You Aramaic-ing a Mistake There

 Recently I did a breakdown of the point where Christ is referring to the fact that the Revelation of Him as the Rock of our Salvation, the Chief Cornerstone which the builders rejected- is what He is basing the church on. While I mentioned the play on words in the greek "kai" meaning "But" rather than and in this expression, one objection is that this doesn't work in the Aramaic .The argument is this: In that region they spoke Aramaic, and in Aramaic it doesn't translate into greek as this:

 "you are a pebble/ petra [But] on THIS Rock I will build my church" 

They say that it has to be that the inference is that the "rock must be peter"  based on the Aramaic in which it reads

"You are called rock, and on this rock I will build my church"

 I can understand the confusion. It's not unreasonable to think "They're Jews, Jews speak Aramaic. Therefore, They Spoke Aramaic." To use an example, If you were to go into a kitchen of a family owned Mexican restaurant in the southern part of California, everyone in that place would likely be speaking spanish- even though the dominant language in America is English. While "Peter" in this analogy might be expected to speak "English" because the Nation speaks "English", him speaking the cultural "Spanish" would not be unreasonable at all. So Peter speaking Greek because the culture is very Greek would not be unreasonable despite the national language being Aramaic. This analogy would work for a lot of construction workers too.  Lets look at some facts that substantiate this idea rather than the notion that they innate speaking Aramaic. 

1.  The Hellenistic Jews were all over the place after the conquest of Judea in 332 BC  by Alexander the great, and they exposed the area to Greek cultural fusion for centuries. Jewish and Hellenic cultures merge into Hellenized Jewish culture in their practices and the use of the Greek in Jewish communities
2.  We would have to insist that Christ and Peter weren't speaking Greek to each other at the time and it was later retroactively recorded into Aramaic. 
3. The Septuagint is the scriptures written in Greek for those in the Diaspora that didn't speak or read Hebrew but were Jewish, like Peter. 
   
   

Those are pretty significant points and I'll explain the spiritual implications in a moment after I continue to set up context. There are some things that we need to understand regarding Peter in the context of Greek and his use of the language 

• Galilee was multilingual: In the first century, Galilee was a culturally mixed region where Aramaic was the primary language of Jews, but Greek was widely spoken, especially in trade and administrative contexts. 
• Peter was a fisherman by trade, and fishing was often an export business, likely involving Greek-speaking customers or Roman administrators. 
• Peter preached in Greek-speaking areas, including:
• The Day of Pentecost (Acts 2): Jews from all over the Roman world were present. While the Holy Spirit enabled the apostles to speak in various tongues, Peter gives an explanation of the events that have been Greek 
• His interactions with Cornelius, a Roman centurion (Acts 10), would almost certainly have involved Greek as the common language
• Peter wrote 1st Peter to Gentile churches Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia

• Early Church Fathers—like Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen—accepted Peter as the author of 1 Peter, despite modern critical skepticism
• Proponents of traditional authorship argue that Peter’s decades of missionary work among Greek speakers (e.g., among Hellenistic Jews and Gentiles) would naturally improve his Greek competence

Peter knew Greek as a fisherman that caught and sold fish. 

• Archaeological and historical findings show that Galilee had a high proportion of Greek speakers; inscriptions and ossuaries frequently featured both Greek and Hebrew, suggesting a bilingual environment 

• Jerome Murphy-O’Connor observes that Galilean fishermen like Peter likely had basic Greek competence, useful for trade with Gentiles and diaspora communities

• Peter was from Bethsaida, a town notably adjacent to a Greek-influenced city, Julias—making exposure to Greek highly likely in his upbringing 

The Septuagint (LXX) was created around 250 BC. The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible,produced for the Jewish diaspora living in Hellenistic (Greek-speaking) regions, who no longer spoke or read Hebrew fluently. Am I saying that Peter was hellenistic and didn't know Hebrew? Not at all! What I am saying is how much context there is for speaking greek and the magnitude of the effects of the Gentile Greek culture had on the area. 

Now, what about the other person in that conversation? What about Christ?  Christ examples of speaking Greek ?

Jesus traveled to and healed people in the Decapolis, Tyre and Sidon, and other Hellenized regions documented in Mark 7:24-30.The Decapolis cities were centers of Hellenistic pagan culture: Temples to Greek and Roman gods, Greek-style architecture. We see this exchange with Christ and this woman. 

Mark 7:24–30 
24 Jesus got up and went away from there to the region of Tyre. And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know of it; yet He could not escape notice. 25 But after hearing of Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, of the Syrophoenician race. And she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered and *said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” 29 And He said to her, “Because of this answer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 And going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having left.

A Greek-speaking Gentile woman begs Jesus to heal her daughter. Jesus replies, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.”She replies, “Even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.”

The woman is from Phoenicia (modern Lebanon), where Greek was the dominant language and No interpreter is mentioned. While some argue that Matthew 16 is naturally Aramaic due to location, Greek would be the argument for this location. Plus the back and forth between Jesus and the woman flows naturally in Greek; this would be problematic and difficult in translation.  Many argue this interaction was likely in Greek, as it's the only plausible shared language. These regions were predominantly Greek-speaking. Interactions with locals like the Syrophoenician woman would have required some Greek, or an interpreter which isn't mentioned in the Gospels. Matthew 15:21–28 — The Syrophoenician woman speaks with Jesus in what is recorded in Greek; she is a Gentile, and Aramaic would be unlikely. This also shows examples of Christ using this witty wordplay with the dogs and the table, just as He does in Matthew 16 with the Pebble/ Rock pun. 

The centurion’s dialogue

Matthew 8:5–13
5 And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, 6 and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” 7 Jesus *said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. 11 I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; 12 but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.

I doubt the Centurion was fluent in Aramaic. In Matthew, the centurion speaks directly to Christ. Greek would be the shared language here. Furthermore, Christ is mentioning to the Gentile believer about how he will be welcomed at his table while other "sons of the kingdom" will be broken off. This is a parallel to Isaiah 56, which is also a connection to Peters vision in Acts 10 when Peter was refusing to eat with Gentiles and God had to rebuke Peter by sending him with Gentiles to other Gentiles so that he'd see that Christ cleansed the Gentiles, and gave Gentiles the revelation of Christ and they're allowed to be part of the Church since they have had this revelation. 

Lets look at the points regarding Pilot, as they're pertinent in the context of speaking Greek and Latin 

• As a Roman official, his native language was Latin, and this was the administrative language of the Roman Empire. Inscriptions from his time, such as the famous Pilate Stone found in Caesarea Maritima, are in Latin. 

• Greek – The Lingua Franca of the Eastern Roman Empire 

• In the eastern Mediterranean (including Judea), Koine Greek was the common spoken language across cultures and ethnicities—even among Roman officials. 

• Greek was used in commerce, governance, and everyday cross-cultural communication. 

• Roman governors in the East needed Greek to administer their provinces. 

• The Gospels were written in Greek, and Jesus' dialogue with Pilate is recorded in Greek—no translator is mentioned, suggesting Pilate could speak and understand Greek.

Even look at the evidence when Pilot made the sign on the cross he includes greek showcasing the fact that Greek was a prominent language in usage. Pilate made it known to the Greek public along with everyone else, that Christ is the King of the Jews. 

John 19:19–20
19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 20 Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek.

So its reasonable that Christ spoke Greek. Its reasonable that Peter spoke Greek. Its reasonable that the area spoke Greek. Its more reasonable due to linguistics and word play. Lets look at that Spiritual significance I mentioned earlier. 

