Authority Of The Catholic Church

by Dawn Van Name

Passing On His Authority

Is the Bible the final authority? Non-Catholics believe this and reject the teaching authority that the pope and bishops have in union in Jesus' Catholic Church. Let's examine the theory of the Bible being the 'final authority'.

Webster defines 'final' as last and 'authority' as group or person with power. The Bible is a holy historical book but it is not a group or person with power. The Bible being the 'final authority' is not biblical because Jesus has the 'Final Authority'. He tells us God granted it to Him. In Matt 28:18 He states: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."

No where in scripture does Jesus pass His authority onto the Bible. Nor did Jesus teach 'Bible Alone' for faith because He taught by word of mouth. 'Faith comes from what is heard.' Rom 10:17 Historically, the Bible also was not compiled until the year 397 A.D. by the Catholic Church at the council of Carthage. The apostles didn't start writing until decades after Jesus' death, so the first Christians used apostolic tradition and then the letters with them. This is why Paul ordered the people in 2 Thess 2:15: "So, then brethern, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter."

THE FOUNDATION:

The Bible is not the foundation of Jesus' Church the apostles are. In Eph 2:20 it states His Church was: "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone." Jesus organized a group of men, 12 apostles, and in Luke 9:1 He passed His authority onto them: "And He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases."

HEAD APOSTLE:

Jesus passed authority onto all His apostles but He appointed a head apostle, Peter to be a leader and to guard His Church in His absence. He organized authority in His Church to keep order and unity. Without Church authority there is disorder and confusion. This is the case among Protestant denominations where there is a disagreement on what the scriptures mean.

Jesus foretold Peter's leadership when He first found Peter: "So you are Simon the son of John you shall be called Kephas" (which is translated Peter.) John 1:35-42 Later it comes true when Jesus exalts Simon's position with the name change to Peter which means "rock". Matt 16:13-19 This new position was done after God revealed the truth to only Peter among the apostles as to who His Son is.

THE "JOB INTERVIEW":

Jesus "interviewed", in a manner of speaking, the apostles for the position of pope by seeing who could interpret the O.T. prophesy about Him. In Matt 16:15 we are told: "He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?' Simon was the only one who answered "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." It was Peter who correctly interpreted the O.T. scriptures. Then in verses 17-19 Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you loose upon earth shall be loosed in heaven." Therefore, God revealed the truth to Peter only and then Jesus gave the leadership position of pope to only Peter in the symbol of the keys.

The keys to heaven are a symbol of authority and have also been used in Isaiah 22:22, Rev 1:18. The one who has the keys is one who is in charge and guards. These keys of authority have since been passed onto new guards with every pope.

TEACHING AUTHORITY:

Today the pope and bishops, who are the successors to Peter and the apostles, carry on the true teachings of Jesus and the apostles. These teachings on faith and morals have never changed whereas the Protestant teachings continue to change with the thinking of the world. The devil, in Jesus' words, is "prevailing" against these teachings. He is breaking down these church teachings where there is disagreement on what the scriptures mean because they are not the true teachings of our Lord.

Jesus said about His Church: "The gates of hell will not prevail against it."

We know the Catholic teachings have been in existence for over 2001 years, and will never error on faith and morals because Jesus promised His Holy Spirit to it. And to lead His Church in unity and to all truth. John 16:12-13

ROCK OR SAND:

The Christian Sourcebook indicates there are over 26,000 Non-Catholic Christian divisions. Each believing in and teaching something different from the other. This has caused confusion among Christians. This is not pleasing to the Lord for we know our God is not a God of confusion, nor are there to be divisions in Jesus Church. (1 Corn 1:10, 14:33, John 17:21).

This is liken to Jesus' parable of the foolish man building his house on the foundation of sand where the rain, floods, and winds came and the house collapsed. However Jesus said: "everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock, the rain fell, the floods came and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock." Matt 7:24-27

It's evident we need to have and believe that the pope and bishops have teaching authority so that there is order and to keep the teachings of the Lord and apostles intact.

This is liken to the wise man building his house, his life, his family, his faith, upon the rock.

Jesus designated Peter our first pope as the rock upon which He built His Church. The world views the Catholic teachings as 'old' or 'too strict' but these are what Jesus and His apostles taught by word of mouth.

Their teachings on faith and morals have been passed on and preserved for over 2001 years through the Holy Spirit's protection on the Catholic Church. This was prophesied by Jesus when He told Peter that the gates of hell will not prevail against my church. Then Jesus gave Peter authority to bind and loose things in heaven and on earth. Matt 16:13-19

EVIDENCE OF BODY OF AUTHORITY:

In 1 Tim 3 we see the body of authority in the apostolic succession existing because the apostle Paul gave instructions for his office, the office of bishops, and for the assistant positions of deacons, priest, (presbuteroi),and elders (1 Tim 5:17).

We also see their body of authority as pope and bishops in action when in a type of council in Acts 15:6-7. Peter the leader in the end made the final decision. It was pope Peter who declared: 'by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gosple and believe."

Today, the Catholic Church still maintains the records of the apostolic succession dating back to Peter as our first pope.

SUMMARY:

Jesus is the head of His Church and He administered leadership authority to Peter for correctly interpreting prophesy. He also adminstered authority to the apostles which, are the Catholic bishops, to guard our Lords teachings throughout the world, throughout the ages. And it is Jesus who ultimately has the last or 'final authority', not the Holy Bible alone because Jesus and His apostles taught by word of mouth in the beginning. And the Bible was not compiled until the year 397 A.D. In Rev 1:17 it is Jesus who declared: "I am the first and the last."

To believe anything else is, demotes Jesus position of 'final authority' and is disobedient to how Jesus passed His living authority on through His One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.