Today’s Gospel is a familiar one in which we hear of the appointing of the twelve apostles. Our Lord calls these twelve men to Himself and sets them apart. No longer are they only disciples or students; they are apostles, the ones who are sent. In sending them, Our Lord gives them authority which is the principle of the apostolic office.
For today, I want to concentrate on how St. Matthew lists the Apostles and the motivation behind it. Matthew, like the other evangelists, lists the twelve with Peter at the head. The reason for this is the role and authority that Peter is given at his confession, also recorded by St. Matthew.1 Peter is placed as head of the College of Apostles, a role that continues today in the office of the Papacy.
I want to dwell on this in two of the other Gospels so give a multiple attestation defense of the papacy. Certainly, St. Matthew’s Gospel can be cited by looking at the Confession of Peter and the Church being instituted on him. But I want to pull in two other accounts which support this.
The first account that I want to look at is in the Gospel of Luke. In his account of the Last Supper, Luke records that after Our Lord reveals the betrayer, the apostles begin to dispute among them who the greatest is. Christ rebukes them for arguing over it and teaches them the true reality of leadership being conducted in servitude.2 From there, instead of leaving the question unanswered, Our Lord turns to Peter and specifically instructs him:
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren.” Luke 22:31–32.
Christ instructs Peter that he is to strengthen his brothers through his own faith. But the command goes deeper than simply an exhortation to pray for the others. In Greek, there is a clear distinction between the apostles as a group and what Peter is commanded to do. This is seen in the use of the word you. In verse 31, the you is not singular but plural. In this verse, Our Lord is speaking to the whole group as the ones who Satan has demanded to have and desires to sift like wheat. Clearly, this is something that there is a danger of, as in a few short hours from the Last Supper, the shepherd will be struck, and the sheep with scatter.3 This plural usage is important. Since we do not have a formal plural usage of the pronoun you in English, many read verse 31 as Jesus only speaking to Peter. The Greek shows that this is not the case. He is placing the attempted sifting of the Apostles under the care of Peter.
We know this because of the you in verse 32. The you in this verse is singular. Our Lord is now speaking directly to Peter, letting him know that Christ has prayed for him specifically that he will strengthen his brethren. The apostles are placed under the spiritual care of St. Peter. Luke affirms what Matthew affirms by listing first, Peter.
Second, I want to go to the Gospel of John. At the end of the Gospel, Our Lord is walking with the Apostles, and Christ, again, singles out Peter from among the rest:
“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you fastened your own belt and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will fasten your belt for you and carry you where you do not wish to go.” (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, “Follow me.” John 21:15–19.
At the outset, this threefold questioning about Peter’s love is a very obvious evoking of Peter’s threefold denial during the passion.4 But we should not limit ourselves to this very narrow interpretation. While it is certainly true that Peter’s denial is rectified by this confession of love, the dialogue goes deeper than that. It, like the passage above from Luke, sets Peter apart and above the other Apostles.
Christ asks Peter three times, “Simon, son of John do you love me?” At the affirmation of that love, we find the threefold command to tend to the sheep of Christ. Easily, we can attribute any follower of Christ as one of His sheep. This gives us a twofold leveling to this passage:
1. Peter rectifies his previous denial
2. Peter is placed as shepherd over Christ’s sheep
But where do the other apostles come in? I submit that the twofold leveling is actually a threefold leveling. The third level of this passage is found in the very first question asked of St. Peter:
“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” John 21:15.
Our Lord’s question begins not just with the love of Christ but with love above and beyond that of the other Apostles. Again, this ought to be connected back to Peter’s original denial, which, in his pride, he boasted:
“And he said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Luke 22:33.
More than this though, the affirmation of more than these places the rest of the apostles within that sheepfold that Peter is commanded to tend. This gives the third level:
1. Peter is called to lead the rest of the Apostles
Matthew, Luke, and John, when seen together as one revelation, show that Peter is the Rock on which the Church is built, is exhorted by Christ and specifically prayed for to strengthen his sifted brothers, and is commanded to tend the flock of Christ. This is the Gospel witness to Peter being listed first among all of the Apostles. Not to Lord over his brethren5 but to imitate Christ by serving his brothers and finally, stretching out his hands, and going to his death.6
“Jesus summoned His twelve disciples… The names of the Twelve Apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter…” Matthew 10:1-2.
See Matthew 16:13-20.
See Luke 22:24-28.
Cf. Matthew 26:31 and Zechariah 13:7.
Cf. Luke 22:34.
Cf. Luke 22:27.
Cf. John 21:18-19.
Well said