John 1
40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He *found first his own brother Simon and *said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter). 43 The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He *found Philip. And Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip *found Nathanael and *said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip *said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and *said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael *said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”

What do all of these people have in common? Christ is assembling those who will follow Him on the revelation of Him, Christ, being the Messiah. Christ has begun building His church on the revelation of Him as the Rock of our salvation, The stone which the builders rejected. Nathanaels revelation is the same as the one that peter would eventually have- even though Andrew already had it. Christ, at the calling of these men and the revelation of Himself as the foundation which they're to build upon as the Rock. In fact, we can see that in Matthew 7 

Matthew 7
13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will know them by their fruits. 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”28 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; 29 for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

The revelation of Christ is the Rock, just as He is the gate, just as He casts out those that don't obey Him. Peter tells those Greek churches in 1st peter this same thing, that Christ is the Rock. 

1 Peter 2:2-8
2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” 7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,  “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,” 8 and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed

Peter is saying the EXACT point that Christ is making in Matthew 16 regarding the revelation of Christ and obedience to Him as the Rock of our Salvation. That Christ is the Stone, and we as imitators of Christ are in salvation, are to be like the Stone which the builders rejected. That we, when we believe in HIM and obey, we build upon the Rock and will not be disappointed. 

Now, lets break down that fishing element. 

Mark 1
Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

Matthew 4
While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Why is it important to note that the Greek speaking fisherman was told by Christ that He would make them "fishers of men"? 

Revelation 17:15
15 And he *said to me, “The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues

Because Christ is making a clever play here with the purpose of sending Peter to the Gentiles. A fisherman who was casting nets into the sea was drafted to be a fisher of men by casting a proverbial net into the nations and multitudes of tongues with the revelation of Christ who is the Rock of our salvation.


Lets put this all together now. 

• Peter was a Jew who was a fisherman who knew greek, 

• He has an encounter with Christ while Christ sees He is a fisherman and Christ is heralded as the Son of Joseph= Messiah, The Rock of our Salvation and the Stone which the builders rejected.  

• Christ who is the Rock of our Salvation, at this time changes the name of this Jewish fisherman who speaks Greek to the word that means "little rock" right after the declaration of Christ as the Rock when Simon/Peter begins following Christ the Stone. 

• Christ, takes this Jewish "little rock" and teaches him as Peter struggles to understand things and holds to a bunch of self reliance. 

• Christ again asks "who do people say that I am?" and Peter says "you're Christ". 

• Christ says right you are simon -the original hebrew name- using the linguistic variant to show he's making a play on words here. 

• Making that play on words He says  "you are called pebble, but , on this revelation [ That Christ is the Messiah] I will build my church" as a call back to the moment they met and Peter was fishing, and Christ made him a fisher of Men, 

• Christ drafted Peter to preach to the gentiles who speak greek in order to teach them how to be followers of the Rock which is Christ.

• Christ is taken before the Greek and Latin speaking Pilot. Christ speaks with this Gentile leader without mention of an interpreter ( and lets be honest here, Christ inventing speaking so I have no doubt that if He wanted to He could speak in any language- but He grew up in the area where Greek was common) and is Crucified and Resurrected. 

• Even Peters denial of Christ and the restoration after the Resurrection is a testament of the preaching to the gentiles as All gentiles came from Noah ,spreading out and rejected the ways of God to become separated from God- After the Resurrection, Christ has allowed the restoration back to God to commission them to be imitators of Christ- The Gospel, that by faith and the Revelation that HE is the Messiah you can be saved. Just as was promised to Abraham.  

• Peter then goes to gentiles and preaches in greek. He goes to Romans and preaches in greek. He writes an epistle ... in greek. 

Read all of Acts 10 in this context that the Revelation of Christ is the Rock on which we build, not Peter. Cornelius the Greek speaking Centurion has the revelation from God. Peter is sent to his HOUSE.  Peter's apprehensions are due to Pharisaic rabbinical law that said not to do so, as Peter was refusing to even eat with the gentiles. Peter has this whole vision at the time he would have been refusing to eat with gentiles and  would have called them unclean. God tells him to not call unclean the people that He by His word calls clean which is found in John and is saying the EXACT SAME THING ABOUT THE REVELATION OF CHRIST

John 15:1-11
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. 9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

Peter who was confused because I think he might have been a little slow to be honest, is standing there and who showed up? 2 servants of the Gentile Centurion requesting that Peter defy the Rabbinical authority's man made rules and come preach the Revelation of Christ to the Gentiles as Christ kept emphasizing. Peter goes because God told him to. Peter shows up and does he say something like "Hey Cornelius and all you Romans, I'm the supreme Pontiff, you must now obey my infallibility!"
No. What does He say? 

34 Opening his mouth, Peter said:

“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. 36 The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)— 37 you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. 38 You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. 40 God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. 43 Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.

The Peter confession scene at Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16; Mark 8; Luke 9) — where the famous Greek wordplay between Πέτρος (Petros) and πέτρα (petra) only functions in Greek. Matthew 16:18 in the greek has this wordplay like the Syrophoenician woman 

“You are Peter (Πέτρος), and on this rock (πέτρα) I will build my church…”

In Greek, the wordplay between Petros (Πέτρος, a masculine name) and petra (πέτρα, feminine, “rock”) is clear and deliberate. In Aramaic, both would have likely been kepha (כיפא), which doesn’t preserve the pun or contrast.This suggests the Greek version reflects the original wording—or that Jesus made the pun in Greek.

As I mentioned on the greek cultural influence, there are examples of the Greek Kai meaning "but" as linked at the start of this post and listed here. 

Examples of "Kai" being used in the ancient Greek:

Clytemnestra

In the night, I say, that has but now given birth to this day here.

Chorus

280 But what messenger could reach here with such speed?

Clytemnestra

Hephaistos, from Ida speeding forth his brilliant blaze.- 

Aeschylus, Agamemnon- 5th century B.C. 

Contrasting the night giving birth to day with a speedy messenger. 

Teucer:

...When he died, he left a conflict  over his armor to his allies. 

Helen:

But then what trouble is this to Ajax? 

In Euripides' Helen (line 102 in Perseus edition), the Greek for Helen's line "What harm if he did?" is: καὶ δὴ τί τοῦτ᾽ Αἴαντι γίγνεται κακόν

Transliteration: kaì dḕ tí toût’ Aíanti gígnetai kakón

It means roughly "And indeed, what harm does this become to Ajax? - Euripides' Helen Perseus edition

Contrasting Trucer's statement over armor to Helen's question about the trouble to Ajax. 

Shall I leave the station of the ships and the Atreidaealone, and go homeward across the Aegean sea ? BUT what face shall I show to my father Telamon when I  appear before him ? how will he ever endure to look upon me when I appear ungraced—without meed of valour, of which he himself had a great crown of fame ? That cannot be endured -Sophocles, Ajax 462 καὶ ποῖον… “But what…?”

Contrasting the idea of heading home with being looked at ungraciously 

“Dikaiopolis: But who has ever seen an ox so vaunting—such a kritanites?”

“But who has ever seen an ox like that—a kritanites—of all the vaunting deeds?”

Here, καὶ initiates a rhetorical question that underscores incredulity—effectively performing a contrastive/adversative function: “But who ever saw...?”

Aristophanes, Acharnians 86 καὶ τίς εἶδε πώποτε βοῦς κριβανίτας

....all of that is to say  that the Greek rendering of "you are Peter/pebble BUT on this, I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not overcome it" DOES linguistically and credibly refer to the Gospel and NOT the establishment of Peter as the rock in the place where only Christ should be. 

