SOLA SCRIPTURA? (Scripture alone? Absolutely not.)

Note on biblical interpretation:

God has always had a divine plan for revelation and it manifests itself through His Church. From the beginning, Christ appointed one man, Peter, as head of the Church when he bestowed upon him the keys to the kingdom and promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against his Church (Mt 16:18-19). Through Christ, Peter became the first infallible teacher of the Church. Therefore, no person who follows Peter can contradict his teachings. It is only through submission to Christ and to Peters teachings, that the second pope (Linus) could accurately teach others. Likewise, Anacletus, the third pope, could only teach doctrine that did not contradict Linus, Peter and Jesus. A pope does not have the authority to teach anything that contradicts the infallible teachings of previous popes and, of course, Jesus Christ. Therefore, a pope can only teach by submitting to the Church and to the Holy Spirit. If a pope were to do otherwise, he would be placing himself above the Church and the Holy Spirit. If this is the case, then we must understand that any man who places his personal interpretation of the Bible above the Churchs interpretation, places himself above God. This is why Matthew 18:15-17 says that when disputes arise, we are to take them to the church and why 1 Timothy 3:15 says the church is the pillar and foundation of truth. The Church on earth is indeed physical and is the sole arbiter when disputes on faith and morals arise.

The proof of rejecting Christs Church lies within Protestantism where no church agrees on the truth. Their fallible, man-made doctrines have caused perpetual divisions among their own kind. Once a person leaves the church that Christ built (the Catholic Church), he must necessarily adopt heretical teachings or cease to believe revealed truths. God is one Truth and he designed his church to perpetually proclaim the one Truth. It is only through complete submission to God and the Church he built, that one can finally interpret the Bible as it is meant to be interpreted. Therefore, when Protestants exchange opinions about biblical teachings, the best they can do in their debates is a tie. They will say they pray to the Holy Spirit, as we all should. But they cannot explain why they have numerous different and often contradictory doctrines (e.g. abortion, contraception, gay marriage, marriage between one man and one woman, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, salvation, baptism, the Eucharist, predestination, and many more). As a result, scriptural interpretation is reduced to numerous opinions. Consequently, when something becomes the mere opinion of others, it ceases to be grounded in objective truth. The opinion of man, therefore, rises above the Truth of God. This cannot be.

Finally, when we read the Bible, we inevitably have questions on how to interpret certain passages. Therefore, it is always the Bible plus something. That plus something may be a church, seminary, books, internet resources, preachers, priests, theologians, and / or personal opinion. No matter the question, why would someone want to place their understanding of scripture in the random opinions of men when that person could go to the church Christ built and to which he gave the keys to the kingdom? For more knowing the true Church, see the end of this paper.

Example of an argument on authority of scripture:

Protestant: I believe in salvation by faith alonefor the Bible tells me so.

Catholic: You say, for the Bible tells me so. Where does the Bible give itself authority?

Protestant: The Bible is says, All scripture is profitableso that the man of God may be complete.

Catholic: Paul wrote that to Timothy before most of the books in the NT were written and he was referring to the OT scriptures. Further, where does the Bible give us a list of scriptures? Where does each book in the NT refer to itself as scripture? Where in the NT did Christ tell his Apostles to write at NT?

Protestant: Christ gave his Apostles authority.

Catholic: True. He gave them authority to teach and to baptize, amongst other things, but where in the NT did Christ tell his Apostles that the things they wrote and only the things they wrote should be considered scripture? The Apostles wrote about the actions and teachings of Christ and the early church, but just because someone rights about these actions and teachings, doesnt make the writings scripture. It makes them historical references. So, Christ didnt tell the Apostles to write scripture. Christ didnt give the NT authority. The NT books dont give themselves authority or label themselves as scripture. The Apostles didnt give them authority. The Apostles never said they were to be included as scripture. In no part of the NT does it provide a table of contents. Please answer the question again but in a logical manner. Why do you believe the Bible is authoritative?

Protestant: Because its the word of God.

Catholic: Who says its the word of God? (There is nowhere else for this argument to go.) The Catholic Church, the Church that has Christ given authority, gave us a canon of scripture in the late 300s. It is because Christ gave his Church authority that the Bible has authority. Members of the Catholic Church, the Apostles, wrote the Bible. The Catholic Church preserved the Bible and it gave us the list of books that belong in the Bible.

Further, the Muslims claim the Quran is the word of God. Why should I believe you over them?

Another common argument:

Protestant: Why do you believe the Eucharist is the flesh and blood of Christ?

Catholic: Because Christ said it is at the Last Supper and also said we must eat his flesh and drink his blood in John 6.

Protestant: Well I believe he was speaking metaphorically.

Catholic: That is your opinion and I respectfully disagree. Do you believe anyone can interpret scripture infallibly?

Protestant: No. (If they say yes, ask who?)

Catholic: If no one can interpret scripture infallibly, why should I be compelled to believe your personal interpretation?

Protestant: I pray to the Holy Spirit before I approach scripture and he guides me.

Catholic: I do too. So do millions of Protestants who disagree with you on myriad issues. This is why Christ gave Peter alone the keys to the Kingdom. He knew there would be divisions and, therefore, left a prime minister on earth to carry on his teachings just as God gave authority to Eliakim in Isaiah 22:20-23. These keys have been handed down to every pope since Peter. This not only ensures the correct teachings are taught, but that they never change.

Catholic Verses

Eph 4:1-7 I [Paul] therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism,one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christs gift. 11-14 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by peoples trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. (1st Pauls begs the Ephesians to maintain unity in the Holy Spirit. 2nd He says there is one body, one faith and one baptism. 3rd He says that according to our gifts, some of the body would be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers who would build up the body of Christ. If the Bible alone was all we need, to whom would the teachers teach, the evangelists evangelize, the prophets prophesy, the pastors pastor and the apostles preside? 4th The Church was created in this manner so we can come to the unity of the faith (which means we need to learn the faith) and so we are not blown about by every wind of doctrine and deceitful scheming. This can only be accomplished in the original church that was given authority from Christ.)

Mk 16:15 Jesus said to them, Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. (He did not say, Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel as you see it. Christ taught one truth, the Apostles proclaimed one truth, their successors proclaimed one truth. If there is one truth, it must be infallible. Otherwise, it would simply be the opinion of men and thus relative.)

2 Pet 1:20 No prophecy of scripture is a matter of personal interpretation. (Personal interpretation of scripture leads to division as Protestantism has made evident.)

Jn 21:25 Many things that Christ did are not written.

2 Pet 3:14 Talking about Pauls letters, Peter says, there are many things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do to the other scriptures. (Without history, apostolic succession and the Church, people remain ignorant about scripture and fail to interpret it correctly. Again, look at Protestant division.)

Acts 8:30-31 Philip helps the Ethiopian eunuch understand scripture.

Acts 15:1 False teachings arose. The church leaders gathered to decide a rule of faith.

1 Tim 3:15 Church is the pillar and fo