Does the Pope Have the Right to Claim He's Appointed God's Office on Earth?

In due fairness, Catholics or at least in their own admission do not believe the Pope is God.  However, I believe we need to address the issue of the fact that the Pope actually claims to be appointed of God in his place is really just as erroneous as to claim Catholics teach that Mary is God.  To make that claim, he actually misquotes Matthew 16:16-18 which however even the Catholic translations point to Peter not as the Rock but to the Rock, like an engineer points a location to his customer. I would actually give the Roman Catholic sources to state what they have to state before I present my rebuttal.  This just reminds me of some foolish classmate of mine who once claimed that Jesus appointed him as king of the universe to justify his bossy behavior.  Good thing he wasn't struck down like Herod Agrippa for trying to claim the glory for himself.  Now that's what the Popes are doing- claiming Christ appointed them as His sole representative and they hold upon this earth the place of God almighty:

Now to really look at the papal claims of whether or not Christ really appointed them as Christ's representative on Earth.  The Catholic Encyclical of the Popes says this from the  Praeclara Gratulationis Publicae:
...A great deal, however, has been wanting to the entire fullness of that consolation. Amidst these very manifestations of public joy and reverence Our thoughts went out towards the immense multitude of those who are strangers to the gladness that filled all Catholic hearts: some because they lie in absolute ignorance of the Gospel; others because they dissent from the Catholic belief, though they bear the same name of Christians. This thought has been, and is, a source of deep concern to Us; for it is impossible to think of such a large portion of mankind deviating, as it were, from the right path, as they move away from Us, and not experience a sentiment of innermost grief. But since We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty, who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, and now that Our advanced age and the bitterness of anxious cares urge Us on towards the end common to every mortal, We feel drawn to follow the example of Our Redeemer and Master, Jesus Christ, who when about to return to Heaven, implored of God, His Father, in earnest prayer, that His disciples and followers should be of one mind and of one heart: "I pray...that they all may be one, as thou Father in Me, and I in Thee: that they also may be one in Us." And as this divine prayer and supplication does not include only the souls who then believed in Jesus Christ, but also every one of those who were henceforth to believe in Him, this prayer holds out to Us no indifferent reason for confidently expressing Our hopes, and for making all possible endeavors in order that the men of every race and clime should be called and moved to embrace the unity of divine faith. 
Pressed on to Our intent by charity, that hastens fastest there where the need is greatest, We direct Our first thoughts to those most unfortunate of all nations who have never received the light of the Gospel, or who, after having possessed it, have lost it through neglect or the vicissitudes of time: hence do they ignore God, and live in the depths of error. Now, as all salvation comes from Jesus Christ--for there is no other name under Heaven given to men whereby we must be saved--Our ardent desire is that the most holy name of Jesus should rapidly pervade and fill every land.

If you take a good look of what I highlighted in yellow, it's absolute blasphemy for any man to claim to hold upon this earth the "place of God Almighty" and notice many times, the word "us" is spelled as "Us" and "we" as "We", the Pope is more or less claiming to be equal to God though indirectly with their claiming they hold God's place on earth.  Who are Roman Catholics trying to deceive?  I mean, no man has any right to claim to hold the place of God Almighty on Earth!  That is utterly blasphemous.  Christians are Christ's representatives but they do not by any means hold His position on Earth!  Friends, that is blasphemy and in fact if they can accuse me of cherry picking their sources, they are also cherry picking the Bible.     

In fact, remember Jesus did not appoint Peter the place of God almighty upon the Earth at all.  If you take a look at Matthew 16:16-18 we read these:
  • Peter's confession of faith about Christ has Christ point to the Rock, not Peter.  Notice the words, "And you are Peter and upon THIS Rock I will build my Church." not "And you are Peter and upon you the Rock I will build my Church."  Even the Good News Translation says, "And so I tell you Peter you are a rock (small stone) and on THIS Rock foundation I will build my Church and not even death will be able to overcome it."
  • Remember Peter was called a small rock but the Rock is where the Church is built.  Jesus was not pointing at him at all.  
  • So they go and appeal to verse 19 to say that Peter was appointed to bind and loose, in the Good News it says to "prohibit".  Now the Douay CATHOLIC Bible says, "And I will give you the keys of Kingdom of Heaven.  And whatever you shall bind on Earth shall be bound even in Heaven.  And whatever you shall release on Earth shall be released, even in Heaven."  