Big "buts"

Garrett Lisi back in 2007 was an unemployed surfer and snowboarder.  He liked to study theoretical physics and published an "Exceptionally Simple Theory of Everything." I think about this sometimes because the guy wasn't in the sphere of the heady cultural theoretical physicists... He was some dude without a job that was curious about the subject so he decided to read in between boarding. Why do I think about this a lot? Because I don't much of anything about the mechanics of Greek or Hebrew and when I talk about things that make sense in context to me, I sometimes get pushback (rightly so as im not looking to build any strange doctrines here) from people that do know the mechanics and functions of how the languages work. While I know people and how people work, I can't discredit the rules of how people write and they way that language functions. Rules are rules and they exist, but, with some rules, there are exceptions. "I before E unless its Weird" for example. It's a rule, but there are exceptions to the rule. 
When discussing greek and looking at the word "Kai" one of the definitions is "but" where it combines 2 statements. People that I have talked to who know greek or claim they do on the internet ( I believe them), say that "Kai" ALWAYS means "and" and never "but".  yet, when I am looking at passages contextually I think it does make sense that it means "but" in contrast in a few places rather than "and".  Look at this passage in Mark 12, where they translate "Kai" as "and", but then the translators have to add the word "yet" to imply the contrast rather than the word "Kai meaning "but" for the contrast

Mark 12:12
12 And they were seeking to seize Him, and yet they feared the people, for they understood that He spoke the parable against them. And so they left Him and went away.

The contrast is there. "They desired to seize Christ- BUT they feared the people, for they understood that He spoke the parable against them. ..,."  The nuanced connection is contrast. I'm my poking around the internet trying to understand the nuances of the matter I found this: 

Some lexicons list "but" as one of the possible renderings for kai, driven by its usage in translation—but emphasize that this is not its usual function:

Strong’s Concordance lists many possible meanings—and, also, even, indeed, but—but remarks that kai is never adversative in Greek, unlike Hebrew waw. -Blue Letter Bible

Thayer’s Lexicon also counts “but” among possible English translations—yet clarifies that kai itself is not adversative. 

-Blue Letter Bible

So, while dictionaries include it, they're acknowledging that the nuance arises from context or translator choice—not a fundamental meaning shift.

Luke 20:19

Greek: The text includes a καί where translators often render “but”: “They were watching Him closely, and yet (καί) were seeking how to accuse Him.”

Scholars note this zone of contrast even though grammarians typically insist καί is not inherently adversative -kukis.org 

John 18:28

Greek: In the narrative of Jesus’ trial, καί introduces a clause that functions like “yet they themselves entered not,” implying a contrast between expectation and action.

Again, grammatically καί doesn’t mean “but,” yet translators render it as such for clarity and narrative flow 

-kukis.org

. Look at this example in Revelation where the "But" makes contrast

Revelation 3:1
“To the angel of the church in Sardis write:He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

This, like Mark 12:12 seems to be an outlier of the standard way Kai is used. There are places where "And" is used yet "But" would also fit. 

John 1:5
5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Light is incomprehensible to darkness.  Light is comprehensible in of itself. Contrast of light and dark. "The Light shines in the darkness, BUT the darkness did not comprehend it" 

Luke 6:47-49
47 Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

"The one who has heard BUT has not acted accordingly." Kai is used conversely and could be defined interchangeably with "and" without loss of context. The one who hears is contrasted with the one that does not acted accordingly" 

Jeremiah 31:15
This is what the LORD says:  “A voice is heard in Ramah, Lamenting and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; She refuses to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more.”

Matthew 2:18
“A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning,  Rachel weeping for her children; And she refused to be comforted, Because they were no more.”

The contrast of weeping  and mourning and sorrow BUT refusing to be comforted. Associated but contrasting.  While Kai ALMOST universally means "And" it does seem to have exemptions. Now, getting to the important reasons that I have even looked into this at all.  In Acts 21:21 the word is used however "but" would be a more accurate context for the chapter because they're contrasting how Paul IS teaching the Law of God BUT they have been told that he teaches them to forsake Moses.... leading into the prescription to offer the sacrifice to prove that the contrast is unfounded in 22-24

Acts 21:20-24
20 And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law21 and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. 22 What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law.

Contextually: They have been told you teach contrary to the Law BUT you actually walk orderly- keeping the law. The context gives the contrasting definition.  Quick reminder: I don't know greek, and scholars will probably hate this entire post, but im probably autistic so hopefully that gives me some credibility. Anyway, with these examples, we can look at the contrast Christ makes between Peter being called a rock BUT Christ is the rock and the revelation that He- Christ,  is the stone is what the church is built upon. 

Matthew 16:13-20
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15 He *said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” 20 Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.

The context is of the revelation of Christ being the Messiah, the Savior, and with this revelation are the keys to the Kingdom of God- the Gospel that Christ has come. Christ is stating that though Peter is called a "rock" the revelation that Christ is the Stone in which the builders rejected- the Rock of God, that revelation is what the church is built upon. He brings it around in verse 20 to remind them to tell no one this revelation until His time. The focus being the revelation of Christ- not the supposed invention of the papacy of Peter.  The contrast used of Kai is in the sense of "but" not "and".  The fluid context of the text fits with "but" over "and" as,  with "and" the text becomes jarring and disjointed causing the reader to leap from the revelation of Christ as the Messiah to the exaltation of Peter as the head of the church - which is contrary to the rest of the scriptures. 

Matthew 21:
41 They *said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”42 Jesus *said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,‘The stone which the builders rejected, This became the chief corner stone; This came about from the Lord,And it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. 44 And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”

Christ is the Chief cornerstone, the Rock- the revelation. Those scriptures are all of these if you want to look them up, I'm not going to make this post 40 pages:

1 Corinthians 10:4, Luke 6:47-49, Deuteronomy 32:4, Genesis 49:24, Deuteronomy 32:15, Deuteronomy 32:18, Deuteronomy  32:30-31, 1 Samuel 2:2 , 2 Samuel 22:23 , 2 Samuel 22:47, 2 Samuel 23:3, Psalm 18:2, Psalm 18:46, Psalm 28:1,  Psalm 42:9, Psalm 62:5-8, Psalm 78:35, Psalm 89:26, Psalm 92:15, Psalm 94:22, Psalm 95:1, Psalm 144:1, Isaiah 44:8, Habakkuk1:12, 1 Peter 2:8, Psalm 31:3, Psalm 62:1-2

 Look at this in John chapter 1

John 1:41-42
41 He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

Christ is calling Peter back to the moment Christ called Peter. 

Matthew 16
 15 He *said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

The revelation of Christ as the Messiah/ Rock of our salvation, to the naming of Peter. this points to the Matthew 16 account that Christ is making a play on words off Peter name being little rock/stone TO the Revelation that Christ is the Rock of our Salvation, the Stone which the builders rejected. This isn't establishing Peter as supreme Pontiff in the seat that Christ says is His alone as the leader and head of the church- its a reminder that we are supposed to follow Christ and conform to His image and at His revelation He is the one that gives us a new name 

Also look at 2 more examples of "kai" in a contrastive sense:

Matthew 21:41
He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, BUT will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.

The contrast of wretches ending with new life. 

" Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. 44  and he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”"

Kai is used in both contexts here, in the "and" and the contrasting "but"  comparing those who fall on the rock to be broken vs those who refuse and will be crushed by the rock. For details on Christ being the Rock. 


Examples of "Kai" being used in the ancient Greek:

Clytemnestra

In the night, I say, that has but now given birth to this day here.

Chorus

280 But what messenger could reach here with such speed?

Clytemnestra

Hephaistos, from Ida speeding forth his brilliant blaze.- 

Aeschylus, Agamemnon- 5th century B.C. 

