The Pope Doesn't Rule the Church, Jesus Does.

Recently, a new pope was chosen to rule over the Catholic church. He will be known as Pope Leo XIV. What he will do and say during his time in the office remains to be seen, but what is certain is that the papal position, along with many of the other governing authorities within the Catholic church, are found nowhere in Scripture and so have no authority from God concerning the church that belongs to Jesus Christ, of which He alone is head (Ephesians 4:4-6).

The New Testament uses several different metaphors to describe the relationship between the church and Jesus. In Ephesians 1:22-23 and 4:14-16, Jesus is described as the head, with the church being the body He rules. Ephesians 2:20-22 describes Jesus as the cornerstone, the apostles as the foundation, and the church as the building. Ephesians 5:25-27 applies the imagery of a husband and wife to Christ and the church, respectively. In that discussion, Christ remains firmly in place as the one leading and directing the church as a husband does his wife.

After the establishment and sufficient growth of the church from Acts 2-14, elderships were established in each congregation of the church (Acts 14:23). The role of those elders was to shepherd the souls in their local congregation (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-3).

There is no indication in the Scriptures that God intended to maintain the positions initially held by the apostles permanently. Instead, the apostolic council would be replaced by the word of God produced through them by the Holy Spirit (Jude 3; 2 Pet. 1:3; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). The Scriptures present a local eldership shepherding a single congregation as the fullest extent of permanent earthly church government intended by God. Anything beyond that is heresy. The eldership is directed by the inspired word of God, through which they submit to the authority of the only Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ, not the pope (1 Peter 5:4).