CHurch the authority of scripture

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where in the the bible does it say the catholic church is the authority?
 
Many places, but the following is my favorite:

1 Timothy 3:15 if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

Of course, it doesn’t identify the Catholic Church by name, but that’s because there was only one Church at that time.
 
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. (Hebrews 13:17)
 
Matthew 16:19 is where Jesus gives authority (that is the keys of the Kingdom) but I included the other verses to show some context. It is important to remember that Jesus changed Peter’s name to mean “rock” and recognize the significance of when God changes names in the Bible (Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Isreal). Also, it is important to remember that the Catholic Church can trace her roots back to Peter as the first Pope.

16* Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17* And 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. 18* And I tell you, you are Peter, * and on this rock * I will build my church, and the powers of death * shall not prevail against it. 19* I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
 
Others here will be able to give you much better answers but let me offer my 2 cents worth.
  1. The question as posed in your title tends to separate Scripture from Church…This was not the intent of the canon…
  2. Scripture is a part of the deposit of faith within the Church. The Church compiled the canon Scripture into it’s present form through, Spirit guided, councils. This same canon has been confirmed in multiple councils since that time.
  3. Jesus uses the word Church twice in the Gospels. Both times in Matthew and both times connected with the granting of authority. See Mt 16:17-19 and Mt 18:15-18.
  4. St Paul calls the Scripture “useful” but he calls the Church the "pillar and foundation of Truth in 1 Tim 3:15
  5. Paul tells us that it is through the Church that God makes known his manifold wisdom (Eph3:10)
  6. We also find within Scripture, in Acts 15, the Church, acting in council, exercising authority with regards to scripture when they set aside the requirement for the Gentile converts to keep the Mosaic Law.
The Church functioned for over 300 years without a set canon of Scripture. During this time the Bishops in communion with each other were the authority. That Church, a universal (Catholic) Church, finally met near the end of the 4th century and approved the 73 book canon (as I mention above).

So - it was the Catholic Church that assembled the NT canon - not to replace it as “authority” but to allow the universal Church to clearly and easily share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Hope this helps a little

Peace
James
 
JRKH said:
Others here will be able to give you much better answers but let me offer my 2 cents worth.
  1. The question as posed in your title tends to separate Scripture from Church…This was not the intent of the canon…
  2. Scripture is a part of the deposit of faith within the Church. The Church compiled the canon Scripture into it’s present form through, Spirit guided, councils. This same canon has been confirmed in multiple councils since that time.
  3. Jesus uses the word Church twice in the Gospels. Both times in Matthew and both times connected with the granting of authority. See Mt 16:17-19 and Mt 18:15-18.
  4. St Paul calls the Scripture “useful” but he calls the Church the "pillar and foundation of Truth in 1 Tim 3:15
  5. Paul tells us that it is through the Church that God makes known his manifold wisdom (Eph3:10)
  6. We also find within Scripture, in Acts 15, the Church, acting in council, exercising authority with regards to scripture when they set aside the requirement for the Gentile converts to keep the Mosaic Law.
The Church functioned for over 300 years without a set canon of Scripture. During this time the Bishops in communion with each other were the authority. That Church, a universal (Catholic) Church, finally met near the end of the 4th century and approved the 73 book canon (as I mention above).

So - it was the Catholic Church that assembled the NT canon - not to replace it as “authority” but to allow the universal Church to clearly and easily share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Hope this helps a little

Peace
James
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👍

Catechism of the Catholic Church:

141 “The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord” (DV 21): both nourish and govern the whole Christian life. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps 119:105; cf. Isa 50:4).

This passage came up in another thread, and thought it is relavent here too.

What the Church bound into a collective Canon over 300 yrs after the ascention of our Lord, is in a very special category of authority and sufficiency. I sincerely believe that there are quite a few Catholics around who, in their defence of ‘Tradition’, detract the real authority AND sufficiency which Sacred Scripture does contain!

We sometimes think of Our Eucharist as more important than Sacred Scripture! It is NOT! They are both the Word of God. We do not celebrate one without the other!!! Just as the Lord is ‘hidden’ in the Eucharist, so is He ‘hidden’ in Scripture. What reveals Our Lord in these, is the Holy Spirit… received in us through a humble, loving and repentant heart.

The Holy Spirit can, will, and does reveal Interpretations to individual Christians. But the point of Scripture is also to Confirm and hold accountable the whole body of believers. Our Eucharist is the act of Jesus providing and believers receiving the Word which suffered in the flesh to accomplish everything the gospel holds within, which is Reconciliation of man and His God.

“…Christ, in whom is hidden the whole treasure of wisdom.”

Scripture is very sufficient for our salvation! It only lacks a ‘formal’ ability to Confirm Universal Interpretation (authority over the whole body). Sacred Tradition drew me into the Communion of Our Eucharist, and I am still depedent on the Holy Spirit to reveal the Hidden Wisdom in Sacred Scripture, Our Eucharist, and Divine Interpretation (Magisterial Teaching).

But most importantly, I’m dependent on my conforming will to submit to God’s in order to receive Jesus in a worthy manner. This is all of our struggle as Christians to do.

Peace b/u
Michael
 
MrPizzaDude said:
where in the the bible does it say the catholic church is the authority?
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I would not say the Catholic Church “is” the authority, but that Jesus gave His authority to the Church. How did He do this?

He first gave it to Peter, Matt. 16:17-19 (prophecy reference, Isaiah 22:20-25)

Matt. 28:18 lets us know Jesus was given all authority from the Father.

A great section of Scripture to understand how Jesus gives Himself to the Church AND its implications is in Luke, ch 22 starting with giving the Church leaders His Holy Communion (vs14-23) where He also reveals the terrible consequence of abusing the priesthood of Christ given, by example of Judas. Then in the next chapter, He corrects their understanding of true authority excercized in individual leaders. Notice the authority they posses in vs 30! Even further confirmation of the authority held by Peter is driven home by Jesus praying specifically for His authoritative office among the apostles in vs 31,32.

Peace
Michael
 
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