Contrasting the night giving birth to day with a speedy messenger. 

Teucer:

...When he died, he left a conflict  over his armor to his allies. 

Helen:

But then what trouble is this to Ajax? 

In Euripides' Helen (line 102 in Perseus edition), the Greek for Helen's line "What harm if he did?" is: καὶ δὴ τί τοῦτ᾽ Αἴαντι γίγνεται κακόν

Transliteration: kaì dḕ tí toût’ Aíanti gígnetai kakón

It means roughly "And indeed, what harm does this become to Ajax? - Euripides' Helen Perseus edition

Contrasting Trucer's statement over armor to Helen's question about the trouble to Ajax. 

Shall I leave the station of the ships and the Atreidaealone, and go homeward across the Aegean sea ? BUT what face shall I show to my father Telamon when I  appear before him ? how will he ever endure to look upon me when I appear ungraced—without meed of valour, of which he himself had a great crown of fame ? That cannot be endured -Sophocles, Ajax 462 καὶ ποῖον… “But what…?”

Contrasting the idea of heading home with being looked at ungraciously 

“Dikaiopolis: But who has ever seen an ox so vaunting—such a kritanites?”

“But who has ever seen an ox like that—a kritanites—of all the vaunting deeds?”

Here, καὶ initiates a rhetorical question that underscores incredulity—effectively performing a contrastive/adversative function: “But who ever saw...?”

Aristophanes, Acharnians 86 καὶ τίς εἶδε πώποτε βοῦς κριβανίτας

So, there are SOME exceptions.  

YET ANOTHER JUDE POST

 As I was reading Jude, again for the dozenth time I was prompted to look up the context of what it means to "revile angelic majesties. " found in Jude1:8

Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties.

Some of the context seems to be rebellion against a state of perfection and the light of Divine Glory in which we are to esteem: The order of God. Angels, who obey God's order and commands- display the Glory of God. Check out these definitions: 

1. 1. splendour, brightness

      1. of the moon, sun, stars

      2. magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace

      3. majesty

         1. a thing belonging to God

            1. the kingly majesty which belongs to him as supreme ruler, majesty in the sense of the absolute perfection of the deity

         2. a thing belonging to Christ

            1. the kingly majesty of the Messiah

            2. the absolutely perfect inward or personal excellency of Christ; the majesty

         3. of the angels

            1. as apparent in their exterior brightness

   2. a most glorious condition, most exalted state

      1. of that condition with God the Father in heaven to which Christ was raised after he had achieved his work on earth

      2. the glorious condition of blessedness into which is appointed and promised that true Christians shall enter after their Saviour's return from heaven

So, what does that mean in context ?
Its not so much that people are badmouthing Angels in so much as they are slandering God's order and those that hold to it. 

Jude 1:4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jude is entirely about this concept and interconnection of Obedience to God's commands being the garments of righteousness of which we put on. Reviling Angelic Majesties is to be hostile to obedience to God and His Law. I'm probably about to over explain this a little bit, but bear with me. Jude mentions an example of Joshua the High priest arguing over the body of moses. Moses is an Hebraic idiom for the commands of God. Here's a bunch of examples of that

Luke 16:28-31
28 for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham *said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’

Luke 24:26-27
26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

John 7:21-23
21 Jesus answered them, “I did one deed, and you all marvel. 22 For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath?

Side note on this John 7 passage, we can see that this is an idiom for the Commands of God because circumcision was commanded to Abraham by God long before Moses.  

Acts 15:1 

For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.

Acts 26:21-23
21 For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death. 22 So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; 23 that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

...still more examples of Moses being an idiom for the commands of God... 

Acts 21:20-24
20 And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; 21 and (but) they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. 22 What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law. 

2 Corinthians 3:14-16
14 But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. 15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; 16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

So, before we start tying this back to Jude there are few more points to make for context.  Moses is an idiom of the Commands of God. The commands of God are the garments that we wear to the marriage supper of the Lamb. 

Psalms 103

19 The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,  And His sovereignty rules over all.20 Bless the Lord, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word!21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will. 22 Bless the Lord, all you works of His, In all places of His dominion;Bless the Lord, O my soul!

David writes about the anges upholding the commands of God in obedience, There is a direct connection to the obedience to the commands of God to shining in the glory of God, dressed cleanly. 

Revelation 19:7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

Revelation 7:13-14
13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” 14 I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb

Revelation 22:12-15

12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

Moses is idiomatic for the commands of God, Righteous obedience is repentance and washing our robes in Christ who was perfectly obedient,  so when we respond to His grace and turn from our rebellion, we are not walking in disobedience and defilement. Now lets read this Jude passage in context:

Jude
8 Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties. 9 But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed.

This is 1000% referring to Zecheriah 3 and not the physical body of the Prophet Moses. This is entirely an argument about uncleanliness and the Devil accusing a High priest about the Law of God

Zechariah 3:1-5
Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel. 4 He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes.” 5 Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the Lord was standing by. 6 And the angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘If you will walk in My ways and if you will perform My service, then you will also govern My house and also have charge of My courts, and I will grant you free access among these who are standing here.

Jude
11 Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.

Cain rejected the commands of God. 

Genesis 4:3-8
3 So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; 5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” 8 Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.

Balaam ignored the commands of God

Numbers 22:12;20-22
12 God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” ... 20 God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you shall you do.”21 So Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab.22 But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.

Korah's rebellion ignored what God was 

Numbers 16:20

20 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 21 “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.” 22 But they fell on their faces and said, “O God, God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?”23 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’”25 Then Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, with the elders of Israel following him, 26 and he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin.” 27 So they got back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the doorway of their tents, along with their wives and their sons and their little ones. 28 Moses said, “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not my doing. 29 If these men die the death of all men or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But if the Lord brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they descend alive into Sheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned the Lord.”

Jude is not about Angels mating with earth women, or angels fighting over the physical body of Moses. It is ENTIRELY a letter from the Brother of Christ telling them that there are people in the church and in their own midst that are not obeying the commands of God, and giving examples of what happens when people reject the commands of God. These men are slandering God's Glory and all things pertaining to His Majesty. They're defying the King of Glory.  Reviling angelic majesties is insulting the throne of God and the Kings directives. It isn't about angels, its about Christ. 

As we are commanded to reflect the Glory of God, These men claim to be OF God, and they defy Him and pollute their garments with sin. The example of which is used in the Genesis 6 narrative when the earth was filled with violence and men being carried away by licentiousness -God was grieved that He had ever made man, but Noah a preacher of righteousness was saved. 

Jude
14 It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” 16 These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.

 We know the commands of God are light. 

Amos 5:18
Alas, you who are longing for the day of the Lord, For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you?It will be darkness and not light

John 3:20-21
20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

Proverbs 6:23
For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life

Ephesians 5:8-10
8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

To "Revile angelic Majesties" is to speak against God, His order, His throne and His rule, to NOT walk in the light which is obedience to God.

The Catholic Abandonment of Apostolic Succession.

Ayn Rand once famously paraphrased the works of Kant saying ""If the truth shall kill them, let them die" This quote is from Rand, not Kant- but it highlights the way that people attribute them as if Kant had spoken them himself. Kant didn't say the words. Kant never met Rand. They lived 100 years apart, yet the misattribution persists. What does that have to do with anything? Well, nearly any conversation with a Catholic apologist will result in them claiming authority and superiority of the Catholic church in stating that they learned them directly from the Apostles themselves in Apostolic succession. Like the Rand quote being misattributed or a characterisation of what Kant said- it is not accurate to say that the Catholic church has kept the traditions of the Apostles without deviation and many of the claims of apostolic succession are indeed fabrications without authenticity. 
 

