Responding to “Meeting the Protestant Response,” #15: “Jesus prays for others as well.”

Thanks for joining us today as we continue to examine and respond to Catholic apologist, Karlo Broussard’s book, “Meeting the Protestant Response” (2022). This week, Broussard continues his chapter, “Leader of the Church,” advocating for Petrine primacy and papal authority using Luke 22:31-32 as his proof text.

³¹ “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, ³² but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Protestant response #15: “Jesus prays for others as well.”

Writes Broussard, “Another comeback that aims to undercut the significance of the prayer for Peter appeals to Jesus’ general role as intercessor. Protestant apologist Ron Rhodes argues, ‘Jesus’ prayer for Peter is in keeping with is general intercessory ministry for all believers.’ He then goes on to cite Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25, and John 17:15, which affirm that Christ intercedes for us. So Jesus was not signaling a special role for Peter but merely doing what he does for all his flock – interceding before the Father” (p. 61).

Broussard’s response

“It’s true that Jesus has a general ministry of intercession for all believers. But this argument ignores the context of Jesus’ prayer for Peter, which intentionally follows his telling the apostles that Satan desired to sift all of them. Jesus is not exercising his general intercessory ministry for all believers in this passage because Luke explicitly tells us the the prayer is for Peter alone, even though Satan was going to test them all. That Jesus has a general intercessory role as our high priest in heaven doesn’t take away from the fact that, here, Jesus prays for Peter in a unique way. And that unique prayer reveals Peter’s unique role as chief leader in the Church.”

My response

As I mentioned last week, Jesus’ says in Luke 22:32 that He prayed exclusively for Peter, not because he was the pope, but because he was “a” leader among the apostles and his impending thrice betrayal would be particularly odious. Jesus’ intervention on behalf of Peter in this circumstance is an example of Jesus’ mediatorial intercession on behalf of all Christians. It is not a validation of Petrine primacy and papal authority.

Got Questions – What does it mean that Satan wanted to sift Peter as wheat (Luke 22:31)?
https://www.gotquestions.org/sift-you-as-wheat.html

Next week: Protestant response #16: “Peter only strengthens by helping others not to make the same mistake that he did.”