Headship of the Pope Over All the Flock
"The Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the "rock" of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock"(Catechism, 881).
It is altogether accurate to say that the Pope is the head of the Church of Rome, i.e., Roman Catholicism; but, Jesus Christ alone, Who is the "Chief Shepherd" (1Peter 5:4), is the sole and preeminent "Head of the... Church" (Ephesians 5:23). "17 And He [Jesus Christ] is before all things, and by Him all things consist. 18 And He is the Head of the Body, the Church: Who is the Beginning, the Firstborn From the Dead; that in all things He might have the pre-eminence" (Colossians 1:17-18). The Apostle Peter, whose name Petros in the Greek means stone or rock, was promised by the Head of the Church that "upon this Rock [Greek, petra or large rock; which plays upon Peter's name, but alludes to Jesus Christ, the 'Spiritual Rock' (1Corinthians 10:4)] I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). However, Simon Peter was only one of many stones to compose the foundation of Christ's Church. "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Corner Stone" (Ephesians 2:20).
The coveted Keys of the Church for binding and loosing have been the foundational claim of the Papacy, but Jesus Christ is represented in the Revelation as having higher claim to those Keys, i.e., possessing the "keys of hell and of death" (Revelation 1:18). Certainly, the LORD Jesus Christ promised the Apostle Peter the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, which would be the authority of the Gospel-- the "power of God unto Salvation to everyone that believeth" (Romans 1:16). Jesus said to Peter, "I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven" (Matthew 16:19). However, not only was Peter given those highly valuable Gospel Keys-- of powerful prayer and witness-- but the rest of the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12) possesses them as well. Addressing His disciples, the LORD Jesus Christ said, "18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven. 19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on Earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in Heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:18-20).
The supremacy of the Pope over all things Christian is foundational to Roman Catholicism. But, "what saith the Scripture?" (Romans 4:3). "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1Corinthians 3:11). Plainly, Jesus Christ, Who is the Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23), is also the Foundation of the Church, which is also His Body (1:23). The united testimony of Scripture points to a supernatural structure for Christ's Church, and not mere human invention. Commenting on man's rejection of Himself, Jesus said, "Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The Stone which the builders [i.e., unbelieving man] rejected , the same is become the Head of the Corner: this is the LORD's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?" (Matthew 21:42). The Roman Catholic Church has dethroned the Blessed Son of God and set up the Roman Pontiff as supreme over the Universal Church. "I am come in My Father's Name, and ye receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive" (John 5:43).