 "Many of those who say that they confess Jesus, and are called Christians, eat meats offered to idols, and declare that they are by no means injured in consequence. Confessing themselves to be Christians, and admitting the crucified Jesus to be both Lord and Christ, yet not teaching His doctrines, but those of the spirits of error. ...[They are those who] teach to blaspheme the Maker of all things, and Christ, who was foretold by Him as coming, and the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, with whom we have nothing in common, since we know them to be atheists, impious, unrighteous, and sinful, and confessors of Jesus in name only, instead of worshipers of Him. Yet they style themselves Christians, just as certain among the Gentiles inscribe the name of God upon the works of their own hands, and partake in nefarious and impious rites. Some are called Marcians, and some Valentinians, and some Basilidians, and some Saturnilians, and others by other names; each called after the originator of the individual opinion...the name of the father of the particular doctrine"- Justin Martyr Dialogue with Trypho (Chapters 31-47)

• Marcians- Marcion of Sinope considered himself a follower of Paul the Apostle, whom he believed to have been the only true apostle of Jesus Christ; his doctrine is called Marcionism. Marcion of Syracuse was the first bishop of Syracuse; a disciple of the apostle Peter. He is considered the first bishop of the West Martyred bishop of Syracuse, Italy, called "the First Bishop of the West. Marcion is traditionally believed to have been sent to Syracuse, in Sicily by St. Peter, but documentation places him in the third century. The Jews of Syacuse threw Marcion from a tower. 
• Valentinians -Clement of Alexandria reports that Valentinus was taught by Theudas, a disciple of the apostle Paul
• Basilidians, -A gnostic sect founded by Basilides of Alexandria in the 2nd century. Basilides Claimed to have been taught his doctrines by Glaucus, a disciple of St. Peter
• Saturnilians- Saturninus of Antioch was an early Syrian Gnostic Christian from the 1st centry Simonian school who learned under Simon Magnus and established a school in Antioch.

Why we should heed the warning of Justin Martyr:
For starters, they confirm the words of Paul. 

Acts 20:28-30

28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

Lets break down the details of some of these men who claim Apostolic succession while in actuality are seeking to draw disciples away from the truth, not sparing the flock, and speaking perverse things. 

Acts 8:9-13
9 Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great; 10 and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.” 11 And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts. 12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. 13 Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

This Simon Magnus that taught magic arts became a believer at the time of the apostles. 

18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.” 24 But Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

Simon Magnus the sorcerer did not remain a believer, but went on to teach the Saturnilians. Though Justin Martyr would state that Rome built this Simon a statue anyway. Simon had professed to be a believer, teaching those who professed to also be believers as Justin Martyr records- as professing faith in Christ in name only yet each inscribing the name of the Savior on the deeds of their own hands.

Just as early Christians recruited Roman pagans by associating Christmas with the Saturnalia, so too worshippers of the Asheira cult and its offshoots were recruited by the Church sanctioning “Christmas Trees”.  Pagans had long worshipped trees in the forest, or brought them into their homes and decorated them, and this observance was adopted and painted with a Christian veneer by the Church.-  Clement Miles, Christmas Customs and Traditions: Their History and Significance, New York: Dover Publications, 1976, pages 178, 263-271.

Deuteronomy 16:21-22 “You shall not plant for yourself an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of the Lord your God, which you shall make for yourself. 22 You shall not set up for yourself a sacred pillar which the Lord your God hates.   

 
The Marcions either followed the one Marcion that Martyr warns against as a warning of Marcion of Sinope- who claimed to be a follower of Paul and learned directly from him but effectually an atheist by his fruit which disqualifies Sinope as an eyewitness to his impiety... or The Catholic Church claims to have followed in succession Marcion of syracuse which is unlikely to have learned directly from Peter having lived centuries after Peter and a hundred years after Martyr. That is a continuity problem. 

Valentinus was trained in Hellenistic science in Alexandria. Like many other heretical teachers he went to Rome the better, perhaps to disseminate his views. He arrived there during the pontificate of Hyginus and remained until the pontificate of Anicetus. During a sojourn of perhaps fifteen years, though he had in the beginning allied himself with the orthodox community in Rome, he was guilty of attempting to establish his heretical system. His errors led to his excommunication, after which he repaired to Cyprus where he resumed his activities as a teacher and where he died probably about 160 or 161. Valentinus professed to have derived his ideas from Theodas or Theudas, a disciple of St. Paul, but his system is obviously an attempt to amalgamate Greek and Oriental speculations of the most fantastic kind with Christian ideas.

Within one century we have examples of those men who are teaching heresy as if it were established traditions from the Apostles themselves within the Catholic church. He continued to teach these heretical traditions even after removal- but the fact that he was in the Roman church making the false claims and attributing them to Paul in the first place is not an uncommon practice that Paul warned against when the Apostles stated 

Galatians 1:6-17

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

Basilides invented prophets for himself named Barcabbas and Barcoph, and claimed to have received verbal instructions from St. Matthias the Apostle and to be a disciple of Glaucias, a disciple of St. Peter. - https://www.bible.ca/trinity/trinity-sects-basilides.htm

Basilides claimed that they received instruction directly from the apostles Matthew and Peter, and yet they deny the crucifixion of Christ 

Referred to by Abdullah Yusuf Ali (Muslim) as "The Basilidans" as proof that early Christian sects believed someone else died in Jesus' place. For Muslims like Ali to call the Basilides a "Christian sect" is as intellectually dishonest as Christians calling the "Bahai faith" a Muslim sect.-

"It was not, however, Christ who suffered, but rather Simon of Cyrene, who was constrained to carry the cross for him, and mistakenly crucified in Christ's stead. Simon having received Jesus' form, Jesus assumed Simon's and thus stood by and laughed at them. Simon was crucified and Jesus returned to His Father.- Bible.ca

They deny the Deity of Christ, they deny the crucifixion, and yet as Justin Martyr records, they professed to be Christians that learned their traditions and doctrines from the apostles themselves.
They lie.

“But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place among whom are the Muslims: these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.”-

Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium 16, November 21, 1964

“In our prayers, we always remember the peoples of Africa. The common belief in the Almighty professed by millions calls down upon this continent the graces of his Providence and love, most of all, peace and unity among all its sons. We feel sure that as representatives of Islam, you join in our prayers to the Almighty, that he may grant all African believers the desire for pardon and reconciliation so often commended in the Gospels and in the Qur’an. -Paul VI, address to the Islamic communities of Uganda, August 1, 1969

“I deliberately address you as brothers: that is certainly what we are, because we are members of the same human family, whose efforts, whether people realize it or not, tend toward God and the truth that comes from him. But we are especially brothers in God, who created us and whom we are trying to reach, in our own ways, through faith, prayer and worship, through the keeping of his law and through submission to his designs.- John Paul II, address to representatives of Muslims of the Philippines, February 20, 1981

The catholic church is embracing Islam though they hold to the teachings of the Basilidians. It is professing brotherhood and partnership with those the Bible rejects for denial of Christ. 

Nicolas is a 1st century man that is listed among those selected by the apostles to perform ministry. He however did not remain as such. In 1 John we see this warning about such "apostles" that went out from among them

1 John 2:18-20

18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 

Note again that in this passage John affirms that the person who has a relationship with God has anointing. The above passage means that the traditions of men who were ONCE with them, were being taught to others in the church AS authoritative. We can see the Nicolaitans who followed the Apostolic Succession of Nicolas being rebuked by none other than the Savior Himself.     

