The title history should be of concern to all whom truly believe they love the God of the Bible.
In ancient Babylon the head priest held the title of Pontifex Maximus,
In Quick Facts about: Latin
Any dialect of the language of ancient RomeLatin, Pontifex comes from pontem faciens, and means "bridge-maker".
Religious interpretation, would have provided men with a symbolic "bridge" to let them contact the gods.
The Roman Catholic Church, unofficially came into being in 312 A.D., at the time of the so-called "miraculous conversion" to Christianity of the Roman Emperor Constantine. Although Christianity was not made the official religion of the Roman Empire until the edicts of Theodosius I in 380 and 381 A.D., Constantine, from 312 A.D. until his death in 337, was engaged in the process of simultaneously building pagan temples and Christian churches, and was slowly turning over the reigns of his pagan priesthood to the Bishop of Rome. However, the family of Constantine did not give up the last vestige of his priesthood until after the disintegration of the Roman Empire -- that being the title the emperors bore as heads of the pagan priesthood -- Pontifex Maximus -- a title which the popes would inherit. (The popes also inherited Constantine's titles as the self-appointed civil head of the church -- Vicar of Christ and Bishop of Bishops.)
In Imperial Rome the Emperor was known by the title 'Pontifex Maximus', a title bequeathed by the last of the original Babylonian priests.
From 63 BC up to 375 AD this title continued to be used, until the Emperor Gratian renounced it and the Bishop of Rome took it up. The first Pope to use the title was Pope Damascus I, who reigned from 366-384.
The Pontifax Maximus in ancient Babylon was the representative of the god Janus, the Babylonian Messiah.
When Pope Pius IX was Archbishop of Venice, he stated: 'The pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ Himself, hidden under the veil of the flesh. Does the pope speak? It is Jesus Christ who speaks. Does the pope accord a favour or pronounce an anathema? It is Jesus Christ who accords the favour or pronounces that anathema. So that when the pope speaks we have no business to examine.'
? 'Vicar of Christ' - Prior to the twelfth century the popes were styled 'Vicars of Peter'. Since then they have called themselves 'Vicars of Jesus Christ'. It should be noted that the word 'vicar' means 'substitute', ie, one who takes the place of another. The Holy Spirit is the only 'vicar' of Christ. Read John 14:16,17; and 16:7,13,14.
Contrast the above claims with the following statement made by Pope Gregory the Great at the end of the sixth century. He said: 'I confidently say that whoever calls himself, or desires to be called, the Universal Priest, is the forerunner of Antichrist in his pride, because by exalting himself he places himself above others. Nor is his pride different from that which leads Antichrist to his error, because as that wicked one wishes to be thought a god above all men, so he who desires to be called the sole priest exalts himself above all other priests.'
This is Just an Overview of history and facts, Love God Love Christ, Study the Bible and learn from it not Man.
Steve Harvey
This is CABL.com posting #144975. Tiny Link: cabl.co/mLSt
