of the liberty believers have to eat what they desire if it be received with thanksgiving to God, cf. 1 Timothy 4:1-5. The alleged infallible rulings of councils and popes on this issue of diet and many other things have promoted diverse and strange teachings opposite the simplicity of the grace of Jesus Christ!

4. “A Christian has a special altar (probably a figure of speech for the sacrifice of Christ) from which he derives spiritual sustenance,” and those “who minister at the tabernacle were not entitled to partake of that kind of spiritual food,” Hebrews 13:10; Ibid., p. 812. Similarly, the altar where a pope conducts a mass cannot compare to the spiritual worship a true believer enjoys due to the cross of Christ, for the centrality of the Lord Jesus’ atonement is infinitely more valuable than anything a pope can offer!

5. As the bodies of the animal sacrifices in the tabernacle were later burned outside the gate, we believers in Christ must leave false religions like dead Judaism or Catholicism to go out to our Lord Who suffered outside the camp, that we might bear His reproach of unbelievers against Him, Hebrews 13:11-16.

6. Another reference is made to church leaders of the readers in v. 17-19, but which leaders must give an account to God in contrast to the elevation Catholicism makes of the pope as “‘God himself on earth.’”

7. The closing benediction highly honors Christ (Heb. 13:20-21) while giving some admonition to honoring those who ruled over the believers (v. 22-25) all in contrast to Catholicism’s high exaltation of its pope.

Lesson: Though the Roman Catholic Church exalts its pope as central to its functions, Biblical Christianity exalts Jesus Christ as the center of its faith, and its human leaders as exampling a focus on the centrality of Jesus Christ!

Application: May every leader and believer in the Church exalt Christ alone as the center of the Christian faith.