Revelation 2:1-6 

‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. 6 Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Christ calls out the Nicolaitans ALONG WITH the church at Ephesus and Pergamum. Those established churches and people who claim that their deeds and their order stem from men reaching back to the time of Christ- often tend to ignore the fact that Christ rebuked their deeds. 

Revelation 2: 14-16

But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. 15 So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.

The exaltation of the clergy up into the seat and position of Christ IS a Nicolaitan doctrine in defiance of Christ order that no man be called teacher or father - for Christ is the head.  

Matthew 23:3-12

 3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. 4 They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. 5 But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. 6 They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men. 8 But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. 11 But the greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Nicolaitanism is the subjugation of the assembly or “the laity” by a hierarchical order who lord it over the assembly as if it were their own possession. 

H.A. Ironside in his book entitled, Lectures on the Book of Revelation, gives a clear statement of the ecclesiastical evil of Nicolaitanism. In close connection with this we have the introduction of wrong principles within—the teaching of the Nicolaitanes.  Others have often pointed out that this is an untranslated Greek word meaning, “Rulers over the people.” Nicolaitanism is really clerisy—the subjugation of those who were contemptuously styled “the laity” by a hierarchical order who lorded it over them as their own possessions, forgetting that it is written, “One is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren.”In the letter to Ephesus the Lord commended them for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, those who, like Diotrephes, loved to have the preeminence among them.  But, in Pergamos letter, we have Nicolaitanism designated as a distinct system of teaching.  It was then that clerisy was accepted as of divine origin, and therefore something that must be bowed to. 2 (emphasis added) W.R. Newell taught that Nicolaitanism is a system where individuals rule over the assembly.Whereas, it seems probable that the name Nicolaitans, as we say elsewhere, holds its own interpretation: —laity-bossing clerisy. 3 (emphasis added) We would in this way find “Nicolaitan” derived from nikao, to conquer; and laos, people; and the meaning, rulers of the laity, indicating that dire clerisy which very early sprang up. 4The well-known Scofield Bible has this note which further confirms the ecclesiastical evil denoted by Nicolaitanism.From nikao, “to conquer,” and laos, “the people,” or “laity.”  There is no ancient authority for a sect of the Nicolaitanes.  If the word is symbolic it refers to the earliest form of the notion of a priestly order, or “clergy,” which later divided an equal brotherhood (Mt. 23. 8), into “priests” and “laity.”  What in Ephesus was “deeds” (2.6) had become in Pergamos a “doctrine” (Revelation 2.15).

The Headship of Christ over the assembly is practically denied, and the superintendence of the Spirit of God is set aside.  The authority of Christ in the midst of His assembly is ignored.  The leading of the Spirit of God in the assembly is called rebellion and schismatic activity by those who follow in the error of Nicolaitanism.In the very long treatise on heresies, a treatise of 252 pages of small type, Irenaeus wrote very little on the Nicolaitanes.  His meager discussion of the Nicolaitanes is as follows,3. The Nicolaitanes are the followers of that Nicolas who was one of the seven first ordained to the diaconate by the apostles.  They lead lives of unrestrained indulgence.  The character of these men is very plainly pointed out in the Apocalypse of John, [when they are represented] as teaching that it is a matter of indifference to practice adultery, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.  Wherefore the Word has also spoken of them thus:

“But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.” 

It is Revelation 2:14 and writings of Irenaeus and others that provide evidence for the immoral nature of the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes.After the Church’s persecution during the Smyrna era, Pergamos arose, making Christianity respectable in the world.  Bishops and prelates vied for positions of power in the church.  They lorded in ease, and this resulted a low moral state.These leaders engaged in and permitted indulgence in sin. - revealing Christ life

Moreover Justin Martyr states outright that men were eating meats in defiance of scriptural mandate and claiming no injury of conscience and denying its sinful nature 

 "The sect of the Nicolaitans had its apostles' and prophets like the great church. The Apostles were the missionaries. In Ephesus the members of the church had experienced their influence and had driven them out with scorn and shame. In Thyatira a certain woman, who seems to have been particularly dangerous, is attacked as a prophetess.2 John had already given her one warning and granted her time for repentance. Now he threatens her and her followers with judgment of death if they persist in their sinful ways.3 5. This is all the information concerning the Nicolaitans which the Apocalypse of John furnishes. From the writings of the church fathers, however, we gain some further knowledge: (a) Irenaeus of Asia Minor describes them as "a branch of the movement falsely called 'gnosis"' (iii. i i. ), and regards them as forerunners of Cerinthus. This he did not learn from the Apocalypse, but from tradition. Probably he knew more about them and their teaching than he felt it necessary to tell. That they were still existing in his time is implied in i. 26. 3 (cf. also Clement of Alexandria). b) Tertullian also knew more (on the basis of tradition) than he tells. This is evident from the fact that he classes them with the satanic sect of the Cainites (de Praescr. 33.4 Cf. also Adv. Marc. i. 29; de Pudic. 19). In the epistle of Jude, also, the false teachers are described as going "in the way of Cain." c) The gnostic system of the Nicolaitans, which is referred to in the Apocalypse, in Irenaeus, and in Tertullian, is described in its main features by Hippolytus in the Syntagma.s It was a thoroughly dualistic"

 In his treatise ad Miannaeam Hippolytus says further that the Nicolaitans taught that the resurrection had already taken place in faith and baptism, and that there was no resurrection of the flesh; that they laid the greatest stress upon faith and baptism is shown by their particular type of Christianity.2 From Hippolytus' account we see that he must have had in his possession a good fund of knowledge concerning the Nicolaitans. d) Clement of Alexandria, who gives us information concerning the person of Nicolaus which does not appear elsewhere (see the exposition below), says nothing concerning the teaching of the Nicolaitans because the particular connection in which he mentions them gives no occasion to speak of their doctrine (questions of asceticism). However, he does say that these "lascivious goats" justify their wicked actions with a word of their teacher, Nicolaus: "It is proper to abuse the flesh." They no longer existed in his day. e) We have a striking statement from Victorinus of Pettau. He says that the Nicolaitans had taught "that food offered to idols might be exorcized and eaten and that anyone who might be a fornicator might obtain peace on the eighth day." This statement is very untrustworthy because it is an anachronism. Neither a lax person, nor, indeed, any sort of Christian could have made such a statement in the first century. It is suited only to the third century. The confusion may have arisen because in the third century a strict Christian may have compared with the Nicolaitans the lax Catholic party who represented this position.- The Journal of Religion 

All of these made claims of deriving their traditions directly from Apostolic succession in the same manner the Catholics make. All of these based their traditions on claims of imitations of Apostles- rather than the direction of the scriptures. Furthermore, we have  more historical accounts of the Catholic church abandoning the very deeds and customs that the Apostles obeyed and taught. 

The Catholic writer Eusebius recorded that Polycrates of Ephesus, around 195 A.D. wrote the following to the Roman Bishop Victor who, as the previous writing showed, wanted all who professed Christ to change Passover from the 14th of Nisan to Sunday:

We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the day of the Lord’s coming, when he shall come with glory from heaven, and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who fell asleep in Hierapolis; and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter, who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; and, moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and, being a priest, wore the sacerdotal plate. He fell asleep at Ephesus. And Polycarp in Smyrna, who was a bishop and martyr; and Thraseas, bishop and martyr from Eumenia, who fell asleep in Smyrna. Why need I mention the bishop and martyr Sagaris who fell asleep in Laodicea, or the blessed Papirius, or Melito, the Eunuch who lived altogether in the Holy Spirit, and who lies in Sardis, awaiting the episcopate from heaven, when he shall rise from the dead? All these observed the fourteenth day of the passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith. And I also, Polycrates, the least of you all, do according to the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have closely followed. For seven of my relatives were bishops; and I am the eighth. And my relatives always observed the day when the people put away the leaven. I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, and have met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every Holy Scripture, am not affrighted by terrifying words. For those greater than I have said ’ We ought to obey God rather than man’ (Eusebius. Church History, Book V, Chapter 24. Translated by Arthur Cushman McGiffert. Excerpted from Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series Two, Volume 1. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. American Edition, 1890. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).

