all the apostles collectively, and not only to Peter, to be with them to the end of the world.
According to St. Matthew, (Matt. 28:18, et seq.,) Jesus approached his disciples and said to them: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth; go ye ... teach all nations, etc ... and I am with you alway, unto the end of the world."
We read in St. John, (John 20:21, et seq.,) "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." After having said these words, he breathed upon them, and said to them, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained."
Evidently Christ gave to his apostles collectively the prerogatives he had promised to Peter. The promise made to Peter has been realized in respect to the whole body of pastors, which proves that Christ only spoke to Peter as representing his colleagues, as being a type of the apostolic body.[1]
But, it may be asked, should we not conclude that what was addressed to Peter alone under such solemn circumstances, was the bestowal of prerogatives in a special and superior manner?
It must be remarked, that nowhere in the Gospel is it seen in respect to Peter alone, that any such promise made to him has been realized. Peter received this power only with the other apostles. But, if in the designs of Christ there was to be in the Church a supreme and absolute head, this institution would have been of sufficient importance to cause a particular mention in the sacred volume, of some occasion when Jesus Christ delegated superior powers to this supreme chief On the contrary it is seen that special assistance for the preser-
- ↑ It is thus this text is interpreted by Origen, upon St. Matthew; St. Cyprian, Of the Unity of the Church; St. Augustine, Tracts 50 and 118 upon St. John, sermon 205 upon the Nativity of the Apostles Peter and Paul; St. Ambrose upon 38th Psalm; St. Pacian, 3d letter to Sempronius.
