Jimmy Akin

How misused: Repeatedly interpreted as unequivocally establishing Peter as the 'rock' upon which the Church is built, thereby instituting the Papacy and papal supremacy, and granting Peter and his successors supreme legislative authority through the 'keys of the kingdom' and the power to 'bind and loose.' This is a foundational premise for much of his Catholic apologetic.

Scripture's answer: Yeshua is the 'rock' (petra) upon which the assembly is built (1 Corinthians 10:4; Ephesians 2:20). Peter (petros) is a small stone, significant for his confession of Yeshua as Messiah, but not the foundation itself. The 'keys of the kingdom' and the power to 'bind and loose' (Matthew 18:18) were given to all the disciples (Matthew 18:18), indicating authority to interpret and apply divine law, not to create new laws or establish a singular, monarchical succession for the assembly.

How misused: Misinterpreted to argue that Christ is the *only* mediator in a unique, ontological sense (God-man), but this does not preclude a *secondary* mediatorial role for saints and Mary in intercession. This allows for prayer to saints and Mary by redefining 'mediator' and 'intercessor' to accommodate Catholic doctrine, thereby diminishing Christ's singular, all-sufficient mediation.

Scripture's answer: The Scripture clearly states 'there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus' (1 Timothy 2:5). This 'one mediator' means Christ is the *sole* intercessor, advocate, and path to the Father. Any attempt to introduce other intercessors (saints, Mary) diminishes His unique and all-sufficient mediatorial role. Communication with the dead (necromancy) is expressly forbidden (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).

How misused: Interpreted as Jesus' explicit declaration that 'all foods are clean,' thereby abrogating all dietary laws, including those for pork and shellfish. This relies on an anachronistic reading of Mark's parenthetical comment and misrepresents the primary focus of Jesus' teaching on internal defilement versus external observances.

Scripture's answer: Mark 7:19 is a parenthetical commentary by Mark, clarifying the *spiritual* principle that foods themselves do not defile a person, unlike internal sin. Yeshua fulfilled the Torah (Matthew 5:17), He did not abolish it. The dietary laws (Kashrut) of Leviticus 11 remain binding for disciples of Yeshua (Acts 15:20, 21, 29). The context of Mark 7 is about ritual handwashing, not a blanket declaration that all animals are now clean for consumption. This was an issue of ritual purity in Yeshua's time and it was later revealed through Peter's vision in Acts 10 that the distinction between clean and unclean *people* was removed, not all food animals were made clean. The Kashrut laws are good and for our health and holiness.

How misused: Narrowly interpreted as 'death entered the world through sin' applying solely to human physical death, thereby accommodating pre-Fall animal death, predation, and suffering as part of God's 'very good' creation. This allows for compatibility with evolutionary theory but contradicts the scriptural depiction of a perfect pre-Fall creation and the cosmic impact of sin.

Scripture's answer: Romans 5:12, in context with Genesis 1-3 and Romans 8:19-22, indicates that death and suffering, both human and cosmic, entered the world as a consequence of Adam's sin. God declared His creation 'very good' (Genesis 1:31), implying a state free from death, disease, and the struggle for survival. Creation itself was subjected to futility (Romans 8:20) 'because of sin,' not as an original design feature.

How misused: Dismissed as merely an 'earthly perspective' or 'under the sun' teaching, thereby undermining its clear statement about the state of the dead (they 'know nothing' and have 'no more reward'), to make room for Catholic doctrines like purgatory, communication with the dead, and post-mortem purification.

Scripture's answer: Ecclesiastes 9:5 states plainly that 'the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward.' This, coupled with passages like Psalm 115:17 ('The dead do not praise the Lord, nor any of those who go down into silence'), indicates that the dead are in an unconscious state awaiting the resurrection (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29), not actively participating in purgatory or communicating with the living. Seeking communication with the dead is forbidden (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).

How misused: Misinterpreted to claim the '24 elders' offering incense (prayers of the saints) demonstrates their awareness of earthly prayers and their ability to intercede directly. This is used to support the practice of praying to saints in heaven.

Scripture's answer: Revelation 5:8 is a symbolic passage depicting celestial worship, not a literal description of how saints in heaven receive or process individual earthly prayers. The 'saints' whose prayers are offered are living believers on Earth, not deceased individuals interceding. The context is worship directed *to* God, not a mechanism for intercession *through* deceased human intermediaries. Christ remains the unique intercessor (Hebrews 7:25).

How misused: Dismissed as 'ritual laws' that are not morally binding on Christians, or narrowly interpreted to only apply to specific forms of mediumship (e.g., calling up spirits for future information) while allowing for other forms of 'spirit communication' or parapsychological investigation (e.g., dowsing, ADCs, NDEs). This significantly weakens biblical prohibitions against occult practices.

Scripture's answer: Deuteronomy 18:10-12 explicitly forbids divination, sorcery, interpreting omens, witchcraft, casting spells, consulting a medium or spiritist, and inquiring of the dead. These are universal moral prohibitions for God's people, not mere ritual laws. Engaging in any form of communication with spirits or seeking hidden knowledge through non-divine means is an abomination to YHWH and opens one to spiritual deception, regardless of intent (Isaiah 8:19).

How misused: Used to speculate that Jesus' 'other sheep' could refer to extraterrestrial beings, thereby opening a theological door for alien evangelism or alternate incarnations of Christ. This interpretation stretches the biblical context beyond its intended meaning.

Scripture's answer: In John 10:16, Jesus states, 'I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.' This passage unequivocally refers to the inclusion of Gentiles (non-Jews) into God's covenant through faith in Yeshua, uniting them with believing Israel as 'one flock with one shepherd' (Ephesians 2:11-22). There is no scriptural basis for interpreting 'other sheep' as extraterrestrial life.