Saint Peter's Primacy from Zion

One Phrase, Two Versions

Possibly the most contested phrase in the New Testament is in the first epistle of St. Peter, in 5:13, where the Apostle Peter makes known that he is in Babylon with his disciple Mark, whom he calls his son. Your sister church in Babylon, also chosen by God, sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark. This is the biblical passage indicating Mark as St. Peter's successor.

The Vatican, however, which officially asserts that Peter was not in Babylon when he wrote the first epistle, but in Rome, does not recognise the Evangelist Mark as Peter's successor. According to the Vatican, St. Peter's successor is Linus, not Mark the Evangelist.

Is Babylon Rome?

In the book of Acts of the Apostles, the Evangelist Luke describes how he and Paul arrived in Rome after departing from Galilee and wintering in Malta. Luke does not refer to Rome as Babylon, but calls the city by its name: Rome. Likewise, in his epistle to the Romans, Paul does not describe the Romans as being in Babylon.

The Evangelist Mark, who wrote the first version of the Gospel, did not write that Peter had lived in Rome. As for Linus, who is considered by the Vatican to be Saint Peter's successor, he did not write any biblical script. We may therefore ask ourselves: who is Linus and what is he famous for?

Zion The High City

Insight into the Church's history as presented in the New Testament is quite straight forward. Reading Peter's two epistles, it is clear that the Apostle's authority derives from Jesus Christ. So wherever Peter resided, he received his authority from the High City that is in Heaven, whose spiritual name is also Zion.

St. Peter's apostolic primacy lives on through the three synoptic gospels, the first of these being the gospel of St. Mark. The Evangelist Mark, known by the spiritual title of Son of Peter, was chosen to become the author of St. Peter's testimony to Jesus Christ.

St. Mark does not describe either Babylon or Rome as the city of spiritual power. The Spirit descends upon the Church from the High City, from the Throne of God, which is in Zion.

Written by D. Alexander

Read also: Mark son of Peter the Apostle

celticbritannia.blogspot.com/2011/12/mark-son-of-peter-apostle.html

The great controversy between the Church of Saint Peter and the popes who do not recognise Saint Mark the Evangelist as the rightful successor to the Priesthood of Zion:
http://celticbritannia.blogspot.com/2011/10/saint-mark-evangelist.html

Jesus High Priest of Zion:
celticbritannia.blogspot.com/2012/01/high-priest-jesus.html

Celtic origins of the English Church: The Celts came to England from Scottish Iona
celticbritannia.blogspot.com/2011/05/english-church-is-built-upon-celtic.html