Simple question:
In Corinthians, Paul warned about divisions in the Church, that they should all agree with one another. Why didn't Paul just say, "Ok guys, anyone who disagrees with Peter is automatically wrong."
ALL OF THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS READ THE PASSAGE IN MATTHEW EXACTLY AS THE ORTHODOX READ IT.
it was Peter's CONFESSION that was the rock of the Church. EVERY BISHOP is a "See of Peter." Every person who confesses Christ is a rock of faith. (This is what all of the Church fathers in the article I linked have CONSISTENTLY said and taught regarding this verse. If you would read the article, you would see. (If it is any interest, the article was emailed to me via a bishop who left the Catholic Church and became Orthodox).
Try explaining this:
St. Cyprian:
For no one [of us] has set himself up [to be] bishop [of bishops], or attempted with tyrannical dread to force his colleagues to obedience to him, since every bishop has, for the license of liberty and power, his own will, and as he cannot be judged by another, so neither can he judge another. But we await the judgment of our universal Lord, our Lord Jesus Christ, who one and alone hath the power, both of advancing us in the governance of his Church, and of judging of our actions [in that position].
Session XVI of the Acts of the Fourth Ecuмenical Council (Chalcedon, 451 AD)
The most glorious judges said: From what has been done and brought forward on each side, we perceive that the primacy of all (πρὸ πάντων τὰ πρωτεῖα) and the chief honour (τὴν ἐξαίρετον τιμὴν) according to the canons, is to be kept for the most God-beloved archbishop of Old Rome, but that the most reverend archbishop of the royal city Constantinople, which is new Rome, is to enjoy the honour of the same primacy ...
The most reverend bishops cried out: This is a just sentence. So we all say. These things please us all. ...
Lucentius, the bishop, said: The Apostolic See gave orders that all things should be done in our presence; and therefore whatever yesterday was done to the prejudice of the canons during our absence, we beseech your highness to command to be rescinded. But if not, let our opposition be placed in the minutes, and pray let us know clearly what we are to report to that most apostolic bishop who is the ruler of the whole church, so that he may be able to take action with regard to the indignity done to his See and to the setting at naught of the canons.
The most glorious judges said: The whole synod has approved what we proposed.
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It appears that here we see already the Roman See claiming some form of supreme authority ("ruler of the whole church"), while the other Sees denied this, granting Rome only the "chief honor" and, while acknowledging the "primacy of all" for Rome, also recognized in Constantinople "the same primacy" (thus obviously not recognizing an exclusive primacy for Rome).
St. Ireneous:
"When the blessed Polycarp was visiting Rome in the time of Anicetus.. They were at once well inclined towards each other, not willing that any quarrel should arise between them upon the matter (Paschal calculation). For Anicetus could not persuade Polycarp to forgo the observance of his (Easter customs) inasmuch as these things had always been observed by John the disciple of our Lord, and by other apostles with whom he had been conversant."
We can see from Ireneous own writing that Polycarp did not have to agree with the Roman Tradition of celebrating Pascha on a Sunday even though the Pope tried to persuade him. Infact St. Ireneous even admonished Pope Victor for attempting to excommunicate the Asia Minor Churches for celebrating Pascha on Nisan 14. St Irenous did not believe the Asiatic churches had to "agree" with Rome on this point and sided with Polycrates bishop of Ephesus over the pope.