What should also be listed is this quote by Augustine of Hippo who is regarded as a Catholic "church father": 
In a passage in this book, I said about the Apostle Peter: ‘On him as on a rock the Church was built’...But I know that very frequently at a later time, I so explained what the Lord said: ‘Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church,’ that it be understood as built upon Him whom Peter confessed saying: ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,’ and so Peter, called after this rock, represented the person of the Church which is built upon this rock, and has received ‘the keys of the kingdom of heaven.’ For, ‘Thou art Peter’ and not ‘Thou art the rock’ was said to him. But ‘the rock was Christ,’ in confessing whom, as also the whole Church confesses, Simon was called Peter. But let the reader decide which of these two opinions is the more probable (The Fathers of the Church (Washington D.C., Catholic University, 1968), Saint Augustine, The Retractations Chapter 20.1).
But whom say ye that I am? Peter answered, ‘Thou art the Christ, The Son of the living God.’ One for many gave the answer, Unity in many. Then said the Lord to him, ‘Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonas: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven.’ Then He added, ‘and I say unto thee.’ As if He had said, ‘Because thou hast said unto Me, “Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God;” I also say unto thee, “Thou art Peter.” ’ For before he was called Simon. Now this name of Peter was given him by the Lord, and in a figure, that he should signify the Church. For seeing that Christ is the rock (Petra), Peter is the Christian people. For the rock (Petra) is the original name. Therefore Peter is so called from the rock; not the rock from Peter; as Christ is not called Christ from the Christian, but the Christian from Christ. ‘Therefore,’ he saith, ‘Thou art Peter; and upon this Rock’ which Thou hast confessed, upon this rock which Thou hast acknowledged, saying, ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, will I build My Church;’ that is upon Myself, the Son of the living God, ‘will I build My Church.’ I will build thee upon Myself, not Myself upon Thee. 
For men who wished to be built upon men, said, ‘I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas,’ who is Peter. But others who did not wish to built upon Peter, but upon the Rock, said, ‘But I am of Christ.’ And when the Apostle Paul ascertained that he was chosen, and Christ despised, he said, ‘Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?’ And, as not in the name of Paul, so neither in the name of Peter; but in the name of Christ: that Peter might be built upon the Rock, not the Rock upon Peter. This same Peter therefore who had been by the Rock pronounced ‘blessed,’ bearing the figure of the Church. (Philip Schaff, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1956), Volume VI, St. Augustin, Sermon XXVI.1-4, pp. 340-341).

In fact, Augustine's writings were even used by the likes of Protestant Reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin.   Again, here Augustine rejects the stand that Peter was ever the Rock.  In fact in 1 Corinthians 10:4 which I will quote from a Catholic translation says, "And drank the same spiritual drink.  They drank from that spiritual Rock that went with them and that Rock was Christ Himself."  Again, the Pope's claims to be the Rock and the Vicar of Christ fall flat because Christ is the Rock!

Also can the Pope be the Head of the Church?  According to Catholics, they write these:
"The pope, therefore, as vicar of Christ, is the visible head of Christ's kingdom on earth, the Church, of which Christ Himself is the invisible head." (Answer Wisely, by Martin J. Scott, p. 49). 
"According to the will of Christ, all its members profess the same faith, have the same worship and Sacraments, and are united under the one and same visible head, the Pope." (Father Smith Instructs Jackson, by John F. Noll and Lester J. Fallon, p. 42)

That is again utterly blasphemy.  You do not read anyone in the Scriptures to be the Head of the Church but Christ!   Now I'll quote again from the Catholic Bible just as Girolamo Savonarola quoted from the Latin Bible of his time and so did Martin Luther:

  • Ephesians 1:22-23 says, "God put all things under Christ's feet and gave him to the church as supreme Lord over all things.  The Church is Christ's body, the completion of Him who Himself completes all things everywhere."
  • Ephesians 5:23 says, "For the husband has authority over his wife just as Christ has authority over the church: and Christ Himself is the Savior of the Church, His Body."

Again a simple judgment of common sense can see it that even a non-intellectual can understand it.  Looking at it, the only reason why Jesus can be appointed as Shepherd and Lord over all things is because He is the Son of God, He is without sin.  He doesn't die and He is the Head.  To claim to be a visible head while Christ as the invisible Head is making a two-headed monstrosity.  Like how many times has the Catholic Church by this false claim introduce their own tradition rather than true apostolic tradition?  In fact, the Good News Bible also states what kind of tradition is to be kept by the Church:
  • 2 Thessalonians 2:15 says, "So then our brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold on to those truths which we taught you both in our preaching and in our letter."  

Again, we are seen that the Pope forfeits his rights.  When we look at it, the Bible says only by our preaching and in our letter as the source of tradition.  In fact, the Council of Trent has no right whatsoever to claim with their apostolic succession because how many times have they added and subtracted from God's Word anyway?  In fact, the Pope speaks, Catholics listen like it's a revelation from God when the Bible is the only filter for right and wrong.  Interpretation left to Rome?  Nope, again the only interpreter for Scriptures is the Holy Ghost as said in 2 Peter 1:21- "For no prophetic message ever came just from human will but people were under the control of the Holy Spirit as they spoke the message that came from God." and two, the Bible is complete with Revelation.  If these "revelations" DO NOT agree with the Bible, then it's phony again putting the Pope's claims in deep doo doo.