Page:Guettée papacy.djvu/51

Rh Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, said to them: "Ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. (1 Pet. 2:25.)

It is not possible therefore to found or give different meanings to the words sheep and lambs, nor to interpret the word sheep in the sense of pastors or clergy.

If we feel obliged to give to the two expressions a different meaning, would it not be more natural to understand by lambs the young members who have need of the most tender care, and by sheep to understand those of maturer age, according to the faith?

Thus the Papal interpretation is so thoroughly divested of foundation, that a commentator upon the Gospels — one who would not be suspected by Roman theologians, the Jesuit Maldonat — speaks of it in this language: "We should not reason acutely, in order to discover why Christ employs the word lambs rather than sheep. He who would do this, should carefully consider that he will only appear ridiculous to the learned, for it is incontestable that those whom Christ calls his lambs are the same as those he elsewhere designates as his sheep. (Comment, in cap. xxi. John, § 30.)

St. Peter then was instituted neither the foundation-stone of the Church nor its chief pastor.

It need not be denied, however, that a certain primacy was accorded to this apostle. Although he was not the first, in order of time, chosen by our Lord as disciple, he is named the first by St. Matthew — this evangelist wishing to name the twelve apostles, thus expresses himself: "The first Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother," etc. (Matt. 10:2.) St. Luke and St. Mark also name St. Peter the first, although otherwise they do not follow the same order in naming the others.

Upon many occasions Christ gave to Peter evidences of particular consideration. His surname of Peter, with-