Why we should agree with Polycrates over the Catholic Bishops:

Because he gives us the account of the men from scripture who obeyed what the scripture commands. He affirms that these saints are dead in sleep awaiting the resurrection of the Dead He documents that in his day all his family as part of the established order were still keeping the feast of Passover according to the scriptures in defiance of the church seeking to move away from scriptural adherence to something different. He states that Polycarp who was Martyred was a disciple of John and received instructions from the Apostle- contrary to the disagreements of these Bishops that were seeking to remove the Passover and institute Easter in its place. 

 Polycarp visited Rome to discuss differences in the practices of the churches of Anatolia and Rome. Irenaeus states that on certain issues the two speedily came to an understanding, while as to the observance of Easter, each adhered to his own custom without breaking off full communion with the other.[Polycarp followed the Eastern practice of celebrating the feast on the 14th of Nisan, the day of the Jewish Passover, regardless of the day of the week on which it fell, while Anicetus followed the Western practice of celebrating the feast on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox.

 When the blessed Polycarp was at Rome in the time of Anicetus, and they disagreed a little about certain other things, they immediately made peace with one another, not caring to quarrel over this matter. For neither could Anicetus persuade Polycarp not to observe what he had always observed with John, the disciple of our Lord, and the other apostles with whom he associated…. Neither could Polycarp persuade Anicetus to observe it.

Polycrates records that Polycarp the Disciple of John tried to stop the alteration of keeping the Passover the way John had kept it. Polycrates fought against the Roman Bishops that sought to erase the apostolic custom the way it is recorded in scripture. Ignatius furthers the rejection of the Apostolic order with the insistence of replacement with the customs and traditions of men.  

If, therefore, those who were brought up in the ancient order of things have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord's Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him and by His death— whom some deny, by which mystery we have obtained faith, and therefore endure, that we may be found the disciples of Jesus Christ, our only Master— how shall we be able to live apart from Him, whose disciples the prophets themselves in the Spirit did wait for Him as their Teacher? - Ignatius of Antioch 

 For if we still live according to the Jewish law, we acknowledge that we have not received grace.- Ignatius of Antioch 

Why He's wrong: 

Ignatius of Antioch in his demands to replace and alter both the Law and appointed times of God is doing the very attributes we see in Daniel 7:25

Daniel 7:25
He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

Ignatius makes the claim that we are to not keep the Sabbath, the literal 4th commandment of God in the 10 commandments, and states that doing so is an abandonment of the faith. This is not however, what we see in scripture as all the Disciples still kept the Sabbath throughout the book of Acts. In fact, Paul performed sacrifices in Acts 21 for the purpose of refuting people who were saying that Paul was teaching a doctrine along the lines of what Ignatious is presenting. 

Acts 21:18-24
8 And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 After he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; 21 and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. 22 What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law. 

And then he does it. 

Acts 21:26
 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purifying himself along with them, went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.

Was Paul a Christian at this point? Yes. Was Paul abandoning the faith by his observance of the things of God? No. 

Acts 24:14
14 But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets

Ignatius DISAGREES with Paul and everything written in the Law and the Prophets. Ignatius pits the grace of God against God's law instead of what Paul demonstrates in his letter to Titus, that they work together. 

Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

Ignatius claims to be a disciple of John, but is teaching contrary to the teachings of Polycarp who claimed to be a disciple of John. Polycarp's teachings on the Passover and its observance are consistent with scripture but Ignatius' are not. Both are making the claim of apostolic succession while in direct conflict with each other- and one with the the bearings of scripture itself. Furthermore, when Christ states that He is the Lord of the Sabbath- He is not instituting a different day whereas the Sabbath itself is appointed time of God and His assertion is a claim of Deity. 

Matthew 12:8
8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Leviticus 23:1-3

23 The Lord spoke again to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord’s appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations—My appointed times are these: 3 ‘For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to the Lord in all your dwellings.

Ergo Ignatius decree is at its core Anti-Christ and not consistent with the example OF Christ. 

Luke 4:16
16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read.

to make the claim that one has the authority to alter and change God's own appointed time to another time, while claiming that it is a tradition taught by the Apostles- is STILL to ignore the clear example OF Christ.  

The Church of Rome made the following declarations in the city of Laodicea: Council of Laodicea in 363 A.D....

Canon 29: Christians must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lord's Day [Sunday]; and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found judaizers, let them be anathema (detestable) from Christ.

Canon 37-39: It is not lawful to receive portions sent from the feasts of Jews or heretics, nor to feast together with them. (God’s Holy Days) It is not lawful to receive unleavened bread from the Jews, nor to be partakers of their impiety.Thou shalt not keep feasts with Hebrews or heretics, nor receive festival offerings from them. Light hath no communion with darkness. Therefore no Christian should celebrate a feast with heretics or Jews, neither should he receive anything connected with these feasts such unleavened bread and the like."

Canon 49: During Lent the Bread must not be offered except on the Sabbath Day and on the Lord's Day only.

Here's why that's a problem: 

The Catholic Canon is making an official ruling that we are not to keep the Sabbath of God when God commands us which is in direct conflict with the clear instructions of Christ in Matthew 

Matthew 24:19-21
 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.

... it is in direct conflict with the decree of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 for Gentiles to come hear the commands of God every week that they may grow in obedience having already received salvation by faith through grace as the Titus 2 passage above outlined. 

Acts 15
20 but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. 21 For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

Lets look deeper at the infusion of Roman customs into the church while rejecting the instructions of Christ and the Apostles. 

Among the topics discussed at the Council of Nicea in 325 was when it was proper to observe the feast of Christ's resurrection (Easter). Two practices were being followed. Christians in the East ended a fast to mark Jesus' crucifixion on the first night of the Jewish Passover, on the 14th day of Nisan according to the Jewish calendar. They would break their fast with a Passover meal to commemorate Jesus' Last Supper. This practice was known as Quartodecimanism from the Latin word for fourteen. Christians in Rome ended their fast on the following Sunday. At issue was whether the Resurrection should be fixed on Sunday or associated with the 14th of Nisan, which since based on a lunar calendar could fall on any day of the week. Also involved was a desire to distinguish Jewish and Christian practices. Here the Emperor Constantine decides in favor of the Roman practice.

Constantinus Augustus to the Churches. . . .
At this meeting [the Council of Nicea] the question concerning the most holy day of the Paschal celebration [of the Resurrection] was discussed, and it was resolved by the united judgment of all present, that this feast ought to be kept by all and in every place on one and the same day [Sunday]. For what can be more becoming or honorable to us than that this feast from which we date our hopes of immortality, should be observed unfailingly by all alike, according to one ascertained order and arrangement? And first of all, it appeared an unworthy thing that in the celebration of this most holy feast we should follow the practice of the Jews, who have impiously defiled their hands with enormous sin, and are, therefore, deservedly afflicted with blindness of soul. For we have it in our power, if we abandon their custom, to prolong the due observance of this ordinance to future ages, by a truer order, which we have preserved from the very day of the Passion until the present time. Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd; for we have received from our Savior a different way. A course at once legitimate and honorable lies open to our most holy religion. Beloved brethren, let us with one consent adopt this course, and withdraw ourselves from all participation in their baseness. For their boast is absurd indeed, that it is not in our power without instruction from them to observe these things. . . .In brief, that I may express my meaning in as few words as possible, it has been determined by the common judgment of all, that the most holy feast of Easter should be kept on one and the same day [Sunday]. For on the one hand a discrepancy of opinion on so sacred aquestion is unbecoming, and on the other it is surely best to act on a decision which is free from strange folly and error. . . .God preserve you, beloved brethren!

