Judge or Prophet?

[AnthonyB]

One of the defining ideas of LDS belief is the need for the church to be lead by a prophet? I have a couple of questions....

1) After Jesus ascended, there were 11 apostles (until they appointed Matthias replacement for Judas), who was the prophet?(or didn't the twelve need one?) Was it James the Just or Peter?

2) Why a prophet and not a judge? Prophets only came about after the Isrealites demanded a king despite God's warning to them that they would be better off without one. Upto Saul's appointment God's people were lead by a judge, which God raised as he saw fit to be both spiritual and political leader.

[Hemidakota]

Peter...

Prophets are those who officiate in the behalf of the true Creator and God of this earth - Jesus the Christ. We do need a prophet or a member of the Godhead with us at all times.

[skalenfehl]

Yes, Peter. He was the prophet and "president" or presider of Christ's church. This is why Christ asked him three times if he loved Him and to feed his sheep (Peter denied Christ three times), also why He told Peter that when he was converted to strengthen his brethren, also why he told Peter that upon this "rock" (revelation) would Christ's church be built, etc, etc, etc. Throughout Christ's ministry he was instructing, training, molding and preparing Peter for his calling.

[KosherXMorg]

Actually there is ample evidence that either James was the so-called "President" or that there was no one head and they all had equal say and that anyone of them could be the persuasive vote in council. James was the one who gave the final voice in the famous Jerusalem Council concerning the responsibilities of the newly converted gentiles. There is no concrete evidence that Peter was ever the "President" of the church except interpretation of a couple scriptural passages.