 -Excerpt adapted from Jacob R. Marcus, The Jew in the Medieval World, p. 105.

Here's why Constantine is wrong:

Constantine here is telling us that there is no overlap of the Christian faith and keeping the Passover. Yet here is what Paul writes us telling us to keep the Passover. 

1 Corinthians 5:8
8 Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

It was Paul's instructions to the Gentile Corinthians to celebrate the feast where they remove the leaven. 
It was Paul's example to keep these feasts just as Polycrates in 195 did and Polycarp  was still doing before him according to the Word of God rather than men.

Acts 20:6
6 We sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days.

Acts 20:16
16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

Paul is still keeping the appointed times of God contrary to what Constantine decreed 300 years later.  

2 Thessalonians 2 
3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

I'm not making the case that Constantine is THE Anti-Christ but he absolutely did seat himself above everything and displayed that he had the authority to decree alterations to God's unchanging word. Those that did not love the truth were carried away with the delusions. The Sabbath, Passover, Unleavened bread- these weren't the only things that were altered away from the scripture, Christ, and the examples the Apostles taught. Constantine infused the customs of Pagan worship with the worship of Christ the same way they church did in 2 kings. 

2 Kings 17:33
They feared the Lord and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile.

Exactly how Justin Martyr depicted. Here are more examples

"Various symbolic elements of the pagan celebration, such as the lighting of candles, evergreen decorations, and the giving of gifts, were adapted to Christian signification. Later as Christianity spread into northern Europe, the Celtic, Teutonic, and Slavic winter festivals contributed holly, mistletoe, the Christmas tree, bonfires, and similar items."The Christian Encyclopedia


"The influence of the Saturnalia upon the celebrations of Christmas and the New Year has been direct. The fact that Christmas was celebrated on the birthday of the unconquered sun (dies solis invicti nati) gave the season a solar background, connected with the kalends of January (January 1, the Roman New Year) when houses were decorated with greenery and lights, and presents were given to children and the poor. Concerning the gift candles, the Romans had a story that an old prophecy bade the earliest inhabitants of Latium send heads to Hades and phota to Saturn. The ancient Latins interpreted this to mean human sacrifices, but, according to legend, Hercules advised using lights (phos means “light” or “man” according to accent) and not human heads." Encyclopedia Britannica 

These all derive their root not from the scriptures, Not from the root of Christ- but from the paganism of Rome, endorsed by the Roman Catholic church as if it were Holy. 

 Just as early Christians recruited Roman pagans by associating Christmas with the Saturnalia, so too worshippers of the Asheira cult and its offshoots were recruited by the Church sanctioning “Christmas Trees”.  Pagans had long worshipped trees in the forest, or brought them into their homes and decorated them, and this observance was adopted and painted with a Christian veneer by the Church.-  Clement Miles, Christmas Customs and Traditions: Their History and Significance, New York: Dover Publications, 1976, pages 178, 263-271.

2 Kings 23:7
He also broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes which were in the house of the Lord, where the women were weaving hangings for the Asherah

People take the meanings behind God's holy appointed times in Leviticus 23 and they ascribe them to different times, and different customs, of which God has said not to do, learn, or worship Him with. 

Deuteronomy 16:21-22 
“You shall not plant for yourself an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of the Lord your God, which you shall make for yourself. 22 You shall not set up for yourself a sacred pillar which the Lord your God hates.  

God tells us to not set up trees or sacred pillars next to His altar. We shouldn't be engaging in what His word states are pagan customs and saying "this is a feast to the Lord"

Jeremiah 10:2-5
Thus says the Lord,“Do not learn the way of the nations,  And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens  Although the nations are terrified by them; 3 For the customs of the peoples are delusion;  Because it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. 4 “They decorate it with silver and with gold;  They fasten it with nails and with hammers  So that it will not totter. 

 Not once anywhere in the New Testament or old do we see God instructing us to worship Him with decorated trees or wreaths, and we specifically see Him telling us that they're pagan customs of the nations. They are not the result of apostolic tradition or succession. They are from the likes of Saturnilians, and the church of Rome did not derive them from the apostles but from those whom in name only say that they're of Christ.We see these warnings against Christians who adopted pagan festivals and practices even in the early church writings:

“By us, to whom Sabbaths are strange, and the new moons and festivals formerly beloved by God, the Saturnalia, the feasts of January, the Brumalia, and Matronalia are now frequented; gifts are carried to and fro, New Year’s day presents are made with din, and banquets are celebrated with uproar. Oh, how much more faithful are the heathen to their religion, who take special care to adopt no solemnity from the Christians.”— Tertullian, On Idolatry 14, 160–220 AD

Here Tertullian laments that Christians of his time were imitating Saturnalia and other pagan feasts, rather than being separate, they were abandoning the Apostolic succession that Rome claims. Acknowledging the paganism of popular festivals and the mixing and rebranding as if it were commissioned by God:

“When they celebrate the solemnities of the saints, they do so in a manner very similar to those who celebrated the feasts of the pagans before them. What else can we call it but a ‘Christian Saturnalia’? Even the drunken feasts and dancing are kept up—only they do so now in honor of a martyr instead of in honor of a demon.”— Augustine, On the Morals of the Catholic Church (Book II, Ch. 13)Augustine 354–430 AD

Augustine openly recognizes that Christians were simply replacing the names of pagan festivals while keeping their forms. Jerome admits that the church integrated pagan practices in its missionary efforts:

“It is no secret that the solemnities of the pagans have been transferred to our own festivals, only with a change of name.”— Jerome, Letter to Faustus the Manichaean, 22 , 347–420 AD

This is one of the clearest confessions that many “Christian” feasts were directly borrowed from paganism.

“It was not until later that the church at Rome began to celebrate the birth of Christ on the twenty-fifth of December, in imitation of the pagan festival of the birthday of the Sun, when they [the pagans] kindled lights in token of festivity. In consequence, the Christians participated in these rites.” — Socrates Scholasticus, Ecclesiastical History (Book V, Ch. 22)Church Historian, 5th century

This historical account directly connects the date of Christmas with the pagan feast of Sol Invictus.Even a pope admitted the ongoing pagan habits among “Christian” festival-goers:

“It is shameful that at the very time of the Christian festival [Christmas] they [Christians] should resort to the customs of the heathen… the worship of the sun is still practised and they bow down before the rising sun.”— Leo the Great, Sermon 27 (On the Nativity), Ch. 5, Pope, c. 440–461 AD

If you believe in Papal infallibility, then without question this Pope is rebuking the Catholic church for abandoning Apostolic Succession. Its' openly admitting to the Catholic apostasy from the scripturally prescribed order. To summarize, The Roman Catholic church when claiming that it's traditions are found directly from the 1st century would only find themselves as the recipient of Christ rebuke of the Pharisees. 

Mark 7:9
7 The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, 2 and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; 4 and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.) 5 The Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?” 6 And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.7 ‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’8 Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” 9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.